Dear grandfather,

     Go piss up a rope.

     Happy Holidays!

     -Exodus

The round ripped into Exodus’s shoulder like a comet ripping though the atmosphere punching for all its worth to make it all the way through before it disintegrated.  As fast as it entered he willed his powerful blood to the area to heal the shredded bone and muscle.  As he ran forward with the brood in close chase all he focused on was moving in a non linear path to throw off their aim and getting to the wood line before any innocents were caught in their war.  “Raven I could use a little help down here.” He said in a plain voice as if it was just another night and a tedious chore was set out before him. He knew Raven was in over flight watching his draw tactic and more then likely shaking the head of his flight form an onyx black raven so common to the blood.  There wasn’t much he could do because to commit to a land based fight at this point would allow the brood a chance to stop the travel and engage them both.  The warrior does not allow this and instead picks the time and place of his fights.  Exodus didn’t know what Raven could possibly do but he knew if there was anything to be done Raven could pull it off.

As he continued the run he noticed the raven flying above that was Raven move ahead and gain altitude.  Several more rounds skimmed by Exodus almost as if by fate they were pulled away from his path.  These shooters were good he thought to himself not just your average brood.  As he watched he could hardly believe what he saw unfolding in front of him.  Ravens flight form dived from a high altitude and mid flight transformed to the human form of Raven.  The moon light glinted off two old single action pistols in Ravens hands now in free fall.  Four loud barks erupted almost simultaneously and a split second later Raven was again his namesake returning to his overwatch flight.  Exodus heard the screams of two kindred from behind them and couldn’t fight off the urge to look back and survey the damage knowing later it would mean a lecture from Raven.

When he glanced over his shoulder Exodus saw the lead two of the eight brood chasing him on the ground clutching for what remained of their knee caps or more aptly what used to be their knees.  Raven in free fall with little more then instinctual aim had fired each of his old hand cannons twice and hit all four times.  For the most part he had severed their legs from underneath them while they were at full run with the powers of the blood unnaturally taking them to even greater speeds.  He truly was possibly the best shooter on the planet and far better then Exodus had ever been.  Exodus took the time to smile and turned back to his focused dash to take the enemy to the terrain he wanted for the fight.

 Raven the kindred he had embraced so long ago was much more to him then a son and more the brother and kindred spirit to Exodus’s broken soul.  If it wasn’t for Raven long ago Exodus would have lost his soul if not his unlife to his self destructive ways.  While most kindred thought of the legends and stories of Exodus Raven knew the real one.  The impulsive and reckless where his own life was concerned kindred that would walk through fire to save but one innocent.  Exodus was a lot of things but careful with his own life was not one of them and Raven was usually there to back him up no matter the decisions he made.  It didn’t mean that there wouldn’t be a lecture from Raven later but once Exodus made up his mind Raven just rolled his eyes and went with the plan. 

The woods were now no more then one hundred yards in front of Exodus and it appeared that soon the battle would change from one of momentum to a deadly stop.  He smiled to himself and thought back about how nice the night had begun…

They sat in the seedly little bar alone except for the cute little bartender and one or two other customers.  It was quiet and the secluded corner they had selected with a table for the cards that would inevitably come out was perfect not to bright not to dark not that either of them would have had a problem seeing in complete darkness.  The bartender was bringing drinks steadily to them and flirting with Exodus much to the frustration of Raven.  Thankfully KT had insisted on giving Exodus a large amount of cash before he left because this type of bar didn’t take the plastic she had already given him.  It was useless to have an Amex black card when the place you wanted to use it had no way of charging it.  Another time KT had remedied his short sightedness before it even happened was playing out and Raven made sure to point it out. 

