Disclaimer: I do not own Kain or his Legacy. I only own Val. I don't even own Ms. Razo either. Credit for that goes to The Blind Destroyer of Truth and Dreams.

Kildiazar: Alright Kain, ya ready?

Kain: JUST GET ME AWAY FROM THIS KID!! (tries to escape Widdle Waziel's killer hug)

Kildiazar: Um… it's your funeral.

Widdle Waziel: I'm hungwy, gwandpa. I want souls.

All of a sudden, the door bursts open and in walks an obnoxious woman, Ms. Razo, complete with fake plastic smile and all.

Ms. Razo: I am look for… eh… Raziel?

Raziel walks in.

Raziel: That would be me, lady.

Ms. Razo: Oh, hello Raziel. I'm Ms. Razo and I be your torment for today.

Raziel: Eeeeek! Someone save me from this vile woman with horrible English grammar. Gasp! My astute capabilities of soliloquy are swiftly diminishing.

Widdle Waziel: Hey, are you picking on my dad?

Ms. Razo: You going away now little kid.

Kain: Stop picking on them you wench! (Kain promptly kills Ms. Razo.) Here you go child. Eat!

Widdle Waziel: Yehey! Soul! He devours Ms. Razo's soul and starts choking.

Raziel: Kain, you fool! You know very well he cannot devour full souls till he is older. Raziel does the Heimlich maneuver on Widdle Waziel and he spits out the soul.

Kildiazar: Kain, I suggest you go to the chapter now.

Ms. Razo: I'll be back… (fades into oblivion)

Chapter 6: We are Legion

An enormous flash of light filled the entire room of the Pillars. The light completely banished the maddening roaches that once plastered every crevice in the room. Both Val and Kain were instantaneously snapped back into reality.

The room of the Pillars was completely silent. Two figures stared motionlessly at the spot where a certain blue wraith once stood. All that was left was the Conduit crystal. It glistened brightly yet innocently in the eyes of the two bewildered onlookers.

A few seconds passed and the eyes of the two met each other's gaze. The Vampire's face was full of rage. The Shadow Wolf on the other hand, had a look of indifference. Ever so slowly, Val neared the Conduit, picked it up and placed it in the confines of her robes. She did this without breaking away from Kain's penetrating gaze. She knew full well never to take one's eyes off the enemy.

She glared fiercely at Kain and Kain did the same in return. For what seemed like hours, which was actually only a few minutes, the two had a death-defying staring contest and neither seemed to be willing to give up.

In the end, Val decided to end the contest by shifting into her wolf form. Too fast for mortal eyes, she transmogrified into a lupine beast with the claws of a bear, the jaws of a tiger and the teeth of a shark. In a single bound, she was soaring through the air; tooth and claw directed at Kain.

At the last possible moment, the Vampire Overlord became an obscure veil of mist, causing Val to pass harmlessly right through him. He rematerialized a second after just behind the Shadow Wolf. Despite his injuries, he was not going down without a fight. And whatever this creature before him was, it had interfered at the worst possible time and it was going to be its last.

Kain swung the Reaver at Val, who almost dodged it. The blade caught a glancing fragment of her flesh. If she hadn't moved, her entire left arm would have been hewn through like a white hot knife through butter. Val's shoulder was a fountain of silver, gushing forth to repair the damage done.

Val held up both palms in defense at Kain's direction and instantly he was racked with agonizing spasms, as before. Sunlight seared him, boiled his blood. Lighting arrows pierced his undead heart. His bones snapped and shattered, jabbing in and out of obscure angles, only to be reformed. The great Scion of Balance fell to his knees. It was Moebius all over again. Only now, a thousand times worse.

Feebly, he looked up at his tormentor, a mere child. Something was certainly wrong about this. Why was He, the sublime Emperor of Worlds, at the mercy of this juvenile guileless creature?

Abruptly, however, his torment ceased. Kain glanced up to see that the girl no longer extended her hands at him. Instead, she reverted back to her bestial form and was growling at him. It only mildly surprised Kain that as she snarled, he could still understand what she was saying.

"Why does everyone want to kill me? I only want to live." Val uttered between bared teeth.

