Lazaruss : Things are about to get seriously wicked, so everyone, put on your sun glasses. PS : There's nothing like reviews to warm a writer's hearth and I'm feeling a bit cold of late. Bare that in mind.
Fear takes hold like the edge of frost
Our hover is at hand and the battle begins
Winged death against valor's ghost
when clouds bleed, frozen time wins
Shadow of defeat turns will into breeze
Doom shrouds their souls on the edge of a knife
And when cage turns flame there will be no keys
since their nightmares have come to life…
Sen-captain Darmon was pacing the bridge of the ship restlessly. The decision of his mistress did not suit him. But it was his to obey, not to protest. He stopped a moment and observed the deck of the Domrazor. A big hunk of metal. Who'd ever think that giant hovering ships could prove efficient in a battle ? He preferred lighter, smaller crafts. Those were much more maneuverable, and he had generations of experience in piloting them. But he had to confess, the weapons aboard this tin can were impressive. In five minutes of salvoes, Coorhagen would be dust. Domrazor soared along with two others, Encore and Stormray, and the three giant vessels glided above a massive mobile force, casting shades upon them like tree black clouds.
" I still can't believe that Jordana picked those beasts to lead, instead of us !"; Gelaida said from her chair
It was a captain's seat, a large comfy chair. She was sipping a cup of exotic fruit cocktail, but it didn't help to cool her down. Around them, Kreeden officers were working on control boards, maintaining ship's systems. A large front viewing screen displayed the map of the terrain, and the distance the army yet has to cross. The bridge it self was very large, like three normal chambers put together, and it housed many Kreeden officers on its numerous control boards. Darmon looked at her :
" We would have done the same. "
She sunk into her cup :
" I know, but I don't have to like it. "
He smiled and approached her, kneeling in front of the chair :
" Come, my dear ; put up with it while it lasts. "; he petted her cheek :" With the size of this force, it will all be over within minutes. "
She smiled. Drawing closer to him she kissed his lips :
" I will be strong my love… "; and she smiled teasingly :" … would you like me to show you just how strong ?"
" Battle first, my sweet. "; he sighed passionately
" … we still have a long way to go… "; a shrewd inviting smile shined on her face
" You're insatiable. "; he giggled
At once everything went black. The voices faded out of her ear. Her officers were gone as the bridge left her sight, replaced by an assaulting dark. Even Darmon's shouts vanished in a whisper. She was alone in the vast of nothing, black above and gray below, ripped out of her world in a mental link. There was nothing else there aside from her. Gelaida looked around :
" M… Mistress ? Is that you ?"
Footsteps stirred the shade. Gelaida blinked. A large figure was coming to her presence. She suddenly felt very small for some reason. Trying to keep her calm, she stood straight and strong, but when she saw him, it all went away. The white skin of the vampire before her was deformed by muscles and scars. His ears were huge, like that of a bat. Short broad horns rose from his shoulders, and he was dressed in black leather trousers and a long red rag, that fell from his right shoulder like a cloak. And the most distinct detail about him were his bat like wings full of bony thorns and hooks, closed on his back.
" You… you are him. "; she said :" You are Kain. "
The vampire didn't respond. His face showed no emotion, no shrewd smile, no angry grudge. It may have as well bean carved out of ice. Cold golden eyes in blackened eyelids were staring at her without blinking. Under his gaze she felt a bit cold, but she didn't allow her self to be nervous. Sure, this was her greatest enemy, who dragged her in a mental link like a baby, but still she wouldn't yield to anyone like that.
" And what do you want ?"; she asked :" To know how much time do you have left ?"
Kain was silent, his golden eyes stuck on her. He was like a statue. No line on his face moved. His heart was beating calmly throughout the vast emptiness like a distant drum. She has had enough of this. She imagined a sword, and a blade appeared in her arm. Since it was all a world thought, imagination had life here.
" Let's see how you die !"; she yelled and swung her blade
A loud crack resonated the area, and her blade shattered in bits and peaces on reaching Kain's chest. She fell back amazed. Kain didn't even blink. His cold beastly eyes were constantly upon her, eating her mind from within. She jumped up and tried again. A spear appeared in her arms, as strong as she could make it and she lunched it on him. Spinning it over her head, she hurled it to his throat but it bounced back, shaking her hand to the point of pain. Kain still didn't move. Eyes didn't stop hounding her. Heart beets were breaking her ears. Where ever she would move his gaze was upon her. She couldn't take it any more. Hurling the spear as strong as she could, she went for these golden eyes, but the spear shattered to dust as soon as it touched him. She fell back down again with her palms all bloody and bruised. She sighed shocked and razed her sight at him. It was than that he spoke :
" You… owe… "
" I owe you DEATH !"
She jumped at him, trying to punch him, to kick him, anything. It was like fighting against an iron pole. Not even his skin was soft, but hard like cold steel. His eyes didn't separate from her. She screamed in frustration and went to claw them out, but at once pain froze her and she bounced back, panting in a violent shock.
" You owe… "
She got up slowly and defiantly, but her heart wouldn't rest. She had to get out of there. Was it her heart, or Kain's that was so loud ? Focusing hard she tried to brake the bond, but it was like trying to chew trough a chain. She turned around, away from him and ran as fast as she could. Beating didn't cease. She ran and ran and ran. No way out. Black above, gray below. No dour, no exit. She was trapped. Pain in her palms like tongues of flame.
" You owe. "
At once she turned. He was still behind her. She didn't move an inch from where she last was. Or did she ? She couldn't think :
" You owe, you owe, you owe !"; she shrieked :" Don't you have anything better to say ?"
