Chapter 1: Beginnings

I never seen their faces. Only the blood from my Family. The King and Queen of Reign's Reach lay face up. Throats slashed, and all of the valuables from the castle missing. The main hall smelled of death. And beast. But not a beast that you would think of. No wolves, bears, or lions. These beasts walked on two legs. They could speak, and use weapons. They were Orc. Filthy slime. After examining the corpses of my Mother and Father I see an extremely long feather clinging to the pool of blood. There is only one creature that has these feathers. But that's a different story for a different day. This feather was plucked. The Orc hunt the species that this feather came from. They are the only race stupid enough to do such a thing. So why were they here? Why did they choose to invade Reign's Reach? No time for questions. I'm going hunting.

I stand up from one knee and bolt out of the castle, passing murdered soldiers by the hundreds that were guarding these halls. They were my friends. Swiftly bowling out the entrance doors, I feel my heart rate quicken as the stench of Orc increases. They are close. But I am unarmed. Even though I've been training with Dante Vizjeri, the Druid, my skills are not yet honed. I would be no match for a group of Orc. I turn the corner to the east side of the castle, and then another hard left in to the cellar where Dante lives. I burst down the dark earthy hallway and on through my personal armory door and reach for my bow, and my sword. I throw my quiver onto my back, sweat is now dripping from every pour of my body. A chill goes down my spine as I hear my master speak. Startling me he says, "So how many do you think were in the hunting party?" I stop dead in my tracks and slowly turn to face my master of Lycanthropy. "You knew?" I asked quietly. He cupped his hands behind his back calmly. With a somber look upon his face he said softly, "Of course I knew my apprentice. There isn't much that goes on here that I don't know about."

I always attributed his youthful look to the practice of Druidism. His smooth face was very similar to that of an Elf's. The hard cut jaw line resembled a Barbarian. But he was human. Of that I was positive. He looked up at me and gave a quick grin. With that, I exploded. "How could you let this happen?!?!" I shouted. "My Mother and Father would still be alive if it weren't for you sitting down here in your dungeon playing with your false gods." I drew back and threw the hardest punch I've ever thrown. I put all seven feet four inches into that punch. With all of my emotions and rage I hit him. I struck my master. I thought he would punish me for it. What happened next I couldn't explain until much later. When my fist connected with his face he barely moved. His head turned toward my left ever so slightly. "What the..." I said shocked. He inched his head back to the left ever so slightly so as to look me straight in the eye. He shot a sly grin and spoke as calm as ever. "When I was granted my power of foresight, I swore to never interfere with those that were close to me." he continued "Including your Mother, Father, and yourself. It is the butterfly effect my son. But there is one thing that I am allowed to tell you. This was told to me by Gaia herself. She told me to tell you at precisely this moment that you have a sister." I had never felt my knees buckle so hard as they did at that moment. My bottom lip quivered as I spoke, "A sister?" Dante continued his cold stare into my eyes, "Yes child. A sister. I only know her name. I know nothing else." He looked down at the earth beneath his feet and under his breath I heard him say "Catbriar".

I stared off in to space, speechless for the first time in my life. Dante kicked a small rock off to the side and spoke in the same unwavering voice, "So tell me," he said, "with you still being a young apprentice as a Druid and still barely able to kill a doe from 70 yards with your bow. And considering you hit me as hard as you could, and you didn't even move me. How do you ponder victory from a group of eighty to one hundred ravaging Orc?" His question sent my adrenaline to the pits of my toes. He was right. I was no fighter. I was royalty. Sure I had been trained to use a sword. And of course I could hunt with a bow. But Dante was right. How can I accomplish this? Do I wish to join my parents in the afterlife so soon? Brushing my hair back from my face I looked down upon my master, "But sir, how will I ever be able to avenge my Mother and Father's death?" I asked in a small voice. Boldly Dante responded, "You can't! But I can help you." His sly smile came crawling back across his face, his cool blue eyes pierced mine right to my very soul. "How can you help me Master? You've already told me that it takes years to become an experienced Lycanthrope." My blood began to boil in anticipation of Dante's assistance. "How? How can you help me Master?" I yelled. His stare never wavered from my eyes, "All you have to do is accept what I am about to offer you." I crossed my arms in front of my chest and sighed. "And what would that be Master?" He gave a quick glance behind him and said in the same steady voice, "Join me in the unlife my child."

This was the second time I've been at a loss for words. I tried to utter a few sounds. But nothing came out. My arms fell limp at my side. I felt a tear run down the left side of my face. I wasn't sure if it fell for grief or fear. But at that moment I dropped to my knees and looked up at him with my eyes. In a deep voice that seemed to have come from the depths of hell, I spoke, "I am yours Master. I am at your mercy. Do with me what you will."

