Lazaruss :" Hi ! Welcome back. You'll be pleased to know that I've rectified the verses in the first two chapters and also I do not write "flour" instead of "floor" any more. ( hi-hi ) Any way, here is chapter four…I think…
IMPORTANT : Also, I need your help… I'm running low on words that rime with "life". Could you back me up ? Thanks. Reviews are still welcome…
Gone is their Sun and the night dawns
and they pray in dark for the light's embrace
Gone is the warmth, the chill took their bones
save for bitter flames of regret on their face
Once together we were, and now we are split
with the cry of my land singing of strife
but the paths do cross and destinies do meet
now that nightmares have come to life…
Let-Galeb twins were slowly sipping their fruit cocktails looking doubtfully at their guest. Except for them three, the small dark room was empty. One lonely candle shone above the square table around which they sat, but the rest of the room was shrouded in darkness. Surprisingly, the table it self was very well lit, as well as those who sat at it, but the walls were hardly visible through the thick black. Scarce dancing light was reflected from the three crystals on their foreheads and their large dark eyes were constantly measuring the item before them. The brothers were dubious and confused by the proposal that was made and more than hesitating about the answer. The outcome of a failure might prove fatal, if mistress Jordana finds out about their treason.
" We don't even know if it will have any effect on him. "; Conrad said
" It is powerful, yes, "; Randok spoke :" but it also has its own will… I sense it from here. "
" The thing doesn't like our hands very much. "; Conrad gazed at the twisted blade :" Nor yours, Darmon. "
Darmon was holding the reaver, laid on the table before them. Its energy and magic were dancing on the blade making the lone candle more than sufficient. By now they've completed every test they could with it, though Darmon wouldn't let them take it from him, rather than conducting the tests him self and it seemed that the blade was more powerful than the finest weapons the twins had. It did cost the twins their finest weapons, any way.
" You two have lost your nerve than ?"; Darmon said :" The greatest hunters in all the Kreeden ranks ?"
" Don't insult us !"; Randok banged his fist on the desk
" Even if it works, you are a fool if you think Jordana will ever forgive us such disobedience. "; Conrad said
" Jordana is insane, "; Darmon snorted :" not since she met Kain, but since much longer. I just never had the guts to say it out loud, which makes me more brave than you two together. "
" Or more stupid, "; Randok said :" and we are all mighty stooped for even considering such a thing. "
" Let's not insult each other… "; Darmon stood up and took the reaver :" I need allies, you two want your revenge, and Kain needs our combined effort do destroy him. If it's Jordana you worry about, I shall take the full responsibility for this act. "
" You would do that ?"; Conrad asked :" We won't be implicated ?"
" All I want is to avenge my Gelaida. "; Darmon spoke in a dark manner :" I don't care about anything afterwards. If that witch Jordana has a grudge against me than, let her. I'll be beyond her reach. "
" Only the dead are beyond her reach. "; Conrad said :" If her spells do not drag their souls back. "
" She won't drag mine back. "; Darmon said
" You… intend to kill your self afterwards. "; Randok deducted
" I intend to join my love. "; he placed the reaver on his back :" But not before my revenge catches up with Kain. You can even take the sword after I'm done with it. "
The twins gazed at each other with greed passing trough their eyes. Already they came up with a system to whom wills the reaver go to in which day of the week.
" It will take us careful planning if we are to hunt this master predator…"; Randok frowned
" Perhaps we too can offer some useful antiques… "; Conrad smiled and their laughter filled the dark chamber
Kain landed in the crowd of people that made room for him and Sian. The humans cheered him celebrating their triumph. Seilla stepped forth followed by Volo who was blushing in her arms until the time Kain decided to drop in. Now he was pretending that he's somehow smaller than a grain. The crowd got silent and Seilla spoke to them :
" You vampires are truly… unpredictable sort. "
" Thank you. "; Sian smiled cunningly
" It was your skill that won this day. "; Seilla told Kain :" We will follow your guidance where ever you pace. Lead us into more battles, until we drive those sons of bitches back where they came from !"
Kain sighed and covered his eyes as the cheers rose in the sky once more. As they went quiet he addressed her :
" You must take the lead now. "
" But you will follow, right ? Give me advice… "
" I have some… family meters to settle. "; Kain spoke and presented her a rolled scroll of an ancient parchment :" Guard it well. "
She took it, unwrapped it and gazed upon the deal made over six and a half centuries ago ; it was the original Leiman Treaty that closed forever the conflicts between vampires and humans. It was a priceless relic and an invaluable antique, remarkably well preserved. Kain approached her and placed his hand on her shoulder :
" Cold head, hope before fear, and sharp eyes to see every option. Leave nothing to chance and never give in to doubt. "; he glanced at Volo and said :" Volo will help you the best he can. When we settle our affairs, we'll return. Sian !"
With a wave of his mighty wings he cast him self in the sky and Sian's bats followed him like a cloud as the crowd greeted them with their cheers. Now their troops were considerably enforced by the people of Coorhagen and armed with vehicles and weapons of the enemy. Even women and children wanted a peace of guns and a taste of battle against the usurpers. The war was far from over.
Adella and Jasmine were licking their wounds, watering them with fresh blood. The battle against their sire drained them both to the point of exhaustion. Jasmine was in a much worse shape than her sister, bruised and bone-broken all over her but the darkness was therapeutic and the blood strong, so their wounds finally managed to withdrawn. Jordana was pacing back and forth down the purple marble floor of her palace. She was not displaying it but she was upset. The word of the colossal defeat of her forces filled her with a strange dread that didn't respond in a heat of pleasure. Not this time. Old enemies were resurrected and her forces were decimated. The next move must be taken carefully.
