In the event, Asmoedous’ prediction of all hell breaking loose proved rather apt far sooner then expected.
The air was broken by the ominous low moan that seemed to reverberate up through the city itself; the floor beneath the vampire’s feet trembling in response. The very atmosphere of Fanum-Divus, which before had been placid, calm and composed was now alive with resentment and anger; seemingly as if it were a bee hive prodded into action.
Clearly, Raziel had been discovered.
Homunculi by the thousands quickly began to fill up the corridors of the city; awakening from their automatic patrolling and guarding to file into perfect unison in squads of fifty; the sound of their marching in a constant echo.
Bizarrely, it was this militaristic behaviour that allowed Kain to track down the location of this ‘Ark’. It was simple to follow the homunculi, who knew this city far better then he did, trailing them distantly as to not provoke their ire towards him.
It was all Kain could do to keep his thoughts straight. Raziel… out of the Reaver? Freed from that damning circular destiny?
The mere idea was so idealistic and hopeful that Kain almost felt himself on the verge of waking up from some stupid optimistic dream. He resisted the urge to pinch himself.
Of course the ultimate irony in this was that it had been Raziel-Divus who had secured the freedom of his own future self, no doubt producing another enemy to his god’s ambitions, if Kain knew his Raziel well at all.
If they could combine their skills, resources and talents once more there was no force that could stand against them.
But why was Raziel here? Had he been captured and then escaped? That seemed unlikely.
The only other plausible explanation that came to Kain’s mind was the possibility that Raziel had come to ‘rescue’ him.
That made him pause. Raziel rescuing him? Saving him from death and destruction, when it had not really been all that long ago when the blue wraith had been hunting him and his brothers down to exact vengeance?
Did that mean then… that he was forgiven?
For even entertaining the thought Kain mentally kicked himself. What right he did have to ask or even desire forgiveness from Raziel, after what he had taken from him? The best he could or should hope for was Raziel’s allegiance against common foes, nothing more.
The ‘dock’ area, for there was no other word Kain could summon to mind, was the exact middle point of Fanum-Divus where it expanded outwards to its widest before retracting to points at its top and bottom.
Coming out onto a long balcony that stretched off some distance to both right and left, Kain stared down at it from this vantage point. He was not too high up. If he wanted a few long jumps could up him right on the edge.
It was easy enough to spot the ‘Ark’ as Asmoedous had referred to it, the only thing that was not a part of the city itself. The vessel was silly to his eye, large to be sure but made to look like a pair of angelic wings swept back upon themselves.
Vessels should be made to do their job well, get people and cargo across expanses one could not travel by foot, not puffed up to look like some elaborate swan.
Still the ship did have a certain ominous feeling to it, the longer he stared.
The homunculi were pouring out of the city, converging towards a set of scaffolding that connected the ship to the dock.
Kain would have to act quickly. If Raziel was onboard he had to get to him before he was overwhelmed.
A movement caught his eye and the vampire glanced up in time to see yet another winged ancient, like Asmoedous, flying over. It was obvious from once glance that it was neither the slight effeminate Divus he had just met or Raziel’s first incarnation either. This one was bulky with a very well developed upper torso.
Whoever it was wore a white robe open at the front and in his grasp as a massive war-hammer; large enough to be seen from below.
It seemed most of the Divus were Ancient vampires, which Kain supposed made sense as his early ancestors had been devote followers of the Wheel of Fate religion.
Feeling exposed, he took a step back.
Perhaps the Divus flying overhead happened to simply turn his head at that moment, rather then sensing that minuet movement. Whatever the reason, the ancient turned to look directly at him.
He stopped suddenly in mid air, wings flapping hard to maintain himself in one position.
“What?! Kain?!” The ancient demanded in a voice loud enough to be heard from all that way above, his tone filled with stunned dismay. “You live?!”
Kain found himself managing a grim sort of smile.
“Yes it’s becoming a bad habit of mine.” He replied, slowly letting his arms spreading out to either side; his body tensed for anything.