That yellow eyes were upon her again, cold and merciless. No mercy, no desires. He was not a being. He held nothing but cruelty. Before she realized, she was chocking in his sight. It was so cold she couldn't breathe. Drums were pounding faster and faster. He was so cold, so huge, it was unthinkable. He couldn't be. He's not… this ! No smile of triumph. No sadistic pleasure. No hate or anger for an enemy. No heart and soul. Her knees faltered and she collapsed on the flour. She had to get out. So cold. No nothing…
" You owe. "
" …letmego… "; she whispered weak
She was alone with him, without any chance for salvation. No one there but the eyes and the pounding. She tried not to look, but everywhere she'd turn, she could feel his gaze cutting trough her. She wanted to cry, but her lungs froze. Every breath was like eating frost. It had to end. There had to be an end !
" You owe… blood. "
And the end of the anticipation finally came. Pain erupted within her. Every inch of her skin exploded with red bursts. Her muscles begun to fall off and blood to drip on the flour in countless tiny streams. Air was denied to her, and her skin melted, leaving only agony. She was falling apart. Pieces of her flesh started to roll on the ground before her like fish shaken out of the net. Her eyes wanted to fall out. If she could scream, it would out loud an earthquake. Webs of her vanes started to peel off. A white ball rolled before her, it was her eye. Bones came to the surface of her bloody muscles. She felt like her brain would explode.
At once it was over. She was screaming like mad, with big eyes, shaking as hard as she could.
" Gelaida !"; Darmon shouted :" Gelaida !"
Darmon ! It was Darmon. She was on the bridge again. Everyone was trying to hold her down, to bring her back. She was on the bridge again, panting with all her strength. Memories pained her. Her head was spinning. But her palms were whole. Her face was whole. She wanted to cry and to laugh. She wanted to hold him, to hold Darmon. Just to be near him. He took her in his arms and tears went down her eyes. She sobbed like a child, but she was in his arms… so warm… at last…
Sian helped his sire not to collapse. It was an exhausting experience for him, but he achieved his goal. The seed of fear was in the soft soil now. They tried to rip Gelaida out of Kain's grasp, but Kain was stronger still. At least until he was ready to let go. Kain took a goblet of blood and drained it, gazing upon Sian over its edge :
" If you can master the Nothing… "; he whispered :" … you'll be all powerful ! Remember it well. One more lesson we will teach you. "
Sian nodded :
" I will go and supervise the humans. "; he said :" Get some rest and… "
" No. "; Kain cut him off :" We must bring the ships down. "
He tried to stand up and walk, but he was too tired, and he had to catch the edge of the table not to fall. Sian placed his palm on his shoulder :
" Remember that all of us here depend on you. "; Sian spoke :" If you keep rushing at the face of death you may catch it sooner than the we would prefer. "
" Their forces are too swift. "; Kain said :" We must slow them down. The plan won't work while they can fly. "
Sian grudged :
" I don't think you are up to it yet. I sense their force is still far away. Get some rest and recover. "
" …rest… "; Kain sighed tired :" There is no such thing. "; he glanced at Sian's concerned face and smiled :" Very well, my son. We shall shear a meal together. "
Within the next hover or so, the carpet became stained by the crimson liquid and the flour got covered by dry bodies of former prisoners. Father and son were enjoying the taste, exchanging stories that occurred in the other's absence, and the dream of pyre green Nosgoth became alive again amongst them. Sian laughed and Kain smiled, as the words flew between them and each of them was thinking to him self that it's good that Kain stuck around after all. They were cross-legged on the flour facing each other, though Kain had to stretch his wings in order to do so, sipping the blood slowly to prolong the experience :
" Tell me, Father, "; Sian grinned :" did the mighty Kain ever fall in love ?"
" Which Kain ?"; his father asked
" The vampire one. Was it all 'have no heart, not to brake it' or did you allow your self some slack ?"
Kain narrowed his eyes :
" We can't remember… "
" I think you could. "; Sian spoke :" You just don't want to try. "
Kain grudged and suddenly turned serious :
" You have aged Sian. "; he stood up and his wings close :" You are an Elder by all accounts, an Ancient by some, and you can do many things… but you can't compare yourself to us. "
Sian rose from the ground as well :
" When you spoke of Coorhagen you spoke with strange fire… that whispered of past so distant that those Bonefathers must have bean young at the time. "; he sighed and lowered his eyes :" I know I'll never forget Adella… not in twice as long as you've endured… Some things are stronger than time or forget. She is my curse… My wound… Adella… "; he closed his eyes and a tear drop leaked down his cheek :" Just like there are things you won't forget. Ever. "
Kain got cold again. The true Kain surfaced back and went for the dour :
" Survey the humans. "; he said :" We'll by you the time you need. "; but as he reached the dour and grabbed for the handle, he paused. Not turning, he spoke :" Umah… That was her name. If anyone had a chance to be Kain's queen, it was her… "
" What happened to her ?"; Sian asked
Kain hesitated a while.
" Betrayal. "; he whispered and quietly left the room
" We'll reach the target within an hover. "; the Kreeden navigator spoke in the microphone :" All hands at the ready !"
Domrazor was sailing trough the green clouds, surveying the army below. A massive force moved slowly from the south inching towards helpless Coorhagen. By now the Kreedens all learned of the city's last night's fall, and of a winged vampire who killed Chron in a duel. And now that very same vampire was in control of their storage full of weapons and explosives. A silent tie of nervous worry slowly rose around their hearts. Trough their crystals stories were circling of what they heard of Kain's previous accomplishments. Many gossip and rumors passed from hand to hand all amplifying Kain's part in them and many believed most of them. They all knew that despite their number, one like that must never be underestimated.
