"for the beauty of the rose, we also water the thorns."
Descendant of Loa lineage, Karliah Shango stems from masters of Haitian and the old Oyo Empire Vodou. After the nuclear wipe out, she finds herself thrown into leadership with little comprehe...
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A somber flicker of candlelight ran across the dreary walls of the outpost. In a blink of an eye, Karliah stood in a room she hadn't seen before, at the foot of a desk littered with manila folders, seemingly containing files of a dozen people. Looking up, she found herself out of sight of an unfamiliar woman, resting her hands upon a cane. Her features were cold and pressed as none other than Michael began to tread around her, stalking her as if she was prey.
He stopped in front of her, looking her up and down mindlessly before speaking defiantly, "Take off your dress."
"I will not." She chuckled in disbelief, but to her dismay, Michael pressed on.
"Part of your cooperation includes a physical examination," he spoke matter-of-factly.
"You can read my file."
"Your file won't show me what I need to see," he tilted his head slightly, making his way around her once again, "Your shame. I want to see that part of you that humiliates you the most," he hummed, placing a hand on her shoulder only for the woman to grab ahold of it, sinking her nails into his pale flesh.
Though, he didn't react, only leaning over her shoulder to murmur into her ear, "You won't get a second chance."
With reluctance, she dropped her hold on his hand. Karliah frowned as she watched from a distance, eyes following as Michael pulled the zipper of the woman's dress down, revealing her bruised protruding spine. He ran a hand over the frail skin, the pads of his fingertips following the uneven curve of the bone.
"Does it hurt?"
Karliah watched empathetically as the woman shuddered, a tear falling past her cheek, "No."
Michael continued, breath grazing against the woman's neck, "But does it bring you great pain?"
She paused before speaking once again, "Yes."
Turning to him, she let out a shaky breath, their faces mere inches apart, "Is this a part of my test?"
Michael only shook his head, "Isn't everything?" He asked in a knowing tone.
She gulped, "So, do I pass?"
He didn't speak, growing closer to her as their eyes fluttered shut. Karliah bit back the urge to send them both flying into the fireplace they stood several feet from, instead crossing her arms with a reluctant gaze.
"No," Michael suddenly drawled, blue eyes staring into the woman's as he revelled in the look of terror on her face. The door behind them then opened urgently, another, shorter woman, on the other side, beckoning to speak with the teary-eyed woman.
Michael only savored watching as the dishevelled woman took her leave, her cane sharply falling repeatedly against the floor on her way out. With a harsh close of the doors, Michael knitted his fingers together, arms behind him as he turned to face Karliah.
