Rain was pouring down as Alice stood her ground, her breath hitched in her throat as she struggled against her opponent. Citra bore down at her, they were entwined with one another, Alice had her knife raised up to slash down but Citra blocked and raised her own dagger, a silver dragon dagger, up and aimed for Alice's throat but with her free hand she blocked the attack. It was a battle between pure strength and power as the two Goddesses snarled, teeth bared, and eyes glanced over dark and trying to intimidate the other.
They were both battered and bruised, around them was a clear open space, mud splashed all over them, blood on both sides, Alice's three pirates and Citra's five men dead all laying with wide open eyes. No one was going to witness the victor that is if either of the two women survived because at this very moment they were both struggling, they had both exhausted themselves and all they could do was keep pushing against the other. This was the true battle of survival, Citra's dark eyeshadow and liner was running down her face and Alice had blood splatters down hers with a busted lip and cut marks.
There was no back up, this was a cleverly planned attack on either side as Alice drew in a deep and sharp cold breath and recalled how all of this started. It wasn't like they were outnumbered, not really. Alice and her three second skilled men saw that Citra was out of the temple, she was in the open talking with five men. It looked like she was setting up some strange ritual with this very silver dragon dagger that was now inches from Alice's throat.
Alice shot the first arrow, it found its way into one warriors stomach as Alice's men charged forward, guns blazing, knives tossed in the air. Yet one thing those men did not check where the mines that Citra had cleverly set up. By the time Alice had figured out what had been done all three of her men where dead and she was left. Arrow after Arrow she shot but once those men where dead it was just Citra. No way was Alice going to kill her, Emil wanted her alive and Alice only thought of one thing to do, go in and get her.
Dodging the mines was hard but once she got past them it was evident that Citra was afraid, she was forced to fight. Unlike last time Citra showed so much more power, perhaps she had been training and might be the only reason she is still breathing. As the two had engaged in fighting a monsoon fell upon them. This was meant to be simple and quick and now, after punch after punch, kick after kick they were struggling, they were too matched for each other's skills that it infuriated Citra and Alice to the point they were now in this stance.
"You will not win!" Citra tried to bark but her voice seemed dry and her words held little anger or fear.
"You've already won Citra, you fucked up!" Alice said before leaning back and then giving a push.
This was enough to send Citra backing up as they both puffed and panted; Citra clutched her stomach as Alice rubbed hers. Two pregnant women, two Goddesses, two leaders. Alice tried hard to fight back the thought in her head but she couldn't help it, Vaas might have been right maybe Alice was just like Citra. However Alice was caught off guard as Citra stumbled forward and blew something in the air, right in Alice's face.
Both women collapsed and fell to the ground with a huff, the mud felt so nice and cool against Alice's soft skin as she felt the strange effects of the drug now flowing through her. It first started with the sky, a dark inky blackness parted the clouds and started to take over, the rain Alice could feel it against her skin but the cold it brought was not evident. Slowly her breathing started to weaken as Alice struggled to sit up, her eyes fell upon a defeated Citra, her head bowed, her knees sunk deep into the mud as she clutched the dagger now embedded in mud.
"Drugs?….You coward!" Alice croaked.
This caught Citra's attention as if Alice wasn't supposed to be able to talk, as if somehow Alice was not meant to be able to even move. Perhaps it was from the pot, or maybe the alcohol, either way the effects of this very drug where not affecting Alice as strongly as Citra thought. It was only making Alice feel numb, somewhat tired, her throat felt parched like sand paper and her body seemed like it was unable to move but Alice fought, she fought so hard that she managed to muster sitting up. Citra only sat with wide eyes, in amaze as if Alice had rose from the dead.
"No…not death…just sleep…warrior" Citra said between heavy deep breaths.
Alice tried to snarl, she tried to bare her teeth and make a hiss sound as a final attempt to appear menacing but her body fell heavy, and all that will power left Alice in a heartbeat as she fell back against the earthy ground and her eye lids closed on her welcoming the darkness and the comfort of it all.
~Pirate Cove~
Vaas was messing around with an old recorder that was seated atop a terribly made tripod set. There was a devilish grin over his face as he flicked the camera on and on the screen flicked a young boy no older then 13, his hair looked like a bowl cut, his clothes once fine and modest, a button up white shirt and black pants. Tears flew down the poor boys eyes as he sniffed, snot covered over his mouth and dripped off his chin as Vaas smiled and clapped his hands finally satisfied with the working Camera.
"Now Chico (boy in spanish) you have been a very very naughty boy. You see this here" Vaas gestured to the crying prisoners around him, the calls of tigers locked up in cages nearby and the vulgar talk from nearby pirates "This is hell, this is the thing that your Mama and Papa told you about. Do you want to know why?" Vaas snicked and wiggled his brows before holding up a thick black book.
