Naitachel hangs pinned to the wall. Who'd have thought someone in modern times might still even /own/ a crossbow? But a shot to each shoulder is enough to keep him stuck there, hanging limp, unable to reach up and free himself. The pain's enough to make him drift out of consciousness at times, the blood loss enough to keep him too weak and quiet to call above a faint whisper.
Naitachel twitches his tail... The singing... was gone. Something happened? The wall had shaken, and then, well... the pain had been too intense, and he wasn't sure. Golden eyes crack open a bit, trying to focus muzzily. They won't hear... they can't... Nobody could before, so why would they now?
The Dark Wanderer struts into the church as if he owns the place. He looked up at his handiwork and smiled. "Hello Naitachel. How are you this fine post-apocalyptic evening?"
Dust, rubble... Oh heavens, that guy again... "Ap... apoc..." he tries, his voice a faint whisper... No, oh heavens no... Not that!
---------------------
Soraya tripped over some nearby rubble, barely catching herself as she and the rest of their group walked through the desolation. She silently prayed that Radu's most recent inkling was finally going to pay off. That was, if there was anyone left to answer prayers.
"Uncle," Vlad sighed, reaching out a steadying hand to his beloved as they moved carefully through the rubble. "Are you sure?"
Radu shook his head. No. He'd stopped being sure of anything hundreds of years ago. All he could do now was continue searching, and helping all he could along the way, as Naitachel himself would have.
----------------------
The Seraph coughs weakly, eyes dampening with tears. Heavens... it had come, and he'd been too trapped to do anything... save anyone... "You... /are/ cruel..."
The Wanderer's face lit up (or in his case) darkened with malicious glee as he said, "I know what you're thinking. You're thinking 'Oh, no this can't be happening.' But oh, how you are wrong. It is happening, actually it already happened--would you care to take a stroll outside to confirm this?"
A young women wanders about what used to be streets and a neighborhood, now it was nothing but leveled buildings. The one thing that does stick out from the rest of the area is a church. Nadine makes her way to the doors of the church. walking inside she see's two figures near the wall, talking she takes a few steps towards them and trips falling over and smacking her arm off the church floor.
Naitachel closes his eyes. "Like... you would... allow me..." He has no faith in this cruel one letting him free for such, even to gloat.
The Wanderer whips around at the noise and says to the Seraph, "Shhh, we have a guest.." And then he says to the woman, "What do we have here...?"
Naitachel tries to slap his tail against the wall, but it only rustles feathers against the stonework. "Run..." he whispers at the stranger, eyes desperate. if he can save even one from this man...
----------------------
"Well, we're bound to find him /sometime/," Tommen, Vlad and Soraya's oldest son quipped, trying to sound optimistic.
"Sure," Michael, their second agreed. "After all...we've got forever to look..."
"Exactly!" Tom responded, hoping to garner some reaction from their uncle.
"I thought we'd already looked forever," Brianna, their youngest pouted.
---------------------
The small women looked up at and become terrified of the dark figure before her. "W-w-what do you want from me?" she stuttered with fright as she let the words escape her lips.
The Wanderer gives the Seraph a sharp look as to say, <Be quiet or I'll kill you.>
Then he looked down at the frail figure before him and says "Honey, you look hurt, please stand up, I wont hurt you, I give you my word."
Defiance fills those golden eyes. That and the certainty that this one is not how he's going to die... "Run...!" he tries again.
The Wanderer whips around again and says, no screams, "I TOLD YOU TO BE QUIET!!!"
---------------------
Soraya sighed, giving Vlad a knowing look as she drew their daughter to her side. She'd been the youngest upon first death and was now forever in the body of a 7 year old girl. "We will find him soon," she promised.
"Shh," Radu cautioned the others, pausing to listen. Could it be?
Min and the rest drew closer, curious. "Is it him?"
"It certainly sounded..." Lisa frowned into the darkness.
Radu looked around, his eyes narrowing. <Naitachel....can you hear me?> he tried, hoping against hope that the whisper was real....<Where are you?>
---------------------
Nadine is hesitant at first, but the man's words seem true and stands up as he told her to. "Who are you, mister?" she asked him curiously.
The Seraph actually /smiles/ at the Wanderer... A little revenge can be sweet. A little annoyance can be fun.
