... Kain chose the latter path – opting to rule the world in its damnation rather than commit himself to oblivion.

The next morning I awoke slowly, languidly stretching and wincing as my body, sore from the previous day's journey, protested the movement. Sudden light spilled through the window, coloring the bed in which I lay the deep red of dawn. I rose to my knees and turned to look out the thick glass, and the beauty of what lay beyond made the breath catch in my throat. Along the horizon spread the colors of the rising sun, bleeding outwards, tinting the entire world with their warmth. As I watched, the colors changed, deepening first before becoming lighter, and finally the sun broke free of its constraints to climb unfettered in the sky. Something cold and wet traced its way down my cheek; I raised my hand to feel and it came away glittering and moist. I was crying, but not for sorrow. Watching the birth of dawn had instilled within me a kind of quiet awe – it was hard to fathom that after all I had endured, after all I had been condemned to do, that I would find life again. And while this new life was terrifying and confusing, it was also something I cherished, something I realized I had once taken for granted.

I laid down again, curling up on my side, and began in earnest to plan what next I should do. I would question Tass and Cora and discover what year it was and how much time had passed since last I had existed. From there I would attempt to discern whether or not Kain existed, for I knew that he and only he held the answers to my rebirth. The very thought of the vampire filled me with a mixture of dread and hatred; I was loathe to encounter him again, but I had no other choice. Would he harm me? Quite possibly. But again, that was something I would have to deal with when the time came.

With new resolve I rose, and dressed myself in the robe Cora had gifted me with the previous day. Leaving the room I found my hosts in the kitchen, seated at the small table and eating their small breakfast. Tass nodded briefly in my direction upon my entrance; Cora smiled and pushed me gently into the empty chair before shoving a small bowl of porridge in front of me. I ate slowly, savoring the texture and the taste of the food, and when we all had finished I saw the opportunity to ask the questions that haunted me.

What information I received in answer was both heartening and not. Fifteen years had passed, Tass said quietly, since Nosgoth had first begun to show signs of change. There were only very small, very slight indications at first: the heavy fog, which perpetually cloaked the land closest to the Pillars, had begun to lift away; ground that was hard and barren suddenly produced random patches of plant life. And the most noted change, Tass added grimly, was that any and all traces of the vampires that had once dominated Nosgoth had quite suddenly vanished.

Vanished? I did not think so. Eradicated, most likely, by Raziel, and perhaps even Kain. Cora began to speak then, explaining how humans made tentative forays outside their borders, unable to believe their most hated and feared enemy had simply been erased from existence. They found nothing but abandoned strongholds, and in some cases the smoldering or impaled remains of one of the vampires. And so it was the humans once again began to occupy all of Nosgoth. As the years passed, the land became more and more fertile until once again it was possible to grow crops. Rivers and lakes, once polluted and putrid, were slowly purified. Small villages and towns appeared, sustained by the agriculture. Mankind, along with nature, was flourishing.

What Tass said next caught me by surprise. "Cora tells me ye're looking for Kain." His gaze, steady and shrewd, was unnerving.

"That's right," I replied.

"Kain was the name of the leader of those creatures."

I nodded, and waited with bated breath for him to continue. He knew something, but would he bestow upon me the knowledge?

"When they disappeared, so did he. All's the better for it, too. Don't ye go looking for trouble, girl."

Cora made a chiding noise, but Tass raised a hand and continued. "I can see plain on yer face that ye won't heed my warning, and that's yer business. Rumor had it that Kain met his end those fifteen years ago, and that's why this land began to grow again. Rumor also has it," here he paused, and his eyes were speculative, as if judging me, "that he still lives, far to the east, in the ruins of some ancient structure."

I was silent, furiously calculating what he'd told me and wondering which to believe. There was no question whether I would travel to these ruins to discern if Kain was alive; I simply had to know the answers that only he could give me. Tass sighed then, reading my expression, and Cora looked on in mild confusion.

