Chapter 2

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    Raziel and Kallin looked out the window of the small house at the two children playing the yard. Ah to be young, Raziel thought with a sigh...
Kallin looked up at him with a worried expression on her face. "I don't care what you say, I'm not leaving here to hide out in a town I hardly know."
    Raziel nodded slightly, he knew better than to argue with her, but it didn't feel right for her to be alone in the woods while he was away either. "I never asked for it to turn out this way, but Kain still lives, that letter is proof." He reached down to the table and picked up the small wrinkled letter and crushed it between his claws, the faint black-penned letter of "Waiting for me? Meet me at the pillars and we can finish this overly played out drama once and for all." etched into the paper.
    Kallin nodded, crossing her arms on the table. "I'm going with you, this fight is as much mine as it is yours now."
    He shook his head, "I'm the only one who can kill Kain, we both know that...." He sighed, "Its my destiny.."
    "Atleast let me help! I want that bastard's head on a stick for what he did to me."
    Raziel looked down and scratched his right arm with a frown. "....no..." He repeated, flicking his wrist back as the ghost like gleam of the Soul Reaver appeared on his arm once more. "This is my fight...."
    Kallin glared at him, Raziel knew she would not take 'no' for an answer, she wasn't like that. He walked over to her, held her for a moment, and gave her a small kiss through the fabric around his face. "I will be back, I promise."
    She clutched the cloth and held it tightly in her grasp as Raziel stood, pulling the cloth from his face. "I don't want you to go." She sobbed
    Raziel turned to face the window again to see Reanna laying on her back panting lightly, and Tynan chasing around a rabbit again. Raziel gripped the windowsill.
    Kallin looked up, the sight of her husband's jawless features no longer bothered her to look at, they were together again, and that's all that mattered to her.
    He let go of the window's ledge and held a hand out to her for the cloth back. She handed it to him and hugged him tightly. "Come back to me." She whispered. "I don't want to wait another 2000 years for the Elder to bring you back again."
    Raziel's cheeks rose slightly into a half smile and tossed the cloth around his shoulders and jaw again, as he walked to the door of the cabin and gave it a small shove, then looked back at her once. "As long as there is a soul in this body...I'll come back." He shut the door behind him, flicking his wrist once more as the Soul Reaver disappeared.
    Kallin put her forehead to her arms and cried upon the table, "Lord, please let him come back to us."

    "Where you going daddy?" Reanna asked as Raziel walked down the path from the house.
    Raziel hesitated slightly...should he have told them about everything?....no, they were young, they weren't ready yet. "I have some business to take care of, you two look after your mother while I'm away wont you?"
    Reanna nodded, "Of course, but where you going?"
    Tynan stopped chasing the small white rabbit in the yard and turned his head slightly to face the forest. "He's going after Kain to kill him."
    Reanna's eyes grew wide. "OOOH! take us with you daddy, I can use a sword, Kain'll be no match for me!"
    Raziel simply shook his head and walked over to where Tynan stood. He didn't ask the boy how he knew, he really didn't care. There were already to many lies between him and the children. "You know I have to do this alone..." he said, leaning down on one knee to face the boy.
    Tynan looked away from him, "You'll get killed, I know it.."
    Raziel put an arm on the child's shoulder and says reluctantly. "If I don't come back, you'll be the man of the house." and he stood, rubbing Reanna's hair and disappeared into the forest.
    Reanna looked at Tynan, then after her father. "I love you daddy!" She yelled into the woods, she didn't expect a reply.....
    How do I get myself into this kind of thing?! Raziel thought as the side of the mountain began to crumble above him. He looked around the canyon, the only way out of this was down or across.  Heads down, tails across. He looked down..and down...and............ok, across wins....he leaped off the side of the cliff, taking a hold of his crippled wings and glided to the other side of the canyon. Quickly before he fell, he released the ends of his wings and jabbed his claws into the soft rock. Phew.... Slowly but gradually, he made his way to the top of the canyon and looked down. Where he had stood before was nothing more than dust at the bottom of the canyon. He turned his gaze back up to the top of the mountain. Raziel one, Kain nothing.. As he had suspected, at the top of the mountain was a dark shadowed finger...not Kain's however, but probably one of his minions. Never send a yearling to do a Gods job, eh Kain?
    Raziel simply ignored the figure and slid down the mountain to the other side, the Turelim vampire wouldn't follow him, he knew Kain wanted him alive.
    He skidded to a hault at the bottom and looked around, Nosgoth's clan territory was just as he remembered it from last time, just as run down too. How long had it been since he was here last? Months? Years?
    The running water of The Lake Of The Dead could be heard faintly to the west. The Sanctuary of the Clans wasn't far from there. He leaped over another canyon taking hold of his wings and jumped over to the Lake. Was it really that long ago I was here being thrown in? ...by the gods..I had resented Kain for what he did.....now all I want is for him to leave us be.....
     He looked to the north, the opening to the Sanctuary Of the Clans, just as he remembered it. He crossed the tattered bridge and crossed to the other side as he looked around. There was the door to the warp gate...he wondered briefly if he could activate it again after all these years.  Finally, he came upon the gates of the Sanctuary. Taking a deep breath, he opened the gated door and walked in, no need to spectral shift through them; they practically fell apart when he touched them.
    Then he came upon the door to the great hall and leaned his head against it. Was he even ready for this? Kain lurked somewhere inside. Might as well get this over with...Giving a small prayer to any god or goddess of the underworld that might be listening, he shoved the double doors open and walked in.
    The door shut quickly behind him. Raziel didn't even flinch this time; he had expected that to happen.
    Walking farther into the room his eyes darted about.. Kain wasn't here. He gave a look around the room. No, he was here somewhere..Kain's toying with me...
    "Ah, Raziel, so you got my message I see."
    Raziel turned quickly to where he heard the voice. Kain sat in his chair under the pillars of Nosgoth, his elbows leaning on the arms of the chair, his hands crossed under his chin.
    Raziel stood taller with a small nod, flicking his wrist again as the wraith blade returned.
    Kain gave something of a chuckle. "And you bring my blade back too."
    "I hate to disappoint, but you gave me this ...abomination, I'm afraid it's stays with me."
    Kain's expression sobered as he pulled a long crooked blade from beside his chair, Not the reaver, but a VERY close duplicate. "Might as well get this over with, ne?"
     "Funny," Raziel chuckled, getting into a fighting stance, "That's just what I said before I walked in."

