Awan stared in horror at her husband's tortured face, his vacant black eyes staring back at her. His hands were covered in the blood of his brother whose body lay dying at his feet. The odd jawbone-shaped blade still stuck in Abel's chest.
'Cain,' she whispered in horror, 'what have you done?'
His black eyes bore into her but he said nothing. He stooped and pulled the blade from the body, wiping it clean on the animal skin covering his legs. 'I saved him,' he finally said, his voice no longer the gentle sound that warmed her heart. He heard the cold and distant tone produced from his throat. He suddenly felt regret with the choice he'd made, staring at the woman before him. Her soft dark skin, her dark hair and her bright green eyes no longer his to have as comfort. He hardened his resolve, wishing this moment could be finished quickly.
'I don't understand,' she said. 'How could you have saved him by killing him?' She couldn't make sense of what her husband had done. He was normally a gentle man with his large, calloused hands from tilling the land. She looked into his wide-set eyes, wishing for the return of their normal bright blue color. She wished she could remove the streaks of blood from his long, dark hair, remove the taint of evil from his form.
'He wasn't talking with the Lord Our God,' he replied, the cold tone stronger this time. 'He was talking to the Fallen One, Lucifer. He had sold his soul. He was going to Hell.'
He turned to face her again. The blade was finally sheathed and stuck into the rope at his waist. She saw the angry red mark on his right arm and looked back up to his black eyes.
'I couldn't let that happen to him. He's my brother. So, I took his place.' He told her and held out the arm with the red mark shaped similar to the blade he'd held. One line travelled along his arm, with small lines growing out of it, like teeth. A final, longer line was at the end of the bottom line, forming what looked like the side of a box. 'I took on his curse, but to do so, I had to kill him. Now, he has gone to Heaven, and I will go to Hell for what I have done.' He shook his head, wishing the sight of her didn't make his choice so difficult. He'd thought he'd be able to take his brother's place with ease. Staring into her green eyes broke his heart and his hands itched, wishing to touch her swollen belly growing the life inside her they'd created through their love.
She held back the sob that wished to escape from her as her heart broke. Her love, her partner, the father of the babe growing within her, was gone. His blackened eyes proved he was already in Hell, already given over to the evil the taking of his brother's life had produced. She wouldn't let him go without a fight.
'What happens now?' she asked, afraid of his response. 'Where will we go? When the others see what you have done…'
'I am leaving. You will stay here.' He spoke harshly, his throat tightening in response to the clenching in his heart. Her love for him nearly destroyed his resolve. He'd known the moment he'd taken the Mark of the curse from Lucifer, the ability to wield the First Blade, the sacrifice to save his brother had also meant leaving this woman who had pledged herself to him, had loved him and the child they'd been so happy to find they were expecting.
'No!' She exclaimed. The fear of losing him clutched at her heart, making her feel weak. 'You are my husband. We made a vow before God, we are united through everything.' She looked at his black eyes, anger at his decision making her bold. She grabbed his hand and held it in hers. 'I will go where you go. We will share this burden together. I will help you.'
'You cannot!' He said harshly, struggling to maintain control over the anger and evil starting to build inside him. He could feel the voice starting to whisper in his brain…it wanted him to hurt her, stop her breath, stop her heart and watch her die. He could feel himself wanting to give in.
He clutched her to him, his hand at her throat, feeling the swell of her stomach between them. He kissed her, watching her face as her eyes closed at the touch of his lips and a tear fell from them, rolling down onto her lips. He tasted the salt of her pain as he kissed her again. 'I love you Awan.'
He pulled away and without warning his hand started to tighten around her throat. The thought of her living without him, raising their child away from him fed his anger and he felt his grip grow tighter.
She opened her eyes and looked into the black pools of the man she'd vowed to love and obey in the eyes of God. She clutched at his hand, clawing to get breath to her body. Her thoughts sped toward the child in her womb, the attack on her affecting them both.
