Chapter 1 The Awakening

The Awakening

Opening Scene: A Funeral in the City of Divination

A dense, chilly fog hugged the tombstones tightly and swirled aimlessly in the night air. As if seeking to capture some parts of history, glowing skyscrapers encircled the City of Divination and illuminated the remnants of something long gone buried underneath, a forgotten behemoth.

Heaving with tiredness, Cameron Bowen blended into the few other attendees that had to mourn. Elaine Bowen, his mother, had no daughter or relatives from Cameron's side. Hence, his 'small' view was accurate. He was forced to witness her remain abandoned even in death, caving into the harsh truths buried deep inside his soul.

As the priest reverently recited the last prayers, Cameron paid no attention. He was in a daze, eyes fixated somewhere in the middle distance. His mother had been unwell for a long time, but her passing was jarring in its abruptness. Grief had muted him, but a lingering whisper inside begged him to feel the harsh reality of it all, as if telling him there was more beneath the surface.

A chill wind brushed through the trees, bringing the aroma of wet soil along with an inexplicably faint metallic scent that reminded him of blood. The cemetery felt devoid of life, apart from a feeble number of mourners. His soul shivered and tightened his jaw. Pricklings of feeling judged from a distance pulled at his nerves; still, he could see the gates were bare.

Tightly gripping the bushy scarlet rose in hand, his fingers slowly engulfed the petals around the stem and put it on the tombstone.

""What's the point?" A shadow of a smile danced on his face, but his gaze suggested the emptiness was too deep Even now, this remained unexplained. "I don't even know who I am anymore" as he concluded his sentence, it felt like the air kept crashing at him.

He walked out...so quiet one could hear the crunching underfoot, ablaze with emotion. Attendees followed in succession. One after another, their footsteps were lost underneath the gravel. Cameron stayed there, agonizingly staring at the surface and longing for the feeling the emptiness couldn't give him. Then slowly the world turned deep and empty.

He was looking everywhere but all his eyes could gaze upon was the grave. A sound which did not exist, a breath that was never taken. Silently the mist around him grew thicker, spiraling chaotically until the street lamps stationed post past the fence turned soft. It wasn't much, but the nagging ache that went hollow needed an ounce of warmth. As his heart accelerated with each beat he tried to move swiftly but all he could sweat out was a feeble spin. The profound silence within opened up to a chorus outside.

Someone was there.

Cut to: A Predator in the Shadows

A distant watcher stood at the edge of a close street alley as he kept surveillance on him.

Darius stood unmoving as a Sky Lax vampire beneath the night's shadows while his ominous eyes burned with fiery intensity. This particular moment had been his long-awaited opportunity. The Syndicate performed endless searches for Cameron Bowen because he maintained the bloodline the organisation had thought they had wiped out. The person did not know that he contained dormant capabilities inside him.

Darius permitted his predatory grin to remain across his face as he stared at Cameron.

"He's the one," he murmured.

His motion crossed the floor with a surreal elegance. His long coat trailed behind him and his movement produced an almost invisible sound. At the cemetery entrance Cameron stood preoccupied while Darius anticipated his attack without much effort.

Darius lunged.

Cameron's instincts kicked in at that moment and his surroundings grew awfully quiet while an inner voice revealed the impending attack. Time was short enough for Cameron to turn his body when Darius reached him.

The strength of his heartbeat caused Cameron to stumble. The figure's supernatural speed movement caught him off guard so he had no moment to analyse this unnatural movement. Under the dim moonlight Darius displayed his fangs as he stretched his fingers like claws toward Cameron.

Intervention: The Arrival of Apollos

The environmental atmosphere remained heavy with intense tension during that night. Electric city lights created disfigured blinks in the fog as the reality seemed to pause for breath. Cameron experienced a violent pounding in his rib cage as he struggled to inhale between deep shock and intense terror.

Darius moved impossibly fast. A node of shadows transformed into a spry figure when he launched his billowing coat toward the air while revealing molten-gold glinting eyes and bared fangs for wickedness.

Panicked and defenceless Cameron prepared to be struck by the looming threat.

He encountered an abrupt force that cut into the empty space which separated them.

CRACK.

A sharp noise of collision spread throughout the deserted street with power that matched the sound of gunshots. Darius flew uncontrollably backward from the blow before his body crashed into the pavement in a twisted position. An agonising sound escaped his throat when he slid along the pavement for several feet before ending his roll with his knee scraping the ground.

Cameron had no time to comprehend what occurred before another person entered the dim light.

