Chapter 32: Vengeful

Heavy rain falls upon the landscape. The city of Senteria is seen in the distance from the empress' ship. Like a large fountain; a curtain of water seeps off the body. Flashes of light can be seen through the dark clouds, followed by the roaring of thunder.

Within the prison of the ship. Raine slowly walks through the passage of cells, looking at each one. Curious eyes stare at her from each cell she passes.

She stops for a moment. Her pupils return to normal, and the flaming wings fade out into strings of evaporating energy. "Greetings... All of you," She said, turning around, and starts walking slowly. "You are all here. Why?" She asked, only to stop.

For a moment there is silence among the cells. Footsteps are heard from the one cell. A young man steps towards the energy grid.

"Petty crimes," he said, standing inches from it.

She turns to him, with a grin forming.

"Petty?" She said, chuckling.

"I'm sure it wasn't so petty for you to be here."

"Why are you here?" He asked.

"Same as you." She looks at her own nails, and back at him.

"I've got a ship on this vessel, and I would like all of you to be my new crew."

"What's in it for us?" A woman asked.

She turns to her cell, and steps towards it, until she sees the young woman. "Oh there is so much for you out there." Raine said.

"So many places."

The woman stares at her with a stern look, and takes a step back. "Do you want to stay here and rot, or do you want to be free and explore the universe with me?" Raine asked.

The woman gazes at the floor for a moment, her eyes flickering.

"Alright." She said, looking at her.

"You've got a point.

Raine's lips twist into a smirk "First, before we do that," she continued.

"I'm looking for someone; assuming she hasn't already escaped this vessel."

"This person is a woman?" A man's voice is heard from the cell next to the woman.

Raine looks at him.

"Yes," she answered.

He folds his arms, still with a calm look on his face.

"That should be easy," he said, his eyes narrow

"Do you want her killed?" Asked he.

Riane tilts her head slightly.

"You've seen what I can do, yes?"

She stares at the man for a moment, waiting for his reply, only to hear an unstable chuckle of a woman, coming from the cell next to him, urging Raine to lol her way.

"We have seen you," she said, scratching her own arm. "It's neat." She keeps her gaze drawn to the wall of her cell.

Raine trains her eyes to the woman's feet, and slowly moves her gaze to her face once more, only to turn away.

"The woman I'm after, is like me." She said, stepping forward. "She has the same capabilities as I do."

She turns her gaze to the cells she passes, watching the inmates stand in front of their energy grid. She turns around, and walks

"It won't be easy to kill her," she continued.

"All that you have witnessed from me; she can do just the same."

"Then how do you expect us to kill her?" The one male inmate asked.

Raine stops, and turns to face him. She notices his hair is rather longer than the others; reaching just over his jaw.

"Don't worry. You won't," she said, slowly stepping towards him.

"I'll be the one to do it."

"She's not the only one of course," she continued, and proceeds.

"I remember long ago she had three allies that were like herself. It's going to be difficult to track them down unfortunately." She stops with her gaze drawn to the floor, and her fingers under her lips.

"There is another like her too," she added.

"If I remember correctly; Leah is her name."

"I may be the one to help with that," said, a young woman said, her voice; calm and collected.

Raine tunes her gaze to the cell on the opposite side. Only to see the young woman. Unlike the others, her hair is emerald, with the length of it almost touching her shoulders.

With a tilt of her head, Raine places her hand on her hip.

"You look very interesting," she said, smiling.

The woman narrows her eyes, and folds her arms.

"I can certainly say the same thing about you, lady."

"Tell me a bit about yourself then." Said, Raine.

"I want to know if you're worth having around."

The woman unfolds her arms, and steps towards the grid of her cell. Her emerald eyes shift to the grid for a moment.

"I am an excellent hacker," she said.

"With my knowledge, I can track down anyone you want."

"Alright." Raine said, stepping towards her.

"What's the most impressive thing you've done?"

The woman smiles with a frown.

