A New Ward

Cain had not left Eden since Death had violated the Sixth Law of the Basic Order. In fact, he had blatantly refused several invitations by the three entities to speak with them since Eternity had openly expressed her approval for the actions Death had taken in regards to the Dissident War. Fate was neutral on the matter as she was towards everything. It was her way to be as such, a great guardian of possibility with no bias. She excelled in her job, yet Cain found her lack of a stance on Death breaking the law to be of concern.

Even though Cain was meant to enforce the law, he had foolishly placed Death beyond reproach when drafting the basic order. Even now, his true self stood in Eden reflecting on the current events. Yet, Cain's existence was all but absolute he was not just and simply in Eden, but also wherever he thought about. He was in Eden, and he was in Nyst, and he was all over the Omniverse, watching events unfold from under his tattered, black cloak. His acidic-green eyes scanned the environments before him, though this was more for show. He was feeling the worlds, not seeing them.

He could feel ripples, and the falling of lives. Each spark that was taken and given to this world did not enter beyond his notice. Even while solitary in Eden, Cain stood vigilant across the entirety of existence as was his duty. He was never to interfere in the natural order of things, but instead to preserve them. Nyst was the world most directly in his jurisdiction. The giant of a figure stood shrouded by his flowing black cape while he maintained a calm, steady stare over the worlds. 

Cain was careful about being seen. Quite simply, he could not be seen by simple mortals. He currently existed on a plane higher than they could perceive or even comprehend. His belief stemmed from an observation: whenever the people observed a God, they paid reverence too it. Overtime, they misinterpreted it. Then, they ultimately fought over it. The only thing that rivaled a mortal war over scarce resources in a bid for survival, Cain had come to believe, was a mortal war over religious belief. They were brutal. They were long. The bitterness did not subside.

No, if they developed Gods, let them do so on their own. Cain hid his presence on Nyst just like he hid it everywhere else he watched. Nyst did not need more religious fuel to its proverbial fire. Several places in the dimension already raged beyond control. This incarnation of Cain was observing ION-XIX currently, and only another god would be able to find him. Quite easily too-- he did not hide from his brethren.

"Suijin," Cain replied in a single word. He didn't really turn towards the water God, didn't pay him a facial acknowledgement, but addressed him with words and voice that seemed to grab hold of the the world and shake it with great ferocity. The voice was simple yet beyond compare. It existed in the world and inside the listener's mind as once, creating an absolute duality. Cain knew why Suijin had come, but rather than undercut the point would let Suijin present his case. Not before addressing the behavior that he had witnessed among their number.

"If you fear for your daughter's safety," Cain told him sternly, "then do not." He cast a sideways glance at the god, his eyes cutting deeply. "Omoikane knows by know that while I tolerate his constant presence in the world, and while I do not necessarily condone the mingling of God and mortal, that whoever dares to break the sixth law will face my judgement." His fists clenched, and just slightly did the world shake. 

It was dusk, now. The star of ION-XIX was settling on the horizon, creeping into a blanket of trees and pillows of cloud to rest for the night. In the sky, the moons were visible as light sun cast light upon their faces, letting their dark-sides fade seamlessly into the reddening sky. Cain returned his gaze forward, he hands unfurling. "Death's violation of the sixth order had negatively influenced the others as I have feared it would," he sighed. "While Otohime would face my wrath for harming your daughter, I do not feel it should come to that."

With a heavy sigh, he continued. "That said, I am to keep the plane here on a natural course of evolution. I would not interfere with its functions normally," Cain explained to Suijin. "Allowing your daughter to live here is a moral gray area, and to do so, you'll need to abide by the rules I set. But before even that, you'll need to tell me... why. If you can not convince me," Cain told him, "then it should be obvious that she will not live here." He remained silent for some time, allowing this to sink in. "Yet, I would offer an alternative. I would not make your daughter remain around Otohime. I do not trust her stability, that she could so callously suggest the murder of another's child without fear of reprisal from the Pantheon."

