Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Legacy of Kain and, Elder God forbid, let us hope that neither does Uwe Boll. (If you know what I mean)

A/N: GAAAAHHH!!! I can't take it anymore! I probably would have gotten this up earlier if my computer did not hate me and become the debauched traitor it is now. But the mere fact that my computer conspires against me depresses me and I write when I am depressed. I am depressed because I am now forced to edit this chapter completely on so that I can work on it using any computer. Depression fuels the writer's rage but reviews are like a drug that can make me go to my happy place.

Anyway, I've let an entire year pass by without updating a single chapter. Please, please, pretty please forgive the excessively long delay. But in my absence, I have not entirely been idle. Most of the previous chapters have been revised. I even added a new prologue. I've also had to strip away various plot elements since their presence would have made everything too convenient. If you have forgotten what has happened in the past chapters, I would greatly appreciate it if you could go back and re-read from everything from the top, if it's not too much to ask. I was sorely tempted to write a summary here of what happened in the past chapters but that would be defeating the purpose. I really think the new and improved version is waaaay better, because the way the original story was going, it looked like nothing more than your typical "girl-gets-sucked-into-Nosgoth-and-meets-Raziel-and-Kain-and-have-adventures-together-the-end" kind of story or a Mary Sue. Now, I DON'T want to write that kind of stereotypical crap.

Also, in this chapter, I will be introducing a new element in the storyline. The crucial word itself will not be present in the entirety of this chapter but any true LOK fan should know what I am hinting at. This chapter works best if you read it out loud. Lastly, if you're going to complain about the unnecessary descriptions of the murals, know that they are important. And without any further ado, I give you Chapter 13.

Chapter 13: Erebus, The Forbidden and the High Ethos

Lakan, second son of Vukodlak, poised himself as he prepared to lunge at his prey. Before him, not three feet away, his game idly grazed on the morning dew of white Kalachs. The mousedeer, docile yet swift-footed remained unaware of the impending danger. Being a Shade, Lakan did not actually have to consume flesh but the thrill of the hunt was essential to him.

Lakan's muscles tensed, ready to make the kill. However, before he could make the lethal pounce, a distant howl interrupted his game. The mousedeer, startled by the noise, frantically leapt away in a single bound.

Lakan silently cursed himself for allowing his prey to elude him. He silently cursed a second time as he turned around to find the source of the intrusion. In the corner of his eye, he spotted a most unusual group; a Shadow Wolf, a Were-cat, and a Wraith.

'So the Starskin has brought a companion, has she?' he thought to himself. Lakan narrowed his eyes though he had no choice but to howl back in acknowledgement otherwise he would be in the wrong. He watched the motley trio for a few more moments before dashing off to inform the Elders of this unexpected arrival. The Champion of their Master's Race had come to them at last.

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As Raziel, Yrouna and Val crossed the threshold into the Wolf Shrine, nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary. There were rosebushes everywhere they looked. But further on, what appeared to be a colossal green Nautilus stood on the mountain top. In the distance, Raziel saw the silhouette of a Wolf on the hunt. He accidentally let his prey loose when Val abruptly howled to him in acknowledgment of their presence. When they had caught his full attention, he began howling in return. This they did and went on their way.

They resumed traversing the relatively verdant landscape, all the while encountering various Shades in lupine form. Some of them howled as a form of salute. However, others appeared to merely observe their passage with intense glaring eyes.

As they passed by, Raziel could not help but notice something odd about the manner he was being watched. Disregard the fact that he no longer had his cowl and was openly displaying his hideous countenance for all to see. The Shades appeared to see him as some form of conquering hero and would bow down in reverence whenever his gaze fell upon them. They looked at him as though they looked upon a God. This was certainly not the reaction Raziel had expected. Perhaps it was because he wielded the Soul Reaver, though Raziel could not be too sure. These beings could not possibly know of the ancient weapon's existence, could they? But one thing was certain. He never managed to maintain direct eye contact with any of them, as though they thought he could see into their souls. Without doubt, something was suspicious about these creatures. But he simply could not put his claw on it. A little further on, Raziel perceived a most peculiar sight that served only to heighten his feelings of mistrust.

Upon a dilapidated and festering hollow shell of a tree sat a delicate woman garbed in the purest of white. Her eyes were directed at the newcomers, particularly at Val. She was no mere woman though and was in fact a Spirit. The Wolf said nothing at this but instead marched directly to the figure perched precariously on the Tree of Kalach.

