"Where are we?" Nita asked. ‘It didn’t feel like the Earth that she knew was home.’

"I don’t know" Kit replied. ‘I know the coordinates I used are right.’

"This doesn’t feel right."

"What do you mean?"

"I can’t sense any living thing out there. Can’t you sense anything wrong?"

"I’ll try…" ‘Wait a minute... this makes no sense. It’s almost impossible. There has to at least some life in these rocks.’

"I’m not sensing anything either." 

"Really, this isn’t good." ‘Hold on,’ she thought ‘what is that tingling I feel? It’s almost like there someone else here. But it can’t be alive or I would sensed it before.’ "Hey El Ni?o, do you feel that?"

Kit was just about to get her back for that when he suddenly felt it too.

‘The two humans had stopped.’ he noticed. ‘It was strange though. The female had yelled something out at the male, who immediately turned and moved as if to strike her, but then he stopped. Such an odd behavior for a human.’ Just then, he had a feeling that someone or something was picking up on his presence there. ‘It can’t be Mobieus. Kain is long since slain. Could it be those two mortals down there,’ He wondered quietly.

He would not have to wonder long.

"Is there someone there?" 

"Curses!" He muttered. ‘I HAD been detected. Maybe I can still keep hidden. They might have noticed my presence here, but they don’t know my location.’ Unfortunately, the moment after he had uttered that one solitary word both heads and pairs eye turned to stare directly at him. He was just about to shift to the spectral Realm, when the young girl called out to him again.

"We know someone’s there. All we need is information, if you can understand us please respond."

‘Oh well.’ He thought. ‘I might as well confront them sooner or later.’ He then promptly launched himself off the cliff.

"We know someone’s there. All we need is information, if you can understand us please respond." Nita shouted. ‘There has to be something up there since she knew she heard a barely audible voice.’ She thought to herself. Then she whispered to Kit. "Do you hear any thing or see anything yet?"

"No" He responded. ‘Wait a minute…did I see movement up there? Yeah…I did.’  "Look up there"

They both looked up just in time to see a bluish creature leap off the high cliff. 

‘There’s no way that thing could survive that high of a fall whatever it is!’ She thought. But before she could think of a spell to slow the fall, what had originally looked like a cloak suddenly spread out and caught the air. ‘Wings! Or they looked at least like they were once.’

 The creature began to glide down to them giving the humans a better glimpse of him.

‘The two humans were not as surprised as he had anticipated. No matter.’ concluded the focus of their attention. As he neared the ground, he released his ruined wings and dropped the remaining 20 ft the ground. The demon then proceeded towards the strangely calm mortals.

" Who and what are you?" they asked as they looked him over." He looked as is he had once been human. He had a human frame, but no skin or internal organs, only bluish-colored muscle covered parts of his incomplete skeleton. He had clawed hands and feet. Behind him hung the ‘wings’ that they had seen him use earlier. There were no bones in the material; it was almost as if all the bone had been pulled right out of the membrane. The most unusual about him was his face. He had a cloth bearing strange symbols, which covered his jaw area and his neck. He had raven-black hair. However, his eyes were the strangest of all. They seemed to burn with a white ethereal flame. They could sense a strong presence of ancient magic within this creature. Of all the types of aliens and beings they had encountered before, none of them came close to being as bizarre as the one before them.

"Can you understand us?" Kit asked. <He doesn’t seem to be able to understand us.> He said to Nita mind to mind. <I agree.> She replied to her partner mentally. 

"Yes" he stated firmly, "I can."

To their surprise, he did understand.

"Can you tell us where we are?" She asked.

"Yes, however, you must answer my questions first." the demon answered. "However, they will have to wait until tomorrow, since this trip will take sometime to get to a safe location. No matter what sort of magic you possess, you mere humans wouldn’t last a day alone." 

"How do you know we possess any type of…" They began, but he cut them off sharply. 

"I know."

"Who are you?"

"I am Raziel, Reaver of Souls." 
 

"That will be explained later, now we move." Raziel replied.

"Where are we going?" Kit asked, "Why should we trust you?"

"Because in this world humans are prey to the few remaining vampire bands in Nosgoth. Although I have slain thousands of the menacing creatures, some of them still remain. All of them fear me." Raziel explained. "I am the only hope humans in this era have. As for the first question we are heading to what was once my clan’s territory."

