Kain (VO): “As mysterious as the rest of my destiny was, I knew what needed to be done by the Elder God himself. His role in all of this would be to raise and council Raziel as he had always done. For this reason, I resolved not to meet him until the noteworthy occasion when Raziel strayed from the wasteland of Nosgoth and was brought into the past, fifty years from now, to uncover his true destiny.”

(Kain walks along a grassy plain with forestry surrounding him on both sides.)

Kain (VO): “Having been thrown into the exact moment in time where Avernus Cathedral burned to the ground, the elder thought I would be slain by my good son Raziel upon our meeting. I still did not understand why I lived without my heart sustaining me. No, it was never my heart to begin with. Having been revived by the necromancer Mortanius during my initial death, centuries ago, and having been infused by the power of Janos Audron, the greatest vampire to have ever existed.. perhaps it was not the heart that sustained me but some form of Mortanius’ magic placed unto me at the time. Nevertheless, I knew that with the Pillars recently destroyed by my younger self, I would need to leap millennia into the future to finally put an end to my new abominable adversary.. the puppet master himself.”

(Kain now walks near a lake, continuing to pace himself in his travels.)

Kain (VO): “In order to leap across such vast vantages in time, I would need to locate Moebius’ chronoplast, the sole instrument I have used time and time again to follow Raziel through his tragic journey. But in order to do so, I would first need to find my bearings, for I had not the smallest clue where I was.”

(Kain kneels down near the lake, looking upon his reflection. He sees, for the first time, his human face. His hair is only millimeters long, leaving him almost completely bald.)

Kain (VO): “The gray hair that stayed with me for centuries had dissipated into nothingness, and I could see the new strands of hair, black as they had always been during my human youth, sprouting anew on my scalp. It would be months before I looked presentable in any fashion. More than my new appearance now, I found myself even more surprised by just how much importance this held for me. I prided myself as a human, taking care of my physical appearance as best I could. After my turning, my growing vampiric intellect made me disregard such pathetic mortal values. Humans are full of foolishness and dung, I had always thought. And it would seem that these negative attributes had poisoned my mind once more, for I felt a discomfited hope that my hair would grow out soon, once again as it was before; long, flowing, jet black in its graciousness.”

(He stands up from his crouching point near the lake and examines his body.)

Kain (VO): “My entire vampiric flesh had been erased, and with no other mark of divinity now, I had only my arm to look upon for power. The disgust for my reliance on such an item, crafted by the most vile enemy yet, was enough to put a needle down my throat. I would learn to disregard this unfortunate turn of events, if I hoped to function properly on any degree.”

(Kain continues to wander, alongside the lake, until he reaches a high vantage point, a cliff, where he may look upon the land of Nosgoth that is relatively near.)

Kain (VO): “And here, standing on a cliff just north of the Great Southern Lake, I found my bearings after all. My eyes lay affixed to the Pillars to the west, out in the distance, laying crumbled atop the alter on which they once stood proud. My younger self needed no aid in committing this act single-handedly. And although our reasons now may differ extraordinarily, we both knew this was the right choice to make. Damn Nosgoth and live as a tyrant among the land, or save the land from its true enemy, and restore balance to its nature.. It mattered little what the reason had been during the time of the Pillars’ annihilation.. What mattered was that I had newfound knowledge which my younger self did not. And I knew we were on the right track.”

(Kain’s eyes twitch momentarily as he spots something just a few meters away from the Pillars. Some form of dimensional rift seems to be ripping the very fabric of space. Kain slides down the cliff to investigate. As he comes near, a flash of light instantly brings forth a mid-sized demon, red in color and carrying flaming claws on both arms. It shrieks in Kain’s direction. Kain takes a step back and brings the contaminated reaver in front of him, clutching it with his left hand as well to keep the oversized weapon more balanced.)

Kain: “So, the pillars have just recently collapsed and demons are springing into this world already. You monsters just hate to wait.”

