- Chapter Three -
Turning my head to the left - then immediately to the right, I attempted to reveal my secret companion, however, no trace could be found. Am I beginning to lose my mind? It wasn't in my character to make such things up. My head lowered, and my eyes subsequently fixated on the floor. My senses were agitated now, by this place - that inner sanctum. I could feel that room calling me at the very pit of my soul. I found myself biting anxiously upon my own bottom lip - my fangs piercing at it and drawing a slight amount of blood. I clenched my fists and rushed towards the door, stopping just shy of bursting it down. I paused. What, or who, is waiting for me in there? I decided on the casual approach - the silent approach. My new sense of willpower had amazed me. Have I now learned to discipline myself as Vorador once instructed? I pushed against the door, sneaking into the sanctum of this bizarre temple. Facing the door - my back to whatever it was behind me, I closed my eyes momentarily, again breathing deeply. Once I was satisfied with my so-called courage, I drew my sword and turned around - prepared to face either my doom, or nothing at all.
As I turned, I nearly lost my footing as I was overwhelmed by what was now before me - The Pillars. To my surprise I had indeed made it to the Pillars of Nosgoth. As I sheathed my sword, I marveled at their ashen appearance. So beautiful they were, yet tortured all the same. I stepped slowly to the stairs of the Pillar's basin - my eyes studying each one carefully. The Pillar of Nature - The Pillar of Energy - The Pillar of the Mind - The Pillar of Conflict - The Pillar of Dimension - The Pillar of Time - The Pillar of States - The Pillar of Death. Each one horribly disfigured. The Pillars were mere shadows of their former legendary selves. No longer did they stretch towards the heavens above, instead they barely managed to stand. Each one was discolored, leaning, broken and lifeless. By this time I had made my way to the center of the Pillar basin and came face to face with the Pillar of Balance - Kain's Pillar. It's surface was even darker than that of it's sister Pillars - gray, nearly black, and dilapidated beyond repair. I placed my hand over my mouth in awe of what now graced my vision. I followed the Balance Pillar, from what was left of the top to its base. I found myself rather puzzled at the ornamental throne now positioned around it. I stepped closer, my hands reaching for the golden armrests. "What vile creature would place a throne at the base of these sacred icons?" I asked myself.
"The answer is Kain, vampire." A feminine voice replied. I abruptly turned to locate the woman, and again found nothing.
I drew my sword - fast and steady. "Whoever you are, I advise you to face me now or I shall indeed enjoy hunting you down." I ordered. I shifted nervously; I could neither see nor sense this entity. In the company of another vampire, I was definitely not.
"Foolish girl. Your mortal blades cannot harm those of the spectral realm." The woman responded. It was then, from out of the thin air before me, my stalker had made herself known. The transparent figure's features became clearer to me the more physical she became. Her tattered dress bore the similarly darkened tone of that of the Balance Pillar. Her flesh was pale and her blond tresses were unkempt and draped over the left side of her face and shoulder.
"W-w-who are you?" I inquired. I was nearly speechless. This meeting both puzzled and frightened me. My blade began to shake in my hands, despite my attempts to steady it. The specter merely smirked and with that, moved her hair from her face, letting it cascade over her back. Where the symmetry of her beauty once existed, only the bare skull remained.
"My God..." I gasped. My sword fell from my hands and to the Pillar basin, the sound of which echoed throughout the sanctum. "Ariel."
Indeed it was Ariel - former Balance of the Circle of Nine, now a prisoner of the Pillars she once served. I had only heard legends of this woman. Never did I imagine those legends would prove true.
Ariel extended her hand to my own face - I was petrified. "So young you are." She said as she gazed deeply into my eyes. "I see that the monster, Vorador is still alive. So to, is Nosgoth still plagued by the vampire menace."
I managed to back away from Ariel, falling into the throne. "Why do you haunt me, Specter?" I demanded.
I could hear Ariel snickering as she turned from me. "Haunt you?" She questioned as she turned again to face me from afar. "My dear, this isn't about you. These Pillars bind me here - Kain binds me here." She explained as she spread her arms to indicate the sanctum of where she was imprisoned. "Tell me child, why do you come here. What do you want with Kain?"
I found myself staring at Ariel, my mind wandering over her, the Pillars and eventually back to Kain. "My business with Kain does not concern you." I responded as I pointed at her.
