Chapter six ; Confrontations

Kain stood before the great pillars. The sight was again as he remembered it centuries ago, toppled, gray and poisoned. Only yesterday did they seem a lot better, white, much longer and much less broken, and now they were a ruin again. Red clouds started to muster above as a sign of the bloody rain that will come, but trough all this Kain remained cold and un-swayed. Nosgoth was his to rule. It belonged to him and he will rule it in hell if he has to.

" Well vampire, "; a dragon's voice came behind him :" this is where we say good by to each other. "

" You don't think I'll simply let you walk away. "; Kain said, not turning

" I see no reason to fight. I gave you what you needed, what you wanted, and frankly, I have little desire ever to return here. "

" Indeed. You gave me some sanity, but you force me to kill my daughter. Death of my children I can not forgive. "

" You are going to kill your children vampire, or have the ghosts deluded you to such measure already, you can't tell who's hands will be stained in their blood ?"

Kain finally turned and faced him with his cold eyes and the reaver in his arms :

" Talk as you must worm, but you'll still fall before she does !"

He jumped at him and slashed the reaver but as soon as the blade touched his scales, Jaren Sal vanished and Kain just passed trough air. As he landed down another Jaren Sal appeared on his left :

" It is an illusion, vampire. I wouldn't waist my time with you when I have a portal to open. "

" Coward !"

" O, you better watch how you spill your wisdom, Kain. You sound like you allow your feelings to get the best of you. I'd chat some more, but my victory celebration awaits me. Good luck with the Hylden. You'll need it. "; he laughed and vanished, leaving Kain to roar in anger.

" Kain… "; Jasmine's voice came behind him :" We have your cure. "

He turned to them. Tarian, Adella and Jasmine were standing behind him about twenty meters away.

" I have forgotten how sweet the corruption can be. "; Kain said like he was talking to him self :" Its grip on me is intoxicating more than the blood of a frightened virgin who found her fate in me. You should know better than to try and cure me of it. "

" If all that you said in these twelve years was a lie, "; Tarian said :" than become a liar once more. "

" How well can you know someone like me in just twelve years ?"; he smiled :" I'm giving you one more chance, one final whim of mercy. Join me, and eternity shall be ours. "

" If it costs me my life, I won't let the dark age of your Empire returns !"; Adella yelled

" It will cost you your life, but you won't prevent it. "; he sadly said

" Would you really kill us, Kain ? Would you really kill me ?"; Adella asked

" If you so choose. "

" Than you are truly beyond our help… but not beyond Raziel's ! Now Velako !"

At once did Velako activated the device and a romantic tropical kind of a melody for the late nights at the beech and young lowers filled the air everywhere around. Velako actually brought the music disk and inserted it in car's speakers that made it much louder than Adella's player at her home. Before Kain realized, reaver jumped off his back and started dancing around. He tried to grab it, but the reaver jumped away faster than his arm. Kain got angry and tried to seize it with his telekinetic, but the reaver eluded him again and finally landed in Adella's arms. Kain smiled and started approaching her slowly but confidently :

" Now what, child ?"; he said as he paced :" You can only hope to be faster than me. "

Her hands shivered which gave it self away on the reaver's tip :

" I don't want to kill you, Kain… but you have a few souls too many !"

Kain laughed and lunched at her like a lion. Tarian and Jasmine tried to stand in his way, but they only got thrown aside most painfully, without even diverting him. Suddenly, Adella felt like floating, and everything became simple and easy. Kain' raging face was frozen before her eyes with opened jaw and pointed out claws. Everything was quiet and she heard another voice in her empty head :

" … join us together… "

She suddenly got strong like never before, and as Kain finally reached her, his eyes got huge and he stopped before her face. He looked her with a stunning shock and than his gaze fell down on the hilt of the soul reaver that was sticking out of his chest. The other end of the blade was exiting his back and glittering on the moon light like a long silver spike. But there was no blood. The blade was piercing him like he was a phantom, and now the wound started to glitter and flash.

