Conference undead::vampires

    
    	zahnstark touches a medallion around her throat... she sees
    	in her mind's eye only a deathly calm and blackness. like the
    	tomb, she imagines how eventual death will be.
    
    	walks over to koltzan and tugs at his gown's sleeve....
    	directs a thought to him... one solitary thought `we're
    	doomed, aren't we?' and looks directly into his face 
    	and deep into his eyes.

    The fisticuffs continue for a few moments (well Bert's fists vs. the
    dragon's teeth, anyway), before the dragon finally catches Bert
    off-guard and swallows him whole, with a loud gulp and a licking of his
    chops.
    
    "Well, now that I've taken care of one silly old wizard, it's time to
    get down to business."  He turns his head towards the group and once
    again breaths fire... only to have his flames, once again, stop short
    of burning anyone.
    
    "This is your doing, witch.  I'll have you next!"  The dragon looks
    intently at Elizabeth, who looks a bit weaker than before, but tries
    not to let it show.  
    
    The ranger walks over to Elizabeth, standing between her and the
    dragon.  "You'll have to go through me first, dragon."
    
    "And me."  The dwarf takes up a position next to Teodore.
    
    Ariella tosses a pouch at the dragon, hitting it in the eye.  He
    blinks, but purposefully ignores this little nuissance.  More pouches
    fly at him, as do a few arrows from the elven prince.
    
    The dragon looks at each of them, then begins to laugh.  "Well, witch,
    you may be able to block my fire for short time, but I'm willing to bet
    that you can't block ME."  The dragon leaps at Elizabeth, ignoring the
    Teodore and the dwarf.  Just before he reaches her, he vanishes.
    
    The first to recover from this shock is Xandor... "Where'd the big
    lizard go?"  He's still holding his battle axe in a defensive position.
    
    "That's just what happened to me!"  Exclaims the newcomer kindred,
    amazed that such a humongous creature could be made to vanish.  He
    looks at Elizabeth with a disturbed expression.  "You aren't going to
    send me back to where the old wizard sent me, are you?"  
    
    "Uhm... no.  In fact, I am not responsible for sending the dragon away. 
    I'm not sure what happened to him."  She looks confused, too.
    
    "Who cares, he's gone!"  The elf prince seems very happy about the
    whole thing.
    
    "For once, I agree with 'ol pointy-ears.  Good riddance, I say."  The 
    dwarf smiles.  "Though it did promise to be a glorious battle, didn't
    it?"
    
    "Let's celebrate with some of Xandor's tasty wine!"  Suggest Ariella.
    
    "Good idea."  The dwarf pulls out his wineskin and takes a deep drink
    from it, then starts to pass it to Ariella.
    
    "XANDOR!"  (this from Elizabeth)
    
    "Oh, sorry.  I forgot."  The dwarf looks a bit sheepish, but still
    manages to drink heartily from his wineskin.  He offers it to his
    companions - including the elves, who all take a sip or two.
    
    "I wonder if Santiago will still help us get home?"  Elizabeth wonders
    out loud.

As the dragon vanishes, I regain control of my thoughts and motions.

"What happened?"

As I get retold the many different ways the dragon attacked and was 
destroyed/sent away, I shake my head a little to regain some balance.

I must have been somehow been put into a trace of some sort.  But how?

"How in the hell did I get stuck like that??????"


I turn and go back inside the house as the others recover from their 
"battle".

I take a seat and try to figure out what happened.  Then it came...

[wispy voice] Koltzzzzzzan......you were protected for your own good.
	      If you were to act in any way againsssssst the dragon,
	      the ressssultsssss would have not been good for your
	      kindred.

"But, but....what....who..."

[wispy voice] You will sssssssee me when the time issssssss right.
	      Now, return home unlesssssss your prince needs you.

"How am I to know you are there?  What am I supposed to do at home?"

I wait for some time with no answer.

I slowly stand and walk back outside, wondering what in the hell
that just was.

"My Prince, if you do not need my services, then I shall be heading
back to my laboratory."

