The Legacy of Kain

Pwn. Can't wait till tonights installment. I think people will really be shocked when they find out who killed the sarafan raziel .

Tonight's installment...

Soul Reaver 2

After confronting Kain in the Chronoplast Chamber, watching as his former master evaded pursuit by slipping into a time portal and then following the elder Vampire through the vortex, Raziel emerges in a small room located deep within the ancient Sarafan Stronghold. The soul devourer is greeted by the devious Moebius, who explains to Raziel that he has been transported to the era 30 years before Kain's death. Raziel responds to his company's words by unleashing the Wraith Blade and approaching the Timestreamer menacingly, intending to kill the deciever. Moebius responds by activating his scepter, which, curiously enough, does not disable Raziel but the Wraith Blade instead. Raziel, amused by this, offers to kill Moebius with his bare hands instead, and in a pleading attempt to stay his attacker's hand, the deciever professes that he wishes an alliance with the demon. He claims that he too wishes Kain dead for the restoration of the Pillars, and since they hunt a common enemy, they are allies. Raziel relents and hears what the Timestreamer has to say.

First, Moebius informs Raziel that he knew he would not kill him. His role as the Time Guardian offers him a great level of omniscience, allowing him to see each individual path and stream of time's flow. He knows even at this point that his life is destined to end 30 years later at Kain's hands. He then goes on to explain that although they are in the heart of the Sarafan Stronghold, the Sarafan Order has been extinct for hundreds of years. At this point in time, only Moebius' mercenary army of vampire hunters remains, and in comparison, they're not nearly as majestic or "heroic" as the Sarafan were reputed. (Make note, Raziel is currently in an era 20 years after the death of King William and 30 years before the events of Blood Omen. During this time period, Moebius' Vampire Hunter Army is in full effect, actively hunting down every last Vampire until their creed has been made extinct.)

Moebius concludes his palaver with Raziel by informing him of Kain's current whereabouts. The two men enter a small, circular stone room with a large, ornate stone basin filled with water resting in the center. (Anyone that has played Blood Omen will recognize it as the very room in which Vorador massacred the six members of the Circle.) Moebius waves his hand over the surface of the water and suddenly an image is reflected upon it. Raziel sees Kain standing in wait at the Pillars, and in this age they still stand pure and untarnished. Moebius instructs Raziel to seek Kain out and bring his life to an end. Only with Kain's death can Nosgoth's future be preserved.

Raziel leaves Moebius' company and makes his way through the large fortress. Along the way he encounters numerous Sarafan artifacts and images, the most telling of which is a large circular room built in memory of the Sarafan Inquisitors. There are detailed murals on each wall depicting each of the five Inquisitors and a large gold statue crafted in Raziel's Sarafan image. He also notices an ornate stained glass window depicting the Ancient Vampire Janos Audron. The scene in the window depicts the lond-dead Janos as a demonic, bloodthirsty entity that preyed upon the helpless people of Uschtenheim, a small town just at the base of Audron's mountain aerie.

Eventually, he finds his way to the largest segment of the Stronghold, a large chapel-like room with stained glass windows, stone columns and a large section of the back cut off with large steel gates. Passing through the gates, Raziel sees that it is a memorial, with a large stone casket resting in the center. Approaching closer, he sees that the person being immortalized is the young, deceased King William the Just. Raziel recounts the story told to him by Kain, that they battled, each armed with their own incarnation of the Soul Reaver blade.

And that's when Raziel begins to notice that something is terribly wrong. As he stands there gazing at the large stained glass window lionizing William and demonizing Kain, he realizes that everything around him is fluctuating wildly, the air vibrating, the floors and walls expanding and contracting. It is then that he looks down at William's casket and realizes that laying on top of the stone figure of William is the Soul Reaver. However, the blade is shattered in two, apparently having been broken in the battle with Kain. Raziel reaches out and grasps the physical blade and watches as the Wraith Blade uncoils down his arm and snakes down the length of the blade, mirroring it's twin. It is then that Raziel's grasp suddenly tightens, pain surging through every passage in his body. The Wraith Blade is leeching away his own life to repair the broken blade!

Finally, the torrent subsides and the Reaver lay whole again upon the stone coffin. Raziel realizes in shock that all along, the Wraith Blade has been asleep. No more than a symbiotic weapon attached to his arm. Now that it has undergone the Reaver Convergence, it has fully awakened, a ravenous, violent parasite competing with Raziel for control. From this point on, the Reaver will no longer function as it had before. Raziel will now be capable of activating the Wraith Blade whenever he wishes, however, doing so will mean a few negative effects in return. First, Raziel will have to sacrifice to the Wraith Blade the souls of any creature he kills with the Reaver. In addition, if Raziel feeds the Wraith Blade too much too quickly, the weapon will eventually lose control of it's hunger, blindly siphoning energy off of the nearest availble target: Raziel himself. Under these circumstances, Raziel must use the Reaver with caution, saving it for when he truly needs it and using conventional weapons or his bare hands otherwise.

