“Remember you have to remain strong.

The world is a cruel and nasty place.

But… what makes it somewhat tolerable

Is you… so promise me one thing?

Don’t die.”

———————-

Her words danced around my head as they often do.

I hear them a lot when I’m stressed.

The voice of my one true friend.

The one who was stolen from me.

There was no time to worry about the past. As much as it pains me I have to move on. That’s why I took care of business.

Now Torren won’t have to worry anymore… he won’t have to give up his dream to do something he hates.

He shouldn’t be obligated to fuck up his life because he’s tied by blood.

Now he can be free and it’s all thanks to me. He’s going to be so proud.

Memories.

They are what make up the mind of a person. They authenticate one’s existence. They transcend time and through them, one can truly be immortal.

The good and the bad. The mundane and the frightful. Moments of great achievements and utter shame.

Through these memories, one can learn so many lessons. These memories can often serve as strength to push through times of hardship.

Or… they could be someone’s reason to inflict harm and suffering upon another.

For Kain the only memory he wanted to keep was the one of her: Setsuna.

Wandering through the night was peaceful. Watching the cars pass by like a blur.

Feeling the crisp spring air against one’s skin.

Moments like these were far in between.

Kain felt so happy about his accomplishment that he wasted no time letting Torren know the good news.

Or what he thought was good news. He merrily told his friend to meet him outside of his apartment. He would explain the rest in grave detail.

However, none of them were prepared for the outcome of this exchange.

Southlake Apartments.

Torren stood a few feet away from his complex. His hands rested inside the pockets of his sweatpants. The trees swayed with the sudden wind.

Emerging from the darkness ahead was a familiar face. His pale skin and lithe tone were the first things he noticed.

“Kain, what the hell you callin’ me out here this late for?”

“I wish this could wait, but it’s urgent.” Kain’s tone of voice was like a child trying to hold back his excitement.

Torren caught this and grew a bit concerned. This was unusual behavior from his friend.

“Hurry up then, folk. What is it?”

“I took care of the problem you won’t have to worry about your brother bothering you anymore.”

Torren’s eyes widened and his heart started to pound against his chest.

“What are you talking about?”

Torren was growing very concerned… his brother wasn’t picking up the phone and now Kain was talking mad crazy. What the hell did he do?

“He was nothing but trouble for you. A very bad influence… I saw that he was hurting you, so I made him leave town.” Kain said this in such a monotone voice. It was as if what he did was completely justified.

Torren saw this as the biggest insult. He was always cool with this dude, even when the others were picking on him. But, now he had crossed a very thin line. Anger was flowing through him… pumping through his blood.

“That is none of your business! I don’t know what the fuck you said to him, but you need to mind your goddamn business!”

“. . .” Kain wasn’t expecting this kind of result. This type of emotion. Why is he getting angry? Why is he upset? I… helped him?

“Whatever you did, you need to fix this shit!”

“No! You should be grateful! I did you a favor. That piece of shit never cared about you. He was only trying to save his own damn skin!”

Torren had it… he was tired of the boy he once called a friend not listening to him. He grabbed a fistful of his dark shirt and raised him into the air. Due to how thin the boy was he very light.

“Bring him back…” The tone was cold. Distant. The stare he gave Kain was as if he was just a piece of trash. There was so much disdain that it pierced his heart.

“I erased his memories… I don’t know how to put them back even if I wanted to…”

That was the last straw… hearing this Torren’s eyes turned mad. He immediately headbutted his former friend. The impact of their skulls connected with one another was deafening.

A high-pitched ringing could be heard from Kain’s ears. He was stunned, lying on his back, on the concrete. His dim gray eyes stared at the night sky. Blocking his view was Torren.

The bigger individual mounted him and clenched his fist. SMACK! SMACK! WHACK!

His fist collided with the boy’s face. Bruising it… causing it to swell. Blood started to stain his face. His body jolted with each violent punch. Each strike made him remember just how badly a human could hate someone.

Why was this hate directed at him? He couldn’t understand it. All he wanted to do was protect his friend. But, he wasn’t appreciative. Did he do something wrong?

At this point… who cares?

“Bring him back! Bring me back my brother, Kain!”

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SMACK! WHACK! SMACK!

It doesn’t hurt.

It doesn’t hurt.

It doesn’t hurt.

It doesn’t hurt.

What little life he had within those hues of his soon faded. He couldn’t feel anything in this state anymore. The punches stopped hurting and he stared at Torren with a blank stare. Sooner or later he caught Torren’s punch.

Torren’s anger had consumed him, so he didn’t notice it at first. The adrenaline was kicking in, but eventually, he noticed it… he could hear the bones in his hand popping. Once he realized this…

He screamed. The pain started to kick in and reality set in.

