Hila runs into the room towards Claris. Her expression shows concern as well as relief; she had just left her master to take care of her own business, only to notice an unknown man and woman walking towards the room where Claris and her master were talking.
She also saw the man destroy the door with barely a push of his right hand.
“Claris! Claris, are you ok!?”
“H-Hila? Y-Yeah, I’m fine--”
“Thank Sapiora!”
Hila hugs Claris tightly and they both drop to the floor and lean against the wall, embracing each other.
“W-What are you so worried about, Hila?”
“T-That strange man just smashed through the door! I thought you were hurt or something… You… Claris, I love you! I can’t let anything happen to you...”
Claris smiles softly and continues to embrace Hila. Tears softly flow from her eyes. She and Hila have been together for some time now and have leaned on each other for support. Hila’s concern is reassuring to Claris.
“Strange man...”
A dejected voice interrupts the two embracing each other. Hila looks over at the voice, and the man who caused this mess. She stands up from where she’s sitting. She walks over to him, the young man named Ajax and--
“You! Why did you do that right now!? What if Claris had been hurt? She could have been standing right behind that door you destroyed!!”
“I-I knew that she wasn’t standing d-directly behind the door, I could tell by the sounds in the room where everyone was--”
“What are you talking about!? Are you trying to insult my intelligence!? You just got lucky, you… you little... Hmph!”
Hila walks back towards Claris and sits next to her, holding Claris’ head to her chest in an effort to protect Claris from the strange man’s attention. Hila did see Ajax’s concern for her, after all...
Her eyes shoot daggers at Ajax who looks at her in confusion. Claris is also slightly confused by Hila’s sudden possessive behaviour, but she isn’t uncomfortable against Hila’s soft breasts so…
Ajax does understand why Hila’s upset but she’s not even listening to his side of the story...
“Pfft...”
Shaula stands to Ajax’s side and holds back her laughter at Ajax’s response to Hila’s behaviour. Normally when people antagonize Ajax, she remembers their faces for when she can one day take revenge, but… seeing Ajax’s bewilderment is not boring in the least.
Ajax looks at Shaula, completely defeated.
“H-Hila, I’m fine, I’m fine! D-Don’t worry about that man! He’s--”
“Who are you then?”
Another voice interjects. The man of the hour, Inalim, regains his composure after the sudden entrance taken by the strange man and woman. He asks this question in caution towards them.
A pompous tone spoken with apathy. He’s trying to hide his surprise at the forceful interruption of his effort to get rid of the burden he’s been carrying; he certainly cannot show weakness in his place of business.
Ajax looks over at him with an expression of coldness. Shaula notices Inalim as well and her gaze forces him to take a second evaluation towards his intruders. A gaze that has sent a few people to the sanctuary of Sapiora on multiple occasions, it seems…
“Yes, Claris, can you tell us who this man and woman are? He could have harmed master with his dangerous actions!”
“Y-Yes, Plenty, he and this woman are the ones who saved me from Dirn. But… Ajax, what are you and Shaula doing here?”
Claris doesn’t understand how Ajax found her, why he’s here or what he’s about to do now. He looks at her with concern as she holds Hila. Hila looks towards him with caution.
“I’m sorry for following you, Claris but I knew that something bad was going to happen if you came back here. You remember what I told you about your… about Inalim there, right?”
Claris’ face turns paler at Ajax’s explanation. She knows. She knows what Inalim was about to do if Ajax and Shaula hadn’t intervened just now...
“What about me? What did you tell her then?”
Inalim looks at Ajax with a look of disdain. Ajax says,
“I told her what your ‘henchman’ Dirn told us. He said that it was you who had ordered him to kill Claris… You were about to kill Claris right now, weren’t you?”
“What! You damn liar! I did nothing to Claris!”
“Not if we hadn’t intervened...”
Shaula replies as she looks over at Inalim while crossing her arms. Hila looks over at Inalim, then towards Ajax and Shaula and then at Claris.
She feels only confusion right now. Why would Inalim try to kill Claris? He had promised her that he would find her work, he isn’t the kind of person who would--
“You there… You tried to help him. I heard what you said...”
