When an ancient Egyptian hero comes along... (Ardath)

[Caleb Oswald]

@ardath

Caleb was almost always in his shop. More so tonight than usual as he had recently aquired new merchandise and was writing information about the objects for insurance purposes and figuring out their worth for putting price tags on them.

He was not really all that busy in the nights which was fine with him since it have him the chance to take care of store management issues.

He heard the door open and smiled. "Hello and Welcome to my shop. I'll be with you in just a moment" before he looked up.

[Ardeth Bey]

A brief flash of magical light had brought Ardath Bey to Celestial Springs. For now, the teleport spell was much easier than this century's mechanical chariots. It was funny how he had adapted to computers and cell phones, but the automobile still seemed to elude him. Ah well, he thought, all things in time.

He surveyed the entrance to the shop he was standing in front of. Fairly nondescript, but the owner clearly knew what he was selling. Most of the pieces seemed first rate, and some of them were magic, although he suspected the owner didn't know it.

As he stepped through the door, the shop owner greeted him. Ardath smiled and started to return the greeting, but stopped when he got a good look at the man. Most people wouldn't recognize the man's ancestry, but Ardath could see it right away. The man's bearing, the slight accent to his voice, the bridge of his nose... he thought his people were gone, but here was one of his people, right in front of him! "You're... you're Kemetu?!"

[Caleb Oswald]

The minute Caleb looked up he recognized something very different about the man that had just walked into his shop. He didn't think he was a creature like Caleb was though. Perhaps a magic user of some sort? The second thing he noticed about the man was that he was very attractive.

Definitely an interesting customer. Caleb threw on his sexy alluring smile for the customer, but it melted out of surprise when he heard a word come out of the man's mouth that he had not heard in some time. "Ah, yes. That is a word I've not heard in a very, very long time." He said. He dropped what he was doing to come around the counter and hold his hand out to the man. He noticed some symbols that he vaguely recognized as protection spells. "I take it you grew up in a very different time, such as myself?" He asked. "My name is Sebahkalid. But, I go by Caleb Oswald nowadays." He said introducing himself.

[Ardeth Bey]

Ardath Bey's face lit up. The man in front of him was very handsome, with a regal bear to him. And not only that, but he was of Ardath's own people! Judging by his features, there were more than a few centuries between them. Ardath knew of his people's history since his time, how his people were basically gone, interbred and assimilated into other empires long ago. He had mourned and learned to let go, but here was an (albeit many times removed) link to his life long ago.

He grasped his hand and cleared his throat. "Sebakhalid- Caleb... I am Ardath Bey, also known as Jaim-Hatap."

[Caleb Oswald]

Caleb was glad the man seemed to be friendly. Too many times Caleb had met very old beings who had lost sight of themselves, had lost any shred of empathy and compassion for other people.
However, of everything he had expected the man to say, the one thing he did not expect was to hear him say the particular name he called himself.

Immediately, Caleb dropped to one knee with his fist over his chest and his head bowed. "It is an honor to be in your presence." He said respectfully. "I am unworthy of your words great one."

[Ardeth Bey]

"Great One?" Ardath laughed out loud.He had read the his peoples' descendants had worshipped him as a god, but for obvious reasons had never encountered it before. "I am not of the Necheru. I was once a mortal man, as I suspect you once were.Tell me, you are a vampire, yes?" Ardath had noticed a supernatural aura about the man as soon as he laid eyes on him, but had sensed no malice from the man. "I had heard about them long ago, but never encountered them. How fascinating!"

[Caleb Oswald]

When Ardath laughed off his respectful bow, Caleb slowly stood and bowed slightly. "I apologize, but you were worshipped by my people. Can't blame me for bowing down. I wonder if this is what it is like for humans these days to meet their favorite actors and singers?" He asked mostly asking himself the question.

"Yes, I am a vampire. I imagine I must have been born a few thousand years after your time though." He said somewhat thinking out loud.

[Ardeth Bey]

"Remarkable! We must drink!"

Ardath wave his hand over a nearby table, and in a flash of light, A earthen pitcher and two earthen glasses appeared. In the pitcher, there was a dark, frothy brown liquid.

