Fan Fiction ❯ The Birth Of Cain - Act I ❯ Gabriel's Hunt ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter VI

 

Cain turned his head to the right and looked into the distance. "Hold on, Kiba, I'm coming for your head!" he said and once again began running.

 

--

 

Cain had stopped at a river, just so he could think for a while. It truly seemed like he couldn't run from the fate of a fighter. No matter what he did, Cain returned to fighting, to gaining power. 'I must be cursed...' Cain though as he drank sake. Meeting Genjuro again brought back memories... dark memories. 'Why can't I just be free of this shit? Why does she come back to haunt me all the time? Why couldn't I die...?'

Cain lay down on his back and looked up at the dark clouds looming overhead. It was about to rain again. Just like that night...

 

--

 

"What the hell is your problem, brother?" Abel hissed through his teeth, looking Cain square in the eye.

"Back off, Abel, I'm pissed as it is. You shouldn't have left them alone. They're only women," Cain said and pushed Abel out of his way, going back to the encampment.

Abel shoved Cain from behind. "What do you think you're doing? Don't turn your back on me, Cain!"

"Seriously Abel, you're three moments from a bloody death right now. When Nineveh said she wanted to be with you, I didn't say a thing. But just because I backed down doesn't mean that I'm alright with you. Just go back to camp and leave me by myself," Cain said and waited for Abel to leave, still not turning to face him. Honestly, he really could kill Abel, if provoked.

"No, I'm going nowhere until we finish this!"

"This IS finished. Go to Nineveh, make her happy, but stay the hell out of my way. You might be king now, but I can still give you a beating."

"Who do you think you're talking to? And don't you dare talk to me with your back turned," Abel said and grabbed Cain's arm. He pulled, trying to turn his brother around, but Cain wouldn't be budged. "CAIN!" Abel shouted and tugged again.

Suddenly Cain spun around and grabbed Abel by the throat, picking him up in the air. Something in Cain's eyes was different... dark. The dark red seemed more like black now. Cain squeezed cutting off Abel's air. "Let go!" he ordered, but his voice turned out more like a squeak.

"SHUT UP!" Cain yelled at him. "Let me tell you something, brother. Life's a bitch. An absolute bitch. If you let her, she'll screw with you for as long as you have her around. To prevent this, screw life first. And kill anyone that life uses to screw you. This is my advice to you, as the future ruler of an extinct clan." For a moment something like a wave passed through Cain's body. Where the wave was, Cain's skin was pale and hair - black. Abel's eyelids grew heavy as his brain noticed the disappearance of oxygen.

Suddenly there was a horrible scream in the distance. Cain became his old self and let go of Abel. "Wha...?" was all Abel could say.

Cain felt something and fell to his knees. His breathing became quick and heavy, inhaling had never been so painful. The scream kept up, but then there was another. "No... Abel, why...?" Cain said as tears began streaming down his face. It couldn't be true. Cain stood up and attempted to jump, but for some reason he couldn't. "SHIT!" he swore as he began running back for camp. How could he let this happen? Slowly he regained his strength and in a flash flew through the woods.

He appeared at the camp, but froze where he stood. At his feet lay her body. He dropped on his knees and picked her up, turning her over. There was no life in her, and, as he tried to hold her tighter, she became dust and fell apart.

Suddenly Cain screamed as loud and long as he could. He looked around, panting heavily. All the bodies were turning to dust, and blown away by the wind.

 

--

 

Suddenly Cain jumped to his feet, panting just like he did then. Could it be? 'How could I have been so stupid and blind? It's so damn obvious... SHIT! How could I forget?' he scolded himself. Cain quickly threw away his sake dish, it didn't matter now.

"You damn bastard, I'll make you pay..." Cain said to his target, standing at the edge of the river, his fists clenched. Just as he was about to continue on his way, he heard something behind him and spun around. A rather strange-looking scimitar was headed straight for his face. Cain barely managed to move out of the way. He jumped up, avoiding a horizontal swing, and kicked his attacker in the face twice, then jumped in the air backwards, landing on the other side of the river.

"Who the hell are you?" Cain asked and drew his Sabre.

"You might not know me, Sephiroth, but I know a lot about you. I am Gabriel, and I am here to kill you."

"...Gabriel... I don't know who you've mistaken me for, but I am not your Sephiroth. Just go on your way and back off. I have more important issues at hand than you."

"No, I am the last issue that you'll ever have at hand!" Gabriel said and grinned. He was short, but obviously strong, although not too muscular, not unlike Cain himself. He had golden hair that shone in the sun, reaching to his spades in length. A very handsome young man, Gabriel seemed looked like and had the aura about him of a person that girls fight over. And he was no older than nineteen, as Cain figured.

