The Ancient Vampire Lords, Book III
Attack on Cerberis, Chapter IV

As Jihon’s powers grow unchecked, Soul Reaver's sword, Blooddrinker, tastes the blood of one of the Council members. The blade works itself into a frenzy, and ends up slicing the Council member into ribbons. Moments after the kill, Soul Reaver finds himself viciously attacked by another Council member. He backs away towards Jihon, and syphons off some of his rising energy to fuel a magical attack… which obliterates this second attacker as well.

While the battle rages on, on a distant, different world, within a sacred shrine, the vast energies being unleashed in the Upper Umbra cause several small bottles to shake and vibrate upon their shelves. Within these bottles are the remains of a long-dead god. An old man watches them, and realises this is a sign. The man turns to his nephew, a young man named Halcon, and tells him that he is a descendant of this god, and that the vibration of the bottles is a call to adventure for him. The old man gives the confused Halcon a sword and a suit of armour, which he dons. A feeling of power surges through Halcon, but he is still bewildered even as the old man opens a powerful Warp Gate and hurls Halcon through… into the midst of the battle against the Council in the Upper Umbra.

Fei however does not react to the newcomer’s arrival - a sudden vision of the death of his past wife unleashes his beast, and he goes berserk, attacking both friend and foe. Clutchfiend successfully annihilates Pillaire after a vicious duel, and tries to stop Fei… but he is too late. As Fei hurtles towards Tamrissa with murderous intent, Thaimes intervenes and runs Fei through. He collapses, and the green glow of Tamrissa's pendant wanes. Tamrissa, horrified, stands over Fei’s fallen body, intent on protecting him.

Seeing the slaughter of his marines, the furious Clutchfiend orders the remaining troops and shuttles to retreat immediately, and joins them in their withdrawal. Kalana alone stays behind.

Jihon, his energy now almost beyond his limits to contain, tells the companions they have to leave NOW, or it may be too late for them. Tamrissa stubbornly refuses to leave Jihon behind, but Brigid intervenes… by knocking Tamrissa unconscious with the butt of a rifle. Brigid transforms back into her panther form so that Thisias can put the unconscious Tamrissa on her back.

Jihon says his farewells, as the energy within him starts to lash out. Soul Reaver, realizing there is no time left and no more Council members to impede this act, creates a mass of Warp Gates that swallow the companions. Soul Reaver then picks up Fei’s inert body, and runs to a Warp Gate of his own… but he hesitates at its threshold. He says his goodbyes to Jihon, and thanks him for the time he shared with the companions. As a final gesture, Soul Reaver reaches into his Infinity Pouch and pulls out a Star Sphere, a symbol of life, which he hurls into the heavens. He dives through the Warp Gate just as the Star Sphere bursts into bright light, Jihon’s energy bursts uncontrollably from his body… and the Upper Umbra collapses.

The companions find themselves on Soul Reaver's obsidian island… but realize quickly, to their horror, that Kelvack did not go through his Warp Gate as he should have - he was still in the Upper Umbra when it collapsed. They grieve at the loss of their comrades. Thisias sadly summons Gabriel and Shzed, the Tomberry, to him.

Tamrissa wakes again and mourns Fei’s death… for in some ways, it is the death of a part of her own soul. But then, to her amazement, Fei’s body returns to life! He states that he battled death itself to return to her, that without her, even paradise was empty. Tamrissa however is less than thrilled at his return - she is angry with Fei’s link to her, and the emotional weakness it seems to evoke in her.

Meanwhile, Soul Reaver grimly erects two monuments for his fallen companions upon the Obsidian Island… one for Kelvack and one for Jihon.

Thisias meanwhile is furious at Fei for attacking the companions, and the loss of Jihon only exacerbates his anger. As his rage-filled words tumble from his mouth, the others try to diffuse the situation. Kalana grows tired of trying to keep the companions from fighting each other, and so, exhausted, she takes her leave, using a Warp Gate to escape. Her parting words to the companions sound… oddly mechanical.

Halcon, still feeling lost, suddenly senses something nearby… Kelvack! He sees a vision of Kelvack, and realises that, somehow, he is a descendant of Kelvack… and that he is to take Kelvack’s place amongst the companions.

Soul Reaver, growing tired of the bickering, exerts his powers over the Obsidian Island to stop the companions from moving and calms their heated nerves. He speaks to them, explaining how this is neither the time nor the place for this sort of thing.

But suddenly, unexpectedly, Fei’s body transforms… and becomes Akkarajul, the Ancient Vampire Lord of the Assamites. Gloating, he reveals that he had been sleeping within Fei’s body, and that Fei’s soul has not in fact returned to his physical form - he is still struggling to return from the afterlife. With his soul gone, Akkarajul is now free to take over Fei’s body.

Soul Reaver responds to Akkarajul’s arrival by turning the very reality of the Obsidian Island against the Ancient Vampire Lord, who does his best to fight against it. He continues to reveal the depth of his plans - that he was Thaimes, and that he wiped Fei’s memory after he first Embraced Fei long, long ago. He also reveals that he created the illusion of the death of Fei’s wife which sent him into his final, suicidal frenzy in the Upper Umbra.

Soul Reaver has heard enough. Focusing all the control over the Obsidian Island he can muster, the completely obliterates Akkarajul in a horrific manner. Halcon is horrified at the gory spectacle.

With Akkarajul gone, the companions’ minds turn to other matters. Thisias states his firm belief that Jihon’s soul is still alive in the magical, nigh-indestructible soul-bottle… but that this bottle would at present still be in the now-ruined Upper Umbra. Soul Reaver, in the meantime, creates a monument for Fei beside those of Jihon and Kelvack. The companions then decide to go look for the bottle.

Soul Reaver opens a Warp Gate, and most of the companions step through into the devastated Upper Umbra. Tamrissa, Gabriel and Shzed remain behind - Tamrissa is still too shaken by recent events to continue on.

The Upper Umbra is in a sorry state - dark, featureless, shattered rocks hurtling through a black void above the bleak, rubble-strewn stone surface. The Star Sphere alone gives a wan, dreary illumination. As the companions arrive, they find Clutchfiend there and waiting for them - he tells them that he sensed that Jihon was still here.

Together, Clutchfiend and the other companions search for the bottle containing Jihon’s soul. Halcon finds a bottle… but it contains not Jihon’s soul, but some of Kelvack’s ashes. Nearby lies a strange shield. He feels that these artefacts are infused with Kelvack’s soul, and he takes them.

A Warp Gate opens and Kawanua emerges, sensing the companions’ powerful energy signatures. Seeing that they are busy, he decides it may be best not to get involved… at least, not yet. He retreats before he is questioned.

Finally, Clutchfiend finds the bottle. To his surprise, Thisias takes it, opens it… and drinks the contents! Thisias’ body begins to shift and change as Thisias and Jihon’s souls merge, and Thisas becomes Thisahon.

However, the companions now find themselves facing a major problem… as the dead, tortured spirits of the Upper Umbra begin to rise from the rubble all around them as deadly Shades. Their life and energy draining presence draws ever closer as they thirst for vengeance!