- Betrayer Of Trust

Hyunji lashed out with the katana.

Cassandra took a step back. "You aren't thinking straight."

"My mind is clearer than ever," Hyunji growled, taking another stab at her opponent.

Cassandra reached out and grabbed the katana. Her metal hand closed around the blade and bent it in half. "Your weapon means nothing to me. Bullets mean nothing to me. You mean nothing to me. And neither does your idiot brother."

She wrenched the katana from Hyunji's hands and tossed it away. Taking a step forward, she grabbed Hyunji by the collar of her jacket.

"Money matters to me. Recently I've…I've fallen off. You should've seen me fifteen years ago. My god I was a force to be reckoned with. But now…it's different. I have kids to provide for and a husband to return home to. You're a good kid, but I won't let you get in my way."

Hyunji kicked her legs, hitting Cassandra in the knee and the abdomen. Pushing off, she rolled to the ground. Then she pulled out her dagger.

Cassandra smiled. "Your obsidian dagger. I should've known you'd have it on you. Come at me. Do it!"

Hyunji took a step back and gestured around her. "All these guys…they wanted to capture me and use me as bait, right? But you're stronger than that. Why do you need bait to get a bounty like my brother?"

"Perhaps you're right. But we would clash at some point or another over this. I figured I might as well get you out of the way now. Go for your brother right after," Cassandra said, removing her other glove, which also revealed a silver metal hand.

"How about we cut a deal?" Hyunji said, desperation rising in her voice. "I can pay you. All 600,000 Ƈ my brother is worth. How about that?"

"Aw, Hyunji. Pleading? I'm sorry, but it's just not your style," Cassandra said in a mocking tone.

"GAHHH!" Hyunji screamed as she jumped forward.

Cassandra raised her arms, reaching out as far as she could. Slowly, she brought her hands back into her chest.

The world around them began to creak and groan, as if the buildings were in pain. Windows began to shatter and people on other nearby streets began to scream in terror.

Hyunji stopped mid attack and looked up in the air. Above her was a circling storm of lamp posts, cars, signs, and thousands of other miscellaneous objects.

Cassandra's arms shook. "Alloy Barrage."

She dropped her hands, and with it the swirling metal above them.

There was no time to run, no possible way to dodge.

Hyunji felt her heart stop. The air around her grew stale.

But she could still move. Pushing off, she started to run toward Cassandra, who was still as a statue.

The air began to move again. Cassandra's arms began to lower. Hyunji was running out of time.

Something crashed behind her. She glanced back, watching as two cars smashed into the ground, just at a slower speed than normal. Everything else wouldn't be much further behind it.

Giving one last push off the ground, Hyunji launched forward through the air.

And everything came crashing down.

A radio struck her leg and pain shot through her entire body as at least ten screws pierced her arms, legs and torso.

Still, the last push had been enough. Reaching out, Hyunji tackled Cassandra to the ground. Holding her obsidian dagger, she stabbed it into Cassandra's wrist.

Not even a drop of blood poured out.

Cassandra's other fist slammed into the side of Hyunji's face and sent her flying to the sidewalk, where she rolled to a stop against the brick wall of the Consortium.

Her enemy stood, pulling the dagger from her wrist and holding it up. "You bitch," she snarled. "I taught you everything you know. Everything! When we first met, you were a little punk, shivering in the cold winter. I gave you this dagger. I gave you the ability to earn your own money. I gave you life. And this is what you do."

Hyunji coughed. "You didn't give me life. You just gave me the opportunity to take what was mine. I'm thankful, but I will not let you hurt my brother."

Cassandra tossed the dagger to the side. "Then defend him. Stand up. Let's see what else you got."

Hyunji stood, her legs shaking. She was weaponless now. The dagger was her only hope, but it was too far away now. Her fists would have to do.

A long metal rod flew into Cassandra's right hand, and an axe landed at her feet, which she picked up by its wooden handle.

Hyunji was on top of her in seconds, pushing through the pain of her wounds. The axe swung toward her, which she ducked under. She slid on the ground and punched Cassandra in the abdomen. Then, with one leg, she swept her mentor's feet out from underneath her.

Cassandra fell to the ground, dropping the metal rod.

Hyunji scrambled over and snatched it up. Raising it over her head, she brought it down on Cassandra's head.

But it never reached.

A shopping cart crashed into Hyunji's legs, forcing her to the ground. More items began to fly toward her. Coins pelted her body. A toaster smashed into her shoulder.

Distractions, Hyunji thought.

She turned back to Cassandra just in time to be slammed in the side of the head with the metal rod.

"Fuck," she said, grabbing her head in pain. She wasn't done yet. She could still fight. With every ounce of energy, she forced herself to her feet.

Cassandra laughed. "I'm going to kill you if we keep going. You're done, Hyunji. Please stop this before I do some real damage."

"I'm not done!" Hyunji screamed, wiping blood from the corner of her mouth. She tried punching at Cassandra but was hit once again by the steel rod, this time in the side of her jaw.

Hyunji fell backward to the ground, and blood started to fill her mouth. Rolling over, she spit it out, along with one of her teeth.

Cassandra stepped over her, the steel rod levitating above her hand.

Hyunji sat up, pushing herself away. She needed a weapon.

The steel rod got closer, and as it did, its ends began to bend. Cassandra was using both hands now. In a flash, one of the ends hooked itself around her right wrist. The other end attached itself to her left wrist, wrapping around it.

"Handcuffs?" Hyunji spat, trying to move her arms. "Let me fight!"

"No," Cassandra said, stepping forward. "I won't hurt you anymore. You're not getting out of that, I promise. So why don't you calm down and help me find your brother?"

Hyunji collapsed to the ground, laying her head on the asphalt. "I'm not done yet." But she was. It was over. Cassandra had beaten her fair and square.

Bong. Bong. Bong.

The sound was distant.

Bong.

Closer this time.

Bong. Bo-

A grandfather clock smashed into the ground, upright, just two feet from Hyunji's face. The glass face shattered, but the hands of the clock continued to click.

Hyunji looked up at Cassandra. She was standing still, a blank expression on her face.

Standing, Hyunji walked over to the clock. There was a power radiating from it. Pure energy. With each second that went by, more of the energy entered her body.

"What…what is this?" She asked out loud.

A presence reached out from the clock, settling next to her ear. She could hear breathing, just before the voice spoke.

"Hyunji. You are mine. Kneel before your master," the voice whispered.

Against her will, Hyunji's knees immediately gave out. Fear ran down her spine. What was happening?

"Who…who are you?" She asked.

"I…am Chronos."