Requiems of Eternal Decadence

Chapter 6 - The Fittest (not yet finished typing)

The church doors swung open. Four teams of 8 men stormed into the hallway. Two teams went up the second floor; the rest covered the lower floor. Movement performed in swift execution.

“Spread out..” an order came that divided each teams into groups of 2. Each covering a small area of the cathedral. “Keep a sharp for anything..”

It was already mid-morning yet the sun barely penetrated the inside of the cathedral. Its massive halls have never seen the sun in decades. The cathedral was laid in waste ever since this war began decades ago. The only light that plays within the darkness of the place are from the holes and cracks that randomly littered across the old structure.

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Nobody ever expected that the conflict between the vampires and the lycans to be this apocalyptic now. When Erina’s lycans and Valgathri’s vampires re-kindled the chaos that crossed between them 20 years ago, the conflict escalated to a level no longer hidden from man’s eyes. The fighting took place in the very streets of human civilizations. And the humans became the victims in the crossfire. Not until the human race decided to join in the conflict to defend their existence against the threat brought about by both children of the night did this two-sided battle turned into sheer pandemonium that devastated human civilization. The conflict now is no longer about vengeance, but a fight to dominate the planet. Defeat means extinction.

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Chapter 5 - Red Sting

The forest sleeps in silence. The moon watching over the serenity that fills the air. The forest seemed ignorant of the things that are happening around it. Until..

The rustle of leaves and twigs being stepped on echoed throughout the silence. A boy desperately runs away from something. His arm red in his own blood. A modified AK-47 rests in his bloody hands. His breathing erratic... he is in a state of despair.

A silver bolt crosses his path. The boy stops and points his gun at the direction where the bolt came. Desperate was his attempt to aim at the shadow figure standing in front of him.

“What are you doing here kid?” a voice lingered. “You are not supposed to be here.”

Out of nowhere, hands grabbed his gun and threw him to the ground. He frantically scrambles to flee but another figure appeared in front of him. “Going somewhere?” the figure asked as it readily swings a blade to strike the frightened boy.

“Wait!!” another one shouted. “He is one of ours...” the figure added as it points to the insignia on the kids left shoulder... “He is with Sorenson’s unit.”

“What happened to you” the figure asked him. “Where is the rest of your unit?”

“Lycans... Lycans ambushed us… We all got separated...” the kid tried to answer clearly. “They got Davidson and Releyan laying somewhere back there. They are still after me...”

“Then there is no time to waste... We better get moving” the tall figure ordered. With no hesitation, the forest slowly swallowed them with no trace.

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The old cathedral stood humbly even if its wall is carved with mortar impacts. It would be an unlikely sanctuary for the vampires. The kid exhausted, stared at the men that rescued him from the forest. It is hard to distinguish one from the rest. All clad in black with masks hiding their faces.

“You are the Red Sting Unit, right?” he asked them... “Lord Vahnzynn’s unit?”

A man removes his mask to reveal his familiar face. “You’re quite sharp there kid...”

“Vahnzynn...” the boy’s face glowed. “You guys really are the Red Sting… Camarilla’s elite team.”

“Well, I never thought we would be that famous...” a man in red hair muttered. “What do you say, Rayne?” The kid stared at him, since he is now the only one still wearing a mask.

“I prefer to keep a very low profile...” another blonde vampire replied. His left eye covered by an eye patch. “But I am clueless about that one myself, Red.”

“Well, we will rest here… the sun is coming...” Vahnzynn said to them. “Kristoff... You check the bell tower... See if you could get a better view of the place form up there. Kramer, set the perimeter up... We don’t want to be caught unaware, don’t we?”

“Yess sir!!” two big individuals replied. The one we went up the stairs was quite bald. And the other had a greenish long hair.

“Take a look at the kid’s wound, Lasombra...” Vahnzynn added. “His bleeding has not yet stopped.”

“It’s ok...” the kid replied. “All I need is blood to regain my strength.”

“Here...” a vampire with black hair approached him and handed a blood bag. “Take your time..”

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The dawn spills open as the cathedral was once again silent. The vampires have now hidden themselves from the sun. Evidences of their presence disappeared with them. The forest around them grew back to life as soon as the light touched the place.

Several men in a humvee sped fast towards the cathedral. Two large trucks followed behind them. The convoy stopped in front of the old church.

“Looks like a convenient place for vampires to hide.. What do you think?” a man clad in uniform asked another as they stared at the holy sanctuary. “It may be worth the recon... Sir...”

“Vampires are the least of our worries, Lawrence... I’m more concerned of the lycans..” the officer replied. “But we will check this one out… we have to be sure...”

“Vampires are less of a threat to us in daylight than they are at night. With lycans on the other hand, they are still dangerous even in human form.” the officer added. “Set perimeter... Take 4 teams to check inside the cathedral... The rest create a barrier defense within a 30 meter radius.”

“You heard the captain...” Lawrence shouted. “Move!!”

Men scrambled down from the trucks... Movement became swift and precise. All moving to achieve the current objective.

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Unaware that their movements triggered sensors placed by the vampires around the cathedral. The vampires woke as soon as motion was detected.

“Shit, this is bad... We are helpless against them at daylight...” the kid said to Vahnzynn.

