The Silenced Cathedral (chapter)

Plot

Armed with the Soul Reaver, Raziel is guided by Ariel and the Elder to visit the eastern part of Nosgoth, where his next brother awaits. Returning to the exit from the Underworld, Raziel enters a large canyon at the foot of the walls of the Silenced Cathedral. He inserts the wraithblade into the door and it grants him access to the tower. Fighting several Zephonim who became spider-like, capable of scaling walls, he enters the large inner courtyard area.

Climbing atop of former human houses, he reaches the opening leading to the entrance of the Cathedral itself. Raziel finds Zephonim were cocooning the human guardians as a source of food all over the Cathedral. When stepping into the central chamber with the pipes, he remarks that once Zephon took over all the pipes fell silent and the deadly hymn was never released. Solving several block puzzles in the side rooms activates the pressure pads which turns on the main fan vents. This enables Raziel to use the hot air to rise to the middle part of the Cathedral. In order to proceed, he solves more block puzzles which produce a tune, breaking glass over buttons in a remote place. Raziel shatters the glass by ringing two bells and shifts to spectral after pressing a switch. This enables him to get to the secret area behind a wall in time. Further along, he gets to higher grounds in the Cathedral. He faces several vampire worshippers and activates another set of hot air vents.

The last part of the Cathedral involves laying down all the pipes and turning three valves in order to ascend to the highest level of the tower. Once there, a tunnel leads to a throne chamber where on its doorstep Raziel finds a vampire hunter cut into half, his flamethrower still burning. Cautious, Raziel steps in front of a strange creature. The creature senses Raziel and shrieks at Raziel, who tries to escape but the creature bars the exit. Raziel recognizes the voice as it warns him that there is no escape. Remarking that this new visage suits him, Raziel faces Zephon. Zephon mocks Raziel and says he became the king of this incredible Cathedral during centuries of Raziel´s absence. However, Raziel is not discouraged by Zephon and states that it will be Zephon who will bow down before him.

The fight starts and Raziel skillfully dodges swipes of Zephon´s claws and hanging legs. He cuts of his legs one by one which makes Zephon lay an egg. As normal weapons are useless against him, Raziel grabs the egg, sets it on flamethrower´s fire and throws it onto Zephon. After he does this three times, Zephon is engulfed in flames and falls dead onto the ground. His soul flies out and Raziel once again, absorbs it. The Elder congratulates Raziel and informs him he now possesses the wall crawling ability, enabling him to get to areas he could not reach before. As the next goal lies beyond the Pillars, Raziel sets the Abyss destination at the Warp Gate and steps through it.

Transcript

The Silenced Cathedral (chapter)

The Silenced Cathedral

RAZIEL (V. O.) Once a testament to mankind's defiance of Kain's empire, this towering cathedral now stood derelict, the humans who worshipped here, centuries dead. Its architects conceived this tower as a holy weapon against the vampire menace, a colossal instrument of brass and stone. The cathedral's pipes, once tuned to blast a deadly hymn, now stood silent, and these vacant spaces whistled their impotence.

The Silenced Cathedral: Zephon's lair

Raziel reaches Zephon's lair and confronts him:

ZEPHON The prodigal son...
There is no returning for you, Raziel.

RAZIEL Zephon, your visage becomes you. It's an appropriate reflection of your soul...

ZEPHON ...and you are not His handsome Raziel anymore. His precious first-born son, turned betrayer.
You have missed so many changes, little Raziel. Look around you. See how the humans' weapon of destruction has become my home...
Indeed, my body. A cocoon of brick and granite from which to watch a pupating world...

RAZIEL A crevice in which to cower, only scuttling from the shadows to devour a victim already ensnared in your cowardly trap. But you've made the mistake of leaving me unbound, and it is you who must succumb to my will.

ZEPHON Will... instinct... reflex action... the insect mind finds little difference.
I warn you, brother – as my stature has grown, so it is matched by my appetite.
Step forward, morsel...

If Raziel is defeated in the battle, then upon his return:

ZEPHON Come to test me again, brother? I grow weary of your meddling.

After defeating Zephon and devouring his soul:

ZEPHON ????

ZEPHON (scream)

ELDER GOD Consuming Zephon's apostate soul has bestowed on you a new gift. Like his vampire spawn, you are able to scale certain walls which are otherwise impassable – but only in the physical realm. In the spirit world, these insubstantial edifices will not support you.

The Silenced Cathedral

Exiting Zephon's chamber:

ELDER GOD In the mountains beyond the Pillars, Nosgoth's cataclysms have exposed an ancient crime. Endowed with Zephon's soul, you may now progress where your path was hitherto impeded.