AN: Um…nym believes in the healing power of reviews…:smiles impishly:
Anyways, this chapter gets pretty graphic (i.e. describing injuries, vomiting) so if you are easily squeamish, I would advise skipping over the rather large 'healing' chunk.
Also, I was wondering if readers could help me out on this one- I need character names. I have personalities, backstories, and everything else lined up but I'm terrible with coming up with names (i.e. Arthur "Art" King, and Lance E. Lot, seriously- that's pathetic.), so I was wondering if you guys could suggest some for me, both male and female? They need to be uber cool, bad-ass villain names ;) I'll be sure to give you major props and whatnot!
Chapter One: Sins
"Hurry it up!" Hissed the leader, a black ski mask muffling his voice as he leaned over his one-man team, a flashlight in his hand, "Time's drawing short, no doubt those chicks will be showing up soon."
"Sorry boss," A burly man muttered, hunched over a standard combination safe lock, "It's delicate work." He said.
The leader rolled his eyes, unimpressed, "I don't give a shit. I want my money." He narrowed his eyes, "I'd really hate to use my powers for such nonsense." He cracked his neck from side to side, "Such things happen to make their way into public eye and the situation becomes quite taxing, you understand." His voice was clipped, cold. Through the slit in the mask one could see his eyes, black and menacing.
The fatter man swallowed, "Sorry. It'll be done in a moment."
"Good."
A burst of static erupted through the walkie talkie at the thin man's side, "Get out of there." A frantic baritone voice muttered, "I see them, they're-" Yet another eruption severed the communication.
"You there? Come in!" Barked the leader, after a moment with no response, he sighed and clipped it back on his utility belt. "I hope you're almost done." He sneered, "We're about to have company."
Sweat beads had formed on the man's brow, "Just a minute…" he trailed off as a loud noise resonated throughout the hollow lobby.
When the doors burst open, four-silhouetted figures- obviously girls, emerged. The moonlight seemed to create a science fiction feeling, as it was the only light in the room. One of the figures tossed an unconscious man, the robbers' look out, onto the polished marble lobby floors.
"Got it." The fat man whispered meekly as the safe door popped open.
"Shit." Swore the thin man, his black eyes darting between the new arrivals.
The four figures were none other than the Daughters of Selene.
And currently, they were all in their pajamas.
"Who are these clowns?" Imy snorted, popping out one of her hips and plastering a bored expression on her face as she surveyed the scene and tapped a bunny-slippered foot against the floor.
Tessa yawned loudly, fanning herself, her curlers bobbing as she moved, "I knew these newbie Followers were stupid, but bank robbery? How lame. We got out of bed for this?"
Riley stood there motionless, her arms crossed in front of her chest, "Not impressed." She mumbled in monotone.
Aria said nothing, training her eyes to the two in front of her. The fatter man was next to the open safe door, and she unfocused her eyes, "The big guy's not a Follower," She said matter-of-factly, "But the scrawny one's an Immortal."
Imy nodded, her eyes dilating, "We're going to ask you very politely to please put the money back where you found it."
"Stealing is not very nice," Tessa reproached in a motherly tone.
The safecracker's face became a mask of horror, "Who are you people? The cops?" He cried, obviously feeling the threads of power in the air.
"Cops? Pheh." Imy snorted, waving her hand dismissively, "The cops have nothing on us. Ask Jacobson."
The man's face paled, "Then who are you people?" They could hear his heartbeat echo throughout the hall.
Riley quirked an eyebrow, "You do not know who we are? Strange." She sighed, "Could you please, however, keep your blind terror to yourself? It's truly irritating to have that kind of emotion floating in the air."
The thinner man narrowed his eyes and leaned against a wall, "The Chosen One?" He asked curiously, knowing it was because of the reference to her powers, "I've heard of you. I'm rather surprised the Daughters still keep you around, considering how you handed over the Atrox its crown prince."
