Chapter three ; Friends in need
Kain broke out of the shuttle and emerge in the light of the new day. Although the burns healed, every muscle in him ached as if it was about to pop like a balloon. With ill pace he left to the shadow of the woods and reclined beneath one three. Adella came to him with anger all over her. She had difficulty passing the sunny field and she swiftly went in the shades of the three branches
" What was that !"; she asked
" That was a Hylden. "; Kain said panting for air.
" Oh ! Care to explain what the hell was it doing in the body of our Regent !"
" He was and still is your Regent. I see that very few things have changed in the last nine centuries, and humans are still imbeciles they've always bean. "
" You ungrateful bastard ! You could at least show some appreciation for not being under a mountain any more !"
Her insolence would earn her a few bruises at least, but instead, Kain grew curious :
" I must have bean weakened more than I taught, when you escaped my hold. What gives you strength to defy me, girl ?"
" Something I'll pay you back with interest !"; she charged at him, but he merely extended his arm and her throat same into his grasp. He squeezed and lifted her of the ground so her feet would dangle in mid air, and now as she looked at him he was not exhausted any more but a vision of unimaginable strength that chilled her bones. He became a monster of immeasurable proportions whose very sight paralyzed her every muscle :
" Young fool. "; he said to her coldly :" There are only few creatures that can dare challenge me, and you are not near their level !"
" Wh… What will you do… "; she managed to ask with shacking voice, suddenly learning to appreciate this new life of hers
" Perhaps I should tear you apart. What do you think ? Or enslave both your will and your mind, making you into my pet ?"; he laughed amused by his cruelty :" The pain I could introduce you to, extends far beyond the realm of your senses… But, no !"
His grip was gone and she fell to the ground coughing and shacking. He crouched to her and said quite common :
" I saved your life, you saved mine, and now the rest is settled. You have as much to fear from me as I from you. "
She was suddenly strengthened in heart and courage and thus she tossed at him :
" You can't just pretend that this so-called act of mercy makes us even. For god's sakes, look at what you've done to me ! You tortured me ! You enslaved me ! You've turned me into a monster !"
" Torture and enslavement were the same things you had in stored for me on your cruiser. The only difference is that I succeeded in applying them. And as for your rebirth, believe me, you could have gone a lot worse !"; he than looked at the sky :" Unfortunately, I can't argue all day. I have more important meters to see to. "
" Like ?"
" Like saving this world for humans greedy little selves !"; he stood up to go and tossed over his shoulder :" They will find this place soon, and nether one of us should be here when they do. "
She stood up and followed him grudged and grumbling all the way, trough the forest. Finally when they were already deep in the shades she popped :
" Why do you care about what happens with humans ? Time has passed by you and left you stranded in our world. We are responsible enough to look after ourselves. "
He turned to her angry and annoyed :
" So I see ! You have a Hylden as your world leader, you've allowed yourself to be manipulated yet again, and you've disarmed me, your only chance against them ! I'll start applauding your responsibility any moment now !"
" You ! Our only chance ! HA ! You once ruled Nosgoth and see where it ended. And now we have a Hylden instead, and we are blooming with progress. Big deal ! You are our only chance to live as your slaves again !"
" Bin there, done that, have no intention on repeating. And if you think that a Hylden has good intentions, tell me why is he wearing a guise ?"; he turned back and continued pacing on :" If you want to help me, follow, otherwise stay out of my way !"
She stood there for a short time pondering things and than ran forward.
" Wait !"; she yelled and caught up wit him :" I'll never forgive you for robbing me of my humanity. You tortured me in your pits and dissected my soul away ! But I gave an oath to protect my people, and so help me, if I have to I'll protect them from you too, and not just these Hylden !"
" Aaa… So, for now, we're allies. "
" … Yes…"; she said bowing her head down in disgust :" Well, what's our next move ?"
Kain smiled. She reminded him on himself from his early days, defiant, set in her principles, stubborn, arrogant and sadly obsessed with her lost humanity. But than he got wandering. If a Hylden was a secret leader of the humans, than their race hasn't yet breached the planes. There must have bean more than one of them, but this one was… And than he realized :
" Grand-marshal Larevos !"