“Don’t worry kid...” Vahnzynn replied. “We know what we are doing...”

“But you all will die from the sun...”

“That’s why we are wearing these... They protect and insulate us from the sun...” Rayne replied to the kid.

“Got a name kid...” Lasombra asked him as the latter attaches his weapons unto himself.

“Dreunor... my name is Dreunor.” The kid answered.

“Well Dreunor... Hide and just sit tight, keep away from the lights... We’ll be back...” the red haired masked vampire said to him.

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Chapter 4 - Sibling Rivalry

Lt. Leronio sat in his desk, shuffling file after file. The police chief is clueless on what the hell is really going on in his city. The people are in a state of panic. Dead bodies litter the streets on any given day. The people are restless… fearing for their lives. Something is happening in the city, and he is cannot justify to the people what it is.

Jacob stood at the door in front of him. “Has this city become a living hell sir?” he asked his chief. “All my life I never expected all these shit to exist until now.”

“Something is out there… My guts are telling me that… The worst is yet to come…” the chief answered.

“And Lilah?”

“Lilah is gone Jacob… We must accept that...”

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Leixandra stood on the balcony of the mansion. Reminiscing the place she left for too long. Flu watched her as she stared at the night sky.

“Beautiful isn’t she?” Leixandra asked. Turning her head towards Flu. “Yes… she is.” Flu said as the two of them stared at the full moon.

“You are his nouveou, am I right?” Leixandra asked her. Flu answered in confirmation. Leixandra smiled. “My, you are pretty…”

Flu blushed. “Not as beautiful as yourself, my lady…”

“I understand that, aside from Lord Valgathri, only you knew who Vahnzynn really is…” Flu continued. “Pardon me in asking you but…”

“It’s ok… Lilah” Leixandra said. “Can I call you Lilah?”

“If the lady is pleased…”

“Awww… don’t be too modest Lilah, after all we are the only female Ventrue vampires in this god forsaken place. Call me Lei instead…”

A smile came into Flu’s face. “Sure…” And the two conversed on the balcony.

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The city junkyard… shadows litter the area as the junkyard is disturbed by the presence of movement.

A howl came from the junkyard. As slowly, a group of 6 lycans slowly emerged to bath themselves in the light of the full moon. A lady walked towards them. The lycans bowed their heads.

“It is time…” the lady said to them.

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A vampire feeds on a helpless lady in a dark street. Enjoying his meal as the girl limped lifeless.

The vampire paused suddenly to the sounds of movement. Letting his victim fall to the pavement, he turned his attention into the direction of the sounds. Two glowing eyes glitter on the shadows. The vampire took a step back.

The hunter has now become a prey as the vampire realized his unwelcome company. The vampire prepared himself for the incoming fight. Growls echo through the street as the two lycans rushed towards him.

The vampire fought them with all his might, evading one to meet the claws of the other. He threw the other into a large garbage bin, crushing the metal box. And a slice came through his back. The vampire screams in pain.

He knelt in agony as the two lycans now stood around him, arms stretched out and ready for the kill. The vampire tried in vain to fight his fate, as the lycans delivered the fatal blow.

The lady walked towards the corpse of the vampire. She then spat on it as the two lycans stood beside her.

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“Erinnnaaaa!!!” Valgathri shouted as he threw a goblet filled of blood to the floor. “That bitch!”

Rayne stood bowing his head beside him as Vahnzynn enters the room. Bowing his head, “I’m gathering the Assamites as we speak…” the prefect reported.

“Good… We will not stop until we had cleaned this city of any lycan stench.” Valgathri ordered.

“I shall inform the others my lord…” Rayne added. “Security within the mansion shall be on full alert.” Rayne gestured as he was about to leave the room.

Leixandra came rushing towards the room and bowed at the elder as well, ignoring the prefect beside her. “I came as soon as I heard…”

“Erina… the Silverfang... I thought she died centuries ago?” Leixandra added. “The same bitch that killed Bella…”

“We are currently investigating the matter, my lady.” Rain replied. “But we can’t be sure it is really her.”

“Gather all the Cainanites… for we shall fill the night with the blood of those pesky dogs!!” Valgathri furiously replied. “I don’t care who the hell is leading these mongrels… I want them all dead!”

Rayne and Vahnzynn bowed at the elder. The two left Leixandra and the elder.

“If it is really Erina… I want her head in a platter…” Leixandra said to the elder.

“Justice shall be served for my brother…” Valgathri added as he sat on his so-called throne. “We shall avenge Bella…”

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Meanwhile, outside the mansion. Flu came across Deudonne again. “What the hell is going on?” she asked the Tremere.

“War…” the reply froze the nouveou in shock.

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Chapter 3 - Blood Traditions and Memories

1015 AD… Rouen, France. The night sky glittered as the bloody moon stared at the village. The whole place is littered with corpses.

“Leif!” a man screamed as he struggled for his life. The young Viking prince stood in horror at the sight of his men slaughtered by the beast. Holding his sword, he ran towards the beast in attempt to avenge his comrades. The vampire threw him yards away. The Viking stood up and ran right back at the vampire.

“My… are we that persistent…” the vampire said in glee. “How noble of thee…” “Nobility doesn’t grant me the right to enter Valhalla…” Leif answered as he swung his sword at the vampire. “Courageous words… I should say… But only a fool or a complete idiot dares challenge a vampire at night… Which are you?”