(The demon lunges towards Kain and slams one of its long claws downwards at his head. Kain brings the reaver up above to meet it. They clash, and flaming sparks fly outward. The weight of the attack brings Kain down to one knee. He winces. Stunned, Kain leaves himself open for the other claw to attack. It plunges towards him and makes a huge burning gash on his chest. Kain grunts and, without a moment to lose on complaining, musters all of his strength to fight the demon’s claw back. The mucus engulfing his right arm churns as Kain is aided by super strength, the reaver slashing the left claw completely off and pushing the demon back. Blood spills from its limb as it shrieks, both of them regaining their posture. Kain clutches his bleeding chest with his left, free arm.)

Kain: “Damn.. I miss yesterday already. I feel in worse shape than I ever had.”

(Just then, the demon’s eyes turn from a reddish hue to a bright green glow. The demon then proceeds to speak.)

Demon: “Kain…”

(Kain drops his guard for a moment, his head jerking up in alertness.)

Kain (VO): “I knew what this was.. Although the hylden could not directly enter this world at the present moment, they were adept at effectively possessing bodies residing within this realm.”

Kain: “If it isn’t the ancient vampires’ most wretched enemies, the Hylden. What brings your loathsome presence to this even less repugnant demon? Have you come to declare its death at my hand?”

Hylden Demon: “Noo… We have come to claim yours, Kain. But not by this pathetic beast.. By our hand, and ours alone.”

Kain: “Hah! As if you have the courage to stand against me single-handedly, unaided by possessed bodies of humans, demons, and pigs alike!”

Hylden Demon: “You will see, lowly human.. One day soon we shall claim our way back into this place.. And when we do.. You will be annihilated!!”

(The demon hurdles towards Kain with its one arm, claw protruding to swipe him from under his feet. Kain, being slower now than in his vampire days, miscalculates his ability to avoid it and is left flung off his feet, plunging his head down towards the ground. He smashes it on rocky dirt and is left faint-headed. He springs to his knees in a crouch, holding his left temple. The demon swings its claw at him and Kain’s face is left a fraction of his former beauty, as three slices are carved into his cheeks and nose. Blood spews out as Kain flies backwards, head first, and slides along the dirt in a painful agony. As his eyes begin to close, he sees the demon stepping over him, ready to administer the final attack.)

Hylden Demon: “It appears I was incorrect. To my surprise, it looks like I won’t be seeing you with my own two eyes.”

(Kain slips into an unconscious state.)

Kain (VO): “As I fell to the demon’s assault, I was granted with the vision of a strange new world, as before, turquoise in complexion. Spirits seemed to hover past in the distance. Dreary voices of the deceased called out in tongues that seemed long forgotten. As an intensity grew in my body, I found myself drawn back into the world in which I lived, surprisingly, still.”

(Kain awakens and sits up, looking around.)

Kain (VO): “Though I remained at the foot of the pillars, the demon was gone. Stranger than this, I noticed a feeling of displacement, the same which had befallen both Raziel and me when we decided to change and twist fate.”

(Kain stands up from his spot on the ground. He cautiously walks in the direction he feels this displacement originates. He walks toward the crumbled pillars.)

Kain (VO): “As I stepped unto the alter and made my way closer to Nosgoth’s apparition of doom – the Pillars – I felt the temporal distortion dissipate. Slowly but surely, it was gone, and I was left to ponder the reasoning behind this.”

(Kain places a hand on his chest. It remains completely healed, as does his face and any other parts of his body that were injured in the fight.)

Kain (VO): “With all of my wounds immediately healed, I knew there was more to my revival than my past knowledge had allowed me to know. I had much more to discover about my true destiny before I would confront my most hated enemy, the elder one – and thanks to that hylden’s reminder, I knew where such information would be sourced. For I knew that Janos Audron still lived in this time.. It would be four centuries before his demise into the demon dimension took place. Although he was now seemingly possessed by the greatest hylden to exist, the Hylden Lord, it might yet be early enough to retain his humanity – at least momentarily – to gain some knowledge.”

(Kain steps off the foot of the pillars and begins to tred southward.)

Kain (VO): “The Hylden City. The centre-point of the hylden’s resurgence into this world. I only hoped that Janos was there this early in the game. But if Janos had important information to dispense for me, information that might make any difference in defeating the Elder God, I would wait decades to find him there.”

(As Kain departs from the clearing, a lone woman is seen standing in the shadows, covered by thick layers of trees and bushes. She acknowledges his presence here, and disappears into the forest, unbeknownst to Kain.)

