Disclaimer: the Legacy of Kain and

all it's characters and locations belong to

Crystal Dynamics and Eidos. I own nothing. NOTHING.

Chapter 4

"First Night"

A quiet whimpering echoed in Kain's mind. A peculiar pressure weighed down on his chest and when he opened his eyes he was staring into another pair of golden orbs. For a moment Kain's defensive instincts threatened to rush to the surface but was drowned by memory and another nameless, unfamiliar instinct.

Kain regarded the creature before him. His chylde had now regenerated fully and showed no signs of the decay that had gnawed at its form mere hours ago. As it uttered another whimper Kain came to the conclusion that his new-born must still be hungry. He had no idea how long he had lain here, asleep, while his chylde drew nearer and nearer to starvation. With a stretch, Kain sat up, with his chylde in his lap.

He took the fledglings chin in his claws and examined it. The fledge smiled as its head was turned this way, then that. Kain quirked an eyebrow. His chylde was as pale as the stone they sat upon, a clear indication of its malnourished state. He pushed his chylde from him and stood. The dizziness that assaulted him as he rose spoke volumes as to his own need for blood. "Come, it is time we left this place to find some nourishment." Kain said and made to leave, but was halted when his fledgling made a series of odd noises that reminded one of the whining of a dog. Kain turned back to find Raziel still on the floor. "Get up." Kain commanded but was met only with more whining. "What is wrong? Stand!" Raziel shrank back at the angry tone in Kain's voice but eventually crawled closer to Kain, who was by now becoming concerned.

Had I failed? Is this creature lame or mentally damaged? In my crude knowledge of passing the Gift, had I made a blunder of the process?

Kain bowed down and hauled Raziel up by his shoulders then released him as soon as he was on his feet. Raziel, however, had no more stability on his feet than a newly born colt and his legs gave way beneath him. Kain snatched Raziel by his arms before he could hit the ground. Raziel's eyelids fluttered, then drifted shut as he went limp in Kain's grasp. Kain's eyes widened, fearing his fledge dead. He was at once filled with a sense of dread so great he did not know how to react to the sudden surge of emotions. He shook Raziel, trying to rouse him. Raziel lifted his head and his eyes opened for a second before being lost behind his eyelashes as his head fell back once more. Kain surmised that his newly raised fledge must be closer to starvation than he had thought and, scooping Raziel up into his arms effortlessly, he hurriedly made his way out of the Tomb to find a human.... any human.

Kain knew that even if this creature died that night, he would suffer no great loss. After all, there were still five others which he could raise. And yet... Something tugged at Kain not to let this Vampire, now dangling lifelessly in his arms, die.

Kain raced North, towards the closest village... Nachtholm. Bloodlust bubbled to the surface of Kain's awareness, causing his muscles to ache and his vision to blur, but he pressed on. His current speed nearly matched that of his lupine form's. He cursed the absence of travelers on the road and darted left, heading into the forest in an attempt to run a straight line to the town. In his arms, Raziel groaned and his head rolled from side to side. Kain barely noticed as he cleared bush after bush and dodged trees, cutting a path through the forest toward Nachtholm. Kain's left leg almost buckled as he leaped down from a small cliff unto the main road once more. As Kain rounded a rocky corner the town came into view at last. Relief filled him as he saw the houses and various buildings and shops rising up before him. Kain was thankful that it was night, for there would have been numerous complications had the sun still shone its rays down upon the earth. Crossing the bridges that connected the islands of town and with his chylde still dangling in his arms like a rag doll, Kain went crashing into the first residential building he came across. With lightning fast movements, Kain placed his fledgling on the floor and leaped into the bedroom. The humans who were woken from their slumber had scarcely distinguished reality from dream when Kain fell upon them. In a few seconds, all screams were silent and the comforting scent of blood hung heavy in the air. Dragging the corpses of a man and a woman by their feet, Kain returned to his still unconscious fledgling. Raziel lay on the floor where his Sire had left him. Kain held him, cut the corpse of the man's wrist and held it to Raziel's unresponsive mouth. Blood was seeping out and clearly none was being ingested. Kain rubbed Raziel's throat in what he hope would be a stimulating way. Indeed, after a few moments, Raziel's own reflexive swallowing started and the warm liquid poured down his throat. A couple of swallows later his eyes slowly opened and he moaned as the steady flow of blood slowed and stopped altogether. Kain tossed away the dry corpse. He was stupidly happy when his fledge looked at him and smiled wobbly. But his small joy faded when red fogged his vision and mind. Blood Fever was closing in and soon he would have no control over his deeper, more animalistic tendencies. Pushing his chylde from him, Kain reached for the cooling body of the woman. He wasted no time and ravaged her throat, gorging himself on her lukewarm blood. He was aware of the golden eyes watching him curiously, but was too consumed in the ecstasy of feeding to pay any further attention.

