Chapter seven ; the grand finale
As the chopper flied towards its destination, a small force of three members prepared them selves for the horror ahead. While Michael piloted, Nikita and Davenport were arming themselves at the back. Michael was calm, his eyes frozen to the horizon before him. But deep down inside he was using all his strength to force the fear away and focus on figuring out the best tactics to use. Davenport loaded his weapon and its tube came pointed at Nikita, but only briefly. He hasn't forgotten the rest of his orders, and all that was placed upon his shoulders was making him feel most uncomfortable. He too knew well what they were up against, but before this ends he'll have two other foes to worry about.
Nikita was placing their gear in their packs amongst which were UV grenades that Walter made especially for them. She was silent and somehow slowed now that they've found the coordinates, but just as she was closing her pack, she heard something. It was a steady beating in her ears that suddenly got louder on its own. At once she was very difficult to move, and barely lifting her head up, she spotted the vein on Davenport's throat, pumping and jumping. The sound was almost mesmerizing, bur she shut her eyes and tried to look away. She was still moving extremely difficult and slow, and as she managed to turn, she saw Kain sitting on a seat opposite to her :
" Boo !"
She couldn't answer him, her body became even more heavy and stuck. Kain continued :
" You are tasting the first bites of your dark gift. "
" What… is… hap… pening… to… me… ?"
Her grim visitor gestured towards the front window. She barely turned her sight there and saw the horizon frozen before them. The propeller blade could be seen trough the top part of the window, moving very slow, as if time was slowed down, but just for her and Kain. She barely turned back to face him again :
" You… are… not… here… "
" Use your mind to speak to me, not your mouth. "
She focused her thoughts :
" You are not with us. You are in my head. "
" Correct. "
" Get out !"
" Is that the way to treat an invited guest ?"
" I did not invite you !"
" Yeas you did, and I answered back. "
" I can't grasp… I can't move. "
" Your senses are working much faster for your mortal flesh to adapt to. Your dark gift is speed related. "
" I don't want your gifts. I want to be changed back you took my life and are twisting it against me I'm dying cure me I want it to stop. "
" Focus when you whisper, Nikita. "
" There must be a cure ! For every process there's a reverse process ! Your infection is no exception !"
" Correct. There are cures. "
" Tell me what it is. Or I'll kick the trash out of you when I find you. "
" You have to do just that. "
" What ?"
" In order to stop changing into a vampire you must kill the vampire overlord before you change. Ether that or to die before you change, but I'd rather have you by my side than dead. "
" And I'd rather die than stand by your side. "
He stood up and approached her :
" I'll be waiting, my daughter. "
Suddenly he was gone and everything returned to normal.
" Did you say something ?"; Davenport asked. Her entire conversation with Kain seemed like a swift twitch to him.
She stood up without answering, and walked by Michael's side to the copilot seat. He looked at her just with his eyes, not turning his head around. She wasn't looking back but she answered :
" He knows we are coming. "
Upon entering the Chronodeck, Raziel came to the platform where Kain, Mica and Leo were standing. The portal was still closed, but there was something odd about the whole scenery. And than he noticed the smell of vampire blood. It was everywhere.
" If you would show up in time just once… "; Kain started
" What happened here ?"; Raziel interrupted and jumped over the fence and the abyss below, on the platform :" Where are the rest of your vampires ?"
" They are dead. Mica and Leo are the only ones left. "
" You had them kill each other ! That's just your stile, to sacrifice your children when you have no further need of them !"
" It was not a lightly made decision and I'll appreciate if you would restrain from bringing it up. There's not enough time or energy to transport them all back. This was the best I could do. "; he turned to the controls and Leo stood in front of Raziel :
" If you know what's good for you, you'll be silent from now on, blue demon !"
" Let me give you some advice, whelp ; it is a lethal mistake to throw traits at my direction !"
He grabbed him so fast, Leo could barely move against it, and Mica was about to jump at him, but Kain yelled :
" Enough ! Release him, Raziel !"
Raziel looked at him as if asking " or what ?"
