Post-Defiance Fan Fiction: Mirrors of Balance
By: Dragonaia
Disclaimer: The Legacy of Kain games belong to Eidos, not to me, much though I may wish it. The OOC involved in this fiction belong to me however: Rastha, Kainen/Katherine, the Voice, and the few secondary others. My retribution will be swift and horrifying.
Author's Comments: Even by my terms, this chapter was finished quickly. It's big though, I warn you. I originally planned to make it even bigger, but that seemed a tad excessive given the medium, so I divided it into two large chunks. Kain doesn't get in a real fight until the next chapter. Sorry guys.
Chapter 6: The Scions
"What's the matter, sir?" Rastha asked Kain, as she pushed open the gate into the garden, crushing the lock in her claws.
"What's gives you the impression that I am troubled by something, fledgling?" Kain answered her question with a question. Not that she was wrong, but it disturbed him that she was able to read the discomfort he was trying to hide.
"Well," Rastha explained, striding confidently into the middle of the grounds as if she was the master of this place. "First off, I'm not a fledgling. I haven't been for some nine hundred years. Secondly, I've always been able to tell what people were feeling, if not what they were thinking. I can vaguely recall being able to do it when I was still human. So I ask again, sir, what's troubling you?"
Kain seriously contemplated not answering her, but after a moment's thought he reconsidered. She would only hound him otherwise, and he was curious what her answer would be. "It amazes me that you are on such good terms with the hunters, that they would bend rules and trust you like that. I also wonder what you meant when you told the hunter of your 'flawless behaviour'. What sort of reputation do you have?"
Rastha laughed, that arrogant, annoying giggle that Kain was becoming all-too familiar with. "I was waiting for you to get around to asking me that. 'Flawless behaviour' doesn't mean what you think it means. I'm no angel. I have killed before, many of them hunters. I was raised in Vorador's Court after all, and I am a vampire. My reputation is secured in that when I did kill, it was always for right, just reasons, or because someone was trying to kill me. I have never betrayed anyone, or cheated, or lied, or mislead in any significant way. How many people could say that after a thousand years? The modern hunters are willing to forgive my past crimes perpetrated against their ancestors because I'm practical-minded, I've never made or assisted anyone else in a bid for ultimate power and empire, and because my actions were usually justified, no matter how romanticised they wish their family history to be. Why? Did you think I was some kind of informant?"
"The thought had crossed my mind," Kain admitted without guilt. He didn't believe a word she said of course, but he would patronize her until she'd secured his way into the nest. After her usefulness had expired… well, he had ways of dealing with such nuisances.
"The hunters don't need informants, sir. They do well enough on their own." Rastha marched down the stone-lined path into the hedges, weaving through the maze to reach the heavy wood and iron doors of the estate.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Kain demanded, nearly treading on her heels in his efforts to make her move faster.
Rastha snorted. "You'll find out soon enough. Hopefully, it won't be the hard way." She extended her talons to grasp the heavy brass knocker, slamming it down quite forcefully to make herself heard.
There was a buzz of electronics and a white panel near the frame blared to life. "Whoever you are, this had damn well better be good," a woman's voice threatened ominously.
The vampire pressed a glowing green button on the panel and spoke into it, "Open up, Rae. It's Rastha. I've got news for you."
"Thank the gods! Get your ass in here!" There was no mistaking the intense relief in those words, and a loud alarm blared, the lock mechanism triggered of its own volition. Brightness flooded through the door as the light sources inside the room were ignited, causing both vampires to flinch back with temporary loss of sight.
Rastha wrenched the door open, holding it wide for Kain to catch behind her. They stepped into a richly furnished foyer, a blend of modern and ancient comforts that Kain was not familiar with. The room was paved with marble tiles, and a set of large double staircases curved up into a landing that overlooked the room. It was the perfect place for a noble to receive his guests, and impose his own superiority over them. Finely crafted silk brocade rugs lay underfoot, the patterning foreign to him, but the quality was obvious. Worn patches, here and there, showed where the cloven feet of the older vampires had torn into the fabric. The spacious room was well lit by sconces on the walls, radiating a constant yellow glow, and a chandelier built of shards of crystal dangled from the ceiling. Paintings and amazingly accurate portraits lined the walls, some of them appearing so precise they could have been taken straight from life.
"Looks pretty tranquil, huh?" Rastha commented, her voice low, but playful. "Would you like to see an example of what I meant by 'hidden dangers' when you first arrived here?" She pointed out several dark boxes that projected from the walls in innocuous corners of the room. "That's called a video camera. Smile to the folks at home, Kain." She waved merrily at the nearest device when it moved of its own accord, training a shining, circular piece of dark glass in their direction.
"What?" Kain stared at the inoffensive object.
"People are watching us through those things, and the images picked up are being recorded for later reference. If you need to talk about something, let me know so I can find a blank space in the grid for privacy." Rastha had dismissed them already, staring intently at a small door just to their left. "I wouldn't worry about it though. It's just for your future reference. The one doing the watching right now is my sibling's eldest child, Rae. She's the only member of Umah's brood who actively likes me. In fact, she should be here any minute now." There was the distant sound of footsteps pounding towards them. "Ah, here she comes."
