The Search For Kathea, A Leap Into Decisions and Consequences

 The Search For Kathea, A Leap Into Decisions and Consequences

     As Aloi and Dettlaff enter the timestream he has been so earnestly looking into, Aloi is interested in why he is so torn over where it could lead him.

     "My 'son', please tell me what your thoughts are regarding this future. What hold does it have on you that you torture yourself to understand the smallest consequences of each decision that flows from it?"

     "It is the relationship between my Iriisii and her other mate Rigmor, and how I fit into this. I am wed to all of them by the Rites of the Mother of the Cosmos. Yet there is only one stricture she laid upon me for her approval."

     "And that is?"

     "That I share blood with Iriisii and Iriisii alone. I may have a relationship with any or all of the others, but I share blood with only Iriisii."

     "And what is the problem with that then?"

     "Rigmor. I do not know if I want relationships with any of the others, and she seems determined to develop one with me."

     "And you do not know if she seriously wants a relationship with you, or if this is for Iriisii's benefit? Because of the depth of their relationship?"

     "Yes, how can I know, how can I make a decision that will affect all of our lives from now until..."

     "I see, thorns like daggers are everywhere for you to walk through in this. Now I see somewhat of the problem, difficult, yes, but not insurmountable. Come let us see what portends within."

     They come upon a scene of Iriisii and Dettlaff, alone, talking while in each other's arms, just holding each other.

     "My love, I see the thoughts twisting within your mind, bringing clouds to shadow what we have. I want to understand what you feel so that I may help you."

     "I know the age-old words, 'it is me and not you', apply here but they would not help me to solve the issues that plague me, even as they are perhaps the most truthful words to describe this morass."

     "Indeed you are right, they have been used so often that their meaning is more obscured than most prophecies are. It is about what Rigmor has been doing, is it not?"

     "Yes, it is."

     "Then please do your best to enlighten me, you know I love you both and would not see the pain that is beginning to take root within each of you over this. You may not believe this, but I can understand the difficulty here, finding a solution is another matter."

     "How do you see this, tell me so I can see how close we are to understanding."

     "You have only seen love between one and another, as in my own youth I did as well. The prospect of more than one love at a single point in time is not something you have experience with understanding. I went through the same in the beginning when after having wed Rigmor, I then added Illyria. It was not a decision I made with forethought and deliberation, it was core instinct that drove me. An instinct that I had never felt before that moment."

     "All of my life there have been those who sought to join themselves with me, always I turned them down because I could not find anything within that drew me to them and would keep me with them until I met you. Even then, I kept myself at a distance so that I could see what was happening to me."

     "And was it such a bad thing when I came to you and Regis, speaking of what I needed to do in order to find Kathea, that I understood what might occur between us if I went down that path?"

     "NO! It was not a bad thing, far from it. You caught me completely by surprise, for when I realized what you were speaking of, the feelings that washed over me, consumed me, I had never felt them before, not for anyone else, then or now."

     "And that is the core of the problem then, you do not know if you would ever feel for her as she feels for you, or that you feel for me? And you believe that you should at the very least be equal in your emotions toward us?"

     "I think that is closer than I have been to seeing the truth of this. Because I feel as I do, I question if she really feels anything for me, or is it tied up in how she feels about you?"

     "That I think is at the root of this problem. And we need to bring her into this. We can go around and around, but we will never reach an answer without her involvement. We need for her to see into her feelings, tell us how she feels in truth, and then maybe we can find a way forward."

     Iriisii gets up and asks Dettlaff to stay while she gets Rigmor.

     "What do you feel you need to do at this point, my 'son'? Do you stay and talk to Rigmor about her feelings or do you get up and leave now before they come back?"

     "If I leave now, it will be for all time, no recourse, no return."

     "And what will that do to your Iriisii? And what about your child together, Kallie, what will this do to her?"

     "And if I stay, become more involved with Rigmor, break the Mother's stricture by sharing blood, what then? What will I bring down on them by that action?"

     "How do you know you will share blood with Rigmor?"

     "How could I not? If she wants what Iriisii and I have, she will not rest until I do, and then what?"

     "Then we hold here and see what the consequences of each branch are. Only then can you determine which way you will go and be willing to accept the cost of that decision. First will be if you go, we will see both what happens to you as well as what happens to Iriisii, Rigmor, and Kallie. After all, they will bear a part of the cost as well, will they not?"

