Chapter four ; Into the lion's den
After a longer walk they managed to reach the road, all the time not speaking to each other. The passing forest seemed like a good place to hide their feelings and they've used it to prevent themselves from saying anything that would be even remotely unpleasant. Upon reaching the road, Adella covered her self in illusions, becoming lifelike and irresistibly attractive. Like that, she easily stopped one passing hover-car and gained the loyalty of the driver. He was at first unwilling to drive them all the way to Stenchencrow, but a gaze in her sapphire eyes easily changed his mind. In a certain moment she had to feed a little from him, so her father took the steering. As she was draining the man's wrist, he tossed a quick glare at her and as their eyes met they swiftly looked away again. Upon having enough, she tore some clothing from the man's coat, wrapped it around the wound tightly to stop the bleeding, and than placed his sleeping body on the back seat.
" Do you always do… that… like that ?"; he asked her as she wiped the blood of her lips
" Every time… since… "
" Since ?"
" … since Raniret. "; she looked away trough the window.
They didn't talk any more. Evening came, than the night, and they finally managed to reach the planes beneath Stenchandcrow. Leaving the car and the driver aside the road, they started pacing the rocky sides, searching for any sign of the lizards.
" Wait… "; she whispered to him :" … Over there !"
She led him to a small cliff and hiding behind its edge, they saw a couple of lizards lying before the entrance of one large cave. They appeared to be sleeping.
" How did you know ?"; he asked
" I… can hear their heart beet. "
" But you couldn't hear it before. "
" My senses are much sharper at night. That's why they chose to attack during day time. "
" Of course… Clever things. "
" Intelligent yes, but not clever. I wager none of them is over two years old… but I can't say about this Jaren Sal. "
" Okay. Let's go. "
" They have much sharper smell than me. If I can smell you so can they. "
" Than they can smell you too. "
" I've bean trained for this by NUC. I know a few tricks. "
" Like ?"
" They don't hear well, so I'll base my approach on that. You must stay here and keep watch. If anything goes wrong, contact General Leiman and tell him what happened. "
" He'll think I'm crazy. "
" Don't worry. He knows about me. "; she stood up to go :" I want you to… to know... that… "
He took her by her hand :
" I'm sorry. "; he looked at her :" For accusing you… for thinking it was you who… "
" I know… I'm sorry I brought this upon you… Kain was right ; I shouldn't have come back. "
" No. You definitely should have. "; he smiled to her ;" Go on now. Do your stuff. "
She jumped off the cliff and glided silently to the ground. Once she reached the high grass, she started observing the two sleeping lizard-men at the entrance. They seemed to be pure security, but than she noticed their long thin tongues that stretched out of their mouth and occasionally shook fast to catch any foreign sent nearby. It seemed impossible to pass by unnoticed, unless she distracts them first. And than she saw a small furry black and white animal further down the cliff. It was using a large crack in a rock to make it self a nest. With her sharp eyes, she saw what it was and her cunning smile glittered on the moonlight.
At once the left lizard opened his serpent eyes, pooling the skin over his tin long pupils to spot an approaching creature. It was a small black jungle mammal, with a broad white streak stretching down his back and his large fluffy tail. He hissed to his brother on the right and as they both stood up, the animal turned away lifting its rear end. At once they were sprayed by cloud of unbearable stench and were forced to back away before it. It was so strong, they couldn't smell anything else and they were desperately trying to clean them selves from it. They were so disoriented and confused, that Adella had time to pet the skunk, before entering the cave.
The underground tunnels were well lit by many warm torches. It seemed that these creatures like heat. But there was barely few of them there, practically three or four on every level of the cave. Unlike her own cave, this one wasn't so clean and tidy, and chaotic stalactites decorated its interior. The cave it self was big with large broad tunnels and plenty of room to hide, but deeper down the corridors she found the cave décor all broken and crumbled, like some extremely large creature passed trough it, and judging by the fresh broken stalactites on the ground, it was quite recently.