Gelaida was sitting calmly in the captain's seat. She was reading a data sheet, a text from an unknown source about vampire blood lines. From what recorded history could tell they all sprung from two of them, one being Vorador and the other Kain him self. But it was said that Kain killed Vorador, who was in fact a much older being than he and insured his own dominion over this world. Though she was calm on the outside, deep inside she was re-living the nightmare she endured with him over and over again, unable to burn the fear that now usurped her heart. Once Darmon learned what she's bean trough he got silent and angry. She knew him well enough to know that he has no other thought on his mind any more but Kain's destruction, regardless of Jordana's orders, and despite her outer coolness she feared for him. She feared above all else that he'll die going against Kain. She tried to focus on her reading but the more she red the more did her face turn pale.
" Sen-Captain Gelaida, "; a young female Kreeden officer spoke :" we've received word from Encore ; Kain is on his way. "
Gelaida could hardly contain her unease. Darmon turned sharply :
" On his way to meet us ? The girls are sure of it ?"
" Lady Jasmine and Lady Adella are sensing his approach. "; the young officer said :" We shall intercept with him whit in minutes. "
" Raze shields !"; Gelaida couldn't help her self :" Charge all weapons and signal the other ships !"
" Let him come, my sweet !"; Darmon spoke to her with a cold snarl :" Let him try and go against me !"
Gelaida tried to ignore him :
" All hands to battle stations !"; she yelled and glanced at the main screen :" And somebody get this map off the screen ! I want to see him !"
As the map vanished replaced by green clouds, everyone went silent surveying the sky. A dot appeared in the lower right corner, swiftly flying towards them :
" Magnify !"; Gelaida commanded
A little red square got around the dot and brought the image within across the entire screen. Gelaida froze on the spot ; the eyes hounded her again. It was him. Kain was flapping his wings cutting clouds like a scalpel, leaving a long trail behind him.
" He'll be in weapons range within sixteen seconds. "; a female officer replied from the seat of the targeting computers
Gelaida needed a few moments to catch her breath :
" Lock all batteries on him and open fire !"
" Prepare to fire !"; the voice sounded on the speakers
Kain was coming within range. The timer was counting down on his approach. Red lights were flashing trough out the bridge. A great tension dominated the silence. Just a few more seconds… Just a few more… And than Kain disappeared.
" Where is he ?"; Gelaida shouted
" We lost him… "
" I can see that, you fool ! Find him !"
The search began with every available sensor scanning the parameter before the ship, but Kain was too small for their devices. The giant battle cruiser was designed to detect other vessels, not a flying undead monster. Gelaida paced up and down nervously, trying not to display her panic. She was so lost in her thoughts that she would never notice that Darmon was not on the bridge any more. Time passed very slowly. Minutes stretched to hovers and silence was all present. All were waiting for Kain's reappearance, and their patience was swiftly leaking away.
Suddenly the control board of the ship's shields flashed in warning lights.
" What's happening ?"; Gelaida shouted
" Our left shield is destabilizing !"; a girl that was the second officer said :" We're taking damage !"
" I've found him !"
The image on the screen became that of the left side of Domrazor, displaying Kain slashing the reaver trough empty air. When ever he would strike, the shield before him would become visible, and would loose some of its consistency. At once the ship's weapons opened fire, but he flied out of their aim and returned in strikes to mangle their damaged shield. Their cannons were helplessly trying to keep up with him, but he was too fast and agile even for the complete set. But they were far form helpless. Numerous ports opened on the hull lunching swarms of robotic trackers, assault type, and they all charged on Kain. He had no options left but to fly, chased by the ship's weapons and the annoying triangular prisms. They were firing small beams of searing light and were extremely agile in the air. But he still had the advantage of his cunning. They were following him like a train, one behind the other, and he was the main locomotive. Together they were inscribing complex patterns on the sky, and than he made a loop and charged at the middle of the line. Slamming into the few passing ones and shattering them to bits, he resumed down and away, leaving those who followed him to crash into each other. But only few fell for it and the others broke away.
The ship resumed its salvoes and the annoying mosquitoes kept buzzing around his head. Many of them would get in a cross fire, but it was too exhausting for him to keep dodging them all and approach the shield. The reaver slashed and his magic exploded all around, and numerous blasts of light kept stalking him as he flew as fast and as unpredictable as he could. Just as he thought it can't get any worse, it got worse.
A light craft with heavy weaponry appeared on his tail and entered the chase. The pilot was Darmon. He stalked him mercilessly with his weapons aiming constantly too close to his hide. Kain tried every maneuver he could think of, but the craft was still on his tail like a blood hound. The blasted Kreeden must have had a lot of practice. But he was Kain, not another pilot. Suddenly he turned and charged straight at the craft. Darmon didn't pool up, but resumed his previous course, intending to make Kain a bug on his windshield. But just before the impact, Kain went low and razed the reaver as he passed beneath the craft. The shields on it were instantly down to fifty percent. But Darmon had a chance for a shot. Kain snarled as he took the hit and than he vanished in a white flash of light. The craft turned around and slowed its pace.
" Where are you, you coward ?"; Darmon hissed from the pilot's seat :" Come forth and die !"
