Kain almost fell down the stairs a number of times as he decended below, to the dungons. He could sense Vorador’s presence, honing on it and tracking it though the bloody area. He panted as he ran, almost smelling his goal though the muddling of the rest of his senses until he slammed into a wall that had appeared as he blinked. After he bounced off of it and landed, he looked up at it, seeing something he hadn’t in a long time. It looked like an especially massive Warden carrying a wicked looking sythe.
“Get out of my way or die,” Kain growled, getting up.
The thing’s deep voice boomed. “Go back to your quarters slave. The master wishes you there, not wandering the Sacntuary. Go back now or I will have to force you.”
“Alright then, it is your life. I hope you will enjoy what is beyoind for you are going to meet it soon!” Kain growled, and attacked, slashing with his claws. The thing laughed at him and knocking him aside like a rag doll, his body smashing into the stone wall. Kain slowly pulled himself up from the cracked stone and looked angrly at the thing. He raised his hands and shot lightening at the thing, bolts of electricity shooting from his hands and at the thing.
It faltered, then stood, shaking its head like nothing happened. It raised its sythe, and swung down, intent on slashing Kain in half. The vampire lord was too quick for such things, leapin aside, and then pouncing at the thing. His claws sank into the armor as he held onto it and slashed at it repetively. His claws had little effect on the being, ionly able to scratch really at its ornate armor. He lept away before the thing tried to chrush him against the wall with its weight.
Kain released several flays, along with some more powerful things, the frenzy of spells hitting, slamming on the Warden, too many to evade. Some of the spells ripped though the hulking being, others flew past it. It slowed the thing some, making it rethink it stragity. It faded form sight, but Kain knew this trick. Just follow the glowing green orbs that just happen to be the thing’s head. He didn’t know what lead him to strike the thing in the chest though. He sent more flays, and another barrage of sorcery at it. One bolt shattered the sythe’s blade others ripped at it again.
Then Kain froze.
There was a familiar cry of angusih.
So familiar....
No....
Kain stood, stareing at the thing as it tottered before him, visable now. Deep red blood seeped from its wounds as it tried to stay standing. The thing fell, crashing to the floor with an anguished, painful sound from within it. Kain tenatively walked over, the armor of the thing fading, piece by piece as if it were a comples, powerful illusion. But not all of it was an illusion. slowly, it revealed its true form.
“NOOOOOOO!!!” Kain ran to his side, and picked him up, holding him close. His dear son, Melchiah was at the heart of that thing and he unwittingly slaughtered him like he had that servant girl. He squeezed Melchiah’s torn, frail body to himself, rocking him. “Please...no...” Kain said quietly.
“F...father....?” Melchiah said, his voice barely above a harsh whisper.
“Please....forgive me....” Kain said, rocking him still, as if his contact and chaotic mind alone could heal and save him.
“Fr’ive y..ou...th’nk ‘ou....for ....” Melchiah went limp in his arms, passing on before he could finish what he was saying. Kain growled feraly, his mind descending into little more than a angry beast’s.
His mind reeled, his body shaking visably. He set his dear youngest
son back down gently, to the side where his remains woudn’t get trampled.
He was going to have to come back here later, to bury yet another of his
children. Anger was the foremost burning at his mind thought. Janos....he
will pay....no tricks this time....just pure vengence....
Outside, at the stone platform jus over the Abyss....
Raziel cautiously walked across the wood and rope bridge, approaching that dangerous figure who stood at the other side, from where he had been cast from the day Kain set everything in motion. For Raziel, this was a place of rgeat pain, flashes of memories of his two just younger brothers hauling him to the edge and Kain’s devistating words were spoken, damning his eldest son to a millenia of pain and suffering and forcing him to his destiny.
The moment, right then, was so much a repeat of before, when he had first approached Janos, and yet, this encounter would be so very much different from before. Janos stood with his back to him, like before, the breeze from the Abyss ruffling the smaller feathers of his wings. How oddly though on how Janos chose to change his mannor of dress, back to the clean white robes he had been wearing the first time he met him. What purpose didi that serve?
“I see child you are finally free,” Janos said, slowly, not turning to face him.
“I am. You know why I am here,” Raziel said calmly, no longer the hot tempered young wraith he had once been.
“Yes I know. My destiny, like yours, is unavoidable. I know you will kill me. I ask you one thing,” Janos paused, his voice straining between insanity and the calm gentle voice he had once possesed.
“Wish and I might grant it, provided it is in my power. Unlike you, I still have my honor,” Raziel said.