" What about him ?"
" He is a Hylden !"
" He can't be ! He is one of us… One of humans. I'm sure of it. "
" Just like you were sure that Regent Atrexal was a human. They are cunning and have tendency to topple down the foundations from within. "
" Except that we aren't down. Our society is stronger than ever. "
" Trust me ; If one Hylden is in the lead, you stand at the edge of the abyss. I can't imagine what two are capable of. "
" Ok. So we expose Atrexal and Larevos to the others and… "
" They're too smart for that ! And besides, no sane man would listen to a vampire's case. "
" You are suggesting that we just find them and kill them !"
" I'm not suggesting anything. I'm taking action ! If Cha-Atrexal doesn't have the reaver, Larevos does and thus he is more dangerous than you can imagine. I must strike at once. "
" What's with you and this reaver thingy ! It's just a sword !"
" It is NOT just a sword !"; he yelled frightening her :" It is my… "; he swallowed the rest of the sentence :" …I need to find Larevos. Are you going to help me ?"
After a brief pause, she said :
" He has a residence just outside Noe-Willendorf… I'll show you. "
" Noe-Willendorf ?"
" Yes. It was razed after the mines were declared a historical sight. "
" I… don't won't to know. "; Kain interrupted her with a sic tone. He was hard to get used to things changing so drastically.
Regent Atrexal walked in a grand and neatly decorated room where another man was practicing sword-fighting. The chamber was huge and had an entire wall cowered in books. It also held windows, fireplace, and a few tapestries that shown various historical events. Closer to those large windows was a polished wooden desk that held a computer and a large stone box. Atrexal spoke :
" Kain is on his way here. "
" So, you couldn't kill him after all. "; the man stopped his practice and looked at him
" I will kill him. "; he spoke with angry determination :" He will pay for all his crimes against us !"
" Patience, my friend. We'll see him again. "; he said and came to the box on the table :" If there is one thing I know of him, it is that he won't rest until he finds what he is looking for. "
He opened the box and took up the reaver that sparkled with ancient power and unseated hunger for souls.
After a few hovers of swift pace, they've passed trough the gates of the city. Kain taught her how to cast disguise, and they've entered the town with ease. She was surprised how simple it was, but Kain was surprised with something else.
The city was magnificent. Rounded glass buildings, like frozen flame razed to the sky amidst many dancing lights that glittered warmly and welcoming. Streets were crowed with moving machines for human varies usage, transportation, food, entertainment. Technology was in every step but the people were even more prevalent swarming like a horde. The abundance almost overwhelmed Kain, and Adella too was drawn by fresh meet. She was like a hungry addict now. But Kain restrained her, and together they peacefully moved down the street.
Lost in his planning and unwilling sightseeing, Kain failed to notice clouds above him, and suddenly the first drops of rain started to fall. At once Adella released a silent growl of pain, forcing Kain to notice the situation. The rain seared her skin hurting her quite badly, and she was now attempting to run away to any kind of a shelter. He would have lost her on the crowded street, but he managed to hold her down, and swiftly led her in one obviously abandoned building.
She awoke in a dark room with her back on a soft surface. She was dizzy and exhausted and her troth was incredibly dry, so dry her whole chest ached. She got up of the bed spinning and drowsy, and took a look at her surroundings. The room was filled with layers of dust and few peaces of broken unusable furniture, except for the bed she was on, and an old leather chair. Its dour was broken off and many boards lied scattered broken around them. It seemed like the room was sealed with them before she was brought here. Her sight was still foggy and clouded so she couldn't see quite clearly, but it seemed like the window still had its glass in and that there was someone sitting at its porch. She grabbed for the nearby chair, not to fall and said :
" Kain… Are you here, you old monster ?"
" Yes. "; his answer came
He was sitting at the window that was showered from the outside. She could see him now and a half drained glass of blood next to him. Behind him were feet and legs of someone who was mostly cowered in shadows. The person wasn't moving, clearly Kain's previous meal. Kain was drawing something on a large peace of paper glancing briefly trough the wet glass. As she managed to get up, he left his work aside and came closer.