Riley straightened, seeming as if she had been slapped. That look was quickly replaced with a look of rage, however. And soon everyone present felt fury flowing into them, as Riley wasn't even bothering to stop projecting her emotions.
Aria, who was closest to her, grit her teeth and put a hand on her shoulder. She concentrated, and the blue light that signified her powers began to pulse into Riley, trying to heal her anger in a way before she made everyone in the room go on a shooting rampage. "Calm down." She muttered.
Riley said nothing, but everyone could sense her anger subsiding. She stared at the masked man in barely concealed loathing, "Do not speak of matters you know nothing about." She whispered dangerously.
The leader snickered, "Ah, how quaint. I've hit a nerve." He spat coldly. "You're more of a Follower than I ever will be," He gave her a mock salute, "Tell dear Trysten hello for me."
Riley's lower lip was trembling in wrath, "Bold words for a Follower so low in the chain he has to rob a bank. In a mask, no less."
The other three Daughters and the fat man followed the discussion with their eyes, the fat man quivering in fear, while the other Daughters wondered if they should get involved or not. They all knew very well the effects of Trysten's sacrifice on Riley's conscience.
Ever since the incident a month ago, Riley had become more subdued than usual. She barely spoke, and never about her capture by the Infidi member Tymmie, or what had exactly happened the night of the Frigidus Ignis ceremony. She had kept it trapped inside of her, and her fellow Daughters wondered if she would ever fully recover.
The masked man let out yet another cruel chuckle, "I have no need of this money; I simply want it." He stepped closer to the furious Daughter, "You see, Lecta, I have these rather unfortunate cravings for money, success, fame, women, you name it I want it." He leered at her, "Right now I'd like to see if the so-called darkest Daughter has what it takes to defeat me."
"Riley-" Imy said quietly, but Riley got into a defense position.
"I am not afraid of you." She muttered, drawing in her power from the moon, a hazy gray aura starting to surround her.
He snorted, "I can feel that," He made a gesture of his fingers going through threads in the air, "Not so great at controlling your emotions, now are we?"
"You talk too much. Shut up." She demanded crisply.
The man smiled beneath his mask, "So be it." He sneered.
"Splendid!" Chirped Tessa, rolling her shoulders, "I need a good fight."
"Stay out of this," Riley ground out, "I'll handle it."
Aria rolled her eyes and heaved a heavy groan, "Haven't we gotten passed this whole 'Riley needs no one' bit? It's getting quite irritating."
In response, Riley sent her a rather frosty glare. Aria just shook her head and ran a hand through her hair.
"You should listen to your pretty little friend," The thin man jeered, "There's no way some little half and half dea can beat me."
With no hint of warning whatsoever, Riley released a rather concussive looking force of emotionally charged energy straight at him. The man was able to dodge with a rather impressive feat of agility, but narrowly.
"I can take care of myself," Riley quipped, her voice once again returning to its detatched form.
The fatter, impish man, watched in sheer awestruck terror as he felt the barricade of emotions fly passed him, "What the hell are you!" He demanded, pressing his back against the vault door.
Aria snorted, "Well someone's obviously an idiot." She spat, glaring at the thin man, "Using ordinary humans to do your dirty work? How pathetic." The man took no heed of her insults, so she exhaled and walked over to the fat man, "Leave. Now. You don't know what you're mixed up in." She left an opening, "Go. Before I loose my patience."
The man nodded, his chins jiggling as he picked himself up. His eyes trailed almost longingly over to the pile of cash.
"Don't even think about it," Warned Tessa, who was watching him like a hawk eyes its prey.
"You're lucky we're not turning you in to the cops," Aria commented bitterly.
He lowered his gaze at getting caught, but sighed and took off to the doors as fast as his legs could carry him. He shoved into Imy, but she took no notice, her gaze trained on Riley and the Follower.
"Hmph. Not bad Lecta," He stated, grinning like a fox, "Mind if I play a bit?"