" Don't make me say please. "
Just to humor them, Raziel released Leo and let him back away with Mica closer to Kain, who continued :
" The time has come at last. The planets are mowing into their rightful place and the final hovers of our imprisonment are upon us. "
He activated the controls.
Due to the storm, the chopper had to be landed a little further south from the field, on a nearby hill. The rain still wouldn't fall despite the impenetrable clouds which rotated above. Michael, Nikita and Davenport came out of the craft, and started to look around for anything out of the ordinary. There seamed to be nothing there, except that the clouds were appearing to circle in a loop around a certain place on the field.
The machine started to come to life. Power flowed trough its parts, the computer began displaying the status of the systems, and the portal hoop started to fizzle and rotate. Kain was lost in those displays. He typed on his keyboard and like a director, orchestrated this symphony of power. The computer sounded :
" Diverting all power to primary systems…Dropping the cloak. "
Davenport was annoyed. He taught that they've made a mistake by coming here and he angrily expressed it :
" This isn't the place. He's who knows where, and we are sitting here like…"
" He is here. "; Nikita cut him of calmly like in a trans :" I can feel his presence all around… "
" What are you talking about !"; Davenport yelled :" There's nothing here but corn and bugs !"
suddenly Michael interrupted them :
" Shush. "; Nikita stopped as well and listened.
" Yeas. I hear it too…Ooo…my… god !"
Electric charge started to emerge from the ground in the distance, making a huge half sphere that razed to the sky beneath the center of the cloud loop. It begun cracking and it burst like a bubble reviling their quest object. Kain's machine was glowing like thunders were forged into it. Huge and breath taking it stood openly before them like a fortress. A living fortress, for the next moment it started to move.
" …activating dynamical systems. "
" Yeas. "; Kain said slowly pronouncing it :" Come to life my beautiful creation ! Awaken and hear your masters call. "
Mighty engines begun to spin great gears, shacking the land like an earthquake. Horizontal cylinders started to spin around the vertical tower, and the symbols on the construction started to flash. It was accelerating.
The three gathered their thoughts and started to run towards it, but Michael first grabbed a parachute and strapped it to his back. Davenport got there first and hooked up a line with which he could climb up. But Michael and Nikita got there too late, for the cable fell off right after Davenport climbed it. They hooked it up on the next passing tower and climbed on it.
" Engaging primary power sources… starting up generators… one…"
From the first of the rotating cylinder towers, a read beam of energy, passing trough its rings all the way, stroke the crystal on the exit of it, and streamed down to the box on the lower side of the platform.
" …two…three…four. Planets have reached the necessary position. "
From each of the cylinders, a beam of energy emerged flashing like fire, in blue, yellow, and green color, and the portal begun to form in the rotating ring on the platform. The rounded roof above them opened like a flower, showing the stars of night, trough a hole in the clouds loop.
Suddenly, the system announced :
" Warning security breach. Intruder alert. "
Kain deactivated this announcement :
" They are full of surprises. Sheep have come to the slaughter house. "; he glared to his children, and they jumped on to deal with fresh meat.
As the two operatives entered the inner tube, they started placing the explosives. The machine kept accelerating, and the force of spinning was pressing them on one side, constantly pooling them away from the center. But than Michael noticed :
" We don't need to place much charge here. "; he gestured her down
Nikita looked and saw another charge already placed below the walking path. It was a built in self destruct system. There was still cures to be found and they've pressed on. They had to crawl on the walls to get to the center where Kain must have bean, and than Michael's foot got stuck on something. It was a claw of a female vampire he saw earlier, the one that refused to fight him and Nikita when Kain's double attacked the Section. She somehow got behind him, and was standing there as if on still ground. Ripping him of the wall, she held Michael to hang towards the far end where they entered. The force of the spinning was much grater than gravity now, and if she was to let go he would fly to the end of the rotating cylinder, braking his bones on impact like glass. She was about to do just that, but Nikita took out a small metal orb :
" Hey, monster ! Say Cheese !"