"Listen, kid, don't get cocky. I don't know who this Sephiroth is, and honestly I don't give a damn. I'm leaving," Cain said and sheathed his sword.

"Don't take me, or my Chocho-ha lightly!" Gabriel shouted.

Cain burst in laughter. Though he noticed the blade being somewhat unusual and, possibly, special, the name, in his opinion, was ridiculous.

"Shut up!" Gabriel yelled at Cain and pointed his hand with an open palm at Cain. Cain noticed a green light coming from what seemed to be some sort of orb inside of Gabriel's arm. Some sort of rune drawing appeared around his arm, made of red light, resembling the great, complex decorations Cain had once seen in an old magician temple. This had a lightning motif, and suddenly some sort of electric surge appeared in-between Cain and Gabriel, several feet above their heads.

"What the..." but Cain's words were cut short, as he was struck in the left shoulder by a bolt of lighting, coming from that very object. He flew back from the impact, but flipped backwards and landed on his feet. 'What the hell was that?' Cain thought and quickly drew his Sabre again.

"What's wrong, Sephiroth? Haven't revealed materia yet?" Gabriel said and laughed, as he entered the water of the river, going for Cain.

"Dammit, don't call me that! I am not Sephiroth, I am CAIN!" he shouted, and launched a Judai Toranpu at the fair-haired youth. The card made a trail in the shallow water, even though it flew at least two feet above it. Gabriel jumped back and parried the attack with his sword.

"You can't take me down that easily. Cloud taught me well!"

"Cloud...?" Cain asked in confusion and looked up into the sky. 'There are a damn lot of clouds up there...' Cain thought, then the first drop of rain fell on his face. He turned back to Gabriel, who, much to Cain's surprise, was flying straight at him, his sword drawn. Cain quickly ducked, letting Gabriel jump over him, then thrust his hand upwards, striking him in the stomach. Gabriel was thrown upwards, but he turned upright in the air, then landed together with a swing. Cain parried it, then rolled to the side, jumping up suddenly and kicking Gabriel from the side.

Gabriel turned around and raised his sword, taking his fighting stance, holding his sword with both hands, his legs parted wide. It began raining. Though Cain had other things on his mind at the moment, he couldn't help but wonder what this was all about.

"Listen, Gabriel, it looks like there's no persuading you that I am not Sephiroth, but... what is it he did that you hunt him so?" he asked.

"Feh, you sure have some nerve..."

Cain sighed, it seemed like this was a hopeless case. A shame, though, Gabriel was too young to die. "Just pretend. It's not that difficult. Tell me, who is Sephiroth?"

"Sephiroth? He's the punishment of this world. An evil reborn every several hundred years, to plague the world for its sins, a monster... I mean this as an insult, but, as far as I know, you probably think of that as praise," Gabriel said and grimaced.

Cain smiled as he pondered. "Tell me, does one Sephiroth know he's the evil of this age? Of the ones before him?"

"No..." Gabriel said, with slightly more confusion than anger now. This really wasn't what he had expected as the darkness of the world, incarnated.

Cain laughed. "You know what, I might very well be your Sephiroth!"

Gabriel hissed. "You bastard... take THIS!" he shouted, and pointed his hand at Cain again. The same light appeared, and a similar rune drawing appeared, but it happened much faster this time, so Cain couldn't really see it. Suddenly from the ground on both Gabriel's left and right two fireballs shot upwards, met over Gabriel's head, forming one big fireball, then shot at Cain. He barely got out of the way, but still he felt the immense heat as it passed his foot, then exploded, throwing Cain into the river. He quickly jumped up, just in time to deflect a swing from Gabriel.

For such a young fighter, not to mention a human, Cain didn't nearly expect such power. He was almost matching every Cain's move, even overpowering him slightly, though his movements were a bit slower than Cain's. Cain stepped sideways, evading a vertical swing, then punched Gabriel in the face. Cain jumped over his head, and swung as he landed, nearly knocking Gabriel off his feet. But he quickly recovered with a blow that forced Cain to step back, even through his block. Taking two steps forward, Gabriel lunged at Cain, and would have gut him right there, if Cain hadn't deflected Gabriel's blade. Gabriel continued attacking with steady, strong blows, not giving Cain time to retaliate.

Cain could hardly believe that such a young human possessed such power, and even more that Cain hadn't felt him approach. There was something strange about his strength Cain couldn't quite grasp, but he felt it was right there in front of him.

