RPG Archives Vampire Reign II - [RPG In-Game] Vampire Reign

After the departure of Athena and Raziel Darius said to Roneri "I've sensed a new presence for some time now. I believe it is an old friend of mine, Vincent. We must first find him. Then we follow Athena, either she will go to Leon or he will go to her. Either way we strike when we find him. If Raziel can keep Athena's human side under control long enough for us to find Vincent, he has no hope for escape."

As Darius was preparing to leave Raziel came up behind him and said "Lord Darius, I have an urgent message from Athena. she has gained control of her humanity and Leon appeared. What should we do about this?"

<Hellfires!> Darius thought. <I should have known Raziel wouldn't be able to keep control of her.> Darius felt there was something about Athena that made her valuable in this war. "New vampires never learn to control themselves this early after being turned. She'll lose control again and then we must get her back. First let us find Vincent." Darius set off into the night in search of his old ally.

 

Setsaki woke up and glanced around the garden.

"Huh, I guess there is a visitor to Darius."

Setsaki got up and went to a place in the garden that had fountains made of bamboo. In that garden, was an Octagon. And on each point of the octagon, there was a different colored stone. Red, yellow, blue, white, black, green, orange, and purple. Each one had an inscription next to it, but it was in a strange language that very few could read.

"Ah, so we do have a visitor in this city of lost souls."

There was, beginning to form inside the octagon, a ninth stone, but it had no definite color, it flashed from red, to green, then blue, yellow, orange, black, purple, and white, then repeated the cycle.

"What?!"

 

Raziel felt unwanted and said "I could have kept her under her vamp side but Leon appeared to help her and I could not take both of them on myself. I'm sorry, my lord."
Raziel looked over at Roneri with an ashamed face and said "Is there anything I can help you two with?''

 

Roneri looked at him for a moment. She sighed and looked from him to the ground, nodding.
Either way he's still useful...
She looked up at him, "Keep a close eye on Athena and Leon. I'm sure Darius would rather not waste time looking for him once we've found Vincent." She shot one last glance and Raziel, and then, followed Darius.

She quickly caught up to him, "Any clue as to where we can find your Friend?"

 

Raziel felt unneeded but went along with her request. He phased back in to the tunnels and followed them and kept to the shadows. He whispered into Athena's head and tried to get her vampire side back into control.

He noticed some change in her stance while walking so it must have begun to work. He pressed on but waited for her friends to leave her side, so he could finish the job and phase her to Darius.

 

1

Leon again felt the invading presence. He didn't want to alert the presence to the fact that he knew it was there, so he touched Athena's mind instead. What?! The presence was here too, whispering into Athena's subconscious!

<Who are you? Get out of her mind!>

"Athena, we're leaving right now," he said, taking her gently by the wrist and running.

He tried to find Reina's scent, but she seemed to have disappeared. His keen senses fell on a more familiar scent instead: Darius. And suddenly, he was tired of running, and tired of fighting. He was close to Darius now. It would be so easy to give up.

<Is this...Darius' power? Or anothers'? Is somebody making me feel this way? Why?>

He continued to head straight for Darius. <Athena! Break away! Break away from me...no, forget that, just run with me...>

His body no longer seemed to respond to his commands. He continued to fight the presence in Athena's mind. <Leave her!>

 

Athena could feel Leon's, Raziel's, and her Vampire side all trying to fight against each other, Raziel and the Vamp to gain control and Leon trying to keep that from happening. She could also sense Leon's confusion of deciding if she should stay with him or not. She took a deep breath and tried to push Raziel out of her mind.

Reina

Reina continued to run and stopped in front of a house that had blood on it and she shivered and shouted, "Setsaki where are you?!!!"

 

(1) Back at the Cathedral....

Rian paid no attention to the spirits around her to the point where she could not even sense them…for they were not for her to sense in the first place. She also ignored when Leon left with Reina. Rian decided to take this time to re-gather her thoughts after all that had happened in so short a time.