Janos laughed, hearing this. “Oh how so like me you have become. Trapped so near me for a millenia you have adopted my lost form and mind. How far you have come.”
“Ask so I may grant your last request,” Raziel said, not alowing the Anchient to try and distract him. “I don’t like this duty I have been forced into and I would quite like to get it over.”
Janos finally turned to him and walked closer. Raziel was taken aback at his appearence. BNot only had he changed his clothes, his appearence had reversed itself, back to the older being he had seen so long ago, the whitish grey streaks back at his temples, the time earned lines back in his face. “What trickery is this?” Raziel demanded.
Janos laughed again. “My mind is gone remember? I am unable to make this easy for you. I am making you face that being you instantly fell for so long ago.” The illusion of being that gentle being was shattered by how he was smiling, his wide grin so wrong on his face. “Aren’t you at least a littel glad to see me?”
Raziel’s expression went from one of wide eyed shock to one of suspicion, his eyes narrowing as he gazed out at the other. “I will not ask you again. Give me your request so I maybe done with you.”
The tattered remains of the illusion shattered like so much glass. Janos still loooked the same, but the act he was giving Raziel dissolved like so much like sugar in a glass of water. He laughed loudly, over the rushing sounds of the Abyss, sounding almost like a demon. “Ah, that one track mind remains boy! i’ve counted on it for so long. Yes, yes I will tell you my wish. I don’t know why this wish remains in my mind, but it has and had for so long that I actually find myself depending on you to do it.”
“What?”
“I sealed you in there with my last rewuest and it will not reveal itself to you until you kill me.” He smiled feraly, his eyes burning. “If you can kill me that is.”
Raziel sighed and closed his eyes. It pained him to do this, to even
think of it. If there was only a way to cure him of this madness and give
him a redeeming death, but he couldn’t think of it. He drew the sword he
had picked up on the way there, left there for him. He readied himself,
dropping into a defensive stance, his mind readying itself as well.
Below....
Kain stormed though the corridors, killing and tossing aside vampire and human alive. Slave, guard, it didn’t matter to him. Vae Victus...Janos was crying it out to him and he would have his revenge. He roared and threw a guard at the others, several more flails and they were reduced to a bloody mess. He continued past more cells, overlooking them for all of them were nothing to him, simple inscets that festered around him.
At least until he heard a very familiar sound in his mind, stopping him in his tracks. oh so familiar a gentle touch to his mind, one that had soothed his mind in return time and again, a mind he had soothed in return just as many times. Could this be...? Alive still...?
In a flurry, he searched the cells, one after another before he finally came to a dark, empty looking room. It stank of freshly spilled blood coming from a deep hallway, leading from the back of the room. He searched out with his own mind, brushing that sensation back. His eyes went wide, confirming the presence. He ran down the hallway as fast as he could, and into an even darker room.
“Vorador?” he called quietly, fearing too loud a sound on these walls would resound too harshly and hurt the other’s sensative ears. He silently walked in a little further, and called quietly again, “Vorador?”
Harsh breathing, like air was being drawn into fluid filled lungs, “...Kain......” came a rasping, too silent voice.
Kain looked about, unable to tell where it came from. He casted light, bringing the room’s lighting up to where he could see well. He walked over to the one cell set into the wall, his eyes going wide. He reached out and tore the iron barred door from its stone settings and dashed in.
Vorador was on the floor, shackled halfway up the wall, his thinned arms over his head. Kain knelt next to him, and ripped the shackles from the wall, releasing him. Vorador was too weak though, he fell limp into Kain’s arms, the shackles so heavy to him that he could not lift his arms. He looked the elder over. What was left of his clothing was bloody and torn, his abdomen was sunken in, the last signs of deep injury almost gone. He felt light in Kain’s arms. He weighed yes, he could see that, but not his much less. What had Janos done to him...?
“Everything is going to be alright...” Kain said, signifigently calming from the flying rage he had been in just minutes ago.
“Said...you wouldn’t...come...” Vorador said, his voice strained, new tears coming to his eyes.
“Shhhh....I would never say such a thing to you, you know I would never abandon you. I took you down there hoping you would be safe. I’m sorry I was wrong...” Kain’s voice trailed off.
“Do you....still...?”
“Yes. Always. We have had some rough times, but we seen each other through them.”
“Som’tim’s...not enough...hours in..day...” He drew a deep breath, as deeply as his lungs would allow, his head weakly turning in to rest against Kain’s shoulder. “...don’t leave me....please...”