"A few years ago, I was in a group," she said, averting her eyes.

"We did a huge bank job back in Senteria. I managed to blackout several blocks, before we successfully robbed most of its wealth."

Raine's eyes widen.

"That is quite impressive, Hacker." She said with a delighted smile.

"If it was so successful, then why are you here?"

The woman sighs, and looks at her.

"I was betrayed by them," she said, her eyes narrow.

"They robbed me of the cut I earned for getting them so far."

Raine's lips twist into a smile once more.

"And you want them dead, don't you?"

"Yes." She said, frowning.

Raine raises her chin slightly.

"Then welcome aboard, Hacker" she said, smiling at her.

"Thank you, Captain." The woman said, smiling back.

"Oh, and Eyla is my name."

"Eyla." Raine, simply said, and nods, only to walk away, and proceeds through the passage.

"As for the rest of you!" She shouted, with her hands gestured out.

"I have my first recruit! Is there anyone else who wants to join me!?"

"I'm in," The one man said.

"I'll join you," the agitated woman said.

"I'll be a lot of use to you," another woman said.

After a few moments, most of the other inmates volunteer to join her. Urging her have a delighted smile on her on her face.

"Alright!" She called out with her hand raised.

"I'll now open your cells for you."

"Please do," Eyla said, stepping towards her grid.

"Before backup arrives to interrupt our little reunion."

Raine walks towards the small console of Eyla's cell. She raises her hand. Dark blue, transparent flames flows around it. She thrusts her hand into the console, and after a moment an electrical current surges out, disabling Eyla's grid.

She steps out of her cell, and nods. Just then, the rest of the consoles surge out, and the rest of the inmates step out, one by one.

"Looks like I'll enjoy my time with you, Captain." Eyla nods with a smile. She looks around herself and sees the other inmates; both men, and woman standing around them both.

Raine looks around herself, eyeing each one.

"Today is the start of an amazing journey for all of you," she said, gesturing her hands out.

"I'd raise a drink as celebration if we had any."

Just then, they laugh.

"But I think it's more fitting to celebrate your freedom once we're off this planet!" Raine added.

"You'll find my ship in the docking bay of this vessel. Once you have it, make sure to come and get me here."

"You're not coming with us to get it?" Eyla asked, stepping forward.

Raine turns to her.

"I sense someone coming here already," she said.

"I'll hold them off while you get to it."

"You can sense others?" Eyla said, with an eyebrow raised.

"Go now, Eyla," Raine ordered.

"Go and help them bring the ship back to me."

Eyla nods.

"Yes, Captain," she simply said, and walks away.

"Let's go, everyone!" She called out to her fellow inmates.

The inmates follow Eyla to the large hole in the wall. Each inmate glances at Raine with a nod as they walk past her. Urging her to smile.

After a moment of waiting for them to exit; waiting until there were no one but herself, who now stands within the empty passage of cells. Quick footsteps are heard, urging her to look behind herself.

She watches calmly at the source, and just then, the white haired woman, and a man runs through the passage of cells, only for them to stop when noticing her presence. Urging Raine form a smile.

"Hello again, white-haired woman." She said, slowly stepping towards them, only to stop when she's a few feet away. Her eyes train to the one beside her.

"I see you've brought someone with you this time."

"This is her, isn't it, Alecia?" Aven said, staring at Raine with a frown.

Alecia stares at Raine, still trying to keep calm while near her presence. She senses so much energy coming from her, it's enough to send shivers down her spine.

"So your name is Alecia?" Raine said, slightly tilting her head.

"This whole time I've been wondering." She added.

"So, you're a gin, aren't you?" Aven asked.

"What's it to you?" Raine asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Soon I'll be off this planet, right after I kill you." She points at Alecia.

Raine flicks her eyes to Aven.

"Looks like Alecia's not the only one radiating energy," she continued.

"You're another one aren't you? You're one of the four." She grits her teeth, and lowers her hand.

