Opal (Completed)

Chapter 4: Scarlet Seal

It has been a month of non-stop bounties for I and Abiba and I must say I am glad to finally be resting in a proper bed. I feel exhausted going without sleep for the past 3 days. For the majority of our bounties, they're usually normal folk or those with powers who seldom fight or are simply not good enough to fight back, however, for our last mission a woman that went by the name of Lydia was an absolute nuisance and a pain in the arse to kill. Not only did the townsfolk of Vernicell have a vendetta on her but they wanted her permanently done albeit executed.

"I have never encountered a bounty that heinous before, I mean could you believe that she'd purposefully torture just for the fun of it. Now I tell you it was a close call I was getting so fed up I was about to take my glove off, but of course, Abiba came in with her perfect shot to the heart. Now I tell ya that put her down real quick. So much so the townsfolk showered us in gifts." I continue to ramble drunkenly as I chug down another pint of beer. I seldom drink but the stress of chasing that woman for three days combined with the lack of sleep as well as a near-death experience having my blood pressed by that witch of woman has put me on edge. 

"You see that's exactly why all those bloodies, need to be exterminated they're are all the same, they torture and kill for pleasure if you ask me I think they's was spawned by the devil themselves." The bartender says. He has a missing eye a golden tooth and a head full of graying hair. I simply nod my head before downing the rest of my drink and hopping off the bar stool. I dig into my cloak and pull out 1 Quartz before stumbling across the street and into Ms.Deljah's tavern for travellers.

The moment I barge in I catch Abiba cleaning her bow while humming a melodic tune. I stumble across the room in a drunken haze and fall onto the bed. I belch before pulling off my cloak and crossing my arms behind my head. My eyes slowly start to close but Abiba interrupts with a cold tone.

"How many times have a told you to hang up your cloak." She says grabbing my cloak and throwing it on the coat hanger. I slowly sit up and laugh stupidly.

"Huh, w-wuht's up with you miss prissy? Oh I know it's because this mission took longer than expected right?" I say hiccuping. She sighs and puts her bow away before pulling off her boot and flinging it at me. It hits me square in the head sending me back onto the bed. Immediately sit up and scowl.

"Agh, what the hell!" I grab my forehead and begin rubbing.

"That's what you get for nearly dying!" She seethes before taking off her other boot and throwing it my way, this time I dodge and it hits the wall instead.

"And that was for not thanking me for saving your life!" She screams. I huff and jump off the bed before picking up the boot and hurling it at the unlit fireplace.

"Well, what'd you want me to do! If I hadn't gotten my blood bent by that lunatic Lydia you wouldn't have had a clean shot at her!" I scream at her. She balls her fists and shoots daggers in my direction.

"But you wouldn't have been in that situation in the first place if you listened to me instead of trying to take her head-on. My goodness, you can be so hard-headed, I mean do you know how dangerous blood benders can be?!" Usually, I'd bite my tongue in a situation like this but my being intoxicated only adds fuel to the fire.

"Oh please you know I could've taken her out if I wanted to but I didn't because in my eyes I'd see using my powers as cheating so I fought fair and square and gave you a bloody chance to kill her!!" I say pointing a finger at her whilst stomping my foot on the ground.

She goes silent and I see tears beading up in her eyes. Before I can mumble out an apology. She grabs her boots and rushes out the door.

"Wait, Abiba!" I say stumbling down the hall trying to keep up with her but by the time I make it out of the building, she's gone down the street and out of view. Biting my lip I curse under my breath and turn around before running right into someone's chest.

"Ugh, excuse m-" I look up to the hotel clerk looking down at me. He has a pale complexion and a fiery red beard to match his head of hair. He hands me a manila envelope sealed with a scarlet red owl stamp. I furrow my brows in confusion before taking the mystery envelope in my hand.

 
***
Stumbling my way back down the hall and then to my room, I fall onto the bed and grab my throbbing head. Ugh, why do we keep getting into petty arguments? I think whilst rubbing my forehead. Feeling bad for myself and also guilty about hurting Abiba's feelings I take my mind off the argument by opening the envelope. I eye the scarlet seal before ripping it open and taking out a letter.

Dear Opal, I have been looking for you for a long time and have been delighted once I found a poster of you in Strofi city. It has been years since our last encounter and believe that you and I have some unfinished business to attend to. Alas, you may be a bit confused as to why I am writing you but you see you have hurt someone I hold dear to my heart and for that, you must pay for your callous behaviour. If you wish for a clue behind my identity think back to the boy you killed back at the academy.

Sincerely,

Sir Nev.

My hands begin to shake as I crumple the letter before dropping it on the floor. My stomach drops and the feeling of nausea hits me like a wave. Breathing heavily I grab my chest trying to stop my frantic heartbeat whilst furrowing my brows in confusion. My mild headache from drinking soon morphs into a splitting one and to ease the pain I close my eyes and breathe in and out whilst cradling my head in my hands. keeling forward on the bed I fall into a fetal position as my ears begin to ring. The splitting headache coupled with the mysterious letter causes incoherent thoughts which results in blurry memories of the past.

Flashback

I rub the sweat out of my eyes as I try to steady my laboured breathing whilst trying not to fall over. My legs wobble under me barely able to keep me up while I try to blink the blurry vision away. I shake my head trying to gain back some of my composure after being clocked over the head with the Kali sticks. Despite my mild vertigo I still manage to grab the Kali stick tight as I slowly take one step forward. I watch as my target sways as he drills holes through my skulls with his murky blue eyes. His Ivory skin is covered in bruises and cuts and I smirk when I see him falter nearly dropping toppling over. He spits and two teeth land on the floor in a bloody mess.

I bring the Kali's up in position before speaking.

"Oh, what is this, could it be that the great Malou has faltered?" I say teasing while drawing in another painful breath. I watch as he straightens up before raising his Kali's into position.

"It's funny how instigators like you will only talk but seldom have anything to show." He says gesturing to my now swelling eye. I wrap my hands tighter around my Kali's before lunging and swinging for his neck.

Our peers and professors watch marking silently as we are tested on our raw skills. I've trained so hard pushing myself to be the best I can be. From the day I stepped into the academy I have been a social pariah friendless, and alone. But worst of all I have been the target of imperious bullying dictated by non-other than Malou Esthrea. And I believe that fighting him will show everyone that I am more than an underdog and a soul snatcher. How distasteful.

I rebuke those who have done me wrong,

I rebuke those who have hurt me and,

those who believed that I was nothing but a stain on this world!

I have put up a shield to prevent any further pain and this, this here battle will prove that I am more than... more tha-

"Ahhh, Stopp!!" I shriek of anguish knocks me out of my thoughts and back to reality. I'm frightened to find my ungloved hands wrapped around Malou's neck. My very blood freezes when I see Malou's once blue eyes now dull and glossy. In response, I slowly begin to shake my head as my hands uncoil from around his neck. Everything around me begins to slow down as my ears begin to ring. In a detached haze, I look around the room to find petrified pale faces staring at me. The screaming in the background soon begins to grow louder and louder before I realize that I am the one who is shrieking.

"Wh-what h-happened?!" I say more to myself than anyone else. Looking at my ungloved hand I begin to shake before screaming in abnegation.

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