Chapter 4 The First Born Son

Time is swift and cunning, time is boundless- Unknown

The sky outside was black and dark, no one could tell this more than he who knew the dark, as he watched people gorge themselves on sweets and treats, on happiness and joy he had to smile. It was funny that they could adapt so quickly, the world had taken over half a century to forget the Decay and all that had come before and after it. The Fae were oblivious to those days, when the world had been teeming with men of race and colour,they had only come to earth when it fancied them. But it was the men that occupied this earth forgetting that surprised him, they had forgotten when men had fought themselves at the tiniest provocation. When they had spilled their brother's blood for no reason than to own his position and destroyed the planet they occupied with no thought to how it would affect the worlds around them. He had not forgotten, some days he wished he had, then the unbearable loop of memories would not linger in his head rent-free. Five hundred and thirty years he had graced this world hiding, reclusive, watching as the world had slowly built itself. As his children had waded through that world making their own immortal children.

Now he was here and he wondered if maybe he should have borne his gift alone,and left the world with one less species.

The people filled the streets fae, mutant, werewolf,human,always the bottom of the food chain an amusing thing, the world had made a home and though not all of it was accepting, because it never really is it was at least tolerable.

He turned away but paused when he scented his kind, young, impulsive barely thirty. But it was his mind that drew him in, the reckless shattered mind of a killer. He reached for the being and once he had located him was on the move. Bumping into men and women he had never wished more to see less of men. The creature of his own design seemed to plunge ahead and stalk his prey with single minded focus. He felt it when the prey was caught, the satisfaction of the kill, the ambrosia like taste of blood as it rushed into his mouth,his disjointed thoughts of how powerful he felt if only he could find more and a last random thought of a woman

' Eloise my red riding hood'. Pushing forward he paused when he was jostled loosing concerntration and by the time he clawed it back the killer was gone fading into the night but there was one more he felt, what was left of his damned soul sang

" Father, what are you doing here" a voice called on the wind

" I am here for you, but it seems you have a problem my Beau" he answered

" I will come to you" he sent back and reached for the connection and bond he shared with his progeny,his son. The only true light of his meaningless existence.

He found his way through the crowd, bypassing people as he went, the scent of magic infused blood teased his nostrils, calling to him. He had not fed in days making the blood more tantalizing but he had a purpose so he ignored it probably an advantage of having lived so long. The further out of the city he walked ,the less people he encountered, the more the blood lust settled. He sent his thoughts

" You live secludedly that is quite a shame "

" I learned from the Father, " his son replied

" Your city is very beautiful and full" he said

" Yes Father, filled with humans and those of tasty magic blood exposed to young fledgling " he laughed

" Of course, " he arrived at a large black gate beyond it he could see white washed walls of a large house, a smile graced his lips it seemed his progeny had moved up in life from torn clothes and dilapidated buildings.

" Hey who are you" a voice called and he smiled

" I am here to see my son" he replied,there was a buzzing sound and a voice came through it

" Let him up Priest" the man , Priest an unusual name looked at him with suspicion even as he open the gate, greatly amused, he walked in he was having more fun in the few hours that he'd been here than in his whole life"

He was led to the house a quite unnecessary gesture but he allowed them pay him the courtsey and followed, he entered the large home his soul singing,they were many here, so many his children, some the children of his children and others the progeny of his cluster.

" Father" a voice called and he turned a smile stretching over his face

" Beauguard, my beloved " he said

" You haven't aged much" Beauguard said and he laughed

" Well I cannot say the same"

" That is an outright lie " he spluttered making him laugh

" You have done well for yourself,the intercom speaks testament to that" he offered and Beauguard smiled that soft smile that belied his confusing to praise

" I didn't do much of anything, I bring them here and they create as they long to do"

" But you give them a safe space to do so"

" How many are they" he asked

" We are not over a thousand, they are multiple spread over the ten cities of the world, Macadamia hold the second largest population" Beauguard said gesturing for him to walk with him. They walked together following the thinly lit corridor, he saw ancient painting that had once belonged in museums,it never ceased to suprise him how much of his former life he remembered,how much the world had forgotten. But as he walked this corridor his progeny beside him and over fifty vampyre around him he was forced to admit that maybe the old days were best left in the past.

" You have a rogue one here" he said quietly and received a nod

" I know, but he is elusive and strong, almost as strong as I am"

" That is only possible if he was made of the first cluster" he replied and his son nodded

" I agree but no one has made him, most of the first cluster is gone. Only you, Sara, Dae and Reia are left" he said softly. His heart saddened, of the twelve that had been made only four were left, the cluster had been his brotherhood up until what was termed the Great Disappointment among their kind.

" And you are sure none of them have made this one" he asked

" Of course we are sure, do you take us for fools" a voice feminine and coarse scoffed, he turned facing the stairs, his lips trembling in a smile and in suppressed tears

" You are here. Reia" she laughed coming down the stairs

" I have always been here brother it is you who left,but I see that now you return" she said coming to stand in front of him

" Welcome home Aeron " she whispered, the sound of his name on another's lips broke him, it seemed as if the whole of his damned soul crashed in on itself, he slid forward slowly looking at her memorizing the lines on her face as they had been over five hundred years ago

" You are well" he whispered and she smiled and pulled him into a hug

" I am well"

He burst into laughter holding her tighter closer as heaves of laughter poured out of him. He was Aeron of the first cluster, the father's first son and he was home.