"Hey there, sneaking bitch," the man said, his voice carrying cruelty that came far too easily to him. He closed the distance to Maren with unhurried steps. "Where do you think you're taking my hostages?"
His hand shot out and grabbed Maren's face roughly, fingers digging into her cheeks with enough pressure to make her jaw ache. The grip was possessive, degrading Maren as if she belongs to him. "What do you think you are doing, leave my face, otherwise you will…"
SLAAPP!!
The slap came without warning, without mercy. The impact sent shockwaves through Maren's skull, rattling her brain inside her head. Pain exploded across her cheek in hot, spreading waves. She remained standing, but only barely. Her legs trembled from the force of the blow.
What cut deeper than the physical pain was the shame. A burning, suffocating shame that wrapped around her chest and squeezed her little heart. To be struck down so easily, as if she were nothing more than an inconvenience to be swatted aside... the humiliation of it twisted inside her gut. She had always prided herself on her ego, she is the one who controls these men, no man can act in such a way in front of her! And NO MAN EVER SLAPPED HER IN HER ENTIRE LIFE!!!!!.... Now all that pride lay shattered at her feet.
"Oh, it feels good! Keke!" The man's laugh held genuine pleasure, he was clearly enjoying his new toy. "Speak more! I like your friend's fighting method…. let's see if you're as fun!"
He grabbed her face again and tilted it forward forcefully, examining her features the way one might inspect a piece of fruit at market. Maren's eyes had gone slightly teary from the impact, moisture gathering at the corners against her will. But beneath those involuntary tears, her glare remained fierce and unbroken. She locked her eyes on his, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her crumble.
"Don't hit her! She's just a kid! Please!" Miss Eva's voice cracked from where she sat on the ground, desperation making her words tremble. Her hands were pressed together as if in prayer.
"Hmmm..." The man considered this plea for all of two seconds. Then he raised his leg with clear intent, preparing to bring his boot down on Eva with the a force, which was meant to break bones.
But Maren wrenched herself free from his loosened grasp, adrenaline giving her strength she didn't know she had. She threw herself in front of Miss Eva without thinking, without hesitation. Her body became a shield.
The man's smirk widened, clearly impressed by the loyalty on display. It didn't make him stop.
THUUMMM!
His boot crashed down on Maren's thighs with terrible, concentrated force. The impact sent shockwaves of agony up through her legs, into her hips, radiating outward until her entire lower body screamed in protest.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" The cry tore from her throat involuntarily as she collapsed to her knees in front of him, unable to support her own weight any longer.
"Kekeke, good friend you have there, stripping warrior," the man called out, his attention sliding sideways. He'd caught sight of Fia glaring at him with an intensity that could melt steel. Her eyes had begun to glow red, like coals being stoked in a furnace. "Kekeke, good woman, isn't she?"
He looked back down at Maren and grabbed her face again, forcing her to meet his gaze. His grip was tighter this time, fingers pressing hard enough to leave bruises, but Maren smirked craftly "Hehe, of course my friend is the best she.."
SLLAAAPP!!
"Sneaking bitch! I don't like your eyes!"
SLAAPPP! SLLAAPPP!!
Two more slaps followed in rapid succession, each one echoing through the warehouse. Her head snapped to the side with each impact, her vision swimming. The taste of blood filled her mouth.
"You have the eyes of someone who is way too proud!" The man's voice had gone cold now, edges sharp with genuine anger. "And personally, I hate people like you!"
His hand tangled in Maren's beautiful yellow-golden hair, fingers twisting into the strands before he yanked. He began dragging her by it toward the center of the warehouse, pulling so hard that individual hairs tore free from her scalp. The pain was unlike anything she'd ever experienced, a sharp burning sensation, as if her skull itself was being pulled apart.
"AGHHH! AAAAAaAAAAAaaaaa! " Maren screamed, unable to hold it in. Tears streamed down her face. Her hands clawed at his wrist uselessly, trying to relieve even a fraction of the pressure.
"Stupid man, jumping around with some power! Hehe, that's how a man is…. always force your way through everything!"
TSK!
BOOM!
