It was a beautiful day under the twin suns of Orion.
The valley was awe-inspiring display of vibrant green. Flowers of red, blue, and orange cover the land. The wind push through the grass in synchronicy of the doves that pierced the sky above. Herds rested to the relaxing sounds of waterfalls.
But peace can only last for so long, death was comin'
Kael Ashin walked across the valley with his son, Moro, no older than seven, his usually flowing long white hair was tied in a bun, his little hand clutched tight on his father's coat.
Across the field stood Cassian Rho, tall, long limbed, skin pale as bone, he was draped in black, his boots and spurs were spotless. His face was painted up like some clown from a carnival, ruby red eyes, and a haunting demonic grin.
Even from a distance, you could sense his nightmarish presence
Cassian's voice broke the silence
"Well, I'll be damned," he called. "Just who I was looking fa on this fine day. And ya brought the kiddo too. Ain't that somethin'? I get to blow ya brains out and traumatize ya boy. I reckon I'm one lucky son of a bitch today, Kael."
Kael didn't answer. His eyes were calm, fixed.
He turned to his son.
"Try to look away son. This will be over quick."
Cassian let out a wheezy laugh that turned even more deranged the longer it went.
"QUICK?! You take me for some lunatic that doesn't like to enjoy his kills. You know I love to draw things out."
Kael unsheathed his katana the long blade catching the twin suns, the words TO THE DEATH glinting along the steel.
"Another psychotic murderer," he said coldly.
Cassian grinned wider.
"You say that like it's an insult."
He drew his own curved blade and a polished revolver
"See, me? I'm just honest about what I am. You and me, same breed of dog.
You think the reason you kill is more justified than anyone else's. Ya ego finally caught up to you."
Kael was slightly annoyed as if he knew what Cassian spoke was the truth.
He steadied his stance.
"Prepare to die, Cassian."
Cassian winked. "Don't threaten me with a good time old man."
Their blades met with a violent clang. The valley once still was now met with motion. Flora and grass whipped into spirals as steel sparked, and screamed.
Kael's movements were clean, disciplined decades of mastery baked into precision.
Cassian's were chaotic, unreadable, all random, no reason.
"Ha-ha-HA!" Cassian barked between strikes. "C'mon now,! Are you truly the legend I've heard so much about. I ain't even sweat yet!"
Kael faked a striked low, and went high and for a fraction of a second, he had him. His blade grazed Cassian's chest, drawing a slight streak of blood.
Cassian only laughed.
"So close, yet so far.."
Then, too quick for the eye, Cassian feinted left and drove his sword straight through Kael's stomach. The blade swam through Kael's lungs and ended on the other side of his midsection.
Kael gasped a wet sound, blood spilled atop of the once lush grass. His sword dropped. He staggered, one hand clutching the wound, crimson ran between his fingers.
Cassian leaned close, voice soft and drawled.
"Well now… looks like the music's stoppin', partner."
Kael coughed, his mouth filling with red. His breathing began to slow.
"Please, Cassian…" he rasped. "Not in front of him. Please."
Cassian tilted his head. Then he turned to Moro. The boy frozen in time, tears streaking down his face.
He grinned.
"Ay, kid," he called out. "You watchin' dis?"
Kael tried to speak again. Maybe to plead, but Cassian didn't let him.
He drew his pistol, cocked it, and exclaimed,
"Bah-bye, Kael."
The gun cracked.
Kael's head snapped back, his body collapsing flat. The sound of the gunshot rang through out the valley.
Cassian began laughing again. This time high, shrill, and somehow even more insane than the last.
He fired again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
Each round drilled into Kael's skull, sending spatters of blood into the air. Cassian kept pulling the trigger long after the gun clicked empty, laughing so hard he could barely breathe. The aftermath was a frightening scene, Kael face was that of a red wet spot. Brain matter, bone fragments, and smoke accompanied it. His skull or what was left of it, had been made see through by the symphony of bullets Cassian directed.
The silence that followed was worse. It was as if the wind paused and the waterfalls were muted.
"WOOOOO!" he howled, voice echoing through the valley. "Not my cleanest work, but GODDAMN WHAT a finish!" He smacks his knee out of pure bliss of what he just accomplished
He twirled the revolver, blew the smoke from its barrel, and made his way over to Moro.
Cassian dropped down in front of the boy, legs crossed, fatherly as if he were sittin' with him at a campfire.
He lit a cigarette, the tip burned orange. Smoke danced around his painted face as he looked the young boy dead in his ocean blue eyes.
"I know ya don't wanna hear this, boy," he said, slow and even, "but ya pappy had it comin'. ya daddy was the big dog, the alpha, he needed to be put down. I'm afraid I was the man for the job. Fucked up, ain't it? It's a cycle I'm afraid. What a shame."
He took a long drag, blew smoke toward the boy.
"Take that sword. Train hard. Grow up big. Strong. Mean. Maybe one day you'll come lookin' for me. And if you ever find me."
Cassian leaned in close, his grin inches from Moro's blank, terrified stare.
"I'll make sure to splatter your brains just like I did ya daddy… That's if ya live long enough to let me… In this world who knows."
He patted the top of Moro's head and again another menacing grin
"Good luck."
He stood, dusted himself off, tipped his hat.
Then he turned and walked away through the blood-soaked grass, even more horrid laughter followed him.
"AH HAHAHAHAHA! HAHAHA YEE HAW!!!"
Moro knelt beside his father's body. The katana lay beside him, its blade reflecting the twin suns and for a moment, the reflection in that steel wasn't his own.
It was Cassian.
Above Moro, the twin suns were a bright yellow.
The valley that had been green an hour ago now added the sickening aroma of death and the vile color of blood.
Today Orion gave birth to another monster
THE INFINITE CIRCLE HAS BEGAN