Val's Modern torch seemed useless within the foul air which had not seen light since the 18th century. It was almost frustrating to him, he had been parading around and pretending he was Human for so long that he forgot he could see perfectly well without the use of a torch within the dark. Ok not perfectly well, but well enough.

Searching for the tomb seemed quite problematic to say the least, but after several hours of scanning in the dark, he finally found the relic he was looking for, in mortal form. Not quite an 'item' you might say, but a man who had been sleeping too long, perhaps too long.

Val remembered the conversation he had with him quite some time ago, and he saying "Wake me on the 21st" It had been so long that he wasnt overly sure if he actually wanted to be awoken once more in the 21st century, or what not else, either way, he knew there would be a lot of catching up to do, and that was an understatement.

After prying open the Stone Tomb with an old crow bar, and a bit of 'elbow grease' as some might say, the slab eventually moved, and peering out were the eyes like Onyx Val remembered, they seemed puzzled, like they too knew they had been sleeping far too long.

"Greetings, I hope you slept well"

Said Val, smiling but with an aura of discomfort in the back of his mind, much had changed in two centuries, but would his friend change with the times? He had done so before on countless occassions, but things were much different now, technology had rushed fourth like the Plague which swept across Europe oh so long ago.

"I did, but it feels far too long... Val... I said the 21st, this isn't the 21st... Is it?"

He muttered, while stretching, those bones and muscles probably hadnt moved much in two centuries, the sounds of muscle bending and bones cracking echo'd like a Chiropractors nightmare.

"Not quite... Its the 21st century dear friend, sort of the same."

His eyes rolled, and his wrists in unison, leaving the sound of cracking bone like a halloween orchestra.

"So whats happened?"

He asked inquisitively.

"Well, we better dust yourself off and get you to the car, I have clothes waiting for you there, we have a lot to talk about.... This May take some time."

"Car?"

He said once more questioning Val inquisitvely.

"Some time indeed.."

Val said, hearing his old friend leaving his restfull tomb

Dreams ... such vivid dreams ... the past, spread like a whore's legs ... everything is revealed unto me, no secrets left, no surprises, it is all meaningless. Instead i choose to slumber ... not the eternal slumber of death, that is forever denied me; a curse of my birthright, but the sleep of the ages to jump through time, a way to deal with the long empty years when nothing serves to inspire anymore.

Dreams ... i dream of the past of ancient times when i was worshipped as a god, feared as a daemon. Hah! As if i would ever stoop to such a base creature as a daemon. I was there when the angels fell, i was there when He cast them out. Some chose to rile against him and journeyed paths of damnation. Such poor pathetic creatures, angry children rebelling against an angry Father.

Others (my sire included) chose a different path, rather than descend further than they needed to, they chose to stay in the middle realm ... between heaven and hell ... the realm of man. His most favoured creation, what did He expect? That His angels would not wish to sample the delights of such short lived creatures? Their lights burned so briefly yet so very bright, like moths to a flame they were drawn ... the Fallen Ones ... and like moths the flame burned away their wings.

As the eons roll by uncaring, sedate the universe screams towards oblivion like a child with a new toy. It is all meaningless in the end, the past just bleeds into a single grey mass. Grey, dull, depressing.

*SIGH*

Why cannot i return to my slumber? Then i realise that all along i have been hearing a new sound, the sound of this age i am in, different to anything i have tasted before, so vivid, so alive! Humans have never been this alive! Something must have changed, have i slumbered so long that the world i knew is no more? I concentrate harder and sense a presence that i have not felt in ... well since the last time i felt it. When he sealed me in this tomb.

He is near, i taste his aura, breathe it in, my teeth begin to itch, he is coming closer. Is he coming to see me? Is it finally time? My senses begin to awaken, the sound of this age more chaotic and rending than anything that old whore 'The Past' has to offer ... i like it! So alive with pain and hunger, it makes my jaw ache. Shall i rip out his throat when i see him? Feel his warm blood spurting down my throat, reviving me? Or shall i embrace him and hold him close, as i did the last time we were together?

I open my eyes, like pools of liquid midnight, i stare through the stone sarcoghagus seeing the golden light in the distance, creeping towards me like the sunrise. A new dawn, a new age, new things to discover, to explore, to enjoy.

First though i must regain my strength. Always after a long sleep it takes me time to get back my strength, my power. It seems that the mortal side of me has died and only my immortal part keeps this shell moving. As i grow stronger i also grow more alive, my appeties more insatiable as my human side is resurrected and i glory in orgy of wanton destruction and hedonistic overindulgences.

The golden one, Val, is just outside now, I can taste the beat of his heart, the scent of his thoughts. I begin the slow process of returning to the mortal realm, my body protesting after years of inactivity, creaking and popping like an old bridge ... a bridge spanning the mortal and immortal.

It will be good to awaken, to walk again, to see, to breathe

No it wont, it is such a bore ... death, violence, hedonism, chaos ... that is what excites ... that is what i look forwards to ... you can just shut up. I am in charge, not you, ME!

The sound of granite upon marble and the sky of my tomb cracks open, light floods in but this is no light that i have seen before.

Val is there, like an angel ... a long lifer yet even his elven blood is young compared to mine, i do not mind though ... at least he is my constant companion, throughout history he is the only one who has always been there, an anchor for my madness.

I did, but it feels far too long... Val... I said the 21st, this isn't the 21st... Is it?

It is talking again, for now i will allow him ascendance, re-awakening is such a bore.

21st century?! It has been over 300 years! Foolish pointy eared princess! I only wanted to sleep until the 21st year! 1692 i adjourned to my boudoir of darkness it should only have been 30 years ... but it was 10 times that!! Oh well Val is pretty enough to forgive most things.

So whats happened?

I remember during my slumber a sense of many deaths, was it a war? Had i missed it?

Car?