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Thick grey clouds obscured the sun and cast a shadow over everything below. The clouds were dense and had a sort of foreboding quality to it. There was little to no light and a hint of a storm brewing in the distance was evident from the flashes of lighting and the distant rumbles of thunder. The air was also damp and cool, allowing the slight breeze to send leaves and other debris scurrying across the ground.
The abandoned 15th-century church stood tall and imposing, its grey stone walls and cracked windows casting a gloomy atmosphere over the surrounding area. The once-grand entrance, with its towering arches and intricate carvings, now stood decrepit and weather-beaten, its wooden doors hanging off their hinges and swaying in the faint breeze.
If anyone were to approach the church, the feeling of desolation would grow stronger. The overgrown weeds and vines that snaked around the building would seem to reach out like grasping fingers as if trying to pull visitors into the darkness within. The rusted iron gates that surrounded the churchyard creaked and groaned with each gust of wind, their ominous squeaks echoing through the stillness of the deserted area.
Inside the church, the atmosphere was even more sombre. The pews, once filled with devoted worshippers, now lay in disarray, some overturned and broken, while others were covered in a thick layer of dust and cobwebs, The stained glass windows, once beautiful depictions of biblical scenes were now shattered and fragmented, the shards of coloured glass scattered across the stone floor like confetti.
Silence engulfed the main atrium and if anyone walked in, they’d assume that it was normal. But if they wandered into the crypt, they’d hear the sounds of groaning.
Tied individually to two metal chairs, two gruff-looking men were beginning to awake from their slumber. One of them had blood dripping down from the back of his head while the other had a bruise on his jaw.
Leaning against the dust-covered stone wall, Ava’s once hopeful eyes now raked over the men. Clad in a black leather outfit, a gift from Reya and with her divinium sword on her back, another gift from the divine being, she’d abandoned the armor and the sword of the institution that took everything from her. Instead of defending that corrupt establishment, she’d taken on the new role of becoming Reya’s chosen warrior. And the faint traces of dried blood on her boots were evidence of who she’d become.
“Please don’t do this…please stop…”
She could still hear herself pleading for Beatrice’s life. Fists clenching and her back tensing, the image of a bloodied and bruised Beatrice kneeling in her line of sight, a haunting stare fixed on her while she watched helplessly flashed in her mind.
“Bea, get up…Beatrice fucking get up..”
She could feel her chest burning and hear her heartbeat racing in her ears. When she felt tears flow down her cheeks, she quickly wiped them away before deciding that she’d waited enough.
Walking over to the men, she dragged the man with the head wound towards the wall, ensuring that he was still securely tied before she stalked back to the other man. Kneeling in front of him, she lifted her right hand and slapped him.
“Wake up.”
When he lifted his eyelids and tossed her a blank stare, she stood back up. Grabbing a third metal chair from the side, she moved it in front of him and sat down.
“Now,” she began, a cold look painted onto her features, “Where are the others?”
When the man didn’t respond and continued to fix her with a blank stare, Ava scoffed. Standing back up, she kicked her chair back and cracked her neck. Then, she raised her right fist and socked the captive man in the centre of his face. The resounding cracks of her knuckles breaking and his nose shattering soon echoed throughout the empty chamber but only one of them groaned.
Hearing the hum of the halo in her back and feeling her joints repairing themselves, Ava ignored the crimson red flowing out of the torn skin of her hand and raised her fist again. Striking her captive several more times, she struggled to withhold her strength.
It would’ve been easy for her to unleash her rage on him, especially after everything that he’d done. Even if he wasn’t the one wielding the weapon that impaled Beatrice, he still had a role to play and Ava was definitely going to make him pay.
But when he continued to remain silent, she was starting to lose patience. The others had been more cooperative when she’d tortured them for information
Cowards who used the Bible to carry out their misdeeds. It’d been easy for her to finish them off once they’d given her what she needed.
