Creation

Book One: The Balance of Life and Death

 

Disclaimer: Legacy of Kain belongs to Edios and Crystal Dynamics not me. I am making £0.00 out of this fic, it is written purely because I have a burning need to create. Although I would like to own Vorador . . . then he’d be mine.

 

Warning: this fic contains YAOI (GuyXGuy) and a lemon, if this offends or upsets you do not read this, it that simple.

 

Rating: NC-17

 

Pairing: Raziel/Kain

 

Setting: post all games 

 

EXPRESS WARNING: Spoilers for all the games. This fic is seriously out of it, SERIOUSLY its just odd.

 

Dedications: And As always this is also dedicated to my beta reader ‘odeena skywalker’ aka ‘Anne Shard’ because without whom this would most likely be practically unreadable for many. Also this goes to another friend of mine who would like to remain nameless but he’s been a great help and I just want to let him know how grateful I am.

 

Summery: The games are over Nosgoth has been saved. A decision is made about life and death. Life goes on until a newer or perhaps older enemy rears its head and a warrior must rise.

 

Authoress note: this is my first fic with Raziel at the head Yay new territory ^_^ it’s also my first fic in ages that not set in the Blood omen two time frame!! Wow I’m on a roll. 

 

Also please note due to the length of this fic it has been broken up into separate parts ‘Books’ each will be about four/five chapters long. This is Book one.

 

Italics mean either flashbacks or thoughts

 

 

* \/ * /\ * \/ * /\ *

 

 

Chapter Three

 

 

{Graveyard south of the pillars}

 

“If you’d have been patient enough to wait for a moment the Guardian’s would have brought up the subject of the daemons, they wish to know if you’ve had any luck in locating the source,” Melchiah lectured his brother sidestepping a fallen headstone.

 

“I’d really rather not talk about it Melchiah if it’s all the same to you,” Raziel mumbled as they made their way through the ancient grave yard where the shrines of Light and darkness lay hidden, long falling into disrepair. 

 

“Raziel,” Melchiah sighed, he was well aware of Raziel’s –to use a mild word- dislike of the new appointed guardians but there was little Raziel’s dislike would do to change things so it was best just to get on with it. After all Melchiah thought smugly the guardians died ‘naturally’ before maybe they would do it again, and sometime soon he hoped, for the sake of Raziel’s sanity.

 

“Melchiah,” Raziel answered, his tone an imitation of his brothers

 

“The daemons are still here,” Melchiah stated simply, “if they were linked to the corruption then they should have gone, or maybe they are linked to the corruption and that’s not yet fully gone, maybe its hidden itself away waiting to become stronger,” his words were speeding up, his tone more irate.

 

“Mel you worry too much,” Raziel’s eyes followed the path, following his old footsteps; he’d must have walked this path a hundred times in the last six months alone and countless time in the last fifty years.

 

“What if I’m right Raziel and your lack of . . . effort gives it the time it needs to grow stronger,” Melchiah paused letting his words sink in before continuing “what if all that . . . awfulness happens again; I don’t think I could bare it.”

 

“I’m well aware that the daemon numbers are increasing but honestly I think it’s probably a simple problem with a simple answer,”

 

“Janos said the daemon world was locked by the pillars, the reaver was the key . . . what if the lock wasn’t locked properly and the reaver’s gone. What if we can’t close the daemon world off . . . ever,” Melchiah hated discussing this kind of thing here, it felt sacrilegious; as if he was criticising his father in his resting place.

 

“Janos says lots of things,” Raziel murmured, Melchiah raised an eyebrow that was the first time he heard Raziel criticise Janos Audron. “Don’t look at me like that.” Raziel smiled a little but it was clearly forced, Melchiah looked at him his expression a mask of worry and grief. Raziel sighed exasperated and stopped walking “Do you want to know what I really think is wrong?”

 

“Yes,” Melchiah nodded, Raziel turned and continued walking, they turned the last corner and entered an ancient building for housing the dead, the building was big enough to hold a city’s worth of dead but this place was empty save for one.

 

“I think Daemons came through when the gates were open and have scattered all over the land; obviously some of them have escaped us and maybe they’re breeding on this plane. I don’t think the gates open Mel, the pillars are whole and pristine; nothing is wrong any more.”

