Arcanus

[2]

Katrina ducked, her leather boot coming up to hit her opponent's face. 

The clang of metal against metal echoed through the usually quiet hills of Greenhart, a small town next to Blackwood. Blood stained the green grass below Katrina's feet, but she paid no attention to it. Dodging the clumsy strike of her opponent's sword, Katrina noted the positioning of her opponent's body, the way she breathed heavily, her forehead covered in sweat. The way that she stood in an open stance, her unbalanced, heavy sword clutched with both hands. Fear showed plainly in her brown eyes. 

Katrina, for a moment, felt sorry. 

The girl's name was Kylie Wren, and she was a seventeen-year old thief who had stolen the mayor's wristwatch. She came from the poor side of town, and had been hired by a thug named Daniel to steal the mayor's watch for money for her mother's hospital bills. 

She wasn't anything special. She was just a citizen who had been seeked out by the most wanted drug dealer in the country, to steal the mayor's watch. 

Katrina whipped her katanas into a small vortex of wind, and the girl was knocked to the ground.

"P-please!" Wren cried out, her body shaking as she tried to scoot away from the assasin.

"I'll return the watch; I'll do anything! Just please, let me live!"

Katrina pondered this for a moment.

"Anything?" She asked. "Anything." "Where does Daniel hide?"

Kylie froze. "I couldn't tell you." She whispered. "Anything but that."

"I know you know where he does his business." Katrina growled softly. "Tell me, and I will spare your life."

Kyle hung her head. "I can't tell you that." She repeated. A tear trickled down her face, as she prepared for her death.

Katrina dropped her katanas.

Kylie's eyes snapped open at the sound of metal hitting the earth. She opened her mouth to say something, a triumphant gleam in her eyes.

Katrina struck, like a cobra. Spinning around, she raised her left hand in the air, her pointer finger extending upwards ever so slightly.

Wind warped around the two, swirling faster and faster. She closed her eyes, willing the hurricane to sweep up Kylie, and throw her against the cliffside. Gently, of course. Katrina wouldn't want the thief to die before she could answer Katrina's questions.

Kylie slumped to the ground as the wind dissipated. Katrina's katanas flew into her hand, the jewels in their hilts twinkling cruelly at the battered thief.

A flick of her wrist, and Katrina's ring shot a sticky goo onto the girl's wrist, stomach, legs, and neck. She was completely, and utterly trapped.

"Tell me everything." Katrina whispered threateningly. "And I will give you a painless death."

Kylie looked up at the assassin, who's hands were stained with blood.

"Agree to protect my family." She insisted. "Protect them, kill me quickly, and I will tell you."

Katrina stopped twirling her katanas for a brief moment. She considered the offer. "Tell me how powerful he is, and then I will give you a painless death."

Kylie shook her head frantically. "Protect my cousin, Bat, and I will tell you everything. Everyone else in my family is dead."

"Fine." Katrina agreed. "I will protect Bat. Now spill."

"Daniel disappears into the forest at night, and when he comes back in the day, his hands are always sort of shadowy, like the forest has infected him with their shadows. Every night, the shadows spread. He sells his stuff at 1800 Golden Boulevard. I met him at the Devil's Tavern, but he also frequents the pub near Main Street- you know, Golden Hand Pub. He goes by K.M, but everyone except the law-abiding citizens know who he is. No one reports him because they will end up dead. Somehow, someway, they will die."

Kylie seemingly gasped for air.

Katrina nodded. "If I find out that this information is wrong, Bat will die." She promised.

Kylie nodded solemnly. "You have my permission. Now kill me."

Almost feeling sorry, Katrina held her blades aloft.

"Goodbye, Kylie Wren." She said softly.

The gleaming blades came down, and the seventeen year old thief fell the ground, her eyes closing before her last breath escaped her.