A/N: Song 'To Whom It May Concern" © to Creed LoK and all characters therein © to Crystal Dynamics and Edios Interactive.
"To Whom It May Concern"
Oh, I didn't mean to yell
But sometimes I get beside myself
And oh, I didn't mean to rush you
But time keeps pushing so much
Oh, time keeps pushing so much
Kain lowers himself into his throne with a heavy sigh.
Clan business hadn't gone as smoothly as he had planned.
Turel and Dumah were feuding amongst themselves, and it was beginning to carry over into the rest of the clans.
'I suppose it is to be expected, boys will always be boys... though perhaps I was a bit hard on them. Banishing them into the wilds until they were able to see past their petty grievances and return to their proper duties. With out their clans to command they'd only have each other. And that could possibly be even more dangerous then if I'd left them alone.' he sighs heavily, 'They each know the rules for murdering one of their kin, if it came down to that...'
He did not enjoy entertaining the thought of having to cast one of his sons into the Abyss, for any reason, even for slaying his brother. But he was supreme ruler of Nosgoth, and the laws must be followed lest some weaker being decide to cause some kind of revolt and over throw him.
'I feel as if time is speeding past me out of control... is there any hope at all of surviving this insanity a moment longer? It's almost unbearable...'
He lowers his head and rests his forehead against his right hand, which is resting against the butt of the Soul Reaver.
Your eyes stare at me in the dark
And I hope those eyes
Don't steal my freedom
My freedom
Kain, lifted his bowed head and peered forward.
Eyes glow faintly in the darkness, peering back at him.
It was an eerie feeling to have something unseen staring back at you.
"Ariel..." His voice soft and a filled with deep sorrow that he was unwilling to acknowledge, "You have come to reprimand me once again...."
"No Kain." Ariel's ghostly figure materializes before Kain's throne. "I have come only to observe.... to be near..." Her voice trails off for a moment as she gazes up at the broken Pillar of Balance where Kain's throne is seated.
Kain sighs deeply and stands. "Your efforts will be in vain spirit, there is nothing here to observe nor is there anything worth being near." He paces towards Ariel then skirts around her to face the front of the Sanctuary.
"That is where you are wrong Kain." her voice drifts towards him even if she does not move, still facing the pillars, her back to Kain. "There is still much here, yet untouched by the corruption of the pillars..."
Oh, If I didn't give it all
When I stood you made me crawl
And oh, if you never heard the song
Then I could still hide down behind the wall
Then I could still hide down behind the wall
Kain shakes his head slowly staring up at the banners that represented the symbols of his empire. "Can you be so sure of that, former Guardian?" His voice taking on a slight sarcastic tone.
"I can," was her reply before she turned and floated towards him to hover at his side. "I may no longer be Balance Guardian, Kain, but I know where the world stands... I can see the brink of collapse and it is still far from this time, though drawing nearer with every passing moment."
He frowns slightly, "Spare me the melodrama Ariel... I am not in the mood for your speeches."
Ariel sighs and the sound echoes through the audience chamber, "Forgive me, it is a habit I find hard to break. I only meant to say that there is still time to save this world, Kain..."
He turns to glare at her, and growls, pain reflecting in his golden eyes even if his face tells a different tale. "And I, as the present Balance Guardian, must make a sacrifice to cleanse this land of it's poisons! I have heard the tale thousands of times in thousands of different variations, and yet I still refuse the sacrifice. I will not surrender my soul to the abyss to restore this world..." he closes his eyes his face twisting with a sudden ache and he clutches at his chest weakly. "I too can feel the health of this world failing."
Holding his head he stumbles towards the large double doors opposite his throne, 'I must away before it can affect my any longer...' He gasps leaning against the door frame, 'the pain is to great...must get out...must hide...burry it...'
Your eyes stare at me in the dark
And I hope those eyes
Don't steal my freedom
My freedom
Ariel watches Kain as he flies towards the doors, to escape the prison that is his own throne room, she frowns slightly as he leans against the doors and floats towards him, "Surrender to it Kain... you know deep inside that what I speak is truth. You want the release that your second death would offer.'
His eyes cloud over and the beautiful golden colour fades to a pale yellow, he speaks softly, almost a spectre himself, "Perhaps I do... spirit... but I would not leave my place open for these children... to claim for themselves... they would damn Nosgoth even further into ruin then I myself have in these past 700 years of my rule..."
And I hope those eyes
Don't steal my freedom
My freedom
Kain lifts a trembling hand to his head brushing stray hairs back into their proper place atop his head, he takes a shuddering breath and squeezes his eyes closed tightly against the pain in his body and his mind.
"Kain... why must you battle against what you know fate demands." Her voice echoes softly in his mind and off the walls of the chamber.
'Surrender, such a tempting thought, to be free from this tiresome life... no longer to care for worldly issues, no longer needing to worry over the issues of kindred and human quarrels alike, no more loneliness, no more pain.'
He lifts his head and looks into Ariel's haunting face, into those eyes that always seem to draw his breath out of him against his will.
Said eyes, those eyes
I said don't steal my freedom
He stares into those eyes transfixed for an eternity.
Surrender Kain, we both know it's what you desire...
Your eyes stare at me in the dark
And I hope those eyes
Don't steal my freedom
My freedom
what we both desire...
Oh, my freedom
release is our only salvation.
Your eyes stare at me in the dark
And I hope those eyes
Don't steal my freedom
My freedom
Our souls are bound together by the choices you have made. Free us both from this hell, Kain.
Oh, my freedom
Let us embrace oblivion together.
Said eyes, those eyes
Said eyes, those eyes
I said don't steal my freedom
Finally he shakes his head tearing his eyes from hers, "I... refuse."
With that he throws open the doors and flies from the sanctuary as fast as he can, towards the swirling waters of the abyss, away from the haunting sorrowful figure in his throne room. Away from the persistent spirit who constantly insists he destroy himself to restore the balance of the pillars.
'Never again, Ariel, never again will I allow you to manipulate my mind. You'll not steal my freedom...'
A/N: ^ ^; Ok, this is my first real stab at a songfic so bare with me on this. I'm sorry if Kain is out of character, but this song really reminded me of the 'relationship' between Kain and Ariel, and the possible feelings he'd have during his long and lonely life, and possibly some of his thoughts. I also have trouble seeing Kain as a complete tyrant, even if he may behave that way around others, I feel deep inside he still harbors 'human' emotions. If you can find the time, please R&R, I'm always looking for a way to improve my non existent writing skills. :b