A loud bang echoed from the back section. Kain was chasing him now and the reaver inched closer to the craft. Increasing speed, Darmon tried to shake him off, but the vampire was like glued to his tail. At once the shield on his craft dropped by a sudden strike, and the panel burst in sparks. Kain broke trough behind him and stabbed his claws in the metal shell. He held for it with little effort, and Darmon couldn't shake him off. He tried spinning and brushing against the ship all inefficient. Like peeling a coconut, Kain began to break the plates off. The sensors within the pod flashed warningly. Mad with rage, Darmon went to the heat. He stirred back into the swarm of combat trackers and the chaos of gun fire, intending to have them shake this stowaway for him. But as he got close, Kain broke off letting him charge in on his own. The fire power on his path was too thick, but he couldn't pool back. Kain simply flew away as Darmon got in the cross fire disappearing amidst the chaos.
All three ships were firing at him now and Kain's conditions got considerably worse. Trackers got multiplied and they all wanted a peace of him. But he had a few tricks still. He was leading them trough the crossfire as they destroyed all around him and at once he turned for the side with the mangled shield. The trackers followed blindly. Once he got to the shield barrier, he stopped and faced the approaching scourge. All of their small weapons fired at him, and the other ships fired as well. There was no time to move. A blast of explosions and light powered off all the sensors and the officers on Domrazor cheered loudly at their hit. They've got him. He couldn't have dodged that.
Gelaida fell back into her chair. Darmon was gone, destroyed by their own weapons and Kain along with him. She closed her eyes and tears started to roll down her cheeks. During his renegade piloting she constantly tried to call him back but he wouldn't heed her. And now he was dead. For generations they stood by eachother. He was her everything. Her other half… he was no more.
" My lady… "; the second officer spoke :" … I express my condolences about your loss… Sen-captain Darmon was a brave warrior. "
" Status ?"; she asked silently restraining her cry. She was still the captain of the ship.
" We lost sensors on the aft side by the blast, and it seems that the shield on that side is down as well. Repair teem is… "
At once the dour to the bridge got blown away and slammed into the opposite wall. All of the present jumped on the ground before the explosion. Once the smoke cleared away, their eyes and mouth gapped in terror ; Kain stepped forth with the soul reaver blazing in his claw. He stood there watching them on their bellies before him and his icy stare wrought such silence even the breathing ceased. They tried to get up, but he was faster than their sight. A mixture of screams and yell flooded the bridge. The reaver reaped and Kain danced. There was no hope to act, for whenever one would come close to reach for a gun, death would sweep over instantly. Gelaida crawled amongst the corpses of her shipmates. She just had to get out of there. How could he still be alive ? How ? How ? A body of the second officer fell before her with dead eyes staring at her. She didn't even know what hit her when she died. Gelaida screamed and tried to go around. Tears were rushing all over her face. There was the exit. She was behind the chair. If she could just make it there… It was quiet. Perhaps if she'd run… And than she realized. Silence spoke more loudly than words. Every one was dead, except for her… And…
The chair beside her got blown away and stabbed into a control board. She screamed and shivered trying to hide behind her palms. Kain was on top of the back of the captain's seat. Warm blood was smudging his lower jaw. As she dared to look at him he stepped down and glided on the flour. Gelaida's heart was pounding so strong it seemed like it would pop. She tried to back away but her body froze. Her eyes were unable to look away. He slowly stepped closer. Nothing on his face. No triumph or contempt. Cold… So cold… Her heart was beating to the point of a ripping pain.
" …p-p-p-pl-le-e-e-e-ss---… "; she tried to whisper but words froze in her throat.
" You… Owe… "; he spoke to her
Something got stabbed trough her heart. Kain slowly came upon her obscuring her view. A chilling blade made of ice. He was enormous, above and over her like a shade of the edge, dark, so dark she couldn't see. All air in the room was depleted. She was chocking. He was over her… She laughed. Coughing, she laughed as loud as she could. With all the air she had left she laughed, bulging her eyes on the carpet before her. No more air… A silent chuckle… Heart ceased to beet. She wasn't moving any more…
" …Da…rmon…nnnn…hack !"
" You have paid. "; Kain smiled and paced away
Kain really couldn't keep dodging their fire power much longer. The blast that opened the shields for him would give him a major headache, if it'd ever caught up with him, and he would take too long to recover. Instead he wasted some magic and fueled it into bending of light to create an illusion of him self that served as a decoy for those fools to aim at. Their 'triumphant' hit actually opened the dour for him. In his opinion it was a low kind of trick and he really hated being forced into it, but there were more important things than pride to worry about at the time.
The controls of the ship were stained with blood, and much of the buttons was broken, though steering still worked properly. He made sure that it stays undamaged. Fortunately for him, his mental powers already harvested what he needed in order to use the ship's controls. A slight change of curs was in order. He took the panel and begun punching the figures in. A shrewd smile danced on his lip. That ought to fairly slow them all down… A pleasant sent of a perfume caught his attention.
" What are you doing ?"
He tuned slowly :
" Lady Ashee… "; Kain spoke amidst the corpses of Kreedens :" How lovely. "
She was at the entrance to the bridge in a door frame whose dour he blew away. Now she was in a very low blouse and tight black trousers that reached just below her knees. Aside from that she had gilded sandals and she still bore those long red strips on her shoulders with the symbols of Kreeden force. Her long dark bride was hanging behind her, gently swaying back and forth as she gazed around. Kain didn't sense her when she appeared, nor did he smell that perfume of hers soon enough, but he really didn't care
" While you are here, we might add you to this pile. "; He smirked and started to approach
" You can't beet this army, my lord Kain. "; she spoke smiling :" It is too big for you to handle alone. Coorhagen will be stormed to the ground unless you… "
" Enough !"; Kain grabbed her in his kinetic shackles and whispered :" Too many words… "
He pressed her on the wall and at his gesture, the metal around her begun to bend and to close in on her. She was surprised, and both frightened and ecstatic, but Kain couldn't care less this time. With his magic, he bended the iron wall around her body to bind her and left her there while he punched the last few digits in the control board.
