Kaidan & Delilah: Part 2

"Mhm, this is where I grew up from the time I was about five years old. It's not much, but we were very happy. We had lots of Kestrels like Scout and other animals." She said.

Lilah chuckled and removed the withered flowers from the grave and dusted off the rock. "He would have chased you away probably, yes. He made sure I was too busy to even think about men." Scout was up in the tree enjoying the view and keeping an eye out for any trouble.

"There were a lot of things my grandfather did that I never understood, but he said I would once I was old enough. I am a grown woman now and I still don't understand what he was talking about." She sighed and stood up.

Scout was hanging out in the tree, remembering his old little sitting post. kaidan smiled, "Well when we have children, A kestrel would be a good companion for them." he smiled. He chuckled, "I'de have found a way around him." he teased. "I'm sure he would have had his reasons." he said.

Then a gust of wind blew on and a figure formed out of the nearby shadows, showing the form of Solomon, dressed in a commoners attire. Kaidan sighed, "Took you long enough." "Oi, I had to prepare." he said as he walked over to them, "Delilah." he nodded to her, "Now, what is going on exactly."

Lilah smiled and looked up at Scout before turning back to Kaidan. "We'll see how they like having Scout around and go from there." She couldn't help but laugh at his confidence. "Vampire or not, there is no way you would get around my grandfather."

Lilah felt the wind blow and the presence of someone nearby. She and Kaidan turned around and Solomon appeared from the shadows. "Don't be rude, Kaidan." She said and elbowed his arm. "Solomon." She nodded back. "Harlok was here. He attacked my home village and killed many civilians. He also kidnapped several children. Including the headmans son." She explained.

Solomon sighed, "I was hoping it was not him. But Looks to be the case doesn't it?" he looked to Kaidan. Kaidan sighed after being elbowed. Solomon lightened to the situation, "I'm not surprised, he's pull stunts like this before and in this territory....that little fucker." he growled lightly. ".....Ugh i shouldn't have allowed him near my family all that time ago."

Kaidan sighed, "You didn't know, how would you know the future?"

Lilah perked up at something Solomon said. "Wait, you said he has pulled stunts like this before in this territory?" She asked, a bit worried.

"Yes...years ago, he came to this village and killed a few people...the reason is still unknown, he refused to say why." he sighed, "That was when we caught this the first time and then escaped from us....he's been on the run ever since....but now that he's shown himself again...it means he's got something sinister in mind." said Solomon.

"It must have been before I and my grandfather arrived here. I don't remember any such attacks on the village when I lived here. But I was very young, so I could just not remember." Lilah sighed. "What are we going to do about this? It is only a matter of time before he strikes again..."

"No...i would think you were young when this happened....It happen 20 years ago." he sighed, "But we found out a year after it happened and he's been avoiding us ever since....I think they were part of the plan he has going now." said Solomon, "Not sure entirely what that might be."

"That's around the time my parents died...they were killed in a fire when I was three years old." She said. "My grandfather and I came to this village shortly after. He and the former headman were very close."

".....the situation with Harlok involved a fire...." said Solomon, "But tell me what are is the full situation here?" he asked to get the low down.

"It could just be a coincidence...my parents were just simple human farmers." She said. "We spoke to the headman when we first arrived. He said some men attacked the village. Burning down homes and slaughtering villagers. The rangers were no match for them. He saw the leader for a few seconds. He said that he had a tattoo on his chest and he said my name." She explained. "They also kidnapped at least five children and left without a trace."

"Just children?" frowned Solomon, "That's not good..." he said. "What's wrong father?" asked Kaidan. "There's only one thing I know of in the old vampire right that had a use for children....we've forbidding it LONG ago."

"Which one father!?" he urged, "The first attempt Prognatus Rital." he said. "But that's been not used for eons!"

Lilah knew whatever was going on wasn't good if it spooked both Kaidan and especially Solomon. "A ritual that requires children? What is he trying to do?" She asked almost not wanting to hear what that lunatic had planned.