" What is… wrong with me ? I feel so weak… "
" The rain harmed you. You must feed and recover your strength. "
Suddenly her ears noticed silent sobbing in the room with them. Kain reached in the shadows and polled a young woman to her sight. She was too scared to scream, and was only weeping slowly. She wore a pretty blue shirt and pants, had short rounded blond hair and green eyes. Before she could pool her self together, Kain pushed the blond girl to her arms. Adella couldn't deny the pool of hunger, but she resisted :
" I won't take her life. "
" Ether way, she won't survive, now that she knows about us. She might at least serve some purpose. "; he reached for his glass and drank the rest
Adella couldn't help herself. She desired her blood more than anything. But she wasn't about to simply kill her to trade her life for her own. Kain grew annoyed :
" I won't let you starve, so you ether feed on your own, or I'll pore her blood down your throat. "
Adella looked him angry and with a great personal struggle, but suddenly she smiled realizing something, and looked at the tears-cowered face of the blond girl :
" It's okay… I won't hurt you, I promise. "; she said to her warmly and comfortingly, petting her hair.
Kain closed his eyes and bowed his head in disappointment. Adella knew it, but she continued talking to her softly, restraining her hunger :
" Don't cry. It's going to be all right. This is just a bad dream and when you wake up tomorrow you'll see you are just fine… Everything's going to be fine… "; the girl returned her the look still frightened but a little strengthened by Adella's pleasant voice
" There, that wasn't so hard was it ?"; Adella continued comforting her :" You see ; all your fears fade away… they fade away… you can be calm like in the safest place… You are safe and passive like never before… like never before… "
She stopped crying and was now breading calmly. Everything became blue to her like the color of Adella's eyes as the sound of rain banging on the windows pleasantly whispered to her ears. She was light and floating in tones of Adella's voice and the slow running of her palm over her golden hair :
" That's it… That feels so good… so tired… Fall deep into my eyes and let me comfort you…. Let me drown your senses… No one can hurt you now, 'cause you don't feel pain any more. If someone would bite you, you wouldn't feel a thing… You are tired, my dear… Why don't you lie down ?"
Dazed and mesmerized, the girl obediently walked to the bed, and upon lying down she closed her eyes and fell asleep. Adella took her wrist and pooling up the sleeve, she opened her hungry jaw.
" You know it's pointless… "; Kain interrupted her :" After you pool your fangs out, she will turn to dust. "
Adella looked him sadly. But she couldn't contain the hunger much longer. And than she had another idea. With her sharp claw, she gently sliced the skin on her wrist and pierced the vain without cutting it. She split it down its length and pressing her lips at the hole, she easily begun to draw desired blood, constantly listening her heart beets to make sure she don't take too much. As she was done she closed the wound, and cowered it with a peace of cloth she sliced off the bed sheets.
Upon this display, she turned to Kain full of self-satisfaction and with a big smile stretched across her face. Not only that she managed to keep the girl alive and feed, she also discovered her dark gift ; mesmerizing. Kain seamed most displeased by this and he avoided to meet with her joie, face to face :
" Such feeble sentiments will bring you closer to your grave. "
" Aw… Is that insult caused by the wetter outside, or me outsmarting you ?"
" Arrogant fledgling…"; Kain grumbled :" Still clinging to your precious humanity. How long can a spider hold flies alive in his web ?"
" I am not a spider. And I don't have to live the life you chose for me. "
" You do not yet understand the nature of the dark gift. It goes way beyond a simple blood lust. Immortality and magic powers are just bitter side-effects. My kiss planted death in you and the taste of my blood made it bloom in your jaws. No meter how hard you try to deny it, in the end you will still be what you are ; A killer and a hunter who will always value her own sated thirst more than cattle's life. "
" Well, at least I can try and restrain it, which is more than I can say for you !"
" You can say nothing for me ! You think the scrolls with vogue reference of me can brake you my entire life ? I have lived over tree thousand years. I have seen things you can't begin to comprehend, and prevailed against most of them. Infinite wisdom is the burden I drag on my every step, and you dare to teach me how to feed !"
" I'm not telling you how to feed. "; she said :" I'm telling you how I'll attempt to live trough this. I may not last as long as you have, but at least I'll make the attempt. You may protest about it as much as you want, but it is my decision to make. "
Kain sighed, giving up on reasoning with her. He paced to the window and took the paper he was drawing. It was a rough but very accurate map of almost the entire city and its surroundings drew with an incredible sense of accuracy.