'Very well then,' Kain thought. He would indulge her.

Kain transformed himself into his own wolf form. He had not done this in centuries but as dormant as this Dark Gift was, it had not disappeared entirely.

"You need not speak in Lupine tongue in order to hide your words, whelp. I hear them still." Kain answered back in a growling fashion.

All of a sudden, Val's eyes widened with shock and surprise, as though she had just realized something completely out of the ordinary. The vampire she was now staring at had just turned into a wolf. That was unnatural. Never had she encountered a vampire with such a gift. But then again, judging by his energy aura, she should not have been surprised. Not to mention, this was not the same world she knew.

"You," Val no longer growled but whimpered with a tinge of fear. "You just turned into a Wolf. Vampires can't become Wolves. They're not supposed to. It's unheard of. It… it can't… be!" she stammered.

Kain on the other hand kept a cool head. "Do not assume that you are the only one gifted with that dark ability, wolf," he laughed. "I, too, possess many arcane skills well beyond your comprehension."

"You… you're…you're a hybrid!" she stuttered. "Half and half of two different forms of the undead! I never thought such things really did exist. They're only supposed to be in books and legends. You must be a Paragon!" she exclaimed.

"A Paragon?" mused Kain

"You know, a Paragon. The Highest form of the undead," she cocked an eyebrow.

"Well, if you put it that way, I suppose then, yes, I am indeed a Paragon. But enough of this! You are more a nuisance than you are worth, whelp!"

And with that he lunged at Val. In turn, Val charged at Kain. The two beasts raged on at each other for at least half an hour. As before, neither one showed the slightest sign of stopping. For each attack, the opponent would always have a counter attack. Whenever one of them managed to cause damage, the injuries would simply disappear completely as though they were never there. Once, Kain succeeded in pinning down Val to the ground, thus causing Val to turn into mist and float out of reach. When Val resumed her form, the battle continued. When Val did manage to pin down Kain, Kain mimicked her by also turning into mist.

Kain tried using some of his Dark Gifts such as lightning and immolate. However, the effects of such attacks were not very long-lasting for the Shadow Wolf. Even Kain's telekinetic blasts did little to impede Val for her shadow form could not be touched by such an attack At times, Val would turn invisible and Kain had to rely on his senses to know where she was. This went on and on in repetition. Attack, pin down, mist, repeat. Before long they both tired of it.

Val snarled viciously at Kain and raised one paw at him mimicking his gestures when he was using his telekinesis. Immediately, Kain felt his heart being crushed into a bloody pulp. He felt as though he was engulfed in white hot flames and that his head was about to explode. Pain racked his entire body. He felt the air being squeezed out of his lungs. He dropped on the floor and roared in anguish.

But Val now had more control over her torturous capability than she did the first time she used this power. She formed a whip out of her energy and lashed at Kain. It hit his face leaving a deep gash on his skin. Surprisingly, his wound did not heal itself unlike before. She whipped him again… and again… and again, making sure he would suffer as much pain as possible. Several lacerations appeared on Kain's back, shoulders arms and neck and several other body parts. Blood was leaking onto the floor and a small puddle was beginning to form.

She turned the whip into a spiked chain and wrapped it around Kain. He could not move and Val now had the upper hand. But she was not yet done. She then formed a blade out of her energy and fashioned it in the likeness of the Soul Reaver blade. Kain would have seen it had his eyes been trained to see raw energy. She strode over to Kain and thrust the invisible blade into his chest. The pain was intolerably excruciating. It felt as though Kain's soul, his very essence of being was being stripped away from him.

'Eidolon, now is the time. Show yourself'' The Shadow Wolf mentally pleaded with the specter. 'Enough of this! Please, I don't know how much longer I can hold him off. My power has its limits too.' In her heart, Val was afraid that what happened in her dream could occur now and leave her vulnerable. This would be the most inappropriate time for her powers to fail her.

Instantaneously, the ghostly apparition of Eidolon reappeared, as though on command. Accompanying her were several other distorted phantoms of ages past. There were four others in total. In chronological order, the reincarnations stepped forth. The first was a woman of the whitest skin with what looked like numerous tattoos covering nearly every inch of her flesh. But upon closer inspection, they were her veins and blood vessels displaced so near the surface they appeared as distinct markings of constellations. In her hand she held Moebius' accursed staff.