Further down the tunnels, she found certain chambers with large yellow sacks of fluid. They were egg-sacks of these creatures, with the shades of smaller twitching lizard-men darkening the thin surface. Disgusted and disturbed, she passed this freak-show ward, and pressed on trying not to think about it.
Finally she reached a large wooden dour, about twenty meters high, and using all her muscle, she gently pushed them open enough to squeeze trough. And there, in a roughly made wooden cage, in a well lit corner were her mother, her sister and her sister's husband, somehow exhausted and fallen on the flour. The room was square and huge, so huge an entire battle cruiser could fit into it, and it seemed that no meter how many torches and braziers you would place in it, it will always remain dark. Countless torches decorated the walls left and right of the entrance stretching as far as she could see into this shadowy room, but it was strange that there was so many. It must have bean an enormous job, placing them all there and lighting them all like this. Except for the cage and these lights there was nothing in the entire room, at lest, she couldn't see anything with these infernal torches burning all over the walls. She couldn't see the distant end, but it all seemed empty and deserted.
Strange as it was, she didn't let her self be swayed by it, and putting her guise back on, she sneaked to the wooden grate.
" Psst ! Wake up you all. We have to get out of here. "
Her mom looked at her. At first she couldn't believe her eyes, thinking that she is dreaming or something. Helen saw her next, as she begun to untwist the crude rope with which the sticks were bound.
" Wow !"; Joseph said, fascinated by her beauty :" Which part of my dreams did you come from ?"
Helen suddenly looked at him angry and slugged him with her elbow.
" Adella… ?"; her mom said :" … But you're dead. "
" I'll explain later, mom. Right now, I have to get you out of here. "
" No, listen to me !"; she said :" You have to flee now before the… "
A deep and penetrating laughter slowly started to crawl trough the chamber, bouncing off walls and hitting their awareness, and her family backed to the other part of the cage, away from its source. Adella turned to the faraway darkness confused and frightened. As the laughter died, the ground begun to shake and tremble with massive footsteps of the approaching giant. It suddenly emerged out to her sight.
It was a huge upright green lizard with long face and jaws filled with sharp teeth. Its back legs and feet were much more massive and he used them to walk like a man, while his front arms resembled human's, except they were his proportions and with the addition of claws long like spears. He had two great horns rising from his head, and his back held great green bat-like wings. It was a dragon. Adella barely managed to measure him before he spoke :
" I greet you, tiny one ! I see that you've finally found your way to me. I am Jaren Sal !"; he laughed and turning his head left, he unleashed a flaming breath on the wall relighting all the torches at once.
Adella swallowed her fear and moved away from her family's cage to avoid hurting them :
" I have done nothing to you ! Why are you doing this to me ?!"
" O, brave little one, are you !?"; the dragon said pleasantly surprised :" I do like them when they struggle. "; he made one more step forward and she jumped away to avoid being within his reach.
The dragon snorted and continued :
" You personally haven't done anything to me, but your kind has caused me much grief ! Your war with those Hylden-termites and their constant jumping trough planes, desperately searching for a way back here, has done more to me than any of you could ever do. "
" What ?!"; she yelled :" If the Hylden are bugging you, go bother them, not us !"
" Even I can't reach their realm, and how they manage to constantly jump into mine, I have no clue, but I managed to come here, and now I plan to give them what they want. Once all vampires are dead, I shall have my peace. "
" And the Hylden will enslave Nosgoth !"
" I really don't care, and nether should you. You'll be dead long before they arrive !"
Adella dropped her guise and pointed out her claws and fangs to her family's great surprise :
" It won't be as easy as that !"
She hissed and rushed across the room. Jumping over the mighty blow of his scaled palm, she flied trough the air and tried to stab her claws in his gut, but she just bounced back of his hard scales and fell on her back. He laughed loudly, and she jumped up again charging all across the room, trying to confuse him, but he opened his huge jaws and a flood of flame filled the chamber. A wall of fire blocked her path and she barely stopped her self before hitting it, badly burning her arm. At once, more lizard-men came fort and grabbed her. She struggled as hard as she could but there were too many and ultimately she fell before them. They sized her and brought her before Jaren Sal's smocking jaws :
" Why me ?!"; she yelled at him :" What do you want from me ?!"
