"To think your little crusade achieved anything is... Is... but a statement made in your expected ignorance and naivety. For as long as I've known you... From when I used to trust your pitiful facade- from my knowledge of your rotting character, you were always a headstrong beast who thinks more with your fabricated emotions than your logic. However, hehe, however, if you actually thought with your mind rather than your heart, I wouldn't get to enjoy deconstructing you so deliciously. The fact that you are inside my domain, slaughtering my followers, is something that I have allowed to happen. I allowed you to fly, so I can tear apart your wings and watch you fall to your death! "
Muttered KD-554 in a hateful tone as she watched Kadyn ascending the government tower.
The red glow in KD-554's eyes intensified as she eagerly awaited her sister's arrival in the shadows. Meanwhile, Kadyn unknowingly stepped out of the elevator into the trap set up by her evil sister. The hallway leading to KD-554's office was silent and eerie. There was not a sound or a single soul present, a clear sign of a trap. However, bolstered by her previous victories and her newfound sense of purpose, Kadyn refused to back down despite the obvious warning signs.
[Kadyn] - "Come out, you bastard! I know you have been waiting for me, so what are you bloody waiting for? I'm here as you sought me. "
Yelled Kadyn through the empty hallway.
However, there was no response and only the echo of her voice, combined with the light tapping of the rain against the grandiose ceiling window. As Kadyn began to exert caution, she suddenly noticed a shadow moving across one of the unsealed rooms in the hall. Immediately, Kadyn activated her Guandao and carefully approached the room.
As Kadyn peeked inside the room from the corner of the doorframe, she was confused to see a massive incubation tank with its glass shattered and amniotic fluid still leaking. Judging from the heat signature of the fluid on the ground, the incident must've happened recently. Just as Kadyn intended to check the room for any sign of life, she suddenly noticed a few droplets of saliva appearing before her feet.
Before Kadyn could react, the lights were abruptly shut off, leaving the entire place in total darkness. Soon after, all Kadyn saw was a pair of glowing eyes in the dark before she was violently knocked into the hallway. Not even allowed the time to get up on her feet, the creature launched itself against Kadyn, its decayed teeth held inches away from Kadyn's face by her staff. After a brief struggle, Kadyn lifted her leg and fired a high-explosive shot into the monster's chest, allowing her the opportunity to slip away.
With a switch of her eyes from red to blue, she was finally able to get a thermal image of the beast in all its glory, albeit far more hideous than what she had anticipated. From its bloated muscles to its rotting skin, the creature was a creation straight out of hell. As it opened its mouth, Kadyn noticed the rows after rows of teeth made of metal, which surprisingly survived direct contact with her anti-material blade. Finally, messy strands of blonde hair hung from the beast's head, hiding its eyes behind a veil Kadyn was content not to expose.
[Kadyn] - "What the hell is this thing? "
As the monster charged at her, Kadyn dodged to the side before slashing it across the arm using her Guandao. However, to her surprise, after slicing through flesh, her blade was abruptly stopped by its bone. Shocked, Kadyn pulled back with a cold realization running through her spine. The monster's skeleton was somehow made of the same material as Kadyn's own bones.
With a furious roar, the beast dashed toward Kadyn before trading powerful blows with her using its sharp anti-material claws. For a beast afflicted by decay and savagery, it moved with surprising agility against Kadyn. On top of that, with each exchange, it seemed to be more and more capable of matching Kadyn's skill level. However, Kadyn still held the advantage through experience and tenacity.
As the fight drew on, with the monster breaking down furniture and smashing into walls as it fought, Kadyn used her wrist blades in tandem with her Guandao to deliver small cuts onto the beast's body. Eventually, without receiving a single strike from the beast, Kadyn had beaten it into partial submission, with its movement slowly becoming less and less ferocious and its speed reduced drastically.
As Kadyn backed off below a chandelier, the monster followed her with the same bloodlust it had from the start, despite its injuries. With a perfectly timed dodge, Kadyn backed away before shooting the ceiling and causing the chandelier to fall and trap the beast underneath. Just as Kadyn triumphantly raised her Guandao, ready to put the creature out of its misery, a slow clapping sound suddenly erupted from the shadow.
