SCENE VI

Where there is no law except that of fangs and claws.

Akasha prepared as much food as she could for them, and a moment later they were both sitting on the bed, enjoying the food.

"You know," the girl began after a moment, "I've noticed that you readily use the pentagram in many things and in many rituals. For what purpose? I thought you didn't need the protective power of this sign in this Sanctuary..."

"Not exactly. There are countless psi-vampires all over the world, and it's them we want to protect ourselves from above all else. It has both a protective power and a protective effect, to keep hostile forces out of this place. In our case, it has another function: the circle's purpose is to gather energy within it and evoke harmony... With the power of the pentagram on our side, we can feel safe.

" "Now I understand! Incredible.

" "Akasha, there's something else you need to know. Each of us already knows the thirteen principles that apply to all Vampires. Based on them, we can operate as a Community.

" "What do you mean?

" "The thirteen principles are a set of guidelines that will help you function effectively as a Vampire. The first is "Discretion." Don't hide from yourself, but don't reveal your nature to those who won't understand. The second principle is "Diversity." There are many people in our Community, with different personalities, but we cannot allow these minor differences to undermine our unity." This diversity should be our strength above all. The third principle is "Safety." Enjoy your nature, Akasha, but never do so in public. Consume away from others, and choose your Givers very carefully. Remember that the safety of the entire Community depends on the actions of its individual members. The fourth principle is "Control." We are not monsters, Akasha. It's true that the Beast lies within us, but we should use our dark side to empower us. Never let it completely control you. That would mean losing control and harming even those you love...

"When I don't love anyone."

Magnus looked at her sadly and set his plate aside.

"You're such a person, I find it hard to believe you don't have true friends."

"I had friends, if I can call them that. Because they never treated me like a friend anyway. They were always looking to exploit me, not help me. You know?" It seems to me that I was alone in a crowd of people...

"And that's what we vampires have in common. We can't deny our nature. We're not fully human, and hence our alienation from them, our desire for solitude and separateness.

" "Now that you mention it," she nodded thoughtfully, "I can recall images from the past with increasing precision.

" "That's what Awakening is all about, Akash. Your body, but especially your subconscious, are beginning to change. And your astral mind is remembering its true, previously dormant nature.

" "While we were waiting for the service to begin, I thought about whether I, too, would kill? Because it's always been said that vampires kill their victims, and if I am a vampire, that would mean that..."

"That's not quite right. We often don't need more than a small glass of blood, but there are those whose Hunger subsides only after a significant amount of blood. You have to beware of such vampires. They, over time, become very dangerous.

" "And me? What kind of Vampire am I?

" "We'll find out only during the next Hunt.

" "And if I turn out to be the Vampire who needs a lot of blood to satisfy their Hunger, will you then disown me?" Akasha asked.

"Don't even think that! I'm your Mentor, and whatever happens, you can always count on me. My role isn't just the Transference; now I have to guide you safely through the first few weeks of a Vampire's life. Only then will you be able to function normally, like Daniel.

" "And then will I be able to go outside too?

" "Do you miss that world?

" "Yes. I miss the wind, the birds, the plants... I think you understand.

" "Not really. I've never been attached to anything." I don't care about the world outside the walls of this Sanctuary, which is why I chose to live here. I only go out to Hunt at night. Night is our time, Akasha. I don't think you'd be happy to go out into the light after receiving my blood.

"So I'll never see the sun again?"

"No. Never again."

Akasha bowed her head, clutching her paper plate.

"Magnus, could we go outside for a moment? I think it's evening now, could we just for a moment..."

They walked for a long time, first passing through the dead garden where the girl had drawn water earlier, then reentering the narrow stone corridor lit only by a few torches, until at the end they reached the stairs. They were so narrow that two people could never walk up them side by side.

Magnus took one of the torches and smiled at the girl. Akasha smiled back, though at the same time she was afraid of what she would see outside.