    The battle ragged. Raziel secretly thanked the gods and goddesses of the underworld that he had stayed in shape since he last left Nosgoth. Kain, apparently, had too.
    "I should have finished what I started years ago." Kain grunted, blocking Raziel's advance. "Although I must say, your new form is more to my liking."
    Raziel leaped back, taking a small hit from Kain's blade. "Make sure to take a close look, it'll be the last thing you see."
    Kain laughed, "Oh don't make me laugh, it'll only ruin my ability to fight you."
    Raziel chuckled with a grunt blocking the blade again with his own, "I'm surprised your face hasn't cracked yet either..."
    Kain's expression grew flat... "Tsk, such sarcasm."
    Raziel charged again with the Soul Reaver as Kain blocked just in time, a snarl on his lips, neither of them spoke.

    Metal clashed on Soul Reaver, Gotta find some way to trip him up......erg, I can't take this much longer...my arm feels like its going to fall off...
    "Weaking yet Raziel?" Kain laughed, swinging the blade to meet Raziel's charge.
    "You wish." Raziel took a step back, and tripped over one of the fallen pillars of Nosgoth. "Nrg!" He grunted toppling onto his back.
    Kain stood over him and laughed. He held the blade high above Raziel, ready to peirce his chest. "I will take much pleasure in this."
    Raziel turned his head to the side, squinting his eyes tightly. He didn't have enough strength in him to last in the Spectral Realm....he was done for.
    "Goodbye, Razie-" Kain gave a gurgled cry as the blade dropped to the ground beside Raziel's head.
    Raziel looked up to see Kain clutching his throat and he toppled to the ground. Raziel got a foot hold against the pillar and shoved himself away from where he laid....where Kain now lay. He skidded to a halt and leaped up.
    Kallin stood above Kain, a blood stained dagger in her hand, she looked up at Raziel. Blood covered her loose shirtfront and face.  She ran over to her husband and hugged him, kissing him long. "I couldn't let you die alone." She panted.
    Raziel, lost for words, just hugged her.
    After a long moment, he let her go and walked to where Kain's body lay...something didn't smell right.
    Raziel...
    Raziel looked around, eyes wildly scanning the room. Could it be? how long had it been since he last heard that voice?
    "Elder?"
    So, you remembered...
    Raziel nodded, how could he forget? Had it really been over six years since he heard the voice of the one who brought him back to this world?
    "Raziel?" Kallin asked, slowly approaching her husband, she couldn't hear the words of the Elder, nor sense him anywhere in the room.
    Raziel shushed her. "It's alright."
    You still have to finish Kain, his soul still lingers in that body.
    Kallin screamed.  Kain laughed, Kallin's dagger now at her throat.
    Raziel turned quickly, flicking his wrist quickly as the Soul Reaver made its appearance on his arm once more. Tears ran down Kallin's face as Kain laughed again, backing away slowly, blood trickled down the side of his neck. "You should have finished me off when you had the chance. Now I'll finish what I began five years ago with the beautiful woman here."
    Raziel's pupiless eyes began to glow a faint red, his upper lip curling into a deep snarl. "........no" He said faintly.
    Kain looked at him. "Speak up boy."
    Raziel lifted his hands out to the side of him as the room began to shake under him. "I said no...not this time Kain. This time, the battle is MINE!"
    "What.... What are you doing?" He asked, dropping Kallin to the ground as she ran behind Raziel.
    "What I should have done six years ago." He hissed.
    Kain began to lift from the ground, "Stop this now...or else!" He snarled.
    "Or else what Kain? ...you have nothing to threaten me with now, you've lost."
    Kain laughed, floating now 4 feet from the ground. "Oh, how soon you forget the children..or rather..MY children."
    Kallin gave a gasp as Raziel's snarl and red eyes fadded from his features, the spell he called upon faded and Kain dropped to the ground. "That's a good boy." Kain laughed. "You can keep the woman, I've no need of her now."
    Raziel's upper lip curled again. This life, this body, my wife....now Reanna and Tynan.....
    He yelled loudly, charging Kain with the Soul Reaver held high above him pointed at Kain. Kain's eyes went wide as the tip of the wraith blade slid in and through his chest, then out again. Kain gave a gurgled cry and hit the floor, in a bloody mess.
    Kallin rushed to her husband's side and cried into his shoulder.
    "You....haven't...seen the ...last of....me."
    Raziel stood above Kain, the Soul Reaver ready to strike again.
    Kain looked up from the ground, blood poured from his open wound in his chest. ".....I'll be back for you later."
    Raziel thrust the Soul Reaver at him again, this time only hitting the empty ground where Kain's body last lay......
    ....Kain was gone.
    Kallin cried even harder.
    Raziel was loss for words.
    You are going after them aren't you?
    He nodded at the Elder's words..Of course.
    You know your destiny; I have told you all that I know. But be careful; as you wait here, Turel and Kain still have your children.  They expect you to follow.
    So...Turel does live...
    Yes, somehow he has hidden himself from me until now....I had thought he had perished as well as Dumah's clan.
    But apparantly not...Raziel finished. He could feel the Elder agreeing with his words.. Then I leave to find them now.
    Good luck....my Reaver of Souls...
    "I'm leaving to find them."  Raziel spoke the words aloud to his love.
    "I'm going with you this time."
    He shook his head. "You go back to the cabin and wait for me. I WILL be back."
    "But-"
    "NO!" He repeated. "You go, I don't want you getting hurt."
    "but, but.." She dropped her head. "........alright."
    Raziel picked her chin up with a claw..."Your all I have in this world. You and the kids. I would never leave you, even in death."
Kallin nodded, tears flowing down her cheeks, as flung her arms around his neck.
"I love you.." He whispered..