'Cain' she gasped. 'Please….our…child…'she begged with what little air she had left. The face in front of her smiled smugly and her vision began to blur. The black eyes were growing bigger, engulfing her in their depths.
Her pain fed him, enabling him to ignore her struggled plea for the life inside her. A small part of him begged for her release, but was easily quieted. The Mark of the curse, the call of the Blade so strong already, his thirst for death begged to be quenched with the taking of her soul. He smiled broader as he felt her slip further away from this life.
She struggled against the tightening grip and silently prayed to the God she believed loved her and the man trying to bring her life to an end. She begged to God for the life of her child. She swore an oath to God, pledging her life and the lives of her children to stopping the curse that had torn her family apart before it could even begin, if He saved them. For she knew that it wasn't the man clutching her throat who wanted to kill her, he was the current tool the Curse had chosen to use. His brother had failed in rejecting temptation and Cain had been made to suffer instead, to sacrifice his love and his family.
Suddenly, the ground shook around them violently. Cain released her and she fell, gasping and choking for air, a struggle made even more difficult by the dust thrown into the air around them by the shaking Earth. Cain finally lost his balance and fell hard next to her.
He shook his head and for a moment, his eyes became the light blue she'd always known. He smiled at her for just a second and she saw again the man she'd fallen in love with. Her heart warmed at the sight of his eyes until the black came rushing back to them and he stood, a hand raising to strike her as she lay at his feet, still struggling to breath.
Cain started to lower his hand to her beautiful face when he felt himself being thrown backwards through the air, landing some twenty feet away from his pregnant wife. He shook himself off and stood staring as his dying brother rose to his feet with glowing blue eyes and a long, solid, diamond-shaped silver blade in his hand. He smiled, the curse providing him with the knowledge of who stood before him.
'Gabriel' he stated, his lips curling into a cruel smile, the jawbone weapon, the First Blade already in his hand. 'You've come to protect a mortal?'
The angel Gabriel, the fourth of the Watchers, stared at the mortal man in front of him and frowned at how quickly he could see the man's soul was being consumed by the dark curse. He knew that had been Lucifer's true intent in speaking with Abel, to rid him of the curse that held the Darkness, to convince the mortal man to take the curse from him. It was the first step in Lucifer's plan to be released from his eternal prison. Abel had never been given the chance to take the curse as Cain had made the deal to save his brother from endless suffering. Cain had been the better choice, the stronger and sturdier soul, which now fed the curse and locked the Darkness away…for now.
The Darkness would not be sated forever. It was a power unknown to all, but eventually would be discovered, sniffed out by good or evil and how it would be used, God would not say. He would only say that a better way must be found to bind it. If they could not find that way, The Darkness would break free and the Angels would be called upon to battle it away again, if they could. They had almost lost the first time they'd sent their army against it. Then, a glimmer of hope had come.
Gabriel turned to the woman at his feet, his expression changing to one of polite curiousness. This woman, Awan, had pledged herself and those that would come forth into this world, beget from this union of love between her and Cain and before God. She had pledged herself into service to defeating the Darkness, now held inside the man that she loved. The instant the oath had been lifted to God; He had dispatched Gabriel into the almost-dead form of Abel to save the woman and the babes inside her. For Awan was carrying two lives inside of her, a boy and a girl, and both would be saved as acceptance of the woman's gift.
Gabriel offered the woman his hand. When she accepted it a jolt went through him, a feeling he'd only ever experienced before when he directly heard the word of His Father in his ear. It was a feeling of love. He was startled by it as he'd never through of a human, a mortal in this way before. Not that he'd met many of them. There weren't all that many on the Earth yet.
'Your pledge has been accepted, your souls are saved.' He said to her, not wanting to seal this covenant with her, knowing the dangers that would be ahead for her and the generations of her children to come. 'I have come as a messenger of God to deliver you from this evil.'
Awan stared at the dead man with the glowing eyes as he helped her to her feet and sobbed as understanding sprouted within her. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she held the hand of the Angel and focused on the man who had been her husband.
