Geist Warriors: Chapter 8

Samantha squeezed the railing above her head as the train took a turn and jostled slightly. Though she didn’t stumble she felt the shake in her legs and stiffened them to remain up right. Brushing her hair from her face slightly she sighed and looked outside. The interior of the train was so much brighter than outside.

The pale white glow of these lights were aggressively bright in comparison to the nonexistent orange lights of the city itself. The few cars out on the streets adding their own yellow brought the implication of something warm despite the temperature outside being somewhat chilly. It wasn’t spring yet.

The voice on the train announced the next stop and she glanced at her phone. If her research had been right, she had a few more stops before she even got close to the part of the city she wanted to be in.

The car she was in was almost empty. A few people on the far side of the train but not that many near her. When she got on the stop after dropping Dick off the train had already been pretty empty. The rush hour had been taken care of and it was just the night life or stragglers.

She’d taken the train back to her place first and changed into something that wasn’t the school uniform as well as leaving her bag behind. Now wearing a hoodie and jeans she felt far more comfortable. Her phone started to buzz and she glanced at the screen. Eyes widening slightly she flipped it open and answered as fast as she could.

“Warrior Samantha reporting.”

“At ease Sam. You’re always so formal,” said an older female voice. It was whimsical, amused at Samantha’s tone. “How goes the hunt?”

“If tonight works out, good.”

“Oh?”

“I have a lead that I’m following. It could be fruitful to say the least.”

“Mm. Well don’t overdo it.”

“You don’t have to worry about me captain.”

“I trained you remember? I know exactly the type of girl you are.” Samantha made a face and the woman on the other end was already laughing. “Stop making a face like that. People will think you’re grumpy at them.”

“Is that all you called to talk about?” she asked fighting the urge to pout.

“Can’t a mentor check on her mentee?”

“I’ve been a warrior in the field for at least six years.”

“And you’ll always be my little trainee. I remember when you killed you first wraith. So little and so angry. You even looked me in the eye and asked what’s the next mission. I used to be worried about you, But, you’ve turned out pretty alright.”

The compliment hadn’t been expected and she looked down but nodded slowly. “Thank you, captain.”

“Are you still being a one-woman army or have you made a few friends.”

Dick’s face popped into her mind and she shook her head slowly. “I won’t be here long enough for that to matter. If this lead works then I’ll be leaving within the week.”

He heard a sound, somewhere between a grown and a sigh. “Alright Sam.”

The trains automated voice announced another stop. She looked up from the call to the map above the doors and nodded slowly. “My stop is coming up Captain.”

“Alright. Be careful.”

“Will do.”

She ended the call and stood up frowning. Her mentor always asked if she had made any friends in the location that she was working. If it weren’t the city it was a suburb or a small town. She’d enroll in the local school for a few weeks and get to work. Once the wraith was taken care of she left onto the next mission. Never time to have extended relationship.

As her stop arrived she walked through the doors as they slid open. Stepping onto the platform she reached into her pocket she pulled out a crumbled flier adverting the club.

Walking down the street she kept her eyes open hoping something would give her a clue. Unlike near Dick’s place, there were dozens of people and traffic. The horns from the cars mixed with music from the occasional bar door being opened created the best of a downtown mix.

There were lines stretching around some of the buildings and even half way into the alleyways. She ignored those, though she got yelled at a few times when they assumed she was trying to cheat her way in front of someone. She ignored their complaints and paid attention to the names of the clubs.

“Dark Desire. Scarlet Sin. Busty Barnacle.  What is with the alliteration on this street?” she mumbled to herself and shook her head. The further she walked the shorter the lines got and in some instances the clubs were just closed entirely. The bars were also dwindling slightly yet she still found random groups of people here and there.

She was tempted to ask one of them where they were going but it became obvious. As she rounded a corner she could see a neon symbol, a snake eating it’s on tail in bright green coloring. She wondered if it was a real sign or if it was something else making it appear in the sky.

Narrowing her eyes, she walked quickly to catch up to one of the people walking over. Another girl wearing some mixture of a skirt and a jacket. She tapped her on the should but got no response. Speeding up her step she moved in front of her and stared at the girl but her eyes were vacant, as if she were being called forward. Samantha snapped her fingers in front of her face a few times but it didn’t change things.

“They can’t even see me. It’s effecting them but not me.” She turned back toward the floating Ouroboros in the sky and narrowed her eyes. “This must be the wraith.”

She moved away from the girl who walked toward the club and walked faster down her path. Getting closer she neared where the entrance to the club was and there was even a small line forming. She could hear the muffled sounds of music from inside and lights at the door. A large man stood at the front to check on who he was going to let in.

She didn’t bother trying to put up with the bouncer. Instead she wanted to find out if the cause of the signal above was actually a wraith. She was more than sure that was the case but something about this made her feel uneasy. Going to the back of the line she slipped around it and went to the alley right next to the club.

Tracing her hand against the wall slowly she stopped and pressed her hand against it hard before looking above her. There were a few fire escapes and windows but they were on the opposite side of the walls of the club.

