This is it, folks, the last chapter of 'Not as Defiant As I Hoped'. Many characters die and streaking is inevitable. I hope. Well, on the other hand...

Oh, I read a cool interview a while back with Chris Bruno. Said that Vorador is at least as physically strong as any of the deformed lieutenants. That's crazy. Vorador whooping Dumah would be right funny. This chap is mostly serious, just devoid of plot. There are funny moments, and a few good fights. Well, the one. I had to 'weaken' Vorador for it.

Apologies to anyone who likes any of the characters herein. Bad things happen to many characters. Raziel especially. Not even in the sake of humour. Good thing he can shift to heal, eh?

Legacy of Kain: Not As Defiant As I Hoped

Kain and his oldest 'son' stared up in disbelief. There was a monkey with the height of a building in the Stronghold. How in the hell did they get King Kong in the building without him grabbing DeJoule and climbing the tower? Snapping out of their daze, the duo drew their blades. Well, drawing his blade was somewhat more complicated for Raziel. He more or less willed his variant of the Reaver into existence. Regardless, weapons were at ready.

Grinning malignantly, Janos spoke. "Here we are, at last. For it is I, the Lord of the Hylden race before you now as so many times before. And once again, I have drawn you to your apparently inevitable doom. For you see, the taking of %, the rift in time that led to my duel with Audron whom I now possess, and my playing my way into your ranks... all led to this moment." He bellowed laughter at the two.

The two allowed that information to soak into their brains. A question formed in Kain's mind, one he had been meaning to ask since their very first meeting at the Pillars. "But, why?" he asked.

The laughter was cut short. "Being trapped for aeons in a demonic dimension allows for many a cruel plan to be formed. As I underwent terrible torture, I could think of nothing better than annoying you."

Kain laughed in response. "Such a petty existence. This is the result of an eternity of torture? Attempting to bother us? Pathetic."

His son spoke up as well. "Well, Kain's comment aside, I see the effort you put in to your revenge. I am truly impressed... even if the execution of your plans was a bit... dare I say... craptacular?"

A powerful forearm sent him sprawling. "Don't be making a fool of me, boy."

King Kong roared ferociously and sent a fist towards Kain. The Scion leapt away, bringing his shining blade in a wide arc as he did so, severing massive fist from muscled arm. He landed a few metres away, launching condensed space at the beast's legs, forcing it to it's back. It's possessed passenger took to the air. Kain pounced in the fallen mutation and finished it with a series of violent attacks to the chest.

The Hylden Lord dove at Kain, sending him crashing to the marble floor. He began to rise higher. His efforts were impeded by Raziel, who managed to grab hold of his wings.

"Let go, damn you!" he cursed.

"I can't! I'm afraid of hights!" Raizel shouted back. Ironic, is it not, how he evolved a pair of wings and yet continued to have a deep-rooted fear of heights? He looked down, and saw just how high up he was. Really freaking high. He shouted girlishly and began to climb up the Ancient's back.

"Hey, stop that! Oh, shit!" he exclaimed, before losing total control of his flight path. He flew, in a horrible zigzag pattern, for the main gates. The main gates were half submerged in water as always. "I'm going to crash!!"

And crash he did. He deflected away from the doors, straight into the canal. As did Raziel. They parted with a resounding splash, Raziel skipping on the water's surface like a stone, until he hit a wall made out of it. He slid down the length of it, stunned and only half conscious. Kain came running to his side, promptly dropping to one knee. He shook the blue deformity senseless, shouting at him all the while.

"My God, are you alright? Wake up! Hey, don't toy with me! Please wake up! You're too young to die! Breathe damn you, breathe!"

He continued shaking him back and forth, continually cracking his head off the wall. He stopped and looked into his sons glowing excuses for eyes. They were, at this point, swirls of white and yellow. Spinning swirls. Kain released his arms, and allowed Raziel to fall off to his side. His pet/symbiotic plant perked up suddenly. He snapped up, cracked his neck, and looked around. "Where's Janos?" he asked, dumbfounded.

His father glanced over his shoulder to the bubbling water's surface. A few black feathers floated there. "About that..."

Meanwhile...

Vorador dropped down from the ceiling, totally silent, and dashed to the end of the long hallway. He pressed his body up against the wall and glanced over the corner. No one. He looked back to the roof and signalled Mortanius. The Necromancer jumped down from the skylight, hitting the ground with a resonating crash. Vorador sighed and waited as his comrade limped towards him. As he neared him, he dove around the corner and crouched next to the door. He gently opened it a crack and surveyed the interior. Nothing. He got up, entered the room, keeping to the shadows, and made his way to the next door.

