Echoes of Cain
Before I could do anything about it, all I could see was red.
Kais and Roshan dropped to the floor facing each other one last time before their eyes went blank.
His eyes met mine, I didn't move, I had nowhere to go to and no one waiting for me.
The only ones I cared for died in front of me. I couldn't escape my destiny it had to end alongside them.
The sky joined me in sorrow, it began to weep, pouring down and washing away every ounce of my hope.
I gazed into his cold eyes, a startling revelation striking me – we shared the same suffering, both having lost everything, taken by the other's hands.
The very air seemed to tremble with the burden of unspoken pain as his icy blade pierced through my already shattered heart.
My eyes shifted away from his, attempting one final reach for my friends. Collapsing between them, I extended my hands to grasp theirs, their own attempts to reach each other halted midway. I gathered them both, placing them atop the void in my heart.
I found peace and tranquility by their side.
The demon grabbed his friend tightly looking at him with despair before his blade strike on his own heart.
And just like that it was finally over.
War is over.
I blinked, and my eyes fluttered from the sunlight, finding myself lying on the grass near the tree I once climbed.
My hands—I swear they were covered in blood just moments ago. But when I lift them, they're clean.
It was just a nightmare. It had to be.
I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to shake off the weight pressing down on me.
My heart slows, my breathing evens. I tell myself it's over. Just a dream. Just—
Pain.
A weight pressed heavily on my chest, making it difficult to breathe. When I attempted to move, groaning sounds reached my ears.
"No, stop moving, Cain!" a sleepy voice uttered.
"Am I dreaming?" I wondered aloud. Kais fidgeted on my shoulder, while Roshan tightened his grip on my arm so that I wouldn't move.
If it's a dream, I don't want it to stop, I thought. Choosing not to move, their breathing eased, indicating they had gone back to sleep. The sun still hung high in the sky, casting a warm glow over the landscape. It was our last rest before the fight tomorrow on the battlefield.
"Was it a nightmare?" I uttered out loud, it felt too real to be one.
A sharp sting flares above my heart, yanking me back. My fingers press against the spot instinctively, and a strange chill creeps through me.
Something isn't right.
I pull at my shirt, peeling it away from my skin. And then I see it.
A burn.
Dark against my skin, perfectly shaped—like a half-moon.
My breath catches. My fingers tremble as they trace the edges. It shouldn't be there. It wasn't there before. But I feel it, real and raw, pulsing like it holds some kind of hidden truth.
I tell myself it means nothing. I tell myself it's just a mark.
But deep down, something inside me knows.
This isn't over.
This isn't a dream.
And whatever this is—whatever did this to me—it's only just begun.
The day had passed with the familiar sensation that I had already experienced it once before. I didn't want to bother anyone, so I didn't talk about it or about the nightmare I had.
However, once on the battlefield, I could no longer ignore the eerie familiarity. I possessed an unsettling knowledge of what was about to unfold, yet I found myself powerless to alter the inevitable course of events.
Destiny played its tricks, and I was ensnared in a reality I couldn't change, compelled to witness events unfold as if trapped in the inexorable flow of time.
What was bound to happen unraveled before me. Destiny couldn't be altered. It all went black again. I was trap in a loop. Every time I tried to escape it, I was back to the beginning, blinded by the same sunlight waking up by the same nightmare, one that was too real for me to forget. Holding my friend tighter every time.
I was now sure that I was coming back in time right before that nightmare of a battlefield.
Destiny didn't want me to die now but death had chosen otherwise. He had chosen otherwise.
We died by his hands each time. Over and over again, no matter how we fought, no matter how we ran. The Demon in black armor—he was real. The rumors weren't just whispers to scare children or tales spun by desperate survivors. They were the truth.
And I was proof of it.
I should be dead.
I was dead.
I remember the pain, the cold steel cutting through me, the weight of my own blood pooling beneath me. I remember the moment life left my body. But here I am, breathing, heart pounding beneath my ribs.