She raised both her hands palm up and stamped the ground as her geist manifested around her hands, feet and mouth. Taking an icy breath, she pressed her hands together and touched one to the ground. Ice exploded underneath her feet launching her into the air.

She reached out and grabbed hold of a fire escape and swung into the wall. Pressing her feet against the wall she flipped over the railing and onto the fire escape itself. She quickly started climbing the stairs taking them two at a time until she was on the roof.

Once she was on the roof she went to the edge of the roof and crouched down. She pressed both her palms to the floor of the roof and another column of ice jutted out of the ground launching her to the club’s roof top with ease.

Rolling as she landed ran to the skylights on the top. She stared into the club only to find out that it wasn’t a club at all. It was an empty warehouse. The people outside were being ushered forward in a line toward an impromptu stage, a stereo playing music and some mild lights out of a novelty disco ball. There were a few people on the side of the line watching them which she guessed were wraiths. There were at least six there which was new to her. She’d never seen that many in one place before.

However, at the end of the line was a man in a chair as if it were some sort of throne. His face was young, somewhat handsome and well built body but she knew that wasn’t his body anymore. Compared to him the other wraiths were small fry, not even on par with the other three she’d dealt with.

He motioned with his hand for the next to come forward. A man walked forward absently to the stage. The wraith got off the throne and thrust both its hands forward grabbing the man by his head. Its face elongated and opened a light hovering in its throat.

The eyes of the human rolled back and his legs went weak but the wraith kept him standing. Samantha didn’t have to see more to know what was happening. It was going to be risky but she had to act. Pressing her hand to the glass she froze it over in an instant. She jumped forward and broke a neat hole in the ice.

As she fell to the ground she pressed her feet together and created a pillar of ice beneath her. She jolted as she crashed into the ground and the pillar began to crumble. Jumping from it she pressed her hands together then spread them apart creating a spear of ice.  She chucked it right at the wraith hitting it in the chest but she knew that wouldn’t kill it. But it did stop its feeding.

  Whatever it had been doing seemed to have an effect on the people around because they blinked in shock, got one look at the main wraith’s mouth and started screaming and shouting, scattering around the warehouse.

She could hear the roar of the wraith as they started to shed their human forms and turn into truly monstrous things. Some sort of cross between alligators and wolf men. Before they got their bearings, she stomped the ground and sent a stream of ice toward the wall. She punched the ground and icicles appeared along the path breaking open a hole in the wall.

She turned toward the people and shouted, “Get out through that wall! Hurry!”

Before she could react one of the alligator wraiths snapped its jaws into her shoulder. It picked her up then tossed her across the factory. She tried to right herself but her shoulder pained hard and she landed badly.

Getting to her feet she raised both arms despite her pain and glared as three wraiths swarmed her way. It lunged at her and she ducked under it throwing a few quick punches at its stomach. Each time her fist connected a spear of ice lanced through it. It hit the ground thrashing around and she turned to the next threat.

Them came from both sides as they leaped, snapping at her. Making a sound of frustration she hit her knuckles together then crossed her arms. Ice appeared around her like a giant shield. She rushed at one of the Wraiths and smashed the shield into one of their mouths. Turning quickly, she used the momentum to throw one wraith into the other. They collapsed into a pile atop one another and she flipped landing on her feet.

Her shoulder screamed at her and she winced going down to her knee. Touching it she shuddered feeling the ice immediately coat over the wound. Rotating her arms slowly she nodded good to go. Clapping her hands together she created another spear and ran at the down wraiths.

Shouting, she plunged the spear straight through both of them and felt them fade away into nothingness beneath her. She dropped the spear to take stock of the room when she was hit with a massive headache. Holding a hand to her head she fell to her knee unable to see straight.

“Geist Warrior. I was hoping one of you would show up. Been hearing about you killing the wraiths in town. Thought I’d have a little bit longer before you found me here but I guess this was enough time to deal with you.”

The assault on her mind doubled and she pressed both hands to her temples trying to block it out. It was like the ringing she was used to was increased massively and wanted to tear her head apart. She could sense the wraith nearby but she wasn’t sure of where exactly. So, she did the next best thing.

Letting go of her hand she pressed her hand against the ground. Ice exploded outward like a wave and the pain in her head ceased. There were residual waves but she was able to think clearly for a moment. She opened her eyes and couldn’t fight the gasp as she saw the wraith.

It was like a living flame, floating out of the head of the host it had taken. Spreading its arm’s, it opened a mouth but instead of seeing through it she was into a void of red. She braced for an attack but instead she felt the pain in her head again. Like a massive hangover, pain drilled into her mind. Stumbling backwards she tried to keep balance but nearly fell over.

The other surviving wraiths started to converge on her hissing like the animals they represented. Raising her hand, she tried to conjure another blast of ice but she couldn’t focus enough. Narrowing her eyes together she held one hand up in meager defense.

“Don’t kill this one too fast. I want to savor her. Never eaten a Geist Warrior. Imagine all the power I could gain.”

“Get away from her!”

