However, Kain had not been in direct contact with Julian when the protective energy emerged. While Annie's grip on Julian's arm had created a connection that carried the strange force into her, Kain stood just beyond reach.
The burning sensation within Kain continued to build unchecked, the destructive energy coiling tighter and tighter within his body. His eyes then locked on his wife and son, watching them find relief while he alone remained trapped in escalating torment.
Julian saw the horror in his father's gaze and tried desperately to reach out, to extend that protective energy somehow but he had no control over the force that had saved him. He could only watch helplessly as the inevitable approached.
With a sound like thunder tearing through reality itself, Kain's body suddenly exploded.
