Chapter 01: When Senses Fail

Tall shadows drape the land as the sun continues its course west towards the horizon. For months now the land has been blighted and the weather bleak, perhaps to mimic the lack of life that once filled this part of the country. Life -- or rather, un-life -- used to flourish here. It was a haven for creatures of the night, a place to call home. But not now. For now it is only a place of shadows, silence and death.

Moving from available shadow to available shadow, a lone figure limps towards the crest of the hill. An age-worn walkway marks the trail, although the vampire doesn't dare follow it directly, for he must remain covered until the night begins.  Normally the sun has little affect on Vlad, but in his current state, any exposure would steal what little strength he has left.

His left eye socket is empty, just one of the reminders of his battles in eastern Europe. Even after several years, he's not been able to regain enough strength to regenerate the eye. Most of his skin has healed from black to a deep brown, much like it once looked after a long summer working in the fields, back when he was human. The pain is subsiding, too, and the only solace is the fact that he now looks more human than he ever has since he was turned.  Most helpful during the trip home -- more often than he can count. But still there are scars and scattered patches of blackened skin that have refused to heal.

For the longest time, he had sensed nothing from this place. Vlad simply attributed it to his weakened state, but as he limped farther up the hill, he finally realized why. 

The Black Raven Inn was gone.

All that remained were scattered remants of the once-rustic Inn: bricks, mortar and wood. Many of the surrounding trees were scorched as well, and in the encroaching moonlight, Vlad saw a body.  Battered and broken, it was definitely human, and in an advanced state of decay. All of a sudden, a rush of sensation hit Vlad like a tidal wave, and he fell to the ground screaming.

The pain soon subsided and he was able to crawl on hands and knees to what was once the front door of the Inn. Bracing against the door frame, he propped himself up and scanned the inside for movement, life -- anything. All he saw was more destruction, more bodies.  Tears welled in his eye as he saw a shirt without form, dust trailing from the sleeve. A vampire had also died here. 

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. 

After hours of searching through the rubble, Vlad determined at least twelve humans and six vampires had perished here.  Chances are some had been his good friends, but with failing senses, he had no idea who they might be.  Any one of the humans could even be Renfield, God forbid. 

Panic struck as he saw light beginning to appear in the east.  Normally he would have sensed the approach of daylight well before the event, but not in this state.

He was too tired to dig a shallow grave to cover himself. His body ached. "Maybe on this day I'll see my final sunrise," Vlad said.

Then his survival instinct kicked in.  Feverishly scanning the area, the only structure still standing was the grand old hearth and fireplace. He remembered building that fireplace, so many years ago.  Crawling inside, the structure just barely offered enough protection from the sun. As he drifted off to sleep, his thoughts were of his dead friends scattered around the Inn, and the humans who caused the destruction. 

It would be so easy to crawl out and join them. But not on this day. No, he still had a few things left to do before his final sunrise.

A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
To everything
There is a season
And a time for every purpose, under heaven
-- the Byrds, "Turn Turn Turn"