Chapter 4: Justice

New Chapter every Wednesday.

After Adaeze's exit, Hana stops running and catches her breath. She examines her skin to see that most of her bruises have healed and the others are close to being completely healed. However, the scars from the silver arrows are taking much longer to heal and still sting a bit. She's extremely irritated at how badly she lost the fight with the archer and is also partly scared of facing her again.

"This wasn't part of the deal Niifę!" She exclaims at nothing. Only the Royals are supposed to be able to challenge Hana, simply because as leaders chosen by the old gods they have a direct link to them. The old gods can transfer spirit energy momentarily to the members of the Royal family in times of need, but because of how weak a human body is the old gods can only transfer enough spirit energy to allow a human match Hana's power in just strength, not strength and speed. That was the only warning she was given and so long as she let the fight drag out she was sure to win.

Having fought one already, Hana knew for sure that the power this archer has is nothing like the power of a human borrowing strength from the gods. Rather, the archer's power and the energy it produces resemble that of a Reaper. Yet, there is no way this woman is like Hana for she did not have the marks that had been carved into Hana's skin nor did Hana sense a soul-stealing weapon on her body. It is extremely puzzling for Hana as although she is uncertain, she can't help but feel like the archer isn't even magic-folk, therefore there should be no reason why the woman is as strong as she is.

"What is she?" Hana mutters to herself as she walks in the direction of the Temple. When the building gets in her sight she hesitates and looks behind at the pathway that would take her out of the city.

"It would be better if I speak to them before I proceed," She mutters. Then she immediately rolls her eyes and adds. "They'd probably kill and replace me for wasting another half hour of their time". She walks a few more steps to the Temple but holds herself back from going on.

"Then again, they don't have the time for that, do they?" She looks up thoughtfully. "Worst case scenario, they'd be angry" Having said that Hana starts to turn around towards the gate but before she continues Hana remembers that she had been directed to go west and not north. The goddesses would probably kill her out of spite if she appears in their presence at this point.

She takes a deep breath and then a couple more before she starts once more towards the temple.

***

Adaeze is poised and ready for action in front of the large entryway of the Temple. In her hand is the long brown and green, bow and arrow and in her quiver are the 16 arrows left from her last assault. Her greyish-brown eyes are mostly focused on the entryway, however, they sometimes dart left and right looking for corners to force Hana into when the time comes.

Behind her, the crowd waits impatiently with the men and women as ready as they can be to defend themselves while the children have been told to quiet down.

A few moments pass and the citizens in the temple still wait till footsteps can be heard coming their way.

"Stay alert," Adaeze says urgently in a hushed tone prompting the huddle to straighten up further.

As the sound of the steps increases Adaeze realises that it is not one person but two people walking in her direction. She is inclined to see if it is people that need help but chooses not to for the sake of the people behind her. Despite this, she finds she did not have to wait long as the walkers appear in her view moments later.

"So here is the deal," Hana says as she comes into focus. She has a frightened teenager in her arms and they both inch forward slowly as she speaks.

"This little boy is not a part of my godline, so he does not have to die tonight" She continues as she grips the child's shoulder more tightly. "All I ask is that that archer strikes herself with her bow."

The crowd becomes unsettled but Adaeze stands unmoved. Scared out of his wits, the boy in Hana's arms looks to Adaeze as if begging her to do it, then he immediately looks away, regretting the action. Adaeze frowns at the boy then at Hana still without moving an inch and responds to the demand.

"You're asking me to trade one life for the lives of many?"

"One life you'd actually be saving" Hana sneers with a smile on her face. Her taunt compels no reaction from Adaeze who so far has been examining the space between Hana and the boy.

"You're breaking the rules Reaper," Adaeze says as she takes a step back.

"I'm following the rules that have been given to me"

"You say it like you have no choice," The archer responds disdainfully.

"More or less"

"I say less, you do not have to kill these people"

Hana scowls and wraps her hand around the boy's neck. "Enough with the lecture archer, make your choice."

"I'm sure you knew what my answer would be before you even asked" Adaeze answers cooly.

The boy's eyes widen as Adaeze says this, "Please!" He cries out just as Hana applies pressure to her wrist and attempts to break his neck. However, the instant she moves to do this, Adaeze finds an opening and fires the arrow in her bow into an already healing scar on Hana's shoulder. The Reaper shrieks and releases the boy who immediately runs towards Adaeze.

An enraged Hana attempts to stop him from getting to her but Adaeze instantaneously appears in Hana's way, with an arrow in her hand which she rams up Hana's jaw.

The Reaper's skin immediately depletes and she takes the grim form of a walking skeleton. She pulls out the arrow and slams it into Adaeze's thigh then grabs her neck and begins to squeeze. While struggling against Hana's grip, the archer knees Hana in the ribs three times causing some breakage and thus forcing Hana to loosen her hold on Adaeze momentarily. The archer takes advantage of this and pries off Hana's bony hand from her neck, then rather than jumping away, Adaeze lunges at the Reaper and tackles her to the ground where Hana tries over again to pull the archer off her body while she continues to successfully wrestles Hana in place.

