Lucian felt the heaviness in the air as he sat upon the edge of the bed, the darkness in the air had awakened him. The thunderstorm outside crashed with violent thunder and hellish lightning, the evil that was in spirit was seeping everywhere. Something black was on the horizon, and whether or not I like it, I think Alistair is going to come to me today. The ritual ceremony he was planning is today, I know it. But I wonder, with this weather, is this ceremony going to go as he plans it or will it end in failure. Lucian stood to his feet, the coldness of the floor took him back, he usually was unaffected but even the hardwood that layered the ground was frostier than he had anticipated. The winds of fate were blowing heavy with the threads of fate. Tonight was going to be something and rather or not I like it I am going to have a part to play in the evening's festivities.

When the summer sun gave way to the summer night, Lucian walked down the wooden steps of the tavern, the people seemed to look at him as some sort of descending evil. They watched him with cautious curiosity, but he knew what it was. These people were distrusting and paranoid by nature, granted I've become accustomed to being stared at this point in my life. These people surely felt like trapped cattle in this city, being picked off one by one at the leisure of the dark races. I wonder how these folks would react to a werewolf walking among them. I would probably be attacked or sentence to burning at some sort of stake for crimes against man. Whatever they thought these days, but it matters not because...

Lucian smelt him before he even walked in, his pale skin and elite like clothing were all he needed to identify who the new man to the tavern was. He walked upright with a righteous visage as if he was meant to be there, his eyes seemed to be sunken as he has gone without sleep but I can't blame him with the end to his curse so close, I'm sure he was ready to be done with this part of his life and return to humanity.

384/300

Nodding at Alistair, Lucian walked up to him and the pair walked out of the tavern. As they began their journey, Alistair quickly brought him up to speed.

"I have been studying the ritual for the last for evenings and I finally feel confident that I will achieve exactly what I desire. An end to this accursed existence as a vampire and a return to my life as a true and genuine human."

Alistair stared at his hands as if in disgust at who and what he was. I could see it in his eyes, he wanted this more than anything else in the world, there was no way around it. He wanted his humanity more than anything. But why?

"Why do you feel so strongly about going back to human? What good is it?"

Alistair sighed as they crushed through the thicket of the forest, Lucian's bracer serving as a sort of beacon as they traversed through the foliage.

"Have you ever thought about how I look? What I am? It is not as easy for me as it is for you. Your life remains the same. You can go on a walk with a beloved one in the summer sun. Wake up to the dawn sun and just begin your day. Find true love. Live and die as one. I am accursed to live immortal. Watch the ones I cherish the most die in my arms time and time again. No legacies for me. No children of my own."

Wow, when he puts it like that, I can't help but understand. Granted, though the whole thing about loved ones dying in my arms, I have been there and done that but definitely the rest of it. No swimming in the day, no naps under the trees. I can agree with that.

"I see. Well then let us return you to your humanity."

"Indeed. This ends tonight."

The duo continued on their journey, as they came out of the underbrush, the clearing opened up to reveal a large circle covered with various statues of ornate stone monuments. The stone symbols carved into the obelisk were ancient things that spoke a dark language of the past. The magic that soiled the air was tainted with a deep-rooted power. Some powerful spells have been cast in this place, of course, it would make sense for him to choose this very spot for his ritual. This place was so strong, that the very foundation of this spot was humming with energy.

420/300

"I'm sure you can feel it. This place is an ancient burial ground. A place of ritualistic embalming. Here they sent ones to the afterlife, it is here where I will restore my mortality and give up my immortality."

I don't like this...this feels like this morning, and there was nothing good about any of this. Especially with that storm above, maybe this wasn't the best idea. But yet...that crazed look in his eye tells me everything that I need to know. There is no stopping this, I just pray this works. For all of our sakes.

Turning around, Lucian walked towards a nearby large tree, free of the ritual and out of Alistair's way. I can't afford to interfere with anything in that circle, my own mana could prove dangerous.

As Alistair walked over to the large cauldron he placed in the center of the circle, the liquid of the cauldron was a clear color. Watching closely, Lucian could see that the fire burning under the cauldron roared likely boiling the contents inside. Slowly Alistair opened up a tome, the binding of it coming apart at the seams.

Starting with some words reminiscent of spells, he started to chant out into the air. Taking the vial of blood he poured it first, following it up with another set of chants, the liquid in the pot change colors to a soft red, the flames below becoming blue in color. Following suit, he took the talon clipped from the alpha and swirled the liquid before dropping it inside. The liquid changed again the color becoming a deep crimson color as well as it's consistency changing to more of a slush broth rather than water.

Following up, last but not least, he took the vampire's tooth, placing it in his hands and offering it up to the sky, he let the tooth fall into the concoction. With the final ingredient, the broth turned into a black tar substance. That stuff smells absolutely rancid, goodness, I wouldn't drink that even to become a god...