     They observe as the Dettlaff in the time stream rises up from bed, gathers his things, and walks out through a portal, where to is not known. A few minutes later, Iriisii and Rigmor, talking together walk into the room to find Dettlaff gone. At first, they think nothing of it, then word reaches Iriisii that Dettlaff was seen using a portal to leave. The shock on her face is quite apparent and telling. But it is Rigmors response that really shocks the observers.

     Iriisii can not stand anymore and sits with her head hanging, tears flowing, the pain also flowing alongside them. Rigmor sits next to her, puts an arm around her, and says, "I did not intend to cause either of you to be hurt like this. I am sorry if I have caused you to hate me for driving him away. It was not my intention, I just wanted to find out if I could love him like I love you, that was all."

     Iriisii turns to Rigmor, "I do not hate you, and I do not hate him, even though I hurt. I do not blame either of you, I understand why he did it, I just wish he had waited to speak with you first, maybe this did not have to be."

    "Now let us look forward and see where this goes."

     Dettlaff recognizes they are aboard the Krang, standing on an outside observation deck enclosed by an energy field. Iriisii is standing close to the edge looking out into black space at the pinpoint lights of the stars. He hears her whispers as she entreats those stars for their help.

     "Please help me find him. Tell me if he is ok. Tell him how much I miss him. How much I still love him. How I wish for him to come back."

     A servant comes out to the deck and walks up to her.

     "My lady, please come back inside. You spend so much time out here, many are worrying about you."

     Then Rigmor comes out, and motions for the servant to go back in, that she would handle this now. She walks up to Iriisii and wraps an arm around her waist.

     "Have they told you anything?"

     Iriisii shakes her head from side to side.

     "I am sorry, so very sorry for how this turned out. If I could go back and change things."

     "There is no way to know what could be changed that would not make things worse. I know I spend too much time, wondering where he is, has he found someone else, is he even still alive. I just can not help myself."

     "I know, I miss him too. He was a rock, an anchor, you could depend on him to do whatever you needed. To be there with a shoulder or just a presence, letting you know you were not alone. Many times I feel so sick, that it was my fault."

     "It was no one's fault! Not yours, not his, no one's."

     "But what will you do now, Kallie has gone in search of him. Now you do not have either of them!"

     "I know, but I have to go on. We are so close to the end. But I still have hope, hope that he will come back. Even though it has been a century, what is time to us now. I will wait millennia if I have to."

     "And I will wait with you, I owe both of you that much at the least."

     His stomach is in turmoil over what he is seeing. That this is what would happen if he left. 

     "Kallie! What about Kallie? She went looking for me? Where is she, what has happened to her?"

     "Let us see to that then."

     He finds himself standing on a stone platform, all around are seats carved out of a truly gigantic mesa, the seats angling downward toward an arena at the bottom. He hears the calling of the next fight, the seats are full and many are standing wherever room can be found, the cheers, noise, and catcalls, are near deafening.

    "ARE YOU READY?!"

    The crowd roars in expectation.

    "I SAID, ARE YOU READY?!"

    This time the roars echo off of the rock walls, and the vibrations can be felt over the sound itself.

    "WE HAVE WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING TO SEE! THE BATTLE TO END ALL BATTLES, HERE IN THIS ARENA, NOW AT THIS TIME! RAISE THE FIRST GATE!"

    As the closer gate raises, the crowds' shouting goes even higher. And four, dark, furred, lean figures race out onto the sandy pit floor. He notices that they are wearing some kind of collar. One of the figures makes a jumping lunge to reach into the seats but is yanked back to the sands, howling in tremendous pain. Then he recognizes what they are. It has been a long time since he has seen any Ku'urri, how these were taken, much less controlled is beyond his reckoning.

    "You know what they are, what a single one is capable of, much less four of them."

    "I know", with a dire sinking feeling in his gut.

    "AND NOW, THIS IS THE MOMENT YOU HAVE WAITED FOR! RAISE THE SECOND GATE!"

    The second gate on the other side is raised and a single form walks out onto the sand. A young woman, also wearing a collar, dressed in black armor, some kind of scaly leather, but what it was taken from he cannot tell from this distance. She is armed with dual swords, truly wicked-looking blades, serrated edges, a spiked crossguard, a chain hanging from the pommel with a spiked ball at its end. These weapons were designed for causing maximum pain.

