The Request

Chapter Five.

I stepped out from the portal and heard it close behind me with a small ‘shoosh’. I looked around me taking stock of my surroundings. I was in an alley between two tall buildings. Looking down the passageway I decided to venture out a bit to get my bearings.

The portal had indeed brought me into Meridian, hopefully to the right time, where Kain was. I closed my eyes trying to sense him, but all I felt was an empty void and the feel of the wind on my face. I did sense other vampires close by. Maybe they could help me. Using my cat-like stealth I crept out of the alley and looked around.

The city of this time was vastly different to the one I knew. Tall buildings rose up before me and there were soldiers patrolling the streets with very few humans visible. The Meridian of my own time was vastly destroyed by the advance of my master’s armies. Here there was le eve evidence of a vampire rule and so I stayed in the shadows sensing that my presence would not be at all welcome.

The scent of the other vampires became stronger as I made my way through the streets, keeping to the shadows and well away from those soldiers. I came across a less patrolled area and made my way towards another street which joined the one I was on. In front of me a green glow appeared. It hummed slightly as I approached and I regarded it warily. It seemed harmless enough and so I went to walk through it but was blown backwards with force to land some feet away. A fierce burning sensation stung my hand and face where the green barrier had touched me. I darted into the shadows still clutching my rapidly healing but still stinging face, as another soldier walked towards the barrier. He passed through without incident and I realised this must be a barrier against vampires.

Things were certainly different 700 years ago I mused and the vampires I sensed drew ever closer to me as I waited in the shadows. I stood and watched two figures comend tnd the corner. These were the vampires I sensed though they seemed oblivious of my presence. I watched their encounter noting the male’s white hair and skin. Something about him was very familiar. I realised suddenly that this was a very much younger Kain. I gazed at my lover of the future with admiration. His white skin glowed in the strange green light and I could make out the perfect and beautiful features of his face. How I longed to hold him in my arms again. I ached for his touch and the feel of him nuzzling my neck seeking my precious fluid with which to indulge his senses with.

I watched his companion, a voluptuous vampire, she was almost as tall as Kain and wore her hair in a long pony-tail tied high on her head. She was very beautiful and I wondered what Kain was thinking. He did not seem however, to be thinking of such things and suddenly the female turned and darted away from him. I watched her as she leaped onto the nearest roof and made off. I stayed in the shadows while Kain walked off round a corner.

I decided to follow the female. I did not want to follow Kain lest he should see me and cause complicated questions regarding my presence here. Leaping up onto the roof I saw the female again watching the street below. As I neared, I realised she was talking to Kain again. A short while later their conversation ended and she turned and made off across the roofs.

I followed keeping up with her easily. After a while she paused and I chose that moment to make my presence known. I stepped into her line of vision and she started. I had managed to keep my presence hidden from her. I smiled inwardly thanking Kain for teaching me this little trick.

‘Good evening.’ I said and she looked visibly shaken. She looked me over quickly but stopped short when she glimpsed the Soul Reaver on my back.

‘Who are you?’ She demanded ‘Another of the Sarafan Lord’s vampire protectors we know nothing about?’ Fear was in her voice now. But when she saw my puzzled expression she changed her tack.

‘Where did you get that?’ She pointed an accusing finger at the Reaver. ‘Only the Sarafan Lord has that sword, how did you come by it?’

‘Listen I am not here to hurt you, nor do I work fhis his ‘Sarafan Lord’ I have come from a time in Nosgoth’s future to aid my Lord Kain who I fear is in grave danger. I need your aid to find him ins cis city. I cannot sense him and so I need the help of someone witrongronger powers than my own. I pray there is such a vampire in Meridian who can help me.’

After my little speech I saw the other vampire struggle with herself, obviously trying to decide if I spoke the truth. Eventually after studying the sword for a few more minutes she decided to give me the benefit of the doubt – for now.

‘I will help you, we will go to the vampire headquarters. For sec’s s’s sake I will teleport us there so we may not be followed by any Sarafan patrols. She grabbed my shoulders and I felt the familiar feeling of weightlessness that came when one was teleported.

With a jolt we appeared in a room with a high vaulted ceiling. In front of me were a few other vampires and one who was definitely an ancient vampire judging by his green skin and clawed hands and feet so much like my sire’s.

The female spoke. ‘Vorador, I met this vampire just after I left Kain, she claims to be from the future, here to find Kain’s older self whom she fears is in danger.’ The female vampire’s voicill ill held a note of disbelief and I hoped I could convince this older vampire that I spoke the truth. It would not do for me to be killed here not before I had found my master.

Vorador walked towards me. He circled me fingering the blade on my back and muttering to himself. I felt hands touch my head and a probe on my mind before the hands were withdrawn and the vampire finished his inspection. He noted also my clan symbol cloak and nodded.

‘She speaks the truth.’ He stated and the other vampires in the room visibly relaxed. ‘We will help you. We are the Cabal, the vampire resistance here in Meridian, we resist the rule of the Sarafan who are led by the Sarafan Lord. His agenda is to wipe out the population of vampires in Nosgoth and rule it completely. I see however he does not succeed for here you are fromure ure times.’

