Many stories have been told of creatures of the light, and creatures of the dark… but few have heard the tale of Ashka and Iri…

One day, a very long time ago, a Celestial being by the name of Iri was sent from the heavens to keep watch and guard the people of Earth. It was whispered that there was a darkness creeping over the lands, slowly snuffing out what the light had touched. The darkness, Iri found, was Vampires. Their numbers had been growing over the years… creating clans and rules, working together to create a society.

Iri knew that he would not be able to rival the forces the vampires had come to be, so instead, he began to gather information. In order to do this, he befriended a recently turned vampire by the name of Ashka. Ashka was not pleased with her induction to the new world, nor by how it was being run… and simply wanted to return to the life that she once had. In return for her help, Iri promised he would do everything he could to return her to that life.

Decades passed… Ashka was successful in hiding the fact that she was spying on her own kind… meeting with Iri during daylight hours to deliver the information she had gathered. With each meeting, Ashka and Iri grew more attached to each other, and eventually became lovers… the meetings turning into brief respites from the lives they were chained to.

More time passed, and the meetings started to occur more and more often… no longer could the Vampires ignore Ashka’s odd disappearances, nor could the deity who sent Iri ignore his dealings with Ashka…

One day, the pair dwindled too long together… the sky starting to fade to night before they realized the time. As Ashka readied to leave, the door bust open, and vampires filled the room… however at the exact same moment… light as bright as day filled the room as Celestial beings appeared. Iri and Ashka realized the predicament they were in… they had been discovered as traitors to both their kinds. But, unknown to them, this night would both be a blessing and a curse.

A fight ensued between the Celestials and the Vampires, with Iri and Ashka caught in the middle. During the battle, Iri managed to sneak Ashka out of the apartment and safely away. He knew however, that he would not be able to escape from his judgment, so he returned to the battle. In the end, the vampires ended up fleeing before the Celestials, and Iri was taken away.

Ashka was left alone… hunted… and soon she discovered, pregnant. She was shocked at the discovery, since she wasn’t aware that vampires could even conceive, but that made her even more resolute to stay alive. She was intelligent, and conniving when needed… traits she gained from the decades of spying. Using her abilities, she managed to obtain passage on a ship, bound for what people were calling the “New World”.

While Ashka was clinging to a ship’s walls hoping for a new life… judgment was being passed on Iri. The deity had come to realize what exactly had transpired between Iri and Ashka, and the fact that she would be bearing Iri’s child. The deity was furious… no vampire should have the ability to reproduce as his children do... but this one did… because of Iri. The judgment laid down was harsh… both Iri’s wings were torn from his back and he was cast down to the Earth to live as a human. In addition to that, a curse was laid upon the child nestled in Ashka’s womb… the child would be a female, and never would she be able to reproduce… neither by vampiric bite nor by normal human means. To finalize the judgment, the deity sent hunters after Ashka and the child she carried, to make sure the cursed bloodline would end, one way or another.

But, as fate would have it, the Hunters did not find Ashka in time. She gave birth on that ship… the night cold and the skies pouring down rain. The baby was beautiful, almost a shining light in the darkness. The child’s eyes glimmered gold, much like her father’s, however, Ashka could sense the same darkness within the child that was within her. Ashka was joyful to be gifted with the child, yet despaired that she would have to live under the vampiric curse. She closed her eyes and listened to sound of the rain fall as the baby cried for the first time… that would be her name… Rayne.

Several more weeks passed before the ship reached land. Ashka was exhausted, having been careful to feed only on those that were dying during the voyage. Sitting in the dark hull, she waited for night so she could disembark the ship… but that time never came. A silence fell over the harbor and the hatch creaked open. Bright light flooded the darkened area, forcing Ashka to scuttle into the darkest corner, cradling Rayne away from the light. Three men stepped into the hull, their golden eyes piercing Ashka… the hunters had found her, and she hadn’t even stepped foot on land yet.

Ashka fought the men off with all of her might, but in her weakened state, she did not last long. Picking the child up from the scattered ashes on the ground, they headed above deck, sure that the sun would make a quick and easy death for the infant… but… it did not. Rayne blinked her golden eyes and stared up at the sky, giggling in a honeyed tone, and reached up towards the Celestials. The hunters were shocked at this… and doubt began to flood them. What if the child did not take after the evils of the mother? Killing this child could very well be killing one of their own…

After much debate between the three, they agreed they would allow the child to grow up under the care of human parents, and be taught the human ways. Of course, they agreed that they would be keeping a close eye on the child to make sure nothing… strange occurred.

So Rayne was left with a pair of settlers who were unable to have children. Overjoyed with the blessing, the pair raised Rayne as their own, teaching her everything a normal human child should know.

During this time, Iri was left half dead in the human world… whispers of the events weaving through his mind… until one day, he heard Ashka’s final scream. His eyes opened, his body aching and bloody… past the pain and despair… only one thought resonated in his mind… he had to find his child…