    "I wanna go home!" Reanna wailed.
    "Reanna, shut up." Tynan hissed.  The two children had been tied together back to back; their arms tied together behind them, and were now sitting on the cold floor of the Sarafan tomb. Tynan's gaze was directed to the creature that sat on one of the empty crypts. It was almost a full 8 feet tall and looked more like a hairless, tailless wolf with large ears, than anything else. The creature gazed back at Tynan, showing no emotion whatsoever.
    "Now, now, that's no way to talk to your sister young man." Kain laughed ducking his head under the doorway of the tomb as he entered.
    "Let us go you big jerk!" Reanna yelled at him.
    "I told you...shut up." Tynan jerked forward taking Reanna with him.
    "Ow!"
    "Come now, I'm not that bad once you get to know me." He grinned.
    Reanna promptly spat in his face, wriggling in her bonds attempting to get her pocketknife from its safe spot in her shirtsleeve into her hands.
    Kain wiped his face with the back of his hand and flung what he had collected into the corner of the room. "Your tune will change once I be rid myself of your.... babysitter..."
    "Daddy...?" Reanna's eyes grew wide. "You leave him along you big bully!" Reanna wriggled her arms around, trying to saw through the rope with the small pocketknife. Almost got it.
    "Ah, I suppose then he hasn't told you the truth about our little arrangement then..."
    "What arrangement?" She needed to keep him talking until she could get the fibers apart.
    He laughed. "Well all in due time I suppose." He knelt down in front of her, putting a clawed hand under her chin and lifted her head to look into her eyes.
    Reanna pulled her head back from Kain's fingers and bite him quite hard on the hand.
    "Why you little b.." Kain snarled as Reanna snapped the ropes around her that tied her to her brother and ran as fast as she could from the tomb. "After her you lackey or I'll have YOU thrown into the abyss with Raziel!"
    ".......Asssss you wisssh..." Turel jumped from his sitting position on the crypt and ran after her on all fours, growling.
    "I'll get help!" was the only thing Reanna could get out before she disappeared down the hall, leaving her brother with Kain. Tynan simply reverted his gaze from where Turel sat, to the corner of the crypt and stared out into nothing.

    Gotta make it just a little further. she thought. Get to the warp gate. "Come 'n get me ugly!" She yelled back at the pursuing Turel. She sprinted as quickly as she could to the gates of the tomb and squeezed through. That should slow him down a bit, now to get up there. She grabbed a hold of the mountain and began climbing, as Turel slammed into the gate with a clang and a loud throaty snarl.
    Quickly she made her way up the mountain. It wasn't an easy task, the mountainside was steep and slippery, but she managed to pull herself up to the warp gate ledge just as Turel bent the bars of the gate and jumped through. She ran to the end of the hallway and activated the warp gate. Where to go, where to go....ah bloody hell, this one's good enough! Without thinking she opened the gate to a random glyph and ran through just as Turel jumped to the ledge and ran inside. The last thing he saw before the gate shut itself off was the little girl run through and disappear.  He growled to himself, there was no way of knowing which area she had stepped through, she could have gone anywhere....Kain was going to have a few choice words with him when he returned..  He turned and walked defeated back to the tomb of Sarafan.

    Reanna lunged through the warp gate and hit the ground with a loud thump, rolling onto her back and panting heavily. Safe... She opened her eyes to look up, then blinked suddenly. There was that marking on the wall in front of her, it was familiar to her in some way from this upside down position on the ground....That's it...She picked herself off the floor and examined the glyph. No wonder! She ran a hand along the wall. That's the same marking that daddy wears.
    It was true. The white symbol on the cowl Raziel wore, only this one was upside down.
    Was daddy a clan leader? She thought to herself. Then I'm in his clan territory! Maybe he's around here now. She walked down the rest of the hallway of the warp room and opened the door looking about.

    Raziel cursed at himself loudly in the open area of the Sanctuary of the Clans. How could have he been so stupid!? He had escorted Kallin home to wait there for him and the kids, but now what was he to do? Somewhere in Nosgoth's interior Kain was waiting for him with his kids, and who knew if they were even still alive...He paced back and forth.
    Raziel....  The voice wasn't deep and sounded pained....
    "Lady Ariel?" Raziel stopped to look around as the ghostly figure of the woman appeared in front of him. "What do I owe the honor? I thought you had returned to the Spectral Realm?"
    My task is far from finished here young one, until the day Kain dies I am forever bound to these pillars…  her voice was pained and fretful. But, I have news for you that you should hear.  Somewhere in your ruined city is you daughter. She looks for you now and you must hurry, Zephon's children lurk in your territory.
    Raziel nodded, and then ran from the Sanctuary. "Thank you." He yelled back. Ariel disappeared. He hadn't expected an answer.
    Reanna looked around the courtyard. A fire still burned in one of the piles of ash under the clan symbol of Raziel's.  She leaned against the wall and warmed her hands in the fires warmth with a sigh. All she wanted to do was go home.
    "Reanna?"
    She lifted her head and looked across the courtyard, had it been her imagination? She certainly didn't see him anywhere nearby. "Daddy...?" She pushed off the wall and walked down the stairs into the courtyard. "Daddy?!"
    "Reanna?"
    "Daddy! I'm here!" She ran across the open area, and stopped dead in her tracks. A large white and black creature with spidery legs and arms stood in front of her, its teeth chattering as drool oozed from its mouth.
    Reanna yelled ...loudly.

    Raziel had turned the corner of the hall to see the Zephonim vampire leap in front of his daughter. He crouched down and peered around the corner...this was going to take some tactic. Quietly he snuck from the wall and behind the vampire as the Soul Reaver appeared on his arm. He swung the blade at the creature and sliced it across the back.
    "Reanna! RUN!" The Zephonim vampire howled and turned, taking a swing towards Raziel's stomach as Raziel leapt back and laughed. "Is that all you got ugly?" He swung the blade down and then quickly up, impaling the creature on the end of the Soul Reaver as the vampire gurgled a death cry and fell limp.
    Raziel gave a small smirk of satisfaction and let the thing drop to the ground, quickly feeding on the wandering soul. How he still hated to do that, but it was worse than the alternative he supposed...
    He tossed his hair from his face and walked off to find his daughter.... again.

    She didn't have to be told twice, Reanna had bolted from the courtyard and back to the warp gate room slamming and locking the door behind her. She briefly wondered if she should have helped, then thought better of it. He could take care of himself, she was sure.
    Footsteps... yes that's what it was.  She stood from her crouched position and grabbed a small piece of metal she found laying on the floor in front of her. Whatever it was was outside of the door now.
    "Reanna?"
    "Daddy?"
    The voice sighed deeply. "Are you alright in there?"
    She walked to the door, hesitating slightly before she unlocked it, peering out. "DADDY!" She grinned and hopped up into his arms hugging him tightly around the neck.
    "Praise the gods your alive!" Raziel choked, tears stinging his eyes.
    "I escaped from that meanie Turel!" Reanna said into his shoulder crying. "I don't know what's wrong with Tynan though."
    Raziel blinked slightly, pulling her from his neck and looked at her. "H...what? Where's your brother?"
    "He was with Kain...I couldn't get him out. He scares me Daddy! He's like a totally different person!"
    "Your brother?"
    Reanna nodded. "...yeah..."
    Raziel grew angry, then pushed the feelings aside and let Reanna stand, clenching his fists. "Damn..."
    Noting Raziel's growing temper Reanna took a step back and gulped.
    "Reanna, your going to have to go home, your mother is very worried about you." Raziel had calmed himself and now spoke with a normal voice.
    "But I wanna help get Tynan back!" She protested.
    Raziel looked down at his daughter and frowned. Reanna nodded her head in agreement. "Alright.. I'll go.."
    "Come with me, I'll make sure you get back safely." He picked her up and set her on his shoulders, walking towards the clan warp gate.
    "You never told me you were a clan leader Daddy." Reanna pointed to the white streak on his cowl, then at the glyph on the wall in front of her.
    Raziel nodded slightly, activating the warp gate. "Perhaps when this is all over I'll tell you about it."

