Mark of Azazel

September 3rd, Arriving near Tweet's Location

Master Raven's Log: "This is Master Raven over. I am getting close to Tweet's location from where she called me. It's already been 11 hours since that time. I took a brief nap, but I know that this won't be enough to help me rest for my youngest disciple could be in serious trouble. Whatever is happening to Zafina I must find out why she attacked Tweet, or maybe something else is attacking them both. Either way I really don't like where this development is going. Oh, and can you please send me Tweet's blog so I can find out where the last key for the Hyena's Gaze is? I would appreciate that. Master Raven out."

Master Raven lands the plane

Master Raven: "Hey! Eliza! Eliza!"

Eliza (Waking up.): "Mmm…hmmm."

Master Raven: "Get up! We are here!"

Eliza: "Alright. I'm up!" (Stretching her arms.)

Master Raven and Eliza both hopped out of the hovercraft as the sun was blazing in the afternoon hours. Eliza was already feeling uncomfortable with the dry heat. It wasn't quite the same as being in a humid area like Miami was. Noticing her hesitancy to walk out, Master Raven instructed Eliza to guard the plane while she investigated the area. As Master Raven wandered, it did not take long to find the vehicle Zafina was using to cross the desert with. Master Raven could see that the front door of the jeep was broken.

Master Raven: "There was a struggle here, but the rest of the damage is minimal around the truck. The key is still in the ignition too." (Turns on the car.) "Okay. It still works, but where did they go?"

Then Master Raven's notices a trail of blood heading into the desert

Master Raven: "Blood. But whose is it?"

Master Raven drove the jeep with the broken door taken off and kept going until she could no longer see the blood trail. It did not go very far and she could see nothing else.

Master Raven: "Where did they go?" (Checks for Tweet's radar signal.) "Dammit! It's still not working." (Then she received a message from the CO.) "Oh this must be Tweet's blog. I need to check on Eliza first. Hope she did not pass out in this heat."

Back at the hovercraft

Master Raven found Eliza curled up in a ball, but she wasn't asleep this time. Just sweating pretty hard due to the heat. Then Eliza quickly rose up in relief seeing Master Raven pull up in a jeep.

Master Raven: "Hey are you okay!"

Eliza: "It's sooo hottt!"

Master Raven (Wiping her forehead): "I know. I still have some ice cold water bottles in the back. Hang on."

Master Raven found some water bottles in the backside compartment of her hovercraft lucky enough. Eliza eagerly took one of the bottles from Master Raven and drunk it with glee. Then Master Raven got under the shade to view her wristcom and pulled up Tweet's blog about the fifth key for the Hyena's Gaze.

Sure enough, there was substantial information about the key's whereabouts. The last key was located in an archeological site called Nineveh, an ancient town within the modern city of Mosul, Iraq. In fact, Master Raven and Eliza were fairly close to the city of Mosul. About 55 km Northwest to be exact. This last key was dubbed as the Hyena's Tooth, hidden some 1200 years ago by the War General of the last deceased Palmyrian king. After the King's death, the General was out of work, but he was offered an opportunity to work in this kingdom. He was able to convince the ruler of Nineveh to build a shrine in order to hide the Hyena's Tooth underground. This is where Zafina and Tweet were going.

Eliza (Staring at the information on Master Raven's wristcom: "Ehh…what is that?"

Master Raven: "This has to be the place where Tweet and Zafina were heading. Are you cooled off now?"

Eliza: "I'm feeling better."

Master Raven: "We will have to leave the hovercraft here. This area is surveyed by G Corp, it will be safe to travel on the road. At least the sun is going down now. We should go to Mosul before dark."

Eliza: "Ehh…what's a Mosul?"

Master Raven: "Mosul is a city not far from here. Now let's go."

90 minutes later in Mosul, Iraq

As darkness descended over the horizon, Master Raven could clearly see that something was off about this city. Of course Iraq as a whole was not spared by the scars of war. And yet most the people outside were laying on the ground lifeless it seemed, but there was no signs of blood loss. This unusual phenomenon was more evident as Master Raven and Eliza ventured closer into the Ancient city of Nineveh. Finally, Master Raven noticed a shining purplish light over the old city walls. What could it be she wondered?

Master Raven: "Eliza do you see that?"

Eliza: "I do but what is it?"

Master Raven: "That has to be where the last key is. I'm driving onwards."

