Chapter Five: The Sarafan Keep
"House of My Enemy"
Kain enters the Sarafan Keep through a secret entrance. Vorador contacts him through the Whisper.
 VORADOR
Well done, Kain. You have entered the Sarafan Keep at last.
KAIN
Not without difficulty. I encountered another old friend on the way. Marcus.
VORADOR
I see. Then may I assume that another of the Sarafan Lord's Guardians have fallen?
KAIN
You may.
VORADOR
Many times I attempted to persuade Marcus to join with us. But he would not heed me.
KAIN
My arguments were more convincing.
VORADOR
I sense that Umah is being held in the uppermost reaches of the Keep. You must hurry, she is to be executed soon.
KAIN
Where is the Sarafan Lord? Is he here?
VORADOR
I do not know. His presence is masked from my senses. But you are no match for him yet, Kain. If you encounter him, hide. If he sees you, run.
KAIN
Run? Hide? Vorador, you do not know me.
VORADOR
Your task is to find Umah quickly. Let nothing distract you. The information she obtained from the Industrial Quarter may allow us to defeat the Sarafan Lord at last. Do not destroy our only chance with hasty action.
KAIN (VO)
How sickened I had become with weary admonitions of safety and care. How I longed to rend the flesh of my one true enemy, how I thirsted for the taste of his life's blood on my lips.
VORADOR
Go, Kain, quickly. I will be watching.
A Seraphan Guard captain approaches a manservant.
GUARD CAPTAIN
Finish your work and come up. We’re locking the main stairs.
MANSERVANT
But I’ve just begun down here. We never lock the main stairs at this time of day.
GUARD CAPTAIN
We’ve had word there may be an intruder.
MANSERVANT
An intruder? Down here? Yes, I’m all finished here, sir.
A female aristocrat approaches a manservant.
LADY
You there, what’s the matter? I saw guards running down the stairs.
MANSERVANT
I’ve no idea, my lady.
LADY
Go and find out! Is it a fire? An attack of some kind?
MANSERVANT
Perhaps we should wait until someone comes and tells us.
LADY
Did you hear me? Do you know who I am?
MANSERVANT
My lady, perhaps I should simply escort you to the garrison. Certainly they will be able to tell you there what is the matter.
LADY
Oh, very well.
They both leave together beyond the boundary of a ward gate.
A Seraphan knight calls up to a manservant on the balcony above him.
SERAPHAN KNIGHT
You, up there! You see anyone pass that you haven’t seen before?
MANSERVANT
Not a soul has passed me, sir.
SERAPHAN KNIGHT
Keep your eyes open. We may have an intruder.
MANSERVANT
Yes, sir. You can depend on me, sir. My grandfather was in the Guard, don’t you know, sir. Until he lost his leg. Perhaps you’ve heard the story. Someone closed the gate on him before they knew he was there. But then his officer –
SERAPHAN KNIGHT
Just keep a good watch.
MANSERVANT
Yes, sir, I will, sir.
“Kain” comes to a ward gate that marks a dead end. A noblewoman stands next to a switch behind an iron-barred gate in a corridor off to the side.
 NOBLEWOMAN
Greetings, vampire.
“KAIN”
You have mistaken me, madam, for some…thing I am not.
NOBLEWOMAN
Don’t waste my time. I know what you are. I work for the Cabal. Now listen carefully.
“KAIN”
Speak, then, madam.
NOBLEWOMAN
The woman you seek is held in one of the upper towers.
“KAIN”
Very good. How do I get to her?
NOBLEWOMAN
Not so fast. You will need to pass this ward gate, and you will need me to open it for you.
“KAIN”
Then do so at once!
NOBLEWOMAN
In due time. First there is another task that must be completed.
“KAIN”
What task?
NOBLEWOMAN
A noble of some importance is visiting the Keep at this moment. He must be killed.
“KAIN”
So that you will open the ward gate? Do you think me a fool? Open it!