Suijin would nod as Cain at least acknowledged his existence but did not look at him, He stumbled when the world started to break at the mention of breaking the sixth law and if Otohime harmed his daughter. "Cain, I rest assure you that Otohime won't hurt my daughter, but I thank you for telling me my daughter can be safe here," He told the god as he stood up a bit straighter after that shake. He knew Otohime was joking about his daughter's death as a suggestion of punishment, he knew that she also had a dark sense of humour but what scared the Japanese god was the lingering question.. What if she was serious?

Suijin was confused by Cain's question, "Why not?" He asked the god in a sarcastic tone but seeing Cain not really in a playful mood he cleared his throat his lopsided smile turning into a content line.. "It's better if my daughter stays away from the woman, and the rest of the Kami..." He looked up at the moons with a sigh. "Children with mortals are forbidden and if they find out about her..." He shook his head and turned to Cain with a nod, "Do you know anyway to hide Elodie from her?"

Despite Cain being serious, he had no intention to harm Suijin or the others without proper provocation. "You have naught to fear of me by acting jovial in serious times," he explained, "because I understand." He finally turned to face Suijin, all that was visible from underneath his hood his acidic green eyes. He approached Suijin, his massive form coming to stand over the smaller god. Cain was nine-feet tall with his cloak on, and appeared as a great and impassable monolith before most individuals he met. "I agree that it is better for her to remain away from them," Cain stated.

"But... as long as she is within Fate's web of sight, she can be found by the others if they so desire to locate her. They need merely to ask Fate, and surely they must know this." His glare softened at the confession: half-breeds are forbidden. Of course, they are. It's a violation of the third law, and a potential compromise of the fourth. Cain, however, did not see this as evil. Even though he had written the law, he recognized the need for it to be bent occasionally. "We can not legislate emotions," Cain told him. "Even if they discovered your daughter, she can not be made to pay for your mistake if it could even be called such." 

He extended a hand towards Suijin. "That said... I can not allow your daughter access to Nyst. Fate still sees her here, and despite my apparent strength my resources and powers still have limits. If she were here, in this dimension, there is no guarantee that she would be any safer." Then, his fist clenched as a finger remained extended towards him. "But I am not condemning her. I have an alternative suggestion, if you are willing to hear me out."

Once Suijin saw Cain's acidic green eyes he gulped knowing that the god was serious about the ordeal. He was glad that the man understood that his daughter needed to be hidden from the Kami, Suddenly remembering how many times he screwed up and how he was imprisoned from his screw ups made him shudder. He was not going to Yomi, the underworld for another forty thousand years! It was filthy and there were, bugs.. He shuddered again but listened, so far his daughter will be protected by Fate and she will not be paid for his mistake. 

Once he heard that his daughter will be safe he smiled and extended his hand to shake Cain's hand before it clenched into a fist which made him place it behind his head like one of those young-lings he's seen do, "I'm willing to hear an alternative suggestion."

Cain nodded at the God, and took a moment to reflect. Suijin was only somewhat younger than Cain in retrospect, and looking at the "Kami" now was an exercise in theory for the Dread God. He saw Suijin as a 'what if' story-- what if he had done things differently? What if he had carried on the fight and defeated Ryuu? What if Ryuu and he had failed in defeating the gods they had so recklessly challenged for power? What if Cain still had love in his heart for mortals? Sure, he cared for them, but Cain's concern for the dimensions was more detached. In the time since he'd lived, a number of civilizations that could not have been counted by even the most intelligent being had rose to power and shrank to dust. It seemed like but an hours passing to him.

Yet, there was hope. Hope of Suijin's attachment somewhat ironically, seeing as it defied the Basic Order Doctrine. Hope for his daughter, even though she was proof of such violation. Cain cared for his fellows, and that concern extended to their children. "There is a world," Cain told Suijin, "a city for inter-dimensional castaways. It is a pocket dimension, free from the influence of we Gods. If a god enters that world, the power they wield is dramatically reduced. However, other beings are fine after they synchronize. Demi-Gods are sill more mortal than God. Your daughter will not only be hidden from the others, but should they somehow find her? They will discover that she fights them on equal terms." He stepped back, and before Suijin appeared a portal. 