Kain backed a few paces away, still shocked and grabbing for the hilt. At once the light emanating from his chest got stronger. It exploded out of him and the reaver, and he begun to roar. It was shacking his body and lifting him above the flour and finally the five angry ghosts got out of him, lined down the sword's length along with him. Kain slid down trough the blade without a wound, and the ghosts left stabbed on a hovering sword. In a few moments they screamed vanishing within the blade, and the reaver finally glided down on the ground next to him.

Adella approached and turned him on his back. He was looking at her with sick eyes and misunderstanding :

" …Adella… what… happened… ?"

" Take it easy. "; she smiled full of joie :" You'll be fine now. "

Tarian and Jasmine came closer and helped him up and as soon as he was standing, the toppled pillars started to repair. Gray color backed away before white one, cracks became smaller, the red clouds above them cleared away and they gained their previous height, but they stopped once they've reached their yesterday's state. There was still a lot work to do before they were restored all the way.

Kain blinked in a headache. It seemed like he remembered everything but he just got a sad face and went silent. He was very week and ill, like he would collapse any moment now, but he managed to stand and to give a proud strong image of himself. Tarian laughed silently as he gave him the reaver back, and than Jasmine and Adella, and they started helping him walk away from this place.

" Well, that was interesting… "; a familiar voice said behind them

They all turned and saw Jaren Sal standing behind them in all his might with smoke rising out of his smiled jaws. He still had a hole on his side trough which Kain sliced his way out of his stomach, but it wasn't bleeding any more and he appeared to pay no heed to it :

" Good thing I decided to stick around after all. "

Tarian stepped forth :

" You are the one responsible for all of this ! I don't like when someone is bugging my sire !"

" Whelp !"; dragon yelled :" You dare threaten me !"

" Why shouldn't I ? You're just an oversized worm with a fire up his throat, the smoke of your flames stinks the air like a Hylden spit !"

Jaren Sal stopped smiling

" Let's see how much stench will your calcified corps produce !"

He opened his jaw and flames glittered within his throat. Flames came poring down, and Kain, Adella and Jasmine had to get away, but Tarian didn't. Fire cowered his whole body and he vanished before the burning river. Dragon stopped poring the fire out, but as soon as it cleared he saw to his great surprise that the vampire was still very much alive, burned but holding flames in his hands. His face was painted in exhaustion, but also in anger and he spoke trough his teeth :

" I am Tergetti, the fire lord, and fire is my ally !"

He hurled the flames he was holding back at the dragon. These tiny fires instantly grew in the same enormous flood that Jaren Sal unleashed and stroke the dragon away in the air. He landed on his back far away, and Tarian fell on his knees, utterly exhausted. Jasmine helped him up, and with Adella helping Kain walk, they swiftly started running away to the car. But Jaren Sal got back on his feet and charged at them. He caught up with them and bounced them all away with his huge charging face. Kain landed somewhere at the pillars, and Adella and the others landed further away in the woods, and the reaver fell just in front of Kain, practically at his reach. He tried to grab it, but Jaren Sal got there first. With one of his huge green claws he grabbed Kain and with the other the reaver, and as he razed them up, he laughed :

" Pitiful creature ! Now you are not as fearless as before. In the end, it only shows that you are nothing without your toothpick !"

He squeezed him intending to crush him, and Kain released a roar of pain. Suddenly a loud bang broke into the air and the dragon's grip was gone. Both Kain and Jaren Sal fell down on the ground and turned their sight to the source of this new interference. It was a military battle-pod with NUC marks on it, hovering in the air above them with its main cannon smocking after taking a shoot. The gun managed to fire a missile into the wound on the dragon's side but other than searing it a little, it did nothing. Jaren Sal grudged and yelled :

" Meddling fools ! How many more of you do I have to destroy before I have some peace ?"

The craft had its loud speakers and the voice of General Leiman sounded from them :

" You won't see the last of those, monster ! Your days are numbered !"

" Ha !"; the dragon yelled :" The day you become fit for threatening me is the day that fire in whole world freezes !"