His kick landed square in her stomach, driving all the air from her lungs in one brutal instant. Maren felt herself lifted off the ground from the sheer force before she went sliding across the dusty warehouse floor. She tumbled and rolled, her body completely beyond her control, until she finally came to a stop several feet away from Fia.
Gasping for breath that wouldn't come, Maren managed to turn her head. Through the haze of pain and the dust settling around her, she found Fia's face. She forced her lips into a soft smile despite the agony coursing through every nerve in her body. She lay sprawled with her chest pressed to the cold floor, her back exposed and vulnerable, dust coating her torn clothing and bloodied skin.
The man walked somewhere deeper into the warehouse. When he returned, he held a long rod in one hand, dragging it deliberately across the floor behind him.
KKRRCCCHHH! KRRRCCHHHH!
The scraping sound cut through the air, making everyone feel a tight urge to clench their teeth. Each scratch against the concrete sent shivers down Maren's spine. He approached slowly, taking his time and savouring every second of anticipation. The rod left a faint trail in the dust, a path leading directly to where Maren lay.
Fia's eyes went wide with horror, the red glow intensifying. She managed to get up on her knees through sheer willpower, her body trembling violently from the effort. She tried to stand, muscles straining, but her legs refused to obey. They wobbled beneath her weight, threatening to give out entirely.
SIZZLLEE... SIZZZLEE...
Her skin began to heat up rapidly, the temperature climbing higher and higher. Fia's flesh turned bright red, starting from her core and spreading outward across her arms, her neck, her face. She looked like sword being heated in a forge, her skin taking on an almost luminous quality.
"Keke..." The man's smirk returned as he brought the rod close to Maren's head.
TK... TK...
He tapped the back of her skull gently with the rod, the rod material cold against her skin. Then he turned that cruel smile toward Fia, watching her desperate attempts to reach her friend.
Maren's eyes filled with tears as the reality of what was about to happen settled over her. She could feel the cold weight of the rod pressing against her skull, could imagine the impact that would follow. But instead of begging, instead of crying out for mercy, she just smiled. The expression was warm and genuine as she looked at Fia. She stretched out her hand across the distance between them, fingers reaching toward her friend even though they would never bridge that gap.
TANNNN! TANNNNNN! TANNNNNNNN!
The man struck the floor with the rod, each impact flinching Maren ears. The sound echoed through the warehouse with the finality of a countdown. Each strike was another second closer to the end.
"NO! PLEASEEEEEEE!" Miss Eva's voice broke completely, tears streaming down her face in heavy tracks. She couldn't bear to watch, but she couldn't look away either.
"NO!!" Fia pushed past her body's limits, forcing herself to move faster. But the distance was too great. She would never make it in time.
"Keke..." The man's pleasure was evident in every line of his face. He raised the rod high above his head with both hands, taking careful aim at Maren's exposed skull. He wanted to crush it, to shatter it completely.
Maren stopped caring about the rod hovering above her. Her attention remained fixed solely on Fia's face, memorizing every detail. She mouthed words that made no sound, a final message meant only for the person who see will never see again in this life.
WHOOSSHHH!!
SIIZZZZZZLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEE! SSSIIIIZZLLLLLLLLLLEEE!
GRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!
As the man began his downward swing, something caught in the corner of his eye. Fia had vanished from her spot, simply ceased to exist where she'd been standing. One moment she was there, the next she was gone.
She materialized directly in front of him, moving faster than his brain could process. Her knees were thrust forward like battering rams. Her eyes burned with apocalyptic rage, glowing so bright red they could have lit the entire warehouse. Her whole body had transformed into something inhuman. She looked like she was made of living fire, her skin radiating heat that distorted the air around her. Her clothes had multiple charred holes where her superheated flesh had burned clean through the fabric.
She struck his chest with explosive force.
The impact sent the man flying backward as if he'd been launched from a catapult. He sailed through the air, arms and legs flailing uselessly, completely unable to control his trajectory. He hit the ground hard and rolled like debris caught in a windstorm, his body tumbling over and over across the warehouse floor until momentum finally abandoned him.
But Fia didn't give him time to recover. She vanished again, reappearing beside his still-rolling body with impossible speed.
BOOMMMM!