“Enough talk, vampire!” the Viking finally struck the vampire in the shoulder. The vampire kicked him away in response, sending the Viking smashing right through the wooden walls of a house. He then removed the blade stuck on his shoulder. In anger the vampire rushed towards the Viking. Holding him still, the vampire finally delivered his bite. But before draining the Viking dry, the vampire paused, quietly thinking to himself. “A choice I should say… between life and death…” he finally said as the Viking struggles with his breathe. “I’m offering you now immortality… What should you say, Viking?” “Never…” Leif muttered. “Yet, I find fate to be misleading. Character such as yours make a very fine Ventrue…” the vampire added.

“Kill me now, vampire…” Leif said with his last dying breathe.

“Yes… and give you so much more…” the vampire said as he bites the Viking again. The Viking lay lifeless in the arms of the beast.

Leif woke up screaming… the vampire stood adjacent the door. Puzzled he began to look for his sword. “Swords are no longer useful…” the vampire said. “Pardon me, the name’s Bela… Bella Lugosi of Ventrue… and you are?”

“Leif… Leif Keiffelson” he replied in response. “What have you done with me?” “A gift…” Bella smiled. “An opportunity to live endlessly in the night.”

“Courage such as yours deserves such rewards…” “And deprive me of Valhalla!!” Leif shouted in anger. “Valhalla is a myth, a sheer ideological concept… An idea you no longer need to believe.” Bella countered. “No gods, no man nor prince can hold you now… The paths you chose are of your own. Immortality is real, Leif…” The Viking then attempted to stand but lost his consciousness due to his current condition. “You Vikings are crazy…” Bella said in contentment. “Rest now, and regain your strength... Vahnzynn”

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The vampire prefect then woke up… staring at the darkness that is his coffin. Opening the casket, he was met by a pretty face. An expressionless face, his only response. “What wrong?” the question she asked of him. “Nothing Flu, my past always comes back to haunt me.”

“Tell me about it?” Flu replied.

“It’s none of your business, nouveou…” his only remark. The prefect left Flu and proceeded towards the elder’s quarters. Flu was surprised by the sudden change in the prefect’s mood.

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A lonely traveler walks on Hillingdon streets alone. Unwary of the dangers that lurked behind the shadows of the night. A stranger perhaps, following where her instincts tell her. She seems to be looking for something or someone.

“Ey there sweetie… You lost?” the guy said as he blocks the lady’s path. “My friends and I are willing to help you..” Five more men showed up around the stranger. “Pretty girls such as you should not be wandering alone… might get you into trouble. But… that will spoil the fun…”

“Fun?” she responded… “What is fun for the likes of you? You want me to show you what fun is?”

The men just laughed at her. “Brave little girl…” the guy in front of her said. The rest began to move towards her. The lady stood still. “Well, you’re right… This is really going to be fun…”

The lady suddenly moved towards the guy in front of her, grabbing him by the neck and throwing him across the street. Dodging the fist of another, she kicked the third that sent him crashing towards two others. Her fist landed on the face of the fifth guy, sending him to kiss the ground. The two guys left stood in shock at the strength and speed of the woman. She stood in the middle with the rest of the guys groaning in pain around her. “Are we having fun yet?” her only question as she reveals two glowing eye filled with the urge to kill. The guys soon realized that the lady is no longer a human being.

Screams echo through the dark alleys of the city.

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The prefect suddenly felt something weird. A sensation which was all too familiar with him. “What is it?” the Elder asked him… “It her… she is here…” the prefect answered. “I know… I sensed her too…”

“It has been too long… since she left…” the prefect said. “She still blames me for Bella… Her hate has created a void between both our existences…”

“She is Ventrue… you are Ventrue… Bella was Venture and I am Ventrue… That is all that matters.” Valgathri said. “Forgive you she must… We all did for Bella’s sake…”

“She loved him, like her own father… I was the fool who failed to defend him from those mongrels…” The prefect remarked. “Her hate has become unbearable. Irony it seemed but Bella asked me to watch over her…”

“And you shall…” Valgathri ordered. “Now, go fetch my brother’s prodigal daughter…”

Rayne then entered the hall. “Another vampire has suddenly showed up out of nowhere…” he reported. “We know… it’s her” the prefect answered. Rayne now stood puzzled. “Come Rayne, I have something for you to do…” The two then bid the elder’s presence.

The Elder sat silently as he watched the two leave his presence.

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The park is a perfect place to stay and cool your head off. It has been a busy night. Refreshed by the fun she lately had, the lady wants to give her mind peace as she sat in contentment. She does not want to go back to this place, but she must. Fate must be cruel to her to return after leaving for a long time. Hate… hate still lingers in her heart for that man. She can’t help it, but tears now flow in her eyes as she thinks of her long forgotten past.

“My lady…” A voice came behind her. A hand now rests in her shoulders. “Lord Valgathri has sent me to fetch you…” She the turned towards the man. “Rayne …” A smile came to her face, hiding the tears in her eyes. “We have missed you for so long… it is time to go home…” The lady nod in agreement.

“It has been long… too long…” She replied. The lady stood up, staring at a direction. Her eyes now glare in anger. Rayne gestured to her the way. She nods and follows him.

