Kitana's hands trembled as she stared at the caged girl. The raw memories she had just witnessed burned in her mind. This wasn't just an auction; it was a prison. A nightmare.
Lucian nudged her. "Kitana, what the hell is wrong with you? We're here to gather information, not start a war."
Kitana didn't respond. Her eyes remained locked on that girl's lifeless form. The girl had been stripped of everything—her past, her freedom, even her very identity. And these people, these monsters, were bartering over her as if she were nothing more than a rare commodity.
Her grip tightened around her katana. No more.
She took a deep breath and stepped forward. The auctioneer had just begun calling out numbers when Kitana's voice rang through the hall.
"I'll take her."
The room fell silent. Eyes turned to her, wary and curious. The auctioneer, a gaunt man with a leering grin, raised an eyebrow. "Ah, a last-minute bid? You look like someone who knows value when they see it. And how much are you willing to pay?"
Kitana smirked. "Oh, I intend to take her for free."
A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd. Lucian cursed under his breath. "Damn it, Kitana—"
The auctioneer chuckled. "You must be joking."
Kitana's blade flashed, cutting through the air as she lunged. The auctioneer barely had time to react before she drove the edge of her sword into the wooden podium, splintering it into pieces. Panic erupted in the room. Guards reached for their weapons, but Kitana was already moving.
Lucian groaned, yanking his dagger free. "You reckless idiot."
Kitana didn't care. She slashed through the iron bars of the cage, shattering them with sheer force. The girl, still motionless, slowly lifted her head.
"Get up" Kitana called out, urgency lacing her voice. "We're getting you out of here."
The girl hesitated, confusion flickering in her empty white eyes. "Why?"
Kitana faltered. The question was simple, yet it struck deep. Why? Because she saw herself in that girl? Because no one had saved Kitana when she was in chains?
Because no one deserved this fate.
Before she could answer, the guards charged. Kitana barely had time to spin before the first swung his axe at her. She ducked, pivoted, and slammed her knee into his gut, knocking the wind from his lungs. With a swift motion, she elbowed him across the jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Lucian fought beside her, grumbling the entire time. "You just had to start a fight in the middle of a black market, didn't you?" He parried a strike from a sword-wielding mercenary, twisted his dagger, and sank it into the man's side.
"You should have done the same" Kitana shot back, catching another attacker's wrist and flipping him over her shoulder.
Suddenly, a surge of energy pulsed through the room. Kitana turned just in time to see the girl convulsing, her hands gripping her head as if in pain. The air around her shimmered, crackling with an unseen force.
The auctioneer, still alive and cowering behind the wreckage of his podium, gasped. "She's—she's activating—!"
A burst of blinding light exploded from the girl's body. Kitana barely had time to shield her eyes before the force sent the guards flying. The auction house trembled, its very foundation quaking under the pressure of her awakening power.
The girl slowly stood, her breath uneven.
Kitana grinned. "That's more like it."
Lucian cursed. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
Kitana didn't answer. Instead, she grabbed the girls wrist. "Time to go."
The three of them sprinted through the chaos, dodging debris and fleeing mercenaries. The girl stumbled but kept pace, the lingering glow of her power flickering around her like embers.
They dashed through the market, weaving between panicked merchants. A group of heavily armed guards blocked their path ahead. Lucian threw a knife, hitting one in the thigh, but more closed in fast.
Kitana growled. "Fine. We go through them."
She charged, blade flashing in deadly arcs. She ducked a spear thrust, severed the pole in half, then spun and slashed across another guard's chest. Lucian followed, striking with precision, cutting tendons and slicing throats.
The girl, still weak, raised a trembling hand. A sudden gust of air shot forward, sending two guards crashing into a wooden stall. She gasped, clutching her head, the effort taking a toll.
"We're almost there," Kitana urged. "Keep going!"
They burst through an alley, but another squad of mercenaries appeared from the rooftops, arrows notched and ready.
"Down!" Lucian yelled.
They barely ducked in time as a volley of arrows rained down, embedding into the stone walls. Kitana kicked over a stack of crates for cover. "We need another way out."
Lucian's eyes scanned the area. "There!" He pointed to a set of ropes and pulleys leading to the docks. "If we get to the ships, we can escape."
Kitana nodded. "Go!"
They sprinted, arrows whizzing past. The girl stumbled again, her energy flickering. Kitana scooped her up, refusing to slow down. The docks loomed ahead, but a massive iron gate blocked the way.
Lucian cursed. "That's new."
Kitana eyed a pulley system overhead. "Then we go over."
She leaped, grabbing the rope and swinging up. She landed on a wooden beam, balancing for a split second before tossing another rope to Lucian. "Move it!"
He caught it, slinging it around the girl's waist. "Hold tight."
With a tug, they soared upward just as guards stormed the docks below. Kitana landed first, slicing through a counterweight, sending a heavy crate plummeting onto their pursuers.
They hit the ground running. A ship was moored ahead, its crew shouting in confusion. Kitana didn't stop. She grabbed a loose plank and used it as a ramp, leaping onto the deck. Lucian and the girl followed seconds later.
The captain, a burly man with a thick beard, gaped at them. "What the—"
Lucian shoved a pouch of coins into his hand. "Set sail. Now."
He blinked, then grinned. "Aye, you got it."
As the ship pulled away, the last of the guards reached the docks, screaming in frustration. Kitana leaned against the railing fixing her hood again, breathing heavily. Lucian flopped down beside her.
"That," he panted, "was insane."
Kitana smirked. "And yet, we're alive."
Lucian shook his head. "Barely."
Kitana turned to the girl. "You're free now."
She looked up, her empty eyes meeting Kitana's
"…Thank you."