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nott_caineShe could hear the sounds of screaming outside. The virulent rages of beasts being released. The sky seemed crimson in the night, fire lighting the sky as the Vatican City burned around them. So much carnage and destruction. This was what her whole life had been leading up to. The suffering of hundreds for the safety of thousands.
Joshua was darting ahead, his staff perched behind him as she swooped forward like a diving hawk. His eyes focused on the retreating figure of Esau. There was nowhere left for her brother to hide. It was going to end tonight and the war would be over. Selene paused in her movements, pulling out her butterfly swords from their sheaths. There was a trembling in her hands, a fear that was still rooted deep in her gut. It wouldn't be completely over, not so long as vampires remained loyal to Esau. How many would be convinced to disband? How many would even agree to lay down arms? Threats would continue to rise up like cities against the horizon. The danger was never completely over and if she could not protect her people, what good was she?
"Selene!" Joshua called out, pausing near the door long enough to call back to her.
Roused from her thoughts, she raced towards him, rushing through the entrance as Joshua bolted it behind them. There was only one way out for Esau, death and dust.
Her brother turned, stopping to look back at Selene. The altar behind him, pristine and beautiful, crafted long ago by Renaissance artists. The vibrant colors and exquisite marble statues enough to catch her eye. Selene paused, looking around at her surroundings in quiet awe. Never before had she felt closer to God and never before had she been more ashamed of what she would be forced to do.
"Does the Devil tremble in the presence of the Divine?" Esau asked, pacing before the cross, his eyes locked on hers. Dark hatred wafting from him, evident in each word of disdain. "You were cast from the Garden for a reason, Caine! You are nothing more than a monster, an affront to all that is Holy."
Selene growled, pointing her sword at him. "And what's so Holy about your world? Slaughtering, lying, deceiving? You are no better than I was, but you hide it all behind a pious mask meant to manipulate the masses! What little I know about God is that it isn't found in blind fanaticism or open displays of violence in his name! There is nothing Holy about hate and that's all you are filled with!"
"And you think the people will listen to you?" Esau countered. "You who have slaughtered and killed, starting with your own blood? How many innocent children have you torn from their mothers? How many villages have been burn due to your wickedness and damnable behavior!"
She could feel Joshua shift behind her, this face off agitating and raising his suspicions. Esau was buying time for something, but it was unclear what. Her hand lowered the blade, a simple flick indicating to him that he should slowly begin circling around Esau. They didn't need words to formulate a plan. They were of one mind.
The mention of her children raising the familiar pang of guilt and sorrow inside of her. "I admit my crimes and mistakes. I repent them and atone for them now."
"By slaughtering your brother?" Esau sneered at her.
"No! By taking out a monster that seeks to follow my path!" She charged forward, ramming into Esau as she shoved him back against the altar. He growled viciously, knocking back against her, pulling free his blade from its sheath. She stumbled back swinging her blades down, striking at him at a one, two pace. His sword knocked away both of her attempts, a spark suddenly appearing against the steel.
Selene's eyes widened as the sword blazed to life, a green fire surrounding it and raging towards her. The pause was all Esau needed to strike out at her, catching her arm. She gave a scream, the pain distracting her from her target. Joshua, however, was not so easily diverted. His staff spun over his head, knocking into Esau's back, pushing the man away from Selene.
The battle burst to the forefront, steel meeting steel, flesh cut and carved into, fire burning limbs and backs. Beast faced against beast and determination versus unwavering fanaticism. The figures danced across the room, their weapons flying quickly and dangerously, the dance as brutal as their burning hatred.
"You really are Caine!" Esau hissed as he knocked her back against the wall, pinning her with sword, her blades up, attempting to push him off of her. Joshua lay at the side, trying to regain his strength, the deep cut in his back immobilizing him momentarily.
"You would murder your own brother!" He grinned manically.
"You are no brother of mine!" She head butted him, managing to dart away as he stumbled. "You are nothing but the physical manifestation of my mother's rape! All of that evil in one package!"