The prefect watched them from a distance. He knows that she knew of his presence. The prefect bowed his head and disappeared as well.

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Flu wanders in the mansion garden. She cannot understand what really is going on. Confused by everything lately she felt betrayed by fate and its unbearable cruelties.

Sitting on the fountain, she had gargoyles for company. These statues litter the garden like guardians to a lost treasure.

“Would you mind for a little chat?” a man asked her. “Or you would rather not enjoy company?”

“Not at all...” Flu replied to the man she met at the mansion before. It is the Tremere… “The night is too lonesome, anyway…”

Deudonne smiled. “The name’s Deudonne… of the clan Tremere…”

“Flu…” She answered. “I’m sorry but I don’t know what I am…”

“You are the prefect’s nouveou, right?” Deudonne asked. Flu nod in agreement

“A Ventrue then…” he replied. “Yours is the responsibility of Kindred politics, ours is the practice and knowledge of Vampiric Magick.” He then produced a glowing orb in his bare hands. “A trick we learned through the centuries.”

“But the prefect fights like an Assamite…” she asked.

“Well, most of us does, we must learn to fight. Although Assamites are the best warriors in the kindred, except for him of course. The prefect is an exception to the rule. We all must fight, there is a war out there… and we must learn to defend ourselves. Do not let immortality fool you… For us vampires can die also…”

“But who is he?” she asked suddenly out of the topic. “Call me ignorant, and laugh at me… but even as his nouveou, I don’t even know his name.”

“Well, most vampires tend to use another name for themselves. Keeping their mortal identities to their graves, accepting the fact that they are no longer the same person. Yet some use their original names, it doesn’t matter though. As for him, most vampires knew by the name Vahnzynn. A name given to him by Bella Lugosi of Ventrue, his maker.” Deudonne answered.

“The same way he changed my name…” Flu said in confirmation. The name Lilah Sorena now lingered in her mind.

Then Deudonne stood up, seeing Rayne and the lady enter the mansion from a distance. “She is back…” he muttered.

Flu also stood up and stared at the direction. “Who? Who came back?”

“Leixandra…Leixandra of Ventrue”

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The Hillingdon sewers, the empty darks tunnels weave like labyrinth across the city underground. Noises echo from the sewers… The city underground sewer system is filled with life.

A large sewer section interconnects all the tunnels. It has become an underground city.

“My children…” A shout came from the center of a large horde of people. “We have hid ourselves for too long… They thought they have hunted us to extinction…”

“Let them believe that… let them celebrate victory now… For we shall strike them where they least expect it.”

“Their Kindred is ravaged by political unrest and arrogance. They are fighting within themselves.”

“They imprudently claim that the night is theirs… They have overestimated us…. We shall challenge that claim.”

“For now, we shall rise up to the surface and show them the pure meaning of pain…”

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Chapter 2 - Cruel Dissolutions of Fate

“Damn me father, for I must sin; with every victim, I pray for my own death; And as much as I love the night, I curse the moon’s eerie glow; This bloodlust that drags me to forever; the toxic rays of dawn that condemns me to hide. I am forced to live in gray lifeless twilight. I am suspended in dust...”

The words linger into the vampire’s mind as he stares mindlessly at the city below. His feet dangling from the edge of the gargoyle statue on top of the building. It’s a beautiful twilight, with the moon smiling forth on the Cainanite. The vampire leaned at the statue… like a child in the arms of his mother.

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Sgt. Jacob Rinus sat staring at a picture of Sgt. Lilah Sorena, his partner… former partner… The young man returned to work only to find his partner and bestfriend missing from an encounter with the creature that nearly cost him his life. Club Romanus Deus… 5 bodies… and not a single trace of Lilah… his partner is now presumed dead. The man whom they met about those weird insignia also disappeared. And the police chief also sat clueless on what really happened that night that cost him several officers dead. Lt. Leronio doesn’t even know what to explain to their families…

Coffee break… Jacob silently indulges himself in watching other people try to hide from the impeding rain. The café is now packed with weary stranded people. He could hear them talking to each other, some clamor on being wet and others on how fucked their life is. The sergeant kept on stirring his cup of coffee… Then a girl caught his attention… standing in the rain across the street… he tried to get a better glimpse at the girl only to find that she was gone. Jacob walked home that night.

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The city docks… an abandoned dry docking area. Some teenage gang members are enjoying the evening. The dry docking area is like their private territory. Booze and drugs was the name of the game.

Minutes later, a guy wandered lost into the docks. Ignorant so it seemed of the complexities of the territorial gangs in the area. The lad walked as if he owns the place. The teenage gang finally saw him approaching. “Hey you…” the leader called out to him. “What the hell are you doing here?” The guy ignored his questioning. The leader now signaled his men to get ready.

They surrounded the guy, armed with clubs and steel pipes… “You are trespassing… all who wants passage must give tribute or else…” the guy just ignored them. “Why you!” one gang member swung a bat right at the guy. The guy never evaded the blow, yet he still stood there silent. The others are puzzled at how things turned out. Without further thinking they all attacked the guy. The guy’s eyes glow in delight… revealing a smile in his face…

Early morning, the radio ranted about the incident at the dry dock area. Jacob basically ignored the radio as he tried to catch more sleep. The phone finally rang and he struggled to find where he placed the darn thing. “Yep…” he muttered at the phone... “Be right there…”

Déjà vu… that’s what he thought to himself as he finds himself in the middle of a blood bath. The kids littered the place. Most have some sort of bite mark on their necks… all died due to loss of blood. Though some lost their heads literary… their weapons scattered across the dry docking area.

