Brutal Honesty

She pushed Ken down and flung herself left dodging several knives, a grenade, and oil slicked cannonball that came flying from inside the walls. She rolled back into a standing position, only to slide into a narrow hallway chasing after 2, eyes scanning every nook and cranny for more emerging danger. "Stay by me! We corner one at a time! This house is built like a sick version of an Indiana Jones's quest cave, 2 has to go first, then 4!

Ken ran behind her, dodging, jumping, and sliding all in order to avoid the traps, as the house, in tandem with the remaining sisters turned on them. 4 emerged from a hidden opening in the wall, a sword in her hand intent on piercing straight through Kuznet's head. It was only a well timed punch -from Violet who had turned around- that saved the man.

Kuznet slid under Violet's outstretched arm and tackled 4 onto the floor. They landed in a flurry of limbs as Violet turned to parr 2's incoming attack from the ceiling.

Violet felt the ground beneath her buckle slightly as 2's enormous ice warm hammer crashed into the blade of Murasame.

She returned the favor sliding the hammer down while head-butting the quadruplet. Rage completely overcame the remaining sisters as they realized the two attackers could hold their own.

Violet and Ken shared the briefest of glances as the girls shouted what seemed like an oath to each other.

They were moving in.

It turned merciless instantly: Violet vs. 2, Ken vs. 4. Furniture was dislodged, weapons emerging from hidden doors, blood spilling from both sides, the roar of their thrumming heartbeats resounded loudly despite the chaos of the battle.

Violet alone seemed to become steadier and calmer the more intricate and perilous the fight became. She dodged blow after blow as the hammer destroyed the area. She heard Kuznet grunt behind her and a cackle from 4, the time for their plan was drawing closer. A large crack rent the air as Kuznet broke the floor into pieces, dust settled all around them as Violet landed a particularly neat slice to 2's abdomen.

The sisters rallied exploding in their impotence and Violet knew.

She turned her head in semblance of worry as Kuznet slipped on a piece of ice, and 4 moved in for the kill. Violet launched herself forward, pushed Ken onto the ground and took 4's sword in the chest. 4's burned face contorted into glee as Violet coughed up blood squirming a half foot from the ground as Murasame slipped from her wrist.

— — —

Two and a half hours before.

"They're best in close combat, after we've killed the first two, they will undoubtedly find a way to match us up, one on one. I need you to wrap a vine around my ankle, the strongest and thinnest you can create. Keep it on me at all times. Once they lose control I need you to create an opening for your opponent to deliver a finishing blow. When you create it, we swap, I intend to let her sword pierce me, your only job (the vine) is to move me just enough to the left, right, up, or down so that her sword narrowly misses my heart. At that exact moment you turn and take on whichever one of them was my opponent, the momentary glimpse at victory will distract her just enough for you to kill her. We will avoid healing any external injuries until that moment so that they see us bleeding. Anything too deep I will take care of, but it would be best if you can smear blood around, make yourself seem in worse shape than you really are. Any questions? No good."

She had grinned devilishly and then dropped herself over the fence. Kuznet shook his head, "she's undoubtedly the craziest one here."

— — —

Present time.

4 and 2 laughed unanimously, their victory was assured. 2's face blanched into shock as 4's eyes unfocused, her mouth opened eerily, and she slowly moved both hands up to hold the blood pooling from the throat. 2 charged distractedly to her sister as a barbed vine wrapped around her neck. Kuznet grabbed ahold of both of her legs and pulled down as the vine yanked up.

Her head parted from her body and she landed in a wet thump.

Kuznet looked up to Violet who had landed easily on her feet, the sword was still nestled in her chest and out her back, despite her clear instructions he approached nervously. "Are you alright? Did I manage to move you left enough?" Violet turned with a smirk, "oh yeah."

When 4 had stabbed her though Violet had appeared her rune dagger and as easily as butter slid it from 4's left ear to right ear."

In a fluid movement she removed the sword from her chest and healed both her and Kuznet's wounds. She smiled at him serenely, "we are getting close now."

He tugged her forward then hugged her calmly, a disturbing contrast with the bloodied state of the place around them, "yeah, we are kid, not that many left"

— — —

Violet paused before opening her window, she had left Kuznet in his office and was sneaking back into her dorm when she felt his presence coming from her room.

She chuckled before climbing in, it had taken him long enough to figure it out. Preparing herself for the barrage of words she clicked on the light.

