The Legacy of Kain

Man, I'm at work and can't just sit reading this whole thing.. and I really want to. I'm 2 days of reading behind, and probably won't be able to indulge myself for a few more days..

I honestly can't believe how long SR2 turned out. I'm not even finished with it. I thought it was going to be the shortest of the bunch.

And now for the conclusion to Soul Reaver 2.

Re-materializing in the Timestreaming Chamber, Raziel surveys his surroundings and sees that the Chamber appears much less dilapidated than it had been before. Blasting down the door, he steps out into the Swamp and realizes that somehow, against all odds, the Timestreaming Chamber has delivered him to precisely the era he sought. It is the middle of winter, snow falling heavily all around, and in the distance Raziel can clearly see the banners of the Sarafan Order waving in the wind. Making his way back towards Janos' Mountain Aerie, he encounters one of the Sarafan killing fields, and is aghast with revulsion. Moebius' citizen army was sloppy, their kills displayed in scattered and hasty formation, the corpses of their enemies brutalized as though it took for too long to kill a single one, and the number of dead were paltry in comparison. The Sarafan's progress is horrifying. Acres of impaled Vampires stretch through the fields, arranged in rows, all corpses killed quickly and efficiently, only mutilated for the purposes of offense, unlike Moebius' army, whose kills were hacked apart because of lack of skill on the hunters' parts. Before witnessing this scene, Raziel had felt a sense of longing for his Sarafan "nobility" that Kain so intentionally defiled. He had felt a sense of admiration for his past, and hatred for the monster he had become. Now witnessing the monstrosity of his creed's past deeds, he feels none of that admiration he had once held. He has seen the human face of the Vapires of this world, so unlike the decadent killing machines of Kain's Empire. He has also seen the monstrous face of his human counterparts, and as such, he can no longer honestly admire his human heritage.

Not long after, Raziel encounters the Sarafan in the flesh in a small camp. They spot him immediately, and very quickly he recognizes the skill of these warriors. So much more advanced both tactically and physically than the Vampire Hunters and Demon Hunters he had previously faced. He could now see why they had been so feared in this era. Regardless, though, they fall to his assaults and he continues on his way.

Raziel once again passes through the town of Uschtenheim, now covered in snow and still populated unlike it had been in the previous era he had visited. Battling against Sarafan Knights the entire way, he eventually reaches Janos Audron's Aerie and sees that the destroyed balcony he had previously seen was still intact in this era. However, the balcony is far too high for Raziel to ever hope to reach. His wings are little more than flaps of skin, and only useful for gliding, not ascending. In the previous era, there was a large lake sitting at the base of Janos' mountain retreat, and it exists in this era as well, only the surface is frozen solid. Walking out onto the ice, Raziel investigates the lake further and finds a large hole than he can use to drop into the frigid water. he does so, and after swimming under the surface for a while, he finds a strange mark on one of the lake's walls. He decides to shift into the Spectral Realm, and upon doing so, watches as the mark opens, widening into a large passageway. Making his way through the passage, Raziel finds himself on the bottom floor of a large indoor tower-structure. Using the skills available to him and his clever intuition, Raziel ascends to the top of the chamber and enters through a large stone door. He sees immediately that he is in Janos' personal chambers, and that the Ancient Vampire is standing at the balcony, looking down upon the forzen lake.

When Janos turns, Raziel finds that the elder Vampire is not what he had expected. He had always heard stories of the legendary monster, Janos Audron, feared by Nosgoth, hunter of innocents, winged demon. The creature that greets him is not only polite and cordial, but recognizes Raziel and in shocked worry asks what has happened to his body. He is appalled to see the form that the soul devourer currently inhabits and wishes to know what monster is responsible for it.

Raziel is stunned. Not only are his expectations completely contradicted, but somehow the Ancient knows him, while Raziel has never met the elder. Janos explains that he has waited millennia for Raziel. At the time of the original binding, when the first nine Guardians were called to serve the Pillars, Janos was selected as the tenth Guardian, the keeper of the Soul Reaver, the weapon of the Vampires' salvation. He claims that the only thing that has kept him alive all this time is his duty to the Reaver and to Raziel himself. He xplains to Raziel that the world is in great peril. The humans are on a crusade to end the Vampire "plague", but what they do not realize is that it was the Vampires that built the Pillars the humans so feverishly depend upon. With each Vampire they kill, they unknowingly slit their own throats. He makes mention of the fact that the humans know he's up here, and it terrifies them. They flaunt their kills at the base of his mountain, to injure the Ancient Vampire, or perhaps to lure him out. However, Janos is quick to defend the humans as well. He says that they know not what they do. They are unenlightened and susceptible to manipulation. As such, he does not fault them for their actions.