"So be it," the old man muttered resignedly. "I'll make ye a map. Won't be the best, but it'll get ye were ye need to go. I don't need to tell ye how dangerous this journey will be, do I?"

"No," I replied quietly.

He nodded. "I thought as much. Wait two days, and then ye can leave. We'll send ye off well enough; wouldn't do to have ye going to yer death unprepared." He stood then, avoiding his wife's questioning gaze and leaving me alone with her.

"Ariel?" She said hesitantly.

It was my turn to sigh, then. "It's not easy to explain, Cora, my reasons for seeking out Kain. Truth be told ... I go in search of vengeance."

"But why, child?"

For a millennia of damnation, I wanted to say. For all the years I spent as a spirit forced to haunt the place I once revered. For all my anguish and all my rage. For the destruction of Nosgoth to save one wretched soul. Instead I forced a tight, bitter smile. "It is better that I do not speak of it. I will not draw you into my web of anger."

Her eyes, like that of her husband's, became disconcertingly perceptive. "Do ye go to yer death?"

Did I? "I don't know." I answered honestly.

"Come," she said suddenly, as if forgetting in that instant all that I had said. "Ye need a bath, girl. I'll draw ye some hot water."

I followed her obediently into the back of the dilapidated house, were a small room, big enough only for the iron tub it held and one occupant, was situated. I helped Cora bring in water from the outdoor well and heat it over the fireplace before taking it and filling the tub. When the water was mere inches from the rim she left me with a drying cloth and a bar of thick soap which smelled of lavender, and I set about doing something else I had not done for many, many lifetimes. The water was heaven, the warmth ridding my aching muscles of their pain. For a long time I languished, submerged; when finally the water began to go cold I washed myself and my hair with the soap. Cora had left another bucket of water beside the tub for rinsing, and once I had made use of it I stepped carefully out and dried myself with the cloth. Dressed once more in the robe, I turned to open the door and halted with a gasp.

Someone was standing before me. Moments passed before I realized the person was in fact myself, and that I was standing in front of a rather battered full length mirror attached to the door. Intrigued, I stepped closer. I had no recollection of what my appearance had been in my former life; such memories had long since left me. And so it was with acute curiosity that I studied the angular lines of my face, the thin ridge of my nose and the high, thin arch of my brows. My eyes, I realized, were a color somewhere between green and brown. I lifted my fingers to comb through my hair, a honey color that I had not noticed before which fell to hang in wet tangles well past my shoulders. Had I looked like this before? This face of mine, and this body – were they pleasing? My reflection scowled back at me, reminding me that I had more important things to ponder, and so I opened the door and left to find Cora.

The rest of my time with Tass and Cora I spent comfortably, reacquainting myself with all manners of mortal existence. At my request Cora found some books she'd owned as a child, and I discovered that I had not forgotten how to read. Cora instructed me on the basics of survival when on the road; how to prepare wild meat if one was fortunate enough to find it, and how to discern which plants and berries were safely edible. She also set about mending some of the clothing that had once belonged to her deceased son so that I may wear them. Tass, seeming to have accepted me somewhat marginally, took me aside several times to go over with me the rough map he'd drawn on a small piece of parchment. Thinking I was hard of hearing, perhaps, he repeatedly warned me how dangerous this undertaking of mine was, and at one point even asked me to stay with them a bit longer. I shook my head and smiled, explaining to him that I simply must find Kain. The old man shook his head, and told me to my face that I was crazy.

The dawn of the third morning found me outside their small house, dressed in the now familiar brown robe with its rope belt, and shouldering a small pack. On my feet were tall boots of laced up leather; underneath them I wore thick wool upon my feet. The breeches Cora had altered for me were tucked neatly inside the boots, and I wore a thin linen shirt as well. At my side, hanging somewhat awkwardly by it's sheath, was a long, thin knife which Tass had silently handed me at breakfast that morning. I had not the faintest clue how to use it, but it did make me feel a little bit safer.

