By Jeremiah Lasch (jlasch@uakron.edu)
"Thank you sensei," was all Randy could think of saying. Of course he was going to pass the next test. He had been in this Kung Fu class for almost two years now. Some of his other friends had already passed into the black belt and he could have but he chose to stay back. Randy was always very thorough in all that he did. He had worked hard for this, and he deserved it.
On the way home from the dojo, Randy received an unexpected surprise. He was walking down the sidewalk about three blocks from the dojo, and he passed an alley. Being in the condition he was in, it hadn't really occurred to him that his own personal safety should be on his mind. He looked directly down the alley, and didn't see anything but darkness. That was the usual sight and he'd gotten used to it.
"Excuse me Randy."
This time was obviously different. Randy started and turned around quickly, instinctively crouching into a fighting stance. In front of him was a man dressed in black. He was only about 5'9", a good four inches shorter than Randy. He was standing straight with his hands at rest behind his back.
"Who the hell are you?"
"My name is Bruce. I just want to talk to you for a minute."
"Yeah the hell you do! What's in your hands tough guy?"
"What do you think is in my hands, Randy?" With that, Bruce flung his hands from behind his back, and threw them towards Randy, who was still a good 20 feet away. Randy Jumped back, and enticed a chuckle from Bruce.
"What the fuck is so funny ass hole?" By this time it was quite obvious that Randy wasn't used to being toyed with. Being an 18-year-old, 6'3", 195 pound black belt in three martial arts must have gained him a certain respect from most people that he wasn't receiving from Bruce.
"You shouldn't be so jumpy, Randy. I told you I just wanted to talk to you. There aren't many things that could help me with that task and I certainly wouldn't be carrying them around with me if there were. Now I'm not going to force you to talk to me, and with that attitude, I'm not sure I want to anymore. Pity, we thought you had promise." Bruce turned and started to walk away before saying, "Have a good evening Randy."
"Wait! I...I'm sorry. I'm usually not like this, but if a guy you've never seen before came out of nowhere and knew your name, what would you do?"
"There's lots of people in this city that I've never seen before," Bruce said with a slight grin.
"That's not the point. How do you know my name?" Randy asked.
"We've been watching you for quite a while now."
"Okay, why is that?"
"Well actually 'recruiting' might be a better word for it. You see, I represent a small group of vampires and you--"
"Did you say vampires?" Randy cut him off.
"Yes, I did, but please don't interrupt me. As I was saying, I represent a small group of vampires. Actually there's about 36 of us at the present time. We recruit new members constantly, but we only take the best. You have shown us promise of being one of the best. But you must remember that means being the best in both mind and body. That attitude has to go." As soon as that was done, another pedestrian walked by. Bruce put a finger to his mouth as the person walked by and said, "We can't talk about this here. Would you please come with me to my home? It's right across the street."
"Uh, yeah, but my parents might worry."
"You can use my phone," Bruce said with a sigh.
When they arrived at the house, Randy found it a little unusual. There was no refrigerator, or at least none that he could see, and the place just generally looked like it was never used. Bruce let him wander freely while he got him a glass of water. Everything in the house looked as if it had never been used. The only sign of life was the well-traced line in the carpet that led to a bedroom door. Being curious, Randy reached out and turned the handle.
"Do not go in there!" Bruce yelled. Randy jumped again because he had not heard Bruce coming.
"I'm sorry. You didn't specify where I could and couldn't go."
"Do forgive me. I was raised under the ideals of privacy and courtesy. When put together that means when a door is shut you knock. If nobody answers, you don't go in. It is becoming more and more apparent to me that such ideals have all but vanished from the face of this earth." Bruce sat there for a while until he composed himself.
"I'm sorry man, I won't do it again. Now what were you saying bout vampires?" Randy chuckled, but was shut up instantly with a glare from Bruce.
"I am one," said Bruce, "and so shall you be if you accept my proposal."