    It is then as she moves closer into the torchlight, that he sees the bone structure of her wings! He looks closely at her face, even from this distance he can see the resemblance to her mother, and as his heart collapses, his beast rises. He has had enough, he reaches deep into himself, into the awakened parts, and taps into the latent abilities the power he has shared with Iriisii has given to him.

    With a challenging roar from his beast, even as the Ku'urri look up into the seats, searching for the source of that challenge, Kallie hears, and something deep within her responds. Whispering, "Father?" Then she sees a dark, form moving like a blur, leaping out over the Arena Pit, rolling his body as he lands and rolls up onto his feet in front of her.

    "FATHER!" as she drops her weapons and leaps into his arms. One of the Ku'urri makes a move toward them. Dettlaff growls deep and shoves one hand out toward the Ku'urri, unleashing a blast of force that catches the Ku'urri and throws it up against the stone wall, crushing its body and splattering its blood everywhere.

    "WHOA HO, WHAT HAVE WE HERE? I KNOW, WE HAVE A TWOFER FOR YOU TO ENJOY TONIGHT! BUT WE MUST MAKE IT FAIR, SHOULDN'T WE?"

    The crowd roars, as four more collared Ku'urri are released. They join their fellows, but they all feel the presence they are up against, and none want to fight them.

    "Father, where, how?"

    "Not now, we must deal with this situation first."

    He then places his hands on the collar around his daughter's neck. He feels the pulse sent to activate it and blocks it, even as his hands break it apart and toss it aside. He then looks to the Ku'urri, "I AM DETTLAFF VAN DER ERETAIN, VYRKOLOS TO THE ELDER GODDESS, IRIISII DOVAHKIIN. YOU KNOW OF WHOM I SPEAK?"

    The Ku'urri nod their heads. 

    "THEN FIGHT WITH ME AND OUR DAUGHTER AND GO FREE, YOU HAVE MY WORD ON THIS, OR FIGHT US AND DIE. CHOOSE WHAT YOU WILL DO."

    The oldest among them growls, "the cub is the daughter of you and the goddess?"

    Dettlaff turns to Kallie, "your collar is gone, spread your wings now, show them who you are."

    Kallie spreads her wings of bone, then the power from within her fills the gaps between the bones, and she feels the rush of her genetic inheritance from her parents. She looks up toward a turret turning toward them to lock on, and shouts, "FUS RO DAH"! The shout of 'Unrelenting Force' rolls through the air, strikes the turret before it can begin firing, and rips it from its base, sending it rolling across the top surface of the mesa.

    The Ku'urri says, "We fight with you, Vyrkolos of Iriisii, and the Dragon of Spirit."

    Dettlaff reaches out with his mind, ripping the collars off of them. They then turn and leap into the crowd of the Arena, clawing, ripping, biting, in every direction as chaos ensues.

    "Where are the ones in charge of this travesty?"

    Kallie points to a section of the stone wall, windows carved out to allow those inside to see out. He then gathers his strength and before beginning a series of leaps, he says, "see you up there" and takes the first leap up into the seats, continuing until he grabs onto one of the windows and pulls himself in.

    Kallie flies up looking for a place to enter from when a part of the wall bursts outward, a body flying out to fall to the ground far below, and the body's head soon following. She takes advantage and dives in before anything else gets thrown out. The massacre she sees tells her that the stories told of her father's fighting prowess were in no way an exaggeration. As she lands and furls her wings, her father has found the 'fight announcer' and is holding him up, off the ground,  with one hand grasping his tunic. 

    Dettlaff growls in a menacing voice, "if you want to live, you had better tell me everything about what is going on here."

    "But they will kill me if I do!"

    "There are far worse things than death, and I know several of them, would you like to try one on for size?"

    "No, no, I believe you."

    "Then you had better start talking. Kallie, keep watch for any assassins, I do not want him dying before I am done with him."

    "Yes, father!"

    "You said you would let me live if I talked!"

    "And I will, what happens after I let you go is up to you. So you had better start talking or should I ask the Ku'urri to come up here, I am sure they would like some quality time with you."

    And so the 'announcer' tells Dettlaff everything he knows about the operation, who is involved, where the money comes from and goes to, how the captives are taken and brought here. The information is extensive and very detailed, seems this announcer had maybe planned for something like this to happen. Having this treasure trove of information ready to trade for his life. Once he is done talking, Dettlaff drops him onto the ground, "You stink of fear, better if you go that way," pointing to the cave behind him, "before the Ku'urri gets your scent." The 'announcer turns and runs, expecting to get a blade in his back at any moment.

