The Legacy

“What about her? Should we leave her like that?” the fae girl asked sceptically, she was pointing at Sophia with her green eyes. Kain stared down at where Sophia was sleeping, “don’t worry about her, she will be fine,” she replied flatly.

“Why would you do that?” the fae girl asked, swaying nervously from side to side. There were metallic green blood still oozing out from between the girl’s leafy green fingers. “Like I said. We need to talk. Let’s make a deal,” Kain suggested, folding her own arms. They were playing against time. Gavin will be coming back soon and if he sees the fae girl then he wouldn’t hesitate to kill her, not even after she pleaded with him not to. “What kind of deal?” the fae girl asked, her eyes squinting at Kain suspiciously.

“I will help you with that,” Kain nodded her head at the fae girl’s injury, “and help you escape if you answer all of my questions,” Kain suggested.

She could tell that the girl was considering it but still didn’t trust her, “what if I say no?” the girl asked with her chin held high. Kain smiled at that. The girl had some bravery in her spirit. Kain breathed heavily, “my fellow fae hunters will be coming this way soon and they WILL kill you without blinking and if they don’t kill you then you will soon be bleeding to death, given how that wound looks. So really, you’d be dying either way,” Kain said, shrugging her shoulders.

“And if I go with you, I’d be safe?” the girl asked, squinting her eyes at Kain again, “how can I trust you?” she added curtly. Kain bit the inside of her lip then she said, “you are still standing here, aren’t you?” the girl stared at Kain for a moment, her eyes stretched wide. Kain could tell that the fae girl fought through decisions. Her eyes drifted towards Sophia, then let out a deep breath, “I’ll let you help me but that doesn’t mean I trust you yet, hunter!”

“Fair enough,” Kain agreed, “follow me. I know of a private place that no one knows about. You’ll be safe there,” Kain didn’t wait for the girl to follow, she walked further into the woods, hoping that the fae girl would follow.

Kain had been walking for a while, the clumsy cracking of twigs telling her that the fae girl was close behind. If it wasn’t for the wound, the fae girl would have probably been unheard. Fae are known for their agile movements and stealth. It is the whole reason why the Academy train hunters. Humans are incapable to detect fae unless they have certain skills and know what to look for, although, humans like that are rare to find. It’s Abbadon’s job and quest to find them and train them to hunt and kill all fae.

Then there’s Kain. Walking a few inches in front of a wounded fae, on her way to help her instead of killing her. Everything she was taught, shoved to the side just like that and all because of some hauntingly familiar symbol she happened to find on a dead body, killed by fae! Kain glanced back at the fae, what if everything she had learned, turned out to be wrong?

It took them only a few more steps before they reached a hidden building covered by years of mossy growth and crawling plants. If you didn’t know where to look, you wouldn’t have been able to see it easily. It was one of Kain’s favourite hide-outs. She would go there on her off days and just be alone in the silence that only the woods could provide. She didn’t tell anyone about it, but she loved collecting different herbs and plants which she used to create poultices and potions with. Sometimes she would use other things too, like snake venom or spiders, to create poisons she mostly uses to dip her arrows in. Everything created secretly at this little piece of Haven. Today would be the first day she reveals her secret hide-out to anyone. Even if that person is a fae.

“This way,” Kain said over her shoulder. The fae followed her inside and nearly collapsed on the floor. Kain helped her to a mossy couch and walked over to a cabinet against the wall. “How did you find this place?” the fae girl asked, winching from the pain that started to kick in, all the adrenalin of the excitement faded out. “By accident really. Ever since I was a little girl, I loved taking walks where nature was at its thickest. I found this place on such walk and made it my own secret hide-out for whenever I wanted some alone time,” Kain said with a smile, sitting on a wooden stump in front of the couch. She was setting out medical aid supplies that wouldn’t be harmful for the fae since they can’t use the things normal humans can, with all the chemicals and such. A good thing she knew how to make poultices using natural ingredients. Another thing she had to learn since she seemed to have bad reactions with the infirmary’s medicines.

“Is Kain short for something?” the girl asked again. Kain started to clean the wound and the girl was trying to take her mind off the pain. Kain breathed in deeply then decided that it was no use repeating her usual mantra to the girl. “Not that I know of,” Kain answered shaking her head, “I can’t really remember anything from before I was found at the orphanage at the age of seven. Kain is all I would remember,” she explained with a shrug. Remembering her past didn’t seem like something she should be bothered with, but she wouldn’t argue with the fact that she had sometimes wondered about it.

Kain took a needle and held it in a candle flame for a few seconds, before putting some dissolvable tread through the hole, “what happened in the woods? Why attack two hunters?” Kain asked her as she pulled the needle through the fae girls thick, plant-like skin. The girl winched but didn’t scream, “I didn’t attack them. They were already being attacked when I happened along. I was-how would you say it- at the wrong place in the wrong time,” the girl explained through clenched teeth. She gripped onto the couch material with all her strength but still didn’t scream.