“I won’t,” Kain replied as gently as his mind would allow. He held the elder vampire closer to him, all the while trying to fight back the erruption of emptions that was springing fourth violently in his mind, stronger than when he had just recently accidently murdered his own child. This...this was so much different. So much worse. Janos had done this on purpose, not on accident. No one did something like this on accident to another being.
He opened his eyes, feeling Vorador shake a little in his arms, silently crying against him. He closed them again, and calmly said, “Just close your eyes my friend. Close them and rest. No one will ever hurt you again and I will remember you always.”
He felt a brush on his mind, one of happiness in this devistating moment. Almost a kiss to him, so gentle, there and not at the same time, then was gone. Vorador stopped shaking and went limp in his arms. Kain took slow breaths, trying to keep his berserk rage at bay for a few more moments. For the second time that day he held the corpse of someone he cared for greatly and both of them were now gone. All thanks to one person.
He gently lay Vorador onto the small bench, good enough for the average being, but not enough for Vorador’s lanky, thin body. He paused over him, looking sadly at his fallen friend. Lover even. He bared his fants and roared, bellowing out in his rage and shaking the walls with his fury. He teleported himsel higher in the stone fortress.
His mind screamed for blood. Coldly and with more fury than he had ever
known.
Vengence was a dish that tasted so sweet when served cold. And he was
going to have his dessert.....
Over the Abyss....
Janos panted,crouching to the groung, slashed and bloodied. He stared at Raziel, who was still standing, ready for him. Janos cursed himself for never having kept himself in better fighting shape. For forgetting a lot of his melee combat skills that served him so well so long ago.
Raziel on the otherhand kept himself steady. All the ages of skills and sorcery handed to him, knowledge beyond his time and experience was now serving him very well. He looked impassive as he gazed patiently back, waiting for Janos to stand, too honorable to sttack someone who wasn’t on his feet. Janos stared at him, seeing in him the way he was so long ago. Rage filled his mind. Rage aimed at Raziel. He wanted that back. To be his old self and spend many millennia redeeming himself from this unholy terror he had become or die trying.
He pulled himself up, standing painfully. For reasons he couldn’t remember, his wounds weren’t healing like they should be. As he forced himself to over forward, he dragged one wing, broken and the tendons slashed and blood matted into the ebony feathers, staining them red. “I seemed to have given you too much, child. I will have to take it back,” he rasped, holding his side.
“You have already tried. You have failed. Please, surrender and I will make it easy for you and myself,” Raziel said, not wavering in the slightest.
“Oh, I think can and I will.” Janos coiled himself and clumbsily threw hismelf forward, charging at Raziel. Raziel easily side stepped him and swiped, dealing him another slash to his torso. Janos fell, and fell back into a crouched position, coiling this new wound. eh leaned forward onto one hand for support. He slowly stood again and turned to Raziel, a new coating of blood running down his side and chest, his left arm limp with the muscles severed in half, more blood pouring out over his arm and dripping to hte ground.
“Yeild now and I will give you your death quickly.”
“Never!”
From behind Janos, across the bridge behind him, a lone figure sailed across the bridge, running inhumaninly fast. The being growled loudly and slammed into Janos, grasping and twisting his wings. Janos cried out in pain as he felt bone break and tendons rip under the being’s raw strenth. The being pulled at his wings, seperating the broken areas, severing more tendons and ripping muscles, killing all hope of being able to use them once again. The bled, delicate skin breaking, blood pouring fourth from ruptured arteries, down the rest of his wings, onto his back and onto the ground.
Raziel starred out in shock as Kain tore at Janos. He started forward as Kain continued. Kain cocked an arm back, his claws positioning themselves in a cruly practiced signature move. His fist descended, plunging between his shoulder blades, his claws shreading through flesh and bone, locking onto their goal. He grasped the muscular organ and pushed his fist still, breaking through another wall of bone and out the other side, dropping the severed organ.
Janos’ eyes went wide, struggling under Kain for what seemed like an eternity until his fist stopped it’s assault and withdrew. He chocked on his breath, blood leaking from his lips as he started to fall forward. Kain caught him. “Oh no you don’t!” He picked Janos up and tossed him away, towards the middle of the platform, at Raziel’s feet. His wings flopped, utterly broken and useless, just dead bleeding weight upon his back.
suffering and in pain for what he has done!” Kain said, pointing a bloodied claw at Janos’ weakly gasping form, struggling to sit up.
Raziel looekd down at him in pity, watching as Janos made odd chocking noises and struggled to move. He grasped at the hem of his clothes, trying to pull himself up. Raziel watached as Janos slowly manages to at least right himself and face up on the ground.
“Do it now!” Kain bellowed, still very, very angry.
