Gunblade - The Rebellion of Cain

Chapter 8 - Resolution of Vengeance

Esai had taken to visiting the building he placed Cain in routinely to determine if the shell of the man had taken hold of his senses and embraced the opportunity that had befallen him. While it had been a number of weeks since he had returned, he was eager to see what state Cain was in. He was now a rogue assassin, fleeing from one of the most powerful crime organizations in the civilized world. Despite this seemingly insurmountable set of circumstances, where Cain saw sorrow and grief, Esai saw only saw opportunity and providence. While he understood what Cain was experiencing better than most, what he needed was a firm hand in order to set him on the path to toppling the organization that he had helped build with his own two hands.

He always had a strong belief in Cain and his abilities. The only task that lay ahead of him was to remind Cain of just how good he really was. Esai had crafted a strategy by which he would teach Cain to deal with the challenges of the emotional turmoil that had become his life as of late and to use it as fuel for his cause.

When Esai walked into his safe house, he was mildly surprised. At his age, nothing truly shocked him, but he was unprepared for what he witnessed upon venturing into the dilapidated safe house. Sprawled on the floor in front of him, Cain lay shirtless on his stomach. Originally, Esai thought he had done something to himself, but he realized seconds later that he was resting on a single hand with his left arm clasped behind his back. Cain was working his way through a set of one-handed pushups. Esai noticed that the pool soaking the mat was sweat instead of blood and that Cain looked up at him now with an intense fire in his eyes as he continued his exercise without interruption.

Just beyond the mat, the Sword of Cain, his ceremonial weapon, was once again perched respectfully in its traditional, ornate berth. It was carefully placed on the glass centerpiece table in the main living space of the cavernous room. On the table next to his weapon, what appeared to be a nine millimeter semi-automatic pistol lay in pieces as Cain seemed to have taken to cleaning it along with an impressive cache of ballistic weapons he had carried with him from the tactical teams he dispensed weeks earlier.

Cain finished and rose from the floor to directly facing Esai. He bravely dared to look the Elder directly in the eye. Normally, such an act of hubris and arrogance would warrant death. In the natural order of things, Esai was an Elder while Cain was merely an implement or tool. However, what Cain was subtly communicating was that he now was his own master. All the former traditions of respect, honor and deference no longer bound him. He was truly free of the Triumvirate, a privilege which he had paid a heavy price for. Esai felt a radiating and palpable energy consisting of raw power and anger emanating within Cain. It like someone had reignited a blast furnace deep within the man, bringing his confidence, resolution and drive back to him all at once. Esai was pleased but attempted to hide it. Much was said between the two without speaking. Finally, Esai broke the silence, returning Cain's white-hot gaze of determination with one of his own.

"I see a man behind those eyes again. Are you ready?" he asked.

"Yes," Cain replied simply.

To Cain, time seemed to pass more rapidly as he threw himself into his training. Keeping to the regimen he had when he regarded himself as a Triumvirate Sword, he took to the routine with renewed fervor, pushing himself harder and longer than he ever had before. He managed to contain the rage within himself, abandoning his emotional avoidance routines and instead applied an immeasurable amount of discipline to release his rage in small amounts when he desired.

Thus, he soon began to demonstrate to Esai that he controlled the emotion instead of letting it control him. Esai remained nothing short of silently impressed at the physical and mental transformation that Cain had undertaken. He managed to grow metaphorical scar tissue over deep physical and emotional wounds that would have crippled the average person. Esai felt his strength and conviction when he was in his presence as Cain grew more powerful with the passing of each day. By Cain's own estimation, he had surpassed his capabilities the night his wife was killed and continued to grow.