Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this fic – oh, apart from
Lara. And I don't own Oxford or the Book of the Hylden or anything like
that. But if anyone has the ownership papers to Raziel, I'd gladly take him
off your hands!
Right, enough babbling. On with the story...
Book of the Hylden.
Prelude:
'Moebius!' Kain bellowed the time lord's name, his voice echoing around the chamber. 'MOEBIUS! Show yourself!'
Out of the smoke of the destroyed Time Streaming device, a shape consolidated into the form of Moebius. As he stepped out of the mist, the Soul Reaver buzzed warningly in Kain's hand. He means us harm, Raziel's voice said in Kain's head. Do not trust him, Kain! Strike him down again!
'With pleasure, Raziel...' Kain lifted the Reaver, ready to plunge it through Moebius' heart.
'Foolish vampire!' Moebius stalked over to Kain and lifted him easily by the neck, throwing him against the wall. Kain delivered a swift kick to Moebius' groin, causing the man to double over in agony, releasing the vampire.
Swift as a flash, Kain brought the Reaver down in an arc, taking off Moebius' head. But as he did so, there was a blinding lightning strike and the Time Streamer reformed, shining with a malevolent black light. Step away! Do not approach it! Raziel was virtually screaming inside Kain's head, his restless soul making the Reaver quiver. Powerless to do anything since becoming trapped in the blade, Raziel's spirit often spoke to Kain, offering him advice. This had only been possible thanks to a gift from Ariel, who had seen the pain in Kain's heart at the knowledge that his lieutenant had willingly sacrificed himself by letting his soul be transferred to the blade. Now, Raziel was hammering on the walls of his prison, frantically trying to stop the ever curious vampire from touching the strange device. KAIN! Do not...
It was too late. Kain's hand had breached the black light and he was swallowed into nothingness. The sensation was not pleasant, Kain mused, as he hurtled towards what he assumed was his doom.
I told you so, Raziel's exasperated voice said. Kain could imagine his lieutenant shaking his head in despair. I told you not to touch the damn thing! Moebius' death must have activated this portal. Even in death, the bastard is trying to write our fates for us. Well, Kain, I hope you are happy. Heavens only know where we'll end up this time.
'Come now, Raziel,' Kain said, closing his eyes as the black portal sped his fall up. 'This could be a grand adventure. I am sure there is some reason for this little... trip.'
I wish I shared your faith... The light of the Reaver faded, indicating Raziel was becoming dormant and would no longer bother Kain's thoughts, leaving the vampire to enjoy the fall alone.
After what seemed like forever, Kain saw a patterned carpet looming in front of him. He automatically put his hands out to stop his fall, but still crashed onto the floor with a thump that took his breath away. He waited for the spinning to stop before scrambling to his feet and taking a look around. He was in what appeared to be a library. It was a circular building with books lining the walls from the floor to the ceiling. There were no other people in the room, it seemed, so Kain decided to explore. He picked up the Reaver and shook it. 'Raziel, are you there?'
The Reaver glowed with a blue light. Aye, Raziel said. Where are we?
'It seems to be a library,' Kain said. He looked up to the top of the dome. 'A very large library. I do not recognise it – I don't think we are in Nosgoth any more.'
Bravo, Raziel said, dryly. Hold me up so I can have a look round. Kain hefted the Reaver over his head. The blue light circled it as Raziel's spirit moved to scan the room. It paused. Over in the north corner. We have company...
Kain moved into an attack stance and stealthily walked over to the lectern on the north wall of the library. As he neared it, a beam of light effectively nailed him to the floor. He dropped the Reaver and heard Raziel cry out. Only Moebius' staff could hurt Raziel in any way.
'Your thoughts are correct,' Moebius said, appearing from behind the lectern with his staff held high, the stream of light pinning Kain to the floor. Kain struggled, but could not escape from his bonds. 'However, I have not harmed Raziel.' Another audible cry from the Reaver did not inspire Kain's faith in that statement. 'I have merely... immobilized him so he cannot interfere with what I am about to tell you.'
'Spit it out, Moebius,' Kain snarled. The bonds were beginning to sap his strength. 'Tell me what you have to say, then leave us alone! Have you not interfered enough with our fates? And can you not leave Raziel alone even in death?'
Moebius knelt down beside the vampire, revelling in the power that he held over him, even if it was only for a moment. 'I suppose you would like to know where you are.'
'That would be nice,' Kain said, his voice loaded with venom. 'Where have you brought us this time, old man?'
Moebius straightened up. 'Oxford, my dear Kain. You are in the intellectual centre of England. And it is the year 2004. And I have a very good reason for bringing you here...' He paused for emphasis. Raziel screamed again.
'Tell me! Stop torturing Raziel...' Kain shut his eyes, not liking the fact that he felt he was going to faint any second. 'Tell me...'
'You are here to search for a book,' Moebius said. 'Somewhere in this city lies the book of the Hylden. You must find it and destroy it before Janos discovers its location.' He narrowed his eyes. 'Janos is here also, Kain. And he is no longer under his own control. Raziel should have killed him when he had the chance.' Raziel screamed once more as Moebius moved his staff. 'Anyway, you two can stop him by finding the book. This city is filled with humans and books. There are many ancient places where it could be hidden. And anyone could have it.'
'How do you propose we start looking for it?' Kain demanded, struggling to remain conscious. 'A vampire will surely cause comment.'