Raziel then realizes the truth of Kain and Vorador's words. They have ambiguously made mention of Raziel being some sort of Vampiric messiah, destined to save Nosgoth from the cruel hands of fate. Janos confirms this allegations to an extent, saying that the Reaver is the weapon of Nosgoth's salvation and it was crafted for Raziel alone. On that note, Janos produces an ornate wooden box and opens the lid. Laying within it is the Soul Reaver. However, instead of the displacement that Raziel had felt before when in the Reaver's presence, he instead feels a sense of overwhelming terror. A compulsion to flee from the blade's presence while simultaneously feeling compelled to pick it up. He demands that Janos keep the blade away from him, and before the Ancient can question why, the two of them hear a large explosion erupt below them. Raziel realizes with dawning horror that in blazing a trail to Janos' quarters, he has unwittingly opened the path through which the Sarafan Knights can pursue the Vampire.

Janos, making the exact same realization, tells Raziel that he must not be caught by the Sarafan. He tells Raziel that the salvation of Nosgoth depends upon him, and with that, he teleports the soul devourer away to an adjacent chamber while he stays behind to fend off the attackers. Observing his surroundings, Raziel finds that the Fire Forge is actually located within Janos' stronghold, which is where the Ancient has sent him. He finds the exit, a large stone door emblazoned with the image of the Fire Reaver, locked tight. He can hear Janos violently staving off his attackers in the next room, and as such, Raziel hurriedly activates the Fire Forge, imbues the Wraith Blade with the essence of Fire and uses it to open the locked Forge door.

Rushing back into Janos' room, Raziel finds himself at a balcony located high above the room he had just conversed with Janos in. He was quick in his action, but too late to save Janos. Watching, helpless to assist, he sees the Sarafan Inquisitors holding Audron down on a table. Their leader, suited in gold armor, equipped with a vicious blade attached to his right gauntlet, drives the weapon into the Ancient's chest, wrenching his heart free from it's moorings. Janos tenses in sheer agony and then falls limp to the side. Raziel looks down upon the scene and locks eyes with the lead Inquisitor and suddenly realizes who the attacker is behind the helmet and faceplate. It is his former self.

The two stare at each other across the room, burning through one another with righteous fury. Suddenly, the Aerie is wracked with a giant rumble. Janos is using his last bit of strength to bring the fortress down on top of them! The Sarafan's underlings grab their commander and flee the Aerie with the Heart of Darkness in hand. Raziel drops to the floor below and approaches Janos, who is still barely alive. He tells Raziel that in addition to taking his heart, the Sarafan Inquisitors have made off with the Soul Reaver as well and are most likely taking it back to their Stronghold for safe keeping. He tells Raziel that above all he must retrieve the Reaver, for it was fashioned for Raziel alone, and without it, Nosgoth is doomed. With that, the Ancient breathes his last.

Stepping away from Janos' defiled corpse, Raziel pulses with sheer unbridled hatred. In that instant, he rejects everything he ever was and vows to complete the role that Janos so dilligently prepared for him. He leaps from Janos' balcony to the frozen lake below, realizing that the Inquisitors have managed to somehow outmaneuver him. He sets out for the Sarafan Stronghold one last time to avenge the death of Janos Audron and reclaim what is rightfully his.

On his way back through the canyon, Raziel watches as the sky above him suddenly tears asunder and a group of demons pour through the rift. He realizes that the demons from Nosgoth's future era were not just a byprodcut of the world's decay. These things were being sent after him by the dark forces rallying to stop him. Tearing through them, he continues into the Termangent Forest Swamp and is attacked by these same demons again. Exiting the swamp, Raziel passes through the Elder God's Chamber one final time. The Elder God states that Raziel has failed him completely, and the soul devourer cuts him off. Refusing to listen to more of the squid's tired rambling, he renounces the Elder God's influence over him, declaring himself free of his former benefactor's control. Without hearing another word, he exits the chamber, now an agent of only his own will.

Arriving at the Pillars, Raziel is attacked one final time by his demonic pursuers. His enemies have pulled out all of the stops this time, sending three of their most devastating and terrifying soldiers after him. Raziel dispatches them and continues, hacking through an army of human opponents the remainder of the way. His enemies are desperate to halt him and are sending every last resource they have available. This, however, is insufficient to stop him, as he grinds through their ranks like an unstoppable juggernaut.