He calmly pressed his ear to the door. No sound came from the other side. He opened it and heard the faint sound of partying. He brought himself to the source of the sound, beyond the door his nose was nearly pressed against.

He waited for Mortanius to catch up, and opened the door a crack. They looked in. Two very inebriated Sarafan, Dumah and Melchiah, were cheering on the Vampire Dumah, who was currently losing in an arm wrestling match to Umah, who had a bottle of beer in hand. She brought it to her mouth for another drink, then easily forced the much larger Vampire's arm to the table.

Vorador glanced at Mortanius, who's look was as sceptical as his own. He drew his bone sword and prepared to rush in.

"Hey guys!" a cheery Malek shouted from behind them.

They froze, as did everyone in the other room. As one, Vorador and Mortanius turned to him with wide eyed expressions on their faces.

"Who's there?!" Dumah, the Vampire, shouted in a semi drunken state.

A single compound word escaped Vorador's lips. "Dumbass."

The door who's nob he had been holding onto was literally torn from it's hinges. Vorador looked up into the face of Dumah. Umah walked next to his, disbelieving. "Daddy?" she asked. "What the hell are you doing here?"

He could think of only one thing. "... whoo, party?"

A matter of minutes later...

Vorador held a funnel to his mouth as several beers were poured into. Malek and his former brothers at arms were chanting 'chug' as he did so. They pulled away the empty cans and Vorador tossed the funnel aside. "WHOO!!" He shouted enthusiastically.

The rest of the group did so as well. At this point, they were all drunk out of their minds. Malek, Dumah (human) and Melchiah threw their arms over one another's shoulders, singing 'Let's Get this Party Started' horribly off tune.

Mortanius was making out with Azimuth heavily, no longer sitting on a couch that hadn't been there during his last visit to the Stronghold. Not that he hadn't noticed. He was a bit... occupied. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't a place he'd like to be when Kain and Raziel decided to show up. They did.

They walked in from what was once a doorway, now simply a hole in the wall. They took a glance around, shrugged, and cleared their throats. Malek and Vorador noticed immediately, straightening up. Malek, assessing his situation quickly, took action. His arms were over Melchiah and Dumah's shoulders. He grabbed their chins and snapped their necks.

Vorador leapt up and brought his weapon over the Vampire Dumah's head. It split down the middle. The sword that is. Vorador, wide eyed, looked the shattered blade. Then to Dumah. He gulped down saliva, his mouth suddenly dry. He managed a cheezy grin before being slammed into a wall with crushing force. The massive armoured arm withdrew, allowing the green man to fall.

Raziel was on him like shit on velcro. He dove, Reaver flashing, and was swatted away. Kain charged next. His Reaver was blocked by Dumah's forearm. He let himself fall to the left to avoid losing his head and landed on his extended hand. He kicked the back of his third son's knees. Malek drop kicked him off a conveniently placed table, knocking him over.

Doing this got Mortanius' attention, who jumped off Azimuth and began to choke her. She retaliated by kicking him in the groin. He dropped to his knees.

"My men..!" he squealed.

She stormed past him, towards the other members of his team. She began to summon demons. Seeing the serious downside to this, the Necromancer sent a bolt of thunder at her. It pierced her in the mid section. She collapsed. He rose to his feet, staggered, then managed to get balanced. He rose Azimuth as the undead and sent her against Dumah.

She clawed and bit at his limbs. He crushed her skull in one fell swing. He took up her twice dead corpse and launched it full might at Mortanius. They slammed into the wall, broken and bleeding.

Umah looked around, thought about it, and ran for the door. Kain saw this. He took one last halfassed swing at Dumah and went after her.

Malek and Raziel fought savagely, struggling to even affect their foe. Dumah feigned a blow and managed to grab Malek. He walked him to the window and threw him out. He turned and took a magical attack to the chest. Vorador stood across from him with his arm extended.

Dumah spoke up. "You know, I never actually had anything against you. I was just really bored. But, then again, dad is an asshole."

"Amen." that smart comment came from Raziel. Vorador smacked him over the head.

"Don't be getting smart with us, boy."

The largest Vampire took the moment to bend down and slam his fist into the floor beneath them. Marble slabs shattered as the shockwave followed through the ground, knocking the two pseudo 'good guys' onto their backs. Dumah leapt up into the air, coming towards the two boots first. They glanced at each other and rolled away, then thrown into the air as he landed. They lunged from opposite sides, slashing and clawing viciously.

