The car surged forward, engine roaring as it raced through the nighttime streets of Mordenstradt. Its tires squealed loudly as it turned sharply around corners, bouncing over bumps and potholes while occasionally swerving side to side across the road.
Aubrey clung to the roof of the vehicle—her grip tightening with each sudden turn it took. She crouched low on all fours—her guitar-axe still gripped firmly in one hand while the other dug into the metal frame for balance. The wind tore at her hair and clothes, sending them flapping wildly behind her as she rode atop it like a cowboy riding a wild bull.
Blood flowed freely from the bullet wound in her arm—drenching her sleeve red—but she paid little attention to it. Instead she focused entirely on maintaining her hold upon the speeding car and trying not to fall off.
Music from her Harmonic Synesthesia played out around her, augmenting the visual cues that flashed through her mind. She weaved among the bullets that tore through the roof from below—twisting and contorting her body to avoid them while also blocking several with her guitar-axe.
The sound of gunshots matched the rhythmic pulses—each successive bang representing a new beat or note—while Aubrey dodged as if she was performing a choreographed routine.
It wasn't perfect. She felt the sting of a few bullets grazing her skin as they flew past her. But it wasn't enough to stop her. Not by a long shot.
Aubrey sang along to the music playing in her head, her voice echoing out around her, as she continued to weave and sway among the onslaught of gunfire from below. Her crimson eyes gleamed brightly beneath the moonlight with excitement.
"Where are you running off to, Julian? This little chase can only end in two ways," she taunted through gritted teeth. "Me killing you or you crashing and burning. Death is the only escape, darling."
Inside the car, Julian Blackwell cowered, his aristocratic composure shattered. He shouted orders, his voice laced with panic. "Faster, damn it! Get her off!"
The driver gritted his teeth, muttering curses as he jerked the wheel left and right, navigating the labyrinth of Mordenstradt's streets. He wove between obstacles, narrowly missing street lights and other vehicles.
Suddenly, the car veered into an alley, causing Aubrey to slip and hang halfway off the edge—the walls closing in like the jaws of a trap. Her fingers clawed at the roof desperately until she managed to secure a grip once more.
Aubrey's synesthetic vision lit up with warning signs, the cramped space offering little room for maneuver. But she adapted instantly, her body flattening against the side of the car as it scraped against the brickwork, throwing sparks.
The car skidded sideways out of the alleyway, narrowly missing a large group of people gathered outside a tavern. People scattered as the car careened through the cobblestone street, running for safety as it screeched onto a wide boulevard where cars and carriages shared the road with horse-drawn omnibuses. The driver swerved around these vehicles before turning sharply down another side street.
The car's rear tire hit a pothole—a loud thud echoed within the passenger compartment—as Aubrey vaulted over the side railing and landed back on top. She clambered to her feet and steadied herself again.
Aubrey slammed a fist on the roof twice in quick succession—her crimson eyes glowing brightly as she stared at the driver.
"Come on... that's all you've got?" she taunted him.
The driver executed a sudden U-turn, a maneuver meant to dislodge Aubrey with its abruptness.
But she was ready.
The world slowed in her perception, the turning car tracing a wide arc of glowing lines that she followed with supernatural agility. As the car completed its turn, she launched herself into the air, flipping gracefully before landing on the hood with one knee bent and a hand planted firmly on the glass windshield. She flashed her fangs in a malicious grin.
The driver gaped at her—his eyes widening as he slammed on the brakes.
Aubrey punched through the windshield and grabbed the driver by the collar of his suit. Her fingers dug into his flesh—tightening their hold around his neck.
As the car came to a screeching halt, the force of the sudden stop flung her from its hood while also tearing the driver out through the opening she had created—the sharp edges of the broken glass slicing through his clothing and skin. Both bodies rolled across the pavement for several meters before coming to a stop.
Blood pooled beneath the driver's motionless form, his head twisted at an unnatural angle.
Aubrey picked herself up, brushing dust off her dress and retrieving her guitar-axe from nearby. Her gaze locked onto the car's remaining occupants as she sauntered toward them with a limp and a smirk.
"Ready or not... Here I come!"
