The Scavenger’s Sister

Raziel sighed, standing up and brushing the dirt from her hands. "You're really annoying, you know that?"

"Yeah, you've mentioned it." Leon grinned, tossing her a few more leaves. "Now, if you're done whining, we've still got some more food to gather. Unless you plan on surviving off the same three leaves all day."

Raziel stuffed the leaves into her pocket, grumbling to herself. "Fine. But if I find something better, I'm not sharing."

Leon chuckled. "Deal."

They continued their foraging, the sun now higher in the sky, casting dappled light through the trees. The air was still and quiet, except for the occasional sound of their boots crunching against the underbrush. Despite the bickering, there was a growing ease between them—a sense of familiarity that hadn't been there before.

As they moved, Raziel's thoughts drifted, her fingers brushing against the leaves she'd collected. She was still trying to wrap her head around this whole scavenger thing. It wasn't something she was used to—surviving like this, relying on scraps and old-world knowledge. Her past life had been so different, and yet, here she was, with this guy who somehow managed to irritate her and make her laugh at the same time.

"Hey," Leon said, breaking the silence, "how'd you get mixed up in all this splicer priestess stuff, anyway?"

Raziel glanced at him, her expression guarded. "I told you. I didn't ask for it."

"Yeah, but you're still doing it." Leon's voice was curious but not pushy. "Why stick with it if you don't even like it?"

Raziel's gaze hardened slightly, the flicker of flames returning to her fingertips. "I didn't really have a choice."

Leon noticed the tension in her shoulders, but he didn't push further. "Fair enough."

They walked in silence for a moment longer before Leon gestured ahead. "There's a stream up here. We'll refill our water and head back."

Raziel nodded, her mind still lingering on Leon's question. She didn't want to admit it, but the truth was, she didn't have an answer. Being a splicer priestess was all she knew, even if she hated parts of it. Her life was tangled in it, and no matter how much she tried to pull away, it always seemed to pull her back.

As they approached the stream, Raziel bent down, cupping her hands in the cool water and splashing her face. The water felt refreshing against her skin, washing away some of the dirt and sweat from the day's journey. She looked up at Leon, who was filling his canteen, and for a moment, her usual sharpness softened.

"Why do you care?" Raziel asked suddenly, catching Leon off guard.

Leon glanced at her, his eyebrows raised. "Care about what?"

"About any of this." She waved her hand vaguely. "Helping me. Teaching me this, scavenger stuff."

Leon shrugged, taking a long drink from his canteen. "Maybe I got bored of talking to myself."

Raziel snorted, shaking her head. "You really are something."

Leon gave her a wry grin. "I get that a lot."

Raziel huffed. "You think you're some saint or something? I don't need your help with this."

Leon smirked, about to fire back when he noticed something. His sharp instincts kicked in as he scanned the treeline. Something wasn't right. The air had changed—it was too quiet.

He motioned for Raziel to stay still, his voice low. "Shh."

Raziel raised an eyebrow, clearly not in the mood for more of his "lessons," but something in Leon's demeanor made her stop. "What?"

"Something's off," Leon muttered, his gaze sweeping the area. "Stay close."

Raziel rolled her eyes, but before she could reply, a faint sound echoed through the trees—a twig snapping. Leon's eyes narrowed, and he slowly reached for his weapon, motioning for Raziel to stay behind him.

They moved cautiously through the trees, the atmosphere growing tense. Leon spotted what looked like fresh cuts on a nearby tree. Then, something more concerning—a piece of discarded equipment, emblazoned with a symbol.

"This tech..." Leon murmured, feeling the weight of the situation. He barely had time to process it when they were suddenly surrounded by a group of figures stepping out from the shadows.

One of the figures, dressed in sleek black gear with visible mechanical augmentations, stepped forward, his gaze fixed on Raziel. "Hmm…you. You look very familiar"

Raziel, ever the tactful one, cut him off before he could finish. "Who the hell are you? I've never seen you in my life."

The figure blinked, momentarily thrown off by her blunt response. His confusion was quickly replaced with a dark smile. "You may not remember me, but I've definitely seen you before. You're... quite valuable. You'd catch a high price if I sell you to…them."

Leon's eyes flicked from Raziel to the agents, his instincts flaring. He immediately noticed the subtle telltale signs—the tech integrated into their bodies. Splicers. His hand tightened around his weapon as he slowly moved into a defensive stance.