He turned his back on the unarmed Vorador and caught his brother by the arm. He stared into his brothers eyes, his unmasked face lit up with a dark smile. The bloodied Champion of Vampires continued on his back, sending sparks into the air. A heavy clothesline took him down. Raziel, capable of using only one arm, sent a wave of TK into his face. To no effect. Dumah turned his full attention back to him. He glared back, and burst with frantic fury, clawing and kicking at random. He stopped suddenly, his younger brother applying pressure to his arm at an awkward angle. He slowly dropped to his knee, forcing back.

A loud snapping sound entered the room, and Raziel shouted in agony. His arm was snapped in half. He was raised in the air by the damaged limb, to Dumah's eye height. They stared at one another. Dumah's other arm came around, severing's Raziel's at the elbow. He fell to the ground, collapsing to his knees in agony, bent over to the point that his forehead was on the floor. A massive, cloven foot placed itself on his head. Dark, rumbling laughter echoed through the room.

Vorador, hands clenched together, leapt up, brining both arms to the side of Dumah's head. The impact forced him back, as he was only on one leg. The first human to become a vampire grabbed his fallen companion by the hair and tossed him back down the hall they had come from, away from immediate danger. He turned back to the task at hand. He was huge. Over ten feet tall, hundreds of pounds of sheer muscle, armoured to the point of near impenetrability. He threw his head back in deep laughter. His dread locks bounced about.

"I'll bathe you in your own blood!" he shouted, enraged.

"Try your best to make me kneel before you, arrogant Prince."

The green vampire leapt back, bringing both hands forward. Telekinetic spheres shot towards Dumah. No effect. He grimaced and pulled forward into his mind a spell. Energy bolts ripped through air, connecting solidly with the titan, forcing him back. He charged, crying out. His razor talons cut to the bone, splitting his unarmoured throat open. He swung a second time, which was promptly dodged. The Vampire lieutenant retaliated, brining one mammoth arm down. Vorador caught it with both hands, straining to hold his might back. He was lowered to his knees, the tiles under him cracking from the applied pressure.

"Grovel before me." A second arm swung towards him, aimed to take his head.

He rolled away, then leapt to his feet. A foot larger than his head threw him away like garbage. He connected with the wall, dropping down to one knee, disoriented. He focussed, and realized Dumah was within striking range. He teleported ahead a few feet, to behind Dumah. The general area he had occupied a moment before. He turned, rasing one arm into the air, and used his knowledge of arcane magic to form dark flames. He brought that arm forward and clasped the flame with the other, not affected by the heat. He pulled it away, the flame stretching as far as his hand moved. The flame formed a sword. Vorador's long fangs glistened in it's light as he grinned wickedly.

"Burn."

He charged him yet again, attacking head on with his flaming blade. With each blow, flames erupted and curled. Vorador was forcing him back. The crimson teeth of the blade was caught by the immense Vampire's forearms time and again. A blow passed by his limbs once, straight into his chest. The flames boiled the spilt blood on his armour. It did no damage. The green Vampire's arms were caught, and he was lifted off his feet.

The larger Vampire started to pull, attempting to tear his arms from their sockets. He strained against. In a sudden act, Dumah brought his head down, connecting his helmet with Vorador's unprotected head. Stunned, the older Vampire dropped his 'blade'. This opportunity was milked. Heavy blows rained down on Vorador, tearing his robe open and shattering ribs. The Lieutenant picked him up by the tattered robe. He strode over to the wall and brought him against it with crushing force. The wall behind his green body cracked and shattered. He slid down, senseless and wounded.

"I've been wanting to do that since Blood Omen. Who the hell gets that much tang, really?" Dumah commented, dry.

The hulking vampire noticed a change in the air. The corpses were giving off an odd odour. He glanced over at Melchiah's prone form. Something was leaving his body. Oddly blue, almost shaped like his body. One by one, the souls of the dead left their bodies. He turned slowly, gazing back to the destroyed doorway. Raziel stood there, forcing his own weight to remain standing.

"You're really hard to kill, you know that?"

"Oh, and you're a bloody walk in the park aren't you?"

Raziel brought his only arm up to his cown, and removed it from his face. He drew in the souls of all the dead. Guardian and Sarafan alike empowered him. His arm formed from the stub remaining. The Soul Reaver came into existence, blazing with fury. He charge, slid down onto his knee and thrusted.

Dumah looked down... into the Reaver blade piercing his stomach. The blade began to pull, tearing his soul into it's essence. He laughed, dark and insane and he was consumed by his brothers demented soul.