She tossed it to her and shielded her self behind her bag of gear. As Mica caught it, Michael reached and grabbed the wall. The UV flash grenade exploded in the vampire's hand, causing her to fall in the beam of energy that streamed trough the spindle and it sliced her in half. But Michael's weapon fell of his belt, and flied back to the end of the tube. It was pointless to go back for it. They had to continue.
Davenport found him self face to face with a vampire that stood without difficulty on the floor before him. The find grabbed him, and started to draw him closer to his fangs.
" Opening portal…"
Numerous yellow symbols were separated from the walls, and started to muster in a swarm around the portal ring. At once, they stroke it, and in that moment, the familiar explosion of watery energy flashed out of it all over the platform, and back in again. The computer said :
" Portal stability 70…75…85…98 percent… stabile. "
" Get in, Raziel ! Quickly !"
Raziel went forward, but stopped for a moment :
" You first, Kain. "
Kain smiled wickedly, and mowed to the portal. Just as he was about to pass trough, Raziel felt as something push him from behind. Kain dragged him to his grasp with his TK, and held him by the throat just at the entrance with one hand, and his reaver with the other :
" You should trust me more. I'll be there soon enough, but you must repair the broken sword first. "
Raziel yelled, just as Kain lunched him in, and the entire machine flashed stronger than ever.
The energy started to spin in red and yellow clouds around him, and as he emerged, Raziel heard a greeting voice :
" Raziel ! Redeemer and destroyer ! Pawn and messiah ! "; a figure he instantly recognized stepped before him. Moebius continued :" Welcome time spanned soul ! Welcome ; to your destiny !"
Kain deactivated the portal alone, and started a different procedure. The computer announced :
" Entering coordinates…The pillars of Nosgoth !"
Just as he was done, a hook on a cable fell on the fence of the platform, and Michael and Nikita dropped down from the horizontal tower section, to his presence.
" Congratulations ! You've passed my last and strongest, and reached me, but now your last move is sole my choice. "
Nikita pointed a dart gun at him, and Michael presented a detonator, which button he was holding pressed :
" Than choose. "; he said :" We've mined this place. If I let go of the button, we'll die and this place will be destroyed ! "
" It was meant to be destroyed all along. You've nearly added some extra charge. "
" All the better for us. Your mousetrap has turned on you. Shut this monstrosity down at once !"
" This Monstrosity ? You don't see the beauty of this magnificent work. Behold ; All of the lore you harvested spying on nature, combined by my design, bended the galaxy it self, and cracked space and time, to open a wormhole to Nosgoth. This machine came out of your lust to master nature, as well as my need. It is your monstrosity, and my legacy !"
" Save it ! Whatever it is it ends one way or another. Ether you stop it, or we will. "
" (Humph) You two have as much brain as a wrench and a chisel ; What would happened to your beloved Earth, if I would be forced to stay here ? Would you even live long enough to stop me ?"
" You aren't fast enough. "; Nikita said :" If one of us doesn't get you, the other will. I don't care about my condition any more, if the price is global cataclysm. I will gladly die to prevent you, but at least I'll take you down with me !"
" You forget the third option… "; Kain tossed
Suddenly there was a sharp " swoosh", and their hands were empty. Kain held both the gun, and the detonator. He first melted the detonators plastics to seal the button forever pressed, and then tossed it over the fence. He than broke the gun, and smelled one of the darts :
" Cute… One would think you have something against me. "; he tossed the gun too, and looked at them with cold anger, burning silently over his face :" I am so annoyed with you, that I should almost let you live, just to see how wrong you are. Almost…"
He opened his jaw pointing out his fangs, and his eyes flashed with white red light. The two draw knifes, and started to draw closer.
" Four minutes 'till conclude of the operation. "
Davenport struggled with Leo, but despite his efforts his flesh kept drawing closer to Leo's huge, sharp jaws. Than his hand extended, and placed a black metal tube in the vampire's wide opened mouth. A shot was fired, and Leo released him. Davenport got hold of the wall and Leo grabbed him self for his throat, and started to hiss. His skin begun to crack, and flames started to burst from it, as he screamed, and coughed. At once he combusted into flames and his ashes became a gray cloud that smoked away. Davenport pressed on to the center, putting the dart gun back on his belt.