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The Kindred Elder looks out towards the city Hillingdon. The elder bathed himself in the rays of the moon. Enjoying the moment, the elder lost himself in contention. Then a vampire enters his quarters.

“Pardon my grace… another impure nouveous has been wrecking havoc on the human population. A handy work of Lieondah, it seemed she has created nouveous as well...” the vampire reported.

Valgathri the elder paused for a moment. “So it has really begun?” he puzzling ask himself. “Gather more information about these nouveous, Rayne. And try to gather all of the Kindred as soon as possible. And send somebody to find my vampire prefect”

“As you said it my lord, so shall it be done...” Rayne bowed and left the elder. “Cain… it seemed that your prophesies are starting to reveal themselves…” the elder said as he stares at a portrait on the wall… The portrait is so old that basically it is reduced almost into dust.

A young lady stared at the police station across the street. Standing behind a lamp post on a gloomy night, she forced herself to be contented of leaving her past behind. “Flu…” a voice came from the shadows behind her. “You can never go back Flu…” Rayne slowly revealed himself to her. “You are one of us now, and Lord Valgathri summons all of you to be in his presence… “

“I understand, Rayne …” Flu answered. “And what about him?”

“Him as well, the vampire prefect will be there…” Rayne replied. “If they could find him…”

“Stubborn buffoon…” Flu jokingly complained. She left with Rayne.

Jacob now struggles to decipher the current blood bath. Clues here may give him an idea on the fate if his partner. A stressful venture that left him asleep with all the files littering his office.

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The house on the hill stood majestic. To the human eyes, the estate is owned by a very large corporation. The bitter reality is that through the corporation, the vampire kindred occupy the stately mansion. Heavily guarded by sensors and cameras, technology has made this place a safe haven for the undead. Sentries of human guards also patrol the area like a high security prison.

The hall way now is filled with lost souls chatting with each other. There seemed to be something really important that the elder summoned all his children under such short notice. Flu began to find herself lost in a sea of vampires. A nouveou herself, she finds her presence rather intimidating to the other vampires. Some now show a bit of discrimination for the newly-awaken. A hand grabbed her by the shoulder, “Know your place, young lady…” a vampire said to her. “It is unwise to wander among the clans when you are unsure of your own. Some vampires are that arrogant. You’re lucky though… some are very hostile towards nouveous but Lord Valgathri despises such hostilities in his presence.” the Tremere added. “Who is your maker anyway?”

“Ahh… umm…” Flu was about to answer when… “I’ll take it from here, Deudonne.” A vampire suddenly said, the Tremere then just bowed his head and left. Flu now found herself in front of a very familiar face. A smile came into her face.

“Stay by my side and no other vampire may touch you, understand?” the vampire instructed. Flu merely nods in response. “Good… now come with me..” The two weaved through the crowd of vampires until they are in front of everybody. The elder Valgathri slowly approached the balcony. All the damned bowed in respect. Seeing the man beside Flu, the elder then began to talk.

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Weeks after that, a series of disappearances in the city had caused much panic at the station. Unidentifiable bodies littered the streets of Hillingdon City. Jacob now found himself facing a very large jigsaw puzzle. Yet all his effort gave him no justifiable proof about his partner.

“Hunt all of them, all impure bloods…” the vampire in black instructs Flu. “These impure vampires are causing havoc in this human city. A killing spree that may cause us to lose our alliance with the humans.” The vampire added as he stared at the city streets below. “We cannot allow that, now that the prophecies of Nod are upon us.”

Flu looked puzzled at the vampire. She basically understood half of all he has been saying lately. Being a nouveou of a vampire prefect has placed her in the middle of the political complexities of the vampire kindred. And she finds herself unable to decipher information the vampire prefect has been explaining to her. She is a vampire for a year now… and she barely knows how to be one.

The prefect then suddenly became attracted into a direction. “Impure bloods…” that’s all he muttered as he suddenly disappeared from sight. Flu just stared at the direction.

A body lay lifeless on the table. The girl on the counter had her head smashed into a cash register. Two vampires feast on a corpse lying beside the counter. Another vampire stood on the entrance to the deli shop.

Hands suddenly grabbed the vampire standing and tore off his neck. The other vampires stood surprised as the body of their fellow vampire fell lifeless on the floor. “What the?..” one muttered as another received a silver bolt into his chest, nailing him on the wall. The vampire lunged at the attacker only to meet the blade of a claymore sword impaling him. The vampire on the wall screamed in pain as his comrades now flood the floor with their own blood. Removing the arrow bolt from his body, the vampire ran towards the back exit. The man left in the shop just returned his sword in his scabbard.

The vampire left alive ran as fast as he could in a dark back alley. He ran fearing the man may be after him still. Flu suddenly showed up in front of him and threw him on the ground. “Going somewhere?”

