cHAPTER oNE - III - sURVIVAL oF tHE sICKEST

1

"Aight, Timmy..." Tempest says within their speeding blur, zooming in on the cemetary gates. "This is where ya need ta get in dat Hummer n scoot."

Tempest swats Timmy's pocket and out pops the Amulet Of Legends. Timmy looks down to see Tempest is putting the Amulet of Legends away, as they fly through the cemetary gates and out in to the street. Tempest reaches out and grabs the edge of the gate and releases Timmy, who goes sprawling to the hood of the Hummer with a thunderous crash.

Timmy looks up into a startled Rob's eyes.

"GO, MAN!" Timmy pounds the hood of the Hummer. "GO!"

Rob stomps the accelerator and the Hummer is in motion.

Tempest is trying to slow himself, with the yanked off cemetary gate in his hand. He turns to see the zombies are pouring out of the cemetary gates. He hurls the gate like a frisbee, knocking some zombies to the ground, aggravating others. Some, even in their deadness, were able to avoid the incoming gate, as it crashes inside the cemetary behind them.

Tempest runs down the curve of the street to in front of the club, where he finds the motorcycle left for him. He hears the muffled clank of a metal latch. He looks up and to his astonishment, Miss Music is closing her yard gate and she looks up and smiles when she sees Tempest.

"Good morning, Tempest." Miss Music smiles.

"Would ya like a ride ta work, this mornin?" Tempest tries to smile, best he can, trying not to seem anxious or give away the fact that the street behind them was filled with attacking zombies.

"Why, thank you, Tempest." Miss Music agrees, as she walks over to the motorcycle and hops over the back of the seat.

Tempest cranks the motorcycle to life and revs the engine.

"Hold on, sweetness."Tempest warns and guns the engine.

A little startled yelp escapes Miss Music, as the motorcycle is blazing down the street with extreme speed.

"You're going to pass..." Miss Music began. "You passed it! Is there any in particular reason why you're going so fast?"

A leather gloved thumb points directly behind them both.

"Them." Tempest said, maintaining the motorcycle handlebars.

Miss Music turns around to see an armada of rotten bodies running after them with alarming speed.

"I totally understand now!!!" Miss Music says, tightening her grip around Tempest's waist with her arms.

"Yer gonna hafta come up here , sweetness." Tempest says. "They're gonna try ta take ya."

"Why do they want me?" Miss Music asked.

"Explain it when we safe."Tempest assured Music. "Right now, ease yer legs around me n' get up here where I can protect ya."

Miss Music slowly and steadily makes the transition from behind Tempest on the motorcycle, to in front of him and facing him. Her arms lock onto his waist tightly and her eyes scan the tinted shades.

"Atta diva." Tempest winks. "Now hold on, this gonna get ugly."

Tempest whips out a pistol with his right hand and fires it, as a zombie roars and clutches fer Miss Music. It's head explodes and it's body begins to skid along the street, as others trip over it, trample over it and keep the pursuit. He wills his scythe to life with his left hand and does a complete circular motion around his head, sweeping the feet of two jumping zombies, causing them to flop to the tromping feet of the hordes of zombies that chased them.

The scythe is willed away and his left hand returns to the handlebar. Tempest fires two more shots at attacking zombies and has to holster the pistol to manuever the speeding motorcycle down the upcoming curves.

Miss Music gently lowers the tinted shades of Tempest's down to where she could see his light brown eyes had a hint of prismatic smoke dancing within them.

"You're not from around here, are you?" Music asked.

"I'm here ta protect ya." Tempest assured her.

A series of harsh turns ensue and with each harsh turn, Tempest manned the handlebars with the opposite hand and held onto Music's waist with the other. Tempest's light brown and smoky eyes look forward with a bit of unpleasantness.

"What?" Music asks.

"Don't look, just hold onto me." Tempest says, unsheathing a pistol in each hand for a moment, unleashing an array of shots, as nearing zombies are droppin in their steps.

Tempest sheathes the pistols as the blaring air horn of the eighteen wheeler begins to deafen everything around them. He leans to his left hard, tipping the bike with him. His left arm completely under Miss Music as she is horizontal with the ground and mere inches above it as it speeds under her. His right arm mans the handlebars. His left boot is their anchor, it's scuff mark leaving a trail behind.

Music's eyes grasp the fact that they are passing the underneath side of an eighteen wheeler's trailer. Huge metallic thuds can be heard, as the pursuing zombies are all crashing into the trailer. Music's eyes can see the bright morning sky again and Tempest stomps the ground and whips the motorcycle upright. Music bounces up and plops down in Tempest's lap with an astonished little gasp.

"I'm guessing that wasn't the gas cap." Music blushes.

Tempest sneers, pushing his tinted shades back over his eyes, as he speeds along the street, Music watching the wreck between the eighteen wheeler and the zombies from over Tempest's shoulder.

"We need somewhere safe to go for a while."Tempest says, hoping for a suggestion.

"To the lagoon." Music says. "I have friends there."

2

Helly and Ice King have regrouped after the escapeof the Amulet Of Legends from the Holy Grounds. Ice King is furious, as he keys his radio and finally the jammed frequency is clear for transmission.

"All units, be advised. It has begun." Ice King says, gritting his furious teeth. "I repeat. It has begun."

Ice King releases the key to his radio and Helly comes up to her lover and gives him a warm and submissive hug.

"Ya gonna be fine, lover." Helly promised her Ice King. "Da full moon's a comin."

Ice King looks down at his loving significant other with a smile. She was indeed correct. The full moon was coming...and all would be fine. He kisses her lips ever so gently with an evil sneer.

"You're absolutely right, my love."Ice King smiles. "Only a matter of time."

Suddenly, the radio cackles in...

"...speeding southbound towards the lagoon!" the radio voice crackled.

Helly and Ice King exchange a smile, as they enter their beat up squad car, fire it to life and screech away from the gates of the Holy Grounds. As they slowly make their way out of the cemetary gates, they see Darkus, with his summoned zombie queens amongst the mayhem.

Ice King pulls up next to Darkus.

"I should have known, Darkus." Ice King smiles.

Sinz and Dakota both hiss at Ice King.

"You don't know the half of it, Ice King." Darkus assures Ice King.

"Well, I know the amulet got away." Ice King sighs.

Darkus rolls his eyes in disgust.

"But, we know where it's going."Helly grins.

Darkus turns with interest.

"I'm listening." Darkus says.

3

A brilliant day at the lagoon. The sun is warm in the morning sky, without a cloud to disturb it. The water is calm and cool, as Niagra slips out of her sandals and tests the water with her bare foot. She had been swimming mornings here for years. She drops her towel and slowly steps into the water for her morning swim. She walks out waist deep and drops to her knees and tilts her head back, wetting her hair and then standing once again. She clears water from her face and that's when the brilliant flash overcame her and then the low rumbling became impactious.

She felt herself thrust back into the water, as a thunderous wave overcame her...

4

"...all units, be advised. Meteorite has struck lagoon." the radio crackled. "Repeat. Meteorite has struck lagoon."

Ice King looks over at Helly.

Helly grins.

"I think this is going to be too easy."Ice King grins wickedly.

"Indeed, baby."Helly agrees. "Indeed."

5

Tempest pulls up to the Miami Diastillery and pauses, as the flaming streak across the sky crashes into the edge of the lagoon.

"What on Earth?" Music asks.

"Go inside." Tempest says softly. "We need to stay outta sight fer now."

Music enters the club and the cool blast of air conditioning hits her. Tempest slowly follows her in and secures the door behind them.

"Hello?" Music calls out to the empty club.

"Not open yet." a young voice calls out, as Strawbeery returns to view from the cooler.

"Think I know that, girlie." Music winks and Strawberry smiles.

"Hey, Auntie!" Strawberry smiles and her eyes catch Tempest behind her "And...who...is that?"

Music glances back at Tempest with a smile.

