Chapter Three: The Lower City
"In Darkness We Gather"
Kain exits the Smuggler’s Den and arrives in the Lower City. Umah steps into view from the shadows.
 UMAH
Well done, Kain. You have already proven your ingenuity in negotiating the Smuggler’s Den. Perhaps our leader was right about you after all.
KAIN
Ah yes, the mysterious leader. Perhaps you will tell me now who he is?
UMAH
I will not name him to you, for secrecy's sake. But it is time that you two meet. You must go to Sanctuary, our headquarters. There you will find our leader.
KAIN
(Annoyed)
Go here, go there – what do you take me for? Your errand boy?
UMAH
You are not a general now, Kain. You are not in a position to demand. Go to Sanctuary and await me there. My orders are to investigate the Industrial Quarter in the north of the city. I will join you at Sanctuary and bring anything I discover.
KAIN
(Angrily)
I need answers, girl. I want the Sarafan Lord!
UMAH
So do we all, Kain. But the time must be ripe, and you must be ready.
KAIN
Do not make the mistake of underestimating me.
UMAH
I don't. You are our last hope. I will not let you be wasted by premature action.
KAIN
 Where, then, is this Sanctuary?
UMAH
Nearby is the Red Raven pub. Speak with the tapster. She will tell you what to do.
KAIN (VO)
Why did I obey her? Why did I trust her, even for a moment? I had gone my own way, always. But this time…
UMAH
I was impressed by you today, Kain. Soon, we will work together again, and rid this plague from our land.
A woman argues with a street produce vendor.
WOMAN
You can’t charge that much; it’s robbery!
VENDOR
You won’t find anyone charging less.
WOMAN
Collusion and robbery, you cheating bastards!
VENDOR
Taxes are high and supplies are low, thanks to the Seraphan.
WOMAN
You think I don’t pay taxes? How am I to eat?
VENDOR
It’s not my worry, friend.
WOMAN
To the black hell with you and your miserable goods!
SERAPHAN GUARD 1
Mind where you go, citizen!
SERAPHAN GUARD 2
Keep your distance! Know your place!
A fishmonger heckles.
FISHMONGER
Fresh fish! All you could want. Fresh from the river, trout from the sea, squid from the ocean. Fresh fish! No magic-tainted local catch, here. Fresh fish, just in from the fleet! Never had a customer sickened yet! My fish never look at you like they’ve seen the demons of Hell before they died. Fresh fish!
“Kain” passes two men in a raised back alley.
FIRST MAN
Hey, up there, heard the news about Durden?
SECOND MAN
What’s that?
FIRST MAN
They found him last night, face down in the gutter.
SECOND MAN
Dead?
FIRST MAN
Bled white, he was.
SECOND MAN
Another one. That’s what, the third?
FIRST MAN
That we know of. You still so sure there’s no vampires in this city?
SECOND MAN
There’s no saying what we can be sure of, anymore.
FIRST MAN
Except to keep our doors locked at night.
SECOND MAN
And stay behind them.
A woman runs up to join another woman standing outside a locked door.
FIRST WOMAN
“Come out here this minute, Ivan! I know you’re in there!
SECOND WOMAN
That’s right, you tell, him, Annie.
FIRST WOMAN
You’ve no right to be whoring away our money.
SECOND WOMAN
That’s the truth.
FIRST WOMAN
I’ll kill you if you don’t come out this minute! Curse you!
SECOND WOMAN
Curse them all.
“Kain” approaches a man standing guard behind a locked gate.
DUNCAN
Restricted area. This passage is for night shift workers, only.
 “KAIN”
I am the night shift.
DUNCAN
(skeptical)
Then tell me, who do you work for?
“KAIN”
I work for no man.
DUNCAN
Move along and stop wasting my time.
“KAIN”
We’ll meet again. Soon.
A couple argue outside the pub.
WIFE
You said this time you would come straight home.
HUSBAND
Peace, woman. They won’t buy from me if I won’t drink with them.