Shocked at this turn of events, Raziel wheels around, hearing footsteps approaching from behind. There stands Moebius, whom Raziel insists is responsible for orchestrating this event. Moebius cries innocence, blaming the Convergence on Kain's machinations. Raziel raises his weapon, preparing to strike Moebius down once and for all. Raziel tells the Guardian that death comes for all people at some point, and Moebius solemnly responds that he is most certainly right. It is the nature of the Wheel of Fate. Raziel, shocked by this statement, halts his advance. Moebius clarifies, saying that the two of them serve the same God. He explains to Raziel that the Wheel of Fate, the inexorable cycle of birth, death and rebirth and the Elder God that Raziel has been serving all along are the same creature. They are allies in more ways than one.

Willing to stay his hand for the time being, but still not willing to pledge his allegiance to Moebius, Raziel exits the Stronghold, making his way for the Pillars. As the demon exits, the doddering soothsayer's demeanor changes from that of a trembling sycophant to that of a venomous snake. He turns to himself, smiling, admitting under his breath that Raziel almost had him, but that would be the last opportunity the demon would ever have.

As Raziel emerges outside, he sees Nosgoth for the first time in his life in it's pristine and beauteous form. He sees the healthy Pillars stretching infinitely into the bright sky, which is unmarred by the clouds of ash that blanketed the only Nosgoth he had ever known. As he makes his way towards the Pillars, he marvels at Nosgoth's beauty and scenery. Then suddenly, the picturesque image is shattered as he comes upon a group of long-dead Vampires, impaled on large wooden poles imbedded in the ground. Some have had their heads removed, some have had their skin flayed off, many have been profaned and defiled in numerous other ways. There are clusters of them impaled everywhere, and Raziel is mortified. By this point in his journey, he has come to think of Vampires as a pestilence, a parasite causing the decay of the world that absolutely must be wiped out. But, regardless of his opinions, he despises seeing his own brethren humiliated and disgraced in such a manner. There is nothing noble or righteous about Moebius' crusade, it's just blind persecution. It is at this point that Raziel's simultaneous hatred of mankind begins to re-awaken within him.

Reaching the Pillars, Raziel spies Kain admiring their pristine form for the first time since restoring and then immediately re-damning them so long ago. He quietly unleashes the Reaver and stealthily approaches Kain's back. Still standing a good ten feet from his quarry, the elder Vampire announces that he knows his young apprentice is there. He was just waiting to see if Raziel would give his former master any credit by not taking his senses so lightly.

Kain admonishes Raziel for allowing himself to be so easily manipulaed by Moebius. He warns the young demon to stay out of the Timestreamer's deceptive web. Raziel replies by asking if he would be better manipulated by Kain, sarcastically questioning Kain's moral fiber. He demands that Kain turn and face him because the chase is over, and it is time for the old Vampire to die. Kain replies that this is not a chase; they are simply being compelled to live out their destinies, their pre-ordained paths on the Wheel of Fate. He insists that he has seen the full spectrum of Raziel's and his own fate, however, he does not like the outcome, and as such, the two of them must rewrite history for their own good and for the good of Nosgoth. He asks Raziel to quell his desire for vengeance just long enough to let Kain explain a few things.

Kain asks Raziel to keep quiet, and during their silence they watch as the air around them ripples and darkens as if a thick poison spreads through the atmosphere. They hear a bloodcurdling scream of sheer misery echo through the world, and they watch as the pristine Pillars suddenly turn black and corroded. Kain explains that Raziel has just witnessed the corruption of the Pillars. At this very moment, Nupraptor has discovered his lover's corpse and has psychically transmitted his agony to every member of the Circle, including Kain, who at this very moment is only a few minutes old. He explains to Raziel that this was an expertly calculated attack, and it would be the catalyst for much darkness in the land of Nosgoth for many years. He recounted the tale of his decision at the Pillars and his refusal of the sacrifice. He presents the situation using a coin toss as the metaphor. On one side, Kain sacrifices his own life to save Nosgoth but he kills the entire Vampire race in the process. On the other side, Kain saves himself, ruling Nosgoth in it's damnation. Either way, the game is rigged and Nosgoth loses. Raziel responds, irritated and impatient, that after all this blathering Kain has made Raziel's point for him. In order to save Nosgoth, Kain must die so new Guardians can be reborn. Kain responds that the Pillars don't belong to the humans...they belong to the Vampires.

Kain then states that there is more to the story than it would seem.

Kain: There's a third option. A monumental secret, hidden in your very presence here. But it's a secret you have to discover for yourself. Unearth your destiny, Raziel. It's all laid out for you here.

Raziel: You said it yourself, Kain. There are only two sides to your coin.

Kain: Apparently so. But suppose you throw a coin enough times...suppose one day, it lands on its edge.

With that, Kain teleports away from the Pillars, leaving Raziel to his own devices. Confused, Raziel questions why he allowed Kain to escape, and then realizes that there is far more to the picture than he originally imagined. He leaves the Pillar Sanctuary and comes across a large stone door set into a cliff face, emblazoned with images of the Reaver and an image of a blue-skinned, cloven-clawed winged creature, very similar to Raziel himself. Inserting the Wraith Blade into a hole in the door, the ancient barrier opens itself for possibly the first time in millenia, and he enters.

