Petra Jovovich

Also note this story isn't finished, though it's pretty accurate due to my keeping a journal and mailing it to Chiles every week.

He wondered the surrounding woods for days, hungry and exhausted. One day he stumbled onto a hidden camp. The guards went to respond to the disturbance, and found the young boy, beaten down from his trial of the week in the woods. Taking pity on him, they took him to a safe place to rest and gave him food.

After a couple days, Petra became coherent once again. He related his story to the leader of the strange band. The leader, whose name was Mikael, went to confer with his advisors about the boy? tale. When Mikael returned to Petra's bedside, the tribe's ancient priestess came with him.

The old crone performed a few short rituals, and stared Mikael straight in the eye, declaring Petra a child of the stone spirits and not a threat, but a blessing, as he was to have a great destiny. Humbly, Mikael invited Petra to join the camp, and Petra, full of thanks, accepted.

In the weeks that followed, Petra learned that the camp was a group branded heretics by the fledgling branch of the Catholic Church that the nobles of the region had accepted as a faith. The band were merely a peaceful group of animists, who were driven out of the village when the nobility accepted Christianity as their faith.

Petra flourished amongst the tribe in the next several years. He not only became seen as one of the tribe's leaders, he came around to the spiritualism of the animist faith. He accepted the stones as his personal totem and personally warred on the nobles whom he saw as having turned their backs on their people. In his fury, he not only kept his people fed; he also built up a stash of stolen goods that he kept hidden in an abandoned cavern. Through it all, Petra remained subserviant to Mikael's authority, and Mikael seemed to be grooming him to lead after his death.

It was probably Petra's ruthless attacks against the nobles that was the undoing of the tribe. Late one night, in Petra's 18th year, the scream of a woman roused him from his slumber. Grabbing his sword, he dashed out into the night.

The camp was ablaze and men on horseback chased half naked tribesmen through the city. It came as such a shock, that Petra could do nothing but watch as he saw Mikael run through on one of the soldier's pikes. Then someone hit him with the hilt of his sword and everything went black.

Petra awoke in chains, being pelted by rocks as he was dragged behind a horse on his way to the stocks. He cursed the crowd and invoked his totem to guard him and grant him vengeance.

The next night was eve of the heathen Catholic holiday St. Crispin's Day. Petra was informed he was to be made an example to all the pagan, demon-worshipping bandits. He would be converted then beheaded the following morn. He was taken in chains to the town's small church. There were almost twenty people in attendance to the Mass. Petra continued praying to the stones as he was forced to take the sacraments. He spat upon the floor in disrespect when the priest's back was turned. Eventually the ceremony ended and the people began to leave the church. However, Petra remained chained to the pew. A second Mass began and a leper came forth to sit next to him, though Petra paid him no heed.

The service ended and Petra felt a sharp pain, and then his world clouded in a red blossom of ecstasy. The state of bliss lasted a couple minutes before fading to black.

When next consciousness visited him, a tangy smell struck his nose and he could not control himself as he lept upon a small child, taking every drop of its blood that he could.

When he finally regained control of himself, he saw he was in a room with about nine other people. Suddenly the village cheiftain's voice rang out into the darkness, carrying a tone of humor with it. The man's hearty voice announced that they were to be entertainment, and that any survivors would be allowed to live. Petra bristled at the sound of it.

A large rusty portcullis raised and a huge chamber was illuminated only by two columns with torches on them. Beneath each lay a table holding weapons. Reacting swiftly, Petra dashed to one, grabbing a long sword. Picking it up, he heard a terrible roar off in the darkness. Thinking quickly, he ran back into the shadows, that seemed to draw in upon him, hiding him. Quietly, Petra thanked the stones and moved toward another victim in the pit. Knowing the gnawing in his belly would only distract him, he grabbed a woman who was cringing in terror and instinctively began to feed upon her blood.

Suddenly amidst the terrified people, the beast stepped from the shadows. It was obviously a wolven spirit bearing a shining metal collar. It tore through a couple of the other victims.

Petra took his meal deeper into the shadows with him. and continued feasting. He watched it rip through the two people who stood where he had been. Suddenly, someone Petra recognized as a minor noble named Dmitri threw a body at the beast-spirit. It batted it aside and charged the foolish noble. Dmitri braced against it and tried to bite into its furred flesh. The beast threw the noble off with such force it broke his form.

