Duty & Pleasure

The sun was at its peak on that summer afternoon. The sky was clear and the massive mountain of the Alps stood proudly, like they did for a million years. However if any hiker with a keen ear was to walk near the Sister warriors training ground, they would believe a storm was on its way, as thunder-like sound could be heard around.

That day, Ava faced Lilith in a fierce sparring session. The air charged with anticipation and energy, the clash of their weapons echoed through the mountainous terrain, reverberating like a fierce symphony, disrupting the peace and quiet of the scenery.

Ava, fueled by determination, fought with everything she had. She had improved since the first time she challenged Lilith, and wanted to prove it to the Sister Warriors. Long gone was the girl who needed help to know how to fight with a stick, the Warrior Nun was training hard to let their enemies know she was worthy to wield the cruciform sword.

Beatrice stood in a small wood dock by the lake, her eyes locked on the intense exchange between Ava and Lilith. She had a hard time monitoring everything, as each opponent and their enhanced abilities were too fast for common eyes. The raw energy in the air and the sheer determination emanating from both warriors held her in awe fueled Beatrice with a mix of hope and excitement. With these two strong warriors by their side, they had to win the upcoming battles, she was sure of it.

As the fight unfolded, she found herself inspired by the dedication of her companions. Ava, with her newfound skills, fought with a fire that seemed to burn brighter than ever. Lilith, the seasoned warrior, showcased a level of expertise that demanded respect. Their strengths and the dance of their wooden blades painted a vivid picture of the power they held within.

And it seemed Lilith found herself genuinely challenged, if everything Beatrice knew about her was correct. Her agile moves and calculated strikes were met with Ava's newfound skill and the unpredictability of her attacks. As she monitored the fight, Beatrice made mental notes of the techniques and the strategies employed by both warriors. There was a lesson to be learned and Beatrice was eager to incorporate everything within her reach into her own training.The camaraderie and shared goal of becoming stronger together fueled a fire within her, one that burned brighter than any individual pursuit.

In that moment, surrounded by the echoes of the training ground, Beatrice felt a renewed sense of purpose. The fight unfolding before her served as a reminder that, despite the challenges they faced and the ones awaiting them, they were a formidable team. When her faith in the religious institution wavered after learning the truth about Adriel, she decided to put it on her sisterhood more than ever, and the supernatural fight she was witnessing only eased her decision. It was a realization that strengthened her resolve, pushing her to strive for greatness alongside her fellow warriors.

The fight was fierce between the two women, and in a sudden burst of movement, Ava phased through Lilith's strike, her body momentarily becoming intangible. Lilith, who quickly mastered her new teleportation ability, vanished from Ava's sight, reappearing behind her with a swift and calculated move. The wooden swords they wielded clashed with resonating force, echoing through the mountainous terrain.

Ava continued to exploit her phasing ability, dodging Lilith's strikes and maneuvering around her with an almost ghost-like fluidity. Lilith with the weight of her experience, adapted swiftly, utilizing teleportation to maintain distance and launch surprise attacks. The fight became a dance of shadows and flashes, leaving Beatrice in awe of the supernatural spectacle.

Ava, sensing an opportunity, phased through Lilith's defense and landed a series of rapid strikes that put the experienced warrior in a precarious position. Lilith, despite the danger, remained composed. With a sudden burst of energy, Lilith teleported out of Ava's reach, creating a strategic distance between them.

The seasoned warrior, drawing from years of combat practice, analyzed Ava's patterns and devised a counter-strategy. As Ava lunged forward with another phasing attack, Lilith anticipated her movement. With precise timing, Lilith teleported behind Ava, disarming her with a swift motion. But as the Sister Warrior thought the match was over, Ava phased through her and quickly took a few steps to create once again distance between them. Lilith turned around, facing her opponent. She was smiling, with what Beatrice could call a mix of pride and smugness. Noticing Ava stance, ready to start throwing punches instead of sword hits, the Sister Warrior threw her wooden weapon on the ground, next to the other one.

“Alright then Ava.” she said, challenging the Warrior Nun for a final showdown. In a swift move, her nail stretched out and soon became like sharp claws.

The Warrior Nun looked obviously tired from that never ending fight, and despite her outstanding performance, Beatrice knew it wasn’t a fight their leader would win. Lilith was nowhere near tired, and even if Ava put her under difficult situations on several occasions, the years of experience of the Sister Warrior were piling against Ava's new skill and ingenuity. 

The battle reached its climax as Ava and Lilith engaged their hand-to-hand combat. Ava, fueled by determination, managed to outmaneuver Lilith, delivering a flurry of well-placed strikes.

Lilith, growing impatient, launched herself at Ava with a feral growl and nails extended into razor-sharp claws. The Warrior Nun dodged most of the clawed strikes, but one particularly vicious swipe caught her on the side. The impact was painful, and Beatrice, sensing the intensity of the blow, swiftly intervened.

