Something has compelled my father to kill us starting with his most loved. My brothers gave their life for Angelo. I shall do the same. Alessandra lifted her blade up while thinking. She pointed it to the ceiling. The hilt of the sword s.h.i.+ned giving off a golden hue. Alessandra stepped forward as her heels tapped against the polished white marble floor. The room She was in was circular shaped and tall. The room had wooden staircases outlined in gold on both sides leading up.

When both staircases met, there was a door leading to another room. Around the door and leading down both sets of stairs were murals that depicted battle scenes. The ceiling was Ivory carved with images of Angels.

The entrance to this area was across from Alessandra. The doors were heavy wooden and had carvings of skeletons holding a sword on each side. The doors slowly creaked open, and a man with long flowing black hair stepped through. His red eyes glowed. The man reached for a sword he kept at his side. " Where is your Brother Alessandra? Tell me so I may rip him apart and save you for last." The man spoke calmly."

"You do not mean that you loved Angelo more than us, More than anything." She dropped her arm that held the sword. Alessandra took one step, and in a flash, she lunged for him.

Marcelo growled dodging. His knees and left hand touched the floor.

Alessandra's sword hit the ends of his hair.

Marcelo used his right hand to draw his sword. "You will die here; I had originally planned a kinder death."

Alessandra smirked. "Death becomes me," she whispered as she turned in to a small cloud of bats.

Marcelo growled as he spread his feet apart. "Come, child, I am waiting."

The cloud of bats swarmed toward him.

Marcelo positioned his blade in front of himself.

The bats attacked splitting into three parts. One section went to the right, the other to the left. The last remaining group went to the center striking Marcelo head on. They bit scratched and screeched.

Marcelo, while the bats were attacking him, swung his sword, striking all three groups. Blood dripped from the wounds the bats had inflicted on his face.

Some bats dropped to the floor during his a.s.sault. The remaining bats reformed into Alessandra.

"You have become blind," Alessandra spoke as she stretched her hand out toward him. "Come with me papa; I will clear your head."

"Alessandra I have never been more clear headed. I know what I am doing." Marcelo growled as he launched at her.

Alessandra smirked jumping back. " You always were somewhat blind when it came to Giovanni, Luciano, and me."

"Shut up," Marcelo snarled swinging rapidly. A force gathered behind his blade. A breeze was unleashed as he attacked.

Alessandra dodged still taking minor damaged. The wind from his attack destroyed parts of her long flowing white sleeves. On her cheeks, red lines appeared dripping blood. "They want to be remembered," Alessandra spoke while lifting her blade to return his strikes. "They wanted your approval, your attention."

Their blades collided as they danced in midair. Sparks flew around them.

Marcelo bared his fangs. "They were Weaklings, children who deserved their fate."

"Do you believe what you are saying? Can you not fight what compels you against us? Have you always hated us this much?" Alessandra Wavered.

Marcelo's glowing red eyes flickered, he clenched the area of his undead heart dropping to the ground.

Alessandra dropped from the air landing on the marble floor. She kept her blade pointed at him.

"Alessandra run, and take Angelo with you! I do not want to murder my kin!" His eyes stabilized turning back to the glowing red once more. "What am I saying! Death to you!" Marcelo Stood up grinning. His body dissipated into a fog.

The fog blanketed the room, making it hard to see.

Alessandra closed her eyes raising the blade above her head. "Come."

Marcelo's fog converged on all sides of her shrinking Alessandra's ability to move.

Alessandra glanced around. Her mind drifted to a memory. She was a child running up to Marcelo in a garden. The flowers echoed in her mind. "Roses," Alessandra spoke loudly. A rose bush appeared on her shoulder going down her arm, and the bud bloomed at her palm. The blooming rose glowed, and a bush suddenly sprouted from the ground. It surrounded her shooting up to the ceiling.

Marcelo slammed himself into the rose bush. The branches broke, as the branches broke more grew in there place.

Marcelo formed multiple hands in the fog. The numerous hands lunged forward and began to rip at the branches. Thorns tore at the hands. Specs of blood littered the floor in front of Alessandra. "Coward come out and fight your father. Die with honor," he roared. Marcelo then controlled the hands to surround the giant bush.