"There's food enough for a few weeks in that there bag," Cora said. Her manner was subdued; she would be genuinely sad to see me go. I stepped up to her and enfolded her in my embrace, letting all my feelings of gratitude and affection flow through me. Moving back, my eyes moved to Tass.

"Ye've got that map?" He asked. I nodded, patting the small side pocket in my rope where the parchment was secured. He cleared his throat, and held out his hand. I took it with my own, and as our eyes met I saw shining within them something I thought never to see: respect.

"Gods be with ye, Ariel," Cora said as I turned to face the small dirt road which led away from their farm.

"And with you," I said, giving them both a smile. I felt my eyes prickle with sorrow and fear; here I was, leaving the one safe place I knew existed in this new and frightening world. It had to be done, I knew, and with one last final wave in their direction I began to walk. Once out of sight of their cottage I stopped, trying to calm myself, trying to convince myself everything would be alright.

I started to walk again. I could not dwell on all my doubts. And so it was I began my search for Kain.

Had it not been for Tass's map, I would have been hopelessly lost. As it was, I was able to make my way that first day to one of the small farming villages. I decided I would spend the night just outside the village limits, close enough to call for aid should I need it. Rummaging through the small pack Tass and Cora had provided for me, I found a pouch which jingled when I lifted it. Inside, I discovered an abundance of coins, and realized the old couple had given me most their savings. Tears prickled at the corners of my eyes, and I smiled at their kindness.

Days passed. While I was in no way accustomed to journeying, I did not falter, as much as I may have wanted to. I ate mostly what I could find growing in the forests and fields on the side of the roads I walked upon, wanting to save the provisions in the pack as long as I could. I met many others as I traveled, and spoke with several. Never once did I disclose where I was headed, but merely exchanged pleasantries before going on my way once more. The repopulation of Nosgoth was such that there were towns and villages never more than a days travel apart, and I was fortunate in that aspect. I began to appreciate more and more the beauty of Nosgoth reborn, and though I could not recall what the land had looked like in my past life I was positive that parts of it must have been breathtaking. There was an abundance of rivers and streams that intersected the roads, and from the ones that were pristine and clear I refilled often my water skin – another gift from Tass and Cora. The weather, for the most part, was fair; warm days and cool nights, during which I bundled up in the bedroll that lay most of the time in the bottom of my pack.

Twelve days later, as I kept count, I realized I was approaching my destination. The sky had clouded over early that morning, and the clouds were low and ominous. The air smelt moist and rich, and I knew that at any time it would begin to rain. Tass's map indicated to me that I would encounter no more of civilization; that the ruins I was in search of were mere hours from the last town I'd visited. I'd come far since awakening at the Pillars; I was surrounded now by towering, snowcapped mountain peaks. The ruins, Tass had said, were rumored to be situated in the foothills, having once been a small castle for a noble family long since dead. The road, he'd told me, ran directly past it and through the mountains, but hardly any took this road, as it was said to be haunted.

I was full of trepidation, as I began my climb through the gently rolling hills, shadowed by the rocky giants behind them. The road was in poor shape here, rutted and in some parts obscured by grass. Driven by my anxiousness I set a steady pace, and when it began to rain I drew the hood of my robe up around my head and trudged on. I tried to be as silent as I could, and kept myself alert; if there was anywhere I had to beware bandits and the like, Tass had said, it would be here, where the road was less traveled. I encountered nothing, however, and as the sun passed its zenith I crested a hill to find myself facing what could only be my destination.

I could easily tell that it had once been an impressive citadel, albeit small. Only a single tower remained, the rest of it crumbled and fallen pieces of stone. Out of breath from my climb, I stared at it for a moment. The air was eerily silent here, as if nature herself feared to make a sound. It was not a good omen, I knew, and swallowed heavily. Part of me was screaming to turn tail and run back the way I'd come, back to the two elders who had shown me such kindness; the other part of me sternly advised that the only possible place to find the answers I'd needed was within those ruins. I squared my jaw, resolute, and began again to walk.