" To lure the strongest ! You are his favorite. These humans led to you, and you will lead to him. Take her my reptilians ! When he comes, I'll have a few surprises prepared for him. "
She suddenly smiled :
" No, you won't !"
At first silence prevailed, as the dragon and his reptilians stopped to ponder her puzzling words. The quiet retained for the next few moments and than an echoing sound filled the chamber, emanating from the other side of the large dour. It grew louder and louder, like a huge number of tiny feet chaotically running over the stone floor. As Jaren Sal turned, the wooden boards that made his gate, exploded to splinter and an enormous swarm of black bats like an angry cloud surged in and started to spin around in circle like a twister at the entrance. The creatures slowly merged together, and upon forming him self, Kain tossed his cold gaze at the dragon and the lizard-men. Jaren Sal looked at him with misunderstanding :
" You… ?"; he spat out restraining from laughter :" You are the mighty Kain ?! The " great " vampire overlord ?! Impressive entrance, but nothing more than that !"
Kain took up the reaver without changing a line on his face :
" And you are Jaren Sal, master of the dragon's realm, Inflaria. "; he said coldly :" I know why you are here, and I figured to speed things up. Here I am !"
" Yes, here you are… But as I look at you I don't want to soil my hands with fighting you… My reptilians ; take him !"
The lizard-men started approaching him, but Kain just looked at the reaver and placed it on his back, releasing a sigh :
" And we don't want to soil our selves by fighting your spawn, so… "
He extended his palm and simply swiped them out of his path with a telekinetic wave, but the lizard-men just picked them selves up and started coming again :
" My spawn aren't quick learners… "; Jaren Sal said :" … but are quick healers. "
" I know. "; Kain smiled and closed his palms before his face, sinking deeper in concentration.
Instantly, shacking sounds started to emanate from every corner of the room, and than the torches started to fly out of their holders. From every inch of the large wall torches jumped in the air and like a rain of burning arrows begun to stab them selves in helpless lizard-men. They tried to defend from this swarm of flaming bees but with all their efforts they were dead in meter of moments. Kain took a mocking breath and gazed upon Jaren Sal's surprised face
" Overconfident insect !"; the dragon yelled :" I'll crush you with one blow !"
He took a deep breath. Kain just remain standing there, and once the dragon spat his flames out, he reached fort with his claws once again focusing his telekinetic. Fire stroke the entire entrance gate searing the splinter to ash, but as it subsided, Kain was just standing there in an un-seared circle at the place where he stood.
" Why don't you go back home, your lordship ?"; Kain asked :" An occasional Hylden is a much better company. "
" It seams I'll find out for my self !"
The few remaining reptilians that were holding Adella backed away, giving them room to fight, and chaining her to a stone wall. The vampire and the dragon started to circle around each other, and despite his brave cold facade, Kain seamed small and insignificant next to the mighty lizard. Suddenly and unexpectedly, a mighty dragon claw flashed over the flour, and stabbed it self all around Kain into the wall, concealing him completely. The dragon laughed, but than his claw started to shake. His laughter instantly stopped, replaced by an angry grin and the muscles in his gigantic arm started to shiver. At once his palm begun shaking and separating from the stone leaving a tree inches wide space between the two, and than the tension was gone and his palm went in again. But plunging the palm back in the wall, dragon forced a cloud of mist out, and before he could release the wall from his claw, Kain formed outside and sliced his wrist with the reaver. Jaren Sal screamed in pain pooling his arm away. He was angry now, and it took all of Kain's skill and magic to dodge his enormous claws and jaws, but he did. The dragon started breeding fire everywhere but Kain hurled his telekinetic clearing the flames out of his path, and resumed fighting un-swayed. Finally, Jaren Sal's mighty jaw came close enough and the reaver made a deep cut over his face, forcing him to back away in stinging pain.
It seemed like a pause prevailed. Two monsters watched each other with cold animal rage in their eyes. Kain was still the same in his face, even now after proving he is more than worthy opponent, and Jaren Sal roared at him with rage :
" I will see you dead, vampire !"
