But I was born in the early nineteen hundreds in Egypt - kind of ironic how things go full circle - but I digress. I don't remember much of my past now - it is all a blur. I do remember - traveling a lot. Had a touch of wanderlust in my youth. The places I saw - the people - nothing quite compares.
Why do I use knives? I agree - fighting with knives today - in a world of guns a missiles and other weapons of mass destruction - it does seem odd. But - the truth of the matter is - I never fancied them. Too loud - messy - and that one time I did use one - way - back when - it came damn close to being traced back to me. And that was before science was what it is today. That was when I practiced the art of using these delightful silent weapons. It took a lot of time and hard work to get to where I am now - but - now - the knives almost become a part of my body when I fight like claws or teeth.
Did I fight in any wars? I tried to avoid those. I was looking for adventure - not a rogue bullet. I think - and don't quote me on this - it was in the early twenties - that I first crossed the ocean into that brave new world. What a place it was. Truly a land of opportunity - well - if you can get over the racism issues.
Fights? Yeah a few people tried picking fights with me - putting me in my place and all that kind of nonsense. What happened to them? Well - the bodies were never found come to think of it. I knew that there were issues - in the southern states - so I avoided them. I figured - I could have enough trouble in my life without having to go look for it.
I think it was around then that I started working as a bodyguard - bouncer - or something like that. Different times - different names - same job - same pay. I liked the work as it helped keep me sharp and in a dangerous world like ours - that can be kind of important. I made pretty good money for the time - as the people I often worked for had lots of money and liked to spread it around.
But - with all good things - the pendulum often swings back fast. A lot of the people I worked for - they got targeted by the government for - trumped up charges. Did I have a hand in their takedown? What are you nuts? I know better than to bite the hand that is feeding me - and they fed me well.
How did I meet my sire? Well - truth be told - I never really did meet him. How did I meet Snake? That I do know. You see - part of what happened to my arm - and still bothers me to this day - happened on that day that I met Snake. You see - I was hired to help out some foolish archeologist. I read the papers and the guy was a fruit-loop.
This was when I was starting a Private Investigator gig. I was telling the fool boy that I wasn't interested. I mean - body-guarding was a been there done that sort of thing. But he kept going on and on about treasure and wealth. I threw some outrageous price at him and the fool said sure. Reached in a pouch and plunked a wad of hundreds on my desk.
Shut my mouth pretty fast. As I don't wholly trust you - I won't say where the search began. Trust is key to the survival of the cause - but I will delve deeper into that later. I was told to meet him at a certain spot at a certain time. I've done odd jobs before that had odder instructions. So I never put too much into it. When I saw the boss come up - the boss being the fool hearty archeologist - he had a band of less than reputable brutes.
My first instinct was that the bastard was setting me up. But he said - and reassured me - that - where we were going was dangerous. I - sincerely marveled at how - basic the other hired help was. They talked big and had big guns.
Smile and nod. I opted for the - if you stay out of my face - I will do the same for you policy with them. They liked it. I guess they heard of me or some such nonsense. We all rode in a fair sized truck - almost military issue by the make of it. Drove us way to the far side of town. That was when he stopped and said that we were there. We exited and looked around. The place - was a condemned apartment building.
Needless to say - all of us began to question exactly why we were there. But he insisted - he had maps and data. I laughed - on the inside of course - and joined the gathering as they entered the place. I thought I knew stink before - but that place - yuck - it was ripe! We followed the archeologist who was acting like some kind of kid in a candy store. He led us down - down - down into the lowest part of the basement.
The room was completely walled in - but he insisted he was on the right track. He took out some tools and started attacking one of the walls. Me and the rest of the help just sat back and watched as he managed to break through the wall. It connected to a sewer. Imagine or level of amusement.
Oh yes - it was that high.
So we followed our sponsor into the sewers. Webbing our way under the city. Once again we stopped.
Dig, dig, dig.
He punches a whole through another wall. At this point - I was beginning to wonder if I should have charged more. But he found more tunnels. At least we were out of the sewers. Ruined a perfectly good pair of shoes he did. I don't know - for sure how long we were down there. But - it was then - that we found ourselves - in a section of tunnel that - just seemed out of place.
The walls were old looking - and the ground was covered in sand - the kind you would find in a desert. I was starting to have a bad feeling. The place was starting to remind me of Egypt - and not in a good way. We pressed on though. It was then that snakes - began appearing. The freaky thing was that none of them were local if you can follow what I am saying.
A few of the people died from snakebites. It wasn't pretty. But still we trudged on further and further down into the torch-lit tunnels. At this point - the walls made of stone - a kind that was not indigenous to that area- had hieroglyphics on them. Moments later - he found it. I will be honest - even I was in shock.
The walls were made of solid gold - precious stones and golden coins seemed to spill out from large Egyptian vases. The others hurried in like greedy fools - but something about the place set me off. It sent a chill down my spine as if telling him to flee. I was about to trust that instinct - but the greed got to me.
I forced back the voice in my head that all but begged me to run. I like the others - was lured in by the promise of the wealth within. I watched as the others threw handfuls of coins and jewels in the air - making enough noise to wake the dead. It was then that I got a bad vibe.
I slid my hand into a vase - digging beneath the jewels and gold on the surface. My hand touched a liquid. Slowly I pulled my hand out - it was blood. It was then that a secret panel opened at the end of the room. Almost instantly they had weapons ready to repel whatever horror might appear.