Suddenly the arena grew black as pitch. Petra clutched his meal, not knowing what was happening. As Petra finished his meal, the corpse crumbled in the darkness. Suddenly something splashed his flesh. The odor he recognized as pitch, and he immediately began stripping off the cloak he had been wearing. Clutching his sword, naked, he realized he had to kill the beast in order to survive. He hid himself among the shadows, as the stones seemed to have gifted him with the ability to and prepared to attack.

Suddenly, vision returned to him. The wolf-spirit was sniffing the air and moving towards him. Petra brandished his sword prepared to strike. The creature struck out blindly and nearly hit his target. Petra felt the rush of air and the brush of fur upon his skin and swiftly struck back, connecting with the monster? neck. The gleaming longsword met no resistance and the beast's head was cleaved from its shoulders.

In thanks, Petra screamed out to the stones. At that moment he realized that he had been claimed by the spirits as an avatar as the light of the torches exposed his red scaled skin. Petra held the head of the beast high over his head and drank deeply of the gushing blood.

A month had passed and Petra was taught of the Seven Traditions of the one called Caine. Petra understood this to be blasphemy, but he was wise enough to keep his mouth shut. He also returned to his old camp, finding that it had indeed been eradicated. Sadly, he built a pyre and freed the spirits to go to the ancestors. He also took his trophies, the longsword, which had been silver, and the collar about the beasts neck, also silver to his cavern in the woods, where he asked a bear to take up residence, and guard his treasures, in exchange for allowing her to bear her children in the well hidden cavern.

At the end of the month, Petra and his fellow neonates were called again before Prince Oleg. "Go forth and deliver unto Michael the Patriarch of Constantinople this missive in the form of this chest." Said the mighty Prince to the neonates.

After the meeting with the Prince, Petra stole away to his old haunt, the hideaway of his bandit brethren. There he left his trophies of battle, and took a small amount of his treasures to carry should he need it. Here, he left his silvered longsword, and took up the one his sire had given him, made from iron. Again, Petra held his tongue.

Returning to the town, Petra went to where Dmitri, the Ventrue Childe was overseeing the loading of the wagon. Petra, knowing the uselessness of the nobility in such matters held his tongue and went down, cloaked in the shadows to inspect the provisions provided by the Prince, taking special notice of where the pitch's location.

The night passed and the next day as well, before we rejoin our hero. The trio struck out on the road with but two ghouls and four horses to draw their wagon. The first night was quiet, as the coterie traveled through the night and the next day.

The second night, the troupe crossed paths with a group of pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. Petra hid his twisted form from them using the gifts of the rock spirits. While Misha the nun and Dmitri palavered with the pilgrims, Petra moved to the farthest wagon and popped the lock on it.

Inside the wagon was brightly colored and richly furnished. Two sleeping forms were in the bunks, so Petra moved as silently as he could. Searching quietly, he quickly came upon two trunks. Popping the lock on the first one, he opened the trunk to reveal a large amount of treasure. He took what he could carry, some money, rings and jeweled daggers. Then misfortune struck. Upon trying to pop the second lock, the knife he was using snapped, leaving half the blade in the lock. Opening the trunk revealed more treasure and Petra quietly closed it, then went and took the lock from the door, placing it on the trunk, while placing the broken lock on the door.

Petra returned to his wagon, gathered his bedroll, hid his treasures within it, and secured it to the bottom of the wagon, tying it tightly and disguising it from view. Then, he went to hunt.

In the woods, Petra found an owl. Speaking the language of the Owl spirits, he struck a deal with it. The owl would find a large animal, usually a doe, as he found feeding from males disturbing and nauseating, Petra would sneak up and kill it, and the two would sup upon the beasts remains. The plan worked well, and Petra asked the owl if he would like to travel with him. The owl, recognizing a good thing when it saw it, agreed.

Returning to the camp, Petra found that all of the others had gone to bed and his vampyr companions were sulking in their wagon. Upon asking he learned that the other two had unsuccessfully tried to feed and that one of the other party knew strange magick and could become a puddle of sludge if he so desired. Unnerved, Petra ordered the Ventrue to tell the ghouls to leave the camp. The wagon left in much haste.