The battle raged on the platform between two brave humans and the ultimate predator. It would seem that they were being saved for Kain's last meal before he passes trough the portal, but they weren't giving up without a fight. At one point Kain blasted Michael away with a TK bolt, and received a punch from Nikita in his back. He was slugged a couple of peaces, and as he turned he slapped her so hard she span a couple of times before hitting the ground beside Michael. But as she fell her face brushed itself on Michael's sleeve, leaving something on it. Michael noticed… it was a peace of her skin… no it was dust… it was make up. Nikita looked at him and at that moment he saw her cheek. It was pale green like the rest of her face she tried to hide beneath a thick layer of powder. Her blond hair fell aside exposing her pointy ears, and as her eyes blinked they instantly became yellow. As they stared at each other despair begun to circle their eyes, but strength returned in hers and she leaped like a cat back in to battle. Michael did too and driven by anger they started to advance against him. They were becoming such a nuisance Kain had to put all his effort to keep them at bay.
Finally he grew angry and threw Michael off the edge, into the abyss. Instantly Nikita screamed. As his body flied trough the air she suddenly felt time slowing down again. Michael started to fly very slow, almost like some kind of slow motion picture, and with all her strength she mowed pass Kain. She unhooked the cable they used to descend on the platform and jumped down into the gorge after him.
As Kain came to the edge of the platform he saw Nikita holding Michael by his arm with one claw, and with the other, the end of the dangling cable that was tied to the fence on the other side of the gorge :
" Bravo, my daughter. "; he said. She looked back to him with animal rage in her eyes, but he wasn't disturbed :" Hang around, I'll get back to you. "
He left back to his keyboard.
" Two minutes 'till the conclude of the operation… Mercury J. is entering its final position… "
Nikita dragged Michael up and he grabbed for the cable. In that moment she looked him as if she was looking at him for the last time, and than with all her muscle, jumped high in the air before he could do anything. She alone continued the fight with Kain, while Michael started to climb the cable as fast as he could, but it wasn't fast enough.
Two vampires fought with such speed, it seemed that time all around them was crawling to a stop. Kain was not attacking. He was just blocking her every punch and dodged her claws. Than he grabbed her arms and they came face to face :
" A grand daughter you will become. It is strength rather than power that keeps you on your feet against me. "
" Haven't you seen the commercial; power is nothing without control !"
Her claw slipped out of his and went for his face. He moved aside, but still it caught him, scratching it painfully. The force of her stroke was so great it polled her along towards the unformed portal. She was unable to stop herself and was about to pass trough at best, but Kain grabbed her and hurled her body aside on the ground :
" Careful, child. The ribbon is yet unformed. Its touch is lethal to a fledgling. "
His face scratch was healed, but some of his blood remained on her nails. As she gazed at them, she found herself unable to resist, but to swiftly pass her tongue over it, scrapping every drop, and even than she was still sucking her fingers bathing in the taste of his essence :
" Why do you fight me, child ?"; he asked her soul :" We are the same blood, you and I. "
" The Earth… Michael… Mi… Michael… "
" Come to me, and I'll let you have him. I'll show you the way to be together forever. Come to me and I'll set you free. "
He reached his outstretched claw to her.
" Thirty seconds 'till conclude of the operation "
Michael finally managed to get back on the platform, but there was no one there. The portal hummed and the controls flashed but now only computer was guiding them. He ran to the keyboard to try to stop the countdown, but suddenly a cable fell over him like a lasso. It was Nikita. She yanked it so strong she ripped him of the ground and as he flied she wrapped it around him, binding him. He was in her arms now and in front of him was Kain that grinned trough his sealed lips.