“So, what were you doing out there then?” Kain tried again. She knotted the tread and clipped it off. “I was looking for someone,” the girl said with a sigh of relief, “who?” Kain asked, stirring a little bit of natural herbs together with some honey.

The girl didn’t answer. “Okay,” Kain said after a while, she glanced up at the fae a moment, before continuing her interrogation, “I want to know who Zorzia is?” Kain asked, adjusting a bandage around the girl’s waist and tying it into a secure knot. The girl whipped her head towards Kain with such ferocity that Kain almost thought her head would snap off. “Zorzia Bloodyang?” she whispered, her eyes were white and the green of her skin faded to a lighter shade, “how do you know that name?” she added, whispering a little louder. She pulled away from Kain, almost as if Kain was a murderer holding a bloody axe in front of the girl, her whole body shaking now.

“I was on a hunt a few weeks ago. There was a fae being hunted by a demon fae. I killed the demon fae, but I couldn’t save the fae. It had been too late,” Kain retold, the feeling of failure falling over her once again, “the fae whispered ‘Zorzia’ just as she let out her last breath. What does the name mean to you fae folk?” Kain asked, very alert of the girls every movement and confused by her reactions. The girl relaxed a little, but her shoulders remained tense, “we do not talk of her. She is a vile and cruel woman with no heart and no guilt. She’s the reason I was out in these woods in the first place. I’m looking for someone we believed was dead,” the girl explained quietly. She was visibly shivering.

“I don’t understand,” Kain said frowning, “how can you look for someone if they are dead?” she asked bewildered. The girl shifted on the couch, pushing herself into a sitting position. “Because I don’t believe she is dead. At least not anymore,” the girl said, “Kainun Bloodleaf is still alive and we need her if the rest of us are going to stay alive! Fae folk and humans alike,” the girl added sending shivers down Kain’s own spine.

“Why?” Kain asked but before the girl could answer, Kain heard her name being called from a distance. The other hunter had returned to the forest and was looking for her. “Shit! I have to go!” Kain exclaimed as she stood up and put the medical kit away, “please stay here. You will be safe, and I will come back tomorrow to check on your wound. There is food in the cupboards and the water in the cans are clean enough to drink,” Kain said as she made for the door.

“Breezes!” the girl called out just as Kain was about to leave through the door. Kain stopped and turned towards the girl, her eyebrows arched, “excuse me?” she asked.

“That’s my name. My name is Breezes,” the girl said with a nervous smile. Kain smiled at the young fae girl, “nice to meet you Breezes,” she said then made to turn again.

“Kain!” Breezes called out again. Kain stared at Breezes from over her shoulder, “thank you,” Breezes said then laid down, closing her eyes and quickly drifted off to sleep. “You’re welcome,” Kain whispered then closed the door behind her.

Kain had made it to Sophia just in time. Sophia had started to wake up from the drug Kain had injected her with earlier. She curled her arms around Sophia’s chest and were just lifting Sophia up when Gavin and another hunter came into view. “Kain! Are you alright? What happened?” Gavin demanded, watching Sophia as she struggled to get out of the hazy sleep. “I’m fine. We’re both fine. I found Sophia laying here just a moment ago. There is no sign of the other fae. I think it is long gone,” Kain breathed underneath Sophia’s weight.

The other hunter moved towards Sophia, lifting her head and inspecting her eyes, “what happened?” he asked her. Sophia groaned as she leaned into Kain, “I don’t remember. It all happened so fast,” Sophia let her head droop with shame, “I think she knocked me out from behind,” she added quietly.

The other hunter looked at Kain side-ways, “she?” he probed, but Sophia didn’t answer, she was fading again. Kain had drugged Sophia more than she had intended but at least she didn’t remember what happened after Kain really found her. “We should take her to the infirmary, make sure she doesn’t have a concussion!” the hunter suggested and took the other side of Sophia. Gavin took over from Kain then made their way back to the Academy.

“Do you think she will be able to tell us what happened here with her and Collins?” Gavin asked Kain but it was the other hunter who answered, “hopefully she can. We need to know what we are dealing with.”

Kain stared at Sophia’s face as they walked, “hopefully,” she said quietly. Her hopefulness directed mor at Sophia’s silence than her answers.

The Academy remained quiet even with the pairing parties returning one after the other. Sophia laid in the infirmary, fast asleep and uninjured. Kain was glad that the drug didn’t leave any traces which meant they wouldn’t suspect something out of the ordinary. If only Sophia would wake up, then Kain would know that she was completely out of the blue. No matter how hard she tried she kept finding herself thinking about the fae girl in her secret cabin. She had not at all been what Kain had suspected which made Kain start to question a lot of things. She hadn’t been able to ask the fae about the symbol either. She would have to ask the fae about it tomorrow.

