The Whisper of the Nightingale

Chapter 17: The Thrall of Her Voice

Hoatzin watched his sister's progress in silence. He didn't dare disturb her now, but he also couldn't help but to be amazed and slightly sickened by the calm ease with which Raven executed the people in front of her. He knew they deserved it, but apart from the two brutes Raven had killed in self defense earlier, Hoatzin had never seen someone killed before. It was a lot to take in for a ten-year-old boy.

In delay there lies no plenty...

Raven now stood between the fire and the crew's leader, Rifleman.

Come and kiss me; sweet and twenty...

The small dagger flashed in Raven's hand, swiftly cutting through the man's throat and then piercing into his abdomen as if it was butter under a hot knife.

Youth's a stuff does not endure...

Just as Raven was singing the last words of the song, Rifleman's eyes flashed open with clarity; despite being mortally wounded he quickly realized what had happened. Not bothering with his injuries, he angrily swung his arm at full force towards Raven. But Raven only smiled and lifted her own hand to catch it - even though Raven had depleted most of her spirit essence, she still had a lot more than Rifleman who had gotten his spirit core destroyed.

As if grabbing the arm of a child throwing a tantrum, Raven easily stopped his punch and instead pinned him down to the ground. Her dagger rested at his genitals as she whispered flattly into his ear.

"Dear savior, this little fellow seemed quite fond of me," she excreted pressure with her dagger; "let me bring it with me."

Horrified, the man tried to wriggle free but there was nothing he could do; with a casual flick of the wrist, Raven castrated Rifleman. The immense pain caused him to shoat out in pain but only a soft gurgle could be heard as more blood flowed out of the gaping wound in his neck.

"Nothing impressive." Raven barely glanced at the piece of flesh she held in her hand before she tossed it into the fire.

"Good riddence, if you ask me." She looked back down at the dying bandit boss at her feat with clear disdain.

"You...!" A startled scream suddenly rang out in the camp.

Raven lifted her head. The three non-spiritualists had finally also regained there senses now that Raven had stopped singing. They looked at the small girl standing in the middle of a virtual blood bath as if she was the devil incarnate.

Raven smiled a sweet smile and slowly started walking towards them. She no longer hid her killing intent and let some of it surge to the surface and swirl around her as she came closer to the three men.

"Don't... Don't come any closer!" The three men wailed and tried to scurry backwards but, in a flash, Raven small body disappeared, and reappeared behind them.

"No need to be in such a hurry." She smiled and spoke in kind voice.

But as the men shakily turned to face her and their eyes locked with hers, rays of red flashed from Raven's eyes and drilled into their minds. Suddenly, their vision blurred and the scene was replaced by horrible visions of the deaths they would undoubtedly face by Raven's hand.

Although they weren't spiritualist, yet, they remarkably still possessed crystallized souls - apparently Rifleman had been picky about who could join his crew - unfortunately, these souls were very weak. Under the immense pressure of Raven's killing intent, minute fissures appeared within the soul prisms, threatening to break them apart completely.