I eye the "others" before bowing to my prince and the other kindred.
I await the sigh from Santiago if it is OK to leave.

    
    	zahnstark shrugs, looking at what has transpired,
    	trying to make some sense of it all. without luck.
    	she takes her place just outside the immediateness
    	of the others and pieces together everything, in
    	her very methodical fashion, reviewing the dialogue
    	and actions that resulted in the dragon's disappearance.
    	
    	..... and then it dawns on her... it's the old wizard,
    	bert. he's responsible ... and she knows without a doubt
    	that he has NOT met his end. remembering the words he
    	said about not killing anything... 
    
    	walking towards the kindred who was returned from his 
    	strange journey, zahnstark approaches warily.
        
    	

    The sickly tree shimmers and disappears.  Replacing it is a dark, shifting
    mist with glowing red eyes.  The eyes glow brighter than before.
    
    The mist billows over land, absorbing the essense of any living thing
    that catches its eye... leaving a trail of death in its wake. 
    
    "I sense much power!"  It excitedly changes direction and heads
    eastward.  
    
    The eyes dim and the mist becomes translucent, as it aproaches its
    target.  The two powerful presences it detected earlier are gone, but
    there's plenty of strength in the ones still here.  Oddly, he senses
    no life, but only a strange power, from a few of those assembled by the 
    building... a building that still smoulders from unseen flames.  Even
    stranger is a small, winged creature that he senses nothing at all
    from.  If he couldn't see her, he would not even know she was there.  
    
    It begins to move towards the group, but then senses something
    familiar.  Quickly, it descends to the ground and takes the form of the
    sickly tree, and reduces its life-force to the minimum, so as to go
    undetected.  It watches closely to see if he was spotted, but only sees
    one figure looking curiously in his direction... then back towards a
    small, winged creature.
    
    "Good, he felt me, but didn't recognize me.  It was wise to choose one
    who is weak in the arts.  Curious that it still lives, though, yet it
    doesn't live."  It thinks. 
    
    The sickly yellow tree moves with the wind, waiting for its chance...

    	A faint yet powerful mind, old, dark, familiar, reaches out and
    touches that of Zahnstark. Its cry, one for help, its call pleading.
    Strange, that one so old, so strong should plea. Yet that is the way of
    life, the way of the Old Ones. Once more he stirs. Torpor almost over.
    To rise from the earth, to recall those that were his pawns.
    
    	Soon he shall walk once more.
    
    	Soon...
    
    Shade...
    (Who has returned to the Clan Digital after a years absence). :-)
    
    

    
    	zahnstark raises a hand to her forehead... feeling the 
    	insistent pulse of another mind overriding hers. standing
    	still she forces herself to remain aloof so the others 
    	do not expect a thing.
    
    	from the deep recesses of her mind, she not only hears
    	but feels shade's pleads... odd coming from him, but then
    	again, these are peculiar times at best.
    
    	pressing her hand to her temple, she sends forth a message
    	to shade....`what is it you want?'

    Within the darkness he hears her mind, echoing across the distances of
    time and space - penetrating the blackness that surrounds him. Her
    voice a light in the darkness, a glimmer of hope, or resurection. He is
    tired. Long has he slept within the confines of the prison. Long has he
    awaited this moment when his Will is strong and the time to rise has
    come. Steadying himself for he thinks back to those days gone by, the
    events that led to his fall...
    
    [It was dark that night, outside the old Opera House. The childer had
    come to him. Come to his call. He had told them of the danger that
    approached. Told them of the Inquisition's return. They had laughed at
    him - Him of all people. They understood not what they faced, the times
    that were to come. Alone he had gone to meet with the Ancient One. His
    Master of old, the one whom had first told him of the coming of Ghenna.
    Alone he had stood and listened, listened whilst the Master told
    him to gather those who would believe, the children of Caine. He had
    tried so hard to fulfil his task. Was it his fault they didn't believe?
    Was he to blame. The Master had decided it was so. He had been given a
    chance, once change only and he had failed. The Master was not
    forgiving. His anger was terrible. Death, release, pain. Yes, that is
    what he expected. The Master vented his wrath upon his son and left him
    to die in the sun. Left the merciful rays of the mother light to punish
    him. Left him to die. Yet, as with all things, fate played its part. He
    did not die. Burned, tortured, scarred he had made his way back inside
    from the light. Blind he wandered until at last his strength was no
    more. Down below he must go to the earth deep. Fingers, stumps, claws
    he used to bury himself beneath the Opera House. To bury himself from
    the pain of his existance. To sleep. To heal. Yes...to heal. He would
    never forget the pain his Master had caused. The abandonment. The
    punishment. He would have his vengeance. He would rise again and once
    more walk the earth. Once more the Prince would come to play a part in
    the war. His master had been wrong. He had called him "Weak, a fool, a
    puppet". He would prove himself this time. He would make the children
    believe and lead them forth into the Holywar. He would see his Master
    once more and at that meeting he would not be the one humbled!]
    