As the corpse gave the last of its vital fluid, Kain sat up. His Hunger was far from satisfied, but it would be under control, for now. He glanced at his chylde, sitting not far from him. Raziel's head was cocked to the side as he studied his rather bloody Sire.

"Are you feeling better?" Kain inquired as he licked at the blood on his lips. Raziel bowed his head and seemed to think on the matter. When he looked up, he was smiling again and nodded. "Y-yes..." He managed hoarsely. Another wave of relief washed over Kain.

Then I had not failed. It made sense to me, now that I thought upon it, that this creature appeared somewhat... slow of mind and body. Death had held its -his- body in its grip for many centuries and all knowledge had been corroded from his mind, including that of movement and speech. Presumably, with time and blood, he would improve and regain control of some of the old and all of the new functions of his body. Upon returning from death, I had been fully capable of finding and slaughtering all of my murderers... But I had been dead a week at most and granted, I was not brought back through the same method that birthed my firstborn. It would be safe to assume then that what applied to me would not necessarily apply to him, or any of my future spawn.

"Very well, then. Can you stand?" Kain asked as he stood. He offered his hand to Raziel who promptly reached out to take it. Raziel paused a moment to marvel at the difference in their hands. Kain pulled him up to his feet and this time they did not give way. He stood, albeit somewhat shakily. Smiling proudly, Raziel looked at Kain, but Kain's attention was elsewhere. His brow was furrowed, "Someone must have heard the screams.". Raziel's eyes followed Kain's, but he saw nothing. He tried to grasp at words, "Wh-what is..." But his vocabulary failed. Kain pulled at his arm and nearly dragged him off to the back of the small house. Raziel stumbled after him, trying to understand why his Sire was suddenly so agitated. He heard something then, voices. He twisted to look back at the door where they entered and just before they turned into the bedroom he caught a glimpse of several humans at the entrance. Fear choked him, though he knew not why. He hurried his pace and bumped into his Sire. Kain looked at Raziel over his shoulder and Raziel whimpered in response. Kain bared his fangs in the direction of the door and then opened a window at the back of the tiny bedroom. Angry and frightened voices now sounded in the main room, not twenty paces away. "Vampires!" and "We must not let them get away!" along with other muddled commands were being shouted.

Kain scooped Raziel up and deposited him through the window and into the alley outside. Raziel landed with a thump on the hard ground and was soon joined by Kain who had jumped out the window with a lot more grace than him.

At the Pillars, Ariel was floating around nervously. She knew that a few hours ago Kain had successfully raised his first Vampire offspring. The Elder had told her that all the world was now doomed. That Kain's path of conquest had now truly begun and that soon the life would be bled from Nosgoth, leaving it a wasteland. Ariel was overcome with guilt, for she had given Kain the location of the Sarafan Tomb. She knew that he would have found it without her help, eventually... But still she felt partially responsible for the misery that would follow Kain's rise to power.

The Elder had told her that there was still a chance for redemption, though it would take a long time before the wheels could be set in motion. He told her that when the time comes, a new pawn will be available and ready to save the land and return Balance. No further information was given other than that she would know who he is and how to guide this new hero on his path when the time was right.

The Elder fell silent after that. She missed his voice, if only because it made a pleasant change from her own. Now she was alone in her damnation once again. At least there was still a glimmer of Hope to light the long years ahead.

The town of Nachtholm was now a hive of activity as the humans searched for the two Vampires. Kain cursed himself for letting their presence become known. In the moments of panic and Bloodlust, he had been careless. He had not ensured that the killing was silent and now he and his fledgling were ducking around corners to avoid being seen by the mob. If he were on his own, it would have been a small effort to confront and dispose of the mob. They were simple, ordinary villagers with very little combat experience. But he was not alone. Raziel was knelt on the ground at his feet making quiet, frightened noises while Kain peered around the corner of the house. The mob, armed now with torches and a variety of makeshift weapons, were drawing nearer. Kain could, of course, take his chylde and simply flee the town, but there wasn't another small town within reasonable distance and dawn was close. Ziegsturhl was too far and Steinchencroe was too heavily guarded to even consider.

