A sharp sting woke her up from whatever dream she experienced. Steady rhythm came into her ears, it didn't take a genius to know that it was music. Her hand crept up and she let out a variety of curses when her left eye exploded in pain. Memories came slowly to her, she remembered. Gleaming grey eyes, filled to the brim with hate. Movements belied even her logic to comprehend, broken pair of glasses lay on the bloodied floor. It was not hers, no. The head master and his student. She grit her teeth in annoyance. That's when the sounds that was distant not long ago assaulted her.
The door opened, giving way to a woman clad in garments that give little effort to the imagination of what her figure would look like. A courtesan perhaps, but the eyes when they made contact spoke volumes of experience in combat. One that even she was not privy to test. "Ah, you're awake." The woman cooed. She visibly skipped across the room and her face then came inches from her own. She would've slapped the woman were it not for the thing she saw in the woman's eyes.
A pressure was felt on her thigh and when her eye hovered downward, she instantly recognize what it is. It's her dress, from the last battle. Slightly tattered, not utterly destroyed to say the least. She noticed a tittle trimming that has been somewhat tended to. When she looked up she saw the woman gave her a sheepish smile. "Well, I was planning to repair your dress a bit but… since you just woken up, I have no choice but to give it to you, and we don't want you moving around in those shabby clothes." The woman gave a shaky laugh.
She then realized, if that's the dress she wore last time, just what in the world is she wearing right now? Scanning the room for a mirror, she zeroed in on it despite the protests of the woman. It's not the best though she wouldn't say it's the worst either. Clad in a hoodie adorned with several markings that glowed in the dark, despite its eye catching her attention was drawn onto the insignia emblazoned onto the left chest area. A human skull with several swords jutting outwards in various direction stabbing skulls of beasts. The Hexer.
She froze. The Hexer's the most powerful anti-Hunter body out there. Anyone whose gone rogue from Hunter's Order shall be hunted down if deemed necessary. She was never a hunter to begin with but she was already a high level criminal to begin with. Could it be? Has she been such a bother that they've finally asked them to get rid of her? Has gaining the power of the Fall Maiden brought her more harm than she ever anticipated? She gave out a shaky laugh before levelling a stare onto the woman across her room. "Have they sent you for me?" she asked with her iconic tone.
Seeing that the question was directed to her. The woman laughed softly whilst covering her mouth. Before levelling her own glare. "What do you think?" the delivery caught her off guard. The atmosphere turned heavy, she can feel the pressure on her shoulders, her very being proud as they might be screamed for her to run away. This is not an ordinary woman. She cursed herself for being so foolish, she used to know when not to bite more than she can chew. "If they were to send us, don't you think we wouldn't be having this conversation in the first place?" the woman's visage tuned bright once more just as sudden as the change earlier. She realized she was holding her breath all this time. "Now, how about you lay in the bed for a while longer so that I can patch up this dress more eh?"
All she could do was nod in response.
"There, good as new!" Came the familiar voice. The woman's eyes shone with a mirthful glint. She almost forgot how frightening the woman could be. Looking over the dress, she can't help but revel at the work that's been done. The visible torn area that she could remember was for the better word gone, it's as if the dress was never damaged in the first place. Satisfied with the dress being good as new she realize that the woman was eyeing her expectantly. "Well, what are you waiting for? Put it on!" She borderline squealed.
A perfect fit, this woman could pass as a seamstress. She would suggest the woman to make all her dresses in the future if they were closer. Sadly, they're not. The woman seemed friendly enough but the earlier exchange might have caused a rift between them. The woman might not have shown it, but she wouldn't survive this long were it not for her experiences in reading people.
A knock caught both of their attention. A man clad in tight suit, white shirt and a tie whose pattern moves… is she seeing it right? The man as if realizing her eyes were directed at and sighed. "Yes, it moves." His attention then changed to the woman. "She's dressed, now the boss wants to see her." He then gestured towards the hallway.
Getting the cue, she moved and the woman stood in front of her and led the way.
The music is louder now compared from inside the room earlier. She chalked it up to the padding on the room. Right now even the very floor seemed to bounce with the beat. From the pace it is going, she's inside a club, a very lavish one at that.
They came upon a metal door, standing erect in front of it is two guards. Mark of The Hexer sported on their chests and judging by their relaxed demeanour, they clearly are the ones in power. The woman in front of them gave a curt nod and said something intelligible to her ears. Clearly a password. The men gave a nod in response and thumbed opened the door behind them.
Her eyes were assaulted by a variety of lights throughout the spectrum that she can't even comprehend what colour was there in the first place. The music is louder than before she passed the very door. Whatever's the occasion they're celebrating it's clearly going on full blast. The crowd on the dance floor below were moving to the beat of the music in unison, it's almost hypnotizing in a sense. She expected with people as many as this surely they are to be blocked by something sooner or later. It didn't come however, the crowds no matter how packed they are on the level seem to be aware of their presence and parted to give way.
She noticed an alcove in the distance. Properly padded and draped, an excellent place for people to talk or discuss about anything. Who knows what were exchanged when the drapes were closed off, it could past as its own world. The boss would be there, she would meet him or her. There's bound to be something that she has to give. Whatever it is, she'd not go down easily. She'll fight with tooth and nail if needed be. Several pairs of eyes were onto them, she can feel it. It didn't come from the crowds, they're too involved with themselves. No, it comes from the alcove area, but she can't point out where in exact.
