Fan Fiction ❯ The Soul Reaver and The Spirit Shield ❯ The Heart of Darkness ( Chapter 31 )

Chapter Thirty-One

Raziel and Jenise made their way through the Stronghold quickly, but carefully. The large, empty corridors echoed with the sounds of their footsteps. But that was what worried the duo the most: the lack of occupants within the stronghold.

Recalling Nosgoth's history, the vampire race was near extinction during this time. Vorador had already been slain, and only the fledge Kain remained. This had all been the result of Moebius's carefully orchestrated plan. With the scourge of Nosgoth at the edge of obliteration, humanity had begun to relax after millenniums of fear and war. Thus was the reason for lack of protection within the stronghold.

As the time streaming warriors proceeded through the long hallways, a growing urgency seemed to consume Raziel. Jenise noticed his quickened steps, and the almost worried look in his eyes. That was when she felt it: a strong presence was inside the stronghold with them, and it was not far behind them. She released a small gasp as she realized to whom this presence must belong.

"You feel it too?" Raziel asked for a confirmation, having noticed the priestess's sudden shock. She nodded to him as she exerted herself to her max. They needed as much time as they could muster before the vampire behind them fulfilled another chapter of his destiny. Without speaking another word, they continued on their way.

At long last, they arrived at the outside of Moebius's chambers. With a mighty heave, Raziel opened the doorway to the sorcerer's main chamber room. To the left and right side, were the time streaming chambers. The former vampire and the former Sarafan entered the main chamber, looking around. After making a quick assessment of the room, Jenise stopped in the center of the chamber.

"I thought you said he'd be here," the priestess inquired of her ally. Raziel continued to look about the room, confusion on his face.

"I don't understand. This is where he should be. Kain told me the story at least a dozen times of when he murdered Moebius."

Without warning, a hidden doorway opposite the main entrance of the chamber began to open slowly. Jenise and Raziel quickly hid themselves behind a few support columns. As the door opened, the form of the guardian of time was revealed. With him, were three vampire hunters, fully armed. As they entered the main chamber room, Moebius's voice could be heard giving the soldiers instructions.

"As you have most likely heard by now, there is still a rogue vampire wreaking havoc across Nosgoth, killing the pillar guardians. I know, that I am his next intended target. Now I don't expect to give myself willingly to the hands of that monster. Such is the reason for erecting the barrier around the Stronghold. By using my power to raise the lake's water level, that vampire cannot gain entry, since the touch of water is deadly to a vampire."

"Milord, but what if this vampire does find a way in? What then?" one of Moebius's subordinates asked.

"That is where you three come in. I want you to gather as many hunters possible and place them at every gate along the way to my chamber. Kain will come looking for me. So be sure to not let him pass. Tell the men that I shall bestow a great reward upon the one who brings me Kain's head."

The three hunters nodded as they turned and left the chamber. Once they were out of sight, a sinister grin spread across Moebius's lips. The time streamer was aware of the events about to unfold. He knew that he was sending his men to their deaths. He had foreseen this day decades ago.

The sorcerer turned to return to the previously hidden room. After he had disappeared within, Jenise and Raziel came out of hiding. Strangely, Moebius did not close the door to its previous position. The two warriors exchanged a paranoid glance. The door, when closed, was perfectly camouflaged with its surroundings. Leaving it open was good indication that Moebius was already aware of the duo's arrival.

Deciding not to waste another moment, Raziel and Jenise stepped through the doorway and into Moebius's private chamber. There, they saw him with his back to them, seeming not in the least bit worried about their arrival. In front of him, stood a pedestal, on which stood a container holding water. In the water's reflection, Moebius was watching the current images of his loyal followers throwing their lives into the path of Kain's destruction.

"You have eluded us long enough, Mobius," spoke Raziel, breaking the silence. "Hand over the Heart, or I shall kill you and take it myself."

Moebius turned to face the Reaver, snickering as he did so. He seemed not at all surprised by Raziel's presence. The reflections in the water dispersed as he turned his attention away from it.

"Kill me? I think not my dear Raziel. I know when my time will come. Your threats are empty to me. Your meddling cannot change what destiny, or fate in your case, has written for us." Suddenly, the door slammed shut, as if commanded to do so by Moebius.

"You are not getting away this time Moebius," threatened Raziel as he raised his wraith blade. Moebius simply conjured the magical element within his staff to dismiss Raziel's weapon. Raziel stared at his right arm, devoid of the wraith blade for the first time since reclaiming it from its physical twin. Until now, he was unable to dismiss his symbiotic weapon.

"That's an interesting little trick, time streamer," Jenise interrupted, her voice full of malice. "But will it protect you from this?" she sneered as she unsheathed her sword, stepping closer to her victim. Moebius laughed at her threats, though he subconsciously stepped backwards a few paces.

"You are not my un-maker, Priestess," he replied, but unconvincingly. Jenise stepped within striking range, and raised her weapon up over her head. As she brought her sword down to strike, Moebius held his staff up in front of him in a defensive instinct, his eyes clenched tight in fear.

The sword crashed down on the orb within the staff. Moebius opened his eyes after the assault and inspected the orb curiously. A hairline fracture encompassed the orb. Jenise remained in an offensive position, waiting for Moebius's next move. The time streamer began to grin, believing that the priestess's attacks where futile. But before he could open his mouth to taunt her, his worst fear came true.

