((Closed to Broken Wings))

Seraph knelt beside the temple. He still did not dare go in it because of his curse. Vampires were not meant to walk on holy ground, but that did not mean they could not pray to the holy goddess of life even though it was odd for them to do so. But this young vampire did not mind kneeling before her. He hoped she could provide him with the strength to conquer his thirst.

“Lothlómendil,” Seraph prayed to the goddess, “you are omnipotent and omniscient. You alone have the power to vanquish Raku. You alone have the power to defeat this evil inside me. I cannot conquer this thirst without your help. I cannot defeat the dark god without you.

“I am a cursed being. I am not worthy of forgiveness or mercy. I have sinned against this world, and I am doomed to eternal death when I am destroyed. There is no hope or peace for me after I leave this place. I am would be a fool to expect any alternative fate for one such as myself.

“But you have held my thirst at bay, Lothlómendil. I have not fallen to the temptation in over six weeks. With you I have not killed or had any blood. You have kept my ways pure. It is in you that I can find hope for the future. It is in you that I realize I do not have to be a monster. Only in you can I find peace.

“Lothlómendil, do not forsake me now. Keep watch over me. Ward off Raku from me. Continue to help me defeat my curse, not only for me but for the sake of other around me. Continue to show me the mercy that I do not deserve relieve of the pain I feel.”

Seraph wept by the side of the building as he finished praying. He had never dreamed of being able to withstand the thirst, but it was as if Lothlómendil was by his side guiding him through these hard times. He knew as long as he stayed close to the temple he would not feel the need to drink.

((Apologies, a rather unfortunate turn of events led to me breaking my wrist, so typing has been off the menu for a little while. I do hope you will forgive me))


Just outside the temple a young man stood, leaning against a pillar and looking out across the grounds. He had been standing there for quite some time now, watching the black-clad figure that knelt at the temple steps. The man had been visiting the temple every day for weeks and every day Yang would watch him. Watching him had become a kind of strange fascination, a riddle of sorts. For the man never came inside to pray like all the other priests, pilgrims and worshipers. But this man would come to the temple, stop just short of the steps and pray, before setting off around the grounds. Why was he driven so? That was Yang's fascination.

As the man finished praying and once again set off, Yang decided that the time was ripe. He would finally as the stranger the question that had been nagging at him. He dashed down the steps, carefully avoided another priest and sprinted off in hot pursuit. He rounded the corner, slowing his pace as he did so. With brisk steps he approached, touching the man lightly on the shoulder as he spoke.

"Brother" he said, "may I speak with you?"

Seraph stood knowing that he had only a couple of hours of night time left, if that. It was about time to make his way home, so that he could rest through the day time. He stretched out his arms and yawned. As the exclamation of tiredness from his body ceased he straightened his cloak and prepared to leave.

As Seraph turned around he was surprised to see a monk from the temple standing behind him. He took a step back in shock, but quickly composed himself. He had seen the monk around a few times and noticed him watching him as he prayed, but this was the first time he had approached him. "Brother" he said, "may I speak with you?"

Seraph was a little nervous about this. He hoped the monk did not want him to enter the temple to talk or for him to find out about his curse in fear that he would force him from this holy site, but he also could not refuse to speak to a monk of the temple where he had been praying. “Yes,” the vampire replied, careful to hide his fangs behind his lips as he spoke, “but I do not have much time.”

Yang was relieved that the young man had actually stopped to talk to him, you never could tell with some people these days. As the man turned, Yang was presented with a peculiar sight. The mans blue eyes were bloodshot, as though he had not slept in days. His face was gaunt, like that of the desperately ill. But Yang did not make any judgment on the mans appearance, he had seen far stranger in his short time at the temple.

"Thank you" Yang replied quickly, not wanting to waste what little time he had, "I wonder brother, why is it you visit us? I mean - one such as yourself, with no outwardly evil intentions, why do you feel the compulsion to pray so frequently? Brother, even I - a monk of this temple - pray not as frequently as you. Need you confess your sins? I am here, any time you need."

Yang placed his hand on the mans shoulder, looking into those bloodshot eyes.

"Brother, we all carry a burden. Why not share the load? Do not let ill thoughts consume you." he paused and looked up, "The moon shines brightly tonight, but it has nearly passed. Do you need a place to stay? You are welcome to my room here if you so need."

He pointed off in the direction of the temple.

"It's just on the other side, you are always welcome." he smiled, "Say brother, what is your name?"