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The two surviving security guards exited the car with rapiers drawn. One man with sandy hair and a hooked nose and another balding fellow whose face shone with sweat despite the chill night air. They stood side by side, pointing their swords at Aubrey's approaching figure.
"Stay back," Hook Nose commanded. "Don't come any closer." His voice trembled slightly as he spoke.
"Or what?" Aubrey retorted mockingly. "You'll stab me?"
She glanced over their shoulders towards Julian who remained huddled in the passenger seat. He peered between his fingers at Aubrey like a frightened child cowering from monsters in the dark.
"Get him outta here!" Hook Nose barked at Baldy.
Baldy nodded nervously as he turned around to pull Julian out of the vehicle while his partner kept his weapon trained on Aubrey. The nobleman stumbled forward clumsily—nearly falling flat on his face—before regaining his footing. Then he scrambled away frantically down the street without even bothering to look back once.
"Where do you think you're going?" Aubrey called after him.
The two men charged at her simultaneously—their swords thrusting toward her chest in unison—hoping to catch her off guard with this coordinated attack.
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Aubrey danced around their blades—dodging and weaving through their strikes effortlessly—before landing a spinning roundhouse kick on Hook Nose's head which sent him sprawling into a puddle of water. She then deflected Baldy's strike with her guitar-axe before counterattacking with a vicious downward swing of her own that bisected him from shoulder to hip. His corpse fell apart into two pieces as his entrails spilled onto the road.
Hook Nose clambered to his feet and turned toward Aubrey—his face covered in dirt and grime from rolling in the muck—as he raised his rapier above his head in preparation to strike again. But before he could launch his next assault, Aubrey swung her guitar-axe against his sword—parrying it aside while simultaneously pivoting on one leg and planting her foot into his gut—knocking the wind out of him.
She then spun around in place twice before striking him hard across the side of his skull with the edge of her axe's blade. Blood sprayed everywhere as his head split open like a ripe melon thrown against concrete.
The body slumped lifelessly to the ground.
Aubrey straightened up and glanced over her shoulder to find Julian still scrambling away. He darted along the sidewalk as fast as his legs would carry him—his suit flapping wildly behind him like a cape.
She took off after him in pursuit. Her long strides allowed her to easily overtake the stumbling nobleman within seconds. He cried out as she grabbed him by the back of his collar and lifted him off his feet as if he weighed nothing more than a ragdoll.
Julian flailed wildly in midair as he struggled against Aubrey's hold while also screaming hysterically all the while. "No! No! Let me go!"
Aubrey glanced around.
The commotion had drawn several witnesses out of nearby buildings. Some were staring wide-eyed at the scene—their faces filled with terror and awe—while others peered through windows and doors from inside their homes or businesses. She realized they'd soon alert the authorities if she didn't do something fast.
With a swift punch to the jaw—Aubrey silenced Julian's cries for help. His limp body dangled loosely from her grip as she carried him through the alleys and backstreets, heading back towards the Gallow's Row. She made sure to stay off the main roads and avoid attracting too much attention—keenly aware that there could be pursuers on her tail at any moment.
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Back at the Cathedral of the Sovereign Incantatrix, Aubrey hauled Julian's unconscious body through its heavy wooden doors. She dragged him across the stone floor and up the staircase to her private room. The man's limbs scraped across every step until Aubrey deposited him into a chair facing the foot of the bed.
His head lolled forward onto his chest; blood dripped from his nose and mouth onto his rumpled suit—staining the fine fabric with crimson stains.
Cedric's heavy footsteps echoed down the stairs as he entered the chamber. The gargoyle surveyed the scene with an arched stony eyebrow, his arms crossed. "You look like you've had a busy evening."
"I have indeed," Aubrey replied cheerfully as she knelt before Julian, checking his pulse to ensure that he remained alive. When satisfied by his condition she turned her attention to Cedric who stood nearby watching silently.
"This is Julian Blackwell. He's one of the four people responsible for my murder," she said matter-of-factly. "And I intend to make him pay dearly for it."
The gargoyle tilted his head curiously at this declaration before taking a few steps closer to examine Julian up close. "So he's one of your killers... hm?" His voice held no emotion whatsoever. He sounded like he might comment on the weather next rather than the bloody sight before him.
"Yep. And I want to find out what he knows about my death before I send him straight to hell."
