Kiya looked down at the Knights Armor and scowled. It had been a week since Tobias and his wench took a leap off the Eastern cliffs. She hadn’t given it more thought because he was just another insignificant pawn for the Church. And the both of them were most certainly dead… Unfortunately, she had been too careless.

A hunter had brought her news. He had brought her a suit of armor. He’d found it--

“--while walkin’ to th’falls by th’Eastern cliffs.” He scratched his messy beard. Spoke with a lazy voice. “Figured th’Force would wann it back.”

“We appreciate your act of responsibility,” Kiya smiled. “You will be rewarded handsomely, be assured of that.” She nodded to her guards to send him away, nearly ready to vomit from the man’s stench. She leaned against the table and stared at the steel and breathed out slowly.

It was Shieldhome Knight armor. Some blood on it too.

So they were still out there. It’s been a little more than seven days. They were far away now. Perhaps it’d only be their corpses they find out there... But it was possible they were alive, ready to bring their soulless child into the world. She punched into the breastplate of the armor and grunted. She was a fool. Anyone would die going over that cliff… missing the water… hitting the rocks in the water. But these weren’t average people. These were people protected by darkness, surrounded in Godless blessings.

Kiya kept the truth of herself hidden well. And the truth, deep down, was that she was just as bad as these sinners… one of the Cursed. And she wasn’t the only one of her kind being used by the Church for greater purposes. A part of her was concerned that, during her encounter with Tobias, that recruit, Stephon, saw her get hit. Saw her take the brute of Tobias’ punch and not react one bit. But he was such a simpleton. He wasn’t worth her time. Because, after all, Kiya was forgiven by the Gods. She had completed her Repenting and retrieved her name once again. Only the Fourth Level of the Church knew what she really was. And Alchemists are working to fix what she is. There is a way to relieve this Curse. Someday.

Until then… she had to do what she must. She had to continue her work. Released from prison but on probation until her Curse can be lifted.

She went down, deep into the main Church the High Priest resided in. Down into tunnels that none but her and one other person knew of. Cold. Isolated. Cages where their weapons rested. The Marked. She used to live down here, with them… But she wasn’t one of them anymore, not really.

She had the trust of one of the Marked. The most powerful of them. She reached his cage and knelt down.

“Hey,” she said, her voice quiet but carrying down the halls. Out from his hay bed crawled a young, Cursed boy. One who was not rageful or vengeful enough to use his powers against them all. One who accepted his position in life and believed that Kiya loved him. So, she had to be kind to him. She gave him a smile. “We have a mission for you all. Another step forward in your Repenting.”

The boy entered the light of the torches. Scrawny, bright blue eyes against the umber flesh that surrounded them. No older than twelve. He smiled. “Kiya you’re back,” his hands grabbed hold of the bars. “How is the cure coming along?”

She caressed his hand and sighed. “We have a lot of work to do until we get such a thing. Your Repenting isn’t finished yet. Focus on that, okay?”

“I know,” he said, looking down. “I’m just… tired of not being like you.”

Kiya smiled. “The Gods do not accept me,” she said. “So we are still alike. I’ve been given my name but… In truth I am still Repenting. Until I am cured I will always be Repenting.”

“It’s not our fault,” the boy, Burden said.

Kiya swallowed. She hated being friendly to him. She did not want to be associated with any of them. She held her hatred, so she knew the Gods would see her deep, true, distaste for the Cursed. And she put on a farce so the Gods would see she was doing what she had to in order to be reunited with them. Kiya breathed and forced a smile as she unlocked the door to his cell.

“It’s not our fault,” Kiya echoed. “Come. Let us gather the others.”

She led Burden down the hallway to the other cages, each one large, taking up its own room. The next cage was an absolute mess. Dried blood painted the walls. Full of small laughter within.

“Hello, Pain,” Kiya said. Her heart always raced in her presence.

