Strazio Rockwell's Impotent Rage

[Strazio Rockwell]

One whole decade, one entire decade ago this whole thing started. Damien Alabaster slaughtered my friends, my family exactly ten years ago to the day. He left me with my rage and hatred and fury underneath a pile of rubble, amongst the desolation of my village. Everything I held dear to me was turned to ashes in just a few hours because of that monster, and I finally get the chance for my vengeance. Oh how much have I sacrificed to get here. I ran my rough scarred hands along the cobblestone wall of his tower. Something seemed off, it seem almost too easy. No guards, the front door unlock and unbarred it was almost as if he wanted me to find him. It seemed that after ten years of evading me he finally gave up. The tower was well lit with torches and candles on every floor, bookshelves housing ancient scrolls and books lined the walls of every floor. More of a library than a tower it seemed almost as if the knowledge of the world was held within these walls. The tower was quiet, so quiet that I could hear my own heartbeat as I climb the spiral staircase to the summit.

It was surreal in a way, every floor triggered another memory of my journey here. Every ally and every enemy, every battle and every victory seemed to play themselves out in my head. I became a god amongst men just for the chance to slay Damien and here I was seemingly at the end of my journey. Do I kill him slowly and make him suffer for the hell that he put me through? Do I just kill him without the theatrics? Thoughts and memories swarmed my mind like a thousand hornets, I took a deep breath to silence them and calm my nerves. The final floor, only a few more stairs and I would be at the final floor. I would see my nemesis for the last time before I slay him.

Damien's lair was not as sinister as I expected it. He stood across from me, back turned and looking out across the countryside. He lowered the hood to his dark red cloak and turned to face me. That face, that unmistakable face it looked like it hadn't aged a day since he slaughtered my village. Energy crackled across my body, I relished the slight pain the arcs of white hot lightning brought.

"Welcome to my abode, I just have one question; do you remember me Strazio?" he smiled and brought his arms outward. How dare that bastard smile and welcome me like a long lost brother?

"Yes I remember you, I could never forget" I dashed forward, using a burst of energy to strain my muscles to their breaking points. I was met with zero resistance as I clasped my hand around his forehead and pushed him to the ground. Energy coursed through my forearm and coalesced into my palm. "You are going to die today Damien Alabaster!"

He smirked and spoke softly "I'm sorry Strazio, but today I live"

Everything went dark and my blast of energy discharged outwards, firing uselessly into the void. What happened? Where did he go? I thrashed about and screamed at the top of my lungs, firing several more blasts of energy into the void. I tried to yell and call out, but I could not find my voice in fact I had even lost the ability to scream. A grinning silhouette appeared in the darkness and spoke, in vain I tried to fire a roiling bolt of energy at him, but even my magick refused to manifest itself. The creature identified itself as Omni and began speaking about the place known as the Omniverse. I tried to command him to take me back, but my voice was still absent. Every fiber of my being was strained as I tried to manifest something, anything. I tried to tear a hole in reality I wanted to kill Damien, ten years wasted. My life wasted.

Just let me go back, please.

Just as fast as it started, it ended. The darkness was replaced by blinding white light and a single solitary fountain. Anger does not begin to describe what I felt at that moment. My clenched my hand and slammed them into the base of the fountain, falling to my knees I bashed my hands against the stone base until they hurt and then I did it some more.

"All of that hard work, gone in an instant. Gone by some wicked twist of fate. Dammit, dammit, dammit" energy crackled throughout my body and I could feel the slight burn of its electric currents. I tried to compose myself, there were others, Primes I think he called them around. It took longer than I cared to admit it, but I finally calmed down. I stood up and surveyed my surroundings, several other primes were nearby while others were heading for distant gates. I've waited ten years to kill Damien, I can wait ten more.

I spoke under my breath "Omni, I will tear apart this world to return home. I will rip the omniverse to shreds if the mean finding Damien again. You will not stop me."

[Strazio Rockwell]

So a fresh start? It could be worse, I could be dead. I'm trapped, but not dead so I've got that going for me. I sat down on the base of the fountain and tried to clear my head. Where do I even begin? I need a team, or at least some allies. Hell I just needed some information, just something to point me in the right direction. I also need to gather Omnilium, a large amount of it. I can feel that my powers have been greatly diminsihed, the energy that now raced through my body was barely a fraction of my original power. So much to do, but I guess I have an incredible amount of time.

"Dammit, such a pain in the ass."

Strapped to my belt was a leather-bound book and a leather wrapped stick of charcoal. Everything I ever discovered in my search for Damien was scribbled in this small tome. Notes and scrawlings covered each page, years of research and discovery now rendered useless. I've still got a few pages left in this old book, sounds like we start a new search. I spent the better part of an hour asking other primes about the Omniverse. This place seemed massive, but I've got an idea of where to start. Diablo seems like he would be a terrific ally, or at least a stepping stone. Unfortunantly being trapped in the underverse seems like something I want to avoid right now, so we'll have to settle for the next best thing.

Dracula.

I need power and he seems to be the place to get it. Either he will help me or I'll take what I want. The gate for the Pale moors was far away, but I could walk. Even after ten years my legs weren't tired and I even felt a giddy sort of anticipation. I will beat the Omnivers and Damien will not escape me a second time.