Ariel laughed. Her strong behavior now was far from the mournful image conveyed through the legends of my past. "Could it be you child, who wishes to slay the beast in his own den?" She inquired. "Are you here to restore the balance for him?"
"I am." I managed to say before being interrupted by Ariel and her madness. As she made her way over to me, I rose to my feet and headed back to the stairs of the basin in a futile attempt to evade her. I backed down them slowly as she continued with her insane rants of redemption.
"Finally. An end to this madness." Ariel cackled. "Centuries have passed since I first began praying for my release. I foolishly trusted that Kain could do the deed and he failed me. He failed Nosgoth." Her voice became harsh with every passing sentence. "Now you child, you have come to redeem us - to release me. I will lead you to Kain - to the slaughter. You will serve your purpose and your gods after all."
My eyes began to glaze over, the centuries of imprisonment have not been kind to Ariel as her madness now showed through her depressive facade. I was frightened. I had not yet found my purpose and yet she somehow knew my purpose. How could this be? To what gods are she referring to? I knew that this indeed was my time to leave this place and the specter Ariel to her own insanity. I turned and rushed down the stairs, looking over my own shoulder as I headed back to the door from which I entered. Ariel remained at the Pillars cackling madly.
As my head returned to the direction in which I was running, I found myself colliding with an unknown individual and falling backwards to the floor. I shook my head and attempted to rise - the individual helped me along by grabbing me by the arm and forcing me to my feet. I looked at him, trying to figure out the nature of his identity. He was a handsome figure, with long raven hair and eyes to match. Strangely, he was as pale as I was. He was outfitted in warriors garb - from an army that was foreign to me. The strange insignia gracing his chest was unlike those in the hallway.
"Release me." I demanded as I attempted to pull away from my captor.
The man squeezed harder, forcing my arm behind my back. "Hold thy tongue pretty one." He replied. His voice was cold and deeper than anything I've heard before. He flashed me a quick grin, revealing a set of fangs, before turning to the left and calling out to yet another being. "Take our resident ghost back to the spectral realm, Dumah." The man commanded. "I so tire of hearing her moan and weep." He said.
From the outside corridor, another man appeared and rushed to the Pillar basin to deal with Ariel. He was bigger than the man before me, also with raven hair, yet with hazel eyes. He too was outfitted in an unknown warrior's armor. "Right away, Turel." He responded.
My attention turned back to my captor. "You are a vampire. How is it that I can not sense your presence?" I inquired.
The being known as Turel, smiled. "You are a fledgling. Fledglings hardly sense anything of importance." He replied as he brushed my bangs from my eyes. "Besides. Did you ever consider that perhaps I did not want to be sensed?"
I was not amused by his arrogance. Turel began leading me back out into the corridor and down the opposite way from which I entered. I managed to glance back at the Pillars and witness the being called, Dumah, grabbing Ariel's arm and both teleporting out of sight. What magic was this? "Where are you taking me?" I questioned.
Turel never shifted his glance to me as we walked. "We are headed to the dungeon, where you will await your fate for your trespass here." He explained. We rounded the corner and stopped briefly. Turel began pounding on yet another door, which trembled violently with each passing fist. Finally it opened and from it emerged yet another warrior, or knight - whatever they were.
"Yes Turel?" The man asked.
"Rahab, inform Raziel of our new guest. Make sure that he lets our lord know of her arrival and tell him to inform me of what to do with her now that she is in custody."
Rahab nodded and was quick to teleport away to complete his task. Turel resumed our trek to wherever the dungeon was in the midst of the temple labyrinth. I began to fight him, trying to halt my own steps. "Release me you monster!" I screamed. I began to flail, and I could tell my actions were annoying Turel, and that he was having a hard time containing me.
"Melchiah! Come here!" He yelled. "NOW!"
From around the corner, this Melchiah character appeared. As I was busy attempting my escape from the clutches of these vampires, I was struck on the back of the head with the butt of Melchiah's sword. As I drifted into unconsciousness I remembered hearing the two snickering at the events at hand.
"Now perhaps she will go a little more willingly, Turel." Melchiah hissed.
The men continued carry my lifeless body down the corridor and into their dungeon.
"Indeed, Melchiah. Now her fate lies in the hands of Kain." Turel chuckled. "Providing Zephon doesn't kill her first." He added.
The two creatures laughed as they rounded yet another corner of the corridor and descended the staircase into the darkened depths of the dungeon.