'I love you Cain. I will never stop loving you. I have promised to stop this curse you have taken, and I will, no matter how long it takes. Someday, I will save you. We will be together again, the family we were supposed to be.' She longed for the black eyes that held her gaze to show something in response, to show that he even recognized the love she still held for him.
Cain heard her words and shook his head, the cruel smile on his face turning colder. 'If you come near me again, Awan, I will not hesitate to take your life, Angel or no Angel. You are useless to me now, unless you are dead. That is the only way you can help me now.' He no longer saw love, only pain. He no longer yearned for the child they'd created, only the ending of life. The Darkness had consumed him.
He strode towards his wife and the Angel, the First Blade in his hand and the thirst for blood in his heart. He felt himself being slammed backwards through the air again, but rose to his feet quickly, ready to attack again.
Awan felt Gabriel touch her left arm near the elbow and a searing pain struck her there and quickly disappeared. She looked down and saw on her skin a mark made of two lines. One line appeared to go up and down and the other line started at the top of the first and went along the line of her arm going slightly upwards in an angle. The top line was as long as her first finger and the bottom line was half that size.
The mark on her arm looked like the mark on Cain's arm without the small teeth-like lines along the bottom line of his mark. Her mark was a bright white instead of the dark red of his. The angle and direction of her mark made it look like it would cover Cain's if they were drawn together, creating a box between their two marks with the small lines along the bottom of his in the center of the box.
Gabriel thrust the oddly shaped silver blade into her hand and spoke to her. 'You have been Blessed by God and will be able to wield the powers of an Angel when needed. You will never be understood or accepted and will always be hunting for the Mark of Cain, the curse of the First Blade. This blade' he indicated the silver weapon in her hand, 'can only be used by one with the Mark of Awan, the wife of Cain, the White Witch.' He touched her head and sent the gift God had given to him for her into her mortal soul.
Awan felt the power surge through her, felt the love of her God surround her and fill her, leaving only open the space in her heart where she still held the love for her husband, Cain. It was this that would carry her through, she understood. It was this God would leave her to allow her to fulfill her promise, even if it wasn't within her lifetime. She looked up to the Heaven's, tears streaming down her face, and closed her eyes. 'Thank you,' she said.
She opened her eyes to see Gabriel looking at her in a very peculiar way and over his shoulder, Cain speeding towards them again, blade raised to strike the dead man in his path. She pushed Gabriel out of the way and raised the solid silver blade to meet Cain's swing as he brought the First Blade down where Gabriel had been standing.
'NO!' Cain screamed, a crazy shriek coming from his mouth. 'You will never stop me.'
'I will,' she replied, calmly. A white hot strength ran through her as she raised her blade to meet his. The strength of his strike vibrated through her arms. She let go with one hand and raised it to his chest and pushed, sending him flying through the air, much like the Angel had done. 'But, not today.'
She nodded at Gabriel, the knowledge of the plan having entered her mind when the Angel had given her God's blessing. She looked at Cain one more time. 'I will always love you my husband. I hope someday that you will be able to remember that.'
Cain looked at her from across the dry land. 'I will strike you down today so that there will be nothing to remember.' He felt the bloodlust within him, crying out for her. She would lose this battle today. He started to run at her. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Angel snap his fingers…
And he was falling, down a wooded slope, landing in a muddied stream. He looked around and saw no one near him and daylight appeared to be fading. It was as it had been told to him by Lucifer. He was cursed to walk the Earth alone. His body still yearned for the life of the woman who had fought against him.
'Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!' he cried as the darkness slowly crept in around him.
Awan stared at the empty spot in the sand where Cain had been just seconds before. She released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Suddenly, pain struck her swollen belly and she dropped to her knees crying out.
Gabriel knelt beside her. He knew what was happening, but hadn't expected it so soon after he had vanquished the Cain to the other side of the Earth. He looked up to Heaven, waiting for instructions. He was unsure if he was to stay for this event or if he was to return to his watching. He felt Awan grab his hand and squeeze it tightly, an act that would be very painful for the average mortal.