"That's Tempest." Music smiles. "Where's Dia?"

"She's in the office, with Stills." Strawberry says, double checking Tempest uneasily.

"Go let them know I'm here." Music says softly.

Stills and Dia were already on their way out from the office area.

"My God, and it hit the lagoon!" Dia is talking into the cordless phone, as she walks out to the open club window, where you could see everything from there, including the lagoon shoreline.

Stills stands next to her with binoculars, scouting the shoreline.

"I've never seen anything like it!" Stills says softly. "We're going to be packed tonight! People are going to want to see what's going on from up here."

Strawberry and Music join Stills and Dia in the huge bay window of the club, looking down at the lagoon shoreline.

"Unbelievable!" Stills exclaims out loud.

"What?" Dia asked, muffling the cordless phone.

"There's...a...woman...down there!" Stills points.

Tempest slowly approaches the window and lets his eyes focus down on the shoreline, where Stills was pointing.

"What?" Dia's eyes crinkle, looking down at the shoreline. "Wow! There is! Oh, but look, there's a cop car coming, she'll be just fine."

Tempest notices that the cop car is missing a driver's door.

6

Ice King and Helly get out of the driver's doorless squad car and slowly approach the kneeling woman. Their eyes crinkle as little illuminances of orange scatter and disappear. She slowly stands.

"I...think...it took the breath out of me." Niagra coughed, her hands feel the back of her neck to make sure her hair covered the back of her neck.

"I'm sure it did." Ice King says softly. "Are you allright?"

"Why...yes..." Niagra says, with a slight smile, her eyes turn upwards towards them as she rises to her feet. Her eyes flash a bright orange for a moment. "I think everything is going to be just fine."

Ice King and Helly look at each other a little confused and then back at Niagra.

"Are ya sure, honey?" Helly asks Niagra. "Ya about got run overed by a meteorite."

"I've never been more positive about anything in my life." Niagra smiles. "I feel like I could swim the entire lagoon!"

Ice King strolls over towards the edge of the smoldering crater and peeks in. It appears that whatever orange slime-like substance that was in the meteor burned up uopn impact.

Ice King does notice there was some form of flow from the impact. His wolf like eyes follow those trails to where Niagra stands.

"Are you sure, you're okay, Miss..."Ice King asks.

"Sure." Niagra said. "Odd as it seems, I can't think of a time when I ever felt better."

"Maybe you should come with us and we get you checked out." Ice King suggests.

"Just to be on the safe side." Helly agrees.

"If you insist, officer."Niagra agrees.

Ice King's eyes resurvey the tracks from the meteor to where Niagra stands.

"I think it would be wise." Ice King nods, leaning into his shoulder mic. "Lagoon shoreline. Send paramedics. Repeat. Lagoon shoreline. Send paramedics."

Niagra's eyes briefly glow orange and she whispers in some ancient dialect that Ice King clearly understands after years of studying it.

"It is near." Niagra whispers in this ancient dialect. "I can feel it. It is near."

Niagra's glowing orange eyes fade, as she looks up towards the strip mall above them, unaware she was even whispering.

Ice King's eyes shift up towards the strip mall and grins wickedly.

7

"Whoa." Stills said, with a chill in his voice. "I think she looked up here at me."

"She did." Tempest said coldly. "And that ain't good."

He slowly pulls da Amulet Of Legends from his pocket to feel it's warmth even in his leather gloved hand...and how it was slowly pulsing in an orange glow....

cHAPTER oNE - II - tHE hOLY gROUNDS

1

The black Hummer pulls to a slow stop just shy of the cemetary gates.

"This is as far as we go, Reaper." Just Rob turns from the driver seat and looks at him. Timmy Titus opens his backseat door and steps out. Reaper follows behind Timmy Titus.

"Aight then." Tempest nods. "Get dat gate open."

Tempest and Timmy Titus walk across the street and enter the cemetary.

As they walk amongst the gravestones of the dead, Tempest pauses.

"What?" Timmy Titus whispers.

"Somethin ain't right." Tempest said softly.

"They're just dead people."Timmy Titus whispers. "I thought you were supposed to be some bad ass Reaper of somekind."

"Dead people present a problem." Tempest says softly.

"What kind of problem?"Timmy Titus cant believe his ears. "They're DEAD!"

"Indeed. They are dead." a voice calls to them.

Tempest and Timmy Titus pause again, looking up. A few graves away, a dark cape flaps in the wind and you can hear the chuckle from within his hood.

"Darkus." Tempest's expression frowns furiously.

"The beauty of the dead..."Darkus begins to chuckle and waves his hands in between some indistinct ancient enchantment. "...is that they do your bidding...if given life again."

The graves and ground around them begin to rumble.

"Life again?" Timmy Titus asks Tempest in disbelief.

"Ever heard of a zombie?" Tempest asks, willing his scythe into form within his leather gloved hand and twirls it.

"Only in the movies."Timmy Titus says puzzled.

"They ain't just in da movies, kiddo." Tempest assures Timmy Titus.

"What?" Timmy could not believe his ears.

"GO! NOW!" Tempest orders.

Timmy Titus is up the path with amazing speed.

Tempest lets him get far ahead, turns to face Darkus again.

"You will not get the amulet." Darkus laughs.

Tempest glares at Darkus and pulls out the radio from his pocket.

"Change of plans, Rob." Tempest says.

"What?" Rob's voice comes back over the radio.

"Get dat gate open now." Tempest orders. "We fixin ta have a whole lotta company."

"What kinda company?" Rob's voice comes back.

"Da zombie kind." Tempest says and stuffs the radio back in his trenchcoat pocket.

The gravestones begin to stir, as boned hands begin to crawl out of the Earth from each grave that surrounded them. The entire Earth of the cemetary was animated with dead returning to life.

Tempest starts up the path, willing his scythe to dissipate and begins to make haste towards the Holy Grounds gate.

Darkus roars with laughter.

"We'll be waiting for you, Reaper!" Darkus taunts, as zombies crawl out of their graves and gather around him by the dozens. "WE'LL BE WAITING!"

Darkus is joined by two female zombies, each stand in front of him in all of their rotten, undead glory. Maggots fall from Dakota's eye socket, as she hisses in question to the other, white haired zombie, not long dead, still with skin.

"Ah, Sinz and Dakota, my goddesses of the dead."Darkus says with pleasure.

"Why...does thee summon ussssssssss?" Sinz asks.

"Yesssss...why does thee summon usssss?" Dakota agrees in question.

"The amulet, my dears." Darkus points to the Holy Grounds. "It must not escape. Bring it to me."

Sinz and Dakota share a glance at each other and then back to Darkus.

"As ye wish."Sinz nods.

2

"Awww, Ice baby. What are we doing out here again?" a vibrant red head turns and asks a highly decorated cop.

"We got a disturbance call for the Holy Grounds." Ice King says, his eyes scanning the cemetary below from in front of his squad car. "Just wanted to see personally that all was still in order, Helly."

"Things look in order from here." Hellz says playfully, as she checks out her man in his uniform.

Ice King glances at her with a smile.

"Just let me make sure..."Ice King says and draws his pistol with trained precision and aims it out at the younger man running up the path.

Timmy Titus stops, a little out of breath, glances back a minute as he catches his breath and looks up at the police officer with his gun drawn on him.

"State your business." Ice King says firmly. "The Holy Grounds are off limits untill further notice."

"I think..." Timmy Titus huffs. "...we're going to have a big problem...in a minute."

Ice King's eyebrows crinkle with curiosity.

"What kind of problem?" Ice King asks.

"He...he said..." Timmy Titus puffs. "Zombies."

"Zombies?" Hellz shoots Ice King a look of surprize.

"Who said?" Ice King interrogates from behind his drawn pistol.

Prismatic smoke begins to appear in between Ice King and Timmy Titus. A scythe is twirled and the staff of the scythe sends Ice King's pistol flying into the night air and into the darkness of the cemetary grounds. The prismatic smoke all forms solid to reveal Tempest.