Val stopped short just a meter before the tree and bowed down in respect to her Tutor. She opened her mouth to address Ella and was about to explain the foreign arrival of Raziel when she was vehemently cut off by a forceful gesture of Ella's right hand. Not even the slightest sound gurgled past Val's wolfish snout. She kept her jaws shut as though she were infected with a severe case of lockjaw tetanus. Val stood erect as a dog to be commanded or in this case, reprimanded. There were no warm greetings between mentor and apprentice. Ella was blunt enough to make her point the first moment she had.

"You should not have come here, Val" Ella's tone was condescending and merciless. "I am very disappointed in you. You disobeyed the Code."

Val was completely taken aback by this aggressive outburst. Ella was normally of gentle nature. She wouldn't be this angry unless she had good reason to be.

"I… I'm sorry?" Val stuttered. She was truly clueless as to why her Mentor was angered so. "I beg your pardon but I don't understand what you speak of." Val shifted her head to one side and looked questioningly. Her prior conceited demeanor was immediately banished and replaced by fear and bewilderment. She suddenly felt all alone, as though that Spirit, Eidolon, had abandoned her.

"YOU FED! Look at you! You're a disgrace!" Ella pointed at the obvious blood stains on her chest and mouth. They had caked up around her skin and fur.

Val looked at herself and recalled the bloody feast that had so recently eluded her thoughts. Why had she not realized this earlier? If Ella had seen it, then all the Wolves they had encountered would have known of it by now as well. "It was a Vampire!" She desperately pleaded to no avail. "A Vampire!"

"Regardless of the Race, you still fed and that is against our Principles! You are to only consume what is Holy and is provided by Nature, not the evolutionary dead-ends or rejects!"

The Wolf's ears drooped in shame. Her tail hid between her hind legs. Her head fell low, as near the ground as it could get, in penance for this foul act.

"How is it you have fallen into darkness if you are so pure of heart, Star-Skin." Ella continued relentlessly. Spiteful were her words, though Val seemed puzzled rather than insulted.

"Star-Skin?" Val half murmured. She was bewildered at this new title.

"Yes, you shall henceforth be named Star-Skin for you shall be Keeper of the Constellations, Stewardess of the Stars. It is from their light you shall draw strength, should you pass the test of fire."

" I… I don't understand what you are talking about. I am… I am lost."

"That you are, Val, which is precisely why you shouldn't have come. But it's too late to turn back now."

The Wolf's face was a portrait of uncertainty and misunderstanding.

At this, Ella's appearance suddenly softened. She dropped to the ground and put her right hand on Val's head, not that she could touch her but as a sort of sign of encouragement to her pupil.

"I'm not exactly angry at you, Val. But I am disappointed. I care about you. That's why I still dwell in this madhouse. I'm just worried about what the Elders will do to you when they find out about this. That's why you should not have come here, at least not now. There's no way you can hide this." She briefly pointed again to the coagulated blood all over her snout. "I can only hope His arrival here will keep them distracted long enough."

At this she gestured at the seemingly forgotten wraith next to the nauseous black cat. The Wolf instantaneously glanced at them then back at Ella causing a mask of even greater humiliation to form on her lupine face, if that was even possible.

"His name is Raziel." Val immediately explained. "He is a wraith and---" Ella cut her off once more.

"I know very well what he is and why He's here or do you forget who it was that taught you all this in the first place?" She then turned to Raziel. "My sincerest apologies, Brave Warrior." Ella made her right hand into a fist, placed it near her heart and bowed. "It seems that my apprentice has yet to learn common courtesy. Please accept my humble apologies for her inconsiderate behavior. You are our guest here, Raziel. Welcome to Namaste, Asylum of Wolves."

"Your apologies are most accepted, My Lady." Raziel spoke in turn. At least this woman had some sense and dignity in her, unlike most of the other beings Raziel had encountered since his arrival into this strange realm. "And you are correct in saying that the Wolf has much to learn. I've seen what she is capable of but she requires discipline lest she become too overconfident of her abilities."

Val did not like being the subject of such a spiteful conversation but she had no right to voice out her opinions at the present moment.

"I assure you, Raziel." Ella continued. "She will be disciplined. But now, we cannot speak. The Elders draw near. Salute them and they will worship you. Spite them and still they will worship you. But I warn you this, do not be deceived."