In the days that followed, Petra fed only when he was becoming hungry. The Ventrue discovered that the missive had been stolen by the pilgrims and threw a tantrum, as nobility is known to do. Petra responded by telling him his nobility meant precious little to him or anyone in the wilderness. The noble became uppity once again and no longer did Petra hold his tongue.

A week or so passed and one evening the trio woke to find themselves ghoulless and missing two horses. Petra again saved his companions by promising the horses their freedom if they followed the road, and bolted should trouble come upon them during the day. By night Petra guided the beasts as best he could.

One night, Petra sent the owl into the woods to search for food, and the owl returned, describing animals that it thought were bears. Petra journeyed with it, and to his dismay discovered the owl had found more wolven spirits, brethren, no doubt of the beast he had slain. Quietly, Petra withdrew from the glen and returned to camp, demanding that the wagon be driven into the night.

As the weeks wore on, the animals grew fewer and farther between. Petra knew Misha was starving; it was obvious by her pale gaunt figure and the hungry look in her eyes. He sent the owl looking for a human settlement, knowing bad things would happen, unless she fed soon.

Hours later the owl returned with news. There was a settlement not far. Petra drove the wagon to the hamlet and told the others to feed before leaving them to find a meal.

Petra entered the hovel, found a small girl and drained her like the monster he believed himself to be. Upon finishing his meal, he went to the kitchen area and finding it difficult to catch one of the many rats that scuttled about, found the food bin of the humans. Taking some grain, he placed a pile in the center of the floor, hid himself and waited. Soon the rats came, and when they did, Petra caught one, alive and took it to the owl, knowing that human flesh is a most rotten flavor.

Upon returning to the others, he found they had not yet fed, opting to stand in the square and bicker loudly. Angrily, he told the Ventrue to stop yelling, lest he wake the people. A creak sounded behind them and Petra vanished from sight. Then all sight was gone as Misha called the shadows to her side. Petra let out a cry of surprise and quickly composed himself again. Misha dropped the shadows, realizing how conspicuous they were and the two returned to bickering over whether or not to eat the to eat the child. While they bickered, Petra, hidden from view, walked over, slapped his hand over the child's mouth and brought it to the two, commanding them to eat. Misha refused, and instead went to several houses, taking a little from each. Dmitri, certain of his monstrous nature, drained the child and cast it's body into the woods.

Having fed, the trio again took to the road. All was fine for a few days and then they awoke one day to find the wagon had stopped. Suddenly the door creaked open and sunlight spilled in. As a beam of the dreaded light shot over the skin of Petra, burning him, he shouted to the horses to gallop. Fortunately they heard him and began to run as fast as they could. Taking the initiative, Petra leapt into the light, his flesh charring and burning, and slammed the door shut. sitting in the darkness he stared at the stump of his left hand and his charred flesh before losing consciousness.

That evening, they awoke to the stopped wagon again. Hiding again, Petra and the others exited. Dmitri, recognizing the banners, called out to the people as brethren. They demanded an explanation as to why the wagon had passed through the town had had no driver. Dmitri, the cowardly Ventrue that he is, immediately laid the blame on Petra. Petra, being addressed, became visible.

Dmitri explained to his "brethren" what had happened to the party, starting with the encounter with the wolf men. They did not fully believe him and demanded that he prove his tale by combat. One cleaved Ventrue later, Petra and the others were taken in chains to the local Prince, where Dmitri was forced to tell his entire story. Petra was glad then, that his true face was burnt and scorched beyond recognition, though it hurt. Again, the Prince disbelieved him, claiming to have found the vanished missive in one of the bedrolls. He then declared that the trio must prove themselves by carrying out a job for him, that being the untimely demise of a man named Zachariah, who was causing trouble for the Prince. They were then dismissed.

In the alley, Petra bribed a guard for a small bag of grain. Knowing the bloodless Ventrue was even more useless than before, he placed it in the alley, and tossed the Ventrue next to it. Soon rats swarmed in, but Dmitri the Useless would not feed. Angrily, Petra grabbed a rat and the limp Ventrue and forced the blood into his mouth. Dmitri the Wretch merely expelled it, bathing Petra in blood. Annoyed, Dmitri slung the Ventrue over his shoulder and went to find a place to sleep.

