sex and cigarettes

Marc did something stupid.

Chasina hummed to herself as she stepped over the threshold of her cabin, symbols lighting up all over her walls. She watched each one fade into nothing as she closed the door behind her. One symbol was still glowing when she turned back to her wall and she frowned, walking closer to it. Intruder. She pulled her mask back over her head and pulled her sword free. Her other hand began to glow and the energy once again spiked from her hand to the ground, creating a perfect image in her mind of her surroundings. The silhouette of Moon Knight came into her ‘vision’ and she sighed.

“What are you doing here?” She asked, not bothering to ask how he found her after him learning who she was.

“You threatened me last time I saw you. And right after I rescued you.” His voice was harsher than usual and she rolled her eyes. “I can’t let you arrest me. I’ll be executed and I can’t let that happen, I can’t let what I’m trying to do fail.”

“You sound exactly like Harrow, you realise that? You’re not going to make the world better, you’re going to destroy it.” Her voice was softer than she expected and it made him stumble back.

“I am nothing like Harrow. He wants to cleanse the world. We’re trying to fix it.” He hissed, though his voice sounded different. Chasina removed her mask, putting the sword back in her scabbard. He appeared to have changed, his posture was less certain, his hands were fidgeting, his gaze was darting across the room.

“Leave. This is the only time I will ask. If I have to ask again, I will be taking you down and taking you in. You get one chance to go peacefully, because I really don’t want to have to clean blood off my floor and my walls, and I feel that something has changed in the last sixty seconds.” The masked man nodded, vanishing and she frowned at his retreating figure. Something had definitely changed.

“Look, Steven, you can’t take over like that. We should’ve taken out the threat there and then.” Marc hissed at his reflection in the lake. Steven was glowering at him and Jake was shaking his head with barely constrained laughter. We were at her home, Marc. Did you not see all the symbols on the walls when she stepped through the door? We would’ve been obliterated. Steven argued. He’s right. She’d have killed us if we didn’t back down, and we know for a fact that you wouldn’t have backed down. Marc glared at them both, crouching down closer to the water. “We can’t fix this doomed world if she doesn’t give us space to do that and she insists on stop-” Marc. You’re the one who was taken aback by her softness and gave enough space for Steven to take over. Jake interrupted, a shiteating grin spreading across his face. Marc’s glare somehow got even deeper. Steven shrugged. The real question is why did she let us go? Marc hesitated. “It doesn’t matter. We’re behind schedule.” He huffed, reforming his armour around his body, setting off deeper into the forest.

Jake was in control by the time they arrived at the sorceress’s hut. He knocked once, twice, three times on the old wooden structure and the door swung open, revealing the woman he’d met in a tavern a long time ago.

“It’s really you… I didn’t think you were ever coming.” Sabrina whispered. She cleared her throat and stepped back, letting him in and he smiled under the mask. “How have you lived this long?”

“I’m lucky.” She nodded, tongue darting out to wet her lips as she glanced to the side behind him. His eyes narrowed but he said nothing. “Do you have it?” He asked, brushing past her and her breath hitched in her throat as his mask vanished.

“Oh! Of course! I said I’d hold onto it for you.” She stumbled over her words and her feet as she rushed to find the jewel he had been looking for. “The only true blood diamond that was owned by the Wild Hunt.” She confirmed as she passed it to him. “So, is that all you came for?” She asked and he shook his head absentmindedly, examining the diamond. “I’m so sorry.” She whispered, stepping back as she created a portal and he sighed, tucking the diamond into his sleeve.

“No, Sabrina, you’re not. But you’re about to be.” Jake said, turning to face her with a disapproving frown plastered on his face. He pulled the crescent shape blade loose from the chest piece of his armour and he was in front of her before she could step into the portal, slashing her cheek. She cried out, dropping to the floor in shock as she clutched at her face. He chuckled, almost enjoying seeing her beneath him. “Unfortunately, Sabrina, sorceresses are part of the plague that is destroying this world, as you just proved. We were just having a friendly exchange and you threatened me.” He tutted, crouching down to eye level. “Why did you have to do that, Sabrina?” She stifled a sob as she tried to scurry away from him, footsteps running into the hut and Jake sighed again. “What a pity.” He stood, stamping on her ankle to still her as she screamed in pain and he turned to see three village boys. “We don’t have to do this.” He said, folding his arms across his chest. “I’m just here for the sorceress.”