The vampire growled at her as he suddenly leaped towards Flu. The lady dodged his first attack and grabbed his hands. She then maneuvered the vampire in which she broke both his hands in process. The vampire now groaned in pain as Flu then held him by the neck. She took a dagger and slowly thrust it into the vampire’s heart.

Letting go of the vampire’s body, Flu now stood in the back alley alone. “Good work nouveou…” the prefect said as he slowly showed himself from the shadows. “We shall paint this city red with blood until all of these impure bloods are cleansed.”

Flu just stared at the vampire she just killed. “The night shall be red if that is the case…” she finally whispered.

Jacob looked at corpse in a back alley. The sun slowly emerges from its hiding place as the bodies were taken. Another figure into the unidentifiable clowns that has been adding up like sheep in his list. A list he is expecting to add up in the coming days.

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Flu looked worried as she stares at the city from a distance. How she had missed the sun. The night sky glows in the attempt of comforting her woes. The city lights illuminates in betrayal of her soul. “We can never go back…” Rayne stood beside her. “No matter how hard we try, we will never be the same.”

“A curse we must endure throughout our endless miserable lives…” Flu said in confirmation. “True...” Rayne replied. “But ours is the burden of perfection… Death has placed us at the pinnacle of reality… Immortality is the quest we now have achieved. What to do with our immortal lives depend on us… What we are, who we are before doesn’t matter anymore… For our existence now shall be endless… It is on how we meet immortality that matters now… Everything else is a waste of our time.”

Rayne then left Flu. The vampire now stares at the moon with tears flowing from her eyes. The vampire prefect stared at his nouveou from the balcony. He knew that this was barely the start of her journey.

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Chapter 1 - A Kiss through the Sunset

10 in the morning, the Hillingdon City local police was in for a shock... A house filled with corpses... 30 of them... All littering the abandoned house like Christmas decors... What really made it more puzzling are the manner these men died... crushed skulls... severed limbs... massive lacerations in the body made by an unknown weapon... and to the fact that these dead bodies were in uniform... some sort of an elite commando group.. But of whom… the insignia in their uniform and the weapons they carry are not that familiar to the local authorities... and there were no signs to identify the bodies either...

Lilah Sorena took time to look at the insignia on the uniform of a victim. “Any ID on this fella?” she asked a fellow officer... “Can we at least have any names for these guys?” The detective beside her gave no reply.

“Ey Lilah... check this out.” Sgt. Jacob Rinus, Lilah’s partner called out... The sergeant then hand over to Lilah a MP5... “Check out the magazine...” he added. Lilah remove the mag only to find the bullets are made of silver. “Now this is interesting... Are all their bullets like this?” “Yep...” “An elite group of commandos from hell knows… with silver bullets... gets massacred in a house by somebody or something...” Lilah commented. “Well... this is going to be really interesting...”

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Later that evening, a young girl walks quite slowly in the shopping district. The lady seemed to be enjoying the evening alone. Dressed in elegant yet out-of-date attire, she attracted a lot of passers-by. Then something caught her eye…somebody is following her... A sly grin came to her face... she turned into a dark corner alley... the fellow followed her...

Lilah stares at the pictures of the dead bodies. A lot of things are going into her mind... “Why were they there at the first place?” she asked herself. “What or who was they supposed to apprehend?” The young officer stare aimlessly at the silver bullet inside the evidence bag Jacob found at the crime scene... Then the phone rings…“What?” she asked. “Something’s up...” her partner answered. “Riverton Street...” Lilah then placed the phone down and grabbed her jacket and gun.

The smell of blood is everywhere... the yellow police tape guards the alley like a barricade. The sight is lighted up by blue and red police car lights. A headless body of a man lies 5 feet from a trash can where his head was found. “All I got from an Identification Card in his pocket is a name Marcus Sintra.” Jacob said. “He’s from sort of government agency... but I cannot really tell... the agency insignia is the same as the guys in the house though.” As the body was taken by the city coroner’s office... Lilah stared at the blood that covered the whole place. “The man was killed in the same manner as those clowns in the Thurston house... We may be looking for the same suspect in this case...” Jacob suggested. “Sgt. Rinus... Sorena... can I have a word with you two.” Lt. Leronio, the police chief called. “There is someone I want you to meet.” the chief pointed to them a man in black looking at the crime scene with such familiarity...

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Back at the station, Lilah almost laughed at the man she just met hours before. “Do you want me to believe what you are saying?” Lilah asked. “Sir... have this man seen a doctor lately? Vampires... Did you think we would fall for that crap...?” “Sgt. Sorena!!” the chief exclaimed. “I understand her position, Lieutenant.” the man answered. “But believe it or not... we are after the same person...” The man then hand over to the three police officers a few confidential documents... bearing the insignia found on the bodies days before. “It seemed that our government has secretly recognized and has accepted that vampires do exist. These vampires have a society of their own.... a so-called kindred. And this kindred have ties with our present government. And the government has created an organization to monitor their activities... an agency so confidential I cannot even tell you the name. The guys you found in that house where part of that organization... your dead guy at Riverton also... they were after her...” Lilah then found a picture of a girl in the document. “Name’s Lieondah... a vampire... an Assamite to be precise... a vampire assassin... The vampire kindred sought the government’s help in finding or eliminating her... a rouge assassin on the run...” the man continued. “A vampire on a killing spree... And our intelligence units indicate that she may be around in the city still... and due to the current situation... I am asking your outmost cooperation...”