He was sitting flabbergasted on the edge of her bed, "Are you really alive? This whole time, you've been alive? Where? How? Why? Who tortured you? Why are you pretending to be a healer? I don't understand! None of this makes sense. I WATCHED YOU DIE!"

His voice and gaze reflected raw emotion: primal, fragile, conflicted, utterly bared and open for Violet to gage.

He made no attempt to hide the emotions rising like the tide, "Violet!"

She held up a hand, her gaze unflinching and cold. She ambled past him not bothering to hide the blood on her clothes. She pulled up a chair and sat opposite of him.

"How do you know who I am."

He looked confused, "well you just-"

"No! She cut him off, say it JACE. Who are you to me. Who were you meant to be to me?!"

Realizarion crashed into him and he opened his mouth as the first tears slid down his face, he wiped them hastily, "I was meant to be your protector, we were all meant to be your protectors. We failed so miserably. I thought I watched you die."

Violet leaned forward eyes cold, "You left me to die." She scoffed, "You are the Muse Violet, you have been born unto a pivotal role Violet. This clan will be your home Violet, we of the 'Tlanextli' clan will protect you Violet, raise you Violet, and help you maintain order in the world Violet. All you need: instructions, support, love, you will have it here Violet. You will never be alone Violet.

Those were the words I heard every waking moment until the day I turned six."

She crossed her arms, "what a lie."

Jace spoke up, a hurt expression on his face, "it wasn't meant to be a lie. It was all falling apart," he paused, "do you feel like listening to my story Violet?"

She rolled her eyes, "well, why else would I have given you those books, I'm here for an answer Jace, and more importantly, the truth."

Jace gripped his chair anxiously, "as I'm certain you are now aware of, the Tlanextli people were in a rift. I was so proud to be a protector, and when my battle skills and excellency in knowledge were acknowledged and I came to be named as your direct watcher, I was elated. Since the very first Muse was born we were tasked with taking you from your birth homes and bringing you in. We, my people, were tasked training you, educating you, etc. The last three Muses before you, they all died, really young, not fully prepared. We couldn't understand what was going wrong, your power is meant to be unparalleled and full of light."

He rubbed tired eyes, "it was then that the rift that had commenced as something small escalated into a gorge. One of the elders came forward, he had old books, he claimed that the leader of the clan had made a pact, with the Ruenen —who exactly, he didn't say— under that pact, the current muses were only taught about a fraction of their power and raised to believe that they answered to the Ruenen. They became mere servants, meek and fragile. Protectors of people.

The clan erupted into full blown dispute, there was so much distress and your very life was put in danger. The old mans words were true and on that Tuesday the Ruenen, a part of it at least, attacked. They had arrived for you, they had decided they no longer required us for your training, they were going to raise the puppet's themselves."

He looked away uncertain of how to proceed, "I was searching everywhere for you! Even compared to the last Muses — well I never met them, but I was told— you were much more mischievous, more intelligent, and belligerent. It seemed you questioned the elders words and actions as soon as you began to speak. I thought you would have hid in the trees and… and.. I saw you Violet. The old man, he grabbed you, stuck a knife in your chest multiple times."

Jace faltered his words shaking like his hands, "he looked over his shoulder, looked right at us and I remember he yelled 'you can't have her. I'll kill her before I let the Ruenen take another one.' I was screaming, telling him to stop, that I would protect you. I remember thinking that you were much to young, we hadn't taught you much about your powers, you didn't even know you could heal. Suggestions and scenarios kept flashing into my head as I ran faster and faster. The Ruenen was right behind me as were many more of the clan members. I didn't make it. He threw you in the river, I watched you fall into the rocks, the pool of blood around your tiny body and you disappeared below the water. I was captured shortly after, and led to my execution, where as you know. I met Kieren."

He wiped more tears from his face, "yet, you survived?" Violet sighed, her feelings felt complicated, she had known it wasn't Jace's fault and yet it was much easier to blame them, blame him for all the awful shit that had happened after.

"Yes, as he ran me through with the knife, he gripped he tightly in his arms. He whispered into my ear as he stabbed over and over, 'you can heal this child, you can make these wounds dissipate, wait until you are in the water. Make it happen, you must live Violet! You must survive. Restore my clan."

"So I survived, I didn't know how to heal, the stream carried me as I choked on my own blood and the water. Then the light just clicked, I was able to heal most of the deep ones but I had only just awakened. I fell unconscious and it is just that which saved me. I came too hours and miles away on the bank of a river, afraid and alone."