The ancient dived straight towards him and Kain drew sharply back, so that the winged vampire landed on the edge of the balcony;’ the talons on his feet curving around the banister.
Close up his muscle mass seemed even better defined, developed not for the arms or chest but to provide power for the wings. His black hair was short and slicked back, probably well oiled and his face had a hawkish curve to it with a curved nose. The war hammer looked like it was made of obsidian, delicately engraved with gold and silver running in a complicated pattern down the two handed hilt.
“I don’t know how this came to be but I will correct this right here and now.” He said, face set into a grim expression. “I am Metatron-Divus, guardian and servant of the King, Raziel-Divus.”
Kain took another step back, watching as the ancient hefted his hammer up over one shoulder.
“And for the sake of my lord I will see you broken!”
In a flurry of wings and black feathers Metatron launched himself at Kain; his war hammer swinging around in an arc so soothe and effortlessly he might have been wielding a ribbon.
Kain sensed the power behind that swing instantly and he knew that if he tried to block it, it would tear him in two. At the last second his body changed into mist; the war hammer passing through the vapour and emerging out the other side. Once it was clear, Kain solidified back again and launched himself at the Divus before he could bring his weapon back for another swing.
Without a blade to fight with, Kain was at a great disadvantage but he put his skills to use; slashing at Metatron’s chest with his talons in an adapted version of the Cadaverous Laceration.
He drew blood but Metatron’s wings flapped forward, the toughed muscle batting him away. Given space to compose himself the Divus took his hammer in both hands and raised it up over his head. As he did so the weapon sparked with blue light, bolts of energy travelling up the hilt from his palm.
With a war cry he brought the hammer down into the ground and when it struck, a wall of force erupted forth like a tidal wave; cracking the stone into fragments as it went. Kain tried to dodge the wave but it stuck him full on and sent him hurtling across the balcony to crash with a loud crunch into the side of the parapet.
The vampire’s vision swam for a minute but when his vision cleared and he saw Metatron flying at him again, Kain leapt up into the air acting on instinct; narrowly avoiding another swing.
Metatron spun, lashing out with a free hand and grabbing Kain by the ankle as he soured overhead. With a lurch he dragged the vampire down and sharply slammed him into the ground. Kain gasped on impact, all the air forced out of his lungs; his body stunned and numb from the power of that hit. The pure physical strength Metatron possessed clearly surpassed his own.
Metatron brought his hammer up high again, preparing to smash Kain into the ground with it.
But Kain had recovered far quicker then the Divus had expected and leapt up, twisting in mid air and landed a kick directly into his face. Talons racked skin and Kain felt, with some satisfaction, Metatron’s nose break.
With a muffled cry of pain the Divus backed off, letting his hammer drop to one side with his free hand going to his bleeding face.
Having gained some precious breathing room Kain quickly recognised his strategy. He was not going to win in a direction confrontation with this opponent; he was severely outclassed in terms of physical power.
But all the strength in the world wouldn’t mean a thing if you couldn’t hit your enemy.
As Metatron faced him again, blood stifled from a reddened nose, Kain slipped his body down into his lupine form.
He had not been entirely sure he would be able to do it, considering that all magical effects had been negated in the city, at least for those who were not of the Divus. The shape change was not entirely magical and was more of an evolutionary trait and if he could still change his body into mist then other forms might be accessible to him here as well.
And so it was, his animal form responding to his summons like it always had.
Clearly not expecting a metamorphosis Metatron straightened with his eyes widening in alarm.
That was the opening Kain needed. He darted in, teeth flashing as he leapt at the Divus’ arms and face. He bit and tore at anything his claws and teeth could sink themselves into; thrashing about too quick for Metatron to bring his hammer down to strike.
More then once the vampire tasted blood and its presence in his mouth gave him fresh energy.
When Metatron swatted at him with one muscled arm, Kain dated behind him and scrambled up his back between his wings. The Divus swung wildly, trying to dislodge him but Kain hung on with claws sunk into the flesh. With great tearing motions he bit at the back of Metatron’s neck, trying to rip into something vital. How immortal could the princes of heaven be with their jugular ripped out?
