Authors Note: Yeah... I decided to rewrite this. Kudos go to Syvia for helping me beta this (or at least part of it), and just generally being there helping sort my ideas and listening to them. Thanks Syv.

Anything that looks like <"This,"> is what is said using the whisper ability, if it wasn't that clear in my writing.

Disclaimer: I, Ranmyaku, state that I do now own any part of Legacy of Kain, ect. I do, however, own my own original characters, and this story. Believe me, it's better this way.

As a fledgling, you were constantly learning and gaining some insight about your new existence, and how you would evolve in time like your elders and sire. One person that was particularly difficult to understand was Serin, the half vampire half human, a dhampire. The woman's actions occasionally confused Umah to no end. Serin had said that the odd mix of human and vampire blood that ran in her veins gave her strange perceptions of the world and affected her mind badly on occasion. Umah mused that it must be difficult for the dhampire to live in such an existence, with vampires and humans having such contrasting beliefs and lives, and not to have lost her sanity.

"Perhaps I have lost my sanity. I don't doubt that I have lost some...." The young vampiress jerked visibly out of her thoughts at the soft murmur from the object of her reverie.

The elders being able to peek into her thoughts was another aspect of being a creature of the night that Umah was going to have to adapt to. She would have to speak to her sire about learning to shield her thoughts. Watching the dhampire slowly walk towards the large window of the watch tower, Umah wondered what else was different for Serin, being of such mixed blood. Like how she even agreed to being part of this campaign against the humans at Kain's side. Doubting the fact that she would be able to learn it at all, the fledgling was mostly content to watch and wonder about the elder vampires (and the lone dhampire) around her.

The sound of a fist slamming down hard against the window sill caught Umah's attention and her attention again focused on Serin. She could not see the dhampire's face since her back was turned to her, stare outside of the window seemingly intent on the view. "What is it?" She asked, curious as she quietly moved to peer around Serin's shoulder, and gasped at the sight. "The Sarafan...."

At the edge of the city bounds of Freeport, Sarafan Knights where approaching fast, their intentions cruel for certain. Serin growled softly, her mind picking up on the battle tactics that she had used for the war against Nosgoth with Kain, already calculating ways to be rid of the Sarafan that were advancing against this vampire post, turned temporary haven for the survivors of the attacks against the main and secondary forces of the vampire army.

Coming to a grim conclusion, Serin dashed from the window, Umah still in slight shock from the sight. Jumping down the last few steps of the watch tower, the dhampire moved quickly passed the few vampires patrolling, even shoving one out of her way to get inside the actual vampire outpost itself. Almost tripping over some vampire's legs, Serin made it to the table where Vorador was looking over a map Nosgoth, marked with the areas taken over by both the Sarafan and the Vampires.

"Vorador... We have a problem." Serin panted out, ignoring the stares of the other vampires in the room.

"What is it Serin, I am a bit busy after all."

"The Sarafan are advancing on the city. They're probably entering the city by now."

"But there has been nothing from the scouts."

"Then something has obviously happened to the scouts since I just saw the Sarafan on the city outskirts!" Serin resisted the urge to growl in frustration, her fangs partly bared in annoyance. "We simply don't have the forces to compete with the Sarafan," She waved a hand absently at the vampires scattered about the room, her attention focused on Vorador. "There are few of the older vampires left, and fledgling who have scarcely seen any sort of open combat with the enemy. Do you see where I'm getting at Vorador?"

The elder vampire looked the halfling calmly, his eyes closing in consideration of her words, understanding her meaning almost perfectly. Had not so many of the higher level lieutenants of the vampire army not defected to the other side, and made their views clear on what they thought of Kain's command, and they weren't so few, the total number of vampires barely numbering over a 100, compared to the +400 there were, he might have objected.

"Yes, I do. This place is to hard to defend properly, it's far to open for any sort of combat."