Finally, he reaches the gates of the Sarafan Stronghold. He bursts through the defenses, taking apart soldier after soldier. Raziel enters a small room adjoining itself to a larger passage. In the middle of the room sits a small table and upon it is the Soul Reaver. Again, feeling none of the temporal displacement he had experienced previously, he instead feels strangely compelled to pick the weapon up. Suddenly he hears the door behind him open, he wheels around, and blocking his exit is the Timestreamer Moebius accompanied by the Paladin Malek (in human form, before his soul is fused into his armor). Moebius speaks, and as he does, long gone is his pleading and weak demeanor. His voice is that of a vile jackal, and he holds all of the cards. Raziel accuses him, stating that Moebius knew he would accidentally lead the Sarafan to Janos. Moebius laughs, confirming the allegation and Raziel asks, furious, if the Timstreamer finds toying with his fate amusing. Raziel moves as though preparing to attack and Moebius halts him, activating his scepter and disabling the Wraith Blade. He then commands Malek to not allow Raziel to leave the room as he poses a great threat to the Circle. Moebius continues to mock the soul devourer, laughing at Raziel's impotent attempts to re-write history on a being who knows all history.

Suddenly, the three hear a violent commotion coming from the end of the hall. It is the Circle, and they are screaming for Malek's assistance. In response to this, they hear the vocie of Vorador, taunting them as he slaughters the Guardians. This is the moment where all of the Circle except Moebius and Mortanius are murdered. Malek instinctively makes his way for the door and Moebius commands him to stay, saying that Raziel is the true threat and not that petty Vampire in the next room. Filled with violent rage, Raziel instinctively reaches for the table and snatches the Reaver from it's surface, brandishing it threateningly against his opponents. Malek is unsettled with this, while Moebius seems genuinely pleased to see this happen. By disabling Raziel's Wraith Blade, he has left the soul devourer no choice but to take up the Soul Reaver with which to defend himself. Backing slowly out of the room, Moebius commands Malek to bolt the door, forcing Raziel to exit from the opposite side. Being relieved of his duties, Malek rushes off to aid the Circle, but we already know how that portion of the story is going to pan out...

Leaving the room, Raziel enters the chapel and is attacked by the Sarafan incarnations of his brothers, Melchiah and Zephon. He muses that these poor fools have no idea that they are destined to become the very thing they hate the most. He kills them quickly, striking them down and watching, fascinated as the blade drinks up their blood and instantly heals all of Raziel's wounds in the process. He makes his way further into the chapel and is then attacked by Rahab and Dumah, whom he slaughters with relative ease. He laughs to himself, finally seeing the true comedy of Kain's blasphemous act, realizing that it is himself who put the bastards in their tombs in the first place, allowing Kain to resurrect them centuries later. As he heads for the chapel exit, his brother Turel, the only of his kin that escaped his vengeance in the future, halts him. The two fight one-on-one, and even with the Reaver, Raziel has difficulty putting his brother down for good. Eventually, though, Turel falls and the blade saps his blood to replenish it's master. Now having eliminated all five of his brothers in their Sarafan forms, he exits the chapel and enters the large circular Memorial Chamber that will be adorned with murals and statues honoring these Sarafan wretches hundreds of years from now.

Waiting for Raziel is himself, still wearing his golden armor, but with his helmet removed and his face revealed. The Lead Inquisitor is completely oblivious to the true identity of the demon standing before him, and Raziel takes great amusement in it. Threatening the demon, the Inquisitor taunts him, asking Raziel if he'd heard Janos Audron's cowardly screams as they tore the black heart from his twitching body. Raziel insists that he does not want to kill the man, but if he must, he will, and then he will take the heart back. The Sarafan refuses, unsheaths his sword and the battle begins.

Raziel quickly comes to realize precisely why he was of such high distinction in the Sarafan Order. Fighting against his former self proves to be the absolute most difficult trial he has ever faced, the human Raziel skillfully evading his attacks and inflicting heavy damage despite the Reaver's restorative effects. The two battle ferociously, exchanging deadly blows. Finally, after a torturous duel, the demon strikes the human vitally, stunning him, leaving him vulnerable to attack. Raziel plunges the Soul Reaver through his Sarafan counterpart's chest, impaling him, and growls hatefully:

"I renounce you."

He slides the sword from his opponent's body. The Sarafan falls to the floor, dead, lying in a growing pool of his own blood. Raziel's heart races, his fury and hatred plowing through his system like a freight train, channelling sheer power into the Soul Reaver. Suddenly, the Wraith Blade re-activates itself, the disabling effect from Moebius' scepter having fully worn off. The ethereal weapon again uncoils down Raziel's arm and joins it's physical twin. The soul devourer is suddenly filled with absolute horror as he feels all of his fury and anger, which he had channelled directly into the Reaver, suddenly spike and lose control. Now joined with the Wraith Blade, the Reaver has a mind of it's own, and Raziel has fed the weapon too much. It has gone insane with sheer bloodlust.