"Oh you want to make me a vampire, huh? This is fucking good man!" Randy broke out in a laugh before continuing, "And what is this proposal of yours?" More laughing.
"In good time, my friend, but first let me tell you about our organization. As I said before, we are a small group numbering 36 at the moment. We are all vampires, but we do not adhere to the normal rules and stereotypes of vampiric society. We have risen above that and gained a higher level. To make a long story short, we are an army. We spend our time training to better ourselves, and watching potential recruits like yourself. You see, there is a war being fought out there. A war that you never would have dreamt about, and only a very few of your kind know about. We, the Son's of Virtue, fight against the evil in this war. Should you decide to become one of us, you will learn more about us, this war, and the vampire society as well. You will also gain the supernatural powers that come so easily to all of my kind. In time you will rise to a status you never could have attained the way you are now. If you think you are good now, you have seen nothing yet."
"You don't know what I can do. How the hell do you know who's better and who's not?"
"What do you think of me? Do you think you can beat me in a battle?"
"Man, look at you, and look at me. I'm twice your size, and I'm going to be a black belt in my fourth martial art soon. Yes I think I can beat you."
"Take off your shirt, I want to show you something," Bruce said.
"What?! Why do you want me to do that?"
"Will you please stop finding it necessary to make me justify everything I say? You can leave it on if you want, but it will get dirty."
Bruce then took out a small tin box from his pocket and opened it. It was an inkpad for stamps and things like that. He put it on the table, and dabbed the middle finger of both hands into the pad. When they were sufficiently covered he turned to face Randy.
"Now, I want you to block any attack you can. I will not hit you hard, I am only going to tap you with the ink on my fingers to show a direct hit."
"Man, you're crazy!"
"Am I? Count to three and I will begin. I will continue for no more than 10 seconds and then I will stop."
"Whatever you say pal," Randy said as he readied himself. Then he said, "One........Two.........Three!"
Bruce waited for a split second and then began the attack. He continued the onslaught for exactly ten seconds and stopped. When he was done, there were well-defined ink spots above and below each eye, on the tip of the nose, on each ear, on the adams apple, and on each segment of the abdominal muscles.
"H....how did you do that?" Randy asked with a stunned look on his face.
"Did I not tell you that we all possess supernatural abilities? You could also say superhuman if the word suits you better. I could have inked the tip of my sword and done the same thing without so much as scratching your skin. Now would you like to try an attack on me, or have you seen enough?"
"No man, it's my turn!"
Randy went over and dipped his fingers in the ink. When he turned around, Bruce had not removed his shirt.
"What the hell are you doing man? Aren't you gonna take off your shirt?"
"No, I won't need to," Bruce said. Then he turned around and said, "You can attack whenever you're ready."
Randy stared in disbelief before he said, "You're not even going to turn around? You're fucking crazy man!"
"Yes, I believe you've already covered that. Just attack whenever you'd like, Randy."
With that, Randy rushed at Bruce aiming his attack for the base of Bruce's neck. At the last moment, Bruce turned, and blocked the attack. Each successive attack turned out the same way until Bruce backed away and said, "Time's up."
"Do you see what I mean now?" Bruce asked.
Randy's jaw dropped nearly to the floor when he saw no ink spots whatsoever anywhere on Bruce's body or head.
"I know I hit you man, look at my fingers, the ink is almost gone!" A look of pure frustration was now taking the place of the surprise. Bruce raised both of his hands in front of him. On each palm was one dark ink spot directly in the center.
"I think you've seen enough," Bruce said, "Now I will get down to it. If you want to do this, you will come with me to our hideout. There you will be trained for about three or four months, depending on how fast you progress. Then you will be given the opportunity to make yourself look a way that you'd like to look for the rest of eternity for after you undergo the Embrace, you will never change again. Details on the ceremony will be given to you at a later date. You must understand now that this will change you in many ways. You will never know death. You will be an immortal except for certain things. You will also never be able to see your family again. Your life as you know it will change, but the cause you are fighting for is by far worth the sacrifice. If you do not accept, I will erase all memory of this meeting and of vampires, and you will continue on your path home as if nothing had happened. If you accept, you will be given the opportunity to change your mind again just prior to the embrace ceremony, and the same thing will happen to you. What do you wish to do?"