"Do we have to get there before nightfall"?

"It is critical."

"How fast will we be traveling in order to get there on time?"

"We will use a warp gate."

"You know about worldgates?" 

" I said warp gate not worldgate, woman."

"I have a name Raziel!"

"Well then, what is it?"

"It’s Nita." 

"And you, what is your name?"

"Christopher, But I go by the name of Kit."

Raziel suddenly held very still and he scanned the area with his eyes.

"Both of you must follow me, now!"

"Why now"

"We are not alone."

"What do you mean?" 

"Look closely around us." 

Nita and Kit searched the surrounding area with their eyes. Finding nothing, save unusual rock patterns, they looked back at him.

"Look closer," He said firmly. 

They restarted their visual search, this time, they were a little more in-depth in their attempt. Only then, did they truly understand and notice the many pairs of ill-intentioned eyes watching their every move with an unpleasant and disturbing interest. 

"What do we do?" Nita asked 

"I will take you to a safe location, and then deal with these vermin." Raziel stated. "Follow me, both of you, this way, hurry!" 

"No."

"What did you say?" 

"I said no, we aren’t leaving you here alone."

"Fine. Just keep out of my and harm’s way." ‘Fools.’ Raziel thought. ‘If they wish to die, so be it.’

He put the humans out his mind and focused on the battle ahead. Activating the Soul Reaver, he charged into the battle and left everything else behind."

‘Raziel seemed to be calm and relaxed before this. Almost like a peaceful, although frightening being, but now… its like he is a dedicated warrior. Especially with that glowing weapon of his. It looked like an ethereal sword that was and extension of himself. But it also seems to have a life of it’s own, like it’s possessed or something.’ Kit thought. ‘It seems to shine with an energy force identical to Raziel’s own. I’ll have to ask him later though.’

Raziel quickly finished off the last of the would-be threats, only to discover that one creature had evaded him and it was too far from him for him to strike it down with Reaver and too close for him to the humans for him to shoot a force projectile. He knew he could not shift to the spectral realm because the gate would not bring him close enough to stop its attack in time. Even though he knew his efforts would be in vain he started towards the last attacker. ‘I told those humans to get to safety,’ He told himself. Just as he neared them, the enemy attacked!
 

‘He handles them like he’s used to this type of thing. His movements are precise and accurate. Its like he knows what the enemy is thinking and can therefore anticipate their actions.’ Nita thought.

Then she noticed the lone enemy, which had avoided Raziel completely. It was headed straight for them! It took the work of a second to say the words of the shield spell and feel it shimmer into existence. As usual, the attack slid right off the shield. Before it could again however, Raziel impaled their attacker with his sword. Then it exploded, leaving a behind only a mystical, greenish-blue, glowing orb that floated and bobbed up & down in the air.

<"What is that">, Nita thought to Kit.

<"I don’t know.">, He thought back to her.

But before they could get a better look at it, something totally unexpected happened. Raziel lowered the cloth covering the area of his mouth.

‘Oh my god.’, Nita thought. ‘He has no lower jaw! Only a partial upper jaw containing two huge fangs! Something is wrong with his throat also, but what…..’

Any further thoughts were cut short, as the glowing orb flew towards Raziel, who devoured it instantly and replaced his cowl, preventing the humans from getting a better look.

"What….How….?", They managed to get out.

"I can see you are surprised, you will have even more questions, I’m sure. I will answer them soon after we arrive. That is, after you, answer mine.", Raziel informed them. "Now, let’s continue, 'less we get ‘interrupted’ again."

They nodded shakily.

"Good, this way.", He said.

He led them for about 20 minutes until they came to a big metal gate. It guarded a stone staircase leading down. The staircase appeared to have been carved directly into the rock. Raziel pushed it open effortlessly, and held it for Nita and Kit until they passed through it.

‘Raziel is stronger than he looks.’ , thought Kit.

They then proceed down the staircase. The trip down the staircase took 2 hours, although it seemed to take forever.

"Man….. I thought…. those steps….. would never….. end!", Kit panted.

"Yeah….. I …..second …..that.", Nita agreed.

"I don’t understand, what do you mean by that?", their guide asked.

"Never….Mind." They said in between breaths. " Anyway…. Are….. we there….. yet?"