    Kallie walks up to her father and wraps her arms around him, placing her face against his chest. "Thank you, father, I thought it was going to be my time to die."

    Dettlaff wraps his arms tightly around her, holding her as if she were his lifeline. "I am so sorry for this, I had no idea this would happen."

    "Will you tell me why? What happened between you and mother?"

    "She never told you?"

    "No, she would always evade the question. That is why I left to find you, if she would not tell me, maybe you would. But you said in the Arena, you were her Vyrkolos, you still love her don't you?"

    "I will never stop loving her, ever."

    "Then why did you go? What happened that made you leave?"

    Dettlaff gives himself a shivering sigh, "Rigmor."

    "What about Aunt Rigmor? What part did she play in this? I mean she still mourns you just as 'mother' does."

    "For you to understand, I must go back to when I first met your mother and tell you of the things that happened from that time until I felt I had to leave."

    He sits down in a chair and beckons her to do the same. Then he unburdens himself of everything that happened between Iriisii and himself, from the time he first met her, until he left. Kallie sits stunned, tears running down her face at the revelations of her father, as he bares his soul to her. Once he is done, he sits quietly, ready to take whatever his daughter has to dish out to him for what he did.

    "If I have this right, you are on a 'Destiny Seeking', brought about by the first major dose of the Catalyst. And all of this, you are experiencing is from a future timeline that you are trying to understand in order to choose the one you wish to pursue, either with 'mother' or alone. And she is waiting for you to decide which one will draw you. But what does Aunt Rigmor have to do with this? I mean you were wed to both of them at that time..., but you had always been loyal to 'mother', keeping yourself to her and her alone. You never bedded Aunt Rigmor, or Illyria, or Byrsael, did you, only mother?"

    Dettlaff, his voice choked up, nodded his head.

    "And I will bet, Aunt Rigmor came on to you, did she not? That would explain why she reacted as she did and has continued to do ever since. But again, why? I mean, mother had no problem sharing you, honestly, she expected it to happen at some time. There is something else, isn't there?"

    "Yes, when we were all wed together, the 'Mother of the Cosmos' gave us her approval but with one stipulation."

    "Blood sharing! She restricted your blood sharing to be with 'mother'. And you were afraid Aunt Rigmor would find a way to try it with you? Oh, of all the..., father, you were right to fear that. She would indeed have attempted it, she was so strong-willed then and it got between her and good sense. All this time and I never suspected this was the reason."

    "If they never said anything about it then how did you realize...Regis! Regis thought this might have been the reason and told you."

    "Yes, he did, but I did not know enough about the intricacies of it to truly see how important it would be to you. He never said more about it."

    "He should have, you are a half higher vampire. You have both halves in your nature, you could take a Vorkolos if you wished to and follow in your mother's footsteps. I do not know if you would approach your mother's power level, but I believe you would get close."

    "That is something that can wait until I have more knowledge about the possibilities."

    "I take it that to your knowledge, no other higher vampires have approached you?"

    "I think some may have tried, but they would not cross mother. Once I left, I made certain to hide knowledge of who I was. Once word got out of who I was, I would likely be chased from one end of Reality to the other."

    "Well, I am sure word is going to get out now."

    "But if you choose the other path then this will not have happened."

    "I know, but I do not know what the right decision is to satisfy your Aunt Rigmor without going through with blood sharing. I do not know exactly what the result of that would be, but I do not want to try it either. The 'Mother' said not to, and I believe she had good reason to say that."

    "I need to know what it is about it that would draw her to you so strongly, is there something that happened while you and mother shared blood that would entice her that much to want to try it for herself?"

    "Yes, although I do not know how to describe it."

    "Perhaps I may be of use in that regard."

    Both Dettlaff and Kallie start at Aloi's voice.

    "Who?"

    "Kallie, may I introduce you to Aloi, one of the Gods of the Gray Path. It was he who shared his blood with my forebears to make us what we are now."

     Kallie bows low, "Greetings, Celestial Father, honored am I to meet you."

     "The honor is mine, precious daughter, little did I imagine of these events becoming out of the action I undertook so long ago. But I digress, what you wish to know is an effect that occurs between an Aasimar and her Vyrkolos. Provided they have true love between them, the blood sharing will have a euphoric effect on both of them. If it is strong enough, it will manifest as various colored ribbons of energy that will surround the two. It is also known that these ribbons will also pass through their bodies, intensifying the effect.