Pain got up, a tall woman with hair traveling far down her back in a mess of tangles. Skinny. Ragged clothes showed her pale flesh. She was smiling weakly. “Ah… Another mission for us, Kiya?” Her voice was deep and quiet.

Some of them have completely accepted their positions in life, while others, like Burden have held onto hope. Pain knew what she was. And she did not expect anything to change. The Church had drilled their new lives into them whether they took meaning out of it or not.

“Yes. We have sinners on the run.”

Pain gave a desperate look. Kiya knew the woman wanted to ask if this was their final mission. But, as they both knew deep down, they weren’t even close to completing their Repenting.

Kiya released Pain. Burden walked close by Kiya because he didn’t like her one bit. Knowing she was looming behind her, even Kiya felt strange. The woman’s feet dragged against the floor and she kept smacking her lips. They were all dangerous… it was just that Pain was a strange one. Odd behavior. Disgusting habits.

Next she retrieved Glutton, moaning in his cell, tossing and turning. The smell of him was awful. He was a large man, big belly but lots of muscle, sprawled out on the stone floor having his usual cravings.

“Glutton,” Kiya sighed. “You already ate. Stop complaining.”

Glutton sat up and breathed out heavily, making his lips vibrate, scattering sweat and spit onto the floor. His Curse left him craving the feeling of steel within his body. “I just miss the cold,” he breathed, “The cold steel. I… need it. I just need a little more.” He moved to absorb the cell bars but Kiya smacked his hand away.

“I am not having them replace your cell a third time,” she boomed. “If you devour the cage bars again, we’ll dig a hole for you in the dirt somewhere and close it up with wood.”

Glutton shivered, grunted but breathed out slowly.

Burden spoke up.

“Glutton, remember how much better it’ll taste the more you wait!” He smiled and grabbed hold of the cell bars. Kiya held back a grimace.

Glutton slowly got to his feet but he showed his filthy teeth to the young boy in a smile. “You’re right, kid…” he said. “Yeah, you’re right…”

Glutton followed them out. Pain still walked far behind all of them. And the final Cursed man to retrieve was at the very end of one of the halls, opening up into a square room, half of it filled with a prison cell. Within was Kill. He sat and grinned, his black beard framing his face well. Similar black hair, short but long enough to be messy and hang over his brows and ears. Despite his filth, he was a handsome sinner, Kiya would give him that. But dangerous. As terrifying as Pain. If not more.

“Oh, come on, let the guy have a little fun,” Kill said. “When he’s burning through all the Hells he won’t have any more steel to consume.”

Glutton audibly whimpered and backed away.

“But he won’t burn in the Hells,” Burden replied. “We will be fixed one day. You’ll see.”

Kill slowly got up, smiled down at him and crossed his arms. “Aw.” He looked to Kiya and the rest. “I always forget the boy has hope still. Kiya, you still making him think he has a chance, then?"

Kiya was silent. Though Burden was such a blind idiot of a child he didn’t let her be challenged for a reply.

“Even if Kiya is lying to me, it’s nice to have at least one friend down here.” He smiled up at her. “And there’s no way we’re hopeless. If Kiya could retrieve her name and return to the world above for good, so can we.”

Kiya stared down at him. The gesture struck her deep. Made her feel guilty. She knew what it was like to suffer in these cages… But she didn’t want friendship among the Cursed. She just had to do her job. She nodded to him, forced a smile and unlocked Kill’s cage.

“Why do you all even keep these doors locked?” He sighed, stepping out and rolling his shoulders. “We’re all capable of destroying these locks with ease.”

“Because you know we can destroy you with ease,” Kiya said. “That's why you stay compliant. And as much as you like to flaunt pessimism, I know even you want freedom someday, Kill. You want to live a normal life again.”

“Oh, it’s we now, is it?” Kill grinned. “Get your name back and suddenly you’re one of them?”

Kiya tightened her lips.

“No. You’re not like those powerless people who complete their Repenting and suddenly become a normal human being again. You’re still Cursed.” He grinned wide, showing nearly all of his teeth. “You’re still one of us, Stench.”