The next evening, Petra knew the Ventrue would need blood or he would frenzy and so, offered him some of his own. Reluctantly, Dmitri took of Petra's offering. Misha was mysteriously absent that evening, but the pair did not allow that to stop them. They had a mission and time was of the essence.

That evening Petra stole into the local mortal lord's stables and stole a horse, feeding it his blood and promising liberty, should it but take him to the next town. The beast agreed and the two Cainites rode like the wind to the next town. Upon arriving at the town's Inn, Petra hid himself, while the noble spoke to the Innkeeper and acquired a room with Petra's money. The two covered the window from the coming dawn as best they could and fell asleep upon the bed.

The following eve, Petra sent the noble to speak with the innkeeper and learn more of the pair's quarry. When he returned, the Ventrue informed him that the man he sought was living at the edge of town in a hovel. The pair went there most quickly then.

As the pair approached, Petra told the Ventrue of his plan. Dmitri was to go to the door and ask to see the great healer his father spoke of, while Petra watched from a distance while hidden. The Ventrue was met with harsh words and sent away by the elder, but not before the Chosen's keen senses noticed that he was obviously breathing.

Regrouping, the two reviewed their plan. Petra sent Dmitri back to the Inn and make himself seen, while he would steal into the hovel and take the man's life.

Entering the hovel, Petra was greeted by the loud snoring of the old man. Swiftly, he stole across the room and as cleanly as he could, took most of the old man's blood, leaving him to appear to have passed in the night. After finishing the job, Petra stole back to the Inn to regroup with Dmitri.

Upon returning to the Inn, the Ventrue informed the Chosen that after a complete search of the premises, there was no one to be found within the Inn. However, the Beast's talons had sunken even deeper into Petra and the Nosferatu cared not. Callously, he sent the Ventrue to feed before travel.

As the monstrous Chosen stepped from threshold of the Inn, the subtle scent of early decay met with his terrible senses. Following the odor to the well, Petra peered within and viewed a terrible sight. The entire village had been slain and thrown into the well, where their corpses now began to rot. Unnerved, the Nosferat beckoned Dmitri to the well and bid him be quick in his travelling preparation.

The pair left the cursed town, travelling on foot to through the woods, skirting the road. Knowing they would not make the trip by dawn, the pair kept an eye open for a cave that would shield them from the day. As the night wore on and Petra grew weary, they came upon one. Muttering praise to the stones, Petra entered the cave with sword at ready. Examining the cavern and finding no trace of animal or human spoor, the pair prepared it as a temporary travelling haven quickly.

Petra never saw the sunrise as it traveled into the cave, stopping about six feet within. He had fallen to slumber long before, deep within the cavern as he found it harder and harder to stay awake.

The next night, the pair travelled the rest of the distance to their destination, arriving but a few hourse before the next dawn. Stumbling into the Ventrue lord's domain, they were taken to a room to rest. Dmitri, knowing the treachery inherent in his blood examined the room to ensure that it was in fact proofed against the light. Soon the two slumbered again.

The following evening, the pair were brought before the Ventrue lord and asked of their progress. Proudly, the Nosferatu stood tall and and proclaimed the job finished. The words spoken by the the lord then chilled even the Beast that raged within Petra's blood. The lord declared how good it was to have the Cappadocian thorn from his side. Realizing their mistake, Petra agreed and after they were dismissed, the pair hastened to the wagon and rode off as fast as they could, leaving Misha to tend to whatever business plagued her.

Days passed and as the pair grew hungrier, they came upon a familiar camp. It was the camp of the pilgrim's that had been encountered before. Holding his fury, Petra drew his cloak in tightly about his body and drove past the camp. When he could sense them no longer, he parked and hid the wagon.

Sneaking back to the campsite, the Chosen quietly located the only two wagons with locks. Popping the lock on the first, he climbed into it to search for the lost missive.

Suddenly a sharp scream filled the air and Petra turned to see a babe crying for it's mother. Thinking quickly, Petra gently lifted the babe and rested it in the scorched stump of his left arm, giving it a finger from his right hand to suckle at. Having silenced the child, Petra pushed the crates about with his feet, trying desperately to locate the missive. Failing this, he hopped from the wagon, placed the babe within on the floor, where it promptly began to wail again. Knowing his time to be limited, he hid himself and dashed to the other wagon, breaking the lock and leaping in. Hastily, he searched, finally finding the crate that held the missive. Grabbing the large box, he lept from the wagon and dashed into the woods.

