Sarah watched in horror as the settlement dwellers around her dropped to their knees, their hands clasping their necks as they struggled to breathe.
She felt her own chest tightening as if invisible hands were squeezing her throat. She glanced around, trying to make sense of the situation. What was happening?
Her eyes fell on a woman who was striding confidently through the crowd. The woman wore a crop top hoodie that revealed a phoenix tattoo on her bare midriff. The vibrant colours of the Phoenix seemed to come alive as if it were moving and pulsating.
As the woman walked past the struggling dwellers, Sarah noticed their condition had worsened. Their faces turned red, their eyes bulged, and some even collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.
The woman with the phoenix tattoo is of average height and has a slender build. She has short, jet-black hair tucked under the hood of her crop top hoodie, with a few strands falling on the sides of her face. Her eyes are piercing blue, and her skin is smooth and olive-toned.
Sarah's heart raced, and she realized the woman with the phoenix tattoo was somehow causing this. Her instincts kicked in, and she mustered all her strength to approach the woman. She pushed through the crowd, ignoring the pain in her chest, and confronted the woman.
However, before she could even take a step, an invisible force dragged her to the woman, her head planted on the ground.
"What are you doing?" Sarah demanded, her voice hoarse. "Why are you hurting my people?"
The lower half of her face was covered, but as she turned to face Sarah, the latter could see her eyes blazing with a mix of disgust and amusement.
"Does one need a reason before stomping some ants to death?" she declared, her voice resonating with power. "I am a Phoenix. You've probably heard about us by now, haven't you?"
The woman then squatted down to Sarah's level before raising her chin to face her. "Why don't you tell me where's the bastard who killed my raiders, and I'll let you and your people peacefully carry on to wherever you fuckers were going to?"
Sarah was taken aback by the woman's words. Shinon had warned them about the Phoenixes, and now she knew why. She knew she had to be careful, but she had never imagined encountering someone who claimed to be the Phoenix herself.
That said, she knew the woman was lying. The look in her eyes told that much about her. The Phoenix before her wasn't forgiving, and she would kill everyone regardless of whether she sold Shinon out to her.
"I won't let you hurt them!" Sarah shouted, her anger fueling her determination. She charged at the woman, hoping to stop her from causing more harm.
The woman was surprised to see Sarah could free herself from her control. But things didn't go the way Sarah had intended for long.
The woman with the phoenix tattoo merely raised an eyebrow, and with a flick of her wrist, Sarah was thrown back by an invisible force. Sarah hit the ground hard, feeling the air knocked out of her.
She struggled to breathe, her chest constricting even more. The woman walked towards Sarah, her eyes fixed on her.
"Do you wish to die that much? Does the life of these children mean nothing to you? Tsk tsk tsk, some mother you are. Don't worry, we'll raise them to be perfect soldiers... unlike you." she said calmly, her voice sending shivers down Sarah's spine.
Sarah's vision blurred, and darkness closed in around her. She could hear the gasps and cries of the settlement dwellers, but her breaths were shallow and laboured.
She refused to give up, clinging to the affirmation she had repeated to herself earlier: "I am capable of overcoming any obstacle."
Summoning every ounce of strength, Sarah pushed herself up, determined to confront the woman again. She ignored the pain and tightness in her chest, and with a primal scream, she charged at the woman with all her might.
Once again, the Phoenix was amused by her. This time she decided she wanted to play with Sarah a bit longer. But alas, Sarah's body couldn't match her determination, and she collapsed to the ground, struggling to breathe.
The woman with the phoenix tattoo slowly approached Sarah, who was gasping for air on the ground. She knelt beside her and removed her mask, revealing a face adorned with intricate tattoos. A face no one had seen and lived to tell the tale.
"You know, I've always found it fascinating how humans cling to life, even when it's clearly futile," the woman said with a smirk. "You don't need to tell me who killed my men. I'll figure it out soon enough."
Sarah tried to respond, but all she could manage was a weak wheeze.
The woman put a hand on Sarah's chest, and Sarah felt a strange energy coursing through her body. She looked up at the woman, confused and terrified.
"I could end your suffering right now, you know," the woman said, her voice laced with amusement. "But where's the fun in that?"
The woman removed her hand, and Sarah felt a sudden burst of relief as the pressure on her chest was lifted. But the relief was short-lived as the woman stood up and looked down at her.
"I think I'll toy with you a bit more first," the woman said, and Sarah felt a wave of panic wash over her.
The woman raised a hand, and Sarah watched in horror as an invisible force began to wrap around her neck, squeezing the life out of her. Sarah struggled and gasped for air, but the pressure only tightened.
But then, the force dissipated once again. However, before Sarah could breathe, the pressure on her lungs increased significantly. The cycle continued till Sarah couldn't even lift a finger, and she knew it was the end of the road for her.
As Sarah's vision began to fade, she saw the woman with the phoenix tattoo walking away with her kids, their backs disappearing into the distance.