As day fell and night broke, the Sanctuary of the Clans awoke to a crystal clear night. Still eager to explore this world, Jarle woke just as the sun was setting behind the near by mountains. It was lucky the mountains were there for Jarle did not wait for Turel or Raziel to find him and there fore was not forced to stay until all of the sun's rays were gone.
When he made to get dressed, he noticed his clothes were gone. Instead, there was a set of clothes laid out for him that he had never seen before. They were of a different style than the ones he was use to. The differences were small, so he pulled them on and ran out into the night.
Jarle found his way to a large garden in the back of the Sanctuary. And that was where Kain found the boy soon after night fall.
"Jarle?" Jarle looked up and stared as the Lord and Master of all Nosgoth made his way towards him. "I would appreciate greatly to have a word with you." Kain sat down beside Jarle on a stone bench. "Have you been taught how to draw?" Jarle nodded. "Please draw me the Pillars as you remember them," Kain said holding out a few pieces of parchment, a pen, and something to draw on.
Jarle took the material from Kain and started to draw.
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He remembered it all.
He remembered his two friends the most. One was one of the starter of the War. An Ancient. The other was not around after the War ended. He remembered being told by another Ancient that the friend was gone, that he would never see his friend again.
He remembered all of it.
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Kain was met by a fairly decent rendering of the Pillars of Nosgoth be for Ariel's death. Jarle meant it when he said they looked different.
"When did you first see the Pillars?"
Jarle watched Kain's eyes study the drawing as he answered, "I was five."
"Raziel tells me you saw them being raised. Is this true?"
"Yes."
Kain looked up. The Lord was known for being able to tell when someone was telling false hoods. He was also known for being able to see the truth for what it was.
"Raziel has also told me that they found you near the ruins of a stronghold." Jarle nodded. "Have you been in them?" Another nod. "When?"
"After the portal."
Kain leaned in closer to the fledgling. "What portal?"
"There was this room that had three tiers and a lot of dials. There was also a portal."
"If you and I were to go the ruins, would you be able to show me where this room is?" Jarle shook his head. "Why?" If the boy was talking about what Kain thought he was…
"I could show you where I was in the stronghold, but the room is a different one. I don't know where it is."
Kain smiled. "The night is young. Get something to eat and we will go to these ruins."
"Will Raziel come?" The smile widened. It really didn't come to Kain as a surprise that the boy liked his first born so much. After all, he was the one who found him in the first place.
"Yes, Raziel will come."
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He remembered talking to his mother.
"Don't be sticking your nose in places it doesn't belong," she said when he asked about the War. She always said that.
He remembered not liking that answer and looking for his friend.
"Why do you fight?"
"He told us to." His friend flexed his wings, looking proud that he knew what some didn't. "He said these creatures will know me soon enough, and that if they don't do as He says, He will banish them."
"Who?"
He remembered his friend saying, "The Elder God…"
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The night was still fairly young when the three vampires reached the ruins of the Sarafan Stronghold. The lake had dried up centuries ago, which made the crossing to the broken door easy.
Once inside the building Jarle took the lead, leaving the older vampires behind him. The two vampires took this time to talk quietly.
"How does this change things?" Raziel asked in a low voice.
Kain sighed. "I guess you will know every thing soon enough." He looked away for a moment. "I placed a bid with the Fates. To restore Nosgoth."
"To restore the Pillars?"
"In the beginning yes, that was my aim. You were that bid."
"What? How were you going to use me--?"
"I never told you this and at this point I don't think you care too much. You know you and your brothers had lain dormant in death for a thousand years before I raised you." Raziel nodded, most vampires knew how much time passed before they were raised. "But what you don't know is that in life you lived … here."
"My Lord, what do you mean? And what does this have--"
"Everything. You and your brethren were priests of the Sarafan order. Ten years from now, you would have evolved before me. And I would use that as the next part in my bid."
Raziel was Kain's first born and second in command. He was the Lord's favorite. Surely he was not about to say what Raziel feared he would.
"What was my evolution?"
"Wings." Kain let this knowledge settle in before continuing. "I would tear them off and have Turel and Dumah cast you into the Abyss. That would be my next part of the bid."
"But not the last?"
"No." Raziel closed his eyes. "If all goes well, none of this will happen. Understand that, Raziel. Understand that this hurts me as much as it does you." Kain paused before going on. They were passing through yet another hall. One could still see the evidence of stain glass windows here. "After six hundred years you would have been resurrected, by what forces, I do not know. Your thirst for blood would have been replaced by the thirst for souls. Do you remember the legends about the Soul Reaver?"
"Yes. The blade is suppose to be possessed by a sprit."
"Yes. Your sprit." Again Kain paused before continuing. "Whatever entity brought you back, will tell you to go after your brothers, and me. To kill us."
"Do I?"
"You kill Melchiah, Zephon, Rahab, and Dumah. You never went after Turel. You also never was able to kill me. This portal Jarle speaks of may be the same one I used to lure you into the past. There you would have been met by Moebius the Time Streamer. And he would show you back to me."
"Kain…"
"What is it?"
Raziel looked liked he was on the brink of shock. "Please stop. I can't…"
Kain reached out and grabbed his lieutenant and held him close. "If all goes well, none of that will happen."
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He remembered the coldness of death.
He remembered the sound of someone's voice.
The words where too soft for him to hear.
He remembered being pulled back, away from the cold.
The voice grow in volume.
"NO! THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING! I WILL HAVE ALL OF YOU!!"
He remembered something reaching out to grab him, like a tentacle. But he was being pulled back out of the cold to quickly…
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When they had reached an open court yard, Kain and Raziel waited as Jarle found which door lead to the hall they were looking for.
"This is it," Jarle called out to Kain and Raziel. As they walked up to him, he continued speaking, "The room should be just at the end of this hallway."
And there is was.
"I thought so…" Kain smiled. Thousands of years of planning only to find that this child might make all the planning unnecessary.
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Author's Notes: Okay, I lied about not updating quickly. Thanks again to all who reviewed and read without reviewing. But the people who reviewed after they read get more thanks! Also, I just thought I should tell those who haven't realized it yet, text in italic are flash backs. Yeah, I know, little late for it. Better late than never!