Returning to his own wagon, he called out to Dmitri, who quickly emerged. The two quickly inspected the crate, discovering it to be empty. Annoyed Petra declared that it would be dlivered to Michael anyway, and the blame would be placed upon Slotzvopok. Angrily, Petra slammed shut the lid. Then an idea struck the Chosen. He smashed open the chest's latch and threw it to the ground. He then gathered the canvas and supplies from the wagon with help from Dmitri. Unhitching the horses, Petra flipped the wagon with his bare hands and using pitch, set it ablaze as the two rode off on horseback towards Constantinople.

Days passed and the two buried the canvas each day, beneath dirt and leaves, before crawling into the darkness within. Petra's owl friend was extremely wary of him, fearing the beast within, but went out in search of a human settlement. Upon finding one, it led the pair to a satellite of Constantinople.

Upon approaching, it became apparent that the satellite was guarded. Petra took the initiative, knowing the mindset of the Ventrue to be too hazardous to let him be in control. When the guards asked who the pair were, he hastily spoke up, stating that god had cursed his parents for their sins and that he bore the brunt of that curse. He gave his name as the Crusading Lord Dmitri, to the seething Ventrue's dismay and stated that their caravan had been attacked by bandits. They were quickly taken before the man in charge of the satellite.

Petra went forth, declaring Dmitri his manservant and concocted a story about being attacked by bandits that he presented to the lord, while he studied him, trying to discern whether or not he was breathing. When the man asked for the truth, Petra again tried to decieve him, growing more certain that the man was not breathing every second. When the man declared for the final time that he wanted the truth, the Chosen conceded and presented Dmitri as the true lord. Dmitri, shocked at being put on the spot so suddenly stumbled through the story of the past month, telling the complete truth as he recalled it.

When he finished, the man seemed to accept it, and insisted the pair remain in his camp for three days to celebrate their successful arrival at the city. For three days the two were pampered and healed, given the best of everything they desired. During that time, Petra gently slaked all of his appetites upon women of all sorts, though he found his taste for vitae to be reorienting itself to the well-aged blood of the elderly.

At the end of the three nights, the pair again were brought before the master of the camp. Speaking for them both, Dmitri thanked him profusely for the time of luxury. The man then asked the pair if they could return the favor by journeying into Constantinople and purchasing for him several items of Christian bent with money he would send with them. Dmitri agreed and would return in a fortnight with the items. The man then offered to sell the two horses for the last jaunt into Constantinople which Petra politely turned down.

After the long journey, the pair finally passed through the gates of the city and immediately began searching for the market on Dmitri's wish. Petra went along, knowing it would be closed, because he had little better to do. The pair wandered into a portion of the city where the aqueducts seemed to come from. Suddenly Petra noticed something. A beautiful woman was dancing for someone in the window of one of the more richly designed houses across the street. Unfortunately, the Ventrue nervously rushed into the cisterns. Knowing the noble would probably die on his own, Petra left his wonderful view of the dancer as she began to loosen her top in the candlelight and followed Dmitri into the cisterns.

Amongst the cisterns, Petra's senses seemed to sharpen to a point unseen before. He could see for miles and hear the slightest whisper. It allowed him to make out a pair of shapes in the smoky darkness. He saw them run off and could hear the sound of running behind him. He was suddenly glad that he was forced to spend most of his time hidden from those who do not know to look for him. Quietly he drew his longsword and motioned the Ventrue to do likewise. After a few seconds of pondering, he did so.

Petra heard the footsteps approach from behind as he watched a figure step from the darkness and approach Dmitri. Not hearing the person sneaking up on him, Dmitri faced the approaching stranger, who loudly declared him a trespasser.

Then, the one behind him, eyes blazing, struck at Dmitri from behind and narrowly missed. Petra used the opportunity given to strike at the lovely targets presented by the glowing eyes and drove his longsword into the face of the attacker. The one facing the noble dashed behind a cistern, and Petra dashed behind a second cistern and hid himself as the creature began to recover.