Jasmine held Adella on her bosom swaying her like a little girl and humming some lullaby. Adella was most upset about seeing Kain again and all that he had become, but most of all she was struck down by the fact that she and her sister failed in their task. Silently sobbing, she gave up all hope that Kain will ever kneel before the feet of her mistress.
" Mistress, "; Jasmine said :" please, for the sake of us all, we must destroy him before he destroys you. "
" We couldn't live with our selves if he would harm you. "; Adella whispered
Jordana was still pacing back and forth, pondering her options. She had a rough plan in her head, but the important peaces were missing.
Her previous conversation with Kain has proved to her one thing ; he was indeed too thickheaded to join willingly, but she wasn't about to give up. He was all she could think about, his cold heartless stare, his supreme arrogance, his delicious power… She simply had to change him, like she changed his daughters. The Machine of spinning mirrors can change anything. She will have him by her side and the Kreeden Realms will be unmatched by any other in the galaxy.
Her black eyes without pupils glittered at the thought of that. Unmatched by power and strength… She learned long ago that weakness is never an option. She was so week all those generations ago, and helpless to make a difference as her world suffered under the White-skins. The monsters tormented her people over a century before they finally drove them back. But now she was a monster, she was the horror and she will insure that her people are never enslaved again, by eliminating all the potential invaders and being the greatest horror of all.
Never again !
But first she had to get Kain to stand by her. Such a creature on their side will make them unequaled, and more yet, it will please her beating heart to have such a warrior as her lover. It was dangerous, but she fell in love with him strong enough not to accept failure as an option.
She had to gain in time, for the curse to chew the pillar's core and weaken him enough for capture. But how… ?
And than it hit her :
" Yes… yes, that just might work ! Summon Haidres here to me. Stephan will have his hands full. "
Adella and Jasmine looked at each other as their mistress laughed to her self.
The pillars loomed before them, reaching into the sky. Their peeks contested with the clouds who will reach the top first. Black as they stood, their long shades seemed even darker, like portals into pyre nothingness. From this epicenter the misery spread poring poison and death, to mix it with life. Kain paced to the ninth pillar, placing his palm at its black surface. Now it resembled a tube made of coal. The floor beneath them was still white but from it, cracks spread, flowing with lava, stretching over the land like the hearth of corruption.
" What are you looking for ?"; Sian asked
Kain petted the pillar passing his red talon over its ruined surface. His eyes tried to measure its height :
" To move forward, one must sometimes go backward. "; he said, not turning :" To see the future we must look into the past. Ask the right questions and you'll gain the right answers. "
" Here is my question. "; Sian said :" Why does the land cry in your head ?"
Kain sighed :
" The pillars are more than they seem, Sian… They are the beginning and the end, the shrine of all elements, and most of all, a shield against the Hylden. But their weakness is that they are one with the land. As Nosgoth suffers the pillars crumble, as the pillars crumble, Nosgoth suffers even more and they cry in the ears of the guardians. "; he turned to him :" And so we see at last my foretold headstone… "
He stepped in the long shadow of the pillar of balance, still holding his palm on its surface. At this point Sian remembered a while back. Once Kain fell and he and his two sisters raised him to his feet, and as he stood up, the pillars rose with him. If anything, it seemed only fitting for Kain's throne to be here for ages upon ages from which he sat and gazed across his Empire.
" Not if I can help it. "; Sian spoke :" The pillars are about to fall, aren't they ?"
" Yes… since the dawn of time till this hover. "
" Not yet. We still have four more days, if Chron was telling the truth. "; he frowned :" I always wondered how the land decayed so swiftly, since the Kreedens shown up. Jordana cursed the Pillars, didn't she ?"
" She holds it for a clever move, but she doesn't know what she is about to unleash. "; Kain removed his palm :" Our vampire ancestors rose these pillars as the lock that binds their enemies away from this world. Each pillar needs a guardian vampire, bourn and dedicated to the pillar's purpose. Human's dedication is unfit. "
" She cursed the pillars to get to you. Because you are linked with them. Adella and Jasmine must have revealed that to her. "; Sian stepped closer :" How did she do it ? How did she cursed the pillars ?"
" I don't know. "; Kain grudged :" They were cursed before… Now again… But never so… directly. Without guardians, I don't see the means. "
" If you are the last guardian, than she must have cursed you. "
" No. "; Kain said :" Even in hibernation, I would have felt it. She found some gap in the binding, something that we overlooked, and used it to poison them efficiently. "; he turned to him :" Two thousand years ago, Raziel showed me the error of my ways. Since the land and the pillars were one, we tried to restore them by cleansing the land, and as you know, it almost worked. "
" Than we must remove her curse and heal the land again. "; Sian said and grudged :" Not we ; I will do it. I shall shoulder your burdens instead of you. You have done more than enough. It has bean too long since your duty has begun. But you must live and rest your weary soul. There is such a thing as rest, Father. Even for you. "
Kain smiled. He stepped closer to him and placed a hand on his shoulder :
" If I could only have your freshness. No, my young son. It is not as easy as that. It took two thousand years for my Empire to poison the land and two more for me and Raziel to bring purity back. And besides, the pillars won't let me rest for as long as I live. "
" They will !"; Sian protested :" When we remove Jordana's curse, I shall take it onto me to restore the land the way you and Raziel did. "; Kain uttered to say something but Sian resumed :" I can and I shall ! I can be what ever you both were and more ! And if these chunks of rock don't like it, to hell with their pleasure ! You have served your purpose. "
" Sian… Lord of flies… "; Kain smiled and looked at him sideways
" Not any more. "; he said :" Now I am Lord of Flames, because I have a mission fit for one. "
" I do what I must because I must, but you do because you hope, foolish as it might be… You always were intriguing. "
" I know, I know ; Ever since you met me in the slums. "
" Be careful. " Kain warned him :" The pillars are stubborn. They will refuse to stop poisoning the land no meter how much you clean their venom. But once and if you manage to contain it, and the land starts to heal, they will have no choice but to… ARghhhhh !"