It was then that several voluptuous women dressed in exotic silks and bands of gold began to seductively dance into the room. The way they moved was - beyond hypnotic. Their bodies so perfect that it was almost impossible to look away - yet somehow I managed to do just that.
I looked down and heard a hissing noise. A large cobra was coiled behind the vase - poised to strike. Slowly - cautiously I backed away. I looked to the others and saw them being seduced by the dancers. It was then that I noticed something - one of the dancers - had stolen one of their weapons! Instantly my daggers were in my hands.
I remembered shouting to them - that it was a trap!
I remembered making a break for the exit. But fate - did not reward the greedy.
A large iron door slammed down barring the way out - the only way out - save the way that the dancers entered. Hundreds of snakes began to filter into the room via small panels near to the sand- covered floor. I looked to the others and watched as they were being relentlessly slaughtered by the dancers - no - they weren't dancers - they were vampires!
Fear welled deep within me. I had heard stories about vampires - but I believed in them as much as I did the tooth fairy or Santa. I hopped around avoiding the snapping bites of the serpents that seemed to almost hunger for human flesh. I hopped up onto vase and managed to dislodge a torch. I didn't have any crosses, garlic, holy water or whatever else might be useful against the undead monsters - but something told me that fire might keep them at bay.
The fear turned into nausea as me looked over and saw the vampires feeding off the slain. The entire floor was almost completely covered with slithering snakes. Frantically - I looked around - for any means of getting passed the snakes and the undead horrors. I then noticed that the vases - almost completely encircled the room. With a torch in one hand a dagger in the other I leaped from the vase I was on to the next.
A cobra snapped up to bite me - it was rewarded by having its head cut off. I repeated the process until I was in the corner. I looked to the secret passage where the vampires came from - it was no more than fifty feet away - five more jumps - five - long jumps. It was then that the vampires called to me.
Their voices so seductive - their eyes golden like that of a serpent.
I felt as though his body had been frozen as the vampires slowly stalked their way towards me.
By some divine act - a piece of the torch fell - burning my arm mildly. But the pain was enough to break whatever dark hold they had over me. I shook my head and saw the vampires that were only a few feet away. Blood from their last victim dripping from their chins. I leaped to the next vase - a humanoid snake shot up from the vase and knocked me into the writing pit of snakes.
I remember feeling the constricting coils all over me - the sound of hundreds of snakes hissing. The sensations of snakes biting at me. I remember flinging the swarm from me away from me - slashing and burning anything that dared approach.. It was then - that they seemed to stay clear of me. I jerked my head from side to side - seeing the vampires - the snake beasts and the thousands of serpents - none of which were indigenous to that part of the world.
I could hear whispers - coming from all directions. Some were in French - some English - others I could only guess. It was then that I got the disturbing feeling - that something - far more dangerous than anything he had witnessed yet - had arrived. Slowly - I turned around and saw a man dressed in gold and silk with Egyptian markings on it.
He - smiled at me - and it sent a shiver down my spine. He walked through the snakes as though they weren't even there and made his way over to one of the vampires I had managed to cut. He said he was very impressed at me - and how I was able to last as long as I had. He boasted that lesser men and women perished within minutes of entering his sacred temple.
I wanted to run - but a power compelled me to stay. The whispers - grew louder. It got so hard to think. He commended me on my ability to keep so many of his most loyal at bay when injured so badly.
My vision began to swim. I looked down and saw numerous bites on my arm - wet venom dripping from the wounds. He took a step closer - I waved the torch at him. He backed away - he really didn't like fire. I heard - laughter.
My head was pounding. I looked up at the person who was extending his hand to me. I tried to move away - but my legs - they buckled. I remember - a strong hand removing the torch and weapons from me - then darkness.
How long I was out - completely at their mercy I couldn't say - but slowly I began to wake. I was on a golden table - the vampires were around me!
I rolled aside and grabbed the nearest thing I could use as a weapon. Again - there was laughter. I looked over and saw - him - again. He beseeched me to lower the weapon that - we were all the same now. That I was now one of them. I denied it at first - but then - I could feel it - a hunger - but it wasn't for food or drink - it was for blood!
He extended to me a chalice - it was swimming with a red thick liquid. Without hesitation - to my disgust - I downed it.
Again - the laughter.
I looked over at the reflective surface of the golden wall and saw fangs in my mouth. I knew then - my life - had ended. He explained to me - who and what I was now - a Follower of Set - the God made Kindred.
He spoke of his quest - or what he needed me to know of it.
He spoke of a war that that was brewing - how the sires of the sires of other kindred will one day awaken and need to sate their hunger in an ocean of Kindred blood. Only Set in his wisdom guided him and others of their clan - their line - to prepare. On that day when their lord god awakens - he will need an army to strike at the traitors that felled Set's sire.
Such was my purpose now - to fight in that war!
And that is what I had been doing since that day.
Do I think of myself as an assassin? No - I am just a tool in the hands of a craftsman.
Voices? Oh my - you must have been talking to one of the dancers.
No - I am not insane - although Luther - my pet albatross would say otherwise.
You see - I was told to deal with an agent who was not doing what he was supposed to. Long of the short of it. I had to kill him. Unfortunately he did not fade quietly into the night. His - spirit still haunts me to this day. One day - he will pay for all the aggravation he has caused - as will any who dare to question his work and vision.
Society and politics? I try to avoid that stuff. It isn't my strongest suit - but - if needed - I do what I must do. I would speak further - but I have work to do. With what you know now - of Snake's holy cause - may I ask you a question? The war - is nearing...what side are you on?