“It will neither cure him of the poison nor does he deserve it, Kain,” Raziel said, looking over at hsi sire. “He could not help what he became anymore than you or I have. He deserves to rest.”
Kain growled. “You have seen what he did! What he did to your brothers. To me. To Vorador. Why give him mercy where he had none?”
Raziel looked at Kain for a minute, not answering, leting Kain seethe for a bit. “Because,” he said slowly, “I am the better being. I will not stoop to any level and become that which is corrupt. By giving him mercy, I am being the stronger one. Not the weaker.”
Kain shook, he was so angered by his son. Raziel merely gazed out at Kain. Below him, Janos tried to speak. “Help me...please...” Raziel looked at him again, seeing some sebelence of his old self behind his eyes, that small spark finally finding voice enough to speak up through it.
He nodded and pulled the one other item he had found from his robe. He knelt down, as to get a better aim with the silvery spike. Janos’ hand lashed out, grasping him tightly by the throat, his claws biting into soft flesh. A dark laugh came from his throat, stunning Raziel momentarily. Kain growled loudly, feraly, as he stalked over and tore the spike from Raziel’s grasp. His hand went back again and down, this time driving the slender spike through Janos’ chest.
Janos gaged, more blood spilling from his lips. He let a short laugh which faded to a soft smile and went limp. Released finally from his poisoned shell, and to his rest. Raziel stared down at him, more pity for the fallen. “Don’t be,” Kain said harshly. Kains tood up and started to drag Janos with him, to the edge of the platform.
“No! Wait!” Raziel shouted. Janos was right, he would know upon his death what his last request was. “Let me, please. He asked me to do this....”
“Do what? More mercy for him?” Kain snapped.
“Yes. You will have to learn that sometimes, mercy is the best of the two evils. Sometimes.” Raziel stood and walked over to Kain. “Please...he deserves this one last hting. I”m sure you would do the same for him had he become something else.”
Kain growled, “Alright. Pull that stake from him and I wil send you into the Abyss again!”
“No. Nothing like that.”
Raziel grasped on limp shoulder and teleported away to a location that he alone knew, the poisonous heart disappearing with him. Kain shook his head. Foolish boy, he thought, still thinking with that heart of yours even now. Kain snorted and walked off the platform, back into the Sanctuary, back to kindly deal with the dead ones he left behind.
Raziel pulled Janos’ limp form across a great tomb, the location lost in time, half to do with it being buuried deep with in the earth. He looked over the structure in the center of the room, a mixture of technology and the Anchient’s own arcitecture. There were ten cases all together, arranged about the room so like the pillars were, each bearing the same symbol as their corisponding pillar. The place was also dank, darkened and dirty from sitting so many centuries undisturbed. He pulled Janos over to one of the metal and stone sarcophagi and opened it. Inside, it was amazingly undisturbed, the soft lining still somewhat fresh looking if dusty, waiting all these millenia for the one intended for it.
He picked up Janos’ body and arranged him inside it. He slowly closed the heavy lid and turned to give the place one last look before he would be off again. Oddly, the Reaver guardian’sarcophagus was next to the one with the Ballance pillar’s symbol. He gave it an odd look, and opened it. Inside was the dusty bones, dry rotting armor, and powdering feathers of another Anchient. Female. Her armor was colorful through the dust and rot, possibly accentuating a rather beautiful figure.
His hand hovered over the skull, wondering who she was at one time. A few off memories brushed his mind as he looked at her. Ones he knew wasn’t his. Janos must have been fond of her. Wether she was a sister, lover or wife, he didn’t know, not getting a good enough impression of her. He shrugged, and closed the lid, thinking it better he didn’t know for something just wasn’t his business.
As he headed out, he opened his mind. He could sense other, younger
vampires and the remains of his brothers. He felt Kain as well, sensing
he was still angry, but touched with sorrow. He shook his head, knowing
that his sire was buring the dead as well. He would have to help him finish
and get on with what htey had to do. This wasn’t the end yet...
Raziel teleported in, near Kain. This area still had some sacredness to it. He walked twoards the tunnel, down underground. This place had torn at his mind once, having found out fo the first time that he was a Sariphan warrior priest. Now that meant little to him. He had been buried her once, and raised. And it was his brethern and his resting place once again. Kain was in there. Sitting against one of the sarcophagi, one of the few that were put back into place. He looked arounf silently. Here, Rahab’s had been put back into place, and now Melchiah’s.