"A Reaper?" Ice King cannot believe his eyes.

"No time fer games." Tempest assures the cop. "I'm goin in there."

"I don't think so, Reaper." Ice King glares at Tempest.

"Suit yerself." Tempest outstretches his hand and pulls the red head's soul from her and holds it out in front of him.

"She'll live, if ya cooperate." Tempest tells the highly decorated officer. "She'll die, if ya don't."

The gate beeps and the enormous concrete gates begin to slide open.

"Timmy, do yer thang." Tempest orders and Timmy vanishes from sight.

"What the..." Ice King mumbles, as he watches Timmy Titus shrink out of view and watches the stir of leaves from his amazing speed shoot by his feet.

"I'm going to enjoy killing you, Reaper." Ice King growls at Tempest. "Come the full moon, you are dead!"

"I don't think so, Scooter." Tempest sneers, taunting him with the soul of his love.

Every part of Ice King wanted to transform and shred him to pieces, but he was powerless untill the full moon, where he reigns as king of the werewolves.

"You really think you're going to fulfill somekind of stupid prophecy that's been dormant for centuries?" Ice King asks. "Do you realize how long my reach is?"

Tempest's eyebrows crinkle a little with this thought, as he studies the height of Ice King.

"Yer gonna needa stepladder, Hoss." Tempest sneers.

"You son of a..."Ice King growls, steps forward, but pauses as Tempest holds Hellz soul in front of him.

3

Timmy Titus runs with intense speed, as his size begins to grow back to his normal self. He runs up the path of the Holy Grounds to the sanctuary. He hops up every other step with athletic agility and pushes the sanctuary doors open. He took a snoozing police officer by surprize, startling him awake from his chair by the door and with a simple elbow to his face, he was silent again, slumped back in his chair as if he had never been disturbed.

"Night night."Timmy Titus sneers and his attention is drawn up the dark red velvet carpet, in between the rows of pews to each side. The altar ahead laid host to the Amulet Of Legends.

He slowly walks towards the altar and ascends each step slowly. It was illuminated within itself, lighting up da front of the sanctuary with it's mysterious brilliance.

"I feel like Indiana Jones." Timmy Titus whispers.

His eyes dance over it's intricate carvings and it's glowing essence of things he does not understand. His hand outstretches and pauses over it a moment. He can feel warmth from it's surface, power from within it.

"No wonder they've been fighting over this thing for centuries." Timmy Titus says.

His hand touches the Amulet Of Legends and he pulls it from the altar, holding it out in front of him a moment. He sticks it in his pocket and heads for the sanctuary doors.

"I got it." Timmy says into his radio. "Heading out."

4

Ice King turns from his knelt position over his lifeless Hellz.

Tempest hears Timmy's voice on the radio. He sends Hellz soul back into her body and Ice King holds her, as she stirs to life. Tempest seizes the moment and steps into the Holy Grounds. He feels his training taking hold of him. He accepts the spirits of the Holy Ground.

"Baby..."Hellz looks up at Ice King. "What happened?"

"Nothing I can't take care of, love." Ice King assures her. "Be right back."

Ice King rises and follows Tempest into the Holy Grounds.

"You think you run this show, Reaper?" Ice King shouts through gritting teeth and takes a precision swing at the back of Tempest's head. He pauses in puzzlement when his swing passes right through him.

Ice King is furious and swings again, only to become more puzzled for a moment as it passes right through him. Any other entity would be on the ground...swing after swing, all of his training coming to life in his fury and every last one passes through Tempest, as if he wasn't even there.

"The Holy Grounds!?" Ice King almost roars into a question. "How can they protect you?"

"When ya work with Heaven and Hell..." Tempest sneers. "Anythin can happen."

Tempest catches Timmy Titus and turns towards Ice King.

"Step aside." Tempest says.

"That is not an option, Reaper." Ice King says. "The amulet does not leave the Holy Grounds!"

"Today, it does." Tempest assured Ice King.

Ice King is noticing his wolf senses entering him, his compliment of the Holy Grounds. His sense of smell, his athletic prowess...all coming to him in human form.

"I see why you like it here, Reaper." Ice King almost howls.

"Timmy...GO!" Tempest ordered.

Timmy takes a long escape route around Ice King, as Ice King stays focused on Tempest.

Ice King leaps high into the air with a howl and comes down towards Tempest. Tempest side steps, as Ice King makes a crater in the sidewalk with his fist.

"Oh, I see why you like it here!!!" Ice King taunts.

Ice King spins and swings at Tempest again. This time, Tempest is forced to block with a forearm.

"Only one drag ta ya discoverin yer powers in here, Ice..."Tempest says calmly, blocking each attack from Ice King with forearm crosses.

"What could possibly be a down side to this magnificent power?" Ice King roars, as he swings again.

Tempest clamps down on Ice King's forearm and for a moment and they are eye to tinted shades.

"I can hit back." Tempest sneers, as sends an elbow into Ice King's chest.

Ice King flies backwards up the path from the tremendous blow and crashes through the sanctuary doors.

Tempest turns and begins to run towards the Holy Grounds gate. Even with Timmy's brilliant speed, he is gaining on Timmy with unbelievable momentum.

Timmy glances over his shoulder.

"Hey...slow down!" Timmy huffed, as the Reaper opens his arms and grabs Timmy.

"WHOA!" Timmy shouts, as everything around him was becoming blurry from the speed they were gaining.

Hellz looks up in time to see the dark blur rushing towards her and she gets to her knees. She gets to the squad car and pulls it in front of the gate. She glances out the window to see that not only is the blur not stopping, but coming even faster, right towards the squad car.

"Oh, sh..." Hellz mutters and dives out of the squad car.

Tempest penetrates the passenger side door of the squad car and the driver's door blew off and flipped in the air a few times, before it came crashing down close to where Hellz landed.

"How the hell did you do that?" Timmy manages to ask from within the whizzing blur they were in.

"It's da Holy Grounds..."Tempest says. "But it gonna wear off soon now dat we left 'em."

"Wow!" Timmy says. "How are we going to stop?"

"I ain't got dat far yet." Tempest said.

"You WHAT!?" Timmy shrieked.

5

"Something's coming on radar..." Lady Eva announces inside the Hummer. "...and it's really fast."

"They're frequency is jammed. He won't get any back up." Baby confirms.

"We got movement all over the cemetary!" Lady Eva panics.

Rob turns to face the cemetary gates from the driver's seat.

"Zombies." Rob sighs, picking up his radio.

"Timmy! The sun is rising and the vampires had to back off! Tell Tempest they left him a motorcycle just down the street, in front of the club!"

cHAPTER ONE - I - oPEN yOUR eYES

1

Tempest follows Livid out to a balcony, where the night sky is filled with stars and rolling clouds. The breeze is cool, gently flapping the ends of his trenchcoat in the night air. He follows Livid down the left side of the balcony to the corner. Her head lowers a moment, in thought.

"If you're going to fulfill this prophecy, you need to open your eyes, Reaper." Livid speaks firmly.

"I'ma listenin'." Tempest nods.

"The werewolves already have the advantage. They have recovered the Amulet Of Legends and placed it on the holy grounds of the cemetary." Livid sighs with disgust.

"So, since it's on 'holy grounds', ya'll cain't go in an get it."Tempst calculates.

"The werewolves are clever. They have used their human disguises within the Moove Police Department to protect the amulet at all times, untill the next full moon." Livid informs the Reaper. "The only chance we will have at it is when they transport it to the Pillar Of Persevereance and attempt to unlock it."

"So, ya need someone ta go in there n get it." Tempest said.

"That would be advantagious, however, we could not assist you untill you returned out from the holy grounds." Livid nods, glancing at the Reaper, whom stares out towards the holy grounds.

"Are ya'll prepared fer their retaliation?" Tempest asks the warrior.

