Marvel - Soul Reaver

I awoke enveloped in warm blankets. I was home, the sun's rays were slipping through my shutters. Perhaps that night was but a dream, a nightmare. An Elder God? A Reaver of Souls? Looking back, it all sounded laughable.

I waltzed into my bathroom, and gazed into my reflection; or should I say, the lack thereof…

I could see my white walls, brown towels, and half-opened door, but I was nowhere to be seen. I imagine my eyes were trembling at the sight of it. I stepped back into my bedroom and found my phone.

Upon opening the camera, I found myself. I looked sickly and pale. My skin, once a caramel complexion, looked like muted clay. My eyes, once dark brown, were a sort of brownish red. Most horrifyingly, my teeth had grown sharp. This alone proved that what had occurred the night prior wasn't a dream, but reality. 

"Elder God! Are you there!?" I called out, hoping he would answer. 

"Raphael… You've finally awoken."

"So it's all real then? I'm truly a Soul Reaver… But why am I developing the characteristics of a vampire?"

"You are undead, my child. The manner in which you became my Soul Reaver has led to the change in appearance."

"How can I work like this…" I tried concealing my eyes behind my eyeglasses, though they still appeared unusual. My fangs were barely noticeable when I spoke naturally, but if I were to smile at customers, they'd stick out like a sore thumb.

"You are beyond that of a normal man now. There is no need for you to work a traditional job, Raphael. You belong to me, now. No one else."

I scoffed at his audacious claims. I belonged to no one, no god could tell me otherwise. "So, you'll pay my rent then? I'll hold my end of the deal, but I refuse to be homeless. And I am not your property!"

"Then let us compromise. You require a roof to sleep under, and I require souls. The Sarafan may be able to help us both. You must find them."

"Can't you tell me where they are, Mr. God?"

"I may be the Elder God, but I am not omnipotent. I see the world through the eyes of my Wraith, you."

"So your knowledge of the Material Realm comes from whoever you've coerced into being your minions? Can you at least tell me where I should look? Who I should look for?"

"My knowledge is limited, but this is what I know. Vampyrsk was built atop the ruins of Nosgoth, an ancient civilization once protected by the Sarafan. For thousands of years, the Sarafan lay in wait for the most opportune moment to strike. However, without the Soul Reaver, which is in Dracula's possession, they cannot hope to reclaim their home from his clawed clutches!"

"The Soul Reaver? Is that not my supposed title?"

"You are acting as my Soul Reaver, yes. However, there is a blade by the same name, one so powerful that it could slay any vampire in a single strike."

"And that is why Dracula hides it? To protect it from being used against him?"

"Precisely… If you were to kill Dracula, his manor would become yours... And once you obtain the Soul Reaver, the Sarafan would have no choice but to worship you as their leader."

"But I am undead."

"Yes, but you are no vampire. You share a common enemy, do you not? Of course, once the vampires have been eradicated, I imagine the Sarafan would turn their blades on you. But by then, you will become powerful enough to make them submit."

"And what do you gain from this? Satisfaction in blood lust?"

"You will learn more in due time, Raphael. Until then, you must arm yourself and find Dracula. I must warn you, Dracula is the most powerful of all vampires. That woman you faced yesternight was but an ant in comparison."

His instructions were clear: I must kill Dracula and retrieve the Soul Reaver. Once done, paying rent would be the least of my worries and with my new appetite, I'd not need to worry about food. Armed with the Soul Reaver, I could slay vampires with ease, consuming their souls to satiate my newfound hunger. Human souls would suffice, but I preferred consuming the souls of monsters rather than the innocent.

Before Dracula and I would become acquainted, I needed a capable weapon. If the Sarafan existed, I imagined their ancient weaponry would be of use and I knew just the place to begin my search. 

Upon leaving my home, I noticed that the sun's rays had a different effect on my skin. I felt as if needles were prodding the outer layer, but it wasn't enough to deter me from my assignment. After enough time had passed, I was used to this new feeling. However, I still felt a sense of relief upon feeling the cold air at the museum's entrance.

With each step atop the marble, I had this eerie feeling of being watched. Uncertain of whether or not this feeling was my insecurities or the actual sensation of leering eyes, I continued with my head hanging low, hiding my vampiric features. Past thousand-year-old relics, models of extinct animals, and clusters of minerals, I wandered into the 'Historical Weaponry' exhibit. 

Cannons and muskets would be of no use to me, nor would any standard blade. I nearly turned tail, writing this off as nothing more than a waste of time before I stumbled upon quite the find.

There was an ancient sword whose hilt was reminiscent of a spread eagle. What intrigued me about this blade was its material. It was of steel, but it was encased in a layer of silver, which was perfect for slaying nightwalkers. 

I held my cell phone to my ear to not raise suspicion and began speaking to the Elder God.

"Is this something of the Sarafan's?" I asked the Elder God.

"I believe so. The imagery on the hilt is reminiscent of the flag they once brandished."

Now, all that needed to be done was to make this blade mine. I looked around for a moment before entering the Spectral Realm. Based on my murderer's reaction, I knew that my physical body would disappear when I entered the Spectral Realm. If I were going to rob the museum, it would be best if I was unseen. 

Like last time, the world around me began to contort. The glass that protected the blade was curving in on itself, even the blade appeared misshapen. 

I placed my hand on the glass, and to my surprise, it slipped right through as if it were intangible. Or rather, it would seem that I was intangible to certain materials while in this state. I stepped through the glass and approached the sword, wrapping my fingers around its handle. However, I could not lift it.

