Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Ephemeral dream

Nearly five years have passed since Scarlett had

crossed the borders towards the neighbouring continent, Amestris. With her old

butler and the young master’s continuous support, Scarlett had a place to stay

and her future secured. It was impressive that James had accurately predicted

Scarlett’s next move-- he had a car and an empty apartment ready for times like

this. Upon arrival at Amestris, she had been reached out by a man whose face

was a carbon copy of Noh Eun-Ho. Scarlett had frowned, had read the card she

was given before making sure she was not mistaken. Since then, Scarlett was now

an accomplished woman who effortlessly scored top marks for her high school

examinations and an honoured combat specialist who graduated the law

enforcement training academy with flying colours.

She had led a peaceful life for the past five years.

The same sunrise shone on the same mahogany mantelpiece lit up, invited itself

into the dark living room. Only the photographs and the simplest design of

furniture could tell how much time had passed. From a depressed youth to a

successful combat specialist. Scarlett could say she was quite complacent of

her current lifestyle.

[5 years later]

The third floor of Cyprus Residence. The owner of the

cosy home was fast asleep at the moment, warmly wrapped under the quilt covers.

But not for long. Her smartphone she had left charging on the nightstand made

the first noise of the day. Its rambunctious ringtone buzzed loudly. Without

even opening her eyes, a hand reached for the infuriating device. She hit the

green button in record time.

“SCARLETT KO!” the voice on the other end screeched.

The high-pitched tone confirmed it had belonged to a female. At the sound of

the demanding voice, the sleepiness and heavy drowsiness from sleep was

suddenly vanquished, her mind was refreshed and ready for battle.

Scarlett glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It

read: 7:30AM. She frowned, sighing in displeasure at the exuberant voice on the

other end. She was disturbed from her beautiful sleep. “Amara….” She began.

“Finally!” the voice identified as ‘Amara’ cheered

happily in delight. “I thought I was being ignored. I was so lonely!”

Scarlett groaned. It has only been two days since.

“Did you say something?” Amara continued.

“Nothing. Nothing…” Scarlett said quickly. “So, what

is it this time?”

Scarlett skilfully changed the topic. She manoeuvred

the conversation away from herself. The news, however, was never more

satisfying. She was summoned for duty. And today was her day off. Double groan.

“You promised me! We’re supposed to meet at the

library!” Amara protested in denial. She was not bothered by the fact she had

disturbed Scarlett on her rare day off. “Get a move on! You’re going to be

late!”

“You should’ve told me earlier!”

Scarlett hastily returns the smartphone back onto the

nightstand and tossed the quilt covers aside. She stripped the day-old

loungewear, dropping them into the small hamper in the corner and stepped into

a hot shower. Twenty minutes was all she needed. She was neatly dressed and

refreshed. She picked her smartphone from the nightstand and a black, leather

handbag she carelessly tossed after coming back from duty two days ago.

Scarlett pulled back the curtains, allowing the

morning sunlight into the dim chambers. Walking past the kitchen, she grabbed a

piece of last night’s toast from the fridge and exited her apartment, a

satisfied smug etched across her vacant face. The lock blinks red, signalling

the lock was activated and secured. She turned on her heels towards the

elevator on the right. Her satisfied smug faltered to a nervous smile in mere

seconds. The smothering aunt with five children had just left hers for her

morning errands. She held a large basket in her hands.

The middle-aged lady neighbour gasped in amazement at

the sight of Scarlett leaving her abode. Her eyes widened, taking in every

detail of her appearance. She was the owner of the rumored next-door neighbour.

She was impressed by Scarlett’s alluring appearance. The lady had scrutinized

Scarlett from head-to-toe. Scarlett was the ideal daughter-in-law she would

prefer her sons to ask for hand in marriage. What made Scarlett an outlier was

the visible long, sheathed sword fixed to the holster on her hip.

“It’s such a rare sight to see you up so early!” the

lady exclaimed. She was glad she finally was able to see who was living

next-door. Scarlett stared blankly at her neighbour. Was this a haunted

residence she wasn’t aware of?

“It’s nice to see you too!” Scarlett didn’t want to

stay long. She hopped into the elevator when their floor lit up. She pressed

the buttons before the middle-aged lady could say probe for more information.

