Clare glared at Uma and Tabatha who stared back at her in confusion. They stood behind a wall that marked the border line for a rather large town where a dead tree stood, shadowing them. "Are- you- two- out- of- your- damn- minds!" Clare did everything she could to keep from yelling at them. "Umm… Clare we were suppose to make sure you weren't left alone so" Uma started to say but was soon cut off by Clare.
"Shut up! I know that! Didn't you feel that yoki energy?" Uma and Tabatha looked taken aback at what Clare said. "I didn't feel anything Clare." said Tabatha. Yuma looked back and forth between Tabatha and Clare. "Clare if Tabatha didn't feel anything, then maybe you were mistaken?" Yuma said shakily knowing that Clare would snap.
Clare drew her sword and slammed its blade violently into the ground trembling with rage. "I know Tabatha excels at reading yoki. I also know what I felt. A yoki aura that strong is impossible to miss."
"Maybe it was an awakened one?" said Uma, glad that Clare didn't start screaming. Tabatha shook her head. "No then all three of us would have felt it. It had to be another Claymore." Clare and Uma nodded agreeing with Tabatha. "The organization has raised a rather strange group of warriors to replace us." said Clare as she looked skyward. "I can't believe I use to fight for that wretched group willingly."
Chelsea helped dig the fallen warrior out of her grave. She gasped at what she saw when they got to the body. She assumed Teresa's body was the same as when she died. Maggots had started to nibble away at her flesh but soon retreated after they realized out awful the flesh of a half monster tasted. What shocked her was that Teresa's forearms had been cut of, and she was beheaded.
"Wh- what?" stuttered Chelsea. "How could such a strong warrior allow this to happen so easily? You did say Teresa was the strongest warrior to have ever been brought up right?" One of the cloaked men nodded. "Yes. By your reaction I assume you never heard of how Teresa's death came to be."
"I've heard rumors but each one has been different."
"Well then I should tell you the truth. Once when Teresa completed one of her missions she came across a human girl. The human girl began to follow Teresa around. Eventually Teresa let the young girl come along on her travels. I guess you could say the girl became Teresa's pet. The longer the girl was around the faster her warrior heart began to fade. For the first time Teresa of the Faint Smile began to show mercy.
"Soon Teresa left the little girl in a village with a nice family. That village was later attacked by bandits. Teresa arrived at the village during the attack. Outraged, she killed every single last one of those bandits, all that to save a mere girl's life."
"Teresa killed humans?" Chelsea said in shock. The man nodded. "It was quite a shame. After that she defeated every warrior that was sent to her execution. Until we sent numbers 2-5 to her death. They were Quick Sword Irene, Snow Storm Noel, Muscular Sophia, and Priscilla."
"The Priscilla that soon became Isley of the North's companion?" asked Chelsea. The man in black nodded. "At first it appeared that Teresa was going to be the victor. She damaged Noel, Sophia, and Irene enough so that they had to stay put while she went to kill Priscilla. Teresa knew that Priscilla had the potential to surpass even her.
"Teresa decided to spare the young warrior and left. Priscilla became outraged and her judgment began to slur as she began to unleash her yoki. She took off after Teresa. She was inexperienced and didn't know her limits of her power yet. Priscilla reached her limit quickly and her youma side began to take over. She begged Teresa to save her as she began to awaken. Teresa told her the bad news that her only way out was to die while she still had her human heart left.
"As Teresa let her guard down and raised her sword to kill Priscilla, the young warrior reached for her own sword at the last minute and cut off Teresa's forearms. Then came her head, and Priscilla fully awakened."
Chelsea nodded. "So I assume it was that little girl that took in her flesh and blood to become a Claymore."
"Yes it was." said one of the cloaked men. "Now, would you mind carrying Teresa's corpse and sword Chelsea?"
Chelsea groaned. "I know you guys didn't bring me all the way out here just to carry a dirty corpse. What's the real reason?" Both the cloaked men smiled. "It's obvious if you think about it Chelsea. Why do you think we called in the warrior that's best in reading yoki?" One of them said. Chelsea gasped and backed away. "You don't mean… you're going to try to…" She cut her own words short. "Yes Chelsea. That's indeed what we have in mine." said one of the men.
"Oh hell no!" snorted Chelsea as she drew her sword. "I'm not going to let some hag that's been dead for this long to move me back a rank."
Clare, Uma, and Tabatha sat under the dead tree trying to figure out why the Claymore and men from the organization were walking too Teresa's grave. "Maybe they were passing threw when they noticed Clare?" said Uma. Clare shook her head. "No they were heading for Teresa's grave even before the warrior noticed me." said Clare. She sighed and rested her head on the back of her Claymore. There was silence for awhile except for the wind whistling and making the old tree above them groan and sway slightly.
Clare thought long and hard about the organization wanted with Teresa. Suddenly an idea struck her and filled her with hope. "Perhaps… they found a way to reincarnate dead warriors?" she said trying not to sound to enthusiastic. "You wish that was the case Clare." said Tabatha causing herself and Uma to break into laughter. Clare glared at them with her death stare. "It's possible" said Clare. "If it were to happen it wouldn't be good. They might erase her memories and get her to fight for the organization." said Uma shyly.
"I don't see how that could happen. I mean didn't you take in her flesh and blood?" Tabatha asked. Clare realized her foolishness and smiled to herself. "Yes. I guess I do just want Teresa to be alive."
"Well, I think it's about time we moved on." said Uma as she hopped to her feet. "We should return to Rabona and join the others." Clare and Tabatha stood up as well. Tabatha stretched her sore muscles with a sigh. Clare picked up her sword and put it back in its sheath. She adjusted its position on her back, a new habit she had picked up. Not like its position on her back mattered anyway.
"You guys want to go threw town or go around it." Uma asked. "Frankly I'm tired of walking and would like to get to Rabona as soon as possible." Clare said crossing her arms across her chest. "Same here." said Tabatha. "Alright then threw town it is then." Clare said she reached into her pack to find her cloak and yoki represent pills.
Chelsea glared at the two men. "I'm not going to be lowered a rank! It took me a long time to get to number 9, no way am I going to be demoted back the double digits!" she barked at them. One of the men laughed. "Not to worry you'll be promoted again if you help us complete this task."
"You freaking liars!" screamed Chelsea. She got ready to swing her sword at them. "Now, now calm down Chelsea if you kill a human you'll be dead and won't have a rank at all." teased one of the men. Chelsea continued to pierce them with a death stare. "You two aren't humans. You're even lower than youma." she mumbled to herself, but she put away her sword.
Without being told to do so she swung the corpse of Teresa over her shoulder and picked up the former warriors sword. "Lead the way masters." growled Chelsea. "That's a good girl." cooed one of the men and they began to head back to the organization's headquarters, Chelsea mumbling hateful things the whole time.