" Nikita, don't. "; Michael said strongly to her
" Finish him, Nikita. Bite in his soft flesh. "
" Don't give in. Be strong. "
" Feed on his life's blood. Give him the kiss of darkness. "
" You are strong Nikita. Fight this thing he forces upon you. "
Nikita hesitated. Her fangs were hanging over Michael's throat but weren't yet dropping. She suddenly shut her eyes, screamed in despair, and finally released the cable. She fell to the ground with Michael beside her, still wrapped. She started to act like she had an epileptic attack, twitching and shacking. Michael glared at Kain's now empty face :
" End this !"; he said to him
It was Kain who now hesitated. It was hard to confess but he was impressed. Suddenly he extended his claw and gripped Nikita's mind again. She instantly stood up and approached in his arms :
" You are unique, my Nikita. But the darkness is to beautiful… I am irresistible… Your braking is inevitable… "
Michael was working hard on his unfastening, but the cable was too resistant to unwrap. And Nikita was calm, swaying in her bellowed father's arms almost like dancing. Pretty yellow symbols started to hover above her head and were about to strike the portal…
At once, Kain released her, and she collapsed on the ground. His mind grip was gone, and his pain was the last thing she felt before the link broke. She and Michael both looked at Kain's sour face, as his claw reached for his back. He took out an empty dart. Davenport reloaded his dart-gun, standing on the exit of the tower section on the other side of the abyss.
Kain started roaring in pain. His blood began boiling and skin to crack and smoke. The cracks were glowing with red flames like it was lava running trough his vanes that finally caught his whole body, incinerating him on the ground. He was just lying there motionless and seared.
Michael finally managed to unwrap the cable. He helped Nikita up. She seemed a little better, with blush returned to her cheeks. She smiled at him and they hugged each other.
A sharp sound of a dart-gun firing, ripped the resident silence, and Nikita's face exploded in sudden shock. She slipped on the ground, practically leaking out of Michael's arms, and he had to pool himself together before he could realize what happened. Davenport reloaded his weapon, pointing it at Michael this time. Michael screamed and wanted to jump at him, but Davenport presented his detonator. He was pressing its button :
" Sorry, Michael… "; Davenport said :" …Orders. "
It would seem that this alien machine would become their tomb. Michael kneeled beside Nikita and took her in his arms. She hugged him back while B-1 virus progressed trough her blood. Davenport aimed at his last target.
Something jumped at his back, and Davenport missed. Two blue claws grabbed him from behind, sticking themselves deep in his flesh. It was Mica, that is, her upper half. Davenport struggled with her as pain spread trough him.
Michael turned, following the sound of Kain getting up. Still smocking cracks were all over the surface of his body, and from his movement, one could guess he was very much hurt. As he opened his read eyes he saw Davenport struggling with his half of a daughter. In his hand he recognized the detonator, but before he could act Mica bit Davenport's flesh. It was enough for him to loose balance and fall over the edge to the gorge below, and the detonator slipped out of his hand. Kain screamed.
" NOOooo !"
" Opening portal. "
A massive explosion shivered the ground and an entire vertical tower burst in flame and debris. The blast knocked Kain back down and the red lights begun flashing all over the controls
" Warning ! Power source three damaged ! Insufficient energy ! portal destabilized !"
Kain started typing his keyboard so fast it begun smocking it self :
" No ! Work, damn you ! WORK !"
But all his efforts were in vane, for the computer announced :
" Destruction eminent ! Closing the portal !"
The ribbon vanished and the portal was now just an empty ring.
Kain screamed in rage and razed his fist to smash the controls, but he stopped. He couldn't do it. It was still his creation, his Chronodeck 5 in which he invested every drop of sweat his undead body pored out for the past two mounts. And now his wounded machine was about to expire with all it had to give him. He has failed, but grief wasn't just his emotion now.
Nikita was almost dead. Michael held her hand above her panting body.
"… already… I can feel… it burning my blood. "; she said :" I'm dying. "
" No. You'll live. "
" … know that I… love… loved… yooouuu… "; her words trailed of, and she closed her eyes.
Michael kissed her dead lips and placed her hands crossed on her chest, while small explosions of electric discharges emanated all around the platform, shacking the Chronodeck in its foundations.