Kain mentally convinced himself that it was merely an illusion. The agony he now experienced was not the doing of the Timestreamer's enchanted Scepter but that of the child standing before him.

The second phantasm was predominantly a wolf but with a horse-like head and enormous jaws of mangled teeth. Its feet were claws of razor sharp stone and its fur was coated with acidic venom so potent, it burned nearly everything it came into contact with.

The third incarnation was an insect-like being with six spindly legs. Its head was a cross between that of a spider's and that of a dragon's. Two antenna-like appendages protruded from the vile creature's neck to serve as its hands.

The fourth and final specter was a massive serpent possessing a row of spikes upon its back. Though this final manifestation was not nearly as impressive in appearance compared to its predecessors, it was still obviously the most powerful of the four spectral entities that had only now just reappeared after several centuries. Based on Kain's experience, this being could cause things to happen with merely the power of thought. It could create distortions in time, space and dimension on a whim. Its mere gaze was utterly lethal. Kain knew all this information well, for this potent creature had been the final catalyst in the downfall of Kain's debauched empire.

The six incarnates and reincarnates advanced on Kain as a single unit. They were many. They were one. They spoke as a single voice, "We are Legion!"

Kain looked up at Val and saw that she was different somehow. She was no longer that naïve, immature, and inexperienced Shadow Wolf that stood before Kain awhile ago. She was now a deranged beast, full of rage and power. It was as if some hidden wild animal suddenly sprung to life in Val's heart, something dark, evil and uncontrollable. Her crystal blue eyes were no longer glistening like the color of water. Instead, they were now pitch black. Even the whites of her eyes were gone, replaced by darkness. Only a miniscule white slit remained in the middle of that darkness. But it was so tiny it was barely noticeable. She was now a monster fuming with immensely terrible power.

They descended upon Kain and smote him down. Then Darkness overwhelmed the Vampire.

In the crevices of his perverse and distorted mind, Kain awoke. Light could not penetrate the Darkness of pitch that had encompassed him. Nearby, he perceived the presence of the child who only earlier dared to oppose him but now she had been severely changed. Now, she took on the appearance of an even younger human. Her new guise looked to have the age of around ten or less. She was sprawled on the ground, weeping her eyes out. Kain regained his composure and neared her.

As he closed in on the fragile form, such a contrast to her earlier formidable appearance, Kain was met by yet another surprise. The girl's body was riddled with disease; a pox was upon her. Little raised dots of scarlet covered the entirety of her skin giving the impression of goose-flesh.

Before coming too close to the prostrate girl, Kain sensed there was something wrong in this exigence or lack thereof. Utter shock and alarm dawned upon Kain as he realized his claws were bereft of the Reaver.

Kain mentally reassured himself that this was merely a representation of his mind. He willed the Soul Reaver to appear before him but all he could muster was a faint ethereal image too insubstantial to sustain itself. Once again, he reassured himself that it was only his mind. It would be back in its rightful place when he came to back in the physical world. Now, he had more urgent matters.

The child had stopped her weeping. Carefully, she raised her head. Bloodshot eyes met Kain's maleficent gaze. "In Omnibus Requiem Quaevisi" she spoke in a raspy voice, weary from sobbing.

Kain was taken aback by this statement. "What did you say?" he asked in genuine bewilderment. Latin had been completely obliterated from human minds. Texts and scrolls were burned. Those who spoke it were executed. No one remembered the language save Kain and his decadent Sons. In that manner, they could discuss their strategic plans in safety, knowing that anything they spoke could not be comprehended by mortal fools.

"In Omnibus Requiem Quaesivi," she repeated. "Et Nusquam Inveni. I have searched for peace everywhere but have not found it. Please, don't kill me."

"And why should I not? Give me good reason." Kain snapped back at her with a blunt tongue.

"I am merely a voice in your head. The least you can do is hear me out. If you do so, it will make things much easier for the both of us."

