BLOOD OMEN 2

ONE: Awakening

From the shards of tattered dreams I rose, unwilling. Tossed upon tides of pain that flowed and ebbed and left me searingly awake and more revoltingly... alive. It was then I saw her for the first time. She stood there by the door, dressed in a garb fit for fleeing but one that did nothing to hide her curves. Tattoos unlike any i had ever seen adorned her face, but did little to lessen her beauty. Yet her pale skin, very much like mine, told me she was also a creature of the night. 

"Good evening." She greeted in a voice like honey. "We did not expect you to awaken so soon. Already you surprise us." 

My mind was in fragments, like shattered glass. As i sat up every muscle ached, every bone creaked as if they had lain dormant for centuries. Finding my voice was a task on its own, but still i managed to ask. "Where am I? I.. I don't remember..."  

"Yes, it was said your memory would be affected by your long slumber. That will pass, in time. I am Umah and I am here to help you. Know that your name is Kain and you were once a power in the land." 

That wasn't much of a surprise. I got out of the bed and saw that my legs, like the rest of my body felt wobbly as if i hadn't used them for a long time. She stood there watching as i steadied myself, making no move to lend a helping hand. Seeing she wanted to test my mettle, my pride prevented me from giving in to weakness. 

"I know my name, but my past I remember fragments only." 

"That you awoke at all is a miracle." She said with obvious sincerity. "When we found you there was but the barest thread of life left in you. We nurtured it, fed it... and now you rise again." 

I could not remember where i was or how i got there. The tiny apartment with a big bed, tiny writing desk and a single door leading unto a balcony was a far cry from my royal bed chambers. "And what is this place?  

"You are in the city of Meridian, capital of the land of Nosgoth. The land you once sought to conquer and rule. Tell me, since you remember your name, do you also remember your nature?" 

"Of course. " I replied, but she seemed unconvinced so i opened my mouth wide to show my fangs. A reassured smile appeared on her face for she obviously had not been looking forward to explaining the machinations of a vampire to me.  

"Then let me show you the future." Umah, as she called herself, stepped back unto the balcony and i followed her. "You have been asleep for 200 years. In that time, this has what has become of Nosgoth." 

Before me was a massive walled city unlike anything i had ever seen. In the distance i could see massive buildings of all shapes and sizes stretching out far beyond my line of sight; a true marvel to behold. But it was the alleys and streets of slums that were my first impression. True enough the stench of unwashed bodies and decay assaulted my senses and my revulsion thickened. Was this what had become of Nosgoth in my absence? 

"You were a great general, commanding an army of vampires, but the powers you opposed were too strong for you. You were struck down; your armies defeated, scattered and destroyed. Everyone believed you to be dead."  Umah explained.

Scenes of a battle flashed through my mind; of humans in silver armor fighting me and an army of vampires. I remembered facing one but I could not hold the memory long. "Who defeated me?" 

"The Sarafan; an army of fanatical humans sworn to eradicate all vampires from the world." She replied. 

Older memories came to my mind. "I destroyed the Sarafan when I was still a fledgling."  

"Yes, but a new leader brought them together and wielding a new kind of magic, deadly to our kind, was able to destroy your army and kill most of the vampires. You were defeated in mortal combat by this leader- Griffin, the Sarafan Lord."