[KD-554] - "What a great performance, KD-555. You were capable of showing your true nature after all. "
Said KD-554 while clapping her hands at Kadyn.
Suddenly, all the lights were turned back on as Kadyn shielded her eyes from the brightness. As Kadyn slowly uncovered her sight, she saw the unmistakable face of her traitorous sister from across the hall.
[Kadyn] - "Finally out of minions to throw at me, bitch? "
Said Kadyn with a murderous look in her eyes as she pointed her Guandao toward KD-554.
[KD-554] - "Minions? Oh no, aside from Beth and the small contingent of guards you slaughtered at the entrance, those people you killed in the city aren't my minions. They are people, civilians, who merely kill because that's who they really are. "
Said KD-554 with a mocking grin on her face.
[Kadyn] - "You did all this! You corrupted this place and intentionally put a hit on my head, knowing people would throw themselves to their deaths. What kind of sick pleasure are you getting out of this? Do you not have any shame? "
[KD-554] - "Yet people can choose to walk away, ignore the notice and live. From my point of view, you were the monster who indulged in the violence. You could've also avoided the mob as well, yet you didn't. You could've tried to persuade them to leave you alone, yet you didn't. "
Said KD-554 with a twisted smile.
[Kadyn] - "These people are beyond saving! I merely cleansed this world of the rot you brought upon it! My crusade- "
[KD-554] - "Your crusade is but a tantrum while mine is law! "
Screamed KD-554 with such power that her voice shook the hallway.
For a brief moment, even Kadyn was stunned by the power of KD-554's voice as it cut her off in the middle of her sentence.
[KD-554] - "You were pretentious your whole life, and still are now. You embraced your wrath and condemned thousands to die because this is your true nature! You could've walked away and spared these people, but you chose to come after me! Why? Because that's the true you, a merciless beast just like me or any of our sisters! "
With a swing of her hand, Kadyn's pistols suddenly fired without her input, the bullets barely missing her legs while breaking apart the restraints on the beast trapped under the chandelier. Shocked, Kadyn immediately threw away her pistol belt and her sidearms.
[KD-554] - "How did you think Poppy and Franklin got your guns? All the people in this city were working for me willingly because I allowed their true nature to run free. People live in this city out of their own choice and have embraced my rule out of their own will. Who are you to judge other people based on their choice? "
Said KD-554 while lifting her arms like wings.
Suddenly, the beast trapped under the chandelier broke free and charged at Kadyn. In response, Kadyn made quick work of the beast's left hand, cutting it clean off thanks to the previous strikes she had made against its bones.
[KD-554] - "Yes, kill that abomination! Our sisters have always been irredeemable monsters like us anyway. Like you said, those beyond saving deserve death! "
[Kadyn] - "What the hell are you saying? "
Said Kadyn with a shiver running down her spine.
[KD-554] - "Have you not noticed? The bone, the hair and the flesh, that 'beast' you were fighting was our dear KD-552. How do you like the way I remade her? I'd say I did her a favour by exposing her true nature permanently. "
Said KD-554 in a mocking tone.
[Kadyn] - "You're lying! She died many years ago in an accident! "
Said Kadyn in disbelief before parrying a strike from the beast.
[KD-554] - "Yet I was the one responsible for that accident! I planned it all and captured her shortly before the final explosion occurred! "
Said KD-554 in a prideful voice.
In horror, Kadyn again took a better look at the monster and noticed the small but noticeable similarities to her lost sister. Though she refused to believe it, the more she looked, the more she began to notice that KD-554 might not be lying. After all, considering all her actions, the creation of this abomination using her own sister is not something KD-554 would shy away from. As the implications of the nightmare before her eyes finally settled in, Kadyn's mind broke down.
[Kadyn] - "Aaah... AAAAAHHHH! AAAARGH! "
Yelled Kadyn in part pure rage and in part pure terror.
As she turned around to charge at KD-554, the beast used this opening to slash Kadyn across the side, leaving deep wounds on the side of her torso. However, the psychotic breakdown in her mind prevented her from acting logically, as she ignored everything to continue toward KD-554. With a thundering roar, the abomination abruptly leaped onto Kadyn, causing her to drop her Guandao before being pinned against the ground.
[Kadyn] - "Let me go! Let me go fucking massacre this FUCKING BITCH! "
Yelled Kadyn while the beast bit down on her shoulder.
