Through Ages Lost and Found

Thrice Damned

It began with meeting Auriel, I'd admit. Stake in hand I loaded it into the crossbow and we fought, and long story short, we made up and Auriel helped me realize his truth.

They say love is damnation, and I suppose it is... Our love absolutely took me beyond the ends of the world, through hell and back, and much, much more. I wanted to protect Auriel more than anything because... it was the least I could do after he spared me, and the least I could do to make up for murdering his people...

In protection grew admiration, and Auriel admired me. Meanwhile, though, my family detested everything I was and did because I betrayed the Vampire Hunter tradition, then the family legacy, and the people of Damlien. But protecting and fighting for the right cause was more important than family which remained blind and wouldn't reason. Righteousness is damnation just as much...

Mom and dad let me die. They saw me staked and left me, claiming me a traitor. That's the day I left Humanity behind and Auriel turned me to preserve my life, and I'll never forget what happened upon awakening...

"He's gone!!" Thanza-my mother-screamed. "Our son is gone!!!" She threw herself atop Drien-father-arms around him tightly and eyes welling with tears. They dripped upon Drien's shoulder pauldrons and rolled off, reflecting daylight across their surface.

Drien embraced mother back and clenched both eyes shut. "No, he's not. He can't be!" he cried. "Siyith's still in there-still hidden under that-that beast's mind control!! Its trance!!!!"

"BUT OUR SON ISN'T HUMAN ANYMORE!!!" Thanza argued. She pulled away, looked father directly in the eyes. "OUR SON HAS BEEN TURNED!!! HE DIED AND THEN TURNED AND HE'S GONE ENTIRELY!!!!! THERE'S NO GOING BACK!!!!!"

Drien shook his head and gripped her tightly. "NO!" he spat. "WE WILL GET SIYITH BACK!!! HE MAY BE TURNED, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN HE'S NOT OUR SON ANYMORE!! HE'S UNDER A TRANCE-A CURSE-SO WE MUST KILL THAT VAMPIRE WHO PUT HIM IN IT AND THEN TAKE SIYITH BACK!!! HE WON'T BE THE SAME BUT HE'LL BE OURS!!!"

"BUT HE'S NOT OUR SON!!!" Thanza cried, breaking away. "Siyith isn't the same!! He isn't Human!! Therefore he isn't even in the same mind!!! He's too far gone, dear, and there's no bringing him back!!! He's lovestruck like Elder Leon said, and nothing can break love!"

"But it isn't love!" Drien argued. "It's a trance. A lie. So let's end it to free him! Please..."

Thanza fell against father and sobbed. "Alright..." she whispered. "Let's end it. Let's get our son back..."

"But I'm not coming back..." I sat atop mine and Auriel's coffin and looked down into the pool of water, watching Thanza and Drien, pressing both hands against my face with a harsh sob. "You abandoned me... You let me die....... You're the reason I died. HOW CAN I CALL YOU FAMILY?!"

One soft hand touched my shoulder. "Siyith-"

"They want me back. I don't want them back......" I gulped and shivered, feathered wings ruffling and spreading out. "I want to be gone from them..... I'm not going back. I don't want to go back! I'm where I belong! I don't belong with people who watched and let me die!"

Auriel wrapped both arms around me, shoulders and forehead pressed into my curled body. "Then you won't go back. Ever," swore Auriel. "There's no going back from Vampirism so no Human will claim you. And this whole kingdom owes you for everything, and therefore....." He looked away for a moment, then focused upon me. "We swear to make sure your family never comes after you. You'll be safe. You don't have to see them, I swear, my love..."

I wiped my eyes and dug both fangs into my lower lip. "I love where I am. I'm where I belong... I don't belong with them....." I looked at my reflection in the pool of water, felt the fangs-the pointed ears and wings along my back, and sobbed once more. "I love being a Vampire. Because the Humans abandoned me, and Vampires embraced me. I'm home. And I love home. Thank you for bringing me home....... Please don't let me leave.........."

"I wouldn't dare, love," Auriel swore. "You're my love-my everything-and one of my people. My people live in this kingdom, nowhere else. Llyth, therefore, is your home, and always will be. I promise."

That was my third, and final damnation, I suppose. Things got better, and I found genuine joy within my life. But I lost my Humanity, my family, and gained love, home, and life in their place. It's more than I could ask for. It hurts losing such important things... I'll never forget the pain...