Also, unlike all the other creatures Raziel had so far encountered in this territory, Ella kept her eyes directly upon Raziel's luminous orbs where his eyes should have been. Now, it seemed that she was the one looking right into his soul instead of the other way around. This fierce Spirit commanded an air of confidence and a facade of near-omniscience. But Raziel knew better than to believe in that facade. To top it all off, Ella whispered a warning into his mind. "Beware the Green-Eyed Ones, Raziel. They will seek to use you."

As soon as she had finished this message, a peculiar miasma began to accumulate on the ground surrounding them. Small clouds of mist began to take form of translucent Wolves before their very eyes. Within seconds, three well-built wolves with muscular bodies, each sporting a shadowy gray coat of fur seemed to materialize. One of them stood foremost and acted as the leader.

Raziel perceived that Yrouna and Val stood so still, they appeared to have become statues. Their only movement was to make a fist with their right hands and place them on the left side of their chests, just above their hearts. They then bowed their heads in respect. The Three Elder Wolves greeted them in return with a similar gesture. Seeing this, Raziel mimicked the sign as best he could. The Wolves saluted in return.

"Welcome back, Little One," The one called Gilhiego spoke directly to Val. "Your timing is impeccable. As you will soon Come of Age, we have much to discuss."

"Yes, sir," Val replied. "But I too have some things I wish to talk about."

"All in good time, my dear, but now, everyone inside. There is no use talking outside when the sun is about to rise. Oh and I see you've brought a visitor with you."

"Yes, Sir" interrupted Val. "We have a guest, Sir. His name is Raziel. We were hoping he could stay here."

Lakan immediately pushed Val aside without hesitation and his eyes made contact with the said Wraith. "Of course, He is very much welcome to stay in our humble domain. We are deeply honored by your presence here, Lord and Champion." There was a sudden change in his voice, as though he had come face to face with a God.

Raziel saw in the Wolf's tone and facial expression that he meant every word of it, although, one with Raziel's appearance did not exactly expect such a warm welcome.

"But where are our manners?" Gilhiego continued, in turn, pushing Lakan to the side. "I am Lord Gilhiego, First Son of Lord Vukodlak and these are my Brothers, Lord Lakan and Lord Ronnel. We, the Triad of Elders, are at your service, Lord Raziel."

"I thank you for your benevolent hospitality, Lord Gilhiego and though I intend no ill will, I must ask you this. Why do you address me as a "Lord" when clearly we have never met?"

Raziel was briefly met with an awkward silence. Gilhiego, the Alpha Wolf, did not appear to have an answer ready and looked around nervously at his Brothers, as though he expected them to know the answer to the Wraith's query. In acquiescence of defeat, he turned back to face Raziel with a rather uneasy smile in the hope that the Wraith would accept his explanation.

"Oh I do hope I have not offended you with such a common title, Oh Sublime One. But you see, your arrival was not unexpected. It was foretold long ago by our Masters. As we are indebted to them, so are we indebted to you."

Despite the Alpha Wolf's reassuring words, Raziel still felt suspect of the entire situation. All of those he so far had met in this Asylum of Wolves appeared to know him somehow, though he had no recollection of this place or of the creatures that inhabited it.

"In that case, you may address me as "Lord" if you must. But tell me more of your "Masters"."

"Of course, My Lord, but if Your Grace permits, Lady Giselle would have to answer your questions for now. I am sorry but we have urgent matters to attend to regarding Star-Skin."

At this, the semi-corporeal Alpha Wolf grabbed Val forcefully and motioned to escort her away. He had a vise grip upon her lupine neck that threatened to snap her bones cleanly in half. When Gilhiego was in such a mood, he was not to be taken lightly.

But as the four turned to depart, Raziel suddenly halted them with the Reaver. "You must have some faith in me then," Raziel began, "if you are so willing to jeopardize her existence." He pointed at Ella. "Or do you forget that I am a devourer of souls?"

"Indeed, a Wraith you are, My Lord." Gilhiego quickly replied. "But take it as a token of confidence. You may do with her as you wish. It is her purpose. She is yours now. But by your leave, forgive us. We mustn't tarry in this regard. The Star-Skin must be cleansed of her sins. A baptism is in order. The High Ethos demands it."