     This serves to create synapse paths between them, allowing them to speak mind to mind, know the emotions each feels, and bring them ever closer, but only to a point. They will grow very close together, but will always maintain their own separate selves. Is there anything else I can assist you with?"

     "Just one, is this strictly only between a female Aasimar and a male higher vampire?"

     Aloi chuckles, "an astute observation, no, it is not. When the Aasimar is male, the female higher vampire is referred to as a Vyrkolisi. The effect between them is the same, no matter which pairing it is. And before you ask, it is possible for two of the same sex, but that has yet to happen and I am not aware of what the vampire partner would be called."

     "Thank you, Celestial Father, your wisdom and counsel are much appreciated."

     "As wise and courteous as her mother. Should you ever wish to follow in her footsteps and take a Vyrkolos for yourself, I would be grateful to act as your mentor and guide you both along your path." Looking to Dettlaff, "it is time we continued, my 'son'. You need to see the other path now."

     Dettlaff looks toward Kallie, "no matter which I choose, this one will still remain, so I ask you to go back to your mother, tell her what happened here, and give her the information I got from that worm. This nest of vermin needs to be destroyed."

     "I will never forget that I love you, father. And I always will, no matter what happens between you and mother."

     Again they appear back in the bedroom that he and Iriisii share when they are together.

     "Your daughter is truly a credit and inspiration to both Aasimar and Vampire. Few enough there are who can make such claims, and fewer who can give proof positive to them, you have done both. You are truly deserving of the best that Destiny can guide you toward."

     "I do not know about those things, I just try and learn from my mistakes and move forward."

     It is then that Iriisii returns with Rigmor in tow. Surprisingly, Rigmor is not excited about being there with the two of them. This makes Dettlaff wonder about just what is going on in her mind. And just maybe what, if anything, Iriisii may have said to her before coming in.

     He pays particular attention to what is said and who reacts in what way, maybe some clues to how to navigate this situation will be revealed. Iriisii climbs back into bed with Dettlaff and holds out her hand to Rigmor. Rigmor is still hesitant, and this begins to worry him. This is not like her at all. He watches as his other self places a hand on Iriisii's outstretched hand and draws it back, then he climbs out to sit on the edge of the bed.

     "You do not have to do this or anything if you are not comfortable with it. I can see you have misgivings and I will not press you on this. But will you not tell me what is in your mind and maybe I can bring peace to your misgivings."

     "There are still many old memories of the vampires that exist on Nirn. They are the cause of much pain and misfortune. It is difficult to let go of them, even knowing your origin is very much different from theirs."

     "Different and yet similar as well. You do not have the need for blood as we do without falling to the temptations of superiority that your vampires have. We have episodes in our past just as...difficult, as they have had. In some ways, ours may have been worse, because we did not have a 'Molag Bal' driving us to these actions, but rather our own base natures.

     But that also means we are not chained to those needs, we can rise above, learn control, and learn accommodation. We do not have to allow those needs to control us, and so we can then focus on the benefits."

     "Benefits?"

     "We have an almost immortal life span barring accidents and direct action against us. To those of us who are old enough, even accidents can be overcome with time. Also, our emotions are stronger, yes, they require us to reign them, but that does nothing to lessen their intensity. Please understand, that I am not trying to sell you on becoming as we are. You have your own life, desires, acquired power."

     "Then what are you trying to do?"

     "You are curious and have seen what can occur between Iriisii and me when we share blood. Part of you wants to experience this, part of you is afraid of where it might lead to, and part of you remembers what the 'Mother of the Cosmos' said to Iriisii and me regarding the sharing of blood."

     "I know, and I am not Aasimar, so why should that make a difference to me? Because you are a goddess in your own right, and although the effects would not be the same as they are with Iriisii, there would still be effects. I, however, do not know just what they would be, and I am certain this is where a lot of your misgiving comes from. I do not blame you in the least for them."

     "So how do we get around this?"

     "I think one way would be for you to be between us, when Iriisii and I get to where we share blood, then you would also experience the effects of the energy ribbons without having to share blood. But I do not know how even that would affect you. It would have to be done carefully and if things went awry, we would have to be able to get you out of their area of effect.

     None of us want to change you in any way, and that must be our primary concern. So If you wish to go ahead, we must take it slow and build trust between us."