"Not quite.", He answered.

He then led them through a tunnel picking up a torch as he went, until they came to a big room. In the center of the room was a platform. This was occupied by a large archway that contained a round marking at the apex of the arch on each side of the arch, and a similar ones centered below it on each side of the platform. The markings at the top were blue and the markings below them were the same color as the platform. It looked like the platform-archway area glowed. On two opposite sides of the room, visible through the arcway, were two identical markings.

"This is a warp gate,", Raziel told them. "there are a number of them throughout Nosgoth. One can travel from one warp gate, to any of the others instantly, by using the portal (he indicated with a claw pointing at the archway). However, one must have previously visited a portal indirectly, in order to activate it for usage. Once activated, it will remain activated. Observe."

He walked up to stand on the symbol at the base of the arch. Suddenly, the archway was filled with a green field of energy. The symbol on the far wall, which they could see through the archway, changed until it resembled a vertical curvy line.

"Both of you, walk through the archway, and stay in the same room that you come out in.", Raziel explained.

"Walk through it?", They asked, uncertain.

"Yes.", He answered

"Okay then, here I go.", Nita said, and walked through.

"Ditto", Kit said, and followed suit.

Raziel had watched the humans pass through the portal while thinking. ‘No other humans know about the portals, have I made a mistake in allowing these two the very knowledge of their existence? Well, I’ll find out soon enough.’ With a sigh, Raziel went through the portal, closing it behind him.
 
 

 "Yeah, it is. Although, its not anywhere near close to being the strangest we’ve experienced so far." 

 "That’s true, but.….Hey!! The symbol on the far side of the room matches the one on this side of the room! What’s going on here Raziel?"

 " I said earlier I would answer your questions after you answered mine. Now….If you would  follow me." He said and proceeded to lead them, to another set of stairs.

"More stairs!!" The humans cried out when they saw them.

"Don’t worry, there aren’t as many as the last time." He informed. 

"That’s a relief!" They synchronized.

            The stairway ended at the top in a short passageway that led to door made of what looked like a type of stone. The door had the same symbol as on the archway and platform in the room they had just left. "This is my home, and what remains my clan’s hall. It is now one of the few, somewhat safe places left in Nosgoth. Nonetheless, be on your guard. However, we still have to cross through the all vampiric barriers before we can relax even the slightest." He cautioned them, before opening the door.

The door opened on to a small walkway, that had three stairways leading off on the left towards a lower level. The walkway they were on, had a fire burning in a stone basin that was located at it’s center. Located on each side of a stairway was a pillar. The entire area was enormous

"Amazing" Kit remarked.

Raziel went over to one of the middle pillars and activated a hidden switch. Suddenly, a rumbling shook the chamber.

"What’s going on?" Nita exclaimed

Behind the fire, on the wall there had been a design, which was identical to the markings in the second of the arched rooms. The design was apparently splitting in half. The design had begun to split vertically at the middle and each half of the design slid into the walls on each side. The design slid into the wall to reveal a small, yet tall room. The room was composed of several walls. Each wall had a narrow area running the whole height of the wall. These particular areas looked like they were composed of a different kind of stone or material than the rest of the wall. Every other inch of the room, with the exception of the floor and ceiling, was covered in various levers, knobs, buttons, switches, dials, and cranks.

"Mystical portals, immense buildings, secret passages, hidden levers, and no sign of life or life energy, save their guide," thought Nita. "this is a definitely an strange place." 

"There’s no way anyone could reach or even jump that high,  so why do the walls still look as if the items go up that high?" Kit contemplated while gazing curiously at the walls.

His un-asked question was answered soon enough. Raziel suddenly leapt at and dug his claws in to cling to one of the bare stretches of wall. Raziel then began his ascent, using his claws to support his weight. After 15 minutes of fiddling with some knobs, pulling a few levers, turning cranks, and activating a few switches, Raziel leapt back down just in time for the trio to hear a click as the one of the walls slid up to reveal a short tunnel. As the end of the tunnel, the group found themselves in a naturally formed cavern at the shore of a small underground lake. The lake stretched the whole width of the cavern, leaving no way to avoid the lake by simply walking around it. The whole cavern was brightly illuminated by an abnormally immense crystal imbedded in the ceiling. Surprisingly, the light energy she realized, coming from the crystal, was none other than sunlight.