Everyone’s gaze immediately went to the hole in the wall. Stepping through the icy opening and charging right in was Dick. She balked at his sudden appearance but even more so when his chains whipped through the air at them. Both of them homed in one of the wraiths and wrapped around its arms and neck tightly. He yanked down and dragged it to the ground. The chains tightened around it tightly before tearing its head off.

He sprinted toward her as the other wraiths turned on him immediately but he stopped mid stride. He went down to his knee as the leader of them focused on him. He let out a shout of pain holding onto his head tightly. “Without the element of surprise, you’re sorely lacking in experience. To think I’d get two Geist Warriors in one day.”

While the Wraith focused on Dick, Samantha felt clarity in her mind again. Gasping as the pain subsided she pushed to her feet immediately. She saw two wraiths and the leader converging on Dick. Lacing her fingers together she darted forward holding her fist at her side. Approaching one of the side wraiths she jumped and slammed it into the wraiths back sending a huge spike of ice straight through its chest. It sank to the ground in a heap then faded away as she rushed to the leader.

It turned on her and she crashed to the ground trying to land on her feet but stumbled to the ground. It raised one of its fire arms and smash its fist into her chest sending her flying backwards. “Don’t think that I forgot about you.”

The pain exploded behind her eyes even stronger than the first time. She shut her eyes tightly almost falling into a fetal position on the ground. Her eyes unfocused, her fingers shook and she felt like she’d vomit soon. If she could split her head in two she would gladly do it just to ease the pain.

And once again just like before it vanished suddenly. Gasping she jerked her head upward looking at the wraith and Dick was attacking it, whipping his chains at the things flame body and hitting it as if it were solid. The wraith raised an arm, the chain wrapping around it tightly.

“You’ll regret this!” it shouted as it glared at him. He held fast and glared at the wraith but nothing happened. A look of confusion crossed the giant fiery face of the Wraith and it simply flexed its arm and sent him flying toward the wall.

An idea was forming in her head about to do next. Samantha got to her feet and stamped the ground freezing the feet of the wraiths host.

It turned to face her and its eyes glowed as the pain returned. Sinking to her knee. “I don’t know what that one did but it seems that I’ll have to take you out first.”

It rushed toward her swinging its fist, down over her head. Feabily she raised her but blow was still powerful enough to drive her down to the ground. Vaguely she heard Dick shout her name but she could barely get a response out.

Gritting her teeth together she gathered all she had and shouted. “Dick use your chains! Tie this thing up!”

He groaned as he got to his feet and whipped his chains back into existence. “You got it boss.”

Dick got off the ground but another one of the alligator man wraiths was already on top of him. He whipped his arms forward and the chains acted on his whim. The Wraiths fist collided with his chest and it felt like getting hit with a sledgehammer. It lifted him off the ground by its fist.

Eyes bulging out slightly he coughed dryly and swung his arm. The chains wrapped around the wraith entirely and he yanked that arm down constricting around its arms and neck. With a shout he brought both arms together, crossing them in front of him and the chains sliced straight through the wraith and he collapsed onto the ground. “Okay. Ow. Samantha. Gotta. Help her out.”

The wraith doubled down its focus on her and she grit her teeth through the pain as she stood up and raised both hands. Its fist, came at her and she created ice under her feet sliding to the side and avoiding it. Stumbling back, she felt tears in her eyes as her vision began to double.

It charged toward her done playing games and doubled down on the mental assault on her. She let out a cry falling backwards clutching her head tightly. She could feel blood running down her nose. “Dick hurry up!”

Before it could reach her Dick got in position throwing both his chains at the Wraith. They wrapped around it’s waist tightly and he pulled dragging it the ground for a moment. The wraith roared in frustration fighting against the chains but Dick stood his ground holding it back.

Samantha rolled onto her side, her mask separating as she coughed blood onto the ground. Spitting again, she snarled and turned the mask snapping back into place. Taking a quick step forward she felt pain wracking her body but ignored it as she ran forward. Clapping her hands together she created another spear of ice.

Leaping forward she lunged and stabbed it straight into the head of the Wraith. It let out a screech of pain the flames somehow solidifying as she drove it down. Whipping her hand back she slammed it into the host body, ice encasing it entirely. The ice spread to the flame form as well.

Through the screeching it managed to speak. “You won’t kill hi-“ the ice finished covering it until it became an ugly sculpture. Staring at it surprised she glared and smashed the wraith to pieces. Dick stared at her and it his chest heaving and then looked at Samantha.

“Was that normal?” Dick asked.

“In this instance. No idea,” Stomping over to him she jabbed a finger into his chest. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“What? What are you talking about? I came because I heard the ringing. I thought you needed help.”

“You could have died!”

He glared back suddenly and leaned into her finger, “And you almost did!”

She was quiet for a moment and looked away. Mumbling under her breath she nodded slowly and looked toward him again. “Yeah I did. Thanks.”

He hadn’t expected it to go over that well with her. So, he stopped for a second and then folded his arms. “You’re. You’re welcome.”

“I think I didn’t give you enough credit. Plus, I think I figured out what your chains do,” she stared at the icy pieces that were the remains of the wraith. “And if I’m right, I’m going to need your help way more than I thought.”