In another part of the Stronghold...

Umah came to a halt, and turned. Kain came jogging around the corner, Reaver in hand. She looked around for an exit. A mad dash down the hall or through Kain. No good, either way. "You know, we don't have to do this." she chided.

Kain grinned and came closer. "Oh, we do. I've been wanting to do this for a long time."

"Uh, Kain?"

"Yes?" he asked, mock innocent.

"Why are you taking your pants off?"

Malek sat up. He landed outside the Stronghold in general. His body was sore, his ass no exception. He got up, stiff. He looked about. No one in sight. He bent down to touch his toes. Nothing was broken. He looked up. One hell of a fall.

He started walking to the front door. He found someone banging on the doors, standing in a canoe. Someone in red armour.

"Open the damn doors! I took a leak and got locked out!" the Sarafan Raziel shouted.

Malek, holding in laughter, walked to the water's edge. "Hey, I think you left the key up your ass!" he shouted.

His former underling glanced over at him. "Really? Cool." He reached down into his... pants to... feel around. Eventually he gets it. Not the key, the joke. "HEY! That's not funny! Who the hell do you think you– oh, shit! Hey boss! Heheheheh..." the nervous laughter carried on for a while.

Malek took his helmet off and put it on the ground. He used it as a seat. "You know, you never did accomplish much."

"What the hell are you talking about?! I killed Janos Audron!" he bellowed back, insulted.

"Well, yeah. But, then again, you had three people hold him down, and the one using the staff. Some kill."

"Uh, I killed him though."

"Yup, you killed him. You even instigated Vorador's revenge on the Circle."

"Heheh. You failed to protect them!"

The taller man rolled his eyes. "Sure. I could have used some help. Where were you? Oh, I remember. You were being killed off like flies."

"Shut up! You know we were better than you!"

Malek stood up and donned his helmet. "Oh yeah?! Come get some, boy!"

"Take this!" With that, Raziel charged Malek. Charged him. Right off the canoe. Needless to say, he sank like a brick.

The helmet was removed again. "Sure, you're pretty damn strong. Dumb as a stump though." He turned to leave, then paused. He looked around again. He turned back to the lake and took a leak.

Within the Stronghold...

Mortanius had regained consciousness. He was limping with the aid of Vorador. As a Vampire, he healed unconceivably fast. His shattered bones were healed, and his mug was as ugly as ever. Mortanius shook his head in disbelief. They managed to kill Dumah. He had more respect for them. Raziel was up and about, heading for the exit. He thought to have heard some kind of screaming earlier. He chose to forget about it.

Kain strode into the room, sweaty and grinning like a shark. His hair was somewhat messed. Raziel looked him up and down. "Well, someone looks pleased." he commented.

"That, I am," he replied. His composure was... over friendly. They must have missed something earlier. "Where, might I ask, is the Tin Man?"

Mortanius shrugged as best he could. Raziel motioned to the window. "Turns out he couldn't fly."

"With that man's luck, he's landed on a mound of manure. Alive, but humiliated."

Vorador spoke up. "I remember leaving him in a similar situation."

The entire group had a good laugh at that. They headed out. They met up with the 'Tin Man' at the exit. He was sitting on his helmet. He got up to greet them. "I take it we won?"

"Damn right!" the blue man exclaimed happily.

"Then life goes on as usual. We're getting drunk at Vorador's!"

In Vorador's Mansion...

The group was lounged out on the furniture, drunk and content. Pornography played on the big screen. Everyone was in a good mood. Save Raziel, of course, who was still indignant to not being able to drink and having no 'lower organs'.

"So then I said... you call them balls?! These is balls! And I whipped 'em out! The guy was like 'holy crap, they're green!' And I said to him, I said, damn right thems are green balls! Biggest vegetables in the world!" slurred out a very inebriated Vorador.

"Oh yeah? Well I spanked every woman in the Circle! Ever! Right on the butt! Man, they's got some nice soft butts..." Malek countered.

"You think that's big? I'm nailing the Balance Guardian!" Kain shot out.

"Dad, you are the Balance Guardian."

"I know."

Everyone in the room laughed at that. Beers were thrown at Kain's stupidity and more were drank. Raziel, being sober, came up with a very dark thought. "Wait a minute!" The group stopped to hear him out. Mortanius leaned in to hear him better, and rolled off the couch. "Does it not bother in the least that we just made history our bitch?"

No one in the room spoke. A clock could be heard ticking in the back.

"What's your point?"

"Just wondering."

THE END

That's the actual end, folks. Review if you would be so kind!