Kain watched them in silence and suddenly something broke within him, something long forgotten and repressed by ages of omnipotence and blood lust. A sickeningly familiar female voice echoed in his mind :
" … we have flaws, but we aren't such monsters you depict us. We are capable for exulted causes. We do terrible things, but we do beautiful things as well. We can create. We can feel. We can love. Are we all so foul in your eyes ? Is there no hope for us ?"
In that moment his face was as if he had a wail of vinegar to drink. He approached Michael and slowly spoke :
"… give her to me. "
Michael got up and stood in front of him. He cared for nothing any more and would gladly die a painful death, rather than let her be defiled any more. Kain grudged, and sighed annoyed :
" I'm beginning to loose my patience with you. Thrust me !"
Michael looked at him and saw something new in his eyes, something that wasn't there before. He beheld this new spark in his eyes shortly, and than stepped aside.
Kain ripped one of the cables of the portal ring with one claw and with the other he took Nikita's body. Before Michael realized, Kain's other claw grabbed the live wire. Energy surged trough them both, and Kain started to scream in pain while sparks of discharging streamed trough his body and into Nikita. The cracks on Kain started to grow and spread, but at the same time the cracks on Nikita started to decrease and vanish. For a while they both glittered with blue light and than Kain had to rip the wire out of his claw, thus ending the process. He tossed Nikita on the ground and crawled to the control desk where he drank the entire blood supply in his thirst.
As Nikita opened her eyes she was in Michaels arms. His pupils spread as she awakened and inside was joie he would never express. He helped her get up, and it was only than that she remembered what happened. There was no thirst, no fangs, no trace of any vampire features on her, only the bite scar was left on her neck, but other than that she was human again. They both looked at Kain who took a small crystal case with three tiny wiles of blue liquid, out of some hidden drawer in his control desk. He tossed it to them :
" It's the cure for your masters. Do what you want with it. "
" Why ?"; Michael asked. Kain laughed to him self trough the braking pain he endured
" Because I can. "; he made a short pause and continued :" I like you, both of you. And to hear it from me is the greatest compliment you can think of. "
" …seven minutes 'till detonation. "
" You have that much to get yourselves out. "
" What about you ?"; Nikita asked
" You'll be sure to hear from me again… in a week or two. Only I won't be as benevolent as I am now. "
They watched his amazing transformation, but he too couldn't believe him self. In time he taught that all the knowledge would come to him, but an idea for such actions newer crossed his mind before. He almost remembered what he was like before that faithful day, the pillar of balance fell down crumbling behind his steps.
Michael and Nikita looked around at the remnants of the machine they came to destroy :
" There were never any danger to us. It was safe all along, wasn't it ?"; Nikita said : " If you had just told us… "
" You wouldn't believe me. "; Kain interrupted :" It's a pity the cost of trust is so high, otherwise all this would be unnecessary. "
" Can't we fix it somehow ?"
" Aww… How sweet. Little people want to heal my broken wings. "; Kain said mockingly and stood up :" Short than supplying me with 1.6 GW of raw power, no, there is no way to fix it. Get out before I eat you. "; he was serious about the last one
" 1.6 GW… What about thunders ?"; Nikita said
" I'm too weak to cast lightning right now. "
" Not you, you egomaniac, I meant outside. "
Kain razed his gaze at the stormy night. The lightning cracked trough the clouds above him. He started considering :
" An average lightning has 1.2 GW, but if I could supply it to a capacitor and than discharge it in a critical moment… "; he began calculating :" It… might work. It will be close… But someone would have to maintain the systems while I make the connection. "
They looked at each other. Michael said :
" What do we have to do ?"
With his telepathy, Kain gave them lore of the controls, and controls alone, and than jumped to the tower entrances section. He took one long already wrapped cable ( that was a leftover of the constructing ) and placed it upon his back, but he couldn't teleport to the top being too wounded. So he stabbed his claws in the walls and started to scale them in Raziel-stile. But just as he got to the top, a lightning cracked the sky, and the clouds dropped their heavy baggage all over him. Rain started to shower his cracked and weakened skin, searing him like acid.