"Splicers," Leon growled, his voice low. "What the hell do you want with us? What House are you from?"

The figures didn't respond at first, but their intent was clear as more of them closed in around the pair. Raziel, despite her usual bravado, could feel the tension mounting, her fists clenching in response. Her flames flickered ever so faintly, a sign of her unease, though she kept her usual defiant expression locked in place.

The lead figure took a step forward, his dark smile deepening. "We're from House Eternal," he said, his voice dripping with arrogance. The other agents moved closer, their mechanical augmentations humming softly in the tense air. "But it's not about what we want with you, scavenger. It's about her."

Leon's grip on his weapon tightened. "What does House Eternal want with her?" he barked, his gaze flicking between the Splicers and Raziel. His mind was already racing, trying to figure out how they'd get out of this situation.

The Splicer's eyes gleamed with amusement as he motioned toward Raziel. "We've got our reasons, but it's not just us who'd pay for her, you know. House Infinite has been looking for their little runaway for a long time." His tone was mockingly sweet as he continued. "Bringing her back could fetch quite the bounty."

Raziel's eyes flared with anger, the flicker of flames around her growing more intense. "I'm not going back there," she spat, her voice sharp with defiance. "I'd rather burn you all to ashes first."

The Splicer laughed, clearly enjoying the tension. "Feisty. But trust me, sweetheart, you don't get a choice in this."

Leon's jaw clenched. "You're not laying a hand on her," he growled, positioning himself between Raziel and the advancing Splicers.

The lead Splicer raised an eyebrow, as if amused by Leon's bravery. "Really? You think you're going to stop us? You're outnumbered and outclassed. This doesn't need to be a fight, scavenger. Just hand her over, and we'll leave you in one piece."

Raziel's fists clenched even tighter, her flames beginning to dance along her arms. "Over my dead body," she hissed.

Leon glanced at her, noticing the flames intensifying. He could tell she was trying to control her powers, but the rising tension wasn't helping. "Easy," he muttered under his breath, keeping his eyes on the Splicers. "Don't blow this, not yet."

The Splicer leader's grin faded slightly, his expression growing more serious. "Fine. Have it your way."

The air between them grew heavier, thick with the kind of tension that only comes before a fight. The Splicers stood their ground, their augmentations humming ominously, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. Leon's heart raced, but he kept his face calm, eyes locked on the leader of the group.

"Think about it," the leader sneered, his voice low but laced with menace. "You're just a scavenger. You have no reason to risk your life for her. Hand her over, take the reward, and walk away while you still can."

Leon's lips curled into a smirk, his eyes flicking over the group, sizing them up. "You really think it's that simple?" He kept his tone casual, though there was an edge to it. "You don't know a damn thing about me."

Raziel, standing behind him, crossed her arms defiantly, though the flicker of her flames betrayed her agitation. "And you don't know a damn thing about me either," she added, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "I'm not some prize for you to trade."

The Splicer leader's eyes narrowed. "That mouth of yours is going to get you into trouble, little girl. House Infinite wants you back—dead or alive."

Leon clenched his jaw. The way the Splicer spoke about Raziel, like she was just an object, made his blood boil. He wasn't one for noble causes or standing up for people, but something about this rubbed him the wrong way. He had no love for the Houses, and even less for Splicers who treated others like tools.

Raziel, clearly sensing Leon's rising anger, stepped forward, placing her hand lightly on his arm. "They're not worth it," she muttered under her breath, though her eyes were still locked on the Splicer leader. "They're just trying to bait us."

The leader chuckled darkly. "Smart girl. But you can't escape what's coming."

Leon's eyes darted to the other Splicers, noticing their subtle movements. They were positioning themselves, slowly circling around the two of them. His instincts screamed that a fight was inevitable, but he held his ground. He needed to buy time, find a way out of this that didn't end with both of them dead.

"You're not walking away from this," the leader said, his voice growing colder. "I suggest you rethink your position. You're in way over your head."

Leon shrugged, his voice calm despite the growing threat. "Maybe. But I've been in worse places. Besides, I'm getting real tired of people telling me what to do."

The leader's grin faded, replaced by a look of pure malice. He motioned with his hand, and the Splicers tensed, ready to pounce.