The mention of his background was enough to send Esau into a frenzy, launching him at Selene in full force. Reaching out, he backhanded her, causing her to fall back against the altar. Her vitae suddenly spent without motivation or consciousness. He grabbed at her hair, holding her down and forcing her to her knees.
Her veins screamed to life as the blood boiled inside her. Fire roared to life within her, burning her to the core. Her cries filled the chapel, echoing off the walls. Her body slowly beginning to die and deteriorate under his strong hands. Her eyes looked up into his, seeing nothing but a beast gazing back at her.
This is what others have seen, she thought suddenly. This is the face of Caine.
All at once, Esau's hands fell away as Joshua appeared, a stake rammed into her brother's back. The pain stopped, Selene fell forward, trying to recover quickly. This second all she needed to gain the upper hand. Her eyes shot up at Joshua, watching as he was knocked away, the stake disintegrating into dust in Esau's back. Magic.
The glimmer of steel at her side caught her eye. Reaching out, Selene grabbed Esau's sword, the fire enveloping her hand. Without hesitating or thinking, she jammed the blade into Esau's chest, the fire beginning to devour him. She seized forward, grappling him to the ground. Her fangs descended, the fear and guilt still inside her, but there could be no more hesitation, no more worry. To save her people, to save herself, she needed to see it done.
His vein throbbed before her, calling her to end it all, instinct taking control. Flesh melted under her as she bit into him, his vitae flooding her mouth. Death did not take long and the eyes of God watched them below, witnessing as sister murdered brother, devouring his soul and strength. Diablrie at her hands, Caine's role fulfilled.
***
Joshua looked up from the ground, spotting Selene as she lay back, staring upwards at the ceiling. The weight of what she had just done still crushing against her. She could feel Esau's power inside of her, his age and abilities. They were hers now. She had taken his place.
Selene slowly began to sit up, hearing Joshua scramble towards her, his smile full of relief and joy. She was okay, that seemed to be all his eyes would say to her. Nothing about murder, nothing about monstrosity, just complete acceptance and love. He dove forward, pulling her into a hug. Her arms wrapped around him, forgetting the broken building and the dust of Esau swirling around them.
They were safe now. It was over...for good...
Joshua was darting ahead, his staff perched behind him as she swooped forward like a diving hawk. His eyes focused on the retreating figure of Esau. There was nowhere left for her brother to hide. It was going to end tonight and the war would be over. Selene paused in her movements, pulling out her butterfly swords from their sheaths. There was a trembling in her hands, a fear that was still rooted deep in her gut. It wouldn't be completely over, not so long as vampires remained loyal to Esau. How many would be convinced to disband? How many would even agree to lay down arms? Threats would continue to rise up like cities against the horizon. The danger was never completely over and if she could not protect her people, what good was she?
"Selene!" Joshua called out, pausing near the door long enough to call back to her.
Roused from her thoughts, she raced towards him, rushing through the entrance as Joshua bolted it behind them. There was only one way out for Esau, death and dust.
Her brother turned, stopping to look back at Selene. The altar behind him, pristine and beautiful, crafted long ago by Renaissance artists. The vibrant colors and exquisite marble statues enough to catch her eye. Selene paused, looking around at her surroundings in quiet awe. Never before had she felt closer to God and never before had she been more ashamed of what she would be forced to do.
"Does the Devil tremble in the presence of the Divine?" Esau asked, pacing before the cross, his eyes locked on hers. Dark hatred wafting from him, evident in each word of disdain. "You were cast from the Garden for a reason, Caine! You are nothing more than a monster, an affront to all that is Holy."
Selene growled, pointing her sword at him. "And what's so Holy about your world? Slaughtering, lying, deceiving? You are no better than I was, but you hide it all behind a pious mask meant to manipulate the masses! What little I know about God is that it isn't found in blind fanaticism or open displays of violence in his name! There is nothing Holy about hate and that's all you are filled with!"
"And you think the people will listen to you?" Esau countered. "You who have slaughtered and killed, starting with your own blood? How many innocent children have you torn from their mothers? How many villages have been burn due to your wickedness and damnable behavior!"
