They emerge on the surface right smack in mid-days light and upon stepping into the light the group hears a terrible blood curdling scream coming from Dawn’s voice, like acid the light hits Dawn’s skin and starts to immediately burning and melting it from her body, with some flames starting to erupt on her Cynn telekinetically sends Dawn hurling into the shade of massive over growth.

Coughing up clotted blood from her half eaten away throat she waves the smoke from around her sizzling skin.

“What happened to me down there, look at my skin it’s…growing back” Dawn stopped herself to witness the very skin on her hand reforming and grafting to her bones and flesh, “Eww spiders” Dawn screams and flicks one off her shoulder, seeing another and another landing on her shoulders and up her legs she starts to go frantic and jump up and down shaking to release their eight legged grip. Coming up to her was Cloud and Artanis and going to meet them in the light, Dawn was told to stay back there

“Why?” she said stopping and growing a look of despair to her eyes.

“You have undergone a change my dear sister” said gently from Cloud’s lips to her ears.

“Dawn, you’re a vampire” bolted out Artanis to her

“ARTANIS PLEASE!” shouted Straud to him

“Well there is no point in hiding it from her, or we risk her harming herself further” snapped Artanis back to him, and going past the two young men Straud un cuffs his cloak and drapes the oversized sheet over Dawn’s body.

“I’m…I’m a vam…vampire” she stutters the phrase from her hard to swallow throat which tries to choke down the words.

“Not for long, Dawn I promise you” Straud says turning Dawns chin to stare into her eyes “I give you my word we will fix this, and you will be whole again” he hugs her cold skin body and kisses her, and leaving an imprint of his lips on her forehead from the warmth of his body he holds her close and walks with her. Straud stops and looks to his side where the hilt of his sword now rests, Dawn gazes over to see the blade glowing a bright blue tinged and knowing that it’s a call sign from the weapon, letting Straud know that undead are close she closes her eyes to shy away.

Saying some words to himself the blade stops glowing and turning around to face Cloud he tells him to do the same to his blade.

“She doesn’t need a constant reminder of what she is now” Straud spouts to him.

“And what am I Captain Straud?” Dawns says with tears of sadness in her eyes

“You are the daughter I never had and wish I did, and you call me uncle now and forever, for you are someone who I hold dear to my heart and love very much Dawn; that is who you are” Straud says rubbing away the tears from her eyes

“Does the forces of good hate me Uncle, have I done it wrong in such a way to merit such a fate”

“It and the fates have chosen you Dawn” said Cynn coming to her side smiling “For only such a strong hearted will; equipped with a steel blade of integrity could handle such a foe as this and strive on to achieve their goals written out by your will and soul”

Standing up for a second from her she calls over Artanis, “Yes Judicator” he says

“Please remove Dawns necklace from her neck” and giving her an uncertain look she motions for him to do it, he does as she asks and a force stops him from taking it.

“Good” Cynn said “Now try Cloud’s” and going to his location Cynn says to Straud “I think I know what the bright light we saw was” and going silent they watch as the same thing happened again with Clouds.

“What does this mean” asked Artanis

“The necklaces need to be willfully taken off by the user, and can only be taken off otherwise by someone else if that person is deceased” and turning to Dawn she continues “So for your case rest easy, for your soul is still in you waiting to do much more good in this world, for when this method came your soul was kept inside by means of the necklaces power, away from Colossus’ reach” she explained still smiling.

Smiling back to her with yet even more newly inspired confidence she nods her head to her, and receiving a kiss on the cheek from Cynn they all move on to journey home. Just before the well-worn path to the cave reaches their eyes, a free flowing river needs to be passed as they all know, Dawn seeing the river says out loud “Finally some water I needed to clean up” and taking off with vampire speed out running the rest as well as a blurred voice from her uncle shouting what sounded like a warning she reached the edge of the river and diving in she was repelled away like a force field was holding her back, looking upon the water with confusion she waited for the others to catch up.

“I can’t go in, uncle, Maylor, Cynn why?”

“Because dear child, water is a life giving element and…” lowering his head Maylor finishes “Undead creatures may not pass through it on their own”

“Oh…I didn’t know that about them…me I mean” said Dawn

“Not you Dawn them you were right the first time” Cloud uplifted to her,

“No me too Cloud I need to realize that I have to accept my current condition, and live with it” she said to him

“But not be brought down because of it” blurted out Straud who came up behind her and lifted her into his arms

“What are you doing uncle?” Dawn said bracing herself in his arms

“Raising you above a challenge” he said to her smiling and carried her across the water.

Going now up to the mouth of the cave she is blocked again by the passage due to her new undertaking

“Old and familiar terrain but all new obstacles and barriers to overcome” Dawn said shaking her head and folding her arms in a shameful self-loathing sadness.

“But can have new bridges to be built in a fraction on the time now you know where the parts and plans are to do it” Cynn said to her, “Captain please go and explain to Lalandra of our newly developed situation so that Dawn may pass again”.

Upon hearing such a tale from both Straud and Artanis and then finally from Dawn who fills in the blanks after Artanis was knocked out, she gave Dawn a big hug and quickly allowed her passage inside again.

