Author's Note: Keep in mind that, from the beginning of chapter 2 until the end of this chapter, I am at the mercy of a storyteller who, to his credit, tries his best to make new things for us to experience. He took liberties with a lot of things, but all in all, we had fun. The only thing that really peeves me to this day is he ruined Murdok's encounter with Reinhardt, and someday I may very well go back and rewrite that to my liking. We shall see. In any event...here is the last chapter where someone besides me was in control of the story.

Mystery and Exile

Damien left for about a decade to do some sort of research. His business was not mine, but I hoped he would return safely from wherever he went. During that time, the girl and I noticed the presence of a strange man clad in black. He wandered the exterior of the castle at random times, always disappearing into the woods nearby, but these visits ceased a few months before Damien returned. I informed him of the situation, and we were off for the woods almost immediately in search of the mysterious figure. After an hour or two, we came across a small shack contructed of nothing but dirt. I used my power to detect the presence of anyone inside, but I found noone, and we entered. There was basically nothing here. It seemed that whoever was using this shelter did not plan on staying for long. Some of us went back outside to wait for the resident to return, hoping that perhaps we could question him. Damien had performed some rather strange things before we got here, and I now witnessed the results: he walked up one of the nearby trees and perched himself quite far up. I flew up into another and kept an unblinking eye on the area, and before long, a figure came walking through the woods, heading straight for us. Damien jumped from his perch, landing in front of the strange man. He questioned him, but the man did not answer. Someone then tried to attack him, but they struck nothing, and the man disappeared. He reappeared but a split second later behind Damien, striking him with a sword that faded into thin air.

Carlos then struck him, but after this he once again disappeared. I had tried to hit him as well, but I missed, and I was the next to be slashed by this fiend. The battle went on like this for a short while, and eventually the man fell to the ground. Damien struck the ground with his hand and an inpenetrable barrier appeared around him. He emerged a few minutes later, seemingly stronger. He said he had taken the vampire's soul, and he was one step closer to Caine. We returned home after this, and our next twenty years were spent strengthening ourselves. Damien made childer, and we devoured them. I had never experienced such euphoria before, but I had heard tales of vampires taking the souls of other vampires, thereby strengthening themselves. I did this four times during these two decades, and I did indeed grow much stronger. We did not, however, think about the consequences of such actions. The villagers had taken note of the disappearance of so many of their friends and family, and they came for us shortly after the twentieth year ended. They told us we were to leave or be destroyed, and from the look of things, leaving was definitely the best choice. We were not strong enough to take so many people at once. Damien broke their bows and arrows, obviously just for amusement and effect, and then the castle began to crumble. There were five people in the crowd holding up their hands and chanting, and I no longer questioned their sincerity.

We gathered what we could and left our home. I was not so upset by this, as I had no possessions to lose, but Damien seemed to sink into a state of depression that lasted for a great while. I believe he felt he had failed in his role as leader, and it took its toll on him. I simply took my place pulling the wagon loaded with what things we had managed to take with us and carried on. We traveled for a day or two before we came upon our next dilemma.

The Well of Altered Time

It seemed to be but a small village at first glance, but as I flew over it, I was transported back to the beginning when I had reached the opposite edge. I informed the others, and we began stepping backwards, thereby escaping its hold. Taken by curiosity, however, we re-entered, figuring we could simply do the same thing again to get out, but this time our path was blocked by a pair of houses after we had entered. There were now ten of these, centered around a well. It was a strange place indeed, but we had not seen the full extent of its effects yet. Soon, a man stepped forth from a house in front of us, simultaneously accompanied by nine copies of himself stepping from each other house. He told us that if one were to stay in a house here for one night's time, the same thing would happen to us. He was a vampire, and he said that he had not felt the need to feed since he had been staying here, but we did not feel like being trapped inside this place.

