Blinding pain transformed into a dull and slowly reversing ache, something Cain couldn't come to process right away. It took him a moment, took him a precious few seconds that the action happening right over his head was someone coming to his defense, blasting away the figment of Abel all the way down the hall like the doll that it truly was. His major injury healed first, the largest gouge in his abdomen beginning to close up by the time Cain was rolling unsteadily to his feet, arm still broken and pinpricks still lacing his body. He swayed, attention finally stolen from the unmoving form of his brother toward the spectacle of light and awe that Raine had become.

He stared dumbly for a moment, then a light smile graced his lips almost unbidden. "Nice trick," he commented, taking in all the ways that Raine had changed and had not. He didn't understand the significance but it was ethereal as it was beautiful and he wasn't so macho as to deny it. He was, however, a complete mess in comparison no matter that his wounds were beginning to close and evidence of the physical trauma was rapidly disappearing.

Whatever relief Cain felt didn't last for long. Behind him, robes beginning to tatter and fray thanks to the assault, Abel rose again like a puppet following its strings. He was entirely nonplussed at the attack despite the damage that could be seen through the slices on his robes, the things that couldn't be healed thanks to the origin of the attack, and he now was paying Raine an equal amount of attention as he had been Cain. "i see," he said. "you cannot even fight for yourself, Cain. always an empire or an army. or me. no matter what happens, you cannot save yourself."