" The rain will fall for two more hovers, and you can't be my guide any more. "
" How did you manage to pinpoint it this precisely ?"
" Not all the gifts are spells and magic. Rather than asking around, I'm asking you ; If we are here, "; he pointed on one place on the map :" where is his residence ?"
Upon observing the map she pointed one spot :
" That's the one. "
Kain took a look at it and than tossed the paper away, turning to leave. Before he left the room Adella spoke :
" Why does water harms vampires ?" she asked, trying to distance them from their previous conversation. He stopped on a doorstep and said silently
" Because of the same reason the sun stings our eyes and fire repels our skin ; so that we would suffer as unnatural. As you grow older you'll overcome such weaknesses. "
He turned to her, and spoke almost like a father or a teacher or both at the same time :
" In this world, humans are our enemies. Even if you don't want to be theirs, they will always be yours. You are a monster to them, the source of their nightmares, and they won't get a good night's sleep until they cleanse their world of you, filled with hate and so-called altruism as they are. In their mind you are a dragon and their heroes are dragon-slayers. Heed my advice and cast your sentiments away… before you get burned like I was. "
He left the room, leaving her to ponder this speech. But he wasn't mad at her as he walked down the empty stairs. He couldn't be mad at her. He was not capable for it. She was so much like everything he was in the beginning, so much it pained him to look at her and remember what time washed away off of him. He shook these thoughts out of his mind and went to complete his task.
Adella sat on the bed beside the blond girl, still deeply asleep by her magic. She was wondering if Kain is right, or is he just a bitter old blood-sucker who had one too many disappointments in his life. Still, he was wiser than her, and she had no doubt that one day she will see the futileness of her nobility, if she manages to live that long, but now, the taught of killing this innocent creature was sickening to her. She saw how Kain fed. He would swiftly drink the blood and extinguish the life without much suffering for his victims, but also without any taught of their lost lives. He simply didn't care any more, and she feared that eventually it will happen to her too. She was wondering when will that day come when she becomes as cold as he was.
Lost in her considerations, she was stroke by a sudden and violent flash realization ; The Grand-marshal's mansion would have very tight security, and he would surely be expecting Kain to try and invade it. He was walking into a trap. But she couldn't go after him, not in the rain. There was only one thing to do.
" Wake up girl ! You've got to help me !"; she shook her trying to wake her up
"… Just a few more minutes mom… "
" Come on you, I can't do this without you !"
Eventually she flipped her over the edge of the bed and as she fell to the flour she woke up :
" Wha… What ? Where am I ?"; and than she saw Adella who forgot to cast her guise spell :" Aiiiii ! Don't hurt me ! Stay away from me !"
" Hey, I saved you ! You can at lest show some gratitude !"
" You… you are monsters and… and he took me… brought me here to kill me !"
" Yeah, Kain does have a way with people… "
" Kain ! KAIN ? Like, the legendary vampire, Kain ! That was… "
" Listen !"; she cut her of, decisively :" I made him spare you, and I saved your life, and now you must help me. I won't force you into this, I'm just… asking you to help me… please, will you help me ?"
Kain managed to reach the fence of the mansion's courtyard outside the city. It was big and neatly decorated, but somehow deserted. The house was huge and roomy and clearly reserved for the highest nobility, but it also seamed too empty for his liking. He grudged sensing trap-coils in the ether around him, but there was no point on escaping what is to come. He was determined to deal with whatever they throw at him.
Trying hard, he focused on shifting into mist form and thus pas trough the bars. He was in fact, trying to reactivate his power and whether he would use it to pass trough these bars was the second on his list. But the powers still eluded him. He did manage to form a thick cloud of mist close to his body, and it seamed like he was wearing a suit made out of it. Chasing the mist away, he grabbed the bars of the fence to bend them and thus pass trough, but they were strongly charged by electricity that made him shout, and bounced him back across the street. Picking himself up, he looked angrily at the fence like it was mocking him. He snorted long and loud, and than ran straight for it. He jumped and flied over it even a few feet higher than its top, and after landing gently to his feet he smirked to him self and passed on.