“Okay, Rian…everything is going way out of your control. First you helped vampires and almost took them to your hiding place! But then you fought against another who later said he wanted to protect you? And a few moments ago he kissed you…after having some sort of mental problem of course, but he still kissed you….and then Darius is mixed in all of this. Now you’re sitting in a desecrated haunted Cathedral with a vampire. What am I doing?! I vowed to stay alone and hunt the vampires alone, not accompany one!! I just--huh?"

Rian’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted when she saw something at the front of a church. It was a spirit of a child in a hooded coat kneeling down at the altar, praying. Something about the child made Rian get up from her seat and approach it.

“Hey?” she muttered, reaching out.

The child turned around and revealed it was a little girl…it was Rian.

Rian took several steps back in surprise and stared at the see-through younger version of herself, who suddenly took off and vanished.

“Whats going on?!”

“What you see here is what we want you to see…"

Rian jumped and stared around, looking for the source of the voices, “Who are you?!”

“A long time ago, something dreadful happened in this Cathedral. Ever since then, this place has become like a mirror to the world of spirits. You being here has awaken one spirit and she wishes to speak with you…”

Rian spun around trying to see where the voices where coming from, when she suddenly stopped in disbelief. There in front of her was a woman. She was strong looking, tall, with long silky black hair and soft eyes. The woman walked up to her and took Rian’s hands into her own. They were freezing, but her gaze was warm. It was then that Rian knew who this person was.

“M-Mother?” she stammered as the spirit smiled. Rian never knew her, never saw her face, but she knew this was her.

She looked at her and noticed how she looked nothing like her…it brought back a memory. The memory suddenly hit her so strong that it was like she was there again.

< An ten year old Rian was playing in the sewers with a few other Yamamorii children. She stopped suddenly when she saw a rat skittered by. Her eyes suddenly flashed red and she quickly snatched up the animal and drained it.

“Eww! Vampire, Vampire! Get away from us!!” one of the other children cried and they soon took off back to above ground.

“Wait! Come back, I‘m sorry!” Rian dropped the rat and was about to follow them when a hand suddenly grabbed the back of her shirt and twirled her around.

“What did I tell you Rian?!! You must resist your vampiric nature! It’s evil and no one will accept you! Do you understand!!”

It was Drake, Rian’s mother's former lover. Before she died, Rian’s mother’s final request was for him to take care and raise Rian as his own. And he did. At first it was just to honor her memory. But as the years passed, he began to love her as though she really was his own.

Tears suddenly formed in Rian’s eyes, “But…I couldn’t help it!” She had always been a crier back then.

Drake stared at her and for an instant Rian saw hatred in his eyes. But it quickly passed and he sighed.

“You have to help it, Rian. Do you want to be the same as those who murdered your mother? Do you?”

“Of course not!” Rian said, suddenly angry with herself. “I’m sorry! I’ll try harder, I promise! Its just so hard with the trainers telling me to use my powers to fight, and then my teachers telling me it’s a sin!”

Drake took her hand and started walking towards the exit, “I know…I know…”

Rian was silent for a moment. Then…”Do you see me as a sin?”

Drake stopped in his tracks and stared down at her, “Of course not!”

“But you did a moment ago! I saw it!” Tears fell from her eyes this time, unable to hold them back.

“Rian…” He knelt down and wiped them away. “Its just that…Look, I’m not going to lie to you, but back there you looked so much like…like him.”

Rian stood there, not knowing what to say. She knew who he was talking about, “him” was the vampire who slain her mother and countless other Yamamorii soldiers.

“How much like him?” Rian asked, scared of the answer.

Drake sighed, looking morose, “You look exactly like him. There’s nothing of your mother in your looks, I’m afraid.”

Rian looked away, but then Drake put a hand on her small shoulder, “Hey. You may not look like her, but when you smile, when you laugh, I can see her coming through you. You’ve inherited your mother’s spirit, her spark. I see it in you. Don’t forget that. “

Rian looked back up at him, her red eyes turning back to gray as she smiled and hugged him. “I’ll never forget. I love you, daddy.”