[KD-554] - "Haha... Ahahahaha! Look at you, the biggest hypocrite on this entire Earth. Where is that KD-555 who was acting all cute and cuddly with her man? Wasn't that who you claimed to be? Why am I only seeing a murderous psycho who'd kill and tear just to get to me? "
Mocked KD-554 while smirking at Kadyn.
[Kadyn] - "Shut up! Shut your bloody fucking mouth, you hellspawn! I'm going to fucking butcher your fucking face! "
Screamed Kadyn while ignoring the intense pain from the monster's bite.
In a fit of unfiltered rage, Kadyn turned around and stabbed her wrist blade into the monster's neck before methodically pushing her weapon through its metallic spine. Despite the intense effort of the beast, which almost tore Kadyn's shoulder off, Kadyn was ultimately able to breach its spinal nerves first. With a murderous yell, Kadyn abruptly sliced the beast's head clean off, its tortured eyes finally extinguishing as its head hit the floor.
With a satisfied smile on her face, KD-554 watched as Kadyn gradually realized what she had done. As the lifeless corpse of the beast slipped off Kadyn, the relief she felt soon turned to horror as she realized that she had just killed her own beloved sister. The woman who had been there as the only true friend she ever had- the woman who had cared for her when no one else would now lay dead on the ground, her blood still fresh on Kadyn's own blade.
[KD-554] - "You are a killer, sister. You killed your own flesh and blood without mercy. Our sister didn't deserve to die. She didn't choose to be this creature, yet you killed her. You have broken your rule. You killed someone who didn't deserve death. Haha! "
Whispered KD-554 with an undertone of mockery.
[Kadyn] - "GOOOOD! Why? What kind of monster are you? "
Cried Kadyn as she slammed her bloodied fists on the ground.
[KD-554] - "No, I should be the one asking. What kind of monster are you? At least I'm honest with my nature, but you... You lied! You deceived people before stabbing them dead. That's the type of monstrosity even I wouldn't indulge. "
Said KD-554 with a fake tone of compassion while clearly indulging her opponent's pain.
Kadyn couldn't hold her tears anymore as she broke down crying like a little girl on her knees while KD-554 stood over her, casting her shadow over her like a dark God.
[KD-554] - "You deceived your sisters. Instead of saving her from my wrath, you slayed her in cold blood because your true nature shone through. You didn't care about your sisters, you only care about your vendetta against me. Think what KD-552 must be thinking of you right now. How disappointed she would have been knowing you are just a monster like me. "
Said KD-554 while savouring her dominance over Kadyn.
Then, to deal the final blow, KD-554 knelt down and leaned toward Kadyn's ears.
[KD-554] - "Most importantly, you deceive Mike. I saw how much he loved you, yet he didn't know such a beast was hiding beneath that facade. That cute face he wasted his life protecting was, after all, just a mirror of her savage and irredeemable sister, KD-554. "
Whispered KD-554 into Kadyn's ear while her claws scratched playfully against the cyberknight symbol on Kadyn's coat.
KD-554's words stung like knives impaled directly into Kadyn's heart. At that moment, in her sorrow and regret, Kadyn couldn't think or reason. All KD-554's words, which contained a twisted sense of logic, were like truths to the ears of a broken psyche.
[KD-554] - "Come on, we are sisters now. You and I, we are the same kind of monsters. We see others as mere disposable numbers, and we are free to embrace our nature without anyone telling us what is right or wrong while hiding behind their misguided facade. "
Said KD-554 as she reached out to Kadyn while sporting a fake smile.
Suddenly, Kadyn slashed her blade across the entire length of KD-554's body before stabbing her other blade through her evil sister's chest. Though the strikes should've been fatal, KD-554 abruptly stabbed Kadyn through the chest, causing blood to rush out of her mouth. Then, with an unimpressed look, KD-554 pushed Kadyn off her and stood up.
[KD-554] - "You're right. You have spat in my face too many times with your antics for me to forgive you so easily. After all, you were the most disgusting traitor among the four of you. "
Kadyn watched in confusion as KD-554's body seemingly healed from her attack by pulling the gaping wounds back together.
[Kadyn] - "You are unreal! Even your body is an abomination! "
Said Kadyn in disgust.