Alessandra closed her eyes as the bloom illuminated again. A giant eye bloomed on the outside facing the fog Marcelo. "Remember who you are. Fight it, I know you. You may not have loved us as much as you loved Angelo, but I know you cared. You would not have wanted this." On the inside of the bush, Alessandra covered her eyes with her unused hand and wept.

The eye on the outside began to weep. Large tears of blood hit the ground splas.h.i.+ng Marcelo's black dress shoes and pants.

Marcelo reformed into his humanoid shape dropping his sword. His eyes were no longer red. He walked over to the rose bush. Marcelo formed a fist and slammed it into the rose bush. Parts of the bark fell off, and a thorn became embedded into his hand. Tears fell from his eyes. "Alessandra fight, survive and run. I can not fight what compels me. I have been in darkness too long."

"No, you and I know I must die." The eye on the outside closed retreating. Alessandra drew her blade in front of herself. She dropped her hand down. Tears no longer visible.

"Alessandra, Alessandra, No, no," Marcelo screamed. "Save yourself, listen to me!" He fell to his knees. His b.l.o.o.d.y palms slid down leaving a trail.

Marcelo gasped as his eyes flickered. He clenched out his head. Marcelo left out a shriek. His shriek pierced the bushes.

Alessandra dropped her blade and tried to cover her ears.

The high pitched sound busted the rose bush apart. Chunks fell on all sides littering the floor.

Marcelo dodged as a thick piece of the bush nearly fell on him. His glowing red eyes returned. "Your protection is gone fall to me." Marcelo bent down to pick up his sword.

Alessandra retrieved her blade. She once again placed the sword in front of herself. "I can not fall yet."

"Suit yourself," Marcelo spoke as he lunged at her.

Alessandra parried Marcelo's blow.

In lighting like strikes, they clashed touching their blades together. In mid-air, on the ground, and on the ceiling. The sounds of metal slapping together filled both of their ears. Sparks flew as the battle became heated.

Both Alessandra and Marcelo bore wounds. Blood began to fill the area, splattering on everything.

They touched the ground facing each other. Alessandra's and Marcelo's clothes were torn. Her flowing white dress laid in tatters. His black s.h.i.+rt lay in ruins barely clinging to him.

Alessandra breathed in and out trying to catch her breath.

Marcelo was in the same state. He spoke while chuckling, "You are a better fighter than your brothers were."

"They wanted you to recognize their efforts to protect your favorite. They wanted your affection if even for a moment. You may not see it now, but they loved you more than you loved them." Alessandra's eyebrows went upward. Her forehead had three creases.

"A n.o.ble sentiment I am sure." Marcelo began advancing toward Alessandra. "Perhaps it is a sentiment you share as well. If it is, you should die and give your brother up."

Alessandra took a step back every time Marcelo stepped toward her. Her weak hands clenched the sword tighter. She shook her head. "My sentiments remain with my younger brother. He would not survive you. I am his protector."

Marcelo suddenly dropped his sword, and he lunged at her. His fangs bared.

Alessandra dropped her weapon and turned to flee.

Marcelo grabbed her arm. His grip was inescapable.

Alessandra felt a distinct pressure building in her arm.

Marcelo increased his strength.

Alessandra's bone broke shattering. Her eyes widen. "AHHHH! My arm, my arm," Alessandra screamed.

Marcelo took that moment and bit her neck ripping the skin as he pulled away.

Alessandra fell to the floor blood squirting out. She raised her unbroken arm and rested it against her wounded neck. "I have a gift to give you." Alessandra's voice was raspy. She shook knowing the end was near.

Marcelo chuckled, "Fine I will accept this gift."

"I have one request pick me up and spin me around like you did when I was a child." Alessandra's vision began to fade as she started to fall forward. Her hand slipped from its position on her neck.

Marcelo grabbed Alessandra by her unbroken arm. He then roughly swung her up into the air. Marcelo held out both of his arms catching her. Once Alessandra was it his arms he spun.

A memory floated through his mind. Alessandra at the age of seven. Her long blonde wavy hair was trailing behind her. Her eyes big, broad and blue as she ran up to him. Alessandra had her arms wide open. Marcelo remembered bending down and swooping her into his arms. "Papa you will never believe it." He remembered her speaking then the memory suddenly cut off becoming fuzzy.

The memory became nothing but a white background. A grey figure that sat in a chair holding a sword appeared.

"Kill her," the figure commanded.

