Yet another of my futile attempts at writing, so it seems. I set this story in a very strange and perverse course, however. The story starts right before Kain fights the Elder God. I've twisted the story to my liking, so if anyone out there doesn't, too bad. However, I do like reviews, good or bad, so please do so if you think this was worth it. Happy hunting!

Kain, Raziel, and the Twin Reaver

By

Kyrial

Kain kicked Moebius' now limp body off the end of his Reaver. He looked up at the squid he'd come to find out was the 'god' that had somehow brought Raziel back from his dive into the Abyss. He snarled viciously, for this being interfered with everything he'd planned for Raziel. He raised the Reaver once again, preparing to combat what he knew would be his worst enemy yet, when he heard a groan from the floor.

Not again. This time I finish him.

As Moebius lifted himself off the floor, Kain once again impaled the vampiric weapon into his body. The Time Streamer once again groaned loudly, but did not fall limp. His face contorted, as if something were breaking loose inside of him. Kain stared at him in disbelief as his pallid skin turned blue, and his eyes became hollow, glowing a dull yellow. He knew what had happened, but dared not believe it.

"Raziel! No… it can't be!" the vampire declared when it sank in what had transpired.

"Kain… This is what… I was meant to do… It seems that the blade was not forged for me, but from me… and now I must return to it. I… always respected you… master."

"Raziel! I will not let this happen again!"

The wraith, still impaled upon the weapon he had also carried, began to wither and slowly fade. The wraith-blade he carried flowed from his arm and up into the physical form of itself. Raziel smiled comfortingly at Kain, and closed his eyes.

Kain, however, dared not let this happen. He grabbed his rival, his kin, and what he now knew to be his friend, by the throat. Raziel jerked suddenly, and began to solidify, Kain's anger and power separating the wraith from the weapon. Kain struggled to pull the blade from the body which it once again tried to consume. Raziel knew that this was not what needed to happen, yet was powerless to stop it. As Kain pulled with all of his vampiric might, the one being left ignored in the room had become aware of what was transpiring. The Elder God quickly lifted a massive tentacle and swiped it toward Kain.

No! I cannot let Raziel be destroyed! Nosgoth needs its savior!

The tentacle was but a yard from Kain when it became apparent he would lose the wraith. He tightened his grip on the material blade and pushed with every ounce of strength he could muster against Raziels body. The two seconds it took for Kain to be hit gave him the time to push his friend to the end of the blade. As Kain was struck, he flew back, landing approximately 15 or so feet behind where he stood. As he began to quickly push himself up off the floor, he made a revelation. He still held the Reaver.

"No! It is impossible! Raziel should have been consumed by that wretched weapon!" the booming voice of the Elder God echoed throughout the chamber.

Raziel stood almost perfectly still, contemplating what had just occurred. The last few seconds ran through his mind again and again. Kain had pushed him to the edge of the blade, and almost had him removed from it, but the wraith blade still held on. As Kain was struck, the blade dislodged itself from Raziel, or so they both thought. Raziel held up his arm, only to find the wraith blade still intact, though different somehow. He willed the blade into being, and was shocked to find it solid. Solid. He held the same weapon that Kain still possessed.

Kain rose to his feet, and looked up at the Elder God. He could see just from the thrashing it was doing that the last few moments had enraged it even further. Good. He'd like to make sure that anger was taken care of quickly. He looked to see Raziel standing, solid, and carrying his weapon. He gasped, and raised his own blade. Its surface had a quality to it that was not there but a minute ago. He looked back to Raziel, who somehow looked pale, and gazed at the disfigured creature's blade. It was the material version of the Reaver, but the wraith blade had entwined with it. He gripped his own blade, and found that it too had an energy course through it. He willed the energy into being as knew Raziel to do, only to find a red glowing mist wrap itself around the steel blade. He laughed loudly, and looked back toward the giant squid he still needed to deal with.

"Raziel, I always told you that I took a chance leaving you alive so many times. It seems that the time has come to find out how the coin stops."

Raziel heard Kain through his thoughts and immediately understood. He shook his head and regained his composure, unsure of how he came to be in this particular situation, but nonetheless willing to fight alongside his sire once again.

The vampire lord and the decayed specter both advanced upon the 'god', Reavers in hand. As quickly as the behemoth squid attacked, the two deflected the attack with a quick slash from their weapons. It took but minutes to gain enough ground on the being to attack its main body. As the two stepped forward, a low groan could be heard from inside the chamber.