Making his way through a series of underground passages, Raziel eventually enters a chamber directly blow the Pillars. The stone columns descend into the earth and into this circular cavern. The walls are adorned with more images of that same blue-skinned race of creatures, and Raziel makes comparisons between them and himself, noticing their angelic features while his are more demonic. The murals depict a war with a beastly race of grey-skinned creatures, and the soul devourer can find no way to further decipher their true meaning. It is then that Raziel hears a familiar voice emanating from the depths of a large pool of water underneath the central platform. It is the Elder God, and he is not pleased that Raziel allowed Kain to escape.

Immediately, Raziel responds in an insolent tone, expressing that he'd hoped his contact with the Elder God had been ended. The Elder God reminds Raziel of his duty, to destroy Kain, and Raziel responds sarcastically, reconsidering his blind adherence to the Elder God's previous demands. He further mocks the Elder God by asking if he thought Moebius' faith would falter if he was informed that he was actively worshipping a giant squid. The Elder God tires of Raziel's insolence and sends him on his way, reitarating that the demon is indebted to him and his final task still needs to be fulfilled. Raziel responds that when he kills Kain it will be for his own reasons and no one else's.

Raziel emerges from the underground passageways in the Termagent Forest Swamp, and upon arriving, notices a strange figure watching him from a high stone balcony. Raziel immediately identifies the figure as the Vampire Vorador. He takes note of Vorador's watchful sentries, a large number of crows that allow Vorador to see anything they spy. The elder Vampire vanishes afer a few moments, while his crows continue to watch the young demon. Further exploring the swamp, he eventually finds his way up to the terrace he had seen Vorador on before. He sees another large stone door built into the wall, emblazoned with the symbol of the Reaver. He inserts the Wraith Blade and enters.

Raziel comes to learn that he has entered an ancient shrine known as the Dark Forge, a structure built for the purpose of imbuing the Reaver with the elemental power of Darkness. All across the Forge he views numerous murals depicting the battle between the blue-skinned Ancients and their ghastly adversaries. After activating the Forge, Raziel uses it to give his Wraith Blade the power of Darkness, turning the blade into a writhing band of black energy.

Exiting the Dark Forge, he finds Vorador waiting for him on the terrace. The elder Vampire is not very welcoming, questioning Raziel's presence and appearance, stating that he is certainly not human and appears to be more of a demon than a Vampire. He then states his reasons for distrusting Raziel, saying that he has watched Raziel emerge from the Sarafan Stronghold, arriving in Nosgoth at the same time as the corruption of the Pillars and blithely unlocking vampiric secrets that have remained forbidden for thousands upon thousands of years. He states that the path Raziel is currently on is open to only one individual. He then realizes and vocalizes a question, asking if Raziel is aware of who he truly is. Understanding that the answer doesn't matter, he proclaims that Nosgoth is beyond redemption and that he can confidently allow the human cattle to keep ownership of it. Raziel replies saying that he expected better than this from Vorador. The elder Vampire responds that centuries of persecution have taught him to stay out of human affairs. Raziel asks Vorador what he should make of everything he's seen. The murals, the Reaver itself and the fulfillment of some sort of prophecy that Raziel does not fully understand. Vorador explains that it doesn't matter what Raziel does. The only Vampire in existence that could clarify the situation, the Reaver Guardian, Janos Audron was murdered 500 years prior and his answers died with him. Disappearing, Vorador explains that Nosgoth and everyone in it, has simply run out of luck.

Returning to the Elder God's Chamber, Raziel asks what he is to make of these murals and such. The Elder God explains that they are the failed attempts of a dead civilization to re-write the future. He warns Raziel that there are dark forces at work intent on subverting Raziel's destiny. Raziel mockingly says that he knows of these dark forces, but questions if he's in their presence right now. The Elder God warns Raziel that his insolence will only be tolerated for so long. Raziel replies that those threats are pointless, he is beyond the Elder God's reach.

Raziel decides to return to the Sarafan Stronghold to demand that Moebius send him back to Janos Audron's era so he can have his questions answered. On the way, he discovers the entrance to another Forge, this one imbued with the elemental power of Light. Raziel activates the Forge, forges the Light Reaver and continues towards the Sarafan Stronghold.

Re-entering the Stronghold, Raziel enters the chapel and spies a dead vampire hunter with his throat torn out, lying on the ground. He immediately knows that he is once again in the presence of his malefactor, Kain, and demands that he show himself. Kain beckons him to King William's memorial, and there Raziel sees his former master, gazing upon William's casket. He explains to Raziel that this is the apocalyptic moment of their undoing, that this is a crucial moment in their fates. He explains that their meeting in this place is not by choice, they were compelled to meet here. They have always met here. This scene has played out countless millions of times over the course of history, but this time, Kain intends to make it different. He explains that free will is an illusion. You can fight fate, change tiny little details, but the outcome will always be the same. Had Kain chosen not to come here and had chosen not to beckon Raziel as he just did moments ago, the outcome would have remained the same anyway. Free will is an illusion.

