The City

Novanus had nearly reached the end of his endurance when the three reached the city. He needed to feed soon or he would lose consciousness. Admar looked at his master with a worried expression and whispered to Lessa. "I'm not sure how much longer he will be able to cope without blood. He's putting on the bravest face he can but I am sure he is on his last legs." Novanus looked up at his old friend. "I'm weak, Admar, not deaf." "Sorry, my Lord." "I apologize, Admar, but don't worry about me. I'll find you soon but I must go now." Novanus disappeared into the shadowy streets.
He hadn't gone far when he came upon a drunkard who was weaving through the streets. "Not him," thought Novanus. "His blood has too many intoxicants, it would do me no good." He carried on a short while until he came upon a young prostitute. She couldn't have been more than eighteen. "Pitiful," he thought. "Fancy some fun, my Lord?" she said to him. Her turn of phrase was so guttural that it made Novanus cringe. He couldn't help his snobbish view. He took the young girl down one of the alleys. She didn't even scream as his teeth sank into the flesh of her neck.

Lent ran through the forest as fast as he could, he didn't know how many hours he had been running, but he was beyond exhaustion. Lent was an excellent runner, but this time he would not be fast enough. The certainty of that stuck in his mind like a thorn. He saw the cottage ahead of him. "Not again..." but his thoughts were cut off by the screams inside. Lent burst open the door to see a Sarafan raping his wife. The other five guards were tossing his child's dead body in the air and catching him with their swords while waiting their turn at his wife.
Lent woke up from his nightmare with beads of sweat running down his face. Overwhelmed with emotions, he couldn't help but cry. He couldn't bear it. Lent wiped his tears and left the temple. He ran with no particular place to go, but there was nothing else for him to do. Lent ran as fast as his legs could carry him. "Faster, faster," he repeated to himself as branches reached out to strike his face as if they were small whips. Reaching a waterfall lagoon, Lent ran into the water, removing his clothes and armor, and swam down. He swam to the bottom and held his breath till he was back there at the cottage. He saw his wife and child waiting for him there smiling, and just as he approached them, Lent was swimming up for air. Gasping for breath he almost cried. This was not his time to return to them, and he knew it. But he had to see them smiling, he had to get that dream out of his mind. Crawling up to the shore, Lent was still gasping for breath. He had no idea how long he was under, but it wasn't long enough if you were to ask him. A twig snapped in the distance, and Lent grabbed his axe. He wasn't wearing any clothes, and was in no shape to fight off any Sarafan. A deer made its way out of the clearing to get a drink, and Lent let out a sigh of relief. He quickly gathered his things and made his way back to the temple.

Lessa dropped Admar off at his home. It was a large shop with a sign that read "Admar Trading" and through the windows she could see all manner of things. "There you go, Admar," Lessa said as Admar dismounted. "I'd better see where Novanus has got to, take care." "Bye Lessa," replied Admar and turned to open his shop. Lessa had turned the corner and he was alone, or so he thought. Suddenly a shadow fell across him and he turned to see a Sarafan general and five Guards. "So you have returned, foul traitor to your kind. You are to be taken before our lord," said the general in a laughing tone. With that they grabbed him. He tried to struggle. "GET OFF ME, YOU SARAFAN SCUM!"
Lessa had left Admar and turned the corner to head for the Pillars. She could no longer feel Novanus' presence, so he must have gone on ahead already. "Huh, Novanus never considers the conse..." She was cut short by Admar's cry. Wheeling Seth around she returned to the shop to find Admar bound and on the floor with six Sarafan around him. Spurring Seth on, she ran at them full gallop and decapitated one before he knew what hit him. She jumped off Seth and landed astride Admar in a protective stance.
"Kill the Vampire hag," one shouted and ran at her. Lessa dropped to one knee with the flame sword in her hand. As he came near, she rose, bringing the blade in a savage arc. The blade hit him in the groin, he screamed, then the blade flashed to life and he burst into flames running down the street. Another two came from either side, trying to out flank her. She blocked one blade and kicked the other coming from behind, but while she was distracted, the one whose blade she had stopped produced a dagger and stabbed her in her side. She doubled up, hissing with pain, and had to roll out of the way of the attacker's blade, who by fate had not seen his mate get up and stabbed him instead of her. Lessa's retribution was swift and the flame sword reacted to her rage and became a white hot flame. When she swiped the Sarafan, he was instantly turned to ash. Lessa pulled the blade from her side as the last of the guards rushed at her. He must have been a new recruit because he ran clumsily and held his sword low. It was no effort for her to grab him by the neck and to drink him dry.
"You fight well, Vampire, but thou will be no match for me," said the Sarafan general with a laugh. Lessa brought her blade up. He would soon learn not to underestimate her, for he would pay with his life. With a yell he ran at her and she blocked the blade. Then, pushing his blade off, she swung her sword round to hit him from the right side. He blocked it only in time, beads of sweat showed on his brow as they continued to trade blows, and finally he made the mistake Lessa had been waiting for. She had been constantly attacking from the right and as he went to block this time she swung from the left and the flame sword met flesh, he burst into flame and ran a little way down the street before collapsing to the floor as a smoldering ruin.
Lessa bent down and cut Admar free. "You ok?" Lessa asked as she hauled him to his feet. "Yes. But you, Lessa, I saw him stab you," Admar replied with concern. "It's nothing, but I'd better tell Novanus that you are known as a helper of vampires. Collect some things you will need, it would be best if you stayed with us." Lessa watched as he entered his home and then she contacted Novanus. "Novanus, we have a slight problem." "What is it, Lessa?" Novanus replied from wherever he was. "They know Admar helped us, I'm taking him back to sanctuary. It's not safe for him now, I..." Novanus felt Lessa cut off abruptly, he felt as though she had gasped in horror and surprise. His mind screamed, "Lessa? LESSA? WHAT'S WRONG?" The only reply he would get was a whisper full of fear, "...Soul Reaver..."

Lessa had been talking to Novanus when Admar had walked up to her serenely, then horror crossed his face. Lessa turned and what she beheld filled her with a fear she had not felt for centuries. There in front of her was a towering being, he was encased in Sarafan armor, but that was not his most noticeable trait. His head was aflame with green fire, but still that was not what scared her - it was what this being was holding, the Soul Reaver. Lessa was no fool. Quickly she ran to Seth and jumped on his back. "Admar, run," she shouted, but Admar stood rooted to the spot. "DAMN YOU, ADMAR, RUN!"
but he still did not move. Lessa kicked Seth into motion. The Soul Reaver was coming down to claim Admar, but just before it hit, Lessa and Seth swept under the blade. Lessa grabbed Admar and lay him across the saddle in front of her. Then Seth was running, blasts where flying over her head from the Reaver, she could hear Novanus screaming for her to answer, but there was no time. Just as she thought she was safe she felt white hot fire hit her shoulder, she slumped forward and blood came forth from her mouth, her power faded, she nearly blacked out, and no longer could she hear Novanus. She held on, trusting to Seth that he would get them away. She could still feel him running as fast as he could. She held on to him, leaning over Admar, and the world went black...