AN:
Song is Infinite Forms by Thy Art Is Murder.
This song works extremely well for Vinioz in this chapter if you look up the lyrics.
Vinioz finally trudged back up the ship to the end to make sure both ends had been inspected in case of the unfortunate opportune that may arise of sneaking aboard. The last thing needed was the weasel getting on board right under her nose unknowingly.
The wait would not be a problem if it had not been for the long drawn out voyage and lack of supplies brought with them. There was a bit of food in the two bags they carried but with a third companion it was harder to weigh out the provisions – thus, Vinioz was growing hungry.
Investigating the interior of the boat for any signs of a mess hall, she was having no such luck. It was likely only for the crew and not for the travelers whom were expected to bring their own food. Small snacks were made available but even then it was not nearly enough. It would not satisfy her quench for what she craved and because of that it could compromise the mission if she made any unnecessary side quests. She and Kama had a plan, a plan that they both decided upon. To break a promise of staying on the ship would create a complex dilemma. It would put her at risk of being seen, and it would lessen their chances of finding the man attempting to board and escape. Of course there was the possibility he was not here to begin with, but they already found enough proof to believe this was where the verdict resided.
The halls were crowded as people boarded made it difficult for Vinioz to maneuver. Each individual she passed seemed to be with family. No hooded figures or faces she recognized either. It was becoming worrisome to say the least.
Finally making her way towards the main deck once more after the let down of lack of resources, Vinioz took note of the many voices raising in yells and exclamations back and forth.
Something was off in the atmosphere, a tweak of temperature and difference in presence. The sky was darkening and it was then that she realized what everyone was awing over and discussing. While she may not be originally from the Northern or Southern Water Tribe, it was easy to see what the source of power was coming from. It was darkened spirits eluded from their realm in the spirit world.
Pain shot through her core.
'Weakling…Go kill him yourself…'
"I can't leave…I have to stay put…" Vinioz tried to reassure herself before she made a reckless move again. This would just be a repeat of back when she had less control.
'I'm hungry…'
Cursing inwardly, Vinioz made one more look around but found no sign of the victim in search. It was clear that Kama had to be going towards the scene by now knowing him. But it still dawned on her that that could be him there, activating the spirit realm, encasing himself in whatever evils he can wreck upon the world with his vile creations.
Vengeance spoke to her in numerical order, plotting and setting a course.
Making a decision, Vinioz jumped onto the railing of the boat like a lemur with perfect balance, and then leaped from the edge of the boat to the frosted ground not bothering to take the ramp that everyone else was entering and exiting on. A child and his mother were shocked that she had achieved such a feat without any harm to her knees from the large distance but thought nothing more of it seeing as she was alright.
The jump may have been graceful, but her run was not to be tampered with. She was brash just like a flame, exuberantly determined to meet her destination. Her intended course would not stray away from their intended purpose of being here. In fact, if their target was where he was expected as of now, coming back to town would pose an even greater threat. While she had utmost standards held high for Kama that he continuously met, she trusted he would take care of the matter in whatever means he saw fit. It also meant she trusted him enough not to leave a killing blow but bring him in for them both to handle. It was a partnership, and he knew that.
The temperature was not at all to her liking. She hated cold temperatures to say the least even if she could manage it every now and then. Unlike Kama, she was not a waterbender who used the element in the environment to her advantage.
Finding the intended target just now entering the town, Vinioz removed her gloved hand not caring much that she stood out. If they hadn't figured out she was a firebender by her clothing colors by now, they would in moments.
Fire emitted from her palm in a large burst as she walked down the streets. One would think she was merely a tourist here on visit and was using it to keep herself warm, but this was not the case in the least.
Finding a stand with fresh packaged meat, Vinioz approached.
"What can I get for you, Ms.?" A man garbed in gray hues asked politely, looking almost bewildered by the flickering of the sparks emitting from the flaming ball. A non-bender she guessed.
"Meat, fresh meat."
Waving his hands outward in a display, he reveled in his product with pride. "All in front of you, our man just caught it a little under two hours ago. Already packaged and ready to go. We have people coming in and out today; people will like fresh food to travel with."
"…" Vinioz took a gander over the selection but found none of it to her taste. "Fresher…"
"Fresher?" The salesman was taken back by this. At this time of year it was difficult to catch any decent wild animals since it was the time for hibernation. Winter was a difficult time until spring rolled around. He was disappointed to have to decline a customer, but there was nothing more he could do about it. "I'm sorry ma'am, but I don't have anything fresher than this. Hunting is difficult this time of year as is. You might be able to find something else over at Johwers Shop next door to Uptopm?"
"Perhaps you weren't listening. I said fresh."