'Help me, please…'Awan cried to the Angel, tugging at his hand. She felt herself fall backwards, could feel movement in her belly. It was happening so fast. Was this normal? 'I don't know…'
Gabriel moved in front of her, unsure himself of what to do, but having seen the births of Cain and Abel, he used his knowledge as best he could. The babies were coming quickly almost as if they were being forced out by the gift of power Awan had been given. The crown of the first child was already coming out as Awan cried out in pain, her body having no time to adjust to the calamitous act it was participating in.
A minute later the baby was in Gabriel's arms crying. Awan cried out as she realized a second child was coming. 'Two? How…I don't understand?' she cried out again. She looked toward the Angel holding her child and saw the child had been cleaned and covered in soft animal fur. She began to pant as she felt the same movements from minutes before rippling through her body.
Gabriel placed the boy child on the ground as he prepared for the next birth. He looked at Awan with a renewed curiosity. He felt that warm sensation of love as he watched her bring forth the second child. He glanced at the boy on the ground, wailing against the strangeness around him. He felt the face of the almost dead body he wore smile as the warmth continued to grow in him. Was he falling in love with humans? He was supposed to watch only, bring messages when instructed. He was not supposed to participate and yet here he was, grasping a second child from the womb of this strong and surprising woman whose love for Gabriel's Father, her God, matched his own. That she could hold the same love for a mortal as well intrigued him to no end. He felt bound to her now through the sharing of this act, by bringing life into this world.
Awan felt the life release from her and her body slowly ceased its convulsive movements. She saw her second child being held in the Angel's arms and again the child was covered with skins and clean. This child was not howling, but quiet. Content to be in the arms of the being that had caught it from its safe haven. She felt too weak to move to comfort the babe still crying, her heart still trying to reconcile all that had happened in so short a time in this day.
Gabriel looked at her, his eyes still a glowing blue. He reached out his hand and touched her forehead again, removing the exhaustion and pain that had come from her unnatural birthing speed. He saw her close her eyes and accept the comfort he provided.
When she opened her eyes, she looked at him and then sat up, reaching for the child on the ground. She removed the skins covering her and instinctively knew her son was hungry. Without knowing why, she removed the covering over her breast and held him to her, unsurprised when he began to suckle, instantly quieting.
'How did you know?' the Angel asked her.
She looked up at him surprised. 'I don't know. How do you not know?'
He looked at her almost embarrassed. 'I've only seen a birth twice before. I'm supposed to watch, but even I don't see everything. You…you are stronger than I believed mortals to be.'
'You are not a mortal, are you?' Awan asked him. She did not fear his response. He had saved her many times this day. She had no reason to believe he would bring her harm.
'I am an Angel, one of the Watchers. My name is Gabriel.' He told her. He was surprised he was being allowed to answer questions. He had expected to be called back and reprimanded by now. He found that he was happy to not have to leave. He was enjoying this woman and these children. The girl child lay content in his arms, not moving, her eyes clasped closed. She appeared at peace after her ordeal of being born.
'Why are you in the body of a dead man?'
'He is not fully dead and was a compatible host. He agreed to let me enter him in the hopes to save his brother as a thank you for his sacrifice. God let me come to you because of the promise you made to Him. I could not come to you in my true form. You would die if you saw that.' He told her, again surprised with the ease with which he spoke to her.
She nodded, accepting the information he gave her without reservation. She had faith in her God and would not doubt the messenger that He had sent to assist her. She felt the boy begin to slow in his feeding. 'Where is Cain?'
'He was sent East, as I was instructed. He will not come for you or your children, I promise. The First Blade, the Mark, they will recognize the power that you have, the potential to control their thirst for blood or even to stop it. He will not seek you out to harm you again, I think.' Gabriel regarded her as she listened to his words. None of this seemed to surprise her. She was so accepting of the fate her oath had given her. 'However, he may seek to control you once he comes to understand the power you now hold. He may try to turn you into a demon. Because, that is what he has become, a demon. And you, your bloodline, will be the only one that will ever be able to control the demon inside of him or anyone else that ever wears the Mark.'