They slowly began to climb the stairs, continuing until they reached a massive, circular stone hatch. Magnus handed her a torch, and he himself pressed down with all his might on the stone, which slowly rose vertically upward. Even on the stairs, Akasha caught the unique scent of blossoming trees. She smiled happily and quickly inserted the torch into a special hole in the wall, then stepped outside. She had to be careful not to hit her head on the stone, which was held in midair by rusty iron levers.

She didn't open her eyes immediately. Even the dim light of the full moon dazzled her after so long in near-total darkness. A gentle breeze carried the sweet scent of flowers. Akasha heard the rustle of trees above her and listened with delight.

"You can open your eyes now," Magnus said. "The moon had disappeared behind the clouds."

When Akasha followed his instructions, she realized she was standing in a clearing surrounded by high, steep hills, densely covered with beech forest. A sea of ​​grass swaying in the wind surrounded them, and somewhere nearby a tree must have been blooming, since it smelled so lovely. A

look of immense happiness washed over the girl's face. But it wasn't until the moon peeked out from behind the clouds again that she saw the true beauty of this valley. The dew gathered on the leaves of the grass and trees began to sparkle and shimmer. And all of this suddenly made Akasha feel as if she were in some enchanted fairy tale, standing in the midst of silvery, shimmering nature.

"Magnus!" she exclaimed, spinning around in a dance. "Magnus, just look how beautiful it is here!"

The boy smiled pityingly, completely unable to understand the girl's delight. After a moment, a delicate mist creeping lazily across the hilltops revealed the ancient ruins of a castle. Only one solitary tower remained among the remnants of defensive walls and houses. Time had taken its toll, and where life had once teemed, now only old birch trees leaned toward the ground grew, and moss covered the old tenement houses where people had once strolled.

"What magnificent ruins!" she whispered with delight. "Have you been there before?

" "There's nothing interesting there, Akasha.

" "Will you go there with me sometime?" she looked at him.

"Akasha, you won't need my help to go there. You're in no danger here as long as you don't leave this valley. Beyond those hills, right at their foot, lies the city.

" "Is it that close to the city?

" "Then you have to be careful. People often come here for mushroom picking or just to relax." This has its advantages and disadvantages, but overall, we have our peace here...

Akasha began to spin around to admire the magnificent view of the valley bathed in the silvery moonlight. Suddenly, however, she stopped and slowly approached the stone trapdoor, which, raised on special iron arms, was rising upwards.

She stopped beside it and gently brushed away tufts of dried grass and dirt.

"It's a pentagram. Am I right?

" "Yes," Magnus agreed, approaching her.

"You know? I think I know this entrance from somewhere..."

Suddenly, she had a strange sensation, as if she were floating above the valley, looking down on it. Suddenly, she noticed five hooded men leaning over the closed entrance to the Sanctuary and inserting their necklaces into special holes in the pentagram, allowing the entrance to open before them. Their solemn faces were illuminated by a faint light emanating from the dark tunnel beneath the stone. They slowly began to descend. When the last of them disappeared into the tunnel, the stone pentagram fell back into place with a soft clatter.

"I think I dreamed it once," she shook her head.

"Quite possible," Magnus agreed, having listened to her story. "Those ruins up there on the hill once belonged to a monastery. Centuries ago, many monks lived there. Until one day, they took in a woman who asked for their help. They agreed, and from then on, one man disappeared from their midst every night." This happened until one of the monks saw the mysterious woman in her chamber, sucking blood from an unconscious monk. At dawn, they decided to capture her, but she was no longer within the monastery walls. She escaped with the Children she had led to Awakening. She also decided to create an underground Sanctuary near the monastery, so she could live there in peace. It was the monks who built our temple, and the woman who brought it all about, according to our legends, was the vessel into which Lillith poured her power and will...

Akasha looked at the ruins bathed in moonlight and smiled to herself.

"So this vision wasn't just a dream. I saw the monks returning to their home, the Sanctuary.

" "You have a rare gift, Akasha. You should make the most of it.

" "Let's go back, shall we?" she suggested, as it began to get really cold.

After a moment, they both began to slowly return inside. The stone pentagram behind them slowly fell back into place, sealing the entrance against evil and unwanted forces.