    Letting his mind reach out once more he examined his surroundings. What
    was they weight above him ? Why couldn't he free himself ? His mind,
    stronger now, reached up through the earth, higher and higher,
    searching for the familiar surroundings of the Ballroom. 
    
    WHAT ?, his mind cried out into the night. 
    
    The Ballroom was gone, the wood panel floors, the oaken table, his home
    for centuries. Now where once a magnificent building stood now there
    was a monstrosity of conrete... Man's folly. A Tower Block !!
    
    Oh Caine!, i'm encased in damned concrete !
    
    Despondancy, fear entered his heart, his soul. How was he to extradite
    himself. Ah, yes, the children. Yes... they would help him.
    
    Now, if only he could persuade them to help... Hmmm..
    
    Reaching out once more to the mind of Zahnstark he sends his message,
    cautiously awaiting the reply...
    
    "Zahnstark, my childe, hear me... He my thoughts. Come to me. Yes, Come
    to me... Bring with you the Children of Caine, those loyal yet to the
    Camarilla. Make all Haste to Los Angeles, make all haste to a place
    known as Kopic Towers".
    
    Now he waits, waits for the children to save him...waits in the
    darkness...
    
    Shade.
    

    
    	looking around at nothing in particular... it seemed that	
    	the scene where action had once taken place had stalled,
    	like the film in a projector. the people moved, spoke,
    	but that was all. whatever was going to happen would 
    	happen whether she was there or not.
    
    	zahnstark thinks to herself, `i must gather the kindred together,
    	or what's left of it... shade will be disappointed indeed of
    	what has passed. is there still a threat from serilla? was there
    	ever a threat from her?' she dwells on these thoughts as the
    	soft reverberations of shade's voice ebb like the tides of the
    	pacific.
    
    	she shouts `DMTRI' within the confines of her mind and hoping
    	against all hope that he's there, and alive.
    
    	with resolve, zahnstark traces a rift into the air before her...
    	the space tears open, as it has always done, and she steps
    	forward into it. and to an invisible taxi driver she whispers
    	`kopic towers', and presses forward to another space. the rift
    	closes behind her... and she's surrounded by black and nothing.
    	a void. the void tears again and she steps into a sinking sunlit
    	area.
    
    	putting her hand to her temple she concentrates and sends a 
    	message to shade... `i am here, m'lord'.
    
    	 

    The mist floats slowly towards those assembled in front of the burning
    building, invisible to all assembled. It targets the most powerful 
    life-force amoung the group, though it is somewhat confused by the amount 
    of power emanated by those who seem not to be alive.  What power keeps 
    these creatures animated beyond their death?
    
    It approaches Elizabeth, but just before it reaches her, Bert, using
    all his heightened speed, dives at her to throw her clear of its touch.
    
    Seeing this, Xandor and Teodore draw weapons and turn towards the
    vampire, ready to strike.  
    
    "Protect yourself, Elizabeth!"  Bert yells.  "Something is here, I can
    feel it, and it wants you!"
    
    Before she even hits the ground, her staff comes to life, glowing a
    pure blue light which is mirrored by her eyes.  She hits the ground
    softly, rolls, and is back on her feet in one smooth motion, still
    holding the staff.  She looks at Bert with anger at first, then
    pauses...
    
    "Teodore, Xandor, back off!  Something is amiss here."
    
    Confused, they obey, but still keep their eye of the unpredictable
    vampire.
    