Livid throws her head back with hearty laughter.

"I live for the moment to kill them all." Livid sneers.

Tempest sports a little smirk after hearing this.

"Aight...so I go in there n get da amulet n' then we gonna kick some ass. Got it." Tempest says.

"Only one problem, Reaper. How can we trust you?" Livid asks.

Tempest rubs his chin and nods in agreement.

"Tell ya what, Livid. I'll hold a word a bond with ya." Tempest proposes.

Livid investigates the Reaper cautiously.

"Ya willin ta put da amulet on da line like dat. Perhaps, if I offer a fair trade, trust can be found tween us." Tempest explains.

"As you say..." Livid ponders. "I'm listening."

"There's a musician. She lives across da street. She told me bout some folks harassin within yer lil club a fangs..." Tempest says.

"Ah, you fancy the musician, do you?" Livid teases, with an ancient tone of sarcasm.

"No one messes with da musician an' I'll bring ya yer amulet." Tempest offers.

"And how do we really know you will bring the amulet back to us?" Livid asks.

"Who better ta save yer asses than da one sent ta kill yas?" Tempest's expression matches the ancient tone of sarcasm of his own.

"You do have a point." Livid agrees. "I will protect the musician myself."

"Then I suppose I oughta go get yer amulet." Tempest sneers.

Livid and Tempest enchange an ancient handshake, honored for centuries amongst the finest of warriors.

"Agreed." Livid smiles.

"THIS CANNOT BE!" a voice roars.

Livid and Tempest turn to see they are not alone on the balcony.

"Darkus..." Livid sighs. "Should you not be casting spells or encantations somewhere?"

Darkus sneers at Livid, as his feet momentarily rise and turn towards the wall. His feet meet the wall and begins to walk the wall towards them. The long cape of his hood drags the floor.

"You really think this Reaper is going to help us?" Darkus ridicules Livid.

"It cannot be any worse than your own desire for the amulet, Darkus." Livid says coldly.

Darkus' laughter fills the cool night air.

"At least I, barbarian...would know what to do with it." Darkus returns the cold shoulder to Livid.

"Watch your tounge, Darkus..." Livid says with a flash of her fangs. "...or I'll spill your blood where you float."

Darkus' sneer can be seen within his hood. His eyes dance from Livid to the Reaper.

"I doubt that, Livid." Darkus chuckles. "If you think I am going to sit back and watch this Reaper destroy us, you are sadly mistaken."

"Hey bubba...yer like a fly on da wall. Wanna get swatted?" Tempest asks, with an assuring gaze.

Darkus chuckles once again.

"Point proven yet, livid?" Darkus asks, turns and walks the length of the wall and leaps out of sight.

"He has a point. You said we have a word of bond, Reaper." Livid said.

"It isnt me that's against ya." Tempest says. "Like ya say, open yer eyes. Dat fella's gonna be a problem fer ya at some point."

"If he presents a problem, then it shall be solved." Livid says.

"Aight then." Tempest agrees. "I'm gonna needa little assistance gettin inta da holy grounds. I know ya'll nightwalkers got humans dat work fer yas. Do some a yer work durin da day. Stuff like dat. Whatever I'ma gonna need ta get in there...better call some folks up."

"Consider it done." Livid agrees and leaves the balcony.

Tempest stares out at the holy grounds at the top of the cemetary. He notices the dark cape of Darkus flapping in the wind on the street and heading towards the cemetary that rests below the holy grounds.

His eyes squint behind the tinted shades.

Darkus pauses in the shadows a moment and flips open his cell phone.

"Yes...I hear there is a disturbance at the holy grounds." Darkus pauses to listen to the operator. "Yes...I believe you should send the police."

Darkus closes the cell phone and chuckles. He continues his way towards the cemetary.

"Come forth, Reaper!" Darkus laughs, as he dashes on. "I have something for you!"

2

Tempest enters the back of the club from the balcony. A mixture of reception from the patrons within. Count Barnabas Collins and his wife Di, greet him.

"So, it is done? We shall return the amulet to the pillar?" Count asks.

"Yeah, it's gonna go back where it belongs, so alla this fightin over it will stop." Tempest agrees.

"Finally, a Reaper with some wisdom." a voice says. Count Barnabas Collins and Di turn to see they are joined by another elder amongst them.

"Ah, Lady Vampiress of the Two Hundred and Twenty Fifth." Di welcomes Lady.

Tempest studies her, of ancient Egyptian descent. There was no doubt in Tempest's mind that she had walked the Earth for many, many centuries.

"So tell me, Reaper. Why is the amulet not an interest of yours?" Lady studies the Reaper closely. Her eyes lock on his even through the tinted shades.

"Da feud needs ta end. Da amulet does me no good. Think I wanna walk on Earth forever?" Tempest sneers.

Vampire Lady smiles with humorous delight.

"Is that so? One sent to slay my people is suddenly going to save us?" Vampire Lady questions.

"Dat's da plan." Tempest nods.

"Plans fail." Vampire Lady said.

"Not mine." Tempest assures Vampire Lady.

"Good. We shall fight alongside you." Vampire Lady assures the Reaper.

Tempest nods.

"They're here..." Livid walks up. "You should come meet them and discuss your plans."

"Aight then." Tempest nods.

Livid leads Tempest into another part of the club.

"Can we trust him?" Di asks Count Barnabas Collins and Vampire Lady.

"I think he is genuine." Count Barnabas Collins says.

"A complete Reaper...and will fight with us? I have seen many things in my time...but never this. We are going to write history as we live it." Vampire Lady smiles.

"If he betrays us, we cannot stop him!" Di hisses.

"Neither can the wolves." Count Barnabas Collins sighs.

"That alone, brings us hope, Count." Vampire Lady shows her wisdom with those words and Count Barnabas Collins nods in agreement.

"I overheard Livid speak of the pureblood musician!" Di whispers.

"Oh?" Count Barnabas Collins asks. "What of her?"

"Ahhhh." Vampire Lady smiles. "The Reaper fancies the pureblood musician?"

"I think so." Di nods.

"Then he has a word of bond." Vampire Lady smiles.

"Indeed." Count Barnabas Collins agrees.

3

Tempest enters a back room of the vampire club, where he sees a long business like table and at the other end of it, four humans are seated.

"Reaper, meet your accomplices." Livid introduces.

The first rises, his hair long, his physique is in shape and has a laptop computer in front of him.

"I'm Rob." he greets.

"Rob?" Tempest asks, as if there might be a last name with it.

"Yeah, Just Rob." he smiles. "These are my partners, Baby, Lady Eva and Timmy Titus."

Tempest nods at each.

"So, what's da story?" Tempest asks.

"Pretty simple stuff, the holy grounds are surrounded by security gates now. You will need the code to get in. Leave that to me." Just Rob says.

"They will be all over the radio, so leave frequency jamming to me." Baby smiles. "But you will need a clear line to communicate with us so..."

Baby tosses Tempest a radio. Tempest catches it in his leather gloved hand.

"Don't lose it." Baby says.

"While I decipher the codes, Lady Eva will be running surveilance." Just Rob says.

"Aight then." Tempest says and looks over at Timmy Titus. "And whadda ya do?"

Timmy steps up onto the table and concentrates. His body begins to shrink, not only in height, but in every dimension simultaneously. Soon, he is but a mere version of his usual stout self, but about an inch tall on the table.

Tempest actually lowers his shades for a moment to let his eyes register this magnificent feat.

"I bet dat comes in handy." Tempest agrees, sliding his shades back into place.

"Especially when the ladies wear short skirts!" Timmy Titus shouts to be heard.

He begins to transform back to his usual size and sits indian style on the table.

"So, I'll break the code and get you in. Baby will jam their radio frequencies. Lady Eva will run surveilance, and Timmy will assist you." Just Rob says.

"Aight then." Tempest agrees.

"We will be waiting to assist you in the cemetary." Livid adds.

