Lady Maria and the unexpected journey

Chapter 1

"To know me... You don't need to look at my past. All you need to know is the real me now." I whispered in the man's ear as I slid my swords across his pale skin, leaning closer to him as my blades cut through his flesh like a knife through warm butter.

"Y-You will regret this!" He shouted at me with fear in his voice when I turned my back on him. The moon was watching over us, quiet, deadly quiet. I stared at it lost in thoughts for a moment at the grey clouds until I heard steps coming behind my back. I guess that wasn't enough for him. I smirked and turned quickly at the man. With a fast swing of my right hand which was holding my long sword, he dropped down to the cold ground. The sound of my sword slashing through his flesh and bones filled the darkness that surrounded us. I stepped closer to the man to see the damage: he had a deep wound in his ribs and his arm was nearly torn away.

"Tsk, tsk... You thought you could kill me." I let a laugh pass off of my lips, which turned into a wide smirk after that.

"Nothing can stop me," I concluded to him grabbing the handle of my sword with both of my hands, lifting its tip right above his head then shoving it down in between his eyes, digging deep into his skull by rotating the tip of my sword. The blood went up to my sword as his brain got smushed against the sharp blade. The feeling of the hot blood just made me feel stronger. The more enemies I faced, the closer I was getting to the truth for sure.

I slowly walked away from the man's lifeless body as the blood wrapped around him, soaking into his cut open white shirt and black trousers. I looked around and it seemed like I was close to a village. What I've done was unforgivable, but I have my reasons. Finding my parents, finding out more about what happened that night and what happened to me. I'm always running wild in my mind, trying to find something which is already lost, but that doesn't mean I will give up that easily.

I had the same flashback once again of the blood left on the floor by my parents. It was interrupted by a few raindrops which I felt falling on my shoulders gently. In a few minutes, it started pouring. As I was walking in the rain, I was looking down and thinking if there is still hope to find them. The rain was cleansing me not only from the blood of my enemies but also from my thoughts filled with doubt. I looked up at the moon and in my opinion, it was shining brighter than before as if it was trying to show me a road. Should I follow it or just leave it? I chose to follow it because I always am willing to take the risk. I began walking down the road while observing my surroundings. After a moment, I realized where I got to. I couldn't believe my eyes at first but it was the city I used to live in before and only a few metres away from me was my old house barely standing. The brick walls were now crumbling apart, the roof had completely collapsed. The four windows on the front of the house, two below the rooftop and two more below them were demolished, and only a few pieces were standing here and there. Even the beautiful mosaic window which was right below the rooftop and in the middle. I guess the youngsters had fun around the house. I didn't know if that was a trap, but something was pulling me inside my house. I had the feeling that I will find something in there. The wind started blowing in the opposite direction of where I was heading as if it was trying to stop me from getting any closer to my old house.

I was lured into it, stronger than I've ever been before. Once I passed beside the broken wooden and mouldy door, which was lying on my right side, and set my foot on the old oak floor, I began feeling uneasy. As I got deeper inside, my blood started to rush into my veins. I rose the short sword I had in my hand and the longer one which I was holding in my right hand for defence. I stepped lightly and swiftly on the old oak floor not letting it make a sound, and reveal my position. All of a sudden noise was heard from the second floor. I stopped walking and narrowed my eyes as if I was trying to see someone hiding in the darkness that surrounded me.Suddenly, five Hunters jumped out of the darkness in the house and surrounded me. The Hunters who were supposed to be my friends, but I knew I was alone since I left them and they are my enemies as well.

"You are not welcome here, Maria." One of them said in a raspy voice.

"You think..." I began as I moved my swords slowly in the air "...I'm afraid of all of you? Well, you're wrong." The corner of my mouth moved, turning my unimpressed expression into a proud smirk as I was getting ready to attack. I raised my sword, ready to cut his head off, but all of a sudden an iron net flew over me across the room. The cold metal wrapped and narrowed around me, forcing me to kneel before them.

"You should have never left us." Said another one of them in a nostalgic tone. I ignored his words and kept trying to hit the net but instead it wrapped around me harder. It seemed like it had some kind of a dark spell on it.

"Maria, stop it, it's useless. Better get ready to answer some questions or..." I turned my head at the man with the raspy voice who was speaking and shot him with a dead stare. His smile quickly disappeared from his face and I heard the loud gulp. He finished his sentence after making a short pause "...Or get ready to get your throat slit open.". I slightly chuckled at his threat which didn't come through the way he wanted.

"Are you going to question me? You can't even handle a fair fight. You got me outnumbered and immobilized. You useless bastard... Can't even handle his battles. What a shame of a Hunter." I looked at all of them with a disgusted look on my face but then my facial expression quickly changed into a smirk once he pointed his sword at my neck.

"Say this one more time I dare you." He looked at me quite annoyed by my words but I just kept smirking in response.
"Are you brave enough to challenge me?" My voice turned serious and deadly as I made eye contact with the Hunter who dared to press his sword against my neck. 

"You should be afraid of all of us Maria..." He pressed the tip of his sword harder against my neck. Their words were nothing but nonsense which began to annoy me so I spoke in a deadlier tone: 

"You forgot who am I and what I can do, didn't you?" I could see the fear in his eyes, his heart was skipping a beat as well. He watched me straight in the eyes as he backed away, holding his sword in defence. He pointed at two young Hunters who immediately responded and moved closer to me. One of them grabbed my legs and the other one moved his hands under my armpits then lifted me and carried me to the carriage which was waiting for them. Once I was placed down in the carriage, they all sat down around me and looked at me carefully. Trying to escape then was useless but I knew I was ready for everything that could happen even though I was in that situation. Although, I couldn't say the same about them. Some of the younger Hunters were trembling in fear even though I was immobilized.