She hoped it was the first, and the last she would bump into that smothering lady.

She knew what kind of person she was. Giving birth to five children, her shrill

voice travelled through the windows when her children did not complete their

tasks or slept in on their days off. She was the kind of person that irked

Scarlett.

Scarlett ran across the bustling streets and hopped

onto the next bus headed for Howard Avenue. It was where her entourage was

supposed to meet. It took Scarlett exactly ten minutes to arrive at her

destination. Her steps halted as she approached the grand entrance of the

stadium. It was a rare sight. The barren streets were filled with people.

Students from various schools equipped with their own weapon of choice strolled

the streets. Scarlett noticed some were from local high schools such as

Newbridge College and Milford Academy. The presence of these competitors

reminded Scarlett of the upcoming national kendo competition.

“Over here!” Amara called. Scarlett turned, spotting

Amara two blocks away from the convention centre. She sighed as she spotted

Amara not far from where she was. Scarlett turned on her heels and joined

Amara. Two blocks away, the building was the national library owned by Ridgeway

Institute. As students of said academy, they were granted permission to use the

facility as they please.

Passing the guards at the entrance who gave them a

small smile upon recognizing the black uniform of Ridgeway Institute, the pair

of friends ascended the flight of stairs in the corner. Amara had pulled

Scarlett along as she ran excitedly cheerfully to the bookshelves. She halted

near the new arrivals section and picked up a thick-bound book. It was the book

Amara had ordered the other day: An Introduction to Eastern Mythology.

Scarlett had stared blankly at the book. After

browsing for an interesting pick, Scarlett and Amara settled down at the table

near the windows. The scenery was thrilling. The clear waterfall, vast

greenery, and sky with the bluest hue. Scarlett smiled and turned a page. Both

were engrossed in reading before a piercing shriek penetrated the silence. The

rare few who were enjoying the peace of tranquillity were startled from their

reading.

“Scarlett, look!” Amara had pointed to the window.

Curious, she peered at the window below. Few adults had gathered around a small

spot. Scarlett frowned. It was not because they had found precious gold.

Someone had fallen over. A girl was ganged against three grown adults. Scarlett

clicked their tongue. Scarlett and Amara recognized the girl’s silver hair. She

was a victim of school bullying.

The loud sobs, and the sneers from her perpetrators.

All of them were big, fat, and stupid. And Julian was the biggest, fattest, and

stupidest of the lot. He was their leader. It was a group of bullies. Julian

was Ridgeway Institute’s vice-headmaster’s nephew. Because of that, he thought

he was so great. His pudgy feet trudged the streets as he announced the

greatness of his status. Everyone was terrified of Julian and his entourage,

but not Scarlett. All of them were quite happy to participate in Julian’s

favourite pastime: Girls Hunting.

Scarlett and Amara put down their books and raced down

the steps. Puzzled by their frantic behaviour, the guards rushed after them.

“Where’s the fire?!” they had asked. Turns out it wasn’t a fire. It was a

typical scene of bullying. And the boy was the vice-headmaster’s nephew. No one

could touch him.

“Let her go, Pig Julian!” Amara had yelled. She

charged towards them and knocked them off-balance. All of them were big and

fat. Because of their size, they were mistaken for being adults. Despite their

small and delicate figure, Scarlett and Amara had humiliated Julian and his

gangs several times. As girls were fragile and powerless by nature, it makes

them a good target for Julian and his gang. And several times, things didn't go

as smoothly as they wanted. Scarlett and Amara intentionally made things more

difficult for them. They effortlessly dragged these pigs through the mud.

Julian’s pudgy cheeks stretched into a grin at the

sight of Scarlett and Amara. It’s time for the main dish. Julian let go of the

poor girl’s silver hair. The girl breathed in relief; her wobbly knees gave

away and collapsed onto the soft grass. The bullies turned towards their new

target: Scarlett. Amara expertly dodged the bullies and ran towards the victim.

“Ashley! Are you okay?!” Amara was extremely worried.

Ashley was just another victim of Julian’s whims to provoke Scarlett. Scarlett

was unusually calm and silent. Amara could tell as her friend what Scarlett had

felt. She was outraged. Her anger had flared. Amara knew by experience, the

space between the bullies and Scarlett was turning into a battlefield.