"Sounds like it's party time." Tempest nods. "Let's do this."

pROLOGUE VI : tHE sHAKEDOWN

Tempest enters the club, through a blacklight archway.
You will enter a room and they shall part to allow you a path. Your very prescence will silence them.
Eyes begin to wander his direction and whispers begin to fill the air. Tempest walks further into the club and as eyes meet his shades, they begin to step out of the way. He makes his way down the bar, feeling the glares and hearing the whispers.
One figure begins to walk towards him.
"And just what the hell do you want?" he asked.
"What I want is irrelevant." Tempest said. "What will be, will be."
"You got a problem, little man?" he asked, flashing his fangs and went to stick a pointing finger into Tempest's chest.

With lightning reflexes, before the vampire's finger touched his chest, a leather gloved hand snatched the finger, bent it backwards with an audible crack. As the vampire begins to scream in unexpected surprizing pain, Tempest headbutts the vampire, kicks out his left knee and from underneath his trenchcoat, unsheathes a shotgun. He cocks it and aims the barrel into the face of the vampire knelt by force.

"Garlic rock salt won't do anythin' fer yer already pale complexion, sucka." Tempest sneers, as the vampire stares at the shotgun barrel in submission.

"IT'S A REAPER!" a voice shouted.

Tempest kept aim of the shotgun on the knelt vampire, as the crowd begins to gather around in front of him in a crescent moon shape.
"Garlic salt won't kill him, Reaper." a voice said, and the crowd parts to show a figure with long dark hair. His eyes full of centuries of wisdom.

"Yeah, but he'll sure feel it in da mornin'." Tempest smirked.

The wise one with the long hair waves his hand magestically at the crowd behind him and they begin to back away, all except for one, a blonde female, dressed in battle armor and armed like an army with an assortment of weapons in her arsenal.

"I am Count Barnabas Collins, Reaper." he speaks with wisdom and caution. "We have been expecting you."

"Let me deal with this prey..." the blonde whispers to Count Barnabas Collins, as his hand raises to silence her.

"Are we to shed blood this night, Reaper?" Count Barnabas Collins asked.

"I don't bleed." Tempest sneers, relinquishing his shotgun aim on the knelt vampire, but a combat boot to his chest shoves him into the crowd to Count Barnabus Collin's right. "But da next set a fangs that tries ta touch me is gonna end up a pile a ash."

"Fair enough. "Count nods.
A dark haired female emerges beside the armored blonde and whispers to Count Barnabus Collins.

"You're not going to just let him come in here and kick us around, are you?" she asked.
Count Barnabus Collin's eyes do not leave the Reaper, however, he leans in her direction and says softly back.

"Do you wish for all of us to perish before it even begins, Skye?" Count Barnabus Collins asks.
Skye glares at the Reaper with a flash of her fangs and a hiss.

"Ya might wanna keep dat mouth over there, honey." Tempest sneers. "This shotgun ain't got buckshot in it."

Skye is through the air, fangs bared. She slashes downwards at the Reaper, whom sidesteps and as she swings upwards, her fist meets the stock of the shotgun. He spins the shotgun to knock her right wrist downwards, then yanks it backwards, then thrusting it forwards, sending the stock of the shotgun into her chest. Skye sprawls backwards, remaining on her feet, her eyes furious, as she looks back up at the Reaper.

"Whatcha gonna do, toots?" Tempest asked.

Skye roars with rage and begins a second charge. Tempest simply extends his leather gloved hand and Skye stops in her tracks, her eyes wide with surprize. His leather gloved hand clutches the air and yanks back towards him with force.

Skye's human body hits the floor, as he holds her essence in his leather gloved hand, a dim, smoky, ghostlike replica of her human self.

Tempest sheathes his shotgun and lowers his shades to look into her essence eyes.
"SOULBURN! THE REAPER IS COMPLETE!" the blonde with the arsenal shouts and the crowd, including Count Barnabus Collins begins to back away.

Tempest scolds the essence of Skye.
"This is gonna hurt ya...alot worse than it's gonna hurt me." Tempest sneers.
Tempest, with a forceful wave of his hand, throws the essence of Skye back into her body. Her body reacts with the impact and ceases to move.

The floor begins to open, the red glow of the flames of hell lights up the area. No demons this time, even Tempest is surprized to see Lucifer himself, shirtless, tribal tattoos and tinted shades rise from the opening.

"I see it has begun." Lucifer says. "I got this one."
Lucifer takes the lifeless Skye into hell.
"Don't have too much fun, Reaper." Lucifer lowers his tinted shades to show the flames of hell dancing in his eyes. "It makes more work for me."

"Yer gonna be busy, Luc." Tempest assured Lucifer.
"We shall see about that." Lucifer sports a sneer of his own back, and the opening to hell closes.
Tempest focuses on the rest of the gathered.
"Anyone else up fer a lil trip ta hell?" Tempest asked.
"It does not have to BE LIKE THIS!" Count Barnabus Collins said furiously.
"And whadda ya suggest, Count?" Tempest shrugs at him.
"There is more you need to know." the armed blonde assures the Reaper. "We only have untill the next full moon before the werewolves come. There is much you need to understand."
"Livid..."Count Barnabus Collins began, but Tempest interrupts.
"Oh, I understand it all." Tempest said. "Neither one a yas gonna get that amulet."
"If that is all you think is to this, then all is already lost." Livid sighs.

Tempest's eyes squint in puzzlement underneath his tinted shades and he recalls a question Torrence asked him earlier...
"What if it fell in your hands, Reaper?" Tempest could hear her voice in his mind.
"Come, Reaper." Count Barnabus Collins invites, as he places an arm around his wife. "There is much you should know."

Tempest glances at Livid, whom even has lowered her guard with a touch of sorrow, but still has enough ferocity in her eyes to instantly be a force to be reckoned with.
Tempest pauses, looks around the room and sees that obviously something has changed over the last thousand years. His mind races with everything he was taught. Everything the voice told him...and at this very moment, he only heard two things. The sweet music of a violin singing in his mind and the silence of what he did not understand...

pROLOGUE V : fATE aND dESTINY

"And thus, you understand what is to be done." the eerie voice says, as Tempest enters the thick dark realm. "And now, you must obtain knowledge humans do not have."

"Such as?" Tempest asked.

The laughter echoes throughout the dark realm.

"Humans choose not to believe what is among them. They dismiss them as mythical creatures." the eerie voice said.

Tempest's eyes squint underneath his tinted shades. His thoughts race with what was just said.

"Yes. Let that sink in, Reaper. For you will walk amongst the humans knowing what they do not." the eerie voice said. "However, for some of them, what they do not know will become known to them. The prophecy is upon us."

"Prophecy?" Tempest asked.

"Your forefather before you. An excellently skilled reaper he was. A thousand years ago, he was sent to maintain balance between the eternal battle between the vampires and the werewolves." the eerie voice spoke.

"All mythical creatures are affected by this ongoing war. Yes, all of them. Every kind you can think of, you must acknowedge does exist. Your forefather was sent to stop an elder vampire from obtaining the Amulet Of Legends.

He travelled to their hidden village and fell in love. He was almost betrayed by her, as she believed if she bit him, he would protect them. He slayed them all, however...other elders know of the Amulet Of Legends and the cycle of time is nearly complete for another chance at it. You will stop the elder vampires from obtaining the Amulet Of Legends."

"And of da werewolves?" Tempest, the Reaper asked.

The eerie laughter rumbles through the dark realm.

"Do you think the immortal enemies of the vampires are going to sit back and let them take the Amulet Of Legends? An epic battle is upon them come the next full moon." the eerie voice said. "You must protect the Amulet Of Legends from being taken by either of them."

"Slay all who attempt to take it." Tempest understands.

"Yes. Do not be distracted from your agenda, as your forefather before you. He came close to becoming his own fate. Follow destiny, Reaper. Your work is never done."

Tempest steps through the darkness with his knowledge.