With careful eyes, Lucian watched as Alistair walked over to a corpse of bones on a throne, pulling a goblet from the chest cavity of the bones, he walked over with determined steps. Dipping into the liquid confidently, the goblet's content ran over, the black liquid a stark contrast to the gold and gems lined the goblet.

"With this goblet of a lich lord and this magic, I return to humanity!"

Triumphantly, Alistair gulped down the contents of the cup with reckless abandon, as the liquid poured out. Alistair finished it and tossed aside the cup, the metal clinking against the stone where it landed.

Is his color coming back? It works! It works...This man is now human again.

Alistair laughed in elation at his conquest, the color returning to his skin. His hair changing to a natural color once again. Alistair held out his hands and roared into the night, he was free. Good for him maybe now I can...

Alistair fell to the ground, a violent cough racking his body as he dropped to a knee, rushing forward, Lucian knelt beside him. Alistair groaned in pain, his body almost in pain. Something had gone wrong. Something is terribly wrong.

545/300

"No. No. Please. No. Lucian, you must leave me! It can't be! IT CAN"T BE!"

Roaring again, though this time unholy. Alistair pushed Lucian with a werewolf's might, flying backward Lucian caught himself but watched in horror as Alistair changed again. Standing up large wings of black skin came out of his back, his hair and skin returning to their pale colors with oriental red glowing tattoos now covering his entire skin. His formerly slender build was now a large imposing warriors body, his hair growing to come to rest at the end of his back. Alistair was different, he was now... Something else entirely.

"I'm so sorry Lucian. I am no longer going to be myself. Defend yourself and I pray you to live the life I want. Goodbye."

With those words, the dark thirst of evil overtook him. His humanity and conscience lost to the darkness forever. He was no longer Alistair, but an abomination of the darkness. Lucian's bracer glowed brightly, he knew that he was fighting the very combination of all forms of the dark. True evil...

Lucian removed his clothes and transformed into his full werewolf form. Even at his full height, Alistair was still much bigger than him but it was what it was. I can't afford to play around with him, I'm going to have to kill him. I know it.

But I also know that is what he would have wanted. And I am going to make sure that I give him the peace he deserves. Getting down on all fours, Lucian bounded forward and lunged towards Alistair, catching him on his arm, Lucian tore at him with savage abandon. Raising his arm up, Alistair threw Lucian into the ground, bouncing off the grass, Alistair caught him by the throat and threw him toward the forest, the ravaged skin repairing itself as quickly as it had been maimed.

As Lucian flew, he caught sight of Alistair matching him in the air. Pushing him into the ground, Alistair ran with him against the ground and threw him back into the air. Lucian could feel the heaviness as he started to come back down. Looking downward, Lucian could see Alistair flying up to meet him.

Fixing himself Lucian dove downward, his large werewolf form catapulting into the abomination that was his former acquaintance. The two creatures tore at one another before smacking into the ground causing a moderate explosion. The debris coming down in an earthly rain. Pushing off of Alistair Lucian jumped out of the crater, his fur tinged with dirt, as Alistair rose up from the crater, the impact barely putting any mark on him except for the marks on his chest.

451/300

So that doesn't repair. Imma have to stab him through the chest, removing his heart is going to be the only way that I end this. I'm sorry Alistair, I pray you can find peace in the afterlife and death. Circling one another, the two combatants postured, roaring at one another as they prepared for the end. Crouching low Lucian lunged forward, the abomination rushing as well to meet his charge, as the two neared collision, Lucian flipped forward using the momentum to propel him above the monster. Landing on his back, Lucian dug his talons into the flesh of the creature. Screaming in discomfort, Alistair flew into the sky trying to shake Lucian off his back.

Digging deep, Lucian held on tightly as they continued to fly through the forest, as they came to a lull in the flight, Lucian plunged his fist through the back and chest the monster, the soft gulp from the creature was the only sound as his wings quit beating. Plummeting to the ground below, Lucian braced for impact. Stepping off of his back, Lucian crushed the beating heart in his hands, the magic tattoos, and relics floating away as the flesh broke. Somber, Lucian looked over at the body of his former colleague.

The body of Alistair shriveled to its original size, the human color of his skin returning, the final curse lifted. Coming forward, Lucian held the body in his arms, Alistair had died instantly but strangely with a smile on his face, Lucian laid him down gently as the morning sun came up over the horizon. Slowly he could see Alistair's body dissolving into a pile of ashes, the last thing to dissolve was the smile. Placing the ashes into the earth, Lucian kicked over the cauldron and walked away. Alistair's last possessions now his own, by unfortunate fate.

308/300
TWC: 2108/1500