The Runaway {Hunter} (WATTYS 2022)

The Control

She stood before her father, her eyes focused as he stepped closer. Cora's appearance had changed, her hair dark, eyes heavy with exhaustion. Her old armour, the same set that marched her through the Clone Wars was now abandoned, her body now holding the heavy armour of her fathers group of followers, called the Reign of Freedom. A mask covered her face, her cold icy eyes was the only thing visible, piercing those who looked her way.

Crosshair still wore his Imperial armour. He matched the dark composition of the guards around him, along with Cora. His sniper was tight in his grasp as the king approached him and Cora.

"One of these freedom followers have the answer." Turto snarled, looking to the small base below them. "Find the one who snuck into the palace."

They had been sent out to the small base of freedom fighters. One which Cora was familiar with. Her better side screamed on the inside as she would have known some of these people, fighting for their freedom from the king. But her external look was hard, showing no sign of weakness. The king wanted them to find a fighter who knew of their plan. The plan to collect the Gods Power, recruit Cora, and bring the Empire here.

"Kill them all if you have too." The king turned away and grinned.

Cora gave Crosshair a side glance. He looked to her and lowered his sniper from resting over his shoulder, to being held in both hands. Cora pulled the metal staff from her back, pushing it down it buzzed at the top, with great electrical power. Crosshair pulled his helmet on as he nodded to the guards behind them.

Crosshair and Cora led the soldiers into an attack on the base.

In whirlwind, buildings were on fire, women cried and men yelled as everyone fought for their freedom. Cora plunged her staff into the stomach of a fallen rebel as his blood splattered over her armour. She huffed as her mind buzzed, her new heightened senses felt uncomfortable and caused her to twist and turn at every sound and smell. Something shifted behind her as she turned, a soldier, one which she knew, before she left.

"Corathia Torga" he gasped, a small data pad on his hip. He was the man they were after.

Her eyes flickered over him as her mind flushed out an old memory of him when she was younger. K'Ail was his name, a leader in the fight against the king. Her mind flickered with conflict before she pulled her comm out.

"I've got him." Her voice cold as Crosshair pressed back with an acknowledgment.

Cora grabbed the man and pulled him to his knees, ripping the data pad from his hip. K'Ail gasped at the sudden movement and groaned as his knees collapsed to the dirt. A guard pulled restraints on him as Crosshair stood next to Cora, looking down at the traitor.

"Princess," he gasped out. Crosshair smacked him across the face with the back of his sniper. "Stop this." He groaned. "Don't fall for his trap."

K'Ail'a voice echoed through her mind. The better version of herself came into full kick as her mind screamed to stop this horrible killing spree for her father. She had sat and talked with K'Ail so many times before she left Qwern. She couldn't do it.

She didn't want to do this.

A sudden chill went down her spine as she felt her better side become more suppressed by the control of her father. She pulled her arm out and plunged the spear into K'Ali's chest. He sputtered in shock, his eyes wide as he looked to her spear in his body. Cora pulled it back out with such force that he fell forward, limp at the feet of Cora and Crosshair.

"No, please. I'm sorry, Lark. Please don't leave me." Cora placed his head in her lap, stroking his face, trying to keep his eyes open.

"I was o-only, following o-orders."