" Grate… ( hrmh )… all I needed. "
The rain swiftly got worse. Kain tied one end of the cord to the newly made lightning rood, and took the other, while the machine span below him with an amazing speed. Focusing his senses, he slowed it down for him, and than hesitating briefly, jumped to the spinning abyss beneath him. A lightning flashed as his silhouette was falling down, and the chill acidic touch of water grabbed him in the grip of pain. He missed. The exploded tube swept him off his course, hitting him at full speed. Both, Michael and Nikita felt a pain in their heads, but they continued.
The fire still burned on the ruined reactor tube that span around with a cable dangling on it. A bloody three finger claw, emerged out from the side, and Kain climbed on the led, roaring at the sky and waving his claws at the rain, trying to scare it off like a desperate animal. He opened the hatch, and entered in. The nuclear reactor was being overheated, the metal around radiated, and bunch of debris from the explosion were blocking the path of the energy beam. Kain first tied the other end of the cord to the electrode of the stabilizer, and than started to clear the path for the energy. His strong muscles slowly bended the metal wreckage, that threatened to shatter in peaces every moment now. But the final piece was too heavy, and he couldn't get it out of the way.
" GnnhhhaaaaRRR !. "; he released it :" No ! It's not over ! I'll have you in dust at my feet !"
At the risk of having the tube brake off, he ripped one of the construction bars that held it together at this speed, and plunged it like a leaver beneath the troublesome barrier. Pressing hard, he managed to bend it enough for the stream of energy to flow again. Returning the bar back, and bending the metal around it, he yelled to them :
" NOW !"
They canceled the negative charge on the lightning rood, and directed the beam of protons at it, attracting all the thunders on it. The electricity, streamed trough it down the cord Kain placed and into the damaged reactor. Instantly, an uglier beam of destabilized energy flashed trough the tube, and the portal started to come to life again. As Nikita turned, she saw tormented, bloody, demonic appearance of Kain's beastly self, jumping on the platform behind them. Any nobility he had was gone, replaced by a savage animal, that the unspeakable pain dug out of him. He grabbed them in his iron grasp, panting like a wild bull, and his mouth came half opened. Just as they taught he was going to drain them dry, they flied trough the air, as he threw them to entrance of one tube :
" GOOO !"; he yelled to them. They didn't need to be told twice.
Clutching the cure, Michael led Nikita forward to the exit hatch, leaving Kain alone to struggle for his escape. When they emerged on the outer side, Nikita grabbed Michael's chest, and he opened a parachute that was still on his back. The speed of rotating filled it with air, opening instantly and throwing them up in the stormy sky.
" Look !"; Nikita suddenly shouted
And from there they could see that the bar, which Kain used to make a thunder collector, was beginning to bend and the cord to separate from it, due to the rotation. As they landed, they hurried to the chopper. Michael took a gun and fired a couple of shoots at the telephone pool cutting down one long cable. He swiftly gathered it, while Nikita started the chopper.
" Uranus entering it's final position. Opening portal…warning ; Portal stability dangerously low. "
" …Yeas…Yeas ! Work. "
Kain dribbled at the controls. His whole body ached and burned, and his mind span. Blood leaked out of him over his cracked skin making him even more thirsty. He saved his last strength for this.
" Capacitors charging. Setting the timer… ten seconds before detonation. Portal stability 60 percent. Two minutes till… "
" Hahhh ! It seams I'm going to pool trough a kea hole. "
Nikita had to pilot the chopper most carefully, to avoid the lightning strike. Mean while Michael made a lasso out of a cable with a bag tied to the other end. It was layered with rubber and thus it was safe from thunders. As they came close enough he opened the side dour of the craft and yelled to her :
" Keep it as steady as you can !"
" I'm trying, but the wind is too strong ! It will carry us straight into a thunder bolt, if we go any closer !"