"I am your friend, I am trying to rebuild the old world, but better! And I need help and you seem like a smart young girl you would be absolutely perfect for the job."
"He... /will/... kill you..." the Seraph tries to tell the girl, hoping she'd at least try reading his lips...
The Wanderer, beginning to get fed up with the interruptions, turns towards the figure on the wall and closes his eyes. After a few moments, hundreds, no THOUSANDS of rodents from every direction come charging into the church, all scurrying to get to the Seraph.
<Ra... Radu...?> The call is almost inaudible from Naitachel. Then, faintly stronger, <Stay... back...!> Fear, concern--for them, if they stray close and meet the Wanderer.
"Well it sure has been rough living on my own in the streets... Things being the way the are, I have been assaulted many times and robbed of what little I had..." She told the man before here. "I could use a job, and being protected for once would be nice too."
"Then come with me, NOW! We must leave. There are others who are coming to destroy what I am building." The Wanderer begins fleeing out the front door, but he fears it may be too late.
---------------------
"Guess we should go check it out, then," Tom whispered, taking a few long strides toward the sound of the voices.
Radu scanned the area around him. Rubble, craters, nothing but an old, half fallen church in the distance. Spying it, Radu took off at a run toward the church. He sounded so weak. <We are coming!> he tells Naitachel.
"Stay here with Brianna," Soraya instructed Michael, handing her off to her older brother. Considerably slower, but still as determined, she set off at a run, following Radu's direction and Naitachel's voice.
Min glanced at the others, then hurried after his uncle, determined that he should not be alone to face danger or disappointment...whichever they might find.
Cneajna swears as the others hurry off, but remains behind to protect the younger members of their clan. Something feels wrong here....
--------------------
The Seraph hums a bit, under his breath, the sound broken and pitiful, an attempt to use his connection to animals to protect himself...
The young girl follows the man out the front door, wondering what was going on.
The Wanderer grabs the girl by her hand and closes his eyes. He imagines himself flying over himself. When he opens his eyes he is a bird and the girl is a bird next to him, and they are flying away from the source of hideous goodness.
The young girl couldn't believe it--they were flying through the air!
Nadine and The Wanderer fly away from the city. He can feel the goodness radiating from the group--and he is disgusted.
---------------------
<Be... careful... Evil...> the Seraph tries to tell Radu and the others. The rats nearest Naitachel hesitate... some, by his feet, turn on the rest...
<We are already damned, remember?> Radu replies, not slowing a step. Bursting into the church, his clan at his heels, he looks around for Naitachel.
<Call if you need me,> Lisa told her sister, hurrying by the huddled trio.
Min watches the birds overhead a moment. How long had it been since there had been real birds in Los Angeles? He tries to remember.
<Not... like this...> The effort of dealing with the rats is taking a lot out of Naitachel. But he catches a glimpse of them... "Here," he whispers, barely a sound escaping his lips.
A few moments behind the others, Soraya made it to the church only to discover multitudes of rats at their feet. With a groan of disgust, she searches for her own powers and slowly warms the floor of the church, enough to send at least a majority of the rats scurrying away.
Rats flee the newcomers, scuttling back into their holes, now that they have nobody to goad them on or control them.
Radu is at the Seraph's side in a heartbeat, kicking the rats away and unpinning Naitachel's wings. Mindful of the toxic blood which flowed from Naitachel's wounds, Radu drew him close to his heart.
The Seraph screams as the arrows are yanked free, and his eyes roll up, falling unconscious into Radu's hands... the wall where he'd been trapped is soaked in silvery blood, as if painted--years of bleeding and healing has covered it.
Mircea holds Min back from approaching. "Give them a moment," he whispers.
Radu's eyes fill with tears as he holds Naitachel close to him. He knows the holy ground will heal Nait--if he can just withstand the draining effects of it long enough to hold him there.
--------------------
Darryl is walking the city when he hears a lot of talking coming from a block away. He keeps his M4 at the ready and moves towards the source of the noise. He sees the group of people--and sees a child? He begins running towards the group, waving.
Cneajna places herself between the youngest and the armed man, ready to defend if need be. Matthias remains beside her. "Who is that?" he asks.
Brianna hugged herself to her older brother, who in turn held her protectively.