"Get the girl!" She shouts at the crowd, moving the child's father to run to the prayer chamber.

"Stop!" Hana commands in her unearthly voice. The man immediately stops mid-step shocking him as well as everyone else in the room.

"Drop your weapons" Hana adds, forcing every individual in the room to let go of the crude materials in their hands. "Now get her off me." She says as her skin begins to reappear.

The crowd starts to reluctantly walk towards Adaeze who in this period has been unaffected by all the commands that had been given. Realising her predicament, Adaeze hops off Hana but in the same breath slides behind her and pulls her into a choke hold after which she and Hana start to edge away from the crowd.

"Stop walking towards us" Adaeze pleads prompting a smirk on Hana's face.

"They can't help it" Hana replies

"Let them go!" Adaeze demands.

"No," Hana responds before she grabs Adaeze by the shoulders and throws her forward, into the crowd. Just as the archer starts to pick herself up, Hana chares into the crowd and attempts to kill the first person in front of her. Adaeze moves quickly and gets in the way just in time, however, at the cost of her right arm.

Hana smirks and pushes the scythe deeper into the arm but before she goes far enough Adaeze pushes her back with a kick. The archer turns back to look at the crowd who have stopped walking towards Adaeze and now have control over their bodies. Then the archer winces and looks back at her arm to see that Hana had left her scythe in it when she was sent flying.

Adaeze and the Reaper get up slowly with their eyes locked on each other, then Adaeze pulls the scythe from her arm and looks sheepishly at Hana before she turns around and runs with it to the prayer chamber.

"Hold her back, she can't kill you!" Adaeze shouts as she exits. The crowd immediately pounces on Hana who almost immediately disperses them to continue her chase.

She runs down the winding stone stairs and arrives in a large and beautiful room modelled after a Roman bathhouse and in its middle is a wide but empty pool which Adaeze and five other people stand behind.

"Return my scythe," Hana says calmly.

"Surrender yourself," Adaeze responds.

"This is not a negotiation," Hana growls.

"Clearly, as you have nothing to trade" Adaeze points out with a smirk.

Hana takes a step towards the group which causes Adaeze to aim the scythe at the priest on her left.

"Stop," Hana says with her hands lifted. Adaeze curls her lips and shares a smile with the priests.

"Get in the pool and kneel." The archer commands. Hana snarls at her as a response but doesn't make a move.

"Or you could just leave my city and forfeit your claim to the weapon." Adaeze offers.

"Return my scythe!" Hana screams. Adaeze frowns then grabs the weapon with both hands and swings at the priest. Just as the tip of the blade arrives inches from the priest's chest, Hana appears in front of Adaeze with a menacing look on her face and her right hand on the scythe. They lock eyes again and Hana notices that the smile on the archer's face did not fade.

She is about to pull the weapon from Adaeze's hand but then the child standing next to the archer takes a sudden stance and waves her hands causing a wave of almost transparent water extrude from the pool and enclose in a circular form around Hana's body. Hana recognizes the magic and immediately retracts her hand as the circle completes and its exterior circumference solidifies.

Bewildered and lost for words Hana looks on to Adaeze with respect while the archer falls on her knees, exhausted.

"Thanks, kid" She mutters to the child next to her who is also bent over and panting.

"Priests, contact Imperial City. Tell them what has happened." She communicates to the remaining members of the little group.

"And you," Adaeze says, glancing behind at the father of the young water-witch. "Get the townsfolk home."

"Yes chief, "He responds before he grabs his daughter's hand and starts to walk away with her.

"No. The child stays. I need her." The man hesitates.

"She's only a child," He says.

"She's the reason you all get to see the sunrise today. She stays with me." Adaeze states pointedly. She looks up to see the extreme distress on the man's face and it prompts her to soften up a bit.

"I'll take care of her, and you can come back once you are done with your task."

The young man lets out a soft sigh then nods and heads for the stairs. Hana, on the other hand, settles down comfortably in the floating orb with her arms crossed and a smirk on her face.

"So what's the plan, chief" She jeers.

"You'll see."

"You realise that I will be getting out sooner or later."

"Of course, I can't kill you from inside a prison now can I?"

Hana scowls again momentarily then she becomes bored.

"Why can you challenge me? You're not a Reaper."

Adaeze gets up and pulls the scythe with her.

"Why do you think I would answer you?" She says scornfully.

"Stop being dramatic and just answer" Hana responds. "You have me caged up, you might as well."

"You killed my best friend."

"Who?" Hana says with a laugh but becomes solemn after being on the receiving end on a vengeful glare.

"It doesn't matter. You will get what's coming to you soon enough"

"I seriously doubt that, but you can think it if it makes you feel better," Hana smirks.

"You know you're not as strong as you think you are."

"Oh?"

"I'm proof of it. And the moment we discover the name of the god that made you, you will be finished."

Adaeze's glare rests on Hana a few moments longer then, she walks to the other side of the room and sits quietly, waiting for a response from Imperial City.