Now inside the Ancient City grounds

Master Raven: "Unbelievable!"

Eliza (Sparkling eyes): "Aaaahhh! So pretty!"

What formed around the Shrine was a spire full of purple crystals shining right in front of their eyes! The entrance appeared to be open and right below the opening was Tweet lying on the ground unconscious! Master Raven immediately hopped out of the jeep and rushed over to the girl's aid.

Master Raven: "Tweet? Tweet!"

Master Raven turned Tweet's body over and immediately checked her pulse. Her heart was still beating but she was breathing lightly. Eliza also ran towards their direction wondering what happened. Master Raven then asked Eliza to take Tweet back at the jeep while she ventured inside the newly decorated shrine.

Master Raven: "She's still alive. Eliza can you please take Tweet back to the jeep and watch over her while I go inside?"

Eliza: "Ok…but do be careful Master Raven."

Master Raven: "I will."

With that said, Master Raven walks down the staircase. At the end of the stairway, it was a long hallway which was illuminated by the light purple crystals that grew around the dark orange walls. There was a tremendous ki by the end of that hallway. It did not even feel like Zafina's life force, but it was something much fiercer. Master Raven took out her electric sword in order to be ready for what was ahead.

When Master Raven made it inside the shrine room, there was a chest that was completely sealed by purple crystals. This confused the kunoichi because now it appeared that taking out the key from the chest will be an even harder task. Who could have done this and why? Then finally, the origin of that high ki Master Raven sensed made its presence well known.

Possessed Zafina: "Wrrrraaagggghhhh!"

Master Raven: "Whoa!"

It was Zafina but her body changed quite a bit. Her hands were now sharpened like icicles but crystallized. Zafina's entire skin was purple colored with some crystals oozing out of certain parts of her body and her eyes were blood shot red. Master Raven couldn't believe what happened to her, but from what the kunoichi could tell, Zafina was clearly possessed by an evil spirit of sorts.

Master Raven: "Zafina? Zafina, don't attack it's me!"

Possessed Zafina: "Kkkkkkaaaaahhhh!"

Zafina swiped a few more times before Master Raven parried her last swipe and jumped over Zafina's head somersaulting back on her feet. Then Zafina smashed her left hand into the ground in an attempt to collapse the shrine! The earth started to shake and rattle. Master Raven knew this was bad. She needed to escape immediately! So Master Raven dashed at full speed out of the main shrine heading back up the entrance staircase. As Master Raven made it back on the surface the shrine exploded from underground. The blast sent Master Raven flying as she hit the ground several times until her body stopped.

Master Raven (Regaining consciousness): "Uggggghhhh!"

Master Raven tried to shake her head and return to her feet. However, Zafina reappeared from the rubble of the destroyed shrine seeing that her prey was still alive. Zafina stepped right in front of Master Raven's face and used her clawed right hand to break the kunoichi's neck. Now Zafina held Master Raven high in the air suffocating her. Master Raven had no way to fight back this immense grip of Zafina's. Suddenly a powerful energy came to the right side of Zafina as the energy connected Zafina, forcing her to let go of Master Raven.

Possessed Zafina (Hurt.): "Tcccchhhh!"

Eliza: "Dark Cannon!"

Eliza thrusted Zafina dead into her chest with her patented kick flare move which knocked Zafina down several feet away from Master Raven. Master felt her neck bleeding from the right side. She took the chance to take out her cloth from within her side pouch and patch up the wound. Eliza stood on guard and threatened Zafina.

Eliza: "You will pay for this monster! Are you alright Master Raven?"

Master Raven: "Yeah. Thanks Eliza. Is Tweet ok?"

Eliza: "She is still asleep but she should be awake soon because I gave her some energy." (Hears Zafina's angry cry.) "Uh oh! Here she comes!"

Possessed Zafina using her power, took a boulder full of crystals and tossed it over to Master Raven and Eliza. The two women quickly got out of the way. But then Zafina used telekinesis to shoot out more crystals in a 360 radius that were scattered across the rubble to aim for both women. Eliza was able to use Dark Mist to shield herself from the futile attack, but Master Raven got cut and stabbed on her arms and legs. Now Master Raven had more cuts on the body besides her neck.

Master Raven: "Dammit! I haven't even landed a blow against her but she does this to me!"

Eliza: "Master! Dark Tempest!"

