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Chapter Six - The Industrial Quarter - "The Nexus Stone"

Infiltrating The Quarter

Kain enters the Industrial Quarter, using the scattered crates to avoid being seen by the guards.

Kain V.O.:
I left the relative safety of Sanctuary and ventured once more into the night. The Industrial Quarter of Meridian was, I discovered, a heavily guarded fortress. Rather than assault it directly, I stole into the workers' commons and began my quest for the Nexus Stone there.

After a while, Vorador contacts Kain.

Vorador: (WHISPERING)
Were you followed?

Kain: (WHISPERING)
Heh. These humans never look twice in my direction. Little do they realize their future lord walks among them.
Now, tell me of this place.

Vorador: (WHISPERING)
Umah tells me the Nexus Stone will be found in the main factory beyond the dam. There will be a gondola to take you there. If this is deactivated, you must look below for the Glyph to repower it, but be careful of the guards.

Kain: (WHISPERING)
Have you any further wisdom to dispense?

Vorador: (WHISPERING)
I sense the presence of another vampire close by. He may be watching you. I will whisper you again when it is needed.

Vorador ends the conversation and Kain is left to himself again.

Kain V.O.:
Once again, I began to feel the obligations of power. To deal justice fairly to all. One day my people would know me again for their lord, but the vampires who were traitors to their kind would know me first of all.

Kain reaches the door of a large storage building. Inside, two guards are talking about one of the explosive spherical tanks and the lever mounted on it.

First Guard:
Ever seen anything like that?

Second Guard:
Don't touch it! I heard it's magical and dangerous.

First Guard:
Aw, they say that about everything. The workers move them all the day. Come on, it won't do any harm to -

The first guard pulls the lever, causing a massive explosion, destroying the door. Kain gets up from the ground and enters the ruined building. He finds and rides the gondola.
Kain continues moving through the Quarter. After passing through the collapsing caves, he finds a door with the lever broken. Looking through one of the nearby windows, he sees the vampire Vorador spoke of. He is talking to two guards.

Glyph Guard: (urgently)
Sire, a body! We found a body, sire.

Sebastian:
It won't be the last. He is here. I sense the taint of his overblown arrogance.
Double the guards in the Power Chamber. He must not be allowed to approach the Nexus Stone.

Glyph Guard:
Who is it, sire?

Sebastian:
An old friend, who will learn his place in the world at last. If you see or hear anything out of the ordinary, report to me at once.

Kain uses the Dark Gift 'Charm' to enter the room, but Sebastian has already left.

Sebastian

Eventually Kain reaches the Nexus Stone, but Sebastian is waiting for him. Before he can take it, Sebastian taunts him.

Sebastian:
Behold, the great Kain. Now a common thief.

Kain V.O.:
The fiend that dogged my shadow showed himself at last. And in the light, I knew him. Another visage from my past.

Kain:
Sebastian! It is you who have been following me.

Sebastian:
And how long it took you to discover it. My master sent me to prevent your meddling further, and now you must die.

Kain:
Your master knows his days are numbered. I might have spared your life by asking that you join me, but I learned that lesson two hundred years ago.
You arranged the ambush that destroyed my army. You sold yourself to our enemy.

Sebastian:
I dealt the blow that cost you the war. Glorious, was it not? So many killed, so quickly. And all my doing.

Kain: (quietly)
I never learned why.

Sebastian:
Did you think I would serve while you ruled Nosgoth? You, and not I? The Sarafan Lord knows how to value me. I am to rule by his side and achieve what you never could.

The platform Kain is standing on is lowered and steam jets are activated around the room.

Kain:
You fool. You think that butcher will permit you to live one moment longer than he has need of you? I will save you from your disappointment, Sebastian, and kill you now.

Sebastian jumps down to ground level as Kain speaks, ready for their battle.

Sebastian:
I have waited two hundred years for the pleasure of killing you with my own hands. While you have been sleeping, my powers have been increasing. You haven't the smallest chance of defeating me.

Kain and Sebastian fight. If Kain manages to knock Sebastian into the steam -

Sebastian:
It burns!