Darryl would be surprised to see an angelic figure held by one person--complete with white-gold wings and feathered tail, and white robes... though stained by silvery blood, running from wounds through his shoulders...
"Is it really him?" Soraya breathed. The idea that they had /finally/ found Naitachel was completely surreal.
The wall behind them is soaked in silvery blood, as if painted for a while twenty feet up the church-side...
Radu spies the font of holy water and does the only thing he can think of to do.
Darryl starts slowing down. He forgot how long he'd been away and how things had changed. He cautiously approaches the group and when he nears, he says, "Hello, I mean you no harm. You are the largest group of survivors I have ever--" Then he saw something he had never seen before. What looked to be an angel. "Wha-what is that?"
"It is my mate," Radu replies, dipping his hands in the holy water and applying it to Naitachel's wings. His gasps, struggling not to cry out as his hands begin to smoke, the flesh blistering and peeling away as if burned by searing flames.
"Radu!" Soraya cried, breaking away from the pack. "You should have let me do that," she chastised, wincing at his hands.
"He's, he's beautiful. He's an angel..." Darryl says bemused
"He needs..." Radu replied through gritted teeth... "He is injured. Help him."
"I will if you give me a moment," Soraya sighed, though her face wore a concerned expression. She dipped her hands into the fount and cupped her hands to Naitachel's mouth, offering him the bits of water she could hold in them before repeating the process.
Brianna peeked at the stranger from behind Michael's leg curiously with bright blue and knowing eyes. "He's our Uncle Nait," she told him.
Darryl kneeled down and peeled off his pack. He removed a small tin cup and dipped it in the holy water and handed it over.
"Use his cup," Radu tells Soraya, still holding Naitachel close despite his injuries.
The Seraph coughs dryly, his eyes trying to crack open... Much of the water Soraya gives him runs from his mouth for a moment, before he's able to swallow.
"Thank you," Soraya said to the stranger, before taking the offered cup and leaning over Naitachel. "Should we pour some on your wounds?" she asked him gently.
Darryl asks, "Will human medicine work on him? I have morphine, and sulfa powder."
"No." Min moves to take Naitachel from Radu's arms, thinking to allow another to tend to Radu's wounds only to have Radu's glare back him off. He was not releasing Naitachel to anyone. Not yet.
<Heavens...> Golden eyes finally open. "Yes..." Naitachel whispers to answer Soraya. Those eyes shift to try taking in those around him... At least the bleeding is slowing quickly.
---------------------
Everett made his way through the rubble, trying to find a higher point or a place to hide. He was being chased by something and he was not confident he could take it down on his own. He saw a church and hoped no one was nearby. As he got closer he saw some people and what looked like to be children... "Oh no, there's children down there. Well, looks like I gotta stand and fight now," he stated, a little scared of what might be attacking him. As soon as he spun around, a mutated figure crashed upon him, driving him to the ground. Everett let out a loud yell as he was smashed against the rubble on the ground. He drew one of his berreta pistols and fired the clip into the creature. Tossing aside the dead corpse and rising, he turned to face four more of the creatures.
Vasilissa hissed at the sound of nearby gunfire. Glancing at her sister, she quickly made for the sound.
Darryl hear a large crash and then gunshots. He turned around and saw a man on the ground. He started running towards him, M4 at his shoulder.
Min heard the cries of someone close by. Looking to his brother and uncle, he stepped out to see what was the cause. Spying a man, he hurried to assist, as clearly Radu would allow him to be of no use there.
Mircea and Vlad follow at Min's heals, confident that Soraya could tend to both Naitachel and Radu as needed.
Darryl sees a mutated creature go to leap at the man on the ground. He fires a shot and hits the thing in the shoulder, sending a bloody mist into the air!
---------------------
"You should lean away, Radu," Soraya warned as she began carefully pouring some of the water over the Seraph's wounds. She did her best to avoid splashing Radu, but the feat was rather difficult with the two of them in such close proximity to each other.
<I... am very sorry...> the Seraph murmurs to his family. <Who... is with you?> A human? Two, even? At least, unbound, his empathy works again.
Radu pays little attention to either the silvery blood or the holy water. His only thoughts are for Naitachel himself. "It's alright," he assures Soraya. <I know not who they are. they've only just joined us here.>
<Save your energy for recovering rather than apologies,> Soraya answered gently as she squeezed Nait's hand before returning to the fount for yet more holy water.