"Not at all." She replied.
He seemed to walk around in a circle, thinking, "I can see why the Atrox wants you so badly. You see, you have a rather powerful supply of raw energies, and a rather decent hold over them," He pondered out loud, "I couldn't match you power to power, we both know I'd loose."
"Riley," Imy said warningly, feeling the power shifting in the room.
"Yet you, little Lecta, have one crucial weakness." He continued.
Riley stood as still as a stone, rigid and calculating.
"You have power over your gifts, but not over yourself. Too much emotional damage." He stated simply.
It had happened similar to a switch flipping on. Suddenly, there was a slightest waver of power on the Follower's side, and Riley was down on her knees, clutching her head, her mouth contorted in a silent scream.
"Riley!" Cried Imy, rushing over to her. She was stopped, however, by a firm arm from Tessa.
"Don't get close to her," She whispered to her friend in pity, "Look."
Imy followed her sights to see a gray aura leaking out rapidly from around Riley. Everything it touched, it seemed to make wither and die, and she watched in terror as it wrapped around a nearby decorative plant and effectively sucked it dry.
"W-what the hell is that?" She demanded, ripping away from Tessa and pointing an accusing finger at the man, "What the hell did you do to her!"
The man smirked, "The gray? That is Lecta's most abundant emotion; pain. Silly little girl, she keeps all of her less than favorable feelings bottled inside of her, just as I suspected." He gave a wolfish smile, "I simply broke the mental barrier suppressing them…all of this is by her own doing."
The girls paled, "How?" Ordered Aria.
He shrugged, "Breaking the barrier was quite easy. Let a few memories resurface, and the whole thing collapses." He snorted, "Like a dam."
"Physical pain, caused by the emotional. Interesting trick, isn't it?" He sniffed disdainfully, "She turned her own power against herself."
His explanation was cut short by a sudden blood-curling scream. Everyone, even the Follower, winced as it pierced through the silence of the night. It was unlike anything they had ever heard, animalistic and primal. Aria unconsciously hugged herself, she knew who the source of the sound was.
In an instance the gray mists dissipated into the air, and a lone, unmoving figure was spread across the marble floor of the bank's lobby, limbs jutted out at impossible angles.
The reaction was instant.
"You BASTARD!" Imy swore, her aura crackling and hissing with her rage.
The man didn't so much as bat an eyelash, his gaze trained on the fallen girl, "Hm, she held out much longer than I thought she would." He mused.
"I'll kill you." Imy seethed, teleporting directly behind him and swinging her fist as hard as she could, connecting to the right side of his head.
Aria's eyes landed on the prone figure that now looked nothing like Riley Zalank. Her back was to them, but Aria could see places where her shirt had split, revealing gruesome looking lacerations. The blood had soaked the remnants of her clothes, and there were a series of more scratches down the rest of her body. Her arms and legs appeared to be fractured, or broken, in several places; even her head was tilted strangely, and Aria feared she might have harmed her neck.
Now, the obvious thing to do was to go over, heal Riley as quickly as she could, and help Imy before she went and killed herself. But she stood rooted to the spot, fear and raw terror filling her as she looked at Riley. She had never seen such…carnage as this. It didn't look real; it didn't make sense. There was no way that Riley could appear that battered, she had just seen her, healthy.
Was she…was she dead?
The thought occurred to her suddenly, and she slunk down to her knees. Riley? Dead? She looked dead. That strange sinking feeling hit her stomach. She had never known anyone that had died. But, Riley couldn't be dead. She couldn't be that person there on the ground, beaten to within an inch of her life. It didn't make sense.
"Aria!" She heard yelled at her, but it seemed distant, distorted. Like it wasn't truly there.
Her eyes drifted sluggishly over to where Imy and the man were battling. That man did that to Riley, could he do that to her too? Could he do that to Imy or Tessa? If not him, what happened when the next powerful Immortal came around?