"Let me ask you then, do you KNOW any of the rituals of old?" Solomon asked Delilah.

Delilah shook her head, "No...I don't." She said. "Rangers don't have such knowledge."

"Then my SON has NOT been teaching you." he sighed. Kaidan glared, "If you RECALL, I was not allowed access to the main archives int he Blood Palace." he reminded.

"ANYWAY...The Prognatus Ritual was created by the first vampires to help pure vampires procreate children and allowing them to live...Before the children would not live any longer than a few days...so the Prognastus chamber was created and designed..." Kaidan listened, "But I know of the Prognastus Chamber father..... why was is it so bad?"

"Today is NOTHING like what had to be done before.." said Solomon.

Lilah could guess what Solomon was hinting at. "It was a much more vile process when it was first developed then?" She asked Solomon.

".......Yes....our strict laws on blood donor family began after the new conditions for the Chamber were set." said Solomon, who shuddered a bit. "The chamber TODAY require untainted blood from two humans. A virgin woman and a virgin man......so...to make life, we unfortunately take life." he said.

Kaidan sighed, "This i know of and it gets harder and harder to find the appropriate ages required for the ritual....." Kaidan knew of the conditions, "I hadn't told You of the them yet...." he said to Lilah.

".....The past was easier to find untainted blood...." said Solomon said, ".....in the past, we used to use children as the blood sacrifice for the chamber....."

Lilah let out an audible gasp and covered her mouth, shaking a little bit. "That's horrible..." She understood why it was necessary at the time, but that didn't make it anymore vile. The reality slowly sank in that if she and Kaidan wanted to have children, it would mean that two lives, maybe more would have to be sacrificed. She didn't let it shake her just yet. They had a job to do.

"You had your reasons for not telling me just yet. We can talk about that later. We have a mission to complete right now. Children's lives are in danger right now that need our help." She said.

Kaidan was just as shocked about the children part, "CHILDREN!? WHY CHILDREN!?" he was angry. "It was not my doing Kaidan don't get angry with me." his father frowned, "Children were used in the past BECAUSE, they were PURE. Untouched." he said, "The two chose HAVE to be untouched for the ritual to work.." he said, sighing.

"So...he's kidnapped children for the old ritual? But......who is the one he trying to have children with?" asked Kaidan. "That will be part of the mystery we will need to solve." said Solomon, "And yes, we must act quickly. If there is another who is working with Desmond, then the plan might be underway."

"We have to act quickly if we are going to stop him. I have the feeling he is up to something sinister." Lilah said with resolve. "Is there anyway we can track him?" She asked. "Or maybe there is a clue he left behind here in the village."

"If we can find something that he held for a while, then yes there is a way to track him." said Solomon. They got heading to the village to get a closer look around its grounds.

Lilah nodded and whistled to Scout so he could help. "The majority of the damage is at the center of the village." She said as they walked. "They have barely been able to make repairs on the houses." Lilah said as she saw some of the houses still had obvious damage.

Christopher came out of his home once he and his wife got the girls settled down for a nap. He saw Kaidan and Lilah had someone new with them. "I see your companion arrived rather quickly." He said to them with a pleasant smile.

The little kestrel flew over the village looking from above. They moved on towards the heart of the village, where the local well stood for all to go for water. Solomon sighed, "I was saddened this village was ruined so...they were good people here long ago."

Solomon remained quiet when he came out, he hadn't spoken to many humans for a long time.

Lilah turned to look at Solomon. "You've been to this village before then?" She asked.

"Yes, this is Kaidan's father. Solomon Bale." Lilah said introducing him. Christopher just nodded to him seeing that he was a man of few words. "Were you able to piece together the intruders possible motive?" He asked. "Not yet, but I wanted to ask if you may have come across something that they left behind? It could help us track them."

Christopher shook his head. "I'm sorry, my dear. If we did I would have mentioned it in my letter. Feel free to look around and see if you can find anything." Lilah felt disheartened at his answer, but hopefully with their enhanced senses they could find something.