The next scene will begin with Kain walking up snowy mountains towards an onyx castle carved into the stone itself.

Kain: (Thinking) “I could not stay for Binah’s funerary rites, nor did I care to.  I had more pressing matters at hand.  My next destination would be towards Malek’s Bastion where Dumah and his army resided.  Dumah, a beast controlled by an over-bloated sense of pride.  When mere humans were able to bypass his defenses and impail him upon his own throne, I assumed that the Dumahim would not be too far behind in following their master.  To my surprise, they flourished and spread to the territories of my other Generals.  Their tactics brutal and governed by an archaic sense of order, they turned out to be perfect for Nosgoth.  But even as Dumah waited in limbo for escape, I knew that he still had some control over them beyond the limitations of death.  After Raziel finished him off, I wondered if their chaotic ways would continue to sustain them.  I did not go directly to Malek’s Bastion, but decided to investigate a curious edifice along the way.  For those with little structure, the existence of a well crafted castle was interesting indeed.”

            Kain observes the two Dumahim guarding the entrance, then one of them smells the air and positions for attack.

Dumahim 1: “Who’s there?”

            Kain slowly walks around the rocks.

Dumahim 1: “Sariel is expecting you.”

            The Dumahim open the large doors, and Kain walks in.  There are a few images of weapons, pelts, and furniture, but the castle is mostly dark and sparsely lit with candles.  The Dumahim lead the way, opening a door to Sariel’s chambers.  There is a throne, but Sariel is standing before a map with wooden figurines placed upon it.  Hi is a living suit of armor; plated muscles, chainmail skin, spikes, and black eyes and a small mouth hidden within his helmet/skull.  He carries around a blade constructed to be a cane as well.

Sariel: “My, my!  It seems that Fate favors me after all.”

Kain: “Only if you can answer my question correctly.”

Sariel: “Yes, I accept.”

Kain: (Thinking) “None so far had been so fast to accept my rule.  I know there was a game being played here, but I’d soon find out how true that was.”

Kain: “Unable to govern your territories?  If not, then why so fast in accepting my proposal?  Have my deeds spread so fast that I absolutely terrify you?  Far is not becoming of my army.”

Sariel: “It is not fear, merely a wise decision on my behalf.  I’ll explain after you tell me if I’m considered to be your Cornel again or not.”

Kain: “You are.  If this reveals itself as an elaborate plot against me, know that I will sever your traitorous head.”

Sariel: “An acceptable risk.”

Kain: “Get on with it, Sariel.”

Sariel: “Fine.  Your arrival at my home is very fortunate for me, and here is why: the territory of Dumah is in the midst of a civil war.  Our General, as you well might have known, was able to govern us beyond his staking till Raziel’s legendary rampage.  In Dumah’s absence, the other Cornels and I have been caught in a cold war, none of us willing to harm the other in fear of human rebellion.  After our leader’s defeat, none of us are willing to suffer the same fate.  With the Cornels avoiding a loss of arms, and the Dumahim hungry for a strong leader, there is only one solution.”

Kain: “Direct combat?”

Sariel: “Indeed.  Tomorrow, we four, Surren, Af, Esdreel, and I are to meet at the coliseum and fight till only one survives.”

Kain: “Now that I am here, why shouldn’t I visit the others and make them swear allegiance to me as well, canceling the anticipated show?”

Sariel: (Chuckles) “They will not submit now that I have aligned with you.  That is why I am fortunate.  Whichever did so first would be the only one.  Now that you are my superior, as you always have been, you must take my place tomorrow.”

Kain: (Thinking) “Sariel was a backstabbing, devious creature without any sense of honor.  However, we was not a coward, but merely advantageous.  He reminded me of Vorador.”

Kain: “This is not my castle.  Leave these chambers and prepare for tomorrow’s travel.”

            Sariel nods and begins to leave.

Kain: “One the day my army storms the Melchahim, I will be certain to place the Dumahim upon the front lines.”

Sariel: “An acceptable risk.”

            Kain hesitantly sits upon Sariel’s throne, thinking of the next day’s battle.  This fades out into an arial shot of a coliseum on the side of a cliff.  It is snow-covered and without colors other than a bleak grey.  There are hundreds of Dumahim in the stands, screaming for blood.  On the first row there is a throne in each cardinal direction.  Kain sits on the North chair with Sariel standing beside him.  Esdreel sits on the East; his armored skin is the image of bloody muscle tissue, his joints violet, his claws black and long, two tentacles rest upon his shoulders like hair, and his eyes are covered with yellow lenses.  Surren sits on the South; his skin resembles tanned snake skin, his razor-teeth mouth is without lips, his necks forms a slight hood as it connects to the top of his head, and his torso ends into a rather long tail.  Af sits on the West; his figure resembles that of a standing rhinoceros, his skin is mostly overgrown interweaving boulders, his neck is welded to his chest, his claws are large and bulky, and he sports a wide horn on top of his forehead.  Sariel raises his hands to quiet the crowd.