“Where are they?” she demanded once more but again, the man continued to keep his mouth shut. Letting out a frustrated huff, Ava shook her head, “Fine, you brought this on yourself.”
Placing her palms on his head, she closed her eyes and calmed her breathing. When she felt the familiar warmth of the halo on her back followed by the ringing, she concentrated on sending its power to her hands. When her palms began to heat up, she pressed her flesh harder against his skin, gripping his skull tightly when a sizzling sound was emitted.
That was when the screaming began.
But Ava ignored it.
She could smell burnt flesh and feel liquid dripping down her hands but she continued to press onto the man’s skull.
“Stop!! You’re hurting him!!”
Opening her eyes, she shot daggers towards the other man who shot her a pleading look. Scoffing again, she removed her palms and glanced back at the man she’d been torturing. On either side of his face, he now had two handprints engraved into his flesh. Black skin covered the edges of the prints and blood was flowing from the wounds, covering the concrete floor with it.
“Where are the rest?” she asked the other man who responded with, “ Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they–”
He was interrupted when Ava pressed her palms against his companion’s head again and when the screaming began once more, he shouted, “They’re in Leon!!”
“Where in Leon?”
“There’s an abandoned cathedral on the outskirts. We meet there every Wednesday evening at 6 pm!”
Walking over to him, Ava fixed him with a murderous glare, “You’re not lying?”
“No! Please, let us go. I told you everything I know.”
“Let her go!”
Gritting her teeth, Ava pushed that memory back and smirked at the man. She knew he was telling the truth. He was just like the others, traitors who’d sell out their members to live. Pathetic.
“Please…” he continued to beg her but Ava scoffed once more, “You expect me to show you mercy when you killed her in front of me?”
“I wasn’t there–”
“But you are part of the sect that murdered her.”
“No, I—”
“I begged for her life!” Ava screamed before she remembered that this was not the time for her to show too much emotion. Taking a deep breath, she added, “If they’d let her live, you wouldn’t be here.”
“She corrupted you! She turned her back on–” his blasphemous words were cut off when Ava drew her sword and swiftly decapitated him. Letting his head roll several times on the floor, she simply shook the blood off her blade before walking back to the man that she’d been torturing.
Looking at her blade and then back at him, she shook her head again, “You’re not even worthy of my sword.”
Then, she sheathed the weapon and raised an open palm at him. When she felt the halo fire up, she unleashed a fiery blast at him, instantly vaporizing him.
…
“What’s the damage?”
Showing Mother Superion the photos of the scene, Sister Dora couldn’t bear to look at it again. Seeing it for the first time had been nauseating enough.
“And you’re sure it’s Ava?” Superion asked the younger nun who nodded, “One of them turned into ash. There’s only one person powerful enough to do it without damaging the rest of the interior.”
Sighing, Superion returned the photos to Dora, “Has Lilith managed to track her?”
“No, but she’s trying to find leads.”
Pinching the bridge of her nose, Superion replied, “Tell Lilith to be careful. With the carnage Ava’s leaving behind, she’s extremely dangerous.”
“But you want Lilith to bring her back alive?” Dora questioned.
“Dora…”
“I mean if Ava’s that deadly then bringing her back alive would risk not just Lilith’s life but ours too.”
“You don’t understand!” Camila who’d overheard the conversation intervened, her eyes boring into Dora’s, “The Ava we love is still in there, she’s just lost.”
“The bodies say otherwise,” Dora retorted.
“She lost Beatrice–”
“That doesn’t justify her actions!”
“How would you feel if the same institution that you fought for killed the love of your life? Not to mention being completely helpless and watching them die in front of you?” Camila shot back, anger evident in her tone.
“Those radicalists took Beatrice from her and from us. So I say let Ava kill them all,” Camila added.
“Camila…” Superion warned her but Camila protested, “Beatrice was one of us and they killed her for loving Ava. You know how repressed Bea was and how she struggled with her faith. She wasn’t happy but Ava made her feel otherwise. Bea was truly herself around Ava but those assholes took her before she could live her life to the fullest. So don’t tell me that Ava should go easy on them.”