“I love you too” >


Rian stumbled back suddenly as the memory ended suddenly. It was so strong! Was her mother trying to tell her something by it?

But the spirit of her mother wasn’t saying anything, she just smiled and then faded away.

“No! Don’t go!!” Rian cried out, but the spirits were gone.

She stood there for a moment, thinking hard…trying to figure out what was she trying to tell her.

After that day, Rian truly began the fight against her darker half. But it wasn’t until a few years after that, when Drake was slain by vampires, that she finally succeeded in having a firm hold on it. She left the Yamamorii soon after, as they never did trust her and only saw her as a tool, and she vowed to herself to take vengeance for Drake, her mother, and herself.

< “You look so much like him…like him…” >

Then it hit her. Besides the one time when Drake told her for the first time of her mother dying at the hands of a vampire and that she was this vampire’s child, they’ve never spoken about him until that day.

“I don’t understand…why?” Rian muttered, still not comprehending the reason for the memory.

A chill suddenly went down her spine and she knew she had to leave this place, to figure this out somehow. She quickly walked towards the door.

"Don’t follow me," she told Michael as she passed him without stopping and walked out into the cold everlasting night.


~~~

Vincent inspected the vicinity of the house and it’s spell, figuring a way to gain entrance. He had finally found a way when he sensed a human child running his way. Quickly, Vincent hid himself in the shadows and watched as a young girl appeared and stopped in front of the house, yelling:

"Setsaki where are you?!!!"

Vicent grinned to himself in amusement and with lightning quick speed, he grabbed the girl by the collar and lifted her up in the air. His sharp metal claw inches from her throat.

“Aren’t you a little too young to be outside alone? What are you doing out here, little one?” he said with a sinister smile.

 

Reina glared at the vampire and quickly muttered one of the Yamamorii spells of light. The light pierced the vampire's eyes and Reina used that as a distraction and used a well aimed kick to the male's groin. (OOC: Sorry, but she's still a ten yr old girl after all).
She landed on her feet and had another offensive spell ready just in case and said, "I HATE ALL OF YOU VAMPIRES! YOU KILLED OFF ALL OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS AND I WILL AVENGE THEM ALL! ATHENA THIS FIGHT IS FOR YOU!"
Reina then began to increase the strength in her attack as she wondered bitterly where Setsaki was.

 

Surprised by the sudden attack from this small child, stumbled back a bit and covered his eyes in pain, but he wasn't seriously hurt.

"I HATE ALL OF YOU VAMPIRES! YOU KILLED OFF ALL OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS AND I WILL AVENGE THEM ALL! ATHENA THIS FIGHT IS FOR YOU!"

"My, my, my, what a temper you have. Looks like I underestimated you. But you won't catch me unprepared again!" Vincent said, his voice rising in anger as his crimson eyes flashed.

Raising his own power, Vincent seemed to have vanished. Then suddenly he reappeared behind Reina where he grabbed one of her arms, twisted it behind her and then brought one of his claws against her throat.

"Trust me, do something like that again and I'll make sure to kill you in a second. Now, tell me. Who lives here?" He demanded, painfully twisting her arm a bit more.

 

1

All of a sudden, Leon felt pain lance through his mind. The pain brought him to his knees. <Ahhh...my head...split...>

Leon forced himself to his feet and looked at Athena. "Better to keep away from me. Please...I promise that I will take care of Reina if I find her...but should anything happen with Darius...I can't allow you to suffer for my inadequacies."

Leon could smell so many different things. For the barest instant, he thought that he had found Reina, but then a stronger scent overtook Reina's. <Does that mean she is in danger? Where am I going anyway?>

Leon looked ahead. They were close enough to Darius now. Leon couldn't figure out why they hadn't been noticed. <Leave!> he told Athena.

 

1

"I HATE ALL OF YOU VAMPIRES! YOU KILLED OFF ALL OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS AND I WILL AVENGE THEM ALL! ATHENA, THIS FIGHT IS FOR YOU!" ... "My, my, my, what a temper you have. ... Now, tell me. Who lives here?"