    He was glad no one was around the area to see him pacing around in front of the warp gate of the Lake of the Dead. No one apparently had been here since he first opened the link to it.
    I've got to go in...but...  His thoughts wandered to Tynan, afraid what he might find once he stepped through the gate. Reanna had said Tynan somehow had changed, Kain and Turel lurked on the other side of the gate and he was beginning to have one massive headache...It was to much for him....  I liked it better when I ran solo... He shook his head, that was ridiculous, he had a family and children, it was more than he could ask! But....
    Snarling, Raziel hit the warp gate activating it, and stepped through to the Sarafan tomb.

    "He'sss herrre..." Turel snarled, looking down the hall of the tomb.
    Kain nodded with a chuckle. "Ah, now the fun begins."
    Turel gave a snort of distain. How he hated to work for such a de-evolved creature such as Kain. Turel was much higher on the evolution scale than Kain was...Kain should be bowing to ME.... He slinked into position against the wall closest to the door and disappeared as Kain disappeared with Tynan.

    The soft padding notice of Raziel's boots echoed down the stone corridor. No sense in making a quiet entrance, bet they know I'm already here...
    Raziel entered the door to the tomb looking around...it was empty. "DAMN!" He reached over to the wall and gave it a heavy blow with his fist. To late...he would have to return to the warp gate and think over his plan. He headed back to the door.
    "Going ssssomewherrrre...............brother?"
    Raziel arched a brow, the Soul Reaver making its eerie glow in the large room as he stopped and turned quickly to look behind him as a large clawed fist hit him squarely in the face. ...Raziel fell limp to the ground and was picked up and dragged by the legs out of the tomb by a smirking Turel ....Screw Kain, he can go suck rotten fruit for all I care... I have a few plans for you first....
    "UuuUUhh..." The moan echoed against cold stone. "Nrg! Where in the hell am I?" Raziel thought out loud, rubbing the back of his head. Rolling onto his back, he propped himself up with his elbow. Nothing broken at least....
    "Well, well, look who finally came back to the land of the living....so to sssspeak." The voice was deep and throaty and there was a heavy topped sarcastic tone to it as well. 
    Raziel didn't need to turn to see whose voice it was. "Turel, you've been waiting a while for this moment haven't you? Tell me, do you take pleasure knowing that Kain will kill you once he learns that you have me here?" He almost chuckled.  "I'm sure this isn't the end he attended for me." That's assuming I actually CAN die....
    He turned to see Turel sitting atop a large boulder, lying on his side, propped up on one arm.
    Turel's features grew sobered. "You should take pleasure in knowing that I had given you a few extra moments of life." He laughed. Sitting up, he waved a hand at his surroundings at a drooling pack of Turelim vampires that sat perched like vultures around the two. "However, that time is spent."  He looked back at Raziel and grinned a large toothy grin as he noticed Raziel's attempt of escape to the spectral plane. "Oh, and I wouldn't try that if I were you, you see; I've managed to make your powers null and void from here on in."
    Raziel glared, half in shock and half in disbelief, at Turel as he noticed the Soul Reaver also had been taken from him.
    With a snap of Turel's claws the Turelim vampires attacked…..

    Raziel would have snarled if he had had the strength to. He mentally cursed himself, Kain and his brother for what was happening to him. He had neither the strength nor the will to get up. Turel had broken that when he set the large Turelim vampires upon him. Raziel had fought and fought hard....
    Raziel had still lost... He could still hear the snarls and felt the fangs that sank deep into his arms and legs, the darkness that came just before he passed, and the horrible sound of Turel's laughter around him.... Is this what has become of me, relying on magic and not my head to get me through? My god I was so stupid...
    He managed, with a loud painful cry, to roll onto his stomach and opened his eyes as he woke injuries he didn't know he had. He tried to ignore them best he could while the vampiric ability to heal worked its magic. He wondered, for a brief second, if Turel had sucked that magic from him as well.
    He looked around. It was totally dark except for an eerie glow of yellow light from somewhere in the room. He slowly stood, first on his hands and knees, then realized what was amiss.  Both his arms and legs had been bound in chains, probably attached to the opposite wall. Raising his arm he tugged on the chain, but to no avail.  He was to weak to pull the chains from the wall and the shackles around his wrists were almost so tight it hurt.
    He leaned his shoulder against the wall and attempted to tug on the shackles that were wrapped around his gauntlet boots, they too were securely fastened around his legs.
    Damn… Taking a hold of his foot he attempted to, perhaps, slip the boots off then thought better of it. He couldn't unbuckle them while the shackles held the boots together on his legs and even if he could get his foot through them, he still had the shackles around his wrists to attend to, and they weren't going anywhere any time soon.
    Raziel stumped to his knees and hung his head, his hair falling around his face, then leaned against the wall he knocked the back of his head against it a few times, producing a loud echo.
    Pulling his legs to his chest he wrapped his arms around them and leaned his forehead on his knees, closing his eyes tightly shut.  If he had wanted to he probably could have cried.  He was so unprepared for this. All his training and advice from both the Elder and Ariel and look how far it had gotten him.
    Magic-less and powerless Raziel closed his eye and drifted into a sleepless daze of mixed emotions and pain.
    He was utterly, totally alone....

    Kallin lifted her head suddenly from the dagger she had been sharpening and looked to the window of the small cabin she and Reanna shared and listened.
    "Mommy?" Reanna stopped her playing with a large broad sword she could barely lift, and looked to her mother.
    Kallin looked down into her daughter's worried eyes and shook her head. "It's alright hon, I just thought I heard something."
    "Daddy's in trouble isn't he?" Her voice held a heavy tone of worry.
"I'm not sure." She said honestly looking down, with a frown, at her reflection in the dagger she held. "I'm really not sure.."

