11-14-2009, 09:22 PM
“WHAT THE FUCK?!”
To Kaden, that seemed like a perfectly reasonable question. As if being in a deserted city with no idea where he was going wasn’t bad enough, he had just been randomly teleported to a completely different area of said deserted city. At least, before, Ashe had told him they were headed in the direction of the Mountain Sector. Now he… had no idea.
As the first sunlight of dawn broke between the city’s skyline, Kaden sighed and threw his back against the nearest building. As light slowly crept over him, Kaden closed his eyes and tried to simply clear his mind. Sadly, that had never gone well for the courier. His thoughts drifted from one place to another: the idea of fighting in Dante’s Abyss, worry over hurting someone he knew, trying to find another bunker before he exploded, whether or not being “dusted” would actually kill him, how much control Damon Dukes had over the event, what kind of person Dukes was, what kind of person he was for wanting to beat the living hell out of someone he had never met…
“Just… stop,” Kaden’s voice was barely more than a whimper as he brought a hand to his head. “Please.”
Though he wanted nothing more than to simply stare at the sidewalk below him, Kaden’s eyes found themselves drifting towards the hand hanging at his side. Small flecks of blood dotted his knuckles, sending another wave of grief, concern, and general misery through his mind. He could still feel the impact of his fist against Ashe’s features.
Before their “fight,” Kaden’s foremost concern had been that Dukes might simply “dust” him for not wanting to participate. Unfortunately for Dukes, Kaden would have given his life a hundred times over before hurting a friend for his amusement. Damon, however, had proved to be just as cunning as he was a vicious, cold-hearted son of a bitch.
While there was still a long way to go before Kaden claim mastery over manipulating his energy, he knew his own strengths. As Damon – as he held his hand before Ashe, poised to deliver a finishing blow, there had been no holding back. All of his power had been brought forth, and there had not been a single thing Kaden could do to stop it. His hand still tingled from the surge of power that had been channeled into it.
“Hey Damon!” Kaden screamed at the city. “FUCK YOOOOOOOOU!”
That was perfect. Throwing a fit would certainly teach Dukes a thing or two. He might as well hold his breath while he was at it. Angered at his own impotence, Kaden bashed the back of his head against the building behind him. The host of Dante’s Abyss had made himself perfectly clear, there was not a doubt in the courier’s mind. If he continually refused to fight, Damon would just do it for him. To be forced to watch his own body kill a friend against his will was more than Kaden’s increasingly fragile psyche would be able to withstand.
In the next several minutes, minutes which seemed to span for days, Kaden did not move. His breathing slowed, his eyelids drooped… he felt himself slowly go numb. Again. Normally Kaden found refuge in such numbness. Damon had managed to take even that from him. Now the courier found himself wondering what atrocious act would next pierce the foggy veil he had thrown over his mind. Certainly there would be one.
Bringing his hand up to his collar, Kaden let a finger trace around the edge of the lone button on its surface. The “game over” button. It had been described in the booklet Kaden had retrieved from the bunker. He could end everything as soon as he got to another bunker. It was far more tempting than it should have been. Doubt, however, would stay the courier’s hand. The booklet had described the button simply as a way to “leave” the tournament. Given what he had already experienced, Kaden was hesitant to think it would do anything other than kill him.
As thought of the booklet worked their way into his mind, Kaden let his eyes wander about his surroundings. Only a couple yards off, laying in the middle of the street, was the courier bag with supplies from the bunker. At the very least he would have something to eat and drink, though that prompted the concern that Ashe might not. Hopefully the girl had enough to be able to make it to another bunker.
“Another bunker…” Kaden silently reminded himself. “I… can’t stay here, can I?”
Asking himself answers he already knew the answers to seemed odd, but lifted his spirits slightly. Pushing off of the building, Kaden scooped up his courier’s bag and slung it over his shoulder. With no real direction in mind, he began walking. His steps felt heavy, and he moved slow, but he was moving nonetheless.