“What? What are you talking about?”
Ajax looks at Plenty. He heard what Plenty had said. She is an accomplice to the man here.
“‘Dirn failed’... Right when the guy locked the door, that’s what you said… You’re Plenty, right?”
“What? What are you talking about?”
Plenty looks at him with a mix of confusion and irritation. Only the confusion is feigned.
“Why did you try to kill her? Why don’t you explain it to Claris then?”
Ajax directs this question to Plenty and Inalim. Inalim sighs,
“What are you talking about? We didn’t try to do anything to her.”
“Please, enough with the lies already, both Shaula and I heard what you were saying to Claris when you closed the door. Even Claris heard...”
“I-I did hear! You… You tried to pull out a knife and--”
“Claris, please, you must have made a mistake. I wasn’t trying to do anything to you! Don’t believe this man’s lies. Plenty, did we say anything about wanting to kill Claris at all?”
“Master, I think I would have heard something like that, ha! Claris, why are you even listening to this man here? He might have saved you from Dirn, but we’re your family! Don’t tell me you’re doubting us?”
Shaula looks at Inalim and Plenty. Her eyes narrow. She begins to understand the nature of Inalim and Plenty’s hold over Claris. Ajax feels deeper irritation.
“You liars! We heard you quite clearly! You wanted to kill her! Dirn told us as well!”
“Where IS Dirn? Why isn’t he here to corroborate your story?”
Inalim asks this question while holding his hands behind his back. He walks a little as he speaks. Shaula smiles. She laughs a bit.
“Oh, him? The wind blew him away!”
“...What do you--”
“Before I disposed of him, I forced him to tell me why he tried to kill Claris and he told us all about how you didn’t want to continue supporting her after she refused to do any more sex work for you...”
Inalim’s gaze grows more cold and focused. He notices the blood on Shaula’s shirt. He believes it to be Dirn’s blood; these two are threats to him. Ironically, that stain is Shaula’s own blood; there isn’t anything at all left of Dirn besides ash.
“...What? Master… You wouldn’t...”
Hila looks over at Inalim in caution.
“No, I wouldn't, Hila! How can you believe this stranger? We didn’t do anything. Claris, I don’t know what you think you saw, but Plenty and I would never try to kill you. Why would you doubt me?”
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Shaula frowns.
“Listen to master, Claris! We’re the ones who take care of you and feed you! We love you, we would never try to do something so heinous!”
Shaula’s eyes narrow as she focuses on Inalim and Plenty’s dissembling.
“Remember what I told you? I told you that I would find something for you to do for us! I know you faced such hardships in your life and I wanted something better for you… I saved you from the life you were living before, I only want the best for you, Claris. You’ve served me well for quite a long time, at least since you turned 14!”
Shaula… feels anger. Cheap emotional ploys, dissembling, manipulation… It reminds her of… of him. Her stepfather.
Fourteen… She was fourteen when she started doing this… When he made her do this so he could get rich...
“How… How can you lie with such a straight face? I know that Claris heard you… I know that… Claris, say something! You heard them right?”
Ajax prompts Claris for her side of the story. Claris looks at Inalim and Plenty with apprehension. She doesn’t speak.
It feels like she’s facing off against a virus trying to infect her mind. Hila notices her fear. She doesn’t want to think that her master is capable of this, but who does she trust more… her master and Plenty’s stream of words or Claris’ dread?
Claris doesn’t speak because Inalim and Plenty have a hold over her. Shaula, unlike Ajax, can see the reason behind her fear and hesitation.
Their relationship isn’t merely like master and servant or procurer and prostitute… It's like Inalim is the cult leader and Claris and Hila his duped masses.
“See? Even Claris knows that you’re lying to her! How dare you come into my place of business and slander me in this manner! I have only ever been a--”
“No!!”
A sudden interruption from Claris. She musters up her courage as she speaks,
“I-I saw the knife, Inalim! Y-You were about to kill me! Why are you… What did I do to deserve your punishment like this?”
Hila looks at Claris in surprise. She knows… Claris isn’t lying.