'What is the power I was given? Why?' she asked, suddenly timid. The boy slept in her arms as the girl began to stir in his. She snuggled the boy close for a moment then handed the babe to him as she took the girl to her breast. The tiny human immediately began feeding and Awan focused on Gabriel again, her face expectant. She was waiting for an answer.
He remembered what God said to him as he was about to go to Awan's side. 'It is her love. The equal love for me and for him that she has in her heart, that power may be the only thing that can defeat The Darkness. Make her strong Gabriel. She is to be given enough Grace to match the love in her heart. This will keep her bloodline strong enough to be able to fight when the time comes. For the time will come too often I fear.'
Gabriel repeated the words God had said to him, to her and she forced herself to focus on them. She closed her eyes and willed away the image of Cain holding her by her throat as he took away her breath, almost destroying their family in a single act. She looked at the sleeping male child in Gabriel's arms and knew that he and any children born of him would never be harmed or at risk of the promise she'd put on her blood. He would be happy and content in his life, good and simple. She smiled, unsure again of how she knew that her feelings would be made real.
Then she looked at the girl at her breast, suckling slowly. This child would bear the brunt of the servitude set before her family line. Those and all born from her would be affected until the Darkness was controlled or defeated, or her bloodline was dead. A tear rolled down her cheek and she kissed the babe on the top of her soft head. 'I'm sorry Embeth,' she said, calling the child by a name she hadn't realized she'd chosen. 'I'm sorry for the path you must follow, the task you must carry out. Please remember always, that you were born of love, both in this world and in this quest.'
The child gurgled and then went silent. Her tiny eyes opened for a minute and Awan swore that they were the brilliant blue of her father's staring up at her and then the eyes closed and the babe nodded off to sleep.
'What will you name him? Gabriel asked her, his face an expression of mild anticipation.
'Enoch,' she replied, leaning over and placing a gentle kiss on the boy's head. She returned her gaze to Gabriel's borrowed face, a thought coming to her. A shudder of fear ran through her body. 'You cannot stay, can you?'
He shook his head, feeling sad that he could not remain with her. He wanted to stay with her and the newborn mortals. He wanted to do more than watch them grow. He wanted to be a participant in their process. He wanted to stay with this woman and help her in the coming journey. He…wanted, which was not what an Angel was supposed to do.
Awan watched as Gabriel handed Enoch back to her and stood. His face went through various phases before he responded to her question. 'No, I…cannot. I wish…I wish I could though. I would like to stay with you.'
She smiled at him and he felt the warm feeling spread through his body again. 'I do not wish you to stay Gabriel,' she said and he felt disappointed by her words. 'I do wish to ask you for your help. Please, as an Angel, a watcher, you will see things. Watch over my children, please. Help them if they lose their way or if the demons find them. You were sent by God to protect me. Keep my children safe. Hide them from Cain until the time is right and the battle must be fought. Please.'
He looked at her pleading face, the tears in her eyes. He knew he could not refuse. He would watch over her children until the day came that he could not. He realized that in this short time he had come to love this woman as much as he loved his Father. He would agree to any request she had for the rest of his life.
'I promise.' He said and touched her face before he left the body of Abel, the first man to be murdered.
Awan watched the body of Abel crumple to the ground. She knew that Gabriel would keep his promise and would watch over her children for the rest of his days. Somehow, Embeth, or one of her offspring, would save Cain, the man who had sacrificed himself for his brother. Somehow, they would stop The Darkness; make the Mark and The First Blade become tame.
She stood and began walking towards the home she had shared with Cain. Sunlight glinted off something at the rope she hadn't seen tied round her waist. The diamond shaped solid silver blade dangled there. She would find a way to keep it safe until it was needed again. She would keep them all safe, she knew.
And somehow, someday, she would be reunited with her love again. Cain would be saved, they would be together again and The Darkness would be kept at bay.