‘I need to find Kain and quickly.’ A note of ncy ncy was in my voice. ‘I have not been able to locate him, will you be able to?’

‘Vorador nodded and concentrated hard spreading his thoughts and probes away from himself and mentally exploring the city. He remained still for quite a few minutes, his brow furrowing as he concentrated.

‘I have found him, he is weak and barely alive, you must go to him quickly as I sense he will not last much longer. I can teleport you to a place near to him. You must find a way past the Sarafan guards as he is heavily guarded.’

Fear overcame me. What if I was too late? It did not bear thinking about. Vorador waved his arm and I was once again weightless and floating before feeling my feet on solid ground and looking round to discover where I was.

I was in a grotty and dingy corridor lit by dim lighting. I could now sense Kain’s presence and I followed the pull of his aura and let it guide me to a cell. I looked threw the bars and nearly retched at the scene before me.

Lying naked and bleeding in a pool of his own blood was Kain. His back, legs and arms were covered in hundreds of lacerations and I knew the front of him must be as well, though I could not see it. I looked at his hands and saw that stakes had been driven through them into the earth below pinning him to the floor. A loop of iron was round his neck pinning his head down. His bone ‘crown’ had been smashed from his head and his face was a mask of agony. His skin was translucent and pale showing that he was nearing death. My heart went out to him and I sought desperately for a plan.

As my mind tried to focus on some sort of escape for him I realised that there were soldiers in the room with him. I realised now why there was none in this corridor, they were al in this cell, tormenting my sire.

As I watched one of them walked towards Kain and lifting up his abdomen he shoved a triangular box under Kain so his neck stayed pinned to the ground but his rear was thrup top to the leering guards. I shuddered within myself at their obvious intentions and watched with horror as one of the guards displayed the object in his hand for the others to see. It was a metal pole very wide in diameter and even in the dimmed lights I could see that there were tiny barbs all over it. Rage boiled within me as the guard drew his hand back and plunged the object deep into Kain.

The resounding scream ripped through the cell and reverberated on the walls. It faded to a whimper as the guard thrust in and out twisting it cruelly and spilling more of Kain’s precious blood over the floor. All fight gone from him, Kain’s face took on a resigned look as he knew his time was nearly up.

I was filled with a rage I had never known before and, with little thought for myself I used every ounce of my vampiric strength to break down the door and hack and carve at those beasts within. Blood squd evd everywhere fuelling my lust for vengance. The serpentine blade sliced through armour and flesh without pause. As the last of them fell, I slit my wrist and pressed it to Kain’s mouth. The smell of blood roused him from his dispair and he tried to drink, but he was so weak it just dribbled onto the floor. He was parched and unable to swallow. Whispering I was sorry I wrenched the stakes from his hands and from round his neck to cries from Kain. I turned him over and cradled him in my arms, his ruined ‘crown’ broken and still weeping blood as the lack of fresh blood had meant that the wounds were having difficulty in healing fast.

I slit my wrist again and held it over his parched lips willing for some of it to find his stomach. I must have done because afterew mew minutes and many slit wrists later (It healed up very quickly) he was a little more coherent. He gazed up into my face and tried to move, but the pain overcame him and he gave up. Clinging to me he whimpered softly and clung to me as I stroked his face.

‘Vorador!’ I whispered to him across Meridian.’I got him and we are ready.’ Grabbing the Soul Reaver which lay by my side and supporting Kain, we were teleported away back to the Cabal headquarters.

Gasps of surprise and shock rippled round the group as I laid Kain on one of the beds.

‘What did they do to him?’ gasped the female vampire with obvious revulsion at the bloody mess on the bed that was my Lord and master.

‘He needs blood qud quickly!’ I said and one of the other vampires nodded and disappeared to find the nearest unsuspecting human with which to revive my sire.

I gazed down at Kain, whose wounds had finally begun to heal due to my regenerative vampiric blood but he was hovering between life and death and I was not sure if he was going to pull through.

‘Please, please don’t leave me Kain, I cannot bear the thought of living without you.’ I lowered my head and wept bloody tears, which fell onto his chest that was still crusted with his dried blood. I began to clean him up using a spell. I hoped that the bone protrusion would grow back soon as he looked so strange without it. Knowing our ability to regenerate, I did not let it concern me too much.

The vampire returned with a suitable victim who was whimpering in his firm grip. I broke the skin in his throat and bent the human for Kain to drink from. He did so slowly and painfully at first and then faster as the thirst overcame him. Looking a little better he lay back on the bed and reached a claw up to stroke my face.

‘Thank you’ he mouthed, gratitude showing on his face before he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

I looked up at the other vampires watching us. I will stay for a couple of days for my Lord to gain enough strength to use a portal back to our own time and I must ask you not to mention this visit to Kain’s younger self as it might alter history in some way.
The vampires round me nodded in agreement. ‘Nor will I answer any questions about the future.’ I warned and again, nods were proffered.

‘Thank you, and now if it is okay I need to rest.’ The vampires left one by one. I lay down and closed my eyes. Next to the one I loved. He nuzzled into my shoulder and I fell asleep, my arm wrapped around his slowly healing body. Raziel was going to be pleased when we returned.