Unable to control the weapon any longer, it viciously searches the room for another available target to feed from, and finding no one else, it turns itself upon Raziel, impaling him on the blade as it both devours his soul and leeches his blood. he realizes that this has been his fate all along, orchestrated by Moebius. He realizes with dawning horror that the ravenous soul imprisoned within the physical blade that would eventually join him as his symbiotic weapon was in fact his own soul. The Reaver shattered upon his back because the weapon was not capable of destroying a dual version of itself. it created a paradox, and the physical blade broke as a result of it. He realizes that this has always been the cycle of his fate, to be born human, killed by a future incarnation of himself, to have the Soul Reaver shattered upon his back and the Wraith Blade attached to his arm and then to be eventually devoured by the physical sword to become the symbiotic weapon for another incarnation of himself. This was his fate, to play out this purgatorial cycle for all eternity.

With absolute despair, he prepares for the final step in his fate, when suddenly he sees Kain appear from behind one of the room's pillars. He assaults Kain, asking him is he finds this funny, asking if he revels in the demon's miserable fate. Kain responds in a focused tone, telling Raziel not to fight. Suddenly, the demon feels that same sense of vertigo that he had felt before, that displacement he had felt when he had altered history by sparing Kain's life. He realizes that this is the moment Kain has been waiting for all along. This is the edge of the coin. Seizing his opportunity, Kain grabs hold of the Reaver, wrenching it free from Raziel's chest and saving his life. The Wraith Blade separates from the physical blade and all is still for but a moment.

Then it happens. The two of them feel that same sense of violent re-shuffling that they had felt earlier when Raziel had spared Kain's life. Only this time it becomes far, far worse. The room around them trembles violently, shaking dust and debris all around them. Kain's eyes widen in horror as he realizes that this time they may have strained history too far. Raziel watches Kain's face as old memories die and new memories bloom in the elder Vampire's mind. he listens as Kain says, terrified:

"My God, the Hylden. We've walked right into their trap."

Motivated now by sheer terror, Kain grabs hold of Raziel and tells him that the Heart of Darkness must not be retrieved. Janos Audron must stay dead. But Raziel does not hear him. Having been drained of his life force and having been wounded almost fatally by the Reaver, his corporeal body disseminates and he automatically shifts into the Spectral Realm. He regains his composure, and looks around him. He looks down at his arm and sees that the Wraith Blde is still there, still attached to his arm. Kain may have spared him, but all he has done is prolong Raziel's fate. He will be absorbed into the Soul Reaver, as is evidenced by the continued existence of the Wraith Blade. It's only a matter of time.

History abhors a paradox...

Tune in on Saturday for the next installment, Blood Omen 2.

Wait a minute. What is the actual sequence of games as you are supposed to play them in order? I thought it was BO, BO2, SR, SR2, then Defiance? Maybe I'm wrong. I have not read the last few installments due to lack of time, but I definitely will eventually read them, and maybe you wrote in there that these are out of order, IDK.

Anyway, above question.

The sequence of the games goes BO, SR, SR2, BO2, Defiance. The events of Blood Omen 2 were caused by the events at the end of SR2.

This is damned sweet. I might have to pick up Blood Omen and everything next paycheck.

I can see why this game is popular. Good plot.

OT: Raz, the plot to Xenogears is very befuddling unless you have either:
a.) Someone nearby to explain things or
b.) Damn near finish the game

Tonight's installment...

Blood Omen 2

"From the shards of tattered dreams I rose, unwilling. Tossed upon
tides of pain that flowed and ebbed and left me searingly awake and more
revoltingly...alive."

Standing in the Sarafan Memorial Chamber within the Sarafan Stronghold, clutching the Soul Reaver blade, Kain watches as the memories in his mind warp and distort. He sees the past he once knew die and sees a new past emerge. He sees himself resurrect not Raziel and his Sarafan brethren after the fall of the Pillars, but a different group of allies instead. He sees himself at war against the humans, beating back their numbers with ease. He sees his dreams of imperial masterhood gorwing closer and closer to reality. And then he sees all of those hopes dashed to the ground.

200 years after the fall of the Pillars, Kain had amassed a monstrous Vampire army. He and his lieutenants had devastated the human ranks and had overwhelmed the populations. Then suddenly, Kain's greatest roadblock emerged, threatening everything he had worked for over the previous 200 years. The Sarafan Order was resurrected, nearly a millennium after they had originally disbanded. They re-emerged from the depths of obscurity, now led with an even more vicious code of conduct and commanded by their most powerful and fearsome leader in history: the Sarafan Lord, a massive,, masked, heavily equipped man with green Glyph energy pouring out of his armor and enchanting his entire body.