Faster than the blink of an eye Dante sank his previously hidden fangs into my neck. After the initial shock and burn of my Master's teeth being buried deep within my flesh, the sensation turned me to a euphoric state. Rapidly I felt my life force slipping away from my body. I knew then that I was certain to join my parents in the afterlife tonight. So this is what death is. It doesn't seem to be as frightful as the Clerics made it seem. Dante's teeth sank in even deeper. Sweet Gaia that light up there is really bright. I can see, yes, I can see a hand emerging from the light. I'm so close I can almost reach it. Almost there. The hand grabs a hold of my head and shoves me back down. With the touch of that hand I felt a torrent of power rush through my body the likes that no one has ever felt. I twist my body around and see Dante withdraw his fangs from my skin. He throws his head back in pleasure. Now I'm falling, fast. I slam back in to my body and throw open my eyes. I'm weak. To weak to mumble a sound. "Now my son," said Dante slitting open his wrist "drink of me as I have drank from you." He shoves his arm in my gaping mouth. A droplet of blood lands on my tongue and sends my senses ablaze. Re energized, I grab his hand and drink as instructed. I could feel the fire burn through me. Not as powerful as the hand that had just thrust me back to reality. But enough so that I could hear every cricket chirp. Every buck rub against a tree. I was finally alive. For the first time in my life. Finished, Dante withdrew his arm and watched as his wound healed within seconds.

With blood running from both sides of my mouth I sit straight up like the dead would. I give my new body a once over and notice my arms, chest and legs are three times the size they were just a few minutes ago. My eyes are sharper than they've ever been. I can hear, and smell like a pack of hungry wolves. I stood up and slammed my head on the ceiling with a barbaric smash. Laughing, Dante said "You cannot move as fast as you used to without consequence my son." Regaining my footing I rubbed my head, "Hey, shouldn't there be a cut or at least a bump there?" I said. Dusting off his tattered brown cloak Dante said, "No! There shouldn't be. That is one of the benefits of an unlife." he continued, "You can be harmed yes. But you will heal quickly. And rarely without fail." Standing up straight and lifting the hood on his cloak, he regained his icy gaze and smooth voice, "That is not to say you can't be killed. Because you can. We Vampires are harmed by a great many things. Sunlight for starters. It is one of the many things that can kill us." I nodded to him in acknowledgment. "And Holy Places. Never enter a church, or a place that has been blessed by a Cleric. It might not kill you immediately, but if there long enough my son, it will."

I listened intently for over six hours as my Master taught me how to live a long unlife. He spoke slowly and smoothly. When he finally finished his instructions, he reached over his head behind his back and grabbed his bow. He presented it to me and said, "I want you to take this. This is the bow of the Druids." Rubbing his fingers along the curves of the wood he continued, "Notice the runes etched into the wood. There is a reason this is called the Mystic Bow of the Druid." He explained the bow's origin, and who made it. A King from the western shores of Allukra. I'll never forget the name as long as I live. And I will be sure to make a trek to his homeland to thank him personally after I deal with the Orc.

He grabbed me by both shoulders as I strapped the Mystic Bow of the Druid on my back. "I have never been more proud of anything in all my life." He said gently. "Just follow their stench and you will be on their trail before you reach the Land of the Kings." I moved past him to the doorway where I stopped and said, "Thank you my Master. I will return to complete my training as a Druid. I promise." I gave him a short bow and darted off down the lengthy dark hallway. Emerging in the bright darkness I sucked in my first breath in the light of the moon. Southwest. The Orc scent still smelled like they were right at the edge of the Reign Forest. I took off at a dead sprint. Running at the speed of ten horses, I dodged trees and their limbs. I heard a pack of hunting wolves run away from me at break neck speed. Had I felt like it, I could have easily ran them down and slaughtered them. But they weren't the beasts I was after. I wanted those filthy Orcs. I ran for what seemed like an eternity. However the new moon had just now reached over my head. I had plenty of time before I had to seek shelter.

