Blade of Vengeance



Blade of Vengeance or Chapter 9: Blade of Vengeance is the ninth "level", or chapter, of Soul Reaver 2. It opens with Raziel witnessing the death of Janos Audron in his retreat and follows Raziel as he pursues the Sarafan warrior inquisitors responsible for the act to the Sarafan Stronghold and confronts them.

Profile

 * Name: Chapter 9 - Blade of Vengeance
 * Classification: Soul Reaver 2 chapters
 * Game: Soul Reaver 2
 * Protagonist • Raziel
 * Objectives: • Discover the identities of the Sarafan warrior inquisitors • Pursue the Sarafan to the Sarafan Stronghold• Defeat the Demons • Gain entry to the stronghold • Recover the Reaver • Take vengeance on the inquisitors
 * Setpieces: • Janos Audron's Retreat • Uschtenheim • The Swamp • The Subterranean Ruins (The Subterranean Pillars Chamber) • The Pillars of Nosgoth (The Pillars • The Shrine) • The Great Southern Lake • The Sarafan Stronghold (The Cloister • The Sanctuary)
 * Era: • Nosgoth's early history
 * Timeline: • The third timeline
 * Objects: • The Soul Reaver
 * Preceded by: Vampire Interview
 * Followed by: Epilogue: The Final Confrontation

Plot
Having completed the Fire Forge and gained the Fire Reaver in the previous chapter, Raziel used the new enhancement to open the door barring his way into Janos's chambers. He arrived to see the Sarafan warrior inquisitors surrounding a fallen Janos Audron rendered helpless with the use of Moebius's Staff and was powerless to stop them as the lead inquisitor tore out Janos's heart.

As the inquisitor held the grisly trophy aloft, Raziel caught a clear sight of his face and realised that the lead inquisitor was his former human self, accompanied by his brothers Turel, Dumah, Zephon and Melchiah - a group Raziel had recently lionized and revered. As the two incarnations of Raziel locked eyes, a tremor shook the building and the Sarafan retreated taking the Reaver blade with them.

Raziel descended to Janos's body, finding the ancient vampire barely clinging to life. Janos reiterated his belief in Raziel and his willingness to die to have saved him. Encouraging Raziel to reclaim to Reaver, Janos revealed before he died that it was forged for Raziel alone. As Raziel backed away from Janos's corpse he rejected his previous beliefs and pledged to honour Janos, resolving to pursue the Sarafan to their stronghold, avenge Janos's murder, retake the Reaver and - recognising the supposed ability of the 'Heart of Darkness' to restore vampire unlife - Raziel finally sought to reclaim the Janos's heart, hoping to restore Janos himself. Raziel left the retreat by jumping from the balcony and Janos Audron's Retreat collapsed behind him.

As Raziel journeyed back through Nosgoth, he was confronted by various Demons who taunted him about his destiny. Recognising that they from centuries in the future, Raziel surmised that they were "minions of the unseen forces" that Kain had warned him about and their attempts to stop him were a signal of their "displeasure" at his actions.

As he made his way through the Subterranean Ruins, Raziel again confronted the Elder God in the Subterranean Pillars Chamber. This time with a tone of "ominous finality", the Elder simply lamented that Raziel had failed it, whereas Raziel asserted his independence, voicing his doubts that the Elder was responsible for his resurrection at all.

After fighting his way back to the Sarafan Stronghold, Raziel was able to use the Fire Reaver on a Fire Plinth to melt the Ice on the surface of the Great Southern Lake and gain entry to the building.

Soon after, Raziel unexpectedly found the Reaver laid across his path in a small antechamber, but instead of the usual temporal distortion, Raziel felt only the "nameless dread" he had when Janos presented the blade to him. As he studied the blade he was interrupted by Moebius and Malek - with Moebius's Staff disabling the Wraith Blade. Cornered by the two, Raziel debated his destiny with Moebius before the unmistakeable voice of Vorador rang out, indicating the imminent Slaughter of the Circle. With Malek persuaded by Moebius to Raziel was a greater threat, they remained until Raziel devoid of any other weapons grasped the Reaver, prompting Malek and Moebius to leave - bolting the exit on their way. Raziel soon realised that he had become bound to the blade, unable to let go of the Reaver or put it down, but with his strength sustained indefinitely - preventing him from Shifting into the Spectral Realm.

Forced into another path through the stronghold away from the Circle's gathering-room and the slaughter taking place there, Raziel found that he was being channelled into facing the greatest threats of the Sarafan Order - the Sarafan warrior inquisitors. As he reached the Cloister he was confronted by Melchiah and Zephon. Quickly dispatching the two Raziel recognised that the Reaver had now made him virtually invincible, and privately he began to appreciate Kain's choice of lieutenants for his empire - realising that all along, despite his initial outrage at the Tomb of the Sarafan, he had been responsible for their deaths in the first place.

As he continued through the stronghold he was next ambushed by Rahab and Dumah in the Sanctuary area, and then by Turel in the chapel - each fell before the power of the blade - with Raziel taking particular pleasure at the death of Turel who had eluded his vengeance in the Soul Reaver era. Finally Raziel made his way to the Chapter House and a final confrontation with the human Sarafan Raziel.

Players (in order of appearance)

 * Raziel/Sarafan Raziel (voiced by Michael Bell) and Raziel in Voiceover/Soliloquy
 * Janos Audron (voiced by René Auberjonois)
 * Turel (voiced by Richard Doyle)
 * Dumah
 * Melchiah
 * Zephon
 * The Elder God (voiced by Tony Jay)
 * Moebius (voiced by Richard Doyle)
 * Malek
 * Rahab