To Kaden, that seemed like a perfectly reasonable question. As if being in a deserted city with no idea where he was going wasn’t bad enough, he had just been randomly teleported to a completely different area of said deserted city. At least, before, Ashe had told him they were headed in the direction of the Mountain Sector. Now he… had no idea.
As the first sunlight of dawn broke between the city’s skyline, Kaden sighed and threw his back against the nearest building. As light slowly crept over him, Kaden closed his eyes and tried to simply clear his mind. Sadly, that had never gone well for the courier. His thoughts drifted from one place to another: the idea of fighting in Dante’s Abyss, worry over hurting someone he knew, trying to find another bunker before he exploded, whether or not being “dusted” would actually kill him, how much control Damon Dukes had over the event, what kind of person Dukes was, what kind of person he was for wanting to beat the living hell out of someone he had never met…
“Just… stop,” Kaden’s voice was barely more than a whimper as he brought a hand to his head. “Please.”
Though he wanted nothing more than to simply stare at the sidewalk below him, Kaden’s eyes found themselves drifting towards the hand hanging at his side. Small flecks of blood dotted his knuckles, sending another wave of grief, concern, and general misery through his mind. He could still feel the impact of his fist against Ashe’s features.
Before their “fight,” Kaden’s foremost concern had been that Dukes might simply “dust” him for not wanting to participate. Unfortunately for Dukes, Kaden would have given his life a hundred times over before hurting a friend for his amusement. Damon, however, had proved to be just as cunning as he was a vicious, cold-hearted son of a bitch.
While there was still a long way to go before Kaden claim mastery over manipulating his energy, he knew his own strengths. As Damon – as he held his hand before Ashe, poised to deliver a finishing blow, there had been no holding back. All of his power had been brought forth, and there had not been a single thing Kaden could do to stop it. His hand still tingled from the surge of power that had been channeled into it.
“Hey Damon!” Kaden screamed at the city. “FUCK YOOOOOOOOU!”
That was perfect. Throwing a fit would certainly teach Dukes a thing or two. He might as well hold his breath while he was at it. Angered at his own impotence, Kaden bashed the back of his head against the building behind him. The host of Dante’s Abyss had made himself perfectly clear, there was not a doubt in the courier’s mind. If he continually refused to fight, Damon would just do it for him. To be forced to watch his own body kill a friend against his will was more than Kaden’s increasingly fragile psyche would be able to withstand.
In the next several minutes, minutes which seemed to span for days, Kaden did not move. His breathing slowed, his eyelids drooped… he felt himself slowly go numb. Again. Normally Kaden found refuge in such numbness. Damon had managed to take even that from him. Now the courier found himself wondering what atrocious act would next pierce the foggy veil he had thrown over his mind. Certainly there would be one.
Bringing his hand up to his collar, Kaden let a finger trace around the edge of the lone button on its surface. The “game over” button. It had been described in the booklet Kaden had retrieved from the bunker. He could end everything as soon as he got to another bunker. It was far more tempting than it should have been. Doubt, however, would stay the courier’s hand. The booklet had described the button simply as a way to “leave” the tournament. Given what he had already experienced, Kaden was hesitant to think it would do anything other than kill him.
As thought of the booklet worked their way into his mind, Kaden let his eyes wander about his surroundings. Only a couple yards off, laying in the middle of the street, was the courier bag with supplies from the bunker. At the very least he would have something to eat and drink, though that prompted the concern that Ashe might not. Hopefully the girl had enough to be able to make it to another bunker.
“Another bunker…” Kaden silently reminded himself. “I… can’t stay here, can I?”
Asking himself answers he already knew the answers to seemed odd, but lifted his spirits slightly. Pushing off of the building, Kaden scooped up his courier’s bag and slung it over his shoulder. With no real direction in mind, he began walking. His steps felt heavy, and he moved slow, but he was moving nonetheless.
Quote:Kaden moves from City Sector to Forest Sector
![[Image: Kaden2.jpg]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v403/Nezumi16/Sigs/Kaden2.jpg)
"It's on my brain, driving me insane. It's on my mind, all of
the time, and if it left... I would be fine."