Angavu

11 years ago…

She sat on the bathroom floor vomiting on the toilet as she felt her head spinning. She looked in the mirror to see her newly crimson eyes and scar. It had been a year since she was declared the loser of that match, she was left with the lasting injuries from that fight and was forced to retire. Since her retirement women were now not allowed to join and she was discredited for all her victories. She was left to scrap for herself and her son, they were forced to move out after she failed to pay rent continuously, she was able to beg the old man for some funds, and she and her son moved to Masiya. She cleaned herself up and went out to see her son was still awake, he had his usual worried look, she offered him a weak smile as she got dressed and made her way outside.

They had been in Masiya for a few months now, and the land was very brittle and hot due to the several factories, and smokes blowing from the Pyremobiles made the air toxic and hard to breathe. As she looked up to the signature red clouds, as she made her way to work, she walked down the streets as she put her hood on, the streets were usually plastered with cocky nobles and thugs alike. She snuck into the shadows and made sure to have the high ground, so she could see the main plaza from here. While her spectral hand was invisible to everyone else, the things it interacted with and touched remained visible. Meaning she had to keep a decent distance so a coin purse didn't just float in the air for anyone to see, but she didn't want to be too close and raise suspicion.

She skulked for a target, looking for someone who would carry money on them, but also not be too important. Looking for any tattoos or crests to signify status, she found one in a few scans. Her target was a middle-aged-looking Masiyan man, he had long curly deep red hair, and he wore noble clothes and had his hair slicked back. She visualized her spectral hand and went to his pocket, waiting for him to walk through the crowd. Slipping the coin purse out of his pocket and rushing it towards her. She caught it and jumped to the rooftop, blending in with the foggy clouds as she jumped the other roof. As she scaled through the rooftops she made it a safe distance and counted the coins. It was about ten gold pieces, decent money. As she pocketed it she saw distant figures appearing from the mist. It was three cloaked figures.

As she saw them getting closer she saw a tattoo of a dagger dripping with blood on the palm of one, as she opened her eyes wide and jumped instinctively. As bright orange flames rushed out of all three cloaked figures' palms. She clenched her fists and summoned two huge spectral fists, doing a cross punch as she directed the two fists to slam into two of the figures. The other one bolted towards her with a khopesh as she disarmed him instantly and countered with a kick. She tried to redirect her hand to punch him but winced as the hand dissolved. Her head went crashing. The figure took this opening to deliver a right hook to her chin, the other two stood back up and kicked and stomped on her in unison.

Everything went black as she opened her eyes to find herself seated and restrained, as she had a cover over her head. She fidgeted and squirmed trying to summon her spectral hand as she felt a block. Her hood was swiftly removed to reveal a young Masiyan man, dressed in a well-tailored suit and with dark red Masiyan hair that was braided back in cornrows. He had rings on all his fingers and a calm demeanor and expression as she looked around and saw she was covered from every angle by guards. As she looked and saw weird black metallic cuffs around her arms. “So you are the one who's been working on Mustafa turf, it's been very hard to catch you. A Baragoian as well, the arts of Kineticism are foreign to us.” He spoke in a clear and calm voice despite how tense the air was.

He removed his glove and put his hand on her face, clenching hard as she thought he was going to squeeze her to death but he stopped, as she peered at herself in a mirror she saw bright orange glowing sigils glowing all over her face. “The consequences of your actions is a serious offense, stealing on our turf is a crime punishable by death. You have two choices, you can offer a loved one or family member as a sacrificial lamb. Or you can bear the price of your sin.”

As she heard the words all she could think about was her son, she had no one else in her life, he was her last hope and she loved him. She steeled herself as she looked up into the man's eyes, she could feel a heavy pressure in the room as everything went silent. She could have sworn she saw a flaming crown form above the man's head, as he seemed to tower over her, making her feel smaller and weak. She wished she could have used her power, she wished she hadn't taken spike and weakened her connection. She felt all her life flash before her eyes, all her regrets, her shame, and her glory. As she looked him in the eyes she spits blood at him and said, “I can bear the weight of my sins.” As she said that he snapped and her head exploded, covering the man in blood and chunks of flesh and brain matter, as everything went dark. All Angavu could think of was her shining light, the embers of her life that will live on without her now.