"Raziel… what do you think Kain will do with you once you have disposed of me? You have been naught but his pawn since I resurrected you from his casting you aside."

"Speak no further! It is true that you might have resurrected me, and that Kain was the one who cast me into the abyss. I hated him for that, but it was only because of your influence. I have been Kains pawn, but I have been yours as well, and I will not be it again. The Hylden fear me, for I brought to Kain the weapon of their undoing. You fear me as well, I see. Perhaps now I understand your nature. You live not only in Nosgoth, but in the demon world as well, don't you?"

Kain interjected rather quickly.

"Raziel! I will not stand here while this creature threatens Nosgoth! He must be destroyed!"

"As he will be. Kain, your reaver is now as it should be, though the circumstances of it becoming so are disturbing, to say the least. I live somehow, and hold my own reaver still. I believe this creature connects the Hylden to Nosgoth, for it grew amongst the base of the pillars. We may yet need it alive to completely rid ourselves of the demons!"

Kain stood amazed, for the first time since he gazed upon Raziel after he cast him into the abyss. He thought for a fraction of a second before understanding what Raziel meant. Somehow he now seemed connected to Raziel, even though he was no longer his subordinate.

"Fine. The creature is not to be killed, but we must keep it from gaining more power. We can't have it trying to kill us again, now can we?"

"No, we can't, which means we have to figure out how to cross into the Hylden world, but one of us has to remain here."

As the two contemplated what to do, the Elder God howled in anger. He flailed the stumps of his tentacles about, only shaking the chamber they were in. He realized they would use him as he had tried to use them, and had to figure out a way to keep them from getting into his masters realm. He calmed down significantly as he thought, but only got himself into trouble.

"You, so-called 'god'. You can't be killed if you thrive in the demon world as well, but dying in this world would keep your masters from gaining entrance into Nosgoth. I doubt they'd have use for you on their side if that were to happen, which means death on both sides."

A silence blanketed the chamber for what felt like eternity, until finally Kain spoke.

"The Hylden are no threat to us if he dies, but the pillars may not be as safe as they are now. While you grant them access to this world, you also restrain it. What they don't know about you is the fact that you've grown on this side to a point where you feed from the pillars. They were built to protect Nosgoth from the Hylden, but they were built where you grow. As long as you live in this world, Nosgoth is safer than if you were destroyed."

Again the chamber fell into silence. Kain said nothing, but looked intently at the giant eye that he knew was contemplating what to tell him. He turned and quickly left the chamber, heading for the closest opening to the outside. Suddenly Raziel appeared in front of him, through what seemed to be Kain's own teleportation ability. It seemed that they shared more now than just weapons.

"I must return to the Pillars. Ariel does not know what lurks beneath her, and I must see for myself the Balance Pillar."

"Ariel… can no longer find out about it. What I do not understand is why you need to see the pillar. It sat as the back of your throne for centuries. What could be different now?"

"Wait. You said she could no longer find out about it. Why?"

"The specter forced herself upon the blade, Kain. Her essence now runs through both our weapons. I am sorry."

Kain thought it over as he continued walking, turning corners without realizing where he was. The murdered Balance Guardian's spirit a part of the blade? Not incomprehensible, but shocking nonetheless. He dismissed the issue for another time.

The conversation continued as Kain decided a quicker route would be the ability he'd neglected to think of, until Raziel used it. He gave a slight croak from his throat and disappeared in a cloud of mist, appearing just as quickly as he'd gone. Raziel followed suite, knowing exactly where the vampire went. As Kain stepped forward to look over the Balance Pillar, a loud wail could be heard from everywhere all at once. Both beings looked up, expecting to see the specter form in front of them, only to remember where she was. The wail had come from their weapons, and it jarred both of them to know she was aware of where they were.

Kain went back to inspecting the pillar, running his hands along it as though it were part of his being. He was, in fact, the reason it was in this shape. As he found nothing special, he turned and took his seat upon the throne he'd crafted centuries before. Raziel stepped forward and hopped up onto a shattered pillar, letting his broken wings fall behind him. He dismissed the material blade he held, and rested his arms between his legs. This was the worst situation they'd been in so far. The coin still spun, and only the creature that rested beneath them knew how it would stop.

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This was hard to do. Any reviews, good or bad, will help greatly. Advice on where to go from here is helpful, but not needed. Next chapter coming soon!