Chapter 1: Cold Crossing Somewhere in the North Atlantic; April 14, 1912; 11:38 PM Erik felt cramped. He was stuck in a cargo hold on a ship called the Titanic. He was restless. He needed something to do. He was tired of sitting around, while the young woman under his protection was in her cabin, fast asleep, probably dreaming of her fiancée in America. The only thing that happened to dull his boredom were the two young lovers running through the cargo hold, being pursued by some of the employees of the White Star Line. He looked up and across to his companion, the wraith-like being of his teacher. His teacher was floating in the air, meditating. He hadn't stirred since the voyage had started. How he can survive without eating and drinking is beyond me, Erik thought as he caressed his empty stomach. He had gone 9 days without eating. He was lucky in that he had a hip flask that contained the life-giving water he had drunk throughout the voyage, which was almost gone. He would have to refill it soon. He had spent the whole voyage watching over the grandchild of Christine. She was going over the Atlantic to meet up with her fiancée and meet his family. He had used his psychic powers and his natural stealth to remain unseen. He longed to return to France, with Christine in poor health. Dra'Zekeria had told him that he was needed in America, watching one of Christine's only two living relative, besides her husband. Her son and his wife had died in an accident while on vacation in England, leaving their daughter to be raised by Christine and Rauol, along with their other son, who had not married at this point. He looked at his pocket watch. 11:39:30. He felt his mentor stir. Erik looked up to see his mentor fully alert. We need to move now! We are in danger! Move! The wraith-like being quickly floated out of the cargo room. Erik got up and ran after him. Behind Erik, a horrible screeching sound erupted. Water quickly rushed in from the tiny holes. Both phantoms reached the air of the forward deck. As the two were invisible to the humans on board, Erik whirled around and said, "What the Hell just happened?" Well, the unsinkable Titanic is going to sink to the bottom of the Atlantic. I am unable to do anything to stop it. This event is beyond my powers to stop. It is meant to happen. Save Christine's grandchild by getting her into a lifeboat before 2 AM. Meet me at the front of the Boat deck by 2 AM. You know her cabin number. Save her. Go now. Erik dashed through the ship, heading towards the young woman's cabin. A door opened right in his face, hitting him squarely. He fell to the floor, still invisible. Erik opened his eyes. Damn, I fell unconscious. Erik thought. He got up and looked at his pocket watch. 1:01:15. He ran to the young woman's cabin. He knocked on the door, hoping she was still there or on a lifeboat. "Who is it?" asked a woman's voice. Erik thought quickly, "Steward Erik, Mademoiselle. I am here to assist you to a lifeboat. This ship is sinking, you need to leave." Erik replied. The door opened, revealing a blonde maid. "Catherine is in her bedroom. Let me get her." The maid told Erik, who was hiding his face beneath a hat. Not a very sharp maid, Erik thought. He psychically made his face hidden from human view. Catherine and her maid came out of the bedroom, both wearing life preservers and dressed warm. "Mademoiselles, will you kindly follow me to the boat deck?" Erik asked the two women. They reached the boat deck and Erik herded the two women towards a lifeboat. A young officer helped the two women in and gave the maid a glance. The maid blushed. The officer grinned as he helped her into the boat. The sailor glanced at Erik. "Officer, I am not getting in. I have another duty to perform. Make sure these women and children make it through this ordeal." Erik said and dashed away through the crowd. He checked his watch. 1:55:03. He rushed to where Dra'Zekeria waited. The deck had slowly tilted forward, making it into a slope that was getting steeper by the second. Good, Erik. You made it. Now we leave this ship. Remember my teachings. The water is very cold. The bottom is two miles below. Focus your powers on keeping yourself warm. Moments like these are my burdens alone to carry. My powers are for killing, not saving. Thus is the price of my powers. In you go, Erik. Dra'Zekeria mentally shoved Erik into the water. Erik felt the coldness like a hundred knives piercing his body. He focused his powers to ward off the coldness. He looked up and saw Dra'Zekeria grab two little girls still on the boat and fly off the ship, towards the shore 400 miles away. Damn, he left me here in this freezing ocean. He makes no sense at all. I doubt I ever will. He watched as the massive ship sank into the dark depths. I am not going to like this, am I? Erik thought. Already he was hearing the cries of the dying in the water. He swam closer to the lifeboats, remaining out of the light. He floated there, not feeling the coldness of the water. He waited for hours, until the light of dawn appeared. He finally saw the rescue ship. The survivors were picked up. He managed to cling to a lifeboat as it was raised out of the