Aven narrows his eyes, slightly turning his hand.

"What do you mean; one of the four?" He asked.

Raine forms a smile, and chuckles.

"I thought it would be difficult finding another one," she said.

"But instead, you came here to me. Both of you."

Alecia's eyes widen.

"Wait," she said, and looks at Aven.

"Does she mean-"

"Are the other two on this planet as well?" Raine asked.

"No, I don't think so." She her finger tips touch her lips.

"I think she's talking about, Kevra, and Silas." Aven whispered.

"How can you be so sure?" Alecia whispered back.

"Stop with your whispering," Raine said, with an irritated tone in her voice, her gaze shifts to Aven.

"Say, do you know Leah?"

Her question urges him to frown.

"You're her brother, aren't you?" She asked, only for him to remain silent.

"Are you going to turn her into a murderer as well?"

Aven begins to grit his teeth.

"Where is she by the way?" She asked once more.

"She's not here anymore." Aven said, trying to keep calm.

"She won't be joining us."

Alecia looks at the floor for a moment.

"Murderer..." She said under her breathe. In her mind's eye she remembers being surrounded by burning buildings, and ashfall, along with the screams of innocent people. Thinking about it brings forth feelings of dread, and regret.

"She's right." She said with a quiet tone in her voice, urging Aven to look at her with a puzzling gaze.

"We did many terrible things in the past, haven't we?" She looks up at him.

Raine smiles slightly, and tilts her head a bit.

"I see that you even admitted it yourself, Alecia." She said, her smile fading.

"It is all in the past." He said, giving Raine a stern gaze.

"But can the past be changed?" Raine said, raising her eyebrow slightly.

Aven's eyes widen, only for him to frown at her.

"No." He simply said.

"I thought so." Raine said with a resentful stare.

"After searching for so long, I have finally found, not one, but the two of you." Her pupils ignites with a dark blue glow.

Alecia begins to frown, her hands closing into fists. She tries to display anger, but deep down, her chest feels like it wants to implode.

"You thought you could get away for what you have done." Raine said, her body beginning to glow. She stares at Alecia, reminding her of how she looked in her memory. The way her hair use to be black. Only to see it now; platinum. Seeing Alecia's hair now makes her stomach twist.

"The two of you will be the first to pay for what you took from me, with your lives."

Dark blue, transparent flames begin to emit from her body, and gently flows around her. Only for it to surge violently, forcing a cloud of dust to flee from her presence. Urging Alecia, and Aven to shield their eyes.

"Dammit. " Aven said, moving his arm from his face.

Alecia moves her arm from her own face as well, only for her to widen her eyes in awe.

"Wings?" She said, her mouth slightly open, only to close it, and clinches her jaw.

"I worked very hard to achieve this; to harness it as my own." Raine said, looking at the palm of her own hand, only to close it, and turns her gaze to them.

"The very same power you used that day, when you took everything from me!" Just then, the flames around her body surge and glow brighter for a moment.

Alecia narrows her eyes.

"So that's what you want," she said, tightening her fists beside her.

"You want revenge."

"And I will have it." Raine said, only for her pupils to glow brighter.

"My friends, my sister. They will receive justice."

Alecia realizes now, after everything that has happened, her past has finally caught up to her, this is her own doing. Raine, her enemy, stands before her. No reason will stop her, the only way is action.

Her pupils begin to glow blue, the strands of her hair starts to flow, only for her body to surge with transparent blue flames. The flames themselves slowly flow and surround her body.

Aven looks at her with a puzzling stare.

"You're really going to fight her?"

"Yes..." She simply said, staring calmly at Raine before her.

"I don't have a choice," she moves her one foot behind the other.

Raine stares at her for a moment, her lips twist into a smirk.

"I'm going to enjoy this, Alecia," she said, with a calm tone.

"Killing you at your full strength will make my revenge even better."

Alecia narrows her eyes.

"If you say so."