    Elizabeth mumbles something to herself, and the staff glows brighter. 
    Two eyes appear in the spherical tip of her staff.  The eyes seem to be
    searching for something... they stop on each person briefly as if
    taking in information, then continue to search their surroundings.
    
    The mist strikes at Elizabeth, and sparks of blue and red fly.  The
    vampires take a step back from the heat and light of it.  The eyes of
    the staff lock onto the aggressor, studying it intently.  
    
    It strikes again, and more sparks fly in every direction.  Some fall to
    the ground, scorching it where they fall.  Teodor, Xandor and the
    others fall back, drawing weapons.  The eyes of the staff begin to
    glow, then send a burst of blue light into the mist, making it visible
    to all present.
    
    Seeing a target for the first time, Xandor gleefully rushes in to
    battle this thing that attacks his friend, but is stopped cold by Bert,
    who picks him off the ground to keep him from making a very bad
    mistake.  "You can't fight this with an axe, Xandor."
    
    "Put me down or I'll cut you into little vampire peices!  It's
    attacking Elizabeth!  I can't just sit here and watch!"
    
    "I'm not letting you commit suicide, Xandor.  There's something very
    familiar about this thing... don't go near it.  You will only give it
    an advantage over your friend."
    
    Teodore, looking every bit like he want to follow Xandor into battle,
    puts a hand on his friend's shoulder.  "This is her fight, Xandor.  I
    think Bert is right.  What good will our weapons be against a creature
    of mist and magic?"  He turns toward Santiago, "Can you help her?  You
    are strong in the arts, is there anything you can do to aid her?"
    
    Ariella, taking flight, swoops down at the mist creature, tossing
    pouches at it.  Somehow, they seem to hit it, though apparently do
    little more than annoy it.  During this time, however, Elizabeth was on
    the defensive, she uses this distraction to attack the creature with a
    flash of brilliant white light, which drives it back long enough for
    her to strengthen her defenses.
    
    The eyes of the mist, now bright red and full of malevolance, turn from
    Elizabeth to go for easier prey.  Before anyone can move, it descends
    upon one of the elves in the group, who screams before falling to the
    ground dead.  His corpse looks old.  He moves from one elf to another,
    killing all but the nimble elven prince, who somehow had managed to
    dodge it.  The creature glows with renewed strength.
    
    The mist hovers above the group, eyes aglow, "You can't defeat me. 
    I can't be killed.  I am death itself, and will not be thwarted.  You
    weaken me, but my supply of strength is unlimited... all life is food
    to me.  I will be back to feed off the rest of you... even you who have
    a strange lifeless power within you.  I've studied you, and now know
    how to feed upon your kind as well.  Think on that for a while.  I
    will enjoy your fear and anticipation of death."  <insert really evil
    sounding laughter  8^) >
    
    With that, the mist moves away, vanishing from sight... but not before
    Ariella tosses a really big pouch at it, which explodes and covers its
    entire misty form.  The mist sounds like it is coughing, oddly enough. 
    It turns on Ariella, looking as if it will take one last life before
    departing, but oddly enough, the red eyes take on an aloof cast to
    them.  "You are beneath my notice."  It says to her, which of course
    enrages the pixie, who throws more pouches at the mist, striking it
    repeatedly.  The mist seems to wince now and then as the
    pouches strike it, but it seems very intent on ignoring this little
    pest.
    
    Ariella continues to bombard the mist, not at all happy at being
    beneath anyone's notice, and chases it into the distance.
    
    "Maybe we should go after her?"  Bert asks.
    
    "She'll be okay.  Just as the dragon was determined to ignore her, so
    will the mist."  Elizabeth answers.
    
    "I wish these nasties would ignore me."  Julius comments, tears in his
    eyes for his dead friends.  "But they don't.  And this time, I'm not
    running.  I'll find a way to kill this mist, I swear it!"  He turns
    away, and walks towards one of the resident vampires... he doesn't seem
    to be afraid of them any more, or even wary of them.  "Do you know
    where I can find a shovel?"
    
    
    An hour later, Ariella returns, exhausted and angry, but unharmed.