The door flew open and a dark blur raced in their direction, flinging itself at the vampiress. Rastha hadn't expected that. She nearly flew backwards with the force of contact, her cloven feet shredding the expensive carpet as she fought to stay upright. A vampiress about Cyrix's age had wrapped her arms around Rastha in a crushing grip, burying her face in the officer's chest. She wore pretty much the same style of clothing that Kain had seen sported by humans on the street, apparently having adapted modern dress as well as the technology. A blood red, v-necked, sateen shirt covered her top half, and her lower portion was clothed in long pinstriped pants. Her feet were, as yet, un-evolved, so she wore black leather boots with spiked heels. It was positively conservative compared to the things he'd seen the female vampires in Vorador's court wear. Instead of the long hair typical of vampires, her black hair had been clipped severely short. Rastha staggered as she tried to hold the newcomer upright.
"Thank god, thank god, thank god, thank god," the younger vampire repeated over and over again, the words muffled by the chest of Rastha's starched uniform.
"Umm… Rae," Rastha said awkwardly, "You're wrinkling my uniform. Get off!" She pushed the other female to her feet, trying to throw off her arms.
Rae still maintained a good grip on the sleeves of Rastha's coat though, taloned fingernails digging into the dark black/blue leather. "Sorry," the vampiress laughed, her voice almost hysterical. "I'm just a little freaked out is all, and I'm really glad you're here. You wouldn't believe how terrible a day this has been!"
"Try me," Rastha responded dryly. She jerked her head in Kain's direction.
Rae finally tore her eyes away from her saviour, and turned her frantic amber gaze on Kain, eyes widening. She released Rastha and drew herself up, making a valiant effort to recover her dignity. Kain could detect aristocracy in the stance she had assumed. This one hadn't been turned for her looks, though they were lovely; she had been turned for her skills as an aide and her knowledge of protocol and etiquette, the perfect accompaniment to any aspiring politician or conqueror. He'd acquired a few like her over the years himself.
"Who's this?" the new female whispered to Rastha.
Rastha introduced them to each other with careful politeness. "Sir, this is Rae-Lin Nerin, first born of the House of Korzen. Rae, this Lord Kain."
"Welcome to House Korzen, milord," Rae bowed her head carefully, the golden piercings on her pointed ears sounding an elegant jangle as she did so. Kain almost missed the questioning glare Rae shot Rastha; it was so brief.
"Elder Toroth had instructed me to escort his lordship until he feels that the Lord Kain has adapted to the new century," Rastha replied in response to the look, her tone diplomatic.
Rae's mouth formed an 'oh' of understanding. "You know what, I think it would be a very good idea if we stepped into the hall to continue this conversation." She indicated a darkened archway near the foot of one of the stairways, and moved towards it, leaving the halo of brightness projected by the lights inside the foyer. Rastha treaded behind her, beckoning Kain forward. Kain ground his teeth. He was tired of being made to follow her, like a sheep would the shepherd. He would be very glad when he had finally obtained what he was there for.
The hallways were lined with dormant lights, though the moonlight pouring through the broad glass windows provided more than enough illumination to see by. The walls were dark panelled wood and fabric, studded with doors and archways into a further maze of rooms and corridors, their functions difficult for Kain to decipher. By the time he'd rejoined them in an alcove off the hall, they were already engaged in an urgent conversation. He could see a rotating black box on the wall at the far side of the passage, though it was not pointed in their direction.
"They're coming for us, aren't they?" Rae interrogated Rastha, her eyes wide and terrified.
"They aren't coming for you or the other fledges, they're coming for your sire. Calm down," Rastha assured her, hands pressed to the other's shoulders in an effort to comfort her. "I've taken care of it. I talked to the Sentinel on the way in; he's going to let the unarmed vampires through the battle lines. I need you to settle down and focus for me."
"How long do we have?"
Rastha checked her bracelet again. "About ten minutes, give or take. I'm not sure. They won't be coming by the front door either, but I suppose Korzen already expected that."
"Helicopter and the sewer lines," Rae concurred with a wise nod of her head. "Do you know who's taken the contract?"
"The Scions obviously," Rastha shrugged. "Who else? Look, if we want to get everybody out, we've got to move fast. Remember that escape plan we came up with about three years ago?"
"Vaguely…" Rae's voice trailed off with uncertainty.
"I don't see we have much choice but to use it. Now-" Rastha started, but Rae cut her off.
"Rastha, I'm not sure that's the best plan," Rae said, looking around nervously, "You know how Korzen will react if he finds out."
"Who gives a shit?" Rastha exclaimed. "Son of a bitch is going to be dead in a little under an hour anyway! What's he going to do? Haunt you? You were once the duchess of your own royal house, Rae; re-grow your backbone. Or has Korzen beaten it all the way out of you?"
Rae's eyes narrowed and she hissed her displeasure.
"I thought so," Rastha approved. "Now, you start the evacuation, I'll go downstairs and distract Korzen from knowing what's going on until it's too late. With any luck I'll be able to convince him to let some of his older children out too."
"When pigs fly," Rae snorted.
"In freight they do," Rastha replied. "Anyway, if I don't manage to distract that idiot long enough, Lord Kain here certainly might. No offence, sir." She turned her head and nodded in his direction.
But Kain had finally had enough. "Where is this Korzen?" he asked, his voice betraying the symphony of menace boiling beneath. Both vampires turned to regard Kain with anxious expressions.
"Why do you ask?" Rae inquired diffidently.
