LEGACY OF KAIN: BLACK HEARTS
CHAPTER 5: REUNION
Five hundred years spent hiding and scavenging. While the vampires thrived, the humans dwindled. The vampires were writing their own death sentence by destroying their food supply.
Kali sat alone in her training room. She had hid for so long. Her faith was beginning to fade. She wanted Raziel back more than anything.
Ever since she had ran from that battle, Kali was being hunted. All of the clans were against her. And they were stronger.
Not only did they outnumber her, but they physically over powered her. Because she was only a half-blood, she did not evolve like the others. Their skin became hard as stone; her skin remained light and soft. Their forms became grotesque; she maintained her human qualities.
The other vampires used their bare hands as weapons. But Kali relied on her sword, which was still useless if there was no fire or water around. A vampire's skin heals as soon as it is cleaved. In order to kill a vampire with a sword or spear, it would have to be a one-time use. The weapon would have to remain forever in the corpse.
But Kali's sword still inflicted plenty of pain; enough to push a vampire into their death. Though the clans were becoming stronger, they were also becoming easier to outsmart. Raziel's training has never let Kali down.
Kali gripped the hilt of her sword tightly. Of everything in this world, it was the most important to her. She never let it go.
Kali felt a pain deep within her. She needed to feed very soon. She stood and left the room with caution. Every so often, a Dumahim scavenger will wander in the area. But the coast seemed clear this time.
A human hunter was patrolling here. He was alone, which was very foolish of him. Kali tackled him to the ground.
"Help!" The human yelled.
"Shh," Kali commanded, "You'll attract others."
"Let me go, vampire!" He shouted.
Kali twisted the man's neck, and he dropped lifeless. Kali helped herself to her last meal for possibly a few days. However, the noise of this attack did attract others… but not humans.
"At last, we have found you," One of three Dumahim cackled.
The second one chuckled, "The master will be pleased with us."
"Don't make a mistake that you can't walk away from," Kali threatened, "I'm more dangerous than you think."
"No wordplay," The third one snapped, "Time to die."
Raziel walked up the bridge, and gazed into the spiraling water.
"This had remained unchanged," he said to himself, "My spiraling tomb"
Raziel remembered hearing Kali's screams as he fell in. What was left of him carried a heavy weight of emotions. He wanted to see her again.
He looked into the cliff walls, and recognized the path that lead to his clan. He was curious to see how his clan held up after all these years. He jumped towards the path, and ran in his territory's direction.
He arrived at an unpleasant scene. The Razielim flags were shredded across the ground. The building was completely desolated.
"Help!" Raziel turned to see a man being cornered by a Dumahim fledgling.
Raziel charged the fledgling. The vampire was caught off guard, and Raziel took it down easily. After a few slashes, Raziel picked it up, and threw it into a nearby fire. After the fledgling's body roasted, he devoured the floating soul.
"Wow," the human said, catching his breath, "I was saved by a demon."
Raziel glared at him, "Demon?"
Raziel stomped closer to him, and the human stepped back slowly.
"I am here to take back what's mine," Raziel said, "I am here to cleanse my territory."
The human tripped and fell to the ground. Raziel leaned over him and whispered, "And you're just dirt."
With one swift slam, the human's skull caved in. As Raziel devoured the soul, he looked at the decimated building.
"Kain, what have you done with my clan?"
Raziel heard a woman scream from within, and rushed inside. He walked in to a dead Dumahim, but two more were cornering Kali.
One of the vampires lifted a spear, and lunged it into Kali's throat. Raziel plunged his claw into the vampire, and used telekinesis to summon a torch. He ignited the vampire, which struggled to put out the flames. Raziel devoured his soul.
Raziel pulled the spear from Kali's throat, and used it to impale the other Dumahim. He devoured the soul, and went to aide Kali.
Raziel saw her skin begin to seal, "Are you alright?"
She jumped at the sound of his voice, "Wh-who are you?"
"Has the Abyss transformed me beyond recognition?" Raziel said, "Surely you know my voice. Surely you can feel my presence."
"R-Raziel?" Kali stuttered, "Can it be? What hell did Kain send you to?"
Raziel sighed with relief, "Kain has taken everything from me… except you."
Kali's heart rushed. At last Raziel was back with her. Despite his new pitiful form, she found herself deeply attracted to him.
"Raziel, I love you," Kali embraced him, and he brushed his claws through her long hair.
"Raziel," The voice from the Abyss said. Raziel could tell that only he could hear it, "Remember your task."
"Kali," Raziel said, "We must get moving. Do you know where I can find Melchiah?"
"Um… Yes, but," Kali said reluctantly, "Why would you want to go to him?"
"I need answers," Raziel explained, "And I have a score to settle with my brethren. Can you lead me to him?"
"Of course," Kali said, wiping the blood from her neck, "Come this way."
Kali stopped next to a human corpse. It was still fresh, and had plenty of blood within. She stopped to take a quick drink.
"Do you need any blood, Raziel?" She asked.
"No," Raziel answered plainly.
"You've been gone for centuries, and you're not even the slightest bit hungry?" Kali asked, shocked.
"My lust for blood has been replaced with a… darker hunger," Raziel explained, "I am now a devourer of… souls."
"What exactly are you," Kali couldn't help asking after examining his form.
"I don't know," Raziel admitted, "No longer vampire, that's for sure."
They approached a door that showed the Melchiahim symbol carved above it.
"So," Raziel said, rage building inside him, "Melchiah simply took my land for his clan."
"Believe me, this just keeps getting worse," Kali said.
