Kain

Chapter 15

And so I returned to the kingdom that had once held my alliance. In my thirty years as a human, a noble of the town of Coorhagen; my family was loyal to the throne of the Ottmar line of Willendorf. During my first quest, I needed to rally the present king to fight the advancing army of the Nemesis from the north. Saving the princess' soul from the mad toy maker Elzevir, I managed to rally the so called 'army of the last hope' Well, that had been my original history, now that events had been dramatically altered that had not come to pass.

Now under the control of the Sarafan, or ultimately the Druids of Bane, Willendorf was now a world unto itself. Sarafan banners fluttered in the breeze everywhere I looked and the crowning insult was hanging from the top of the main castle keep, a giant banner with large eye staring out across the land. The eye of god.

Not only had the island fortress that served as the Ottmar seat of power been engulfed in battlements, but the township to the east had also been greatly enhanced in defence. Sarafan, a great deal more than I was expecting were everywhere but thankfully, these new Solar powered kind did not seem to be able to detect my kind. Apparently after the Hylden's reach into Nosgoth had been severed so had all the Glyph magic, and for this was extremely glad.

A quick patrol around the outer walls showed that scaling it directly would not be an option, and it would also be in my best interest to pass through the city in a disguise. Humans were often more inclined to reveal information if they their conversationalist looked human himself.

With a faint tingle of de-ja-vu, I engulfed by the spell Beguile, which I had used to gain entry into humans dwellings before. It did not physically alter my form; rather it affected those around me. Instead of seeing an ancient evolved vampire, all they saw was a trader making his way into town.

As I approached the large gate that marked the entrance, I was stopped by two of the guards. They looked like ordinary Sarafan, lacking the white armour of light wielding type Vorador had told me to look out for.

"State your business." One of them began, his gauntlet on the hilt of his blade.

"Duncan of Ducket's traders." I began, my magic altering my voice to leave them to inclination of who I was. The name and business I was under the guile of was simply something I remembered hearing in my travels. "Here to see the Merchant's Guild on an important matter." The two Sarafan shot each other a glance.

"What matter?" The second asked, leaning closer. I could see his utterly dirty face through the visor of his helm.

"I'm sorry gent's, that's privileged information. I can't go around alerting da competition now can I?" Perhaps I was laying on the exaggerated accent a bit thick, but luckily these two guard dogs did not appear too bright and they stepped aside.

"Open the gate; got another one." One of them called up to the gate house above and with a loud clanking, the portcullis blocking the way rose upwards.

The last time I had been in Willendorf, I found it a simple place, houses made frm wood and straw, mud lining the streets with dingy taverns on every corner. In the past two hundred years, quite a few alterations had been made. Instead of finding myself waist deep in mud, the ground was a solid brick and tall stone houses lining the streets met my eyes. By comparison, this city would have done well to compete with the Upper class district of Meridian. I looked up as I walked through a hustling crowd of merchants and traders in the entrance square to see an Aqueduct running directly across from one building to another.

"Fresh poultry; cut and cleaned today!" Where amongst some of the things I could hear the battering people around me calling. It became clear what the Sarafan were doing here all of a sudden. After the Gylph magic disappeared, most of the city of Meridian fell into Chaos. Here, they were trying to re-create that sprawling metropolis. I could also see construction work beginning on an advanced sewer system and a few other tall, advanced and equally grey buildings.

I wandered around until I found the docks. Like the rest of the city this two was also heavily guarded as giant ships and fraters carrying salvaged stone, metal and other valuables from the ruin of Meridian.

"Look Evan, if I've told you's once I've told you's a thousand times not ta read dat propaganda." An old, rusty toned and heavily accented voice nearby stated and I stopped in a dark corner to listen. Eventually I caught sight of two men standing on the edge of a pier jutting out from the dark waters; not too far from a tavern where fishermen were going in an out freely I noticed. The two of them were commoners, one an old man with a thick grey beard and the other barley twenty. The younger had a rolled parchment in his hands. A collection of fishing equipment was stacking nearby and a small rowing boat tied to the end of the jetty.

"It's not propaganda Uncle; it's simply an information sheet." The boy replied, his legs hanging off the edge towards the water. "It just tells us what's happening in the world and what we should do to prepare."

"Look, who's written that thing?" The elder asked, rolling up a fishing net before hanging it over his shoulder.

"The Sarafan census office." The boy replied flatly, unrolling the parchment to have another read.

"What I tell you? The Sarafan wrote it, and they only tell you's what they want's ya ta' know 'bout."

"The Druids are different from the Sarafan lord." The boy persisted. Druids? Now this conversation took a little more interesting tone. "Thing's are better then they were before…"

"And how long'da ya think'll stay like it? The Sarafan promised many things before, they never delivered." The old man asked sceptically, before heading over towards the tavern, disappearing under a large canvus drape that overhung the entrance. "Remember the clean the hooks boy!" He called back.

The young man simply sighed angrily before pushing his piece of paper into his pocket and getting to work.

At first I made sure that he was alone, that there were no Sarafan patrols coming, before I violently yanked him off his feet using Telekinesis and pinned him against the wall. He yelped out in pain, until I clamped a hand over his mouth to silence him.

"Cry out, and you will die." I told him, letting my eyes spear their natural flaxen yellow colour. He hung there, pinned to the wall by some invisible force in horror. "Now, tell me of the Druids that control the Sarafan." He was a gibbering mess but the information I managed to retrieve from him was most helpful. According to his words, these Druids were indeed an order founded by Bane himself. After the Sarafan lord died, their leader became the new head of the Sarafan by supplanting all the other candidates, taking control of the vengeful soldiers and directing their anger solely at me, or rather the younger me at work near Dark Eden.