He went back inside, and we began trying all sorts of experiments to escape the effects of the area we had wandered into. Damien burned down all of the houses, and we saw nothing more of the vampire who had been here after they were gone. We were here for two months time, though I do not think time on the outside progressed quite the same as here. The well was the center of whatever spell was at work here, and Damien spent long hours down there trying to figure out what to do. The rest of us tried various things, but I myself was too large to fit into the well. I spent most of my time just standing over it, watching to see if a discovery was made. One night, Damien came out of the well holding a bucket full of a reddish water, which he then walked off with. He disappeared into the trees and did not return. The rest of us eventually did something of the same nature, the girl and myself being the last, as I required help to get any of this special water, and we escaped.

We are now heading toward a land that Damien calls China, where none of us have ever been. I have no idea what to expect anymore, as we have run into so many odd things on our travels. I can only hope we are strong enough to defeat any adversary we are faced with, and resourceful enough to overcome any challenge that befalls us. I find myself filled with a sense of adventure, the likes of which I haven't felt before. I still sometimes get that old feeling of foreboding, though it usually passes rather quickly. I fear that I may still have an enemy somewhere in this world, or perhaps in another, and I am doing what I can to prepare myself for whatever may come my way. My strength grows with each passing night, and I can only hope I do not falter when the time comes for me to face my fear.

Trial By Fire

For some time, I had felt tension in our party, and not long after we had left the strange well it manifested itself in violence. We were traveling along somewhat of a trail set not far from the coast, and I was rather enjoying my flight as usual. I practiced swooping down and slashing at trees and whatnot, honing my skills for any battles we might encounter. My wings had grown quite large at this point, and if I stood completely erect, they scraped the ground behind me. I found that I could create quite a gust of wind by simply flapping them, and I planned on using this against our next foe. Knocking it on its hindside would put me at a great advantage. Anyhow, I was flying above the trail, watching over the rest of the party while keeping an eye on the areas around us as well as I could. I was concentrating on an upcoming group of trees when I heard Damien yell out one of his strange words, and this was followed by a cry of pain from Carlos. When I looked down, Carlos was engulfed in flames, running toward the sea in an effort to extinguish them. He made it about halfway when he collapsed, turning into a pile of ashes and blowing away in the wind. I found myself very frightened at this sight. If it had not been for the calmness of the others, I would have flown away for fear of falling victim to such a fate myself. I landed and asked what had happened, and Damien told me that Carlos had refused to swear allegiance to him and the party, and then refused to leave, even under threat of death...so death he received, swift and painful.

It was at this point I began to crave the lonely life I had once lived. It surprised me to feel that way, but perhaps it was better that I took my own path. I had friends who had disappeared without a trace, and Damien had his ambitions to follow. The others followed him without question, and I had great respect for him and his followers, but I felt my sense of duty toward him faltering. Risking my own life for something that would not gain me anything but a meaningless second death began to appear ridiculous to me. I felt that I needed to make my own story.

Parting Ways

It was a week later, after much thought and consideration, that I made my decision. I think Damien had known somehow, though I can't say how. He had his ways I suppose, but he made no move to hinder my thoughts, if he had such power. I remember that night very well, as it was the last time I ever saw any of them. We had stopped to rest for a bit, and I asked for the attention of the party, for I had some news to share. I told them that I had decided to depart on a quest of my own. I had brethren to find, and I intended to do it alone, as I felt it was my duty to do so. I thanked them for their help in ridding the world of my hated master, though I would have savored the pleasure of taking his unlife with my own hands. I also thanked them for taking me in when I needed shelter, and for the lessons I had learned by their side. I told Damien I wished there was something I could give him for showing me that not all Tremere were such horrible vampires, but I had no possessions of my own. He said that I had paid my dues in servitude and blood, as far as he was concerned. My services were appreciated, and he wished me the best. The girl seemed sad to see me go. She wanted so much to learn flight, but I had not the power to give such a gift. I did, however, take her into the skies a few times, once I had the strength to lift her. She had potential that I don't think even Damien saw. Always eager to learn and fearless in battle. As I pondered these things, I bid them all farewell. I hoped that we would cross paths again, but it has never come to pass. I took to the skies again, and when I looked back one last time, the girl was waving vigorously. I hovered there and gave a bow to them, then I turned away, finally taking my life into my own hands again. It was a grand feeling.