Disclaimer : This tale is still for Kohaku, even though her religion won't let her read it anymore. heavy sigh And to top the sundae, I still have yet to gain possession of LOK and its people.

Cold Fire Phantoms

By Semdai Bloodquill

Chapter Three : Slaughter

If the two brothers were at all worried about the storm, Kain could not tell. Zangai, since he lived in the swamp, led the trio to a ruined terrace that would offer them adequate shelter from the heavy rain. Athillo the Unsurprized had nothing to say with the exception of asking Kain if he minded stopping until the storm let up.

Kain had replied with his typical response. He didn't care.

And thus did the trio find themselves sitting quietly around a small fire, which they didn't need but it gave them something do, each amusing himself in his own way. Athillo entertained himself by making the flames flicker and dance as he pleased with his mind. Kain found this to be a curious pass-time and spent the time trying to learn how Athillo could do such a thing. Zangai busied himself by taking a long stick and poking it into the fire every so often, making the wood pop. Kain was unsure if Zangai was trying to distract them for the fun of it or if the gray-eyed boy was simply very bored.

Either way, conversation was minimal. Until their sharp ears heard the sound of footfalls approaching. Athillo and Zangai turned their heads toward the sound and listened intently for several seconds.

" A pair of humans," Athillo reported.

" Likely lost judging by the pattern of their steps," Zangai added. The brothers grinned impishly at each other. They closed their eyes and chanted softly together.

" Play along," Athillo instructed Kain a moment later, " this will be fun."

A moment later two vampire hunters, a man and a woman, stumbled into their camp. Weary looking, wet, and covered in swamp slime, the couple stopped at the edge of the overhang respectfully.

" Good sirs," the woman beseeched of the vampires, " would you mind sharing your fire with us?"

" Not at all," Athillo said cheerily, " come sit and warm yourselves."

" It's the least we can do for those that work so hard to keep our lands safe from the vampire scourge," Zangai added with equal liveliness. Kain was confused for a moment before he realized what was happening.

Athillo and Zangai had worked some sort of spell that made the three of them look like normal humans. Kain found himself silently congratulating the cunning brothers.

" Thank you," the man said with relief, " my name is Andre and this is Sandra." He patted his companion's shoulder as he introduced them.

" Athillo's my name," the red-eyed vampire introduced, " and this is my brother, Zangai."

" What's your name, Sir," Sandra asked Kain, " I haven't heard you speak yet."

" Kain," the old vampire said softly.

" I am pleased to meet you, Sir Kain," Sandra responded.

" Pray tell us," Athillo started.

" Have you any food you can spare," Zangai finished. Andre shook his head.

" I'm afraid we don't, my lords," he replied, regret clear in his voice. Zangai and Athillo exchanged sly looks.

" If it's not too bold to say so, you have the strangest eyes I've ever seen, milord Athillo," Sandra remarked, " they almost look red."

" They are red," Athillo corrected, " dark scarlet to be exact."

" I've never met a man with red eyes before," Sandra added.

" I'm rather famished, Athillo," Zangai complained casually, " that drink I had earlier was not nearly enough to quell my hunger."

" I'm sorry we can't offer you anything to eat in return for the shelter you've given us," Andre lamented.

" Oh, I think you have a lot to offer us in return," Athillo countered slyly, scooting closer to Andre, " I'm sure of it."

" Yes, indeed," Zangai agreed, sliding to the other side of Andre.

" Pardon my rudeness, milords, but you're making me feel a bit uncomfortable," Andre whimpered.

" What a shame," Athillo lamented evilly.

" I hate it when we make our victims uncomfortable," Zangai added.

" Victims," Andre gulped, reaching for his sword.

" What are you saying," Sandra joined, standing and taking hold of her pike.

" Think nothing of it, my dear," Kain assured her, placing his hands on her shoulders from behind, " it will only hurt a little." Before Sandra could turn and strike, Kain had knocked her feet out from under her and was holding her delicate chin up, exposing her throat.

She screamed as he bit her, but it was short lived. Her blood filled his mouth with it's hot, metallic taste. He swallowed it gleefully and filled his mouth again. She fought him only at first, the initial shock combined with the loss of her lifeblood quickly defeated her. He let her fall when he was satisfied.

Andre's sudden cry shook Kain out of his daze. The brothers had the man pinned down, struggling and kicking, trying to free himself. Zangai reared his head up in an inhuman howl, his fangs clearly visible and his ash colored eyes darkening. Andre stopped his fighting for a brief few seconds, before Zangai's razor-sharp fangs buried themselves in his throat. Andre's next cry was little more than a bloody gurgle, as the gray eyed vampire drained him. Athillo flexed his fingers menacingly before digging his claws into his victim's belly. Andre gurgled again as Athillo dug out his innards one by one and devoured them viscously.