He closed his eyes sadly, knowing his youngest brother would have met such a grim fate. He felt he should have warned Kain. He looked around again, and seen that Malek’s name was clawed away and Vorador’s roughly replaced it. He smiled lightly to it, seeing thatKain had given him the honor of being buried with his children. He deserved it really. It was very likely that he deserved more than this, for what he’s done in his life for the sake of their race.
He quietly walked over ot Kain and sat next to him. Kain was silent, his head buried in his hands. He was a sad sight. Raziel gently set a hand on his shoulder, gently rubbing it. “Go away....” Kain said, his voice sounding very heartbroken.
“No. I won’t,” Raziel said gently. “Alone is the last thing you need right now.”
“But I am. I have always been alone. In a way, I found a way out of it, then that was ripped from me one by one I lost my sons. Then I found someone to share my misery with. I’ve lost that as well.”
Raziel gave him ap pitying look, seeing his sire so broken. He was always
so strong. One would have hardly figured that over time, his heart softened
in the slightest.
He pulled Kain over, to lean against him, to support him. “You’re still
not alone. You still have one son left.”
They sat in silence for a while. Raziel broke it, chuckling. Kain looked up at him. “What is so funny?”
“This momemt, here right now. You saying words I never imagined you would say.” Kain gave him a confused look. “In a time, that I remember, when all of this never happened. You set me up. You had me thrown into the Abyss to emerge and blindly destory my brethern. You lead me to do this, destroying the last of the vampries in Nosgoth until you alone stood. Vorador wasn’t even around then having long before my time murdered by Moebious in his his one of his crusades. The irony of this moment, where you finaly show some regret for your actions. I would laugh if the whole thing wasn’t so cruel.”
Kain stared up at him, his eyes flashing with anger. “Cruel? Is that how you see me?”
“A version of yourself, yes. But not now. I am greatful to see you do have another side. A little more human one.” Raziel smiled. “There is hope for you yet.”
Kain frowned. “........”
Raziel laughed a little. “Are you done feeling sorry for yourself and are finally ready to do something about all of this?”
Kain pulled away from Raziel, sitting up on his own. “Yes...stop this mess before it happens. Before Nosgoth becomes hell...”
Raziel shook his head sadly. He knew a few things wouldn’t change from this moment. All of his brothers would be dead, mercifilly never having had to experience such horrors. Kain would have never had to put up with such abuse. Janos would not have to die again and Vorador....poor Vorador would not have had to suffer so directly at the hands of his own sire. He shook his head and stood. “Come. I know what we have t do.”
Kain looked up at him. “What?”
“Have you forgotten about the Chronoplast and what I told you earlier?” Raziel asked. “All fo this could be prevented before it happens. All we have to do is stop my younger self from giving Janos back his heart.”
“And us?” Kain asked.
“I will cease to exist, that is certain. You will go on though. I believe by altering time the more horrid memories will fade from your mind and you will go on, back on the track you were on before I fouled it,” Raziel said.
Kain touched the gold plate on his forehead, wondering if it will remain, if he will know wher it came from. He looked up at Raziel again, shaking it aside. He drew a deep breath, stood and let it out. “I have a number more questions, but I don’t expect you to have all the answers. You are right thiugh, we should get going.”
Raziel nodded and turned, exiting quickly. Kain moved slower though, giving the two filled stone coffins one last look before going out and sliding close the stone block that sealed the tomb. Raziel smiled to Kain, seeing he had finally come out. “Let’s go,” he said, then teleported away. Kain followed him, teleporting as well.
Inside the great stone chaimber, Kain half forgotten the place and how it worked. He stared up at the walls, the arcitecture and dials on the walls. “I...don’t remember....”
“Don’t worry, becuuse I do.” With a wave of his hand, the great dials moved, rearranging themselves to different positions. The considerablely large whirrling structure at the top of the doamed room craackled with energy and spun faster. “Come,” Raziel said, walking up the stairs to stand before the portal.
Kain followed him. Raziel restrained alook of pity, seeing his sire like this. Half broken, confused andvery cautious. All for a good reason for the most recent events. It assured him though, to know he will soon be spared all of this and return to his old, harsh self. “Come,” Raziel waved him on, and stepped through.
On the other side, the chamber was different, but Raziel recognized it. “We are close, come. Janos’ retreat isn’t far away. We have time enough to get there before it begins again.”
Raziel ran out of the room, around the drawn out circular stairs and over the pit. He ran out the door, Kain close behind. Outside snow fell softly, peacefully. The land much fresher and cleaner smelling than before. Kain brethed it deeply, enjoying the fresh scent of the woods and air. Raziel started off, in a half run, trying to take off, but flopped to the ground.