Turning to the humans, Raziel asked, "Can you swim across?"

"We can, however…." Nita started.

"…….we would prefer to walk on the water" Kit finished for her. 

"Astonishing……such knowledge and power in these youth considering their age."  Raziel concluded.

"I will expect you on the opposite side shortly then" Raziel announced to them.

Raziel promptly jumped into the lake and began to swim to the other side. Upon reaching the other side, he glanced back and saw the humans actually traversing the lake’s surface on foot. 

"It will be even more interesting to hear their story and explanation than I originally thought." the wraith decided. 

Turning back to the lake’s edge, he rapidly launched himself out of the water up and onto dry land. He turned just in time to see the humans walk back onto solid ground. Raziel then turned and walked up to large smooth section of wall that was recessed into the wall. This section of wall had what appeared to be a small hole in the rock. On the right and left side of the hole were two carvings of an oddly shaped sword running most if the height of the recessed wall. 

"Step back," he said as turned his head to scan the surrounding area them in all directions. "I need some room."

The wraith turned back to the wall, having activated his symbiotic weapon, the Soul Reaver, he plunged the blade deep into the wall.

As he withdrew the glowing weapon from the wall, the hole he had send his blade swiftly into, began to glow. The hole also started to draw in sparks from the air, until it shone brightly. At this point, a line of light shot vertically up down at the center of the wall, passing through center of the hole. The wall suddenly sprang apart the line of light being the division point, as if shoved open by some tremendous force. 

 Revealed now to the group, was a magnificently carved and decorated door. "I welcome you to my ‘home.’" He announced to them, as he opened the door.
 
 

The door opened to reveal a long, shimmering, liquid-like, blue passageway with sides that seemed to ripple.

They both wanted to stay and study it more, but felt it was much safer to continue.

"This passageway leads to the entrance to my home" Raziel said.

The passageway was a long one which ended at a narrow stairway that led upward curving as it went out of sight.

" Since your endurance is not as strong as mine, and you have shown a strong dislike of stairs, we will not be using these," He told the youths. "instead we will use the lift system."

He led them over to a metal frame set in the floor. Above the grid on the wall saw a switch.

"Brace yourselves," he said pulling the switch, "and keep your hands away from the walls."

After he pulled the switch, the lift began to rise upwards swiftly, creaking its way up. After what seemed like an eternity had passed, although it was only three hours, the lift slowly came to a stop.

"Wake up" their guide ordered.

"These two humans ..had fallen asleep..How strange..?" he thought.

"Are we there yet?" Nita asked.

"Yes" he replied.

The lift had brought them up to a stone room the room was composed of smooth rock walls. Next to the lift was the to of the stairway he had decided to skip. Ahead of them was a wooden door set in stone.

"This is the door to my home and once inside we shall sit down and discuss the matters at hand, mainly how you got here and what to do next." Raziel informed his companions.

He opened the door, and both Nita and Kit were amazed at what lay in front of them.

"<Its almost unbelievable>" Nita thought to Kit.

"<Yeah,.. I wouldn't have thought that.. considering the condition of this world.>" he thought back.

Inside lay an immense central room, with three upper floors visible as well as the main floor, on which the door behind them had opened onto, each of the floors they could see many decorations and doorways. To one side of the room, was a large spiral staircase made of wood that went up to each of the three levels before stopping near the ceiling at a trap door.

"Follow me" he said, and led them up the stairs, to one of the second floor doors and opened it. Beyond the doorway, it was as dark as possible, except for a small panel illuminated in the distance. Kit had started to move towards the doorway when Raziel motioned for him to stop and for them to step back. They did, although they looked at him curiously, wondering why.

"<Do you have any idea why he would.>" Kit started to ask

"<No, but lets just be patient and maybe we'll find out>" Nita intervened

Raziel raised his arm and concentrated.

"<What's happening to the air.>"

"<..I don't know.>"

The air in front of their host's hand had begun to shift and warp violently. A spherical form began to take shape at the very tips of his claws.

"<What the.>" they said simultaneously.

Raziel lined up his arm and let loose a force-projectile.

The orb of kinetic energy blasted away from his hand, and flew straight towards the panel. Once it hit the panel, it activated the illumination crystal. The room was suddenly filled with light, blinding them temporarily.