WIFE
What’s the use if you drink up the money you make selling to them?
HUSBAND
It’s not my fault. It’s the cursed Seraphan taxes!
WIFE
So, they’ve raised the tax on drink, again, have they?
“Kain” arrives at the Red Raven pub and approaches the bar.
 TAPSTER
What can I get you?
“KAIN”
Information. I was sent here by Umah. You have a message for me.
TAPSTER
I only know what they told me.
“KAIN”
And just who are ‘they’?
TAPSTER
I don’t know, I promise! It was dark; I couldn’t tell where the voice was coming from. It was as if the night, itself, spoke to me. It told me to give you the message, ‘Seek the vendor near the warehouse, for he has news for you’.
“KAIN”
Is that all of it?
TAPSTER
No, if you tell that fool, Duncan, you wok for Ducket’s Traders, he’ll let you through the gate to the workers area.
After speaking to “Kain”, the tapster turns her attention to one of her patrons.
PUB PATRON
Damn them! Damn them!
TAPSTER
Hush! Not so loud.
PUB PATRON
My wife – my children – gone. Damn the Seraphan, damn them!
TAPSTER
That’s enough! You’ll bring them down on all of us.
PUB PATRON
How can they do this to us? It’s not right!
A male and female pub patron talk at a table.
MALE PATRON
I saw it with these very eyes!
FEMALE PATRON
A Glyphwrite?
MALE PATRON
One of those. He was doing something to a glyph – powering it. I was in the ally…resting.
FEMALE PATRON
Hush. What did he do, the Glyphwrite?
MALE PATRON
He turned the glyph on, and then walked right through the wall, into the building, like he was a ghost. I tell you, I saw it, just as I see you. Stay away from them, that’s all I’m saying.
FEMALE PATRON
I know that already.
“Kain” returns to the guard at the locked gate.
DUNCAN
I told you before, workers only.
“KAIN”
I work for Ducket’s Traders. Now, let me through.
A merchant solicits “Kain” as he walks by.
MERCHANT
See anything you like, sir? Cadmus, the merchant, is selling out. Seems he had to leave the city in haste. He left all this behind. Lowest prices to be found. What’s your pleasure?
A woman beseeches a Seraphan Guard.
WOMAN
But I must get to the Keep!
SERAPHAN GUARD
Not this way. The subway is closed.
WOMAN
I must bring this purse to the chancellor, or he will take my house!
SERAPHAN GUARD
It’s no use crying to me about it.
WOMAN
I beg you, let me through!
SERAPHAN GUARD
I’ll run you through if you don’t go your way! Now move on!
The woman runs off.
SERAPHAN GUARD 3
I have no authority to answer questions. Go your way, citizen. You’ll bring trouble on us both.
“Kain” comes to another guarded locked gate.
GATE GUARD
You need the password to enter.
Two men converse in the street.
FIRST MAN
Where’s Joseph got to?
SECOND MAN
You didn’t hear? He’s signed on as a guard.
FIRST MAN
With his rheumatism? Can he lift a sword?
SECOND MAN
They didn’t try him. Gave him a week’s pay in advance, they did.
FIRST MAN
Against the bandit attacks? He won’t see home again.
SECOND MAN
But his Marjorie will get passage to her sister’s. Was all he could do for her now that he’s lost his shop.
FIRST MAN
Brave man.
“Kain” approaches a newsstand by the warehouse.
“KAIN”
Good evening, my friend.
VENDOR
Can I help you, sir?
“KAIN”
Umah sent me. We are to have words, you and I.
VENDOR
Ah, you’re one of them, aren’t ya?
“KAIN”
Whatever do you mean?
VENDOR
Never mind. You’re looking for Sanctuary, then?
“KAIN”
Correct.
VENDOR
It’s hidden under the Blue Lady shop in the eastern part of the district. The guards have blocked most of the streets tonight, so it won’t be easy getting there. The rooftops, back allies, and even the sewers are friends to those who wish to avoid attention. However, those that inhabit them may not be friends to you. First thing you’ll have to do is to get past the gate man down that ally. Give him the password, “evernight”. He’ll let ya through.