"Very well, but only if it is of significance," Kain sighed. In truth, he was curious as to her origins. "What have you to say?"

"Look into my eyes. I simply want to know. What is it that Vampires see when they look at me? Why does everyone want me dead?"

Kain did gaze into her eyes. At the very most, he felt nothing. That was it. He felt nothing. He couldn't move. He was completely paralyzed. The more he stared at her, the more he couldn't look away.

Val sensed his current petrified state and looked away. She would not get any answers if he were a mere statue. "Do you see what I mean? I'm not even physically looking at you yet you were seemingly turned to stone. I want to know why."

"In all honesty, child, I too, am curious, though I have no answers to your query. But I have a few questions of my own."

"Oh do tell, but first, let us make our surroundings more suitable than this dank asphyxiating void." She made a gesture with her hand and suddenly the scenery changed. Darkness was banished and they were back at the Pillars. The Reaver was still missing though. Kain took his place upon the throne as Val seated herself in the center of the marble flooring, directly in front of Kain. "Ask away"

"Firstly, I would like to know your name and what manner of creature you are."

"My name is Valwique but I don't rightly know what I am. A Shadow Wolf seems to be the best term to describe me. I can turn into shadow form, as well as become invisible and turn into mist and I have only mastered the ability to transform into a Wolf. I have yet to learn what other bestial forms I may take."

"What is your purpose here?" Kain asked.

"I have fulfilled my purpose already and all I want to do is to go back home. My keeper must be worried."

"Your keeper?"

"I am a dog. I do not own myself." Val put her right hand into the pocket of her robe and swiftly drew out the Conduit. She examined it in her hand before presenting it to Kain. "Do you know what this is, Kain? The Vampire Overlord had not introduced himself formally so she wondered how she came to know the name. It just came out of her mouth.

"No, I can't say it looks familiar. Why do you ask?"

"I thought as much." Val's casual tone was suddenly replaced by one harsher and more commanding. "Bephesda Alamimnon Sanguino Terra Firma!" she chanted.

The Conduit began glowing threateningly once more and Val stepped a few paces away, rolling the glass orb towards Kain.

"Farewell, Vampire," she growled.

There was an intensely bright flash of light and Val was all alone. She just stood there, silently cherishing just another memory of her vampire tortures.

"Bravo, little one, Bravo," Eidolon spoke as she rematerialized by Valwique's side. "A most remarkable performance on your part! I did not think Kain to be so gullible. Tricking him into thinking it was all in his mind was brilliant. I could not have done it better myself." She gestured as though clapping but no sound emanated.

"What is this? Another mind to be poisoned by The Madness?" came an unbidden voice. Ariel, former Balance guardian, was curious as to what was Kain's latest trickery.

"No, mother," Eidolon replied calmly. "She is the Madness."

Val examined the Soul Reaver in her hands intently before looking up at the two spirits hovering before her. She tightened her grip on the hilt of the Legendary Blade as she spoke. "The Madness?"

A/N: Here, I have simply reversed the roles from the original version. Instead of Kain probing Val's mind, this time Val invades his own, with help of course. Also, the significance of the four apparitions will be explained in later chapters. No, they are not a Nosgothic variation of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

Kain: Gasp! I didn't expect her to be that powerful.

Kildiazar: This is just the beginning, Kain.

Kain collapses in a heap. Widdle Waziel walks in eating a bowl of Gerber's Baby Souls.

Widdle Waziel: Mmmmmmmm… Peas and cawwots taste so good. Hi Gwandpa! Gwanda? Gwandpa…

He pokes Kain and pulls his hair.

Kildiazar: Give him a break, kiddo. He's been through a lot. Waitaminute! Do that again.

Widdle Waziel: Pull his hair.

Widdle Waziel pulls Kain's hair.

Kildiazar: Cool it isn't even a wig anymore.

Widdle Waziel: I think he used this.

Widdle Waziel holds up a bottle marked "Root Crop's Hair Growth Formula"

Kildiazar: Ooookkkkkkkaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy.

A/N: Just so you know, I don't entirely own Root Crop's Hair Growth Formula. Credit goes to my sister Yrouna.