The crowds near the alcoves didn't seem as rowdy as the ones near the door she exited earlier. Though there's still some dances here and there they didn't seem as rampant as below. They are more controlled, professional even. That's when she realized. They're attire are different too. A contrast to the colourful attire of the patrons, they all were draped in their own attire and stay with their own group. There's levels to it, lighter coloured ones are at the outermost layer and the darker ones progresses into the alcove. Her wards wore the darkest ones so she knew they'll be with her until the very alcove itself.
She was seated at the very middle of the curved chair with two of her wards flanking her. She took in several sips of the wine poured into her glass. Letting the fluid move around in her mouth for several moments before swallowing them. The other two around her didn't do anything aside from looking forward as if waiting for someone. Earlier she was expecting the boss to be in the very middle, it was a man about late forties or so. The moment they gotten closer he merely stood up and gave a subtle nod and went on his way. Apparently he's not the boss.
Then she saw a white shirted, black slacks wearing man. Hair cut short just enough to give a tousled look. There's an air of confidence in his gait, she would've wave him off as some other confident grunt by the colour of his shirt alone until her two wards stood up and greeted him. The woman as jovial as she remembered. The man well, as respectfully as he could she supposed.
"How's the young recruits sir? I hope they're up to your liking."
The man waved it off with a laugh. "They're a promising bunch, I'll give you that." He outstretched his arms as one personnel wore him his suit. "I'm not even surprised if they surpassed all of us in the coming years." Then there's silence. The whole attention in the alcove were centred onto the man. Then they all laugh. Not the usual giggle, it's a full blown laughter. Were it not for the drapes, she could swore their laughter will be heard to the dance floor below.
The man was the first to recover. "Us, yeah. You? Not a chance!" Some gave nods of approval.
"Yeah, I mean you're The Boss for god sake. They'll never get to your level." Another chorused a cheer about long life towards him.
"In due time they will, in due time." The man added softly. His attention then fell onto her. "Ah, the new fall maiden. Miss… Cinderfall I presume?" he looked to the others to confirm and got a nod in return. His eyes gain a playful glint. "So, how does it feel?"
Seeing that no one answer his question, she assumed it was for her. She didn't know what he meant though. "What do you mean?" she asked back.
"How does it feel to achieve all that power only to be beaten down by something that you didn't expect?"
It took all of her restraint not to lash out to him. She couldn't sense any ill intent behind his question. His eyes shows that he is sincere and that he wanted to truly know. With a deep breath, she answered. "Pissed off." She expected him to laugh at her, heck she even expected him to gloat. Surprisingly, he didn't though. All she got was a pat on the shoulder.
"It happens to the best of us." He handed her a glass filled with wine. "Here's to the future!" he turned towards the others and even they have their own glasses in hand. She didn't even see all of them move to pour a glass of wine. She didn't even see them hold an empty glass in the first place.
Seeing the others take a sip from their glasses, she followed suit. Instantly she knew something different from the taste alone. Her senses went into overdrive and in panic she spat out the fluid in her mouth and dropped the glass. "What was that?!" She asked.
"Come again?"
"The wine, it's different!" She summoned her powers but in an instant she convulsed from the pain her left eye. Her knees buckled. The boss was on to her in a blink saving her from hitting the table with her head.
A soothing wave ran through her eye and she regained her strength. "Hmm, you can't seem to control the power just yet. It harms your damaged eye." The boss' voice came to her. "Guess someone owes me something." He cheered. "You still need time for the power to fully accept you as a host."
"What do you want?" She glared at him.
He gave her a questioning look. As if he doesn't know what she meant, she hated it. Feigning innocence. Nothing can be ever more revolting. "What do you mean?" he asked.
She smacked him away unaware of the power rolling of her in waves. It took a second for her action to dawn on her. She smacked him to the end of the very alcove, the very atmosphere around her dropped by several degrees. She can feel several glares directed at her very being. A scream shook her from stupor. She knew that kind of scream; or rather, the emotion that drives it. Rage, an unbridled one too. One that promises excruciating pain onto whoever that wronged them. What's more haunting was that it came from the very woman that before was so sweet to her. Cinderfall saw the barbed whip descend upon her. She closed her eyes awaiting the pain. It didn't come however. Her brows scrunched in confusion.
"Whoa there. No need to lash out, control yourself." Came the boss' voice.
Her eyes snapped open. He was standing in front of her, hand outstretched holding something. It was the whip. The look on the woman's face was of pure horror. She knelt in front of the boss pouring out a string of apologies. He went to her and bid her to rise up. "Come now. I'm not mad, I'm proud of you." He wiped off the tears on her face. "Now Miss Cinderfall, I understand that you're paranoid. Being a criminal does that to you, I know. Please be mindful though, there are still people willing to help as long as you're not against them." He snapped his fingers and motion towards her.
Her shoulders were jerked upwards and in an instant she was standing upright. Eyes levelled with the boss' "Seeing that you can smack me a good distance away makes me think that you'll manage on your own."
She gave him a curt nod in response.
He smiled in return, another wave brought her face to face onto a mirror. "Now, I want you to think of the place you want to return to. Give me a nod once you have the image in your head."
She gave him a nod and she was abruptly shoved towards the mirror. She stumbled onto her office, the papers flying about around her from the force of her entry. When she turned back she was met by a tinted glass of her office overlooking snowy field. She reflected on what happened earlier. She wasn't really sure if it was at all true, she then looked onto her dress and it's truly mended. There's even the trimming on the edges for her to remember by. When she turned, her hand hit something and that something fell onto the ground if what she heard was right.
It was a container, from the sound earlier it was filled to the brim with something. When she took it in her hand, she noticed a note dangling by a string. "Apply generously." Was written in cursive on it with a mini emblem of The Hexers. She raised her eyebrows in wonder.