 

“But what if . . .” Melchiah opened his mouth to question further but was silenced by his brother

 

“Do we have to do this here?” Raziel stopped at the main room of the mausoleum and frowned at his brother, who had the decency to look ashamed, Melchiah shook his head “thank you, please wait here.” Raziel again forced a sad smile, and entered the main room, leaving Melchiah by the door.

 

The name was above the door, Kain, Scion of Balance. Briefly Melchiah found himself wondering the ridiculous thought of what his father’s mortal surname had been; surely his parents hadn’t named him just Kain. Although maybe they had, from what Melchiah had learned from Vorador his father never was a big fan of his parents. Melchiah shook his head slightly and breathed his father’s name, it sounded so strange to say it aloud now almost sacred. That seemed odd to Melchiah, when he had been young his father had been a god to all the clans he remembered his children speaking of Kain with reverence but to him Kain had just been his father; he’d loved him and looked up to him but he’d always been a creature of flesh and blood capable of mistakes, never the stone faced god the mortals feared. But now that he was dead Melchiah couldn’t help but feel that something divine had left Nosgoth. The fledgling felt himself smile knowing that his father would find his thoughts amusing but was disturbed by the sound of movement that wasn’t Raziel’s, he turned in time to see Gregory one of the graveyards attendants.

 

“Morning Lord Melchiah,” Gregory was an old human, sixty seven years on this world, Gregory was just old enough to remember what Nosgoth had been like before the purification and as such respected the dead more so than some of the younger attendants; Melchiah got on well with him.

 

“You startled me Gregory,” Melchiah smiled despite the fact he’d heard the mortal when they had entered the graveyard.

 

“Don’t you be telling lies in this place Lord,” Gregory smiled “the dead have ears you know,” the mortal paused and looked slightly awkward “Lord Raziel inside is he?”

 

“Yes my brother is inside,” Melchiah nodded, Gregory nodded also and smiled but it was wistful

 

“Nice man your brother,” Gregory said quickly then slowed “fancy he spends a bit to much time here though,”

 

“He misses him,” Melchiah shrugged, Gregory was right, Raziel spent far to much time here; but there was nothing anyone could do to stop Raziel doing something he wanted

 

“True, that he does,” Gregory nodded slowly, “your Brother, Lord Raziel, he talk to me sometimes, he says he’s seen him, you know in other places,”

 

“Yes I caught him last week on the cliff tops talking to . . . ‘him’” Melchiah sighed now unable to say his fathers name in the company of mortal’s it really was as if his father had become a god “poor Raziel,” he breathed

 

“My uncle went same way,” Gregory absently swept at some non existent dust from the floor with his broom, “used to talk to my aunt forty years after she died, we had him committed in the end, I’d hate for Lord Raziel to . . .  go that way,”

 

“What are you saying Gregory,” Melchiah lowered his voice and did his best to keep the growl out of it; he’d spent the last fifty years listening to people talk about how his brother was going loopy and he’d spent the last fifty years defending him, he was not about to hear it from Gregory.

 

“Maybe it would be best if . . . best if Lord Raziel didn’t come down here no more,” Gregory mumbled “I mean no offence sir, it be alright to talk to the dead . . . but its not good when they talk back,”

 

“Talk back!” Melchiah couldn’t keep the shock out of his voice; Gregory looked confused as if his words were becoming muddled

 

“I don’t mean literally Lord, sir, but Lord Raziel he talks, and then he waits and talks back as if he’d been answered, its no good my Lord.”

 

“No I don’t suppose it is,” Melchiah forced a smile “but you try and stop Lord Raziel doing something he wants to do and if you keep your limbs come back and tell me.” Gregory laughed

 

“Don’t fancy I will my Lord but if any one manages I’ll buy em a drink,” lifting his broom Gregory turned to leave “fare you well my Lord,”

 

“Goodbye Gregory,” Melchiah waved to the mortal and resumed waiting for his brother absently looking out one of the windows searching through the gradually clouding sky for the moon, they were due back at the mansion in a short time.

 

Janos had been ordered to the fates to speak with them concerning the demonic problems Nosgoth was still suffering. He’d planned to be back shortly and announce their verdict to a group, Melchiah did not want to be late. Frowning at one of the walls he heard a quiet muttering and sighed, Raziel really was losing the plot, and Melchiah knew he could only defend him for so long before people started demanding that something be done. The guardians were already claiming that Raziel’s imprisonment in the reaver had deranged him, Melchiah had tried to explain otherwise but knew that they would not listen, refusing to believe that Raziel’s grief was causing his erratic behaviour not his past imprisonment. In anger the youngest of Kain’s children kicked at a fragment of stone and glared at the ceiling

 

“If you are bloody well up there then you might want to lend a hand,” he growled then bit his tongue when he realised what he had just done.

