"RAVEN!" Cinda screamed as she realized she was being taken to a chamber to be kept there until the ceromony. Raven grabbed at the bars and called out to her in vain. "You needn't concern yourself with her anymore my dear son. She and Blad will be the forerunners of a new race of beings that will soon multiply and take over the Earth. Mankind as you know it will cease to exist. It only pains me so that you must die when the ceromony is completed. There is one way you can save yourself from the horrible fate that awaits you. Join us. You and Blade and I, we can stand together and rule this world unchallenged."
"Drake, you think I would stand by your side. Do you think I have forgotten her? Her that you left to rot like a worthless kill in a hunt? She whose ashes I spread over the clearest, purest stream I could find to keep her spirit clean? She who gave up her life in order for me to have mine? Oh no Drake. I would rather burn in the deepest pit of hell then defain her sacrifice by standing at your side." Raven hissed. Drake looked at him, unmoved by the sentiment. "I should have expected such a statement from you. You would rather waste time on petty revenge than absolute victory. Very well. I will see to your demise...after the ceromony, which I will see to that you don't miss."
"You lay a hand on her and I'll..."
"You won't be doing anything, dear brother. Soon your beloved will be mine, and the new race will soon populate the Earth. Father, the new moon is coming...it is time."
"Yes. Leave the girl and her brother. Bring Raven." Drake ordered as two guards took Raven and dragged him away to the main ceromony hall. Brinna and Gale watched as their friend was taken away. "What do we do Gale?" She asked worriedly. "Pray little sister. Pray."
"The little halfbreed female will soon belong to Blade...and your friend will die. There is no prayer in the world that can save them now." Purred the voice of Shedia. Gale recoiled from the vamperiess with disgust, then he got an idea. "Hey...I hear female vampires give men a run for their money in the bedroom. Is it true what they say? That vampire women drive men insane with exsctasy?"
"Perhaps I will let you find out...you are a well built, handsome specimen. I'm sure Drake would not become so jealous if I had you in my bed...but...you must know the price of pleasure is high. The first time with me will more the likely be your last."
"Well, if I'm to die...I would rather die tasting paradise now wouldn't I?" Gale said feigning a look of lust in his eyes hoping the female demon would not read his thoughts. "Hmmmmm, resignation to the fate of your friends. At least you accept it where your sister does not. Come......we will have one last pleasure before a new era dawns." She purred. Gale found the door to the cell opening and he stepped out. "I will make your last moments as a human the most pleasurable any mortal man could desire."
"I'm sure you will." Gale said beneathe his breath. He followed her to her bedroom. "Before you go on..I must let you know I have a liking for...*certain things...that proper people normally don't engage in.*" Gale said. "Mmmmm, and what might those *things* be darling?" Shedia asked as her sense of desire hightened. "Let me show you." Gale said taking off his shirt and then making it into a blindfold. "I like a small sense of vuneriblility in my women. I take control first...then, you take control of me." Gale said pretending to be aroused by the vampire woman. "You like dark things don't you? I like that in a man." She said as Gale blind folded her. "Now, on your knees woman."
"As you wish master..." Shedia purred. Gale saw a dagger on her bedside. He picked it up. "I just wanted to see if you would respond. Now, stand up and do not remove the blindfold. The more vunerable you are to me...the better it will feel later."
"Anything you desire...uhhhh!" Shedia gasped feeling a a peircing pain in chest. Gale had plunged the dagger into her heart. Gale kicked in a huge mirror that stood beside Shedia's bed. He took a large shard. "And may your soul rot in hell for eternity whore of the devil!" Gale cried and swung the huge glass fragment as if it were a sword lopping off Shedia's head. The body fell to the ground as the head fell next to it, the face still blindfolded and the mouth contorted forever in horror.
"No mercy may the flames have upon your rotted soul you filthy harlot." Gale snarled and spat upon the corpse. He then sneaked back to the dungeon where his sister was being held.
"You know it is really sad you would rather chose a horrible, agonizing death over standing at the side of I and our father. We could have taken over this world." Blade sneered at Raven as he was tied to wrack like device. "Blade, nothing could cause me more agony than to look upon you and that hideous thing you would expect me to call a father." Raven hissed. "Raven...dear dear brother, you can't deny what you are. You're blood...is my blood, and our blood...is his blood. You cannot escape what you are."
"I can't deny what I am, but I can control it." Raven snarled and grimaced as the ropes were tightned to their limit. "You won't be controlling it soon after the ceromony. Last chance brother. Spare yourself the fate that is to come. Join us."
Raven's only responce was to spit in the face of his brother Blade. "Very well. Quite frankly, I would rather be an only child anyway. Bring the girl!" Blade called.
Gale walked cautiously towards the dungeon, then waited for the guard to turn his back. With lightening quickness Gale took out the dagger he'd used to slay Shedia and plunged it into the gaurds back. He then snatched a hatchet and took the head. Then he took the keys and unlocked the door. "Brinna! Come on! We don't have a lot of time. The ceromony may have already begun!"
"My children! The night we have waited for has finally come. This night, we will begin the new era. A new era of the night! Soon, the choosen one shall bring about the first offspring of the new race. The race that shall soon bring the downfall of humanity! And all who do not bow to our will shall be destroyed! The world shall be , OURS!" Drake proclaimed. "Help me! RAVEN!" Cinda screamed. Raven struggled at his bonds, the fury in his blood rising quicly. He could feel the canines beginning to decend. He wanted Drake. Wanted to take him and throw him to the pits of hell. "He cannot save you now my pet. You are to be mine." Blade sneered as Cinda was tied to the bed much in the same fashion as Raven's mother Sara was the night she was raped by Drake. "Soon Raven will be only a memory to you little one. You will help bring about the new race."