"He wants to meet the Scions," Rastha muttered the answer.
"Why would he want to do something crazy like that?"
"Beats me."
Kain growled his aggravation, jerking them back to reality.
"Uh…" Rastha began to timidly answer his question. "If memory serves and I'm correct, you'll find him in that ridiculous 'throne room' of his," she looked to Rae, who nodded in agreement. "It's located past the last door at the very end of this hall here. The whole nest is built in a centralized pattern around it. Keep walking around and you're bound to find it eventually."
Kain looked down the deserted hallway. That was simple enough. At least the master vampire would be easy to find. He turned to make his way towards the throne room when he felt a cautionary hand descend to his forearm.
"Wait a minute, sir," Rastha protested, her claws digging into the leather of his gauntlets. "You can't just walk in there. You might get caught in the crossfire when the Scions-"
Kain's last thread of patience snapped and he grasped the vampiress by the throat, slamming her into the wall. The panelling let out an audible groan of protest on impact, and several nearby sculptures and panes of glass shook. Rastha's cloven feet dangled in the air, the tips of her hooves barely managing to scrape the wooden floor, and her hands clutched at his arm in a feeble attempt to pull her neck loose. She opened her mouth to speak, but Kain only squeezed harder, cutting off any chance of passing air through her throat. Her mouth continued to open and close, and her brow furrowed in confusion and a little pain. She tugged at his wrist, not enough to be interpreted as an attack or any real effort to escape, but to silently ask Kain to let her go.
"No, I will not release you," Kain said in response to her unspoken question. "I will, however, make something very clear to you before I kill you. Never before have I endured such buffoonery. Had I not required your help, I would have destroyed you within minutes of our first meeting. I believe I have been more than tolerant considering the circumstances, but I will suffer your amusements no more. You are as insane as this damn place is, and I wish to be away from it as soon as possible. So thank you for the paltry assistance you gave me," he drew the Reaver from its sheath, "And I hope you enjoy hell."
"Wait!" Rae cried, reaching up courageously to forestall the hand that held the Reaver. "You can't do that! We need Rastha, and even were that not enough of a reason; she's a favourite of the Elders! They'll hunt you down and kill you themselves!"
"Your admonitions mean nothing to me!" Kain snapped at her. "I could destroy your Elders easily, as weak and soft as they are! Now, desist before I decide to kill you as well!"
Rae continued to pull on his wrist, though her valiant efforts were for naught. Kain threw the vampiress off, catching her in the chest with his elbow and sending her flying down the hall. On her way down she collided with a large vase or urn and knocked it off its pedestal with a resounding crash. As the sound of shattering china rang throughout the passage, one of the doors opened and a black-haired fledgling stuck his head out the door. His ears were still rounded, and his skin still retained a faint tan. He couldn't have been more than a month undead.
"Sire!" the young one cried out, rushing to Rae's side and pulling her upright. "What's going on? Are you all right?"
"I'm perfectly fine, Grant," Rae pushed his hands away, straightening her shirt.
"Gods!" the fledgling's attention switched to Rastha's predicament. "What the hell are you doing, you crazy, messed-up, freak of nature! You're going to kill the Lieutenant!" He pointed an accusing finger at Kain.
Rae stuck out a hand to forestall any more commentary. "Quiet, Grant."
"But Rastha!" the young one exclaimed. "He's going to kill her with a Reaver! You know what that means. And why the hell doesn't she just shoot him? That Magnum could take out his heart in one shot if she was lucky, and he's not paying much attention! Why the hell is she just taking his abuse?"
"I said, 'Be quiet!'" Rae clamped her hand over her fledgling's mouth before he could say anything more.
Kain hesitated, looking Rastha up and down. True, she hadn't really done much to defend herself. She wasn't nearly powerful enough to defeat him, but she did have more than adequate abilities to make a getaway if she truly wanted to.
"What's a 'Magnum'?" Kain asked the fledgling. He found himself, yet again, forced to ignore insults in exchange for information.
"The gun," Grant explained, eyeing him nervously. "Depending on the grade of her ammo, she could plug you full of holes big enough to pass an arm through. She's upgraded her firearm since I last saw her."
Kain studied the weapon strapped to her hip. It was barely the size of his extended talons, but size was no way to judge the damage it might be capable of inflicting. Rastha raised her palms to either side of her head as if to show that she had no intention of attacking him, her hands as far from her weapon as could be. Kain hesitated. He could feel Raziel radiating his disapproval and caution through his grip on the hilt of the Reaver. Killing humans or Hylden came naturally to him, but even he had a small measure of sympathy for his own kind. This one was irritating, but she had done nothing to warrant her death, besides intensifying his frustration. He could not justify her execution. Heaving an exasperated sigh, he released the vampire officer to collapse to the floor below.
"Be warned," he threatened with a soft growl. "I will only tolerate your behaviour for so long. You have been granted a reprieve, a rare enough event in and of itself. You will not be given a second one. Do we have an understanding?"
"Yes sir," Rastha coughed hoarsely. "Crystal clear, sir." She continued to rub at her throat as she pushed herself to her feet. "It's a good thing I don't actually need to breathe, eh guys?" She flashed her two compatriots a reassuring grin. They did not return it, still eyeing Kain uneasily. "You are right to be angry with me, sir," she said, sheepish over her behaviour. A respectful, elegant bow emphasized the sentiment. "I behave badly when I am under stress. I will be more contained from this point onwards."