" What do you intend ?"; she spoke from her shell :" You can't stop… "; and than she frowned :" You don't intend to stop this army, do you ?"
" You should not have come… but than again, it would only prove a slight delay. "; Smashing the controls with his fist, he smiled and tossed her :" Good by, lady Ashee. "
The front screen blew up and a winged beast flied out of the chamber, back in the green clouds. Upon his departure the ship began to divert it self. Domrazor was one in the middle between Encore and Stormray. It was going sideways and towards Stormray, straight in its front hull.
Jordana floundered. The metal was too tight. She couldn't get her hands free. Sweat begun to leek from her forehead, but she kept calm and focused her magic. The metal shell sparkled, it got a bit darker and finally cracked a bit. But the process was not fast enough. She had very little time left. Trough her crystal she could hear those on the other ship yelling and shouting to avert from their course. Her palms could move a bit and she realized that they were all sweaty. Metal cracked as she bended it just barely and pulled out her slippery palm through out the crack of her shell. It was a painful effort, and many of her long red nails got broken but she smiled still, for pain was the thing she enjoyed. As soon as her hand broke free, she tossed a magic orb in front of her and opened a portal a few inches to her face. Instead of moving trough it, she made the gate come to her, swallowing her along with the section of the wall that healed her and the bended metal wall collapsed in the chamber of her palace along with her.
Two massive crafts collided, braking each others shields and structure. The unit below had to stop and back away as fast as they could. The ships crashed into one another, smashing the control bridges and countless decks in flames and explosions. They were falling down now, stuck together like a corner, Stormray towards south-west and Domrazor towards east. The ground shook and cracked, razing a wall of dust and earth as the crafts fell, and the noise and trembles that swept over the land bounced the army vehicles on their sides. A charging cloud of dust and earth passed over the toppled ground unit like a sand storm and the earthquake shook them all out of their stands. As the dust cleared they found that the two ships made a damn and blocked their progress to north and Coorhagen… Except to go around Domrazor.
Kain was on his way to bring down the last ship, Encore, and cut that way as well, but as he approached he found a strange thing ; the shields on Encore were already down. It had to be done from within. Focusing his magic he transported him self on the bridge of the last ship and there he found an interesting sight. His work was already done. Kreeden officers lay dead everywhere and the blood from their vanes was drained trough bite marks on their necks. Aside from him there appeared to be no one there, but he knew better. Placing the reaver on his back he closed his wings and started pacing over the deck :
" … come out, come out, where ever you are… "; he whispered
Two figures emerged to his sight ; Jasmine from the left corner and Adella from the right, both about fifteen paces away. The three observer each other. He senses their development. To his surprise, Jasmine was actually more powerful than Adella. More than twice as Adella, like she was twice as old. No, more than that. He didn't display it, but it puzzled him. If anything Jasmine seemed tired with sizable bags under her eyes. She stepped a few feet closer to him :
" Father, "; she grinned :" it does us good to see you've conquered the cocoon so… exulted !"
" He lied to us, Jasmine… "; Adella whispered and screamed at him :" … You said you didn't take Vorador's blood !"
" Care to explain the wings, Father ?"; Jasmine asked
Kain twitched his wings a little but didn't remove his eyes from them, nor did he reply. He was silent as a grave.
" I want his heart !"; Adella complained :" His heart, and his head, and his legs, and his… "
" No, my little sister. "; Jasmine cut her off :" Remember what we came here to do ?"
Adella closed her eyes and nodded sadly
" Good. "; Jasmine spoke :" You've stirred quite a few nerves in Lady Jordana, Father. So much that she'd like to meet you. "
" She will. "; Kain whispered malignantly
" Oh, come now !"; Jasmine frowned :" Stop being so thick headed ! Take it from us ; it's not bad to be by her side… "
" Great… joy… "; Adella smiled :" …at her feet… He can't know. He can never know. "
" Nosgoth is dead, father. "; Jasmine continued :" And if you don't come with us now, you'll share its fate. Would you really wont to die for nothing ?"
Kain smiled at them. To his standards, Adella spoke more wisely than Jasmine.
" We are already dead… "; he spoke :" All four of us. "
" Jasmine… "; Adella moaned :" He doesn't take us seriously. He thinks we're bad… and all sorts of bad things… "
" One chance, Father !"; Jasmine grudged and presented a silver collar inscribed with magic runes :" One right thing to do ; put this on and surrender to us. We'll take you to our mistress and you'll see how wrong you were all along. "
" Yes… "; Adella sighed hopefully :" We'll be family again… family… "
" Adella is right. "; Jasmine concurred :" Don't you want us to be family again ?"