Her kick connected with his ribs, treating him like a ball to be punted. He went flying in a completely different direction, crashing through wooden boxes stacked on the opposite side of the warehouse. The impact demolished everything in his path. Splinters and debris exploded outward in all directions, creating a cloud of dust and broken wood.
Several seconds of silence followed, broken only by the sound of settling debris.
WHOOSSHH!
TAAANNNKKKK!
The rod suddenly came spinning through the air from within the wreckage, rotating end over end as it flew straight toward Fia. The man had thrown it with considerable force and deadly accuracy.
But Fia snatched it from the air without even blinking, her hand closing around it with casual contempt. She squeezed tight. The rod began to glow red from the contact with her superheated palm, the temperature rising so rapidly that the air around it shimmered.
She brought her knee up in one fluid motion.
TANNNGG!
The rod snapped cleanly in half, breaking as easily as if it were made of dry wood. She held the two pieces as improvised weapons, each one glowing faintly from her touch. Molten rod material dripped from where her grip had weakened the structure.
The man emerged from the debris, all traces of arrogance wiped from his face. He stared at her with genuine wariness now, finally understanding the magnitude of his mistake. "Energy user? TSK! They didn't tell me an energy user would come!"
He charged toward her with desperate speed, his movements frantic now rather than confident. But Fia held her ground, unmoved by his approach. She crouched low, muscles coiling, then raised her hand high above her head.
BOOM!
TAAANNN!!!!
She slammed her fist into the ground with devastating force, the rod which was still clutched in her grip, shattered on impact, pieces flying in all directions. But the real damage came from the shockwave. The ground itself broke apart under her strike, massive cracks spider-webbing outward from the point of impact. The entire warehouse structure shook violently, supportive beams groaning in protest, dust raining from the ceiling.
The man stumbled badly, his footing destroyed by the shockwave alone. He flailed his arms trying to maintain balance.
GRRR!!
Fia's growl was purely animalistic, devoid of any human sound. Then she jumped. It wasn't a normal leap. She moved like a predator closing on wounded prey, covering the entire distance in one impossibly powerful bound.
BOOM!!
She reached him while still airborne, her body arcing through space. She swung her arm with every ounce of enhanced strength in her body, putting her full weight and momentum behind the strike.
WHOOOSH!
BOOOMMM!
CRACKKK!!
The man managed to cross his arms in front of his body at the last possible second, desperately trying to defend himself. But Fia's strike hit with such overwhelming force that both his arms broke instantly. The bones snapped with sickening cracks that echoed through the warehouse, audible even over the other sounds of combat.
"AGHHH!" His scream held genuine pain and shock. This was the first time he'd actually been hurt.
He stumbled sideways, barely managing to keep his feet under him. Blood was already beginning to seep through the skin where broken bone had torn tissue. He clenched his teeth against the agony and, in a last desperate gamble, threw himself forward toward where Fia had just landed. His broken arms wrapped around her from behind in a tackle born of pure survival instinct.
BOOM!
TAANNG!
He slammed her down onto the ground with her chest facing the dirty broken ground and immediately positioned himself on her back, kicking the remaining rod fragment far away. Then, using his weight advantage and superior position, he began raining down brutal strikes on her side and abdomen.
BOOOMM! BOOOMM! BOOOMM!
Each powerful hit sent shockwaves through Fia's body, her flesh compressing under the impacts. She could feel her enhanced state cooling down, the red slowly fading from her skin as whatever power had surged through her began to drain away rapidly.
GGRRR...
With the last dregs of enhanced strength still flowing through her, Fia swung her hand backward blindly, trying to strike him.
But the man caught her wrist easily, stopping the attack before it could gain momentum. Then he grabbed her short hair with his other hand and…
BOOM!
He slammed her face into the floor with vicious intent, her nose and cheek crushing against the hard concrete.
"AAGHH!"
Fia felt her power vanishing, ebbing out of her body in swift motion. The enhanced strength that had made her unstoppable moments ago was leaving her completely.
"Kekeke, did you take something like I did to enhance your body? Keke, it was fun while it lasted, but I won!" The man's confidence had returned in full force now that victory was within his grasp. He flipped her around roughly and positioned himself heavily on her belly, pinning her completely beneath his weight. His anger drove him to strike her face repeatedly.
