H geocities.com /area51/vault/7911/history.html oocities.com/area51/vault/7911/history.html elayed x J ` OK text/html _ b.H Wed, 17 Jun 1998 16:58:18 GMT Mozilla/4.5 (compatible; HTTrack 3.0x; Windows 98) en, * J History
A Record of My Life...
I was born AnnaLisa Slavia Trifiro in May of the year 1044. My home was in Monreale, Italy where I grew up with my brothers and sisters. There were seven in my family counting my parents, but we lived rather comfortably for such a large group. My father, Alessandro, and my mother, Anna Maria, worked very hard to provide a safe and happy home for us to grow up in. For the most part, my parents succeeded. I did grow up happily as the second oldest child, and when I turned eighteen I left my family to live in Venice with a distant cousin of my mothers. This cousin plays a very small role in my life and is hardly worth mentioning short of pointing out that she considered me her personal housemaiden. She was so demanding, in fact, that I left her home after having lived there for only three short months. She had served her purpose, though. Living with her was the only way I could convince my father to let me leave home.
Fate had smiled on me, I realize now, because two days before leaving the home of my cousin, I was wandering the back streets and came upon an apothecary shop of sorts. Unusual and dark, it smelled of herbs and exotic fragances that I couldn't quite place. The proprietor was a kindly old woman that told me she was looking for someone to help her, and would offer a small wage in addition to room and board. Of course I jumped at the offer, thinking what could be better than this? Learning a trade and gaining a new, and hopefully less dismal, roof over my head. So I happily kissed my cousin goodbye and moved into the attic above the shop of Renatta.
Over the next seven years I worked faithfully beside Renatta, learning her craft, her skills, and as I came to find out, her magick. She was considered a visionary by those that lived in the area, and they would flock to her for advice, herbs for curing strange afflictions, and relief from demons that tormented them in their sleep. Renatta was generous with her knowledge, kind and patient in her teachings, and soon I was able to help those that came to us without her assistance. I had the "dark vision" she would tell me. Renatta became my mother, my best friend, and my valued professori. We worked well together... As the years passed and Renatta grew older, she left more and more of the day to day duties to me. By my twenty fourth year, I was handling everything, Renatta having become bedridden.
Which brings me to the turning point of my life. It was August of 1071, and I had closed the shop to take care of some errands for Renatta. The walk to the piazza was short and beautiful, but this eve for some reason there was a strange mood that I couldn't shake. As many times as I told myself I was being silly, I kept feeling as if someone were walking shortly behind me. The feeling persisted as I walked alone towards my destination, and finally ceased once I reached the crowded surrounds of the piazza. I purchased the few items that I needed, and then sat at the fountain to enjoy the sight of the moonlight dancing off the water. I had not been seated for long when I was approached by one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. She asked if she could sit near me, and I was so taken with her appearance that I immediately agreed. She was stunning in the light of the night, her long hair flowing over her shoulders. Something about her confused and entranced me, and I found myself unable to break her gaze.
Time seemed to stand still as we sat and discussed matters of Venice, and the British Isles that she hailed from. Intelligent and amusing, her personality wrapped itself around me and left me waiting breathlessly for each word to drop from her lips. Unnoticed by me, the hours were flying by, and when this delicate creature finally looked away from me, my head cleared and I noticed the piazza was empty. She stood and held out her hand to me, asking me to walk with her back to the inn that she was staying at. Coherent thought seemed beyond me as I took her outstretched hand and followed her out of the square. We continued our discussions along the way and I found myself wishing I had a lifetime to continue on the way we were. She turned to me then, as though reading my thoughts, and whispered, "As you wish."
She stepped towards me, there on that empty street outside of the piazza. Holding my gaze she placed her hand on the back of my neck beneath my hair. She pulled my head towards her and in my confusion I thought she meant to kiss me, but she placed her lips instead against my neck and I felt the shock of pleasure intricately weaved with pain as she bit through my flesh to the lifeblood that she desired. My head spun at the thought of what was occuring and her image blurred before me.
The next thing I remember is waking on the floor of her room in the inn, my head resting in her lap as she shook my shoulders in an effort to clear my head. She held a chalice to my lips and commanded me to continually repeat phrases after her while intermittingly forcing me to drink the warm substance that was setting my throat on fire. I could hardly keep my words straight as I obeyed her in my confusion and repeated the statements and drinking over and over. It seemed neverending as the drink grew colder and colder and the burning started to lessen slightly. After what seemed like hours of this ritual, I repeated this final phrase that sealed my fate, "I hereby swear this oath on the 8th of August, 1071. Woe to they who try to tempt me to break this oath, and woe to me if I succumb to such temptation." I was Tremere.
As confused as I was that night, my insecurity grew as I woke the next eve and my Sire began to explain the ways of my new life to me. Unable to believe what was happening, I besieged her with question after question that she patiently answered. Renatta was to be taken under her care from afar, and would never want for anything again. I was to accompany my Sire back to Britain from whence she came.
Life in Britain was busy with learning my new lifestyle, and the magick teachings of my Sire. She renamed me "Akasha", after the fifth element of the universe. Centuries passed in this manner, and I quickly became my Sire's cherished favourite as I learned all she had to teach and more. By the 17th century my Sire was reassigned to a new and undeveloped continent, and took me with her to continue as her minion. The continent of North America.
Four centuries later, here I am. A powerful Pontifex within my clan, favoured love of my Sire, Master of Thaumaturgy, and an Elder of The Vampire Court.
Magicians are those who are commonly called evil-doers on account of the enormity of their crimes. They stir up the elements, disturb men's minds and, without any poisonous potion, they destroy by the mere force of incantation...
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