water to allow the passengers to be brought on board. He psychically made himself weigh less and become invisible. He felt the chill finally. His skin burned with the coldness, almost making him cry out in pain. He had been silent for all of the beatings that the Man who had shown him as the Devil's child had given him. He had had a rough life, full of pain and misery. Nothing could have prepared him for the burning cold. He gritted his teeth and held onto the boat and was lifted from the ocean onto the ship. He made it onto the deck and crawled to the place where the steerage passengers of the Titanic congregated. He saw the same woman who had run through the cargo hold with her man huddle into a blanket as a well-off man went around, looking for somebody. That man left, and the woman sighed a sigh of relieve. He noticed that her man wasn't there and that she was a little shocked. He didn't make it. Erik thought, poor woman. That man was probably looking for her. At least she never had to live my life. Life always will find a way to survive, Erik. Nature proved once again that she is mightier than man's creations. This was a Tragedy, Erik. That woman carries her lover's child in her womb, she will cherish it and go through the hardships that a single mother goes through, but she will never give in or up. The two little girls I saved know their parents were killed on that ship. They will become friends and grow up; they will find their soul mates and will marry them. They will live long and fruitful lives. They will die together, warm and safe in their beds, with their families around them, joining their husbands in heaven. Thus out of Tragedy, comes joy and hope. Me, I find only another sin that I carry on my shoulders. One of many burdensome sins. Erik looked around and saw Dra'Zekeria behind him. "I hate how you can sneak up on me like that. I also hate how you can touch a person and know their future. That is damn eerie. I know you have touched me. What is my future than?" The power to see the future is not always set into stone. Sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't. The only thing I see in your future I can reveal to you is that you will find your soul mate. "Damn it all to hell, you know all about me, why can't I know anything about you? Some rule you forgot to mention?" Erik said. Dra'Zekeria just floated there. He lowered his head. His hands came up and touched his helmet. The helmet came off, revealing a face so scarred, it looked dead. Tattoos intermingled with the many scars. The only things that looked even remotely alive were his eerie eyes. The shoulders shrugged the black cloak from covering his torso. Above the cloud, the whole body was covered in scars and tattoos. The body was horribly scarred from many battles. The tattoos added to the effect. You think you are scarred, little Erik. Look upon my face and body. I am dead. I am the last of my species. I have no people to go to. I am eternally alone, damned until the end of time, when I can finally see my people again. You see Erik; I am not of this world. Christ brought me here. I am far older than life on this planet. I can remember the time before life even existed on this rock. Time itself holds no sway over me. I have walked the very depths of Hell. I have seen the brightness of Heaven. I wait for the time when I can finally lie down and rest. Christ gave me a purpose, a second chance. He died on that Cross in Israel almost 2000 years ago. I was there. I could have freed him from those soldiers and healed him. He himself told me not too. He was to die to free us. I watched as he died in agony, never crying out in pain. I watched as that spear pierced his body. I watched as my sins were taken and died with him. He forgave me of my sins, Erik. I had killed people. I murdered countless worlds. I reveled in the death and suffering I left in my wake. My people were killed, and I threw God's teachings out the proverbial window and went on a rampage. Erik, you killed maybe 3 people altogether. I killed many, many, many more. He brought me here to wait for his arrival. He brought me here to watch him die, Erik. He taught me that nothing is beyond redemption. He gave his mortal life up to free us of our sins Erik. Without that, I would be in hell right now. When you said did anyone else know what hell felt like, I almost laughed. I know exactly how hot and evil hell is and can be. You see Erik that is what I am. I am an alien from another part of the universe and a murderer. There is only one thing worse than hell. The coldness of space. Damn, I haven't said this much in over a million years. Now you know what no one else knows on this planet. Your training is complete. You can watch over your charges now without me watching over your shoulders. I bid you farewell. I will see you again in the future. Goodbye, Erik. Erik watched as Dra'Zekeria opened his wings and flew away, towards the rising sun. So that is his sin. Erik thought. Hmm. He finally dried himself off and warmed himself up. "Now to find my charge." Erik said under his breath, as he went and searched for her. FADE TO BLACK: TIME CONTINUES ON IN ITS' RELENTLESS PACE