The roaring wind whipped trough the air tossing the chopper left and right, and as hard as he tried, Michael couldn't throw the lasso on the lightning rod. And than suddenly the chopper got calm, though the wind still blew all around. Michael looked with misunderstanding and saw a woman in the white doctor's coat, long brown hair and eyeglasses, holding the tail of their craft. For a moment all was silent and he could hear her saying :
" Throw the cord, Michael. "
He didn't wait much to wonder about it and aimed again. The ring of cable flew in the dark rain, passing trough brightness of lightning flashes and finally fell around the lightning rod. It instantly grabbed it in its grip and the rotation of the device made the bag on the other end wrap around it binding it back to its place.
Michael looked back at the tail, but the woman was gone, and the chopper started shacking again. He got back in and closed the side dour, while Nikita pooled them out of there :
" You are a regular cowboy. "; she said to him, and flied the craft away from the spinning machine.
A loud rumble echoed above Kain's head. Thunder stroke the construction, cracking the roof. A large piece of metal fell off, and on the platform, cutting two wires that lead to the portal hoop. The piece stroke him, and he fell down. When he came to, he saw the wires dangling on the floor.
" Warning; critical error. "
" No ! "; he said, with hope at its end
He got up, and grabbed the cable ends with bare hands, making a connection with his body. Thousands of volts fled trough him as he squeezed his claws around the live charge. His knees faltered in pain, and he was left hanging, holding gaspingly to the wires.
An eternity passed… He was standing bound by his arms to two searing poles, near a pool of fire in a hell-like cave… A sword was sticking out of his chest.
" You shall have the blood you hunger for… "
Mortanius approached…
" Nothing is free Kain…."
" Nothing is free Kain… "
" Nothing is free Kain… "
" Not even ESCAPE… death cannot reign in a world without life. "
" RAAARRRHH ! Roth in hell you old fool ! I've killed you ! I'm free of you ! Roth in heal all of you !"; But the faces kept stalking him…
" I know you are here, demon. The stench of death clings to you. Come to slay the slayer of vampires, have you ?"
" Your name was drowned at the back waters of passing time. All your plans were set a light, and seared to smoke and ashes ! Tortured eons of suffering are too good for you, vampire !"
" All in time sirrah. Yes, time. Unless you master it - it will master you. "
" Fear him not, Bane - he is but a whelp; his soul is ours for the taking. "
" Burn! Wretched vampire! Burn! "
" Meddling with the affairs of man can do us no good. Sarafan witch hunts are much too tedious to concern ourselves with. Am I understood Kain ?"
" I am your creation, Kain - now, as before. You criticize your own work. You are not God ! This act of genocide is unconscionable ! "
" …The soul reaver… to feed on the souls of any creature it strikes. Kindred, this blade and I. "
" Mua-ha-ha-ha-ha ! Call your dogs ! They can feast on your corpses ! "
" Come, Kain . . . come, share my pain . . ."
" The scourge of Nosgoth is upon us, friends ! We shall die today as heroes, lest we live tomorrow as slaves !"
" You thought yourself a king when in fact you were a pawn ! You have served me well, Kain. "
" You have seen my plans vampire, as I have seen your destiny… The future says you die. "
" Don't you see? My silencing of Ariel, and it's calculated repercussions, is but the first act in my theatre of Grand Guignol. Of which you are the tragic "hero" . Play on, little vampire, play on..."
" And, by what right, cursed one did you send my kind into that place of evil ? You are a degenerate remnant of a cursed race, doomed to walk the night as a parasite ! Your life is easily snuffed out… snuffed out… snuffed out… "
" Emptying the capacitors… "
Those were the last words he heard. Kain forced his claws close, and placed the wire ends together. The voltage was so strong now, it held them stuck to one another, and he collapsed on the floor before the portal.
"… eight… seven… six.. .five…"
" AAAAAAAHHHHHH ! "
His body begun to glow and shrink. A cloud of smoke, and a white bat-like creature in it, flapping its wings flown towards the shrinking worm hole.
" … two… one… Detonating. "
Flame and explosions rouse everywhere, hiding it as it fled towards the closing portal. Behind the chopper, far in the distant horizon, Kain's device exploded, and its shreds were dancing high above the clouds. Flame, sound, and blasts filled the wet air.