"It would be best to head back to your mansion in the swamp, it would be the best place to stay until anything else can be decided upon. If we're lucky they haven't surrounded the city yet, and there is a better change to escape then the docks. You begin to evacuate the vampires here, I'll alert the ones patrolling the city." Despite the fact that Serin was younger, and wasn't a even full vampire, Vorador heeded her words, nodding, and set about his task. The dhampire grabbed her spear that was resting against on of the walls, discarded in a moment of exhaustion, and dashed out the door once again to deed, ignoring the other vampires that where already now beginning to pack up and leave.

Alden watched Ezra calmly lean against the counter, jet black hair almost falling over one golden eye. It wasn't that he minded his brother's company, there was just something odd about his behavior that he just couldn't pin point. It was just an nagging feeling at the back of his mind that kept pestering, almost like a warning that he couldn't ignore. Absently, Alden pushed back some of his long dark hair behind his tapered ear, trying to figure out the enigma that his brother could be.

“Something bothering you Alden?” Ezra inclined his head to peer at his twin, grinning almost lopsidedly, but there was genuine concern in his voice.

“Perhaps there is, but I'm not completely sure what to make of it.” Alden nodded in slightly, still uncertain, but said nothing, preferring to bask in the comfortable silence between them for the moment.

“Hey Ezra.... Any particular reason why you're here, instead of resting like Cyrus told you to be doing?” Alden cast his gaze to where a brutal injury that Ezra had received in the raid against the Sarafan Keep. The small cuts had already healed, but that large, and rather deep gash in his shoulder would take a while longer to finish healing. Thankfully, Cyrus’ expertise in all sorts of clerical magic and healing took away the pain with ease, and carefully bandaged Ezra's wound.

“What? I'm mending fine. I'm not allowed to visit my brother, who thankfully doesn't treat me like some mindless fledgling, even if Hess on duty for the remnants of the vampire army?”

“I suppose not...” Alden had been requested to watch over Serin's brother Rufus, and had been rather accommodating to do so for the dhampire. He also didn't mind if his brother was keeping him company for a while. Alden didn't mind overseeing Rufus anyway, the human actually rather nice once he got over his ingrained fear of a person that hunted down and killed his kind for survival. Besides, it gave Alden some insight on how his brother Ezra felt taking care of him after he took on the role of an elder brother.

<“The Sarafan have entered the port! All vampires evacuate the city through the passage to the north as quickly as possible! I repeat, the Sarafan have entered the city, every vampire evacuate!”> The warning echoed in each of their minds, reaching them through the whisper, causing different degrees of alarm in the twins.

Ezra followed Alden, as he made his way to one of the windows, and followed his brother's gaze, seeing a few Sarafan trained guards making their way down the street, possessing of the single minded focus of a hunter's dog, sniffing out their prey. “We had better got out of here, brother. We're of little use to anyone if we get captured and killed." Alden hesitated, unsure, because of the task Serin had requested of him this night, to watch over her younger brother, and that was what he intended to do.
“Alden, the Sarafan are after we vampires, not humans so it is doubtful they will harm anyone other then the creatures of the night fleeing the city, which is what we should be doing as well. And Serin would probably check up on him before she leaves as well, so let's go!”

Reluctantly, Alden nodded in agreement, at least seeing the sense in his brother's words. The Sarafan did have no reason to harm a sleeping human in his bed, when they were after the vampires in their refuge here in Freeport. “There's a back door leading into the alley. We can use that to make our way to the north of the city, without being spotted on the main streets.”

Silently accepting the option, the pair of vampires made their way to the back of the house, and into the alleyway. “North should be this way. Let's go.” Alden turned to his left, sure of the direction he was heading, not even bothering to make sure Ezra was following, since he was sure was. Pain shot through the back his head, his vision swam, and the last thing Alden saw was the ground rushing up to meet him as he passed out.

Tossing the discarded piece of lumber that Ezra had used as a makeshift club, he stared down at the prone body of his brother, shame trying hard to overtake him, but his resolve refused to waver in the least. Nothing was going to stop him from finishing his own task. not even a fleeting emotion of remorse.

