"Are you sure you want to bring Adam on this mission?"
A man, in a black suit, white shirt, and gloves spoke to a lady seated beside her. A butler no doubt.
"Yes, I am, he may be fragile, but he is strong."
"Be careful then, my lady."
* * *
"Sorry I Am late," said Cain.
Kitsune's eyes welled up with warm tears as she looked up at him. He stood amidst the smoke and dust with a certain confidence that remedied her fearful heart. Her trembling stopped, her worries vanished, and she felt at ease as she looked at the gentle smile. She knew she was going to be ok.
He knelt; his eyes had gone through her injuries and then brushed her hair. He then pulled her in her gently and embraced her. At first, astounded but then calmed down.
"Don't worry," he said, "you are safe now."
Overwhelmed, she broke down. Muffled sounds of her crying reached his ears. After a moment, she retracted wiping her tears. Cain then turned to Akira, her face was bruised, evidence of a recent nosebleed, dark circles under her eyes, and her lower jaw was slightly open.
"Are you in pain? It seems your jaw is broken."
"Am . . ." a sharp pain pierced her jaw when she tried to respond.
With his hand, he felt her jaw and sighed in relief. She winced in pain as he did and closed her eyes holding back her tears. There was a lingering taste of blood in her mouth and nose. Cain pulled out an immaculate handkerchief and handed it to her. She placed it on her nose.
"Please, don't talk. It's going to hurt when you do. It's only slightly broken."
Looking at the man, Adam's eyes flashed red. A pentagram formed on his palm, light gathered around it materializing, then a long Roman sword (gladius) manifested. His face curling up, he lung forward with an aggressive downswing of the sword aimed at Cain's head.
"It was supposed to be me!" he said.
A loud clanking of the metal reverberated through the air. The steel blade stopped. Everyone perplexed. Without turning. Without even looking back. Cain had caught the sword.
"A preemptive attack when the enemy's head is turned. That is cowardly,"
Adam's grip on his blade tightened. His hands trembled as he gripped. He struggled to push down the sword.
"It won't budge!" he thought.
Cain's pupils then turned to Adam behind him. He pushed the sword back and instantly rose. With a clenched fist. He landed a straight blow on Adam's stomach pushing him back.
Adam dropped his gladius and stumbled back clutching his stomach. Veins formed a meshwork on his face, and he screamed out. He couldn't breathe, it was as though he had forgotten how. His mouth tasted like ash and saliva oozed out as he lay on the ground. The solar plexus.
Cain turned to the young lady at the altar in a cloak.
"Are you, this boy's master."
She pulled back her cloak. She had long straight brown hair and green eyes. Her skin looked almost pale, bringing a deep contrast between her eyes and hair. She had a glare as she looked down at Cain.
"And if I am?" she asked.
"So you are not afraid of me?"
"Why should I? You are powerful, but you are still a Demon." She spoke as she slowly descended the steps.
Cain chuckled as shook his head.
"What's your name?" He asked.
"Since you are going to be in my family soon, I suppose it won't hurt to say. I am Annabel Bale."
"Cain Philip," he said, "Annabel, "If I may, what do you want with me that prompted you to go to such lengths."
"As a Demon isn't it condescending to have a weak human master,"
Her eyes turned to Kitsune. She and Akira earlier took steps back to escape the unfolding conflict. A feeling of unease crept in.
"I pass, I prefer, my current master."
She too chuckled, and a grin formed on her lips. She placed her palms together and a magic circle appeared under Cains' feet.
"That was a big mistake, Adam, now!"
Just then, Adam behind Cain rose to his feet. His breathing steadied. The blow he had received felt like steel landed on his body. He almost pissed his pants out of the sudden shock.
Adam picked up his gladius and took a stance. With a more determined look on his face. His face formed crevices as he looked at Cain.
"I wanted to cut you down the moment I saw you,"
He then charged with a wide side swing. The sword seemed to be still, moving slowly. But Cain's body felt like lead, he couldn't move. The blade etched closer to his neck. Holding his breath, he struggled to move every muscle in his body. Like a weightlifter, trying out heavier weights, his body remained stagnant. Veins emerging.
With a heavy grant. He stepped back, sweat tracing down his forehead as he panted heavily. A small cut had managed to graze his neck.
"I see . . . huff. . . huff . . . I underestimated you," looking at the blood.
He turned to the girl who was kneeling on the ground, blood oozing from her nose, her hand stretched forward. A perfect sphere was formed, in it an octagram with five other runes.
"It was a precaution, but I canceled out his magic before he entered." Annabel thought.
Adam not wanting to give him a chance to recover, charged. An upswing. Cain took a deep breath, then stepped back barely dodging the attack. Adam looked at puzzled.
"You may have taken me by surprise with the first attack, but now that I have caught on to your scheme, it won't work twice."
"Ok then, let's see how long your human stamina lasts."
Adam then unleashed a series of attacks. An upswing, downswing, and lateral swing are all instantaneous. Cain reacted, evading them. But there were moments when his body lagged. As he stepped back, he stumbled.
Adam saw it. He thrust forward with a stab. With his arm he blocked it, allowing it to penetrate. Stuck with no chance to retract in time. Cain turned with a kick to the counter. Adam, with a backflip, escaped.
