Chapter 5: Nupraptor's Retreat
I searched the perimeter of the town, desperate to find an entrance to the retreat; alas, there was none. Furthermore, the presence of a waterfall indicated that the mountain was at least partially covered with a great amount of water, thereby rendering my bat form worthless.
Then I realized something about the waterfall. I eyed the spot where the water landed, which was a large lake. Carefully, I skirted along the edge, making sure not to accidently slip and fall into the acidic water. When I reached the waterfall, my suspicions were confirmed; a large cave was hidden behind the flying water.
I quickly dashed in, anxious to get as far from that accursed lake as possible. The interior of the cave was an enormous, winding passageway, covered with dust and decay from decades of neglect. The ground appeared to have once been a kind of path, most likely used by the pilgrims that journeyed here, but now it was nothing more than a disgrace to my feet. However, what really entered my mind was the strange series of sounds that seemed to be echoing from all over. The entire place stank of death.
I began to walk through the cave, but stopped when I saw something strange on the ground; a partially hidden panel. Curiously, I grabbed a nearby rock, stood a few steps away, and threw it at the panel. The instant it touched, an enormous, bloodstained axe tore through the wall, spikes began to rise from the floor, and enormous blades ripped through the ceiling. Nupraptor seemed to enjoy his solitude, and when I thought about my curse, I could see why.
The traps did not stop; I had to plan my way through. I rolled under the axe and jumped over several spikes. When the blades came down from the ceiling, I quickly rolled out of the way, then jumped over another set of spikes and immediately ducked under another swinging axe. However, even more traps were ahead of me, but my confidence was restored when I saw how polished they were; they had obviously never been used.
I made my way through all of the traps, until I finally reached a large set of double doors. I smashed them off their hinges with one kick, and found myself in a hallway that made the cave look inviting. Blood stained the walls and floor, with tattered corpses hanging at every possible section of the ceiling. I cursed Nupraptor, not for his murderous ways, but for his waste of good blood.
As I entered the hallway, a twisted voice suddenly entered my head. "Who is this that enters my sanctuary? Be gone!" I looked around the area, but saw nothing. Then I realized who this had to be: Nupraptor himself. He could sense where I was. That meant only one thing:
I would have to be more brutal than usual.
The halls of the Retreat were twisting and vast, and decorated with more blood then I had spilled during my brief vampiric unlife. A few bodies still lay about, and I saw the nature of the wounds. Some were hacked apart, but the blows were wild and random; someone had done this while in a wild rage. Others seemed to have exploded from the inside out; considering Nupraptor's mental powers, that was not a surprise.
A large gathering room awaited me at the end of the halls. The carnage in the hallways was nothing compared to the horrors that were found inside. Bodies were sadistically heaped onto each other, spilled blood covered every inch of the floor, and even the ceiling was covered with hanging corpses. Only one person remained alive; a young serving girl, her teeth stained with blood and her clothes torn to shreds.
"What has happened to Nupraptor?" I asked. "Why has he murdered his servants?"
"He is mad," said the girl. She had obviously gone mad; she made me seem sane. "After Lady Ariel's murder, he attacked his loyal servants and pilgrims. He spread our blood throughout the Retreat, and then sewed his eyes and mouth shut to block out the world. Of course, he can still read minds...he still sees all...he can never be healed! We must all die!"
"Very well," I said. I grabbed her neck and drained her blood. It was my first act of mercy in a long time.
The next room was similar to the previous; this time, however, it possessed a large picture of a giant brain placed on the ground tiles. Four alcoves were nearby, each with a tile covered with a strange rune. Curious, I approached the first and stepped on the tile.
Suddenly, I found myself in a large room. As I took my first step, monstrosities poured from all corners. There were twisted men, slime-like monsters, skeletons, zombies, and every other kind of monster imaginable, as well as a few that described description. I raised my sword and struck at the enemies, fighting them off as best I could. After what felt like an eternity, I succeeded in destroying all of them, and quickly drank the blood of the human attackers. I then stepped on another rune tile, and found myself back in the brain room.
I stepped on the next rune, and entered a nearly pitch-black room. Even my developed eyes were not powerful enough to pierce the darkness; the only light was centered in a small piece of ground. I walked in the light, but it suddenly faded, and another row of tiles were lit. The process continued throughout the entire passageway, light bathing me one second, and just as quickly abandoning me to the darkness that haunted this place. No doubt, Nupraptor was enjoying himself from his hiding place, laughing at my seemingly helpless attempts to reach and destroy him. Finally, I reached another rune tile, and returned to the brain room.
The third rune tile sent me to a room filled with spikes. They were constantly rising and lowering, but I quickly noticed a pattern. Carefully, I stepped across the spikes, making certain not to accidentally impale myself. As I did so, my every thought was focused on the matter of vengeance I would wreck upon Nupraptor once his neck was in my hands. The knowledge that his blood would soon be spilled filled with unspeakable, and at the time alarming, joy. Finally, I reached the end, and stepped on the rune tile.
The final rune tile sent me to a large hallway, which branched into several smaller hallways. The entire area seemed to be a maze; Nupraptor, however, had no knowledge of how to make a convincing maze, so I was able to find the exit quickly. I stepped on the rune tile and returned to the main room. A set of double doors at the farthest end was now open, leading into another hall.
I continued through the halls, until I reached the front of the Retreat; the skull. The two eyeholes were actually windows; nearly all of Nosgoth was visible from this point. I looked through the left eye, and saw the great valleys and forests of Nosgoth; however, I had seen enough of it for one lifetime already. The right eye, however, showed a scorched, barren land, with flaming fissures erupting from the ground. as if Nosgoth needed help in making its corruption apparent...