 

“You’re losing it to!” the delighted voice of Raziel made Melchiah jump,

 

“No I’m no . . . oh what’s the point,” Melchiah breathed “come on we’d better be heading back to the mansion,” he smiled a little “can’t start without the reaver spir . . . OW!” he snapped as Raziel punched him in the arm.

 

≈ Δ ≈

 

The mansion was warm and dry with the faint smell of new paint. Raziel used to enjoy the smell of new paint but now it was getting sickening. With the constant growth of the vampire race a great deal of them were currently behind housed at the mansion while citadels were built. The mansion had taken a lot of wear and tear over the last fifty years and someone always seemed to be adding a new coat of paint or new strip of wallpaper. Raziel tried not to breathe as he walked through the halls to the west wing library but the smell made his eyes water despite his efforts.

 

“Good afternoon Raziel,” the voice made the fledgling turn, Magnus smiled at him closing the door to Sebastian’s room behind him.

 

“Hello Magnus,” Raziel answered, Raziel had never known what to make of Magnus and Sebastian; he knew that if his father was still alive that he would probably feel threatened by Magnus and angry at Sebastian but Kain was not alive. Sometimes he felt that he and Magnus shared something, Magnus had after all suffered a terrible fate defending Kain; but Raziel had never found the words for the connection between them and partly as a result he was often uncomfortable around the other vampire. Sebastian seemed to sense his confusion and normally stayed away from him, for which Raziel was grateful.

 

“You got called to?” Magnus smiled widely, Raziel nodded and managed a small smile in return despite the strange feeling in his gut.

 

Magnus had shared a part of Kain’s life that Raziel could only guess at. Kain had never been one for telling tales of his past and Raziel only knew snippets; but he knew that in the time when Kain knew Magnus something terrible had happened to him and that something had all out destroyed Kain’s sense of trust. So much so that even when Raziel had been a newborn incapable of betrayal Kain had always watched him warily waiting to be stabbed in the back; it wounded Raziel that Magnus had known his father when he was still trusting and open to the world, in all honesty Raziel often found himself resenting Magnus for it.

 

“Yes another of these meetings, I swear if my hallucinations don’t drive me mad first these damn meetings will” Raziel sighed making Magnus laugh and clap him on the shoulder

 

“It takes a brave man to poke fun at himself,” Magnus laughed before shaking his head, suddenly losing his humour “it seems Janos has returned from the fates,”

 

“Yes,” Raziel rolled his eyes earning a strange look from Magnus “I have spoken with Fate so please forgive me if I remain unimpressed with what she has to say,” it was ridiculous Raziel knew but part of him blamed fate for his father’s death. The two vampires walked in silence for a moment or so before Magnus spoke again

 

“I thought Nosgoth was supposed to be at peace now anyway?” he snorted “some peace with daemons still roaming the lands,”

 

“If this is peace then give me back the corruption any day,” Raziel grumbled, Magnus did not laugh this time he knew that there was a thread of truth in Raziel’s words.

 

“You shouldn’t say that,” Magnus mumbled not looking at the reaver spirit

 

“If anyone has a right to its me,” Raziel snapped

 

“True,” Magnus nodded “very true indeed,” he sighed and seemed to slip back into his normal cheerful demeanour “oh well lets hope peace becomes peaceful sometime soon shall we,”

 

“I’ll drink to that,” Raziel agreed as Magnus opened the library door. Briefly Raziel wondered why anyone needed so many library’s there had to be at least two on every wing, he swore Vorador was building one more every time someone accidentally ‘blew up’, knocked down or just vandalised a wall.

 

“Nice to see you could join us,” Vorador snapped at the pair as they entered,

 

“We thought we had better gift you with our glowing presence,” Magnus smiled “personally I’m shocked that you managed to get this late into the night without coming to bask in our radiance,”

 

While Magnus was ranting on about his radiance Raziel looked around the Library, his brothers sat around one of the smaller tables, cards in hands, playing some gambling game no doubt. Raziel remembered the nights he’d spent with them, gambling over cards, it used to get stupid when they ran out of money, they’d bet slaves, lovers, oxygen; he was quiet sure once that Rahab had betted his brother Dumah at one point. Remembering made Raziel smile, he turned to look at one of the other tables Faustus, Marcus and now Magnus and Sebastian sat around this one, briefly Raziel wondered how Sebastian had gotten here so quickly but soon lost interest, the main person he was expecting wasn’t here.

