Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews. Please read and review, even if you don't like it. i love constructive criticism, except grammar. I hate checking grammar, haha. Enjoy!

Chapter 5

"What prophecy?" Tristan inquired, in the depths of his mind already knowing it had something to do with his mother.

Braciaca cracked his back, looking out the cave as the sun awakened. "Perhaps I will share that particularly fetching tale tomorrow. For now is the time to sleep, brother. Regain your strength, and tonight we shall begin your training."

Narrowing his eyes, Tristan followed the blonde Gael's lead and settled down deep into the cave, away from the sun's prying stare. Still he did not trust the vampire, but for now, he was his only hope to learning the truth about his race.

They both awoke to the sounds of a nearby owl hooting his prized catch of the night. Tristan immediately felt both refreshed and hungry, and his companion began walking out of the cave. Tristan followed, unsure of what 'training' he was about to begin.

Braciaca walked past the edge of the woods toward a nearby twenty foot cliff, and unsheathed his beautifully designed dagger. Tristan instantly rolled his eyes.

"You should know I've devoted my entire life to weaponry tactics. I am no stranger to winning, and I hardly need training in it."

Braciaca smirked, and lunged towards Tristan, only he was faster than anyone Tristan had encountered. Tristan dodged left and right, missing by only inches and barely able to stay upright on his two feet. By the time he had unsheathed his own sword he felt the tip of Braciaca's dagger at his throat.

"You definitely were a knight, young Tristan. I am here to teach you neither sword maneuvers nor shield blocks. You must learn to use the instincts given to you by your maker. A vampire possesses power beyond anything a mere human could use, and it is your duty to master your new abilities. Speed will be our first lesson."

For the next month, Tristan learned the useful skills a vampire had. Besides record speed, Tristan learned that vampires could vanish into thin air and reappear within thirty feet of where they stood. His strength was that of four men, and his eyes could sense the movements of others a good five seconds before they occurred. All these things Tristan could now do. In that month, the scout made Braciaca promise not to harm a human. To keep their strength, Braciaca honored that promise by stealing horses from the local village.

One night, after Tristan was finally able to beat Braciaca at swordplay, his companion laughed wholeheartedly. "You've advanced farther than I did in one hundred years, brother. Quite remarkable really." He looked at Tristan with newfound respect, and yet something strange lurked behind his smile. It was as if Braciaca was looking at Tristan like he was a god or something. Tristan thought it best to bring up the subject Braciaca was so keen to avoid.

He sheathed his sword and sat down on the grass. "You said you would tell me of the prophecy one day when I was ready."

Braciaca's infamous playful grin vanished. "One day, yes. Today? No. Why does it matter so much to you to hear it?"

Tristan was treading on strange terrain, and he had to answer carefully. He still did not tell Braciaca about his mother. "Because you seem so keen to keep it secret" he stated, trying his best to appear nonchalant.

The Gaul laughed. "It is probably just an old fable, my enigmatic friend. I will tell it one day…after we forget your noble notion of sparing human blood."

Tristan hated it when this subject was brought up. He stood up and went to the edge of the cliff. He could not look at his teacher. "I can't, Braciaca. I will not spill innocent blood."

Even from behind, Tristan could tell the Gaul was rolling his eyes. "That's the knight talking within you. You will see, it is not as bad once you do it a few times."

An image of Galahad sprang forth in the scout's mind…and then of Leah…of the boy…

"Stop thinking about the past, Tristan. That is not how we survive."

"Perhaps I don't want to survive" Tristan mumbled, though he knew Braciaca could hear.

A hand was placed on his shoulder. "Come. Dawn is approaching."

"Tonight we head into town." Braciaca happily stated, tossing a half asleep Tristan some clothes. "Don't give me that sullen look, I'll be on my best behavior. This is to celebrate your new skills."

"Is there more to learn?" Tristan asked, putting on the finely stitched garments. He did not want to know where his friend had gotten them.

Braciaca laughed. "Of course, my curious friend. Of course. Perhaps the hardest trick to learn is shapeshifting." Tristan thought back to his mother, and how easily she could transform from vampire to raven.

They arrived in town and entered the nearest tavern. Inside it was loud, as men laughed wickedly with giggling whores on their laps. A few older men tried their hand at gambling, and two were in the back fist fighting one another to the sound of cheering onlookers. The entire scene reminded Tristan of Briton.

Braciaca leaned sideways and whispered, "Now, you can't look brooding, Tristan. This is a night to celebrate." Tristan wanted to explain that even before he had turned into a vampire his friends had often complained of his brooding. He sat down at an empty table, and within seconds two rather finely physiqued girls came bearing pints of ale. Both smiled at the strangers.

The brunette took an immediate liking to Braciaca. "You must not be from around here. Your much more handsome than the local men…"

Her friend giggled and sat next to Tristan, rubbing his muscled arm with her fingers. "Yes indeed. You look as if you've seen battles."

Braciaca began kissing the girl on the neck and then down her chest. He looked over at Tristan, and mouthed the words 'I'll be good…'. The blonde sitting next to Tristan looked up into his eyes expectantly, hoping he was as good in bed as he was to look at.

"You seem tense, stranger," she stated, and began massaging his shoulders. At first he did nothing, a part of him scared as to what he might do, but soon his lips connected with hers, and he kept himself from going too far, though his new vampire urges were still present.