Except...what about King William? If fate truly is infallible, if the outcome truly is always the same, how was Kain able to divert the flow of history by killing William? The answer is in the Reaver. The Soul Reaver is the most powerful weapon ever forged, and within it lies the key to unlocking the power of the Pillars. One Reaver in one place and time is powerful enough, but two of them is catastrophic. That's why Raziel felt that sense of displacement and fluxuation when he approached the Reaver before, that's why he's feeling it now, so close to the Reaver at this moment. Kain felt the same thing while he was fighting William. Two Reavers in the same place at the same time can have a disabling effect on the flow of history. Fate can be altered under those conditions.

Concluding his explanation, Kain picks up the Reaver blade and approaches Raziel. The soul devourer immediately unleashes the Wraith Blade and warns Kain not to take another step in his direction. Kain replies that Raziel has misinterpreted his intentions as he turns the hilt of the blade towards Raziel and hands him the sword. The Wraith Blade snakes down the length of the physical sword and Raziel raises it to Kain's throat, confidently stating that he could kill Kain where he stands. Kain replies that that is exactly what is supposed to happen. Suddenly, Raziel's face is awash with horror as he feels history itself tug at his arm, trying to force him to kill Kain. Kain commands Raziel to fight it, to use every ounce of willpower in him to resist. If he can avoid killing Kain, they will be one step closer to achieving their goal. Raziel strains against the pull of history and in one final blinding moment of agony, Raziel raises the sword above his head and slams it through William's coffin, cutting it in two, burying the sword up to the hilt. Kain remains alive.

Moments later, the two feel the world around them violently shaking, straining itself to re-order the flow of time to accomodate this massive change. Kain was supposed to die, but Raziel altered that, and now the future must be rearranged to suit the change. After the violence subsides, Kain congratulates Raziel of being a champion of free will, for allowing the two of them enough of a future to restore Nosgoth to it's intended state. Raziel, disconcerned with being a champion of anything, leaves Kain's company to seek Moebius and a passage back to the time of Janos Audron.

He arrives shortly thereafter in the Timestreaming Chamber that he arrived in. As he enters, Moebius rushes in fretful and genuinely distressed. Raziel takes a considerable amount of joy in seeing Moebius in such a state of disarray, mocking him repeatedly. Moebius attempts to regain control of the situation be admonishing Raziel for not killing Kain when he had the chance. Raziel responds that he chose not to because he was capable of choosing not to. He exerted his own will for once instead of the will of everyone else. And on that, he states that it's now his turn to do some manipulating. He unleashes the Wraith Blade and commands Moebius to set the Timstreaming Device for an era in which Janos Audron still lives. Complying, Moebius activates the device and sends Raziel on his way.

Raziel materializes in the same room, only in a different time period. Stepping out of the Chamber, however, he can see that he has been betrayed. The Sarafan Stronghold is now a ruins, with rain pouring in from giant gaps in the ceiling. As he makes his way through the ruins, he is attacked by a new breed of warrior. Not vampire hunters. Their methods are much more attuned and much more precise than that. He comes to realize very quickly what they actually are: demon hunters. Raziel has been tossed 100 years after Kain's refusal at the Pillars, in an era where Nosgoth is being assaulted by otherworldly demons, which is evidenced to him several times in the Stronghold alone. Making his way out, Raziel stumbles across a massive gold statue of Moebius, lionized, holding the severed head of Vorador. Just as he's about to exit the fortress, he hears the voice of Moebius and turns to see his disembodied spectre floating a few feet away. Moebius admonishes Raziel, stating that his refusal to kill Kain has caused this nightmarish landscape. Raziel comments that he has no idea how in the hell it could possibly be his fault that Nosgoth turned out this way. He states that the Timstreamer's logic is flawed and should peddle his lies elsewhere. He then goes on to accuse Moebius of speaking nothing but mistruths, questioning if the Timestreamer is even actually dead. He then states that he has one surefire way of finding out though, and pulls down his cowl as though prepared to devour the Timestreamer's soul. Terrified, Moebius disappears as Raziel chuckles with satisfaction.

Exiting the Stronghold, Raziel comes to learn that the world outside of the ruins is no better than inside. Demons stalk the fields, demon hunters impede Raziel's progress and the sky is stained in a perpetual cover of black clouds. Raziel makes his way back to the Pillars, encountering Ariel while there. She laments about her plight, having been tethered to the Pillars, blaming Kain for it all. Raziel approaches her, and considering that it's a past incarnation of Ariel, she does not recognize him. He taunts her, saying that her years in limbo have deranged her mind. They argue as to Kain's responsibility for the decline of Nosgoth, she insisting that it is entirely his selfish fault and Raziel questioning if maybe his decision was the right thing to do. Eventually, she tires of his prodding and demands that he leave. Raziel obliges and continues on his way.

