Raiden lay back on his bunk, staring out through a grimy porthole - or rather, at the grime on the porthole - and listened to the Maria Belle sail with creaks and clanks through the rough waves. They were two hours away from the nearest American port. He closed his eyes and let the memories of what he had been doing for the last four years take over him. He would be 18 in three days, by which time he hoped to be with his family to celebrate it. More specifically, his father. Known to the world as the ruthless Wraith, assassin and strategist of the Myrddin family.

This must be the strangest father-son relationships around he mused. For one thing, not even he knew his father's real name. For another, he had no idea who his mother was. His earliest childhood memories were of his father putting on his mask and going out for the kill. It would have driven any ordunary kid mad, but his father had been very kind to him, and he had grown idolizing his father and his job. He met people quite frequently when his father held dinner, like his father's associates Myrddin, Aeolus, Ellies, uncle Recro and various other people.

Among those people, he knew that he only called Recro 'uncle'. Probably because while the others were politely friendly, he was openly friendly. And visited more often. And got him chocolates when he was little. Well, no chocolates anymore, but I'd still like to see him again. And that was when his musing were interrupted by the cabin-boy Roose. While it was general for sailors to have silly names, he had never gotten around to figuring out what Roose stood for.

As it was, his interest was more focused on what the cabin boy held in his hand. A small slip of paper. With one line written on it, and obviously sent through the telegraph. The message would be bizzare to normal people.

The lion has left the den. Meet at the place where two ones make a three.

He and his father had worked out a series of codes in case there was an emergency, like a war. Anxiety stuck to his inside as he wondered whether everyone was alright, and settled back, closing his eyes to meditate and take away his worry. Two more days to reach the port and one day to get to Detroit as the message implied.

The young man walks into The Recrudescence. Where is Uncle is
waiting, his concern grows has sees the faces of the inner septum
deepen has they catch his eye's still no worry this was his uncle.

"Nephew how are you? good trip here have some whiskey, i have some
bad news your father was unfortunately strike down his Don also passed,
sorry for your loss i know you had big plans but i hope you can over
your services i have things that require your diligence and
perseverance, when your ready please let me know, stay as long as you
like"

I walk in and see Don Recro and a young man sitting together. I had never seen him before so i thought i would go over and introduce myself. I approach the table and get a good look at him...he looks very fimiliar, i was about to ask him his name when Don Recro speaks up and says to me "Remo this is Raiden...Wraith's son, he just arrived here by boat". I immediatly reply back "ah i knew he looked fimiliar or atleast looked like someone i had seen before...how are you Raiden im Remo...sorry for your loss, your father was a great man...my brother did business with him "i shake Raiden's hand" i then look at Don Recro "well i going to head out, let you guys talk...i look at Raiden "maybe we can work together if you plan on sticking around" i shake my bosses hand "nice to meet you Raiden, ill see you around.

Shaking the excess water from her umbrella, Apollonia walks into the room looking somewhat agitated. She has just spent the last few hours searching through Recro's closets looking for the package that he had asked her to bring. She had decided that the search was a lost cause and went to leave his home when she found it lying on the desk in the front parlor.

She schooled her features and offered her Don and his guest a bright smile. Extending her hand to Wraith_reborn, Apollonia introduces herself.

So nice to meet you, I have heard so much about you I feel we have already met. Your uncle asked me to bring this parcel here for you.

Apollonia slides the package across the table towards Wraith_reborn

Savannah walks into the place heavily swollen as she was nearly close to having her and husbands baby daughter Paige. She wore her favourite leather skirt that fitted around the ever growing bump and a red loose fitting corset.

Savannah walked over to her husband and slipped her arms around his waist. 'I'm sorry to hear of your loss young one'

She wiped a tear away from her face WHEN SUDDENLY

Wraith nodded to everyone who greeted him. He was already getting back into control, pushing his father's memory to the back of his mind. But when Apollonia brought him something from his father, he gave it up. Until he finished dealing with the package anyway. He pulled it towards him and undid the neat string knot. Inside was a few layers of paper, and below it was a cloth. He opened the the cloth with a trembling hand. A slightly musty smell came as he opened it. probably from being packed in close air. That meant it was atleast four or five days old. And according to information, right before the way had started.

First came a piece of paper. It was folded neatly as though written in great leisure. But his father couldn't have had more than half an hour to write this.

Dear Raiden,

          If you are reading this, then I have left to pay my dues before fire. My entire life has been what people would call a tragedy, but I mind not. You know that I enjoyed having control of my life and doing what I did. They say that the most dangerous world has the most loyal of friends, if you live to make any. I have spent my life with them, and enjoyed every minute. I have no regrets about facing the consequences.

          More importantly, to you. I have talked to the captain of the Maria Belle and I know about your mastery of some forms of the oriental self defense. They will prove to be a useful skill. It it likely that my leader Myrddin will be dead too, for while we are strong, we are fewer in number and no wraith is truly immortal. That is why I arranged for your uncle Recro to take care of you.

            If you have met someone in the course of your travels and wish to be with them, Recro will understand. But I leave two things for you in any case. They are not a memento to remind you of me. They are for transforming you into me. I feel myself take on a cold, cruel sense of purpose every time I use them, and people tell me that my otherwise bright eyes look cold and dead. It isn't anything to do with the objects themselves, only with the state of mind that you achieve when you use them.

             Forget that you are Raiden. Forget that you are a boy in the shadow of your father. There is only you, the sole survivor of the Wraith bloodline. You are Wraith, the feared assassin who will be ever loyal to those who are loyal to you. You have valuable skills, and a combination of brain and brawn that is needed for the more difficult of assignments. You are used to taking orders and to giving them. You will rise and prosper.

              I am aware that I never told you my real name. I tell you this as a parting gift. As something you can use to complete your picture of me and then push me to the back of your mind forever: my name is Greythen.

And when Raiden looked inside, his mind turmoiling with what he had just read, he saw the two most valuable things his father could have left him; his mask and his gun. The gun was embroided with the Wraith insigna, and he knew that his father had crafted some ingenious parts of it himself. Wraith closed his eyes and settled back on the chair. He resumed his task of pushing back his father to the farthest corner of his mind.

After half an hour, he reached out, and without opening his eyes, took up the mask and wore it. The mask slid through as if it were made for him, and settled snugly. When his eyes opened, they were cold and dead through the slits.

"When do I start?" he asked, looking at Recro with those eyes that people had trembled in front of.