Kayin's Story

I am a good wolf.

Shoe howled, sniffed the air briefly, and set off after Life.

I am a good daughter. I will help you tear her to pieces, Mommy.

Oh, how nice it was to get some time alone with her mother. Shoe had missed her.

She was picking up so many scents from different entities--how many of them were there now?--but Life's scent was distinct. Life's scent had something special about it, something unique. Something so eager to be snuffed out.

As Shoe continued tracking that scent, she noticed something. She could smell another entity with it.

She stopped walking for a moment and began pacing, sniffing the ground, the trees, the air, everything. She whimpered once, as if to alert Ludovica that her nose was picking up something unusual.

There are two. I'll rip them both up for you, Mommy. I am a good girl.



Something about her breath near his ear made Malin shudder. He chose to believe it wasn't because Life herself was the one breathing on him.

"It's completely ridiculous," he admitted. "I can give you the whole crazy laydown if you want it. It's so stupid, everyone got crazy busy not long after--it wasn't long after you were sealed. Should I not talk about that? S-sorry."

Curse his awkwardness. Malin debated asking Xenos to seal him in a jar and break the jar.

"My dad is my father and my grandpa at the same time. He also did it with his mom and his grandma. He's so stupid. Family is supposed to be sacred, not some thing you make with whoever the h*ll you want. That's why creation is so beautiful, because humans actually value family and it's not just some stupid game to them--humans care, they don't yell at you for being in a 'phase' when it's obviously not just a 'phase', it's something I believe in, so shut up, Mom!"

Malin was very aware he'd started rambling. He cleared his throat.

"...Or whatever."



"You requested company?"

The voice came from behind Bennie. She turned around, prepared to stop whoever it was from stopping her.

She found her son.

Or at least, she thought it was her son. He looked vaguely familiar, and she was sure she'd felt this kind of soul before. She was sure it was him. This was...

"Kevin," Bennie declared, confident.

Shoe nodded her head vigorously, digging at the dirt. She drew two scratch marks, then looked up at Ludovica expectantly.

Two. I smell two entities. She's with someone. Am I a good girl, Mommy?

She trotted in place, eager to continue the fight and yet nervous of who she would find. Had Xenos come down from the realm? Was Niven around? It was hard to tell.

Still, whoever it was, Shoe was sure. They were dead meat.



Malin let out a dry laugh. "That must have sucked. Geez, you have no idea how long I've been looking for you--n-not because I wanted your soul or whatever, I just wanted to meet you. I know how it feels to live for centuries believing no one understands you. No one understands me either."

It would have been entirely true if not for the girl riding on his back. Nervous, Malin added, "Except you, of course. 'Cause you made this planet and stuff. W-whatever, you know what I mean. The flowers, and the animals, and the people. ...And all those things are dying without you. Because you're stuck here. Gosh, the others are so stupid. I can't believe they want to keep you here. I don't blame you for being cautious, you've got a lot of enemies."

The anger he felt towards the rest of his family had pushed him into a full-on sprint, but he didn't even seem to notice. He did notice his hands gripping Life's legs more firmly, but he decided not to focus on that.



Kayin. That was right. Bennie had forgotten his name, but that wasn't really her fault--she had a lot on her mind.

"I'm looking for your...um, father?" Bennie shrugged. "Life. She's in a girl's body now, a really cute one. Have you seen a tiny Asian cutie around here?"

It was a long shot, but maybe Kayin had seen something.



Alfonso stepped into a familiar realm on his way to Death's throne.

Inside, three familiar faces sat. Alfonso recognized his father Xenos first; the blond entity sat with the same wide grin on his face he always had.

Beside him were Alfonso's other son, and Ludovica's other daughter. Alfonso dipped his head to them.

A passing soul was randomly sealed into a ring by Xenos, who slipped the ring onto one finger. Alfonso shuddered; the way Xenos could just casually seal up a human soul without a hint of hesitation--even within another entity's realm--always terrified him.

"What's going on here?" he asked.

"Family meeting," Ludovica's daughter muttered, plucking the petals off of a daisy. "I'm sick of this already, can I go back yet?"

"Stay and enjoy the company, little Alfie," Xenos hissed, laughing as he turned the ring over in his hands. "It's been aaaaaages since I saw ya!"

That was intentional. Alfonso avoided saying it out loud. Instead, he asked, "Is Death in her room?"

"Death, Life, Maria. Death, Life, Maria." Xenos repeated the mantra, tossing his ring up into the air and catching it. Alfonso avoided eye (bang?) contact.

"I don't even care," Ludovica's daughter sighed.

Niven was Alfonso's last hope. He looked over at his son, internally begging for a real answer.

---

Kayin...sighed miserably, hanging his head. "I don't even know why I hope. It's clear you are not sincere, mother. Those words are like a dagger to my heart!"

"At least I'll always remember your name, Kayin," Life offered warmly, as she headed over to the door. She reached into her bag and pulled out a compass, glancing down at it briefly. "Come on, let's go. The longer we wait around here, the higher the chance we have of getting caught. We are in Quagmire, correct? The temple should be south of here..."

Kayin smiled gratefully at Life, following her to the door. "Yes, that's true. I love you, other mother! You're so much better than my other mother!"

Life chuckled to herself. "Likewise."

---

Niven stiffened, for once some genuine fear in his dark green eyes. He swallowed, pace slowing slightly.

"That's just like you, you know?" Niven mumbled as he walked, kicking a nearby stone. That slight headache from before turned from a slight annoyance to a throbbing pain in his head. He fought off a shudder, actively thinking about his next words in an attempt to keep his mind focused. "To hide behind Mom. It's pathetic. Maybe for once, you should fight your own battles."

Either way, I still have to listen to him right now, Niven lamented, sickness pooling in his stomach. How unbearable...