Kain
Kain teleported to the plaza in front of the sanctuary directly from Melchiah's territory, feeling almost teary. To know that one of his sons, at least, would die for him. Willingly. All would die, to restore nosgoth for humanity. A bitter legacy. The legacy of Kain.
Misting through the first grate, he thought to open it. Then he realized Raziel would have absorbed Melchiah's 'gift', and tore the controls out of the wall as something struck him from behind. Immolating the hapless dumahim, he strode towards the bridge room, leaving the blood for the dogs that flourished in his ruined empire. In the bridge room, he was confronted by two starving dumahim either too stupid or too scared to work the controls. They were still able to speak though and one said in a dry voice. "Challenge. You. No Reaver. No gifts. Agree?" Angrily Kain acquiesced, and one of the dumahim walked to the end of the bridge, facing hi the other staying behind him. Not too stupid to think tactic's, I notice.
Surprisingly cleverly, the dumahim were careful to maneover him towards the water, but Kain was an experienced fighter and the dumahim didn't dare face their own backs to water. Not using Fury took so much concentration that Kain almost fell several times, and he began to worry he would still be engaged when Raziel arrived. So his foot shot out and took the legs from under the nearest dumahim, and darting around, he fixed his claws on the dumahim's armour and threw him at the other one. They collapsed in a crumpled heap. Placing cloven feet on each throat, he asked "Submit?" They nodded. He stepped aside, and was thrown into the water by their combined desperate charge. Keeping his feet and his head through the pain he walked as slowly as he dared towards the edge of the pool. Hoisting himself out, he gave in to Fury. The dumahim bounced off the wall, and kain snagged their life force and tied it to the doors. He teleported to the pillars room and sat down, nursing his burning legs. They would take hours to heal.
Shortly afterwards Kain heard the grating noise of the granite doors closing. He got to his feet and leaned against his throne, beginning to count. Fifteen seconds later he heard them opening. Raziel had real power, to win that quickly. The doors to the pillars chamber opened. Raziel stepped through.
"Raziel"
"Kain!"
There was real fear in the voice, as though Kain could really harm him. Raziel, on hearing him say, truthfully "The abyss has been unkind." responded defensively. He talked of his clan, as though he would not have absorbed his 'sons' as readily as his 'nephews'. Finally, kain became angry. "Conscience! You dare to speak to me of conscience! Your lifespan, is a flicker compared to the mass of doubt and regret that I have borne since Mortanius first turned me from the light! Only when you have felt the full gravity of choice should you dare question my judgment! Could you even conceive what you would choose in my position?"
"I would choose integrity, kain" As though integrity was so clear. Menacingly. Laughing, kain spread his arms. It was time to end this charade. More would follow, of course. "Look around you, Raziel. The clans scattered to the corners of nosgoth. This empire has outlasted its usefulness…As have you."
As have you? If only you knew.
Kain drew the reaver. Pausing long enough for Raziel to recall what he knew about the blade, kain teleported across the room and aimed a projectile. In Raziels moment of uncertainty, he had lost time, and the projectile vanquished him. He returned instantly, and this time he reached kain and struck him. Teleporting again, Kain reappeared at a different spot. Raziel reached him just before he launched the projectile and got in a bite to the face. Clutching at his face, kain blindly fired the projectile and heard Raziel fall. Recovering, he teleported over and struck down raziel with the blade as he was about to get up. The sword disintegrated in his hand, and Raziel began to fade. Saying something taunting about destiny, making sure to anger Raziel, he laughed relievedly. It had worked. Teleporting away, he reminded himself to return and see if Ariel would come out of hiding now that she had someone to council.