"You are in for a treat. A taste of home-- they don't make this anywhere anymore, I checked. Heqat, just like my builders used to make." Ardath tossed back his cup with relish and regarded Caleb. "Uh, vampires drink, don't they?"

[Caleb Oswald]

Caleb listened and smiled as Ardath said that they must drink. He watched as the man made a pitcher and cups with liquid in them. "Let me close up shop then" he said with a smile before turning his open sign to close and locking the door. "Vampires can drink, it just doesn't get us drunk unless we add a shot of blood." He said.

"Speaking of, if we're going to be drinking I will have to grab some from my stores. Be right back." He said before zooming to the back. He zoomed back in after a few seconds, a small container in his hand. With the other hand he held it out to the table. "Shall we?" He asked before taking a seat himself. He took a sip from his drink to make room for blood, and also to taste it for nostalgic reasons. "Tasted better when I was human, but still tastes like home." He said with a smile.

[Ardeth Bey]

Ardath and Caleb talked for well over an hour, Caleb filling him in on the history of his people that he had missed. He mourned some of it, and cursed others, but cherished it all in his heart. The books he had been able to get his hands on revealed little of the actual character of his people, and Caleb had helped personalize it for him.

Finally, after taking another look around the shop, he beamed at Caleb and said, "This is a fine place you have made for yourself, my friend. But Tell me, how does an "epgyptian" ,as they call us, find his way to this continent?"

Ardath was curious, and a little worried bout the man. The moment he teleported into this town, he had felt and smelled the presence of many different types of magic here. Some he was familiar with, others were new to him. Some of it, like Caleb, did not seem malevolent, but much of it was dangerous. It might behoove him to stay here a while and do what he could to help the people of this place.

[Caleb Oswald]

Caleb smiled as Ardath complimented his store. "Yes well, when I acquired a lot of these they weren't antiques. I just happen to be great at preserving items I acquire." He said of his place.

Then Ardath asked him how he ended up on this continent and he figured he probably was curious how he ended up in town as well. "It is quite a long story but I will skip around a bit" Caleb said.

"Some time ago, English explorers found our home, dug up some of the tombs looking for treasures and knowledge about our people. I travelled back with them and stayed in a city called London for many years. Disappearing from sight from time to time in order to not raise suspicions about me. During one of these times I happened upon a husband and wife, they had been mugged and the husband had died, the wife was close to death, so I turned her. We travelled together for 20 years and once she had control of her vampire instincts I allowed her to be free." He said.

"That was around 70 or 80 years ago, and she returned home, this country. I grew bored without my companion and decided to check up on her. She was here, had been for quite some time, they know about us here, and in the city nearby. They accept us. So when I got here I ended up setting up shop, a place that allows me to be the monster I am is worth staying for. Raina owns a auto garage in town, has herself in deep with what they call Biker Gangs. So I stayed to watch over her and protect her. She was like a daughter to me. Though she admittedly hates me right now, thinks I abandoned her." He said. "I apologize for the long story, I don't get many visitors here and tend to go on and on in conversation with them when I do." He said and he took another drink from his cup.

[Ardeth Bey]

"You have a daughter that works on those 'automobiles'? Feh- I could never get the hang of those things."

Ardath took another swig of his drink. "I originally brought some things to sell for cash, but I see now that it's not the sort of thing you deal in. Ahhhh- to think something merely 400 years old is referred to as an 'antique' nowadays." Ardath chuckled to himself. "So, I suppose I will take my leave. Er, after we finish the pitcher, that is."

[Caleb Oswald]

Caleb chuckled. "It takes time to get used to them. But they are quite convenient." He said. "No need to rush off. I wouldn't mind taking a look at your wares." He said with a smile. It was a double entendre, though he also meant that he could take a look at the actual wares that Ardath had. He dealt in various artifacts and antiquities after all.

Now that the initial shock of Ardath's indentity had passed, Caleb was back to his usual flirty smiley self. "Sorry, I'm straight forward, 4000 or so years walking the Earth has made me that way." He said. He took another drink from the cup. Perhaps the beer was a bit strong niw that there was blood in it for Caleb.