Marcelo felt himself being dragged into the white area. His mind felt hazy as a fog settled in his brain. Marcelo's physical form fell to his knees still holding Alessandra. A mental form of him developed. He appeared in his mind constricted in chains. The air became hard to breathe. The chains tightened their hold on him.

The grey figure shook his head. "Kill her and have no meaningful attachments in this world." The grey figure's voice was diluted and full of static.

Marcelo mentally fell over as the chains tightened. "She is already dying," He rasped.

"End this now and then slay him." The grey figure walked toward Marcelo with his sword in hand. "Obey me."

"Papa," Alessandra spoke as she curled close to his chest. She forced her self to sit up. Alessandra was eye to eye with her father. She noticed his eyes were glazed over. Alessandra gritted her teeth closing her eyes. "Roses," After she spoke a rose appeared going down her unbroken arm, and the bud bloomed at her palm. Alessandra touched the bloom to Marcelo's chin. "I will drag whatever is in you to its death with me."

The bloom glowed brightly. The glowing bud drifted up the side of Marcelo's face cradling his head. The bud of the rose dropped a tear of water onto his hair. Alessandra closed her eyes allowing her body to fall lax. She mentally left her body entering her father's mind.

Alessandra was suddenly in the white area in Marcelo's mind. She glanced over to the chained Marcelo. "h.e.l.lo, Papa," Alessandra greeted him.

The grey figure stopped advancing toward Marcelo.

Marcelo noticed the appearance of his daughter. The skin was hanging off of the side of her neck, and the wounds that decorated her body. His eyes shattered. Did I do that, he thought. Marcelo tried to lift his body up, but the chains forced him back down. He tried again and again, but each time the chains grew heavier.

"Who are you?" Alessandra questioned the grey figure.

"It matters not who I am, but you may call me Grey the owner of your parent," Grey responded as he gazed at her.

Alessandra sneered at the figure. "You are going with me to my grave." Her unbroken arm with the rose illuminated. The glow was becoming an unearthly blue hue.

"I shall end you my self." Grey charged toward Alessandra.

Marcelo scratched at the white floor constantly. He growled, snarled and begged. The chains finally loosened. Marcelo rushed to put himself in between Alessandra and Grey.

Grey was unable to see the quick interference. He used his sword and stabbed Marcelo.

Alessandra's eyes widen.

"No, no," grey chanted and then with a flick of his wrist, he sent Marcelo out of his mind.

Marcelo felt the stab in reality. The puncture stung as blood seeped down his side. He gasped as he looked down. Alessandra was still in his arms. Marcelo buried his face in her hair.

"You foul creature look at what you made me do," Grey snarled raising his blade up.

Alessandra's rose leaped from her arm and wrapped around Grey. Thorns punctured the prominent figure. The bud snaked up to Grey's face.

"This hurts," Grey choked out. The rose constricted tighter and tighter. The grey figure began to bleed dropping black blood all over the white floor. Finally the snapping of body parts one at a time echoed within the area. "This isn't over," He choked out.

Alessandra walked over to Grey, and she attached herself to the th.o.r.n.y bush.

"What are you doing," Grey asked her shaking.

"I will be a seal. My body will become ash, but my spirit will coil around you ending your influence." The branches of the rose bush began to coil around Alessandra pus.h.i.+ng its thorns into her. "Ahh," she screamed as the branches enveloped her. The branches constricted faster on her mental self.

The branches pulled tighter and tighter imploding her. Alessandra's body exploded showering the ground with blood and golden hair.

"No, no! Grey tried reaching and tried tearing at the branches. They soon swallowed him whole. The branches themselves then fell apart leaving only traces of the mental Alessandra behind.

Alessandra's body shuttered as she briefly returned to her physical body. She reached her unbroken arm up. Her hand clenched the back of Marcelo's hair.

Marcelo lifted his head. "Alessandra," he spoke mournfully.

"You are now free." Alessandra's eyes opened, and her hand fell.

Marcelo stood up careful not to drop her. He spun her around.

"Before I depart your youngest I turned into a child. He will age again. He is fleeing to Norfolk. He wanted to fight. I would not allow it. Find him." Alessandra suddenly burst into ash. The grey specs floated in the air and slowly drifted down.

Marcelo ran his hands through the air catching as much ash as he could. "Always the wise one." He walked toward the double doors leaving behind her memory clenching a hand full of ash.