Staring wordlessly at the once joyful nun, Superion eventually sighed again before turning to Dora, “Tell Lilith not to engage yet.”
“But–”
“Ava has not posed a threat to us yet, there’s no reason for us to get involved.”
Shaking her head, Dora huffed before storming off. Looking back at Camila, Superion was about to say something when Camila beat her to it, “I’m sorry. It’s just…I really miss her.”
“I know, me too.”
“What do we do?” Camila asked.
“I should inform the Vatican but—.”
“You don’t trust them,” Camila interjected and Superion nodded, “If they find out that the Warrior Nun is hunting down one of their sects, they’d send their best warriors after her and I do not want them to be in harm’s way.”
“Ava would never hurt them, she’s one of us,” Camila tried to assure the older nun.
“I hope so,” Superion replied before she turned to head back to her office.
Sighing, Camila turned on her heel and started to walk towards the canteen. As much as she wanted to side with Ava, deep down, she knew that Dora was right. Judging from the horrors recounted by her fellow sister warriors, it was clear that grief had fully overtaken Ava’s conscience. The photos were evidence of what she’d done.
Every new scene that the Sister Warriors were called to was nausea-inducing.It all ranged from body parts strewn all over to decapitated bodies and even disembowelment. Even Lilith felt uncomfortable processing the carnage and she’d ripped apart a hallway full of men.
But she could understand why Ava was doing all of this. Deep down, Camila knew that she would’ve done the same thing if she was in Ava’s position. While Ava had lost her soulmate, Camila had lost her sister. Beatrice had been her mentor and older sister to her. She’d believed in her when everyone else was sceptical of her. Beatrice had vouched for her when she’d been chosen to join Lilith and Mary on a mission and she’d confided everything to her. So losing Beatrice also ripped a hole in her heart and Camila could understand why Ava was hellbent on making her killers pay.
She just hoped that Ava could draw the line between those assholes and them.
…
Ava sat at the edge of the double bed with her hand running over the right side. She could still hear the screams of the man that she’d tortured but she knew that he deserved it.
All of them did.
If they could decide to be judge, jury and executioner then she could too. Reya had given her permission to use the halo to deliver their punishment and she was doing just that. She only hoped that they were suffering in whatever version of Hell Reya had created.
“I’ll fucking kill all of you!!”
Tensing up at the memory, Ava soon felt an ache in her chest which made her stand up and walk towards the window. Leaning against the sill, she let the moonlight shine down on her.
“You seem conflicted,” a familiar British voice said and Ava chuckled, her heart beginning to race before she shook her head, “I’m not.”
“I can tell when you’re lying.”
Turning around, Ava broke into a grin as her eyes landed on Beatrice who was sitting on the bed, dressed in a striped button-up and dark loose pants, hair flowing past her shoulders and not a trace of injury on her.
“I’m not lying Bea,” Ava said before she joined Beatrice on the bed and intertwined their hands, “They got what they deserved.”
“They deserved worse,” Beatrice replied, her caramel eyes staring right into Ava’s.
“I know but–”
“They ambushed us and killed me in front of you, don’t you think they ought to suffer more?” Beatrice asked her which made Ava sigh, “I’ll do better.”
That made Beatrice nod before she cupped Ava’s cheek with a cold palm, “You should rest, tomorrow will be a long day.”
“Then what next?”
“We’ll decide after you’re done.”
Sighing heavily, Ava stood up once more and moved to walk towards the window, “What am I doing here Bea?”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve spent the last few weeks hunting down the sect and I’ve killed most of them including those who ambushed us that night. I—”
“Ava, what are you saying?”
“When will this end?!” Ava exclaimed, exhaustion now evident on her face as she faced her girlfriend, “How long will I have to do this?”
“You do not wish to avenge me then?” Beatrice asked her, a hint of accusation in her tone.