In Magnus's chamber, Akasha immediately ran to the fireplace, where a fire was burning, and stretched her numb hands towards its warmth.

"Magnus?" she asked the boy, who was just sitting on the bed. "Will I be able to go to my apartment? I'd like to grab some of my clothes and souvenirs from there.

" "That won't be necessary. After all, your initiation will only last three weeks, not all of it anyway. Then you can go back to your place. You'll be fine, just like Daniel and the rest of the Community.

" "I don't understand... I thought..."

"I haven't revealed some of our rules to you yet, Akasha. One of them is 'Lifestyle'. We are vampires, but that doesn't absolve us of our obligation to participate in reality. We shouldn't cut ourselves off from it completely. We must live lives like others, to create a better world for ourselves.

" "But I still don't understand. What about you, then?"

Magnus sat back in the bed, the candlelight gently reflecting off his face, outlining his sharp, yet somehow distant, features.

"You see... In every Community, there must also be a person who will properly care for the Sanctuary and ensure its safety. I agreed to this form of my duties because, as I told you, I don't want to live in that world. I never did. This trait, the desire for alienation and loneliness, is so deeply ingrained in me that I can't live any other way.

" "You said that many people can't stand being a vampire. What if I can't stand it either?

" "You're coping very well so far." Perhaps it's because you don't yet fully realize how great a change has taken place in your life, but that's okay. The longer you acclimate yourself and understand the consequences of the Initiation, the better for you.

"He was here shortly before the mass in honor of Lillith, Muroni.

" "Interesting. He hasn't shown up in a while.

" "He told me they were waiting for my blood. Because it's fresh and will give them new strength.

" "That's right. All blood contains the power and energy that vampires need to function properly. Blood is our life nectar. You already know what a fantastic feeling it is when, after drinking this nectar of the gods, you can surrender completely to your senses. Do you feel as free and full of life as I do?

" "Yes," she nodded. "It's as if I were being born again.

" "That's part of what vampirism is. We simply have to gain the energy we lose during the day." We rely on Givers, who pass this energy on to us in its purest form, namely blood. However, there are also vampires who immediately absorb the psychic energy of others. Daniel is a Psi-vampire. His existence is much simpler than ours. He doesn't need Givers. Psi-vampires can tap into any source of life they encounter and feed on it through sheer force of imagination and will, provided it isn't contained within a body impenetrable by the magic of a talisman or a formwave shield.

"Are there also talismans used against Bloodsuckers?"

Akasha sat with her back to the fire and looked at him, waiting for an answer.

"Yes," he thought for a moment, then smiled to himself. "Common knowledge. I mean, garlic, a crucifix, and daylight.

" "Silver too, right?"

"Yes, but as long as he doesn't stay inside you for too long and the wound isn't fatal, nothing serious should happen to you.

" "And did Daniel ever draw psychic energy from you?

" "I only know that at first he did it because he needed mature energy. Along with the energy of initiated, wise, and stable people, you partially absorb their power and character traits. And since I'm his Mentor, he took it from me. I could have protected myself from him with the Shield, but I didn't see the need. Daniel can handle himself now. It'll be the same with you.

" "I don't know... this all seems strange and alien, as if you were talking about something that didn't concern me."

"It's temporary. You'll get used to it..."

Suddenly they heard voices echoing against the high walls of the stone chambers. Magnus paused, listening for a moment, then wordlessly stood up and moved toward the door. Akasha had no intention of being left alone, so she ran after him. After a few moments, they found themselves on a balcony with stone balustrades and looked down.

Akasha's eyes were met with a rather unusual sight. Seven exceptionally tall men stood below. They wore black shrouds, but beneath them protruded powerful, though black, angelic wings. Their faces were gentle and kind. Their hair colors, however, were not uniform; there were both blonds and brunettes among them.

When they saw them, one of them smiled at Magnus and waved friendly.

"I hope we didn't wake you, brother.

" "As if vampires slept at night." Magnus raised his hand and began descending the winding stairs to the Temple. "You haven't been here in a while, Astharot.