For a while Kain was silent and than he smiled :
" Poor things. "; he whispered and lightly shook his head :" You poor, poor things. It hurts us to see you like this… "
He snorted, giggled and than, tossed his head up and laughed out loud with his beastly laughter echoing through out the empty bridge. He even choked in it a couple of times but coughed it out and resumed again even louder. Jasmine seized the opportunity and tossed the collar at his exposed neck. It flew trough the air opened and ready to close, but Kain's red talon caught it first. He didn't even lower his sight at it, rather than continuing to laugh at the ceiling. His head fell back down on them with a large grin and the silver collar in his hand got crushed beneath his squeeze :
" There is no mercy… "; he said still laughing :" Not even for you. "
" You should not have done that… "; Jasmine uttered :" It was most unwise. "
Kain finally stopped laughing. His grin was now darker than the coffin's interior. Tapping his forehead gently with his finger he replied :
" Crazy. "
Instantly, two large axes appeared in Jasmine's hands, Adella pooled out the flaming sword, and Kain pooled out the reaver with a delightful gesture. Jasmine and Adella got back a bit, before his infamous blade, but instead he just faced the hilt and addressed it :
" Kain's kill. "
" Your kill. "
He placed the sword back between his wings. They were his children and his responsibility, not Raziel's. He almost got used to kill his brood by now, and one thing he knew is that their blood must not be on anyone else's hands, save his. They had nothing to fear from Raziel, but somehow they didn't seem much braver.
Jasmine screamed and went forth first. She was faster than he'd predicted and he barely had the time to block havoc and malice with his claws. Long ago when he bestowed these axes onto her he foresaw that she'll commit great deeds with them. Fighting him now, was a great deed indeed. Adella joined her sister, flinging Tarian's flamesword at him, though her attack was much easier to defend from. Jasmine was the real treat. She was strong and fast almost enough to match him, but her skill was not nearly as developed. What ever trickery she'd used to accelerate her ageing, she didn't have time to learn enough combat to match his skills, though it was obvious that she tried. She must have prepared for this day for a long time now.
Jasmine tried to severe Kain's head off with her axe, but the blade got grabbed by his red talon. He bended his head dodging the other axe as well and his knee got in Jasmine's gut. He slammed her in the face and knocked her away a considerable distance, but than the flamesword got a taste of his flesh. Adella sneaked from behind and stabbed him in the back. He roared and slapped her with his wings, bouncing her towards the front. Jumping fast, he grabbed her for her throat in mid air and landed with her helpless body dangling from his claws.
" No !"; Jasmine yelled
But it was too late. Without any hesitation Kain stabbed his claw in Adella's chest. She tried to scream, but it couldn't get trough Kain's squeeze. Blood exploded out of her like a flood staining him all over. He just exposed his teeth and ripped her heart out. A momentary strand of grief ached his own heart, but it was over the next second. There was never any mercy in him for traitors.
Adella coughed. She was well done for. Sian's wound finally turned crust. Or so it seemed. At once she dispersed into strings of light and faded away. The heart in Kain's hand vanished as well and the spilled blood followed in the same way. It was such a complicated illusion, not even his senses saw trough it. It had intensity, mass, speed, strength… A simple flow of magic, expected in one as old as Adella, but coiled together with an impressive skill in an ingenious manner. The only thing that didn't fade on its own was the wound on Kain's back. It healed on its own though. Just at the same moment three more Adellas came forth from different sides, all bearing flameswords. Kain razed his sight at them, evaluating them for an instant. This time too, he could barely see the real one, a feature whish was sure to fade in the heat of battle. There was a fine line between genius and madness and at the moment Adella seemed to be mad enough to be a genius.
" Bravo. "; he smiled
" He killed me, Jasmine !"; the one Adella in the middle shouted like she was accusing him :" He killed me without a second thought !"
" You would kill your own daughter, Father ?"; Jasmine asked
" You think not ? "; Kain asked :" Traitors and failures all share one faith. "; he attacked her and resumed snarling trough his teeth while she defended :" You failed us ! You have failed Nosgoth ! You have failed in your duties and for that you will die !"
" Failed in our duties ?"; Jasmine shrieked as she blocked and dodged with all she had :" IDIOT ! The circle exists for us ! We don't exist for it ! Our powers will save or damn Nosgoth at our whim !"
At once Kain bounced her off further away. He was vividly shocked :
" What did you say ?"
" Join us, Father or die !"; Jasmine hissed trough her fangs
" Who told you that ?"; Kain demanded :" Where did you hear those words ?"
Jasmine frowned. It was obvious that she her self was unaware of what she was saying. Kain heard those words before, once long ago, so long he couldn't remember where and when, but he knew that they were of great significance. Jasmine on the other hand didn't care. She just shook her head :
" Words !"; she shouted :" Words are nothing !"
It was an effort for him to keep up against them. Jasmine and three Adellas, though illusions, the wounds they'd cause were real enough. But none of them had his experience, and further more, none of them had wings that were of great use as he faced multiple foes. At a few occasions, one Adella would try to take the reaver off his back, but his wings were faster than her hand, and the attempt would always end painfully for her. Jasmine was the one he'd always face on front, teaching her the difference between power and control.
Finally Jasmine's axes got within Kain's grasp and he simply ripped them out of her hands, tossing them away on Adella that had to dodge as fast as she could. He and Jasmine embraced, trying to overpower each other. She was strong and her grip was mighty enough for Kain to feel his ribs bending to the point of pain, but her face gave away her opinion of his hospitality. She was slipping. Despite the mortifying effort she placed into this hug and the pain she gained in return, she still didn't give up. Something was forcing her to go on, some loyalty to another goal that kept her alive and willing to die for that. In vain. Her sight started to trail away, and the tightness of her squeeze swiftly reduced.
At the last moment, Kain saw Adella with the corner of an eye, trying to sneak up on him again. She razed the flamesword but he turned around and used Jasmine's body as a shield. Adella barely had time, but somehow she managed to avert the blade and it got stabbed in Jasmine's leg. She screamed, or moaned more like it. Kain had to let her go, for more than five new Adellas appeared out of nothing, making a total eight. He couldn't fight them all with Jasmine in his arms. Instead, he tossed her exhausted body and as she flew trough the air, he mustered a huge amount of magic and blasted everything around him in one giant wave of energy. Four of Adellas dispersed under such force and what was left of his enemies got slammed onto walls, meters away.