At once an earthquake shook the ground and Kain covered his ears, pressing as strong as he could. Sian could barely hold his feet on the ground. Rumbles and cracking sounds roared in accord with Kain who even wrapped him self in his wings trying to block what was tearing his hearing. It went silent moments after and the land got still again. Kain released his head and gazed at the pillars once more, though this time it was more a glare than a gaze.
" Let's go. "; he said :" We are done here. "
Perhaps he just wanted some distance between him self and the black source of his pain, though Sian too didn't like being here all that much. But as they turned to depart, they faced a transparent illusion of Jasmine, an astral projection that was observing them.
" You lost something, Father ?"; Jasmine gestured to the fact that the reaver wasn't on him :" How fortunate… for us. "
Sian's chain, still shackled to his right wrist, at once grew red with heat and a spiked orb of fire appeared on its other end :
" You should tell it to us personally instead of this cowardice !"
" Sian !"; she shouted as if she notice him just than :" I should have known ! A worm will go for a rotten apple !"
" Enough !"; Kain yelled and focused his magic on the image, intending to learn where it is coming from. But though it begun to fluctuate and give signs of Jasmine's effort, it didn't reveal her secrets :" We will all get the chance to taste each other's blood soon. "; Kain said, attacking her magic blocks.
" Yes. "; Jasmine concurred :" My mistress gave me and Adella the permission to bleed you, but I want you first. Come to me, Father and witness your daughter's might !"
" Than why do you hide ?"; he smiled
" For fun. "; She replied, sounding somehow exhausted, no doubt by Kain's probing :" Seek there where the sky rains flame, where the land is a bare rock, where the water is a lake of lava, and where a black fortress shadows a garden of horrors !"
She faded away and instead of her a giant brown tree sprung out of the ground. It grew bare and without leaves, but somewhere at the spring of its branches, the bark crack and tore, to resemble a demonic green glowing face. Its branches became long claws and its roots grew into short tentacles that served as legs. It roared at them with a voice that sounded like cracking wood and splitting lumbers.
" A treemon !"; Sian named it
" A workout. "; Kain rectified him.
An instant later and he razed him self in the sky. Sian jumped and slashed his flail of fire over the bark of the three-creature. It seemed to hate the flame, since it was wood after all. Kain flew trough its branches, tearing a few out of its crown. The treemon tried to get him but he was too fast. Sian dodged the root-foot and struck it with his flail, burning trough it and sewing it off. The wood demon roared in pain and swung his branches full of sharp twigs at them both. Kain eluded it again, this time passing trough like a cloud of mist, but Sian was not that lucky. The branches caught him and started to close around him squeezing him and devouring him within. He tried to ignite them as fast as he could, but they just seemed to grow a new. Just as it seemed like he would become a part of this creature's body, Kain landed on the nod of perplexed branches and started to tear them away with claws, feet, wings and jaws. He was fighting the wooden spider legs like an animal and finally Sian's head broke trough the nod. He hissed in anger and smoke started to emanate from within his cocoon. He was burning his way out. Kain than moved to the face of this monster, but even more branches blocked his path. Wood splintered and scratched him, but his claws were sharper and harder than it, even though it grew back more swiftly than his wounds and cuts reduced. Finally he made his way to the face and stabbed his claws in the green layer of light just under its bark. The threemon roared as Kain stroke his hearth, and Sian broke free out of its hold blasting the ash, coal and splinters all around. As his claws were in, Kain felt its life force. Without hesitation, he pored death into it and extinguished it like water puts out fire. The creature's face stopped glowing, and it died remaining in the same position, like a ripped out tree. The wood closed around Kain's claws, but he easily ripped them out, braking them free trough a cloud of splinters. He sighed shivering as the cuts and wounds vanished leaving no scars and he faced his son with a cold face :
" Entertaining. "
" Jasmine's minion. "; Sian spat on the ground :" Her power of nature bonds allowed her to produce hundreds of these three-demons. A simple flower is her guard dog now. "
" Atrocities. "; Kain said :" Life without blood. "; he frowned :" Let's pay her a visit. "
" You've solved her riddle ?"
" Hardly a riddle. The Dark Eden !"
" What's that ?"
" A crown of corruption. "
Kain's wings opened and Sian shifted. They were well on their way.
A crimson dome of energy covered a large platter in the mountains, north of Termagent forest. Sian has never seen it before, though he lived more than six centuries. It was another innovation of the Kreeden's design, and a fresh one, for it wasn't here since recently. The thing was huge, rivaling mountains in its size and colored in a tone blood stained glass would have. As they flew, Kain was silent, observing the approaching wall of energy, but a grudge on his face signified a certain effort Sian knew from before ; he was plunging into his forgotten memories. There was something important about this place, important enough for him to torment him self with this hard focus. For the entire time of their flight, Kain was fighting his senility, and even now as they were about to land, he didn't seem to find what he was looking for.
The barrier welcomed them without any harm. Kain passed without hesitation and Sian followed blindly. The area that was revealed to them was most disturbing even for this Nosgoth, such as it was. What life there was, seemed more like pit fiends than creatures. Molten rock replaced the water and chunks of naked stone stood instead of earth. A small village was destroyed, barely anything more than a ruin of torn down structures with gravel and ash piled around them. It seemed that hell pored it self out into this place and all that was once blessed, was now seared to dust. In the center of the platter stood a great black tower, generating a beam of energy that created this dome, and there, within its walls, Sian could feel Jasmine, waiting for them.