She could feel Joshua shift behind her, this face off agitating and raising his suspicions. Esau was buying time for something, but it was unclear what. Her hand lowered the blade, a simple flick indicating to him that he should slowly begin circling around Esau. They didn't need words to formulate a plan. They were of one mind.
The mention of her children raising the familiar pang of guilt and sorrow inside of her. "I admit my crimes and mistakes. I repent them and atone for them now."
"By slaughtering your brother?" Esau sneered at her.
"No! By taking out a monster that seeks to follow my path!" She charged forward, ramming into Esau as she shoved him back against the altar. He growled viciously, knocking back against her, pulling free his blade from its sheath. She stumbled back swinging her blades down, striking at him at a one, two pace. His sword knocked away both of her attempts, a spark suddenly appearing against the steel.
Selene's eyes widened as the sword blazed to life, a green fire surrounding it and raging towards her. The pause was all Esau needed to strike out at her, catching her arm. She gave a scream, the pain distracting her from her target. Joshua, however, was not so easily diverted. His staff spun over his head, knocking into Esau's back, pushing the man away from Selene.
The battle burst to the forefront, steel meeting steel, flesh cut and carved into, fire burning limbs and backs. Beast faced against beast and determination versus unwavering fanaticism. The figures danced across the room, their weapons flying quickly and dangerously, the dance as brutal as their burning hatred.
"You really are Caine!" Esau hissed as he knocked her back against the wall, pinning her with sword, her blades up, attempting to push him off of her. Joshua lay at the side, trying to regain his strength, the deep cut in his back immobilizing him momentarily.
"You would murder your own brother!" He grinned manically.
"You are no brother of mine!" She head butted him, managing to dart away as he stumbled. "You are nothing but the physical manifestation of my mother's rape! All of that evil in one package!"
The mention of his background was enough to send Esau into a frenzy, launching him at Selene in full force. Reaching out, he backhanded her, causing her to fall back against the altar. Her vitae suddenly spent without motivation or consciousness. He grabbed at her hair, holding her down and forcing her to her knees.
Her veins screamed to life as the blood boiled inside her. Fire roared to life within her, burning her to the core. Her cries filled the chapel, echoing off the walls. Her body slowly beginning to die and deteriorate under his strong hands. Her eyes looked up into his, seeing nothing but a beast gazing back at her.
This is what others have seen, she thought suddenly. This is the face of Caine.
All at once, Esau's hands fell away as Joshua appeared, a stake rammed into her brother's back. The pain stopped, Selene fell forward, trying to recover quickly. This second all she needed to gain the upper hand. Her eyes shot up at Joshua, watching as he was knocked away, the stake disintegrating into dust in Esau's back. Magic.
The glimmer of steel at her side caught her eye. Reaching out, Selene grabbed Esau's sword, the fire enveloping her hand. Without hesitating or thinking, she jammed the blade into Esau's chest, the fire beginning to devour him. She seized forward, grappling him to the ground. Her fangs descended, the fear and guilt still inside her, but there could be no more hesitation, no more worry. To save her people, to save herself, she needed to see it done.
His vein throbbed before her, calling her to end it all, instinct taking control. Flesh melted under her as she bit into him, his vitae flooding her mouth. Death did not take long and the eyes of God watched them below, witnessing as sister murdered brother, devouring his soul and strength. Diablrie at her hands, Caine's role fulfilled.
***
Joshua looked up from the ground, spotting Selene as she lay back, staring upwards at the ceiling. The weight of what she had just done still crushing against her. She could feel Esau's power inside of her, his age and abilities. They were hers now. She had taken his place.
Selene slowly began to sit up, hearing Joshua scramble towards her, his smile full of relief and joy. She was okay, that seemed to be all his eyes would say to her. Nothing about murder, nothing about monstrosity, just complete acceptance and love. He dove forward, pulling her into a hug. Her arms wrapped around him, forgetting the broken building and the dust of Esau swirling around them.
They were safe now. It was over...for good...