The ground was utterly devastated of anyone else, but he was still sneaking very cautiously, forcing his stealth abilities to the limit. It was embarrassing to say the least, but if this was a trap he was determined to see it before it springs.
" Stop it !"; she said to Adella
" Stop what ?"
" You are looking at my neck !"
" No I'm not. "; she turned her sight away in denial, but she was both lying to her and deluding her self.
Adella was sitting next to her, while she was on a driver's seat, steering the hover-car over wet streets. The rain was still falling but with the help of the girl's car, Adella was safe and protected. After a few moments the girl reached for the mirror and slightly turned it to the left, towards Adella.
" What ?"; Adella asked :" Are we being followed ?"
" No… "; the girl said :" … You have no reflection. "
Adella sadly looked at the mirror like she lost something important in it, but not even her claw fingers that touched the glass, had a twin on its other side.
" What's it like… "; the girl asked, casually :"… when you are a vampire ?"
" Well… It has its ups and downs… "; there was a brief silence and than she continued :" Actually, I've only bean a vampire for a day, and so far it bites !"
She looked at her :
" What is your name ?"
" Lydia. "
" I'm Adella. "
Lydia was still scared of her, but a lot less than before. She only chose to help her because she did save her before and asked her nicely, rather than using her mind tricks to subdue her. Suddenly a big black limousine passed by them in a hurry. Adella recognized it ; It was the ride of Grand-marshal Larevos. A thought came to her to try and expose him somehow, for the evil that Kain said he was, but than she remembered that Kain was still in danger. She had to choose whether to chase after him, or to go to Kain and help him out. And she did
" Quickly !"; she said to her :" Follow them !"; she decided that Kain can look after him self
" What ? You want me to follow the Grand-marshal !"
" Please ! It's… It's important. Ok ?"
Lydia razed her eyebrows and turned the car around. They followed it to the shuttle hangar where a shuttle was already waiting for it. By then the rain stopped, but the clouds were still circling across the sky. Adella observed this stage and than asked :
" Do you have… a disk-recorder ?"
" Yes. It's a little out of date, but it can still work. "
She gave it to her.
" Look ; Thank you for everything, but I must go now. You… take care… Ok ?"
" You too. "; Lydia said half confused and half scared
Running amidst the pounds, Adella reached the Grand-marshal just as he was about to enter the shuttle :
" Ser ! Ser, Grand-marshal ! Wait !"; he turned and faced her
" Aaa… You must be the former captain of the EUC battle cruiser Glacta. "; he said almost like he was pleasantly surprised :" Adella, is it ?"
" Ser, please believe me; Regent Atrexal is… He's some thing that has only our downfall in mind. He is a creature in a guise of a human… Please you must believe me. "
" I believe you, Adella. In fact I know full well what he is. "
She backed away from him :
" Than… You are a Hylden too !"
" No. I only use the alliance with the Hylden for my own benefits. "
" But… the Hylden… don't have our wellbeing in mind. "
" Oh heavens no !"; he laughed swiftly :" They will kill each and every human the first chance they get… You seemed surprised to hear that. "
" I am surprised to hear it from you. Especially in that tone. "
" Well, I am the hidden master of evil. But you shouldn't worry about it now. "
" Why ?"
" Because you are irrelevant !"; he said malignantly
Instantly he razed his arm to the sky and flashes of thunders cracked the clouds. Acidic touch of rain drops like thousand of tiny needles stabbed them selves in her. The rain started showering again, and she was panicking with pain. But even than she would hear his voice in her head :
" Irrelevant and expendable ! Say hello to that old monster Kain when he joins you in hell. "
Just as she taught it's over, a hover-car stopped by and Lydia opened the dour :
" Get in ! Quickly !"
Adella ran in and to Larevos's great surprise they were both gone before he could act.
" As soon as I saw the rain started again, "; Lydia said :" I figured you'll need a ride. "
Regent Atrexal came behind him, looking at the fleeing craft :
" We should send someone after them. "
" No. Let them be. Their time will come as well. "
" If she managed to influence one human she can influence others. "
" Hmm… You are right, my friend… My com-link is in the pod. "
They both entered the shuttle and left for their destination.