The final battle between the world of men and the world of Vampires was waged 200 years after the fall of the Pillars. The Sarafan Order defended their Stronghold against the Vampire assault, and both armies suffered massive casualties. In the end, Kain took the Sarafan Lord head-on. The Vampire, equipped with the Soul Reaver, tore into his terrifying opponent with murderous skill, but every attack ended in failure. The Soul Reaver would not even so much as scratch the Sarafan Lord's body and was incapable of piercing his armor. Eventually, the Sarafan Lord struck Kain a fatal blow, sending the Vampire to his demise. Looking down upon his fallen opponent, the Sarafan Lord took the Reaver and claimed it his own prize.

200 years later, Kain's eyes open once again and he finds himself in a lavishly decorated bedroom. He retains only the memory of his name and of his Vampiric nature. All other memories have been lost to the void. In addition to his loss of memory, he no longer has possession of the majority of the vampiric Dark Gifts he had acquired previously and his body is barely more durable than that of a common human. It is then that he sees he is not alone. He sees a strange tattooed woman stading at the room's window. She introduces herself as Umah, a member of the Vampire Cabal, and proceeds to explain Nosgoth's current state.

Umah tells Kain that since his death, the Vampire armies have disbanded. The Sarafan rule the land, and have built Nosgoth's capital city of Meridian as their base of operations. They rule the world with an iron fist, and keep the masses in line through strict law and brutal punishment. All throughout Meridian, the city is supplied with a universal power source called Glyph Energy. it powers people's houses, it powers machinery, and it creates energy barriers throughout the city to impede the movement and freedoms of the Vampires. You see, Glyph energy is fatal to Vampires, but it doesn't harm any other creature at all.

Umah leads Kain out onto the terrace and shows him what has become of the land. In the 200 years that Kain has been "asleep", the world has gone through an extreme metamorphosis. The world of Nosgoth is currently in the midst of an industrial revolution. Automobile carriges, large industrial factories and steam spewing into the air from the rooftops are a common sight in the city. She tells Kain that in this day and age, Vampires are a rare breed. They have been hunted to near-extinction, and only a small resistance, known as the Cabal, remain in Meridian.

In order to efficiently hunt and eliminate these last vesiges of Vampiric descent, the Sarafan have actually taken to employing a number of Kain's former Vampire lieutenants. Kain is told that their betrayal is part of the reason why his army lost the war to the Sarafan 200 years ago. They had sold the Sarafan Lord his secrets, and with them, the Lord struck his opponent down easily. Kain, enraged with this, is determined to exact revenge and visit punishment upon his traitorous former allies as well as the Sarafan Lord and his pathetic Order.

Umah re-trains Kain in how to use his vampiric abilities, re-teaching him the use of The Whisper, Slow Descent, Distance Drain and his Mist Form, the only Dark Form that he has retained since his death. Eventually, the two are pursued by Sarafan Knights, and are forced to split up. Umah instructs Kain via Whisper where to meet her, for she plans on taking him to Sanctuary, the headquarters of the Cabal.

Making his way through the rest of the city slums, Kain encounters the first of his traitorous Lieutenants, the Vampire Faustus, gifted with incredbile speed and agility. Kain asks Faustus how it feels to betray your own kind, and the devious Vampire responds saying that his kind is "the strong". He comments that he has no sympathy for the weak, be they Vampire or Human. He claims no allegiances to anyone but those more powerful then himself, regardless of their creed. Kain brands him a pathetic coward and the two do battle in the middle of a large industrial furnace. Fastus uses the environment to his advantage, leaping off of the pipework and chains while hurling projectiles at his former master. Eventually, though, his quick feet aren't enough to save his sorry hide, and he falls to Kain's blade. Kain drinks the young Vampire's blood and gains the Jump ability, allowing him to leap a great horizontal distance in a single bound. Dropping Faustus' corpse on the filthy stell floor, Kain strides from the furnace and makes his way into the core of the Lower City.

Umah contacts Kain, congratulating him on his defeat of the arrogant younger Vampire. She then instructs him to head for Sanctuary and wait for her there. He allows his ego to take control of him, claiming that he is no one's errand boy and wishes to take the Sarafan Lord's life immediately. Umah admonishes Kain for his impatience, saying that she has been commanded by the leader of the Cabal to investigate Meridian's Industrial District and that while she is gone, Kain must wait for her at Sanctuary. Kain informs her not to underestimate him, and she responds that she doesn't. He is the Cabal's last hope, and she won't have that hope wasted as a result of premature action. She then informs Kain how to reach Sanctuary and leaves Kain to his own devices.

