Resonance

Chapter 5 - Arya Cato

I plunged my blade deep into the man's neck, and his howls of pain instantly turned into a gurgle. Feeling the life drain out of his body, I felt a strange sense of satisfaction. Evil spirits deserved to die. The others screamed and tried to run, but a hail of arrows from my followers quickly stopped them.

The business we had chosen was one of the most well known in Witsen. It was owned by Jaegar Holderson, the eldest son of a wealthy Flaxian family. Word was, they had a reputation for not just owning slaves but treating them like filth. Ironic, eh?
I guess bullies are the same everywhere. They're pathetic, weak, and conceited, so they try to hurt others to make themselves feel better. Those wretches don't dare pick on anyone their size, yet run around all "I'm so cool" and forcing others to do their dirty work. I hated it.

Pulling the short sword out of its fleshy sheath, I wiped it off on the cadaver's vest.
"Round up the assholes and bring them to me!" I yelled, pointing towards the large marble staircase in the atrium. "Let none escape!"

Some had told me that we should take things slowly, or that we should petition the government. Yeah right. Those selfish sons of bitches don't know anything about "human rights" or "for the good of the people". Like this Jaegar idiot, they only cared about getting rich and all that other bullshit.

That's why I was here. To show them just what happens to those who dare to hold ownership over another human being. To show the selfish the evil of their sin. To end the lives of those that make others suffer.

I sat back on a richly embroidered couch and waited for my followers to return. The sounds of struggle upstairs soon dissipated, and I smiled to myself. They might just be temporary mercenaries and cowardly cutthroats, but they always got the job done in a cinch. At least, they usually did.

A tall man appeared at the top of the grandiose stairway, with a young silver haired slave girl trailing fearfully behind him. The two assassins next to me dropped their clubs and reached for the twin daggers tucked into their vest. I raised my hand, motioning for them to stop.

My eyes narrowed into slits, and I gave a cool smile. "You must be Mr. Jaegar, or was I misinformed?"

Yellow haired, short for his age, and dressed in a black business suit. The medallion dangling on his chest did indeed have the Flaxian coat of arms, and his noble looks were marred only by the blood he was coated in. What a pity. I had a feeling I would've taken a liking to him had he not been one of those nasty oppressive wretches.

"I am, indeed, you filthy hypocrite! Why?! What the fuck do you want from us?" My adversary snarled, brandishing two blood stained rapiers. "We weren't involved in any wars, and we never killed anyone. We even donated all of our profits to the impoverished of this city! So why?! Why are you doing this?"

He took another step, and the slave hurried to catch him as his legs almost gave out. The blood ran profusely down a long cut down his thigh, and most of his clothes were torn. What a pathetic figure, I thought.

I pointed at the young girl. "You own a slave."

Jaegar's eyes widened and, much to my surprise, he began to laugh. "Oh ho! I get it - let me guess. You were once a slave too? I suppose you think this is justice?"

"How'd you know?" I shook my head. "Never mind that - if you'd gone through the hell I had, you would too! None of you conceited brats will listen, so I took matters into my own hands and now I'm getting rid of those who would dare do such things to fellow humans."

He shook with anger and his face turned an angry shade of red; I could see tears appear in the corners of his eyes. "Don't give me that bullshit! If that's what you really believe, then why did you kill the others? What about Alexander? What about Sievers? What about...what about all those other goddamn slaves? Why?!" He cried, climbing down the staircase with a fury I didn't think was possible coming from a man who could barely walk. "Sure, maybe some like my parents might be cruel as fuck, but those who worked here were nice people! Alexander never once treated anyone as below him, and Sievers was kind to everyone! Why did they deserve to die? Tell me! And those slaves - if you're so obsessed with saving 'your kind', why did you kill them? Why! You fucking hypocrite!"

I stood up and straightened out my shirt coolly. "Kindness can be faked, and those who are blindly loyal to their 'owners' are no better than mindless animals. They don't deserve to live."

"Blindly loyal? Do you know why they follow us?" Jaegar pointed both of his rapiers at me, his fierce snarl turning into a smug but sad smile. "Because some of us truly care about them."

He hurled both of his blades at me, and I ducked. "Missed!" I laughed, the adrenaline kicking in as both flew harmlessly past me. Finally! I felt power coursing through my body, and I drew my short sword. He was defenseless before me now, and I could already imagine the sharp edge of my weapon burying itself in his chest. The shiver of the blade as it cut the heart into slivers. I shrieked with glee as I swiftly bounded forwards like an Amazonian hunter, the bringer of death in my hands aimed straight for him. At this point, there was no way he could avoid it or stop me.

My eyes widened as I realized his plan. 

Jaegar grinned and grabbed my arm, pulling it into him. The sword went straight through his chest, and I could feel his heart shredding itself against the metal. "Run! Amy! Go to Carter! Go!" Even in death, his grip was strong, and I couldn't break free. The silver haired girl glanced at him, her large eyes widening in terror, and ran past me. I snarled. "Stop her!" 

My companions nodded in unison and ran after her like rabid hunting dogs chasing a rabbit. They would catch that little slave and bring her body back to me. "Make sure not to be seen!" I would not - no, could not - allow anyone to destroy our cause. 

Before me, the once proud aristocrat's lifeless body finally collapsed. I spat at him in disgust, and pulled the blade out with a sickening crunch. They would catch her, and they would finish her. I will prove you wrong, Jaegar Holderson. 

It doesn't matter how you treat them; slaves are still slaves, and I cannot allow the evil of slavery to exist. Having a slave that believes in the system will only contaminate others too, making them feel that it's right. I will not allow that.