Kain was moving trough the empty halls. The house was like a maze of rooms entwined with one another in a chaotic order. But there was no one there which made him even more careful. He was slowly passing trough the shades of the lights observing any sound or a motion with his sharp senses, but the more he observed, the more he would realize he was completely alone.
Finally he reached a very big room which had a library on its entire eastern wall. It also housed a fireplace, some tapestries and a well polished wooden desk with a screen flashing on its top. He came closer to it. It said " press this button " and had an arrow under it pointing on a small red digit. A little confused, he reached for it and after a moment of consideration he punched it. The screen displayed a certain man with the soul reaver by his side :
" Finally. Don't bother to look for me, this is just a recording. "
Kain released a silent "hump" and the man continued :
" If you haven't already deducted, I am Grand-marshal Larevos. First I must thank you for taking such a long time to find your way here. I was able to empty the entire mansion. "
Kain grudged, wondering
" In case you wander why, here is your answer right now... "
Suddenly there was s silent electric sound and the flour begun to shiver. As Kain turned, the wall with books behind him exploded and knocked him away several feet. When he stood up he saw a huge crab-like creature, twice as big as the largest demons he'd met before. But this was not a living thing. It was a machine. It had a huge metal boll for a body with glowing-red triangular eyes in the middle and was filled with metal spikes. Four tentacles stretched from its lower half and served as legs, and two others as arms one with a gigantic clamp and the other held a huge disk-like spinning saw. The next moment it spoke with deep and booming voice :
" Target located. "
" Say hello to my personal trainer. "; Larevos said :" I named it, Mandrex. I used to have a lot of fun with it, until I got hold of the reaver. "; he took the sword in his arms :" Its power is intoxicating and more amazing than I could imagine. Now Mandrex is nothing more to me than a game I got bored of. I hope you will find it to be more… entertaining. "
The robot spoke again :
" Security measures off line. Difficulty level, maximum. "
" Do try not to get killed. "; Larevos said benevolently :" I was looking forward to meting you face to face again… By-by !"; the screen went out
" Commencing training sequence. "
" Oh, hell… "
The huge spinning saw stabbed in the ground where he stood moment before he jumped into the air, but the clamp flied vertically and bounced him trough the wall with the fireplace. He had only a moment to get up before the mechanical monster expanded the hole and followed him.
" That was very rude !"; Kain yelled
Mandrex didn't respond and run on its tentacles towards him, but Kain jumped between them and with all his strength punched it with his fist. The robot fell backwards, but got back up again without noticing. It had a small dent on that spot, and Kain grabbed his broken fist with his other claw, shaking it to force the pain away. Apparently, the metal of which it was forged was too strong even for Kain to penetrate.
" That was even worse !"
As soon as he got back on its tentacles, Mandrex hurled the saw again. Kain grabbed it, stopping its rotation and holding it from driving trough his flesh. They stood there pushing each other randomly and shacking with tension of muscle and engine, and than the clamp grabbed him and started squeezing. Kain was clenching his jaw while his ribs cracked one by one and half way there he released a scream of pain. But he looked at the red triangle eye with demonic rage, and started bending the saw sideways. He grabbed it for its hinge, letting the disc spin again, and than he pushed it on the tentacle with the clamp, sawing it deep. The grip was gone as the oil from the pistons exploded, and Kain jumped out of the metal wrench.
Mandrex couldn't operate the clamp any more, but now he was using it like a club, and the saw still slashed, slicing trough air stone and wood. Kain dodged the best he could, but he was forced to run before this metal abomination. With limp and lumbering pace, he ran trough the broad corridors while the metal giant flashed his attacks constantly too close behind him. Kain tried to think things trough. This monster had its weakness but he couldn't see them. Suddenly as he ran trough the passages, his eye caught a glimpse of the stairs. He instantly jumped over the flying tentacle, and bouncing off of its metallic body passed over Mandrex, allowing it to fall down gliding over the wooden flour trough the next wall. As fast as he could, he ran up the stairs. The robot tried to follow but his clumsy tentacle-feet weren't able to find a solid stand on the narrow staircase, and as it came close enough, Kain simply slugged it down. Mandrex rolled over the stairs and once it reached the flour its heavy orb-body broke trough it and vanished in the black basement.
