Making A Deal With The Devil

Making a Deal with the Devil
 

Four years prior

Perched on a window seat on the second floor of the seafront pub, pearlescent white hair swayed in the wind as ammolite eyes scanned the rain-cast view outside. Around ten minutes ago, the young girl of eighteen had received a jug of some new alcohol before the bar staff had ran off at the commotion that appeared to be growing closer. She had heard a civilian screaming as he ran past that there was a crazy beast on the lose and that it was heading this way.

Malikah had wondered what kind of monstrosity would grace the path below, and so, she had pinched a jar of the stuff she'd been guzzling for the past two hours or thereabout and waited for the storm from her ringside seat. Twirling the metal hoop tied to the bottom of the left strand of her hair, the female leaned her head on her hand from the boredom of having to wait.

Almost giving up on looking out onto the empty street, she huffed and went to turn away but the sound of carnage pricked her ears. Shifting her weight, she rested both her elbows on the sill and leaned out some while swirling the contents of her drink.

It all seemed to happen in an instant. Around forty men came into view, bloodied and battered beyond belief. Amongst them were a handful of civilian children presumably taken as slaves. Panicked yelling commenced as the group broke in two: Ten or so dragged the young children from their homes and onto a medium sized ship that had been docked since before she had arrived while the rest of the men stayed and assumed fighting positions with weapons. Dashing into view, a young girl with unusual pastel hair and a torn rag for clothing ripped into the masses, annihilating their front lines.

Interest piqued, Malikah elongated her neck as if it would improve her view. She was sure from the superior strength the girl exhibited, plus the exotic hair colour and sharp eyes, that the kid was undeniably a Fanalis. Even after travelling to so many places, she had never seen one in person, but they certainly lived up to their reputation of being unparalleled warriors.

The girl facing off against the slave trader's supposed bodyguards readied herself and drove at the adults again in a rage. The dirt road shattered under foot as she pounced forwards and started tearing the invaders limb from limb with her bare hands.

By the time she had gotten halfway through the group, the ship holding her fellow countrymen had already left the port and gotten some distance away – more than could be swam, indefinitely. A bone shaking shriek emitted from the savage girl and the men suddenly froze from utter fright. Not letting up, the rabid female who seemed barely into her teens punched, kicked and even bit her way through. Huffing and panting, the victor stood amongst the slaughtered bodies staring after the boat that was now hardly visible.

Even from where she was, Malikah could see the kid shaking with pure fury. It was her loss and Malikah couldn't do anything but cough a laugh at the cruelness of the world. She was young herself, but she'd already seen events like this happen a thousand times over.

It wasn't long before the country's feeble military unit would be at the scene, and then only one thing was a possibility: the kid would be locked up and Malikah thought anything of the sort would be a waste. Then, something clicked within the ashen girl's mind. Downing the drink in her jug, she picked up the hefty jar and hopped off the luscious sofa.

Skipping down the wooden steps of the establishment, the older girl made for her target. She wasn't even out onto the blood sloshed street and the supposed victor of the massacre had spun on her heels with teeth bared and fists clenched.

Chuckling at the fighting spirit, Malikah raised a hand to show she wasn't interested in a fight but that didn't relax her company any.  

“You better get going before the authorities get here.” Taking a drag from the pipe in her right hand, Malikah warned facetiously.

“Like I care about something like that!” Barking like an animal, the teen stomped her foot, causing another crack in the ground.

“Oh, you can speak? I thought you were just a barbarian.” The older girl feigned surprise. “But...” Eyes turned up in a sinister smirk. “You're a murderer now.”

The girl covered from head to toe in crimson took a step back with tensed shoulders, as if she'd just realised the consequences that could would follow.

“You won't be able to stay here any more - even though you were trying to save those kids – the other citizens with turn you over in order to save their own skin.” Fiddling with the decorative bar halfway down one of her left silvery locks with the hand that held her booze, the foreigner continued to inform as she examined the expression of her company. “Or even worse, just for money.”

“What do you care?” Her tone had lowered a little.

Flouncing towards the killer, Malikah hummed in a sing-song voice. “How about we make a deal?”

Brows furrowed and defence back up, the younger girl spat. “Why should I trust you?”

Still smiling, the other girl stopped and bent forward in jest. “I'm not asking you to trust me. I would never ask something so pointless.” Glancing up at the monotone sky and then back to her target, Malikah pointed ahead. “What I'm saying is, we should do something that is mutually beneficial.”

“Like?” She seemed to be gaining interest.

“You must have known someone who was taken away, right? I'll help you find them if you do some heavy lifting for me.” Something unexplainable flashed in the older female's eyes as she relayed her thoughts. “I'll even be so kind as to show you some interesting stuff that not many people ever get to see.” Thundering footsteps marching in time started to close in on the pair, causing Malikah to wave her hand playfully. “What do you say?”

Exhaling, the young teen glanced from where the ship had been only moments before, down at herself and the state she was in and then to the girl that was offering her a chance. “What have I got left to lose?”

“That's a good girl.” Turning around, the older girl wagged her finger, gesturing for her new partner to follow her down a dark back-street.

 

Dripping wet, the pair sneaked up the dusty steps of an old brothel in which Malikah had been staying at. Entering the room that had she had loaned, the girls' breathed a sigh of relief at not being caught by the police units on the hunt for the mass murderer.

Struggling to pull the drenched cloth over her head, the older girl strained her words. “We'll take a bath and then leave. There's no point in staying around here.”

Undressing, but at a slower pace, the Fanalis questioned her company. “Do you know what you're getting yourself into becoming involved with the likes of me?”

“Of course~” Pushing the soaked hair off her face with one hand, she rubbed the running black eye liner with a thoughtless grin.

Shaking her head and wrapping herself in a towel she had been lent, the younger girl told seriously. “I can't tell whether you've thought this through, or whether you're just simple.”

“Don't worry about me.” Now stark naked, Malikah stood proudly with her hands on her full hips. “I'm sure­  we'll have lots and lots of fun from now on.”

 

As Malikah had said, the pair took a hot bath courtesy of the matron that owned the building and then as soon as they were dressed and packed, set out for the dock on the opposite side from which Wijdan, as she was called, had caused trouble at a few hours earlier. Disguised as a high priestess and her retainer, the pair managed to board the only ship available at the time without any hold ups.

 

At the present time, back in central Reim, the fast flow of alcohol continued as members of the military and civilians alike socialised in the enthusiastic environment.

Leaning her head towards Malikah's ear, Enigma lowered her tone as she kept her eyes on the comings and goings of drinkers. “I have a favour to ask, actually.”

Pausing the drink heading for her mouth, the older girl mumbled. “Uh, go ahead.”

Updated: 10th Feb 2013 - 22:21