After a while, Sebastian runs up to the ledge above the steam jets. As he sprints around the circular room he occasionally taunts Kain -

Sebastian:
Getting dizzy, Kain?
   or (laughs)

Every so often, Sebastian will attempt to jump down and attack Kain. He shouts a confident warning -

Sebastian:
Here I come, Kain!

If Sebastian successfully knocks Kain to the ground -

Sebastian:
You can't lay a finger on me.
   or Haha!

After Sebastian has been caught in the room's central energy stream three times, he shouts at the human in the control room -

Sebastian:
John, raise the dais!

The human complies and Sebastian jumps onto it.

Sebastian:
I will destroy this precious jewel!

Sebastian strikes the Nexus Stone, either laughing or repeating his intention to destroy it with each hit. If he succeeds in his task, he shouts down at Kain -

Sebastian:
We will die together, Kain!

The machinery of the room collapses and the resulting explosions and destruction kills both Kain and Sebastian as promised. If Kain jumps up on to the platform before the stone is destroyed, Sebastian jumps down. Kain uses 'Charm' to possess the human controller, and fills the lower room with steam again, hoping to catch Sebastian in it. Sebastian returns to the dais -

Sebastian:
Ha! No one fools me with my own trick!

They continue the fight until Kain triumphs. Sebastian falls into the steam, writhing in agony on the floor as it burns him. As the steam dissipates, Kain jumps down and stands over him. Sebastian is still alive.

Kain: (breathlessly)
Tell me of the Nexus Stone and this portal. What is its purpose here? Speak, and I will spare your life.

Sebastian coughs. He turns to face Kain and shakes his head.

Sebastian:
Come, Kain. You lie in your throat and we both know it. You are going to kill me.

Kain:
Indulge me, then, before you die.

Sebastian:
I'll tell you so that I may see your face when you learn you are powerless. You cannot win. Your death is inevitable.
The Nexus Stone's portal leads to an ancient device, deep underground, that will spell your destruction, Kain. A new reign will begin in Nosgoth.

Kain:
What is the purpose of this device? How will it serve the Sarafan Lord?

Sebastian begins to grasp at the floor, dragging himself.

Sebastian:
Alas, he has not entrusted me with that knowledge, but soon everyone will know it. His plans are, even now, coming into fruition.

Kain:
Where is the device? Where, under the earth?

Sebastian turns to lie flat on his back with his arms outstretched.

Sebastian:
It lies beneath Meridian. Seek for it if you will. I die happy in the knowledge that all your efforts will be wasted.

Kain:
Oh, Sebastian. Our destiny could have been glorious. The land was ours for the taking. History would have been rewritten in our image. But not everyone shared my vision... and now your time is up.
Your death will only make me stronger. I hope that knowledge comforts you... in your grave.

Kain draws the Dark Gift 'Berserk' from Sebastian, killing him in the process. He claims the Nexus Stone, but its removal causes the room to become unstable. The machinery falls apart, and the human is thrown screaming from his control room. Kain escapes before he is engulfed in flames from the explosions.

Sanctuary

Kain awakens at Sanctuary to find Umah leaning over him.

Umah:
You are welcome back. How do you feel?

Kain:
A little better than dead. How did I come here?

Vorador:
You are fortunate. One of our vampires saw you thrown from the roof of the factory as it was destroyed. He carried you here. The Sarafan were too occupied to notice you.
Ah, I see that you have the Nexus Stone.

Kain:
And I see you were courteous enough not to relieve me of it while I lay unconscious. I met another old friend, a vampire, guarding it. Before I killed him, he told me something... unsettling.
He spoke of an ancient device underground that will bring about victory for the Sarafan Lord. What do you know of this, Vorador?

Vorador:
I have heard tell of strange discoveries deep underground. Ancient legends speak of huge machines deep in the earth, left by the Gods in aeons past. And I know of one who can tell us the truth of this matter. She is a Seer, a being said to be older even than I. We are fortunate in that she owes me a favour.
Go to her, Kain, and learn what she knows.

Kain:
Go to her? This city is a walled fortress. How do you propose I get out?

Vorador:
There is a secret way out of the city. I will show it to you. You may follow a canyon that leads north to her abode. The way will not be easy. Strange beasts roam outside the city preying on travellers. The people call them demons.

Kain:
I believe I've met one of these already. I hope your Seer's knowledge is worth the risk.

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