Kayin thought back on this day’s events. He had officially begun a quest to find a man he knew was responsible for so much that had happened. He had set off to find a place he wasn’t even sure really existed, all based on instinct. And now, he and Eiji had two new companions who would be helping him to track down the mysterious killer.
But Kayin didn’t know what to do next. There wasn’t much information on Tyrith, and no leads. Apparently, there were no records of the man at all, save the one at the guild. If that one didn’t exist either, Kayin would have his doubts on if the man existed at all.
*Where are you? I know yer out there.... I can sense you. But I don’t know where.* Kayin looked at the sleeping forms of his newfound comrades. *Yer playin’ with me, aren’t you? Well, I’m sick of yer games. Why won’t you show yerself? Are you afraid?*
*Oh no, my little play thing. I’m not afraid. Not of you. Not of your petty allies. But the game is only just begun.... and I still want to play.*
Kayin sat stiffly in a large green chair and stared out the window at the falling rain. But he didn’t see it.
*The lot of them are just pawns you know. And I am the chess master. You, my beautiful Hunter, are going to play the game as well. Choose your pieces wisely...*
Chapter 4, part 1
--I’m so sorry
for the way it had to go
Now I feel your presence in a way I could not know
Ever gentle, as it kills me where I lay
Who am I to resist?
Who are you to fail?-- duran duran
Kayin was in a joint room to the one his companions were in. He sat in a large green chair and had a damp cloth over his eyes. It seemed Alexia and Tony didn’t get along very well, and Kayin had some hours ago, given up on trying to get them to at least cooperate with each other. He left Eiji to the job. And by the sounds of it, they were both about to blow up at Eiji now.
Kayin smirked. It seems they can work as a team.... when they’re yellin’ at someone, Kayin thought cynically.
Kayin sat up slowly and looked into the other room. They had finally calmed down a little. They probably couldn’t think of any more insults. They’d used all of them already.
"Two weeks," Kayin whispered to himself. "Two fuckin’ weeks, and we haven’t even gone to a different hotel." Kayin looked out the window, "We need to get movin’. But where do we even begin to start? Unless..."
Kayin stood up abruptly and grabbed his jacket and sword. He went into the other room and spoke to its occupants rather curtly: "I’m goin’ out fer a bit. I’ll be back inside two hours." And so saying, walked out the door and out of the building.
It was raining. It was always raining here. But Kayin barely noticed. He had someplace to go. Where? He wasn’t quite sure. But his feet seemed to know well enough. Kayin walked down the rain slicked streets. Heedless of the people around him running for shelter from the rain. His eyes were fixated on the ground before him as he walked.
His head bowed, he couldn’t possibly know where he was going. But that was the point. He didn’t want to know until he got there. "Instinct, eh? Well... here we go. If I can’t find out where I’m going when I know where I’m goin’.... then we’ll see what happens if I don’t know."
Kayin walked for a good hour and a half. He should probably turn back. He told his friends he’d be back inside of two hours. So Kayin halted and looked about him. He realized where he was. This was the coffee shoppe Eiji had talked to Alexia in. He could continue from here tomorrow. He could get back here, then continue as he’d been doing just now for an entire day. That might work better. What else could he do?
Kayin turned and went back the way he came. He got back rather later than he hoped and won another argument from his friends wondering where he’d been for the extra hour he’d been gone. He wasn’t in the mood for it. He ignored them.
But Tony stepped in his path and grabbed him by both shoulders. "Kayin! What the hell is wrong with you?"
"You’re soaking wet Kayin. Are you trying to get yourself sick?" Alexia interjected. Eiji remained apart from what could become a very ugly argument. He knew Kayin enough to know when to back off and leave him alone. If Alexia and Tony knew, they must have forgotten in their attempt to humble the other.
"Will both of you please just shut up??" Both Tony and Alexia jumped at his livid remark. Eiji was a little surprised as well, Kayin was not usually one to lose his cool. "I am sick and tired of you two always arguing! Either learn to put up with each other or leave. I never asked you to help in the first place!" Kayin removed his jacket and threw it over a chair. Every move he made showed how much anger and frustration he was harboring. The door to the joint room slammed shut hard enough to knock down a painting from the wall.
Tony and Alexia looked at the floor rather guiltily. Kayin was right, he hadn’t asked for their help. Not for them to come along at least.... but he was right. They never stopped arguing since they got there and it didn’t help situations much. Either learn to put up with each other or leave. They couldn’t abandon their friend. No matter what.
Eiji walked over to the two. His voice was soft and reasonable when he spoke. "He just needs some time to cool down. You know that he’s been through a lot. He’ll come out when he’s cooled down, ne?"
Alexia turned to Eiji and tried her best to smile, "You’re right Eiji. He just needs to cool off... then he’ll be fine...."
Tony nodded his head in agreement. He turned to face Alexia, "Sorry about that, lass. Think we should take Kayin’s advice. No hard feelings now, eh?" He extended his hand to her, and she took it. Eiji smiled softly. Why hadn’t he ever been able to patch up things this well between his oniisan and Kayin all those years ago?
Kayin was lying on the floor, staring up at the ceiling. His hand went to his throat, as if to grasp something that should have been there, but no longer was. What was it?
*FIRE!?* A pendant?..... a sliver cross...
Where is it? What happened to that little keep-sake?
The chain..... it broke... *That hurt!*
Kayin’s fingertips ran over a small anomaly in the skin of his throat. A scar?
Bloody steel.... a flash of pain.... blood....
*What is that? My heart beat?
Blood.... my blood? I’m bleeding... I’m DYING?!*
Kayin gasped and rolled over onto his side. He wrapped his arms around himself protectively. What is this? What am I seeing? The past... who’s? Not mine.. it can’t be! But I’m alive! I’m alive!!
*I can’t breathe.... oh God help me.... pleaseGodhelpme....*
*But the cross is gone. God isn’t with us, My beautiful Hunter.... Who will save you now?*
Am I... am I crying? Why...?
Cruel, mocking green eyes. As hard and as cold as jewels. Evil and beautiful at the same time....
Stop...
Are your own so cold when you fight? Frozen blue that cannot feel?
Stop it!
Are we really so different? Am I the same as you?
No... it’s not true!!
Why do you deny it so vehemently? Are you afraid there is some truth?
It’s impossible!!
*We’re the same!*
"NO!!!" Kayin screamed. Why won’t this nightmare end?
The door flew open. Eiji, Tony, and Alexia ran into the room. Eiji reached Kayin first, kneeling down beside him and grabbing hold of his best friend’s shoulders. He was trying to wake Kayin up, although not having very much success.
Alexia was utterly baffled as well as frightened. Tony ran into the bathroom and came back with a large glass of water. He pushed passed Alexia and stood over Eiji and Kayin. He knelt down, pushed Eiji aside, grasped a fistful of Kayin’s hair and doused the young hunter with water.
Sputtering and choking, but awake, Kayin sat up straight. He coughed a bit and looked frantically around the room. As if he thought someone was there.
"Kayin," Eiji’s voice trembled somewhat from concern and fear for his friend. Kayin seemed to not hear for a moment, but then he looked to Eiji. Recognition soon settled in his eyes and he seemed to relax a little.
Alexia noticed the way Kayin’s body shook. He was terrified of something. But she couldn’t even imagine what. "Are... are you okay?"
Kayin looked to her and gave a half nod. He was lying. And they all knew it. But it didn’