He travels once again through the Elder God's Chamber and the sight awaiting him digusts him to no end. There he sees the Pillars, broken, some snapped in half, while the Elder God's tentacles reach higher and higher through the cavern, wrapping around the ruined Pillars. Raziel muses that one might be so inclined to believe that it was the Elder God that was responsible for their decay, considering what he was looking at. He also stated that he found it quite ironic that the Elder God appeared to thrive in his cavern while the world outside crumbled. The Elder God then scolds Raziel for his failure to assassinate Kain. He claims that Kain's evil tongue has clouded the yound demon's judgment. Raziel continues with his mockery, laughing as he realizes the irony of the situation. The great enemy of the Vampires turns out to be the greatest parasite of them all. The Elder God warns Raziel, claiming that the soul devourer is his servant, and he can unmake him at will. Raziel responds that he is now beyond death, and so beyond the Elder God's threats. The Elder God responds that there are worse fates than death.

Raziel leaves, and re-enters the Termagent Forest Swamp, seeing the entrance to another Timestreaming Chamber hidden amongst the foliage. However, presently he is incapable of reaching it, for it is blocked by a thick, cracked stone door. Raziel continues onwards, finding new passages in the Swamp and eventually making his way through Uschtenheim to the base of Janos Audron's Aerie. He sees a large balcony built into the side of the mountain, but the roof has long since caved in, signaling Audron's demise nearly a millennium ago.

Suddenly, Raziel hears footsteps approaching behind him. He turns and sees Kain walking towards him, and reacts with disdain. Kain assures Raziel that he has not come for a confrontation. The two discuss Raziel's arrival in this time period, Kain stating that Moebius most likely sent him here so that he would be able to see the wasteland that Kain was solely responsible for. Raziel comments that Moebius' plans have had no effect, stating that if he honestly thought killing Kain would fix anything, he'd do it that very instant. Kain warns that there are dark forces intent on stopping the two of them, regardless of whether they are allies or not, their enemies see them that way, and as such, they must keep their eyes open. Because they have re-written the path of history, they are irritants in the flow of time. They must now tread carefully for history abhors a paradox, and if they push the boundaries of time too far, they could find themselves in a disastrous situation, which could possibly be exactly the outcome that their enemies are looking for. With that, Kain disappears and leaves Raziel to himself.

Exploring the mountains further, Raziel comes across yet another elemental forge, this one imbued with the power of Air. Raziel activates the forge and creates the Air Reaver, capable of blasting down compromised barriers, which is exactly the type of weapon he'll need to break into that secondary Timestreaming Chamber he spotted earlier.

Returning to the Termagent Forest Swamp, Raziel blasts down the door of the sealed Timestreaming Chamber and enters. There he finds a Timestreaming Device, unused and sealed for an unknowable amount of time. Incapable of knowing how to operate the device or how to set it for a specific time period, Raziel simply activates the mechanism, hoping to be fortunate enough to arrive in the desired era. He places his hands upon the magnetic poles and dematerializes, being whisked through the ether to an unknown time...

God Almighty, this one is going to take much longer than I expected. I'm gonna have to finish the rest tomorrow night. Blood Omen 2 will simply have to wait until Saturday. Anyway, tune in tomorrow night for the second half of Soul Reaver 2.

Man, I'm at work and can't just sit reading this whole thing.. and I really want to. I'm 2 days of reading behind, and probably won't be able to indulge myself for a few more days..

I honestly can't believe how long SR2 turned out. I'm not even finished with it. I thought it was going to be the shortest of the bunch.

And now for the conclusion to Soul Reaver 2.

Re-materializing in the Timestreaming Chamber, Raziel surveys his surroundings and sees that the Chamber appears much less dilapidated than it had been before. Blasting down the door, he steps out into the Swamp and realizes that somehow, against all odds, the Timestreaming Chamber has delivered him to precisely the era he sought. It is the middle of winter, snow falling heavily all around, and in the distance Raziel can clearly see the banners of the Sarafan Order waving in the wind. Making his way back towards Janos' Mountain Aerie, he encounters one of the Sarafan killing fields, and is aghast with revulsion. Moebius' citizen army was sloppy, their kills displayed in scattered and hasty formation, the corpses of their enemies brutalized as though it took for too long to kill a single one, and the number of dead were paltry in comparison. The Sarafan's progress is horrifying. Acres of impaled Vampires stretch through the fields, arranged in rows, all corpses killed quickly and efficiently, only mutilated for the purposes of offense, unlike Moebius' army, whose kills were hacked apart because of lack of skill on the hunters' parts. Before witnessing this scene, Raziel had felt a sense of longing for his Sarafan "nobility" that Kain so intentionally defiled. He had felt a sense of admiration for his past, and hatred for the monster he had become. Now witnessing the monstrosity of his creed's past deeds, he feels none of that admiration he had once held. He has seen the human face of the Vapires of this world, so unlike the decadent killing machines of Kain's Empire. He has also seen the monstrous face of his human counterparts, and as such, he can no longer honestly admire his human heritage.