Kain recalled from his journeys as a fledgling that to the East of Nachtholm there existed a cave that opened only during full moons. With the fall of the Pillars, the magicks controlling these caves failed as well, leaving them permanently open. Their obscure locations, however, kept them secret from intruders. Deciding that it would be their best chance, Kain grasped Raziel by his arm and, moving along silently between the houses, made a break for the cave.

The mob was easy enough to elude. They were, after all, just human. Kain and Raziel were now a little way outside the town limits. After jumping up a few ledges they were soon at the entrance of the cave. As with the other moon caves, this one was now open.

"Stay here until I return." Kain ordered Raziel as he entered the cave. Strange creatures often inhabited caves such as this and in his mind it was better to be sure than sorry. So Kain set out to inspect the cavernous depths. It was not an overly large chamber and to his luck, no demons or other hostile beings were anywhere to be found. Raziel was standing outside, anxiously waiting for his Sire. When Kain did return, Raziel's face split into a grin and he hurried to Kain's side. "We will be safe here for a time. I doubt the humans know of this place. Come." Kain said and lead Raziel into the cave where they settled down at the far end of the chamber.

The new day was close now. The air was lighter and a slight orange tint could be seen on the horizon. Young as he was, the night had taken a lot out of Raziel and when Kain looked down at his chylde, he saw that Raziel was fast asleep next to him.

With the false comfort of dawn, the mob had broken up and the search was abandoned in the belief that the Vampires would be well away by then or caught in the sun's deadly rays. The sun had no effect on Kain other than mild irritation, however and as soon as the world was again bathed in its light, Kain exited the cave.

Last night's 'meal' did little to restore my own strength as well as that of my still adapting son.

Luckily, humans fall easily to deception and donning the disguise of Beguile which I had acquired some centuries before, I would be able to walk amongst them. Busy as they are, the humans will not immediately notice if a few of their number were to disappear...

Within the town limits, the humans were indeed going about their daily business. The dead couple were being prepared for burial, but their family and friends were the only ones whose routines had been disrupted. As Kain walked across the island closest to the cave he noticed three young men, around the ages of seventeen or eighteen seated on the bridge linking this island with the next. They sat, with their feet hanging over the edge, fishing. They talked and occasionally laughed as one's line was caught between rocks and when another made a catch of some fine reeds. Kain smirked as he approached them. "Caught anything yet?" He asked as he leaned on the railing of the bridge and smiled down at them in a good natured way. The teenagers looked up at him simultaneously. "Not yet, sir." One replied. "All we seem to catch are rocks and weeds." Another added somewhat grumpily. The third nodded in agreement. "Well," Kain said, "I happen to know of a much better spot not far from here." The young men brightened up. "Where?" All three asked as Kain straightened up. "To the East of here. On the opposite side of this island there are far less rocks and weeds to hinder your attempts." Kain was never one to tell a lie and indeed the water was much clearer on the other side of the island, but whether there were fish, he could only guess. "I could show you, if you'd like?" Kain offered. If there was any doubt in their minds whether they should follow this stranger it was erased by the sudden feeling of trust instilled in them. A little mental nudge was all that was needed to assure them that they should follow him. "Oh would you, sir? That would be most kind." One said as they stood. "Indeed." Kain murmured as he lead them off. The island was near deserted as a result of the previous night's killing and no one was there to see the three young men drop to the ground as soon as they were at their destination. Incapacitate was another very useful spell Kain had picked up during his earlier travels through Nosgoth. It rendered his victims paralyzed, yet deliciously aware of everything happening around them. He seized them by their shirts and proceeded to drag them off to the cave. The spell would eventually wear off, but by then, it would already be too late.

As Kain entered the cave with his three victims, his son stirred and red hunger was burning brightly in his eyes. "Hungry?" Kain asked with a smirk.

AN: Well, Chap 4 is done at last! Hope you enjoyed it. Sorry if things are progressing slowly:P

Magnus_Immolated: Thanks for the review! I'm very glad you liked the last chapter. I always was a sucker for BO1 ^^,. I'm relieved that Kain's vocabulary is more or less up to standard. And yes, I completely get what you're saying about people not doing justice to characters and also about the worshiping part:P. I try to stay as in-character as I can... which is more difficult than one would think.

Okie smokes. As always, I encourage everyone and anyone who reads this fic to leave a comment in the form of a review! Any and all tips, comments and suggestions are welcome. Thanks for reading! Look out for chap 5 coming sometime in the future... Happy hunting!