A/N: I own none of these characters. They all belong to L.J Smith. Except the one Shadow Man that I created.

This chapter was solely created by this song:

Artist: Jay Gordon

Song: Slept so Long

Chapter Four: Awakened

Drip... Drip ...Drip

Dark, thick drops of crimson blood were sprinkled upon the antiquated, flat branch. The rune glowed a fiery shade of ember as the jagged letter was engorged with the blood of a Wiccan, the woman had dared to mess with the runes of their world, Neifleim.

Thus, she'd paid for it, and not by his hand.

Icy winds whipped around the chanting group as their voices grew deeper like feral demons chanting in the ancient ways. A rebirth. The billowing howls threatened to blow out the torches lit around the stone slab.

Every inhumane creature was gathered around.

Their shriveled skins rippled against the hoarse weather, the storm stretching out upon the group like seeking claws. Lightning forked across the skies as thunder resounded overhead, the earth trembling beneath their feet. Light eclipsed with a blinding flash, the rays searingly blinding it would've desiccated the corneas of a mortal.

But not a Shadow Man.

Cold, capricious beings that served the world of no purpose, they were creatures found in the darkest pit of nightmares. They were an unaware yet a constant presence for those who lived in flesh and blood, causing the hairs to steadily raise on a human's flesh. It was said that because the eyes of a young child yet saw the spiritual realm, they were able to spot their horrifying shapes during the darkest of nights. Thus it left them crying out for their mothers.

Created with powers beyond the imagination they were carved into existence by a specific rune stave as their 'Breath of Life'. Mistrusted once, however, and their continuance became their execution. Ended with a single swipe of the Frosted Blade.

Lights flashed like strobes, and colors only known to an immortal eye began weaving together like a woven tapestry. Drawing breath from the winds that screamed as if in protest. Just as a sooty black substance formed and descended as it hardened before their eyes—

Just as an audible snap followed as fissures split across the fused surface, unveiling a silvery capsule with a body shelled within... A man. Slowly, it descended from the air before landing with a soft thud on the stone slab positioned in the center.

"I see he has not lost his allure." He, who had orchestrated this all, pressed a finger to his lips. The prisms of light started to leave the lost Shadow Man's body, prey to the bloodthirsty creatures gathered in the room.

Leaving the man in his full, naked form.

"So, the legend is true."

The silence that had encompassed the Shadow Men, however, broke into an uproar moments later. "He was the one to betray us! Why bring him back now?" A muddled voice from the crowd hissed, their whole grey being like a withered fetus. They pointed a sharp, yellow-nailed finger at the beautiful man now fully presented in front of them. "He stole our rightful prey!"

He, the only one cloaked for the ceremony, pinched the bridge of his nose, annoyed. He turned towards the withered fetus creature. "You've already staked your claim have you not?" He pointed towards the other slab where the mutilated, former remains of the Wiccan woman lay in a gruesome heap.

"A foreign human should not count when it comes to thissss!" the creature argued. "She meddled with the runes; the only thing we've been able to play with in monthsss!"

His eyes flashed once in warning as his patience thinned. In a deadly quiet voice felt within each being's core, he murmured, "Perhaps it is you that should be carved off the rune stave then." He eyed the creature with sudden distaste. The thought remained appealing since they were old and a constant annoyance. However, it wouldn't be long until they disintegrated.

Back from whence their shriveled being came.

The withered fetus glared; its slick, black eyes narrowed. Nevertheless, they hobbled back into the group of Shadow Men that had retreated a few steps. Disagreement among the crowd instantly, hushed. Histories that spanned the times of knowledge, wisdom, power, and strength had all been taken from a single drop of each of their blood. Having done too good of a job in his creation, they feared him. Outranking them all by what they'd blindly given him while drunk on their revenge.

This was how he'd swiftly overpowered them.

Several months had passed since he'd been introduced to each world. Though it was the human world, earth, that remained their sole focus. The Shadow Men had believed He would help them with the dilemma they faced. Involving a former pair of teens that had entered and exited their world alive. All due in part, to a Shadow Man's betrayal of their race.

"Attend to your duties." He waved his hands dismissively at the Shadow Men who were all watching him with glowing, apprehensive eyes. The being like that of a reptilian crocodile was the last to depart, a weariness set within their creased, slit-like eyes. Yet this is what he had initially been born for. Having such a crowd surrounding the resurrected Shadow Man before him would no doubt only cause further tension. And this he didn't need, not when the ritual was nearly complete.

To the Awakening.

So, this is him.

With a soft swish of his cloak, he approached the slab of stone. His curiosity about this Shadow Man's history was quite peaked. Made of beauty to have even the fairest maiden's weep. That was part of their nature. However, there came a time when such beauty would—inevitably—fade unveiling the monster sheathed within. Beneath the mask. And yet he saw no such changes with this one. If it weren't for Him knowing this was another of his race, he could've been depicted as an almost human man. Especially with how the light harnessed to him.

How intriguing.

According to legend, this Shadow Man had grown to love. Love was an emotion completely foreign to him. From what he'd been well versed in not one Shadow Men had ever felt such an alien thing.

Or feeling.

The very definition of its term left an unwavering resentment towards this Shadow Man. How was that even possible? Shadow Men weren't born from a human woman's womb. Rather, they'd been created by an ancient stave from the first Shadow Man who had long since diminished. They shadowed the human race, but they weren't human.

So how could one such love a human being?

This man, he could study such. After all, he'd been brought back for a specific purpose. It couldn't hurt to use him for his own means. "Like a lab rat," he muttered to himself.

And so, it was then he began the chant of unbreakable words to breathe life back into the man before him. "As Master of Nifleim land of ice and shadows, I awaken thee to his rebirth."

Lightening rippled across the skies before suddenly striking the ground just feet from him-as he raised his hands.

"Herenan dabla un avey okech thee vanyana Neifleim a vera ka guvas!"

The violent winds enveloped the distilled Shadow Man before their eyes abruptly flashed open—

awakened.

eyes abruptly flashed open—

awakened.