The Wolf Ronnel stood beside Ella and whispered to her discreetly. "Do whatever he asks of you. Answer all his questions and cater to his every whim. We cannot afford to fall from his favor, not now. Should you need anything, do not disturb us unless it is absolutely necessary. We will be preoccupied with Erebus IX. Do as you are told, Mentat." Were Ella still a corporeal being, she would have clenched her fists and gritted her teeth in infuriation at being treated like a circus animal, performing disdainful tricks upon her Ringmaster's whim.

Ronnel then turned to Yrouna, who was turning various sickening shades of green. "You are dismissed. Go! Relieve yourself."

Yrouna looked as though she had been waiting ages for those words to be spoken. She dashed off into the distance so quickly that she could only be made out as a dark blur searching for the nearest washroom.

As uncanny and sudden as they appeared, the Alpha Wolves vanished, shrouded in mist. Only this time, they took Valwique along with them.

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Ella was now alone, face to face with a Reaver of souls, the one creature her Superiors had been waiting for all these years, the solitary being she was destined to serve and the only entity that could liberate her and her kind from their oppressive creators. He alone could cause the demise of all who lived within the Asylum of Wolves but Ella felt no fear in his presence.

Raziel then turned to the Spirit and asked her in a casual tone, "Is that all they ever do? Worship and beg for forgiveness?"

"As long as you're here," Ella replied, "I wouldn't be surprised if they name a feast day after you. They worship you, Raziel. Your will is their command."

"But why? I wonder," was Raziel's bewildered response. "What is the reason behind their blind and unquestioning adoration?"

"The answer is either exceedingly simple or ridiculously complicated, whichever way you'd want it. But I cannot answer your questions here, Raziel, not now. It is not safe for us to be conversing in plain sight." At this, Ella stopped speaking and mentally whispered yet another warning to the recently venerated Wraith. "Not only do the Walls have ears, Raziel, but they can learn. They can recognize. The High Ethos listens in on our every conversation. "

"And now, are you to ask forgiveness as well, for being unable to answer my queries? You needn't lie to me." Raziel quipped without hesitation.

"Please, Raziel, hear me out. Hear Us out. Come, I know where We can all talk in peace. I will give you all the answers there." Ella begged of Raziel.

"Very well, Spirit. Lead the way." The Wraith sighed.

Ella drifted off towards the sophisticated green complex and Raziel followed suit close behind. But as they drew closer, Ella appeared to have no intention of entering the Nautilus, instead moving towards a concealed side entrance. Raziel observed that the outer wall of the structure itself was covered with various murals depicting what he believed to be some form of animalistic worship. A plethora of unnatural creatures were painted on the walls. A wolf with a horse-like head, a cross between a dragon and a scorpion, a scathed rodent fitted with metal platings, a human scorpion, a half-bodied atrocity, an eyeless horseman and a headless demon with many hands decorated the exterior of the Nautilus. But above all these enigmatic beings towered a completely white humanoid entity with lizard-esque features riding atop a massive serpent. Raziel was puzzled as to what all of these images meant. They might have been relevant to his presence or not at all. But either way, Raziel could not explain it but these images struck him. He uncannily felt as though they boded something, whether or not they were complete gibberish.

As they neared the wall, Raziel searched in vain for some hidden doorway, as Ella phased right through the wall effortlessly. Though Raziel was a Wraith and could easily bypass metal grates and bars, he still lacked the ability to completely walk through walls as a spirit would. However, Raziel did not have to search long, for as he stood gazing at the convoluted icons, a perceptible crack appeared on the ground. The Wraith stepped backwards in haste to avoid falling into the widening fissure.

Raziel drew away from the crevice not a moment too soon for it had completely opened up revealing a massive underground trapdoor. Inside the opening, Ella hovered in mid –air, gesturing for him to enter. Raziel looked about him cautiously before taking a few tentative steps into the passageway. As soon as he was inside, the ground converged, hiding the fissure from plain sight.

Once the Wraith and Spirit were within the safety of the underground passageway, Ella hazarded to utter "If we had gone by the main entrance, one of the sentinels would have followed us. We must make for the Inner Sanctum at the heart of the Mountain. Only then, can we speak without restriction."

Raziel narrowed his eyes but did not reply to the Spirit's comment. He was quickly tiring of all this secrecy.

The dark underground catacombs of Namaste were a labyrinth, with new each corner looking exactly like the one prior. Subconsciously, Raziel strived to memorize the path he was taking. A human would no doubt lose his bearings past the first ten turns but Raziel had a highly developed sense of navigation constituted of a thousand years experience. In the end it was not all that difficult to find his way past the maze, into the very heart of Namaste.