As I neared, I found myself nervously scouting the area before me, expecting some creature with glowing eyes to leap out. The closer I got to the ruins, the more acute my anxiety became. When finally I reached what had once been the main entrance to the citadel, my breath was coming in quick, panicked gasps. Two stone leviathans, once the guardians to the now absent double doors, glared down at me in their magnificence. Very quickly I hurried past them, into the ghost of the courtyard. What I found there stopped me dead in my tracks, and my lungs refused to take in air.

"You are a very brave little mortal."

Oh, how I remembered that ingratiating, condescending tone. Even the timbre of the voice, deep and almost guttural, invoked within me a chaotic mass of emotions. Kain was standing beside the remains of a stone fountain, arms crossed over his chest, the crimson of his insignia cape a stark contrast to the dullness of the rest of the surroundings. He'd known I was here, I suddenly realized, and had most likely sensed my presence long before I'd arrived.

"Well?" He asked, arching one brow. Obviously, he hadn't lost any of his previous arrogance. "Have you a reason for coming this far, in such weather?"

I couldn't answer, though I wanted to. Fear and hatred were warring inside me, and all I could do was stare at him mutely.

"Speak! You are tiring my patience."

"You have not humbled, Kain." I said finally, and was surprised at how even my voice sounded.

The vampire frowned. "And you would know this?"

My fear was fading, and was fast being replaced by my righteousness, by my desire for vengeance. "Very well, in fact."

"Indeed." He uncrossed his arms, and stepped towards me; I watched him approach, distracted by the animalistic grace with which he moved. "How could you know such a thing?"

I smiled, and it wasn't pleasant. He was now only a few feet away from me. My body was tensed, ready for flight, although I knew should it come to that it would be futile. "I've known you longer than most anyone."

"Indeed?" He repeated, but instead of bewildered irritation, I detected this time interest in his tone.

"Yes." I said, and backed a step.

He waited a moment to see what else I would say, and when I remained silent he spoke. "Very well. I shall play your little game. How exactly, human, do you know me? And how, pray tell, could you have possibly known me longer than anyone?"

"Can you not guess?" I asked. Rage made my voice stronger, louder. "Look closely, Kain! Though you did not murder me, you proved the instrument of my damnation! For a millennia I watched you, I hated you, caught in your game of time and chance –"

"Impossible!" He breathed, cutting me off. His eyes, an eerie amber color, widened. "Ariel!"

Had I the power, I would have struck him dead on the spot. All I could do, however, was remain still, trembling with the enormity of my loathing for this creature. He circled around me, gaze scrutinizing, as if attempting to prove I was other than what he thought I was.

"Alive!" He said, his path complete as he stopped again before me. "For how long?"

"Days."

"And how?"

"That," I said tightly, "is precisely why I am here. I do not know why I have been given life again, but I think perhaps you do."

His lips pursed, eyes never leaving mine, obviously going over thoughts in his head. My fists were tightly clenched against the urge to leap upon him and claw those unnerving eyes from his head. He was silent for so long that I began to fidget uncomfortably.

"I believe," he said finally, slowly, "that I can answer your question."

"Then do so."

"Not yet. Come with me, to the tower."

"No."

He made an exasperated sound. "I will not be your butcher, Ariel. If you hadn't noticed, I am rather amazed to see you standing here before me. The tower is warm, and you have been walking in the rain for quite some time. I offer you only hospitality."

I wanted to refuse, but what he offered sounded good. My robe, and the clothes beneath, were soaked through, sticking uncomfortably to my body and giving me chills. The answers I sought he would give me if I were to follow ... I nodded my head once, curtly, and a small smile creased his inhuman face. "Very well. Follow me."

He turned, and after a hesitant moment I hastened after him. Looming above us, like a skeletal hand clawing at the sky, was the tower. Such an ominous place, I thought, and smiled grimly at the irony of the situation.

I would enter this place, the domain of the one I hated most. Gods willing, it was here I would find the explanation for my rebirth.