"While in the Spectral Realm, you cannot interact with objects of the Material Realm. Hence why you can pass through certain materials." I heard the Elder God say.

"You could have told me that sooner…"

If I wanted to steal this blade, I'd need to be in my physical form. I would be foolish to do so during the day, so I decided to camp by the blade while remaining in the Spectral Realm until closing.

Hours had passed. I re-entered the Material Realm and the contorted world around me straightened, revealing an empty, unlit museum. I grabbed the blade from where it lay before shattering the glass with my fist, compelling the security alarm to blare.

If a crime was committed at night, the perpetrator either had a death wish or was a vampire, which meant the police saw no point in intervening. You could call them; they'd answer, but no one would ever show up. Lucky for me, this meant that I was free to do as I pleased the moment the sun went down. 

With the blade in my possession, I fled the scene, completing the easiest heist in history. My starvation was overwhelming me; I'd reached my limit and needed satiation. From afar, I heard a woman's ghastly screams. She'd made the same mistake I had the night prior. Would she and I share similar fates? I'd find that answer soon enough. I rushed toward her voice, knowing that I would leave sated by a soul one way or another.

When I arrived, I found a woman being cornered by a trio of bloodsuckers, their fangs and claws at her throat. Had they already killed the woman, I'd have consumed her soul and gone on with my night. However, now I could test my weapon!

"Hey, bloodsuckers!" I called out, compelling the three leeches to rear their heads and release the woman. I stood with the blade resting on my shoulder, gesturing for the woman to run. As she fled, the vampires grew restless and nearly gave chase, but my whistle stole their attention.

"Who the hell are you? You look like a vampire… but you don't smell like one," One of the bloodsuckers hissed.

"Like you, I am in search of a meal. Though, unlike you three, I have no taste for blood. Instead, I am sustained by souls. Vampiric souls, to be precise."

The trio exchanged looks, then glanced at me. I imagine this was the first time they'd been stood up to for their misdeeds.

"Blades can't hurt us, kid," one of them said, eyeing my weapon.

"This isn't just some sword. It's a blade from ancient times, belonging to a Sarafan warrior. A vampire slayer. It may look like steel, but it is encased in silver. Perfect for snuffing out bloodsuckers like you."

I pointed my sword at them, compelling them to take defensive stances. I ran forward, my blade trailing behind me. My speed surprised my first victim, allowing me to impale his heart with my silver-encrusted blade. I watched as the light left his eyes and his soul leaked from his mouth. 

I consumed his soul and kicked his corpse. Once my blade parted with his heart, his body fell into a puddle of his blood.

Having devoured the soul of that siren last night, I felt as though my speed and strength had increased. These vampires were far weaker than she was, but upon consuming the first soul, I could feel a minuscule boost in my strength. It would seem that with each soul I consume, I would grow stronger relative to the strength of the body that soul possessed. This further encouraged me to go after vampires rather than humans.

The shortest of the bunch lunged at me, his fangs aimed at my neck. I felt as if my body was on autopilot; I dodged his attack before slicing off both of his arms with a single swipe of my blade. The demon wailed in agony, holding his wounds up to his face. I would free him from his agony upon slicing his neck, severing his head. 

The last vampire was awestruck, stepping away with his tail between his legs. Having consumed my second soul for the night, I'd had my fill. However, I wouldn't let him go without payment. The Elder God mentioned that I inherited that siren's persuasive nature, so I thought I'd put it to the test.

"Well, this is quite the sight. A vampire afraid of a mere human!?"

"You're no human! Humans are incapable of slaying vampires in such a manner!" He pointed at me with a trembling finger. It was nice being on the other side of fear, I understood why the siren toyed with her victims. It was somewhat intoxicating, I could become addicted to this feeling if I'm not careful.

"I guess you're right. I've transcended my humanity. Upon my transcendence, I realized something. I despise you bloodsuckers more than anything else in this world. It's taking everything that I have to hold myself back from slitting your throat! 'Less you want to end up like your buddies, I suggest you follow a few of my requests."

"I'll do anything you ask, just spare me!"

"I want to know where Dracula is. I'm sure you could tell me, can't you?"

"What? Because I'm a vampire, do you think that means I'm friends with all vampires? Isn't that sort of racist? I mean, I wouldn't assume you're friends with Ariana Grande or something just because you're human."

I disliked his tone, but he was right. It was foolish of me to think that he'd know of Dracula's whereabouts... Still, there had to be some information he could share with me.

"Watch your mouth, bloodsucker! If you don't know where I can find him, do you know where I can find someone who would?"

"Try the Crimson Lotus! It's the most prestigious nightclub in the city! I'm certain someone from his circle would be there."

"Where?"

"The gaming district!"

Satisfied, I lowered my sword. I could have eaten his soul, but there was no need. There were plenty more where that came from and his soul was so weak, it would hardly make me any stronger. 

"Now I have one more request. Tell everyone you know to stay out of this part of town unless they want to share the same fate as your companions, got it?"

"Yes, boss!" 

"Now get out of here."

As he ran, I wondered if I'd made the correct choice in letting him live. As for why I made that choice, I wanted these monsters away from my friends and family. I imagined I was putting a target on my back, inviting stronger vampires to look for me. However, that would only invite opportunities for me to consume their souls and become strong enough to kill Dracula. My Sarafan blade may have killed these lower-level peons with ease, but I doubted the blade alone would be enough to take out the king of all vampires. I needed to become more powerful.

"The Crimson Lotus, huh?" I whispered. "The night is still young. How about I visit them?