[Job] The Blank Slate

Emptiness: It was the first thought that rang through the young woman’s subconsciousness as her body floated in what seemed to be a sea of an endless white void. It was the sort of feeling one felt upon a moment of pure uncertainty as well as death, causing a chill ran up her spine at the possibilities that awaited the young Huntress. Was she dead? Of course. No doubt about it as she had been through this before. It was nothing new. Odds were that she would revive and start her life anew within her Mother’s kingdom. Question was, though, how long did she have left to live after this? After all, each time the becoming arms of Death claimed her, the more of her humanity she lost and her bloodthirst grew. It was the price she had to pay for her betrayal as well as repaid the debts she owed. It was her wretched curse. After all, her life didn’t belong to her anymore, but she would sure as hell reclaim it. She vowed it.

Lonliness: The feeling of emptiness and loneliness washed over the young woman, reminding her that she had no one but herself to blame for her current condition. It was her life replaying its scene over and over again. Not from her new beginning, mind you, but, rather, from the start of where it all began. In other words, her betrayal. The Huntress clenched her teeth, yet her eyes still refused to open. The film had begun to play. Over and over again, the scene would fastforward and rewind. Reminding her of who she could have been and of what she had lost. She had believed in herself, all those years ago. Only to be destroyed by her anger and revenge against her Father’s death. The General’s passing had served its purpose. After all, it had cultivated the mind of the young Maria Zaroff -heir to the Russian throne. That had been her life, right before the moment it had all ended. The night that Reigns Ford had killed him.

Defeat: The young assassin continued to float, suspended in time and space as her thoughts gathered to make sense of what it was she was feeling. Her mind, though, was a jumbled mess and not even she could make sense of the racing thoughts that came and went from her fleeting mind. In the end, she simply sighed in defeat, her breath seeming to crystallize within the void. Yet, although she could not see it, she could definitely feel its frosty texture against her skin. Finally, the Huntress opted for a different approach. She would now empty her mind of anything and everything, attempting to establish a reconnection with her world. It was only when she had cleared her mind of everything and anything did she hear a soft ringing sound. It was barely audible a first, yet, as time ticked on by, it grew louder and stronger causing the assassin to scream in agony. Here it was, at last. Making its attempt to take over her body and soul. The insatiable hunger that would be her curse -bloodlust.

Hunger: The dirty, wretched curse had finally begun to take effect upon the Huntress. It wasn’t natural hunger, mind you. But the desire and craving of the crimson liquid spilling from the vessel of a poor, helpless chap. Worse, she wanted to feel its warmth oozing from its still beating heart as she crushed it within her palms.  It was true that Death had finally claimed the young assassin, it did not destroy her, no. It took her body, but it did not take her soul. It wasn’t able to. After all, she knew Him personally. This, though, was a different being altogether. This hunger ran through the veins of the Huntress. Her eyes bloodlust with want. The curse had spent years whispering sweet melodies of Death upon her ear, but it had never been strong enough to force her to obey it. Sure, she had quenched its thirst within her Hunting Grounds, but it was never truly bad until Death claimed her body. It was then that its ugly head would rear and attack her from within.

Trust: It was in the moment of true and utter darkness and despair that hope would ring and trust would be yet again restored. Heh… It was the one thing she had lost, yet it was the one thing that kept her alive. Ironic, but true nonetheless. It was the way of the family. You lost something to gain something and, in her case, Trust was what she had lost to regain something in return. The Huntress would bite her lip and grin her signature smile. Kaseki… The one being she hated and loved; Her Mother and hated enemy. His name would call out to her and the piece she would reach out to. It was her calling card and one she was not ready to lose. After all, it was what connected her to Pandora. He was the Demon of Life, of course, and the one who had raised her well. Maria shifted her focus. It was time to go home. Her icy blue eyes would open once more and, with a smile, she would utter the words that would bring her home once more. Her lifeline and support. ”Spirit Link..” And, just like that, she was home.

Seconds… Minutes… Hours ticked on by and not even a stir from the sleeping Huntress could be seen. It was only when the incantation was muttered could she regain her consciousness and awake from the confinement of Death. The assassin’s icy blue eyes shot open in both confusion and awe while her hands clenched in anticipation. It did not take long before the Huntress had to shield her eyes from the blaring sun. After all, her eyes had not adjusted to the blinding rays of light she had been ‘oh-so-nicely’ greeted by. The assassin slowly closed her eyes and took in a deep breath of fresh air, causing her lungs to tighten with the cool breeze. She was back and, more importantly, she was alive. She adjusted herself against the soft mattress of her bed. No doubt it felt great to finally be able to walk the planes of Pandora once more, even if she still despised the place.

The Huntress let out a yawn and stretched her arms, enjoying the soft crackling from her stiff muscles and bones. It really did feel good to be back. One moment dead and the next alive, it was the way the world of Pandora lived. At least, to its residents it was. She stretched once more. Once her joints had cracked into place and had left her feeling a bit more relaxed, she moved her gaze towards the window. From her view, she could still clearly see that the crystal seas still maintained their vigor as the waves crashed upon the cliffs of her home. She smiled a small and gentle smile. It was good to see that not everything had changed since her disappearance. The Huntress then rose from her bed, her movements fluid yet stiff from the coma she had been confined in. It was then that a wave of dizziness shot through the assassin, leaving her no choice but to grab onto something to steady herself with.

Her muscles ached and her body wobbled, but she would recuperate in time. Regardless, she leaned back against the wall, sinking down to a sitting position. An irritated sigh escaped her rosy lips. Question was, though, was she willing to wait to fully recover or would she force herself to do so? To wait would mean more time lost, but to force a recuperation would mean to strain herself even more than she currently was. She would choose the former. With that, the blonde assassin shifted her gaze towards the window left of her bed. The sea continued to crash against the base of her mountain, much like it always had. Countless of times she had looked out the window, but, compared to before, she no longer had the urge to follow the roads of depression and emptiness within in. Her gaze would shift towards the nightstand where a knife glistened under the light of the sun. Even that held no meaning to her.

It was then that the Huntress widened her eyes in both horror and awe. Sure, she had been through the process of revival before, but, it had never been quite like this. The Huntress lifted her hand and gazed upon it in cautious curiosity. She flexed her fingers and examined it carefully before moving to the rest of her. It appeared that she was perfectly fine and that her skills were in place -although rusty they may be. But, despite a shift in appearance, there was no greater change to her than that of her emotions. She had regained them (or so it appeared), but had she lost anything in expense to them? This had brought a feeling of newfound dread to wash over the assassin. It couldn’t be that easy, could it? A cold, merciless shiver ran up her spine. She would have to find answers. No, she needed to find answers if she were to finally be at peace. With that, uncaring for her condition, the Huntress rose from her spot. She would need to leave ShipWreck Island to find them. And what better place to do so that in Kaseki’s castle itself?