Moebius laughed. 'I have all that in hand, my dear Kain.' The last thing Kain saw, before blackness engulfed him once more, was the staff coming down to hit him squarely between the eyes...
Right, enough babbling. On with the story...
Book of the Hylden.
Prelude:
'Moebius!' Kain bellowed the time lord's name, his voice echoing around the chamber. 'MOEBIUS! Show yourself!'
Out of the smoke of the destroyed Time Streaming device, a shape consolidated into the form of Moebius. As he stepped out of the mist, the Soul Reaver buzzed warningly in Kain's hand. He means us harm, Raziel's voice said in Kain's head. Do not trust him, Kain! Strike him down again!
'With pleasure, Raziel...' Kain lifted the Reaver, ready to plunge it through Moebius' heart.
'Foolish vampire!' Moebius stalked over to Kain and lifted him easily by the neck, throwing him against the wall. Kain delivered a swift kick to Moebius' groin, causing the man to double over in agony, releasing the vampire.
Swift as a flash, Kain brought the Reaver down in an arc, taking off Moebius' head. But as he did so, there was a blinding lightning strike and the Time Streamer reformed, shining with a malevolent black light. Step away! Do not approach it! Raziel was virtually screaming inside Kain's head, his restless soul making the Reaver quiver. Powerless to do anything since becoming trapped in the blade, Raziel's spirit often spoke to Kain, offering him advice. This had only been possible thanks to a gift from Ariel, who had seen the pain in Kain's heart at the knowledge that his lieutenant had willingly sacrificed himself by letting his soul be transferred to the blade. Now, Raziel was hammering on the walls of his prison, frantically trying to stop the ever curious vampire from touching the strange device. KAIN! Do not...
It was too late. Kain's hand had breached the black light and he was swallowed into nothingness. The sensation was not pleasant, Kain mused, as he hurtled towards what he assumed was his doom.
I told you so, Raziel's exasperated voice said. Kain could imagine his lieutenant shaking his head in despair. I told you not to touch the damn thing! Moebius' death must have activated this portal. Even in death, the bastard is trying to write our fates for us. Well, Kain, I hope you are happy. Heavens only know where we'll end up this time.
'Come now, Raziel,' Kain said, closing his eyes as the black portal sped his fall up. 'This could be a grand adventure. I am sure there is some reason for this little... trip.'
I wish I shared your faith... The light of the Reaver faded, indicating Raziel was becoming dormant and would no longer bother Kain's thoughts, leaving the vampire to enjoy the fall alone.
After what seemed like forever, Kain saw a patterned carpet looming in front of him. He automatically put his hands out to stop his fall, but still crashed onto the floor with a thump that took his breath away. He waited for the spinning to stop before scrambling to his feet and taking a look around. He was in what appeared to be a library. It was a circular building with books lining the walls from the floor to the ceiling. There were no other people in the room, it seemed, so Kain decided to explore. He picked up the Reaver and shook it. 'Raziel, are you there?'
The Reaver glowed with a blue light. Aye, Raziel said. Where are we?
'It seems to be a library,' Kain said. He looked up to the top of the dome. 'A very large library. I do not recognise it – I don't think we are in Nosgoth any more.'
Bravo, Raziel said, dryly. Hold me up so I can have a look round. Kain hefted the Reaver over his head. The blue light circled it as Raziel's spirit moved to scan the room. It paused. Over in the north corner. We have company...
Kain moved into an attack stance and stealthily walked over to the lectern on the north wall of the library. As he neared it, a beam of light effectively nailed him to the floor. He dropped the Reaver and heard Raziel cry out. Only Moebius' staff could hurt Raziel in any way.
'Your thoughts are correct,' Moebius said, appearing from behind the lectern with his staff held high, the stream of light pinning Kain to the floor. Kain struggled, but could not escape from his bonds. 'However, I have not harmed Raziel.' Another audible cry from the Reaver did not inspire Kain's faith in that statement. 'I have merely... immobilized him so he cannot interfere with what I am about to tell you.'
'Spit it out, Moebius,' Kain snarled. The bonds were beginning to sap his strength. 'Tell me what you have to say, then leave us alone! Have you not interfered enough with our fates? And can you not leave Raziel alone even in death?'
Moebius knelt down beside the vampire, revelling in the power that he held over him, even if it was only for a moment. 'I suppose you would like to know where you are.'
'That would be nice,' Kain said, his voice loaded with venom. 'Where have you brought us this time, old man?'
Moebius straightened up. 'Oxford, my dear Kain. You are in the intellectual centre of England. And it is the year 2004. And I have a very good reason for bringing you here...' He paused for emphasis. Raziel screamed again.
'Tell me! Stop torturing Raziel...' Kain shut his eyes, not liking the fact that he felt he was going to faint any second. 'Tell me...'
'You are here to search for a book,' Moebius said. 'Somewhere in this city lies the book of the Hylden. You must find it and destroy it before Janos discovers its location.' He narrowed his eyes. 'Janos is here also, Kain. And he is no longer under his own control. Raziel should have killed him when he had the chance.' Raziel screamed once more as Moebius moved his staff. 'Anyway, you two can stop him by finding the book. This city is filled with humans and books. There are many ancient places where it could be hidden. And anyone could have it.'
'How do you propose we start looking for it?' Kain demanded, struggling to remain conscious. 'A vampire will surely cause comment.'
Moebius laughed. 'I have all that in hand, my dear Kain.' The last thing Kain saw, before blackness engulfed him once more, was the staff coming down to hit him squarely between the eyes...