Launching forward at a high speed, Vinioz latched her flaming palm onto the man's face tightly, nails digging into either side of his face and indenting his cheek. As the flames increased, so did the color. It changed from its vibrant orange and red to a burning white and then to a blue, scorching the mans face within seconds.
Lifting the body into the air with ease, she reached up with the other hand and shot a flat palm onto the abdomen of the man, sending heat waves into his core to roast his innards until he fell completely limp.
No blood oozed from any part of his body, the marks on his face sizzled by the flames intensity and the internal damage did not burst outward.
With satisfaction, she tossed the burnt corpse into the middle of the road where all could see, either hand now encasing those same deadly flames. Screams resounded throughout the town, just as they had on the boat when the sky blackened due to the spirit portal.
Madness flared in her eyes, her calm demeanor straining to find any form of change of heart. That hope never came. It never did in these cases.
'Feed me…'
Vinioz approached the burnt corpse, hands connecting by either inner wrist. Just like a flamethrower, the flames shot forward in a spinning mass scorching the body violently until it burst apart, whatever blood not cooked slating all over the cerulean white setting.
"Patience…You know that…"
From a bystander's point of view, one may think her eyes held that of a blood red rather than brown. Those who had just witnessed this were too shocked to take action, too shocked to stop her. The rumors of the monster in Republic City, it was here, in their very vicinity.
"Stop right there!" A waterbender police officer ran into the scene with water already bent in the air at his disposal. Many feet away it could be seen his backup was following shortly behind to catch up with him. Their haste was that of determination to bring down this menace terrorizing their town even if the terror could not be hidden in their eyes just like the metalbenders.
The intimidation was not working in the least and they knew it.
Vinioz once again approached the corpse and bent down, sniffing the mutilated body and kicked the side with a foot to test the texture and feel of it. Satisfied, she stuck a hand inside and lifted the first organ she found. Without much difficulty, one hard yank tore it right out as dipped her head back and let the piece slip down her throat.
One of the police officers dropped their water and hurled forward vomiting profusely, his gut unable to handle the scene before him. Many others felt the same but potentially choked down the vomit tempting to come up.
Yanking one more organ out, the large intestine, she did not eat it. Not yet at least. Instead, she dragged it and began to walk towards the policeman.
Horrified that now they were her new line of attention, many shot ice shards and whips of water to try to stop her. Her only line of defense she used to stop each and every single attack that came relatively close to her was to use the intestine in her hand as a weapon to swat away each icicle while the other hand shot fireballs to extinguish the water into mist.
"This monster is insane!" One officer bellowed within the platoon while another shouted something unclear, which he proceeded to respond with, "Where the hell is our second backup flank?!"
They planned to flank her, did they? So these men were sacrificed on purpose to draw her attention. What a useless bunch of dunces.
Perhaps she'd give a display and have a little fun then.
Just as predicted, the second platoon arrived and dropped down from the buildings in a type of air raid, attempting to cocoon her in an igloo of ice. With enough layers they hoped she would be trapped with no means of escape.
While this plan would have worked, Vinioz was no ordinary firebender to be tampered with.
With ease, she raised a hand straight up and brought it back down, causing a burst of lightning to shoot down from the sky and pierce the ice sphere at the direct middle of the top. While she was not one to particularly like using lightning, she was capable of wielding it as were most strong firebenders lately.
Now that the ice began to melt and shattered around her, Vinioz stepped over the large blocks in her way and rose to the highest piece where she looked around to analyze what she was up against. These men hardly posed a challenge to her. In fact, she was beginning to wonder if the metalbenders were stronger. After all, Republic City was much more high class, a larger economy with enough money to pay for better training. Here there were amateurs, those who learned by experience on their own.
'I'm still hungry…'
Grunting with disdain, Vinioz stepped down from her podium and walked forward. Civilians fled as she drew near and hid inside their homes. Some could not help but stand in placed, scared out of their wits. Others clung to their children with utmost protection and never wavered.
"I told you to be patient." She muttered underneath her breath, mostly to herself rather than out loud where someone could hear. It didn't really bother her much if they did. None of this would last for much longer and her vengeance would be had. Her patience was withering more and more internally and externally. Soon enough she would not be able to sit by idly and have to fully expose herself and chase the man down herself by feet if that's what it took.
Un-expectantly, a figure stepped from out of the shadows, a long black cloak flapping in the wind behind him. The face he held contained that of a longing smile.
"Vinioz…It's been some time…"
Wiping the blood from her lip, Vinioz turned her head at the sound of that voice which spoke behind her, anger flaring vibrantly through her core.
The man advanced and walked around her, giving her a look over.
Clothes stained with fresh blood and caked in her teeth. It was a sight to see, but one he expected none the less.
"Let's have a chat, shall we?"
