The Dark Eden

Ariel’s advice…

Ariel: Does your patience with the Sarafan grow thin, vampire? Dogs come only when their masters call. I believe some members of the Circle have banished themselves north. Perhaps Dark Eden is the snare you seek.

Kain (vo): Ariel told me then, that the easiest way to find Malek was to force his hand. The Ward was sworn to defend the members of the Circle, and so if one of the Circle was threatened, Malek would appear to protect them.

She spoke of an unholy union between three of the wizards of the Circle, and directed me to their ‘Dark Eden’.

From a promontory, Kain observes the energy dome of the Dark Eden…

Mortanius: A triad congregates at the roof of the world, Kain; a plot to twist the land, to shape the world. North is where your vengeance lies.

A sign shows Kain that he is in Uschtenhiem…

Kain (vo): In my travels, I learned much about the legend of Janos Audron. Here, in this quaint pastoral village of Uschtenheim, that dark enemy was born. Janos preyed upon its peasants until he was finally hunted down and executed.

Kain encounters the first creatures lurking around the Dark Eden…

Kain (vo): The poor wretch was warped beyond recognition. To think that it was once human.

Kain (vo): Such strange creatures that had been spawned by this dark magic; things half insect and half mammal - human torsos grafted onto abominations of the flesh. Sick as it was, I could not help but admire its creator’s ingenuity.

Kain (vo): If it could be said that a land descended into madness, ‘twould be an accurate account of Dark Eden. A garden of horrors, seeded with sick perversion of nature’s design. I knew that this Dark Eden I had trespassed upon would continue to grow, until all of Nosgoth was consumed.

Closer to the vortex of the Dark Eden, Kain thinks…

Kain (vo): Magic seethed and shifted. I watched the dome of energy as it expanded, absorbing and recreating, consuming life and leaving behind only a twisted parody.

Kain crosses the energy field surrounding the Dark Eden building…

Kain (vo): I passed through the wall unharmed. It seemed the magic only preyed on things that were alive and pure. Or, perhaps it simply decided that I was twisted enough.

Kain (vo): A tower stood in the distance. From its apex spewed the vortex of energy that shaped the lands below.

Once inside…

Kain (vo): The surface of the castle belied its interior; for it was far larger inside than out. With the powers the Circle had at its disposal, ‘twould have been simple to distort space to accommodate this strange structure.

In a room, Kain finds the laboratory of one of the guardians…

Kain (vo): The sorcerer’s sanctuary, his laboratory. Inside was all manner of items arcane: pickled bodies, dissected corpses, both man and beast, and metal constructs that heaved arcs of energy into the air.

I sensed more than one force being manipulated in this place. Strange. Rarely did a sorcerer condescend to work with others.

Finally, Kain finds the three guardians…

Kain (vo): Ah, not one but three - DeJoule the Energist, Bane the Druid, and Anarcrothe the Alchemist. How considerate of them to hasten my search.

Bane: So, the scourge of the Circle has arrived…

DeJoule: Fear him not, Bane - he is but a whelp; his soul is ours for the taking.

Anarcrothe: Don’t be ridiculous! Malek! To our aid!

Malek is summoned as Anarcrothe fades away, leaving his guardian brothers…

Anarcrothe: Fools!!

Kain (vo): Damn you, Alchemist! I had not come this far only to have my quarry escape!

Kain finds himself outnumbered and invokes Vorador with the ring he provided to help him in his fight…

Malek: Vengeance! Vengeance for my eternity of suffering!

Vorador: Whelp! As if you knew what eternity was! Grovel before your true master.

Malek: Never! I’ll hack you from crotch to gizzard and feed what’s left of you to your brides…

Bane and DeJoule escape and Kain pursues them. Meanwhile, the fight between Vorador and Malek begins…

Kain (vo): As Vorador clashed against Malek, I gave pursuit to the fleeing wizards DeJoule and Bane…

Bane: His magic is weak!

He is an affront to Nature itself, it is our duty to purify him!

DeJoule: Burn! wretched vampire, burn!

Kain (vo): I danced their dance. When the time came, they would dance upon my sword!

After confronting the guardians, Kain eliminates Bane and DeJoule…

Kain (vo): The antler headdress had broken in the fight, but power still resided in its ivory form.

Kain (vo): The cloak was made from an alloy akin to lead: heavy and malleable, woven into fine links. The energy she controlled was stored in this garment.

Kain (vo): I found Malek’s helmet amongst the scattered remnants of his armor, whole and intact. Vorador had finally laid his old adversary to rest.