---------------------
Min, Mircea and Vlad all fly into the fray, tearing at the mutated creatures in defense of the clearly frightened man.
The creatures charge towards Everett's position hellbent on his extinction. He draws his other pistol and fires five shots at one of them, two bullets only grazing the shoulder. The monster crashes into him, striking wildly and landing blows here and there. Everett powers out of the attack throws a spinning back kick to it, just sending it flying to the ground. Drawing out his brass knuckles, he leaps on top of the creature and starts landing blow after blow upon its temple.
Min can't help but smile, admiring the man's spirit if not necessarily his sensibilities. Why does he not run while he can?
Tommen joined in the fray, fangs bared as he attacked a nearby creature, tearing wildly at its throat.
"Tommen," Mircea warns. "Careful what you swallow..."
"Yes, Uncle," Tommen grinned, spitting remnants of the creature unto the ground with a grizzly smile before setting off onto another mutant.
Darryl shoots 5 more rounds, hitting 5 more of these creatures. Then, he is grabbed from behind by one that jumped over from atop a nearby building. Darryl looks up and sees hundreds of other monsters on every rooftop--coming from every building, every street! He yells, "We may need to leave, and soon!"
"Crude, but effective," Lisa grinned at the newcomer wryly before taking the head off of another assailant.
------------------
Direct application of holy water seems to be helping. After a moment, Naitachel actually can move his arms, a bit. First thing he does, though, is squeeze Soraya's hand, and reach up to touch Radu's cheek reassurringly. <At least... the Evil... is gone...>
<He's left minions behind.> Radu nods toward the commotion outside.
"I... think I can sit up," Naitachel whispers, giving it a try. He's weak, but at least can move a bit now.
"Mommy," Brianna called, dashing toward her mother, "They're everywhere," she whimpered.
<Do not hold back, for me...> Naitachel insists. < I can heal elsewhere... if slower.>
"Do not overdo it," Soraya warned, offering Nait another cup of the water to drink before her daughter's arms latched around her waist.
--------------------
Min laughs as he bounds, ripping the head off of one, then the next as if he were opening pop cans.
Done with the creature attacking him, Everett looks around and agrees with the other man. Putting away his knuckles, he reloads his pistols and keeps them drawn. He begins firing at the nearest mutants, dropping a few here and there.
Darryl aims upwards and unloads his guns It seems as if it is raining bodies!
Michael, meanwhile is trying to hold off some of the creatures that are nearer to the entrance of the church. "I can't keep them out... forever!" he grunts, using some nearby rubble as an effective bludgeoning tool.
Cneajna narrows her eyes. "Like this," she instructs the youth, following Min's lead and beginning to rip the creatures apart.
The group is making short work of the creatures but still more are coming, more then they can hope to defeat.
"We've gotta get out of here! They are going to swallow this whole area!" the frightened Everett yells.
----------------------
Radu assists Nait as well as he can, but finds he is tiring. <We need to leave this place,> Radu tells Naitachel. <We will weaken and they will win here... it is hallowed ground.>
Naitachel glances at the door, leaning heavily against Radu, and uses one hand to take the cup. "Can't wait... Too many out there," he whispers, before chugging the contents. "Help me up... and let's go," the Seraph suggests.
"Brianna, I need you to find the pack and get all the canteens you can carry," the redhead instructed her daughter, giving her a quick squeeze before sending her off. "We will bring as much of the holy water with us as possible," she explained.
<I know...> Naitachel replies. < You may need to carry me. I haven't recovered enough to fly.> "No time," Naitachel sighs. "There are other churches... This is /his/ work..."
---------------------
Darryl is still shooting at these creatures, and he sees the group at the church is getting ready to go. He hurries over and says, "Nice day for a stroll huh?"
"Don't you mean, 'Nice evening?'" Lisa asked, her garments covered in gore as she slaughtered yet another approaching creature.
Darryl lets our a half grunt, half laugh and says, "Sure, lady, now can we /please/ leave?"
Everett joins the rest of the party, hoping they can all make it away in time. He could never forgive himself if these people were hurt because of himself being chased by blood thirsty creatures.
Darryl says, "Come on people! I know somewhere we can go, if you follow me!"