Kain laughed, and walked over to him. “I think you may have to wait a while until you can fly. You’ve never done it before remember?”
Raziel pulled himself out of the heap he fell into. “I think you’re right.” He accepted the offer of a clawed hand, and borrowed it to pull himself up. “Thank you.”
“Let’s go,” Kain said.
Raziel smiled yet again, seeing that somehting as simple as the change of environment and air had a drastic effect on Kain. How i seemed to soothe him. Or perhaps it was the knowledge that soon he would be free.
It didn’t take them long to get there. The trip was short and bloody. Kain was making it easier for Raziel’s younger self to go through, enjoying teh taste of the Sariphan’s blood. Blood of the neither meek nor enslaved. So much richer than what he was used to. At the foot of the mountain, the two of them gazed up at the riuned aire. “How do we get up there?”
“I know how,” Raziel said. He ran more, towards a hold in the base of the mountain. Kain followed him still, but paused before the collapsed rock and dirt. He watched Raziel climb for a ways, then followed in his steps, being cautios not to slip. The climb took a few minutes until they were finally at the entrenceway ot the main chaimber. The both of them hauled rock and dirt aside before they could go inside.
Kain paused, seeing the chaimber mostly empty of rock. “I remember this before,” Raziel said. I hzd to pull aside great stone slabs to get to him. It must have collapsed more in the time between when I sent to the Sariphan stronghold and returned.”
“Then I suggest you use your magic to keep the cealing whole lest we be crushed as well.”
Raziel nodded, and did so. The room shook a little then held steady, the danger passing. He slowly walked over to the tabel in the room. Janos’ body was still strewn across the heavy looking table limply. A soft sound came from him and Raziel dashed over and supported him upright some. “Janos?”
Janos took slow, deep breaths in Raziel’s arms, his eyes glazed over. He guessed that Janos waas rather delerious at the moment, his mind working slowly and possibly unable to understand. He frowned. Wasn’t he supposed to be dead at this moment? Or had he simply passed out before, his own sorcery kicking in now and trying ti sustain him?
Kain watched, standing back cautiously. He had never met the kinder, gentler Janos. He watched as Raziel rocked the elder, and tried to speak to him. It was a while before Janos finally responded.
“R....raziel....??
“I’m here Janos.”
Janos blinked, trying to clear his bleary eyes. “How long have I been lying here dying?” Janos asked, very slowly, trying to recall the most recent events in his mind.
“Not long. I’ve come back to you, from the future,” Raziel said gently. “I’ve come to save you from a worse fate.”
“How long until yourself gets here?” Kain asked, finally comeing closer to them.
“I’m not sure.”
Kain looked at Janos. REally seeing for the first time a drastically different being. how much more peaceful. Seeing eyes unclouded by insanity and lacking needless agression. He almost looked pitying at the Ancient, struggling to survive and grasping at what little life left in him. He touched the edges of the gaping wound in Janos’ chest, seeing shattered, delicate bones, and blood pooling within it. Janos’ body jerked, pain shooting through him, making Kain draw his hand back quiclkly. He cried out weakly, grasping at the table and scratching its polished surface with his claws. Raziel held him a little tighter, brushing back his disheveled hair, trying to sooth the Ancient in his last moments.
Kain turned, towards the door. “It seems you’re here now.”
He walked over to the edge,just beyond the dootr and collapsed walkway and piered down. Wraith Raziel climber his way up slowly, finding the handholds he had used himself not too long ago. When one of Raziel’s hands came up and touched the broken walkway, Kain reached down and started to pull him up. Raziel stared at Kain in shock, seeing he had changed drastically from the last time he seen him.
“Give me the heart Raziel,” Kain said sternly.
“”No! I will save him! He doesn’t deserve such a fate!” Raziel replied, calling upon the reaver.
“Give it to me now!”
“Never!”
Kain looked over his shoulder to the other Raziel. “Would you come out here and reason with yourself?”
Raziel gave Kain an odd look, then piered into the room. He drew back, seeing another Ancient, holding onto Janos. “What the...?”
“It is true,” The other Raziel said. “Give it to him or condem Nosgoth to a horrible fate. Comdem him, Kain, yourself even.”
The wraith dashed into the room to look at his altered self. “But...wings?”
He shook his head. “Regaining my wings is not worth this heavy price. You have no idea right now what Janos will become. By giving his heart back you will turn him into a monster by far worse than the rumors and stories that runa bout him.”
Jano turned his head some, to look up at the Razielt hat was holding him. “Is....true....?”