Seraph was careful about his reply to the monk. He could not tell him what or who he was. The mortal would surely panic upon learning he was undead, but for good reasons the vampire reminded himself. He shifted his stance a little as he considered his words carefully. Those who had not felt his thirst could surely not understand or help carry such a burden.

“How can you help me?” Seraph asked, “If a critter is born in the morning and dies in the evening, how can he know what the night is like? There is nothing you can do for me. Only the goddess of life can help alleviate my burden. That is why I pray. I am alone with my troubles, forsaken by my people. I walk a very narrow path. One false step and much is lost. It is not something you could understand.

“I am one without a name. I hide in the slums of the city, sleeping through the day. I walk the streets at night a constantly seek purity. You can not understand my circumstances unless you take on my sin, my sorrow. Do not worry about me. Just pray that I do not stumble, for the sake of others.”

Seraph did not give the monk much about himself. He could not even trust him with his name. If he were to know his name, he could surely find out about the missing merchant, and he did not want that. The vampire also did not want the monk checking in on him where he lived. Meeting with a human away from the temple might be hazardous with his curse.

((I will try to be on Tues/Thurs if you want to work together to up our post counts.

Yang listened calmly as the man spoke to him with such passion. He considered everything that the man said, puzzling it a out in his head. It was quite some riddle.

"Brother" he said at last, "whist it is true that I may not be able to understand your burden, nor lighten the load, I can at least listen to you. It is perhaps the greatest gift I can offer for one in your situation. The great goddess loves you, as do I, as does the rest of this world. Acceptance will come in time. Love though, is ever present. It can heal the greatest ill, give strength to the most weary and give hope to all those who need it."

He paused and looked to the sky, sighing heavily as he did so. When he spoke, his voice was heavy with feeling.

"In time, it will come to you." he smiled slightly, "But I must not keep you too long; goodnight brother. May you go in peace unto the ream of confusion that is life, with her in your heart and hope in your soul. You carry the beacon of light that will shine in even the darkest of hours. Go now brother, peace be upon you."

Yang's smile widened as he placed both hands upon the mans shoulders. He looked deep into those bloodshot eyes, saying a message that could not truly be said with words; the goddess and her strength is within us all.

Seraph did not hesitate to go once the monk had given him permission to leave. Once out of sight of the temple he quickly hustled down the street corners heading for his lair. He had plenty of time before the sun was to rise, but he felt uncomfortable knowing that it was coming. He did not want to experience its scorching wrath knowing that it had the power to turn him into a pile of dust.

Seraph was not easily distracted, but he could not help but stop as he heard a damsel in distress call out. He stopped for a second pondering what to do. He did not want to interact with humans, but if he really wanted to atone for his sins, he would have to try. The vampire decided to go and see what he could do to help.

Seraph ran into the ally from where the scream had come. He froze in his tracks as he saw a masked bandit withdrawing a knife from the clearly now dead woman who had a look of terror on her face. Seraph took a few steps forward as if to confront the man, but stopped upon smelling the fresh blood.

He dropped to his knees feeling the darkness spreading through him once again. “No!” he screamed into the air, “I will not give in again. I will not be a servant to my curse.” He cries did nothing to appease his blood lust however. His eyes turned red as blood filled them. His fangs grew moist with his drool. All conscious thought quickly vanished. He was nothing but a beast now, an animal with one thought, kill.

As Yang strolled through the gardens of the temple he reflected upon the mysterious stranger's words. There had to be something very serious indeed if he refused even the console of a monk. He sighed, how could the elders ever think he could help? He could not even get a proper answer from a distraught stranger. He was a failure. A scream rang out, cold and harsh in the night air. He would have to hold the thought, someone needed him.

He set off in the direction of the courtyard gates; the city beaconed him. He sprinted off in the lessening darkness through the maze of back streets and alleys that made up the vast city. Of a sudden, Yang stopped. He stood at the opening to an alley, frozen in fear and rage and disgust. A horrific sight lay before him, a bloodbath left in the wake of a frenzied animal. His eyes followed the carnage on the floor to a pair of boots. His eyes rose, taking in the body of the man standing before him before finally resting at eye level. The cold, lifeless eyes stared back. The eyes of a killer. eyes he recognized.

"You" he whispered

Yang bowed his head for a moment, reflecting on the right thing to do. This creature was an abomination. He may have been welcomed at the temple, but out here on the street he was less than vermin. He had to be stopped. Yang's head snapped up, a fire burning within him. He took a few steps forward, then broke into a run, charging at the monstrosity before him. He brought both fists back as he ran, calling to the Goddess to aid him in his quest.

"LOTHLOMENDIL!!!!"