"See that you are." Kain was satisfied with that. Her eyes were wary now, not mocking, and the self-assuredness had dissipated.
"I will take you to my brother's court, if you wish it, sir," Rastha offered with careful humility, before turning to the concerned vampiress. "Rae, you will implement the plan. I will see to it that Korzen remains distracted. Head for the blood bank and stay there with Cyrix until the dusts settles adequately for you to return to the nest. I'll check in tomorrow morning to make sure everything progressed smoothly, and Elder Toroth has offered to keep guard over you until then. You will be perfectly safe. Now go, we don't have any time to loose, and these dalliances only delay us further."
"Yes, Lieutenant," Rae inclined her head in agreement.
"This way, my lord, if you will." Rastha began to hurry down the moon-gilt hallway, no longer caring that her taloned feet were gouging furrows in the expensive flooring. Kain hastened to keep up.
As he rounded a bend in the hall after her, he overheard the young fledgling remark to his sire, "I don't get it. Why'd she let that elder freak manhandle her that way? Rastha doesn't let anyone treat her like that. You don't think she likes him or something?" Kain hesitated to catch the aide's response despite himself.
"Don't be ridiculous. Rastha isn't that shallow. She just respects and values her Elders. Very much the way you should," there was a resounding 'smack' at those words, "And if I ever catch you mouthing off to an old vampire like that again, I will not step in to help you next time. You'll be on your own. Come on, we have to get going. Under my authority, gather the fledges keeping guard on the perimeter, and meet me in the foyer."
Kain dismissed the rest of the conversation as unimportant and raced to catch up with his swiftly moving guide.
Rastha was waiting for him in front of a door at the far end of the hallway. She gave a violent twist of her wrist and tore the mechanism apart, wrenching the door open with her powerful claws. Glancing back over her shoulder, she called back to Kain. "I thought you were in a hurry, sir. What's taking you so long?"
Kain didn't deign to respond, ducking through the entryway she'd just opened into another, smaller, enclosed hallway. Twin bands of tiny, marble-shaped lights lined the floor, like beads on a string, and Rastha led him down the featureless corridor. As they neared another bend in their path, Rastha pressed a claw to her mouth for silence, motioning Kain closer.
"Okay, once we get into the room," she whispered, "It will be time to part ways. I'm going to talk to my brother, and I recommend, recommend, that you wait up in the top wings until the action is over with. The hunters are not permitted to attack anyone they do not have a warrant to hunt, unless they are attacked first. The Scions will be hanging around for quite a while, to clear the scene, so there's no need to worry about missing them. They'll probably be here for a few days. Just try to be patient, and don't interfere with the hunt. I don't know what you want them for, but that will not make them feel very generous towards you. Whether you take my advice or not; it's your choice, but I wouldn't waste your time if I didn't think it was valuable information."
Kain nodded his head in a noncommittal manner. He'd judge the situation for himself, but the advice would be retained.
Rastha smiled in relief. "All right. Let's go then." She turned the handle and quietly pushed the door open, again pausing so that Kain could catch it behind her.
The throne room was a modestly sized chamber, though it was built so that it sunk down three levels, the dais at the bottom acting as a stage for the master vampire seated below. Dark wood was complemented with rich, velvet tapestries, more thick carpets, and red silk curtains that lined the view from the platforms above the throne. The topmost floor where Rastha and Kain stood was empty, but the two floors below were packed with vampires Rastha's age and younger, though the youngest fledglings were mysteriously absent. Kain had not seen a gathering of so many of his own kind in one place since the height of his empire. Moonlight filtered down on the scene from the glass windows mounted in the ceiling, allowing the night sky to be viewed by those who chose to look upwards.
The vampire seated on the throne below had evolved beyond Rastha, tall even by vampire terms, and as he stood from his seat to bellow up at the ranks of frightened vampires, his clothes were stretched over the shape of his abnormally long and thick limbs. His mouth opened to reveal a second and third set of prodigious canines as he roared his fury, and his skin was a jaundiced hue. His long black hair, like Rastha's, was pulled back into a tail behind his head, but that was where the similarities between the two ended. Kain's knowledge of this world was limited, but he knew that this particular vampire had not personally embraced the change in the times. His clothing was old-world, and he wore a heavy suite of plate armour so large that it would have left the average vampire unable to move. A sword the length of his own leg was strapped to his waist, and he kept a tri-taloned fist gripped around it at all times, even when he sat in his throne to consider a matter put to him by one of his children.
Kain spared a glance at Rastha to judge her expression, one of barely concealed contempt. There was no love lost between the two vampiric siblings.
"Pardon me, sir," Rastha excused herself politely, climbing onto the railing. "But our paths must diverge here. I wish you the best of luck." He didn't respond, and she didn't expect him to, leaping out into the middle of the room without another word. She landed only five feet away from where her brother sat on his throne. There was no missing the pole-axed expression of surprise when Korzen noticed her.
"Lord Korzen," Rastha said, sweeping him a mocking bow.
"Leave, Rastha," the master vampire ordered, recovering. He stood up out of his throne, advancing on his shorter sister. "I do not have time for your mischief. Be gone with you!"
"I have never obeyed you before, Korzen." Rastha's false cheer vanished. She was unaffected by the attempted intimidation. "Do not think I will start today of all days. You should know better than that."