The sounds of scuffling soon followed and Petra glanced out, seeing the blinded one gone, and Dmitri struggling against the other. Pulling a dagger, Petra threw it and lodged it within the back of Dmitri's foe. Using the opportunity, the Ventrue, took the head of the other, whose lifeless body fell to the ground.

Stupidly, the noble bent to drink of his foe, and was assaulted from above by the first attacker. Screaming a scream to raise the dead, Petra charged the creature, who, distracted, turned to face him. Dmitri, used the opportunity to pick up his sword and prepare for another blow. As Petra charged, though he tripped and fell into the throw that the creature was attempting. As he was thrown, Petra felt sharp claws slip in the hot blood that covered them across his skin and again, offered a silent praise to the stones as he crashed into a large stone cistern.

The beast moved like lightning to the spot where it threw Petra and the Chosen knew he'd heave to do something quickly. Moving faster than usual, he sheathed his sword and leapt from the ground where he rested to grasp the side of the cistern, his boots dangling two feet off the ground. Pain seared through his back as the beast landed a blow. Angry now, Petra shoved himself from the cistern with all his might, trying to catch the creature beneath him. He missed and managed to catch himself, but the beast had run away. Petra recovered his thrown dagger from the body, while Dmitri drank what vitae he could from the corpse.

Petra hid himself and waited for the beast's return. After several minutes of nothing, he moved out of the cisterns and and rejoined Dmitri. The pair backtracked and went instead to the docks. As they approached, the pair saw the false dawn coming. Thinking quickly, Petra tossed the Ventrue into the Black Sea to see if the water could hide them. When the Ventrue managed to surface, he knew it would and lept into the water. Petra lay on the bottom and thanks the stones as he piled muck and rocks upon his body, as he fought and finally succumbed to sleep.

The following evening, Petra awoke to complete darkness. Slightly afraid, the Chosen did not at first recall where he was, until he began to dig. All he realized was that he was buried and had to get out soon. He began to dig in the direction he was facing, hoping to reach the sky soon. As the sleep that clouded his memory faded, he realized where he was and used his superior senses to find his balance, and then he began to move up, in the opposite direction he had been digging. Hiding from view, he slowly rose from the depths, covered in muck and seaweed. Petra wiped the muck from his body, quickly and set about gaining sustenance. By Obfuscating, he could sneak up on the large wharf rats that lived at the docks. When he finished partaking of the rat, he threw the bloodless husks into the sea. Soon, Dmitri surfaced as well, rising from the water, encrusted with muck. Petra laughed to himself as he fed upon the vermin and watched the Ventrue primp.

It was not long before a decrepit ship came to dock a short distance away. Hiding from view, Petra watched as several men tied it off and then set the sail ablaze. Suddenly a distress call struck Petra and he headed off in the ship's direction, much against his nature and better judgement, with the Ventrue following close behind.

Dmitri decided to negotiate his way onto the ship. Utilizing the Ventrue's distraction, Petra walked aboard directly under the noses of the guards, who seemed content to watch the ship burn. Following the waves of mental power, Petra found the hold, though the blaze nearly drove him away in terror. Moving quickly down the stairs, he came upon a body, with a knife scar in its forehead and a stake in its chest. Thinking quickly, he attempted to smash a hole in the side of the boat, with little luck. As time moved in its lightning manner, the Chosen finally grasped the lifeless body in his arms, and carried it to the deck.

Above, the deck was ablaze as the fire from the sail travelled hungrily over the surface of the boat. Now, feeling terror grip him, Petra threw the body over the side where the guards weren't. A loud splash rang out as the corpse struck the water and vanished beneath. Losing thought, Petra ran to the far end of the deck and dived into the Black Sea.

Beneath the dark surface of the sea, Petra tried to find the missing body, instinctively knowing it to be the source of the mental distress signal. Hours must have passed as the Chosen searched all along the bottom of the Sea to no avail. Finally, he stumbled across the body, already half covered in muck. Grasping the body tightly, he walked parallel to the shore, knowing that with the splash he made, the guards must have been waiting for his arrival. A long time later, Petra surfaced, hiding from any who might see his beastly form. After checking for onlookers and finding none, the Chosen lifted the carcass onto the dock, from which he could see the guards near the smoldering remains of the ship. On the dock, Petra pulled the stake from the body's chest. The man started, and then fell back into the peaceful slumber of torpor.