"Behold the Dimensional City that sleeps between spaces, and know that your daughter will be safe from the Gods here. The world is mostly orderly, but I must offer caution. She must keep her powers hidden, and her head down."

Suijin watched as Cain opened up a portal, he explained that there was a Dimensional City he wanted to act like an overprotective father and step into the portal to make sure. He took a step forward when he heard that it would reduce a godly being's power, "Very well then," Suijin said, running his fingers through his hair. "I shall bring my daughter at once." He turned his heel and walked off but stopped before using sea waves for teleportation, "Cain, just so you know... My daughter is erm very well socially anxious and she carries around this rat thing, which use to be my young servant." He would say before turning around, "Kind of a loner." And with that sea waves enveloped around him carrying him back to the other dimension....

Cain would simply nod, and turn away from the god as he vanished. "Most of us are," he mused. "Perhaps she is more a God than I have thought."

In another universe, people were still drowning and trying so hard to hold on to the fallen parts of their homes. Elodie was still standing on the roof holding on to Finn, who felt like he was going to hop out of her arms. Wooden planks were sinking but Omoikane and Otohime flew around trying to keep them afloat, soon the citizens were starting to get impatient once Elodie placed Finn on the rooftop trying to balance the rooftop house shoes and all on her swollen feet. "We'll be okay Finn, I will always protect you." She said to the whimpering puppy as the rooftop almost tilted causing Finn to almost slid into the water. Elodie felt a woman's hand on the rooftop, "Please give me and my two sons this rooftop, we need to live through this dreadful tsunami!" Elodie turned around seeing that the woman had a slobbering toddler in her hand and a boy that looked no older than five or six swimming behind his mother. Then more people noticed the rooftop, they begun to abandoned the rafts and swam over with interest. 

"Sweetheart! If you give me that rooftop, I will pay you over 1000 yen!"

"Please dear, my children are dying..!"


"Young lady, if you don't give me that rooftop I will chop off you and you rat's head!"

There was pleads, threats, and they were getting even more desperate as more people swam over. Then the pushing and shoving came, a young woman grabbed a teenage boy's head and pulled him under water, Two men were thrashing fighting in the high river, A teeth flew in the air, an eye was stabbed, and there was more splashes in the water. Elodie watched all of this but heard a loud bark as Finn was grabbed by a younger boy, "HEY! D-D-Don't touch my d-dog!" She yelled, she started to sweat as she reached out to grab the boy. All of a sudden, she felt a hand grab her ankle and yank forward with a scream her back hit hard on the brick rooftop as she was dragged to the high rivers as a lot of people stepped over her to get on the rooftop, "FINN! OMOIKANE, HELP ME!!" She shrieked as she was pulled underwater...

Time was stopped, everything froze as Elodie swam up to resurface. Everyone was frozen except for Her, Otohime, and Omoikane, and her father had just arrived. "Get Finn, we are going to another world." He told her with a nonchalant expression. With grumble, Elodie gently picked Finn up she hated her father! She thought that he didn't care about anything! He smiled at Otohime and Omoikane, Before going Elodie ran over to Omoikane and Otohime giving them a hug. "Goodbye you t-two.. You were the best f-foster parents.." She said before bowing and running over to he father, as they both waved Otohime looked as if he was about to cry and Omoikane looked indifferent. "Safe Travels!" Omoikane yelled.

