Shahal

Shahal (シャハル, Shaharu) is a vampire that appears in the Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign OVA, Vampire Shahal.

Appearance
Shahal has notable tanned skin and long, blonde hair that he keeps tied back. Like all true vampires, he has red eyes, fangs, and pointed ears.

He dons white vampire style clothing, but its design is unlike that of city guards or nobles, so his rank is undetermined.

Personality
Due to his lack of will to drink Riko's blood it may be considered that he may be neutral towards humans. His status as a former human makes both Riko and Yu pity and sympathize with him.

Shahal in fact was once a human. He has an extreme obsession towards his dead sister, Lana, and believes Riko is Lana. He has heavy feelings of guilt over Lana, and represses the fact that he killed her. He is also somewhat insane, as he refused to believe that Riko was not his sister and screaming he will protect her, to talking to himself and begging Lana to forgive him.

He is protective of Riko (whom he believes to be Lana), willing to kill vampires and humans so she will not be taken from him. He cared deeply for her, judging by his fury when Ferid bit her and his despair when he accidentally hurt her while fighting Yu. When Riko tripped and fell, he worriedly asked her if she was alright, showing he is capable of great compassion.

In the end, his humanity won over his vampire instincts. He realized he was no longer human and asked Yu to kill him so he could ascend to heaven and be human once more, allowing him to see Lana again.

History
Shahal was originally a human who became a vampire, like Mikaela Hyakuya,and was created by Ferid Bathory. He became so hungry afterwards that he killed and drained Lana of her blood, although later repressed the memory of the incident.

Story
He saw Riko and her family while they were being attacked by vampires and, mistaking Riko for Lana, killed the vampires attacking them and kidnapped Riko. This led to the vampires denouncing him as a traitor and sending men out to kill him. Guren also assigns Shinoa's squad the mission of rescuing Riko from Shahal and returning her to her family.

Despite Riko's fear of him, he is unwilling to drink her blood and cannot understand that "Lana" is scared of his fangs. While speaking to her, he in interrupted by Ferid Bathory and Crowley Eusford,. Furious to see them, he places himself between Riko and the progenitors, demanding to know why they've come. Ferid had heard an "interesting rumor" about Shahal stealing Riko and wanted to check it out. He wondered if Riko's blood was so good that Shahal had to steal her, and despite Shahal demanding he leave Riko alone, bites and drinks from her. Partially remembering Lana's death, he steals Riko, shaking and enraged that he would dare hurt his sister.

Evidently there was something else to do, so Ferid and Crowley were content to leave Shahal now that their curiosity had been stated. Ferid warns Shahal he needs to adapt to his new life as a vampire and tells him to "enjoy his new doll" before he leaves. Shahal feverishly apologizes to Riko for letting Ferid bite her, still trembling uncontrollably.

Later that night, he visits Riko as she sleeps, promising her that he won't let anyone take her away from him and then hugging her. His grip on reality slipping, he tells her that he's wanted to save her for so long and now they will be together forever before leaving.

The next day, Shinoa's squad attacks the giant cathedral he's based in, and he arrives to confront them, holding Riko's wrist so she stays by his side. He demands to know who's there, and, realizing their here to take his Lana away from him, attacks them. Yu, a little surpirsed to hear Shahal adress Riko as Lana, engages him by himself. The rest of his squad move to help, but a squad of traitors bursts in to the cathedral and confront Shahal, calling him a traitor. They tell the vampire hunter squad to leave and that they have no interest in them, their business is with Shahal, but the vampire hunters refuse to move and the two forces clash.

Seeing the battle grow, Shahal returns to Riko's side and tells they need to leave. Rather then fight him and try to approach Yu, Riko decides to leave with Shahal. As they flee the battle, Riko trips and falls and Shahal kneels by her side, worridly asking if she is alright. He hears more vampires speaking about catching him, and realizing Riko is in danger, hides her in a room so he can kill the humans and vampires. He promises that he's done with both factions and that he'll be able to leave with her soon, and asks Riko to stay and wait for him before leaving to confront the others.

Shahal quickly dispatches several of the vampires before Yu, who had left his squad to pursue him alone, catches up with him. He declares he'll kill anyone who tries to take "Lana", refusing to believe that Riko is not his sister, and then lunges at Yu to kill him. During his fight with Yu, Shahal, almost in a trance, murmurs that Lana wouldn't return and he couldn't resist the thirst for blood before unleashing a rain of blows on Yu. Near insanity, Yu is able to parry his sword and slash him across the chest, but it is not a fatal wound.

Shahal stands again, still saying that no one can have Lana. Then he goes on to say it was his fault and asks an imaginary Lana to forgive him before resuming his attack. As he and Yu go to strike at each other RIko runs between them and places herself in front of Shahal defensively, shouting at Yu to wait. Yu is able to stop his blow, but Shahal's sword grazes her cheek, the force behind it knocking her to the floor.

Thinking he's killed his sister, he drops his sword and runs to Riko's side, ignoring Yu completely as he cradles her. He tells her he's sorry, on the verge of tears, telling her that he won't hurt her again. Riko tells him she's fine and Shahal begins to cry in relief. She tells him that she knew Shahal used to be human, because vampires don't cry. Shahal concurs, saying he is human while Yu sadly watches.

Realizing that he has become something that is not human and not wanting to harm Riko again, asks Yu to kill him so he can go to heaven here he can be human. There, he can meet Lana. Yu agrees to his request and delivers a fatal blow. Shahal falls to the ground, apologizing to Lana that he's sorry he had to keep her waiting so long while Riko kneels by his side and holds his hand. He smiles happily at Riko as his body vanishes and he dies.

Natural Abilities
As a vampire, Shahal is show to be stronger then a vampire and far more powerful than a normal human. He was said to have killed an entire squad of vampire-hunting humans on his own when he kidnapped Riko, and is seen killing at least two vampires who were sent to kill him for treason. He does this by himself without being injured, and apparently with relative ease. This would lend credence to the statement that he was turned into a vampire by Ferid Bathory, a high-level progenitor and extremly powerful vampire furthermore his strength rival that of incomplete vampire Mikaela...

Weapon
He wielded a one-handed sword of unknown design and ability.