After stopping only once to admire the fullness of the night's only light, I had managed to make it to within two leagues of the Land of the Kings. The stench from the Orc was so overwhelming it nearly made me vomit. I slowed to a human's sprint and allowed my vision to focus on what was ahead of me. I seen campfires, and crude tents. I could smell the rancid raccoon as it was cooked on a skewer. I could hear the grunting of the chieftain, and I could hear the gold, and jewels clank together as these sacks of swine admired their latest treasures. I unstrapped the bow from my back and slowed to a normal paced walk. Stupid this race may be. But they do have above average hearing. I stepped as lightly as inhumanly possible. With each step I could hear the grass crush underneath my feet. I only hoped that my prey couldn't hear it as well. Surveying the land, I spotted a large Ash tree about eighty yards from the camp of my enemy. Using what my Master and Maker had called Celerity, I ducked down behind the ancient being made from Gaia. I peeked around the corner to see the Chieftain wearing on his head a crown of multicolored feathers. Then I spotted my Father's crown being worn as a bracelet, and my Mother's tiara as an earring. My anger began to rise quickly within me. I knew this was the band of putrid animals that had murdered my family and friends.

I inched around the north side of the tree and drew the unicorn strings of my bow. With no arrow knocked I felt a slight bit silly. But nevertheless I stood there with my new gift drawn and ready to fire. Closing one eye, I took aim at the head of the celebrating and grunting chieftain. I slowed my breathing like my best friend who taught me to shoot told me to do. As I released the enchanted strings I shouted "KODIAK!" Faster than a thousand horses can run, a thin bolt of light shot from the Mystic Bow of the Druid. Two feet away from the chieftain, the light contorted itself into a fully formed corporeal Kodiak Bear. The momentum continued carrying the bear straight through the chieftain Orc's armor, chest, and back. The Kodiak then began his rampage of the Orc camp. Taking the lives of no less than thirteen Orc within minutes.

I strapped the amazing bow onto my back again. I drew my sword that was made by a dwarf in Haloon. The blade still gleamed in the light of the moon. No blood had yet to touch my weapon. That was all about to change. Using Celerity again, I tore myself from Gaia's Ash Tree and sprinted toward the camp in a blur of rage. I held no prejudice for the slime that I slain. Male, female, and child. None were spared of their lives. They didn't deserve to share the air, that Gaia had created, with me. My blade was soon covered, and dripped with the black blood of an Orc. I reveled in the bloodbath. I took pleasure in plunging my blade into the heart of each and every one of them. Not even close to being out of breath, I stood in the center of the camp, with my right fist clenched around my one and a half handled sword. Seconds passed by as I heard an Orc battle cry come from the south just past the tree line. I turned and faced the sound. From the line of beautiful trees stepped the ugliest, biggest, Orc I had ever seen in my entire life. There was no doubt in my mind. This was a warrior. Perhaps the biggest, and more than likely the meanest warrior in this tribe. This was an Orokahn.

In his left hand he held the most crude shield I had even seen. The metal was dull, and near rusted. But the most tell tale sign of this shield was the dents in it. It looked like a heard of Bison had trampled it thrice over. But here stood no more than fifty yards from me was this massive Orokahn. In his right hand he held a piece of metal that was roughly shaped like a sword. I was pretty sure that this was more of a blunt object than a sword. I pointed my weapon, still dripping, in his direction. I need to name my sword. "I promise you that I will wear your skin as a coat by nights end." I shouted. With that he charged and let out a cry that only he could understand. Fifteen yards from me he flung his shield at me like a plate. I stepped quickly to the side and swatted the dented metal disk out of the air and embedded it a foot in to the ground. "Is that the best you've got?" I said. Five yards away he drew his blunt weapon up with both hands. As he neared, I noticed he towered over me by a foot and a half. He brought the weapon down from right to left and at an angle. I parried the slash easily and spun around bringing the edge of my now black stained blade into his ribs. The Orokahn pivoted on his right foot, ignoring the pain of his fresh wound and brought his weapon toward my throat. I dropped to my backside and filleted the skin on his left leg from ankle to thigh. He let out a mighty roar of pain. I jumped up to my feet and grabbed him by the back of his hair and skewered him with my sword. With all the strength that I had within me I lurched my weapon up toward his throat. With a final cough, spitting up black blood, he was finished. The mighty Orokahn fell faster than even the females did. Pathetic. I had my vengeance. On this tribe.

Once the sun went down, I exited the chieftain's tent and made my way toward the smoke filled tent. I pulled back the flap and removed the thick green fabric. For two hours I pulled hairs from the deceased. I wove dried fabric together like a clothier would. When finished I inspected the material to make sure it was to my liking. It was, so I put it on. I kept my promise. I was wearing the Orokahn's dried and treated skin as a trench coat. Standing toward Orcshire, I withdrew my weapon and held it over my head. At the top of my lungs I shouted, "I AM AEROL REIGN! AND MY BLADE IS NAMED SABLELEAF! TOGETHER WE ARE COMING FOR YOU!"