Raziel looked down at Janos. “Yes.” He stroked his cheek softly, “You will become a terrible monster.” He looked back up and over at Kain. “If you do not believe me, looks at Kain. Do you think he would do something like that to himself? So willingly? I’ts only the beginning. I have witnessed every horror Janos would have committed, should you comdem him so. He will do worse. We buried Vorador juct before we came ehre to stop it before all this began.”
“And he died feeling ashamed, his mind completely broken, and disowned,” Kain added softly. “It would have been mercy for him to have died sooner.”
“Vora...dor?” Janos asked softly, his voice cracking some, greif welling in him.
“Yes,” Raziel said softly to him. “You would have been the cause of his death, the deaths of some of my brothers, and countless others. Nosgoth would be bathed in blood and decay.”
Janos whined weakly, a soft pathertic noise,pain penetrating his mind now, dulling that from his body. “No...please...no....” Raziel tried to soothe him again, but this time it didn’t seem to work. It was a while before he could speak again. in the meantime, Kain had explained everything he could rememebr to the younger Raziel.
“Please...” Janos said, his voice straining, likely that fluid was building up in his lungs. “Please...don’t let me be that monster....”
“I won’t,” Raziel said gently. He brought a wing around, brushing against Janos’ head, half shadowing him and giving him some warmth. He closed his eyes, painful thoughts blooming in his mind. He hated to do this, but he must. For Janos’ sake and for Nosgoth’s. “It’s your turn now,” Raziel said quietly, whispering in Janos’ ear. “I hope you find happiness in whereever you will go from here.”
“Thank....you...” Janos said quietly. He closed his eyes, and lie still. Raziel shifted his one hand, grasping him by the neck firmly, but unsteadily. Raziel took a few slow breaths before he forced his hand to close, crushing the elder’s neck. Janos gasped and went completely limp. Raziel held him still, his eyes clamped shut. Twice in one day he had to kill someone he dearly wished he didn’t have to.
Kain looked over both versions of his son. One stood, shaking slightly, his wings drooping in his sadness. The other stared sadly at the sight before him, unable to truly comprehend what just had happened, also sad he could to do what he vowed to himself he would do.
“What happens now?” The wraith asked, looking at Kain.
“I don’t know....”
The other Raziel slowly lie Janos back down, arraging him slightly so at least he looked a little more comfortable. “The future changes...and I am not in it,” he queitly said finally. He looked aound slowly, then nodded to the other two. The room began to shake some, as the time stream shifted itself back onto track. The two watched as the Ancient Raziel faded like a illusion before them. Kain grasped his head and stumbled back some, then fell to teh floow, shaking in pain.
Raziel walked over to him. “Are you alright?”
Kain finally stopped, then righted himself, simply sitting as if he had tripped rather than fallen. “Yes...I believe I am...” His eyes flicked around, seeing images Raziel could not as Kain’s mind adapted to the change. his appearence had changed as well. He was in more familiar clothing, rather than ones of suspicious oragins he was wearing before.
“What do we do now?”
“I have someone to pay a visit on, then I will go back to helping you
regain your true destine,” Kain said, standing up. He teleported away.
Raziel stared at he empty spot for a minute then looked around. The room
quavered as the corcery that held it together colapsed, the cealing starting
to fall again. He thought better of it and ran out of the aire.
Kain arrived in the swamps around Vorador’s home, shadows of memories still in his mind. He had a new respect for the ancient vampire, spawned fromthose shady memories. Some of them he could see clearly, others were hidden. One thing was clear. Whatever had happened, he had bits of fond memories of the elder, blanking out many of the bad ones that gave him that respect.
He knocked on Vorador’s door and was invited inside. He had to wait a short while until Vorador returned, but he found himself not minding the wait. The time waiting though was short for Vorador must have been well on his way back home. He was not happy either, and he had a right to be so. Vorador enterd the room, fromhis body language he was still rather angry, and a touch upset, but he was silent about it. “What do you want?” he asked, on the edge of demand as he strode over to Kain. “I do’t recognise you at all, who are you?”
Kain smiled. “You will meet me for the first time in a few centuries. My fledgling self that is. I wanted to say good bye to you before its too late.”
“What do you mean?” Vorador asked, again roughly, his ears perked.
“Not long after words, I would have blindly killed an important figure and unwillingly unleash yet another purge. One that finally takes you with it and leaves me the last vampire in Nosgoth. I warn you about it now, and pray you keep it in mind. It would be better that you survive for my younger self could use such advice one as you would have to offer.”
Vorador snorted at it, then shook his head. “Blasted humans cattle...why don’t they ever listen?”