    Sleeping sitting up, his back against the wall, Raziel woke with a startled cry of pain. Something was biting his foot. He kicked at it and was returned with a squeak of pain, as a small rat hit the opposite wall and lay still on the ground.
    His upper lip curled in disgust. A clan leader of highest blood now lived in a dark room with rats.  Raziel almost chuckled at this. How was this different from when he was a clan leader?
    He winced, the Turelim vampires must have broken a few ribs during the battle. But why weren't they healing? The pain was almost too much to handle and Raziel slumped again against the wall looking up at the ceiling. If only he could think of something- ANYTHING - that would get him out of here and far, far away from Nosgoth's clan territory. He didn't even know where here was.
    He stood carefully and paced, flexing his claws a few times waking forgotten pains in his arm and shoulder, then tugged on the chains again in annoyance. Finally, he gave up and ran a claw over the walls around him. Ah, there it is. Just as he had guessed, there was a door on the opposite wall he was chained to, but the chains prevented him from getting any closer to it than to run his claws over it. Raziel arched his neck to look through the tiny barred window in the door seeing a low burning torch somewhere further down, but nothing else of interest. If he had the force projectile magic or the Soul Reaver Raziel could have easily blow the door apart. But, Turel had somehow sealed off his magic and it didn't look like it would be returning soon either.
    And without it, Raziel felt less than whole.
    "Blood hell!" Raziel yelled loudly and angrily into the empty room.  Now what? If only he knew where he was. Nosgoth had many secret paths and underworlds hidden in the most obvious places, if one knew what they were looking for. There's little hope in finding out where I am, if I'm inside this…cell. Angrily he kicked his leg out in front of him, the chain pulling taunt. He took a deep breath and let it out quickly, leaning his back against the wall for support just as the room began spinning, he mumbled weakly into the dark emptiness of the room, just before he passed out and fell to the ground… "Kallin…"

    Kallin lifted her head once more to the window and felt a sudden shiver run down her spine as if someone was trying to call to her. "Reanna, hon, would you go make us some tea please?"
    "Sure mommy." Reanna hopped up from her place on the floor and skipped into the kitchen.
    Kallin stood from her chair and walked to the front door and opened it.  It was a rather gray outside, the leaves were beginning to dry and fall to the ground as telltale signs of winter slowly approached closer.
    "I know you're here and I know your watching me!" She yelled into the forest, her dagger in her hands. "Show yourself!"
    There was no reply, but something tugged at her mind as if there was something someone was wanting her to do. She had to return to the Sanctuary of the Clans….Raziel needed her.
    "Hello?" She asked lightly, then, attempting to reach into her mind as Raziel had told her she asked. Who's there? What do you want?
    I am just someone who seeks what both you and your husband want…..rest… Go to him now… he needs you.
    Without thinking Kallin sheathed her dagger, walked into the forest and disappeared just as Reanna was walking back from the kitchen with two steaming cups of Rose tea.
    "Mommy?" Reanna said worried, looking around the room.  Finally, she sighed.  She hadn't expected her mother to wait any longer for Raziel's return.  Sitting on the floor in front of her mother's chair, she sipped her tea in silence.

    It had been the fourth time he woke with a start. He was laying on his back now, his arms outstretched, staring up at the ceiling thinking. His back hurt, his legs hurt and his shoulders still hurt, even his pride was badly damaged. This is insane, I should be up and walking around by now. Why the hell did Turel do to me? He hadn't even tried to move since he woke, from his small pain induced coma, hours ago. The pain was lessening gradually, but it still hurt to do anything but sit and wait. 
And he had no idea what he was waiting for….

    Kallin could feel it from the time she set foot on Nosgoth's clan territory. It called to her like the call of the wild called to migrating birds. Something touched the edges of her mind, leading her the safest ways deep in the heart of Nosgoth's realm, and finding her way here, after passing through the warp gate, was almost like finding her way through the kitchen. She didn't ask how or why this someone was leading her here, but somehow she knew it was on her side.  
Looking up to the top of the Citadel and at the massiveness of the stone pillars, she wondered whether she was being lead in the right direction or not.  She looked towards the entrance and saw the two humans standing guard at the front gates. This is going to be a trick…
    She stepped out from behind the wall and walked towards the guards.  She was dressed simply and by the looks on the guard's faces, almost to nicely.  That had given her the opportunity to simply walk passed them like she belonged there.

    Raziel looked up from the floor in a daze, almost not knowing what was going on. Then he heard it, like something thumping on the wooden door in front of him.  He rolled over to his side and winced, looking at the door. Someone on the other side held the torch towards the window, but was still not tall enough to look in.
    Weakly he stood and ambled to it. Some of his strength had returned and, after hearing the thumping, his sense of hope was returning as well.
    "Hello?" He asked to the other side, leaning his ear as closely to the wall as he could. He couldn't sense Turel or Kain on the other side of the door; but then again, with his magic gone, he could barely trust any of his senses now.
The response was muffled through the wood of the door, but he knew who it was on the other side.

    She made her way down the streets of the human Citadel and into the heart of the city unnoticed, and only a handful of people had given her strange stares. Turning a sharp corner and down some flights of stairs she grabbed a torch from the wall and looked around. It was damp and dark except for the torchlight she held. This was the prisoner barracks, apparently not used in many years, and somewhere inside was her husband. 
    "Raziel?" She yelled into the empty area as she made her way cautiously down the hall of empty cells. Was it just a stupid dream that led me here? "Raziel!?"
    No answer…She kept walking father down the hall, it had been abandoned almost 2000 years now, but Kallin still knew her way around down here. She smiled faintly, the darkness felt almost comforting.  Then she came upon something that caught her eye. One of the cells had been locked tightly, and by the looks of it rather recently too.
    Kallin tapped on the door a few times in several different places.  "Raziel?" Finally after a few attempts, she heard a response, and the sound of chains being rattled around.
    "Hello?"
    "Raziel!" Kallin's eyes filled with tears, the voice was weak and muffled on the other side, but it was him! "How do I get you out of there?"
    "I don't honestly know where it is I am…"
    "The prisoner barracks in the human Citadel."
    Raziel almost kicked himself for being so foolishly stupid as not to think of that. After all the time he had spent with Kallin so many years ago, he never had given it a thought.
    "Are you alright in there? What happened?"
    "I'll tell you later, get me out of here."
    Kallin looked around the empty cells, and then turned back to eyeing the locked door.  "I'm guessing you don't have any lock picks?"
    "…. That's…. a rather dumb question…" Raziel mumbled to himself.
Kallin didn't appear to hear him as she stuck the torch into the soft rocky floor, took her dagger from her belt and began hacking at the wood around the lock.
    After about a long amount of work-what Raziel felt as hours- and after giving the door a few large kicks from Kallin, the lock gave way and fell to the ground with a loud clang. Kallin flung open the door and ran to her husband, hugged him tightly. Raziel gave a little gasp of pain and she stepped back from him.
    "My gods, what happened to you? You could've blown that wall sky high!" Concern and worry filled her words.
    "I'll tell you later." He repeated. It was all he could manage. Then, "Don't suppose you could do anything about these now could you?" He asked raising his claws up showing the shackles around his wrists.
    "Oh dear.." She said thoughtfully stroking her chin as her eyes fell upon the torch. "We could melt the chains if the fires warm enough."
    "And cook me in the process." Raziel mumbled.
    "Well, I don't see you coming up with anything better." She frowned putting one hand on her hip and after a moment answered. "Actually, if you heated the chains, they might weaken enough to pull the links apart."
    "Would the fire be warm enough?" He asked.
    Kallin shrugged, "I don't see you thinking of anything better."
    "Sounds good enough to me." Raziel sighed. Kallin picked the torch off the ground and held it under the chains Raziel held up.