The orb within the staff began to crack even further. Spider-web like patterns spread across the surface of the orb. Finally, when the orb had fractured to the point where it could no longer hold itself together, it shattered. To the ground fell the broken pieces of the orb. It was now the priestess's turn to grin maliciously.

"Looks like your little toy is of no use to you against me," she sneered. To her surprise, Moebius laughed with her.

"Fate is simply unfolding itself. My time is near its end. All you have accomplished is fulfilling another piece in fate's plan," informed the time guardian. Before Raziel or Jenise could reply, the doors to the chamber burst open again.

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

Of the current occupants within the stronghold, this knight was one of the few during this era that could use the name Sarafan. After the bloody massacre centuries ago, and with the dwindling vampire population, very few chose to undergo the vigorous training to become one of the most respected nobles in Nosgoth's human society.

"Do not worry. Kain will not find the Heart of Darkness," reassured Moebius. "Go and gather our troops together. Do not let him enter."

Once the knight had departed, Moebius turned his attention from the doorway to where his `guests' had been only moments ago. He searched the room with his eyes, trying to find the whereabouts of the room's other occupants. But before he could find either Raziel or Jenise, screams of horrid pain filled the time streamer's ears. The guardian knew that Kain was now laying waste to the last of Moebius's defenses, just outside the chamber door.

With the conclusion of the last scream of agony, the door to Moebius's inner chamber was kicked inward off its hinges. Slowly, the fledgeling Kain strode into the chamber, seeming to take delight in what was to come.

From high on one of the rafters in the room, hidden in shadow, Raziel and Jenise watched the event unfold. Kain mercilessly murdered Moebius, and without the aide of his staff, the sorcerer was defenseless. Raziel watched intently at the event in history. Though Kain had indeed retold this story several times to Raziel while he was a fledge, he never imagined the brutality was quite like what he was witnessing now.

As Moebius breathed his last breath, Raziel almost felt a twinge of sympathy for the streamer. Almost, if it had not been for the ploys the guardian had sent Raziel through.

The reaver of souls supposed that only Moebius deserved a death this gruesome. As Moebius's last breath escaped his lips, Kain headed towards the exit. He paused momentarily to make a final glance around the room, and then he finally departed.

With Kain finally gone, Raziel turned his attention towards Jenise, to see how she fared after having to witness such a brutal attack. When he looked into the priestess's eyes, he became slightly nervous. Raziel recognized the look in her eyes to be the same as when she had nearly attacked him, and when she had fought against Stephin.

The priestess gazed unblinkingly at the corpse of the former guardian. She seemed to be entranced by the murderous act. Nervously, Raziel attempted to rouse Jenise from her stupor.

"Jenise. Jenise, Kain is gone. We have to search for the Heart of Darkness now," he gently urged her, trying not to startle her into an unintentional attack. Fortunately, it seemed to work. The priestess slowly blinked once. She blinked a second time; this time she slightly shook her head, as she seemed to rid herself of her self-induced trance.

"Wha-what happened?" she muttered, as she looked over inquisitively towards Raziel.

"Moebius is dead. We'll have to search for the Heart on our own."

With that said, the former vampire leapt down from the rafters, followed by Jenise. They began to meticulously search the room's every nook and cranny. They worked opposite sides of the room, which increased their progress. As Raziel searched a bookcase, Jenise came towards a strange altar at the far end of the chamber.

"Raziel, I believe I have found something!" she called out. Raziel rushed over to her side. The altar she stood by was some sort of icon of time. The hourglass on the shrine never ran out of sand as it fell, and the continuously burning candles never melted.

"There is a draft coming from behind this altar," Jenise indicated to Raziel, though he had noticed it as well.

The reaver of souls dug his claws into the white marble that served as the base to the altar. Using all his strength, Raziel pushed the altar to the side. Behind it, was a hidden storage compartment, inset into the surrounding wall. Several shelves lined the inside. On the center shelf, was a strangely, yet intricately carved wooden box.

Intrigued by its presence, Raziel carefully lifted it off the shelf. He slowly opened it, and to his amazement, the Heart lie inside. After such a long, hard fought journey, he finally had the object of his desire. It was almost too good to be true. Finally, after a long gaze, Raziel snapped the box shut.

"Alright, we finally have the Heart, Jenise. Now we must take this to Vorador, and tell him our plan."

"I really hope this works," the priestess replied as they left the inner chamber.

Returning to the main chamber, Raziel glanced up at the stone above one of the time streaming rooms. A slight sparkle within the gem had caught his eye. In previous attempts at activating the crystal while they were in the future, the crystal had been dull and devoid of any magical element. In this time, it still seemed to thrive.

Willing to take a chance, Raziel decided to try to activate the gem. Raising his right arm, Raziel stared at his palm, his symbiotic weapon still absent long after Moebius's death. Concentrating, he attempted to will the blade from its withdrawn state. Jenise, who had still been heading towards the exit, paused in her tracks and curiously glanced backwards at her companion, wondering why he had stopped.

Raziel continued his attempt at summoning the wraith blade. But his weapon would not obey him. His efforts seemed in vain. Somehow, Moebius's influences were still affecting the blade.