The weekend of their initiation dawned hot and sunny, as though it was mocking the solemn events that would take place that evening. The day passed in gloomy silence. The feeling of dread weighing them down, making them feel as if that night would be their last on earth, as if they were going to their deaths; to deaths of pain and fear.

They dressed in the new robes that all the Knights wore; expensive things really and very grand because the brides had had them made specially, but laced with that feeling of dread.

The new uniforms were all black. The ones they had worn on their first meeting with The Skull had not been the proper uniform, just a little of it; the only things they kept from the old uniforms were the leather pants, and the corset. They wore a leather tunic over their shirts, then a corset over the top if they were women, with a heavy black cloak over everything. They had the same masks but had been instructed that they should not put them on until their brands had been applied.

And so they set off, into the night and out of sight of the Vatican.

Anna watched quietly as this happened. She really didn't care about the brides, this was why she hadn't taken up the idea of spying when she had been asked, she hadn't even been in the house recently. But her Gabriel, she loved him and he was a different matter, she could not let him die. Anna had known since the ball exactly why Viktor was attacking but she had not been willing to share her information with the Vampire bitches and their hell beast of a master,(and she still wasn't), she had wanted to let them find out the hard way. But her Gabriel had not been so involved then...and the fact was that Anna could have solved all this before and hadn't, this was a problem for her now and she wished she hadn't been so snobby and haughty, but if she had shared her valuable knowledge with Gabriel he would have shared it with the Vampires, but maybe that wouldn't have been a bad thing considering where they were now. Spies in the organisation of a man who killed people on the slightest whim, he had been known to kill people for being a minute late for his meetings. What if her Gabriel was going to die at the hands of The Skull once he was found out? It would be because of her pride, what would she do then? She shivered at the thought, she had to get him away from Misha, he loved Misha and Anna could use this to her advantage, yes she most definitely could. Plans and schemes began to form in her mind. Slowly ideas took shape and she began to note it down on a parchment. Yes, she would have her way and her Gabriel and the Vampire bitch could go back to Hell and stay there. Hah! Revenge is sweet!

They found themselves on the long treacherous cliff path before they knew it and began the long descent to the gate of Hades, to the Temple of Shadows.

They dismounted and walked down the long shaft toward the throne room, their feet dragging. Misha found that her breathing had quickened and he was not so confident she would be able to commit cold blooded murder now, if fact she felt sick even thinking about it.

As they got there there were already people waiting to take them off into an ant chamber to wait for the ceremony to begin, each of them had a sponsor, a person who would how them the ropes. Misha's was a girl barely older than her, she had mousy brown hair, brown eyes, freckles and a turned up nose; not a very attractive creature but Misha still felt sorry for her, guessing that she had been made to do this for her family or something.

They waited for ages before Verona was led out to take the oath, then the second, then the third, then Marishka was led out, they had been warned beforehand not to bite as this would be to suspicious and soon they heard another cheer meaning she was officially a Shadow Knight, then Olivia was led out, her head held confidently and her shoulders square. There was another cheer about ten minutes later and one of the other initiates was led out, his face very pale. Another cheer went up a few minutes later. Then the forth was led out and cheered for. Then it was Misha's turn, she held her head high and walked confidently but inside she was sick with terror. The Skull sat in all his glory and in ceremonial robes of black velvet.

"Bring out the prisoner" he commanded, eyes glittering with enjoyment at so much death and pain.

A young woman was brought out, judging by what was left of her ragged cloths, she had been a prostitute. As she saw Misha she started screaming and screaming, knowing that death was close, Misha shuddered at the sight as the girl was thrown at her feet in front of The Skull, she could feel him watching her every movement as a silver sword was brought forth, set with black stones, really quite beautiful but Misha could not feel suddenly, all she wanted was for the horrid sight of the girl clutching at the bottom of her cloak and begging to be spared to vanish, but she knew it wouldn't until she had killed the wretched creature, probably the kindest thing to do anyway, she reasoned to herself. She took the sword from the man and raised it, holding it with both hands and readying herself to make the fatal blow, she aligned the sword with the girls neck and brought it down, feeling it cut through flesh and bone and then hit the floor, a massive cheer went up, but she did not lower her head to see how well she had done the job, she was feeling sick enough already. Her eyes met The Skull's and she held his gaze, she was not afraid of him at all.