"Enough!" Beatrice commanded, rushing between the two combatants. The air crackled with residual energy as Ava and Lilith reluctantly disengaged. The intense training session had pushed both warriors to their limits, and Beatrice, though impressed with their abilities, knew when to call an end to the fight.

But her intervention created a momentary tension between Ava and Lilith. The atmosphere was charged with the remnants of their fierce battle, and their labored breaths filled the air.

"Ava, are you alright?" Beatrice asked, concern etched on her face as she gently touched Ava's side where Lilith's claw had left its mark. Blood started leaking profusely from the wound and Beatrice quickly noticed how deep it was. Lilith could easily tear limbs from her opponent she concluded, and was just glad her friend showed a good control of her strength.  The Halo was already at work, yet healing Ava a bit slower than usual. This battle must really have drained a good part of her energy. Still, Beatrice quickly took the nearest fabric within her reach to apply pressure and prevent unwanted blood loss.

"I'm fine," Ava replied through gritted teeth, a mixture of pain and frustration evident in her eyes.

Lilith, now standing a few steps away, observed the scene with a raised eyebrow. "I wasn't going to kill her. Just testing her limits, It is what I’m here for, remember?" she remarked, her tone unapologetic. She was using her bottle of water to clean her bloody hand.

"We're not here to test limits that could have serious complications." Beatrice retorted, her voice firm. "This is training, not a life-or-death battle."

Ava, still catching her breath, shot Lilith a defiant look. "I can handle it."

"Handling it doesn't mean you have to endure unnecessary risks," Beatrice countered, her gaze firm on her fellow warriors. Both of them were obviously still high on adrenaline, and their rivalry driven banters was a way to keep on fighting.   "We're a team, and we're here to make each other better without causing harm."

Lilith sighed, rolling her eyes. "Fine, preach your teamwork philosophy."

"It's not just a philosophy, Lilith. It's what will keep us alive when facing the real enemy," Beatrice asserted, her eyes narrowing.

Ava, recognizing the gravity of the situation, nodded in agreement. "She's right. We need to be in top condition for what's coming."

Lilith shrugged, conceding to the point. "Alright, if that's what you two believe in so strongly."

With that, the tension gradually dissipated, and the trio began gathering their belongings, the training session ending sooner than expected. As they headed back to Ava and Beatrice’s apartment, the natural quietness of the mountain could reign again.

—- 

“Aaaah I don’t think I can use my legs anymore !”

“You certainly look quite tired. Maybe we overdid it.”

“Maybe, but as you and Mother Superion said, it was necessary.”

After the training, The trio went back to Ava & Beatrice’s place. Ava was thankful of Lilith's new teleportation skill because frankly? She was beaten. Training with Beatrice was difficult but fulfilling, Training with Lilith was hell, just pure hell. With her new power, the other Sister Warrior was obviously stronger and faster than Beatrice, and Ava understood why Mother Superion asked her to train with Beatrice, and not Lilith.

She noticed the differences between Beatrice's training style and Lilith's approach. Beatrice pushed her limits but with a careful consideration for her well-being. Lilith, on the other hand, went all out, driven by the desire to prove her dominance.

It dawned on Ava that Beatrice, despite the challenging training sessions, was more of a teacher than Lilith. Beatrice understood the delicate balance between pushing someone to grow and ensuring they didn't break in the process. It was a realization that made Ava appreciate her mentor even more.

Fighting with Lilith was challenging. Ava grew confident in her abilities, but Lilith’s experience outmatched her. One thing she learned from that fight was she had to get creative if she ever had to fight someone like her in their upcoming war against Adriel.

“Please Bea, can I just skip today’s work ?”

“Wouldn't it be weird if you skip it but still come to the Karaoke night later ?”

“Ugh, I hate that you’re right.”

Ava said dramatically, putting the back on her hand on her forehead. She was lying on their bed, her head almost hanging by the end of the furniture. As Lilith teleported them inside, the Warrior Nun almost threw herself in this position, and didn’t move for almost twenty minutes. 

“Bea, I think I’ll end up paralyzed again” she said, a bit louder as the Sister Warrior went to grab the heated kettle. She already settled 3 cups of tea on their coffee table, while the other Sister Warrior and their guest were the fastest to claim the shower.

“Aren’t you being a little bit dramatic ?” Lilith said, stepping out of the bathroom.

“Lilith, you tried to kill me so yeah, I can be dramatic.”

“I was not even close to badly harming you, stop making things up.”

“I pumped so much energy from the Halo to fight you I can’t get out of bed.” 

“Isn’t it just because you’re lazy?”

“Ugh, Shut up Lilith.”

Beatrice returned with the heated kettle, pouring the tea into the cups strategically arranged on the coffee table. Lilith, dressed in a fresh set of clothes after the quick shower, took a seat on the small couch.

