"....Before the storm." Revian flew high up to gain a view of the full city, and he ws apalled by what he saw throughout the city. The stench rose from it like a decaying carcass left for scavengers and maggots. He saw their army preparing to leave although they still had been a few hours if not a day away from advancing on his kingdom. He found the keep and saw the King, along with two of the Hellatics.

He did not see his brother Krium however, but he knew that he was in the city. Revian picked out his approach with a rather great deal of ease, they did not expect an all out assault by him, but thats what they were getting. He found a large painted mosaic window on the eastern side of the keep. Thats where he would make his entrance. The window depicted King Chazzar standing over the hoards of Vampires, holding the head of Xeroch.

This angered Revian greatly, and he waited until King Valianore and the Hellatics had entered the keep when he swooped down with immense speed and force. Revian went back to his original form as he smashed through the window, landed, drew his sword and slid across the flat tile floor where he skidded to a stop. King Valianore had drawn his sword but stood in horror at what he saw, as did the two Hellatics.

The Hellatics charged Revian but were bashed aside with ease, Revian laughed and went for them. They clashed back and forth taking slashes at each other but none seemed to gain the upper hand. The King then went in for a strike, now all three attacking Revian at the same time. He kept up with their blows with little effort, he disengaged them and took several small slashes at each of them, catching Hellius on the thigh and Corvik along the breastplate, He only gouged the Kings pauldrons but kept on fighting them.

The fight went on until the King became too tired to continue and he fell back to regain stamina. Just as he did a voice echoed, "Stop this." Revian and the Hellatics froze, they all knew that voice, Krium had arrived. He said, "Brother, why do you fight when you know this war will end with us as the victors once again." Revian took several steps back and said, "I am afraid not brother. Last time we were betrayed by our own, but this time, I will avenge their deaths." Krium said, "Only the Lord of Lord's can lead the hordes, and Xeroch is long dead."

Revian laughed and said, "You are right. Shall I show you where you are wrong?" Just as he finished speaking he transformed into the Lord of Lord's. This left the Hellatics and the King in shock and fear. Revian bellowed in the deepened voice of his true form, "I am Revian, the Lord of Lord's. You will not beat us again. As for you traitors, both of you and Krium will die a very painful death for what you did to our people. This time brother, you will die." King Valianore said, "I am the King of this land and your demonic peoples will be swpet from the face of it, never to be known of again. I have the power of Hellatics at my side, not some mythic apparition." Revian charged forward with immense speed and slammed the King back, which he was thrown into a wall by.

The Hellatics charged him with only a slight moment of hesitation. Revian threw them aside and he was met with the silver blade of the King. Revian was grazed on his right shoulder and he let loose a cry. It was as if a thousand coals had been dumped on his arm, he could not believe it. A silver sword was very hard to find especially thousands of years ago. This put him on the defense against the King while still holding against the Hellatics,

Suddenly Revian let loose a burst of energy and a very strong attack with which he impaled Corvik with, twisted the blade while it was in his gut and ripped it out through his left side. Blood and entrails spilled onto the stark white tile floor, killing Corvik instantly. Revian let loose a terrific roar, as Corvik's lifeless body fell to the floor with a defininitive thump.

Revian jumped back, putting some distance in between himself and Krium. Krium yelled in anger, Hellius rushed to his fallen friend. The two Hellatic's regrouped and charged Revian. Krium yelled, "You will pay for what you have done Brother" Revian laughed and said, "You both will be next. This time, we will not lose." Their blades clanged and with every hit shot sparks throughout the room.

King Valianore had rushed outside and ordered the army leave at once. This was part of Revian's plan of course, to force a premature attack. What he did not expect however was what he saw next. In mere seconds Hellatics flooded the throne room from nearly every crack and crevice it seemed. Revian did not know what was happening, this was unforseen.

Revian disengaged the two Hellatics and jumped back giving himself a chance to take in what had just happened. He looked around at the sea of red cloacks that the Hellatic's wore. It slowly advanced on him, and surrounded him. Revian asked, "How came you by so many?" Krium pushed through out to the front of the Hellatics and said, "You forgot already did you? There is a power that we all posessed dear brother. They follow me, but they are not like us."

Revian understood now. Krium had turned humans into his slaves, he corrupted them with his blood, a most foul life to live. Each host turned, the more the true host, in this case Krium, was torn apart on the inside. This cemented the fact to Revian that Krium could not be saved from this madness. This was because that with every corrupted body, a small piece of the original host was placed into it, giving it more strength and speed. Along with a ferocity that is only matched by the true thing.

Revian said, "You could have been saved brother. I thought you were dead as did we all, we looked and did not find you. You did not have to do this to us." Krium yelled, "I did what I was forced to by you all, I was betrayed by my people, and I brought upon their end." Revian said, "You may have killed most of our people but where would you stop after that, you still would live, you only. Could you live like that brother? Could you really know that you are alone by your own hand, no chance of our race surviving?"

Krium spat out, "I care no more for our race. We are a plague to this world, we have scoured it over the centuries and eons past. We do not deserve life as we are not part of this natural world. I have sent them back from where they came, the depths of Hell." Revian said, "You used to be happy, as did our people. Now we are angry, and we will have our revenge, mark my words Krium. You will not win this time." Krium said, "Consider them marked brother..." He now directed a command to his human blood slaves, "....Kill him."