“Claris… you must have imagined it. I didn’t take my knife out at all! Stop letting this boy put such thoughts into your head--”
“Y-You can’t fool me, Inalim. You’re always doing this! You’re always trying to lie to us, to patronize us! How stupid do you think we… I know we’re just beastkin but… How could you...”
Claris starts crying into Hila’s arms as Hila softly pets Claris’ ears and dark purple hair. Inalim’s eyes grow unfriendly. Not because Claris has denied him and his attempt to manipulate her but also because…
“Claris… Call me ‘master’, not by my first name… I am your master…”
Ajax and Shaula look over at Inalim. They notice his frustration. Plenty backs away from him in unease.
“I-I don’t care, Inalim! I--”
“It’s alright, Claris… In-a-lim, she doesn’t want to call you her ‘master’… Shut your mouth, Inalim, you stupid bitch...”
Shaula rebutts Inalim with a malicious smile. Seeing his pathetic, entitled frustration is quite rewarding indeed. Inalim grimaces at the fact that a person in such low quality clothing and rude manner would dare to…
“You… You dirty commoner!”
Suddenly, Inalim raises his hands from behind his back and points his palms towards Ajax and Shaula, his index fingers and thumb forming a triangle.
“Troud Lathim! Tri-core!”
Suddenly, three spinning cone-like icicles form in midair before Inalim’s palms. Shaula doesn’t move, not even preparing a defensive stance. Ajax quickly runs to guard Hila and Claris from--
Thud, thud, thud!
The icicles strike at Shaula like bullets from a gatling gun. Shaula feels them strike as multiple shots puncture her body.
One of the icicles shatters her ribs and pierces her beating heart.
One of them enters through her sternum and reaches her spine, exiting through it and out her back onto the ground behind her.
The last enters through Shaula’s throat, windpipe and esophagus and severs her spinal cord, the connection between her brain and her lower body. This last icicle exits through the back of her neck past the open door.
Shaula falls to the ground as her limbs cease operation and her body goes limp.
Ajax looks towards her body for just a moment as he sees copious amounts of blood flow from her chest and neck onto the wooden floor. Then, he notices Inalim aim at him and the other girls next.
He… Was he just buying time so he could do something like this? This fucking piece of…
Ajax runs towards Inalim as Inalim tries to speak his incantation once more. Ajax interrupts him however and pins him to the ground on his front. Inalim is easily overpowered.
“AAAHH!”
Ajax accidentally breaks Inalim’s right forearm as he holds it in anger behind Inalim’s back. Inalim has just tried to kill Shaula and Ajax feels an upswell of concentrated rage at this fact.
“Shaula! Are you ok? Do you need me to help you--”
“Ah, shit… What are… she’s dead, you moron! I just killed her, you fucking idiot!”
Inalim interrupts Ajax's call to his comrade. He knows he killed her. There’s no way that the woman could be alive. Is this man insane?
Claris looks over at Shaula while Hila holds her close. Hila doesn’t open her eyes. Claris’ eyes tremble as she looks over at Inalim, currently pinned against the ground. He speaks to Claris in frustration and pain...
“This? This is the man you chose over me, Claris!? How could you--”
“That… Now that hurt...”
Ajax lets go of Inalim as he rushes over to Shaula, who regains her ability to move. Inalim rises to his feet quickly. Plenty, Hila and Claris look over at the girl who was just killed as she starts to move her arms and legs and slowly rises to her feet.
“Are you alright, Shaula? Do you feel weird or anything?”
Ajax looks over the bloody, newly torn holes in her shirt to see if any holes in her body remain. Ajax holds her hand and lets her siphon some of his energy.
“I’m alright. I haven’t felt that in a long while...”
“Thank god, Shaula! D-Don’t ever do anything that reckless again! You could have dodged that, you know!”
Ajax kisses Shaula once on each cheek and on her forehead. He does this repeatedly, with deep affection.
“C-Calm down, Ajax! I-I know I could have dodged that, I just wanted to see what this guy was trying to do! I-I’m seriously alright!”
“Reckless!!”
Ajax hugs Shaula tightly as if to squeeze the life out of her in anger and relief. Shaula hugs him back.
“Who… Who are you… You… How could you cast healing magic without… without any incantations or preparation or anything!?”
