A Fallen Star: The Punch Of A Woman

2. Unexpected Inheritance

Katrina woke up to the shrill ringing of her phone, the sound piercing through her dreams. She groggily reached for it, blinking against the morning light streaming through the curtains. Squinting at the screen, she saw an unfamiliar number.

"Hello?" she answered, her voice thick with sleep.

"Good morning, Miss Katrina," a formal voice responded. "This is the Consulate General of Poland in Madrid. We have important news regarding an inheritance. Could you come to the consulate today?"

Katrina sat up, instantly awake. "An inheritance? I'll be there as soon as I can."

She hung up and swung her legs out of bed, her mind racing. After a quick shower, she dressed in a simple yet elegant outfit: a white blouse tucked into high-waisted jeans, paired with comfortable sneakers. She brushed her long, blondle hair until it shone and applied minimal makeup, highlighting her natural beauty. After a moment's hesitation, she decided to leave the box at home, carefully hiding it in a secure spot.

Grabbing her purse, Katrina exited the apartment and headed for the nearest subway station. The streets of Madrid were bustling with the usual morning rush, people hurrying to their destinations. She blended into the crowd, her thoughts preoccupied with the mysterious inheritance.

The subway platform was crowded, the air filled with the hum of conversation and the screech of trains. Katrina purchased a ticket and boarded the next train. She found a seat by the window and settled in, watching the cityscape blur past. The rhythmic clatter of the tracks was soothing, and she allowed herself to relax for a moment.

The train journey was uneventful at first. Katrina noticed a street musician playing a melancholic tune on his guitar, his music adding a layer of ambiance to the underground setting. She dropped a few coins into his hat as she passed, appreciating the brief respite from her swirling thoughts.

Suddenly, the train jolted to a halt, throwing passengers off balance. Alarmed murmurs filled the carriage as the lights flickered.

"What's happening?" someone near Katrina exclaimed.

She looked out the window and saw thick roots and vines snaking along the tunnel walls, entwining around the train and blocking the tracks. People began to panic, some rushing to the doors to escape. Katrina stayed calm, her instincts telling her there was more to this than just overgrown plants.

"Stay here," she told a frightened elderly woman sitting next to her. "I'll go check it out."

Katrina pushed her way through the throng of passengers and stepped out of the train. The air was damp and smelled of earth and greenery. She followed the roots to the source, her curiosity piqued. The plants seemed almost alive, pulsating with an eerie energy.

As she rounded a corner, she spotted a woman hiding behind a wall, her eyes wide with fear. The woman held a strange device, like an antenna or a stick, and with a sudden movement, she threw it at the plants.

Instantly, the vines and roots started to grow and twist, merging into a monstrous form. The creature towered over Katrina, its limbs thrashing and its eyes glowing with malevolent intelligence.

"This can't be good," Katrina muttered, slipping on the ring she had taken from her father's box. She felt its power course through her, filling her with confidence.

The plant monster roared, its voice echoing through the tunnel. It swung a massive vine at Katrina, who dodged just in time, the ground shaking with the impact. She countered with a burst of speed, using the ring to create strings that she flung at the monster, entangling its limbs.

But the creature was strong. It broke free of the strings with ease and lunged at her again. Katrina used the pendant to create a barrier, deflecting the attack. She needed to find a way to disable the antenna device embedded in the monster.

Ducking under another swing, she noticed the device glowing faintly within the creature's chest. "There it is," she thought, her mind racing with a plan.

Katrina sprinted forward, using the ring's power to turn invisible. She weaved through the monster's flailing limbs, her movements a blur. Reappearing right in front of it, she leapt up, aiming a powerful kick at the antenna.

The monster roared in pain as her foot connected with the device. It stumbled back, vines writhing. Katrina landed and quickly followed up with a series of rapid punches, each one aimed at the antenna. She could feel the creature weakening with each hit.

Finally, with a decisive blow, she dislodged the antenna. The plant monster convulsed and then collapsed, reverting to its original form of harmless vines and roots. Katrina stood over it, breathing heavily, her heart pounding in her chest.

The woman who had thrown the antenna device was nowhere to be seen. Katrina scanned the area but found no trace of her. Shaking her head, she wanted to pocket the antenna, but it disappeared and made her way back to the train, which had miraculously remained intact.

Katrina arrived at the consulate, still shaken from the encounter. She sat in the waiting area, her mind replaying the battle. After a few minutes, a consulate official called her into a private room.

"Miss Katrina, we have good news. Your father has left you a substantial inheritance," the official said, handing her a document. "You are now the beneficiary of two million euros."

Katrina's eyes widened in shock. "Two million euros? I... I don't know what to say."

The official smiled. "Your father must have thought very highly of you. Use it well."

That evening, Katrina returned to her apartment, her mind buzzing with possibilities. She sat on the sofa, the document still in her hand. With this money, she could pursue her dream of becoming a model without worrying about financial constraints. But she also felt a deeper responsibility, a need to understand and control the powers she had inherited.

As she lay back, staring at the ceiling, she whispered, "Thank you, Papa. I'll make you proud."

The glow of the city lights outside her window reflected in her eyes, full of determination and hope for the future.