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11 in the evening, three weeks after that. The young vampire stood on top of Whitechapel Square Hotel, staring at the city life below. “Target acquired sir...” “Roger that...” Lilah listens to the radio in an armored van blocks away from the hotel. “Should I take it out sir?” the sniper asked. “Fire at will once you have a clear visible range of the target” the man besides Lilah replied. Jacob lights a cigarette outside the van, staring at the hotel blocks away.

“Oh shit!” the sniper exclaimed. “She spotted us sir...” “What!!” the man responded. “Relocate now...” “Roger t…..” “Snowcap! Do you read?” the man shouted at the radio. “Shit!! All units converge on the current position of Raven 1... Now!!”

Three teams rushed to the sniper location only to find both the sniper and the rangefinder dead... “Raven 1 has been eliminated sir.” Raven 4 leader replied. Then a flashbang was thrown into the middle of the room... The bright light illuminated the whole room... gunfire echoed across the whole city block... Raven 2 team rushed to the scene... A MP5 flew straight at a member... hitting him and knocking him unconscious... Another was thrown into the wall... The rest opened fired... the vampire rushed at the soldiers in extreme speed… hacking a head off one... tearing a hand off another… Gunfire and screams of pain can be heard on the radio... “What the hell is going on up there?” Lilah asked nervously… Jacob then took his gun... “I’m not going to stay here and listen to our guys die.” The sergeant ran towards the scene... “Jacob... wait!” Lilah tried to run after her partner but was held by the man. “No... It’s too dangerously... even for you... sergeant.” “But Jacob...” Lilah tried to argue... “He’s on his own now...” the man explained. “Archangel has now clearance to proceed...” Lilah heard him order on the radio.

24^th floor, Jacob holds his gun as he looks for any slight movement. The whole floor is now a blood bath. The detective found himself drawn into a room… Slowly opening the door, Jacob lay speechless at the sight... the vampire stood in the middle of the room... dead bodies litter the place... Lieondah licked the blood off her fingers… staring at the sergeant with a satisfying smile... “Have you come to die?” Lieondah asked with sarcasm. Jacob fired at the vampire. Lieondah received each blow like it was nothing. The vampire then threw him out of the room... Jacob found himself crashing through the door. Reloading his gun, the detective fired more shots but to no avail... Phrenic grabbed him and smash his body into the wall. Jacob struggled for his life... Half-dead, the detective took a knife hidden in his back-pocket and thrust the blade into the vampire’s side. Lieondah ignored the blade and held Jacob up for the last bite.

An arrow bolt sprung out of nowhere and hit the vampire on the shoulder. The vampire screamed in pain. Letting the officer go, Lieondah c turned around to face a man clad in black. The vampire then suddenly disappeared from sight. Jacob saw the blurry image of the man as he finally lost consciousness from the severe loss of blood.

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3 days after the incident. Jacob woke up in the hospital. Lilah stood there smiling back at him. “We thought we lost you there...” “What happened?” the detective muttered. “Good thing he showed up...” That was all Lilah could answer to him. “Who showed up?” “Hush now... you need to rest.”

Lilah left the hospital later that night, “You liked the guy?” a man asked her. “Since when were you interested in my private life?” she irritatedly answered. “Pardon... I don’t know much to understand you humans and your concept of love... Forgive my ignorance.” The man disappeared.

“Concepts of love?” The words lingered in her head. Jacob and Lilah have been partners for three years now. Their relationship has been more of a strong friendship. But after that encounter, Lilah has found out that she carries with her a strong affection for her partner. And she won’t forgive that vampire who nearly cost her partner’s life.

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Club Romanus Deus. The party capital of the city, with its techno beats and swirling lights. It’s Saturday and it is filled with people. Lieondah entered the place with a smile on her face. “Ey there sweetheart...” A man approached her. The vampire looked at him a bit surprised. “How about a dance?” “A dance it is...” the vampire agreed. The man the guided her to the dance floor. As Lieondah c entertains herself, somebody in the crowd called unto a cellular phone.

Minutes later, Lilah entered the Club. “Roger that sir...” she silently whispered on her radio. Turning towards three people behind her, “She was last seen entering this place... try find any traces of her.” The other guys agreed on proceeded. Then the man appeared again out of nowhere and approached her. “She is here alright... I can sense her.” Lilah looked at him, “Well... It will be quite difficult with all these peop....”

A shriek echoed from the dance floor. “Well... does that answer your question?” the man in black answered. “Shit!!” Lilah took her gun from the holster. “Suspect is confirmed, send back-up immediately.” she ordered on her radio. “Proceed with caution.” she ordered her men.

The people mindlessly scattered as the dance floor finally cleared to reveal a lifeless body of a man. Lieondah stood in the middle, still enjoying the taste of her kill. “Freeze!” a cop shouted as he aims his gun at her. Two more approached her with gun drawn. Lilah tried to reach the dance floor through a stampede of panic stricken people all in a hurry to leave the vicinity. The man in black rushed towards the dance floor as well.