--

(Kain makes his way south, around the Southern Lake and past the area that would later be called Providence.

Kain (VO): “Though the land of Nosgoth was now scarred with the mark of demonism, my road here was uneventful. It appeared that demons spawning throughout the land, although popular, was still a rarity in this time. It made sense. As the Pillars were only destroyed recently, the rift between this world and the demon dimension was yet small. At least in this regard, the roads were mildly safe to traverse on foot, of which I had no other means. In my humanly form, I would do myself no good to stray too far into the future – I was now just as vulnerable to these demons as the next human.”

(Kain stops his trek as he enters the vicinity of Meridian. He peers around.)

Kain (VO): “How ironic. In my youth, this city would intrigue me with its size, enthralling my presence in a vast array of labyrinthian mazes of which I would have trouble escaping. Centuries later, now, I stood here as the mere settlement began its construction. Not a single brick-wall stood, and no Sarafan order was to be seen. Glyph magic was yet to be discovered. I knew where it would be invented.”

(Kain peers out towards the Great Southern Sea. He slowly makes his way to the harbor front.)

Kain (VO): “If the Hylden Lord would be as efficient and effective as I expected him to be, Janos would already be there, on that island south of here, building the gate from which the hylden could spawn.”

Kain: “Human!”

(Kain calls out to one of the construction workers, building the half-finished harbor. The old grump looks up from his work.)

Worker: “Aye?”

Kain: “I require a ship to take me southward. Know you of how I might acquire one?”

Worker: “South? Bah, idiot! The only thing on this sea ‘ere is a hunk o’ land down yonder. Nuthin’ there but ol’ trees and boars roamin’ the fields. B’sides, the only ships ‘round here are the three you see out on the dock, an’ they’re all owned by Cap’n Thomas. Ye’ve better luck locating a demon than grabbin’ one of ‘em ‘ere ships.”

Kain: “Your words inspire me. You have my thanks.”

(With that, Kain goes on to walking onto the wooden dock where the ships are roped. He is stopped by a woman’s voice.)

Woman: “Vile demon! Turn and face us!!”

(Kain turns. He sees a female knight, clad in white and red armor. She is guarded by several well-equipped troops. Kain peers at her uniform.)

Kain (VO): “This insignia I knew entirely too well. The crest of Willendorf.”

(Kain steps off the deck and closer to the group of angered warriors.)

Kain: “Though you might find me repugnant to look at, whatwith my diseased arm and all, calling me a demon is quite a stretch, think you not?”

Woman: “Your days are numbered, monster.. and today you meet your final breath of life! By my name, Matilda of Willendorf, you shall finally be slain!!”

Kain: “Matilda.. Now where have I heard that name before?”

Kain (VO): “Then it seized me. Matilda – the daughter of King Ottmar of Willendorf. The one who had her soul stolen by Elzevir the puppetmaster.”

(Kain’s eyes widen slightly.)

Kain (VO): “It was then that I came upon a realization. Cross-referencing dual histories, centuries ago, I let my mind slip to the awareness that Ottmar’s daughter was never held captive in this time. As Elzevir was a follower of The Nemesis, and my younger self destroyed William insofar as to never bring the Nemesis into existence, Elzevir too escaped his destiny. There was never any ploy to imprison the girl’s soul, and Matilda remained unhindered across the years.”

Kain: “Ahh, so we finally meet. Strange, I remember you younger than how you appear before me now. Perhaps Elzevir’s absence circumvented your complexion’s ploy to remain a young, beautiful girl forever?”

Kain (VO): “I could tell she was dumb-founded.”

Matilda: “Enough rabble, demon! You will die by my blade by the day’s end! Troops! Surround him!”

(Kain stretches his arm before bringing the reaver before him in defense.)

Kain: “I do not know what game you are playing, witch.. Why you condemn me to death is beyond me, but if you are so inclined to press charges without trial, you will find no less favor from me!!”

(The battle ensues as various soldiers proceed to attack Kain at once.)

Kain (VO): “As troublesome as it was, I would have to get used to a new form of fighting, a much more passive-defensive tactic than an elitist one.”