The child's eyes where glazed, his blue eyes seemed dull and dark, almost grey as if all life had left him. He'd seen a lot obviously by the small faint marks of blood on the side of his face and the grimy look of mud and god knows what else that coated all over him and his torn clothing. Vaas was holding a bible, the Boy was a Christian, his parents must have flown him here for some retreat, Vaas didn't care it always made it fun for him, tormenting him. Kids where never really tortured, not that often anyway, they always sold well on the market, of course buyers love them young and this little child was no doubt young and suitable. Vaas didn't know Emil very well but he figured he'd want a shipment of young children anyway, who wouldn't right? Hoyt always did.
"It's because you didn't fucking follow this piece of fucking shit" Vaas said tossing the book behind him as he crouched down and looked at the boy. "I'm the fucking devil, you got that? So if you think of running or even trying to talk to any mother fucker in here I'm gunna burn ya, then I'll feed you to the others" Vaas mocked as he snorted in the boy's face.
Tears began to rush down the boy's face, but he didn't cry, not like the others, it was silent, he might sniffle from time to time but he barely made a sound as Vaas walked over towards the camcorder and adjusted it so that it focused only on the boy's face.
"Ok now, just like we fucking said right? Mama, Papa please come get me." Vaas said in a soft cooing voice that might have sounded like a parent talking.
"Mama….I wanna go home…Please Mama do what they say, get me out of hell. I did everything Mama…MAMA!" The boy cried and started to actually whimper causing his body to shake.
Vaas scoffed and kicked the ground deciding this was the best he was going to get as he hit the record button off so it was no longer recording anymore. He had been over this time and time again and it was almost the same, each time the boy would stutter, he'd fret and then he'd scream for his Mother. Vaas looked over his shoulder and noticed a pirate rushing towards him. It was normal to see that, Vaas thought he was just going to collect the child and drag in a new one. This was the best work Alice could give Vaas, taking control of the pirate's just like before but keeping a low profile. Not exactly the easiest thing to do. However when the pirate stopped in front of Vaas, the former pirate Lord bared his teeth and his whole attitude turned to a very menacing one.
"Bad news, Alice hasn't been seen since this morning. Her jetski is gone, her weapons as well. We tried to call her but her phone is disconnected. Tried to track her GPS but it's not showing a signal." The Pirate frantically said looking to Vaas with wide eyes.
"So what the fuck do you want me to fucking do huh? Listen to you whine. Fucking go and bring me another to torment." Vaas said in a bitter voice so tempted to hit this idiot but decided not to.
"Vaas…We can't…We need you ok….Without Alice the Pirates will go rampaging. Emil will find out, we will all be fucked, you'll die, everyone will fucking die! Don't you see? Help us find her please…" The Pirate was really begging as he clasped his hands together pleading like as if he was pleading for his own life.
"Ok ok fine." Vaas huffed as he walked out of the room followed by the pirate. "Where the fuck is she or last seen huh? You know she asked me to get so many of these fucking ransom videos right and if I come up empty handed I'm fucked too ya? So where the fuck should I start looking hmm Hermano?" Vaas wouldn't admit to it, but he himself was panicking Alice never just up and left.
The pirate only looked and shrugged. When Vaas had left this morning Alice was sound asleep, she looked like she needed this break, he didn't blame her, it was tough being in control, telling them all what to do and say and how to act on command like training a bunch of feral dogs. Vaas snorted as he put his hands on his hips. Soon a set of footsteps echoed down the hallway as Vaas looked up and spotted the familiar face of Carlos. It was that very look on Carlos' face that made Vaas go stiff and his face turned pale as he gulped down the worst of his fears.
"Vaas, big trouble, A Villager just reported a sighting of Alice being dragged to the Rakyat temple" Carlos said as best as he could, his hands where even shacking.
This was something Vaas had been so afraid of from the start. Sure Alice had grown up, she had become stronger, more fearful, well trained in the art of killing and well she was almost like Hoyt really, but Vaas knew that Alice was too headstrong, she would never let anyone help her in a fight, she wasn't weak that's what she called it letting someone fight for her. Vaas put a hand immediately on his gun pulling it out, his green eyes darkened as he clenched his jaw and he was unclicking the safety on his gun.
"Gather the men we're going hunting" Vaas said in a dark stern voice.
~Temple~
As Alice awoke the first thing she felt was warmth, her eyes fluttered open as they fell upon a nearby fire. She tried to move her hands but found that they were bound above her head as she leaned up and noticed the rope tightly against her frail wrist had rubbed and caused a red line against her skin, yet Alice could not feel the pain as she tried to free her hands. It was no use, the bindings where too tight as Alice decided to look around at the environment she was in. It looked like a room, a room fit for a queen, or a barbaric one at that. There was small stone slab covered in fur hides, the fire place near Alice, a small opening on the far side that must have led outside to the outer world and then of course a large window carved out of the stone building she was in.