Lieondah smiled at the cops. Then before one could fire his gun, the vampire’s hand smash right into his skull. With speed Phrenic broke the neck of the other and rush at the last as Lilah finally reached them only to find 3 of her men being slaughtered. Lilah fired at Lieondah, and the vampire rushed towards her. The man in black then suddenly jumped at Lieondah, slamming her face to the floor. The vampire then threw the man into the bar section. The force of impact literary obliterated everything.

“So... Lord Valgathri sent you to dispose of me.” Lieondah said to the man as she licked her own blood form her lips. “Killing an elder is a crime to us vampires” the man answered as he stood up from the wreckage. “Your bloodlust cost us vampires a lot... We vampires try to maintain a good stance with the humans... feeding only when possible... They provided us with blood to sustain our existence... We do some of their dirty work, they kept their mouth shut. And you abuse all of these... killing when and whom you like... Lady Rikku cannot tolerate it anymore. She sought to stop your killing spree... thus you killed her... your own elder and drank her blood... Now Lord Valgathri wants your head on a platter. ”

“And the kindred sought the help of humans to kill me... How pathetic…” Lieondah commented. “Asking cattle to do your work...” she laughed. The vampire then took her weapon hidden in her dress. A pair of scissor katars..

“Laugh all you want Lieondah.” the man said. “It will all be over soon...” Lilah still points her gun at Lieondah as the two talked. Her hands are now shaking in fear.

Lieondah took the first step, rushing towards the man at incredible speed… thrusting her katars right at him. The man took several pieces of wood from the wreckage. Thrashing at the wooden fragments to create some sort of shield to receive Lieondah’s first blow. Lieondah slice through the debris with ease only to find the man gone from the wreckage. A kick came out of nowhere to strike Lieondah from the back. The blow sent Lieondah right through the bar wall. Recovering immediately she land on her feet to lash at the man now behind her. Her blade ran into an empty space as the man lands 14 feet away from her. Facing Lieondah, he then realized that Lieondah was able to cut a small wound in his face. The man just smiled.

Lilah now took an opportunity to shoot at Lieondah. The vampire quickly evaded the shot to rush right at Lilah. The vampire was about to slice the officer in half when the man suddenly stood in front of the vampire. He received Lieondah’s blow… letting the female vampire’s katars to penetrate both his shoulders. Before the vampire could finish him, he kicked Lieondah away. The vampire landed 10 feet away from them. “Are mad vampire? Are you that willing to sacrifice your life for a human?”

“Leave her out of this...” the man held a katar still stuck in his shoulder. “Your fight is with me.” Lieondah then licked a small amount of blood from the katar left in her hand. “Your blood is… You’re no Assamite... Who are you vampire?” The vampire asked in shock.

“The Lord Elder sent me to handle you personally…” the man answered as he removes the katar from his wound. He then threw it beside him. “My name is no importance to you…”

Lilah stood shocked behind him, still trembling with a gun in her hands. In fear and shock, she finally let go of the gun… the weapon’s impact on the floor echoed through Club Romanus Deus.

Lieondah then smiled, “No matter… Letting yourself be injured for that girl, gives me a fighting chance… should I say, Ventrue?” The vampire now addresses her opponent as a noble-blood.

“Enough talk, Assamite...”

Lieondah resumed her attack, lunging her katar right at the man. The man evaded her first strike only to meet the vampire’s fist to hit him right at his injured shoulder. The man was sent a few feet back, the pain in his shoulder now has become unbearable.

Lieondah now stood in front of Lilah. Her katar inches away from her abdomen… “Any last words, luv?” the vampire asked her. “I… I… do... don’t… want… to die…” Lilah muttered in shock as she felt the blade... “Awww… too bad...” Lieondah gave a sadistic smile, and thrust her blade into Lilah…

“No!!!” the man shouted. Forcing himself up made him bleed furiously. “Big mistake Assamite...”

The man then rushed right back at Lieondah as she finally let go of Lilah’s lifeless body… Lieondah eyes gleamed as she saw the man. The female vampire prepared herself for his blow. “Ahhhhhhh!” she gave an ear deafening shriek as she was to counter his move… But before she could even move, the man grabbed her by the forehead and threw her to the wall… The wall trembled, sending vibration throughout the whole infrastructure. The man then grabbed both her hands and tore them from their sockets… The female vampire screams in pain…

Holding Lieondah’s neck… the man’s now glowing eyes sent fear into the Assamite… “It’s time for you to die…” the man said to her. With a powerful blow, the man smashed Lieondah’s skull into the wall… The vampire, lifeless then slumped into the floor… The man’s hand then thrust right at Phrenic’s heart. Removing it from her body… and crushing it with his bare hands.

The man now stood staring at his kill… a lifeless lump. The man looked at Lilah’s body across the dance floor… He then bowed his head… only to realize as slight movement in Lilah’s fingers.

Approaching the officer, he found Lilah struggling for her life. Seeing her injury gave him an insight that she would die eventually. “I… I… I… do... don’t… want… to die…” Lilah pleaded. “I don’t want to die…” she repeated as tears flow from her eyes… “Please… don’t let me die…”

The man carried her in his arms. He then slowly approached the exit of the establishment.

The police arrived minutes later, only to find the place basically crumbling into pieces. The ambulance then took 5 bodies out of Club Romanus Deus. Lilah’s body was never found.

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