Seeing no other choice but to comply, Kain takes Umah's directions and makes his way deeper into the Lower City. Eventually, he enters a small, walled-off square littered with drained corpses. He knows immediately that there is another Vampire within close proximity and has his suspicions proven true when a heavily armored fiend named Sebastian emerges from the shadows, claiming responsibility for the carnage. Sebastian asks Kain if he enjoys the scene and the elder Vampire claims that the youth is a sloppy butcher, endangering his presence with this show of brutality. The youth mocks Kain, saying that it is the elder Vampire's presence that is in danger, not his own. Kain deduces that this Vampire is another of the traitors in the service of the Sarafan. Just as he makes the realization, Sebastian flees, leaping from rooftop to rooftop, with Kain close on his tail. Leaping up to a rooftop too high for Kain to reach, Sebastian muses that he always hated Kain's arrogant tone, and that he looks forward to silencing him permanently. With that, he escapes, leaving Kain no choice but to continue his search for Sanctuary.

Shortly thereafter, Kain enters the Cabal headquarters, Sanctuary, and is confronted by a small group of his own breed, standing guard. They let his pass, and as Kain enters he sees the Cabal's leader and is shocked by the vision. Somehow, beyond all reason and explanation, Vorador has been resurrected and is leading the Vampire reistance. Vorador welcomes Kain and explains that time is extremely short for the Vampire race. They face extinction once again at the hands of Vampire hunters, and that their chances for victory diminish more every day. Vorador explains to Kain that their only hope is to kill the Sarafan Lord, which is exactly what Kain has been resurrected for. He explains the Cabal's plan to Kain, telling the Vampire that the Sarafan Order is too strong to take head-on. They must kill the head so that the body will die. But, in order to do that, the Cabal needs an operative outside of the Sarafan's field of vision. They need a powerful agent, an vicous assassin that the Sarafan won't even be looking for. They need a strong, willful Vampire that the Sarafan think is already long-dead.

That is their intention in reviving Kain. To retrain him after years of slumber, to make him powerful again and to send him discreetly against the leader of the Sarafan in order to topple their regime with stealth. Just as all of this is being explained to Kain, however, one of Vorador's minions bursts through the entrance to Sanctuary, bloody, heavily wounded and saying that Umah has been captured by the Sarafan. They were ambushed during their investigation of the Industrial Quarter and she was taken captive. Vorador explains to Kain that the Cabal members cannot save her. They will be detected immediately and killed, leaving only Kain as the one viable option for saving the captured Umah. Vorador explains to Kain that he cannot enter through the front of the Stronghold, but instead he must use the back passages connected to Meridian's Upper City, the more upscale and wealthy portion of the capital. In the Upper City, there is a Bishop in league with the Cabal who can assist Kain in infiltrating the Sarafan Stronghold. Exiting Sanctuary, Kain makes his way for the Upper City.

Arriving in the Upper City, Kain notices the drastic amount of difference between the slums and this section of Meridian. While the Lower City was a filthy webwork of tightly compacted buildings, creating a labyrinth of grime-encrusted alleys and narrow streets, the Upper City enjoys much more space for decadent homes and large avenues. The streets are clean, the sky is not blotched with clouds of smoke and steam and the overall atmosphere seems much livelier and far more protected from the likes of Kain and his ilk.

As Kain stalks through the Upper City, he takes note of a strange collection of men, garbed in black shrouds and masks, operating on various Glyph boxes throughout the city. He comes to learn that these men are called Glyph Wrights and they are the ones solely responsible for maintaining the system of Glyph energy pulsing through the city.

Investigating the city further, his path is cut off as he attempts to enter a narrow tunnel and a thick iron portcullis descends in front of him. A dark-garbed figure steps forth on the other side of the iron gate and Kain recognizes him immediately. His name is Marcus, one of Kain's former Lieutenants. Kain recalls the last he remembered of Marcus, and that he tried to kill his former Lieutenant. Marcus states that Kain failed, and while his former master thought him dead, he waited until the Sarafan emerged from the war as the victors and gave himself over to the winning side. Kain claims that he had known all along that Marcus was a sneaking, conniving opportunist, which is why he tried to murder the younger Vampire previously. He then threatens that this time his job will be more thorough and that the younger vampire's death will be permanent. Marcus then responds that Kain has underestimated him, and explains how his Dark Gifts have evolved. He tells Kain that he has gained the ability the Charm all living creatures and bend them to his will. He says goodbye to Kain as he prepares his powers to turn Kain into his mindless drone. Kain feels the full force of the psychic attack and uses every ounce of his willpower to break the Charm, shocking Marcus to his core. He insults the former lieutenant, saying that his powers are far too weak to overcome someone as powerful as himself. Marcus, stunned by the outcome, regains control of the situation, saying that although the Charm failed, it still allowed Marcus to see into his opponent's mind. He knows that Kain is after the Bishop, and he intends to reach the holy man and kill him before his former master ever reaches him. Fleeing, Marcus Charms two guards to attack the elder Vampire and the race begins.