Ajax and Shaula notice the man once again. Inalim notices Shaula’s face. As if... a switch has been flipped and a decision has been made… he’s made such decisions before himself.
Inalim realizes that the next few moments will determine his life.
“I-I have money… I can make you two rich! Just… Claris, I didn’t try to kill you, I swear I didnt!”
Shaula, now on her feet, walks forward slowly, towards Inalim. Inalim backs away from her. Ajax doesn’t follow her.
Inalim reaches the window. Unfortunately, the drop to the ground below is about five floors… He cannot escape.
“Claris, Hila! Please! I-I didn’t do anything wrong! Please tell her to… tell her to stop! Plenty! Help me!”
Plenty, Claris and Hila look at Shaula in fear. Even if they were willing to intervene (Claris and Hila currently are not willing to), would they be foolish enough to approach Shaula as she is now?
Plenty, meanwhile, knows what she must do to survive. She has always taken the course of action that would ensure her survival.
Whether it was siding with Inalim to assume the peak of the hierarchy of prostitutes under his protection, or with helping Inalim do all manner of ruthless actions such as forcing some of the girls to get addicted to Dead Snow as a form of incentive.
Even going so far as to get rid of girls under Inalim’s protection. Claris certainly isn’t the first girl Inalim has wished to get rid of.
As a result of her instinct towards survival, Plenty runs out of the room.
Ajax doesn’t stop her. Inalim feels his options run out… He sees Shaula’s anger towards him, burning like the flames of damnation.
In reality, the pain to Shaula lasted moments and her fatal wounds healed in seconds. Shaula could have avoided the attack quite easily nonetheless. Perhaps she simply wanted a reasonable excuse to deal with Inalim.
A man who reminds her of the person she hates the most in the world. Ajax would be ok with letting her do this, right? With letting her…
Shaula is right in front of Inalim. Inalim trembles. He cannot lie anymore, not to this woman before her. He cannot find an escape from her wrath.
Shaula slowly reaches her hands for his face. She softly holds the sides of his face in her palms. Claris and Hila watch Shaula as--
Crunch.
Shaula forces her fingers to penetrate Inalim’s skull. Her fingers easily pierce the skin and solid bone of his head, destroying his brain. Both his upper and lower jaws shatter.
His eyeballs fall out of their sockets onto the floor from the sudden force of Inalim’s brain being forced out through the two orifices.
Shaula’s right index finger touches a part of his brain triggering the memory of when he found Claris. She was sold to him by a merchant who bought her from a farming village when she was nine. Inalim was not unaware of what the merchant had done to her even at that young age.
His relationship with her was one of abuse and forgiveness. Perhaps one day he deluded himself into believing that he was truly looking after his girls.
Would Claris wish to live in a world where Inalim, her saviour, had no use for her? Killing her was a kindness, wasn’t it--
Shaula releases her fingers from the remains of Inalim’s head. She burns off the excess blood and flesh from her hands using her now-cherished ability to emit heat.
What’s left of Inalim’s head and his body collapses onto the ground.
Ajax looks away for a moment in nausea; he’s still not used to this. Claris and Hila meanwhile look at Inalim’s corpse, unable to form words or thoughts.
This man has taken care of them. He has loved them and allowed them to survive in Linis. But, he tried to kill Claris. He might have even killed them just in his attempt to kill Ajax; they might have died as collateral damage.
He hurt them but they can’t really blame him for that. Inalim even got Claris addicted to Dead Snow in an effort to incentivize her to serve him with more loyalty.
Claris had, with Hila’s help, gotten clean and she doesn’t feel any resentment towards Inalim for any of that; it’s all past.
She only wanted to make sure that neither she, Hila or any of the other girls working for Inalim would be hurt by him in the future. Claris spoke up against him with this intent, she tried to get him to tell her the truth without any attempt to deceive.
Neither Claris nor Hila had ever heard Inalim lie but perhaps it was merely that they had believed his lies, like fools who didn’t know any better…
And now… he’s dead. All of their confusing feelings and contradictory views of Inalim coalesce into a single response.
Both Hila and Claris scream in terror at the sight of his violent death.