As for their new authority in this city, the latest ruler of the Ottmar line was a member of their order and offered them his territory from which to work from. However, his daughter was rumoured to be heading up a rival faction to drive them out.

He didn't know anything more, which of course, made him disposable. Before he could so much as yell, I sank my fangs into his neck and drank. His face turned white as he was slowly drained his eyes rolled back and his arms fell limp and within moments he was dead. Without hesitation, I simply tossed his body off the end of the pier and into the water. It sank, disappearing without a trace.

Perhaps it would be wise to pay this Princess of Willendorf a short visit?- Raziel asked me. I agreed. If she truly was trying to evict the Sarafan from the city, she might be inclined to reveal more information than that urchin could.

From experience, I knew it would be unlikely they would let a trader into the interior citadel. I needed to be appear to be of noble blood in order to pass. Altering the Beguile spell, the perception of physical presence altered from that of a lowly fish merchant to the noble man I had once been.

It felt odd, I admit, to appear as I once had. My human form, with its pale skin and blonde hair; so familiar yet distant at the same time. It was a disturbing feeling. Once this was accomplished, I paused to give myself a look at my reflection in the window of a closed shop. It bothered me that despite my past nobility I did not appear quite regal enough. Pausing long enough to adjust a few features, such as better looking clothes, a taller stance and a drape over my left shoulder.

Looking down, I saw the piece of parchment that young fool had been hanging onto laying at my feet. Picking it up, I glanced briefly over the words.

(Rejoice, for wheel is finally turning) Was printed in big black letters at the top. The Wheal? The Wheal of fate? I carried on reading. (The eye of god looks down on us all as we are blessed, for the final hour of the vampire menace has come.) Strangely, there was little else in this than religious preaching.

I growled to myself. I knew from long experience that if someone told a lie often enough and loudly enough, people would start to believe it. Clearly this was what the Druids were using to convert the humans of Nosgoth to their cause, and I suspected, what the Elder had done to claim dominance of the ancient vampires. Clenching a fist around the parchment, I set it alight with a fireball spell before marching off; leaving the charred remains smouldering on the floor.

People now let me pass I walked past, fear incited in their eyes as they caught sight of the Sarafan emblem I had made them seen placed on my chest. I disliked using their icon, but it clearly demanded respect in this place.

Approaching the gates that lead into the towering keep, the two sunlight Sarafan snapped to attention as I past, giving them a contempt full glare I strode on.

"Honestly, you'd think they engineered this whole situation just to order us around." A noble told his companion grumpily as the two of them walked out the main castle doors into the courtyard. "Ah, you must be Lord Kain." He stated, seeing my march across the yard towards the door. I stared at him with wide eyes. That had caught me completely off guard, I was almost about to reach for the invisible Reaver on my back. "The noble from Coorhagen, correct?" I nodded slowly. Unsure of what to make of this, I stood there a little confused.

"You've been expecting me?" The noble nodded enthusiastically.

"Yes, Yes; her majesty the Princess Alicia was informed of your coming a short time ago." He replied, beckoningly me to follow me. "I do hope trade negotiations between the west and east go well for you, I've been told the Sarafan are attempting a uniting of the entire southern Nosgothic coastline against the northern vampires." Was the added foot note as he and his knight lead me through the well furbished halls and corridors of the Castle Keep. Surprisingly, I saw very few Sarafan knights standing guard inside. Taking their place were the Willendorf militia, knights themselves but clad in pure white armour, their shields depicting the monarchy symbol; the golden lion. "My lady, the Lord Kain." I was announced as the doors to a grand chamber were opened and I was bid welcome into it.

The room was as large as Vorador's library, with two grand crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. A grand window to the left of opened out onto a balcony, which itself had a fine view of the city itself. They placed was very well furbished, with engraved oak tables and chairs placed near and there. At the far end of the room was a bed with a silk bed. Standing there in wait for us, was I suspect the Princess of Willendorf. She was about twenty it seemed, with dark brown hair and black eyes. She was dressed quite simply for a princess, in a simple dress I might expect from the wife of a merchant.

"Very well, you may leave us." The two at my side bowed, before excusing themselves, shutting the door behind them, I waited for a moment to see if they were not listening at the key hole for our views, and indeed that there was no one hidden in the walls. As if sensing my concern, the girl smiled coyly. "No one will spy on you vampire, it is quite safe for you to assume your natural form here." She told me. I stared her down, as if trying to see what lay beyond the obvious façade of this human and saw nothing.

And so I did as I was requested, I let the form of Beguile go and she saw me as I was really was. A good dealer taller and stronger than her, capable of tearing her fragile body apart in an instant.

"You have my attention girl; now tell me what it is you want?" The girl remained perfectly still; a small smile crossed her face.

"I want many things." She told me. "But the one that is most importance, involves you Scion of Balance." How did humans keep knowing that title? I asked myself narrowing an eye at her.

"She knows that title because I told her Kain." Another voice accounted. Looking up towards a balcony that lined the inner wall, I saw a very familiar figure standing there. Clearly a Hylden with large bony structures lancing out the back of the shoulder blades. The feet had strange heals that tapered off in a spike at the end, two shot toes at the front. Unlike most other Hylden, this one had a thick stream of dirty brown hair down between it's large ears. It's physical appears was clearly that of a female, dressed on in short rags hiding her less than presentable parts.

I knew this creature at once, for our paths had crossed once before.

"Ah yes, Vorador's mysterious Seer." I began with a short grin. "I have always wondered if you survived that fire." The women smiled grimly.

"I told you, my fates lies along a different path. And now, you, I and the Princess here, have business to discuss."