A trio of Sarafan knights entered the alley and rushed towards him, their battle cry of “Kill the demons!” echoing in the passage. The only conscious vampire there, rolled his eyes, and turned to face them, refusing to even act like he was going to run away from them. The closest one tried to slash at him with his sword, but the vampire easily blocked it and hissed “I'm Ezra you fools!”

Realization flickered through the Knight and he slowly withdrew his weapon. He having not been this close to a vampire without attack or killing it without a second thought, but be was not about to disobey order of the Sarafan Lord. “So you are the vampire we are supposed to..... spare?” The last word was difficult to say; the thought of actually letting one of these creatures survive and assist their lord was just unthinkable to the Knight.

“Yes, yes. Now, before I continue, I want to make sure my.... friend here is safe. He is to become one of his, in time.” With inhuman speed, Ezra grasped that nearest knight by the front of his armor, the glyphs glowing with its own unnatural light in the darkness. The vampire growled, baring his sharp incisors, causing the other knights to settle themselves into an attacking stance, ready to spring into action if need be. “If I hear he has been injured or harmed in anyway, I’ll have all of your heads on pikes. Do you understand me?”

Seeing the meaningful glance the vampire casted the other two Sarafan Knights, fear gripping them, the nodded their consent. Releasing the Knight unworried, Ezra watched them sheath their swords and begin to carry his brother off towards the camp just outside Freeport. He still had work to do.

Rufus had been sleeping peacefully in his bed, too exhausted to even care about thinking about the plight of the vampires his sister had been assisting for years and years now. All he concerned himself with were his weapons making and the welfare of his sister, who was putting her life on the line helping the same creatures that had killed their mother, but since he was asleep, nothing else but continuing that rest really mattered at the moment.

Alas, fate had decided not to be that kind to him, and the weapon smith found himself being shaken away, by someone unfamiliar. "Go'way.... Lemme sleeeeeep....." Rufus batted irritable at the person who dared to disturb him, and rolled over on his side, refusing to give the person an satisfaction in waking him up. Drifting back into a state of sleep, he faintly heard a animalistic growl, which woke him up pretty fast. Living among vampires taught him to be wary of any sort of growling. Sufficiently freaked out, Rufus bolted upright in bed, and looked around wildly, and only relaxed minutely when he noticed it was Ezra standing next to his bed, looking rather annoyed.

"Good reflexes. I was about 3 seconds from hauling out of your bed in your nightclothes and dumping you outside in the cold." From the look the older of the vampire twins, he was unsure whether not or the vampire would actually do something like that or not, even with the threat of his sister's wrath.

"Now that you have my attention, is there any particular reason why you decided to wake me in the middle of the night when the sane humans are in bed and the vampires prowl outside?" Rufus was just as annoyed as the vampire, which was made only worse by the fact that he was still tired.

"Actually there is. The Sarafan have entered the city and are probably searching and killing vampires already. Alden went to go see if could be of any help, and I'm here to help get you out of the city. There are some rumors going around that the Sarafan want to use you against your sister, since they are so dead set on destroy any sort of organized vampire army or opposition against them. Get dressed, we'll have to leave quickly." Ezra stepped out of the room and, Rufus assumed was standing near the door, guarding. There had been similar situations like this when he had been traveling with the vampire army a few years ago, and thankfully he hadn't been the only human accompanying them. The others were mostly slaves or servants, or even worse, just food for the vampires. It had definitely taken some getting used to the vampire's blood lust, considering it took years for him just to get over his sister's own need for blood.

Quickly pulling off his nightwear, and pulling on his regular clothing, Rufus walked out of his room to see Ezra peeking out of the window, rubbing his injured shoulder. He crept as best as he could behind the vampire, somewhat uncomfortable in his presence. Ezra suddenly moved towards the door, and Rufus followed, still uncertain, but trusting the older twin of Alden as he lead him out into the street and into one of alleys across the dirt road. The sword smith had been lead down a few more alleyways, managing to avoid the Sarafan who were now patrolling the streets with fervor, searching for vampires still hiding within the city.