[KD-554] - "The material which composes our bone structure is excellent as it is. However, making an entire body using it is, in fact, even better. "
Slowly, Kadyn stood up despite her wounds. With rage still boiling inside her veins, Kadyn didn't hesitate before she charged at KD-554. However, instead of dodging, KD-554 simply allowed Kadyn to stab and slash at her without moving.
[Kadyn] - "Why won't you fucking die already! "
Screamed Kadyn as her blades bounced harmlessly off KD-554's body.
[KD-554] - "Lack of humanity, bitch! Why be flesh and blood when you can be metal and invincible? "
Said KD-554 with a smirk of superiority.
Suddenly, with a fling of her arm, KD-554 threw Kadyn across the hallway before she crashed and rolled into KD-554's main office. On the ground, Kadyn couldn't even catch a break before KD-554 leaped in and kicked her across the room. As Kadyn stood up behind the desk with her wrist blade at the ready, KD-554 responded by morphing both of her arms into sharp swords.
[KD-554] - "It's just you and me! Sister to sister, no bullshit, no trick, only full displays of unfiltered savagery. "
Said KD-554 enthusiastically as she jumped on the desk.
With no chance to even wound KD-554, Kadyn could only defend while her opponent relentlessly attacked her. In a final desperate attempt to turn the tide of battle, Kadyn entered acceleration to get some distance between her and her enemy. However, just as Kadyn began to run, KD-554 also activated her own acceleration and caught her opponent with a punch straight into the guts.
With this devastating strike, Kadyn was sent crashing out of the window onto the balcony overlooking the city. By this point, Kadyn was both too exhausted and wounded to put up a proper fight. As Kadyn swung her blade at her opponent, KD-554 simply grabbed her arm before pushing her against the railing. In her desperation, Kadyn grabbed a bottle of wine from the table and smashed it against KD-554's head. Unbothered, KD-554 retaliated by also grabbing a bottle and smashing it over Kadyn's head, causing blood to roll down her forehead.
[KD-554] - "Call for him, KD-555, call for your beloved Mike to come and save you! If it wasn't for him protecting you, I would've already flushed your remains down the drain years ago. "
Said KD-554 with a voice full of hatred while grabbing Kadyn by the throat.
Without effort, KD-554 lifted Kadyn in the air and dangled her body over the edge of the railing.
[KD-554] - "You think you did something tonight? Tomorrow, this city will be just as rotten as it was yesterday. You didn't do shit! All your talks about being the angel of retribution are but your own delusion! This is my domain, and I will not rest until I see this world burn for their sins against me! People will be forced to confront their nature! If even you couldn't cage the beast in you, then who can? Who can be more of a hypocrite than you? "
Proclaimed KD-554 in triumph.
The city, as if responding to KD-554's victory, intensified its crimson shine until both she and Kadyn were coated in a shade of red.
[Kadyn] - "You're wrong... "
Whispered Kadyn weakly.
[KD-554] - "What was that? "
Said KD-554 as she pulled Kadyn back toward her.
[Kadyn] - "You're wrong... I failed, I made many mistakes, but I'm not the perfect representation of the human spirit. You will never win because I know there are people better than me with the power to stop you. You may set fire to the world, but this same fire will also be used to forge the sword responsible for your demise. "
Whispered Kadyn while struggling to breathe.
At that moment, Kadyn's eyes were the only things not basked in a shade of red as they glowed with their usual bright green. However, her defiance only served to frustrate KD-554.
[KD-554] - "God... You are pathetic, KD-555. Hearing you speak is like watching you punch the air. Let me show you what a true statement is like. It is backed with evidence and impact, unlike your empty threats. "
Said KD-554 as she raised Kadyn above her head.
In a violent motion, KD-554 slammed Kadyn's back against her metallic leg, snapping her lower spine apart like a twig. The shock and pain immediately caused Kadyn to pass out as her limp body rolled onto the ground.
There was a satisfied smile on KD-554's face as she watched the broken body of her arch enemy on the floor. She had done it, she had finally vindicated her ideology and brought down the last person directly responsible for her pain. As her servants dragged Kadyn's body away, KD-554 turned around and faced her city with her arms extended in triumph.
To be continued...