Jasmine picked her self up. She was dizzy and bruised, but within seconds it begun to heal. She was recovering. Adella seemed to follow, but a lot more slowly. One of them, he didn't saw if it was the real one, picked up Jasmine's axes instead, acting as if she was ready to continue. He had no more time for this. The battle on the ground was more important than personal fights. He would ether kill them now or later another today. And he decided to kill them now. They'll never give up, nor let him bring the ship down. He will have to kill them to get them out of the way. Jasmine first. At least her he could finish off quickly instead of searching trough illusions. She looked at him just in time to see him charge at her trough the air, and in the last instant she managed to dodge. The claw that was intended to gut her down, just stroke her in the side, but that strike was not to be discharged. The force of Kain's arm was sizeable and she was tossed trough the ship once more, braking trough the wall and vanishing in the green clouds.
" Jasmineeeee !"; every Adella shouted simultaneously and they all ran after her, jumping trough the same hole. The one with Jasmine's axes remained. She pointed one axe in his direction and shouted distraught at him trough her sharp fangs :" You bled my sister ! You will bleed worse ! I shall ! My sister !"; and than she jumped out too.
" … perhaps another day. "; Kain spoke in the new silence
Encore gave signs of trouble, while standing still in mid air. Mighty engines begun to shut down and at once the distance between the earth and the ship began to reduce rapidly. What little armies passed around the barricade made of the other two ships, now had to run for their lives, not to have the third land on their heads. Encore crashed prolonging the barricade, killing some Kreedens at the expense and most importantly, buying time for Kain's plans to mature.
Kain laughed as he was flying back to the city. Vengeance is the dish best served cold. Icy cold. Than and only than does it have the best taste. By now, Sian completed all the preparations and the theater was opened to house its guests. Perhaps it was only fitting that something goes wrong the way it did. A heavy shot from the ground hit him when he wasn't looking. A flash of pain took him under its hold and held him like that for a long time before it withdrawn. When he restored his consciousness he was almost at the ground. Fortunately he was high enough to keep falling down during his temporary blackout. Instantly the wings flapped and he rose above amidst the numerous fires and shots. The shooter was an armored vehicle, NUC upgraded whit a large cannon on its top, a part of the small force that did manage to pool trough before the fall of Encore. It hovered above the ground on a pillow of light and was very mobile, except for the cannon that gave difficulty at aiming. It was a very lucky shoot to hit him at that height.
Just as he was about to fly away, he noticed the true misfortune that befell him ; the reaver was not on him any more. It must have fell off when he took the hit. Kain roared in rage and like a bird of pray stormed down at his enemy. The small force was made mainly out of combat machines, but it made no difference to him. Metal tore like paper under his claws, blasts and explosions were blooming all around him, and his cries of rage overpowered the guns. He was like the worst demon of the underworld stepping out of its pit to drag them down with him. But despite of how he may have appeared, it really wasn't his intention to fight them, only to get them out of the way, so he could find his missing sword. He just wasn't aware of how agitated and distraught he was, and thus propelled he mutilated them mercilessly. Not one of them was able to hit him as he soared a few feet above the ground searching here and there and destroying those that tried to stop him along the way.
But it was in vane. The height he was on when it happened suggested that it may have flied a mile away in any direction. His time has expired. Though he turned those who were there into scrap metal, new begun to pore in around the barricade of ships. All the power of the Kreeden force was about to descend on him. The search was over. He roared in bitter anger as he realized it trough some whisper in the back of his head and stretching his wings, he turned north towards the city. The thought of having someone else find Raziel on this battle field was eating him inside, not by fear but with disgust. To have those hated creatures even touch the reaver was filling him with such rage he barely contained it. But he ran out of options and his cunning was the only weapon he had now.
Seeing his act of withdrawing, the Kreedens picked up speed and chased after him, firing at will, trying to bring him down. He didn't go higher, though it would prove safer, but continuing to fly closer to the ground trying to out run them. After a couple of minutes of chase he left the range of their weapons and in good time too, for the city gates appeared before him. Like a storm he passed trough, navigating in flight across the empty streets. But as soon as he was gone the streets were at once filled again with heavily armed men that begun to leave for the southern gate and to muster before the city wall.
The Kreeden force in all its size, lined before the city. Their beasts roared for blood, their weapons dampened by sweat of their palms and in a number so great, it seemed like a shade has befell the earth. The humans seemed few and frightened, but heavily armed and defiant. They stood before their city to guard it with their lives, though it was obvious to all that they can only delay its destruction.
As soon as the lines formed again, the Kreedens opened fire and showered the defenders with their might. Barely a shot back reached the attacking side and the wall around the city begun to tear it self down. A mass panic stroke the humans and those that eluded their destruction rapidly began to throw their weapons and to escape north trough the city streets. The Kreedens laughed and their commanders gave order for infantry and riders to advance and have fun along the way. Like a tide of the sea, the Kreedens charged after the cowardly humans, poring all their speed into the chase. Swiftly like the wind they've reached and passed the ruined wall entering the streets, burning and destroying anything in their path.
High on top of the northern mountains, two vampires and two humans stood observing the consuming city. Sian has just stepped out of his flame-gate to their midst. They all noticed that Kain returned without the reaver, but no comment was made on that. He watched as the tide of enemies pored into the city slowly filling it and destroying it. Sian had a small metal box with a red button in his hand and Seilla and Volo had their binoculars with which they've observed the act. In her other hand, Seilla had a com link, ready to use.