NOBLEWOMAN
He must be killed, I tell you. He is a traitor. He has done immeasurable harm to the Cabal. I swear it.
“KAIN”
Do I look like a common assassin?
 NOBLEWOMAN
The ward gate will not be opened until that man is dead. I promise you. His name is Artemus. You will know him by his blue cloak. When he is dead, when his lying tongue has been stopped, I will open the gate, and not before. Will you do it?
“KAIN”
Apparently I have no choice.
NOBLEWOMAN
Go, kill him, Kain. Rip out his cruel heart. Return when the deed is done.
Artemus studies the artwork in the main hall with an armed guard.
ARTEMUS
Hm, an average imitation…actually rather pathetic to the discerning eye… I assume the artist was jailed?
After killing Artemus and his escort, “Kain” returns to the ward gate. The Cabal noblewoman deactivates the ward and walks away without another word, beyond the safety of the iron gate.
“Kain” is approached by a manservant.
MANSERVANT
Oh, pardon me, sir. I don’t believe anyone is allowed up here. You see, we believe there may be a vam-pire on the premises. The guards have locked all the doors, and the upstairs lever has been acting a bit spotty. Bloody thing keeps resetting itself. I would just return downstairs.
An aristocratic male speaks with a Seraphan knight.
ARISTOCRAT
Two of my merchants have deliveries waiting. I don’t understand the delay. I need my payment.
SERAPHAN KNIGHT
We will not be making any further payments.
ARISTOCRAT
But our agreement –
SERAPHAN KNIGHT
Conditions have changed. Our agreement has been suspended.
ARISTOCRAT
I have deliveries waiting. I can’t send them back.
SERAPHAN KNIGHT
Throw them into the sea for all I care.
ARISTOCRAT
Throw them –?
SERAPHAN KNIGHT
We won’t be needing them.
ARISTOCRAT
But my contract! I can go to a higher authority over this.
SERAPHAN KNIGHT
I suggest you take your losses without another word and go.
ARISTOCRAT
I’ll talk to the council! We won’t stand for this.
SERAPHAN KNIGHT
By order of the Seraphan Lord, you shall do no such thing!
ARISTOCRAT
Wait, what are you doing?
The knight backs him against a wall and kills him.
 “Kain” sees his first Glyph Knight on the roof of the Keep, commanding a guard and guard captain.
GLYPH KNIGHT
Bodies were found downstairs. The intruder is near. I want you to patrol the courtyard.
GUARDS
Yes, sir.
GLYPH KNIGHT
I’ll guard the cell. Move out.
Rescue
Kain enters a tower and finds Umah's cell, protected by a Ward. He approaches the cell, but cannot get too close because of the Ward. Umah is chained to the wall. She looks up when he approaches, sensing his presence. Her movements are stiff; she is wounded.
UMAH
Kain. I thought no one would dare attempt to rescue me. You are either brave or foolish.
KAIN
You will find me relentless.
Kain moves closer and is repelled by the Ward.
KAIN
Ah…
 UMAH
There must be a Glyph nearby that powers the Ward. Find it and shut it down.
KAIN
What was it that you learned in the Industrial Quarter? Tell me, in case I cannot free you.
UMAH
Tell you now, before I am freed? What would you do in my place, Kain?
KAIN
I would offer my rescuer a token of trust.
UMAH
That information is for Vorador only.
KAIN
(Angrily)
Haven't I earned your confidence yet?
UMAH
You have not rescued me yet.
KAIN
Very well. I will return shortly.
Kain deactivates the Ward imprisoning Umah, and frees her from her chains. She rises, stumbles, clutching her side where she is wounded.
KAIN
You're hurt.
UMAH
It's nothing. We must get to the roof. Once I am outside these ensorcelled walls, I can use a spell to transport us back to Sanctuary.
They head outside, and encounter the Sarafan Lord.
 UMAH
No!
KAIN
At last…
The Sarafan Lord looks down on Kain and Umah. He slowly draws out the Soul Reaver.
