A Valediction, Forbidding Diablerie35
And the enemies of dine were great,
and fell to fighting over his trail
like hounds, the scent would not abate
through flood and moon. and much travail
The hunter's skill was great,
as they looked for their Father, and they did see
... ancient Discipline used they to find
the road to Shal-ka-mense
They came at last to that secret place
where Caine hid, amongst the waters
Showing himself, Caine called them under,
"Gentle sons, gentle daughters,
Why do you disturb my slumber?"
And they tried to embrace their Father
with steely things and things of wood,
but lightning Caine, fast-moving Caine,
would not be stopped by such as them.
Under the curling, blasting waters,
beyond the pool of Veyd-sah-me,
in the grotto of Shal-ka-mense
did they gather, did they gather,
to embrace their sleeping Father's form.
Found him sleeping? Found him wakeful,
battle-ready, eyes abright,
smiling at his ancient Childer
waging war in the waxing light.
Now the stars they one by one
blot their ways into lightning sky
Now the fires burn hell and cinder
Now the heat reveals the pyre.
Too long! the hunters waited further,
Too long! They did by Veyd-sah-me,
tarry long enough to see the
light of Dawn upon their Father's Face.
And in the turning, burning Mark,
they saw the Finger of Gods own hate,
twisting, curling, God's own Word it
Set apart Caine's lonely fate
And as they burned in hell-bright fires,
as they saw the melted flesh
as they burned with their own Kindred
Caine blessed more funeral pyres
Taking in his bloody Sacrament.
Seek not the blood of thine own Elder
Seek not the blood of thy Sires Sire
Seek not the blood that made thee Kin
For thou will feel the funeral pyre
When thou dost pay for thy immortal sin.
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