     Aloi and Dettlaff skip ahead to the next branch point. The location has not changed nor the cast of characters, but what is happening has most definitely changed. The trio is heavily engaged in a romantic activity. Rigmor is between Iriisii and Dettlaff, facing Dettlaff, who is doing his best to please Rigmor, listening to her breathing, her heartbeat, gauging his actions to keep her reactions slowly rising.

     Iriisii is enjoying this as well, her hands moving from one to the other, playing on both of them like they were fine, stringed instruments. Then Rigmor gasps as she leaps off from yet another mountain peak, Iriisii moves a wrist to Dettlaff's mouth and his teeth clamp down on it even as she takes the closest of his and does the same. As their blood flows and mingles in each other's bodies, the energy ribbons begin to form around the three of them.

     Rigmor feels it and her senses expand to feel what Iriisii and Dettlaff feel, what Iriisii feels spooning herself against Rigmor's back, her free hand around Rigmor's waist sliding up to cup a small but firm and aroused breast. She feels what Dettlaff is doing from both her perspective and from his. The combination sending her soaring higher than she has ever been before, she thinks, 'this is what it feels like for a man!?' 

     Then she feels him shudder, and the convulsing of his pelvic muscles. It then dawns on her what she is feeling from him, and it all comes together to send her mind reeling, with nothing but erotic instinct still functioning within her mind. She acts with nothing but erotic impulse now, as she arches her back and drives forward sinking her teeth into his chest just below his shoulder.

     The action catapults through the three of them, not one realizing what has happened until Rigmor changes. The energy ribbons all seem to be drawn into her, pooling themselves in her body. And Rigmor is 'Rigmor' no longer, what she has become is a primal force. The primal force from which all succubi and incubi are descended. A primal force returned to this Reality by her directly taking blood from Dettlaff, while the energy ribbons from Iriisii's and Dettlaff's sharing were coursing through her.

     This is what the Mother's warning was about, and now not even the Mother has the power to return this 'demoness' back into the hell that first spawned her, for she has forged unbreakable links into the power of both Iriisii and Dettlaff. And now it is time to remake everything into her private playground.

     Aloi and Dettlaff back away from this scene, lest she is able to sense them and drag them into her grasp.

     "If this is what will happen, better that I leave as painful as it will be."

     "Wait, there is one branch, back at the beginning, a small one, not a crux, but possibly important."

     Dettlaff, sighs, "if you think it is worth looking into then let us get about it. I do not think I could take another like that last one."

     They go back to the time the three of them were arranging themselves. This time the change is a simple one, but perhaps with very different consequences. This time Rigmor faces Iriiisii, with Dettlaff against her back. As the events move forward, and so much still looks the same as the other, he prepares for what might be.

     But the moment comes and goes, without the horrible change that occurred. Instead, they fall asleep in each other's arms, until later Dettlaff separates himself, dresses, and goes out to the observation deck to gaze at the stars as they gaze back at him. He does not try to keep track of time while out there, and he feels a gentle arm slip around his waist, and a dark-haired head cradle against his chest.

     He takes an arm and places it across her shoulders, and they stand together staring out at the vast expanse of space and stars. He draws her close to him and whispers, "I'm sorry, I did not mean to...", just as she places a single finger across his lips, "shhh, you did nothing wrong, in fact, you did everything right."

      "But I...".

      "Shhh, it is all right."

      "But what if..."

      "I may be, I may not be. We will find out soon enough. Do not worry about this, I certainly will not. In fact, I hope that I am and that it is a boy."

      "You wanted me to...?"

      "I have two girls now, and I want a boy. I can think of no finer father for a young boy to have than you."

      "I do not know what to say."

      Another set of arms enfolds them both, "then do not say anything, and let the moment speak for itself."

      And the three, or is it four now, look out over existence, and take in the wonder that it is.

     "I believe you have found what you sought, my 'son'."

     "You knew this was here did you not?"

     "Truly, no, I did not, I hoped that it was, yes. And hoped that we would find it. Not an easy path to navigate through, but the best ones never are."

     "How far ahead...no better I do not know that. It is enough to know that it is here, that it exists, and it is up to me to make my way to it."

     "Yes, but you will have help along the way. You have already come so far, with far less anticipation of what lay ahead. You will make it, I know that much. And you will be the better man and vampire for it. Let us go now and let them enjoy the moment they have earned."