They were working through the second bottle of whisky and countless hand of cards when Exodus saw Ravens eyes lock onto something and you could almost see him calculating angles of fire and playing out a gun fight in his head long before it even started.  Exodus recognized the look which was there for little more then a second and even without it Raven was not likely to miss a shot.  Raven subtly gave the hand signal chain just above the table and Exodus paid close attention.  With gestures he said there were eight kindred who just walked in and they were carrying weapons concealed.  Exodus slightly nodded and they both continued to look as if they were enjoying their current hand of poker.  The group fanned out just inside the door Exodus was now counting their footsteps and listening to the floor boards creak trying to get an idea for how big they were or how much hardware weight they had on them as well as their spatial location in the small bar.  Unlike Raven Exodus didn’t have the luxury of fighting a war from range he never did develop a knack for shooting.  He could do it and hit what he wanted most of the time but it wasn’t the same as when he closed with an enemy and the talons came out.  That was his area of expertise and nothing would ever change that.  It was nice to know that Raven was a good enough shot that Exodus knew he didn’t have to worry about where he went in the fight because Raven wouldn’t hit him unless he wanted to.  Not that he hadn’t done it in the past to almost steer him around dangers Exodus didn’t see from the pile of enemies attacking him. 

The group was being loud and rude and the other patrons left the bar rather quickly the instincts eroded over years of domestication still reared its head when a kindreds beast was roaring against it.  They were harassed a little but allowed to leave which set off alarm bells in Exodus’s head that perhaps they were there with a target in mind.  Raven was dressed much more modern then he used to.  Long gone was the old Wyatt Earp hat and old western clothing.  It had taken months for Exodus to convince Raven to let it go and update his clothing style.  Now though he wore jeans and a t-shirt with a beautiful black leather trench that looked like one of the sharp coats out of a Matrix movie.  “I hope you don’t ruin that nice coat Raven it would be a shame to have to send you back to the Matrix to get another one.” Exodus said quietly like it was a compliment.  Raven quickly shot back “Well just remember if this is the Matrix that makes me Morpheous and you Neo so remember who the boss is.”  He said it with his normal dry voice that if you didn’t know him would make you think he was angry but Exodus knew better.  The two of them had been through hell and back more times then he could count and the verbal jousting was part of nightly life for the two of them.  “Does that mean I get to learn Kung Fu and do my Superman thing?” Exodus replied the smile on his face more of a smirk then anything else.  “No…You already know Kung Fu and have enough of a Superman complex as it is.”  Raven almost constantly tried to remind Exodus that one night his luck would run out.  Exodus glanced down at his hand for a second and smiled as all four aces were in his hands with his favorite the ace of hearts on top.

As he was about to lay his hand of cards on the table and win the hand no doubt bringing forth all sorts of accusations of cheating from Raven when Exodus heard the sickening sound of flesh being split with a razor sharp instrument and the wet sound of blood erupting to a wooden bar.  It was a familiar sound that stoked a fire in Exodus as no doubt the nice bartender was now a victim of a war that had been raging for hundreds of years now.  A war she had nothing to do with and placed another soul against him in the pile of innocents that had died just for being in his proximity.  It also settled any doubt that the kindred that had entered were anything but murderous beasts on a rampage.  He wondered if they knew who the two gentlemen sitting at the dark table were or just wanted to save them for last.  Both Raven and Exodus had long ago learned to cover the inherent power emanating from them due to their heritage and potent blood.

Raven again subtly made a hand signal to Exodus and it was one the pushed the fire in his chest to a near inferno of hate and loathing.  It burned away the care free side of him and left nothing but the killing desire so many kindred attributed to his sire.  It was a shift that he knew Raven saw and could feel through their blood singing to each other constantly.  The signal Raven no doubt knew would bring about that shift of mentality in Exodus and would never be used unless he was sure.  The level of trust between them was so ingrained over the ages that Exodus never even had a second of doubt that the signal for Brood that Raven had flashed was one hundred percent correct.  Raven rapidly followed his last signal with the one for wait a second before Exodus was about to unsheathe the killing talons of his blood.

