Caine answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot be of the Sword of Caine.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
Caine answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, and of the Blood, he cannot enter into the Sword of Caine.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit; and that which is born of the Blood is blood.
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
The Ancients lay in slumber under the earth, awaiting the End to rise, but the Sword of the Father, the Sword of Caine, shall rise to defeat them: so is the Duty of those born of the Blood. So is your duty.
Patroculus, Ventrue Antitribu (DECEASED)

Life began the night his Sire gave him the blood required to live again. Dressed in the vestiments of the cloth, in a sacred (blashpemous?) baptismal ceremony, it seemed to Darren that God himself had ordained he gain his life back. (why that life was taken in the first place, best not to think on that.) That night, through the blood of Patroculus, his Sire, the power of God moved through his veins, and Darren came *alive*. (if the power of God moved through his, veins, then why do crosses burn him so?)

It was a very confusing time, for Darren. He had no memories of before that night, though he did tell his Sire about the nightmares. His sire only smiled, as if he knew all about them, and approved. (why did he approve? Best not to think about that.) His Sire was the one who gave him back his name - when the woke, with blood in his mouth, that was all he had. Blood. Language he didn't remember, yet understood. His memory was gone, erased by a gentle and loving God, who wished to spare Darren the pains of his previous life. (what pains those were is best not thought about.)

The first few nights were the worst. Darren didn't know whether he was in the present, or in some distant past. Frequently, he would act as if he was in one of those distant times, speaking in Latin (though, the Latin taught in schools, not as if he was a speaker from the 5th century Ireland, where he claimed to be from. Strange that...) and moving from violently attacking people whom he thought were his enemies (mostly Nosferatu, Gangrel who had animal features, and those who weren't obviously from "Christian" stock), or pleading for his life from the invisible monsters who were attacking him. In those times, it almost seemed that he believed he was a girl, begging for mercy from someone. (In his nightmares, he see's these girls, and he's the one ... meanacing them. Best not to think why he's meanacing them in his nightmares, it's not a good place to go)

When he was lucid, Darren was consumed with the idea of being a Knight, a Holy Warrior on a Noble Crusade. And he had a natural ability in this area, it seemed. Knives, razors, cutting weapons of all kinds felt "right" in his hands, felt natural. (Though the impulse to cut the throats of the women he see's is something best not thought about) Each time he demonstrated his abilities with the blades, his Sire gave his approval, and Darren felt more and more like he was becoming a person again. Becoming the Knight he believes he is. Or was. Or should be. It gets confusing.

But there are nights where he is not lucid. Where he is consumed by the idea that he is a medivel knight, normally from the times of trouble, after Arthur was killed, and his kingdom tossed into ruins. Dark times indeed, times when a Knight has to do things he wouldn't otherwise do, just to survive. Honour is thrown out, for the necessity of eating. Working for ruthless lords who have no morals, but lots of gold. Selling off pieces of armour to feed your family, killing your horse to feed your family, sending your sons to the Monks and your daughters to the Nuns, just so they can eat, and survive. Most knights become cutthroat ruffians, out to steal whatever they could, holy vows forgotten.

Things get really strange when his enemies suddenly challenge him to a pistol duel at dawn. That's usually enough to send Darren back to his haven, to try to figure out what's going on. (if it doesn't send him into a frenzy... no, best not to think about that either) Sometimes, he comes back to reality that night. Sometimes, it takes longer.

Before... there are flashes. Screaming of men and girls. Swords, or knives. Bladed weapons, at least. And blood. Lots of blood. Fear, terror, and joy. These thoughts cause the blood to rush to areas it isn't supposed to rush to, anymore, a terrible waste of the blood. But such a joy to remember...

Best not to think to much on that. Best not to question what he was before; questions lead to answers, and there may be answers that he doesn't need to know. He is a Knight of Caine *now*. What he was before doesn't matter. Stop thinking about what he was before! That was his life as a Kine, as a Mortal, a lesser creature, fit only for food and games, to be used as the animals they are! See how they war amongst themselves, tossing loyalty around like a commodity to be traded? How they destroy each other for no other reason that because they can do it? It was that which caused the Dark Times, when Arthur's Peace was destroyed, torn about by the very people that it was created for, for nothing other than... nothing other than... nothing... no, that's wrong. That's not how a knight acts; he defends those who can't defend themselves. That's a lifetime ago, not today, a lifetime of lifetimes ago, that's not now. It's not now! It's...

Best to clear your mind now. Go somewhere else, clear your mind, stop thinking about this. What you were doesn't matter; go clear your thoughts, then when you are sure of what you are now, come back. Yes, that's best.


A bastardization of John 3:3-8. (see below)

3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
John 3:3-8

And Caine said unto the Childer of Demons; "Rise up, and fight thine Corrupted Ancients, and when it makes you strong, I will turn thee into mine Sword, come Gehenna." And so Caine begat the Sword of Caine, the Sabbat