The sea of humans engulfed Revian, but he fought them off as best he could. Revian was cut and slashed by the corrupted humans but he still fended them off. This was when the King, from behind approached Revian. The King had the Silver Blade drawn, and he slowly advanced on the clearly distracted Revian. The King had reached Revian but still he did not notice he was in mortal danger.

The King went to strike when suddenly Revian was hit from the side, causing the Silver Blade to only slice his side. Revian cried out in pain, spun around and backhanded the King across the throne room, where he slid on the floor to a halt. The King had been knocked unconsious by Revian's blow, but Revian was bleeding a great deal from the wound brought by the Silver Blade.

Krium called out, "It stings does it not brother? Does it feel good? Can you keep fighting against the inevitable?" Revian said in a calm voice, "I will always fight for my people unlike you Krium. You turned your back on us, you have no people anymore. I Revian, the Lord of Lord's banishes you, Krium, from our race. You will forever be an enemy to our kind, and you will go down as a traitor to not only your kingdom, but your very own family. The next time we meet, you will die."

Revian took flight, slamming out of the same window he entered in. He flew off back towards his kingdom, trying to keep the bleeding at a minimum. Krium in the meanwhile left the throne room, did not check to see if the King was still alive, did not mourn for the loss of Corvik. Krium went back into the shrine where the first Lord of Lord's had risen, to meditate. The words Revian had said to him stung him, he was banished from his own kind, he now really was alone.

Revian saw his kingdom come into view after several grueling hours of flight. He saw that hundreds of bodies of men littered the grounds before his castle, and along the way here he saw that their plan had worked to an extent. Revian came in close but he could not slow himself down, he slammed down into the central courtyards fountain with a splash that sent water in every direction and cracked the base of the fountain.

Revian turned to his back and the little water that remained started to run red with blood, his side had not gotten better, but seemed to burn even more, as if the sun was searing his flesh down to the bone and beyond. He was unsure of the success of the plan that was devised until out of the shadows crept a familiar face to him, Orik. Revian managed to painfully say, "What happened here? Where are the people Orik, where are my people?" Orik said, "Fear not my Lord, the people are safe, they were moved into the caverns under the castle, we are still in a period of hesitation. We ran off the main force but there are still soldiers out there." Revian said as he faded into unconciousness, "That is good Orik. The plan worked my friend, it worked in every way but on small step."

Orik asked, "What step my Lord?" Revian said, "I was cut by a silver blade, hence the bloody water." Orik said, "I noticed the wound but I did not think of what it could have been from. My Lord?" Revian faded off into a very familiar deep, dark, black embrace that he was all to familiar with, darkness crept over him and he lost conciousness.

Revian awoke with a sudden jerk, straight to his side which still burned, but not near what it had. His awakening caused the young Vampire tending to him jump in fright. Revian said, "Calm young one, a bad dream was all." The young Vampire smiled and ran off out of the room in which he was currently recuperating in. When the young one returned in tow she brought Orik.

Revian immediately asked, "What are the damages, how many did we lose Orik?" Orik ordered the young Vampire away for the time being and once she left he said, "We lost a few, but we won the battles." Revian asked, "Battles?" Orik said, "Yes my Lord, there were a few after you returned, but they were nowhere near the first. We handled them with ease." Revian asked, "How long have I been out Orik?" Orik, obviously choosing to not divulge the information said, "It matters not, you are awake now, and we are in a good position."

Revian said, "I asked you how long I was out, do not ignore me Orik." Orik, quite begrudgingly said, "You have been away for about a month or so." Revian, attempting to stand said, "A month! I have been in this room, near dead for a month?" Orik said, "Yes my Lord, this is the first time you have moved since I took you from the fountain, your wounds are still too great you must rest." Revian yelled, "I have rested enough..." He tried to walk but soon fell, sending more pain through his wound.

Orik said, "You are not strong enough and your wound is not healed enough for actions like that my Lord. Please lay back down, you must recover." Revian said, "I was cut by a silver blade, this wound will not heal for a very long time, I must prepare for the next full on assault Orik." Orik laughed and said, "My Lord, we have something to show you then, let me help you..." Orik walked with Revian around the castle, which looked extremely different now than it once had.

In the two month period Revian was recovering Orik had led the Vampires on several very successful trips to the Old Kingdom. These trips were for but one reason, resources. Orik had almost fully rebuilt the castle and its defenses, it was now a proper fortress. Orik and Revian made their way into the throne room, a completely new section of the castle. Orik brought him right up to the throne, the very same one used by Xeroch and thos before Revian. This throne was in fact the same Revian had seen centuries earlier, the Throne of Lords.

Upon seeing it Revian sat upon it, with Orik saying, "I have but one more thing for you my Lord." Revian asked, "What else did you find Orik?" Orik walked over to a chest which sat within a small side room to the left of the throne and came back with something that was wrapped in cloth. Orik said, "You wouldn't be much of a Lord of Lord's without a crown now would you?" Orik removed the cloth and revealed a crown. This crown also, was the very same that once sat upon the head of Xeroch.

Truly was this a sight to see, once again in the fasion of old, did a true Lord of Lord's sit on the throne. Once again was the Vampire race cast into war. Revian said to Orik, "We are at war once again. This is going ot be the last one however, this I promise. Our race will know peace once again, and we will rule the land. I am very pleased with what you did in my stead. I would like for you to do what I once did Orik." Orik asked, "What might that be my Lord." Revian said, "I want you to be the point on my sword, and the weapon which we win this war. I want you to be the commander of my army."