CREED OF THE HOLY AND DAMNED



I felt a terrible thirst in my mouth and I saw Delgado as if he were a dream marching across the Alps of Italy surrounded by frost and elephants. Men from all over Africa were with him carrying all kinds of weapons. Then the words burned into my soul 'Hannibal'. Delgado was once a man in the army of Carthage as a warrior from his land. For fourteen long years he fought with the famous general Hannibal, until the end. I opened my eyes to see his face.

"I was so like you, my dear Kersten...a brave man who could die."

"Who made you this?" I asked, barely able to speak.

"A ancient power from Egypt, perhaps from the stars themselves."

"What's wrong with me? I feel so sick...I am so tired."

"It is your rebirth. You have been proven worthy to be one of us...one of the chosen."

"I see darkness. The light is getting closer." I said closing my eyes.

"Yes , I know. You will never reach that light."

"lt is so incredible...so beautiful. Is...is it God?" I said.

"I am not sure, we may never know." said Delgado

I felt my body tumble into a void. Then I felt a trickle of blood fall onto my lips. I was so thirsty that I reached up with my mouth and sucked on the dark pool of blood on the black flesh. Delgado moaned in pain and then in pleasure. I felt the blood pour between my lips and I loved the taste, the feel in my mouth, the heat. I yanked at his chest for more blood. His body was so weak at that moment, but I could not stop drinking. I saw the sword laying in the sand next to him. This was my chance to be free from his grasp and prove him wrong. I reached with all my might to grasp the weapon. Then I saw a light appear in my eyes like a ghost. The metal of the weapon seemed to come to life with strange reflections of pale light The weapon moved away from my fingers. No, this was not right. Delgado never saw any of it as he let more of his blood drip into my waiting mouth. I held onto the wound on his chest where he cut himself to feed me.

"Feel that...feel the world now part of you, Kersten." Delgado said as he caressed my hair.

"What is happening to me, I feel so strange." I said finally pulling away.

"You are awake to what the world really is, what it really means."

"My eyes can see the sky in patterns. I feel as though I've been drugged by some sweet potion."

"Yes, Kersten...you cannot leave me now. Never..."

"Never. Forever in this weird feeling." I was in a dream-like state, not realizing what had happened.

"You are one of them now, the chosen. I chose you for my own."

"I hate you...I love you. My father, my executioner."

"l am all that to you, dear Kersten, and more. I will let Delphane and Heserot go with your child." said Delgado.

"No, I can't leave them! I love them! I need them!" I pleaded.

"Tonight you have joined a new life, a new world. I am all you will ever need."

"Will you lock me up in the pit as well and have a man come to kill me?"

"No Kersten, that was all for you. A test to find a worthy soul."

"Tell me, it hurts so bad. What are you...tell me now."

"You are one of the damned, a creed of beings from the darkness."

"How can that be? You are so much more than the others."

"Yes, for each year we live we gain more with our spirit, we become more with every passing night."

"We are...immortal? Forever living...never aging..." I said as the shock began to invade my mind and tear at my heart.

"Yes, forever. Love and life never ends for us."