---------------------
Brianna had made quick work of finding 3 canteens, and followed her mother's lead as she emptied the remaining contents and moved to fill them up with holy water.
"Don't," Radu cautioned when he saw the child approaching the font. "You must not touch the water, Bri. Hand them to your mother. She'll fill them."
Radu lifts Naitachel in his arms, and makes unsteadily for the door. "Let us go." he say to the rest.
Soraya fills and slings the canteens around her shoulders and picks up Brianna, nodding to Radu and following him toward the door.
The Seraph simply hangs onto Radu, curling his tail out of the way, and closes his eyes. <I am so glad to see you again... all of you... But let us go--swiftly... That Evil... we have to get away.>
<Get the others,> Radu instructs his family. <Bring them to our lair for now. We'll sort it all out there.>
<Vlad?> Soraya searched, realizing for the first time just how bad the scene in front of them was. She momentarily feared for her husband and sons. "Which way?" Soraya asked Darryl.
"No time!" Radu orders.
--------------------
The Wanderer came walking up the street again, and when he saw his minions being torn apart, he screamed louder than any human voice could hope to muster! "ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS LOVE FEST! NOW PREPARE TO DIE--/ALL/ OF YOU!"
Naitachel starts, horrified. <It's /him/!>
"Yes, it's me! Now will you all please do me a favor and flop over dead? I think I may retch!" the Wanderer snarls.
Min picked up Everette, Mircea took Darryl, and Vlad grabbed Soraya, leaving the others to pick up the kids. In the blink of an eye, the group moved away, leaving the dark one with his own, naught but a blur as they headed for their lair.
The new presence filled Soraya's senses as she recoiled, though thankfully their contact was only brief as Vlad whisked her away. She quickly assured herself that Tommen, with Brianna in tow, and Michael were also with them.
<You first,> Radu sent in parting, promising himself that he would see that one ended for what he'd done.
Suddenly they were gone, and the Wanderer had no idea where they went. But he vowed he WOULD find them, if it was the last thing he ever did.
--------------------
Entering their living space, the vampires settled the humans gently into chairs, nodding to those who'd stayed behind to tend to them. Radu set Naitachel down gently and settled unsteadily beside him.
The Seraph breathes a sigh of relief. "Thank you... all of you..." His voice is a bit stronger now, with a musical hint to it.
Soraya hugged Vlad quickly, before releasing him and unslinging the canteens and bringing them to Naitachel.
Everett had passed out from the speed with which they traveled.
Darryl looked around after awaking, and said, slowly, "What happened?
"You passed out," Vasilissa teased Darryl.
"We took you home." Min winked. "Thought food, and a bed might be marginally appealing after all that."
Naitachel glances at Radu in concern. <Are you recovering?> He knows what holy places and holy water does to them, and has noticed the injured hand.
"Eh, I always did love sleeping on the hard, radioactive ground," Darryl said with a snicker.
"Do you have any idea how long we've been looking for you?" Tommen greeted Naitachel, placing a hand gently on an uninjured part of his shoulder. "It's good to see you, Uncle Nait," he smiled.
Radu just nods. His strength is returning, but his hands may take awhile.
Mircea kneels next to Radu and proceeds to bandage his hands. "Ah, the fools we become for love," he sighs.
Everett continued to snore, as he was still unconscious.
"Ground indeed," a young woman in a jumpsuit huffed. "We've got real beds and real food. We're well cared for here."
"Or at least as well as we can be, given the circumstances," Soraya agreed, taking a chair and resting her head wearily on her hand.
Naitachel chuckles softly, if a bit weakly still, and takes a sip of the holy water before answering, "Actually... I have no idea. Time was difficult to follow, Bound there... and at times I was less than lucid." <I am sorry, Radu...> For all of this, no doubt, including the injuries.
Min moves Everett from the chair to one of those actual beds, supposing he might be more comfortable there.
"It is good to be back with you all again." Nait's golden eyes shift to Darryl. "And thank you, as well."
Radu shakes his head, looking at Naitachel intently. <Do not be. You are not to blame.>
"Well, I'd like to thank you all for trusting me. A man running towards you holding a gun isn't the best greeting ever," Darryl told them.
"Guns don't usually scare us," Michael answered with a snicker. "Well, maybe mother."
