But it never came. The stale, fear-ridden air still tousled my hair as I sat crouched in fetal position against the floor.
“I would help you up, but that would make you think I was a friend.”
I froze. Something dark and icy in the man’s voice chilled me to the core, giving me a deep sense of foreboding.
“Little Raven, you’ve avoided me for sixteen years. It’s about high time I found you. And the price for saving your life,” he paused, “I get to take it.”
“Pancar, I refuse.” I stood up and let the Shift flood into my eyes. “I will not let you destroy my people. I am the last Sera, and the wielder of Kain’s very own soul. With his and my power combined, you will never succeed.”
I looked up at a handsome young elf that stood around six-foot-six. His sandy blonde hair was braided like a crown around the back and the rest was allowed to fall in straight locks to his shoulders. In the center of a straight vertical scar was one gorgeous forest green eye paired with a deep blue one on the other half of his beautiful face.
I shook the shock of his appearance from my mind and focused all my rage back on my mother’s killer. “I will not let you take this blade, Narvel. This blade created my people and I will not allow it to become their death.”
Pancar tightened his gaze and glared, teeth clenched. “You know not what you do. The sword did come from here, yes, but now it’s tainted. You cannot think that putting a sword containing the curse of vampirism into the heart of the human world will not have consequences!” He leapt at me and pinned me against the wall.
“Kain asked me to do this in return for saving me when I was fatally wounded!”
“You fool!” he shouted, putting his face only inches from mine. “He’s using you! Can’t you see it?!”
Don’t listen to him, Kain’s ghost appeared behind Pancar as he yelled.
“You know nothing, Pancar,” I growled, trying to push him off, “Kain is my great-grandfather. What could he possibly use me for?” I calmed my voice, trying to mislead him as I adjusted my grip on the sword.
“Raven, Kain’s trying to destroy the humans. He’s using you to put the sword into this world’s heart, therefore infecting all of humanity with vampirism. Humans will become extinct!” He lifted his hands for a moment in expression and I struck without hesitation. The Sera Sword sung as it pierced through Pancar’s abdomen, his blood pouring down the blade and onto my hands.
“Why, Pancar, why? Why did you murder my family?” I cried, my eyes tearing up.
“I was trying to kill Kain’s reincarnation. I was trying to save the human race. Our ancestor’s fought and Kain betrayed him,” He gasped, blood sputtering from his mouth.
“Kain showed me what happened. He showed me the argument in the Second Realm.”
Pancar grimaced, “but did he show you the truth?” Pancar suddenly seized, his breath catching as his body finally went limp. Somewhere, deep inside me, I felt the truth in Pancar’s words. Fear gripped my gut as I pulled out the sword.
You must move on and pierce the blade into the heart! Kain used his magic and pushed me onward, almost as if he was panicking.
But I didn’t let him move me. “I will not let you do this, Kain. Humans raised me and saved me when I was near death. You were human once, too. We are not perfect, and neither are they. Vampires are man-made; unnatural. Humans were here first and we were never meant to be,” I paused a sudden reality overcoming me, “maybe we should never have existed. Maybe we should just disappear and fade into history.”
No, Raven, you’re wrong. We were meant to exist, and you were meant to spread this gift to the humans. You read the prophecy! Kain looked afraid as I fought off his arguments.
“The sword is the only thing that can kill you, isn’t it?” I ran my hand along the blade, a dark but necessary thought permeating my mind.
Yes, but the only way for me to die is through your own death. And by killing me you’d end the vampire race. We would all be reduced to humans, his eyes widened, you’re not really going to…?
“Yes,” I lifted the blade, pointing it at my heart, “I am willing to sacrifice myself in order to end this pointless feud. My eyes are open now, Kain. You are the enemy here.” I pushed with all of my might, trying to pierce my skin with the cursed blade.
You cannot do this! Kain screamed as he struggled to keep the sword from my skin.
“No,” fire blazed in my eyes, “I can.” I shut my eyes and let the dark calm flood through me. My eyes ached as I felt the Shadows stretch across the cave.
“This is the end, Kain.” With the force of the darkness, I drove the sword into my heart.