" We will all have our deaths, "; Kain replied strongly :" but I am ready for mine !"
" And is she ?!"; the dragon tossed him
Adella's scream of pain draw his attention as one of the reptilians started braking her arm.
" Surrender your sword !"; Jaren Sal commanded :" Or I'll fry her !"
He opened his jaw and a bright glow flashed out from his troth.
" No, Stop !"; Kain yelled
The dragon faced him, smiling trough his smocking jaws, and after a moment of hesitation Kain placed the reaver on the ground.
" So, Kain has a weak spot after all !"; the dragon spat at him
He started laughing loud and mocking, but Kain rushed and jumped straight for his face. The dragon just roared and Kain flied in his wide opened jaws. Before everyone could realize, Jaren Sal snapped his teeth and swallowed him whole.
Adella screamed in rage and grief next to a dragon who laughed like a victor that he was. One of the reptilians took up the reaver and stood before Adella, while his father spoke :
" Take good care of this toothpick… It is the mightiest weapon, I've ever had to taste !"
" Are you hurt, father ? Hsss !"
" Yes… these wounds won't heal on their own… Come, and treat my scars !"
The others rushed to give him aid, but the one that was holding the reaver, left guarding Adella, smiling wickedly at her bowed grieved face. Suddenly she razed it full of anger and looked back at him. The smile he had, was gone, replaced by a confused struggle. He was like frozen at the spot and unable to take his eyes off of hers and before he could call for help, she violently broke into his mind and sized control of it. He was under her power now, and at her command he sliced the chains that held her and gave her the reaver with his shacking struggling arm.
As soon as Adella's hand closed on the hilt of the sword, several things became clear to her. The first thing was that the sword was lighter than a dry stick. She had always assumed that it would be heavy, as something made specifically for Kain to match his strength. But it was in fact quite the opposite. The second was that the blade began to hum in a soft dancing light and the vibration spread through her hand and arm and all the way into her. It was like a jolt of electricity but not as unpleasant and it did not go away. The third thing that became apparent to her was that due to this odd jolt, her focus slipped and the lizard man broke free of her spell, lunging for her.
She swung the Reaver in a clumsy arc and the creature snarled angrily bringing his arms up to block her feeble strike. Her attack was comical, weaker than it should have been. Actually, it was embarrassing on the whole. A small child with a toy sword could have done better and she hoped it would at least make the lizard man flinch away.
The blade sank into the creature's flesh. Then it continued through the bone, severing the arm away. Time slowed down for Adella. The blade continued on, almost of its own accord, cutting into the creature's torso and up through its chest, emerging upwards at the opposite shoulder. Before blood could begin to burst forth from the devastating wound, the lizard man simply collapsed into itself in a flash of white fire. There was a sound in the air roughly similar to nails being dragged sharply over a black board. Adella blinked in shock, and the lizard man was gone. Completely gone. Not even ash remained.
Every reptilian eye in the cavern turned towards her, and she used her magic again to vanish beneath a veil of invisibility.
" Find her !"; Jaren Sal yelled
On silent feet, Adella ran through the room, her blood suddenly filled with ecstasy and euphoria. The sword in her hand was now fully aroused, with glowing energies dancing gleefully up and down the serpentine blade. It was an effort to conceal that as well as herself beneath her obscuring spell, yet she managed it as the slow clumsy lizard men and their huge master scattered around the room sniffing for her. It did them no good. Too much fire had been tossed around and now everything smelled like smoke.
Adella's blood started to boil, singing with the raw need for battle. It was incredible. Her foes were weak, slow and blind. They were almost beneath her. Confidence and courage swelled within her beyond what she thought possible. These creatures have dared to come to HER world and attack HER family !? Fury and anger surged together with glee, mixing and intermingling. She felt as though she would fly apart with the powerful sensations coursing through her. It was as if someone had pumped rocket fuel into her heart and the resulting furnace energized her will and instinct.