"Well I have one question," Darryl begins.. before demanding," What the hell /are/ you? All of you!"
"What do you mean?" Brianna asked, now peeking out from behind her father.
"Well I'm fast, but I'm not /that/ fast." Darryl shakes his head before concluding. "Those weren't human speeds."
"They are the last true Royalty on the Earth, I suspect," the girl in the jumpsuit replies.
Naitachel smiles wanly, and shifts to sit up better. "They are vampires." <No point in hiding, in this destruction...> he sighs sadly, regretful of being unable to stop even a piece of it...
"Well, that too," the girl shrugs.
"Vampires?! " Darryl exclaimed. "If I hadn't seen what I saw 10 minutes ago I would have scoffed at you! But now--"
"I am not," Soraya corrected, "I am merely... attached to their lifespan." She smiled, taking Vlad's hand.
"And please, forgive us our rudeness," she continued, standing. "This has been a rather... eventful evening," she smiled, glancing at Naitachel. "I am Soraya. This is my husband, Vlad, and our children, Tommen, Michael, and Brianna."
"Well it's a pleasure to meet you all," Darryl says.
"I am... a repaired angel, you could say," Naitachel offers, gesturing at the wings brushing the ground by him, and the tail.
"I'm Min. Vlad's brother," Min continued. "These are our sisters, Lisa and Jina, and our younger brother, Matthias." He gestures to each in turn. "That's uncle Mircea," he continued. "And the one on the floor is Uncle Radu."
"Well you've got a large crew here. Are you sure you have room for one--" Darryl paused, glancing at Everett, then ammended, "--/two/ more? I can fend for myself if not."
"I'm KC," the jumpsuited girl grins. "And trust me. We've got room. Come and see." She gestures toward the interior of the underground dwelling to reveal several well furnished rooms and ample supplies.
"Well, you sure do seem to have a lot of room. I don't know if I can stay. I'm looking for my father..." Darryl frowned.
"Where's did you see him last?" Radu asks Darryl softly.
With that, the dark-haired, blue-eyed young girl with a face just like her mother's, timidly made her way to where Radu and Naitachel were huddled. She clasped her hands in front of her and swung back and forth a few moments, smiling. "Mommy says you're very nice," she informs the Seraph.
Naitachel blinks at the girl, then brightens in a smile. "I do not believe I have had the pleasure to meet you yet. You are...?" <Soraya! Vlad! Another one?> But he's delighted.
<Indeed,> Vlad grinned. <Our beloved daughter, Brianna.>
"Brianna," the girl answered, her smile broadening in kind. "Can I give you a hug?" she asked.
Radu remained there, eyes closed, listening to the byplay as he waited for Darryl's answer.
"I shan't mind one, Brianna," the Seraph chuckles.
<I suppose that fortune-teller was right,> Soraya smiled, shaking her head. "Be careful, Bri," Soraya warned.
"I saw him before the bombs fell, " Darryl answered. "He was a general for the army."
Radu nodded without opening his eyes. "Here? In this city?'
<You two are wonderfully prolific,> Naitachel laughs.
A serious look overtook the young girl's features as she gently bent to Naitachel and squeezed him lightly, nuzzling him in the process before standing up and running to hide behind her father.
"No, I saw him in New York. I have a loooooong walk." Darryl sighed.
<It is only three!> Soraya protested, grinning despite herself. <We have missed you,> she follows up, fondly, to Nait.
Radu sighed. "Let us rest a short while, and perhaps we can help you search," he suggested, his soft baritone sounding completely exhausted.
"No, you guys don't have to do that, " Darryl replied, not wanting to drag them into more danger with him. "And there's a very high chance he's dead, anyway."
"Meaning there's a slim chance he's alive. But it's still a chance," Mircea reasoned.
The injured Seraph carefully closed his arms about the girl during the hug, and chuckles as she runs off. "I have missed a lot, it seems. I am sorry for this..." He glances at Darryl. "So... everything is in as bad a state? I could not tell... not within there, at that... creature's... mercy."
Vlad caught his daughter up in his arms and laughed. "Welcome home, Naitachel."
"Yes, the whole world is like this. I came here by boat, from Russia," Darryl informed them, "I had to walk from Germany. If I didn't know any better, I wouldn't think I had feet."
