On to the Past



On to the Past or Chapter 7: On to the Past is the seventh "level", or chapter, of Soul Reaver 2. It opens with Raziel exiting the Air Forge in the Post-Blood Omen era and follows his progress as he travels back to Nosgoth's early history, reaching Janos Audron's Retreat at the conclusion of the chapter.

Plot
Having completed the puzzle of the Air Forge and imbued the Air Reaver, Raziel discovered that the enhancement could shatter Cracked doors. Returning through the mountains and Uschtenheim to the Swamp, Raziel was able to use this ability on the compromised door of Moebius's Time-streaming chambers and enter the edifice. Inside Raziel discovered a chamber similar to those he had seen previously in the Circle's gathering-room of the Sarafan Stronghold, however this time Raziel had no aid and means to set the device to the appropriate era and was thus force to rely on "fate". Hesitating only briefly, Raziel activated the device and travelled in time.

When he emerged Raziel recognised the banners of the Sarafan and realised that the device had - somewhat suspiciously - delivered him to exactly the ear he sought. Cautious of deception, Raziel ventured out to explore Nosgoth in its early history. Finding the gates to the stronghold sealed shut by ice Raziel pressed further northward - back into the mountains and Uschtenheim - encountering and facing the rank-and-file Sarafan warriors in combat for the first time.

Pushing onward and defeating many of his former brothers-in-arms, Raziel finally made his way to the retreat of Janos Audron and the "threshold of enlightenment".

The Air Forge/Janos Audron's Retreat (Post-Blood Omen era)
Raziel began the chapter in the mountains nearby Janos Audron's Retreat having completed the Air Forge and gained the Air Reaver in the previous chapter. As he exited the forge he would be confronted by several Demon hunter swordsmen and a Demon hunter axemen, with the battle further complicated by the presence of a Sentry eye on the outside of the forge that could instantly send Raziel back to the Spectral Realm (or disintegrate his enemies). Defeating or evading these enemies, Raziel could jump down the cliff next to the Dark Reaver font to the lower level where he would be confronted by two more swordsmen. Heading further south and dropping down another level he would be confronted by two more axemen or Fire demon summoning a combat barrier. After defeating these enemies Raziel could progress further to battle another axeman as he reached the Light Reaver font on the cliff above the lake outside Janos Audron's Retreat.

From here it was necessary to jump across the platforms on the lake to reach the path heading south. Jumping straight across to the platform directly east of the cliff he could approach from the north to crouch-jump up to the staircase and from here jump and glide across to the next platform to the south before using that to jump to the southern bank and the path to Uschtenheim.

Uschtenheim (Post-Blood Omen era)
Heading south away from the lake, Raziel would soon be confronted by a group of axemen with a Lightning demon warping in as he approached. Defeating or evading and continuing, Raziel would next be met by a swordsmen, but he too would be ambushed as two Lightning demons warped in on approach. Pushing on, Raziel would soon find himself on a high ledge overlooking a wide learing below where a cannoneer, two swordsmen and an attack dog waited below. Defeating or evading them, Raziel could continue on to the climbable wall in the south-west where an axemen was positioned and three Acid demons would warp in as he approached. Defeating them (and if necessary returning from the Spectral Realm via the planar portal on the southern cliff) Raziel could climb the southwestern wall and reach the gates of Uschtenheim.

Dispatching the axemen at the entrance Raziel found the entrance locked, but by crouch-jumping to the second level of the battlements he could find the Lever which opened the gate guarded by two swordsmen and once they were defeated he could hold the lever to open the gate and jump back down to enter the village.

Conclusions

 * After solving the Air Forge in the previous chapter, Raziel has used the Air Reaver to blow open the Cracked door on the Time streaming chamber in the Swamp and has used the device to return to Nosgoth's early history - without the knowledge to set the time himself, the device seems suspiciously set to exactly the era sought.
 * Raziel has discovered evidence of the massacres of the Sarafan and has encountered the rank-and-file soldiers of the order itself. In stark contrast to his initial feelings in A Reaver in Time, he now views these as "chilling" and "monsterous".
 * Raziel has fought his way northward through the Sarafan troops massed along the route to Uschtenheim and has reached the threshold of Janos Audron's Retreat - which is still standing in this era.