Ella flitted in and out of view ahead of him but something had changed about her. To Raziel, Ella appeared to be growing younger. In fact, it appeared that there was a child playing a game of chase with Raziel, goading him to follow. To add to the timeless effect, Raziel thought he heard voices of children reverberating within the seemingly never-ending corridors. Laughter so sweet and innocent resounded from every corner. The infantile peals of mirth became louder and louder until it seemed as though the entire hallway was filled with children. Momentarily, Raziel thought he had gone mad.

However, Raziel was further immersed into a realm of surreality when one of the hysteric laughing voices wailed in anguish and began to weep pitifully. Boundless amusement immediately turned to crying and screaming as a despicable and morose tone gurgled from the walls. Phantom hands scratched at the walls, seeking release. The agony of lost souls cried out to Raziel and all of them, children. Disembodied voices told of ritualistic sacrifices and hedonist mutilations.

"Tis' your flesh we want to experience."

"Time to play, Dessio"

"Dear little Thanatos, you must understand that death is a delicate art and the body, a canvas."

"Sever our limbs and keep us restrained

No one shall hear our tortured cries

Festering corpses are all that remained

In this land of oppression and lies"

"We offer this sacrifice upon the altar of the world."

"With the coming of the Serpent, the blood of Vampires shall be purged from this world and the next. We must create the perfect vessel. The High Ethos demands it. Only then shall we know true deliverance."

"Nothing but another failure; She must be destroyed! Into the Prism with her!"

"Yrouna, find us another specimen!"

It was not the fact that innocent souls condemned to eternal torment were now calling out to Raziel that struck the Wraith as odd. It was the mere fact that this all occurred in the Material Realm that Raziel found unusual. He had not yet encountered a location that appeared to be so spiritually active even in the Physical World. This was no doubt a monumental first for the Wraith. Then again, he had only just arrived at this uncanny realm and yet so much had already happened. Raziel had been exposed to both insults and adorations in only a matter of hours. What more could this world possibly offer that could still truly surprise him?

Raziel had jumped to conclusions too soon. Not a moment after that thought had entered his mind the Wraith found himself face-to-eye with an enormous, glowing green eyeball the size of his entire head. The creature blinked and inspected him from head to cloven foot. In truth, Raziel was greatly disturbed as it resized itself to a normal eyeball and began to explore Raziel's cavernous lack of innards. Soon, an entire school of floating eyeballs fluttered right up to him. Raziel unsuccessfully attempted to shoo them away with his claws but the eyeballs were too many and too curious to be deterred by Raziel's claws. Were these creatures the malevolent Green-Eyed Ones Ella spoke of? Surely, they appeared to be rather guileless and naïve to be of any threat. But their mere proximity and number were enough to secretly intimidate even Raziel.

Inexplicably, the floating clusters of eyeballs were assaulted by a myriad of seizures. Dark tendrils shot up from the ground and momentarily eclipsed their sight, shielding Raziel from their prying gaze. "Come Raziel! Quickly!" Ella beckoned to the Wraith. "We have no time for them. My power will not be able stall them for long."

In the end, Raziel was impelled to quicken his chase with the Child-Spirit that now scurried off before him. As they left the eyes convulsing in the snares of the dark tendrils, Ella summoned a resplendent surge of light to temporarily blind her pursuers. The moment she and Raziel were well out of their sight, Ella explained to the Wraith. "They were Argus and Panoptes, Sentinels, the Pets of our All-knowing Authors."

"I was under the impression that by taking this cryptic path, we would be free of them. Or is that not you told me?" Raziel sneered in contempt.

"It seems I was mistaken. They would not normally take this path unless someone commanded them to. But we must hurry, they might return."

For all it was worth, he secretly believed Ella was playing him for fool. Raziel had no reason to even remain here and continue with this senseless pursuit that went around in circles. He had no desire to be lead to nowhere. What did he care of the mysterious "Green-Eyed Ones"? It seemed so easy to simply turn around and leave. Leave the children to their suffering!