Tempest appears in a garden. His arrival silent, his prescence undetected. It is night and he begins to notice his eyes are opened to the fact of all creatures that do exist. He sees fairies fluttering amongst the flowers. In the open fields to his left, he sees a unicorn grazing in the moonlight. It's head lifts to show it's brilliant silver eyes. It sniffs the air and begins to grumble uneasily, sensing his arrival. It gallops away, alerting the fairies buzzing around the garden to stop and take notice of the fleeing unicorn.

One fairy looks over to the edge of the garden and sees the draped blade of the scythe over the left shoulder of a figure in a trenchcoat.

"REAPER!" the fairy shouts, and a flutter of fairies throughout the garden all rise above the growth to see him standing there.

"He sees! He sees!" another fairy shouts.

"The time is upon us!" a third fairy cries.

One fairy flutters right up in front of Tempest's tinted shades.

"What are you doing here!?" she asks.

Tempest's eyes narrow from her illuminance, as little sparkles of light radiate around her.

"I protect the prophecy." Tempest said.

"Oh, is that what you call it?" she says sarcastically.

Tempest sneers.

"And what would ya call it?" Tempest asks.

"A slaughter." she says, folding her arms and glaring at the Reaper.

"They choose ta fight over it." Tempest reminds the little fairy. "It must not fall inta da wrong hands."

"And what if it fell in your hands, Reaper?" the fairy asks.

Tempest's eyebrows crinkle with this question. He had not even considered this option.

A question, he was not sure how to answer...

"So many questions from such a small creature." Tempest teased.

"Oh, I'll show you!" the fairy exclaimed.

A brilliant light fills the air. Sparkles dance out from the source and Tempest's eyes squint underneath his tinted shades. As the light begins to fade, a woman, with wings, approaches and soon he is face to face with one of the angelic fairies.

"Nice trick." Tempest said.

"Trick?" she asks. "Heck with the trick! How about my outfit?"

"Who are you?" Tempest asked. "And why do ya question me so?"

She sees that he is not going to comment on her outfit and sighs.

"I am Torrence." she said.

Tempest nods.

"Well, Torrence...ya obviously know why I'm here...so why dont'cha lemme get on with it." Tempest said softly.

Torrence steps up and gives Tempest a hug.

"I know why you are here." Torrence said. "Do not stray from your path."

Torrence steps away from Tempest and smiles.

Tempest nods.

All of the other fairies begin to flutter around behind Torrence like illuminated hummingbirds, darting this way and that.

The air fills with a tune.

Tempest's chin rises, as his ears are filled with it.

"What is that?" Tempest asks.

"Oh...that." Torrence's eyes roll to the ground. "Well...that..."

Tempest steps to the side of Torrence and begins to cross the garden. His scythe blade glistens in the moonlight and he notices. He extends a leather gloved hand and wills it to be gone. It begins to dissipate as prismatic smoke untill it is gone from view. He crosses the garden slowly and carefully, pausing behind a tree, as the garden opens up into an outdoor theater.

There, he hears the source of these magnificent tunes that are magic to his ears.

A woman is sat in the empty orchestra chairs and is playing her violin, as if the moonlight were her spotlight.

Tempest admires her talent from afar, her back to him, he emerges from behind the tree and begins to cross the stage platform of the outdoor theater. He comes close, but not close enough to startle her when she realizes she is not alone. He stops at the piano and gently lifts the piano key cover.

She plays with passion and commitment and Tempest watches with awe, as her bow crosses the strings back and forth, each note fills his ears with serenity and happiness. He sits at the piano bench and begins to recall a time in his former life, when he was taught what all of these keys were. His eyes momentarily close behind his tinted shades and hears her notes fill the air. His leather gloved hands hover over the piano keys a moment...and begins to play in tune for her.

She opens her eyes, when she begins to hear the piano keys, however she does not stop playing. She continues the song, noticing the piano notes are in tune with hers. She smiles at this mystery and finishes the song.

She gently places her violin and bow in the case beside her and rises, turning towards the piano. Her eyes sparkle in the moonlight.

"They say that music...is an expression of da soul." Tempest says, as he rises and closes the piano cover over the keys.

"I didn't realize I had an audience." she smiles.

Out of the corner of his eye, Tempest can see the fairies amongst the flowers, trying to stay out of sight. Torrence has gone back into fairy form and her blonde hair can be seen peeking over a red rose.

"You play very well." Tempest said. "I heard ya from across da garden."

"Thank you." she smiles, as she closes her violin case and tucks it under her arm. "I dont believe we have met."

"Tempest." he says and extends a leather gloved hand.

"Miss Music." she shyly smiles, but her eyes do tend to find his through the tinted shades.

A formal man to woman handshake. Tempest leans forward and kisses the top of her hand.

"Well met." Tempest nods.

"Nice to meet you, too..."Miss Music says, as her eyes travel to investigate his unusual clothing. "...Tempest."

"It's gettin' late." Tempest glances up at the moon. "Perhaps, I can walk ya home?"

Tempest extends an elbow to Miss Music.

Miss Music is taken by this courtesy gesture that seemed long forgotten in this day and age.

"Why that would be great, Tempest." Miss Music smiles, tucks her arm in his and they walk off of the stage platform.

The walk is pleasant through the streets of Moove. The night air is not too warm and not too cool, seemed just right for the moment.

Tempest walks arm in arm with Miss Music, as she pauses in front her home.

"This is it." Miss Music smiles.

Tempest pats Miss Music's arm, as he lets it go and turns to face her.

"Was a pleasure..."Tempest began to speak, when there was a bottle crash from across the way.

His reflexes superb, he spins to view a club across the street. The gathering in the doorway were heading back inside before any looks could be exchanged.

"Pretty excitin' place over there er what?" Tempest asked.

"Oh, people just talk about that place a little too much for me." Miss Music sighed.

"If ya prefer an empty theater as company, it can't be good." Tempest said. "Whadda they say about it?"

"Rumor has it that..."Miss Music paused. "...oh, you'll just think I'm silly."

"Try me." Tempest returns his eyes to Miss Music.

"They say that vampires hang out in there." Miss Music said, her eyes kinda dance along the ground and then back up at Tempest.

"I see." Tempest nods.

"You think I'm crazy yet?" Miss Music asked, wondering if she had scared this new stranger.

"Never." Tempest smiled.

Miss Music smiles.

"Well, Miss Music...it was a pleasure ta meet yas." Tempest nods.

"Likewise, Tempest." Miss Music said.

"Perhaps, we shall meet again?" Tempest asked.

"That would be great. Maybe I'll see you at the theater again?" Miss Music asked.

"Sounds like a plan." Tempest agreed, as Miss Music smiles, waves and begins up her walkway to her home.

Tempest watches, as she enters her home safely and closes the door. His head turns to see the club across the street. His eyes dance across the front of the club and the various markings and scrollings across it. Within it, he sees the secret symbols that represent a safe haven for the nightwalkers.

His black steel toed combat boot crunches the broken bottle underneath his feet, as he ascends the steps and reaches for the club door handle.

PROLOGUE IV : a tOUCH oF hEAVEN

Amethyst has had a wonderful birthday. A trip to her grandmother's house with her mother and father. All of her friends were there. A beautiful birthday cake, the wonderful gifts brought by all. Six years of life and it is still just beginning for her. She plays with her friends. It seems like it all goes by so fast. The day is drawing to a close and her parents load the car with all of her presents and leftover cake. She hugs her friends goodbye and sits in the backseat with one of her new gifts, a teddy bear with bunny ears.

"Betty." Amethyst whispers it's chosen name and hugs it.

Her father gets behind the wheel, her mother sits in the passenger seat. She glances back with a look of love. Her eyes are droopy. It has been a long day, indeed. All she hears is the screeching of tires, the shattering of glass and the metallic clash of metal.

Her eyes open briefly, and she is no longer in the car. Her droopy eared teddy bear is no longer beside her. A form appears before her and she begins to cry.