A bold yet risky move. Cain turned with a sidekick. Adam, seeing the ferocity, is unable to counter. It lands smack on the ribs, he felt the weight, and it compelled him to move back. He was thrust and landed on the pew kneelers.
"Your stamina is only human, how can you keep up with Adam?" asked Annabel rather amazed.
"He is predictable,"
"That's amazing, now I want you even more as a master,"
Adam felt a sharp pain in his ribs, no doubt broken. He was about to stand when the weight of a foot, pushed him down. He felt as if his sternum was crushed, unable to hold it in he screamed out in pain.
"It's over," said Cain.
Adam struggled to breathe as he raised his hand to fire a flame. Cain interlocked their hands and instantly crushed his hand breaking it.
"I don't think it is," came Annabel's voice from the far back.
Annabel held a dagger across Kitsune's neck. Her hand was pinned on her back.
"Retract your feet or else,"
Cain removed his foot. And raised his hands. However, he instantly kicked a pew kneeler in front of him, sending it flying. Horrified, Annabel thought of evading. Cain moved. He was faster than the flying furniture. Instantly he was standing, in his grip, a struggling Annabel.
"The problem with Maguses, " said Cain, "is that they were not meant for close combat."
He gave her a murderous look as he watched her kick around, hitting his hand, struggling all the while choking as his hands squeezed the life out of her fragile neck. His eyes, were devoid of sympathy.
"Leave her alone," said Adam who was staggering.
"Oh, you want to be a hero?"
His eyes seemed to have lost the will to fight. Cain sighed, moved, stepped on his chest again, and let Annabel drop. This time he coughed blood. The sound of his sternum breaking and his screams filled the room.
Kitsune and Akira with horrendous looks could only just watch. They were strangers to such violence.
"Please spare him," Annabel spoke as she clutch her dress tightly. "Kill me instead."
Cain looked down at her. No trace of pity in his eyes and then stepped down even harder.
"Cain stop! please," said Kitsune.
"It's not smart to leave your enemies alive,"
"I don't want people to die, . . . please."
Cain sighed and retracted his foot and Adam gasped in air. The girl ran over to him and held him in her arms.
"Let me give you a warning, you are playing a very dangerous game. If you don't stop you will die."
He looked at Adam who was unconscious, he smiled slightly and walked to Kitsune and Akira.
"You two must be tired, let me take you home."
"Yes, please," said Kitsune.
"Let me carry you, Kitsune's injuries seem to be superficial, yours, however, are not," he said picking up Akira.
"Um . . . Ok?"
Annabel looked at him as he walked away. She then sighed with relief as they had just narrowly escaped certain death. It was her first time experiencing such an overwhelming presence. He was ruthless, a true Demon.
* * *
"Do any of you remember the way?" asked Cain, "I was summoned here out of the blue, so I do not recall the layout."
Akira and Kitsune shrugged innocently. The forest was dark with animal growls and hoots making the atmosphere chilly. Kitsune clasped onto Cain's coat tightly as they walked.
"I see, in that case, I will take you to my home so we can disinfect your injuries before treating you. And you can rest."
A glowing trigram appeared under their feet. It had intricate symbols in it and a circle over it. The circle of light and its details rose from their feet completely covering them. As it did, their bodies vanished.
*Unite Kingdom current time, noon.
Their eyes felt disoriented by the sudden light. When adjusted, Kitsune and Akira were dumbfounded. The door was humongous. A low relief of a gargoyle stared at them startling them. It was pushed open, a maid walked out.
"Lord Cain, welcome back, though your departure was brief and sudden. And I see you have guests."
She spoke in a perfect British accent all the while holding her dress gracefully as she curtsied. Her hair had a golden blond appearance, her pupils were crimson red, and her skin was fair and tender.
Her height was about five feet eleven, slime but not petite, her legs contributing most to her standing height. Her face almost had no makeup aside from her lip gloss which showed an unfair advantage of her natural beauty.
She stood straight her back neither receding nor her arms forward. Her breasts were neither huge nor small, just a perfect collision of the two sizes.
When she caught a glimpse of Kitsune, she instantly stepped forward. With trembling hands held her cheeks.
"Um, hey," said Kitsune awkwardly.
"Lord Cain," she said her voice shuddering, "how can she. . . look a lot like . . . "
*Pronounced, Jebriel. *
"Gabriel, that's enough,"
"My apologies, I am Gabriel, and I will tend to your injuries. I hope Lord Cain made whoever did this suffer." Her voice was sweet but menacing, it was as though she meticulously selected her words.
Cain put Akira down and walked past Gabriel. She bowed as he passed her. Everyone in the manor did so.
"You both speak English?" she asked.
They both nodded. Being in the foreign languages club for three years had paid off. They both spoke seven languages and were completely fluent in four. English was one of them.
"Follow me,"
As they walked through the halls, they marveled at the intricacy of the house. Artworks; sculptures, and paintings. Musical instruments pianos and violins, expensive ornaments, and many rooms.
"Miss Gabriel, if I may, are you a vampire?"
(Chuckling)"Am afraid not. But I see how it is you may be confused. My lord can make vampires though."
"He is not? I was just curious since I have seen his fangs, and your eyes too."
Ushering them into a medical room. She pulled out a first aid kit and ushered them to sit.
" . . . if he is not a vampire, then what is he?"
"Hmm, how best do I put this, . . . he is a Fallen Angel of God, or rather humans call a Demon."
"A fallen Angel?"