Kain's belly clenched at the sight of the feasting brothers. Athillo's hands and face dripped with Andre's blood, as did Zangai's fangs. The pair threw their heads back in unison and began to sing in their rich, tenor voices something in a language Kain did not understand. It was slowly paced, and the brothers' shoulders swayed to and fro with each beat of the song.

Precious fires of obsidian,

Come hither to my call,

Oh, ebony flames of Hell,

Upon mine enemies fall,

Scorch black their bones,

'til naught but ash remains,

Burn away the flesh,

And erase the body's pains,

Such elegance lies in darkness,

Such strange and puzzling beauty,

Now arise, Obsidian Flames,

And show to me your purity.

Kain found himself almost seduced by the hypnotic voices of the brothers. The melody was mysterious, enchanting even, bordering on frightening for the old vampire. Kain shook himself, chills rushing through his body and goosebumps rising on his skin.

" Don't worry, Lord Kain," Zangai said softly. Kain jumped at the lilting sound of the ash-eyed vampire's voice.

" If you stay on your toes around us, you won't fall under our spells," Athillo added.

" We should continue," Zangai pointed out, " the storm is lifting." Sure enough, the tempest was almost over save for a light drizzle where there were open pockets in the swamp's thick canopy.

Athillo and Kain walked to the edge of the overhang, testing the rain. Zangai, however, did not move from his place beside the corpse of Andre. Athillo turned his scarlet stare back to his brother.

" Why do you linger," he questioned. Zangai didn't seem to hear him. His gray eyes were glazed and staring out into the gloom of the swamp, seeing and yet unseeing all at once.

" Mother is here," Zangai said so softly that even Kain had a hard time hearing him. Athillo's ears twitched as he turned his gaze back toward the mire, the hair on his nape prickled and started to itch. He jumped on top of the overhang and retreated into the shadows. Zangai crept out and slipped silently into the water, disappearing beneath its murky surface. Kain drew out the Soul Reaver and held it at arm's length before him.

The sentient sword hummed in his grasp and pulsed as something alive and breathing might.

" What do you feel," Kain hissed under his breath. The blade seemed to twitch in his hands. Kain followed the sword's instincts and swung in to his left...and nearly dropped the blade in shock.

" You come to me at last then, Scion of Balance," Luciel stated, her voice was low, gentle, and sad. Her vibrant, green eyes drooped with the weight of untold centuries and her pale-blue skin seemed to hang off her bones. She was drenched from the storm and seemed all the more beleaguered by it. Her great, feathered wings, though folded against her back, also seemed weighted down by the water. The tip of the Soul Reaver quivered and pointed itself at the ancient vampiress's heart.

" Who are you," Kain demanded, more than a little perturbed by Luciel's sudden appearance. The sword surged eagerly though, as if excited by the ancient vampiress. Swirls of blue and white light encircled the blade, hungrily spinning in anticipation.

Luciel reached out her hand and touched the tip of the Soul Reaver. Immediately, the blade calmed and a whisp of the swirling energy entwined around Luciel's hand.

" My brother's sword is troubled," the ancient sighed, " so Raziel has entered the sword after all." Kain had no reply. The old vampiress turned her gaze to him, holding his yellow eyes with her green ones. " I am Luciel," she introduced herself, " come to my keep. We will have more time to speak there, Scion of Balance."

She leapt back and unfurled her wings. In the blink of Kain's eye, she was gone. The Soul Reaver quieted.

Athillo and Zangai crept from thier hiding places like wary cats.

But Kain and his Soul Reaver were silent.

To be continued...

AN : I deeply apologize for taking so very long to update...school will be the death of me yet. But now that the play is over and I don't need to to stay after school until 10:00, I hope to have the next few chapters up faster. Please bear with me since I'm planning, writing, and editting this story as I go.

And to my totally awesome reviewers:

To Varyssa - Have no fear. Raziel will not disappear anytime soon. Very much of what I have planned for the later chapters is all about him. And, just so you know, it was never my intenton to discontinue the story from lack of reviews. I was just trying to get more feedback. sigh...

To Smoke - Sorry for not responding top your other review. I recieved it the day the second chapter went up. I apologize for making you sad over Raziel's being lucid. Lucid is such an awesome word. You kind of lost me with 'the Lieutenant stories' as I am unsure of what you mean. I hope you like my OC's though.

To Antwan - Glad to hear more people were pissed about the end of Defiance. And much thanks for the suggestions. I feed off such feedback... heh heh... feed of feedback (giggles) I made a funny. Anywhose, many thanks.

Thank you all readers and reviewers, I love you... this would be meaningless without you.