Not long after, Raziel encounters the Sarafan in the flesh in a small camp. They spot him immediately, and very quickly he recognizes the skill of these warriors. So much more advanced both tactically and physically than the Vampire Hunters and Demon Hunters he had previously faced. He could now see why they had been so feared in this era. Regardless, though, they fall to his assaults and he continues on his way.

Raziel once again passes through the town of Uschtenheim, now covered in snow and still populated unlike it had been in the previous era he had visited. Battling against Sarafan Knights the entire way, he eventually reaches Janos Audron's Aerie and sees that the destroyed balcony he had previously seen was still intact in this era. However, the balcony is far too high for Raziel to ever hope to reach. His wings are little more than flaps of skin, and only useful for gliding, not ascending. In the previous era, there was a large lake sitting at the base of Janos' mountain retreat, and it exists in this era as well, only the surface is frozen solid. Walking out onto the ice, Raziel investigates the lake further and finds a large hole than he can use to drop into the frigid water. he does so, and after swimming under the surface for a while, he finds a strange mark on one of the lake's walls. He decides to shift into the Spectral Realm, and upon doing so, watches as the mark opens, widening into a large passageway. Making his way through the passage, Raziel finds himself on the bottom floor of a large indoor tower-structure. Using the skills available to him and his clever intuition, Raziel ascends to the top of the chamber and enters through a large stone door. He sees immediately that he is in Janos' personal chambers, and that the Ancient Vampire is standing at the balcony, looking down upon the forzen lake.

When Janos turns, Raziel finds that the elder Vampire is not what he had expected. He had always heard stories of the legendary monster, Janos Audron, feared by Nosgoth, hunter of innocents, winged demon. The creature that greets him is not only polite and cordial, but recognizes Raziel and in shocked worry asks what has happened to his body. He is appalled to see the form that the soul devourer currently inhabits and wishes to know what monster is responsible for it.

Raziel is stunned. Not only are his expectations completely contradicted, but somehow the Ancient knows him, while Raziel has never met the elder. Janos explains that he has waited millennia for Raziel. At the time of the original binding, when the first nine Guardians were called to serve the Pillars, Janos was selected as the tenth Guardian, the keeper of the Soul Reaver, the weapon of the Vampires' salvation. He claims that the only thing that has kept him alive all this time is his duty to the Reaver and to Raziel himself. He xplains to Raziel that the world is in great peril. The humans are on a crusade to end the Vampire "plague", but what they do not realize is that it was the Vampires that built the Pillars the humans so feverishly depend upon. With each Vampire they kill, they unknowingly slit their own throats. He makes mention of the fact that the humans know he's up here, and it terrifies them. They flaunt their kills at the base of his mountain, to injure the Ancient Vampire, or perhaps to lure him out. However, Janos is quick to defend the humans as well. He says that they know not what they do. They are unenlightened and susceptible to manipulation. As such, he does not fault them for their actions.

Raziel then realizes the truth of Kain and Vorador's words. They have ambiguously made mention of Raziel being some sort of Vampiric messiah, destined to save Nosgoth from the cruel hands of fate. Janos confirms this allegations to an extent, saying that the Reaver is the weapon of Nosgoth's salvation and it was crafted for Raziel alone. On that note, Janos produces an ornate wooden box and opens the lid. Laying within it is the Soul Reaver. However, instead of the displacement that Raziel had felt before when in the Reaver's presence, he instead feels a sense of overwhelming terror. A compulsion to flee from the blade's presence while simultaneously feeling compelled to pick it up. He demands that Janos keep the blade away from him, and before the Ancient can question why, the two of them hear a large explosion erupt below them. Raziel realizes with dawning horror that in blazing a trail to Janos' quarters, he has unwittingly opened the path through which the Sarafan Knights can pursue the Vampire.

Janos, making the exact same realization, tells Raziel that he must not be caught by the Sarafan. He tells Raziel that the salvation of Nosgoth depends upon him, and with that, he teleports the soul devourer away to an adjacent chamber while he stays behind to fend off the attackers. Observing his surroundings, Raziel finds that the Fire Forge is actually located within Janos' stronghold, which is where the Ancient has sent him. He finds the exit, a large stone door emblazoned with the image of the Fire Reaver, locked tight. He can hear Janos violently staving off his attackers in the next room, and as such, Raziel hurriedly activates the Fire Forge, imbues the Wraith Blade with the essence of Fire and uses it to open the locked Forge door.

Rushing back into Janos' room, Raziel finds himself at a balcony located high above the room he had just conversed with Janos in. He was quick in his action, but too late to save Janos. Watching, helpless to assist, he sees the Sarafan Inquisitors holding Audron down on a table. Their leader, suited in gold armor, equipped with a vicious blade attached to his right gauntlet, drives the weapon into the Ancient's chest, wrenching his heart free from it's moorings. Janos tenses in sheer agony and then falls limp to the side. Raziel looks down upon the scene and locks eyes with the lead Inquisitor and suddenly realizes who the attacker is behind the helmet and faceplate. It is his former self.