It was incredible and beautiful and terrible. Was this how Kain felt when wielding the sword ? She imagined herself holding the Soul Reaver, slaughtering armies that stood against her, conquering all of Nosgoth, and she knew that it was possible. After all, Kain himself had done as much. With this sword, anything was possible.
The tide of murderous glee was beginning to ebb ever so slightly, but then she fed another lizard man to the blade, and the fire inside of her re-kindled. Then she killed another. And another. And another. All the while, the Reaver sang and hummed, feeding on her victims, and feeding her with strength, speed and power. She danced to the tune of the Reaver's hum and she kept on killing, lost in this frenzy. It was like a drug. Like strong drink. Like sex. Like warm heart's blood spiced with sweet fear. It was like all of those things and more and she and the blade danced through shadow and white fire carrying on their magnificent work.
Jaren Sal unleashed another burst of fire at her, but she was already dancing away effortlessly dodging his blind strike. She chuckled to herself darkly ; didn't the stupid beast realize that the fire was hiding her from his smell ? All the while, the Reaver kept passing through her foes with but the barest hint of resistance. They themselves were no more substantial to the blade than smoke or empty air. And with each death, her joy and jubilation grew.
Kain was dead, but she would avenge him. And then she would keep the sword. Yes ! She would honor Kain's legacy and carry on in his footsteps. She would become his successor, the most powerful Vampire Overlord in the history of Nosgoth. She would slaughter those who would stand against her, and conquer the land like her father before her ! She would kill and reign and rule and murder then all ! Everyone ! Everywhere ! No one could stand against her now ! She would ...
Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks in a dark corner of the cave. A sudden realization swept over her, and she pushed the mad thoughts she had been thinking out of her head. She tried to anyway. The sensations were too intense, too vivid, as they spread through her in a tide of rapture and fury. Kill them all ! Everyone ! Everywhere ! In the whole world ! Death comes for all ! All must die ! Ever ! Always ! Forever ! She felt her brief moment of self control slipping away, but in a desperate panic she re-doubled her efforts and her thoughts cleared.
Horrified and appalled, she almost dropped the Reaver that instant, but she knew that it would be a bad move. My God, this was madness. The most horrible homicidal madness she had ever imagined. The blade kept on singing to her, tempting her, seducing her. Panicked, she put up every mental defense she had trying to wall herself off from it. Dear God, was this what had driven Kain ? Was this blade, this awful, terrible blade, the cause of Kain's evil ? His madness ? She tried to imaging what it would be like to bear this sword for years, growing more and more blood-thirsty with each fallen foe. Then she tried to imagine doing it for centuries. Then millennia. Dear holy God, what was this thing ? How could Kain bear it ? How could anyone ?
The Reaver gave no answers it just urged her on towards the few remaining lizard men, towards the Dragon Lord, towards her destiny ! The buzzing of the blade intensified, but she refused to listen. She had to stay focused for a while longer. The Reaver appeared to grow enraged by this, and she somehow got the impression that it was alive and very much aware. And this realization terrified her. She didn't have much time left. Already, the Reaver was hammering away at her mind, trying to dissolve her restraint and resistance. Beautiful kills. Tiny souls. Acrid souls. Sour salty blood and sinews ! Luckily, there were only a handful of them left, including their master.
There was little choice. For her family's sake, she had to go back to battle. So she resumed her gruesome wonderful work, fighting foes both within and without.
Three more of the reptilians suffered the same sudden end, however another breath of Dragon Fire came towards her. She should have been able to doge it, but this time she was fighting with her instincts rather than embracing them. This time, dragon's fire exposed her and Jaren Sal grabbed her in his grip bringing her closer to him. Her arm with the reaver was free, but the dragon's grip was so strong it paralyzed her, and she could barely hold on to the sword, not to drop it. He brought her tormented figure closer to his jaws :
" Insolent brat ! You are no mach for me !"
" …No, I'm not… But I know who is !"
She hurled the reaver releasing it from her hand, and the blade flied, spinning trough the air. It flied in his mouth and at once he chocked with it, releasing Adella, who glided back on the ground, safely. It seemed that the sword got stuck in his throat, and he started coughing holding for it, but than he stopped and looked at her angry :
" That was your last trick, little girl !"