Breezes, the fae’s name was Breezes. Ruling out the green plant-like skin and the other fae characteristics, Breezes might as well be a normal human girl. Kain looked down at her hands, suddenly feeling very dirty. She had a desperate urge to scrub her hands raw, but she knew all too well, that it would be no good. It wouldn’t remove the blood stains. For the very first time, Kain felt like a murderer. The name Kainun Bloodleaf, popped on to her train of thoughts. It sounded so familiar to her and, yet again, she couldn’t say why. The girl had asked her if Kain was short for something, but she honestly didn’t know. She couldn’t remember anything from her past. Abbadon had said that she kept on muttering Kain when he asked her what her name was and that is what he named her but what if she struggled with remembering her full name?

Kain shook her head, shaking the idea away. She was being silly, Kainun Bloodleaf is fae and Kain was not fae. The fact that she’s still alive proves that! Kain blinked a few times. If that was true, then why did the name feel so comfortable? Kain shook her head, it was just a coincidence that’s all. There was nothing more to it. Then again, that also felt like a lie.

Kain made her way down to the Academy docs, hanging over a large lake on the west grounds of the Academy. She was going to go to her chambers but the air inside was suffocating her. The lake was situated just behind the Academy and led into the ocean. It was also one of Kain’s favourite places. Kain sat on the edge of the docs, dipping her toes into the water. It was cool and somehow calming. She closed her eyes and leaned back on her arms, allowing the water to rinse her stress away and the setting sun to warm her goose-bumps. She relaxed, taking a deep breath but then a flash of an image sent pain crashing through Kain’s mind. She frowned, keeping her eyes closed, thinking that she imagined it. Then the flash of the image came again. This time more vividly. Kain sat up straight, squeezing her head between her palms as the pain seared her brain.

The image came once more but this time it remained and began moving. It was like a movie she was watching. It was cold in the image; people ran in one direction but Kain stood frozen where she was at the age of seven. She was crying as fires broke out all around her, burning down everything it touched…

Screams filled the air, the dark night lighted with blue-green flames. A wicked laughter echoed above all the screams. The town was under attack and Kain stood there in the middle of it all, unmoving. A woman rushed towards Kain with blood-covered hands. Her face covered with fear, but her actions remained brave. She grabbed Kain by her hand but Kain didn’t budge, she was frozen with fear. “Kainun! We have to run!” the woman shouted, yanking at Kain’s arm. Kain began running alongside the woman. They ran away from the direction the other people were running in, the wicked laughter following them into the quiet woods. She wanted to ask why they weren’t going with the others, but her voice wouldn’t come out. They reached an arch, made of thick vines and stone. The woman hunched down to Kain’s eye level, “you have to leave Ovanhail! You have to hide Kainun!” the woman instructed firmly. “I’m scared mommy!” Kain cried.

The woman’s face softened, “I know baby. But you should be brave, don’t be scared, okay?” she said gently, cupping Kain’s cheek in a sticky but warm hand. Kain could smell the metallic essence of the other members on her mother’s skin. “What about Maze?” Kain asked suddenly, her heart clenching tightly. The woman shook her head, “I don’t know. Let’s just hope she’s safe!” the woman hugged Kain tightly then yanked Kain through the arch just as the sadistic laughter grew louder, almost as if it was coming from every direction.

Kain opened her eyes with a gasp as the screams and laughter faded away. She was breathing deeply, tears running down her cheeks. She didn’t know they were there until she tasted them on her lips. She didn’t know what that was, but it felt so real, like she had been there before. Kain let go of her head which was spinning slightly. She felt dizzy and would have fainted if it wasn’t for the cold water tickling her feet. Kain stared down at the water then frowned. The water tickling her feet didn’t just feel cold but it was moving with a strong current which hadn’t been there a minute ago. There were circular ripples expanding from her feet and out into the lake, as if it was sound waves pouring out of Kain. The ripples had a faint shimmer to them and a pulsing sound that echoed only slightly through the water. Kain quickly pulled her feet out of the water, squeezing her knees against her chest. The ripples in the water subsided until the water was quiet once more. She folded her arms around her legs and buried her face into her knees, allowing the tears to flow freely with quiet sobs and heavy breaths accompanying them. She had felt the little girl’s fear and watched as people all around her died. No, they weren’t people, they were fae. She watched fae all around her being burned to crisps. She didn’t understand any of what she saw but she felt as if a piece of her had broken open and blood seeped through an open wound once again. The woman she called mother, called her Kainun. The same name Breezes had mentioned. She couldn’t remember her parents, but the woman’s face looked familiar and a desperate feeling of unknown longing burned in Kain’s chest.