Turning my head to the left - then immediately to the right, I attempted to reveal my secret companion, however, no trace could be found. Am I beginning to lose my mind? It wasn't in my character to make such things up. My head lowered, and my eyes subsequently fixated on the floor. My senses were agitated now, by this place - that inner sanctum. I could feel that room calling me at the very pit of my soul. I found myself biting anxiously upon my own bottom lip - my fangs piercing at it and drawing a slight amount of blood. I clenched my fists and rushed towards the door, stopping just shy of bursting it down. I paused. What, or who, is waiting for me in there? I decided on the casual approach - the silent approach. My new sense of willpower had amazed me. Have I now learned to discipline myself as Vorador once instructed? I pushed against the door, sneaking into the sanctum of this bizarre temple. Facing the door - my back to whatever it was behind me, I closed my eyes momentarily, again breathing deeply. Once I was satisfied with my so-called courage, I drew my sword and turned around - prepared to face either my doom, or nothing at all.
As I turned, I nearly lost my footing as I was overwhelmed by what was now before me - The Pillars. To my surprise I had indeed made it to the Pillars of Nosgoth. As I sheathed my sword, I marveled at their ashen appearance. So beautiful they were, yet tortured all the same. I stepped slowly to the stairs of the Pillar's basin - my eyes studying each one carefully. The Pillar of Nature - The Pillar of Energy - The Pillar of the Mind - The Pillar of Conflict - The Pillar of Dimension - The Pillar of Time - The Pillar of States - The Pillar of Death. Each one horribly disfigured. The Pillars were mere shadows of their former legendary selves. No longer did they stretch towards the heavens above, instead they barely managed to stand. Each one was discolored, leaning, broken and lifeless. By this time I had made my way to the center of the Pillar basin and came face to face with the Pillar of Balance - Kain's Pillar. It's surface was even darker than that of it's sister Pillars - gray, nearly black, and dilapidated beyond repair. I placed my hand over my mouth in awe of what now graced my vision. I followed the Balance Pillar, from what was left of the top to its base. I found myself rather puzzled at the ornamental throne now positioned around it. I stepped closer, my hands reaching for the golden armrests. "What vile creature would place a throne at the base of these sacred icons?" I asked myself.
"The answer is Kain, vampire." A feminine voice replied. I abruptly turned to locate the woman, and again found nothing.
I drew my sword - fast and steady. "Whoever you are, I advise you to face me now or I shall indeed enjoy hunting you down." I ordered. I shifted nervously; I could neither see nor sense this entity. In the company of another vampire, I was definitely not.
"Foolish girl. Your mortal blades cannot harm those of the spectral realm." The woman responded. It was then, from out of the thin air before me, my stalker had made herself known. The transparent figure's features became clearer to me the more physical she became. Her tattered dress bore the similarly darkened tone of that of the Balance Pillar. Her flesh was pale and her blond tresses were unkempt and draped over the left side of her face and shoulder.
"W-w-who are you?" I inquired. I was nearly speechless. This meeting both puzzled and frightened me. My blade began to shake in my hands, despite my attempts to steady it. The specter merely smirked and with that, moved her hair from her face, letting it cascade over her back. Where the symmetry of her beauty once existed, only the bare skull remained.
"My God..." I gasped. My sword fell from my hands and to the Pillar basin, the sound of which echoed throughout the sanctum. "Ariel."
Indeed it was Ariel - former Balance of the Circle of Nine, now a prisoner of the Pillars she once served. I had only heard legends of this woman. Never did I imagine those legends would prove true.
Ariel extended her hand to my own face - I was petrified. "So young you are." She said as she gazed deeply into my eyes. "I see that the monster, Vorador is still alive. So to, is Nosgoth still plagued by the vampire menace."
I managed to back away from Ariel, falling into the throne. "Why do you haunt me, Specter?" I demanded.
I could hear Ariel snickering as she turned from me. "Haunt you?" She questioned as she turned again to face me from afar. "My dear, this isn't about you. These Pillars bind me here - Kain binds me here." She explained as she spread her arms to indicate the sanctum of where she was imprisoned. "Tell me child, why do you come here. What do you want with Kain?"
I found myself staring at Ariel, my mind wandering over her, the Pillars and eventually back to Kain. "My business with Kain does not concern you." I responded as I pointed at her.