(Kain dodges three simultaneous blows towards him via a roll and sprouts back out as soon as he is out of the way. Seeing a vulnerable spot on one of the troops, he swings the reaver directly at his hamstring, cutting into it and completely shattering the bone of the knee. The soldier falls, grunting in pain. The two others turn and swing their sword and hammer, respectively, at Kain’s chest. He uses the over-weighted reaver to deflect both, sending Kain a few steps back before he can gain his composure. Meanwhile another soldier throws a mace at Kain’s back, hitting him in the upper spine and sending him onto both knees.)

Soldier: “I got him!”

(Kain angrily strains his legs to get back up and plunges the reaver right through the blissful combatant’s chest. As the other fighters behind him rush to meet him, Kain quickly pulls the reaver out of the initial victim and swings the large weapon horizontally to split the men in half. Cutting through one, the reaver comes to a stop inside the first warrior, now slowly falling to his death having almost been cut in half. The second soldier swings his hammer and knocks Kain down.)

Kain (VO): “It only took a few exchanging swings, but I knew then that I was not capable of overcoming a full battalion, not in this form. I would need to escape this scenario, fast, or die in my ignorance.”

(Kain scrambles to his feet and jumps back before the next Hammer can fall down on him. He rushes forward, seemingly toward the armored men. Just before making contact, Kain side-dashes to avoid the men and continues his sprint towards Matilda herself. She brandishes her long, slender blade. At the critical moment, Matilda swings her blade down to meet Kain’s. He, on the other hand, stops his trek early and juts the reaver into the ground, blowing dirt up into the air and into her eyes. She winces, stuttering back.)

Matilda: “Cheap trick! You coward…!”

(Kain lifts the reaver above his head and slams it down towards her, but with the flat side. He hits her and sends her down staggering to her knees, additionally getting sticky mucus in her hair for added effect. Smirking, Kain runs behind her and grabs her by the neck with his one free arm, the other holding the reaver out to anyone who would like to meet him.)

Kain: “Move an inch and your pathetic princess meets a doom more terrible than death. The strange slime on my arm and blade would surely make a good lubricant for whatever hole it might want to enter. Let’s just say I won’t have to create a new one on this girl’s body, should I be inclined to mortally impale her.”

(With that, the soldiers were frozen solid. Matilda, still trying to regain poise, does little to hamper Kain’s plan. He shifts cautiously to one of the ships, the smallest of the three. A sailor is already aboard, swabbing the deck for his captain. Kain yelps to him.)

Kain: “Captain! You will commandeer this ship if you wish to leave it alive!”

(The sailor looks to Kain in frustrated fear.)

Sailor: “B-b-but Cap’n Thomas would make me walk the plank!”

Kain: “You’ll be walking into my blade if you don’t do what I say, and your kingdom’s princess will walk sooner if I don’t find myself at my desired destination! Now set sail, I demand it!”

(With that the ship begins to move in no time at all. The soldiers run to the shoreline and helplessly watch as their princess is taken away. Once his new ship is a good distance away, Kain’s stomach is met by the elbow of the ever-so spirited princess. Clutching himself, he watches as she hurdles off the ship’s deck and plummets into the water. The lone sailor just stares in astonishment as he continues to steer the ship. Some soldiers hop into the water, swimming frantically to help the poor princess from drowning. Kain snickers as he watches the shoreline grow smaller by the minute, the warriors of Willendorf regrouping at the harbor.)

Kain (VO): “With that, I was well on my way to information. Should I find Janos there or not, I would have to hurry in order not to meet my pursuers midway. I would find him, I hoped. Only he could tell me my next move.

--

(Back at the harbor, Matilda is squeezing any loose clothing she has of excess water. Frustrated and infuriated, the troops are reluctant to approach her. One does in any case.)

Soldier: “Your Majesty… should we not pursue him? He has nowhere to run, Highness.. We can surely meet him on the far island!”

Matilda: “Exactly, Elfred. He has nowhere to run – and in time, will have to return here, to this place. We now know what we are up against. Send for reinforcements. We will meet him when he arrives back. This time, he will not be underestimated.”

(Matilda makes her way to the shoreline, looking at the ship which is now but a spec on the horizon. Her eyebrows furrow, wrinkles dominating the upper hemisphere of her face. Hatred burns within her.)

Matilda: “Kain..after all these years.. This is the last time you’ve eluded me.”