"Then why are you here, if not to cause trouble?" Korzen asked, his voice exasperated. He wheeled away, too familiar with her eccentric mannerisms to continue his threats. They would have no effect.
"I am here to gloat," she shrugged, "To mock, to taunt." Her eyes narrowed, "But mostly I am here to beseech you to release your children. Do not consign them to the same fate you will suffer. Your crimes are your own, not theirs. So should your punishment be." Rastha jerked her head in the direction of the tiers of vampires surrounding them. While none of them spoke, several looked like they wished to agree with her, but were too afraid to speak up.
"Enough sermonizing, Rastha," Korzen waved his hand dismissively. "Spin your falsehoods elsewhere. I have done nothing to deserve the humans' particular brand of 'justice', and you know that well enough." Despite his words, there was a certain scripted way with which he spoke his protests.
"What?" Rastha laughed, though there was no amusement in her voice or face. "You don't even know why the Scions are coming for you, do you?" She regarded her brother scornfully before continuing, "Very well then, I shall tell you. You know that little girl you tortured to death last month?"
Korzen's brow furrowed. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Oh, don't play the innocent with me," Rastha snapped, almost as if she was the elder in this situation. "Lie all you want, but everyone in this coven knows what I'm referring to. Well, I hope she was worth it, because she's the reason your little dynasty is about to fall. That girl was the stepdaughter of one of the Scion Sentinels! Her blood may have tasted ordinary, but you as good as killed one of the Scions themselves. Maybe if you'd paid a little bit of attention to what she was screaming when you were hurting her, you might have figured that out for yourself!" Rastha realized she was yelling at the master vampire now, and took several deep breaths to calm herself down. "You want to know how I know this? A couple of bloodline hunters came to Elder Toroth this afternoon and let him know what was going on. Wasn't that nice of them? Apparently the Scions have been petitioning the Warrant Officers non-stop for over two weeks for the right to add your skull to their extensive collection. Just think, maybe they'll sit you alongside Vorador's bones on his illustrious shelf in their dusty archives. The Scions are in a frenzy they're so pissed off with you. Even the other hunters are freaked the hell out. There's also a rumour floating about that the Wardens will be carrying enough C4 to level the block, so that even if they do loose, they'll be taking you down with them." She shook her head. "Either on the point of a Reaver, or in a fireball, you'll be dead by morning… brother."
Her words had a sobering effect on the master vampire, and his rage cooled into a veneer of deadly calm. Kain could see that several of the vampires looked frightened now, and a few of them were glaring at their leader accusingly, while others looked more resolute than ever.
A vampire slightly older than Rae stepped between the two siblings. "Let them come," he said, defying Rastha's admonitions. "They are merely human."
Rastha regarded the male a moment before bursting out in amusement, "Styx, little brother, you can tell you've never actually faced a bloodline hunter in battle before." She dismissed him and turned back to Korzen. "Heed my warnings. They will come for you, and they will kill many of your children if you are not careful, angry as they are. Let the others escape. The Saraphan Sentinel assured me that he would let the unarmed past the battle lines."
Korzen emitted a weary sigh before commanding his younger brother, "Send for Rae. Tell her to bring the fledglings down here to the throne room. We'll make our stand from this position, as planned."
The vampire in question closed his eyes, and Kain could detect the emanations that signalled the imperfect use of the 'Whisper'.
"I
won't allow this, Korzen," Rastha threatened softly, "You do
realize that, don't you?"
"And I don't care," Korzen
rebuffed the comment. "Well, Styx. Where is Rae?"
The vampire's eyes flew open and he stared at the master. "Gone, sir."
"What the hell do you mean by 'gone'?" Korzen barked.
"She's already left with your fledglings in tow. Hadn't you noticed?" Rastha giggled, her golden eyes filled with a mischievous glint that quickly dissipated. "I told you I would not allow you to get them killed."
Korzen straightened up with an inarticulate roar. "What!"
There was a slight ripple of Persuasion as she proceeded to speak, a subtle push on the older vampire's mind. Now that the effect was not being focused on him, and it was being used with deliberation, Kain could appreciate the manipulative brilliance of such an ability.
"Your fledglings have already left the property," Rastha explained, her voice calm and level. "You have been made aware of the gravity of the situation, and you know that there is no escape, but that your children and siblings can leave safely. Please, allow your brood and the last few remnants of Umah's clan to live on without you. They will be taken care of, and you may even be remembered by somebody as something other than the monster that you are. See reason."
The Persuasion calmed the master vampire enough that he did not attack her, but he would not be swayed. "No, Rastha," he snarled, "I am not some lamb to be led docilely to the slaughter. I will not fade silently into oblivion. If they are seeking for my death, it will be one that shall never be forgotten, and the tale will live on through the annals of history. If I die, then my clan dies, along with as many Wardens as I can take down with me!"
Rastha's talon traveled to the hilt of the sword strapped to her back. "And what if I try to stop you?"
"Then you will die too," Korzen's hand mimicked hers.
"Somehow," Rastha's deft claws popped the snaps on two thick bands of leather that held the sword within its sheath, "I doubt that."
The master vampire chuckled. "What are you going to do, little sister? You've not the power, and I am a little more difficult to kill than the average hunter."