Kain landed near the tower entrance and Sian formed beside him. It was a small black gateway that shadowed their path, unprotected and inviting. Sian frowned. There were no three-monsters or other creatures to guard it. This whole thing reeked of a trap. Or maybe Jasmine wanted them for her self. As they landed, they had another revelation :
" Something isn't right. "; Sian grudged :" Something blocks my transporting magic. "
" I know. Mine too. "; Kain answered uninterested. He was gazing over the hellish land :" She really made an effort to bring it back. "
Sian was surprised. It had to be a large force to obstruct Kain's power. What ever it was, it seemed to prevent such magic, even his so called Flame-gate, limited as it may be. No portals would work here. Perhaps it was because of the dome. But somehow, he didn't place much hope into Jasmine's power being diminished in the same fashion, for she had the advantage of choosing the fighting ground.
" At least we don't need to knock. "; Sian said referring to the opened gate.
Kain snorted and swiftly paced trough it. As they entered, Sian got yet another surprise. They found them selves in a large courtyard surrounded in gray and black walls. Soft green grass made a shaggy carpet over the damp soil. There was considerable moisture in the air, next to an intolerable heat outside. The ceiling was high and of black stone, but there was still light within, though from no visible source. But the main thing was that this whole area simply couldn't fit into the black tower. The structure was thin outside like it had one room at its top and stairs to it. This was a powerful magic at work. He passed over this revelation and focused back on Jasmine.
Kain observed the grounds with his sharp examining stare, and after a mere moment he led them on towards the other end of the courtyard. Mud and grass sprinkled beneath their feet as if their roots were popping and spraying the leaves above when they would step on it. It was not grass. It was a sick imitation. This was truly a crown of corruption. Deeper inside the tower, they found a maze of twists and tunnels. It was enough to get lost, but Kain led them trough with a sure step. He almost knew where he was going. At once he stopped and smelled the air.
" What ?"; Sian asked
A fade smell of a familiar perfume tingled about. Sian felt it before in the room in Coorhagen. The sent was emanating from behind a common black wall on their left. Kain slammed his fist trough it and collapsed it, revealing a dark secret room. It was empty. He grudged.
" Was there someone here ?"; Sian asked
" Irrelevant. "; Kain said after a closer inspection :" But interesting… "; he smirked and led them on :" Let's not keep Jasmine waiting. "
After the maze, they came upon another in-dour grass terrain, with a little bigger ceiling. It seemed to have its own exit to outside as well. As they reached the other wall, they found a wooden dour leading further into the structure. Who knows what chambers they will find next in this 'inverted tower'. Just as they were about to open the dour, the soil beneath their feet started to trimmer. Kain and Sian turned back slowly and saw a bush of wines rising from the ground. It begun to take shape of a humanoid creature clothed in thorns and leaves, with boots made of roots. The face of the creature had the same green inner fire from before, and most of all, it had wings made of coiled vines and large leaves to resemble a butterfly wings. His head was a stump with a shaggy bunch of grass to serve for a hair, and his mouth were obscured by shreds of torn tree bark.
" I am Poisonous, "; it spoke to them with a surprisingly eloquent voice :" the guard of Nature's Mother. "
" Like we care. "; Kain just turned and paced on to the dour
Sian had to jump away, and Kain got struck by a blast of magic from behind, that caused him to lumber a few paces forward. He slowly rose his head, and his long white hair sloped down his back a little lower :
" Do your self a favor salad-creature. "; he whispered taking a hissing breath :" Go back where you came from before I turn around. "
Poisonous didn't heed him, instead of jumping at him from behind. It earned him a sizable portion of telekinetic bolt, extra crispy. He ended up on the middle of the grass carpet. But he didn't stay down. He re-grew him self and a shield made of bark and a mace made of a log appeared in his hands. Kain was already pacing towards him most angry. He didn't like fanatical things :
" Now I am autumn. "
" Grand Mother gave me purpose to prevent your passage. "; Poisonous spoke in that eloquent whisper, like singing :" No one lives to go trough. "
He swung his mace at him, but Kain struck the wood with his fist and shattered it to splinters. Poisonous screamed as it he tore his arm off, and Kain grabbed him by the throat lifting him up. At once, the vines got unwrapped and went for him, binding around him like a ball of web. There were too many strings with thorns stabbing into his flesh, and it begun to consume him. Kain snarled and roared within the twine of needles, and it constantly deformed, bended and shifted as he struggled to get out, but he couldn't. Not even mist could stream trough the thick branches. The thorns was stinging him with searing poisons and venom, disrupting his casting focus, and he could barely muster any amount of magic. He decided to rationalize his storage and collect it for one mighty blow, but in the mean time he would cause more damage from within.
At once, Sian went with his fire to burn trough these ropes, but a large metal axe blocked his cast. It was Jasmine.
" Kneel, Sian !"; she spoke while Kain was snarling within his huge ball of green and brown web :" If you bow to me, I just might let you live. "
Sian hissed at her and his chain grew golden-hot. This time it grew longer and caught flame, like a whip :
" You know me better than that, little Sister !"
He snarled trough his fangs and charged at her, but she dodged him easily :
" Disgusting bastard !"; she yelled at him :" We could have bean siblings again, but you are too stupid to see trough Kain's lies !"; she caught his whip and yanked him to the ground :" You sicken me… "
Hissing at him, she hurled him in Kain's ball of vines and instantly, it begun to grow over him as well. He hissed and struggled, but it was pointless. No meter how many he would burn or tear off, twice as more would grow anew. He was swiftly consumed within and it grew so tight around him, he could barely move. Trough the cords, he could feel his sire's efforts to brake free and the constant enlarging of their shackles, trying to contain him. But now he couldn't use his kinetic explosion to blast his way out, since it would hurt Sian considerably, if not kill him. It was an endless struggle, but it seemed that all their efforts were pointless. The thorns were stabbed in Sian's skin, paralyzing him with some strong acidic toxin, and he could barely sense what happened outside his prison.