“Since you have all demonstrated the desire to be rude and killed that innocent lady I expect one of you will be serving our drinks for the rest of the night?”  That southern drawl Raven had was like hearing honey speak and when it was that sweet it was to cover something much more sinister.  Laughter erupted from the eight brood standing around the room and over his shoulder Exodus could hear their footsteps moving towards his back slowly.  They didn’t yet understand the danger they were in with Raven and Exodus together and no innocents to worry about now.  “You seem to think your not next on the list.” Replied a rather large man Exodus could tell from the downward direction the voice came to his back.  The eight of them closed around them so close that Exodus could feel one inches from his back.  As if absentmindedly Exodus moved the other three aces in his hand around leaving the ace of hearts on top of course.  “Your friends a little arrogant to not even look at what’s going to kill him or is it that he’s so scared he cant bear to look?” one of them taunted from Exodus’s right.   Raven smiled and replied “Have you ever stared at a bomb?  It sits quietly and patiently not moving or responding to anything.  Its perhaps one of the most peaceful creations on the planet a bomb is.  Then when that fateful time comes it explodes with more force then you could have ever imagined was locked inside such a zen like creation.”  “So what’s going on is that you two came down off brokeback mountain and cant seem to find your way back?”  The same brood replied and his friends all erupted in laughter.  Raven sighed and shook his head “I would offer to give you the chance to leave before you find out what so many of your kind have found out before you but you wont be allowed to leave now.”  “What is it that we should have learned before now scarecrow?”  The brood snapped back.  “That the Ravenscarred do not fear the Brood and we will lay low all of you till there is nothing left.  The good news is soon you will be at Belial’s feet like so many before you and you can tell him we send our regards.”  Raven’s voice never shifted or changed once in fact he said it as matter of fact as most people order diner. 

For a few seconds silence reigned and Exodus could hear the creak of their leather as they looked to one another.  Then the time of waiting was over and he dropped the powers of the blood hiding his power and rage burning to get through his talons at them.  The sound of kindred inhaling in fear is not something you every get used to.  It’s not something the undead practice but it’s a reflex that even in death sticks in your mind.  Only one of them didn’t inhale or move at all instead Exodus could tell he was burning a hole in his back.  That must be their leader he thought to himself and not new to this game.  Exodus rebuilt his muscle structure without moving reshaping them into stronger and faster muscles then that of a human.  Without pause he pulled more blood into the muscles themselves which reinforced them with the power of his cursed blood.  Faster then a humans eyes could track he stood up and spun to face the kindred standing over him.  In his rise he took the opportunity to smash his elbow in an upward strike to the large kindred’s jaw with an amount of force that had allowed Exodus to over turn a semi like a leaf.  The large kindred rocketed upwards and as his solarplexis passed in front of Exodus’s other hand it shot out flat palmed changing the direction of travel for the kindred but with the same amount of force.  It caused his body to go limp unable to resist the force impacting it and pushing it airborne flying toward the entrance of the bar. 

Immediately Exodus gave Raven the signal to move the fight outside since he didn’t know if anyone else was in the bar anywhere.  Raven nodded and fired a few intentional shots around the kindred to draw them into the needed maneuver.  Exodus ran towards the back wall of the building and through it like it was a rice paper divider.  As he did he saw the dark flight form of Raven exit the hold he had just made and head straight up above him in the direction of the wood line.  The two joined in blood did not have a telepathic link but they had fought together for so long they may as well have. 

Another series of bullets screamed through the night around Exodus bringing him out of his memories and back to the present just as he reached the trees.  Another few seconds and another fifty yards into the darkness of the trees Exodus stopped and clouded their minds giving them the impression he had vanished.  His back ached and burned the wings encased there raged to erupt.  No doubt it was a mental compulsion but when an angel kills it likes to make sure the dead can tell the devil who sent them there.  In the blink of an eye after he focused the power of his blood the wings erupted from his back.  Large black wings like those of a fallen angel were now taking up a much larger space in the trees but like a man born with them he maneuvered fine even in that confined space. 