Hurtling through the Upper City at top speed, and battling Marcus' Charmed minions the entire way, Kain eventually reaches the Bishop's Cathedral and enters. he makes his way to the Bishop's private chambers and sees the holy man standing in a daze. Kain demands passage into the Sarafan Stronghold, but when he is greeted with choked nonsense and rasping grunts, he realizes that he has arrived too late. Marcus enters the room and tells Kain that the Bishop will not speak a word as long as the Vampire lives. Kain, intrigued by the implication, chases Marcus to the roof of the cathedral where they both fall through the roof's glass windows and into the central chapel. The fight begins, and Kain is assaulted by waves of Marcus' mindless drones. Eventually, Kain corners his former underling, drinks his blood and acquires the Charm ability, giving him the capacity to take control of any non-threatening human target.

Re-entering the Bishop's chambers, Kain arrives to find that the holy man has been broken out of his trance. Kain demands passage to the Sarafan Stronghold and the Bishops provides the path.

Entering the Stronghold, Vorador contacts Kain to congratulate him on his victory against Marcus and to inform him that he senses Umah's presence on the top floor of the fortress. he also proceeds to warn Kain that if he should encounter the Sarafan Lord in the Stronghold, that he must not stand and fight, but flee the enemy immediately. Disgusted with the idea of such cowardice, Kain protests, but is quickly convinced that it is in their plans best interests to exert discretion in these matters. He will have his chance to rend the flesh of his enemy, but now is not the time. Umah has valuable information and must be rescued before any attempt on the Lord's life is to be taken.

Making his way to the top of the fortress, Kain enters Umah's holding cell, blocked on all sides by lethal Glyph barriers. Seeing no easy way to spring his ally, he tries to pry Umah's information from her, but she refuses, saying that her knowledge is for Vorador to hear. She will not spill her information to Kain, and therefore he will have to find a way to free her in order to be enlightened. Breaking through the side of Umah's cell and finding a way to slip through the barrier unharmed, he unshackles the Vampire spy and they leave the cell. As they step out onto the roof of the fortress, they hear a large footstep hit the ground behind them. They turn, and standing there, waiting for them is the Sarafan Lord, clutching the Soul Reaver in his hand. Allowing his ego to once again get the best of him, Kain prepares to attack the enemy and is quickly struck down. Realizing that he truly is out of is league, he tries to stall the Lord further until Umah completes a teleportation spell that the glyph barriers previously prevented her from using to escape. With one final taunt, the Sarafan Lord watches as his quarry dematerializes and is whisked away to their hideout.

Arriving in Sanctuary, Kain and Umah are greeted by Vorador, who thanks Kain for his bravery in rescuing his apprentice. Umah quickly dispenses he knowledge to Vorador, explaining that the Sarafan Order has some sort of portal built in the Industrial Quarter that provides transport to an unknown but vital location in their regime. Umah then explains that the portal was being powered by what appeared to be an artifact called the Nexus Stone. Kain, curious as to this artifact's nature, asks what it is and Vorador explains that the Nexus Stone is the very reason why the Sarafan Lord so easily defeated Kain 200 years ago. The Stone nullifies the powers of the Reaver, and the Sarafan Lord was wearing it when they fought. Enraged at this new information, Kain immediately sets his sight on acquiring the Stone and using it to defeat the Sarafan Lord. Vorador provides him the information he needs to reach the Industrial Quarter, and with that, he sets out once again.

The Industrial Quarter proves itself to be much larger and more intimidating than Kain had originally expected. He makes his way through a massive conglomeration of monstrous factories and warehouses, some delving deep underground and riddled with horrifying pitfalls. Making his way to the deepest recesses of the Industrial Quarter, he eventually finds his way into the Nexus Stone Power Chamber, and waiting for him is Sebastian. By this point, Kain has recovered much more of hi memory and now recognizes the fiend as one of his former lieutenants. Sebastian mocks Kain, accusing him of being no better than a common thief, to which Kain replies that the lying snake before him was the one solely responsible for costing Kain the war 200 years prior. Sebastian admits to having crippled Kain's army, he admits to having betrayed his master and he revels in his treacherous nature. He explains to Kain that he couldn't bear to be second-in-command while his former master ruled the world. He instead saw greater potential for ultimate power by aligning with the Sarafan Lord. Kain brands Sebastian a fool, stating that once his usefulness has run out, the Sarafan Lord won't bother to keep the former lieutenant around any longer than necessary. He then offers Sebastian a favor. He offers to kill his fomer underling now instead of allowing his hopes to be crushed later. With that the fight begins.