"ARIA!" The voice was louder this time, and a rough hand grabbed her shoulder and started to shake her, "Snap out of it!"
Aria exhaled slowly, and looked at the voice. Oh, it was Tessa. "Too…too much." She mumbled, resting her forehead against her palm.
"What are you talking about?" Tessa demanded, gripping Aria's forearm and forcing her to stand, "C'mon! Riley needs you!"
Aria shook her head slowly, trying clear her thoughts, "She's-? She's not dead?"
Tessa's face gained a sour expression, "She will be if you don't do something. Now."
"Okay." She muttered pitifully as Tessa pulled her up and dragged her over to the half-corpse that was Riley Zalank. Aria felt a numbness spreading throughout her limbs, and she stood there, towering over the prone figure.
She looked more horrid from the front, her face bashed in and a deep cut across her collarbone. Blood blended perfectly with the color of her hair, and plastered it to her scalp and face. Her eyelids were shut, and her chest rose and fell in a painfully slow pattern.
All Aria could do was look at the damage in amazement.
Tessa shot her a look of irritation and kneeled next to Riley, "Riley?" She whispered gently, "Can you hear me?"
Her response was Riley moaning something pitifully and coughing up a blood clot. It landed with a sick, splattering sound at Aria's feet. She bit her lip, and felt tears coming to her eyes. Riley had never appeared so pathetic or broken.
Yeah, broken was the word.
"What are you gawking at!" Tessa sneered, her voice brittle with anger, "Help her!"
Aria's heartbeat quickened and she looked at Riley once again. The tears were beginning to leak and roll down her cheeks, "I-I-" She stammered, clutching her chest and shaking.
"Damn it, Aria!" Tessa swore, "Now is not the time to freeze up like this!"
Her thoughts began to quicken, frantic and chaotic. She thought about the payment for healing wounds, how she would have to take on some of the pain and damage to herself after Riley was healed. Riley was close to death, and fear filled her core. Payback would be so terribly gruesome. She imagined herself with all of Riley's injuries.
"I can't." She said meekly, taking half a step backwards.
Her slow retreat was blocked when she felt Tessa grip her forearm tightly, her eyes were darkened and her blonde hair fell in front of her eyes, "If you leave Riley to rot just because you're scared, I will not hesitate to ensure you get the same treatment." She spoke gravely.
Aria felt her throat constricting, knowing that Tessa spoke truth, for rarely did she ever throw words around. She was beginning to breath heavily. "I don't think I can." She said, her voice quaking and trembling.
"You need to try." Her words were crisp, and pierced Aria more than any dagger could.
Aria once again looked at Riley, and she wondered if her mind was playing games on her, or if she truly didn't appear as horrid as she had moments before. She noticed that an aura of gold was hovering around her, and she then realized that Tessa was using her gift, in order to deceive and make Riley appear as if she wasn't on the brink of death. That it wouldn't take much effort to heal, and Aria gave her credit, it was a more than satisfactory illusion, but Aria could sense the pain and weakening heartbeat. Images didn't matter; Aria could feel Riley dying in her very soul.
She inwardly knew that if she hesitated another moment, Riley would be gone from them forever. She didn't want the guilt on her conscience.
She swallowed, and gripped Tessa's warm hand in her own clammy one, "I'm going to need your help." She whispered.
Tessa nodded and squeezed, "Tell me what to do." She spoke gravely.
"Give me your energy, your power." She said, "Fuel mine."
She looked confused, "How?"
"Focus and channel it, Riley did it to me once," Aria recalled the time in the hospital when she had healed Imy and Riley's friend Twiggy, and how Riley had directed her energies, "It's the only way."
Tessa nodded, but looked over to where Imy and the robber were still fighting, "But if I give you all my powers, Imy will be helpless."
Aria teased her lower lip, "It is your choice." Was all she said, thankful that the pressure was off of her shoulders for the brief moment.