 

“Where’s Janos?” he asked turning to Vorador

 

“Well it seems lateness is the new fashion.” Vorador deadpanned, concern flashed on his features “how are you feeling tonight?”

 

“I’m alright,” Raziel murmured looking up at the sky through the glass doors expecting to see a flash of blue, but the rain clouds hid everything. It hadn’t rained yet but the rainy season was long overdue.

 

“I’m glad to hear that,” Vorador said not sounding relieved at all. “It seems the daemon problem is becoming higher on the list of priorities,” he commented after an uncomfortable moment

 

“If the almighty guardians are sending Janos to speak with the three then yes they must be worried,” Raziel acknowledged. The three were seers, ancient seers who spoke to fate and destiny they were the three who had told of the Hylden return and Raziel and Kain’s actions. There were three of them for the simple reason of decisions, one spoke to fate, another to destiny and the third would listen to everything and the three would between them decide what to make of fate and destiny’s words.

 

“I hope Janos makes it back before the rain,” Vorador mused quietly

 

“Worried for me?” Janos’ voice behind them made both Raziel and Vorador jump “I’m supposed to be the one worrying about you.” Janos wrapped arms and wings around his fledgling and Raziel turned away walking towards his bothers table where they were playing poker.

 

“There you are, thought you might have forgotten about us,” Turel smiled at his brother as he approached, Raziel forced a smile and sat

 

“Janos back yet?” Melchiah asked while Zephon took the moment to sneak a peak at his brother’s cards

 

“He’s . . . busy,” Raziel shrugged, squashing any and all feelings of jealousy; it was strange he knew it was envy he felt but it wasn’t envy because he wanted to be with Janos or Vorador he was jealous of the fact that despite death they had been put back with each other again; so many people had been given back those they loved. But not him, he was still alone.

 

“Oh.” Melchiah nodded peaking over Raziel’s shoulder seeing just how busy Janos was, “you can pair up with me for this game of you want, I could use an extra eye or shoulder to hide behind!” he spoke with plain reference to the fact Zephon was still looking at his cards.

 

“Alright,” Raziel smiled and sat next to his brother but before the game could begin again it was stopped.

 

“So what did they say,” Magnus’ voice cut through the chatter of the room, “come on the suspense is killing,” Janos smiled and drew away from his fledgling who looked peeved at being interrupted. 

 

“The three were . . . ambiguous as they always are,” Janos took a deep breath and frowned “I am unsure what to make of their words so I will give them to you as they were given to me.”

 

“Oh Joy,” Raziel mumbled, Melchiah elbowed him “well, we’ll need a translator.” Janos’ smile widened and he nodded

 

“Indeed I think we may need one,” the ancient sighed loudly “but we’ll see what you make of it.” He took a deep breath “The Being that was absorbed will emerge as if from the past and it will be weakened; its life will almost be extinguished. The absorbed will relearn the ways of his race and will be forced to reconcile with those who were wronged and who wronged. The nine will sing once more when all was silent and the absorbed will prove to the eight and take his rightful place. Darkness will be revealed in name alone and the absorbed will perceive the world as he was, as he became and as he is. The blade will return and Darkness will then seek to overcome the world. The choice will be made and the worshipers will fall.”

 

“Well did anyone catch any of that?” Raziel mumbled, everyone around him looked blank faced and shook there heads.

 

“What does it have to do with the daemons?” Sebastian asked “I didn’t hear a word about them,” 

 

“I have been thinking on these words during my flight home and I cannot make much of it either,” Janos muttered “I believe the best course of action would be to speak with the guardians, they translated a great many prophecies in the past.”

 

“You aren’t going tonight?” Vorador asked, Janos nodded “but the rain’s are long overdue, you must remain here.”

 

“Child I can teleport,” Janos raised a dark blue eyebrow, smiling softly at his child’s concern. Raziel sighed loudly as the two slid back together and everyone decided to leave them alone and left the library silently.

 

“This is ridiculous,” Raziel muttered as he and Melchiah walked back to their wing in the mansion. A lot of the bedrooms were in north wing and as such, North wing was the wing most often added to, it had now trebled its size since the time of the Serefan Lord and much to Raziel’s disgust stank almost constantly of new paint.