Upon entering the main area that sat an equal distance away from each other Alisianna and Captain Tristan both stood as Alisianna ran to her husband hugging him tightly, smiling and returning the embrace Cloud kissed her and thanked her for being here when they returned.

“There is something I…I mean Tristan and I need to tell you” Alisianna said into his ear, “Dawn?” Alisianna said letting go of Cloud and moving past him to see her entering the cave opening to another part of Lalandra’s home, she is grabbed by the hand from Cloud who holds her back from going further to Dawn

“What has happened, she is so pale, and why is Dawn wearing Lord Straud’s cloak, is she sick? Cursed, poisoned Cloud please tell me what”

“Later Alisianna, I will explain later” Cloud told her

“The Judicator and Arbiter said that we need to keep Dawn out of the light” and shaking his head at the oxymoron Artanis just said to Cloud, he thanked Artanis for the message and asked to be left with his wife for a moment, and agreeing he left.

Tristan and Alisianna welcomed the rest back except for Dawn who at the moment they were not allowed to see, they then took Cloud away to a place in the enclave where they could talk in private, and taking turns throughout a long epic story Cloud was told what had transpired between Tristan and Alisianna.

Needing time to process all that had come from their minds and mouths, Cloud thought for a moment and asked questions to each about stuff he didn’t understand the first time around.

“And in the end to warm you up, Tristan had to lie in the bare skin to help you warm up is that right” Cloud said to Tristan growing a look of concerned anger when he heard a voice from behind him.

“That was only after a lot of verbal pushing not to mention he had to fix my leg before that” and turning to his back Cloud looked to see Stark standing behind them,

“And who the hell are you?” said Cloud sternly

“My name is Stark and I’m only here for two reasons first to again thank Tristan for saving my life and two; to save your marriage to this woman of natural beauty for the tale I overheard was a true one” Stark says to Cloud, and coming up to him Alisianna greets him with a hug.

“And why should I believe you, druid” Cloud inquires to him

“Because we elders don’t get the positions like we have by lying and being unfaithful and if these two were older I would promote them right now, for they have been true to both claims, Captain Cloud” Stark said to him shutting him silent and calming him down. “Now that I have said my words I must take my leave for I’m needed elsewhere, I thank you again Captain Tristan” and waving good bye he disappears into the woods.

“I need some time with this” Cloud said to Alisianna as he passed her getting up and walking away from both of them. Alisianna follows him while Tristan stays where he sits.

As nightfall comes Dawn walks again in to the enclave of her home, she walks up to the mausoleum which they had built for the passing of warriors as well as her parents, and going up to their grave tomes she kneels in front of them to pray and cry.

A soft wind blows to complement the pleasant peaceful night that was given to the enclave, blowing through her hair and pushing her bangs up to dance in front of her face she wipes away newly made tears of hope and sadness made from thoughts in her mind.

She then looks to her side and then to a shady spot in the corner thinking that she heard something move, ignoring it she goes back to her side to view a hobby she made herself during the day, picking up the sharpened wooden stake she grips it tightly in her hands; holding it firmly in front of her chest she takes a deep breath and closes her eyes to recite a final prayer to and for herself.

She jerks the blade swiftly forth toward her but is blinded by pain of not her own doing, and as she opens her eyes again she sees a dagger rushed through the sides of her hands holding the wooden stake in place. She hears footsteps that are quickly made getting louder and louder, and trying again she thrusts the stick toward her torso, she feels an invisible force holding her back from the fatal blow and looking to her left she sees Artanis using his hands to hold back hers.

“LET ME GO” Dawn says crying while fighting his grip

“DAWN PLEASE; DON’T DO THIS” Artanis says struggling to hold her strength enhanced forearms at bay “You have much to live for don’t you see, don’t you know this”

Artanis then gives a swift elbow to the side of her head, and knocking her to the side he then lays on top of her to pin her down; pulling the dagger out of her hands Artanis then looks to the wooden dagger and throws it away.

Angered at her foiled suicide she then throws Artanis off of her; picking him up after getting to her feet she tosses him effortlessly through the air, landing on top of a tome stone breaking it in half from the impact of his back. Artanis then rolls off and again onto the dirt floor,

“GET AWAY FROM ME!” she yells to him

“NO DAWN I WON’T, NOT LIKE THIS” he bolts back to her

“You know nothing of this pain I feel nor do you care, none of you do you just act like it” she yells to him again

“You wrong Dawn I do know and understand, better than anyone what you’re going through, you need to fight this, fight the aggression, fight the anger, fight it all to reach the one trapped inside, your soul Dawn; get to your soul” and building up a burst of feelings inside of her she crumbles to her knees again and screams out toward the endless night sky, running fast to her side Artanis falls to her level and grips her tightly against his chest.

Dawn breaks down and starts to cry hard for a time and holding her tight Artanis tells her just to let it out, sobbing for a time she then sniffles to stop the endless tears running down her cheeks and chin, they have soaked Artanis’s front side of his robes and he just looks at her with a deep stare, looking back at him she then turns away and whispers out.