Ariel laughed. Her strong behavior now was far from the mournful image conveyed through the legends of my past. "Could it be you child, who wishes to slay the beast in his own den?" She inquired. "Are you here to restore the balance for him?"
"I am." I managed to say before being interrupted by Ariel and her madness. As she made her way over to me, I rose to my feet and headed back to the stairs of the basin in a futile attempt to evade her. I backed down them slowly as she continued with her insane rants of redemption.
"Finally. An end to this madness." Ariel cackled. "Centuries have passed since I first began praying for my release. I foolishly trusted that Kain could do the deed and he failed me. He failed Nosgoth." Her voice became harsh with every passing sentence. "Now you child, you have come to redeem us - to release me. I will lead you to Kain - to the slaughter. You will serve your purpose and your gods after all."
My eyes began to glaze over, the centuries of imprisonment have not been kind to Ariel as her madness now showed through her depressive facade. I was frightened. I had not yet found my purpose and yet she somehow knew my purpose. How could this be? To what gods are she referring to? I knew that this indeed was my time to leave this place and the specter Ariel to her own insanity. I turned and rushed down the stairs, looking over my own shoulder as I headed back to the door from which I entered. Ariel remained at the Pillars cackling madly.
As my head returned to the direction in which I was running, I found myself colliding with an unknown individual and falling backwards to the floor. I shook my head and attempted to rise - the individual helped me along by grabbing me by the arm and forcing me to my feet. I looked at him, trying to figure out the nature of his identity. He was a handsome figure, with long raven hair and eyes to match. Strangely, he was as pale as I was. He was outfitted in warriors garb - from an army that was foreign to me. The strange insignia gracing his chest was unlike those in the hallway.
"Release me." I demanded as I attempted to pull away from my captor.
The man squeezed harder, forcing my arm behind my back. "Hold thy tongue pretty one." He replied. His voice was cold and deeper than anything I've heard before. He flashed me a quick grin, revealing a set of fangs, before turning to the left and calling out to yet another being. "Take our resident ghost back to the spectral realm, Dumah." The man commanded. "I so tire of hearing her moan and weep." He said.
From the outside corridor, another man appeared and rushed to the Pillar basin to deal with Ariel. He was bigger than the man before me, also with raven hair, yet with hazel eyes. He too was outfitted in an unknown warrior's armor. "Right away, Turel." He responded.
My attention turned back to my captor. "You are a vampire. How is it that I can not sense your presence?" I inquired.
The being known as Turel, smiled. "You are a fledgling. Fledglings hardly sense anything of importance." He replied as he brushed my bangs from my eyes. "Besides. Did you ever consider that perhaps I did not want to be sensed?"
I was not amused by his arrogance. Turel began leading me back out into the corridor and down the opposite way from which I entered. I managed to glance back at the Pillars and witness the being called, Dumah, grabbing Ariel's arm and both teleporting out of sight. What magic was this? "Where are you taking me?" I questioned.
Turel never shifted his glance to me as we walked. "We are headed to the dungeon, where you will await your fate for your trespass here." He explained. We rounded the corner and stopped briefly. Turel began pounding on yet another door, which trembled violently with each passing fist. Finally it opened and from it emerged yet another warrior, or knight - whatever they were.
"Yes Turel?" The man asked.
"Rahab, inform Raziel of our new guest. Make sure that he lets our lord know of her arrival and tell him to inform me of what to do with her now that she is in custody."
Rahab nodded and was quick to teleport away to complete his task. Turel resumed our trek to wherever the dungeon was in the midst of the temple labyrinth. I began to fight him, trying to halt my own steps. "Release me you monster!" I screamed. I began to flail, and I could tell my actions were annoying Turel, and that he was having a hard time containing me.
"Melchiah! Come here!" He yelled. "NOW!"
From around the corner, this Melchiah character appeared. As I was busy attempting my escape from the clutches of these vampires, I was struck on the back of the head with the butt of Melchiah's sword. As I drifted into unconsciousness I remembered hearing the two snickering at the events at hand.
"Now perhaps she will go a little more willingly, Turel." Melchiah hissed.
The men continued carry my lifeless body down the corridor and into their dungeon.
"Indeed, Melchiah. Now her fate lies in the hands of Kain." Turel chuckled. "Providing Zephon doesn't kill her first." He added.
The two creatures laughed as they rounded yet another corner of the corridor and descended the staircase into the darkened depths of the dungeon.