But before he came to that decision, before he even knew it, Raziel and Ella had reached their destination. They found themselves at the heart of the mountain as far away from the High Ethos as possible. The entrance to the Inner Sanctum was lined with a Latin inscription. It said:

Intra Muros

Habito Erebus

Nos es inconcessus

Within these walls

Dwell the Erebus

We are Forbidden

Inside the Inner Sanctum, however, a vast Pool of Blood percolated beneath eight Prisms suspended by chains on the ceiling. These glass cages held the mutilated corpses of the anguished children. They ranged from the ages of nine and fifteen and all appeared to have suffered some excruciating cause of death. Most were incinerated, coupled with various impalements and lacerations. Some had been disemboweled, with hooks and barbed wires peeling away at their delicate skins. Others had metal plates welded into their flesh. One solitary body, a female, appeared to have the most painless death with a decapitation. All the carcasses, frozen in fear, were trapped in their crystal boxes for all to see.

"My God!" The words escaped Raziel's absent mouth as he beheld the ruthless displays exhibited in the Inner Sanctum. These atrocities of cadavers were works of art.

The childlike form of Ella faced Raziel and whispered. "Do you still wonder why no one here in the Asylum has yet been horrified by your disfigurement?" She then turned to the Eight Prisms suspended above the Pool and cried out. "Sisters, Brothers, Children of the Forbidden, I call upon you now to witness our emancipation from this wretched world."

Inexplicably, seven phantasms materialized from the dangling Prisms. They hovered outside their glass boxes but retained their mangled visages.

"I trust that none of you are ignorant of our Deliverer's presence here." Ella declared to the Erebus with unrelenting fervor.

The Children replied in chorus. "All hail the bearer of our salvation!" They bowed down to Raziel and extended their arms as a gesture of adulation.

"You needn't venerate me so." Raziel humbly stated. "I only want answers and I want the truth."

"Raziel," Ella began. "These are the Erebus, the Forbidden, creatures designed by the Wolves to do their bidding, mainly to eradicate vampires. Valwique is one of them. She is not the supposed "last of her kind." She is merely the latest in the series of nine. In the end, she will die a meaningless death, just like all the others. The Prisms - that is the fate that awaits her should she fail the test of fire."

"You said a series of nine. I only see seven here. Where is the other?"

"Why Raziel, you're looking right at her."

The rest of the Erebus remained silent as Ella's entire being was encompassed in a shimmering light. Her imaged wavered until she transmogrified into an entity not unlike the other Children. Ella was completely bald and burn marks were blatantly etched all over her skin

"You are one of them?" Raziel asked in revelation.

"Yes, Raziel. I am Giselle De Mentat, the First Erebus. We will answer all your questions to the best of our ability but first please hear us out. Not everything is as it appears to be. First of all, this is the safest place for us to freely speak. But to be sure, let us enter the Spirit Realm. The Sentinels will not be able to see us and thus the High Ethos will not be able to detect our presence there. Only, then can we be certain that no one will be watching our conversation. Please, leave your sword on that stone slab over there and I guarantee you that it will not be so much as touched until you return to retrieve it." At least Ella did not fail to remember the Ancient weapon.

"Very well, if you insist." Raziel sighed. "But let warn you now that my patience wanes with every passing moment and this I can tell this "High Ethos" has you cowering in fear, the whole lot of you, so this had better be worth everything you've gambled upon. What you have to say to me now should be of great importance."

"It will be, Raziel, I promise you it will."

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Valwique and the Alpha Wolves materialized in the center of what appeared to be an extensive coliseum. The Ninth Erebus looked about her and took in the vicinity. "The Arena? What are we doing here?"

"The time has come, Child." Gilhiego spoke in an impassive tone. "You are now strong enough to be baptized. You are of the right age and you have proven yourself worthy by coming here of your own volition, bringing with you the Champion. So far, you have succeeded where others have failed. However, it is now time to test your true potential and see if you are fitting for your purpose. But first, let me ask you this question, are you afraid?"

Val recognized this place as the execution ground for captured Vampires. They were brutally challenged to the death as new opponents always came in to replace the prior fallen. "No." Val answered with conviction. "I will take on any vampire." She did not even stop to think who these secretive "Others" were

"Vampire?" Lakan jeered at the girl. "Ha! You wish!"

"You'll be fighting us now, Child." Ronnel added.

"To see if you are truly worthy, you must draw blades with us in all out combat." Gilhiego continued. "It will put all your previous training to the test. If you cannot defend yourself, then we have failed. You have a choice of a handheld weapon and you are not to be aided by the Spirit who followed you here."

"Eidolon?" Val gasped in surprise. "You can see her?"

"Oh dear girl, we were able sense her presence long before yours." Gilhiego replied in mock amusement.

