The One Unworthy of Legends - V1A1 - Maria's Ascension

~ Chapter 6 ~ Pursuit of Strength

Skarlet opened her eyes slowly, turning her head from the light shining in through her open window. She yawned and stretched, the stiff and uncomfortable bed beneath her made her back ache. She was about to go back to sleep when she felt something, causing her to frown as her eyes darted around the room. She paused as her gaze strayed to a sword resting against the bedside table, she jolted up onto her feet. It's still here, maybe it wasn't a dream. She lifted the sword and stumbled, she felt weaker than the previous day. You want me to kill something, don't you? Her emotions were a bit of a mess, breaking the motions she'd been repeating for so long felt wrong.

It seemed like it was watching her, a faint whisper chewing on her ears. It was a normal enough looking sword. The sword had a silver blade, a black metal cross guard, and a leather-wrapped handle. Simple enough, but she could have sworn it gazed at her, though she couldn't tell if that was hunger or malice in it's eyes.

She sighed as she got dressed, the sword seemed to watch eagerly as she slipped from her night clothes. It was a lose white shirt with straps over her shoulders leaving her lower neck and upper shoulders bare. She lowered her white frilled bloomers with a slight blush climbing her face. The sword felt like a presence in her room and it didn't feel pleasant like a guy peeping on her. Besides she was aware that her sleepwear was rather childish in nature, but she was only conscious of it now do to that feeling of presence. She lifted her arm and sniffed, her nose wrinkled a bit, I should find a stream to wash up, She thought with a frown. As she shoved her night clothes into her bedside drawer.

She pulled a black shirt from her drawers and pulled it over her head, her ears twitched as they popped out the top. She pulled a black pleated skirt from her drawers as well, dark red stripes filled the inbetweens of the pleats, stepping into it she pulled it up before buttoning it at the waist. She lifted a belt from the top of the dresser, she threw it over her shoulder and drew it down her back, a second belt branched off from it. She took hold of the back belt and wrapped it around her waist, sliding a knife sheath onto it before buckling it at the front. She slipped her feet into toeless boots and pulled on fingerless gloves.

Lastly, she lifted a cloak from her bedpost and draped it over her shoulders, she then sheathed her knife at her waist and lifted the sword from it's leering position. She washed it in her gaze as her finger slid absentmindedly down its blade. A beautiful red blossomed into her vision, her eyes Locking onto the essence of her own life pooling on the blade and smearing her finger. As she stared black dots began to appear in her blood, they slowly consumed the red till it was pure black. A scowl slipped onto her face as she quickly wiped it away. Filthy, of course, it's my blood afterall. She didn't seem to notice her biased views as she slipped the sword snuggly into the sheath poking out from behind her head.

Skarlet glanced into her mirror, it was the same one from the orphanage, but the crack had splintered more at around head height. As she looked at the fragmented reflection of her face she sighed in annoyance I look like a damn kid, she thought as she pressed against her chest. Not that my chest is a surprise with my race. It's abnormal for a cat Lithian to be well endowed its an evolutionary thing we're quick and silent hunters it would only get in our way. But at least I could be tall! Annoyance flared up as she stomped her foot while inspecting her height, getting up on her tippy toes. Geez, it feels like I stopped growing at fourteen. Seriously I'm almost eighteen now I think I'm overdue for a growthspurt.

Skarlet gave her cheeks a slap and readjusted her thoughts. It doesn't matter at the end of the day, I'm not trying to be liked, or be attractive. I don't need friends or allies I need power. She sighed and raised her hand to brush a strand of hair from her eyes when she noticed a scar on her palm. It was horizontal and cut from the left side of her palm to the right. She was reminded of when she first gripped her sword, her palm had bled then. Skarlet brushed her fingers through her hair, straightened her clothes a bit then turned toward the door. She was as prepared as possible, after one last gaze around her room she stepped out into the hall. For a moment she expected to see him again, but he wasn't there. She slipped through the kitchen and out the back, it was technically an Inn, but she paid a little extra to be allowed to leave like this. Avoiding the other residents was easier if you don't use the front door. She made a great effort to come into contact with as few people as possible.