Subspecies V: Blood Rise

Out of the dark ages,

a child was born.

Offspring of the vampire Vladislas.

and immortal Circe

The oracle foretold that he would one day slay his father.

The remedy was to dismember him

and scatter the pieces upon the Black Sea.

A curse upon thee.

You cannot destroy me.

Crusaders stole the cursed child

and the demon-slaying dagger.

They delivered the child to a fortress of the church.

The brothers cut off its fingertips,

clipped its ears,

massaged its faced with potions

until monstrous features could pass for human.

He was trained in the arts of war,

sworn into a secret sect,

Knights of the Dragon,

Slayers of the Ancient Ones.

The creature grew to manhood,

hero of the great Crusades.

Decades he rode the continent,

slaying demons,

laying waste to pagan temples.

With no memory of his birthright

until the day his destiny delivered him

to the castle of his father.

Prince Vladislas.

We have come for the bloodstone.

The bloodstone was a gift to me.

We have come for the bloodstone.

What is your name, crusader?

Radu, the Fearless.

This is not our day of reckoning.

It is here.

Let us slay these creatures

and let's be gone.

Stay your hand.

Listen to me.

Who is your father?

God is my father.

Your family name.

The church is my family.

You are stolen child.

The lost one.

Vladislas is your father.

All that is his can be yours.

- No. - Don't listen to her.

She's a demon.

Silence.

Blood of my blood.

I'm your mother.

No.

You're an abomination.

Crusaders stole you from me

to fulfill the prophecy.

What prophecy?

That one day you will slay your father.

Is that true, Marius?

The patriarchs do not share their secrets

with lowly monks, sir.

Heed my warning.

Kill him

and you will be cursed into eternity.

In time you will understand.

Patience is a virtue,

to immortals such as we.

Brave.

Don't listen to the lies of demons.

She spoke the truth, Marius.

The patriarchs should counsel you on questions

of your lineage.

For now we have the bloodstone.

Our brothers did not die in vain.

Make with the holy water.

In the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

I purge this house of evil.

Radu, wait for me.

Hey Radu, don't leave me here.

There's life in this castle.

Vladislas and his consort.

No, they're far away by now.

Sir, I beg you.

Spare my child.

Please.

Please, please, sir, I bet you, I beg you.

All must die, Radu.

Do your duty and purge this house.

These are innocents.

It's our duty to rescue them.

Come closer.

I won't hurt you.

No!

No.

Take my child from this cursed place, please.

No mother, I'll stay with you.

Kill these wretched creatures, Radu.

Silence, Marius.

What's your name?

Helena.

Vladislas stole me from my father's house.

He ravaged me for pleasure,

but I swear he did not drink my blood.

Stephan is the child of our shameful union.

Vladislas waits Stephan to grow to manhood,

to taint him with the blood of Nosferatu.

Please.

I'll deliver you from this ungodly place.

My savior.

Are you mad, Radu?

She's the vampires consort.

She's the spawn.

Step aside, I'll kill them myself if I have to.

There's been enough slaughter here.

Come here, brother.

Come to me.

Come here.

Let me see.

We are duty-bound to kill them. Radu.

The child is innocent.

We do not choose our father.

Follow me.

Where are you taking us?

To A wonderful city.

The city of God and light.

God forsakes us, Radu.

They've taken the horses.

We must be gone from this place.

Rest here, little brother.

You rest easy.

I'll watch over you.

We'll shelter here for the night.

It's not safe for traveling, in the sunlight.

Our lives are in your hands.

I'm a servant of God.

You're my Lord and savior.

Here's a place you can rest.

Thank you.

Ah, my eyes.

My eyes, my eyes.

Hey. Hey.

You lived your whole life in darkness.

It'll take time for your body to adjust to the sun.

Don't worry, there's nothing to fear.

The sun is the most powerful being in the heavens,

the source of all life.

God is the most powerful being

in all creation and the source of all life.

Don't bore the boy with dogma.

Kneel by the rocks and pray for salvation, boy.

Do as he says.

This is madness, Radu.

I understand you're pity for the boy

but you have to destroy the mother.

You saw when I examined her.

She's unbitten.

I will not take part in this.

Release me for my service.

What, I can't do that.

You're my conscience.

You're my only friend.

I had my fill of the church's dark work,

but you my friend are flirting with disaster.

You know I will do whatever is necessary.

You know that.

I'm sorry Radu,

but I must go.

So be it.

Go with good fortune.

Marius?

I hope our paths will cross again.

Me too, brother.

But I fear they will not.

May God protect you.

Where is brother Marius going?

To see his fortune.

Why does he talk of killing my mother?

He believes her blood is tainted by Vladislas.

Helena, it's time to go. No, I cannot.

Go without me.

Sure you can.

She awoke with the sunset.

She too had lived in darkness

and would need time to adjust to the light.

I wanted to believe in her humanity.

But I could not shake my fear

that God had forsaken us.

You are my guardian angel, Radu.

You fear me.

I am human.

I swear to you.

How can I prove myself?

You are spawn of Vladislas.

Have mercy on me.

No, that's my mother.

I'll kill you.

Lay down your sword, brother,

and I'll lay down mine.

Go back to sleep.