Darius stood at the top of the stairs leading down to the witnesses, leaning on his heirloom cane, waiting for the true sun that signaled the end of his nights and the never-ending rejection of his days. Last of those who protect, no longer needed, no longer wanted but satisfied at a task well done. Darius was the last of the vampires on his world and almost the last of the supernatural's. The rest had left for other worlds leaving Darius behind because he had been the anchor and they, the ship. They had to cut the rope because this world was done. All that remained were a few who could not bear to leave and who would bear witness. And the anchor, Darius.

He wore his favorite old suit and smiled into the dawning sky. He had led as honorable a life as possible it was for him to live. He had fallen on his face and stood back up countless times and whether he succeeded or failed he had come through all to stand here this day to triumph for one last time. His job was done as surely as this world was. Darius spread his arms wide to welcome the sun and the skies turned darker than true night. The Chaos Storm bore down on him snatching him from his joy at a life well lived. Reality rippled and he knew nothing, felt nothing until he awoke no longer on the planet that he knew so well but elsewhere. It was deep night instead and the stars were different from those he was accustomed to at either the north or south hemispheres of his world.

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He appeared to be in a town of some sort and buildings were burning around him spewing smoke across the area. The Storm still raged, Chaos had erupted in the streets and cries for help reached his hearing. Strange that he could understand them, but it was almost as if through a mental filter. A cry for help however was something he could understand on any level.

He lowered the arms that had tried to embrace the sun still holding the ancient cane of his family which he planted on top of the hard-surfaced street. Darius stretched his vampiric senses seeking the closest victims of the storm, found one and headed that way. Darius, once Lord of the Shield's Service had a reputation to maintain after all. He wasn't pleased at the situation around him but at the same time he was strangely lifted. He was needed and as long as he felt that, as long as he knew that, then he could live forever. He tried to shake the thoughts from his mind and went about his profession.

It felt good to be needed.

TLM