Everything had this stale smell to it as Alice huffed, it looked like she was in some old ruin and that's when it hit her, the memories of Citra, the fight, the deaths, the attacks, the drug….Alice huffed and tried furiously to free herself as she groaned and fought against her bindings but as she went to kick she suddenly noticed her feet had been bound as well. Alice growled and wondered if this was how Citra had treated Vaas? Bound to a wall in this very room, subject to isolation only to aid in your own insanity? Alice tried again to buck her body against the wall hoping that whatever held her hands up would come lose but yet again it was hopeless.
Then footsteps against the stone floor echoed and Alice stiffened, maybe Citra was coming for her, to toss her up on some stone slab in front of the whole Rakyat tribe and kill her then and there, maybe it was what Alice deserved right? How many had she killed by now? How many mothers and children, daughters, sons and fathers of the Rakyat tribe had Alice taken single handed? Too many that was for sure as Alice sighed and decided to contain herself and she slowed her breathing down, relaxed her body.
By the time Citra had walked in Alice looked like she was meditating and technically she was as Citra smirked and made her way into her room, alone and without guards. The woman sat opposite from Alice and leaned inward as if she was trying to study her. Alice had her eyes closed, her breathing was steady and Citra noticed the red marks on her wrists, she'd obviously been struggling so Citra was amazed at this calm state. In fact she had expected Alice to react much like Vaas had the first day she had brought him here, he thrashed about and fought violently against his bindings.
"Are you enjoying your stay?" Citra hummed with a satisfied look on her face.
Alice opened her eyes and looked Citra dead in the eyes, they were locked in this battle between one another, for everything, for one another's life, for love, for family, for power, but mostly to be the leaders, to be the victors to come out on top of everything else, to be seen as a hero, a Goddess, someone to be feared, someone to be followed. With a deep breath in Alice smirked back to Citra's surprise.
"Why yes I do, it has a lovely view, some nice warmth and some fun tea." Alice mocked before closing her eyes again.
This happy go luck attitude made Citra bare her teeth and before she knew it she had extended her hand out and slapped Alice across the face. Alice felt the pain, it wasn't much, just a little sting but it had force, so much that it made Alice snap her head to the side. Calmly as she could Alice opened her eyes and turned her head to look Citra up and down before she sat there with a stoic look and waited for whatever Citra had to say.
"This is not some vacation. I could kill you right now if I wanted to, eat your heart out and hear the cheers of my people" Citra said with a dark look on her face.
"Then why don't you?" Alice dared to question.
Clearly Citra did not like that, maybe it was because Alice spoke without being spoken too but the look on Citra's face was priceless as she screwed it up and narrowed her eyes on Alice, her nostrils flared as she leaned in close, their faces now an inch away from one another.
"Do you think this is a game huh? I saved you." Citra said in a strong accented voice of hers like a snake almost.
Leaning forward so that their faces touched Alice dared a look into the eyes before her. They were soft, hazel like, but a green. Nothing like Vaas' green eyes, these where the green that flicked to a blue like colour, soft and weak as Alice drew in the strong scent of native before her.
"Save me from what?" Alice said in a stern voice.
Citra was not the only one with a snake like voice; Alice was the only snake here in this very room as she quivered her upper lip and snarled at Citra. Neither one of the women backed away as Citra drew in a deep breath tempted to snarl back but she didn't she held it all back and bucked under that very question.
"We have a common enemy. I promise you freedom, a life worth living if you help me kill the monster of the Southern Isle." Citra said in a dark tone voice.
It was that very question that made Alice lean back against the wall, her anger faded and she softly smirked. There is always a price to pay for our actions as Alice knew right then and there that Citra did indeed intend to release Alice if she agreed, but Alice knew that once the job is done so is she.
"Fine, I'll leave you and your people be, but we have to work on this understood?" Alice said softly.
"Yes but I give the orders, you do as I say is that Understood?" Citra said her last words a lot slower.
Alice nodded, she knew right then and there that yes she was somewhat like Citra, but in truth she was more like Vaas, she could see that now as Alice smirked. Citra had not noticed the slight bump in Alice's stomach, she had not even dared to look, and all she wanted was this stupid alliance, to kill two birds with one stone. Citra was always good at manipulating others and if she could with men she would with women. As the two women sat opposite of one another there was a silent agreement, one that would determine the fate of Rook Island.
A/N: Last Chapter :D Fate of Rook.
This concludes this part of the series. I'm currently working on the third installment which I will link in here in credits later after I upload it. It will be named Battle of Rook and will be the final part in the series. So keep your eyes peeled.
I wanted to thank all those whom have been keeping up with this series and these past few chapters as well as the support and advice given by many :3 I hope to see you all in the next part of the series.