“They never will as far as I know in the future. We can only hope really,” Kain said.
“I have a feeling,” Vorador said slowly, “that you wil be drastically different as a fledgling.”
“I was. Somehow, I believe I just survived a harsh lesson. One that I do not remember in its entireity, but I learned it well enough,” Kain said. “Times will be changing from here on out and I must change to meet it. Youl should as well. Your life may depend on it.”
Vorador tilted his head, curious of the glint of fondness in Kain’s eyes, somehow deep inside, almost connecting to this being, and not knowing why. “Boy...do you mean...?”
Kain smiled. “We just corrected history so there will be hope for the future and my memory has changed for the most part. But some things I rememeber well.” He carefully stepped closer to Vorador. He looked up at the elder vampire. Vorador gave him a confused look, and more surprisingly, did not protest as Kain grasped one of the spike son Vorador’s chin and pulled him down to him. Kain then tenderly, testing more than anything else, kissed him. Vorador‘s eyes went wide at first, surprised, and yet from the look about Kain, he wan’t surprised at all.
He let Kain kiss him, softly, and felt himself almost wishing he stayed as Kain finally pulled away, letting go. Vorador held his gaze into the other’s pale yellow eyes, odd, shadowed memories coming to his mind. Of fondness for this one in more ways than one. He opened his mouth a little, pausing before spoke. Kain sushed him, laying a single claw on his lips. “You don’t have to say anything but I must go. My last son is waiting for me to guide him in saving Nosgoth,” Kain said gently. “I will always know where you are.”
Vorador blinked, not quite comprehending what just happened, and yet, he wanted more. Did this being, whom he had yet to meet later develop a relationship with him? That and a number of other questions ran though his mind. He tried to speak again, but Kain hadn’t moved his hand. His other hand came up, touching one of Vorador’s sensative ears gently, looking at him fondly. “Please, watch yourself. I don’t want to see you hurt again.”
Vorador nodded carefully. Kain moved his hands away and moved to leave. Vorador caught his arm as he walked past. Kain turned and looked at the elder, seeing his confused look still, but a sparkle there he hadn’t seen in a long time, or had he? “Things will be resolved soon enough. Don’t worry. You will see the old, familiar Nosgoth you once knew again. I will see to it.”
Vorador smiled faintly, hearing this, but his experience had taught
him otherwise. He would keep it in mind though, along with this one’s words.
He let go of Kain and watched him go, silently ordering that none of the
servants bother him on the way out. He would wait then and see if his promise
would come true.
Outside Kain teleported hismelf away, near Raziel. Raziel was sitting on a tree stump, looking at the reaver, still bound to his arm. “Don’t worry, Raziel. I will find a way to your true destiny. You won’t have to become that.” he waved at the glowing blade of a soul.
Raziel looked upat Kain, curious. “Sudden change of heart? I noticed it before. You told me what happened. What happened so grevious to change you so?” Raziel asked.
“Like I just told Vorador, I don’t remember all of what happened. I do remember certain parts though. And during the change in my mind I vowed to make things different. You are the only other son I have. And I will see to it that it remains that way.” Kain said.
Raziel’s eyes went wide, realizing this now, putting the pieces together. “Kain....?”
“Yes.” He paused, watching Raziel, as how the young wraith shook slsightly like a nervous child. “It’s time,” Kain said. “Let us go and change things for the better, not the worse. Perhaps we will find a way that sacrefices little. Including you.” Kain smiled.
Raziel shook as he stood, accepting Kain’s lead. As he moved to walk past Kain he stopped, turning to look at him. His mind was a wreck as it was, still confused and lost from being thrusted so into his detiny. He held on only by a few threads of sanity and mindlessly charging forward on his twisted path, hoping ot find whatever he was supposed to look for. At that moment, just a few seconds ago he then realzed he wasn’t alone. That now Kain, seeming wizer from his recent experience. Raziel looked at Kain, into his pale yellow eyes and seeing what was obvious there. None of the agression he was infamous for. Just the calm reserve he showed in private to very few beings.
Raziel stood, staring, unable to move physically for he was so mentally moved. Kain gently put a hand on his shoulder and squeeezed gently, smiling softly to him. “Come on-”
Raziel reached over and caught Kain, and yanked him over. He wrapped
his around the elder and held him tight. Kain would have been surprised,
but he was expecting this from how Raziel started acting. He smiled and
hugged him back, happy that once again they were family. As Raziel slowly
pulled away, Kain left one arm around his shoulder. As they walked away,
“Come...lets find a quiet place and I will explain everything to you. Like
I should have before.”
~Finis