A few hours later, Tristan left the inn feeling rather proud that he had kept his urges contained, and the two began making the trek back toward the cave. Braciaca was all smiles. "Did you see the bosoms my girl had? So plump and juicy…and your girl, why she was quite the catch. And this was probably the first time in two hundred years I kept a girl alive…it felt different. Of course now I feel much weaker than normal, but I did as I had promised, you can't doubt me for that, brother…"

Tristan shook his head, the chatter of his friend too much to handle. Suddenly as they made their way along the forest road Tristan stopped. "Do you hear that?" he asked, a second later an arrow whizzed passed his shoulder and into the tree.

Five gruff looking men emerged from the trees, each holding a number of weapons. Raiders, Tristan thought. Braciaca smirked.

The biggest of the men came forward. "Your outnumbered. Give us your money, and perhaps we'll let you live."

Tristan looked to Braciaca, ready to put his new skills into action. Braciaca laughed at the thieves, his eyes turning devilish and yellow, his fangs beginning to form. Tristan concentrated, willing his face to do the same. The reactions of the robbers soon changed from smug to fear, and two began running away. Tristan used his speed to easily get in front of the two; their confused glances giving him a rush of excitement.

Tristan glanced over to see the other three lunge at Braciaca, but he easily blocked their weapons, throwing one in the air and killing another with his own sword. The last one tried to run, but Braciaca jumped on top of him, burying his fangs into the man's neck, sucking the life out of him with ease.

Tristan looked back on the two whimpering before him. One tried to thrust his dagger at him, but Tristan was too quick, and he snapped the man's neck as if it was a twig. The other started running, and Tristan used his new vanishing skill to reappear in front of the man, his urges pounding inside. His body was telling his mind to feed. It wanted blood. It needed the taste of human flesh. Tristan smiled, and dug his fangs into the man, a powerful wave of energy hitting him instantly as blood entered his body. He drank until their was no more to drink, and at last he sat back, his eyes returning to normal, his fangs retracting as he exhaled.

Braciaca approached him, blood staining his chin. He was grinning. "refreshing, isn't it?" he cracked his neck and sighed. "You indeed have mastered many new skills. Good job." Giving Tristan a pat on the back, he began making his way home again, stepping over the bodies of the raiders without a care in the world.

After the euphoria cleared out of Tristan's mind, he got up and passed over the bodies, a chill going down his spine. He had killed many raiders before, but never had their bodies looked so tortured. Why should I care, Tristan wondered. I never used to care for an enemy, there's no point in starting now…

That morning, Tristan slept better than he had in months. His body felt more invigorated and no nightmares came. Perhaps I was wrong about all this, he wondered. No one will care that a few raiders are dead. Death happens everywhere, everyday. Tristan had certainly experienced the deaths of friends and loved ones. And yet he had gone on. So will others.

Braciaca had once said, "The tiger kills because he must. He does not look at his prey and wonder how good of a life it has lived. It is not the fault of the tiger if the prey was chosen to suffer, because in the end the prey would have just become prey to something else at another time, so who are we to judge the tiger? It is doing what it was born to do."

Tristan had not told Braciaca that he could walk in daylight without fearing the sun. He awoke early, just before sunset, and decided that it was time to see the sun once more.

Heading east, he walked towards the town he had went to the night before. Inside the tavern was not busy, for many of the men were still hard at work in the fields or in town. He looked and found the wench that had taken a liking to him the night before. She saw him and ushered him in. It had been nearly six months since Tristan had felt the touch of a woman, and the night before had left him wanting her more.

"I had hoped you would return" she said sweetly. He stared into her eyes as she smiled brightly. He did not know her name, nor did he wish to. All he wanted was to lie with her, and feel the power that the union between man and woman gave.

"It won't be getting busy until after sunset…" she stated, biting her lower lip.

Tristan nodded, and with that she took his hand and led him upstairs into one of the many rooms of the inn. Locking the door, she smiled sweetly and pushed him unto the bed, undressing with ease. She does this for a living, he pondered. What kind of life is that? To spend every night with another man, giving away your most precious assets, all for the sake of a few coins, never living your life differently. She will not be missed by anyone, something inside him said. He would be doing her a favor, giving her pleasure in the face of death…

He undressed as well, and began caressing her body, feeling her lips with his own as she began to moan. They began moving as one, harder and faster until she groaned. When they were finished, she laughed and got on top of him, kissing his chest. He held her in his strong arms for a moment. "You are good." She said. "Probably my best."

He rolled his eyes, knowing her tricks. "And you are quite the little whore."

Taking it as a compliment, she let him get on top, and he began kissing her neck, that tender area that stirred so many urges within him. It would be so easy….his body told him. She is someone's daughter, his mind responded.

"If you want another go, I won't be cheap this time…it will cost you more, but now you know how good I am" she stated, giving him a devilish smile. He smiled back. Her life is worthless, his body told him. And this time his mind had nothing to say.

He exhaled loudly. "I'm afraid it will cost you more, milady." He bit innocently into her skin, and she giggled. He could feel the fangs coming, and the urges returned. Biting hard into her, she didn't even have time to think- his bite had penetrated deep into her, killing her instantly. Her eyes were wide open as he drank, and his body celebrated. He said a quick prayer to his gods, hoping they would send her soul somewhere nice.

Her blood had tasted better than anything else he had ever drunk. He did not wait around for guilt to come. Wiping his mouth clean, he put on his clothes and exited the inn. As he reached the edge of the forest, he looked back toward the town, where many people were running towards the inn. His mind thought back to Leah, but he quickly brushed away those thoughts.

My life must begin anew, he thought, walking back towards the cave. It was well into nighttime, and Braciaca was there, waiting for him. Upon seeing Tristan, Braciaca let his jaw drop slightly. Grinning, he patted his friend on the back. "Welcome to the brotherhood, Tristan."