"Where is Betty?" Amethyst asks the form.

Tempest kneels to Amethyst.

"She's on yer cloud, little one." Tempest speaks softly. "Come, I'll show ya."

"Who are you?" Amethyst wipes her tears away and studies him with childlike curiosity.

"Ya can call me Tempest." the reaper said.

"My cloud?" Amethyst asks.

"Yeah." Tempest agrees.

Amethyst comes forward and Tempest scoops her up in his arms and places her on his hip. Her hand touches his chest, as he rises to his feet.

"You don't have a heartbeat." Amethyst notices.

"Ya gotta have a heart fer that, honey." Tempest said.

Amethyst looks at Tempest with a bit of puzzlement, as Tempest watches a bright glow appear in the air above them. It seems the air speards open. Choirs are singing and a cloud appears. Tempest hoists Amethyst to the cloud, where she sits. She looks at how she is sitting on a cloud and giggles with a mixed emotion of happiness and understanding. Betty is there, in all of her droopy eared glory. It's as if all of her questions were answered the moment she sat down on what Tempest called her cloud. Tempest sees her mind is placed at ease and all confusion has found peace.

Amethyst giggles again and looks down at Tempest.

"Yer gonna be ok, sweetness." Tempest said softly.

"Yes." Amethyst agrees, hugging Betty with pleasure. "Come here."

Tempest steps forward, as the cloud lowers a little and Amethyst hugs his neck and her hand returns to his chest. A bright light briefly forms where her hand touched. Tempest winces at the bright light and looks down at himself, as the brightness fades. Amethyst giggles with content.

"Whatcha do, lil one?" Tempest asked, not sure what just happened.

"You'll see." Amethyst smiles, kisses his cheek and waves. "I am your guardian angel."

Her cloud rises into the bright opening and the bright light and legions of choirs singing begins to fade, as the opening closes.

Tempest studies where the opening once was, glances down at his chest a moment. He feels a significant difference, but cannot place a finger upon what just happened.

pROLOGUE III : a tASTE oF hELL

"Your life has become one to watch." the eerie voice fills his mind.

A teen in a muddy football uniform is rushed down a hallway on a stretcher."You have become a prodigy among mere men." the eerie voice says.

Blurry visioned eyes watch, as the emergency room lights become too bright.

"You persevere when others fall to peril."

A football is spiraling through the air and a tactified glove reaches up to steal it. A cornerback, number 21, begins running down the sideline the other direction, the name Tempest above his jersey number. He holds his hand up high, as the interception turns into a touchdown.

"You have overcome what others only dream of." the eerie voice coaches.

A young man in a graduation gown and hat with a wind blown tassle, walks across a stage and accepts his diploma.

"You will be a champion among mortal men. You will enter a room and they shall part to allow you a path. Your very prescence will silence them."

Strobing images of a career in sports entertainment. Blood, sweat and glory, where Tempest raised the World Heavyweight Championship title ten times during his tenure in the ring.

"Your path has allowed you to harness your abilities for your true destiny."

Tempest finds himself in that eerie darkness and can feel the essence of the eerie voice next to him. Although unseen, he knows he is very close. The darkness below him parts and another essence begin to glow throughout existance below him.

"A reaper's work is never done. The essences you seek appear to you. It is up to you to make sure they get where they belong."

"Heaven or hell." Tempest says softly.

"Yes."

"How will I know?" Tempest asks.

The eerie voice's essence laughs softly, however it is thunderous throughout the darkness.

"You shall discover that on your own. Now go."

Tempest steps through the darkness.

Gunther Collins is celebrating. He has his classical music turned up to a not so moderate volume this late evening. Today is a day he prides himself on thirty years in the family law business. He has poured himself a glass of red wine and loosens his tie from his collar. He clumsily acts as if he is ballroom dancing with his glass of wine, as he sips arrogantly from it. He is very clever at his profession. He has manipulated court systems for three decades now.

A celebration, indeed. He sits down in his plush leather chair at his marble topped desk. He thinks rather highly of himself. His peers do not. The judge's hammer concluded a child custody case this day in his favor. A verdict not in the best interest of a young girl. A judicial system already tainted with corruption, Gunther Collins' deceptive methods of intimidation and coercion allowed him a judge practically in his hip pocket, and a young girl is now where she does not belong.

He sips his wine and rubs his oversized belly with hands that have never labored in their lifetime. He sets his glass of wine on the desk and eases back in this expensive chair and taps his foot to his music. He hums along with it, as his eyes grow heavy, his smug sneer still permanent on his face. He has done well this day, or so he believes.

As his body slowly allows him to swim into sleep, his essence begins to glow.

"Psst."

Gunther Collins snaps awake. His sleepy eyes blink wide awake. He could have sworn he heard something. He shrieks as his plush leather chair is violently spun around.

Tempest sneers at Gunther Collins.

"Did good today, didja?" Tempest asks sarcastically.

Gunther Collins cannot believe his eyes. Who is this ballcap wearing, tinted shades sneering bum in his home? Gunther's eyes travel up and down the figure in front of him, the trenchcoat and most disturbing, the scythe blade hooked over the figure's left shoulder.

"Who are you?" Gunther asks. "And what are you doing in MY house!?"

"I'm da last thing yer ever gonna see." Tempest assures Gunther.

"Like HELL!" Gunther roars, yanking open a desk drawer, pulling out a .38 Special and unloads all six rounds into the figure.

Tempest looks down at himself, then back at Gunther.

"Feel bettah now?" Tempest sneers.

All Gunther saw was the flash of the scythe blade. His eyes grow wide, as he realizes he is suddenly cold below his chest. His eyes slowly roll downwards to see what he feared.

"People like you in places where ya can make a difference and ya decide ta deceive yer own oath fer yer own benefit...makes me sick." Tempest says softly.

Tempest sinks his right hand into the open gash in Gunther Collins' chest. He forces his hand upwards and to the right. Gunther's eyes roll with excruciating pain, as he tries to maintain focus on whom he shot six times. Tempest's hand feels the beating heart and caresses it with his leather gloved hand.

"Their lives are in yer hands, like yers is now in mine." Tempest whispers. "And ya toy with their lives, like it is a game. Game over, Gunther."

Gunther gurgles a little blood from his lips, his eyes are crinkled and how he wished he could get this intruder into a courtroom. Oh, how he would pay...

"I thought I would have a problem takin' souls ta hell." Tempest confessed. "In yer case, da verdict is in. No problem at all."

Tempest's hand clutches Gunther Collins' heart. Every corrupt verdict he was responsible for. Every tear he was the source for. Every heart he ripped apart. Every family he destroyed. As Tempest squeezes Gunther's heart in his leather gloved hand, he sees, feels and endures them all simultaneously. Gunther's heart bursts.

Pain.

Gunther Collins awakens and is paralyzed in severe pain. He clutches his chest and leans forward. His glass of wine spills all over his computer keyboard and sprawled paperwork. A solid gold pen spins from the clinkin wine glass and falls to the floor. Gunther drops to his knees, his hands clutching at the pain inside his chest and his thoughts race with what he thinks he just dreamt.

"It was just a dream!" Gunther cries, as the pain is taking him. "JUST A DREAM!"

Gunther collapses to the floor, his eyes full of fear, as he realizes his end is before him. Thirty years in his profession and his last thought alive was asking for a retrial.

His last breath escapes his body and his soul escapes into the air. A leather gloved hand clutches it.

"Only one thing ya need ta know, Gunther." Tempest smiles. "Dreams do come true."

Tempest places Gunther's soul on the floor and it begins to take human form again.

"What are you doing?" Gunther asks, as his transparent essence begins to form as a human again.

"I'm gonna show ya hell." Tempest smiles.

The floor opens behind Gunther and the red glow of the pit of hell illuminates the room. Gunther dares let his eyes look behind him, where a demon rises from the opening and his eyes are full of torturous delight. The demon begins to manifest and take form of the father of the little girl Gunther played a huge role in taking from him.