"Kneel" he ordered and she complied.

He took a sword of his own and laid it upon her shoulder saying: "Now swear to fealty to me. Speak after me. I will be forever loyal to the master of the Shadow Knights and do whatever he may bid"

"I will be forever loyal to the master of the Shadow Knights and do whatever he may bid" repeated Misha.

"And will pledge him my services till death do us part" said The Skull.

"And will pledge him my services till death do us part" repeated Misha.

"From this day forward I will hold my head up and support my master proudly" said The Skull.

"From this day forward I will hold my head up and support my master proudly" repeated Misha.

"And die for him if need be" said The Skull.

"And die for him if need be" repeated Misha.

"Arise a Knight" said The Skull. "Hold out your arm"

Misha did this and and a glowing branding iron was brought out, Misha waited for the pain in comparative ease, it would take her mind off all the screaming. Then it came, and went as quickly, she felt some sought of cream being applied to the brand and then a mask being set upon her face.

"Return to your place" ordered The Skull.

Misha walked quickly to the circle and Marishka waved to her, only now as she turned did she see why everyone had cheered, she had cut the girls head off perfectly, at least she hadn't suffered that much.

Marishka had obviously sensed her fear and disgust because she reached out and took her hand whispering: "It is horrid is it not, that they take such sick pleasure in killing?"

Misha nodded.

Aleera was brought out, her head was held high and she cut the throat of her prisoner cleanly before taking the oath and being given the brand. She joined Misha, Marishka Verona and Olivia to wait as Corinthia was brought out and completed her tasked admirably. Then the fifth was brought out to take the oath and completed, then Van Helsing. He seemed to have no difficulty in slaying the man at his feet, Misha guessed that he thought he was being kind, and he was most probably right. Then the last initiate was brought forth and the final task completed. The Skull told then the passwords and told their sponsors to take then for a look around. The look around only confirmed what they already knew, that The Skull was a death obsessed creep and relished the pain and suffering of others, there no fewer than twelve torture cambers, eight prison cells, all with shackles high up on their walls suggesting that the prisoners were hung by their arms from the wall, skeletons and bodies still chained in some of them. These were the people who had died in here and it suddenly stuck Misha that most people who came here as prisoners died here, only a few could ever have escaped this catacomb maze of passages and chambers. They were showed the Armory, the prison cells, the torture cambers, the gas chamber, and the death chamber where all the executions took place. All in all they were very glad that they wouldn't be serving The Skull forever; he was as sick a bastard as you could get, maybe even more than you could get.

After they had been brought back and he had had a good rant about how wonderful his favorites were and how much he hated the Holy Order, and that they should do anything they could to bring it down, he dismissed them saying that the next meeting was on Tuesday and they all hurried off to the stables to collect their mounts, their new swords strapped at their sides.

The meetings flew by after that but they got nastier, people were always tortured and slaughter in front of the Knights, Misha got used to it after a while, though the screams of the victims still haunted her dreams so she never slept well. And the screaming never seemed to stop; there was screaming on the raids as families were torn apart, children beaten and women raped, screaming in the meeting hall as The Skull slaughter people he suspected were spies, screaming in the torture chamber as the people who refused to join him were punished.

Misha knew that it must end soon though because it was getting nastier, it always got worse before if got better.

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A/N: This is where I could really use your opinions, I want to know whether you think I should temporarily end The Skull and write a sequel where they have lived in peace for some time and, most probablyhave kidsthen The Skull comes back andtheyend him once and for allin a big battle or wether you think i should continue this one. PLEASE LET ME KNOW, THE FATE OF THIS STORY IS IN YOUR HANDS.