Eliza retaliated against Zafina with a cross ki blast as it hit the woman lowering her defense and telekinesis. Then Eliza teleported in front of Zafina and used her Dark Chaos combination as Eliza's ki uppercut sent Zafina flying in the air before hitting the rubble again. Then Eliza heard Master Raven's voice. Master Raven, despite her wounds, conjured up an idea that could help Zafina rid of her possessive spellbound.

Master Raven: "Eliza! Hold her off for as long as you can!"

Eliza: "But what about you?" (Seeing Master Raven's bleeding body.)

Master Raven (Pulls a piece of charm paper that begins to illuminate): "Just give me 5 minutes! And I will place this charm in front of her face!"

Eliza: "Okay!" (Flies towards Zafina who angrily rises up in frustration.)

Possessed Zafina: "Hhhhhyyyyaaaaaaa!"

Zafina tossed more crystals at Eliza and Master Raven, but the vampire used her Dark Mist as a barrier to protect them both once more. Then Eliza proceeded to go on the offensive again with her Moon Glide to Bloody Claw attack, but Zafina parries it and connects with her slicing Kur attack. This attack was amplified by Zafina's claws as it stabbed Eliza along the torso area. Eliza grabs her side in obvious pain. Zafina then hits Eliza with a Tiamat's Tail kick combo. Eliza goes down in the rubble as a result. Then Zafina jumps in midair, increasing the size of her left hand to crush Eliza. The vampire managed to roll out of the way of such an attack as Zafina missed her.

Eliza: "Dark Wave!"

Possessed Zafina: "Sssshhhaaaa!"

Zafina's left giant palmed hand grabs the energy wave of Eliza's and cancels the attack after it explodes. Eliza was shocked by this! Zafina then rushes at Eliza with the giant palm but misses again as Eliza teleported. She reappeared in midair and does another Dark Tempest Slash, but Zafina shifts to her right and jumps to meet Eliza in levitation! Using her right hand Zafina produced an electric ball to blast Eliza in which the vampire had no time to summon a Dark Mist.

Possessed Zafina: "Perish!"

Eliza (Shocked): "Ggggggaaaaaahhhhh!"

Master Raven (Still charging her charm with her ki.): "Sh*t! Eliza!"

Eliza fell back down on the ground. This ball took away quite a bit of ki that Eliza stored in her body. She had a tough time regaining her body movement because of the shocks. Zafina then swooped down and kneeded Eliza dead into her solar flexus. This immobilized Eliza for sure. Master Raven still needed at least another two minutes before she could use the spell charm against Zafina. She had no way to rescue Eliza like this.

Master Raven (In her head.): "Damn! Just one more minute at least! Eliza, you have to fight back! Don't quit! No!"

Zafina with her giant palm hand picks up Eliza and starts to squeeze her upper body. This hold was suffocating Eliza tremendously. Any more pressure and Eliza's ribs would crack, puncturing her lungs! The Possessed Zafina kept her gaze at Eliza not realizing another person would come and attack her without noticing. Three kunai blades come at rapid speed at Zafina, hitting her giant palm hand! Zafina did not let go of Eliza but she looked to the very person who threw those blades at her. It was Tweet!

Tweet: "Let her go Zafina!"

Possessed Zafina (With an angry look): "Gggggghhhhh pest!" (Throws Eliza to the side.)

Master Raven (In Surprise): "Tweet? Tweet!"

Possessed Zafina: "Die!"

Master Raven: "Tweet!"

Tweet ducked under the rubble for cover as Zafina shot more crystals at the young girl. Tweet was lucky none of them pierced her. But what could Tweet do now? Zafina in her possessed state was much too powerful to fight against even if she wasn't afraid. She had already saved Eliza from imminent danger. So, there was no choice but to buy her master more time to charge her talisman spell against Zafina. However…

Zafina jumps over the rubble Tweet was hiding

Possessedd Zafina: "Ttttttyyyaaaa!"

Tweet: "Aaaaaaaahhhh!"

Zafina had Tweet trapped at the rubble pile and was going to smash her with her giant palm. That is until…

Master Raven: "Nnnnooooo!"

Master Raven appears to save Tweet! She conjured up enough ki to place the talisman at the forehead of Zafina. The shockwave power of the charm caused an explosion. The shockwave sent Master Raven and Tweet flying yards away from Zafina. Did they both die from this blast? Would this spell be enough to make Zafina return to her normal self? When the dust clears, the truth will come out.