Cain gasped and bolted upright, clenching his heaving chest as his body was wrenched back to life. The relief was short-lived as a hand clasped his neck and began to choke him. The cloaked man stared into his eyes as Cain struggled to peel away the hand. "Why have you failed me a second time, Cain?" The cloaked man hissed. "Hmm? Are you not Cain, the first born? You should be impossible to defeat. Yet by the hands of mere children," the man spat to the side of Cain, "you are defeated. No. Killed." He began to add more pressure and the sound was audible as Cain's throat begin to crush and break. "We cannot, cannot, let these insects take power isn't theirs and use it as they wish. They cannot keep this power. Do you understand?" Cain squirmed beneath him; even if he had possessed the nerve to defy him, he knew his power would still be no match for the cloaked man's. "Will you fail me once more? I do not want to erase you. You've been such a good dog." Cain tried to shake his head but the muscles in his neck ached in trying to do so. "Will you fail me?" the man asked again. Cain couldn't find the words to respond. Somewhere in his delirium, he realised there was a woman with them. His fading vision barely made out the dirty blonde of her hair and the paleness of her flesh, totally unclothed and covered in dirt. "You...You were supposed to be dead." He managed weakly, even as he knew she would not answer. His focus reverted back to the cloaked man; he needed to play for time. Mustering the last reserves of energy his body possessed, he sought the hidden dagger sheathed within his belt buckle and with one swift movement plunged it into the wrist of the hand obstructing his airways.
Oxygen flooded his brain as he scrambled upwards and darted away, but his vision was slow to return and he crashed blindly into a nearby tree. The impact took out a large chunk of the trunk. Cain then hit the dirt and created a small crater from the sheer force he had generated from his run. The tree began to break further and fell between him and the other two. There was a great thud as dust and dirt took air. As Cain shook his head and tried to regain himself he felt a light touch on his shoulder. His head whipped to the side sharply to find the hand of the nude woman as she stood vacantly next to him. "Don't fucking touch me, husk!" he barked, shrugging her off aggressively. The cloaked man walked to them, the dagger still in his wrist. Cain stood up from the crater and stepped out of it, leaving the woman behind him. He then knelt in front of the man who extended his daggered arm out. "I won't fail again!" He insisted. "I know what I must do." "Take your blade out of my arm." The cloaked man answered, coolly. The vampire reached for the blade, but as he did the man grabbed his hand and then his shoulder, drawing him closer. Cain could feel the blade twisting and pointing back at him which was then immediately thrust into his chest. "I want you this close to the Mara's when you kill them."
The possessed Maha was searching endlessly for the Mara's as well. Her demonic way of super sonic flying almost sounded like a thunder storm. Her red eyes scanned the grounds, looking for familiar faces, planning a picturesque death for those she sought. "I see you." She whispered to herself. "MOLITUR LU-" A dark cloud of energy appeared and swept into her and then out again. She felt like vomiting but her body whipped around for a fight. In front of her stood a being beyond imagination wielding a very recognisable weapon.
A million screams echoed, screeched and defiled her soul. Maha pressed her palms against her ears but nothing changed. Everything was getting louder and louder. The weapon, a long curved blade attached to a staff from an adjacent angle, powered up before mowing into her. The blade cut clean but Maha was uninjured. Instead, she woke up from a terrible nightmare and stared into the eyes of Death, with the corpse of a hellish version of her stuck at the end of its scythe. "What..." she began but an uneasy feeling crept up her spine and she fell silent. "Come down the sun, for today has had its toll." A million voices spoke the words in harmony. "Return and set the time anew, a child is to be born. Sacrifice the innocent but save the soul, it's pure. A saint has been chosen, lead the way to the cure." "What??" asked a puzzled Maha. "Was that the evil in me?" She said, pointing at her demonic self. The being simply hovered in its place without a reply. "What did you do?" "You chose a righteous path, Maha Azim. Your name will be remembered whether you succeed or fail in the coming hours." "Are you who I think you are?" "Are you who you think you are?" The being countered. The question was so simple yet delivered her much needed clarity; at once she realised all her thoughts were crystal clear and her own. There were no more voices obscuring her thoughts. She finally felt as though she could control her body at her own will and with the snap of her fingers, she conjured an ice prism, then grew a rose from within it before burning it all to ash. She could do anything she wanted with her powers. "Yes, I believe so." She said, slowly. "You believe... for now. But you must know it." "But who..." "The Mara's and the rest of the Demigods are detrimental to the balance of the cosmos. Notwithstanding, they are the lesser of two evils." The being interrupted. "For now, their existence is the only reason he has not risen to power." "Who?" "You've heard and spoken his name. I need not repeat it." "Lu..." "Protect the Mara's." It interrupted again. "Keep them safe for the next few hours. When the sun rises tomorrow... it will be all too late. The world will be safe until..." "Until what?" The being simply hovered without reply once more. "Until what?" Maha repeated. "Your legacy is what matters now." The being whipped its scythe, darkness following the blade and before she knew it, the being had vanished from her gaze.
The sun began its descent behind the horizon. Maha had taken refuge in the skies whilst following Arcadeus Mara's children. She began to ready herself for the coming battle by discarding the ripped pyjamas for her former military uniform. There were some Demigods she had fortunately killed, whose God Particles she bonded with, that had the abilities to conjure items she desired.
She gazed upon the sun as it reminded her of Keyla; how they would take a cup of coffee each and a pack of cigarettes and lean against the Parisian metal railing of their balcony. They loved to watch the city, study people as they went by. My legacy, she replayed the conversation she had with the dark being. It felt like a task all to great for her. She needed Keyla beside her. Keyla was the one that always motivated her. "This will be for you my love. This is to making a difference. I just hope I succeed." She concluded.
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