Jasmine giggled and started to jump around her big kitten's ball :
" So the scourge of the circle has arrived ! Caught in my little trap, are you Father ? Why don't you teleport your self out ? Perhaps you are not so omnipotent as you've thought !"
" What now, Jasmine ?"; Sian shouted
" Now you two take a bath !"; she said and the ball of vines started to roll :" I will dip you in the icy waters. Once you sink deep enough, the wines will untwine and the abyss will chew you up !"
She begun rolling them trough the chamber, and briefly stopped to make the entrance large enough for them to pass trough. It was a big ball after all. But suddenly, a mass of raging black clouds covered the sky, making the land dark. Before Jasmine realized what she has done, a thunder cracked at her ball, splitting trough it. Kain must have adapted or something. She swiftly got a hold of her self and made more vines grow, but another thunder struck her in the chest, knocking her far away. More came raining down upon them all, and she had to dodge instead of cast. Than suddenly a loud tearing sound was heard and the sky went silent. She looked at the burned remains of her Poisonous, that now covered the ground with his debris. Kain and Sian were painted in green mush trough which red dots of thorns broke to the surface. They would seem pretty ridiculous, if not for the icy glare they gave her.
" You were saying something about the abyss ?"; Kain asked her trough his anger clenched jaw :" What a fine idea… "
" Week… "; she whispered and than shouted :" You are week ! Obsolete ! I am a new age ! I am strong !"
" How strong you were when you killed our Houses ?"; Sian hissed and his chain became a weapon once more :" You've killed Oderon, and Velako, and Yvonne and many others ! What strength was there in destroying our helpless progeny ?"
" Ask your Father !"; she growled :" His closet holds more skeletons than you would pin on me !"; she glared at Kain :" Can Sian make a list of those progeny you destroyed ?"
Kain misted out of the layer of green mush and his wounds were gone :
" It would be a mile long… "; he laughed :" and he'd have to add you in the end, weakling !"
" Weakling ? Take a look at me !"; she shouted :" I was Nature's sister when you went asleep, now I am her mistress ! You've bested me in clouds, but here, "; she reached down and grabbed a handful of soil :" where I can draw power from the great mother, I can call on what ever amount I need against you. "
Kain got calm and sighed somewhat annoyed :
" You can not cheat time, child. I have earned my powers and you have stolen yours. "
" Vampires steel their power constantly !"; she hissed :" You taught me that ! We rob the earth of its energy to prolong our existence and increase our might !"
" Moderate. Your bite is so voracious you vomit everything else. You don't have the will, nor the experience such power warrants. "; he giggled :" You… you want to match me, but all along you are going backwards !"
" Enough !"; Havoc and Malice re-appeared in her claws :" I hope you've made your peace, for now it's too late !"
Sian barely dodged her lightning like charge, but just as he was clear, a splash of water exploded beneath him and he jumped away hissing in pain. Water was not a friend to a vampire especially to a Fire-lord. Fortunately, Jasmine was too busy with Kain to attack him again. He was blocking her attacks with his red talons, but than Sian noticed that he actually backed up before her. She was attacking so viciously, it seemed impossible. And more still, she saw it too and attacked even more eager. Kain was basically in trouble. Jasmine pinned him hard and he was loosing his ground. Sian tried to aid him, but the water burns were too demobilizing, and Jasmine hardly made an effort to spawn a Treemon between him and her, while battling Kain.
Sian snarled at the Tree-monster and jumped for the face. He knew now that it was where the life of this thing resided. It took a lot of dodging, struggling and fire to reach trough the needle like twigs and heavy logs but he made his way aggressively and showered the green glow with his own light. A river of fire sprung out of his palm and completely burned trough to the other side. The Treemon was dead, but trough the burned hole, he saw Jasmine attacking Kain who was backing the wall. She pinned him hard.
The branches were too thick. He couldn't get trough in time. Jasmine already raised her axe and Kain gave her a weak spot in his defense. His block was about to crack. Sian could clearly see it from there. A smile shined on her face and Havoc descended.
" No !"; Sian yelled
Without any warning, Kain's body made a move that seemed like a wave passed down trough him as if trough a rubber band, and the axe just went trough the empty space that wave made. Jasmine's blow was so powerful, it dragged her along, and she landed on Kain's claws. Pain filled her sight like a white blast, before she realized that he gut her. But she didn't allow him to tear her apart. With her last strength she jumped back, trying to hold her chest whole with her bare hands. A fat trail of blood left after her withdrawn. Dizzy and spinning she gazed shocked at him as he razed his now utterly red arm before him looking at it :
" Too confident. "
It all became clear that instant. He played her for a brut idiot, giving her some slack and making her charge at him like a fool. And when she was sure she can not loose, she got careless and failed to notice that he 'gave' her a place where she wanted to strike him. He aimed for her instead of her and thus got the best of her. In fact her pride got the best of her.
And than she realized ; she was holding her gutted chest with both of her hands… empty hands. She was disarmed as well. Havoc and Malice were on the ground beside Kain, though he didn't bother to take them. Sian jumped next to Kain and picked those up instead. Tired malignant jaws hissed with his breaths.
Screaming with rage, Jasmine howled at the sky and at once she seemed like growing. Black fur sprung out of her skin and her clothes tore under her expending body. The wound on her chest got consumed by her transformation. Claws on her hands now became paws and her face grew into a black jowl full of sharp teeth. She became a black She-wolf on two legs, twice as tall as Kain. White foam smudged her jaw as she growled at him half loud. Kain spread his wings angrily and hissed at her like a beast.