Except—I know now. This isn't mercy. This isn't a second chance.
I press my hand to the burn over my heart, the half-moon brand searing even without heat. It's not just a scar. It's a mark, a tether, a curse.
I can't escape him.
No matter how many times I die, I'll always come back.
And he'll always find me.
That was his curse. I couldn't escape him. No matter how many times he cut me down, no matter how many times I woke up gasping, convinced it was all just a nightmare.
The half-moon burn over my heart—the mark he left—was proof. A wound that never faded. A brand that chained my soul to him.
I killed his friend. And now, he would never let me rest.
Determined to halt the impending madness and save those I cared for, I grappled with the belief that destiny, though seemingly immutable, might be challenged.
I persuaded Kais and Roshan to join me on the battlefield, seeking refuge from the scythe of death that loomed over us.
Despite my efforts, every attempt to escape destiny proved futile. Each time, I observed from a distance as the soldier with the warm gaze succumbed to an attack, a blade striking him down , it was never mine.
It became a recurring pattern, he couldn't escape it; yet with each iteration, the black-armored demon intervened, seemingly aware of the impending future.
Even if I did everything to stay away, death always found me.
Dizziness and sharp pain assailed me as I staggered, my vision swimming. I knew what was coming—I had seen it too many times before. The soldier, standing there, shoulders heavy with grief, eyes dark with the weight of his losses. His hands trembled as he gripped his weapon, not to fight, not to strike me down, but to turn the blade on himself.
And I could do nothing to stop it.
Each time he fell, I fell with him.
No matter how far I ran, no matter how hard I tried to break free from this cursed fate, his death was my death. His suffering, my own.
The cycle never ended.
The moment his blood touched the ground, my body seized, the half-moon burn over my heart igniting with unbearable heat. I couldn't breathe. Couldn't scream. Could only collapse beside him as the world faded into nothing—again.
And then I woke up.
Gasping. Trembling. Right back where it all began.
Collapsing to the unforgiving ground, I heard my friends calling out, their safety at least assured. It became apparent that my destiny was inescapable it was intertwin with his.
Rumors held true, once you crossed paths with him, death became an inescapable companion.
A loud gasp escaped my lungs, attempting to breathe as if resurfacing from drowning, the sun blinding me. "Stop moving, Cain! Let me sleep! " came the familiar plea. I found myself back again.
Contemplating the events, it dawned on me that he was the one resetting the day through his demise.
Somehow, I was bound to him in an inexplicable manner. His death was my death. His suffering, my torment. No matter how many times I tried to escape, no matter how far I ran, the curse pulled me back to him—again and again.
I wanted to change my destiny.
No matter what.
Not like this. Not trapped in an endless cycle of loss, pain, and death. Every time he gave up, every time he surrendered to despair, I was dragged down with him. I had no control, no choice.
But I refused to accept it.
There had to be a way. A way to break free, to sever whatever bound me to him. To end this curse before it consumed me whole.
I didn't want to wake up just to die again.
I came to realize that he reset the day each time he lost that soldier, the one with a blinding smile and warm eyes that reached at me for peace first.
It was a profound testament to the significance that soldier held in his heart.
He was important for him to the point that he willingly sacrificed everything to ensure his safety.
Endlessly striving to save him, the black-armored demon exhibited unwavering determination, even if it meant repeatedly putting his own life on the line.
He stood resolute in challenging the preordained course of events, a relentless effort to defy destiny itself. In witnessing his unyielding commitment, I couldn't help but admire him.
As I reflected, it became clear: ensuring he reached his goal was essential for me to carry on with my own life, with my destiny.
However, aiding him in his quest meant betraying my country. My friends held immense significance and betraying them equated to betraying myself.
The dilemma weighed heavily on me, torn between a duty to my kin and the consequences it will hold and my inexorable connection to the black-armored demon.
The safety of Roshan and Kais became a main concern, and I grappled with the complex choices that lay ahead.
While we navigated the battlefield, Roshan and Kais couldn't hide their confusion.
