Resurrecting Vengeance

[Gildarts]

Christa’s eyes swept the chalk room, she calmly blinked, calculating the taste of disappointment which was bitter on her tongue. Red and Abner’s faces faded from her mind into the white backdrop of empty reality. What if they were trapped? In Karl Jak’s verse of Hell? But what about Katia? She had wasted too long already...Shit this was worse than the sudden flood of human bone, then flesh, all bound together by the horror of death that was her resurrection.

Abner and Red or Katia? Why did she have to choose? The flare of nausea was back again, anchoring her with such human emotion, most of which she had cast into iron many years ago. Bonds were formed and broken by her death. They too could be dead. It could be too late for all three. Fuck.

Okay, okay, let’s get this straight, Abner and Red have each other and are Primes, they are bound to live, and Katia only has me, and is mortal. And it’s been who knows how long? That stupid, damned island! She thought of curses, every one in the book, targeted at the man who’s classy attire always framed his smarmy aristocratic face.

“If they are in the Underverse, Karl Jak, I’ll go get them, and then I’ll come for you.” she declared, an elderly woman was still by her side but the others who had gathered had dissipated with her reassuring words. She flushed, her cheeks hot, as she the aged woman looked at her all too knowingly.

“Whoever they are, I’m sure they’re in the good hands of a friend,” her voice shook, but the wisdom was a firm pillar.

Christa blinked, “I have to leave them, to save my sister,” she confessed to the stranger.

“If they too, are your friends, they will know and understand you for it.”

It was true. Christa blinked and knew what she had to do, a gulp first, to brace for the impact of pain. Then she realized, what if Red made it but Abner didn’t? Immediately she felt the pangs of a headache tease her temples, the old woman was still there. Christa muffled her thanks but the white haired woman did not leave, instead she observed, “You’re missing something that is yours, girlie.”

Christa blinked, repeating the words in her mind. She couldn’t particularly feel her legs, but there was something nagging at her gut that said the exact same thing. Katia’s kidnapper had surely been aware of her death, Karl had said he was broadcasting it, right? But then, he also couldn’t even find a fucking way off the island last she checked, still, there could’ve been a person on the inside... A spy.

Flooded with revelation, she rushed to the black fountain, and yes, taped to the bottom was a bright envelope. Oh, but it was neon pink, rather than a calm, sunset orange. It was from a different person. She fished it out and opened it immediately, hoping for news on her sister. News indeed. Scrawled in glorious handwriting was information in its purest form. Katia was in the Vastly Deep. Immediately, Christa’s head shot up, and stared in the direction of that very gate. There was more, so much more, and then, Karl, signing his love with a repugnant remark about wet letters.

“More than you get, Karl.” she scoffed and had a few things to do.

The old woman had disappeared by then. But it didn’t matter, now, Christa had the right direction, and quickly summoned the courage to get there, and a bird.

Its shape formed a glowing silhouette of freedom as it took to the sky. She had whispered in its ear, just prior, “Find Red.” In its talons hung a small package, containing the phone with Red’s own objective, as well as a note which reads as follows:

Dear Red,

It is my hope that you are reading this in good health, and that you escaped Karl Jak’s Hell alive. I have gone to find my sister, and cannot stay to find you too. If you are reading this, you’re not in the Underverse, or still trapped in Jak’s verse which means I won’t be coming to save your sorry ass.

This is the phone that was in my pocket when I died, promises of Karl Jak’s compliance with the number on there is still unknown. The bird I summoned understands english, and while it doesn’t have fingers, I made it so it could peck in the numbers with its beak, should you desire to call the number. I put my number in there too, have the bird type a text that way I know you’re alive. If you have any word on Abner, I’d appreciate it too. He and I have some unsaid words.

I hope we meet again,

Christa


P.S. - I couldn’t change the wallpaper of the phone, don’t ask.

The falcon circled high in the air until it sighted Red, or caught a whiff of him in an accessible verse. She hoped its current spiral did not mean the worst for her feline friend and partner, but she could not spare much more time. Her hands were fidgeting, the unknown and the known were meshing together. One more thing to do.

SLAP!!!!

That got his attention! And she was sure he felt it through his black and white mask. The man spun around, expecting terror, and his arms grasping for a gun that was not empire-issued. The storm trooper was ready for a fight, and caught her in his sights, but she was too close. In fact, the blonde took up everything the narrow slits they called eye holes in the mask told him almost nothing about her.

“YOU THERE!” She shouted, not as wrathfully as it could’ve been, “Do you know Abner White? Good, and if not, you’re going to ask every dark haired man you see for the rest of your life. I have a message for him and I can’t stay. And,” she sighed, “I can’t believe I’m leaving this up to your sorry ass, but as you can see, I’m desperate.”

He couldn’t actually see much of anything, and he would’ve said something to that effect, had she not started on again, “You’re going to tell him that I’m going to find her. Tell him I’m alive, and God damn it, tell him I love him. Just kidding, don’t include that last part, else we’ll both be dead. Just see to it that the message gets to him as soon as possible, or you’ll be feeling a lot more pain than in your cheek, pal, you can count on it.”

The female pulled away slightly, and he got a better look at the blonde’s face. She had a sloped nose, hair past her shoulders, and well-trained eyes. She tilted her chin when she still saw that the trooper’s finger was on the trigger of his gun, “You’re not like the others, are you?” but he proved her wrong, as the gun was held more firmly after that. Her eyes narrowed, suddenly menace covered her face, “Don’t you even think about it. Just pass on the message, and you’ll never see my face again, capiche?”

The man nodded his head. Christa could’ve growled. “Don’t tell me I picked a mute one... Or maybe he doesn’t even speak english!”

“No, I do.” finally, he answered the distain that lined her voice.

“You’ll do it, or I’ll come and find you. Don’t think I won’t be able to see who’s behind that mask, my senses are excellent. And well, I came back improved, too. The consequences won’t end there, either. So should you choose to fail, watch your back.” In a swift movement, she stole the clip from his rifle, leaving one accounted for round in the chamber.

Christa took a step back, giving the man room for contemplation, “And, should you choose to kill me now, you’ve got one shot. Don’t miss.”

She stood idle for a moment, well within range, and stared down the man who’s face was hidden. He could kill the threat now, and maybe he didn’t recognize her as a prime, not that Christa wanted or had the time to die, but it was fair game, if she had to hunt for him later. She had expected this, the raise of his rifle, and yes, his precise eyes were trained on her. This one wouldn’t miss. But then, he chose to.

Her pupils dilated as the bullet scorched her ear, leaving a bright slash of crimson blood drizzling her neck and staining her shirt. She pushed him too far, but at least not far enough so that he’d kill her. Maybe he liked her style, or left the scar on her ear as a warning. She felt the heat of her blood trickle over her ear and down her neck as she began to walk, eyeing the other storm troopers who had assembled to his side.

But she walked free... All the way to the Vastly Deep.