    With a grunt, Raziel and Kallin slowly pulled two links apart as they broke and fell from the wall.
    He stood panting heavily, leaning against the wall as Kallin took the torch in her hands again.
    "Come on, we have to get out of here before someone sees us." He said, standing wobbly.
    "Like who? The rats could care less about us." Kallin replied smugly.
    "I meant the humans."
    Kallin nodded, obviously not lightening the mood. "…I know."
    Raziel took a few steps forward and nearly tripped over his own two feet. Kallin caught him halfway and helped him stand and leaned against her all the way back to the stairs, giving little gasps of pain every now and again, but he said nothing much else.  When they reached the stairway, he sat on the steps and took a moment to catch his breath.
"I've got to get these off." Raziel said after a moment, eyeing the shackles that were still clamped tightly to his wrists and ankles.
    "We'll have to see what we can find when we get out of here." She waiting for a moment then knelt down beside him, putting a hand on his shaking shoulders. "You've been gone almost two weeks."
    "I was gone that long?" He hung his head, slouched over and rested his arms on his knees.
    She nodded sitting next to him. "We were getting worried… and …." She paused. "I think that Ariel woman guided me here." Many times he had told her of the trapped soul in the Sanctuary of the Clans. She couldn't understand how or why at the time, but she did now. They had more than one ally fighting against Kain's evil.
    Raziel nodded. "She's always been sort of a guardian angel I guess."
    "But, what happened to ….?" She pointed to his arm noting the Soul Reaver's obvious lack of being. Even when he hid the Reaver from view, she had always felt its presents. It was part of who Raziel was. Now, there was nothing.
    "Turel somehow managed to block it and my magic." He replied looking down at his claws. "And it appears both my strength and healing abilities are gone too."
    "That would explain why you're in such bad shape."
    Silence stretched on.
"We should get out of here…" He finally said after a few moments.
Nodding she stood and began to help him up as he declined. "I'm fine…"
"No, your not." Raziel didn't even argue when she put his arm over her shoulder and her arm under his.  "Do you think they'll notice us walking through their streets? I mean.. should I put some cloaking spells?"
    Raziel shrugged. "They've never seemed to care before, and if they did they usually just ran." He mumbled, still disgusted from the memory of six years ago when he walked through the streets the first time.
    Kallin nodded, silently hobbling out into the streets with her husband leaning against her. "You were wrong you know." She finally said as they made they're way slowly up the stairs.
    "About what?" Raziel flinched stumbling slightly.
    "You said before that it was you destiny to destroy Kain." She smiled. "Well, it's our destiny to do it together."
    He simply gave a small grunt agreeing with her.. something tugging on his mind.
"There he is! There's the monster!"
    Raziel turned around to look behind him. Someone had shouted from a high window and people were now beginning to point and stare as a crowd of people began making a big circle around the two. Raziel turned his eyes to the crowd and gazed around them. "This could get ugly.." Kallin just nodded.
"We don't want your kind here vampire!" Someone shouted.
    "Go back to the underworld you crawled out of!" Someone else yelled throwing a rock towards Raziel and Kallin.
    "Take this message to your slimy, master Kain, you filth;" The leader announced waving a hand to everyone around him. "If he ever comes into this city again, we'll burn his city to ruins!"
Raziel growled as the crowd clapped and cheered. After all he had done for these people and they treated him like a common dog.
    "I hate to disappoint you, but the city is in ruins if you haven't taken notice to it." Kallin said levelheaded.
    "Ah! The demon's whore speaks! Tell me, how much is this one paying you?"
    It was Kallin's turn to get angry.  Letting Raziel stand alone, she stomped over to the crowd leader, and glared at him face to face. "I suggest you hold your tongue before I rip it out and force feed it up your…"
    "Kallin…?"
    She turned to meet Raziel's gaze and knew what his expression held, her anger faded. There had been to many battles in the past with the humans, there had to be a time where both their sides gave in. Raziel also knew that if the crowd was going to get violent, neither of them were in any condition to fight.
    Turning back to the crowd leader, who still stood dumb at Kallin's sudden outburst, she looked him over, then addressed the crowd. "You should be thanking him for what he has done against Kain. Instead your to blind to notice the difference in the heart rather than in the appearance and his past."
    "HA! Appearance means nothing to me, and what could this creature do to help us? He's spent most of his afterlife fighting alongside Kain."
"He's trying to save your city from Kain." Kallin argued.
Everyone in the crowd laughed.
"He's still one of Kain's creations!" The leader snarled at her pointing an accusing finger at Raziel. "He's one of Kain's clan leaders!"
    "…Not anymore…" 
It took the crowd by surprised as most had forgotten he was there. Raziel, lifted his gaze slowly to stare straight at the crowd's leader. Kallin noted with amazement that, dispite the fact that Raziel was in pain beyond compare, he somehow managed to stand on his own, and as proudly as he could.  The people around him began to mumble silently.  "I stand to fight against Kain… and you," He pointed a clawed finger at the leader in front of him. "You, sir are standing in my wife's way."

    As soon as they were out of the city and passed through the warp gate to his clan territory, Raziel collapsed into a corner and gave a big sigh of relief. He had declined any help from Kallin to help him walk after his outburst against the humans, and now he was just plain tired.
    Kallin sat next to him and leaned against his shoulder.  He was glad the human's hadn't stood against the two of them and simply let them pass. Either they were scared to see him speak, or were shocked he, Kain's first born, was now standing against him, he didn't care. The crowd had parted and let them leave.
    Raziel smiled to himself.
    "I love you." Kallin said sleepily against his shoulder.
    "And I you."
    Raziel winced slightly as he suddenly felt something wasn't right inside of him and he gave a small cry of pain as he felt the broken ribs slide back into place and heal. Whatever had triggered it, he didn't ask, but he was whole again.
    "Raziel?" Kallin's voice was worried again.
Raziel let out a deep sigh of relief and looked into her worried eyes with a smile, then stood flexing muscles he hadn't used in weeks. "I'm fine." He turned to give her a hand up as the Soul Reaver made its presence known. Taking hold of the shackles around his wrists and ankles he pulled them off with a snap as if they were made of paper.  Raziel grinned. "Let's go."
    Kallin didn't have to ask where they were going….