Amara had called for an ambulance, hauling the victim

to a safe place. The poor girl blackout after discovering a secret spot in a

small corner. They were safe there.

Julian and his friends cracked their knuckles. “Are

you going against three of us today? Three against one. That sounds promising.

I can’t wait to see that smug smirk wiped from your high throne.”

Scarlett’s expression was indifferent. His words were

unaffected against Scarlett. “Only if you can.”

“Aren’t you drawing your weapon?” they taunted.

They knew Scarlett was forbidden from drawing the

weapon after their first attack three years ago. Scarlett had just transferred

to Ridgeway, and as bullies who had to keep their name, made Scarlett their

target. They had underestimated Scarlett. Julian and the bullies sustained

grave injuries for almost a week in the hospital. Despite the vice-headmaster’s

protest, the pleas were ignored. The headmaster made the decision to forgive

Scarlett and forbade her from using her sword. After all, it was Julian and his

friend’s fault that they ended up in the hospital.

“Against three pigs? I don’t need my sword.”

Scarlett’s words were emotionless and icy.

Everything was over within seconds. Scarlett made sure

to use the most excruciating technique on Julian. Payback against the girls who

fell at his filthy hands. Unforgivable. Scarlett’s swift kick smashed against

Julian’s jaw, his joints possibly cracked and was sent flying into the

reinforced concrete across the field; his pudgy followers had their ribs

crushed when Scarlett performed the grappling technique.

Julian and his followers braced their injuries as they

ran with tails between their legs. “We’ll remember this! This isn’t over.”

Scarlett and Amara could already imagine the disapproving expression of their

tiresome vice-principal.

That evening, Scarlett and Amara found themselves in

detention for lifting another finger on her beloved nephew. Julian stood at the

doorway with bandages wrapped around him like an ancient Egyptian ceremonially

preserved corpse known as a mummy. He stared at them smugly, satisfied at the

punishment Scarlett and Amara had to go through.

“If I see one more time, any funny business, you’ll be

expelled before you can fulfil your promise with the headmaster!”

Scarlett and Amara were assigned to clean the

vice-principal’s office, which no one wanted. It was dreadful. The books were

dusty, the bookshelves were musty. Scarlett figured no one must have stepped

foot for ages. It was almost nine when Amara dozed on the desk while sorting

the old books. Scarlett glanced left, then right. She looked for surveillance

cameras and possible peeping toms. Ensuring there was none, she drew the thick

curtains close.

“Luna, come out.” Scarlett whispered. “Clean this

place.” The mythical crystal which couldn’t be found materialized itself on the

desk. It glowed, delighted their master had called for ‘Luna’. As if magic

worked its wonders, the old books were sorted, and the office was sparkling

clean.

“Amara, Amara.” Scarlett woke her best friend. “Wake

up. Are you going to spend the night here?” She pointed to the clock. Amara was

startled, so hard she fell off the chair. A clean office and sorted books

greeted her presence. What had happened while she was sleeping? Did a fairy godmother

pass by?

Amara was astounded. She pointed feebly at the cleaned

office. Scarlett nodded. “C’mon. Let’s go.”

“What happened?” Amara asked curiously.

“Someone had to do the work.” Scarlett’s blank stare

made her doubt her answer seriously but thought best not to argue. She knew

exactly what would happen if one decided to argue against Scarlett, Ridgeway’s

strongest combat specialist. She had enough experience to prove it.

Ridgeway Institute was surrounded by forensics and

search teams the next morning. Both Scarlett and Amara exchanged puzzled

glances. The pair of best friends joined the last row of the crowd, their necks

strained to catch a glimpse of what was happening in the courtyard. Scarlett

frowned when she saw golden stripes on the personnel’s sleeves near the

entrance. One had a single stripe. Another had three stripes.

Scarlett paled. She grabbed Amara. “Let’s take the

back entrance.”

One officer had left his post and was standing behind

Scarlett and Amara with his arms folded. “And where do you think you’re

going, Scarlett Ko?”

Oh shit. Busted.

With special approval, Scarlett and Amara were allowed

onto the site. The horrified scene of Julian’s most recent victim: Ellie Smith.

Brutally and ruthlessly beaten and tortured to death.

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