Semper Liberi

A/N: Ever wondered what BO2 would've been like if Kain had been more in-character (admit it, his arrogance was way overblown in BO2) and the Cabal had had a competent vampire spy lady?

Yeah, me too.

The first thing Kain thought was that he must have been dead. He saw nothing before him but a vast expanse of darkness. And he felt so damned weak.

How could I have been so easily deceived and defeated by my own lieutenants?

How could I have been so easily destroyed by the Sarafan Lord?

The images of his betrayal and his defeat replayed in his mind over and over. Each time Kain found himself growing more furious, more frustrated with himself. Surely, this is Hell.

He heard something then. It sounded vaguely like the voice of a woman, albeit a woman he had never before met. Her voice was low and husky. Sensual. Kain couldn't quite make out the words but it sounded like she was saying something along the lines of "Yes. He seems to be coming around. No, I'm certain this time. This will not be like the other times."

If I can hear her, then do I still live?

Kain decided that he would try moving his arm. He figured that if he could move his arm, then he could move on to more ambitious things, like opening his eyes, or maybe even sitting up. He slowly moved his arm, and felt the cotton sheets beneath him.

So I do live, after all.

Kain slowly opened his eyes. He was in an unfamiliar room. The bed he was lying on seemed to be in a little alcove. There was a balcony in front of him...and standing at the balcony was a woman. Her back was turned to him, so all he could see was the long, braided black hair that ended at the small of her back. She was tall, for a woman, and even though she dressed modestly Kain could tell she was slender, but not without curves. She was wearing a practical long-sleeved blouse with bracers on her forearms, an underbust corset, tight leggings, and tall, lace-up boots that came up just below her knees. Everything she wore was black. She wore a belt that looped twice around her hips and waist, and, safely sheathed, two long, dangerous-looking knives. Kain also noticed a piece of translucent black fabric in her hand. Kain was about to ask the woman who she was and where he was when she turned around.

Kain was drawn, first, to her face. She was quite lovely, with an almost-elfin face, dancing blue eyes, and full, red lips which parted into a wide smile when her eyes met his. Kain was aware that the woman was very pale, that her ears were pointed, and that her canine teeth were elongated. Kain realized at once that she was a vampire, but he kept his guard up. He learned long ago to never trust a vampire on principle, especially not if said vampire was an attractive female.

Kain opened his mouth to speak, but the woman spoke first.

"I knew it! I knew you were really waking this time!" She sounded happy, almost..proud.

Kain narrowed his eyes. "This time?" he said quietly, "How long have I been here like this?"

"Don't you remember?" the woman said. Kain shook his head. The woman nodded. "The Patriarch did say that your memory would be somewhat damaged. But I'm sure that your memories will return to you." She pushed some stray hair out of her face. "You've been asleep for the past two hundred years. A few times I've been sure you were waking...but you didn't. Until tonight."

"Two...hundred..." Kain shook his head. It had seemed like only yesterday that he had been defeated. He slowly stood up and approached the woman. "Who are you?" he demanded, "Why am I here?"

The woman crossed her arms and smiled coyly. "My name is Seema. You should be thanking me. After all, without my efforts, you would be dead."

"Would I?" Kain growled. He was never one for riddles.

"Yes. You see, after your defeat at the hands of the Sarafan Lord, we found you in the bottom of a ravine. We thought you were dead, but, then, The Patriarch noticed you breathing. So we took you here, to hide you while you recovered. I was charged with the task of caring for you. I did not think it would take you two hundred years to heal, but, then...well, never mind."

Kain locked eyes with Seema. He was still wary of her. She seemed friendly enough and she didn't seem to have an ulterior motive, but, then, Kain had learned the hard way that appearances and first impressions were deceiving.

"Who is this 'We'?" he asked. He narrowed his eyes, attempting to appear threatening.

"We," Seema said, completely unfazed by his scare tactics, "Are the Cabal. We are the Vampire Resistance, and we work to undermine the Sarafan in any way possible for us."

"And who is this Patriarch?" Kain growled. Seema's only answer was to smile. Kain thought about pressing her for answers but was in no mood for any kind of games. He'd find out soon enough, even if he had to beat the answers out of her.

"Come here, and see what has become of Nosgoth since your 'death'". Seema walked toward the balcony and beckoned for Kain to follow her. Kain obidiently stepped forward. What he saw shocked him. This was not the pre-industrial city that he remembered. Everything had changed. Looking out over the vast expanse before him, he could see that the city had grown and industrialized. He could see factories on the far horizon and streetlamps which burned, but not with fire...

"The world has changed much, Kain." Seema said quietly. "We vampires have been hunted nearly to extinction by the Sarafan. Worse, there are vampires who serve the Sarafan, aiding them in their hunts..."

Kain was incredulous. He looked at Seema with an expression of shock and disgust. "Vampires in service to the Sarafan? Are they mad?"

Seema looked away. She looked almost...sad.

"Some of them are cowards," she said, "And the others are power-mad fools. They have deluded themselves into believing that once this vampire purge is over that they will be allowed to live and keep their power and status..."

"I will destroy them, and any others like them," Kain snarled. Seema laughed.

"I'm sure you will. But for now, I think it would be in your best interests to avoid them. You aren't as strong as you once were. But that will change, too."

Kain was growing more suspicious by the minute. This history lesson was appreciated, but he wanted to know why the Cabal was taking care of him. He had a sinking feeling that he was about to become someone else's pawn. Oh, how weary he was of those games and intrigues! Still, it would be better to know what he was potentially getting himself into before he was in too deep to get out.

"What do you want with me? Your caring for me cannot have been out of sheer benevolence."

Seema shrugged. "Me, personally? I'd really prefer to have nothing further to do with you. I have much better things to do than look after you like you're a fledgling."

Kain narrowed his eyes. "I will not be spoken to in such an insolent manner, girl!" He made a move toward Seema, who stepped away and shook her head.

"You are no longer king, Kain. We are equals. As I said, I would prefer to leave you in the care of someone else. However, my orders are...different. As for what the Cabal wants of you...I thought maybe you'd have had an idea by now."

Kain stared at her. When he didn't have an answer, Seema shook her head and spoke again.

"The Patriarch said you were very shrewd. Maybe being asleep for that long dulled your shrewdness as well as your memories." Seema shrugged.

Kain was very frustrated now. "I'm warning you, woman..."

"I apologize," Seema said, though her tone was anything but apologetic. "The Cabal has been working to undermine the Sarafan for two centuries now. Unfortunately, all of our faces are known to them. We will be killed on sight if we try to enter some places. You, however, are supposed to be dead. The Sarafan will not know your face. If you can help us--"

"I have played the pawn before, my dear," Kain interrupted, moving his face very close to Seema's. "It ended badly. If you think I'm going to mindlessly obey you--"

"Hear me out before you make any snap judgements!" Seema said. "We require your assistance. If you help us, the Sarafan Lord will be all yours. You can kill him and take Nosgoth for yourself. We will not interfere."

Kain eyed Seema suspiciously. There was no hint of guile in her expression. She had given him no reason yet to mistrust her.

"If you play square with us," Seema said after a long silence, "We'll play square with you."