The two stare at each other across the room, burning through one another with righteous fury. Suddenly, the Aerie is wracked with a giant rumble. Janos is using his last bit of strength to bring the fortress down on top of them! The Sarafan's underlings grab their commander and flee the Aerie with the Heart of Darkness in hand. Raziel drops to the floor below and approaches Janos, who is still barely alive. He tells Raziel that in addition to taking his heart, the Sarafan Inquisitors have made off with the Soul Reaver as well and are most likely taking it back to their Stronghold for safe keeping. He tells Raziel that above all he must retrieve the Reaver, for it was fashioned for Raziel alone, and without it, Nosgoth is doomed. With that, the Ancient breathes his last.

Stepping away from Janos' defiled corpse, Raziel pulses with sheer unbridled hatred. In that instant, he rejects everything he ever was and vows to complete the role that Janos so dilligently prepared for him. He leaps from Janos' balcony to the frozen lake below, realizing that the Inquisitors have managed to somehow outmaneuver him. He sets out for the Sarafan Stronghold one last time to avenge the death of Janos Audron and reclaim what is rightfully his.

On his way back through the canyon, Raziel watches as the sky above him suddenly tears asunder and a group of demons pour through the rift. He realizes that the demons from Nosgoth's future era were not just a byprodcut of the world's decay. These things were being sent after him by the dark forces rallying to stop him. Tearing through them, he continues into the Termangent Forest Swamp and is attacked by these same demons again. Exiting the swamp, Raziel passes through the Elder God's Chamber one final time. The Elder God states that Raziel has failed him completely, and the soul devourer cuts him off. Refusing to listen to more of the squid's tired rambling, he renounces the Elder God's influence over him, declaring himself free of his former benefactor's control. Without hearing another word, he exits the chamber, now an agent of only his own will.

Arriving at the Pillars, Raziel is attacked one final time by his demonic pursuers. His enemies have pulled out all of the stops this time, sending three of their most devastating and terrifying soldiers after him. Raziel dispatches them and continues, hacking through an army of human opponents the remainder of the way. His enemies are desperate to halt him and are sending every last resource they have available. This, however, is insufficient to stop him, as he grinds through their ranks like an unstoppable juggernaut.

Finally, he reaches the gates of the Sarafan Stronghold. He bursts through the defenses, taking apart soldier after soldier. Raziel enters a small room adjoining itself to a larger passage. In the middle of the room sits a small table and upon it is the Soul Reaver. Again, feeling none of the temporal displacement he had experienced previously, he instead feels strangely compelled to pick the weapon up. Suddenly he hears the door behind him open, he wheels around, and blocking his exit is the Timestreamer Moebius accompanied by the Paladin Malek (in human form, before his soul is fused into his armor). Moebius speaks, and as he does, long gone is his pleading and weak demeanor. His voice is that of a vile jackal, and he holds all of the cards. Raziel accuses him, stating that Moebius knew he would accidentally lead the Sarafan to Janos. Moebius laughs, confirming the allegation and Raziel asks, furious, if the Timstreamer finds toying with his fate amusing. Raziel moves as though preparing to attack and Moebius halts him, activating his scepter and disabling the Wraith Blade. He then commands Malek to not allow Raziel to leave the room as he poses a great threat to the Circle. Moebius continues to mock the soul devourer, laughing at Raziel's impotent attempts to re-write history on a being who knows all history.

Suddenly, the three hear a violent commotion coming from the end of the hall. It is the Circle, and they are screaming for Malek's assistance. In response to this, they hear the vocie of Vorador, taunting them as he slaughters the Guardians. This is the moment where all of the Circle except Moebius and Mortanius are murdered. Malek instinctively makes his way for the door and Moebius commands him to stay, saying that Raziel is the true threat and not that petty Vampire in the next room. Filled with violent rage, Raziel instinctively reaches for the table and snatches the Reaver from it's surface, brandishing it threateningly against his opponents. Malek is unsettled with this, while Moebius seems genuinely pleased to see this happen. By disabling Raziel's Wraith Blade, he has left the soul devourer no choice but to take up the Soul Reaver with which to defend himself. Backing slowly out of the room, Moebius commands Malek to bolt the door, forcing Raziel to exit from the opposite side. Being relieved of his duties, Malek rushes off to aid the Circle, but we already know how that portion of the story is going to pan out...

Leaving the room, Raziel enters the chapel and is attacked by the Sarafan incarnations of his brothers, Melchiah and Zephon. He muses that these poor fools have no idea that they are destined to become the very thing they hate the most. He kills them quickly, striking them down and watching, fascinated as the blade drinks up their blood and instantly heals all of Raziel's wounds in the process. He makes his way further into the chapel and is then attacked by Rahab and Dumah, whom he slaughters with relative ease. He laughs to himself, finally seeing the true comedy of Kain's blasphemous act, realizing that it is himself who put the bastards in their tombs in the first place, allowing Kain to resurrect them centuries later. As he heads for the chapel exit, his brother Turel, the only of his kin that escaped his vengeance in the future, halts him. The two fight one-on-one, and even with the Reaver, Raziel has difficulty putting his brother down for good. Eventually, though, Turel falls and the blade saps his blood to replenish it's master. Now having eliminated all five of his brothers in their Sarafan forms, he exits the chapel and enters the large circular Memorial Chamber that will be adorned with murals and statues honoring these Sarafan wretches hundreds of years from now.