They collided with the wrath of ancients burning the ground and evaporating mud into dirt. She was now even faster and stronger than him, but she still couldn't match his skill and the beastly rage took over completely. She was lost within the Wolf howling and clawing like mad, desperately trying to tear him apart. Kain barely held his ground against her. Sian was trying to keep up with them. His weapon-chain rained flame upon the She-wolf but Jasmine ether wouldn't notice ether would dodge. She was shielded in a thick layer of greasy black fur that protected her efficiently. No meter how hard Sian tried he couldn't distract her enough for Kain to advance, nor could he be a part of their battle ground.
Kain was practically growing desperate. His claws couldn't pierce Jasmine's defenses. She-wolf was too fast and her blows were strong. He remembered that she drew her strength from earth, but he couldn't separate her from it. She was too heavy to lift and to swift to grab her in kinetic shackles. She tried to pin him at the dour, but he broke trough them and rose to the sky. There was no ceiling in the next room. Jasmine jumped high to catch him, but he dodged her and finally slammed her hard in the back with his elbow. Her spine almost broke and she landed face down in the hard rocky road. Kain was out of her reach now, but Sian was not.
With her monstrous fury she snarled at him and ran to claw him down, but she never made it to him for a powerful kinetic bolt blew the earth up right before her face spraying dirt in her eyes. A moment of blindness was enough for Sian to get out of the way and Jasmine charged into a wall, braking trough it. She howled and tried to shake the sand out of her eyes and in that moment Kain went to land at her from above, but her black paw got him first. She slammed him into the ground and swept him off like garbage straight to a wall making him down for a moment. It was obvious that she could see clearly now.
She was about to rip him apart. Sian had to do something. In a moment of her charge trough a wall, he came to an idea, and now was the last chance to try it. His weapon extinguished turning cold again. He raised his arm above his head and started to spin the chain around faster and faster. Jasmine suddenly turned to him surprised, but he only increased speed of the rotation while holding the axes in his left hand. The spinning chain was making a sound, at first louder and louder and than it grew barely noticeable, but She-wolf howled in pain and tried to shield her ears with her paws. It was unbearable to her. She charged for him, but he dodged her easily now and even slashed his chain over her face most painfully, for she barely saw where she was going. She missed him again and this time Kain landed on her back and embraced her throat, squeezing it and chocking her. She was trying to roar and scream but couldn't trough Kain's squeeze and the She-wolf slowly started to decrease. In her feeble attempts to shake him off she crushed trough a wall in a few places, but his grip only tightened and her neck started to crack.
Finally, Jasmine emerged under the thick fur and her tiny greenish body with vanes all over it now dangled in Kain's arms. She was almost depleted of her strength. Kain lunched her in a wall making a crack in it. Before she fell he grabbed her in his kinetic shackles :
" You… "; he squeezed her to the point of a scream :" …have bean… "; he slammed her into a wall :" … a very… "; he slammed her again :" …bad… "; again and she spat a wail of blood out :" …girl !"
Jasmine's exhausted, naked, bruised, blood stained body landed on the ground and she started to crawl over the mud trying to get away. She was bleeding badly trough numerous wounds on her, especially trough the one that Kain gave her in the start. The land didn't answer her call. She was too weak to make it louder. Kain was slowly pacing after her. She was thirsty, so thereby thirsty she couldn't think. Every bone in her being seemed to be shattered. She was a bag of gravel and pain, shaken to a point of bursting out. It was over. She couldn't even crawl any more, rather than just falling face down.
Kain grabbed her by her throat lifting her high before him. His face bore a sadistic grin. A wide opened three fingered claw in a black glove stood at a ready. Trough her dizzy eyes she tried to look at him, but everything was spinning to fast. Only one thing was constant ; she was about to die…
" Stop !"
At once, Kain's lunching claw got entangled in a hard hot chain. Instead of tearing trough it, Kain stopped and gazed upon Sian :
" I… can't believe I'm doing this… "; Sian said, bulging eyes at his own gesture
" You want to have the honor ?"; Kain asked
" I want to know, can she be restored ?"; he gazed at him
" Perhaps… "; Kain looked at her :" But if she is, would she thank us or curse us ?"
Sian frowned at his tormented sister, still dangling in Kain's grasp. 'to kill them now would be a mercy…' he remembered his own words. They caused so much wrong their souls must be begging for death's embrace every day now. If they still have them. A second chance would mean to live with that horrible guilt 'till the end of their lives. And they weren't even worthy of a second chance… So why did he stop Kain's claw ? Why was he thinking about all this now ? Why couldn't he just stop hoping…
" Do you think they have enough of you in them ?"; he asked Kain
Enough to shoulder the burden of guilt, the way Kain does. If he can, so could they. Adella and Jasmine may become strong enough if they aren't already. He had to try and bring them back.
" Would you wish my faith onto them ?"; Kain asked him sort of sadly
" Would you wish them to die as these monsters ?"; Sian asked him back :" If they can't take it, at least they'll die as them selves. "
Kain looked at Jasmine's face with half closed sick eyes staring blankly at nothing. She seemed so small and insignificant. He grudged and unwrapped the chain of his talon with a swift tug :
" She is your responsibility. "; he tossed her in his arms :" But be ware ; you have taken too much on your self already. "
Sian tied her up with his chain and wrapped her in his black coat. In a first time after they were captured, he removed the chain off, cutting his wrist free with one axe. He didn't know which it was. It was always hard for him to tell Havoc and Malice apart. He tied her legs and arms behind her back, squeezing tight not to have her get loose, and after he concealed her in his big coat he placed her over his shoulder and went after Kain.
Jasmine was in a bad shape and barely alive. She was half conscious, but with what of her was awake, she tried to call for help anyone who would listen. It was a sad sight. No one could hear her so ill. Her whisper didn't reach ten feet around her. He carried her over his back like a sack, constantly rethinking and doubting this call. It still seemed wrong not to let her die. How will the real Jasmine cope with the sins of this monster ? If they can bring her back, that is. A big 'if'. She tried to bite him, but he just turned her over so her face was away. She was still trying to resume fighting them, though now it seemed more like an ill floundering than a real effort. At least the wound stopped bleeding. She would recover.