After about ten minutes, Randy agreed with a tear stroked face. Bruce took him out in the country to an old church. Once inside, they went down stairs, and his training began.
Three Months Later . . .
Randy was kneeling before the biggest man he had ever known. He stood about 7'8" tall, and was built like an ox. The man was wearing shining full plate armor, and so were the other 36 people in the room. They were in the sanctuary of a church, and it didn't seem at all odd that vampires would make their haven there.
"Randy Bass, you have endured some of the most vigorous training of your life. You have opened your mind and accepted things most mortals refuse to comprehend. Now you are about to change your life forever. Do you understand the procedure you are about to endure, and do you understand its consequences?"
"I do," Randy replied.
"Do you understand what is expected of you after the Embrace?"
"I do."
"Do you wish to continue?"
"I do."
"Good. All who are in favor of the induction of this man into our family of honor, virtue, and brotherly love, say so now." With this, every man in the room tapped his sword on the ground in a consecutive manor. After all 36 swords had been tapped, the man continued, "Then we shall proceed."
Randy removed his helm, and placed it under his left arm. He then tilted his head to the left. Then the big man kneeled beside him, and embraced him.
When he awoke, all Randy heard was the cheers of the men in the room. Soon they picked him up to his feet and he walked around the room and shook hands with all of them. When that was done, he kneeled before the large man, and bowed.
"Randy Bass, on behalf of all of us, I no pronounce you a member of the Son's of Virtue, and I welcome you as our brother. You have made us all proud."
Steven developed many new disciplines during his travels, and has maxed his capacity out in one or two of them. After he finally succeeded in his quest for revenge, Steven was lost. He had spent almost two thousand years tracking down the killers, and it had been an all-encompassing goal. He soon found another goal however, and this was the beginning of the Son's of Virtue.
Steven started this bloodline with a close friend of his at the time. The friend's name is Bruce, and Steven embraced him in the year 1143. This was a little bit of an accident, but he soon proved himself to be of use to Steven, and in time he also proved to be a good friend. They crusaded together until Steven finally killed Robert, the vampire who had killed his wife, and then Bruce persuaded Steven to start a clan of his own to write the wrongs in the world. This was something Steven wanted with a passion. Despite his vampirism, he had always retained his sanity, and basic good will.
Once a recruit has pledged that he wants to be a part of the clan, a ceremony is held. Every member shows up for this ceremony because during the time of training, the recruit becomes quite good friends with the rest of the members. Only Steven is allowed to embrace new members. This makes for an entire clan of fifth generation vampires. For the next two days after the embrace, all new members must drink from Steven. This makes all of the members of the clan blood bound to him. The bond of friendship between them all is so strong, that the blood bond is not needed, but this reinforces it.
There are only two things that remain constant in the clan. The first is that Steven is the founder, and therefore, he is the undisputed leader. Also Bruce is and always will be Steven's right hand man. However, any suggestions will be heard and acted upon if they will work. The second constant is that all of the other members are equal, and are to treat each other as so. A member that is 200 years old and a member that is 1 year old are both brothers, and therefore treat one another equally. That is an undeniable truth that must be understood before going into the rank system.
There is a rank system that is in effect for the sole purpose of personal glory, and incentive to better oneself. The opportunity to advance in rank comes every five years. At that time, any who wish to advance take part in a ritual. In this ritual, each member engages in a mock combat situation with Steven. Based on their previous rank, and their improvement, Steven makes the decision on whether or not they pass or fail. All new brothers start at Rank One. The highest attainable rank is Rank 7. Steven himself is unranked, but Bruce is Rank 7.