"Thank you," Naitachel tells Vlad. But he sobers and sighs. "But such destruction to find home in..."
"Why don't you guys find some other people?" Darryl asked, "Make a civilization. You may be vamps, but they don't need to know that. You can protect them. It would do the world good."
"It is better than it was," Radu says quietly. "For a time, none dare step upon the surface."
"The important thing is that /we/ are all here," Soraya smiled encouragingly. "Perhaps with an addition or two," she added. "And you still must make your way to new York?" Soraya asked Darryl.
"What do you think they've been doing?" KC asks with a laugh. "We've got a small colony under here in all the catcombs they've built."
"Yup! It's gunna be a helluva good time. Oh well, that's good. But you're going to need to start rebuilding. People will want to live in homes again," Darryl suggested.
Naitachel nods, and flashes Soraya and Vlad a smile. But it falls swiftly. "You may need aid out there, Darryl. That Evil is... still alive. And formidable."
"We've done little," Radu shakes his head in disagreement. "You all survived.... a task far more impressive when accomplished by your ilk than ours. We are far more difficult to kill." He sighs softly. "I intend to kill it," Radu tells Naitachel then, his voice only just above a whisper.
"We'll see how formidable he is with a clip of 5.56mm rounds in his chest," Darryl added. "This is true! but humans will survive, they always have."
"Except for mother," Michael piped in again, grinning as the red-haired woman who barely looked older than he did batted at him. Apparently this had become some sort of running joke.
"I... do not think anything is safe on the surface so long as he exists," Naitachel warned. <He is far more than anything any of us have ever faced before...>
"Who is /he/?" Darryl asked incredulously.
Radu only nodded silently. He'd already discerned that much for himself. "There is much on the surface that must be cleansed before mankind dare live openly again," he agreed.
"Your mother is the exception to all rules," Matthias laughed along with Michael.
Naitachel closes his eyes. "He... /was/ human, but took up such evil as to make him... as bad as a full, /strong/ demon. Perhaps worse."
Darryl only shook his head, he didn't know how to respond.
Nait's golden eyes open again. "He has abilities beyond human. Do /not/ meet his gaze."
"It will be safe enough once his eyes are torn from his head," Mircea snarled, rewrapping Radu's mangled hands as they'd already bled thick tarlike black blood through the previously applied gauze.
Naitachel whirls on Mircea, eyes narrowing, yet desperately fearful for those he loves. "Even /I/ have never faced his ilk before! Do you think you will get that close so easily? Mircea... we must be /very/ careful!"
"I don't know who this guy was," Darryl warned, "but I didn't like one thing about him."
"I said nothing of ease." Mircea smiled dangerously. "Only that it would be done."
Soraya sighed listlessly as she took Brianna from Vlad's arms. "Please take her somewhere," she requested of KC. The girl may be older than she appeared, but she still had the innocence of childhood, and Soraya couldn't help but be protective of that.
KC accepted the little girl and hurried off whispering, "I know where we've got cookies..."
"You saw what he called on us," Naitachel offers, sighing. "We cannot succeed as we are, I suspect."
"Not alone...but we are not alone," Mircea agrees. "Do you really suppose there are no others like us out here "
"And yet somehow we must do something about him," Soraya answered. "What exactly do you suggest, Nait?"
"I do not know of any, but my knowledge is limited," Darryl admitted.
"We've met several in our travels. I do not doubt we can find enough to stand and fight given enough time," Min replied.
"If that man is as evil as you say, how do you plan to fight him?" Darryl asked.
Naitachel sighs again, and shrugs--then winces from moving his injured shoulders. "Honestly... I do not know." He looks to Darryl, then nods to Min. "Maybe. It is worth trying. I do not think we have other choices. We may need everyone we might find, who is willing to try with us."
Darryl made a troubled face, then smiled and said, "Wait a minute, if you guys are vampires, how come you aren't pouncing on me for blood?"
"So we focus first on building an army...all who are willing to fight. We'll gather them here and when we're enough, we'll take the fight to him. The best defense, right?" Min smiled.
<Mircea almost seems to be enjoying this,> Soraya sighed silently to Vlad. <I know he misses his old warrior days, but...> she trailed off, exasperated.