“You can’t hurt her and get away with it!” The bravest of the lads said, his voice shaking. Jake chuckled, unaware of Sabrina reaching for something and tapping a symbol on the floor.

“Let’s get this over with, boys.”

Chasina sprinted through the forest, not having bothered with her mask. She ran as fast as she could, ignoring the howls surrounding her. The light of the full moon lit her way as she tore through the undergrowth, clearing a lake with a single jump. By the time she made it to the hut, there were three dead men, a portal flickering, Sabrina on the floor, and Moon Knight, unmasked. Her eyes narrowed.

“Back away from her.” His shoulders tensed, turning to face her with shock written across his features clear as day. She blinked, not having expected the face that she saw looking back at her.

“I wouldn’t step any closer unless you want to die, parajito.” the man snapped. His voice was different, a look of calculated cruelty in his eyes that would’ve scared her on a more dangerous man. Chasina tilted her head, taking another step forward.

“Let Sabrina go.” Her voice was empty as she pulled her sword free and manoeuvred until she was between him and the sorceress. He watched every move she made, trying to figure out what she would do next as the tip of her sword pressed against the underside of his chin.

“¿Estás tratando de obtener una reacción de mi parte?” He whispered, a dangerous glint in his eyes. She narrowed her gaze as Sabrina began to crawl towards the portal.

“No. But I am distracting you, aren’t I?” Chasina asked with a small smile as she realised his breathing pattern had changed, ever so slightly. The portal fizzed shut and the smile dropped as she picked up her foot and slammed it into his knee.

“Fuck!” The tip of her sword nicked his chin as he stumbled back, dropping his leg out from under him. “That’s not fair, parajito.” He snapped. Chasina shrugged, moving her sword into a defensive hold as she watched him regain his balance.

“All is fair in war, Moon Knight.”

“I think you forget part of that phrase on purpose, parajito.” He lunged, slamming his elbow into her wrist and her sword slipped from her grasp. He threw punch after punch, all of which Chasina evaded as though she was stepping through a dance. How many times have we done this? Steven wondered. Too many. End the threat. Marc snapped and Jake rolled his eyes. Chasina hesitated for a split second but it was long enough. A blow caught the centre of her chest and she flew backwards, coughing and wheezing. Before she could stand his fingers were wrapped around her throat, lifting her into the air and slamming her against the wall. “Hoy te toca perder.” He whispered.

Chasina stared at him, golden defiance burning in her eyes. Jake stared back, entranced by the change in colour, as her fingers inched closer to his hand even as her lungs began to burn. Jake. Jake watch o- Chasina smiled, gripping his wrist as her hand began to glow and heat poured from her skin to his. He shrieked in pain, letting go of her and she smiled as she landed on her feet. Before he could recover she drew a quick symbol in the air that he didn’t recognise and he found it was impossible to move.

“I’ve never lost to you. And I don’t intend to start now.” She whispered, binding him and lifting him as though he weighed nothing. Her fingers pressed into his neck and his vision turned dark.

“Fuck!” Marc mumbled as he woke up, surrounded by 3 grey walls and a metal door. “Fuck!” He yelled, making everyone else in the cell turn to him in displeasure.

“Shut it, or the guard’ll come back and take our food from us.” One of them hissed and Marc glared at him.

“That won’t be my problem for long.” Marc grumbled, analysing the structure of the cell as he began to pace.

~~

Translation - ¿Estás tratando de obtener una reacción de mi parte? - are you trying get a reaction out of me?

Chasina was moving on pure instinct, hearing her armour call out to her, begging for her to find it. She knew that Moon Knight was following her, but she had no idea why he was helping her. It didn’t matter. She had to get out. She could hear the blood pumping through her veins, could feel her strength returning as she grew closer and closer to her armour and her weapons.

“And where are you sneaking off to?” Chasina looked over her shoulder to see Kenneth and she smiled. “I’ve got something for you from the Master.”

“If it’s more of the Ammitryne, I’ll have to decline. But thanks for the offer.” Kenneth chuckled mirthlessly as he stalked closer, syringe in hand and Chasina eyed him wearily.