SLAAAPP! SLLAAPPP! SLLAAPPP!
Each slap snapped her head to the side, the impacts echoing through the warehouse. Fia's eyes were returning to their normal color now, the red glow fading away until only ordinary human eyes remained. Her face was bloody and swelling rapidly, bruises already beginning to form across her cheeks and jaw. She managed to glare up at him, but there was no intensity left in the expression. Only exhaustion and pain remained.
RRIIPPPPP! RRIPPPPP!
The man grabbed her already torn shirt where the burns had weakened the fabric and ripped it completely away in two swift motions. He tossed the ruined garment aside carelessly, leaving her exposed.
"Keke, stripping warrior, how does it feel to get a taste of your own medicine?" His smile held nothing but cruelty as he looked down at her. He reached out and brushed aside the hair from her face with mock tenderness, then traced his finger along her lips in a possessive gesture that made Fia's stomach turn.
His hand moved lower, hovering above her sports bra with clear intention. "Let me see how big your cute brea…"
KCCKKKK!!!
LLURRRRR!!!!!
AAGGGHHHHH!!!! WWWOOTTT!!! GGGAAA!! KAAAA!! KKKFFFF!! WWWHH! OOOGGG!!!
The man's words cut off abruptly, transforming into a choked gurgle. His eyes went wide with shock. He glanced back over his shoulder in the final moment before consciousness left him entirely.
These bitches!!
The thought flashed through his fading awareness as his eyes rolled back and went vacant.
THUMMMPP!
He toppled over sideways, collapsing like a puppet with severed strings.
LURR! LURR!!
Lurvi floated proudly in the air, her small body radiating victory. Blood was visible on several of her sharp fur spikes. She had attacked from behind by holding a sharp object in her mouth, striking at his neck with precision timing and every ounce of fierce power her small frame could generate.
Fia turned her head weakly, her gaze finding Maren across the warehouse floor. Maren was looking back at her, their eyes meeting across the blood and dust. Despite everything they'd just endured, despite the pain radiating through every inch of their bodies, they both smiled.
Fia slowly raised a trembling hand, managing to lift her thumb up in a shaky gesture of triumph. Maren returned the gesture, her own thumb rising despite how much the movement hurt.
LURR! LURR!
Lurvi floated down gently, nuzzling her nose against Fia's battered face with obvious concern. She made soft, worried sounds, her large eyes examining the damage.
"Thank you, Lurvi, for saving us," Fia whispered. She slowly brought up her trembling hand and touched Lurvi's fur. The sharp spikes immediately smoothed under her gentle contact, becoming soft beneath her fingertips. She carefully patted the creature, who closed her eyes in contentment and kept squeaking in gentle, happy tones.
.
.
Miss Eva hurried over and carefully helped Maren sit up against one of the intact boxes, supporting her weight and positioning her as comfortably as possible. "Good job, Maren," she said with warmth, patting the girl's head with genuine affection before her hands moved to examine the injuries. Her fingers probed carefully, cataloguing each wound and noting it mentally.
"Umm, don't worry about me. Go bring that stupid woman over here first," Maren said through a pained smile, gesturing weakly toward where Fia lay.
Miss Eva nodded and went to help Fia. She lifted the battered warrior carefully, mindful of her injuries, and brought her over to sit beside Maren. She propped her up with gentle hands.
Fia, who stood significantly taller than Maren even while sitting, slouched down and rested her head on Maren's shoulder with a tired sigh. "You said you were strong," she mocked weakly, "but you didn't even land a single punch on him!"
"Shut up, always running around like a wild animal," Maren shot back, though there was no real heat behind the words. Her eyes travelled over Fia's wounds while Miss Eva's hands examined them more thoroughly, checking for serious damage.
Miss Eva stood up to go get help, but looked back at a sudden voice
"Ah! Miss Eva, bring a cloth for her first!" Maren spoke quickly, urgency cutting through her pain.
Miss Eva nodded with immediate understanding and hurried outside to find something suitable.
Maren's gaze traveled over Fia's bruised body. She saw the exposed cleavage glistening with a mixture of sweat and blood. The sports bra was the only thing covering Fia's upper body now, and even that was torn and stained.