With a strangled cry of pain, the Divus gripped his hammer in both hands and themed it down into the floor directly in front of him. Another shockwave burst forth, this one radiating out in all directions from him. Kain was hit at point blank range and sent flying into the air, his animal body spinning several times as he flew.
He rebounded off the side of a wall and fell back to the balcony safely but Metatron seemed to have had enough. With two great flaps of his wings he took off into the air, a safe distance from the balcony to be safe from further harm.
He raised his hammer high above his head with one hand, blood dripping from the talons of the other.
 “Homunculi, children of the dust!” He bellowed. “To me!”
Kain didn’t know what force the Divus used to command their terracotta puppets but they responded to his rallying cry, dust which Kain hadn’t even noticed whirling up from the walls and floors. Encircling and forming and solidifying, dozens of the puppets emerged out of nothingness with their swords, shields and spears all held ready for battle.
“For our sovereign!” Metatron added, ordering them to attack with a jab of his hammer towards Kain.
The homunculi formed a semi circle with their shields held up with one arm and their spears with the other.
Kain didn’t wait for them to solidify their formation, galloping towards them on all fours and with one great effort leapt over them.
One homunculus came at him with a sword but Kain darted between its legs, making for the edge of the parapet. Two others tried to cut him off; their spears jabbing out to bar his way.
He tore into the one on his left, mouth opening wide to take the puppets neck in its grip. The teeth bit through the clay like skin, biting down until the neck severed, its disgusting liquid insides gusting forth. As it collapsed the one on the right stabbed at him with its spear. Kain dodged the attack and smashed into it with all his weight, knocking it to the ground.
Metatron dove at him, his hammer swinging low to try and catch him in a dive like some bird of prey.
This was the mistake Kain was waiting for.
He leapt at the Divus, clawing at his arms and slashing as much as he could during the pass. Metatron had to keep flying despite the pain. He could not afford to stop for if he did Kain would have him down in an instant. Finally Kain left go, satisfied with the amount of damage he had done. Metatron was trailing blood, a trail of red leading across the balcony in his flight path.
With a churning sensation the vampire reverted back to his normal form in time to smash his talons into the abdomen of a homunculus attempting to attack him from behind.
He was just brushing the body aside when suddenly it happened, the numbing weakness spreading out from his chest; sapping his strength. He ground his teeth, trying to fight against it but the effect was far worse this time. Perhaps he had aggravated it by transforming and fighting with such vigour.
.
“The weakness! Not now!”
.
He clutched at his chest, straining to breath as the attack sapping him quickly of his adrenaline and left him weaker then ever.
Sensing danger he managed just enough forge to parry away a swipe with a sword by homunculus and then a counter attack, cutting both its arms off with its own weapon. But that was all he managed to do. He had to back off, leaving the armless homunculus to stand there with slime dripping out its stumps.
.
“The attack on my strength would mean my end if I prolonged this battle. I had to escape.”
.
Metatron was not going to give him the time needed to recover from the affects. Already he was circling, hammer at the ready. As shamefully humiliating at it was, the only option Kain had left was flight.
Summoning up what reserves of energy he could muster he darted forward, shoving a homunculus with a tower shield aside and leaping over the side of the parapet. Metatron dove at him in that instant, perhaps expecting some form of manoeuvre. But Kain simply dropped, falling down with his white hair bellowing out behind him. Gravity speed him up and Metatron missed him.
Kain didn’t bother using the vampiric ability of ‘float’ to slow his decent, he wanted to have as good as ahead start of Metatron as he could get. Only when the looming stone of Fanum-Divus’ dock grew alarming close did he slow himself, cushioning his landing. The drop still jarred his bones on impact. He ignored the pain and burst into a run, hugging the sides of the walls around him as much as he could.
Distantly he heard the flap of wings, the tell tale of pursuit. Now time was really against him and Raziel both.
With their presence now known to all in the city they had only a short grace to act, to escape, before they would be overwhelmed and destroyed.
With the scaffolding holding the Divus’ precious Ark in sight, Kain bolted like a rabbit.