Tessa looked back and forth and sighed, "Riley won't live much longer, will she?"
Aria shook her head slowly. "No. She has minutes left."
She sighed regrettably, "Don't do anything stupid Imy." She prayed, and closed her eyes.
Aria knelt close to Riley's head, and tried to ignore the stench of copper-twanged blood. She outstretched her hand, feeling her Goddess power collecting the strings of ancient magic from the air and pulling them into her. She closed her eyes to further concentration, and in her mind, she pictured her sky blue aura mingling with Tessa's gold, floating over Riley.
She began to knot back the shredded muscles, and reset the broken bones. She dissolved the blood clots that were forming in her chest, and most importantly, she began to straighten Riley's neck. It was an intense jungle of knots, tangles, and cuts, but Aria was able to work around the more vital parts, such as the broken rib that had punctured a lung.
Hours seemed to pass, and eventually she noticed the golden power diminish, and eventually disappear from hers. She began to feel the strain then, as the gray power kept festering inside of Riley, trying to eat at her own, pulling pieces away and weakening it. Aria knew that the weakening of her power would result in her taking some of Riley's injuries away with her when she was done.
Finally, Aria could take no more. She gently retreated from Riley, confident that she was now out of mortal peril.
As soon as she was inside of herself, and fully aware of her own environment, Aria threw up. She was fortunate enough not to hit Riley or Tessa, and vomited blood all over the floor. After a few moments, she began to inhale sharply, trying to compose herself. As soon as she thought it was safe to open her mouth again, she retched once more.
She had a throbbing headache, and her perception of the surroundings confused her, her vision was blurred, and she could sense that something was wrong with her arm. She slumped from her spot, and collapsed against the floor, staring at the ceiling blankly. Her breathing was rapid, and she absently wiped the blood away from her mouth.
Her ears heard the distant sounds of Imy and the Follower still fighting. She heard a crashing noise, like a vase breaking into a million tiny pieces, followed by a moan of pain that sounded horribly similar to a girl's voice.
She let her eyes drift sluggishly over to Tessa, and wasn't that surprised to see her passed out, face down, next to Riley, who now had also lost consciousness.
It began to dawn upon her that she was the only Daughter left.
She pushed herself up to stand, despite the throbbing pain in her left forearm, which she had now assumed was fractured, and the cloudy state of her mind. She would go down standing, at the very least. After all, she was the most prideful of the four.
She could see the blurred figure of the Immortal coming towards her slowly, could sense the laughter in his tone when he spoke to her.
"Beaten already? I haven't even touched you yet."
She said nothing, but got into a fighting stance and spit out some excess blood that was still in her mouth. She hoped that Selene would give her enough strength to at least give the bastard a sound punch in the face. Right into that smug expression.
The man was close now, so close she could hear his breathing, "So which one are you? The Healer, or the Illusionist?" He asked curiously, deducting her power from the previous ones he had battled. She felt the tingle in her skull that represented his intrusion of her mind, "Ah, the Healer. The one with the power worthless for fighting."
Aria only answered him with silence, and decided now was the time to strike, she swung her left fist around towards his head, and wasn't surprised when he blocked it, clamping his cold, clammy hand around her wrist. She hissed in pain when his grip tightened, aggravating the fracture.
"Tsk-tsk," The man muttered condescendingly, "All of you new Daughters are so corrupt." He snorted, "The Lecta with the sin of Acedia, the Teleporter with the sin of Fury, and I don't need to be a telepath to know that the blonde is a drug addict, a person with a craving so bad they let nothing stand in the way of getting what they want, addicts are always so full of Avarice." He shook his head at her, "You're possibly the worst of all," He sniffed her in a fashion similar to a dog, "I can smell the reek of Vainglory all over you."
She clenched her teeth and tried to release his hold, "What in the hell are you talking about?"
He smiled, "Hell has everything to do with it."
"Just do what you're going to do." She growled, "Don't waste my time."
