Ventus Populus
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She died in Beatriz’s arms. An unknown woman, so lost, so broken; torn down by life and completely without hope. Perhaps this is how most will end up in this rotten hell they call home.
Laying down the corpse, Beatriz had gotten what she’d come for, though she was anything but pleased. She’d heard the words, she now knew what had happened. A tragedy retelling a tragedy and now it all seemed a bit more impossible than ever before. Dark clouds covered the skies, it was a cold and silent night as Beatriz stood up from the stone floors of the church and looked up at the vaulted ceilings.
So much certainty for what laid below her but not enough for what hid itself away up above. Tragedy.
And that’s when she heard a voice that would end her somber little moment. Beatriz turned around to face the woman with the blood stained hair and the sadistic smirk.
“Well, it would’ve been easier to beat the info out of her but… I guess I can’t let myself get too lazy.” Kallianira laughed to herself.
Beatriz took another glimpse of the world she tried to outrun before deciding she tried and would keep trying for very good reason. Without reply or hesitation, Beatriz sped away from Kallianira, towards and up the stairs behind the small altar where the unknown woman had met her fate.
The assassin sighed.
“Then again, I do love it when they run.”
Kallianira chased after Beatriz. Much to her surprise, the odd woman was incredibly quick and easily outran her as they both spun up and around in the spiral staircase.
Then as soon as she reached the top, Beatriz sidestepped, picked up a loose brick from the ground and pressed herself up against the wall next to the stairwell hoping to get a surprise strike on her stalker. Perhaps she could even knock her back down to the bottom with enough force.
Beatriz took a deep breath; she hardened her resolve as she could hear the footsteps quickly closing in…
But then they stopped.
Beatriz’s heart was pounding, yet all else was silent. A few moments had passed and still the air was quiet… Had the faux-red haired woman suddenly disappeared? Beatriz carefully peeked out and down into the stairwell.
“I can hear your heartbeat.” Kallianira smugly said as she sheepishly stood there just a few feet away from Beatriz on the steps. She smirked.
“Interesting... How fast can you dodge?” Beatriz asked before leaning out and lunging the brick at her chaser. She ran off down the hall as Kallianira merely swiped the brick from mid-air.
“Ouch. Not fast enough...”
Without wasting any more time with her own twisted sense of humor, Kallianira stepped out of the stairwell and continued chasing after Beatriz.
“I didn’t know it was leg day... Get back here and fight me, you cunt!” Kallianira shouted as Beatriz dashed into a nearby room. She closed the door behind herself and propped it shut by jamming a nearby chair under the handle.
A loud thud could be heard as the door shook.
“Nowhere left to run, open this door!” Kallianira commanded.
“Do it or I’ll make you eat that brick!” she shouted.
She struck at the door until her fist finally broke through the wood with all that unnatural strength of hers. And yet, her arm quickly howled out in pain when Beatriz grabbed and slammed down on it with her own strike. Kallianira cried out as she recoiled.
“Fucking bitch!” she snapped. The assassin had also not expected Beatriz’s strength. What curious individuals they were.
The air again fell silent as Beatriz stood all alone inside the small, cramped room. Nervous and expecting the worst, she took a quick look around. Not much to be seen aside from the stuck chair, the empty table, and a wooden bookcase. A priest’s study most likely, yet it had long been abandoned; much like the rest of this old, stone church. Beatriz saw the stained glass window on the other end of this glorified closet and stepped closer…
Perhaps she could open-
The glass shattered into a thousand little colorful pieces as Kallianira lunged through it.
“Surprise.” she said as she picked herself up from the ground.
She looked rather proud of her little maneuver.
“I hate surprises.” Beatriz mocked as she reached out with a strike, which Kallianira easily dodged out of.
“How about the inevitable then?” Kallianira retorted as she landed her own blow into Beatriz’s stomach, causing her to stumble backwards against the little bookcase.
Kallianira pulled out a knife from the holster in her thigh.
“You, nailed against the wall and fucked to death like a dog.” Kallianira smirked. Beatriz frowned.
“I know who you are… I thought you were trying to redeem yourself.” she mocked.
“It’s a process.” Kallianira smirked before lunging forward. The blade got stuck into the wood of the bookcase as Beatriz narrowly stepped out of the way.
“Missed.” Beatriz taunted before striking Kallianira across the side of her face.
Kallianira responded by letting go of the blade and grabbing onto Beatriz’s neck instead. She squeezed hard as she pushed her victim back against the wall.
“Tell me what that girl told you before I really do have to get vicious.” Kallianira growled. Beatriz attempted to push her attacker’s hand off but her grip was much too strong and cruel like iron.
She could barely breathe.
“Fuck… you...”
Kallianira smiled.
“Alright, beatings it is then.” she said before letting go of Beatriz’s neck.
She punched her straight in the face; the nose shattered. Beatriz gasped out in pain as blood dripped. The powerful shock almost sent her sliding down the wall before Kallianira reached out to grab her by the neck again and lifted her up, back into place. She then repeated the process and struck once more, this time letting Beatriz collapse fully down onto the floor. The poor woman coughed out a lot of blood.
“What did she tell you, huh? Who are you anyway? Coterie?” Kallianira asked as she stood over her prey of the day.
“You’re... one to talk...” Beatriz gasped and sputtered. Kallianira let out an amused scoff.
“Well, it’s like you said… I’m redeeming myself. Here, let me show you how I do it.” she mocked before kicking Beatriz across the head. The woman cried out in pain.
“Fuck you!” she screamed.
“Tell me what you know, bitch! Now!” Kallianira shouted before kicking out again with her leg, yet this time an infuriated Beatriz reached out to grab it.
“Fuck!” Kallianira howled as Beatriz bit down on the leg, rabid fury driving the teeth right into her bones.
“Let go, let go!” Kallianira shouted as she attempted to beat down on her prey. But unfortunately for her, the angle of attack was much too awkward and instead she only managed to trip herself down onto the ground.
Beatriz let go of the leg before spitting blood on Kali’s face.
“She said demons like you are everything that’s wrong with this world.”
Kallianira groaned out in pain.
“What are you then… An angel?” she mocked.
“Yes.” Beatriz smirked before stepping up.
She reached down and this time it was her holding Kallianira by the throat as she lifted her up and dangled her in the air. She then tossed her back towards the shattered window.
“Fuck!” Kallianira cried out.
She would’ve flown straight out had she not hit the little wall of stone underneath the window instead. Her body felt like breaking as the rock made her feel what she loved making others feel. She groaned, hissed and cursed as she slowly stood herself back up.
“Consider your appeal for forgiveness rejected.” Beatriz mocked before striking Kallianira right in the nose and launching her straight out of the window.
Beatriz looked down with great satisfaction as the red haired assassin fell and crashed into the outside floor below.
She smirked, another devil sent to the depths. For now.
“Fuck… me...” Kallianira moaned as her demonic blood slowly attempted to put her broken body back together. But by the time she was able to feel her smug smile again, Beatriz was long gone.
Perhaps that was for the best.