Fan Fiction ❯ The Soul Reaver and The Spirit Shield ❯ Interlude Three: Death Revisited ( Chapter 11 )

Chapter Eleven

Kain teleported to a high cliff overlooking the Sarafan stronghold. Out of sight from the warriors below, Kain watched their activities with mild amusement. A small grin tugged at his face as the last of the Sarafan army scaled the wall on the far side of the lake. He knew exactly when he was.

"The massacre at Nochton," he replied to himself. "The epitome of the Sarafan Lord's evil nature. And yet, these noble humans still do not see it. Blindly following the Lord's every whim without so much as a second thought."

With the last flank of warriors leaving Kain's sight, he could sense that Mobius was still residing within the stronghold, far from the protection of his Sarafan Lord. With a menacing grin, Kain teleported himself into the stronghold. Materializing within the safety of the stronghold, Kain noted the lack of intelligence the humans really held. With most of the warriors dispatched to battle, there was no one left to maintain the security of the stronghold. If Vorador's forces had been stronger at this time, he would have been able to annihilate everyone within this fortress.

"Ah, Kain, I knew you would be returning after the Lord departed," came the all too familiar voice of Mobius from behind. Kain calmly remained where he stood.

"And as you should, time streamer," the vampire's words were laced with malice.

"Tell me, Kain. What is it you hope to discover within these walls? Surely you don't believe that learning the past will help you to change the flow of time? Your presence here will accomplish nothing, Kain. You cannot defy what fate has written for us."

Kain turned slowly to face the time guardian. Noting that Mobius was armed with his staff, the vampire spoke. "Then why have you come to this place of time? My past self kills you centuries ago. Your existence here is as irrelevant as my own."

Mobius chuckled at his own hidden knowledge. "Do not think that I don't already know that Kain. I am here simply to see things out. Revenge is a powerful thing. Even beyond death can its power take effect."

As Mobius finished his cryptic message, he faded from sight as he teleported himself to a much safer location. Though wielding the staff capable of making a vampire vulnerable, the Kain he was facing was the much stronger, evolved version from the distant future. Kain was left alone in the stronghold's garden to contemplate Mobius's words.

Needing more insight into the situation, Kain decided to make a small visit to the cave of the Oracle. The insight it had offered of past, present and future had come to Kain's benefit, and disadvantage, numerous times. Kain decided it was time (no pun intended) to decipher the bits of memory he had retained. And maybe he would discover the hidden meaning in Mobius's words.

Focusing on Nosgoth's northern lands, Kain teleported himself near to the entrance of the Oracle's cave. Ironic how Mobius's own safe haven would reveal its master's plans to the enemy. Chuckling, Kain entered the cave and began the winding descent to the chamber below. The hallways inside the cave were in much better shape then when Kain had last witnessed them, almost two millennia into the future.

Kain paused briefly as he passed by one of the smaller time portals that lined the deepest of the caverns. The vampire continued onward before staying focused on that window of time. It was a waste of time for Kain to bother with this and the other smaller `looking glasses' of time. These smaller windows would only manifest an image of the onlooker's life history for a short period of time, and it was a random image at that.

The vampire lord's goal within the underground Chronoplast chamber would be much more useful. Kain would be able to set the device for a particular spot in time and watch for however long he pleased. Along with that was the added benefit of being able to witness anything or anyone. The smaller portals would offer insight directly involving the watcher. The larger one would display an event from anyone else's life.

A large grin spread across Kain's face as he entered the Chronoplast chamber. He would soon discover what schemes Mobius was trying to accomplish. And the vampire would be able to understand what had been altered in his history with the Hylden. Descending to the center of the chamber, Kain began to set the dials in accordance to the place in time in which he sought to see.

With the time set, Kain watched the window of time patiently as the dark pool that was its contents began to shift and take form. A swirl of color began to emerge as the images took shape.

Kain watched patiently as the images formed to the time and place of Mobius's death. His past self had not yet entered the chamber to which Mobius resided, but found the time streamer in the room alone. The sorcerer stood patiently, as if waiting for someone. Kain grinned, knowing full well that it was he who Mobius was expecting. The chamber door to Mobius's keep was violently flung open

"My lord! The vampire Kain approaches! Quick! We must hide ye and the Heart!" a Sarafan knight called out.

"Do not worry. Kain will not find the Heart of Darkness," reassured Mobius. "Go and gather our troops together. Do not let him enter." The knight departed the room. Mobius then turned his attention away from the departing knight. His eyes scanned the room as if searching for something. Screams of pain interrupted the time streamer's attention, alerting him to the fact that Kain was just outside his chamber.

Kain watched as his former self entered Mobius's chamber. The future version of the vampire lord watched intently as his past self fought the guardian of time. The battle was one-sided and the time streamer was murdered at the hands of the vampire. Kain turned to leave the chamber, but hesitated a moment. He paused, slowly inspecting the room a moment before leaving. With Mobius's demise, the past version of Kain exited the chamber, his mission accomplished.

The future version of Kain recollected that moment as he gazed at his former self. After killing Mobius, he remembered the sensation that there was another presence in the room, but he saw nothing there when he turned back. Still, he remembered feeling someone's eyes watching him…

Kain was about to end his vision, but a subtle movement in a far, dark corner of the room caught his eye. To Kain's surprise, two figures emerged from the shadows of the chamber. The first figure Kain recognized. `Raziel. So it was you. Were you hiding in there that whole time?' Kain thought to himself with realization. His attention was then brought to the second figure.

Studying the second person, Kain recognized the craftsmanship of her armor and the symbols displayed on few pieces of her attire. `I didn't expect you would form an alliance with a Sarafan, considering the hatred you have towards their genocidal actions. Especially the actions of your former Sarafan self.'

Raziel and his Sarafan companion began searching the chamber. Kain watched these images with great interest.

"Raziel, I believe I have found something!" the priestess called out. The former vampire rushed over to her side. She was standing next to an alter, which had been pressed up against a wall. The alter contained a large hourglass. The sand within the hourglass continuously poured from the top chamber into the bottom, never-ending, never needing to be turned over to continue the flow of sand. A candle on either side of the hourglass burned brightly, the wax never melting. The pedestal on which the alter lie was made of white marble.

"There is a draft coming from behind this alter," the priestess pointed out to the reaver of souls. Noticing this as well, Raziel braced himself as he pushed the heavy stone to the side, revealing a hidden compartment. On a shelf inside the compartment was a wooden box, carved with intricate detail. Raziel carefully picked up the box and opened it slowly. Inside was the Heart of Darkness. Shutting the box with a snap, Raziel spoke to his companion.

"Alright, we finally have the heart, Jenise. Now we must take this to Vorador."

As the two warriors departed the chamber of the time streamer, Kain ended his vision into his past. `So, by this time, Raziel almost has everything figured out,' Kain mused to himself. `I suppose I should meet up with him. And perhaps introduce myself to his little friend.'