He could hear them spreading out in the darkness still speaking to one another and it gave him the impression that while they were effective with firearms they knew very little about tactics and small unit fighting.  Exodus saw where two of them were walking one in front of another and called forth the talons of his sire.  He charged straight for them wings behind him so as to not slow him down.  As he was about crash into the first one several shots rang out and the kindred once there was now dust as he rushed through to the second target.  Raven was even now proving he was the best marksman no surgeon with a firearm on the planet.  He always said God made me but Sam Colt made them equal.  Exodus disagreed with a firearm in his hands Raven had no equal.  The impact with the second kindred happened with such force and speed his talons passed right through the targets chest and changed direction ripping outwards reducing him to ash before he ever really had a chance to know what happened.  Exodus regretted how fast they were dying because he didn’t feel they had suffered enough.  There were still six more though and they would pay for everything their kind had ever done before they passed. 

Another kindred closed into view with the now visible Exodus and charged in like a bull on a matador.  Exodus easily sidestepped and allowed one razor sharp talon to slice deeply into the fool’s neck.  As Exodus watched the kindred stopped and turned quickly trying to stem the flow of blood that was gushing from his narrowly attached neck.  “I want you to know before I start taking you apart that” and another shot erupted and the kindred turned to ash as Ravens bullets ripped through what was left of his neck like a trick shot shoots the flames off a row of candles from the side.  “Be careful Exodus that when you stare into the abyss it does not gain hold when it stares back into you.”  Raven called through the darkness.  A low growl came from Exodus’s throat but deep inside he knew Raven was right and set out kill the remaining five brood. 

Three of the brood were huddled back to back with their guns pointing outwards in the darkness waiting for death to come.  Exodus smiled because it was about to come to them now.  With his strength Exodus leapt high into the air and flew over the center of their defensive position.  Lightly he landed moving their circle apart enough to allow his body between them.  His wings were angled straight up and his talons shot out seeking the hearts of two of them.  The talons found home ripping the hearts out of their bodies a second before they along with the rest of their bodies turned to dust.  The last kindred backed away in fear trying to fire but his gun would not go off thanks too a double feed caused when the round had for some reason misfed into the chamber.   Exodus flexed his wings relishing in this night of anger and slaughter.  He crept closer to the kindred who slinked backwards afraid to take his eyes off the deadly angle.  Exodus half expected another hail of fire to come in and steal this kill from him but it never came.  As he closed within striking range of the scared kindred he lashed out and took his head off his shoulders with an angry roar and furious talons.

Another series of shots rang out no doubt Raven ending another of the broods unlives.  The last one was out there somewhere and after a minute of searching that seemed to be an eternity Exodus found him just as Raven dropped from his perch in a tree falling in beside him.  This was the kindred that earlier Exodus had smashed in the bar.  He saw them walking towards him and went to shoot them.  Raven was faster and the gun flew out of his hand with the force of a bullet impacting it.  Unarmed he stood and raged at the two kindred walking towards him.  Unable to run and no doubt knowing he didn’t stand a chance all he could do was curse his lord that had failed him.  Raven turned to Exodus and said “Finish this its your role in the ways.”  Exodus only nodded and settled on the kindred easily taking his heart from his chest in an almost embrace.  A second later he was dust and the two kindred walked silently back to the bar.   

Walking back through the large hold they had made in their exit they walked over to the bar where the attractive woman now nothing but a corpse was laying.  Exodus shook his head and produced two gold coins from his pocket and laid them on her eyes.  Raven as if repeating a deed done many times over the years began pouring liquor all over the wooden furniture of the bar.  As they completed their individual tasks they walked back out the hole Raven leaving a trail of Barcardi 151.  He looked almost through Exodus and spoke quietly “This isn’t your fault you did nothing wrong in this.”  Exodus just struck and dropped a match into the alcohol trail watching the flames erupt like the guilt in his heart consuming all proof of what had transpired.  “You always say that Merlin.” Exodus said as he turned and begun walking down the road.  “Its my place in all this Arthur.” He replied and got into step next to Exodus on the road and they moved out into the darkness their blood made them fight against every night of their unlives.