" "Forgive me, but I had some business."

"Oh yes? But you haven't found any prettier girls yet, have you?"

All the angels gathered below laughed.

"What else? There aren't prettier vampires in the entire area," one of them smiled.

Akasha watched them curiously. She had no doubt that the men Magnus was talking to were fallen angels. They weren't human. It was evident in their entire physiques, magnificent, filled with pride and power. Vampires were far more human than vampires, though certainly similar to angels in some ways. In Astharot's eyes, she saw the same thing she'd so often seen in Magnus. She wasn't sure, but it seemed to lurk deep within them: sadness, regret, and a longing for something unattainable. Although these feelings weren't often visible, and they rarely allowed themselves to speak of their feelings, if you were a good observer, you could still see them.

"Are you alone? Perhaps someone else will come?

" "We'd like to stay the night and set out again tomorrow at dusk. A few more will join us. I hope you won't mind."

"Of course! Our Sanctuary is always open to you. You can come anytime."

Astharot offered his hand to Magnus, and the two of them embraced, roughly at the elbow, greeting each other in this way.

Suddenly, they heard male voices again, coming from behind the door through which the Community had recently entered. This time, seventeen fallen angels arrived, as handsome and beautiful as those Akasha had already observed.

"Hello, hello!" An angel with long, black, but straight hair approached Magnus and gave him a warm hug. "How's life, friend?

" "The same as always. It's wonderful that you've been reminded of our Temple again, Dagon.

" "Don't exaggerate! We're always happy to come back here." In the real world, which has so completely lost everything its ancestors possessed, it is difficult for ancient beings like us and you to exist." Dagon placed his large hand on his shoulder and smiled softly. "Fortunately, there are still places where power and energy flow, where the pure magic of the Earth can still be felt.

" "Welcome home." Magnus bowed to them, but the angels also bowed low to him.

Akasha was surprised by their behavior. They must have had a great mutual respect for each other, one she so rarely saw outside the walls of this Temple. She liked it; their respect for each other, their friendship, and the warmth they shared were something new to her.

"I have wonderful news for you! A new person has joined our Community," Magnus said, leading them up the mountain.

The girl was so surprised that she didn't even move, but stood leaning against a column hidden in its shadow.

"Could it be that after so many years, someone has finally proven worthy of receiving your gift?" "Are you sure ?" asked one of the angels.

"That's right. Besides, she has an extraordinary power to return to the past in dreams. She'll probably be very useful to us in reconstructing what happened?" Then they stopped on the balcony, and Magnus extended his hand to the girl in a friendly gesture.

Frightened and intimidated by the presence of the fallen angels, Akasha took a deep breath and stepped out of the shadows. She paused for a moment in the torchlight, her gaze sweeping over the angels' extraordinary and otherworldly faces, then quickly approached Magnus, clasping his hand.

"Indeed. She has an extraordinary Energy Signature," said Astharot. "And she's also very shy...

" "But we'll change that!" one of them said.

"Please," Magnus suddenly frowned. "If you could just leave her alone, I'd be obliged.

" "Do you care about her?" asked Dagon as they set off down the dark corridor to the Angels' chambers.

"In a way," he looked at the girl walking beside them, "She's my Child."

"I know, I know, but I don't mean it."

"I've never gotten attached to anything," Magnus said nervously. "It won't be any different now."

Suddenly, one of the other angels approached them.

"Magnus, we'll find the wine and bread where we always have them, right?

" "Of course. Help yourselves as much as you like. I'll join you in a moment."

When the fallen angels entered a chamber near their room, Magnus looked at Akasha.

"Do you want to eat with us, or are you going to bed?

" "I'd rather go to sleep. If you let me.

" "As you wish. But remember, you can't avoid contact with them. They're so talkative that you'll definitely have to deal with them more than once.

" "I understand. For now, I'd rather sleep."

Magnus smiled in agreement and entered the chamber, which was filled with cheerful chatter. Akasha, left alone in the stone corridor, hurried into their chamber, closed the door behind her, undressed, and went to bed...