“I’m thinking you blowing the door off your cell and breaking your cuffs was all the Chaos you managed to regain control of, otherwise you’d already be gone.” Kenneth sneered, his lip curling up into a smirk. “So you should really behave, little songbird, and then we can all go about this much easier. What do you say?”

“I say that you underestimate me.” Chasina snapped. “But also that you’re assuming that I did those things. Who’s to say there isn’t a traitor in your midst? Someone who slipped through the cracks, or someone who was forced to help you.” Kenneth paused, his smirk faltering and Chasina smiled. She moved in close and slammed her elbow into his nose, the shock making him drop the syringe. She caught it and plunged it into his thigh, pushing the dose into his veins as he sank to the ground, wisps of fire dying his hand as the purple liquid took effect. “Sweet dreams, Kenneth.” She said, gently laying him down. She paused, tilting her head until she heard the song of her armour again and she darted down another hallway. She couldn’t hear Moon Knight’s footsteps but she knew he was close behind her.

You were wrong, Steven. She doesn’t need any help at all. Marc nodded in agreement with Jake, though he disapproved of the amount of admiration Jake had in his voice, as Chasina disappeared around another corner. We should still make sure she definitely leaves. Just because she could take one person doesn’t mean she can’t be overwhelmed. “Yeah, yeah, Steven, I’m making sure she leaves. Even if it means we don’t get Harrow.” Marc grumbled as he finally caught up to her. She was tightening the straps on her armour as he froze, staring at her mask. “No, no, no, no, no.” He mumbled, unable to tear his gaze from her as she attached her scabbard to her belt “No, no, no, no, no!” He huffed and she turned to stare at him.

“Thank you, Moon Knight. Next time I see you, I’m arresting you. But as a thank you, I’ll let you go this time.” Chasina - the Songbird of Bastet, Steven corrected- smiled, vanishing out the nearest window. He ran over and leaned out to see that she had already disappeared from sight.

Did we just help the one person who insists on doing their job properly and arresting us? Yeah… sorry. Marc swore as he heard running footsteps and he jumped through the window, using his cape to stick the landing and he ran for the treeline.

Chasina paused, leaning against a wall as she panted for breath. The sun had long since set and despite her blessed armour, she was beginning to feel the cold of the night. She couldn’t risk lighting a fire. Not yet. Not less than a day’s ride from Harrow’s apparent fortress. She sighed and tugged her mask from her face, clutching it to her chest as her hair tumbled free and she tucked it behind her ears. She stared up at the moon and stars, wondering if the gods were watching, her vision blurry from being obscured by the mask for so long. She almost felt bad that she had deceived Moon Knight to get herself free but she knew what would’ve happened if he’d known who she was the whole time. The only downfall was that now he knew what she looked like and her name. “Fuck.” She mumbled, running her hand over her face and up to push her hair back.

You have to keep moving. Chasina nodded, shoving her mask back over her head and tucking her hair in it properly as she began to run again, releasing a flash of energy from her hand to the ground to keep ‘sight’ of her surroundings. Don’t lose focus or you’ll lose your ‘sight’. Stay aware of your surroundings. “That’s a lot easier if you’re not nattering at me!” Chasina huffed in between breaths as she sprinted, leaping over roots and rocks and rivers.

Soft white flakes began to float through the trees, landing in her hair. A howl hung heavy in the air and she smiled. A job. Another howl sounded, louder, to the west of her. Chasina slid her silver sword from the scabbard on her hip, stalking the sound with a small smile. She walked atop the snow without a trace, making no noise and leaving no prints. She whistled a single note and it reverberated around her, echoing through the trees. She followed the soundwaves, listening to how they echoed off the trunks, the branches, the ground. A flash of energy cascaded from her hand to the floor and created a perfect image of her surroundings within her mind. Ash trees, snow at least four inches thick beneath her boots, silver leaves, and a clearing straight ahead of her. In the centre of the clearing stood a minotaur. Through the arcane image, it looked nine feet tall, broad shouldered, covered in brown shaggy hair.

“The little songbird.” The beast managed to growl out. “Lot of people looking for you.” It grunted and Chasina tilted her head. “We in the forests hear things.”