And he opened his mouth once more to unleash his burning breath, but suddenly, it exploded in his throat forcing him to fall down in pain. His body begun shacking and scales started to fall off. Green slimy liquid was showering his entire flesh and as he tried to speak, he just spat out a huge amount of white foam. Kain managed to crawl to the reaver and grab it tightly, and Adella and Jasmine reached for him and helped him get away from the chocking lizard. The dragon was coughing and appeared like he was melting or something. His claw fell off and became liquid green mush. He was in burning pain, but trough it all he managed to toss a sad questioning look at Kain and his children before his eyes fell back in his scull and he finally collapsed down motionless and dead.

The battle-pod landed nearby and General Leiman stepped out, making his way trough the thick layer of green slime :

" This is a really messy situation… "

" What happened to him !"; Kain asked shocked and exhausted

" Scotch missile ! Very strong !"; a voice suddenly came from within the craft and Adella's father came out :" It doesn't get better than that. "

Adella laughed overjoyed and run in his arms like a school girl. They stood there hugging, practically cut out of the rest of the scene. General Leiman took a look at Kain :

" You don't look so god, Kain. "

" I'll get back on my feet soon enough. "; he answered while still seared Tarian and Jasmine were helping him to stand

" I hear you came to an idea of resurrecting your empire. "

" It stopped by for a visit. "

" I see… Any how, I'd be a fool if I'd let you get out of this one. "

" Better a living fool, than a dead meet. "; Kain said with a benevolent smile

General smiled back :

" At least you've retained your charming personality… very well, you old monster. I'll turn a blind eye again, but this time you owe me… And don't forget to clean up this mess. "; he said referring to a melting dragon goo.

" I'll remember. "

General walked to a battle-pod and turned to Adella and her father :

" Need a lift ?"

" Not this time, ser. "; Adella said :" I think me and my dad would enjoy a walk and a conversation right now. "

" Your family shall be at their new home in Noe-Wilendorf, Gape street 12. I'll inform them that all went well. "

He went inside the craft and it vanished in the night. Kain left his children's arms and came to Adella. He tried to say something but she just cut him off :

" We'll talk later. "

Her sire took a deep breath and placing the reaver at his back, he Tarian and Jasmine went away in the woods.

Velako greeted her as she came home. The Sumnali were already back and resumed their usual life. It was amazing how quickly things in her house got back to normal, considering everything, but than again, they were all away most of the time trough this. But not everything remained the same. The Tergetti and the Sumnali were in very good relations now and the Zantara were quick to follow. Now they were all a family that stick together and not rivals any more.

As Adella came to her room she felt the presence again and after a deep breath she reached for the knob. Kain was inside with his back turned and the soul reaver in his arms. He was holding it in front of his face, tip down looking at the glowing eye-sockets of the scull-hilt. As she came in, he slightly turned his head as if only now noticing her presence.

" How is your family ?"

" They're fine… "; she said as she was coming down the stairs :" We decided not to see them any more. "

" Are you going to stick to that ?"

" I'll try… I offered to erase this adventure from their memories. "

" And ?"

" They remember most of it… If only I could make me forget some things… "

She dropped her eyes as he turned to her, putting the reaver down

" You spoke with Raziel. "

" I think so… It wasn't talking. It was more like his soul reaching out to me. "

" … what did his soul say ?"

" He said… he forgives you. "

Kain bowed his head, closing his eyes and suddenly a golden drop leaked out of his left eyelid. He placed his palm over them to hide them. Adella smiled :

" Are you… crying ?"

" No !"; he said strongly while turning away, and than added silently :" If you tell anyone… "

" Your secret is safe with me. "; she grinned unable to restrain it :" For what it's worth I forgive you too. "

" You… can't imagine all the things I've done. The taint of my deeds still sours the earth, making my eternity heavy like the world. I can't die, and I have no more will to go on… What am I suppose to do. ?"; he sighed

Her smile faded and she came to a disk player. The next moment the room was filled with a pretty romantic music and Adella turned to him saying :

" … Dance with me and forget your troubles. "

They've joined their hands and danced across the thick carpet with the eyes of the soul reaver watching them from its seat.