Roshan furrowed his brow, questioning, "Why are we deviating from the main force, Cain? This isn't our usual strategy."
With a stern expression, I assumed the role of their captain, avoiding their questioning gazes. "Follow my orders without questioning, soldiers. I have my reasons."
Kais persisted, "But Captain, this goes against our principles. We've always fought alongside our comrades."
"This is a direct order, Kais," I asserted, my tone leaving no room for further discussion. Something in my heart stung, it was the first time I had to raise my voice at him. But i had no choice.
Once satisfied they were far enough from the impending danger, I halted and turned to them. "Listen carefully. There are things you can't comprehend, things beyond the battlefield. Trust me, this is for your safety."
Roshan, with a perplexed expression, implored, "Cain, we've always trusted you, but we need to understand what is going on."
I hesitated, conflicted, before finally revealing, "There's someone on the other side who holds the key to changing our fate. I need to find him. You both must stay here, away from the impending chaos. I'll tell you all about it once I return, I promise. I am going to stop this War."
Kais, still uneasy, questioned, "And what about you, Captain? What will happen to you? You can't risk your life alone like that !"
A solemn expression crossed my face as I uttered, "That doesn't matter. What matters is ensuring both of you survive this war." They both hesitated, ready to bargain again.
I shouted before they could even talk back, "I command you, not as your friend but as the prince ! Don't you dare defy my orders ! Is it clear ?" I was ashamed of myself, i adverted my gaze from their confused ones not wanting to face them.
As I left them, I could feel their eyes lingering on me, filled with confusion and concern. I ran towards the distant battlefield, driven by a purpose that went beyond the loyalty to my country.
I rushed through the battlefield until I finally came across him.
He was still alive.
"Everybody retreats, it's an order!" I shouted to my soldiers not adverting my gaze on him, letting confusion ripple through their ranks. I was determined to halt this war, even if it meant returning to the king, having betrayed him, and bracing myself for the inevitable consequences.
The soldier in golden armor looked at me confuse and relief and I couldn't advert my gaze from the warmth of his eyes. But I had to when my eyes met death itself glaring at me from behind him. The total eclipse in front of me made me shiver to my spine from the terrifying aura they both held in front of me.
As the battlefield transformed into a scene of organized chaos with soldiers hesitating and glancing at each other in bewilderment, I took charge of the retreat.
The echoes of my order reverberated through the air, mingling with the clashing of swords and the distant cries of the ongoing conflict.
Leading the withdrawal, I couldn't escape the weight of the decision I had just made.
Betrayal hung heavily in the air, and I could feel the eyes of my comrades scrutinizing me with a mix of surprise and uncertainty.
Every step away from the battlefield felt like a step deeper into the unknown.
Reaching a safer distance, I turned to address my fellow soldiers. "This war ends now. We've fought long enough, and there's no glory in this endless cycle of bloodshed. We'll find a way to peace, even if it means facing the consequences of our actions. No worry, I'll bear it all."
I glance back at them, pur enemies, one last time. Their faces blurred in the fading light of the sun, but one thing remained clear—the smile. A quiet, sincere smile that warmed my heart.
I ended the war, but not as a hero. Not in honor or sacrifice.
I ended it in a selfish act of saving myself.
There was no glory waiting for me. No songs to be sung in my name. No hands reaching out in gratitude.
I betrayed my country.
I wasn't a hero, nor a martyr. Just a coward who couldn't even act as a prince.
I was supposed to lead them, to stand at the front lines with my people, to fight for something greater than myself. But when the moment came, when the weight of duty pressed down on me—I ran. I chose survival over honor, over loyalty. Over them.
And now, I had nothing.
No kingdom.
No allies.
No redemption.
Only the curse that refused to let me die, chaining me to the one life I had no control over.
I wasn't even worthy of death.
What remained was only the weight of what I had done, the unshakable truth that I had survived—not because I was righteous, not because I was strong, but because I had chosen myself over everything else.
And yet, I was still trapped.