"Very well," Cedric remarked simply. "Would you like some help with that?"
"No thank you." Aubrey smiled brightly as she gazed down at the unconscious nobleman sitting motionless in front of her. "I'm going to enjoy doing this myself."
"As you wish," the gargoyle responded with a bow.
With those words—the gargoyle turned away and headed back out of the chamber once more—his stone feet scraping along the floor as he walked away without another word spoken between them.
Aubrey began removing Julian's clothes piece by piece—first taking off his jacket and tie—then proceeding to remove his shoes, socks, and pants—until he sat naked except for his underwear. Finally she lifted him up bodily and placed him upon the bed before tying him securely with ropes around his wrists and ankles to prevent escape.
She drew Lucille's dress over her shoulders and tossed it aside along with the rest of her clothing—leaving only her undergarments in place—before climbing onto the bed and straddling his waist so that her knees pressed against either side of his torso—pinning him down beneath her weight.
She leaned forward—bringing her face close to his ear—and whispered, "Wake up dear..."
A sharp crack echoed through the chamber as she slapped his cheek with all her might—the force behind her strike enough to snap his head sideways violently and jolt him into consciousness again.
He opened his eyes slowly—blinking repeatedly while trying desperately to focus on Aubrey hovering above him. His gaze traveled downward along her body until he noticed how exposed she appeared before finally raising his gaze back up to meet hers again.
His eyes widened in panic. He opened his mouth as if to scream but no sound escaped his lips save for a faint whimper that escaped his throat.
Aubrey smiled wickedly at him and brought a finger up to press against her lips—signaling for silence—while placing one hand firmly across his mouth to stifle any further attempts at crying out for help. Then she bent forward toward his ear again and hissed quietly: "Shhh... don't worry... I promise not to hurt you—too much."
Julian let out a muffled whine from behind Aubrey's palm as she held him tightly in place underneath her. She released his mouth and instead gripped his chin between two fingers, forcing him to stare directly into her crimson eyes, as she continued speaking softly into his ear.
"Didn't expect to see me alive again, did you? Did you think you had gotten away with murder? I bet you thought I'd just lay there like a good girl and die for you," Aubrey said in a low voice before adding menacingly, "You made a grave mistake."
Julian's breath quickened—his chest rising and falling rapidly—as he struggled weakly against the ropes binding him. Sweat covered his pale skin, making it glisten under the flickering candlelight.
Aubrey drew one long fingernail along the length of Julian's torso—slowly dragging it upwards until she reached his neck—before circling around it teasingly several times. All the while she stared intently into his terrified eyes without blinking once, a cruel smirk spread across her lips.
"Now then," Aubrey continued speaking calmly even as she raked her sharp claws across his chest leaving a trail of bloody welts across its surface. "What shall we discuss first? Hmm?"
"Please..." Julian pleaded hoarsely through clenched teeth, tears forming at the corners of his eyes. "Aubrey! I beg of you, spare me! I'll give you whatever you want! Money? Jewels? Anything!"
Aubrey rolled her eyes impatiently at this pathetic display before slapping him across the face once more. "I don't care about your riches... what I need to know is why you and your little friends killed me," she said icily while stroking his cheek with her knuckles almost lovingly. "Tell me everything... and perhaps I'll make your death less painful."
"It wasn't my idea!" Julian blurted out hurriedly. "The others came to me and said that they needed to eliminate you! They said you had become a problem for them! I didn't have a choice!"
"Oh? You could've refused them. You could've tried to reason with them. Yet you still went through with it anyway." She began clawing deeper into his chest drawing blood—he cried out in pain as she continued speaking evenly. "So I'll ask again... Why? Tell me everything."
"Because of what you were becoming!" Julian choked out.
Becoming? What does that mean? Becoming... an Unhallowed? But that can't be right.
She had only become one after awakening in this body. Her new existence as an Unhallowed had nothing to do with her previous life in this world. How would she have posed any kind of threat to them before that point?
Aubrey furrowed her brows as she pondered this question silently for a moment before turning back to Julian and asking, "What exactly was I 'becoming' then?"
Julian stared back at her in silence—his gaze unfocused—as if trying desperately to think of how best to answer her inquiry. Finally, he spoke again.
"A-an Unhallowed..."