He hurled his mighty palm at her, and she shut her eyes terror freezing her on the spot. A mighty slam shook the ground and she fell, loosing her stand, right next to his hand pounced in the ground. He missed. But he missed not because she moved in the last moment, but because of the sudden pain that was all over his face. He grabbed for the stomach and fell on his knees roaring in agony and torture. The blade of the soul reaver burst trough the scales making a huge slice, and an explosion of bats erupted out of his gut, as he collapsed on the ground. Kain formed next to Adella covered in green slime and smelling like acid, and the dragon grabbed for the huge hole on his stomach roaring trough his clenched jaws. Kain smiled as he watched him and placed his hand on her shoulder :
" Thanks… I needed that. "
Reptilians charged at them, but Kain killed them all in just a two strikes of the blade, but than Jaren Sal rose up :
" …You think you've won !? Not yet ! I hold surprise yet, Kain the damned !"
" You can't beet me, worm. "; Kain said :" Go back to Inflaria while I'm in the good mood. "
" I don't have to beet you Kain, as long as I have you to do it for me !"
He waved his mighty wings and broke trough the ceiling leaving the cave and vanishing in the night. Kain assumed a thoughtful look.
" I don't like the way this ended… "; he said to him self
" Now you know how I feel about your riddles. "; Adella tossed
" It is irrelevant. He can't hide from me any more. "; he took a look at her sour face :" What ?"
" You stink. "
" A worm's stomach is not exactly a rose bush…"; he smiled :" Let's get your… humans. "
This final word was just rolled over his tongue with a certain amount of discomfort. Her family was crouching in terror, holding and squeezing each other in fear. All three were cornered in the back of the cage frightened and shaken, and as Adella stepped forth, her mother cried silently :
" … please… don't hurt us… don't hurt my daughter… "
Kain remained about ten meters away, while Adella resumed cutting ropes that held the cage together :
" Mom, It's me. I'm going to get you out of here. "; she said while her claws sliced bonds like scalpels
" You died… on the mission… "; Helen muttered with a shaking voice, holding for Joseph
Kain crossed his arms and snorted to him self.
" You know, I don't have time for this !"; Adella said dropping her work :" So you tell me do you want my help or not ?!"
" You won't hurt us ?"
" Oh, for crying out loud !"; Adella yelled :" I came here to save you ! You can at least believe that !"
" Believe me if you won't believe her "; her father said, suddenly entering the room
He ran to the cage and joined hands with her mother :
" Thank goodness you're safe, Nathalie. "; he said :" I was worried sick…."
Upon seeing him and taking his hand, her mom became overwhelmed with joy that broke the fears hold of her, and she came closer to him.
" Get them out of this chicken hoop. "; he said to Adella and she resumed cutting the bonds
In a while longer the branches fell of and Adella backed away to let them get out. Her mother and sister rushed at her father's arms and after an extensive hugging they looked at her. It was a shocked wandering look, full of confusion and grief. She just stood there and bowed her head to hide her eyes in shame, but she was in fact happy that they were saved and safe. She smiled saying :
" … Well… at least I don't fly in outer space any more… "
Her dad looked at the rest of the family, and than came to her and hugged her. She hugged him back, and this act made their fears fully go away. They came closer to her :
" Adella… It… it is still you… Is it ?"; her sister Helen asked
" In every way that meters !"; her dad said proudly
" Who did this to you !?"
She turned towards Kain who was still standing there with his arms crossed and eyes fixed on torches on the wall. As they looked at him, he casually turned his sight to them and for an instant released a cunning smile with his fangs falling out of his mouth. Adella gave him the look to stop that, and insecurely said :
" Mom, everyone ; This… is… my sire, Kain. "; she looked back at them and pointed out :" THE Kain… "
The others looked at him shocked. The legend of Kain was well known throughout the entire Nosgoth, but none could hope to come face to face with him and live, and yet he didn't seem to have any desire of killing them. He simply ignored them most of the time, like they were puppets of straw and old clothing.