Kuro: A Land in Eternal Night

Chapter 4.3: Marauders

Mina introduced Kari and herself.

Vannah was taller than most of the girls, and that made her frame look even slimmer in comparison. She appeared to be one of the older girls in the containment unit. She leaned on a thin walking stick, limping slightly when she walked.

"How do you know this?" Mina asked. The girl smiled eerily at her, the opal eyes turning into slits as her lips curled in a half-smile. "Because none of us can be who they are looking for."

"Who are they looking for?"

"I do not know for certain." She paused. "There have been others before, others like us. Most do not make it back." Vannah thrust out her frail hand and opened her palms. "A handful escape and live to tell the tale, of the experiments they conduct on their captives. They are looking for a special girl. But they have never found her."

"Why are you so sure?" Mina pressed.

"Because she does not exist!" Vannah sneered, exposing rows of sharp teeth. Mina was taken aback, taking a few steps back to create more distance between her and the girl.

"You have... nothing to fear from me," said Vannah as she noticed the trepidation on the face of the two girls. "I am same as everyone else here, a hapless captive waiting for her fate to be handed out to her."

Vannah continued. "What they are looking for cannot possibly exist! They seek a girl who can produce sunlight with her bare hands, one who can manifest the Goddess Essence from within herself!" Vannah looked around her and saw fearful faces, frightened eyes staring at her from all around. She suddenly had the attention of everyone in the containment unit.

"They only look in the Utter Darkness and outside the city. They never touch the girls on the Upper Plates. The privileged classes, they are exempt from this. Is it because they are better than us? It is true that they are better, for their lives are wonderful and they do not worry about the things we have to. But that is not why they are spared and we are not. We are subject to this evil because prophecy states that the one they seek will come from the darkness, bringing light."

Vannah threw her head back and laughed. "Fate is a cruel mistress." Her eyes turned grave. "A prophecy that will never come true directs evil toward us, the children of the dark who have never, and can never see the light. They who have light expect those who have none to bring it to them!"

Vannah smiled mysteriously, the sharp teeth showing. "The light shines brightest in the darkest hour."

Mina froze. Joab's favorite proverb. Mina knew it by heart because he had told her time and time again.

"Vannah, where did you hear that phrase from?"

"It was prophesied long ago, by the great seeress, Akami von Talthys. 'The Fallen Goddess is no more. Her fall from grace, man's undoing. Seek for the light they shall in vain, for she is no longer. But in the gathering darkness, a maiden comes, bringing the light. For the light shines brightest in the darkest hour.'"

The containment unit slowed to a halt. The dull squeaking of its wheels gradually slowing until all movement had ceased.

Vannah froze and hissed. "Brace yourselves, 'tis a Culling!"

Mina looked at Vannah. "What's a Culling?"

Vannah sneered her half smile, half grimace. "You'll see soon enough. Some of us here are not even worthy of consideration. Every Marauder unit goes through quality control. They need to weed out the lower caliber girls, the ones that would never pass muster."

"What do they do with the girls that don't pass muster?" Mina asked.

Vannah chuckled and looked at Mina. "They get Culled."

"Culled?"

"Killed. Weeded out."

Mina looked at the rest of the girls. She saw their fearful faces. At that same time, the door to the containment unit opened, and a Marauder showed his face. "Okay, girls, let's step out for a little while."

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