“Thank you for the tip.” Chasina murmured, her sword resting easy in her grip. “The blood that’s matted in your fur. I take it some of it is yours? What does the rest belong to?” She asked, the stench of human corpses being carried to her on the wind. The minotaur hesitated. “Did you know that each species decomposes slightly differently? I say you’ve got less than a day before your den is overrun with ghouls, based on the smell of human corpses.” The minotaur’s nostrils flared and it lunged for her. She smiled under the mask as she ducked the flailing limbs and sliced up the beast’s stomach to its throat. She sighed, pulling a piece of cloth from her armour and wiping the blood off of her mask, shoving the cloth back in place. She pulled her mask over her head and blinked until her vision came back into focus, wiping her sword clean on the snow. The black blood of the minotaur continued to spill from its body and she sighed, shaking her head. “It’s truly a shame.” She murmured as she crouched down and reached out, closing its eyes.

Steven sighed as he took control of the body, the Moon Knight suit vanishing as he tumbled to his knees in the doorway of the room they were renting for the next few nights.

“Had a few too many?” Shut the fuck up! What the fuck would you know? Steven chuckled and shook his head at the passerby, ignoring Jake entirely as he stood and closed the door.

Chasina winced as she woke up, her ears ringing and her head pounding. She reached to touch her temple but couldn’t move her arm close enough. She tugged her arm again and the sound of metal clanking made her finally open her eyes. Her wrists were cuffed to the damp, dark wall behind her. She could taste iron in her mouth and she spat blood onto the floor. “Hello?” she called out. “Where am I?”

“You’re awake.” An amused voice. She looked up to see a tall, lithe figure in the doorway. “Took you long enough. My Master was getting impatient.”

“Your Master?” Chasina scoffed as the elf stepped closer. “Who are you? Where am I?” She asked again, tugging on her restraints.

“Don’t you remember?” Chasina shook her head. “Oh well.” He turned to leave but paused, looking back at her with a toothy grin. “Don’t go anywhere.” She scowled at his back as he left.

“Don’t go anywhere.” she grumbled to herself with a roll of her eyes. She glanced around the room. There were no windows, the only light sources being the candles and a large fireplace. There was a sketch of a girl on the table and Chasina thought she looked vaguely familiar, though she had no idea where from. Long, curly hair fell down the girl’s shoulders, her eyes catlike, her skin covered in freckles. A shelf of glass vials that were filled with a glowing purple liquid. A syringe that seemed to have traces of the same liquid was also on the table. She closed her eyes, steadying her breath and focusing on the air filling and leaving her body.

“You look calm for someone who’s chained to a wall.” The voice was like nails on a chalkboard and Chasina couldn’t remember where she knew it from or why it annoyed her so. “Before you think about using your gifts to leave here, keep in mind that I’ve been looking for you for a very long time. Although the poster on the table may have given that away.” I’m the girl in the poster? She thought and she heard a chuckle from the elf who had been watching her.

“Master? She didn’t recognise herself in the sketch. I think that when your bounty hunter found her he did too much damage.” Chasina opened her eyes to stare at the new man in the room, her hazel eyes beginning to glow gold as she analysed him.

“Easy, easy. I just want to talk.”

“If you just want to talk, then why am I chained?” Chasina asked, her eyes closing again as she focused on the bubbly feeling coursing through her veins towards her hands. Her head tilted back slightly as her lips pursed.

“Think this through, Chasina. Do not use your gifts or I will be forced to use mine!” The man warned, his cane tapping against the floor. Her fingers wrapped around the metal on her wrists as he began to chant in a language she did not recognise. A tingling feeling ran through her body as her fingers got unusually warm. A sizzling sound overtook her senses and her eyes opened as what remained of the metal cuffs fell to the ground, burning bright orange. The man was kneeling on the ground with his cane in front of him but she batted it away, holding his chin up with her hand.

“Who are you? Why were you looking for me?” She asked quietly, the heat gone from her hands and her words.

“My name is Arthur Harrow. I was looking for you because you are extraordinary and I want your help.” He whispered. His guard stepped forward and Chasina’s gaze snapped to him, daring him to move closer.

“My help with what?”