“KAIN”
My thanks.
“Kain” returns to the last guarded locked gate.
GATE GUARD
Password?
“KAIN”
Evernight.
GATE GUARD
Hold on.
Two warehouse workers conspire among the stacks of crates.
WAREHOUSE WORKER 1
He says we must move all these crates to the other side.
WAREHOUSE WORKER 2
What? We just –
WAREHOUSE WORKER 1
I know, I know. He says it’s to make way for more to come.
WAREHOUSE WORKER 2
Greedy bastard. We’re about full already.
WAREHOUSE WORKER 1
Have you seen how his hand starts to twitch when he talks about money?
WAREHOUSE WORKER 2
Oh, and the way his eyes gleam. Hey, what do you say we eh…
WAREHOUSE WORKER 1
But we’ve taken our usual share already.
WAREHOUSE WORKER 2
He’s getting greedier. Why shouldn’t we? It’s not like he pays us more than a pittance.
WAREHOUSE WORKER 1
You’re right, he’ll never be the wiser.
A Seraphan Guard runs up to another, stationed on the opposite side of a ward gate.
SERAPHAN GUARD 1
What’s the news? Is it...?
SERAPHAN GUARD 2
It is! Your wish is granted, Serg, vampires have attacked the Slum Station. All the wards in the area are down. You’ll be facing the vampires at last.
SERAPHAN GUARD 1
You’re certain it’s vampires?
SERAPHAN GUARD 2
Use your wits. Ward gates only stop vampires. Why would a human shut them down?
SERAPHAN GUARD 1
It could be humans working for vampires.
SERAPHAN GUARD 2
You’re right! There’s a house on the next street I’ve had my eye on. A widow lives there.
SERAPHAN GUARD 1
With three daughters, yes, I know the place.
SERAPHAN GUARD 2
(suggestively)
Those girls could be traitors... They could be working for vampires.
SERAPHAN GUARD 1
(laughing)
Or selling goods on the black market.
SERAPHAN GUARD 2
We should go question them. It’s our duty.
SERAPHAN GUARD 1
(suggestively)
Do some…searching?
SERAPHAN GUARD 2
Thorough searching.
SERAPHAN GUARD 1
I’ll pass the word to the next station.
Both Guards run off beyond the boundary of the ward gate.
A man and a woman stand outside of a theater.
MAN
Simply fantastic! Their use of imagery mixed with impressionistic neo-modernism was simply breathtaking!
WOMAN
I like the colors.
MAN
Oh, yes, yes. But what was really stunning was the pathos of the protagonist – the way he couldn’t decide whether to allow fate to sweep him forward, or if he should thwart destiny’s cruel hand.
WOMAN
(bored)
Oh, yes, that was interesting.
MAN
It reminds me of Sergio’s use of dues ex machine in order to resolve dilemmas of the ego.
WOMAN
I’m hungry.
MAN
Yes, yes.
“Kain” approaches a power box lever that two Seraphan stand guard beside.
SERAPHAN GUARD
“Back away from the switch!”
“Kain” passes a glyph guard like the one that detected Umah at the bridge. His armor glows at “Kain’s” approach.
GLYPH GUARD
What creature sulks there in the darkness? Step forth and die!
A newsstand vendor proclaims his headlines, repeatedly.
NEWSSTAND VENDOR
Breaking news! Darkstalkers prey on the innocent! More bodies found! The streets no longer safe for women and children! Lock your doors, bar your windows!
“Kain” enters a courtyard littered with the severely mutilated remains of multiple human bodies. A single human remains alive. A vampire drops down from the rooftops above, killing the man, and laughing as he dies.
 SEBASTIAN
What poor soul has the misfortune of interrupting my feeding?
“KAIN”
One who shares your thirst, and your curse.