 

“What’s ridiculous?” Melchiah asked despite having a good idea what his brother was going to say

 

“All these prophecies,” Raziel snapped, “Janos went for an answer about the demons and all we get is some complete tripe about darkness and a sponge.”

 

“Sponge?” Melchiah frowned trying to remember anything about a sponge.

 

“The absorbed,” Raziel translated and sighed “I’m just fed up with bloody prophecies, I’ve had more than my share of them,” Raziel stopped outside his door his brother watched him for a moment in silence before Raziel sighed “goodnight Mel, I’ll see you tomorrow evening,”

 

“Midnights more like it, knowing you” Melchiah smirked and disappeared down the corridor towards his own room.

 

“Sometime I wonder why I get out of bed at all,” Raziel breathed and opened his door.

 

The words of the prophecy were still spinning widely round his head, something about the words made him feel tense, but not a bad tense, he just felt . . . anticipation, like something big was going to happen but then again he supposed all prophecies sound big and imposing. Closing the door he turned and leaned against the wood eyes closed. Why couldn’t fate and Seers speak plainly, why was it always giving fancy names to people what was wrong with peoples first name; he hated it when people called him Reaver or reaver spirit his name was Raziel, the reaver was a sword and a prison not him. He smirked a little imagining Fate giving step by step instructions as to what was going to happen, yeah sure that might happen when Hell freezes over. A creak of bed springs made his eyes snap open suddenly.

 

“Oh its you,” he muttered letting out the breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding.

 

“It’s me,” Kain answered “sound a little more enthused if you please, even Melchiah sound’s happier than you and he was snapping at me earlier.” The figment vampire smirked “make an effort child I came all the way from your imagination to talk to you,”

 

“I’m sorry it’s been a strange nig . . . wait why am I apologising to a figment of my imagination,” he asked, Kain shrugged

 

“Maybe deep down you feel you’re responsible for my death and you wish for my forgiveness,” Kain collapsed backwards onto the mattress and sighed 

 

“Thanks make me feel better,” Raziel snapped, again Kain shrugged still lying down. Rolling his eyes Raziel went and perched on the edge of his bed running fingers through his father’s hair.

 

“What’s wrong with you today?” Kain asked closing his eyes, 

 

“What makes you think anything’s wrong at all?” Raziel smiled raising an eyebrow, teasing. 

 

“Intuition,” Kain opened an eye “also you said you’d had a strange night.”

 

“The fates gave another prophecy today,” Raziel answered, Kain’s expression clearly said ‘So?’ “They were the ones that told of . . . well everything that happened to us.” Again Kain’s expression said ‘So?’ “SO!,” Raziel snapped “its very ambiguous and nobody has a damn clue what they’re talking about,”

 

“And you can’t figure out what to do about it?” Kain asked his tone clearly suggesting he thought his childe had taken one to many blows to the head. Absently he rolled onto his stomach, stretching out listening contently as his joints clicked loudly. 

 

“If you’re going to be sarcastic you can go.” Raziel grumbled, 

 

“If you would calm down and put your temper to the side for one minuet you might think of the answer,” Kain nudged, they were silent for a while before Kain lost patience, “go and look at the time stream!” he snapped rolling back onto his back to glare at his child.

 

“What?” Raziel frowned confused. Kain sat up and glared harder

 

“Since when were you the village idiot!” he snapped “go to the guardian of time and tell him to open up the time stream so you can look at it . . . the way you could when you were chasing me through the Chronoplast,”

 

“I’m not asking THEM for anything,” Raziel glared right back at his father

 

“Ask . . . . bully Moebius then!” Kain sighed and rubbed his temples obviously frustrated

 

“Your sense of humour has gotten strange since you died,” Raziel mumbled, Kain looked like he would bang his head on a wall with frustration but took a deep breath instead.

 

“Fine don’t ask them, wait and see what happens and if you’re not prepared on your own head be it,” Kain spoke firmly before fading into nothingness. Raziel sat and glared at the space where his father had been sat for a while before saying to himself

 

“I wonder how many other peoples imagination yells at them. I bet it’s just mine.”

 

End of chapter three

 

Authoress Note: slightly longer chapter this time. I hope your all still interested and I hope your enjoying my strange little fic.

 

Please review.