"Go to hell!" Cinda yelled. She was tied and stripped naked. The ritual master Corbin came with the dagger that had been used so long ago at the same ceromony that concieved Raven and Drake. "Now with this dagger, draw forth the blood of thy son and begin the end of this mortal world."
Gale and Brinna ran as fast as they could to the ceromonial chamber. They stopped abruptly seeing Raven bound and helpless. Gale sneaked behind the curtains that shrouded the room. He managed to get behind the device and slit the throat of the guard without a scene being made. The masses had their backs turned as Gale approached. "Hang on old friend. I'll get you loose." Gale whispered. Drake took the dagger and held it high over his head. "Here me! Ye powers of hell! You demons that dwell in flame! Let now this be the beginning of the end of this futile mortal world! With this union, let all the powers of darkness be unleashed upon the world! And let my immortal children roam free once more!"
But just as Drake was about to slit Blade's wrist and begin the ceromony, one follower noticed Gale helping Raven free himself. "INFIDEL!" She screamed. Drake and Blade turned suddenly to see Raven finally freed from his bonds. "DRAKE!" Raven screamed vengefully. "Stop him! Kill him! Kill the three of them!" Drake yelled. "Here brother!" Gale cried and tossed Raven a huge ax. He took the wepon and began to swing it at anything that moved. One after another, followers soon lost their heads as Raven took them. Raven made his way ever closer to the alter bed where Cinda was tied down. "NO! No this is not going to be stopped! Blade, my son, take the dagger, slit your wrist and force the blood down her throat and then take her!" Drake yelled. Raven lept across the steps and found the sword that would end Drake's evil. He found it hanging over a pit of fire. "Ha! Even if you have gotten free, you cannot get the sword without risking your own life!" Drake laughed. "You have still lost Raven! My son is about to take the girl now!"
As Blade was about to slit his wrist, he suddenly found himself knocked upon his back. There was Darshon biting at his wrist and snarling. Blade cried out in pain and suddenly began stabbing the dog. Darshon yipped in pain but continued to bite at Blade's hand. This bought Brinna enough time to rush up to the bed and start untying Cinda from the bed. She took a sheet and wrapped her up in it. Gale made his way to Cinda and Brinna.
Raven did not see the fate that would soon befall his faithful dog as he was occupied with trying to precure the sword from it's hanging place over the pit. Darshon soon was forced to release Blade. He used what strength he had to run over to where Raven was standing. He saw the sword hanging over the pit. The rope was secured only by a hook that had an opening in it. He saw that his master could not get to the sword, so he took all of his strength and lept into the air. He knocked the hook from it's pole and the sword went flying through the air into Raven's waiting hand. But Darshon failed to clear the pit itself. Raven watched in horror as the dog fell into the flames...never to return. "DARSHON!" Raven cried. He reached over the pit but it was too late.
Drake and Blade saw Brinna and Gale take Cinda from the bed and rushed over to where Raven stood...vengeful tears now falling from his eyes. "DAMN YOU!" Drake screamed seeing his plans had been thwarted. "Take them! Kill them! Kill them all!" Drake yelled insanely. The followers all began to surround Raven and his friends. Then, a huge roar was heard. Suddenly, the roof of the castle was missing. Over where it once stood was a huge form.....the form of a dragon! The huge beast flapped in the sky forcing the winds to stir and howl. Drake and Blade saw no victory that night and decided the best course was to flee or be insinerated. The dragon extended one of it's huge claws. While it did not speak, Raven heard the beast speak to him in his mind."Hurry! Climb into my grasp. I shall take you to safety."
Raven and his friends got into the huge clawed foot of the beast as it closed around them. The beast began to fly upward and take them away from the castle. The masses continued to scream in horror as the beast carried the small band from harm. Raven looked down thinking of the final sacrifice Darshon has made in order for Raven to possess the sacred weapon that would bring about Drake's end. He looked at it, a rage within him buring in his blood. He would kill Drake, if it was his final act on Earth, he would kill Drake, and Blade. Demon Hunter saw the dragon flying and sensed Raven was with it and started galloping in it's direction. Soon they were away from the castle and safe. The dragon set the small band upon the ground and then looked upon Raven. "You are the chosen one. It is your destiny to end Drake's evil." With that, the dragon began to flap it's long wings and soon became only a dot in the night sky. Demon Hunter finally caught up to his master. "There should be a village near here. Take Brinna and Cinda and watch over them. For what I must do, I must go alone. Watch them. Keep them safe. I will return as soon as I can...if I return at all."
"Raven!" Cinda cried and rushed into his arms. "Please, don't leave me!"
Raven held her in his arms for a moment. "Cinda, my love, I must go. For if I do not the world will suffer for it. I must kill Drake. Far too many people have died already because of him...and me. I will do my best to come back to you soon. Now go, go with Brinna and Gale. They will care for you." Raven said softly. "She will meet no harm with us brother." Cinda watched as Raven mounted Demon Hunter and began to ride off. "Come with us. Raven will come back. He's too strong to let Drake or Blade kill him. There should be a village near by. We can get you some clothes and food." Gale said as he and his sister took Cinda to safety.
Peck had soon found his way back to his perch that he had now made of Raven's shoulder. "You must stop them now. They will surely go after the girl so long as they live."
"Live is the one thing they won't do when I find them." Raven snarled and urged Demon Hunter on.