As they traced their steps backwards, they suddenly came across a heart beet. A kreeden heart beet. It was coming from behind the wall on the left. A fine snack to keep Jasmine going. It would save them the trouble of finding something for her outside.
They smiled and the wall exploded before them, shattered by Kain's blow. They stepped forth trough a cloud of rising dust. The room was long but not very large. It more resembled a corridor than a chamber. A few torches gave a slightly grim décor but aside from that it was pretty empty. And on the other end was a blond kreeden man with a cracked crystal on his forehead and a very sinister face. The soul reaver blazed in his hand and his glassy eyes with no pupils glared at them with all his earthly hate.
Kain was delighted to see Raziel again :
" Wait here. "; he told Sian :" We'll handle this. "
Sian placed Jasmine on the ground and stood by to observe what was about to transgress. Kain started to approach the kreedan slowly but menacingly. Now Sian recognized him ; It was Sen-captain Darmon, a high rank in their army, and the right hand of Lady Jordana. Kain seemed to recognize him too :
" We remember you… "; he said :" Thank you for reuniting us. For that you'll passing will be swift. "
" Yours won't. "; Darmon said :" I'll make sure of it. "
He lunched the reaver at him but Kain dodged with grace and found him self behind him. He didn't kill him, instead of wanting to play with him first. Darmon tried again, and the blade stopped at Kain's block :
" You are foolish, and not original. "; Kain smirked :" A mortal thinks he can wield Kain's death ?"
Darmon tried again, growing angry but Kain was simply dancing around him with ease :
" Stand still and fight me !"; he yelled :" I WILL KILL YOU !"
Kain clapped his hands and caught the blade before him. Darmon couldn't even yank it. The vampire smiled deliciously trough his long fangs :
" In the end this is your greatest achievement… "; he said lightly :" The purpose of your life ; to return Raziel to me !"
With a hard, merciless blow he lunched him on the far wall where he crashed and dropped the reaver. Sian smiled sadistically while Jasmine was trying futile to crawl her way out of her shackles. Kain started his final approach to finish him off for good.
But as he paced he suddenly hit a green barrier that bounced him off painfully. It just appeared before him, and than another behind him. He was in a box made of some green field of energy and its size reduced around him to bind him there. Sian was shocked. Kain was trapped. He observed his cage and uttered :
" Glyph ! A ward gate !"
But how ? Darmon was alone. There was no one else here who could have done this. They would have heard their heart beets. And than, two familiar figures stepped forth trough a secret dour that opened behind Darmon. Let-Galeb twins. Sian frowned. He still couldn't hear their heart beets.
" Most excellent. "; Randok marveled :" If you can't fight a beast, set a trap for it !"
They both took off some small devices and suddenly there were five kreeden heart beets in the room until they switched them off. Those were sonic emitters playing exactly the same frequency as Conrad's and Randok's hearts, but inverted. Two identical but inverted sounds were canceling each other out.
" And use the right bait !"; Conrad helped Darmon up :" I told you I can get this antique to work. "; he gestured on the ward
The soul reaver found it self in Darmon's hand once again and they all laughed deliciously at their prize :
" We could turn him over to Jordana. "; Randok said :" Think of the honors we would receive. "
" No !"; Darmon shouted and pointed the reaver at them threateningly :" We agreed to kill him ! His life to me and the sword to you ! A deal is a deal !"
" We were just considering. "; Conrad smiled
" We'll have to kill this vampire-bitch as well. "; Randok said referring to Jasmine :" There must be no witnesses of our conspiracy. "
" She hardly seems an effort. "; Conrad agreed, and than said to Darmon :" Go and have your kill. "
But before Darmon came to Kain, an axe blocked the reaver and Sian emerged out of shades :
" You forgot to wash your hands. "; he spoke angry
Three kreedens backed away slightly and after seeing him, they smiled :
" This is going to be fun !"; Conrad said and took his double bladed sword
" We were hoping for a chance to hunt you again. "; Randok added grabbing his lobes
They surrounded the vampire with axes that stood there peacefully but with an angry face. Without his coat he was just in black trousers and a brown t-shirt and his pale arms filled with scars were clutching hilts of his axes. Sian hissed slowly and Darmon went to devour his soul. The vampire dodged, but Conrad went with his sword. He almost got to him and he managed to block and instantly he had to pay attention on Randok and than Conrad again.
Darmon didn't know his sword fight well, but Sian kept his distance from him and the reaver. The brothers were tricky and difficult and he couldn't out dance them. All three were forcing him back swiftly and he begun to loose his stand. Razor sharp lobe in Randok's left hand made a scalpel like slice over his chest and he jumped back in pain. To gain in time he spilt his fire out before them to confuse them. Darmon jumped away, but the armors that brothers had shielded them efficiently. His intention worked and he gained time to jump on the wall and crawl on it to a ceiling.
Randok unwrapped his whip and slashed above, but the vampire dodged. He placed the axes on his back and begun to use his claws and feet to jump over the walls and ceiling. He had to think of something to gain an advantage. But he didn't have time. A large blast struck the ceiling at the place he was a second ago. Darmon looked astound at the shining reaver blade and smiled. He begun to fire bolts from it at him and Sian barely had an instant to elude them all. The reaver blasted, and the brothers slashed, and all he could do was run.
He couldn't keep this up much longer. It was too draining. Why ? Why should they win ? He mustn't let it end like this ! They must die ! All of them ! He just had to kill them ! His muscles were forced to the limit ! He had to destroy them ! Had to ! Had to ! Had to ! Had to ! His angry helpless roar echoed the chamber. The kreedens laughed and played with him. He was about to fall.