SEBASTIAN
Ah, a voice from the past. So, the rumors are true: Kain walks Nosgoth again.
“KAIN”
How do you know me, creature?
SEBASTIAN
How I would love to dispatch you here, and now. And yet, I am required elsewhere. Goodnight.
“KAIN”
Wait!
The vampire turns and runs off…leaving a sparkly, pink trail behind him. “Kain” pursues him. Eventually, the other vampire allows him to catch up.
SEBASTIAN
How do you like my handiwork, Kain? It’s been a good night’s feeding.
“KAIN”
You’re a sloppy butcher, vampire. You jeopardize your presence by such bloodletting.
SEBASTIAN
But it isn’t my presence that’s in danger, Kain – it’s yours.
“KAIN”
You serve the Seraphan, then?
SEBASTIAN
I serve no one but myself. Ah, I’d forgotten how much I loathe your arrogant tone. It will be a pleasure to silence it for good. We shall meet again soon enough.
The other vampire leaps to the top of a building beyond “Kain’s” reach and disappears.
Sanctuary
“Kain” finds Sanctuary, hiding beneath a Curio shop in the Lower City. He enters an underground chamber, where several vampires stand waiting for him. At the head of the group is one with a wolfish, face. This is Vorador.
 KAIN (V/O)
Vorador! The reformed sado-hedonist of Termagent Forest – I had met him once before in his new role of patriarch. I still knew not to trust him.
KAIN
Ah, yes. Who but the father of vampires would lead the resistance? I am honored, Vorador.
VORADOR
I need no false courtesies from you, Kain. We are allies only by necessity. But you are welcome to Sanctuary.
KAIN
(Looking around)
It has not the splendor of your former castle. But I suppose it will have to do.
VORADOR
It serves. But time is short. The Sarafan's power grows by the day. Soon our every haven will be destroyed. We are facing extinction once again.
KAIN
They thought once before they had destroyed us. Yet you proved them wrong. You created a new race, something I could never do, and from that race, I had my army.
VORADOR
Now we are divided, and dying.
KAIN
Then rouse yourself – make more of our kind.
VORADOR
It takes time and energy to create a vampire. I have not the strength. No, as Umah told you, we must kill the Sarafan Lord. When he is dead, their power will crumble. You have come far already, Kain, and proven to be our greatest ally. We must plan our attack.
A vampire suddenly bursts into the room. He is covered in blood.
 CABAL VAMPIRE
Vorador –
VORADOR
What is it?
CABAL VAMPIRE
The worst has befallen. Forgive me, Sire. Umah has been taken.
VORADOR
Taken? How?
CABAL VAMPIRE
Umah was searching the main building in the Industrial Quarter as you asked. I stood guard outside. She whispered to me that she had found something important.
VORADOR
What was it?
CABAL VAMPIRE
I do not know. Before she could tell me, she was discovered by Sarafan Knights. I went to help her, but there were guards everywhere. I could not reach her. I heard them say she would be brought to the Sarafan Keep for public execution.
VORADOR
No!
CABAL VAMPIRE
Then the guards were upon me, and I was forced to flee. Forgive me, Vorador.
KAIN
We need her information.
VORADOR
We need to save her life, Kain.
KAIN
Yes, of course. So I am to rescue her, "Sire?"
VORADOR
Our kind cannot approach the Keep; we would be instantly discovered. You have the power to disguise your presence. But the chief entrance to the Keep is far too heavily guarded. You must speak with the Bishop of Meridian.
KAIN
A Bishop allies with us?
VORADOR
 The promise of immortality can be very persuasive, for a Bishop whose faith in an afterlife is…wanting. The Bishop knows a secret entrance to the Sarafan Keep. You will find him in the Upper City. Tell him I sent you, and he will give you access to the Keep.
KAIN
And if Umah is dead when I reach her?
VORADOR
Then her discovery dies with her, and with it, our hope. Go now Kain, and find the Bishop. Umah's life depends on you. As do we all.
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