The Search For Peace

Chapter 16

Everything was happening too fast. It was hard to keep up. Her beating heart disturbed the orientation of her thoughts, and her hands were clammy. After all, she was face to face with the biggest threat to The Clans at the moment: Katy McClellan. Her dangerous looking smirk, scarred by a wound she could only wonder about, and the eye patch under the spikes of blonde hair. She was a mystery, one that Ultima hadn't uncovered yet.

She glanced at Juliet, who was more confused than tense, eyeing the medieval weapon Katy was spinning around. They flinched as the woman carefully placed her steps in front of her, one at a time, as if to mock them. Ultima was itching to use a move on her, but she was torn in between being hasty and careful. And, she regretted it, when Katy began to teleport again. 

In a split second, she went from being in front of them, to right behind Juliet's shaking form. And before anyone could react, she karate chopped her at the neck, forcing her to lose consciousness. The girl fell to the ground limp, while Katy disappeared again, this time reappearing at the foot of the stairs.

Ultima whirled around to catch her before she moved again, her lip twitching with rage as she darted her gaze between Juliet's lifeless body, and the one who hit her. She could feel her eyes burning, not with tears, but with the power residing  inside her.

"That's it..." Katy seemed to notice, since Taurus eyes did become red when they used their powers. "Come at me with all you've got." Her eyebrows shot up provokingly, and it worked.

"Arcane Fire Craft," Ultima yelled, her whole body beginning to light up like a torch, "Flame Burst!" Now, completely covered in flames, she plunged forward, and launched a fiery punch in her adversary's direction, one she effortlessly dodged just by sidestepping. Katy ditched her flail and pulled out a dagger, channeling it with electricity. With it, she shot at the girl, who spun away just in time. 

But even so, her cheek stung with a cut, as the knife had managed to graze it a bit. The black haired girl let out a sarcastic laugh. "You're pretty fast."

Katy played with her weapon, tossing it from one hand to the other as she danced on the balls of her feet. "Of course. I am a Capricorn, afterall." They were now a few safe feet away from each other, but Ultima knew crossing that distance was no problem for this chic. It was like she was purposely going for close combat, as if she somehow knew that that was the one thing Ultima wasn't a master at. "So, is that all?" Katy said. "Is 'flame burst' the only move you know how to do?"

"I'm not here for a talent show." Ultima sneered as the flames covering her fizzled away. 

Her answer earned her a hearty laugh from Katy, much like the laugh of an old man enjoying himself in a bar. "How disappointing. And I was looking forward to playing with you, too. " Ultima was surprised when the woman threw the dagger away as well, as if she didn't need it anymore either. There was a limit to how much you can mock a person, honestly. "But I can see you're not as interesting as the rumors about you said." The black haired girl watched her aimlessly walk this way and that, waiting for her to jump at her any minute now. "Why is that?" She was giving it her all to not give in to conversation, knowing full well that this woman was trying to distract her. "You're so boring, so...plain. Don't you wanna be somebody? Do something no one else has ever done?"

"Is that what you guys are going for?" However, this was something she could not ignore. This was her chance to figure out what exactly The Capricorn's were after. "Trying to be somebody, trying to do something different." She scoffed despite herself. "Are you that eager to get noticed?"

Katy was smiling, but not a friendly smile. No, her smile spoke of hatred and anger, of frustration and blood lust. She dropped her head, ruffling her already ruffled bob. And, when she looked up again, a feverish chill crawled down Ultima's spine. Her single eye was blue, but it looked as if it were on fire, red with her fuming rage. "You have a sharp tongue, don't you?" 

Her heart stopped when the woman disappeared once more, her mind trying to guess where she'd end up this time. But, she realized she wasn't fast enough, when Katy materialized right under her nose, thrusting a hand to her neck and grabbing it. 

As she raised her from the ground with the single grip she had on her, Ultima felt the blood rush to her head, throbbing like an alarm was going off inside. She clawed at the area around her throat, trying her utmost best to pull off the hand choking her so she could breathe again. 

"Whats the matter?" Katy squeezed harder, enjoying the pained cries she was getting out of the girl. "Cat got your tongue? C'mon, say something mean. Kill me with your words." It was clear Katy had taken what she had said to heart, hating her more now than she ever did previously. Her face was probably just as red as Ultima's, her teeth gritting as she grinned like a maniac. "I hate people like you," She continued to say in her raspy voice, "You think you know exactly what's going through everyone's head. Well, guess what, you don't."

Ultima failed to cough when the fingers around her poor neck pressed harder, and she could feel herself slipping away from consciousness, Katy's horrible face all but a blur. Even in her sorry state, she couldn't help but glance at Juliet, hoping someone would atleast come and get her out of there. The girl barely knew how to fight, and even if she did, they're opponent was too strong. Please...She begged no one in particular, feeling her limbs go numb. Somebody, help...

As if on cue, the wall to their left crumbled open, and a humongous fist made out of sheer rock slammed into Katy's body. The impact caused her to ram into the opposite wall, a deafening crack sounding as she fell to the ground. 

Ultima, now on her knees and coughing like no tomorrow, heaved in deep breaths and winced as her neck throbbed with pain. She wiped her watery eyes and gingerly looked up to see who had come to their rescue, and, for the first time in her short life, she was actually grateful to see his stupid face. "Kevin..." She breathed out, smiling.