" Wait for it… "; Kain said with his eyes narrowing on the sight.
The Kreedens kept poring into the city, but no humans could be found. They just kept running north, filling the city from the south, but they couldn't catch up with their pray.
" Wait for it… "
Finally they've reached the cornered humans, at the northern side of the wall. The entire city was torn down in this pursuit. Without hesitation, they ran for the helpless pray, but at once the 'pray' disappeared in thin air, like they were never there.
" Now !"; Kain said, poring all his delight into it.
Sian pressed the button. An explosion shook the earth near the southern gate and the wall. The Kreedens that were left outside the city were bounced back by the blast and those within tried to charge for the exit, but there was none. The mountains blocked their path on the north, their wall on east and west and a wave of explosions on the south kept drawing closer like a storm made of fire. At once the entire city and everyone within it blew up in a massive detonation who's blast ignited the sky it self and shook the foundations of the land. The surviving Kreedens outside were paralyzed and horrified. Their forces were disintegrated. Just a few left away from the explosion and a storm of chaos swept over them all.
From their vantage point, Kain grudged at the flames, blasts and a gust of hot wind and light that swept over them. Humans had to cover their eyes and Sian laughed wickedly. Kain snarled with his chilling voice :
" Take no prisoners. Kill them all. "
Seilla used her com link and at once battle cries emanated from the eastern and western woods. A flood of humans, armed to their teeth rushed from amongst the trees and begun to close in on the remains of the Kreeden force. They were shooting at them and tried to organize, but the humans were more than numerous and an almighty battle took place on field before the now flaming city. Sian couldn't resist but to shift in batform and join the slaughter. His fire combined with the flames in the wreckage of Coorhagen shifted the scales even more towards the human side, and the Kreedens could only try their best to run. Of course it proved futile, for their enemies had no intention on letting them.
Within minutes, the day was won, and the humans cheered on a field now watered by the usurpers blood. Lady Seilla was there amongst her men and Volo gave her a kiss and spun her in his strong arms. Sian returned to the vantage point where Kain still stood, observing the flaming ruin before him. He was silent and sad staring at burning buildings. As he approached, wiping the blood off his lips, Sian observed him and spoke comfortingly :
" When the time comes, Raziel will surface again. "
" The humans sing me their praises… "; Kain said. Sian noticed that he said 'me' instead of 'us' :" Give them victory and they forgive and forget anything. "
" We won, father. "; Sian said :" And yet you do not celebrate. Why don't you cheer ?"
Kain frowned as the orange light illuminated him and the flame cast golden shades on his face. He pointed on one burning building and hesitated a while :
" There… used to be… a terrace there… "; he narrowed his eyes and his breathing got somehow insecure :" A balcony… with blue flowers… Pots of blue flowers… "; the building started to release cracking sounds and it collapsed with a roar, its construction chewed by the heat :" I… remember… A toy horse… and a wooden sword… I was playing… right there… I was… "; he looked at his hand, his red tree fingered claw in a black leather glove, and than he shut his eyes unable to stare at it any more :" What have I done…?"
" What had to be done… "; Sian placed his hand on his shoulder and smiled, finally realizing :" … lord of Coorhagen. Men of this town were indeed built of fire and steal with spirits as high as the shadowing mountains. "
Kain looked at him :
" What is the greatest sorrow, Sian ?"
Sian gazed in the flames :
" To loose the one you love. "
" You know more than me. "; Kain smiled :" No more lessons shall I teach you. "
A ruined wreckage of a light craft lay broken and burned on the end of its landing trench in the swamp a few miles north of the area battle that had taken place. It was smoking with the heat of combat, but there was no chance to be discovered amidst all the other smoke that now filled the sky. An injured bloodstained vision of a blond Kreeden man dragged him self out of the ship trough mud and numerous pounds of green water, gazing at the defeat of his army. The city was burning with their corpses, humans were butchering the remains of those in front of its wall and further south three huge combat cruisers lined like a wall, smoked with black clouds. They were all dead. All of them except for him. And the realization stroke him :
" GELAIDAAaaaaa !"
Darmon rose on his wobbly feet screaming his rage at the green sky. When he crashed here he lost consciousness but even in his blackout he felt the horror of her death in his dreams. The force of her pain was so enormous that the crystal on his forehead cracked broken. Kain killed her. He killed her with such dreadfulness, and he couldn't protect her. In that instant he cast off all masters and mistresses, and swore an oath to one goal alone ; to kill Kain. But than despair stroke him… How ? An army couldn't kill the fiend. What chance did he have ? There had to be a way. He would find it. This wretched world must hold a key to Kain's demise. No, not Jordana's spell. He wanted Kain's blood on his hands, to make him suffer the way he made Gelaida…
As he moved forward lost in his despair, his eye caught a slivery reflection of something further in the rocks. Like he was being led, he walked to the source of light and when he saw it, he instantly realized what it was. It was stabbed in a solid rock like in a chunk of butter with its hilt sticking upwards and reflecting the light of his flaming craft. With his hand he reached for it and ripped it out of the stone as lightly as if he was pooling it trough thin air, and at once its energy leaped to life.
Darmon smiled as he razed the soul reaver above his head, and the sword's energy reflected his feelings. It was time to repay for the pain…
Lazaruss : If you want to read some of my previous work, please review them too. Thanks. By the way ; those exams fell before me ! ROARRRRR !