"As you wish." He spoke coyly, tilting her head up, "I will cross you over first, little Healer."
She gnawed on her lip, and waited for the worst to happen.
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But it didn't. Time seemed to freeze in place, everything viewed through a slow-motion camera. The man holding her arm hostage was stuck in one position. Aria struggled and finally achieved prying his claw he called a hand off of her arm. She stumbled down to the floor, but picked herself up, thankful to be free of the Follower.
It was then that her surroundings clued into her, and Aria realized that the moonlight had entered the entire place, illuminating it majestically. She basked in it, feeling as if it was calling her home. She felt her wounds start to heal, mending without any pain. Her vision cleared, and she sensed a resurgence of her gift, her amulet glowing blindingly.
What was happening?
"Mater Luna?" She questioned, knowing only she had this sort of power.
A strange sound that resembled laughter filtered through the once morose surrounding. And Aria turned around to see a beautiful woman, clad entirely in white and walking towards her.
"Not exactly." Was all she said, her voice deep and melodious.
"Did you, did you do this?" Aria asked in wonderment, remarking about the freeze in time.
The ethereal figure nodded, "But it is only temporary. If I had not stepped in, this entire generation of Daughters would have been lost." She lowered her gaze almost shamefully, "It was the least I could do."
"Why?"
Her face turned grave, "I did it so you could heal your wounds and charge your power. This man," She gestured to the immobile Follower, "Is ten times stronger than any Daughter could hope to be." Her gaze darkened, "Fighting him will bring serious repercussions to you."
Aria gaped, "Why just me? I haven't even touched him yet!"
She shook her head, sending golden curls everywhere, "You are the only one who can destroy him."
"I don't understand." She muttered.
"And you won't." The woman agreed, "Not yet." She paused, "You will have to face several trials, before you can even hope to understand. You are blocking yourself from your destiny, Aria, hesitating before taking the final jump into acceptance." She lowered her head, "In the end, if you continue in your uncertainty, you will bring about the demise of the fellow Daughters."
Aria winced, "Why are you telling me this?"
The lady sighed, "You will not remember this conversation. Not until we meet again. It is better that way."
Her eyes widened, "How is that better?"
"Because there are things that someone can only discover for themselves." She replied smoothly, "You will either commit yourself to Selene like the others, or you will not. No one can force you down your path, it must be walked alone. You need to heal the inner doubt inside of you Aria, much like you heal the evil pains within others."
"But-" Aria stopped as she saw the moonlight beginning to recede, and the passage of time reviving.
The lady's eyes widened in fear, "I have stayed too long already." She whispered, and she seemed to think for a moment, considering something, "I will leave you a few words to remember, words that will helpfully keep you safe during your decision."
The darkness had spread, and the Follower was beginning to blink slowly.
"Aut disce aut discede, aude sapere," She warned softly, "Either learn or leave, but dare to know."
And that was all Aria heard before everything vanished in a flash of searing light.
OoOoOoOoOoOo
Aria was shocked to find herself standing a few feet away from the Follower who had previously held her in a death grip. She blinked a few times, looking around, how had that happened?
The man swore, "What the hell-?" He looked at the fallen figure of Imy, "I thought there was only one teleporter." He then shifted his gaze to her, "And you! You've completely healed!"
Aria dry swallowed. She knew it was true, her powers were also feeling recharged, stronger maybe. She shifted awkwardly, she was just as in the dark as the Follower.
She looked at her companions, and grimaced when she saw how mangled they were. Imy was collapsed against a marble pillar of the lobby, her head dropping and some blood spilling out of the corner of her mouth. Tessa looked as if her entire life force had been drained from her, a graying ghastly look imprinted on her features. And Riley, despite Aria's efforts, still maintained many scratches and the lacerations on her back. But Aria sighed in relief when she realized they were all superficial harms.
She was the only force that stood in the way of this Follower and her…somewhat sisters.