Raziel and Kali dashed through Melchiahim territory. They stopped when they saw a human backing away from a dark area.
"No… stop… please!" He said.
Then a revolting green figure limped out of the shadows. Its body barely held the flesh on its back. It was accompanied by another limping creature. The first one slashed the human with its claw, and the man dropped in one hit. The creatures began to gnaw on the body.
"What has our race been reduced to?" Raziel said. "Are we so desperate to recruit fledglings from the rotting corpses?"
"That's Melchiahim," Kali explained.
Raziel observed the creatures. They drank the blood, and ate the meat. But they were adding the flesh to their own bodies. Now Raziel understood. These vampires inherited Melchiah's traits.
"I see," Raziel said.
Since Melchiah was the youngest, he was the weakest. His soul could not hold human flesh. After every victim, his form became more hideous. Raziel couldn't even imagine what he looked like now.
Raziel jumped down, gaining the attention of the vampires. They growled at him fiercely. Raziel glanced around. There were a few spears behind him, and there was a large bonfire close by.
The first vampire tried to slash Raziel, but he easily dodged the attack. Raziel grabbed one of the spears behind him, and sliced the vampire with its tip. Before the wound healed completely, Raziel impaled the vampire on the spear, and devoured its soul.
Kali jumped down, and slashed the other vampire with her sword. The vampire was overwhelmed by her speed, and knocked into the bonfire. It screamed as it burned to death.
Raziel devoured the soul, and they moved along. Eventually they reached a structure covered with Melchiahim flags.
"Kali," Raziel said, "How has Melchiah changed? What form does he take now?"
"I'm not sure," She admitted, "I haven't seen any of the lieutenants for 300 years."
Raziel took a deep breath, and walked in. Kali followed close behind him. They worked their way through an annoying series of mazes and puzzles.
Raziel and Kali entered a dark chamber. In the middle, there was a large circular cage with a form of crushing device mounted over it. As Raziel and Kali walked in, the gate slammed behind them.
"He knows we're here," Raziel said. Kali was tempted to grip onto him, but chose to hide her fear instead.
"Where do you think he is?" She couldn't help trembling.
Raziel scanned the area. Both of them jumped when they heard a moan come from a shadowy area.
"Show yourself, creature!" Raziel shouted.
"Do you not recognize me, brother?" The creature asked, "Am I so changed?"
The creature crawled into view. It was a blob of rotting flesh what walked on its hands while dragging its body. Raziel was most caught off guard by its size. Its fingers were human limbs.
"Melchiah?" Raziel said, shocked.
"Yes, brother," Melchiah's voice grumbled, "You should have stayed where the master sent you. You will find Nosgoth less… pleasant than you remember."
"What has become of my clan?" Raziel demanded, "Answer me, little brother, or I will beat an answer from your horrid lips."
"I don't think he's little anymore," Kali said.
"Silence half-breed," Melchiah snapped, "You were not given permission to speak."
"Permission to speak?" Kali repeated angrily, "Alright Mel, you just earned yourself a beating straight to…"
"Silence!" Melchiah shouted. He turned his attention back to Raziel, "Everyone is afraid, sibling. These times of change are so… unsettling. Do you think I feel no revulsion for this form? Do you believe for a moment that our Lord would risk his empire upon an upstart inheritance?"
"Enough riddles," Raziel snapped, "What are you saying?!"
Melchiah lifted his body. Kali noticed several human faces covering his torso.
"You are the last to die!" Melchiah chanted, and charged at Raziel.
In defense, Raziel slashed at Melchiah with his claws, but it was no use. Melchiah's armor of flesh was rock hard. He simply laughed in response.
Kali and Raziel struggled to dodge his attacks. Melchiah wasn't very fast, but his strokes were powerful. Kali knew it would only take one swipe to obliterate her or Raziel.
Raziel eventually jumped into another chamber.
Melchiah chuckled, "Do you think I cannot reach you, Raziel?"
The bars opened allowing Melchiah to enter. But he didn't make it far once the spiked metal bars came crashing into his back. Raziel had outsmarted his brother.
Raziel made a run for a similar chamber. Kali jumped out of the way and observed. Raziel repeated the process, and Melchiah fell for it again.
Raziel jumped into the circular cage. Melchiah broke free from the bars a second time, and turned to see Raziel.
"Do you think you have escaped my grasp, brother?" Melchiah grumbled.
"I certainly hope not." Raziel said.
Melchiah pushed against the bars, and Kali's jaw dropped when he began to phase through the gates. Once he was inside, he looked around confused, and then worried. He had discovered that Raziel was no longer within the cage, but instead activating the grinder up above.
"Tell me, Melchiah," Raziel ordered, "Where can I find Kain?"
"The master is beyond your reach, Raziel," He answered, "He makes himself known when he sees fit, not when commanded."
"Just die, you slug," Kali taunted as the grinder crushed Melchiah's body.
Upon his death, he said, "I… am… released!"
Kali watch Raziel eat his soul, but he seemed to struggle with the power of it, and he collapsed to the ground. Kali quickly kneeled to his side.
"Am I reduced to this?" Raziel asked, "A ghoul? A fratricide?
"You are still holding flesh," Kali pointed out, "So I don't think so."
Raziel stood, and walked over to the gate that they entered from. The operation switch was on the other side.
"I'll be back," Raziel said, "Stay here."
Raziel disappeared before her eyes, "R…Raziel? Where are you now?"
Raziel reappeared on the other side, and activated the switch.
"How did you…" Kali began.
"It's a long story," Raziel said, "But for now, we need to get to the Sanctuary of the Clans. I think Kain might be there."