The Barriers

"Hey Kit, except for the symbols on this wall, room and this room and the previous one look identical! This trip is getting stranger by the minute?"

"Yeah, it is. Although, its not anywhere near close to being the strangest we've experienced so far."

"That's true, but.….Hey!! The symbol on the far side of the room matches the one on this side of the room! What's going on here Raziel?"

" I said earlier I would answer your questions after you answered mine. Now….If you would follow me." He said and proceeded to lead them, to another set of stairs.

"More stairs!!" The humans cried out when they saw them.

"Don't worry, there aren't as many as the last time." He informed.

"That's a relief!" They synchronized.


The stairway ended at the top in a short passageway that led to door made of what looked like a type of stone. The door had the same symbol as on the archway and platform in the room they had just left. "This is my home, and what remains my clan's hall. It is now one of the few, somewhat safe places left in Nosgoth. Nonetheless, be on your guard. However, we still have to cross through the all vampiric barriers before we can relax even the slightest." He cautioned them, before opening the door.

The door opened on to a small walkway, that had three stairways leading off on the left towards a lower level. The walkway they were on, had a fire burning in a stone basin that was located at it's center. Located on each side of a stairway was a pillar. The entire area was enormous

"Amazing" Kit remarked.

Raziel went over to one of the middle pillars and activated a hidden switch. Suddenly, a rumbling shook the chamber.

"What's going on?" Nita exclaimed

Behind the fire, on the wall there had been a design, which was identical to the markings in the second of the arched rooms. The design was apparently splitting in half. The design had begun to split vertically at the middle and each half of the design slid into the walls on each side. The design slid into the wall to reveal a small, yet tall room. The room was composed of several walls. Each wall had a narrow area running the whole height of the wall. These particular areas looked like they were composed of a different kind of stone or material than the rest of the wall. Every other inch of the room, with the exception of the floor and ceiling, was covered in various levers, knobs, buttons, switches, dials, and cranks.

"Mystical portals, immense buildings, secret passages, hidden levers, and no sign of life or life energy, save their guide," thought Nita. "this is a definitely an strange place."

"There's no way anyone could reach or even jump that high,  so why do the walls still look as if the items go up that high?" Kit contemplated while gazing curiously at the walls.

His un-asked question was answered soon enough. Raziel suddenly leapt at and dug his claws in to cling to one of the bare stretches of wall. Raziel then began his ascent, using his claws to support his weight. After 15 minutes of fiddling with some knobs, pulling a few levers, turning cranks, and activating a few switches, Raziel leapt back down just in time for the trio to hear a click as the one of the walls slid up to reveal a short tunnel. As the end of the tunnel, the group found themselves in a naturally formed cavern at the shore of a small underground lake. The lake stretched the whole width of the cavern, leaving no way to avoid the lake by simply walking around it. The whole cavern was brightly illuminated by an abnormally immense crystal imbedded in the ceiling. Surprisingly, the light energy she realized, coming from the crystal, was none other than sunlight.

Turning to the humans, Raziel asked, "Can you swim across?"

"We can, however…." Nita started.

"…….we would prefer to walk on the water" Kit finished for her.

"Astonishing……such knowledge and power in these youth considering their age."  Raziel concluded.

"I will expect you on the opposite side shortly then" Raziel announced to them.

Raziel promptly jumped into the lake and began to swim to the other side. Upon reaching the other side, he glanced back and saw the humans actually traversing the lake's surface on foot.

"It will be even more interesting to hear their story and explanation than I originally thought." the wraith decided.

Turning back to the lake's edge, he rapidly launched himself out of the water up and onto dry land. He turned just in time to see the humans walk back onto solid ground. Raziel then turned and walked up to large smooth section of wall that was recessed into the wall. This section of wall had what appeared to be a small hole in the rock. On the right and left side of the hole were two carvings of an oddly shaped sword running most if the height of the recessed wall.

"Step back," he said as turned his head to scan the surrounding area them in all directions. "I need some room."

The wraith turned back to the wall, having activated his symbiotic weapon, the Soul Reaver, he plunged the blade deep into the wall.

As he withdrew the glowing weapon from the wall, the hole he had send his blade swiftly into, began to glow. The hole also started to draw in sparks from the air, until it shone brightly. At this point, a line of light shot vertically up down at the center of the wall, passing through center of the hole. The wall suddenly sprang apart the line of light being the division point, as if shoved open by some tremendous force.

 Revealed now to the group, was a magnificently carved and decorated door. "I welcome you to my 'home.'" He announced to them, as he opened the door.