"Don't stare," Fia spoke quietly without opening her eyes, as she tried to rest and let her body begin its recovery.
"What!? I'm not staring!" Maren protested, her cheeks flushing. "I'm just checking your wounds!" She looked away pointedly before her concern drew her eyes back. "And what's with your power anyway? Why did it suddenly spike like that? And what's with all these holes in your clothes?"
She gestured at the various burns scattered across Fia's pants. The holes were large enough that if someone looked carefully, they could see the muscular definition of Fia's thighs and calves through them.
"I don't know exactly," Fia admitted, her brow furrowing slightly as she tried to recall what had happened. "I just... you know, got way more powerful for a few minutes. Hehe, aren't I amazing?" She attempted a small laugh but..
"OW! OW!"
Sharp pain immediately punished her for the movement, cutting through her chest and abdomen.
"GEEZ, okay, okay! Don't laugh!" Maren sighed heavily, shaking her head at Fia's stubbornness. Even beaten half to death, she couldn't resist showing off.
Maren looked at Fia's face more carefully now, really seeing the damage. The cuts, the swelling, the blood both dried and fresh. After a moment of hesitation, she reached out and gently touched Fia's cheek with her fingertips, the contact feather-light.
"Thank you for coming to save me," Maren said softly, emotion thickening her voice until it was barely steady. She smiled with genuine warmth, her fingers grazing along Fia's tight, strong cheekbones with delicate care.
Fia slowly opened her eyes at the touch, turning her head slightly to look at Maren. Their faces were very close now, closer than they had ever been before. Both of them looked into each other's eyes, the moment stretching and deepening between them.
Suddenly, Fia asked in a low voice, "What did you say back then? When the rod was about to... what did you say to me?"
Maren's eyes widened immediately. Her face flushed bright red, the color spreading across her cheeks and down her neck. She quickly pulled her hand away from Fia's cheek and turned away. "Nothing much! Nothing much!" she insisted, waving her hands dismissively and refusing to meet Fia's eyes.
"Hehe, I'm curious now! Tell me, tell me!" Fia's teasing energy made Maren annoyed. She poked Maren's soft non negligible bicep repeatedly with her finger. "Did you think you were going to die, so you were saying something like 'You're my forever best friend' or something cheesy like that?"
"GAH! What 'best friend'!? More like rival, you stupid muscle headddd!!!!!!" Maren roared in frustration, her embarrassment overwhelming any attempt at composure. The two of them began bickering, their voices rising and falling in the familiar rhythm of their friendship.
.
.
After some time passed, Miss Eva returned with several female guards who had recovered consciousness. She brought a proper shirt for Fia. Maren and Miss Eva worked together carefully, helping Fia put it on without aggravating her injuries too much.
The group prepared to leave, assigning some of the recovered guards to remain behind. They would take care of securing the dead man and the warehouse itself.
"Sigh, in the end, there was nothing we could find here," Miss Eva sighed heavily, disappointment evident in the slump of her shoulders. They had risked so much, endured so much pain, and gained nothing useful for their trouble.
"Lurrr..." Lurvi mimicked the disappointed sound, floating lower in the air as if sharing the mood.
"It's fine, Miss Eva," Fia said with a tired grin, trying to lighten the atmosphere. "At least we learned something valuable... That Maren can't fight for shit! Hehe!"
"GAH! I can fight!" Maren responded immediately, her pride wounded more than her body. "I just didn't choose to, that's all!!"
She offered Fia her shoulder to lean on, supporting her friend's weight as the group began making their way back toward the temporary base. Despite their injuries and exhaustion, despite finding nothing to show for their ordeal, they walked together through the warehouse doors and into the underground tunnels.
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END OF CHAPTER
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Author Blabbering
Nearly 9k words!! I could squeeze many chapters with it but I care for my readers so I posted it together ( at least in Patreon ). I added many stuff afterwards so it got huge, but oh well I enjoyed it while writing and I hope you also liked reading.
Byess!!!
OW my hands!!! I am not writing a chapter this long ever in my life!!!!
Ahmm! you guys are still here? Just go away don't you have any gf or bf?
Go shuuu shuuu!
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