Escaping Corruption (Seasons 1-3)

16 - The Awful Article

Weeks passed since Catra had been taken by Puca and figured out she was Namir.

Each twilight, as her family slept soundly, she would go to Azabhar through the locket to train with Samira. But when she returned, she was always afraid someone had came in when she was gone, and panicked.

Yet nothing like it came.

'Catra!!!'

Catra rolled her eyes and looked up to see Aeris standing in the doorway of her bedroom.

'Whats it now, squirt?'

'Mami told me told me to give you this-' Aeris stumbled over and handed her a newspaper. '-I read it on the way here. Theres murders happening all around Halfmoon. No one can figure it out.'

'Aeris! Your fourteen! You can't be learning about that sort of stuff!' Catra exclaimed.

'What? You were being electrocuted, abused and starved at that age? Whats wrong with murder?'

Catra felt like throwing this teensy smartass out of the window and claiming a bird flew in and smacked her too hard.

'Just go now. Let me read the article in peace'

Aeris stuck her tongue out and strutted away. Leaving the door wide open much to Catras annoyance.

After a moment, Catras eyes skimmed over the paragraph her sister had explained, and her breath hitched.

Aeris was telling the truth.

A mysterious murderer, dubbed the Visha Killer, was on the loose.

They hadn't been seen at all, no one had even a glimpse of the Killer. Only people visiting their friends and family only to find that they were a victim.

It was a total kill count of four.

Not many, but still awful that four people lost their lives suddenly and morbidly.

She sighed unhappily, and shoved the newspaper away.

This was too much drama. But some small part of her was yelling that she, as Namir, had something to do with it.

She stood from her bed. Something was going to happen, she knew it. But couldn't place it. A knock on the open door snapped her out of her thoughts.

Lyric smiled at her, but it soon changed to a grim expression when she noticed the newspaper.

'So you heard about the Visha Killer, eh? Lets just hope it doesn't come for anyone we know, or us. They'll be caught eventually!'

Catra nodded, but something about Lyric naivety in that sentence made her feelings about something awful happening stronger.

She hoped it wasn't someone she knew.

'Perfect!'

Samira smiled as Catra stood back, still in her fighting stance.

Catra decided now was the time to ask her question, before she left, as they had less then four minutes left.

'Mira? Have you ever heard of the Visha Killer..?'

Samiras face became solemn.

'Yes...Oh no....has he returned?! Tell the words of song to be safe. And stay safe yourself, my dear! On the darkest night, a starless night, black as black, the masked man, a phone call. Screams Of Pain. Bloody Knife. Namir, Catra, I am not allowed to tell you anything in detail. Beware..'

And with that, the magicat deity vanished in a shimmering cloud of pink.

Catra appeared back on her room, thinking hard on her mentors words.

She felt like she knew, but something like magic was tampering with her mind, refusing to let her figure it out.

Her claws raked through her unkempt hair as she attempted to pull herself together. She had been guven the confirmation of her fears. She could not do anything to stop it.

She sighed, feeling like Etherias biggest failure. Something about Samiras riddle words felt so easy yet so impossible.

She gritted her teeth.

She couldn't let the Visha Killer continue, it was going to have to be stopped within the next week if they wanted to keep their capital safe.

The Visha Killer was going down, she thought.

But some things are easier said then done.

Especially, when someone so close to her was on the line, without anyone being aware.