Tyranny: Onwards

Chapter 156- Warrior of Blood

A waft of velvet fingers as the wind blows the sweet, succulent, aromas from the radiant dots of flowers below, swirling and lifting them up around the tree like a beautifully intrusive vine. Nights chill is here somewhat dormant as a bear hibernating in a dark cave, on the verge of arising, but without the power or will to do so. Far, far beneath us, embroidering the rough and hardy tree so grand, flowers sway in play as night creatures sniff and prance while day wakers curl up to accept a safe sleep of comforts palms, laying to rest in lush, smooth grasses hinted with silver.

"I need more detail on what you mean. As in, what kind of groups are going after Siron?" I contemplate to Eve as her hands are swift swallows amoung fresh winds.

"I mean kings, queens, dictators, military groups, rebel groups, protesters, cults, gangs, mutated monsters, Hunters of the Sacred, and so on; not that all of these people are all malicious or even violent, some have proper intent; however, I think I do not want to take chances and there's no time to sort them all out and put a stop to their pursuits without any time." Eve shrugs as she takes a jar from my hand.

"What intents do you suspect? And on what grounds?" I inquire further as sweet scents calm my furious and pained heart.

"I suspect some will use it to 'conquer the world' as every cliche, some for revenge, some are simply uneducated and want it to make their country more powerful or respected as an artifact, I suppose it could be used for all sorts of blackmail, then there are those who seek control over the legions of Siron. There are endless possibilities. My grounds are based on history, World War I and World War II, the Cold War, and so on. Greed seems to drive the majority of humanity. I thought you would know that." Eve paints the ideas in my mind as possibilities and ends expand too vastly.

"Why me? Because I'm a trained assassin? Or because I'm a woman?" It's difficult to keep an indifferent tone though I manage.

"Because of both. You see the greed more clearly because you carry out the dirty work, you know how it feels when men objectify you or you feel like a piece of wood you yourself need to mold to fit the one made by society. Sometimes that involves starving or harm and again the list goes on." Her explanation opens my eyes to all the simple things we do that actually go against females. 'You throw like a girl, you scream like a girl', all terms I have heard. Someone once said to my face that women are property to be bought with marriage and use. And why in a man's fantasy is it typically and a bunch of physically perfectious women wearing nothing? Is that now more valuable than a females morals?

Everyone seems to see me as this strong, defiant woman, when in fact, I am merely a leaf on the wind waiting to land and decay away.

"Go on to bed now, think over what I have told you." Eve commands and I hesitantly rise in my unsureness. "Goodnight, Warrior of Blood." When those words bounce in my ears, they ring and bulldoze into my brain. That's what they called me when I participated in the War and unfortunately massacred.

No longer am in the boughs of a tree we all could confide in, but standing in the wide field of curt grasses of grief, dull and colour lost to the air. Bodies are scattered on the seemingly blank page as though decoration, scarlet horror taints the winds with its significant, metallic scent, blood leaks, the poison of man, into the Earth's soils. No, no no no no no no no....'You did this Claire, it was all you, you monster,' voices thrash in my heart and head, claws scraping at the inside of my skull and in my chest teeth gnash at my ribs wanting to explode with the pain and horror of what I am capable of.

The nearest corpse in not riddled with flies as though even they are repelled by the cruel act plain in sight. It seems the Earth is not willing to share me the gift of life as air is thick and I feel my body cannot keep it in and use it, the sights swim in my silent tears while everything spins and swirls from lack of oxygen. Desperate, I fall to my knees next to a corpse, holding the head and crying, wanting to reattach the head of perhaps one who was a father but ended up the victim of blind slaughter. Wanting to scream, I shut my eyes but when I open them, I am back in the trees with Eve and Phoenix, neither having seemed to notice anything has happened; but, even now, the stinging taint of blood thick airs seem to remain, although only slight whiff.

Flashes of red eyes surround my thoughts and I keep thinking men with bats and swords are all around me though I know it's not true, so I follow Phoenix up the ladder, not responding to Eve having called me such a name, though I do not yet know how she became aware of it. On the way up, I am thankful Phoenix refrains from inquiring me about it. Every time I see Rin explosions of pain erupts inside of me, knowing that I killed her closest ally and shattered her joyful spirit perhaps permanently. Knowing I could never expect to repair this relationship at all.

"Night Claire," Phoenix nods as he lays down and Genesis curls up on the ground where I lay, drifting off into a nightmare riddled sleep undoubtedly.

With morning sun I wake to see all the Luzumi are missing, likely catching up with their old friends below. Genesis attacks me with love as I stand and climb down the ladder to where Eve is still at her workspace.