And than he heard Kain's whisper, cutting trough the anger in his head :
" …Foes… Foes from within, child !"
He was steaming with wraith and rage. They killed all of his family. They killed them all. Dodged again. It was too close this time. They took his sister ! They took his wife ! They destroyed his life, his world, his everything !
" Focus, child ! Focus !"
He was angry now. Angry at him self for being angry !
" No !"; he shouted as he dodged again :" I won't make it easy for you !"
He swallowed his anger and forced ice into his head. Cool head ! Most important ! Cool head… The next blast from the reaver shattered the ceiling beneath his grip and he begun to fall down. Fear… no, mustn't give into fear ! Cool head ! A whip caught him by his leg, but suddenly it caught flame. As he was about to fall his feet and legs ignited. He directed that flame to blast behind him and like a rocket he flied away to the wall again. As he got a hold of it he jumped down. His arms held axes again and propelled by similar jets from his wrists, he span around like a spin of fire and blades. Conrad hurled his web at him to entangle him but the axes shred it to bits.
Darmon laughed. Sian seemed to have forgotten about him. He pointed the reaver and unleashed a bolt at him. In the last minute Sian jumped away and the bold struck Conrad instead blasting him on the wall.
" Brother !"; Randok shouted
Darmon gasped shocked. Conrad was still alive and he begun to rise but at once the wall cracked. The entire chamber was filled with holes that the reaver made and now that part begun to collapse. Before they realized it, a massive rumble shook the wall behind him and Conrad went under the crushing stone.
" Noooo !"; Randok screamed
" I thought you were aiming at me !"; Sian tossed at Darmon and Randok turned
" You killed my brother !"; he shouted at Darmon
" It was his fault !"; Darmon pointed on Sian who was stuck to a wall
But Randok wouldn't listen. His lobes spun at Darmon and he had to blast him away as well. He screamed as he took the hit and fell back at the place where the stone buried Conrad. He was down.
Sian wanted to laugh but he didn't. He had to keep his head cold ! No excitement, no anger no fear ! He had to stay cold ! Jumping down he took the axes and engaged in a duel with Darmon. Darmon was mad now. He instantly became a skilled fighter, and the reaver advanced against Havoc and Malice. But Sian didn't give into his doubts. He didn't allow him self to hate.
" I'll kill you !"; Darmon shouted :" I'll kill you all ! I'll torment you worse than Kain tormented my Gelaida !"
And than Sian saw his weakness. He would have missed it, angry, but he was focused now. He could see clearly.
" Kain ?"; Sian laughed and jumped on a wall again :" No, you blind fool ! It was me !"
Darmon was shocked, and Sian snorted at him :
" I tortured her in a mental link ! I tore her hearth with ice ! And I enjoyed every second of her meek cries !"
" SHUT UP !"; Darmon fired the reaver again but Sian dodged
" She begged me for mercy !"; he dodged again :" Sobbed to let her go !"; again :" To end her misery !"
" Shut up ! Shut up, shut up, shutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutup !"
" …delicious screams as her flesh peeled it self !"
" RARRRGGHHH !"; Darmon couldn't even speak with rage, his soul was incinerating on its own.
He screamed and slashed the reaver over the walls blindly. He couldn't think. He couldn't act. All he wanted was to destroy him, to utterly obliterate him, and thus he didn't even see what he was fighting with. At once Sian jumped from behind him and slammed his head trough a mangled wall. He dropped the reaver in an explosion of pain. Sian ripped him out and razed him by his neck hissing sharply trough his fangs. Darmon screamed with rage, still trying to fight him, but the vampire was a lot stronger and held him with ease. An instant later he ripped his throat out and stabbed his fangs into it. Darmon coughed in his own blood, still trying to brake free, but Sian's grip and bite were too paralyzing. His spit was an instant sedative that paralyzed his victims and all Darmon could do was to sink away, constantly bulging eyes in his desperate efforts. He never stopped fighting, as he went under, and his angry soul was unleashed to burn forever with unseated vengeance.
Sian dropped his dry corpse on the floor and it swiftly turned to dust and ash. His remains went on the wind. He wiped the last drop of his blood and licked it deliciously. The shield for his emotions finally cracked and an overpowering sense of pleasure and triumph swept over his being. He couldn't help but laugh.
" You have learned this lesson on your own. "; Kain said :" Remember it best of all. "
" Yes. "; Sian lifted the reaver up :" I know now ; It isn't victory to defeat them, but to defeat my self !"
With a precise slice, the cage that held Kain was demolished and Sian handed the reaver back to him. As he took the hilt, it joyfully sparked with its magic :
" Miss me ?"; Kain asked the hilt
" As if. "
They were united again. But as they went for Randok's body, to feed Jasmine and heal her a bit, the chamber begun to collapse. The battle destroyed too much of its foundations. Kain grabbed Jasmine and Sian shifted in a batform, and as fast as they could they went out of the castle that begun to crush in on it self. The entire tower began to collapse. They must have caused more damage than they thought, but it didn't meter. They were out, and flying away from the crumbling castle.
Randok blinked. The ceiling was coming down on him. He had to get out fast, but a giant bolder was pressing his leg. He couldn't get it off. It was too late.
At once the stone cracked and his leg was free. He managed to stand on the trembling floor and than he saw his savior.
" No !"; he yelled :" Not you ! Not… "
A portal opened and he obediently walked with her, holding her by the hand like a child.
The tower broke like a construction of blocks, falling apart and rising a cloud of black dust everywhere around. Its mighty fall caused the pounds of lava to splash and the beam that was making the dome of energy implode on it self. The barrier dispersed leaving the sky free and green again and the two flying vampires left its roar behind them.
Lazaruss : Come on people ; I know you are reading this ! Why don't you review ? Why, why, why, why, why, why, why ! I want to se some more reviews by the end of the week or else...