Steam sprays wildly from the Power Room's walls and Sebastian uses his blinding speed to outmaneuver Kain and deliver flurries of attacks with lightning speed. Kain uses the environment to his advantage by hurling the younger Vampire into the steam jets, burning him repeatedly. Eventually, Kain defeats his fomer soldier, and as his broken body lies on the floor, he demands to know the truth about the Nexus Stone and the portal being powered by it. Sebastian replies with a sense of glee that the portal leads to a massive underground weapon called The Device, and that regardless of Kain's efforts, he will fail. His true enemies have become far too powerful to be stopped.

Lamenting about the possible future that could have been theirs for the taking, Kain leaves his former ally with one final note of scorn and saps his blood, taking with it the Berserk ability, another combat-based Dark Gift similar to the Fury attack. The Berserk attack allows Kain to unleash a flurry of attacks upon his helpless opponents, tearing them to ribbons. As Kain removes the Nexus Stone from it's magnetic field, the entire chamber begins to shake violently initiating a massive explosion which knocks Kain unconscious. A few hours later, he awakens in Sanctuary and is greeted by Umah.

Upon awakening, Kain divulges his newfound information to Vorador, who suggests that Kain pay a visit to an ancient creature known only as the Seer. She lives alone just outside of the walls of Meridian, in the desert wasteland. Kain, curious as to learn the true purpose of The Device leaves Sanctuary and makes his way for the Wastelands.

Silently making his way through the city's outer wall and into the desert wastes beyond, Kain now finally sees the devastation that has been wrought upon the rest of Nosgoth since his death. The land is infested with demons. The lesser demons frequently encountered in the Wastelands are giant spiderlike creatures oozing with a sickly green glow. These vile things capture their prey, mostly consisting of unlucky merchants traveling between Meridian and which ever town they hail from. Kain spies clusters of trees filled with the dangling bodies of unlucky travelers, cocooned in webbing and hung for later consumption.

Kain battles his way through hordes of Lesser Demons, simultaneously fending off highway bandits and unlucky Sarafan Knights commisioned to patrol these vile canyons. Eventually, he reaches the edge of a cliff, upon which rests the abode of the Seer, a rickety wooden hut with a small porch. He enters the abode and, expecting to find some ancient human woman, he instead encounters a creature unlike anything he has ever seen. She has an outwardly demonic appearance, with a crown of horns, grey skin and blazing eyes, while simultaneously radiating an image of cultured beauty. She acknowledges the Vampire cautiously, letting him know that she is aware of who he is and what he has come for. She tests him, taunting him and suggesting that he halt his crusade and enjoy what little time he has left alive. He demands answers to his questions, and sensing his conviction, she is convinced that he is worthy of her audience. She explains to Kain that the Device is an ancient weapon, built long ago by her ancestors for the purposes of eradicating the Vampire race. It rests deep underneath Meridian, but explains that he will need an augmentation to his powers in order to enter the Device. She offers her blood, and he drinks, taking with it her power of Telekinesis, which provides Kain with the ability to manipulate objects at a distance as well as allowing him to injure enemies with TK projectiles. Suddenly, the hut is wracked with a large explosion and the house quickly ingites. The Seer uses her powers to view outside her home and sees that the Sarafan Lord and a small team of his troops have followed her guest and plans to burn them both alive. She uses her remaining moments to wish Kain luck and teleport him to the entrance to The Device. Kain escapes the inferno, while the Seer remains and is never heard from again...

And that's all I've got time for tonight! Tune in tomorrow night for the conclusion to Blood Omen 2!

HOLY SHIT, This is some amazing stuff. You should write books about this stuff. I can't wait until the part with Magnus. the poor soul, and the final battle should be kick ass. Ever thought of animating the entire thing with like maya or something? Damn, I could see everything as though I had seen a movie. This is indeed a very rare talent, but i guess it comes naturally with age. So far I have read the Blood Omen series and skipped the Soul Reaver series, but plan to go back. God your a great writer. Oh and one last word, AMAZING!!

P.S. If this were a movie or book, I would definatley buy a ticket or the book.

P.P.S. You should make up your own interpretaion of how Raziel's and Kain's life was before their "transformations". I would enjoy reading those. Thanks for the reading material and Seyonara, until tomorrow

Date: June 21, 2004 Time: 1:04 AM
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