Waiting for Raziel is himself, still wearing his golden armor, but with his helmet removed and his face revealed. The Lead Inquisitor is completely oblivious to the true identity of the demon standing before him, and Raziel takes great amusement in it. Threatening the demon, the Inquisitor taunts him, asking Raziel if he'd heard Janos Audron's cowardly screams as they tore the black heart from his twitching body. Raziel insists that he does not want to kill the man, but if he must, he will, and then he will take the heart back. The Sarafan refuses, unsheaths his sword and the battle begins.

Raziel quickly comes to realize precisely why he was of such high distinction in the Sarafan Order. Fighting against his former self proves to be the absolute most difficult trial he has ever faced, the human Raziel skillfully evading his attacks and inflicting heavy damage despite the Reaver's restorative effects. The two battle ferociously, exchanging deadly blows. Finally, after a torturous duel, the demon strikes the human vitally, stunning him, leaving him vulnerable to attack. Raziel plunges the Soul Reaver through his Sarafan counterpart's chest, impaling him, and growls hatefully:

"I renounce you."

He slides the sword from his opponent's body. The Sarafan falls to the floor, dead, lying in a growing pool of his own blood. Raziel's heart races, his fury and hatred plowing through his system like a freight train, channelling sheer power into the Soul Reaver. Suddenly, the Wraith Blade re-activates itself, the disabling effect from Moebius' scepter having fully worn off. The ethereal weapon again uncoils down Raziel's arm and joins it's physical twin. The soul devourer is suddenly filled with absolute horror as he feels all of his fury and anger, which he had channelled directly into the Reaver, suddenly spike and lose control. Now joined with the Wraith Blade, the Reaver has a mind of it's own, and Raziel has fed the weapon too much. It has gone insane with sheer bloodlust.

Unable to control the weapon any longer, it viciously searches the room for another available target to feed from, and finding no one else, it turns itself upon Raziel, impaling him on the blade as it both devours his soul and leeches his blood. he realizes that this has been his fate all along, orchestrated by Moebius. He realizes with dawning horror that the ravenous soul imprisoned within the physical blade that would eventually join him as his symbiotic weapon was in fact his own soul. The Reaver shattered upon his back because the weapon was not capable of destroying a dual version of itself. it created a paradox, and the physical blade broke as a result of it. He realizes that this has always been the cycle of his fate, to be born human, killed by a future incarnation of himself, to have the Soul Reaver shattered upon his back and the Wraith Blade attached to his arm and then to be eventually devoured by the physical sword to become the symbiotic weapon for another incarnation of himself. This was his fate, to play out this purgatorial cycle for all eternity.

With absolute despair, he prepares for the final step in his fate, when suddenly he sees Kain appear from behind one of the room's pillars. He assaults Kain, asking him is he finds this funny, asking if he revels in the demon's miserable fate. Kain responds in a focused tone, telling Raziel not to fight. Suddenly, the demon feels that same sense of vertigo that he had felt before, that displacement he had felt when he had altered history by sparing Kain's life. He realizes that this is the moment Kain has been waiting for all along. This is the edge of the coin. Seizing his opportunity, Kain grabs hold of the Reaver, wrenching it free from Raziel's chest and saving his life. The Wraith Blade separates from the physical blade and all is still for but a moment.

Then it happens. The two of them feel that same sense of violent re-shuffling that they had felt earlier when Raziel had spared Kain's life. Only this time it becomes far, far worse. The room around them trembles violently, shaking dust and debris all around them. Kain's eyes widen in horror as he realizes that this time they may have strained history too far. Raziel watches Kain's face as old memories die and new memories bloom in the elder Vampire's mind. he listens as Kain says, terrified:

"My God, the Hylden. We've walked right into their trap."

Motivated now by sheer terror, Kain grabs hold of Raziel and tells him that the Heart of Darkness must not be retrieved. Janos Audron must stay dead. But Raziel does not hear him. Having been drained of his life force and having been wounded almost fatally by the Reaver, his corporeal body disseminates and he automatically shifts into the Spectral Realm. He regains his composure, and looks around him. He looks down at his arm and sees that the Wraith Blde is still there, still attached to his arm. Kain may have spared him, but all he has done is prolong Raziel's fate. He will be absorbed into the Soul Reaver, as is evidenced by the continued existence of the Wraith Blade. It's only a matter of time.

History abhors a paradox...

Tune in on Saturday for the next installment, Blood Omen 2.

Wait a minute. What is the actual sequence of games as you are supposed to play them in order? I thought it was BO, BO2, SR, SR2, then Defiance? Maybe I'm wrong. I have not read the last few installments due to lack of time, but I definitely will eventually read them, and maybe you wrote in there that these are out of order, IDK.

Anyway, above question.

The sequence of the games goes BO, SR, SR2, BO2, Defiance. The events of Blood Omen 2 were caused by the events at the end of SR2.