The name struck her deep. Made her smell the past.

“That. Is not. My name.” Kiya growled. But she couldn’t be as harsh with Kill. Not because she couldn’t be. But because she was afraid to.

Kill stuck out his tongue. “You’ll never rub that smell off you.” He sniffed exaggeratedly. Again and again. Stepped close to her. “Don’t worry. We all have that stench don’t we? The smell of sin. The mark of the worms. For as long as you’re spending time with us fellow Marked, you might as well call yourself what you are. Sten--”

Kill was flung back, flipping over himself back into his cell. Kiya looked down and saw Burden in a stance, right foot forward, left palm held outward. He readjusted himself and stood tall, as tall as he could. “That isn’t fair of you, Kill! Please stop tormenting her every time she comes down here!”

“Kid…” Kill groaned, rubbing his neck as he stood up. He seemed angry. Kiya had worried about a brawl someday and she prepared herself. But then, Kill laughed. He kept laughing until he was in hysterics, leaning forward holding his belly. “Boy, you sure got me good, kid!”

Then, everyone was laughing. Perhaps out of nervousness, but it could have been out of a messed up sense of humor as well. There wasn’t much entertainment down here.

Kiya led them all through another hallway into a large chamber where they could gear up. It was also where they were let out for meals and training with their abilities. Kill and Pain wore lighter armor, firm leather guards and cloth hoods. Glutton kept his ordinary, messy clothes on his body. Burden also didn’t wear armor but changed clothes from his chest of fresh pairs.

Kiya watched them, remembering the days her superior would watch over them all. The days when she was called Stench. And she was forced to hunt down people the Church didn’t want either being free or being alive any longer.

What Kiya had to do to attain her current position was something most of them weren’t capable of doing, she knew that much. Not even Kill, for all his strength and attitude.

When they were ready, she led them through tunnels that led to the Northeastern passage through the walls surrounding Shieldhome, a passage that only the Divine Force had access to. The day was bright, hot and humid. Kill stretched and sighed loudly.

“Oh, it’s good to be outdoors once again!”

“Alright,” Kiya announced as they reached the gates. “Our targets have a scent to follow. It’ll be a long journey. No horses.”

Kill scoffed, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Of fucking course. Church needs a job done but won’t give us the tools to do it well.”

Kiya eyed him and held out two metallic orbs, ignoring his complaint. People like the Cursed didn't have the privilege of easy travel. “We’re giving you Hawks. They’ve been given the blood of Tobias D--”

“Just give us the mission, Kiya,” Pain said, snatching up one of the Hawks. “I’m eager to stretch my legs and get started.”

Kiya placed the other Hawk into Burden’s hands who grinned.

“They have the scent. Tobias and Kip are their names. Your mission is to kill them. If you go awol…” she tapped her finger to her temple. Gesturing to the device within her skull that she shared with them. “You know what happens.”

They were all silent.

Kiya was about to hurry off after they reached the gates and gestured for the Knights on guard to open them and send the team through. Burden stopped her by tugging on her pant leg. “You’re not coming with us this time?”

Kiya sighed and smiled. “Afraid not, kid. You will have to be strong in the face of your fellow Marked. Can you do that?”

Burden nodded. “Of course I can.” He was confident in saying this but gave a sad expression while doing so. Lips in a frown, his hair hung in his face in thick black strands.

Kiya left them. Burden and Pain tossed the orbs into the air and they opened up, twisted, reformed themselves as if made of liquid -- until they were solid again, in the shape of two silver hawks. They spun round and round in the air until unleashing a loud screech and soared on ahead.

And the group, dubbed The Marked by the Church’s more knowledgeable members, began their long trudge across Nadi, following their mechanical flying companions. A week behind their targets. And the Hawks would need Alchemy along the way to be recharged with Un-Masi, which would extend their journey. Not to mention potential interruptions along the way.

But they were powerful, Cursed and ruthless. And they would find Tobias and Kip eventually.

And they would bring them to justice.