It was hard being so alone in such a large, broken world. His eyes turned down to the creature at his side. Okay, so he wasn’t completely alone. Fengir was there. It was some sort of fox-tiger. It had large ears and stripes down its rusty-brown fur. The creature easily mimicked the size of a cat but was far more adorable than anything anyone had ever seen. It had large deep orange eyes and a cute black nose. Letting out a yelp, the critter tugged at its master’s leg.

“Yes, Fen, I suppose it’s time we move, again.”

His name was Cain L. Vaal. He was a twenty-three year old orphan who was lost on the banks of Australia. He was there on his own accord, but the loneliness was starting to bother him. Most of his life, Cain was surrounded by family and friends. Now, now that it was all gone, all he could do was drawn forth memories of happier days. Days before the curse. Days before death. Slowly slipping into his memories, he let them flood him one last time before he made his move. He needed to be certain all his loss was for something, for this move….

A child ran around a dock while he mother did he best to catch him. He was slick, easily dodging her flailing arms. A giggle pursued his lips before for large, pale green eyes twinkled before his father’s face. A large hand ruffled the pastel pink hair of the boy, which brought out another giggle.

“Papa! Papa! I caught me firstest fishy!” He flopped the poor being onto the wooden dock. Naturally, his father’s crew did their best to hold back a laugh. Cain was familiar with this action so he instantly pouted, not quite sure what he did wrong. “What I do?” The larger male with bubble-gum colored hair poked at the little nose. “You goof, this isn’t a fish. This is a baby octopus.”

“A what-o-pus?” His eyes widened with awe as he poked the dead, squishy thing. “Papa, can I keep him? Pwease!”

A head shook no. “Sorry, my boy, but you’ve killed this one. We’ll have to toss him back and let the sea use him. Okay?” Reluctantly, the pink-haired boy tossed the deceased monster into the water. The sea lapped it up and dragged it down to the bottom, where crabs and other bottom feeders would enjoy the free meal. Cain waved at it as it floated down and soon stood once it was out of sight. “Papa, mama says, if I’m lucky, I can grow up to run the boat like you!”

“I wouldn’t want you to have this job. It’s too scary. Although,” his hand rubbed the back of his neck, “it is better than the mines.” A cough came next and he did his best to suppress it by whacking his chest with his hand. “How about we go home and eat some of the fish I caught today?”

This was Cain’s life for the past few years. When he was younger, just a baby, his father worked in the coal mines. With the States at war with the world, they needed all the raw materials they could find. Coal was useful as it helped keep things warm and running. His father was a damn good worker too. Thankfully, a storm rolled into the small seaside town and drew forth an urge matter – someone needed to work the fishing boats. No one was better trained or well-suited for the role than Mr. Lawrence Vaal. Eager to leave the mines, he started up a fishing carter and soon had the town thriving with fresh fish and sea-treats. It had probably been about four years like this now. Everything was so peachy-keen that the town forgot all about the war.

That was, until it arrived on their shores.

Lawrence was a native of Australia. He devised a plan to flee from the war-stricken United States and move back to his down under home. He alerted a few of his close friends about this plan and, of course, they graciously accepted the offer. Who would refuse to leave a war-torn nation? Poverty and mayhem crippled America, its only saving grace being the sheer will-power of its troops and citizens. The true patriots were helping America win this war. Too bad this war had no signs of letting up, or even having a winner.

The night before an air raid, the Vaal family and a few others piled into one of the large, ocean-safe ships. If they took one of the smaller boats, they would have capsized in no time. They needed something sturdy that could endure the rolling, crashing waves of the Atlantic Ocean. They would need to sail south and move around the southern tip of Africa. From there, they would sail due east and hit the far western shores of Australia. There, they would take up camp and begin life anew.

God must have been on their side, for that long month or two at sea didn’t destroy them. They survived, everyone one of them. Why, even a new baby was born. Mr. and Mrs. Quinton gave birth to their third kid, which overjoyed them to no end. It was going to be perfect. A new, happier life was what awaited all of them.

Landing on the shores of Australia, the crew moved in-land some and began working on constructing a town. Word soon spread of a small city-state of sorts that was welcome to all. Sure enough, people started visiting and came to live in the small town of Vaal, named after Cain’s family. Cain was probably eight years old at this time and honestly couldn’t be happier. He had everything he could ever dream of. Freedom from the war, happiness from the joy on the faces of others, and love from his family. He beamed from ear-to-ear for the next two years. Then, the morning of his tenth birthday, hell came knocking.

