"They say violence solves nothing. Kierra would disagree — if she had survived the night."
Tonight’s piece is a snippet from some of my darker writing experiments: a mix of martial arts discipline, supernatural predators, and the razor edge between defiance and doom.
Suggested mood music to listen while you read:
Violence is the Answer - Part I
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Kierra stayed after class as Sifu allowed her to practice for her upcoming exhibition on her forms, he even gave her a key to close up the dojo after. She was tired and sweating profusely but she kept going.
Taking note of the position of her arms and legs in the full-length mirrors that covered the eastern wall. She made adjustments as Sifu had instructed earlier that week.
Sifu was always very firm, very stern, and extremely warm. Offering constant positive encouragement and jokingly stern reinforcement to each student no matter their level of training. Kierra was no different, even though she continuously pushed herself beyond his teachings.
After another hour and a half she decided to call it quits and drank half her bottle of now lukewarm water from the plastic bottle in several loud gulps. Wiping the sweat from her brow with the back of her Gi she tossed it into her bag and grabbed a large broom and gave the floor a quick sweep. When that was completed all that was left to do was turn off the lights, turn on the alarm and lock the door, which she double checked before walking down the stairs to the street and into the cool fall night air.
She paused to admire the clear skies and huge moon and stretch her sore muscles, enjoying the feeling of her hard work. Across the street she noticed the limo silently sitting there out of place for this area of the city. Her eyebrow arching in puzzlement. Almost as a trigger the window closest to her slid down and an elderly woman with a very expensive haircut smoking a small cigarillo leaned forward and smiled.
“Hello, Kierra. Another late night for another of Kowloon’s champions?” The woman smirked, her voice silky, unnatural—like a gift wrapped in razor wire. "Why don't you come over here so we can get a better look at you?"
Before she could stop herself Kierra was walking across the street leaving her bag on the sidewalk. Halfway across she shook her head and stopped. “The fuck....I don’t know you, what do you want?”
The lady in the limo smiled even wider and she spoke to someone sitting beside her hidden by the interior shadows of the vehicle. “Oh my, this one has some real strength to her, how very…. intoxicating…. now now… Kierra..come closer, dear.”
She fixed her eyes into Kierra's and that welcome inviting feeling washed over Kierra in a mighty wave. Before she could even realize what was happening she was again moving towards the car. The limo driver opened his door and stepped out of the limo while its suspension complained at the massive amount of weight being transferred. He was a huge man. Barely able to fit in the front seat even with it pushed back to its limit. His suit and hat only made him look more massive. With a hand the size of a dinner plate, thick with scars and veins, he calmly tipped his hat to Kierra and opened the passenger door for her. Sliding into the limo she then faced an elderly well dressed couple happily watching her get settled. The lady took one final inhale then tossed the still lit cigarillo out the window. Her gaze never left her prey as she moved a wrinkled finger to the window controls and closed it.
“That’s better, don’t you think? More intimate setting for this conversation I believe, don’t you agree, Kaiden?” Her never blinking eyes started to make Kierra’s skin crawl and she once again snapped out of her trance. “I don’t understand.. What do you want from me?”
Kaiden finally spoke in his deep smooth voice: "Ah! A very good question! What do we want from you? Well, unfortunately we want everything from you, dear. You have something very rare that we simply must have."
"Fuck off!" Kierra snapped. Even she was surprised by the raw defiance in her voice. “I don’t know who you are.. or…what.. you…” she stopped as the never blinking lady rolled up her sleeves and revealed glowing tattoos that seemingly pulsed with her heartbeat and said: “We want you, dear.” Her arms raised and she made some motions with her hands as the tattoos on her arms glowed brighter. Kierra’s limbs grew heavier, her breath shallow. The dojo’s hours of training seemed distant, like a dream slipping away. She struggled to make a fist and strike out at her captors but feebly landed nothing. Her breathing slowed as she felt her heart rate crash, her heading nodding as everything slowly went black.
Kaiden now unbuttoned his shirt and his chest was also covered in glowing tattoos as he raised a hand while motioning in the air. A red glowing fog almost invisible began to leak from Kierra’s body and move towards the elegant couple slowly at first but then speeding up until a small pop was heard and Kierra’s drained body fell sideways into the seat. With her life drained she was nothing but a corpse now. The once vibrant youthful body reduced to an aged bag of bones and sinew. The air was scented by death and blood.
The fancy couple adjusted their clothing to cover their tattoos and they visibly looked younger. Wrinkles gone. Grey hair back to youthful hues. Lips returned to full life. Muscles back to tight and defined. They both stretched and enjoyed the familiar sensation like drug addicts getting their fix after a long dry spell. For a few seconds they ignored everything but this sensation until noticing each other again. They embraced quickly for a long sensual kiss, hands roaming over ancient bodies now restored to prime condition. Nothing existed except this kiss to them and it went on for a while.
As they separated the lady lit up another cigarillo, took a short puff and exhaled. “This always makes me so hungry after. What are you in the mood for, my dear?” she gleefully asked.
Kaiden finished buttoning up his silk shirt and he gave her a lustful smile while placing his hand on her thigh. It would remain there until they arrived at their place of choosing. “Steak!!! Ulo! Get rid of this and take us uptown!” he commanded.
The huge limo driver grunted and opened the door and with one hand dragged Kierra’s lifeless body out and it crumpled to the street in a sickening pile. He closed the door and with a single hand picked up the drained body and threw it into the alleyway several hundred feet away. It smashed against a dumpster and flopped to the concrete in a wet pile of frail broken bones. Blood began to pool under it as it settled and gurgled lifeless.
Ulo moved to the driver's door and made sure to scan around the area for any possible witnesses. He sniffed the air and quickly looked up to nearby rooftops but didn’t notice anything. Satisfied with the lack of threats he stuffed himself inside the vehicle and turned the ignition and prepared to drive away.
As the vehicle sped away and out of view. A small fit man leaped down from a nearby two story building. Surprisingly he hit the pavement and simply rolled up onto his feet and shoke the dust off his hoodie.
He glared down at the still burning cigarillo, stubbing it out with his sneaker he cursed to himself: “Too late.”
Cameron cursed while raising the hood of his sweater and turned to face the ghostly visage of Master Kowloon exit the darkness of the alley and begin to inspect the scene.
His expression turned hard as he glanced at the broken body splashed up against the dumpster turning his words hard: “It seems we are spread too thin in major cities to avoid all casualties for the time being. We must remain focused on the main objective and push Vaidan back to his realm. Find another candidate Cameron, this is your priority mission.”
Cameron bowed deeply at Master Kowloon’s order and jumped back up to the rooftops and began to run towards the center of the city as his master faded into the shadows.
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What started as a late-night training session ends in horror, but this is only the beginning.
Behind the violence lies a deeper war — and the question: What would you give up to survive?
