Part 30
We'd just passed by a door into the second half of the outer portion of the vampire citadel.
"This history, in part, I knew already... How, as the Vampires began to die out, the Pillars summoned human Guardians to fulfill their roles."
"It seemed the ancient Vampires had adopted - and, when necessary, abducted - the human Guardians, and made vampires of them when they came of age."
"Until the humans rebelled against their masters... And here I made a surprising discovery: it was Moebius the Time Streamer, and Mortanius, Guardian of Death, who led the bloody revolt."
"Now I understood why Moebius hated me so intensely. I was the first vampire Guardian in all these centuries - and he knew what my coming signified...or perhaps I reminded him of all he had forsaken."
"I was confronted again with depictions of the Vampires' champion, the bearer of the Reaver blade."
"And here too was his Hylden adversary, with blazing eyes, brandishing a flaming sword. Two heroes locked in combat which only one would survive."
"But which one? These murals prophesied two possible outcomes. I didn't know what Moebius was trying to concoct, but this all seemed too convenient..."
Now this is interesting. It seems Raziel missed this second mural. Maybe he's not the destined victor after all...
"With this fourth and final fragment, the Balance Emblem was complete. I now had the means to unseal the mysterious chamber at the heart of the Citadel."
This is the emblem of Time. When Kain uses this and expends a reaver charge, he gets bullet time.
Watch it here:
Video - Kain enters the Citadel
"For my ancient ancestors, the dark gift was clearly a curse, damning them to a kind of spiritual purgatory."
"But why were they compelled to seal this chamber so securely?"
"Perhaps the lock was not meant to keep intruders out, but to imprison something within..."
"Kain... Scion of Balance. Savior of Nosgoth."
"What is this?"
"Your arrival is foretold... The Fates have willed it."
"Is that so."
"I am the Oracle of your ancestors. I can provide the answers you require..."
"You needn't speak; I know your mind. You seek knowledge of your creature, Raziel... this I can offer, if you will look."
"He has found the body of Janos Audron..."
"He journeys now to Avernus Cathedral to seek the Heart of Darkness. You know what this means..."
"And why would I trust your prophecies?"
"These events are already written, just as you feared. But there is still time; he can be stopped."
"If Avernus is in flames, Raziel is five centuries beyond my reach."
"I may aid you in this regard as well..."
"This portal will transport you in time to the very hour that Raziel arrives in Avernus."
"This task is yours to carry out... since it was you who made him what he is. When you are ready, you may pass through."
"I knew of course that this 'oracle' was not to be trusted. But in the end, what choice did I have?"
Video - Kain uses the Elder God's portal
"This peculiar sensation was familiar to me, and the chamber did indeed appear altered by time... In this regard, at least, the oracle seemed to have been truthful."
"I have delivered you faithfully to the very hour you desire. You know what must be done, Kain. There is only one way to prevent Raziel from doing great harm."
"He is not my enemy."
"But you are his..."
"From this vantage point I could see the city of Avernus in flames."
"The oracle had indeed brought me to the time it promised."
"It might also be true, then, that Raziel was already there, seeking the Heart of Darkness."
"If so, he had to be stopped."
"I could not allow Janos to be raised."
I'm going to do this in 2 more updates, rather then 1 - it'd just be too long. So, tomorrow morning: 300 mb of video, and a few hundred screenshot update, then tomorrow night, the finale.