Rastha drew the sword slowly, allowing both opponent and audience to get a look. When the gallery gasped in shock at the sight of it, Kain found himself leaning forward involuntarily to get a closer look. The style and construction were familiar enough. It looked like it could have been one of Vorador's earlier works, but the blade was atypically straight. For a vampire the size of Korzen it would have been a short sword, but in the hands of the comparably smaller Rastha, it was a considerable length. Its appearance was also impressive. The cross-guards curved a little towards the core of the blade in two twisted points, like the horns of a demon. In a way, it was similar to the Soul Reaver, as the hilt was adorned with a set of skeletal eye-sockets and fangs, though the shape was not the skull of a creature Kain had ever seen.
"You!" her brother's shocked whisper was a loud as a shout in that spellbound antechamber. "You stole Umah's sword!"
"Quite the contrary," Rastha replied smugly. "She gave it to me. After her failed attempt to imbue it with a demon's soul, she imparted it to me for safekeeping, just in case something should happen to her. Despite the fact that she didn't like me, she thought me trustworthier than you, or at the very least, that I would guard it responsibly. Now," she settled the blade easily in her palm, "I know its not a Reaver yet, but I would pit this blade against yours any day, and we both know how fast I am. Are you willing to risk giving the Scions no fight at all when they come for you?"
Several of the nearby vampires took cautious steps back from her, their faces studies in shock. No one had ever dared to stand up to the master this way, short of an Elder.
Rastha didn't wait for her stunned sibling to respond. "Listen up, younglings," she announced, her voice echoing off the rafters, as her Persuasion bled into the air. It was not strong enough to affect Kain, but the younger vampires were seized by its influence. "If you wish to leave, (and I highly recommend that you do), then Korzen will not prevent you. If he tries, I will stop him. The Scions will be here in less than," she checked her wrist-device again, "One minute and thirty seconds. Now flee, while you still can!"
There was a moment of hesitance before most of the assembled vampires obeyed, almost as one unit, save twenty or so standing on the lower level next to their master. These wore armour and had the look of bodyguards.
Styx glared at his elder sibling. "You traitorous bitch."
"Oh, like I really care what you lot think of me anymore." Rastha watched the last of the crowd disappear into the upper levels before sheathing her sword, ignoring the others as they drew theirs. "Well, my work here is done. I hope you folks enjoy the last… thirty seconds of your pitiful lives. I'll see you on the other side, eventually; if you don't get impaled on a Reaver that is." She turned her back on the aggravated vampires, and strode towards the nearest wall, beneath where Kain was standing.
"Get back here!" Korzen bellowed at her, bringing his sword up over his head and stepping in her direction.
"I don't think so." Rastha dodged and loosed one of her enormous jumps just as the blade came down. She caught onto the railing of the third level, only feet from where Kain stood, as the gigantic sword smashed into the column, shattering large chunks of carved masonry away from its base.
"Hallo, milord," Rastha gave him a cautious smile as she swung her legs over the wooden railing. She glanced down at the throne and dais below where her brother was screaming his fury up at her. "You ready? The show's about to start."
"How do you know that?" Kain inquired. She was apparently unconcerned by her enraged sibling.
"First off," she checked her bracelet again. Kain finally caught a glimpse of the time-keeping device on the band. So that's what she kept looking at. "Hunters are very punctual. And secondly, can't you hear it?"
"Hear what?"
"The helicopter. Listen." She held up a claw for silence, and several of the vampires on the floor below had stopped to listen too.
It took a few seconds for him to detect the steady, thrumming thunder that was gradually growing louder, as whatever was making the noise came closer and closer. His eyes narrowed in concentration as he heard a strong wind begin to buffet the glass of the skylight and a vague black shape mounted with bright lights blotted out the stars.
Rastha began to count. "Five, four, three, two and one…"
At 'one' the glass shattered and a tornado of spinning air whipped through the chamber, sending the silk curtains fluttering wildly. Ropes dropped through the ruined windows and humans began to slide down them. The moment a vampire guard stepped forward with a drawn weapon there was a loud 'pop', and he slumped to the ground, his shoulder ripped wide open. The fight began in earnest the instant the first hunter touched the floor. The hunter was clothed in thick, black garments and the cloth armour that was the style during this age. Kain's personal insignia, the stylized version of Kain's original family crest, was emblazoned across their backs, blood red against the black leather harness and dark fabric.
Five more descended in rapid succession, ignoring the gale of bullets that rained down on their nearest opponents from above. The ammunition did little more than distract the vampires, fending them off long enough to allow the Scion hunters to gain their feet. The ropes detached from the flying device when the last hunter touched ground and the six hunters paired off, one equipping a sizeable gun and using it to push their prey backwards, the other drawing a sword. One hunter in particular caught Kain's attention, the sword the human wielded a familiar repeating-curved shape that his keen eyes immediately picked out. He could not see the human's features as all of the Scion hunters wore domed helmets that obscured their entire face from view. The three with the firearms put their backs to each other for protection, firing into the crowd of over twenty vampires, while the blade-wielding hunters plunged into the fray. Kain couldn't help his incredulity. Watching them brawl was one thing, seeing a Bloodline hunter in battle was something else altogether. Not only were these humans abnormally strong and quick, but they also performed their duty with perfect simplicity, conserving their energy. There was no pride or bravado, none of the display he was used to seeing. Their techniques were efficient and brutal, and within moments of the battle's start, three heads rolled across the floor.