Even though the water was up to his waist, Gabriel was barely slowed as he ran for Cain. A horizontal swing, which Cain evaded, another, which he also evaded, a lunge. With such short, yet effective combinations Gabriel was pressing Cain back.

'Dammit, he's more difficult to fight than I thought...' Cain thought, while dodging more of Gabriel's attacks. Cain deflected two swings, then, in a sudden boost of speed, thrust his elbow into Gabriel's face, tossing him back. "You are quite impressive, Gabriel, and matching my base strength even at this time is something not many can boast of, however... It is not nearly all I've got." Cain spun the Sabre around in his hand, leaving some sort of symbol seen in the broken raindrops, there for only a split second. He then took his fighting stance again. "You leave now, and live, or stay and die."

Gabriel now laughed. "You know, I was expecting the Great Sephiroth to be more challenging. I'm glad I was right," he said and also took his fighting stance.

Cain smiled, eyebrow raised, but shrugged and attacked.

They burst at each other at a great speed. Cain prepared to swing at Gabriel's head, and he blocked, but Cain tricked him, ducked and hit Gabriel's stomach with his elbow. Gabriel stepped back, grunting from the hit, then swung at Cain. He quickly ducked, then jumped sideways, hitting Gabriel's head with the hilt of his Sabre. "Is this challenging enough?" Cain said, with a chilling coldness in his voice.

"Not nearly!" Gabriel shouted, becoming frustrated at Cain's sudden increase in strength. Gabriel swung, and swung, but Cain evaded every attack. Suddenly Cain jumped up over his head, and launched a Judai Toranpu down at him. Gabriel dodged sideways, then cursed at Cain, who landed at the shore of the river.

"Just go home, kid. I'm not who you're looking for, and out of your league," Cain said, sheathed his Sabre and turned to leave. He stopped when he heard Gabriel laughing.

"You really are as powerful as they say, Sephiroth. I didn't think it was true, but you are worthy of being called Sephiroth the Great!"

Cain grinned. 'You haven't seen shit...'

"I didn't expect to be tested to use my all, even though I should have. Fine, prepare yourself," Gabriel said and took his fighting position.

Cain laughed. "When fighting a foe stronger than yourself, don't warn them if attacking. Just some friendly advice for the Underworld..." Cain said and launched a Judai Toranpu at Gabriel. It cut through the youth's shoulder, leaving a deep wound in his right hand. "I didn't miss. Now go home," Cain said and began walking. He slowed for a bit, when hearing a strange humming behind him, but dismissed it and kept walking.

Suddenly Cain ducked, evading Gabriel's unexpected attack, rolling onto his back, and kicked upwards with both feet, throwing Gabriel high up. Cain jumped to his feet and drew his Sabre again. He saw no blood. Gabriel's hand was healed. 'How...?' he thought, as he watched his opponent land in front of him, some thirty feet away.

Gabriel pointed his hand at Cain, and he held his Sabre tighter. Once again the runes appeared and lighting struck, bet Cain deflected it with his Sabre. Then another bolt of lighting appeared, and another. Cain decided he shouldn't allow Gabriel keep such a distance between them, and ran at him. A different kind of runes appeared around Gabriel's arm, and suddenly the earth in front of Cain opened, forming a deep chasm. Cain barely jumped over it, but was suddenly struck by lighting. He flew backwards from the strike, landing on his back. The earth beneath him crumbled, disappearing. Cain grabbed onto the ledge, but it fell apart, too, and Cain fell. He quickly turned upright while falling, then jumped.

Gabriel was surprised to see Cain shoot out from the pit he formed, but he wasn't worried. He launched another fireball at Cain, then another bolt of lightning. Cain cut through the first and evaded the other. He was approaching quickly, and the bolts of lighting and fireballs were dealt with easily.

Cain passed through whatever opposition Gabriel formed. "You give your all too soon, Gabriel," Cain said. It seemed he was already annoyed with his attacker.

"I'll show you my all!" Gabriel shouted back. With two fingers he pointed upwards, then downwards, leaving two large, glowing points, then pointed at Cain with an open palm. The usual fire rune appeared, but from the two points grew something like an addition, forming a more complicated rune circle. Gabriel quickly did that with his other hand too. Suddenly something appeared over Gabriel's head, like a gate to the inferno, and a huge fireball flew at Cain, flaming green. Cain jumped at it and sliced through, burning his hands from the intense heat, but just as he raised his head, still in flight, Cain was struck by a bolt of lighting, more than twice the size of the usual. He felt a wave from the pure strength of the impact go through every bone in his body, and his left hand went numb, as he flew over fifty feet backwards, before landing painfully on his head.

