Chapter 23

KAIN

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Steinchencröe had hardly changed, not even after seven hundred years, since my last visit. It remained a pitiful peasant squatting on the shores of the lake of tears. A home for those who could not afford financially or otherwise to live in the more civilized locations in Nosgoth. When the Clans had began dividing Nosgoth it's their territories, Steinchencröe had been on the border between the lands of Ruhab and those of Melchiah. A great deal of arguing passed between the two of them before finally the town was demolished to end the dispute over who owned it.

The stone wall that had once surrounded the village was crumbling into decay now, some parts of it missing altogether. The buildings inside stank of wet wood, even from this range. The sight made the place look as miserable and depressing as it had during my previous visitation.

As Vorador had told me, although I admit I had not taken his word for it, the object I required was well beyond my reach. I stood on the shores of the lake of tears staring out across the waters. Even from here I could see what had grabbed the local fishermen's attention. The fog had lifted over the lake so I could see it well now. A drowned ruin covering the lake bed all the way to the mountains on the other side, some of the turrets of the complex almost nearing the surface.

One glance at them told me confirmed what Vorador had said, that they were not of ancient vampire origin. The architecture was completely different from that of vampires. It was more complex and set in rusted metal rather than decaying stone. I had seen this kind of building before, when I descended into the depths of the giant device beneath the city of Meridian.

I growled in spite of myself. If this was indeed the place that housed the machine I needed to open the canister then my path was impeded. As a vampire I could not touch the water, it would burn me like acid. Until I found a way to travel down there the machine was beyond my reach. Again I had arrived on the threshold of success only to find myself unable of crossing it.

Still, brooding on this would proof useless. Best to make do with the situation as it was. Several miles to the south was the village of Zeigsturhl. It was here the Princess of Willdendorf claimed the Eye of Cult Druids held a significant ppresence, without a Sarafan guard. Deciding to seize this prefect chance to investigate the Druids and the Order's strange alliance, I dissipated into bats and flew through the night bound for the small village.

While in flight I had time to think. My enemy, the god of the ancient vampires was medalling in time, that much had already been proved. How he was doing this without the intervention of Moebius was presently beyond my reasoning. But even if I knew how, it still didn't answer why.

Had my own efforts changed history so much, had it been something Raziel had done through Moebius' manipulation or was the Elder god interfering directly? If the later was the case, then what was so special about this time?

Then it struck me. This was an era of chance, where the power and control of the Nosgoth transferred from humans to vampires. The birth of the clans and my empire, events marked by fate it seemed. It wasn't a perfect recreation by any means, but it was as close to the ancient world as the land had come in eons. The ancient vampires civilisation mirrored in the future.

I wondered if my actions in the past could be changing my empire into something else than what I recalled, something the Elder God could not allow to pass, so it chose to interfere and give to the humans the means to defeating my army in it's infancy.

But this revelation left one more question to be answered. If I was creating a new age, then what could it consist off that would threaten the ancient one so much? Clearly there was much more to learn, and I knew the Druids of Bane and the Eye of God Cult had the answers.

It was nearing dawn when I arrived on the outskirts of Zeigsturhl. Over a few centuries, the town had been….updated. A tall circular stone wall surrounded the settlement, a large iron portcullis baring the southern road and a small gatehouse at the north. Inside the lay of the town seemed vaguely to resemble the layout in had two centuries ago. My bats came together on the roof of a building in the shadows to avoid me being spotted by humans whose tasks required of them an early rise.

For a moment, I sighted the building where my journey had begun. The tavern was still there, even after two hundred years. It was the last place I entered as a human.

I had been on the road all night from the distant town of Coorhagen and had ventured inside for some warming ale. The landlord refused me and I was forced to turn else ware. Waiting to ambush me outside were a small army of hired men, sent by Mortanius Guardian of Death. I killed several of them but their numbers were overwhelming and I was forced to the ground. Before I could rise, one of the brigands drove a sword through my back.

I looked down at the scar on my chest. Despite my vampiric healing abilities that wound, the one that took my humanity had never healed. I suspected it never would. Shaking off bitter memories I slid down the side of the building to a secluded alleyway. Once on the ground, I cast the Disguise spell. Cloaking all humans with another visage, all they saw was another weary traveller making his way into town.

"We're closef, not open 'till seven." Clearly the tavern's hospitality had not been improved as the voice from beyond the closed sign revealed. I looked up at the sun. It was about six in the morning, but I had not intention of waiting for an hour for the place to open. I had other things to do than poison myself with watered down mead and ale, especially from this place.

A stone church stood in the next street and if anywhere, I supposed Druids would congregate here. Quickly I made my way there and entered through a small set of oak doors slightly ajar.

It was amazing how many notions humans have about vampires which were just not true. The sight of the cross can not affect us in anyway shape or form, we DO have a reflection, we can go into anyone's house without being invited and lastly; we can enter a house of god whenever we please. What kept me from simply marching in was concern of magic that could be employed against vampires. If the Druids gathered in within, then they uncertainly shield the building from infiltration by my kind, perhaps making entrance lethal. I waved my hand through the opening, and nothing happened. So pressing my luck a little I stepped in completely.

The only person here was a priest down by the alter, preparing for his congregation that I gathered he expected quite soon. Silently I walked down between the pews, noting that apart lack of guards. My fears of a Sarafan presence were put to rest.

"Morning service isn't for half hour but the house of the lord is open to all at any time." The priest announced as I approached hearing my footsteps on the marble of the alter. He appeared quite young for a priest, probably not even out of his twenties yet.