Raziel's flames flared slightly, a reflex she couldn't control, but Leon reached out—without touching her—just enough to get her attention. "Not yet," he whispered, eyes never leaving the Splicers.

Raziel gritted her teeth, her body trembling with the effort to hold her power in check. The thought of going back to House Infinite terrified her more than anything, but the memory of her fire, burning out of control, was just as frightening. "We're outnumbered," she muttered quietly. "How do you think we're getting out of this?"

Leon's gaze swept the area, his mind racing. "We need a distraction," he whispered, scanning the surroundings for anything that could give them an edge. His scavenger instincts kicked in, analyzing the environment, looking for weaknesses. "Something to catch them off guard."

The Splicer leader, sensing the shift in their whispered conversation, raised an eyebrow. "Running out of ideas, scavenger? There's no escaping this. You can't take us all on."

Leon smirked, the gears turning in his mind. "Who said anything about fighting fair?"

Leon's eyes scanned the area, spotting a pile of new, polished tech gear—not the usual old, rusted junk that scavengers picked clean. His brow furrowed. That's odd. What's fresh tech doing here? But he didn't have time to dwell on it. He needed a distraction, and fast.

Raziel stood still beside him, her body tense, her flames flickering at her fingertips, ready to flare at any second.

"Raziel," Leon whispered, his voice so low that only she could hear. "When I say 'now,' you run. No questions. Got it?"

Raziel frowned, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. "What about you?"

"Just do it," Leon hissed, his voice sharp. He couldn't afford to explain right now.

Before Raziel could protest, the Splicer leader stepped forward, his patience clearly wearing thin. "Enough stalling. You've got one last chance—hand her over, or we'll take her by force."

Leon's smirk widened. "You talk too much."

The leader's eyes flashed with fury. "Get them."

Leon pulled the first grenade from his pack, muttering under his breath, "Let's hope this works." He tossed it toward the pile of new tech. The grenade hit with a sharp clang, and after a brief pause, an explosion rocked the clearing, sending dust, debris, and shards of metal flying in every direction.

"Now!" Leon shouted.

Raziel didn't hesitate this time. Her flames burst to life, blazing wildly around her as she sprinted toward the treeline. The forest lit up in her wake, leaves and branches igniting in bursts of dark fire that crackled but didn't burn out. 

Leon, meanwhile, dove to the side, using the cover of dust and smoke to roll behind a fallen tree. He could hear the Splicers cursing, their movements chaotic as they struggled to regroup.

"Damn scavenger!" the leader snarled, his voice muffled by the ringing in Leon's ears. "Find them! Don't let them escape!"

Leon peeked out from behind the tree, his eyes scanning the chaos he'd created. The Splicers were disoriented, coughing and stumbling through the dust cloud. Perfect.

"Come on, come on," Leon muttered to himself, watching Raziel's retreating form as she disappeared into the woods. He needed to give her enough time to get away, but he couldn't wait too long, or the Splicers would close in on him.

He spotted the leader, still shouting orders, but now standing dangerously close to one of the unstable piles of debris. Leon grinned, an idea forming in his mind. He grabbed another makeshift gadget from his pack—an improvised shock grenade.

With practiced precision, he hurled the grenade toward the pile of rubble. It bounced once, twice—then detonated with a crackling burst of electricity.

The Splicers, part-machine, part-human, screamed as the shock coursed through their augmented bodies, briefly short-circuiting their systems. Their leader, who had been barking orders, collapsed to the ground, twitching as the current surged through him.

Leon didn't wait to see the outcome. He turned and bolted into the forest, following the trail of ever-burning leaves and scorched bark left in Raziel's wake.

As he ran, he couldn't help but think back to the fresh tech he'd seen. What's new gear doing out here? This place was supposed to be dead. But now wasn't the time for questions. The Splicers would be back on their feet soon, and the trail Raziel had left was as good as a flare leading them right to her.

His boots crunched on the burning leaves as he sprinted through the forest, the eerie flames licking at the edges of his vision. "Damn it, Raziel, slow down!" he muttered, though he knew she couldn't hear him.

Finally, he caught sight of her up ahead, leaning against a tree, the flames around her having died down completely. She looked exhausted but unharmed, her breathing ragged.

Leon skidded to a halt beside her, eyes wide with panic. "Raziel, what the hell? Your flames—"

Raziel blinked at him, confused. "What about them?"