“No, I–”
“You told Mother Superion that you would stop at nothing to make sure that they paid for what they did to us,” Beatrice stated.
“I know but–”
“Do you love me?”
That question made Ava’s heart leap out of her chest and she stared wide-eyed at Beatrice who looked at her with a hint of betrayal.
“Of course I do,” Ava replied before she scoffed, “How could you ask me that?”
“Because you seem hesitant in ensuring that–”
“I tortured them for you! I killed for you!! I’m doing the best that I can!” Ava shouted as tears began to form in her eyes. Unable to face Beatrice, she turned back around.
“I’m sorry,” Beatrice apologized after a moment of silence. Hearing her walk up to her, Ava replied, “I can’t keep doing this Bea, I’m tired, I want to go home.”
“I know but it will be over soon.”
That made Ava turn her head to look at her, “What?”
Sighing, Beatrice responded, “After you finish tomorrow’s mission, there is one last thing you have to do.”
“You say that every time.”
“And I mean it this time.”
“What is it?”
“You’re going to take down the Vatican.”
“I mean I kinda assumed I was going to do that when Reya recruited me for this,” Ava stated, remembering Reya’s proposal from that night.
“It’s not that simple.”
“Bea, the Pope endorsed those homophobes, it’ll be a piece of cake,” Ava snorted.
“What about our former sisters?” That made Ava tense up and before she could reply, Beatrice added, “When you take down the Vatican, you will be met with the full force of the sister warriors. Are you prepared to cut them down?”
“I–”
“Camila and Lilith will be on their side, Mother Superion too. Can you kill them?”
“I can get them to join our side,” Ava replied but Beatrice shook her head, “They wouldn’t understand.”
“Camila will. She’s always been on our side.”
“What about Mother Superion and Lilith?”
“I can convince them,” Ava tried to assure the taller girl who asked, “And if you can’t?”
A heavy sigh.
“Then I’ll kill them.”
Seemingly pleased with her answer, Beatrice nodded.
…
“She has to be stopped!” Lilith exclaimed angrily at Camila who shot back, “Ava’s hurting! She–”
“You’ve seen the photos. The Ava we know is gone!”
“What do you know about her?” Camila retorted and before Lilith could answer, she added, “You’ve spent every waking hour of your life trying to hurt her! You don’t care about Ava!”
“I do care,” Lilith tried to tell her but Camila scoffed, “You just want the halo for yourself.”
“Enough!” Mary’s voice echoed through the atrium and the two turned to her.
“Camila, I know you’re mad but Lilith has a point. I spent months in Reya’s realm and I know how powerful she is. She does not directly interfere with our lives but she will plant the idea in your mind and it’s up to you whether to follow through or not. So whatever Ava’s done and is doing is entirely up to her.” Mary explained.
“No, she wouldn’t–”
“You know how it was for me when I lost Shannon. I was consumed by anger and grief and I know Ava feels the same. But unlike her, I chose not to dwell in it and tried to live a life without pursuing revenge.”
“Yeah, well, make sure you tell her that before she goes on another rampage,” Lilith replied sardonically.
“You were the same when you were looking for me,” Mary replied.
“I didn’t torture those men.”
“You might as well have.”
“Why are you excusing her actions?” Lilith asked, “Ava’s clearly lost it and sooner or later, she will bring her fight back to us.”
“You’re saying that she’d take her anger out on us?” Camila scoffed.
“Yes.”
“She wouldn’t. We’re her family.” Mary replied.
“You two don’t understand. The further Ava goes down her path of vengeance, the blurrier the lines get. Who’s to say once she hunts down all of them, she won’t come for us? We’re part of the same institution that killed Beatrice and Ava might think we’re with them.” Lilith stated.
“She won’t,” Mary rebutted but Lilith didn’t seem to believe her, “How do you know?”
“I know Ava and there’s no way she’d harm us.”
“You better be right about this.”