"As generous as the offer is, I do not require the services of god." I told him. "I am simply here on business." I could sense no one here apart from him, so using telekinesis I shut the church door behind me. The priest looked confused, even startled that a heavy oak door that curved into the church interior had just slammed seemingly by itself. That bewilderment was replaced by terror as I let the illusion fall and he beheld me in my true form. Before he could cry out, I grabbed him by the throat and silenced him. "Now Preacher, hold still." Laying my free hand on his forehead, I telepathically began to pick my way through his memories. This way I could avoid all that tiresome business of interrogation. It was easy for a vampire of my skills to simply take the information they wanted from the minds of mortals. Circumnavigating my way through mediocre nonsense humans throw themselves in, I finally found the subject I desired. As the princess told me, the Druids did indeed have a presence here. Quite a strong one, in fact…if I read this fellow's thoughts right this was a key position for their activity. Strange that they would choose this place, so far away from Sarafan protection. The people of the village and the surrounding settlements knew of their presence but did nothing, out of fear mostly; but a few had been converted to their cause.

Here in the village they met in the tavern…no, a secret chamber below the tavern… no…more than that, the catacombs that ran underground from the nearby cemetery and what was this?… if the priest was to be believed they had a working gateway down there. The ancient vampires created them eons ago to help them travel from one settlement to another, their ruins were littered with them. Most of them inactive, but a few had been able to withstand the passage of time far better. But what did these Druids use it for? This Priest did not know as it turned out he was a low ranking member of their cult and sadly, from his mind I could learn nothing of their true intentions or the nature of their alliance to the vampire ancient god. Having learned all I could from him I let my fangs slid through the skin on his throat.

Once satisfied, I let his body slump to the ground. There would no doubt what he died of and I had no intention of covering my tracks. This would be a message to the Druids. They wanted revenge on the one who defeated Bane? Then they would soon get their chance for I was coming for them.

For over an hour the body of the Priest remained undiscovered, hidden partially behind his own alter. When it was found by those turning up for service, alarms began ringing from the gatehouses on either end of the town. Guards, local militia not Sarafan, turned out quickly to investigate. By noon the news was all over town, there was a vampire about but by that time I had already found the entrance in the tavern cellar to the chamber below.

It wasn't purpose built, but rather a simple back door into a large set of catacombs below. These were burial chambers more than familiar to me, for I had been here once before. They stretched under the ground for some distance, a necropolis existing under the earth and where I was taken for burial. Bones laid out ceremonially for burial greeted me as I descended through a trap door in the roof. The smell of ancient death was pungent, but overshadowed by that of more recent passing. Spider webs ran along the walls and ceiling like a veil and from somewhere nearby I could hear the faint squeaking of rats.

"He is here." A voice stated from around the corner. I stopped dead, listening. Now I could near footsteps and approaching heartbeats.

"I know." The second participant in the conversation stated. "I never thought he would find us in these backwater settlements."

"Are we sure it is the Scion and not some other vampire?" Passing a junction came three humans, all dressed in robes and like the founder of their sect, they wore dear skulls as headdress. The bone and hood from the robes obscured their faces and I was unable to make out any features. Deciding to follow them I called upon the Reaver's power of elemental darkness and turned invisible.

"It is him, just as the master predicted." One of them stated as they traversed the corridors. One of them was holding a torch in one hand to light their way. "And he will be coming for us soon, this is the moment we have been waiting for." Their voices began to dim as they drew away around another corner. Hoping to catch up I quickened my pace, only to find myself at a dead end when I rounded the bend. An abrupt brick wall met me with no sign of those I had been following.

They couldn't have just vanished but there were no tunnels leading away from here. There was more to this then met the eye. I began brushing out the surrounding area with my evolved senses, hoping to find something to explain this mystery. Strangely I found all my attempts reflected back at me. Some source of magic was stopping me, which only meant there was something here someone did not want me to see.

I examined the brick wall before me, looking over each brick in turn. All the other walls were covered with dust and cobwebs, while this one barely seemed touched. That in itself was odd, but when I glanced down at the floor nearby I found that the dust had been disturbed. The markings left showed an archway leaning to the left.

This wall was a hidden doorway of some kind. Naturally I had enough strength to simply break it down, but I did not want the Druids alerted to my exact presence just yet. They already knew I was here.

There had to be an opening mechanism to this somewhere and quickly I found it, a simply turning device disguised to look an iron torch holder on the left hand side. A sharp quarter turn to the right and the sounds of gears turning began to echo behind the wall.

"Another one?" A voice suddenly asked and quickly I backed away from the wall as it swung outwards into the corridor. Advancing through man a guard. He was clad in cheap leather armour and armed with a crossbow. A cloth wrapping was tied around his head hiding his face from the nose down.

"Nah, nobody here." He said giving a brief glance around the corridor. Still under the influence of elemental darkness; to him I was invisible. Slowly I worked my way around him, careful not to make him alert to me at all. Once past him I slipped out into a wider chamber with a tall ceiling above. Another guard in leather armour stood nearby, an iron long sword at his side.

"That door don't open by itself, check the corridors. Could be 'dat vampire they warned us about."

"Alright, 'M going." The first replied with a sour note in his voice before walking off down the way I had come grumbling to himself.

Ignoring the two of them I ventured forth into some very familiar surroundings. The walls, the floor and even the ceiling. A flash of memory burned in my head and a sense of violation welled up resisting my attempts to control it.

Several centuries earlier, the nobleman Kain had been attacked in the town above by brigands, thieves and mercenaries hired by Mortanious. Unable to deal with so many attackers at once, he was murdered. The citizenry of the town gave him the honour of his title by being laid to rest in their greatest crypt.

This was that crypt.

"Desecrators." I snarled, barring my teeth.

The Druids had taken up residence in my own mausoleum.