Projectiles bounced harmlessly off of Korzen's expertly crafted armour, his sword rising to lash out at the nearest human, the one bearing the serpentine blade that had caught Kain's attention. But when the master vampire's blade descended, the human reacted just as quickly and stepped a little to the side, raising his own sword and deflecting the blow into the floor by his foot. The instant he was able, the hunter brought his sword up, whipping it across the vampire lord's face, going for the vulnerable eyes. Even with his longsword, he could only reach Korzen's cheek and jaw-line, but he did manage to spray blood in the vampire's eyes. There was no such thing as a fair fight between these two enemies.
Seeing that his opponent was momentarily blinded, the hunter reached into his belt and pulled out a large capsule of water, throwing it to smash squarely into the vampire's inclined face. Korzen screamed in agony as the water ate away at his flesh, and this time he was well and truly blinded. But he still towered over his human opponent, his chest cavity armoured and his neck well out of decapitation range.
The hunter didn't appear to be overly concerned, and he wasted no time dropping lower to the ground to test his unusual blade against Korzen's thick steel greaves. The cutting edge only penetrated a centimetre or two, doing little or no damage. Acting purely on instinct, the hunter darted backwards just in time as Korzen thrashed his blade about wildly, seeking the tiny annoying creature that had hurt him so. A bullet ripped out the vampire's ear, but the injury was ignored.
By that time, Korzen was only one of five vampire combatants left standing. Kain was shocked to notice that not one of the hunters had fallen, or been injured in any significant way. The most grievous injury apparent was a deep cut on the wrist of one of the swordsmen. The injured hunter had pulled away from the fight, his other companions more than occupying the four remaining vampires, as two hunters had dropped their guns and taken up blades, and bullets continued to be fired downwards periodically from the flying device hovering overhead. He looked at the battle still raging between his captain and the vampire lord, and decided to lend a helping hand.
Though wounded, the human tied a length of discarded rope to his sword-hilt, reversed his weapon so that it lay flat against the forearm of his undamaged hand, and took a great, running jump. While it was not the leap of a vampire, it was still suitably impressive, far exceeding what most humans were capable of. The human had latched onto the back of the thrashing Korzen, and plunged the steel into the gap in the vampire's neck armour, driving it into the torso as far as it would go. He released his hold on the vampire and wisely dove out of the lord's attack radius, but not before tossing the end of the rope to his captain.
With another three vampires dispatched, two more hunters left the main fight and joined the Scion captain, hauling on the end of the rope in order to drag the large vampire's un-armoured head into striking range. But the master vampire was having none of that, and despite their best efforts, he was steadily pulling them backwards while he struggled to recover from the acid-like burns on his face.
The rest of his defenders were dead now, and Kain noticed Rastha stiffen unconsciously when Styx's head was finally lopped off from his shoulders. Her talons dug channels into the already much-abused wood. He could feel the hatred radiating from her, but he was not sure if it was aimed at the Scions, or at Korzen.
Now the attention of all six hunters had turned to the master, and five of the inhuman bloodline hunters were trying to wrestle the stubborn vampire to the ground, without success. The sixth, injured one, had pulled a weapon from a pack strapped across his back, a type of firearm that Kain hadn't seen before. Just as Korzen had recovered enough to distinguish what was going on around him, the human dashed forward, levelled his barrel, and fired at the lord's right knee. The joint looked like it had exploded, a sodden mess of burnt scraps of flesh and fractured bone. Korzen cried out in surprise, crashing onto his left knee as the momentum from the rope embedded in his shoulder carried him forward.
"Now comes the end of it," Rastha whispered, more to herself than to Kain, as if she had forgotten he was there.
The captain gave a shout of encouragement, and as a unit, the Scions set upon the vampire, pinning his arms to the ground with their swords while their captain used his now-glowing, twisted blade to hack at Korzen's neck. The vampire lord gave one last bellow of fury before his head finally came free, rolling across the floor to lie among the corpses of his children and brethren. The vampire hunters didn't stop their assault at first, caught up in the energy of the moment.
Kain glanced over at Rastha's impassive face as Korzen's body was systematically mutilated, and couldn't help feeling disgusted. She appeared completely immune to the death of what had once been her nest-sibling. He had valued the lives of all his children, unless they betrayed him of course. But even by his terms, her reaction was callous. "You don't seem very moved by your brother's death," he remarked dryly.
"Of course I care about it!" Rastha snapped, baring her teeth at him. She wasn't impassive, she was very angry, in fact. Then her face softened and her expression became apologetic. She had not forgotten Kain's threat. "He was my brother," she said by way of explanation. "My nest-mates rejected me, not the other way around. He would not have accepted my help even if I had felt inclined to offer it, but I feel sorry for him. I've been in that position more than once myself, but I was lucky enough to live through it. A Scion's wrath is not an easy thing to endure."
Kain sensed a long story there, possibly more than one, but he was not in the mood to listen to this female's far-fetched tales. "The one with the Reaver is in charge. Am I correct?" He was eager to have this adventure over with.
"Of this unit," Rastha nodded in agreement. "The one with that sword is a Warden, as opposed to a Guardian, which is what the trainees are called. You can tell the difference because Wardens have a band of stripes on their sleeves, indicating their rank or skill within their Clan. Sentinels rank above Wardens, and are the elite. They forsake stripes and instead wear a thick band of material with the family's crest around their upper, right arms. The young one you're so interested in, he's got his seventh stripe, which means he's one stripe away from becoming a Sentinel. I think that's one of the Scion heirs apparent, one of the twins. That's why he's got a Reaver. Why are you so interested, my lord?"