Bombs came raining down. Australia was under attack. Or rather, the planes that flew above it were under attack and Australia was a sitting duck. Everyone began to drop like flies. No one could do anything. Even Lawrence Vaal had a hard time saving his wife. She died a few days later and it destroyed him. He was soon bed ridden and it was discovered that he had the Black Lung. He wouldn’t last much longer. On his dying bed, he told Cain not to give up and to stay strong. He told Cain about a god that might be able to help him. Cain listened intensely and did exactly what his father told him.

Later, he discovered that the god he pleaded to wasn’t one you wanted to mess with. He cursed those who prayed to him with a power so frightening that it always killed its host. Cain was different though. He lost everything so he embraced his power and became the first true Kotodama User.

He moved toward Sydney where he soon became an icon. His powers to summon anything were seen as safety and aid. He could create a shield to stop the rain of bullets. He could create bullets and fight back. People soon rallied behind him and begged for his help. At first, the idea of being wanted moved him. He was twelve at the time and easily manipulated into believing that these people loved him. A year later, he realized they were just using him.

Pissed, he left and found refuge alone. But being alone takes its tolls on you. Playing with his Kotodama, he eventually learned how to create living things. He called forth a girl and a fox-tiger. Although it was hard to keep the Kotodama up so that they wouldn’t vanish, Cain did just as such. He couldn’t lose them. They were his everything. For six solid months, he focused and honed his skills until, one day, Ginny and Fengir became real. They weren’t creations anymore. No, they were flesh and blood, real just like him. He had done it. He had created life. He thought to raise his parents and fallen friends, but soon discovered that his powers had become limited. Apparently, reanimation was against the rules as was bringing into existence real things that weren’t to be real. Ginny and Fengir weren’t to be but they were so Cain counted his blessing and promised to never do such a thing again. Apparently, this pleased his god so he could return to using his powers.

Slowly, bit by bit, children started to follow him. A gang (think children’s mafia) sprung up. They called themselves Cursed Cain’s Crew. These misfits killed, stole, and burned. They did want they needed to survive. It was around his sixteenth birthday that Cain realized he was no longer looking to be a hero, at least in the sense of being a knight. Cain wanted to live to the beat of his own drum and do what he wanted to do. He didn’t care who he hurt, he just wanted to be happy. Happiness for him came in making Ginny laugh. He would steal jewels for her. He would kill men for her. He did everything he could for her.

Too bad she had to go.

The razed world soon caught up to him again. Bullets came from nowhere and started to mow down everyone. Throwing up a shield for him and Ginny, he waited the storm out. Only, when he came to again, he realized Ginny was lying dead at his feet. But how? She was shielded. Pushing the smoke and debris away, he realized that it wasn’t Ginny he thought he shielded, but it was Fengir. Pissed, he nearly kicked the lite from the creature. Only, just a second before its death, he realized it wasn’t Fen’s fault. Fen was running to him with the hopes of shielding its master. It was a reaction dogs have – to go back and defend the one who feeds you.

Cain would spend the next four years wandering Australia with just Fengir at his side. Rarely, they came across someone. Before his twentieth birthday, Cain discovered something so strange that he swore he was hallucinating. Never before had he seen a gray-skinned creature with long ears. It had glowing red eyes and white hair. He spoke, out of fear, and asked what it was. It said it was a drow and it was cast from its home. For two solid years, the boy and drow shared their knowledge of their worlds. The drow eventually passed away, a natural death, leaving Cain alone. The pink-haired boy spent some time working out a plan to find that island and discover what made it a safe-haven for freaks. He, too, was a freak and sought the island out. Perhaps, just maybe, he could call that his one true home.

Coming back to his senses, his bent to scoop up Fen. “I wonder… does war crippled this island like it goes the rest of Earth?” A gleam of darkness swirled in his eyes. “I wonder, just what kind of fun we can have there.”

The sound of lapping water called him down the shores. Fog veiled him as he stepped into his canoe. Paddling with silence, he began his journey to the island. The island was his last hope. It would be his final destination.

__________________