Now in the middle of one of the main streets of Freeport, and with the Sarafan walking around so close to them, Rufus was feeling a little more then nervous, especially since he was with a vampire. A vampire who seemed quite calm considering what was happening around them. "Ezra...?"

"Remember what I said about the rumors about them trying to use you against your sister?"

"Yeah...."

"They're quite true, I'm afraid." Just as he was about exclaim his surprise, Rufus found himself struggling in Ezra's strong grip, one of the vampire's hand over his mouth muffling any shouts of alarm he might have had. "But then again, you never know who's helping the Sarafan now huh?" Smirking, Ezra watched a few Sarafan stepped up to him, easily holding a squirming Rufus. "Serin is still in the city. Where is the Sarafan Lord, pray tell?"

Trying very hard not to panic, Rufus' eyes went wide with realization and shock as Ezra began to almost literially drag him off in the direction a Sarafan Knight was taking them. He mentally wished he had the vampiric power of whisper, as he also wished that he was back in his nice warm bed.

Serin hid from one of the Sarafan Knights, who's armor was having trouble deciding if a vampire was close or not. She softly cursed under her breath, still sensing vampires within the city who hadn't left yet, or who hadn't had a chance to leave. Not wanting to chance another whisper to all the vampires in the area, since now she was sensing a few of the vampires who had betrayed Kain during the raid on the Sarafan Keep. It wasn't worth the chance, but taking a lot to see who was just hiding, and who had been captured.

Before she could get a chance to even begin concentrating, a mental call from Ezra through the whisper forced her attention elsewhere. <"Serin! It's Rufus! The Sarafan have captured him, and are holding him at the south east corner of the city! Hurry!">

Growling, Serin spring out into the open, ignoring the shouts of the Sarafan, furious that the Sarafan would even attempt to go after her brother. Had she not protect him enought? No. The traitors could have easily told the Sarafan about her brother, but they also must have able to get passed Alden who she asked to watch him for a while on occation if he could. No matter. All she wanted was to make sure her brother was safe, and away from the clutches of the Sarafan.

It was easy to make her way through the streets, rushing passed the Knights and guards of the Sarafan who just stared dumbfounded at her, or began to chase her relentlessly. As she rounded the last corner, the dhampire skidded to a stop as she beheld the sight of the Sarafan Lord clutching the Soul Reaver in hand, glaring down at her as if she were some troublesome bug who's fate was to become something a servant would scrap off the bottom of his boot.

Next she noticed her brother, trying his best not to struggle, with the black claws of Ezra ready to rip out his throat at a second's notice, the vampire's other hand clamped over Rufus' mouth. Still caught up in her anger, she glared at both the leader of the Sarafan, and the now vampire traitor Ezra.

"Wow. If I had know that would have gotten such a fast response I would have tried it sooner." The vampire assassin smirked, as Rufus' body tensed in his grip, uncertain of what the Sarafan were going to do to his sister.

"I would have figured you to be better then betraying your own kind Ezra." Serin's partly golden eyes flashed with angry, hissing at the vampire.

"You live and you learn, my dear." Ezra continued to smirk at the halfling, knowing she wouldn't tried a thing with her precious brother's life dangling so precariously in his claws.

"Since you don't seem so eager to attack now, drop your weapon." The Sarafan Lord's voice commanded the attention, if not the respect, of all around him. Serin glowered at the 'man' definantly, and he simply just waved his hand towards Ezra, who perked up with sadistic glee. A strangled gasp of pain managed to work it's way passed the vampire's hand and small droplets of blood began to trickle down Rufus' bared neck undoubtable caused by Ezra's claws.

Resentfully, the dhampire tossed her spear at the ground infront of the Sarafan Lord's feet, and he watched on triumphantly. Serin growled at this turn of events, and at herself for acting so blindly, when she probably would have never done such a thing before. Too long with the vampires she idly thought as the Sarafan warily closed in around her, ensuring that she could not escape.

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