Elodie and Suijin would portal in silence, She didn't want to talk to him she didn't want to talk to anyone but Finn and maybe Omoikane even though he suggested the punishment. They finally made it to ION-XIX, Elodie would appear as small her dark hair was a mess and she was wearing floral printed footy pajamas holding Finn in her arms to keep him from hopping out of the strange man in front of them.. "Elodie, I would like you to meet Cain. Cain, this my child Elodie." Suijin would say. Elodie placed Finn on the ground and bowed down to him in respect with her eyes closed, she started to get nervous she didn't trust anyone but Finn and maybe Omoikane. "H-H-H-Hello..." She stuttered, slowly standing up and gasping at how tall the man was. She started to get afraid, Finn knew when Elodie was afraid so he started to bark at Cain.

Cain turned once more, facing the trio that now stood before him. Suijin had returned, a young girl and a puppy in his company. Cain drew an assumption as to who they were before Suijin spoke, but did not interrupt their introduction. As she bowed Cain approached, and as she stood back up he could see the fear in her eyes, etched into her presence. For but a brief instance, her fear became her identity and Cain allowed himself empathy. He extended his hand towards her despite the puppy's barking, and in spite of the girl's cowering. His hand stood briefly above her head, as though it were clutching something that weren't there. A mere moment later, a beautiful flower appeared in the hand, petals and colors that were ornate and alien in form but whose appearance would be entrancing.

"Fearful child of gods," Cain's voice seemed to lessen in severity, "be not afraid. Be at peace that you have a passing moment's protection from me, and that you and your companion are welcomed here." She would still need to reach up to grab the flower because of Cain's massive size, but perhaps the peace-offering would calm her down. He turned his head towards Suijin. "I have contacted the one who presides over Radix... he grants blessing to her entry. She is safe to travel."

Elodie watched as a flower appeared in his hand, she nodded when he told her not to be afraid. Her attention span turned to the portal beside the god, Where did that lead too? Her blurry vision started to worry her as her hands flew up to her face, Where are my glasses? She thought as her hands moved around her face.. Suijin smiled at Cain, "Thank you so much, Cain," He said as he pulled his daughter's glasses out of his pocket and overly cleaning them hoping they were dirty or had any residue. "I appreciate this, alot.. But is there anything I can do to return the favor?" Suijin would place the glasses on Elodie's face which caused her to flinch.

After her father would ask this question, Elodie stood on her tiptoes and jumped up to grab the flower but due to her small height she easily gave up, she also wasn't sure if the god even washed his huge hands.. "I-I'm going to take my leave..." She said as she bowed to her father and Cain a whole bunch of times before nervously running into the portal, Finn following behind her turning to give Suijin a loud bark and hopping into the portal. "Ha," Suijin exclaimed. "He still hates me for turning him into a dog, wretched servant trying to poison me with seafood and he never washed my dishes..." He scoffed before turning back to Cain.

Cain merely shook his head. "I ask not for anything in return. Merely her safety, and your patience." Cain's gaze lingered on the young girl who bowed nervously over and over, and he let her proceed with the practice to her desired level of comfort. As she spoke nervously once more, announcing her leave Cain merely nodded at her, his eyes locked into the world she now was set to journey to. With a bark, her canine companion journeyed into the portal with her, and as they vanished from view it snapped shut. He turned his gaze once more to Suijin. 

"That world is a unique place," he began. "While there are crime and strife of many kinds, there is no war. In general, poverty is not an issue. The being that watches over that world does so with great care, though he and I are of like minds in terms of management of it's people. Your daughter, while there, will learn to control her powers. The peculiarity of the world's magic will make it so." He turned away from the god, staring once more over the vastness of Nyst. Worlds upon worlds within the dimension, and all the dimensions in his region beyond. Cain's eyes were everywhere. "Is there something else you will require? I will do my best to assist."

Suijin was glad that Omoikane led him to Cain, or else his daughter would suffer a severe punishment. "No, nothing else," Suijin would say with a light nod not wanting to feel helpless. "Well I wish you good day, Cain." He was still worried about the strife and crime in the universe his daughter and his serv- her dog stepped into but with that he disappeared surrounded by sea waves to his own home knowing that he had a worried wife there waiting for him..

(Exit)