Missed the last installment? Want to get caught up? Well you can find all of the previous chapters here. Enjoy!^_^
‘This is it.’
Leaping into the air she brought her fists up above her and with the full force of all of her being she brought them back down in a fatal blow, striking her sister. Flames exploded off of the strike, engulfing everything around them.
However, in the end blue flames met black ones.
But as it was for Raiyaka it was then that time seemed to slow to a stop, the mix of flames stirring up something she just could not explain…
‘….W-what?’
In her vision a figure approached her, its looming presence striking her nearly sick with fear. Her little legs gave way and with a small thump she fell to the ground. Through wide watery eyes she looked up and into the shadowed face of her assailant, that is until her vision became swathed in black flames. There was a screech as the figure stumbled back, and when Raiyaka opened eyes she did not remember closing she was staring into the back of a new, smaller, figure.
“Don’t you touch my sister!”
---
In real life Raiyaka had frozen mid-strike, her thoughts going wild while her body simply seemed to shut down. What the hell was that?
On the outside the hesitation was more than obvious and through the flames Zaiyaka watched her sister freeze, her frame still floating above her through the combined force of their continuing energies. But as it was Raiyaka remained motionless, and in Zaiyaka’s eye it was now or never.
Zaiyaka did not disappoint, grunting as she thrust upward, overpowering the force of her sister. With a heavy thump the muscular female hit the ground and within moments Zaiyaka was over her sister’s frame. However, it was her turn to hesitate when Raiyaka looked up at her with wide watery eyes, tears gathering just beyond the sea of fear that seemed out of place on her adult sister’s face. It was almost like….
“…Just like when we were kids….”
However, and as it was, that was all Zaiyaka was allowed to say. In a sudden rush she felt the breath being knocked out of her as she suddenly found herself being dragged backwards by an unseen force. A gurgled gasp escaped her from the ground, and although she began to fight it she just could not gather her wits, especially when she realized that the same force pulling her was also restricting her airway.
Her breath escaped her and with a panic that she hadn’t felt in years she realized that her breathing was becoming more and more labored, the force on her throat tightening with every foot she was pulled. With a desperate and searching hand on her throat, she soon realized the source of the tension. A lasso to the neck, and it was growing tighter and tighter, keeping her from getting a stable breath.
“Now men! Ambush her!”
There were voices, so many voices, as they all seemed to come closer. Suddenly faces ambushed her senses, men all over her as they pulled and tugged at her limps. One arm was apprehended, and then another, but her head buzzed, the lack of oxygen on her brain taking its toll. Fuzziness tickled the edges of her vision and thoughts but as the last of her was tied tightly to her body she was able to look up and into the eyes of her sister. With the last of her vision, she watched as her sister’s face changed, mutating from the child and loved one she cherished into the hard and callused face of the woman she could never know.
With the roped strangle on her throat unceasing and now with her entire body retrained, the fatigue from everything finally caught up with Zaiyaka.
Her raised head hit the ground with a thump as she blacked out.
------
With a small thump she watched has her sister’s head finally hit the ground. She was unconscious.
Around her the men’s struggles slowed to a stop as the tussle finally ended. Though their guard was never let down they all remained still from their various positions around her body, waiting, watching for any signs of fight let in the still figure. But with her continued unconsciousness the smiles plastered onto the faces of her assailants, the biggest grin of all being sported by their leader, Seth.
Seth, of whom still held the end of the rope that was still lassoed around her sister’s neck.
With a whoop he finally released his grip on the taunt rope, running over to join his comrades. Despite all of their uncertainties their plan had been a success. All that was left now was to bring the captured into town, and to their awaiting dungeon.
Raiyaka watched their celebration from the ground.
They were all so happy, so joyous, all of this because they had finally caught the monster, the one that had done so much harm to her and there village. She should have been glad as well, with this she would finally have justice. Her sister will be tried and then sentenced to death by their elders. Meanwhile, her life will be complete and her parents’ deaths will finally be avenged. Everything will finally be as they should be.
Well then why was she not celebrating with her comrades?
There was a screech as the figure stumbled back, but when Raiyaka opened eyes she did not remember closing, she was staring into the back of a new, smaller, figure.
“Don’t you touch my sister!”
The vision from before ran through her head. What was that? It had seemed so real like something that had actually happened, but as far as she was concerned that day was just not in her memory. It didn’t happen. But the feelings, the thoughts, everything she had seen; it still seemed too familiar...
“Raiyaka, are you coming?”
Blinking she focused on the scene before her. Seth, now with her unconscious and horrendously bound sibling hosted over his shoulder, watched her, his eyes showing signs of worry.
Raiyaka callused. He had nothing to be worried about.
With a practiced ease she cleared her face, pushing everything that had been worrying her away. This left her with the only thought that mattered. They had captured their monster, and now it was off to be tried and sentenced.
Gracefully she picked herself off of the ground and dusted herself off before gingerly joining her comrades with a nod.
Her mind said that this should be the best day of her life, but her heart said otherwise.