A man advanced from the shadows carrying an impressive composure of an older man. A gust of wind moved his heavy coat and several streaks of silver hair reflected the scarce illumination from the streetlamps. The old man's aged features revealed nothing except a profound tranquilly.

Apollos.

The air carried his name like a magical storey told quietly from person to person.

Cameron didn't know him. The way he carried himself and stood revealed an uncommon quality of this person.

A gasp escaped Darius' lungs as he used his shoulder muscle movements to discard his agony. Standing at his elevated height he observed his new challenger while his eyes compressed in a threatening manner.

Your sentinels continue with your unauthorised assignments? Apollos spoke softly but his words spread over the air with thunderous force.

Darius dropped his upper lip into a mocking expression. He spat the name as he cleaned away the droplet of dark blood that leaked from his mouth. Your intrusion into this situation shows your improper involvement.

Apollos remained unfazed. The movement of his feet was deliberate as he stalked closer leaving his coat to flow behind him as a dark shadow. The area I choose to be standing in exactly marks my position of belonging. His eyes moved quickly to Cameron before returning their stare at Darius. Your attempt to touch him will stop because it is my strict decision.

A low laugh emerged from Darius that seemed to hide his underlying sense of pleasure. "You're too late." He fixed his eyes on Cameron with an intimidating gaze while slightly angling his head toward him. Darius looks at him with predatory intent as he continues to taunt him about his lack of knowledge regarding his existence. This fight is already over."

A freezing feeling surged through Cameron's stomach.

What he is?

Apollos took a quiet breath while his head moved in a no motion. Apollos shook his head while he spoke to Darius with "You always speak too much."

Then, he moved.

A quick movement of Apollos' wrist revealed his concealed blade which emerged sharp and silver from his sleeve. The silver blade reflected sunlight only briefly right before Apollos launched himself into movement.

Before Apollos threw his first strike Cameron managed to detect only his fleeting movement.

Darius exhibited a startled reaction when he escaped by moving to his side just before the blade struck his throat. A sharp crush of claws from Apollos led him to dodge with unnatural accuracy against Darius who hissed in frustration.

Then came the next strike.

Fangs met steel.

The street transformed into an active war zone where swift motions and sharp metal-shod strikes on non-human bodies dominated the atmosphere. Apollos carried out his strikes fast with deliberate precision. From his body to his swordblade he felt a complete connexion as it moved in smooth loops while searching for the fatal strike.

Darius, however, was no amateur. Agility matched only by his incredible speed made his movements similar to a serpent in aerial flight. Shadow movements with stark reflexes allowed the creature to navigate through Apollos' blade strikes.

Cameron pushed his body backward as he strained to follow the combat taking place in front of him. It was surreal impossible. From the beginning of human existence the world maintained its unfeeling nature. But this? This was something else entirely.

A nightmare made real.

Darius attacked with his claws extended but Apollos evaded the assault at the final moment grabbing Darius's wrist. The vampire lost control of his arm when Apollos deftly sliced it backward through a malicious twist.

A loud disintegrating noise spread throughout the air.

A sound of fury escaped Darius and he fought to escape as his snapping hand thrust toward Apollos' throat.

A gap of movement allowed Apollos to drop his guard as Darius careened toward him and his own energy knocked him upside down.

Apollos made a single fluid movements to carry out his blade rotation. After glinting in the dim light the silver blade punctured Darius' burning side.

A gasping breath escaped Darius' lips because he faced a surge of pain and fury in his eyes.

The street remained without noise for one heartbeat.

Then, a twisted grin spread across Darius' face. The old man spoke with a rough voice while showing his fangs.

Apollos narrowed his eyes. "You talk too much."

At the sudden movement Darius ripped his body loose from the blade and dark blood spread across the pavement. His body emitted a faint glow while his body boundaries shifted and faded from view because darkness was consuming him.

Before Darius vanished Cameron only had time to register the situation.

The atmosphere cleared as the heavy mood surrounding him faded into nothing.

His final words seemed to occupy his mind more than his sudden departure.

Your protection of him will eventually come to an end said his voice from the darkness.

Then, nothing.

Apollos paused with his sword resting in his hands while he checked the shadows to ensure that the vampire Darius would not return. When he made sure the vampire disappeared, he removed his sword slowly and cleaned its blade before putting it safely away.

Cameron's breath was ragged. His heartbeat throbbed through his chest and made him look at Apollos while he watched the pavement blood stain along with the unbelievable sword fight that recently occurred.

This wasn't real.

It couldn't be real.

The truth was embedded within his body despite his denial.

His existence had just experienced a very huge transformation.