"That was why I kept silent upon entering the Asylum of Wolves. We had to see how you would hold up on your own." Eidolon acquiesced.

"'We?' You know each other?" All these newfound revelations just seemed to keep piling on top of each other. The burden of knowledge was most unbearable.

"More than you can ever imagine." Gilhiego said in response. "The old alliance is still in effect. But that is a history lesson for another time. Now, choose your weapon."

Valwique looked at her blue Illustrazio bag in desperation. Most, if not all her weapons were specifically designed in the annihilation of Vampires, not Lupine Shades. Her eyes made the briefest contact with Eidolon's and the Spirit's instructive wink told Val to use the Twin swords she recently received. "The Cryse Blades, then. I shall use them."

"Don't help her!" Gilhiego instinctively snapped at

"Do you not trust me?" Eidolon stated in defense.

"Ready yourself. The battle shall commence in ten minutes." The command was directed at Val. Gilhiego did not appear to have heard the Spirit's remark.

The Ninth Erebus left for a private to change to more suitable fighting garments. As she put aside her arsenal of vampire repellant devices, Eidolon came up behind her and murmured over her shoulder. "Dispose of your other weapons. They are mere playthings and this is no longer a time for your little games."

"I thought they told you not to help me." Val was quick to reproach her.

"What I say to you now has nothing to do with the battle. I am simply telling you to rid yourself of those toys."

These "toys" have saved my life many times. Why should I throw them away now?" Val remarked as she put on a lightweight set of crimson armor

"Because the rules have changed and besides I have seen you in an age where you would spit upon anyone using such primitive and cowardly devices. Inevitably, you will have to forsake them."

"Just as you would have me forsake my friends?"

"They cannot remain your friends, Child. In fact, you will have to forsake your entire existence here so I suggest you start now. This is nothing compared to what you will undertake in Nosgoth."

"Nosgoth this, Nosgoth that. Why did we come back here in the first place then?"

"May I remind you that you were the one who wished to return here, to this world. Not to mention, you've forgotten about Gamin."

"Oh right." Val sighed in defeat.

The summoning bells began to clang in preparation for the onslaught. Both Eidolon and Val looked up to the Summons. The Bells were only rung in occasions of great importance. This was certainly one of them. There was no turning back now. The High Ethos demanded it.

"Well the battle is about to begin, Child. Go. Kill or be killed."

"How encouraging."

The fight was about to begin and Val looked up to see that all the Shades in the Asylum, the deceased Spirits of her ancestors, the Shadow Wolves, all had eyes upon her. If she were to fail now, she would be letting them all down. Val took her place at the center of the Arena as Eidolon made the traditional opening remarks. How it was that the Spirit even knew how to function the opening remarks was beyond her. Val was even only half-listening when Eidolon declared that Val would be fighting all the Elders at the same time.

"Three against one? Wait, this isn't fair!" Val protested in vain.

"Justice has no bearing in this fight, Girl." Lakan taunted.

"Let the battle commence!" Eidolon declared to cut short the trivial chit-chat. She then turned her back at the combatants and departed and departed the stadium without any further notice. As the Ninth Erebus was about to face her greatest tribulation yet, Eidolon abandoned her without a second thought. Valwique never even had the chance to plead for her to stay, even if it were for little more than moral support. No. The Spirit had more important matters to deal with now.

The battle had ended before it even begun. Val, aided as she was by her Twin Cryse Blades, never actually had the chance to rehearse with these prehistoric weapons. Summoning her powers of Dark Matter, she coated herself with the shadowy substance in a vain attempt to lessen the impact of the blows dealt upon her.

Ronnel, wielding a pair of flaming whips, was more of a distraction than a threat to Valwique in this fray. He taunted her, striking the whips at her feet as his brothers attacked Val while she had her guard down. Gilhiego was armed with a pair of Fire Poi, ball – shaped weights suspended on chains and set aflame. Lakan also sported a pair of Poi , only unlike his Brother's, this pair had not been set alight but instead were menacingly bladed. The slightest abrasion guaranteed a deeply cut wound.

Val deftly rolled to the side with the intent of thrusting one of the blades into Lakan's exposed chest in typical Rompida fashion. But as the blade neared his flesh, it was as though some unseen force kept her hand at bay. A disjointed yet mesmerizing voice echoed in her head saying "You will not harm them. They are your Superiors. You can not harm them." Being the obedient little dog she was, she obeyed without question and her arm froze in mid-air. This moment of hesitation cost her a full frontal assault by the bladed Poi. Lakan spun the Poi around so fast that within seconds, the Ninth Erebus was a stunned waterfall of silver blood.