Kain had only a moment to pull himself together, for the mechanical squid instantly reached trough the hole, looking for a solid spot to hold on and climb up again. He ran on trying to figure out how to defeat such a thing. It was unbreakable, it was faster and stronger than him, and it seemed smart and cunning like the worst of his foes. But still it was just a machine. A bunch of wires and circuits connected underneath this metal armor.
Kain jumped aside in the shades to avoid being spotted by the approaching robot. It swiftly passed that corridor and as it was about to pass by his hiding place, it stopped. Its head/body moved left and right searching for him, and than it went on to the other section of the flour. But as it came close by him, Kain heard the silent buzzing of electricity inside its heavy armor and it gave birth to an idea in his mind. Lightning ! It will short circuit that bucket and force it to shut down !
As soon as Mandrex passed him, Kain fled to the stairs again and climbed high to the roof. The clouds were still thick and heavy and the lightning seamed just waiting within them. Kain reached for the sky. With all his will he tried to summon the powers from heaven, but he couldn't. It simply refused to awaken.
" Come on… Come on !"; he focused harder and harder, but still nothing.
The stone exploded directly from underneath him and his mechanical foe broke out. Kain fell down its length, avoiding the club, and than rolled over to avoid the saw. It passed so close to him it almost cut his head off. He stood up and ran to the edge of the roof… The edge ; He said to him self. He turned around :
" You want me ? Come and get me !"
Mandrex pooled its tentacle legs one by one to the surface of the roof, and chased after him. It chased him straight over the entire roof, and than Kain jumped over the edge. The robot had no intention to stop and it also ran and jumped the same way as fast as his engines could carry it. But unlike the heavy machine, Kain was falling slow like gliding. He was actually floating slowly to the ground. Once more did those demonic tentacles reached for his flesh, but the gravity polled Mandrex too fast and it fell down on the concrete ground making a huge crater. It just stayed lying there.
Kain glided down at the edge, and pouting and coughing he smiled at the stupid thing. But just as he turned to limp away, the sound of electricity started buzzing and the mechanical monster stood up again. One of its legs was broken and was dragging on the ground releasing sparks and smoke and the clamp was completely broken of his arm. Even his left eye was shattered and the metal plates and spikes on his body splintered but still it resumed its attacks. It started to chase Kain all over the front yard, but at least it was not as fast as he was, with only tree of its legs functional. Trying to use that as his advantage, Kain ran for the tall trees, to try and entangle it in the branches, but before he could reach it, the spinning saw sliced one of the trees in half and it fell over Kain pressing him. Before he could dig his way out Mandrex sat on top of it, increasing the pressure with his weight and Kain felt his spine and those wing-like bones on his back snapping in various places. The pressure was so huge it pounded him under the earth, but as soon as his body went underground, he was free, for the tree remained above him. He dragged himself out of the hole and started crawling like a serpent, with his spine healing and the snapped bones re-growing. He managed to reach the fence and Mandrex, realizing that he was out, charged at him at full speed.
Kain turned and glanced at the raging machine. It was like the Elder God him self, he taught, but just as it was about to sweep him of the ground, Kain became light like a cloud of smoke. His mist form worked and the robot simply passed trough him, running on the electric fence. Upon hitting it an explosion of discharging sparks illuminated the dark, and as it subsided, the robot finally fell down defeated.
Using a stick like a lift, Kain managed to get back up on his feet and limp slowly to the broken machine. It was truly dead, and he smiled trough splitting pain all over his body.
" Vae Victus !"
But Mandrex held one last surprise. Its armor split opened like a melon and inside, amongst burned-out circuits and black wires was a still working screen displaying numbers :
" 9,… 8,… 7,… 6,… 5,… 4,… "
Kain's mouth came opened and his lips backed off his teeth as he realized. He turned away and begun limping as fast as he could away from the infernal machine.
" … 3,… 2,… 1,… 0 !"
A massive explosion shattered the robot to bits, and flames of the bright fiery cloud filled with debris and heat, rushed across the entire yard.