A Fallen Star: The Punch Of A Woman

4. The Fridge Monster

Katrina and Tisha stood in the now-empty lobby, the tension palpable. They surveyed the broken elevator, which was out of service with the doors slightly ajar. "Looks like the elevator's a no-go," Katrina noted. "We'll have to use the stairs."

They walked over to the stairwell door, but it was locked tight. Katrina clenched her fists, feeling the power surge within her. "Step back," she warned Tisha. With a charged punch, she struck the door, sending it flying off its hinges. The door clattered to the ground, revealing the dark stairwell beyond.

"That was impressive," Tisha said, her eyes wide with admiration.

Katrina shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. "Thanks. It's handy when you need to open stubborn doors."

They started up the stairs, the sound of their footsteps echoing in the confined space. "So, how do you know about souls?" Katrina asked, breaking the silence. "You said you don't have a developed soul."

Tisha nodded. "I had a friend who taught me about them. She was very knowledgeable and had a developed soul herself. She showed me a lot, but I never developed my own powers. I can only use one power at a time, or it could damage me."

Katrina nodded, absorbing the information. "It must be tough, knowing about all this and not being able to fully use it."

"It is," Tisha admitted. "But I manage. And I can still help, even if I'm not as powerful."

As they reached the second floor, they were greeted by a peculiar sight. The walls and floor were covered in thick, green vines and plants, making the corridor look like a jungle. "What is this place?" Tisha murmured, looking around in awe.

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of footsteps. A woman emerged from a room, casually sipping coffee. Katrina recognized her instantly. "Hey! Do you know what's going on here?"

The woman turned to face them, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "The name's Betty. And yes, I know exactly what's happening." She took another sip of her coffee before continuing. "My soul's power is to create a magical stick. When I stab it into an object, it transforms into a living creature that I control."

Betty demonstrated by creating a magical stick and stabbing it into a nearby fridge. Instantly, the fridge transformed into a monstrous entity, with sharp, icy claws and a gaping maw that spewed cold air. "Have fun with my little creation," Betty said with a smirk before disappearing down the hall.

The fridge monster lunged at them, its claws slashing through the air. Tisha quickly activated the ring's power, becoming invisible and darting out of the way. Katrina dodged the attack, her fists glowing with energy.

"We need to take out that stick," Katrina shouted, dodging another swipe from the fridge monster.

Tisha nodded, becoming visible again and using the ring's strings to try and entangle the monster. The fridge monster countered by spewing a blast of icy wind, freezing the strings and snapping them. It then swung its claws at Tisha, but she managed to leap out of the way just in time.

Katrina charged forward, landing a series of powerful punches on the fridge monster. Each blow sent shocks of energy through the creature, but it seemed to absorb the impacts with its frosty exterior. "It's tougher than it looks," Katrina grunted, narrowly avoiding a swipe.

Tisha reappeared behind the monster, using the ring's strings to try and reach the magical stick embedded in its back. The fridge monster sensed her presence and turned, slashing at her with its claws. Tisha went invisible again, but not before one of the claws caught her arm, drawing blood.

Katrina saw her chance. While the monster was distracted by Tisha, she charged up a massive punch, her fist glowing brightly. She leaped into the air and brought her fist down on the stick, shattering it into pieces. The fridge monster let out a final roar before collapsing into an inert fridge once more.

Breathing heavily, Katrina turned to Tisha. "Are you okay?"

Tisha nodded, clutching her bleeding arm. "I'm fine. Just a scratch."

They decided to take a breather in a nearby cafeteria room. The smell of food was enticing, and they found some pizza and drinks in the fridge that hadn't been turned into a monster. Sitting down at a table, they began to eat, the adrenaline from the battle still coursing through their veins.

"This is good," Tisha said between bites. "I didn't realize how hungry I was."

Katrina nodded in agreement, taking a sip of her drink. "So, what do you think is going on here?"

Tisha looked thoughtful. "Betty's power is just to create those magical sticks. Someone else must be behind the plants. There's another enemy we need to find."

Katrina sighed. "Great. As if one crazy soul-user wasn't enough."

They finished their meal in relative silence, both lost in their thoughts. The building was eerily quiet, the only sounds being their own breathing and the occasional creak of the structure. Katrina couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, but she couldn't see anyone else around.

"We need to find Betty and whoever else is behind this," Katrina said, standing up and stretching. "But first, we need to be ready for whatever comes next."

Tisha nodded, finishing her drink. "Agreed. Let's get moving."

As they prepared to leave the cafeteria, Katrina handed Tisha the ring again. "Keep it. You might need it more than I do."

Tisha accepted it with a grateful smile. "Thanks, Katrina. I'll do my best."

They headed back into the corridor, the vines and plants seemingly thicker than before. The atmosphere was tense, every shadow a potential threat. But despite the danger, Katrina felt a sense of purpose. With Tisha by her side and the powers at her disposal, she was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

And so, they ventured further into the building, determined to uncover the truth and put an end to the chaos. Little did they know, the journey ahead would test their strength, their resolve, and their friendship in ways they could never have imagined.