"We rarely pounce," Jina laughed. "And we've all fed recently enough, save Uncle who could use the blood to rebuild his strength and help him heal."
"Though if you're volunteering, I'd be willing to oblige," Lisa smiled wolfishly with humor.
Darryl made another troubled look and took a step back, then laughed.
"I am certain he will catch wind of this..." the Seraph muses. "This may lead to a war such as this world is currently healing from..."
"He may," Radu agreed, his voice only just audible. "And so we must be cautious, and protect those we find with all our might."
"We've got enough volunteers for that," Mircea assured Darryl. "We do not feed on an unwilling participant."
Soraya laughed and shook her head. "No need to fear," she comforted Darryl. "I am human and have served as Vlad's main source of nourishment for several centuries now without any adverse effects. In fact, the whole thing is rather pleasurable," she laughed, "though none eat without concent."
<Will you feed, then?> Naitachel asks Radu, still concerned for him. <Please... do see to your own needs. I shan't go anywhere.>
Darryl made a disgusted face again, and said, "Whatever suits you. But I would not recommend raising an army--that would just cause more death."
The Seraph shakes his head. "It would not be to cause more death, but to try to keep at least /some/ alive. That man... is seeking to take control of all. Can you imagine what will happen if he succeeds?"
"It wouldn't be pleasant, " Darryl agreed.
"Ew, keep that to yourselves," Michael grimaced at his mother, before his ears perked at Naitachel's words. "So people will die either way. "
"Hell when alive, Hell to follow." Nait shakes his head. "His cruelty will spread... into those that follow him."
"We need to ensure that mankind can flourish as it was meant to once again," Mircea agreed. To Michael, he replied, "That is always the way, child. That which is good and just must always fight evil. Sometimes, to the death." He nods when KC returns and settles next to Radu. "Dinner time," KC prods Radu gently.
"You seem to be a soldier yourself," Tommen asked Darryl. "Would you fight?"
"I would fight yes, and I could train... But as I said before, I wish to search for my father," Darryl reminded them.
"Perhaps you might help find others to help in this, while you search for him?" Naitachel suggests. "If you think you may be able to evade that one?"
"We can help each other," Mircea tells Darryl. "Some of us can travel with you to help seek out your father while the rest continue to draw and protect the others here." He turned to Naitachel. "Perhaps your ilk might help with this....if they will." It had been a long time since he'd seen the young Seraphs. They'd long since outgrown their need for his protection.
"Who knows? But yes, in my travels I will find people, and I will return here with them. I thank you for allowing me to rest here, but I wish to be off. I will be back I promise," Darryl said, rising and looking for the exit.
"You can stay and rest until morning, at least," Soraya suggested with concern on her face.
"I am certain they will, if they are not trying to do things in this world already," Nait admits to Mircea.
Darryl shook his head, "The sun is rising soon. I shall be off, within the hour. Thank you for your hospitality."
The vampires looked from one to the other, then nodded. "Perhaps one of us should take you to the surface again," Min suggested. "It may be difficult for you to find your way there from here."
"Thank you again, for everything," Naitachel tells Darryl, smiling warmly, eyes full of gratitude.
"That may be helpful," Darryl agreed. "And you're welcome, but all of you did most of the work."
Min rose to carry Darryl to the entrance, knowing it would be several hours trek for the human if left to his own. "If you're sure you won't stay," he smiles, holding out his arms. "Ready?"
"Ready, " Darryl nodded. "Goodbye, every one!"
"Good luck!" Soraya said with a hint of sadness in her voice.
Jina brought fresh provisions in a pack for the man: food, water, and first aid supplies, as well as a small cache of ammunition. "Just in case," she says, offering them to the man.
"Goodbye! Please, be careful!" Naitachel called.
"Thank you all again! Goodbye!" Darryl said, waving.
"Be well," Radu said, opening his eyes at last. "Call out if you need us. You've imprinted enough here we may be able to find you, or at the very least send help."
Min picked Darryl up then and hurried off, depositing him quickly at the entrance. "Be safe," he says with a smile. "Farewell."
"I hope he makes it," Soraya said quietly after Min exited with the stranger.
"We all do," Mircea agrees, saying a brief prayer to that end.
Subject: Welcome to the City of Angels 
Sun Jan 16, 2011 5:19 am