"Hi, Gunther." the demonic father form smiles. "Why don't you come with me?"

The demonic father form seizes Gunther by his ankles and begins to pull Gunther into hell.

"O! PLEASE GOD, NO!" Gunther screams.

"I ain't God..." Tempest smiles. "And He ain't listenin' ta ya."

The demonic father form grabs Gunther's belt and yanks him deeper into the opening to hell. Gunther's fingernails scraping across the woodgrain floor.

"NOOOOOOO!" Gunther cries, as the demonic father form's claws grab Gunther's mouth and pull him under and the opening to hell closes.

"Case closed." Tempest sneers.

pROLOGUE II : sIX fEET uNDER oR sURVIVE

1 "...Clear Creek South football team was travelling back from their game with arch rival Clear Creek North, in this very tremendous thunderstorm system that blew through the area..." the voice of a reporter.

Images of a dark stretch of lonely highway, wet and flooded from the pouring rain. Caution tape lines a sharp curve.

"Intense wind, tornadoes have touched down in the area. It is unclear exactly what happened at this point, all that we know is that the school bus came right through here..." the reporter's voice fades in static.

A staticy television screen flashes back to the news studio.

"...where the school bus lost control and apparently went over the edge..." a newscaster's voice reported.

A staticy image of the reporter, standing in the darkness of night, fighting the wind and rain to stay in view of the camera feed.

"...authorities are on the scene, however at this point, they have found no survivors." the newscaster's grim face is all that you see before everything goes dark.

2"And from amongst the dead, you shall rise." an eerie voice echoes in the darkness.

A lone bright light suddenly comes down into the middle of somewhere, the perimeter of it's brightness is surrounded by a thick darkness that neither of them had ever seen.

"One of you are already dead and do not realize it." the eerie voice spoke to them.

Two teens, in muddy football uniforms cautiosly enter the brightness, both shielding their eyes from it's intese glare.

"One of you will go on to better things." the eerie voice chuckled.

The two teens are frightened, looking around and at each other with confusion, wondering where this voice is coming from.

"It's time for you both to realize a few things. There is no heaven and there is no hell, unless you take them there. There is no tomorrow, only what must be done today and at this precise moment. There are no second chances and there is no remorse. There is only what you must do and how you intend to do it. The rest is solely up to you." the eerie voice preaches.

"What are you talkin..." one teen asks, the bigger of the two, obviously a linebacker or defensive lineman of the now extinct Clear Creek South varsity football team.

"SILENCE, INSOLENT!" the eerie voice sonically booms and echoes throughout this strange world. "You have but one choice. Discover what has been given to you and use it to defeat whom is in front of you. One will prevail. One will die. The choice is yours."

The two teens look at each other. The linebacker smiles at the smaller teen, obviously a wide receiver or a cornerback.

"You're going down, Tempest!" the linebacker roars and as he begins to take off across the illuminated circle, his legs seem to drape back behind him like a cape.

He is no longer leaping, he is flying and gaining momentus speed, tackling the smaller teen and they crash to a dark floor. Dust clouds rise underneath their impact upon the strange surface of the floor. The linebacker rises and drives a vicious fist down into the cornerback. His face recoils and the linebacker seizes the cornerback by the head, as thoughts race through his barbaric mind. His thoughts are clouded, but as his hands grip the skull of the cornerback, his fingers sink into the scalp and he begins to rip flesh from the skull. He discovers this to be somekind of new rush and begins to shred the cornerback's flesh and sling it into the thick darkness around him. He rips the skull from the spine and holds it in his hand and holds it so that glazing eyes stare at him. He takes his fingers and digs out those eyes and begins to tear the muscles from the skull. He even rips the bottom jaw from the skull and continues peeling away all signs of what used to be life. A frenzy of ripping and tearing and soon the linebacker stands triumphant, holding a bloody skull up to the bright light.

"And what were your thoughts, during this..." the eerie voice asks the breath heaving linebacker.

"I just wanted to shred him! I never really liked him anyway." the linebacker said boldly.

Your view is taken inside the left eye socket of the bloody skull, where brain activity is starting to fade, however there is still one last glimmer of life left, like a smoldering ash about to be blown out by the wind. It's last thoughts would become legendary.

"You traitor! I'll take your soul!" the cornerback's brain thought.

As the linebacker roars in triumph, all of a sudden he looks down at the skull in his hand. The surface of his skin seemed to be being drawn in where there once was a bottom jaw, as if the top row of bloody teeth were beginning to consume him. The linebacker tries to shove the skull from his hand, but it was too late. He shrieks with confusion and terror, as the consumption process takes his entire hand up to his wrist. The linebacker cannot believe his eyes, as the more the skull takes of him, the more of the skull returns. Oozing liquid begins to fill the bloody empty eye sockets and formed two moist white spheres, where soon light brown eyes begin to appear around forming black pupils.

"What the...." the linebacker cries, as the skull continues up to his elbow, muscle formations and a new bottom jaw beginning to form, as it progresses to his shoulder.

Once the skull is at the shoulder and has begun to reform skin, it's eyebrows sprouting hairs and crinkling in fury at the linebacker. It releases it's bite and drives right into the linebacker's chest with a bite with it's newly formed bottom jaw bone.

The linebacker staggers backwards in the blinding light, as the skull continues it's consumption, his chest being sunk into the jawline, as a spine begins to stretch out from the base of the skull and form rib cages, arm bones, hip bones, leg bones, and each bone that is formed begins to have muscle formations ooze into place, ligaments realigning themselves and skin beginning to ooze over the surface.

The linebackers torso is consumed as you can hear his spine snap in half and his arm is jutted out behind him, along with his legs at awkward angles. Soon, the linebacker is consumed and the newly formed skeleton rises, as all liquid oozing forms him into his former self. The cornerback exhales and the linebacker's soul seeps out. He graps it firmly with a muscle exposed hand, as skin begins to form over his fingers.

"You are complete." the eerie voice says. "Indeed, you are a Tempest. Now, you must decide where his soul must go."

Tempest looks down at the soul he has wrapped in his hand. He looks to the floor and a hole begins to open, burning red hot with the flames of hell. Millions of demons swim in the flames each screaming to be the first to torment this new soul. Tempest spikes the soul down through the hole opening and the demons consume it and drag it off, as the hole begins to close in upon itself and the ungodly screaming of hell's demons ceases in this already strange world.

"Your bloodline has shown to be superior over the centuries. Your forefathers before you. Now, you have passed your test. You are no longer a Tempest. You are now a Reaper."

The Reaper looks out towards the edge of darkness, where a dark robe enters the illuminated radius. The hood over his eyes conceals his face, but his own eyes cannot get past the glowing prismatic smoke for eyes this figure has.

"A new dawn has come. Legend of the prophecy is at hand. You must make sure this does not happen." the eerie voice behind those smoking prismatic eyes says.

"I will." the Reaper says.

"Then return to Earth." the eerie voice says. "Remember...a Reaper's work is never done."

"I will." the Reaper nods.

The robed figure waves his hand and suddenly the Reaper knew what to do. He turns and faces the thick darkness. He walks boldly and steps into it...

3"...OVER HERE!" a voice shouts.

Two fireman rush over to a dim flashlight beam and assist their fellow fireman. They peer into the twisted and ripped open school bus, there amongst the entanglement of killed teammates, cheerleaders and coaching staff, one stirs and holds up a bloody hand.

The fireman begins to wave the flashlight into the rainy night air.

"WE GOT ONE!" the fireman shouts.

One of the other two fireman begins to carefully enter what remains of the school bus, careful to step over the strewn remnants of the youthful dead.

"Easy, kid. We gonna get ya outta here." the fireman says, in a thick Texan accent.

The lone survivor's bloody hand trembles in the beam of the flashlight and the air that surrounds it.