"Shit, you're going to die for that..." Cain hissed through clenched teeth as he staggered to his feet. Cain looked at Gabriel, standing in the rain, laughing at him. Something came over Cain. His fists were clenched tight, Sabre in his hand. He stood up, standing opposed Gabriel, his head bowed down, not looking at him. Something like a shadow passed over Cain, though nothing had moved. And the shadow was strange, as it stayed on only half of Cain's face and body. The right side of his body became somehow... different. His skin was slightly paler, and his nails had become black. It seemed Cain himself didn't care or notice. He raised his head, and Gabriel froze. Something about Cain was different. His eyes weren't the intelligent, though maybe cold eyes he had, but savage, a strange flame in them.

Cain grinned, then suddenly, with the Tosshin, rushed at Gabriel. He fired another powerful bolt of lightning at Cain, but Cain stopped it in his open palm, with an evil grin. Gabriel launched another green fireball, but Cain didn't even bother going around it, leaping straight through. Cain approached Gabriel, his Sabre drawn back. Gabriel parried the blow, but was thrown back by Cain's strength.

"What the..." he mumbled, trying not to fall. He stopped his movement backwards and looked up, just in time to notice Cain's blade headed for his face. Gabriel dodged the attack, but was hit in the face by Cain's elbow. Gabriel quickly ducked to evade a swing of Cain's, but was brought to the ground by a blow to the stomach from Cain's knee. Laughing, Cain took Gabriel by the hair and picked him up.

"You pissed me off, and now you're going to..."

"SHUT UP!" Gabriel shouted and hit Cain's head with his own, making Cain let go. He quickly punched him again, then slashed open Cain's chest, spilling blood on the ground. Gabriel tried to run Cain through with his Butterfly Edge, bet Cain moved out of the way, holding his left hand on the large, bleeding wound.

Gabriel quickly took several steps back, trying to clear his line of sight. That blow with the head had blurred his view. Cain spat blood and looked up, his face now entirely pale, and his eyes had become a lot darker. "YOU BASTARD!" he shouted, raised his sword and ran at Gabriel.

"...This is it..." Gabriel said to himself, then suddenly his blade lit up blue, and he jumped high over Cain's head. "BRAVER!" he shouted and came down on Cain.

Cain only grinned. "Come on!" The Sabre lit up with energy, too. With a shout the two fighters clashed their empowered weapons. The impact created a wave of energy, knocking all the drops of rain off course. Cain was thrown hard against the ground from the recoil, and he slid several feet back in the mud. Gabriel flew far back from the blow, and though he already landed on his feet, still kept sliding back for a moment. He looked up, and suddenly Cain's Sabre ran through his chest. Gabriel lost his breath as he fell to his knees.

"I told you, I'd kill you," Cain said, then crushed his skull with a punch. Cain spat and left the fight scene, the Sabre still in hand.

Lightning flashed behind him, Cain's shadow appearing for a moment. Cain froze... He looked at his hands in terror. Cain was losing himself to something he couldn't name. Lighting flashed again and Cain saw his shadow again. 'What the...?' Cain thought, as he looked back, then at his hand. 'What the hell happened...?' Cain felt some presence... a presence he hadn't felt in a long time, though he had never identified it before either. It was the same thing he had felt at Okoku... the same menacing energy.

Cain sighed, waiting for the rain to clean his bloody hand. When it was clean again, Cain sheathed it, then looked at Gabriel's dead body again. The Butterfly Edge caught Cain's eye. Cain walked back to the dead boy and stood over his body, thinking for a while. Cain noticed about a dozen small, glowing spheres come out of his hands, then slowly, for no apparent reason roll towards the river.

Cain turned around and clenched his fist. "Uchimakasu!" he shouted, then struck the ground in front of him. Like an explosion happened, and there was a large hole in front of Cain. He picked up Gabriel's body, and put him inside. He buried the young man and stood at his grave for a moment, trying to remember what happened. Cain took the Butterfly Edge, tied it to his belt next to the Sabre, then left to continue his pursuit.

 

--

 

Cain left the town on his path with a mended robe, swearing about how this constant fixing is pissing him off. Suddenly Cain froze. He smiled. "Got you..."

Cain quickly began running up the hill. There was a forest there. Cain chuckled. "Must be fate..." he said, as he delved into the darkness of the woods, Sabre in hand.

 

"KIBA!" he shouted as he leaped at his opponent. Jin turned, smiled and said: "Nice to see you again, Cain," and their fight began.