Pearl glared at a distant trading post, her arms were crossed. Stale air from Olavin-Faa made it difficult for her to think properly, she couldn't reason with anything.
It was engraved in her mind, her objective. She was there for two reasons. One was to steal goods from Yarno itself, the other was to clear the outpost.
When their plan kicked into action, this was going to be the last spot to rest at. From there, the forest wouldn't be too far from them.
Vile dust engulfed her motherly heart, she was now tainted. Any last shard of hope to reason with the folk was destroyed the second the injection went in.
All she could think about was violence, like the animal she was. Using the brutality of a Thawed, Pearl marched forward. Soft grass cushioned her footsteps.
Very few guards were active at the time, only patrolling around the area to ensure no unwanted visitors came by. Especially the Sarorin that traveled from other parts of the southern side.
However, their defenses would have to be reinforced further if they wanted to resist a Thawed that could very well kill one with just her eyes.
When her large frame came into view, four guards stepped towards her. They steadied their weapons, getting ready for chaos if it broke out between them.
Despite knowing they were very close, Pearl kept her eyes closed. It was for their own safety. She wanted one to approach her, ready to knock her back, before killing them on the spot.
"Pardon us, ma'am, but you are not allowed here. This outpost is reserved for -" something interrupted the guard.
Others turned to look at their ally, only to see him tumble down. His glazed over eyes were lifeless, skipping most of the dying process. It was unusual. No guard has ever seen someone do this.
It was obvious she was a major threat. They charged at her, each one coming from different angles. But they all died before they could even reach her.
No screaming, no stress, no pain. It was all natural. They died from fear, one that induced a heart attack fatal enough to kill them instantly.
Because what they saw was not Pearl's eyes, it was something far worse. It was a horrific take on reality. The kind of manifestations only the Distorted Mind could conjure up.
These guards were taken care of, Pearl thought. She scoffed, carelessly ignoring any logic behind their sudden deaths. Her stride led her to the finely crafted wooden doors of the outpost.
Majestic figures were engraved to the outside. The beautiful Sky Beast, the precise Glyker, the frenzied Sarorin, and the overjoyed Feral. Each figure welcomed her.
Worker Zegi and Ferals heard the door opened. Many heads turned to look at the visitor, ready to greet them into their outpost for any trading requests or offers she had.
Until each one of them suddenly dropped dead on the ground. The bodies struck the floorboards with a loud thump, catching the attention of those working in the back.
A young cub stumbled out from the curtains that divided the shop, she curiously poked her head out from behind. Pearl's gaze caught her in the middle of a brutal reality.
Just like all the others, her heart stopped instantly. The few that remained looked at the cub's body. Everyone was unsettled, not a single muscle moved.
Pearl stepped over the body, going through the weak protective barrier. They tried to hide beneath tables, behind crates, even inside containers.
However, her stare was perfect. She killed many before they could disappear from her sight. Survival instincts perked up, this was now a fight-or-flight situation.
"What the hell are you and what do you want?" a voice cried out.
Fear was so blatant in it. Like a pure emotion, one that did not hide behind any form of rage or sadness. It was pure, raw fear. No shaking, no nothing.
It was perfect, Pearl wanted it dead. She stepped through the storage area. Making sure to tap her fingers on different objects as she went by.
One tap, a Feral flinched. Two taps, he silently growled. Three taps, he began to panic. Four taps, he lashed out at her. It was foolish, the second Pearl saw him, he died.
"Come out," Pearl's voice twisted with violence. "The deaths are painless, I will make it quick. Just lift an arm up and wave goodbye to your life. It is that simple."
No one replied, they were too busy hiding and plotting. Which bothered Pearl, she wanted this all to be over quickly so her next step could begin.
The dust was aware of her desire to get this over with, so it allowed her to do so. With a sudden headache, Pearl stumbled. She fell on her knees as bodies went limp.
It was her powers killing all those out of sight, including the left over guards on the outside. Nobody remained alive, except for the host. Pearl struggled back on her feet.
Her legs shook under her weight, slowly stabilizing as she added more pressure. The headache unlocked her full potential again. She was no longer actively a servant.
"Damn..." she whispered. "I guess this is over. At least there is not much of a mess left over. Now, what goods can I find here?"
While she searched around for anything interesting, she heard the doors swing open. Followed by a distant 'hello?' Her powers flooded back to her, she was ready to silence this voice as well.
"H - hey. Th - there's this creature running around, quickly hide. It will k - kill you like how it slaughtered my colleagues," Pearl mimicked a frightened voice.
The source of the original voice cautiously stepped through the front of the store. "Really? Don't worry, I'll go find some help. Where are you?"
Pearl grinned. "I'm... I'm in th - the storage room. Please, hurry. I am bleeding out here, one of the... boxes had finely crafted weapons... I was unfort - unfortunate enough to - to stand..."
"Wait, I'm coming. Don't move, I can help you!"
With that, the innocent helper walked straight into their trap. Pearl fixed her eyes on the curtains, ready to strike down the visitor.