1 Prologue
He staggered through Times Square tired, hungry and slowly dying. He had a hand placed in his side to stop the blood flowing from abdomen. Of course the New Yorkers that took notice just ignored and kept walking on after all it was a world where you just mind your business. But this man was on the run, he had to get away from his pursuer at all costs.
The night was cool, full of many dreads. But Korben Carlucas never in his wildest dreams imagined a night, no, a moment as the one to come.
"For over six hundred years, there has been peace -" He muttered to himself, "- why now?" As if asking that question would ease the situation as it was.
He took a glance behind him to see if he had lost his pursuer. After a short search his eyes finally caught the man in the dark hood. His strides were predatorous in nature, as if slowly chasing his prey knowing that no matter how far it got it would eventually drop dead.
"Fuck!" Korben swore as he continued his movement, his eyes scanning the vicinity for the place he would heal himself or at least buy a little more time. He checked his hand to find the amulet he had retrieved earlier still intact.
He made a turn and the cafe he had been searching for finally came into view. He hastened his steps towards the set of double doors.
The hooded pursuer began to meander his through the crowd faster as he noticed the solitude his prey was walking into. He was too slow however, and luckily for Korben he slid into the building just leaving his pursuer just at the other side of the door.
"Korben is that you?"
Korben to a crowded room, mostly of humans but amongst them were supernaturals, a superiorly capable race of beings much powerful than humans who prided themselves the prime of The Sovereign's creations. His gaze fell on the bar tender who was was holding a cloth that had been used to wipe the table.
Korben made his way towards the man. The blood on his hand became visible as he came under the light. "Do you have a first-aid kit?" He asked as he sat on a stool.
The bartender already brought out a bottle of spirit, cotton wool,gauze and a few vials that had liquids that glowed in them as they slushed around in their containers. "Take the blue one, it should speed up your healing rate." He said as he laid it all on the table.
Korben picked the vial with blue liquid giving it a long gaze before downing its content. The sharp bitter after-taste making him hiss in disgust but it began to work. All the pain and bleeding slowly seized.
No one had really paid attention to Korben's entry save for a grey haired man in a leather overcoat in the corner booth. He adjusted his glasses as his eyes and ears were intent on observing and listening to his exchange with the bartender. He adjusted his glasses that were sliding off his nose paying keen interest to what Korben was about to say.
"I don't have enough time Dorian," Korben said as he finished dressing the wound. He passed the amulet he was holding to the bartender. "Tell Steve that the time has come, that Phara needs to know."
"Korben you can't be serious -" Dorian objected as he hesitantly picked up the amulet. How in the world did his kind come to be victims of such misfortune? Of course he knew they deserved it but still why now? For over six hundred years there had been peace. Why would all that change in a matter of minutes?
"I mean every word that I speak." He hissed in pain as the magic in the vial began working a little harder. "Go give that to Steve. Not to the Institute but to Steve, understood?"
Dread rushed through Dorian's face as reality hit him. "So it's really happening -" He turned his gaze to the amulet in his hand.
"Necros alliané kaffa cushé," Korben said to Dorian. Any supernatural knew the meaning of those words.
Dorian returned a hard look at Korben and replied him in like manner. "Necros alliané kaffa cushé." And with those words Dorian left his station and out he went from the cafe.
Korben rested his head in his palm. "And to think The Sovereign had forgotten us -" He let out a short chuckle, "- we are so screwed."
"I couldn't agree more," came a voice from the other end of the counter.
Korben could feel the danger drawing near but he was at disadvantage and he had nowhere to run. He just laughed at the irony of running from danger to danger. "And the demon for long hidden and avoided shall return and if care not taken an army with it -" He recited the verse sluggishly. To him is was also ironical that that verse was a curse on all Nylocks.
"- and that army shall be at the hands of her brethren -" The grey haired man completed the verse as he drew closer. He came to a halt in front of an open-shirted Korben. "Hello, old friend."
"Korben laughed weakly, "So it's in times like these you find me approachable as a friend? You are just so - so -"
"- demented? Trust me Korben we always knew the Dying King's foresight was keen. And between me and you we knew our race should be long gone at behest of the Sovereign but he let us suffer at the hands of our own."
"But there is still hope. The last verse -"
"The last verse is nothing but mere advice and you know that." The man was now yelling. The humans in the room soon became attracted to their squabble.
Korben took a glance around him as eyes came to focus on him and his confronter. "You don't know what you are saying."
"Ooh, I do. The only way to avoid the suffering is to join her as she displays her wrath and discipline as the Sovereign has desecrated."
Korben sighed. All sense of hope flew with that breathe. Wasn't there a way to avoid what was coming? Wasn't there a savior? A hero? Even a celestial to plead on their behalf to the Sovereign. But alas, they were a forsaken race. None could help them, they were truly doomed. A race soon to be forgotten with the wind. "Very well then -"
Then almost suddenly Korben drew out a wand like stick from within his shirt and slashed the air in front of him with it. A tear in the atmosphere became visible as the stick continued its descent and the impact caused the man in front of Korben flying into a booth where a couple was busy hand-in-hand with each other.
The humans became frantic and began rushing to the door on seeing what was going on. Their screams and yells almost deafening.
The man regained his consciousness and quickly sighted Korben about to make his way into the opening he had created. He quickly drew out a stick similar to Korben's and quickly drew a symbol in the air. He used the stick to strike it sending a sonic-wave towards Korben.
The impact sent Korben flying into the wall. He grunted as the pain from his treated wound lanced around his body.
"Shuk rama khan kiran," The man chanted as he drew closer to Korben who was groveling.
Gentle blue aura swirled around he and Korben as he finished speaking the words causing both of them to reappear at a location, an alley not too far from the cafe that humans were still pouring out of.
"Your friend Dorian will be killed and every other arrangement will fall in place," The man said holding a dagger to Korben's chest. Rune like symbols were engraved on the blade all glinting with all sorts of evil magic power.
"You underestimate my friend then," Korben grunted. He didn't even waste any strength getting up. "Just finish me already."
"Gladly." The man was about to increase his pressure on the blade.
"Aguilar, that's enough." A voice said from the shadows.
Korben knew that voice. Fear began to color his face pale. "Fuck - fuck, fuck, fuck -"
He swore frantically. The hooded pursuer stood over him. His face still impossible to see as the moon was directly over his head.
"He still has his uses."
Korben began to try and fight but was too late because the next thing his saw was Aguilar's fist connecting with his face followed by a blackout.
"Necros alliané kaffa cushé." The voice drifted into the ensuing darkness.