A young girl, human, skidded to a halt, a fairly short but safe distance away from the vampire holding she who the blonde knew was Reina. With not a trace of worry on her face, she lifted a hand and light began to glow between her fingers.

"Foul creature who would kill an innocent child, away with you!" she said, as with authority. "Leave her at once! Divina Luz!"

The light in her hand instantly intensified, engulfing the whole area in a brightness that would've hurt even her eyes had she not nearly closed them. She would not move or end the spell until she heard something from either the vampire or the other human.

 

"Foul creature who would kill an innocent child, away with you!"

"Damn..." Vicent muttered to himself, knowing from experience what will come next.

"Leave her at once! Divina Luz!"

The fraction of a second before the spell was cast, Vincent dropped the girl and quickly got out of the way. He reappeared on the roof of another building out of the spell's range.

His eyes narrowed at the woman who had cast the spell and he wondered if she and this child was worth his time...

 

Raziel continued to convert Athena she came closer to converting totally into a vampire again.

"Feel the pleasure of what it's like to be a vampire," Raziel said.

 

Darius saw a bright flash of light in the distance. "Let us start by examining the source of that light, from the look of it, one of our own is being annoyed."

He started in the direction of the light but was rudely interrupted by the stench of that insolent halfling Leon. <How could he not have smelled him sooner. He's so close I can taste his blood.> Darius thought. "Unfortunately, I'm afraid Vincent will have to wait. I've got another old friend I'd like to catch up with." Darius drew his sword and started walking towards Leon.

 

1

<I didn't actually expect Darius to approach!>

Leon looked frantically from Raziel who was trying to work on Athena, who hadn't left yet, to Darius. He had stopped fighting Raziel, and he didn't know if Athena could fight him on her own. And now he had to look to Darius. <Why on earth did you come here in the first place?!>

Leon mustered his courage, and stood proud. "There are things that should be spoken of, Darius. Wrongs that must be put to rights. Now, tell your lapdog to keep off Athena. Let her be, and we will talk at length, you and I. If you don't try to betray me and slay me like you did last time I made you this offer, that is."

Leon hoped his ploy would work. <Athena must bide her time and find Reina.>

 

Roneri glanced back at Darius. She looked ahead, "I'll go check out the light. I'll catch up to you." She ran in that direction as fast as she could.
She reached them in what seemed to her was about five minutes. There were three people there. Only one she recognized. Reina. She snarled.
It's that loud-mouthed brat... she thought silently.
The other two, one human, one vampire, were both looking at each other. She stood up straight, eyeing the vampire.
"My name is Roneri, and I am here on behalf of Lord Darius." She smiled, using what she would call a professional expression. She walked closer, "Need a hand?"
Usually, she wouldn't be offering a helping hand to a vampire she didn't know was trustworthy, but this might be the one Lord Darius was searching for.

 

1

Darius continued his walk towards Leon. He placed his blade beneath Leon's chin, poised to strike. The light of battle was in his eyes. "The only thing I want to discuss is in which manner you wish to be destroyed."

As Darius said this, he started focusing his energies on swaying Athena. Although not an adept telepath, he infused Athena with the dark energies to tempt her vampire side. He also lent some of his strength to Raziel. <It will be the perfect bargaining chip, should we ensnare her once and for all.>

"If you've something to say, say it quick, before your head lays at my feet."

 

Just then, a shotgun blast broke through the air and a Yamamorii silver slug hits Darius's shoulder.

Rian quickly cocks her shotgun as she continues her approach of the site, and a shotgun shell falls to the ground as she aims at Raziel and fires again...

~~~~

Vincent smirked at Roneri, "I never need a hand."

He then looked back at the priestess, but still addressed Roneri, "Where is Darius?"

 

The priestess kept her unwavering and cool gaze on Vincent as she walked to Reina and put an arm around the girl. Leaning close to her, she whispered, "Come, I'll take you to safety. But we must hurry..."

All she needed was a hint of acknowledgment. She was still staring at Vincent.