There was no way a regular person… let alone someone like him could do so much damage. Torren backed away, clutching his hand in pain as he swore under his breath.

Kain slowly lifted himself up from the ground. Despite the apparent injuries on his face, he didn’t seem hurt. In fact, his aura was completely different. It was now growing with evil intentions. He wanted to hurt.

He raised his dominant hand up and just like that Torren was blasted back against a tree. THUD!!

Torren couldn’t move… his body felt as stiff as a plank of wood. The pain was surging throughout his back. His flesh was being driven against the unforgiven bark of the tree and blood was starting to seep through.

“Kain!! Uggh, you’re a goddamn demon!”

Everything was calm and silent for Kain. There were no voices in his head at this moment. No nagging conscious. Right now at this very moment… he had every intention to kill.

He was about to crush all of his internal organs and have him cough them up, but before he could even extend the energy.

He felt it.

He felt the presence of something he had never encountered before.

It was cold.

Full of malice.

What he felt was a demon.

“Hey now, you boys shouldn’t be playing so rough with one another. You’ll attract some bad attention~.”

The voice itself didn’t even sound human. Each word that was spoken got closer. Kain and Torren froze up… their heads slowly turned towards a lone woman.

Torren was losing consciousness. He could barely stay awake with all of the craziness that was happening around him. His main concern was his brother… but it looks like he may lose his life. There was nothing he could do.

The night was cool and after all of the pain that he endured in such a short time, he couldn’t help but find himself lying against the dry grass. His face collected dirt as he tried to find the strength to pick himself up.

Sadly he had none. Soon the darkness took him and he fell unconscious. Maybe that was for the best because Kain had enough to deal with. Right now he was staring at something that he had never encountered personally.

It was scary and it was starting to force old memories back into Kain's mind.

—-----------------------

“Setsuna, Kain. If you ever encounter a demon on the field what’s the first thing you need to do?”

“Ensure the safety of others?” Kain asked.

“Prioritize destroying the demon.” Setsuna stated.

“Setsuna that’s half right. The total destruction of a demon is key. But, you have to make sure you have the resources to take one down. You have to asses its power. You have to be entirely sure you can kill it. If not then you need to run. Get the hell out of there and wait for a team.”

—-----------------

Kain was acting alone. He was a runaway, he didn’t have a team to fight this thing. He was all on his own. But, that was ok, because he was used to it. He had always been alone from the day he was born. He didn’t have anyone, no family, no friends.

That wasn’t a reason to look down on him, no. It was because of this that he was so strong. Why he was so special. This was why everyone wanted to capture him. Why they wanted a taste of his power. Because he was a Genome.

Kain stared at the woman with cold eyes. He was certain things were going to get physical. The best way to assess one’s strength is to unleash the strongest attack you could muster. There wasn’t much time for that.

He’d do the next best thing. It would be quick and deadly with enough power to leave her wounded. Then he would decide whether he should run or kill it.

He took a deep breath and could feel the energy around him forming. He concentrated and took this combination of energy and formed it within his right hand. In quick succession, he raised his dominant hand towards the demon.

With what he could muster in that short amount of time he released everything at her. It was nothing short of chaos.

A large wave of energy was fired out, destroying the concrete, grass, and whatever cars were in the way. The sound was loud and terrifying like a construction truck demolishing a building. Any normal human who had to take this would have died upon impact.

But, unfortunately for him, he wasn’t dealing with a human. He was dealing with a monster. He couldn’t feel her presence… he couldn’t find her.

Where the hell did she go?

Did I do it? Did I kill her? No… I don’t think that would have been enough.

“That was… amazing. You truly are gifted!”

The voice came from behind him. Directly against his left ear. He could feel the cool breath of the woman against his skin. It sent a chill down his body and reacting, he quickly turned around and backed away.

How is she so fucking fast!? I couldn’t even sense her…

There’s no way I can…

Before he could finish that thought the woman had already cut the distance between them. She delivered a swift kick toward his abdomen. The impact was thunderous, the amount of force she brought forth was like being hit by a car on the highway.

Kain gasped for dear life as he was sent crashing into a nearby fence. The wooden barrier cracked under the combination of his weight and the remaining kinetic energy that was being transferred.

The boy landed on his stomach, his face down against the dirt and small pieces of what remained of the fence. Before he could pick himself back up, he felt strong pressure against the back of his head.

The woman had her heel on the center of his skull. Forcing his face into the dirt as she started to giggle mischievously. Demons enjoyed causing suffering and misery. It was a part of their genetic code. They were a negative force of energy and they got off from it.

Some said their existence was needed and that a degree of fear was desired in order to truly appreciate life. One thing was certain, Kain was fearing for his life.