    Neither Kallin nor Raziel gave a second thought to why Raziel's magic had returned to him, lest they jinx it. But, they both secretly thanked whatever god or goddess that might be listening, and walked out of the warp room towards the Sanctuary of the Clans.
Sneaking into the Sanctuary wasn't a tough job, nor did they actually make it a point to sneak in.  Raziel smashed the door in with a hard blow of his foot as it cracked and gave way and they walked in.
    "Ah, there you are Raziel. I must say I was beginning to worry."
    "I bet you were." He mumbled. "Where's Tynan you hypocrite?"
    Kain laughed sitting straight in his chair, ignoring the question. "Well, after I had heard of what Turel had done-against my will I might add-" He added with a harsh snarl. "I was hoping he had left some for me. Although I am glad in some aspects… It's given me more time to plan on how I will destroy you."
"Given you more time to live you mean."
Kain laughed, "Don't be simple… I've always been ready for whatever you have had planned for me."
    "I'm right here now then." Raziel swung his arms wide. "Let's go."
    Kain stood taking sword in hand. Again the two charged each other, Reaver hitting metal, neither side taking any notice to their surroundings, but both sides wanting revenge. Kallin stood watching as the two dueled it out, if she could get a chance to fight she would, but Raziel wasn't giving her may chances. Finally, after a while, Kain grinned and disappeared from view.
    "Raziel!" Kallin screamed trying to reach for her dagger.
    "Follow the leader my boy!" He snarled and disappeared again, Kallin with him.
    Damn it! Raziel disappeared down the hall of the Sanctuary and out to the Lake of the Dead. He had played this game before when he was a clan leader; it was one of their daily routines he and his brothers had done for fun.
Kain stood with Kallin in his grasp as Raziel walked across the bridge to the landmass in the center of the Lake.
    "Let her go Kain, this fight is between the two of us, leave her our of it."
    "But, that's no fun." He sounded hurt as he looked behind him to the Abyss. "What's say we make this interesting?" He grabbed Kallin by the wrists and held her over the edge of the cliff. "Do you think the Elder will bring her back to you in a form similar to yours?"
    "NO!" Raziel yelled running forward.
    Kain laughed and half tossed, half dropped her into the lake. Raziel rushed forward, passed Kain, and jumped towards the lake.  Kallin grabbed Raziel around the waist and held tight, as he grabbed the end of his wings and glided towards the edge of the mountain cliff, letting go of the ends just as he reached the side and jabbed his claws into the soft rock.
    "Nicely done Raziel!" Kain laughed from the side of the island. "I applaud your tactics, I don't think anyone could have done it better!"
    "Shut up you bastard!" Raziel yelled, slowly making his way up the mountainside. "I've had enough of your pathetic, overdone speeches and references to the past!" Raziel was rambling and he was pissed.
    Kain snarled from his vantage point. "Fine then! I was going to give you a little bit of fun before sending you to the other realm for good, but since you seem to want to get it over with quicker…" He raised his hands, dark purple balls of energy began building in his claws.
    "He's going to throw some kind of spell at us." Kallin cried looking from Kain to Raziel. Raziel's mind was reeling. The only thing he knew could escape the blast of power was to shift into the Spectral Realm, but he had no idea if Kallin could follow with him.
    "Hang on to me, and if this doesn't work…" He cut off his words, hoping that if he didn't speak the words out load it wouldn't come true.
    "Hurry!"
    Kain let his magic fly towards them as Raziel pushed off the mountainside and shifted just as the space he had occupied burst into small bits of rock.
It was like the sensation of being dropped from a windy area into stillness. Nothing moved, all was barren and still.
Hitting the ground on all fours, Raziel let Kallin stand and then stood himself, the bones in his legs and feet he had smashed falling from the side of the mountain healed quickly and painlessly.
    "Where are we?" Kallin asked in wonder looking around them. They stood in about two feet of water, only, the water wasn't there, but it was moving. She walked around trying to feel the water…. was she going insane?
    "Welcome to the Spectral Realm." Raziel mumbled. "Although I didn't know you could shift with me… I thought I could have shown you this place under more…agreeable circumstances."
    "So you were following total blind faith?"
Raziel nodded slightly… Kallin still eyed the lake in awe. "This place is…amazing."
    Raziel gave a shrug, for him it was a common place, but it was her first time here. "We should hurry." He said looking up where Kain had once stood. "He's gone back to the Sanctuary."
    Kallin nodded. "This time," She mumbled. "I'm standing against a wall."
    Raziel couldn't help but chuckle slightly at that. Kallin glared at him…

    They reappeared right in front of Kain and Raziel swung the Reaver at his face. Kain's face showed no signs of surprise, and blurred out for a moment, then reappeared standing on his throne under the pillar of Balance.
    "It's about time you got back here." His blade was in his hands again.
    "Let's get this over with…" Raziel mumbled, Soul Reaver held high. "Touch her again and I'll make sure Turel finds nothing more of you than I did of my clan."
    Kain nodded slowly a smirk on his face. "Sounds like a fair trade I suppose."
    Raziel snarled and charged forward.