“Making our world a paradise. Pulling out evil at its root, rather than watching it reign and then trying to do something about it.” Chasina let go of him, stepping back. He smiled and the ground behind him appeared to open and what appeared to be a hellhound leapt out. “You can help me with that. With your gifts nobody would oppose us.” Chasina swallowed, her gaze darting behind the advancing guard and hellhound. “Of course, you can choose not to help us. But you aren’t wearing your armour, you have no weapons and you’re not strong enough to use your gifts on us yet, not after melting the cuff, given what we injected you with a mere hour ago.”

“The purple liquid. You made a Chaos suppressant?” She whispered, stepping back again.

“So you’ll help us?” Arthur asked with a small smile. Chasina’s gaze hardened as the hellhound pounced and knocked her to the ground. Her arms instinctively blocked her throat and face as it lunged again, teeth tearing her skin.

“No.” She said through gritted teeth. Arthur sighed.

“I didn’t want to have to hurt you. You’re so talented. You could do so much good.” He said as the hellhound moved away. “You’ll change your mind, with time.” He murmured, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Kenneth. Lock her up.” Arthur instructed as he stepped away. “And give her another dose of Ammitryne. That should keep her out of trouble for now.” The guard, Kenneth, nodded with a smile and moved toward her, picking up the syringe from the table. His movements were surprisingly graceful as Chasina stumbled over herself to back away from him. “It’s alright, it’s alright, little songbird. The Ammitryne won’t hurt. I don’t intend to hurt you.”

“Then don’t hurt me.” Chasina said after a pause. “It’s not difficult to not hurt someone. You just don’t hurt them.” Arthur chuckled, shaking his head.

“I wish it was that simple, songbird.” Arthur’s voice assaulted her. Kenneth smiled as he gripped her arm and pushed the needle through her skin. She grimaced and Arthur sighed as Kenneth pushed down on the syringe. “There we go. That’s better. We’re all much safer now.”

“Not all of us.” Chasina slurred, her head swimming as the room around her became blurry. The last thing she saw was Arthur smiling and Kenneth pulling her into his arms.

Marc stared through the window as the girl pounded on the door of the small room she had been locked in. She was screaming obscenities and threats in a language Marc didn’t understand. Jake laughed from within the headspace. Marc moved around the side of the building and hauled himself further up. He wasn’t there for random girls. Cmon, Marc, we can’t just leave her here. Steven’s voice cut through his thoughts and Marc huffed. “We’re here to do a job, Steven. Not to rescue anyone.” He’s right, Steven. We don’t help other people’s victims. We have a reputation to uphold. Jake’s voice added. Marc nodded as Steven huffed. Marc paused as he heard the familiar scratching of Arthur Harrow’s voice and he pushed himself against the wall of the building.

“The songbird will join us eventually. If we keep dosing her with Ammitryne, she’ll rely on us for her Chaos.” Fuck. He’s found a way to suppress Chaos? We need to get that girl out of there. Marc groaned. Marc, it’s not about helping her. It’s about stopping him from gaining another ally. Damn it. He has a point. Marc rolled his eyes.

“You two are agreeing on something?” He hissed, scoffing. He carefully climbed back down to the window of the room with the girl. “Hey.” She flinched and turned to look at him. “Why does he want you?”

“For my gifts. He thinks I can help him. But I refuse to kill innocent people for something that they might do one day.”

“Who are you?”

“Chasina.” She paused, and Marc watched her as she analysed him. “I need my armour and my weapons. I can’t leave without them.” She said and Marc groaned, jumping gracefully through the window and into the room.

“Fine. Where are they?” Chasina shrugged and Marc took a deep breath as Jake chuckled. “Of course you don’t know. Why would you?”

“They haven’t dosed me in a while. If you unchain me I can find them myself.” Chasina hissed.

“And if they see you?” She paused.

“Then I’m back in here with a few more bruises?” Marc rolled his eyes as he reached forward, easily breaking the cuffs open. “Thank you, stranger.” She said with a small smile, placing her palm flat on the door and after a moment it blew off of its hinges. She turned, winked at him, and vanished into the darkness of the corridors. We need to keep an eye on her until she’s gone, Marc. Otherwise they could take her again. Marc rolled his eyes but didn’t argue, following the woman as she darted through hallways seemingly at random.

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