*Author's note: I had a soft spot for Ovelin when I wrote "The Cry for Vengeance." So here is his tale…in his own words…*

Raziel's cry of pain echoed throughout the dark shrine. The pillars themselves seemed to resonate with the pitiful sound. The most beloved of all the lieutenants fell to the stone floor, a new gasp of pain whistling sharply from long forgotten lungs. Kain, satisfied with what he had done, turned away muttering incoherently. Each brother frowned in turn, yet none made a move to help their fallen comrade. They knew better.

I found myself grinning. I couldn't help but do so when others were in pain. Kain's steel-like gaze found mine and he smiled, barring perfect teeth. Raziel lay in a heap at his feet blood slowly beginning to trickle down into the cracks of the throne room floor.

Thank the gods for Dumah. If not for his selfish vanity, it might have been sometime before Kain had discovered Raziel's glorious wings (well once glorious anyway). I relished in the selfishness of the Council; they were near equals to Malek and the Serafan. The Serafan had been a wicked group of humans that lived more than a millennia ago, vain and debase, not to mention cruel and totally insane. I thought about them often. It was true, I thought bitterly. History always had a merciless way of repeating itself.

The Council stood appalled and yet intrigued by what their master had done. Was it true? Had they indeed forgotten where they'd come from? I, on the other hand, had not. I'd had the best of the human world (for what I remembered of it) and now I would have the best of this one.

At dawn Dumah and Turel dragged Raziel's filthy whimpering carcass to the cliffs of the Abyss. I wondered what he was thinking of as Kain took his time ordering them to toss him in.

Was he thinking of his female general, Kerfera, waiting for him back at the stronghold? Or was he finally beginning to realize that Kain had never truly cared for him at all. I smiled as they tossed him into the awaiting abyss, glad that I was witness to his revolting screams of pain.

As the sun began to top the mountains beyond, my master Rahab and I decided it best to head home... home to an abandoned Abby that was slowly but surely filling itself with treacherous water.

"Ovelin." His voice was cold as ice. One word from his lips spoke thousands. I turned back to him. The voice belonged to Kain the vampiric ruler of a dying world. He was feared and worshipped. He was the oldest living vampire. Maybe that fact was because of his jealous nature that drove him to slaughter every vampire who seemed to be surpassing him. But who was I to point fingers?

Kain approached me, his heavy hoofed feet leaving their marks on the loose gravel. I was not surprised to have noticed this. I found it somewhat amusing that Kain seemed visibly exhausted. "Ovelin." He said again. "So it begins, my vicious friend. Life as we know it will never be the same." I nodded slowly. It never had been. Ever since Kain had desecrated the tombs of the Serafan, Nosgoth was damned. But I, like Kain, cared little for the fate of the world.

"Are you sure he's dead?" I asked after a long moment. I could still hear the first born of the Lieutenants shrieking in melodic agony.

"For now." Kain murmured mysteriously. "But you need not concern yourself with him." He looked back toward the cliffs and frowned. "In a month's time I shall call on your assistance." I nodded solemnly, knowing what he meant to do.

Kain offered great rewards to those that pleased him. And even if it meant murdering my own clan single handedly I would see to it that Kain's will was done.

I was not sorry for Raziel I realized. In the end he had gotten what he deserved. For all his self-complacency and haughtiness, he had gained nothing except the love of a piteous underling who would soon be as extinct as he was. He had ruled over a degenerate clan that within a month would be wiped from the face of Nosgoth forever. It was up to me to see that they didn't get wind of their impending doom too soon. But for now the sun was filling the sky with murderous intent. I would go home to the Rahabim Abby and wait…

My month was spent in waiting and boredom. I hated to be bored, mostly because if I were bored I had time to think…time to remember…

Fires and Serafan "Holy" warriors and priests littered the Nosgoth landscape. Vampires of all shapes and sizes dangled from long wooden spikes, their agonized wailing drowning out all other sounds. It was an ugly sight, yet oddly beautiful.

I sat atop a white horse, surveying my handiwork. I was proud of what I had done. Soon, the vampire scourge would be obliterated and Nosgoth would live in peace. Across the hill, I saw the Serafan Sorcerer Priests praying to their gods to give them strength. Sneering I dug my heels into the horse and rode for the castle of William the Just.

Waiting for me here was the Oracle of Nosgoth. Jumping off my horse I headed for the gallows smiling as I saw another vampire's smoking corpse. The Oracle stood patiently. His eyes, although blind, were watching me intently. "It's nice to see you back so soon, my friend." His voice had a certain whine to it that I did not like. He drawled his words emphasizing each of them. "Tell me…how goes the battle?"

"The battle, Old Man, is over. The vampires have all but been destroyed. The Serafan pray as we speak." I snorted.

"Your brother prays for your soul." the Oracle whispered. "Your burning soul…"

"I do not think that my soul shall burn." I snapped. "He can pray all he likes, but prayer does not kill a vampire."

"Humm…" the Oracle mused. "But your sword will? I should think fire would kill more efficiently."

"You speak of fire too much, Old Man. Say what you mean." I grew tired of his constant prophecies. I had yet to see one come true. William trusted his visions of the future but I did not.

"It shall be purged by fire." He said calmly, smiling peculiarly. Angered by his apparent attempt to confuse me I grabbed him by the cloak and shook him. His smile only grew broader, obviously proud of himself for getting the better of me. "Death, Ovelin…Purged by fire."

"Foolish man." I grumbled. Letting go of his cloak, I walked inside the castle where William the Just was waiting for my report….

Finally, I opened my eyes, my memories descending into the depths of darkness from whence they came…