Surren: “We should have known it would be you to side with Kain!”

Esdreel: “Your plots against us are always grand and cowardly!”

AF: “Coward!”

Suriel: “Do not act as if you’ve all been betrayed.  None of you would fight this day if given the chance.  Kain simply chose my first.  Now, prepare to defend yourselves against a greater warrior than the three of you combined.”

Af: “Ha!”

Esdreel: “Him?”

Surren: “What an unworthy challenge.”

Kain: “None of you are willing to fight me?  If it is out of fear, give me your allegiances, and I’ll spare your lives.”

Af: “I fear nothing!”

Esdreel: “We need to know if his skills match our own.”

Surren: “A test!  We shall sacrifice some Dumahim to test you Kain.  Do you accept?”

Kain: “I’d rather not kill soldiers soon to be mine, but if you insist.”

            Kain moves to the arena, but Sariel speaks to him first.

Sariel: “The Cornels of the Dumahim all have weakness, and they all have strengths over one another.  Use this to your advantage.”

            Kain enters the arena.

Kain: “Come!  Bring the sheep to the slaughter!”

            Surren growls at some Dumahim beside him, and two jump forth.  They are medium opponents simply with higher defenses.  After the player kills them, Esdreel growls at some Dumahim beside him, but four jump out to attack Kain.  After their deaths, Af growls and six Dumahim come to the attack.
After this is accomplished, the coliseum cheers for Kain.  This annoys the three Cornels greatly.

Af: “No more!  We will fight you now!”

Surren: “Yes, to the victor go the spoils!”

Esdreel: “I’ll enjoy killing you, Kain!”

Kain: “Not nearly as I will from killing the three of you.”

            Af breaks the wall as he rushes in, Esdreel simply spins over them, and Surren opens a portal of darkness and exits one in the middle of the arena.  The player will have to fight off three Cornels at once, sucking their souls afterwards.

• Af has two attacks at close range: swipe and head but.  If he decides to follow a target, then he will charge, causing extreme amounts of damage.  His weakness is after he charges, his vulnerable spine will be wide open for one attack (“Lunge” would be the best choice).
• Esdreel has only one attack, but it’s actually quick multiple swipes over a long period of time.  He also is very good at dodging, making timed “Block” moves his weakness, as he becomes very tired after a single attack.
• Surren can open portals of darkness, entering them and then exiting to anywhere on the arena, usually ending up right next to Kain with a largely damaging uppercut.  His massive tail is capable of blocking and swiping.  His affinity to darkness makes him vulnerable to “Divine Light” as it both blinds and harms him for a short period of time.

 

            The three will attack each other some, but will mostly block the blows.  However, they can be tricked into hurting each other, which would be a good idea for the Player since this scene is hard enough as it is.

• If close enough, Af can be directed into charging at Surren, bypassing the shielding tail.
• If Esdreel is blocked long enough, Surren will show, and Esdreel can be moved into hitting Surren, all the while being blocked.  This will allow Esdreel to be the target of a good multiple attack.
• If Esdreel can be lured towards Af, Af will always face Esdreel.  This allows Af’s back to be exposed.
• It is slightly possible to block Esdreel until Surren shows up, then have Af charge into the both of them.  This causes massive damage to both Esdreel and Surren, and exposes Af’s back.

 

Once the three are killed, their wraiths are similar but slower and at half the amount of life.  After Kain has consumed their souls, the face of Dumuzi shows up.

Dumuzi: “Well done, Kain.  You had me worried, but you accomplished much.”

Kain: “Worried? You?  Did you not know I’d be victorious?”

Dumuzi: “Of course, but it was still a thrilling fight.  For these three souls, you’ve obtained three new powers.  From Af, you can harden your skin to stone, increasing your fortitude.  From Esdreel, you can enrage yourself into a berserker state of mind, allowing you to attack multiple times in an instant.  From Surren, you can teleport from one location to another nearby, using the darkness as a doorway.  Continue your quest with these new powers, but make haste!  The Wheel of Fate prepares its own army as you do.”

            Kain shifts back to the Material Realm where the Dumahim are cheering even louder for him.

Sariel: “Congratulations, Kain!  You are once again our commander!”

            Kain takes a moment to bask in his own glory.