Standing alone, adjusting to the lack of pressure in the open air, Petra guarded the body. Soon a man in robes approached, and unable to see the Chosen, carefully approached the body. Gently lifting the body, the man turned his back on Petra. Again, for reasons he did not fully understand, the Chosen ordered the man to stop, which he did. Words were traded, at which point, Petra declared himself the savior of the slumbering cainite, and learned that the said cainite was the man's sire. During the conversation, Dmitri approached, declaring himself a friend of Petra. When the Cainite would not stop looking at Petra distrustfully, he declared himself a member of the Lepers, which seemed, oddly enough to allay the man's unease. Indeed, the man's comment of believeing him to be one of the "Slaves" struck Petra as odd.

The man took them to his home, in grattitude, and informed the pair that they had made a terrible enemy that night. The cainite who had set the fire up as a trap for the man was of the Usurper clan and his name was Abetarius. Then the man recognized that Dmitri was injured form the battle in the cisterns, and offered to heal him. As Petra watched, the man lay a hand upon the Ventrue's wounds and a glowing eye opened in the center of the man's forehead. Remembering stories his sire had told him in their short time together, the Chosen recognized the man as one of the Salubri, a dying clan, absorbed by the Tremere. The Leper had spoken cooly of the clan, showing neither approval, nor distrust. Curious, Petra asked what the man had meant when he said Slaves.

The Salubri responded by telling the pair of an ongoing war between the Fiends, the Animals and the Nosferatu andc how the rumours were of a foul new breed of vampire that the Usurpers had created trough dark magical rituals that fused the three clans into one demonic creation. Angered at the presumptuousness of the upstart Tremere, Petra decided that they too shall feel his wrath, though not this night.

The Salubri took them to his haven and made them welcome. Immediately after settling in, Petra set out in search of others from his clan. He found an opening to the sewer and began to walk it, keeping alert for motion with his superhuman senses. In the darkness ahead, the tunnel forked and Petra chose to follow the more stable route. About an hour passed before he heard the low growl in the darkness, then saw a figure.

Petra recognized the scent of his adversary from the cistern. Knowing him to be a worthy opponent, the Chosen attempted to reason with the bestial Cainite, but to no avail. Drawing his dagger as the villain lept upon him, Petra drove the dagger true, impaling his assailants claw upon the blade. Angrily, the Cainite slashed with his other hand and Petra barely ducked beneath the deadly claws. Knowing the battle was slightly unbalanced, the Chosen, knew he had to get away from the beast. Then an idea struck him, and using the impaled claw, he raked the surprised Cainite's chest, and his opponent let out a scream of pain. The two grappled and clawed each other for several minutes, until finally the clawed man fell to the ground, beaten. Knowing he had to end this now, the Chosen drew his sword and took the creature's head. Then he drug his beaten body back to the Salubri's lair, offering a prayer of thanks to the stones and vowing to return the next eve.

The next evening, Petra and Dmitri decided it was time to gather the relics for their benefactor in the camp outside Constantinople. Dmitri took the money off to the market, to be squandered on foolish things and overpriced trinkets. Petra called forth a horde of rats and persuaded them to steal trinkets for him in exchange for a bag of grain that was being kept in the hut. Then he went searching for the others of his Clan.

After an unsuccessful search of the sewers, the Chosen returned to an empty haven. A note left by the Salubri told the pair that they had had to flee in the early evening, as portents told of an impending attack by the Tremere. Dmitri, spent a good deal of the evening complaining, and Petra, tiring of the whiny Ventrue, vanishd into the night, remaining long enough to witness the Cainites the Tremere had sent for them attack the lone Ventrue. Dmitri put up the best fight of his life, but in the end, the pale-skinned soldier staked him, and left with his associates in tow.

Wounded and alone, Petra journeyed back to the satellite of Constantinople carrying the trinkets the Ventrue had purchased and the relics his servants had collected and presented them to the lord who found his story quite humorous and took Petra under his wing, revealing himself as a Settite, which didn't bother Petra at all. He spent many years with the Settite and when the village he had been born and raised in burnt to the ground, no one ever saw the Egyptian's caravan hidden in the woods by a dark cave.