I continued through another door, to a large throne room. Strangely, it was completely empty; Nupraptor was not here. However, at the end was a large, black teleported. Preparing myself for battle, I stepped onto the teleported.
I was instantly transporter to a small room. Two twisted monstrosities stood in front of me. The first looked like a knight, wielding a long halberd. His armor seemed ancient, and bore a symbol long faded by time. The most noteworthy feature, however, was the nature of the body; namely, there was none. The pieces of armor seemed to be floating in the air. Despite his seeming deformity, I could feel a sense of unbridled power emerging from his form, and I knew that if I had to face both him and the Mentalist in combat at once, it would no doubt mean my destruction.
The second was bizarre beyond belief. It was a green-skinned man, with a large exposed brain. Its purple robes were long faded and torn, and a mess of purple slime covered its entire body. However, when I saw the eyes and mouth, I noticed they were sewn shut. It was Nupraptor...and somehow, he was a bigger monster than I was.
"So, Malek," said Nupraptor, via the same telepathy he had used to taunt my progress, "have you come to fail the Circle once more? Leave, Paladin!" The knight silently nodded faded away, and Nupraptor returned to me. "Come, Kain. Come share my pain..." He then vanished from my sight, leaving me with only a view of a pair of double doors. Enraged, I kicked down the next set of doors.
The room was enormous, and almost completely filled with spikes. Only the very middle of the room was safe to walk on, with Nupraptor waiting on the other side. Suddenly, several large boulders appeared out of nowhere, and rolled towards me. I quickly jumped over, but the ground I was to land on suddenly vanished, revealing another set of spikes. I grabbed the edge and threw myself over and to the side.
Despite my near-fatal fall, I smiled. "So this is the mentalist Nupraptor?" I asked. "This broken, pathetic little man?"
"Surrender, Kain!" said Nupraptor. "You will not destroy me so easily! You will join me in eternal suffering!"
"So you will not surrender without a battle," I said. "Very well, old fool! If it is death you seek, I will not deny you!"
Nupraptor's eyeless face stared at me, filled with complete and total hate. I held my sword steadily, carefully approaching the mentalist. Strangely, he did not move, or attempt to stir as I approached; he merely stood there, watching me.
Finally, I struck. I brought my sword down hard on his neck, but as I did so, his entire body vanished, leaving not only a trace of blood. Angrily, I turned, and saw him standing on the other side. If his mouth still worked, he would have most likely been grinning.
I ran towards him, blinded by rage, not realizing how Nupraptor had tricked me before. Once again, strange boulders appeared, and I jumped, sprang over an opened trap, and slashed again, but Nupraptor once again vanished, and appeared on the other side.
"You cannot win, Kain." I heard Nupraptor's voice in my head yet again. "Your mind is weak, your thoughts petty and meaningless. You cannot even begin to comprehend my power."
I looked around, desperate to find some way to destroy the mentalist. Then I spied it: a spiked iron mace, lying in the spikes. I quickly dashed over, dodging the spikes and boulders, scooped down, and grabbed the mace's handle.
Nupraptor continued to stare at me from his corner. I knew it was useless to attack him, but this time, I had a plan. I quickly threw a flail at him, and like always, he transported himself to the other side of the chamber. Unfortunately for him, this move also happened to bring him to the very side of the chamber where I now stood.
Before he could react, I brought the mace down on his head hard. Blood and slime gushed from all over, as the mentalist collapsed, silently screaming. His exposed brain was indeed his weakness; he couldn't stand any damage to it. Still, there was no time to think of such thoughts.
I tucked the mace into my belt and unsheathed my sword. As the mentalist looked up, his sightless eyes begging for the mercy he knew would never come, I brought my sword down on his neck. His lopsided head hit the ground, rolled a short distance, and stopped. The slime surrounding his body melted into a puddle, and his headless body crumpled upon itself.
Feeling rather jubilant at my impending salvation, I grabbed Nupraptor's severed head. "Alas, poor Nupraptor," I said. "I knew him well...well, not really." I then saw a bridge had appeared on the other end of the room, no doubt dispelled of the Mentalist's illusions and parlor tricks. As I crossed, I could clearly make out the outside of the Retreat.
I decided to use my bat form now. I began to concentrate, but quickly felt my body begin to tear itself apart. Soon, I was not one, but several consciousnesses, staring out over all of Nosgoth. I still felt strained and stretched, but I flew to the Pillars, where my form quickly returned, equipment and all.
Ariel was waiting for me; she knew about Nupraptor's fate well before I showed her what remained of the ghost's former lover. "The poor fool," she said. "His blindness to the importance of balance in all things caused this disaster. Now, Kain, place his head before the Pillar of the Mind." I walked to the corresponding pillar and set Nupraptor's severed head before it. The instant it touched the ground, it disintegrated, and the pillar became a pristine white. I thought my quest was finally over, but alas, rest would have to wait.
"This would normally be the end," said Ariel, "but it is too late. The circle is too corrupt to survive. You must destroy all the other members before balance can be restored." I silently cursed Ariel, but still listened intently.
"Before you can even begin to defeat the other guardians," continued Ariel, "you must face their guardian, Malek, Guardian of Conflict. Centuries ago, Malek failed the Circle, and nearly all the members were killed by the beast, Vorador. For his failure, his soul was placed within his golden armor, and ever since, he has never failed a member of the Circle."
"Except you," I sneered.
"Nupraptor, it seems, was right," said Ariel. "My murderer was indeed another guardian, which is why Malek did nothing; he is incapable of harming another member of the Circle, under any normal circumstances. Now, go to Malek's Bastion, in the mountains to the north." Once again having to serve as an errand boy did not suit me, but alas, it was the only way to escape my curse.