SARAFAN LORD
(Quietly, passionlessly)
What living soul disturbs my order? What creature dares shed the blood of my servants?
KAIN (V/O)
He had the sword! Soul Reaver, the prize I had won a lifetime ago, was in his foul possession.
SARAFAN LORD
(He narrows in on Kain)
What is this?
KAIN
You know me.
SARAFAN LORD
No. You were utterly destroyed. So easily. Your name was drowned in the backwaters of passing time.
All your plans were set alight, and seared to smoke and ashes.
KAIN
Let those words be your epitaph.
SARAFAN LORD
You dare dream of killing me? That fantasy was quenched in blood long ago when I defeated you. And yet you have learned nothing. Such a pathetic creature. Dare you to challenge me again?
KAIN
Die, fiend!
UMAH
No, Kain –
Kain lunges at the Sarafan Lord. The Sarafan Lord blasts Kain midair with the Soul Reaver, sending him sprawling to the ground.
SARAFAN LORD
Your death is fated at my hands. How many times must I teach you that lesson?
Umah hurries over to Kain.
 UMAH
He is too strong for you, Kain. With the Soul Reaver, he can kill us both. We must flee, and fight him when we are stronger.
KAIN
No – release me. That demon of filth is mine!
SARAFAN LORD
I am your fate, Kain. Now and forever. However long you delay, you will come to me, for your end.
Umah casts her spell. He blasts at them again. The blast travels through them as they teleport away.
Umah and Kain teleport into Sanctuary. Vorador and a few other vampires are there. Umah collapses to the ground, (after rescuing her would-be rescuer from getting his stupid ass kicked). Kain lifts her and brings her to a bed.
 VORADOR
Umah! Alive – and safe. Kain, you have all our thanks.
KAIN
I can follow orders, when it suits me. We met the Sarafan Lord.
VORADOR
He showed himself?
KAIN
He is a touch more powerful than I expected. And he has the Soul Reaver. Strange that you did not tell me this at the first.
VORADOR
You are not ready to fight the Sarafan Lord. I told you that.
UMAH
It was only by good fortune that we escaped. Vorador, I must speak with you.
VORADOR
You have information for us, I know. You may speak.
UMAH
I was in the heart of the main factory in the Industrial Quarter. Before the guards discovered me, I had found a huge central chamber that housed some kind of magic portal. This portal looked into a…place, the likes of which I had never seen before. And this portal was held open by a single source of magic, a stone set on a pedestal. Vorador, I believe it was the Nexus Stone.
VORADOR
The Nexus Stone? Of course…
KAIN
What is this thing? Explain.
 VORADOR
The Nexus Stone is an item of great power. It can bend time and space, to create doorways to any location within Nosgoth. I know not why the Sarafan Lord would be using it within the Industrial Quarter, but we could put it to great use.
KAIN
And what use is that?
VORADOR
One who wears the Stone cannot be harmed by the Soul Reaver.
KAIN
And is this but a legend, to be proved false at the fatal moment?
VORADOR
Oh no, no legend at all. It has been proven. The Sarafan Lord wore the stone when he defeated you, two hundred years ago.
KAIN
What?!
UMAH
How else could he have resisted the power of the Soul Reaver? You were unable to use the sword’s power, and without it he was able to defeat you.
KAIN
Then I shall take the stone, and use it to kill him. But know this: when I recover it, I will also claim ownership of it. I trust that is understood.
VORADOR
Then you commit yourself to fighting the Sarafan Lord. There can be no turning back.
KAIN
I was committed to that from the moment you revived me. Nothing will turn me away.
 VORADOR
So be it. You must use the subway to reach the Industrial Quarter, which lies in the northeastern part of the city. Find your way past the gate that blocks the townspeople from entering, but perhaps we may leave that to your invention. Umah?
UMAH
Once in the quarter, look for the main factory complex. It is there that the stone is held.
KAIN
I will return with the Nexus Stone, and the Sarafan Lord's head.
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