Aria tensed yet again, preparing to fight the man, "I can't let you get away." She whispered.
The man let out a barking laugh, "And what are you going to do about it? You're weak, with pathetic powers." His momentary shock discarded for malcontent.
She bit her lip, "It doesn't matter."
He snorted, "Of course it matters." Then, without warning, he sent a roundhouse kick to Aria's abdomen, sending her sprawling a few feet back. She landed with a hard thud, and the wind was knocked out of her. "See that? Can't even defend yourself against physical blows."
She concentrated her power, making her pain evaporate, but it took a fraction of a second too long. The Follower now leaned over her, his hot breath showering her face, "I don't know how you pulled off that last stunt, but now you're meat." He once again gripped her arm.
Aria froze like a deer caught in the headlights, knowing she was done for this time, she aimed a poor kick at his knee, but he blocked it easily. She swore; she was doomed. Defeated with one blow.
"Silly little girl," He spat, his evil aura beginning to crackle around him.
Aria began to prepare for her true demise, when she stopped. A thought had just occurred to her, a last stand of sorts, "Dare to know." She whispered.
The man rose an eyebrow, "What?" He muttered harshly.
She turned her face to his, and her eyes lit up, "Aude sapere." She repeated, "I may be a Healer, but that doesn't mean I can not destroy you." She closed her eyes and repeated the phrase like a mantra, focusing her powers onto the Follower's hand.
"Heal the doubt, heal the evil." She continued, not knowing where these thoughts had occurred, but smiling when an inner voice reassured her that this would work. The blue light began to crackle and hiss like electricity, and the man tried to recoil, but she gripped onto him.
He soon began to writhe in pain, thrashing wildly to get away from her. Her blue light attacking his inner darkness like an antibody, cleansing away the dirtiness from his soul.
She was using her power to purify him, to eliminate the Atrox's influence.
"NO!" He cried, dropping to his knees and clutching his head, "NONONONONONO!"
"Yes." Aria replied, her voice low and harsh as she felt all of her anger flow into the attack.
His body was beginning to smoke slightly, minor burns appearing on his skin. "AHHHH!" He screamed in pain, curling into the fetal position.
As soon as she could feel the darkness leaving him, she dropped her hand, the blue light vanishing. She wobbled slightly where she stood, exhausted from such an exertion of her gift.
The Follower lay, unconscious, on the floor. Smoke rising from his clothes.
She stared at the man, and she could sense that her ploy had worked, he had been healed from his own inner darkness. She stared at her hands, bloodied from touching Riley, and she exhaled slowly. These hands held a power, one that would surely mean serious repercussions from the Atrox. Yet she had saved a man, in a manner of speaking. She looked back to the masked man, he was covered in burns and unconscious, but she knew he was alive. She had beaten a Follower for the first time on her own.
It was then, in that moment of victory, that Aria began to hear the sirens.
She paused, and turned around slightly when she heard the doors burst open, her energy all gone.
She recognized the first cop, Jacobson. He walked up to her immediately after seeing the damage, "What the hell has gone on here?" He demanded in his continuously gruff voice.
"Bank robbery." She responded dumbly, numb to everything that had just occurred tonight.
"Were there," His voice dropped, "Were there Followers?"
She nodded and nudged the unconscious masked man with the toe of her slipper. "The others will need a hospital."
Jacobson grunted, "What about you? You're a mess."
She gave a grim smile, "I'll be ok. Just let me go back home."
"Long night?" Jacobson asked without sympathy.
"The worst." She replied, before collapsing on the ground sluggishly from exhaustion.
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There's been this rumor floating around that Lynne's cancelled the SOTD series, can anyone confirm?
This chap's out a little earlier due to the fact that I will be incredibly busy this weekend. Enjoy!
Next Up: Trying circumstances and a panic attack steer Aria into a decision she may find herself regretting forever.
Till next time!
!nym!