But Kain ignored her gentle question. The action occurring below had taken an interesting change. Lights were turned on and the Warden captain had regained control back over his troop. They were now sorting through the piles of gore for the heads of their victims, lining them up into one long row through the middle of the battleground, while the one with the powerful gun stood guard, just in case there was any more hostile undead lurking about. A signal was sent up to the machine Rastha had called a 'helicopter', and the vehicle moved off, leaving the skylight clear and the room bathed in a deathly silence. Once they were moderately comfortable with their environment, the hunters began removing their helms, and Kain could finally make out bits and pieces of their conversations.
"I hate confirming kills," the one with the gun commented in his captain's direction as he pulled the offending piece of equipment from his head. His voice was a hollow echo in the tall, resonant chamber. "I always feel like some sort of barbarian when I'm doing it, as if I'm mounting their heads for prizes. It's not like our reputation isn't scary enough." His hair was a pale blond that glinted in the artificial light, but Kain couldn't help but feel the young man was familiar from the little he could make out of his face and voice.
"Don't be soft," the Scion captain rebuked his injured companion, removing his own helm. A tail of long brown hair fell onto his shoulders and he was fiddling with a strange device the size of his hand. "Aunt Mari will be glad enough when she sees the pictures. It might alleviate her sorrow. Delia was your step-cousin too, not just mine." For a little time, a solemn stillness reigned between them, before the captain continued on with a lighter tone, "And you want to get paid, don't you? We need to confirm the numbers we take down to receive payment for them." There were flashes of light as he moved down the row, pressing the device to his face as he tried not to slip in the patches of congealing blood.
"Speaking of numbers," the other commented, allowing the barrel of his gun to drop casually. He was favouring his wrist. "Somehow, I expected more of them. Korzen had one of the biggest clans in Nosgoth. I thought we'd be swamped for sure, but we didn't even need the second helicopter. Where'd they all go?"
Kain peered down at the humans, trying unsuccessfully to see more details. They were just too far away, the angle was wrong, and the round walls distorted their voices so badly they were barely recognizable as human. He would have to actually go down there if he was to investigate thoroughly.
"That would be my fault!" Rastha called down to them unexpectedly, forcing the Scions to jump, and Kain to whip around to look at her so fast he felt like he had dislocated half the muscles in his neck. The one with the gun reacted fastest, training it in her direction before anyone else had moved. She waved at the humans below in a friendly manner.
"You'll be in deep shit if you fire that gun, little Scion. I suggest you put it away. My compatriot and I are the only vampires left in this building, and we mean you no harm." Her voice was reassuring and he could feel another careful, deliberate use of Persuasion to force the human to calm down.
The blond hunter hesitated, staring at her intently before shouldering his weapon altogether. "Its cool, guys," he said in response to their questioning stares. "Its just Rastha." At the name 'Rastha' several of the hunters heaved sighs of relief and sheathed their weapons, settling down as if they hadn't just routed a nest of dangerous vampires.
Rastha smiled in smug satisfaction at their reactions. "Is it safe to come down?" she asked.
"Sure," the hunter replied. "Though I can't see why you'd want to." He jerked his head in the direction of the carnage.
"Thanks. I just wanted a quick chat." Rastha turned to a small stairwell that Kain hadn't noticed, leading down to the lower levels. Before she could get more than two steps, however, Kain's talons lashed out, catching her elbow in a painfully tight grip.
"What the hell did you do that for?" he hissed in fury. The urge to kill her had never been so strong.
Rastha must have been able to sense that, because she cringed on instinct, despite her calm assertive words. "I'm sorry for not clearing it with you first, my lord, but I am used to acting independent of control. Calling down to them to let them know we were here just seemed a much better plan than sneaking up and getting shot for our troubles. Have you ever been plugged with a shotgun before? I have. Its not an experience I would care to repeat."
Kain continued to glare at her, seething in impotent rage. The truth was, he wasn't really angry with her, but angry that he had to rely on her. She was right of course, it was the most logistical course of action to take, and knowing that made him all the more furious. In his previous adventures he'd been the one to lead the way, to head the charge, but in this realm he was forced to relinquish control in order to get what he wanted. Relying on anyone was a repulsive thought to him. The concept was too foreign and uncomfortable for him to grasp.
He forced his claws to release her. "Lead on then," he said, swallowing his resentment.
Rastha paused a moment to inspect the bleeding marks through her jacket before shrugging it off and continuing on as if nothing had happened. She could sense Kain's inner conflict and was careful not to aggravate it. She guided him down the short maze of stairways to the bottom floor, hoping that by the time they reached the end he would have cooled his blood a little. It was always safest to meet a Scion with a level head. If not, you risked loosing it.
(Finally, some carnage and Kain is not even involved. Don't worry folks, Kain gets to test his metal against the Scion hunters in the next chapter, so that aught to work off some steam. I wonder if vampires can die from aneurysms… The meaning behind the title is also revealed in the next chapter too, in case you hadn't already guessed it. Brownie points to anyone who can deduce what Rastha used to be before she was a cop. Until next time!)