“I’ve decided… well to be honest I decided from the moment I laid my eyes on you. You’re special… you Genomes really are.” She said softly as she began to trace her tongue against her pink lips.

How did she know… what I was…?

“Right now you’re wondering… how do I know what you are called? Well, it’s simple. I’ve killed quite a few of your kind before. They all had the same story too… I’ve run away from my creators and I want to be free. I want to be normal and experience what it’s like to be human. Teehee.”

Others just like me…? Then does that mean… am I going to die…?

“They all had such a gift for using Either, but sadly it wasn’t enough to stop me.” She mentioned, increasing the pressure of her heel against the boy’s head. It was enough to force to puncture his skin, causing a fair amount of blood to seep from the wound.

The liquid was so dark… it flowed so freely and it enticed her like candy does a baby. She released a deep sigh as if she was trying her hardest to contain herself.

Kain could feel the throbbing pain in the center of his head… He clenched his teeth and soon an explosion of energy engulfed them. The color was a faint dark blue and it caused the woman to leap back into the air.

The force of impact started a faint breeze with Kain’s clothes ruffling about and his hair dancing with the wind. Within this moment he realized he only had one chance at this. His hand reached out…

And the monster’s eyes widened… whatever it was he was doing she could see it. The excitement she got from this was awe-inspiring. She was now enveloped within his Either and fully at his mercy.

Most of the time this was known as Kain’s kill shot. Once he had people at his mercy he could do anything he pleased to them. Just like he did with the researchers and the same with Torren and his brother.

“You’re dead…” Kain announced as he clenched his left hand. He was manipulating the energy that was surrounding the monster… but something was different… very different.

I’m… using all of my strength… if I did this to a normal person they would implode into nothing. Their blood and guts would be everywhere… but… I can’t hurt her…

“Hahahahaha! Very, very good!” The woman was struggling slightly, but she wasn’t in any danger.

“You’re a gifted boy, but you haven’t been properly trained. Then again, how could you when you ran away? You’re special amongst your kind, but you aren’t the only one who can manipulate Either.”

Either… what the hell is she talking about?

“You have a lot to learn. This amount isn’t enough to kill me… not in the slightest.”

Whatever she was she was a freak of nature. She started to slowly walk towards him…

How can this be…? I have her… she shouldn’t be able to break free from my hold.

Yet she was getting closer and closer… those blood-red eyes of hers widening with hunger. The object they desired was none other than Kain.

“Go away!!” Kain yelled and was attempting to send the woman flying but then… he felt it.

What crept around him was an insidious red aura. What soon followed was what sounded like the laughter of children. They echoed all around him and then he realized this was the end.

From what he could sense… he knew that he was no match. His instincts were telling him to run, but he couldn’t move. He was frozen with fear.

“Can you hear it…? Others who are attuned to Either can often hear the cries of my victims.” She said calmly, closing the distance between the two once more.

Her pale, cold hand brushed against the boy’s cheek, caressing it softly as she sighed with delight.

“Become my slave boy. I have use for you and your power. It will come in handy for what I have in mind.”

Now Kain understood why everyone was so concerned… so obsessed with killing demons. These creatures were truly awful. Truly frightening.

“No…” He said firmly.

“What did you say to me? If you were anybody else you’d be dead. But, you’re different Kain. You’re a lost puppy searching for a home. I’m here to tell you that you found one.”

“. . .”

“I want to take care of you… dress you… feed you… groom you… you’ll become a protector. You’ll have a purpose.”

Kain… raised his head slightly, his body trembling.

“You really have no room to refuse… denying me what I want would lead to an outcome you wouldn’t like. It would lead to death. Unless… that is something you want. If so… it’d be so easy. I could make it quick… remove your head from your body right now.”

Her hands cupped the boy's cheek, her elongated fingers brushing against his skin. Her reddened nails soon traced underneath his chin.

“I could also… take it nice and slow… breaking your legs… and your arms… no better yet… I could rip them completely off!”

Upon hearing this Kain shuddered… his body shaking as her aura increased in intensity.

“No… please…”

“So… you don’t want that. Which means you want to be my slave, right?”

Kain soon fell to his knees, staring down at the ground as his eyes widened with fear. “Please don’t kill me… I’ll do whatever you want ok…? You win…”

The woman cheered, her demeanor quickly changing! “You’ve made a great choice! I knew you were a smart boy. You shouldn’t feel bad.”

The woman said as she kneeled down beside him, running her hand through his dark hair as if to console him.

“You don’t need to be afraid anymore. You’re doing a great service to me and my people. If you do as I command like a good boy you will be rewarded. Tell me what’s one thing you want? Something you would kill for?”

. . .