“What good can come of this evil that is inside me, I’m broken and only a shadow of what I used to be”

“Dawn please, please look at me” and turning to him he finishes “My horns, my red demon eyes, the pulse pumping blood in my veins that if put into a cure will become a fatal toxin; and most important of all I am allied with good doers”

Dawn gets to her feet and off Artanis to stand up and turn to his face again

“I’m a soldier of evil now Artanis, not to mention half dead whatever that really means, how can I do good and right without feeling it’s rewarding warmth to my heart, I can’t feel the breeze on my face or the free flowing water between my fingertips; I’ll never feel the warmth of a kiss”

“You just described people that have such problems, so you are not alone in this” Artanis tries to comfort her

“They are all different people Artanis but I am all their despairs wrapped into one being” she says sobbing again, coming to her side he rubs her shoulders with his hands,

“Just because you can’t feel it, doesn’t mean it’s not helping” and staring off into the night sky Artanis holds his arms around her interlocking them together with one another and joins in the stare, “Dawn, when I die my soul will greet the lords of creation, not destruction, this much I’m sure. For good and evil don’t own our souls they merely guide them to a path willfully chosen by us mortals and immortals; I have chosen mine and not from aggression and arrogance of myself, but from purity and righteousness from what I have seen in you and still do. Please don’t show me the error of my ways through such an inconvenience that a curse of alteration has done. Evil may show you its power by distorting your vision and laying claim to your body, but it doesn’t own your soul; such a gift cannot be taken only given. Through your will as its baring hands will it be passed on to the lord of your choice not theirs”. And finishing his statement he looks to her hair still blowing gently in the night air, laughing a little bit she giggles

“You should have been a priest instead of a demon with such a speech”

“Believe me I’m doing my best at redemption to get there” Artanis says to her and finally she turns her head to his face

“Thank you…thank you for such acts and words, you are my savoir” she finishes with a kiss to his cheek and the cold brittle lips fill Artanis with a feeling of heated passion that he struggles to keep at bay, and she lets go of him to walk away and out of the Mausoleum.

“You’re welcome…my love” he says very quietly to himself as he follows slowly behind her.

Wildling away at a stick with a knife from his belt, Tristan sits in a guest cabin the clan built. The door swings open and enters the Drow Captain, Cloud; he stood at the foot of the entrance way holding a dagger in his hand.

“Do you stand by every word that you have told me human” Cloud sternly stated

“Yes” Tristan replies getting to his feet and walking up to Clouds standing position “Do what you want but I hold true to what I said earlier” Cloud then cuts a clean line in his left hand and hands the blade for Tristan, while extending his hand out for a handshake, Tristan first confused with what was happening then cuts his own hand and shakes Cloud’s

Smiling Cloud speaks “I now from this moment on I greet you not as a friend, not as a Captain…but as a brother of blood to my clan and family” and pulling Tristan close for a hug he says in his ear “I will never forget the acts of such loyalty you have shown to me on the past day of this event, I am forever in you grace”

And nodding his head Tristan can’t bring himself to smile on such a relieving ending “Something wrong Tristan?”

“Umm yeah I heard that Dawn had some bad luck” he stuttered out “And I’m sorry for the situation truly but I have to be honest with you…she and I can’t be around each other anymore with her now being a vampire, being a ranger I have what we call racial blood enemies, it fills me with a rage of hate that is very hard to control and…”

“Vampires are one such enemy of yours” Cloud finishes

“Cloud I am so…sorry for doing this and having this curse happen to her, but to save our relationship and her life you cannot ever fully trust me around her” and he ends with holding his head down at such a statement, tapping his shoulder Cloud thanks him in advance and tells him that he will let Dawn know of the added tree in the forest of problems she already now has. He then leaves and Tristan packs to depart for the city once again.

Artanis hears a knock to his door and upon answering see a figure not expected.

“Maylor, what are you doing here?” he asked

“May I speak with you, are you alone” Maylor asked

“Yes”

“Good (pauses before speaking) you know Dawn and all the good she has done and tries to see” and Artanis nods “I need your help to keep her there, you have been the only one to reach her in this state to a calm level, she is precious to both of us and she needs to still have guidance and protecting, but as of right now she also needs to be watched”

“Is she resisting her vampirism?”

“She’s trying but falters some times, I’ve caught her twice trying to feed off members of the clan while in route with me to wounds healed, she smells the blood and can’t control herself, she is displacing out bursts of rudeness and short tempers which are to be expected but Artanis I can’t be with her all the time especially with these events intertwined…I need your help”

“What do you need from me Arbiter?”

“To take the night watch and be with her as much as she will let you, teach her to grow strong and resist the evil temptation that lingers in her to act on unwanted fear and hate…and above all; don’t let her drink, she has animal blood at the temple which she utterly dislikes but needs for nutrition to keep going”

“I will aid you in this till she is cured” Artanis pledges

“I warn you my son, I know you have feelings for her and deep ones, but understand that she may never come around from this curse, I just don’t want it to consume her loving soul”

“I give you my word Arbiter that will never come to be” and tapping his shoulder Maylor takes his leave and tells Artanis that tomorrow is when he should start.