She fell on her back but quickly recovered to deal a driving blow towards Gilhiego. Val leapt up and took to the air aiming her sword at the Alpha Wolf below her. Unfortunately, her Nightmare's Hammer was not only successfully cut short and parried but she was also thrown back by the force of her own blow. Gilhiego's Fire Poi accelerated at such an inordinate speed that it formed some sort of impenetrable barrier around his body. Val could not so much as touch the quickening shield without getting half her arm scathed in the process.

This was getting ridiculous. Had all her life spent training been for naught? Why could she not land a single blow on any of the Elders? Who or what was that invisible entity that kept her from fighting them? All these questions running around madly in her head caused her movements to falter and lose focus.

Before she knew it, one of Ronnel's flaming whips had wound itself around her left wrist. The Alpha Wolf did a complicated backflip and at the next instant, the bewildered Erebus found her arm in a locked chicken wing position. Ronnel wasted no time in binding her other arm so she could not move. The searing pain of the of the flaming whips cauterizing her skin caused Val to release her grip on the Cryse blades, which fell to the floor as a sign of imminent defeat.

With Val completely disarmed and helpless, the Elders did not hesitate to pummel her within an inch of her half-life, her pitiful subsistence. Ronnel held her bound as his Brothers proceeded to burn and maim her in every possible yet unimaginable way. When they were done, they let Val drop to the ground into a puddle of her own silvery blood.

She looked up from her contorted position and saw that the Elders were whispering to one another. Try as she might, though, she could only make out fragmented sentences from their conversation.

"...was pathetic... didn't even last as long as Thanatos..."

"Deremof... better fighter..."

"...failed experiment..."

"...Fetch Yrouna... We may require... find us a new specimen... should the need arise."

In the end, Erebus IX lay abandoned, sprawled and unmoving upon the marble floor. Her entire body was riddled with burns and lacerations, covering nearly every inch of her skin. She tried to get up but found herself agonizingly paralyzed. The branded scar she once sported on her face was now intricately meshed in with a plethora of newly acquired wounds. These lesions would eventually heal to form an elaborate web of disfigurement, forever etched onto her face. Worst of all was that her long, silken, jet black hair had been reduced to a disheveled entanglement of remaining minute strands. She had become nearly bald as a result of the battle.

Her head lolled over to one side in defeat, her mouth wide open with a spittle of silver blood and saliva slowly trickling out. She was a vessel of stone and lead, if stone could feel pain. Nothing more than a cadaver now lay on the febrile surface of marble, still seething from the intensity of combat.

Her right eye opened with her left being too wounded, taking in the grotesque images of flame and shadow and smoking debris, of anger and malice, of hatred and mockery. The last words she barely made out as the Wolves departed made no sense to her. It was Lakan who asked "Shall I prepare the Prism, then?"

She thought she glimpsed momentarily a figure in the flames laughing at her, taunting her. In a flash, it was gone.

But no, she was not alone.

Val felt a presence directly above her and she looked up to the ceiling in confirmation. Indeed, eying her was a tiny red salamander with eyes of pitch. Before she could react, before she could even utter a scream, the entity was upon her. Its slimy skin made contact with her mutilated flesh. She could feel its viscous excretions tingling her cheek, a sensation she detested to no end.

In her weakened state, she could not move, only squirm and watch in horror as she witnessed the vile little cretin crawl into her open mouth. She was wracked with internal spasms as it forced itself down her esophagus. Tears welled in her eyes. She felt so defiled, so betrayed. Reality seized her by the throat and tantalized her with the elusive offer of oblivion.

A thousand voices wailed inside her, desperately seeking rupture. The multitude rose in pitch and then… silence.

It was then she heard a single word resounding with infinite power.

Hash'ak'gik…

Soon, a new God would rise and His rule would be absolute.

Hash'ak'gik…

And thus she was born anew. A puppet. A weapon. A daughter.

Hash'ak'gik…

A/N: Well I hope y'all get the drift. Remember, these are Soul Reaver 1 Kain and Raziel, too damn early in the game to know anything about the H--bleep (I told you I wouldn't say it.) Now, the challenge is to keep them from knowing. Also this story is only possible in the alternate timeline where Blood Omen 2 occurs.