"You left a trail," Leon said, his voice sharp with urgency. "A burning trail. They're gonna follow us right to this spot."

Raziel looked down at her hands, her eyes widening as realization dawned. The flames had stopped, but the trail she'd left behind was still burning, a glowing path leading straight to their last known location. "Shit."

Leon ran a hand through his hair, glancing nervously over his shoulder. "We've got maybe a few minutes before they track us down. We need to move—now. But first, we've gotta deal with that trail."

Raziel frowned, still catching her breath. "Deal with it? How?"

Leon gritted his teeth, his mind racing. "You're the one with the fire powers. Can't you... I dunno, turn it off?"

Raziel gave him an incredulous look. "Do I look like I know how to turn it off? It just... does its own thing."

Leon cursed under his breath, his gaze flicking toward the burning trees. "Great. Just great."

He scanned the area, looking for any way to slow the Splicers down. His mind raced, trying to come up with a plan. "Okay, new plan. We lead them deeper into the forest—away from us—and give them another trail to follow. You think you can handle that?"

Raziel hesitated, her exhaustion clear, but she nodded. "I'll try."

"Good enough." Leon resisted the urge to grab her arm, knowing how she reacted to touch. Instead, he nodded in the direction they needed to go. "This way—let's move. No time to waste."

Raziel followed, still trying to catch her breath. She shot him a quick look, recognizing that he hadn't reached for her like he did before. There was something unsaid between them—an understanding, maybe—but she wasn't ready to think too deeply about it. Not now.

The cave was cool and damp, the walls slick with moisture that shimmered faintly in the dim light. Leon crouched near the entrance, his ears attuned to every rustle of leaves and distant hum of tech that floated through the still air. The Splicers were out there, searching, and any wrong move would give them away.

Leon's breath was steady, but his mind raced. He glanced back at Raziel, who sat against the rock wall, her arms crossed defensively over her chest, eyes hard and distant. Despite the bravado she usually wore like armor, she looked... tired. No, exhausted. But she wouldn't admit it.

"You know them. Or at least they knew you," Leon muttered under his breath, eyes still trained on the cave entrance. He didn't want to make it obvious that he was pressing her for information, but at this point, he needed answers. "What's your deal?"

Raziel stiffened, her body language immediately defensive. She turned her head slightly, glaring at him from the corner of her eye. "I don't owe you any answers, scavenger," she spat, her voice low but sharp.

Leon suppressed a sigh. "Not exactly the time for pride, Priestess. They were ready to drag you back to House Infinite—or worse. What's going on?"

Raziel clenched her jaw, the familiar burn of frustration lighting behind her eyes. Her fists tightened in her lap. "You wouldn't understand."

Leon turned to face her fully now, one eyebrow raised. "Try me."

For a long moment, Raziel didn't answer. She stared at the ground, her chest rising and falling in slow, controlled breaths. Part of her wanted to lash out at him, to tell him to mind his own damn business—but another part of her knew she couldn't keep running forever. Her powers, her status as a heretic, the hunters sent to bring her back... they were all bound to catch up with her eventually.

She finally spoke, her voice quieter than before. "It's not as simple as you think."

Leon frowned, watching her closely. His instincts told him there was more to her than just some rogue splicer priestess. "Doesn't seem simple at all. But running around with half the Houses hunting you isn't exactly a good plan either."

Raziel's eyes flickered with flames for a brief second, but they quickly died down. "I didn't ask for your help," she muttered, her voice laced with bitterness.

Leon exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. "You're not making it easy to help you, you know that?" He glanced at the exit of the cave again, listening for any signs of movement outside. "I don't need your life story, but I need to know why they're after you. And why I'm risking my neck for you."

Raziel hesitated. Her eyes drifted toward the faint light filtering through the cave entrance. "House Infinite..." she started, her voice faltering. "They branded me a heretic. They... ripped my core out. They think I'm dangerous."

Leon raised an eyebrow. "Dangerous?" He gestured toward her, the burned patches of skin revealing the mechanical parts beneath. "Well, no argument there."

Raziel shot him a glare, but the fire in her eyes was dim now. "You don't get it. They think I'm Death Incarnate."

Leon blinked, the words hitting him harder than he expected. "Death Incarnate?"