    Kallin watched in awe as the two combatants dueled. Both seemed equally matched strength and skill.
Then, something caught her eye. A shadow of some kind was watching the three from the balcony above.  Kallin turned to head to look, but saw nothing, the shadow was gone as well.  She thought for a moment looking for a way up to the balcony and saw the rubble of boulders against the far wall. Quickly she made her way up the rubble and  to the balcony above. My gods it's a long way down.  Looking down she saw Kain and Raziel, still engaged in battle, throwing insults at each other as well.
    Someone was laughing. Not behind her where the two battled, but beyond the doors in front of her. Pushing the door opened she peered inside and gasped the words silently. Turel.
"That fool Kain is to blinded by rage to notice what a superior being I've become." He gloated. "I could easy pick him off with a flick of a claw!"
    "Do what you want, I don't care anymore." It was Tynan.
    Turel laughed. "Don't be so foolish boy, you know the black magic runs through you, just as it does Kain." He chuckled privatly to himself. "And myself."
    Tynan didn't respond.
    "Fight it all you want, once Kain and Raziel die by each others hands you will join me. Your half black heart is all I need to rule Nosgoth."
She couldn't take it anymore. Unsheathing her dagger from her belt Kallin flung the door wide. "Not as long as I live and breathe." She hissed the words.
    Turel, turning to see her standing in the doorway, simply gave a chuckle and replied. "Well, we'll have to take care of that first then wont we?"
    Kallin stepped back from the doorway and let Turel stand on the balcony with her. He hissed a threat just before lunging towards her.  Instinctively Kallin fell onto her back, and as Turel leaped at her, she lifted her feet to meet him in mid-jump, and pushing him up over her, tossed him onto the ground below.
    "Raziel! Look out!"
    Taking both Kain and Raziel off guard, Raziel lifted his head to see Turel flying threw the air towards the both of them. Quickly he lept out of the way and rolled across the floor to safety.
    Kain wasn't so lucky….. Having his back to the balcony above he had only a second before Turel smashed into him as the both of them slid across the floor into the wall. "DAMN IT, GET OFF ME YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING, STUPID, SONOFA-!" Kain squirmed helplessly under the weight of the unconscious Turel.
    Raziel chuckled to himself, it was an interesting sight to see.. Kain wiggling helplessly for a change. "It ends now Kain." He spoke, taking the Reaver high above his head. The Soul Reaver sparked a bright shade of orange as he readied to strike.
    Kain laughed, "Indeed it does boy," He blurred from under Turel and disapeared.
    "Of all the gods of the underworld!" Raziel swore, "When will this all end?" Then he heard the deep throated chuckling of his brother.. Turel stood slowly as Raziel lifted his head and jumped back onto his feet, the Soul Reaver ready for whatever Turel had planned. This day will never end will it? Turel looked down at Raziel with a chuckle. "Perhaps someday you and I will meet again little one, but... Until then," He bowed and disappeared. "Watch your back my brother."
    Raziel didn't know whether that was a threat or a general parting... but right now, he didn't care. "Kallin?"
    "Raziel, you'd better come quickly!"
    Quickly climbing his way up the wall into the room beyond the balcony he was greeted with the glaring eyes of Tynan. Kallin stood beside him; her face was set in stone.
    "You lied to me!" Tynan accused Raziel. Tears filled his eyes. "Your not my father!"
    "W..what?" It had caught him off guard.
    "Did you think Reanna and I were that stupid we couldn't figure it out?!"
    "I was going to tell you when.." Raziel leaned down on one knee and spoke.
    "When what? When we were being held captive by Kain and forced to be his children? Did you think we couldn't figure it out? Why couldn't you have just told us to begin with instead of telling us lies!?"
    "I NEVER told the two of you lies!" Raziel, despite his growing anger towards both himself and Kain, kept his tone relatively calm. "Kain may have had part in it, but you will- and always will- be my children."
    Tears ran down the sides of Tynan's face now and he ran to Raziel and hugged him around the neck.
    Kallin and Raziel smiled at each other.
    "Let's go home." Kallin spoke after Raziel and Tynan had made peace again. Raziel couldn't agree more as the three of them walked back into the Sanctuary.
    "I don't see that happening any time soon I'm afraid." It was Kain and he was leaning up against the pillar of Ballance.. his arms crosed over his chest.
    "What will it take for you to either die or leave us be?" Raziel mumbled with a sigh and a calm voice.
    Kain chuckled unfolding his arms and spreading his clawed-hands wide. Raziel felt his body go stiff.. he couldn't move a mussle, his head was pounding as if someone where squeezing him like a melon. "I'm afraid it will take a lot more than what you have." With that Kain and Raziel disapeared from the pillars, leaving Kallin and Tynan alone.

    "Raziel!" Kallin cried gripping for her husband as his form blurred and dissapeared. Her hand went through him, she nearly toppled over.
    They have gone where you cannot I'm afraid
    Kallin looked around the room as the ghostly figure of Ariel formed infront of the pillars. "You.. your the one that led me here wasn't it?"
    Ariel's head nodded. You must prevent him from entering the chronoplast. If he is lured into Nosgoth's past he will never return to you.
    Kallin shook her head as Tynan hid shyly behind his mother, "I don't understand."
    Ariel shook her head, There are events that will happen in the past that cannot be reversed; people will die.. Janos Audron, Moebius, Kain, and Raziel.. two will be risen from the grave, but only one will live in the end. Raziel WILL die in the past if you do not stop him from entering the chronoplast.
    Kallin began to shake as the reality of Ariel's words flooded into her head. She had to get to him and fast.     With what little magic I have I can send you there.
    Apparently Ariel had the same idea as Kallin did. Kallin nodded, "And what about Tynan?"
    I will send him home with his sister... you must hurry... he is in grave danger. With that Ariel waved her arms around in a complete circle as Kallin began to feel light headed. As quickly as she could blink she stood infront of Dumah's stronghold. As fast as her legs could carry her she ran towards the Oracal's cave praying to any god that would listen that she wasn't to late.

    Had he one, Raziel would have been sick to his stomach, he felt light headed and queazy. Kain stood smuggly across the courtyard outside of Dumah and Turel's clan territory. "So, this is where we end it then? Outside my brother's clan area? I would have thought it would be more dramatic beside the pillars. It's where all this started, shouldn't it be where all of it ends?"
    Kain snorted, "End? My boy, this tale has hardly begun." With that he walked into the enterence of the cave with a blur and dissapeared.
    "Dammit you! Come out here and fight me you balless bastard!" Raziel shouted with much emphasis on 'bastard'.
    "Raziel!"
    Raziel wipped around to see Kallin running towards him. She was panting and looked half sick with worry. "Kaly? What is it?"
She ran towards him flinging her arms around him, "I don't want you to go in there! I wont let you die." She was panting, crying, and shaking at the same time.
    He ran a clawed hand through her hair, "I have to, you know that... It ends today..I will come out I promise you.. I vowed my eternity to you and I will keep that promise."
    Kallin shook her head. "Ariel.. she told me you wouldn't come out.. she knows things Raziel, and it worries me! I know its true! Please don't go in there! Let him go!"
    "I'm going in whether you support me or not Kal." She clutched his arms as tightly as she could.
    "I wont.. let you." She mumbled.. but she knew he had made up his mind. Raziel tugged free of her grip and walked into the enterance of the Oricals Cave. As he did the door slammed tightly behind him. He heard Kallin on the other side slamming her fists in the door crying for him to come out. Summoning the reaver to him, he walked off into the caves. Into what he didn't know, but somewhere at the end was Kain. He was waiting for him... and Raziel was ready for whatever Kain had planned for him....

    Then again..... maybe not....