Seclusion Chapter 4
By Aujang Abadi
His blood was salty, with a twinge of bitterness to it, resting upon his delicate lips as his breaths came and departed. But it wasn't the taste of his blood that forced him awake; the gentle drops of water spilling across his brow gently stirred him from unconsciousness.
"Mmmm... darkness..." Kain struggled to see properly, his view hindered by a filmy haze that he could not break in his weakened state. "Ordeals..." He croaked, gasping sharply as he attempted to rise. "Judgement." He lay back, resigned, and then he realized his head was resting upon something. The droplets of water still fell, and they were salty as well. He strained, and a blurry, darkened form became visible, cradling his head, sobbing quietly. "Judgement?" He couldn't seem to form more than one word at a time, his tongue thick with drowsiness and blood.
"Yes... judgement, dear one." The quiet sobbing continued; tears washing away the blood that marred his form. "My poor Kain... how they've hurt you..." She had gentle hands, Kain noted, gentle enough not to make him wince, as she moved his shattered armor off of him, leaving only his tattered remnants of clothing. "My poor, poor darling..."
He reached up, feebly, and caught her wrist, holding it for a moment. "Who?" He coughed, violently, more blood flecking his lips. He hadn't known that Mt. Ordeals could produce phantasms so real. It seemed that when it passed judgement, either retribution or redemption was the answer. There were no exceptions.
"Dearest Kain... save your strength." She moved his clothes off, leaving his bare, torn body. "I was sent... by KluYa. An act of mercy... what mercy is this, for my beautiful little Kain? Look what they've done to you..." She began weeping again, that strange, comforting, quiet weeping. His eyes began to focus, the haze dissipated as his concentration centered on the being above him.
"Mot-her?" He had trouble saying the word, more from disbelief than any sort of physical affliction. He'd never had a mother, he'd been an orphan. That was how he'd met Cecil. They'd both lost their mothers- or believed they had.
Kain breathed slowly, shallowly, as he looked up at the woman stroking his cheek lovingly. Her cheeks were smooth, unmarred, high set and the perfect compliment for sea green eyes. She was beautiful, with rich brown hair spilling across her shoulders and tickling the edges of his face. He had her lips, narrow, exquisite curves. With his strong, chiseled cheeks, they were prone to smirks, but on her delicate face, they could only spread in a gentle smile.
"Yes, little one... I gave birth to you... and then they made me give you away... my poor baby. I've been watching you." She kissed his forehead, calming him as only a mother could. He closed his eyes, his breathing relaxing slightly.
"I'm going to die, aren't I, mother?" The words came so easily, he was almost shocked at how little it affected him.
"No, Kain... you won't die." This voice was powerful, and menacing, as another form materialized from the darkness, eliciting a gasp from his mother. "Hello, SeNaTa. How good to see you again."
Kain's eyes opened again, to see his counterpart, the being of darkness that had conceived him. "Wyvern... how good to see you again." He smiled, he'd even inherited the devil's mannerisms. "I'd thrust my lance in you again, if I had the chance... or the power."
"Shh, Kain... please, save your strength. Your father is here for a reason." She gently brushed his hair back as she looked back up at Wyvern, fire dancing in her aquamarine eyes. "Greetings, Wyvern. Remember, if you violate the sanctity of this place, I'll kill you myself. And this time, I'm not honor bound otherwise." The hurt in her voice was evident, but it also held a measure of pride. She was not helpless anymore. Wyvern smirked, at mother and child both.
"Be quiet, SeNaTa... I'm here because I have to be." He knelt by Kain, inspecting him with an approving eye. "Well, Kain, you'll get your chance soon enough. Looks like judgement was passed... and you'll live. Though I must admit, Cecil had an easier time of it than you." He chuckled mirthlessly.
"So they sent me my parents... a Lunaran and the ultimate servant of Zeromus. I expect you've both something to tell me?" Kain trembled slightly, his loss of blood making him weaker by the minute. He wondered how he'd even survived this long.
"So adept, my son. Yes, yes, we've business to attend to... you see, there are stains on your soul, from your rape and all- which, I might add, I'm very proud of- and I'm here to tell you why you succumbed to those urges." He sighed, bored, and ran a hand through his raven colored hair.
"And I, dear one, am here to show you why, at the same time, you were able to wield the Holy lance, why you were able to set foot on the Big Whale... and why you are going to survive Mt. Ordeals. Wyvern, you shall begin, no?"
"Yes, yes..." He yawned. "Get ready for a small history lesson, son... I suspect you'll be as bored from it as I am. You see, Kain, there are two forces in the world... light, and darkness. From each of these forces stems aspects of those forces, interpreted as emotion. However, the need for justice and balance resulted in the physical manifestation of those forces, resulting in the Crystals, the monsters, yada yada yada. You get the bloody point." SeNaTa shot him a glare at that, to which Wyvern only smiled. "Anyway, the most important of these manifestations were the Lunarans and the Interstellans. The Lunarans, as you know, were keepers of the light. The Interstellans were harborers of the darkness. We are necessary, of course, but you are an exception. You, my son, are a being comprised of both forces. You are the offspring of the most powerful manifestation of darkness and the most holy manifestation of light. You can guess who contributes what." Another small, twisted smile.
"My side, the Interstellan side, is why you raped Rosa, and why Zeromus was able to grasp you so easily. Killing, raping, destruction, it all comes naturally to you. You had an adept father. But don't think its an excuse... it doesn't force you into anything. You raped Rosa of your own accord. But your urge to do such was not coming from you- it came from me."
"Don't listen to him, Kain, he's not telling you the whole truth." SeNaTa silenced Wyvern with another glare, dripping venom. "Your rape of Rosa was the darkness... and under your influenced state, you could not have resisted. The fact that you did it only once is a testament to your willpower."
"Don't lie to me, mother." Kain coughed again, but more softly this time. "I raped her, regardless... I made her weep. I take full responsibility." He looked away, his shame more than evident.
"Spoken like a true Lunaran, dear... which is what you should have been. I took Wyvern's child in order to fulfill the prophecy of the Crystal blade... I am so sorry for the pain its caused you, my dearest. I cried my life's blood, sitting upon the moon, watching you suffer so, not understanding. You are half-Lunaran, and that is why you were able to choose... and look what you chose, my dear. I am so proud of you." She kissed his head again. "I cannot stay much longer... when you awaken, you will have no wounds... but you must journey back to Baron." Her eyes became sad once more. "There, the final test begins."
"Yes, SeNaTa, the final test..." Wyvern's eyes glittered. "I await you, my son, in Baron... but one more thing, Kain..." Wyvern slowly shifted, into the darkly beautiful dragon he was. "Don't forget your heritage. I'll always be in the back of your mind, polluting you. You should have joined my cause, my son. We would have made a great team." With that, he flew into the darkness.
"My son... my time draws to an end... but remember... I love you." SeNaTa slowly drifted away, as Kain watched, immobile, the darkness already threatening to overpower him. But his last thoughts were of her.
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