“You two seem to be in good spirits,” Beatrice remarked, handing a cup of tea to Lilith. Instead of taking a seat on the chair, she went to sit on the bed, next to Ava.

She looked down, at the Warrior Nun still lying on her back. The younger woman met her gaze, and the Sister Warrior smiled at her.

“If you’re really that tired, I’ll cut your hours at the bar today.” she said, softer. her left hand mechanically went to stroke the Warrior Nun’s cheek.

Ava's eyes softened as she felt Beatrice's gentle touch on her cheek. The concern in Beatrice's eyes was evident, and Ava appreciated the genuine care. With a grateful smile, she replied “I’ll be okay Bea, as you said it will be weird if I don’t show up.”

As Beatrice continued to stroke her cheek, Ava placed her own hand on top of Beatrice's. It was a simple, reassuring gesture, a silent acknowledgment of the connection they shared.

Lilith, observing the scene with her characteristic smirk, interjected, "Stop babying her, Beatrice. In 10 minutes, she'll be running around the apartment, causing chaos as usual."

Ava shot Lilith a mock glare, but her eyes betrayed a glint of amusement. Beatrice chuckled at Lilith's comment, a mixture of annoyance and fondness in her expression. It was a typical dynamic between the three of them, a blend of banter and camaraderie that had quickly formed in the past few weeks. Beside calling Superion, Lilith was their only link to the OCS at that moment. Especially when they were running away at the beginning, Lilith would pop up out of nowhere, stay for a few hours and leave just like that.

“How’s your mission going?” Beatrice suddenly asked her fellow Sister Warrior, her tone laced with concern. Ava couldn't help but feel a slight pang of worry in response. The gravity of the new conversation made her move her position, and she sat on the bed next to Beatrice. By instinct she took Beatrice’s hand with her own once again.

Lilith sighed, setting her tea cup down. “Difficult, like I’ve been chasing rats all over Europe.”

Ava exchanged a glance with Beatrice. The weight of Lilith's words hung in the air. Beatrice's grip on Ava's hand tightened, a silent reassurance.

"Any leads on Adriel or Vincent?" Beatrice pressed, her eyes searching Lilith's for any sign of progress.

Lilith leaned back, crossing her arms. "I have a promising lead in Portugal. I'll be heading there soon, but I need to consult Mother Superion first. There might be more to this than meets the eye."

Ava couldn't contain the question that lingered in the minds of all three, a question too weighty and ominous to articulate easily. The room fell into a heavy silence before Ava finally voiced it, her voice soft yet carrying the weight of the collective fear.

"Do you know if Mary's alive?" she asked, her eyes fixed on Lilith, searching for any shred of information, a glimmer of hope or dread. Beatrice's grip on Ava's hand tightened, an unspoken solidarity as they awaited Lilith's response. The air seemed to thicken with the gravity of the question, and the room held its breath, suspended in uncertainty.

“I…I don’t know” Lilith admitted, frustration all over her voice.

Lilith's admission hung in the air, a heavy truth that cast a shadow over the room. The frustration in her voice mirrored the collective anxiety they all felt about Mary's fate. Ava and Beatrice exchanged a glance, their shared concern reflecting in their eyes.

Beatrice's voice, gentle yet probing, broke the silence that followed. "What happened? Why don't you know?"

Lilith sighed, her gaze falling to the cup of tea in her hands. "I've been following leads, trying to track down Adriel or Vincent. I'm on the hunt, moving constantly. The information about Mary has been elusive, and every trail I follow seems to lead to a dead end."

Ava's fingers intertwined with Beatrice's, seeking comfort in the connection. The uncertainty surrounding Mary's well-being weighed heavily on all of them, a reminder of the stakes in their battle against Adriel. They sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts, grappling with the unknown and the challenges ahead.

"It's Mary guys, she's too strong and stubborn to die" said Ava, trying to cheer on her companions.

Ava's attempt to lift the mood brought a faint smile to Beatrice's lips. She appreciated the effort, even though the worry about Mary persisted in the room.

"You’re right," Beatrice chimed in, her voice carrying a reassuring tone. "Mary has faced incredible odds before. We can't count her out just yet."

Lilith nodded, appreciating the support from her fellow Sister Warriors. The trio sat there, united by a shared mission and the unspoken bond that grew stronger with each trial they faced. 

"I’ll search every square meter of Portugal, of the world even, until I find her," Lilith said with determination.

“We know you will.” Beatrice said,

The Sister Warrior rose from the bed, and Ava mirrored her movements. Beatrice withdrew her hand from Ava’s, only to put it on her shoulder. As she turned to face Lilith, she gently massaged it.

"We need to leave for the bar soon, but keep us updated, Lilith. And stay safe."

Lilith nodded, acknowledging Beatrice's words. As the Sister Warrior headed towards the shower, Ava watched her go with a mixture of warmth and longing. The Sister Warrior disappeared behind the bathroom door, leaving Ava and Lilith alone in the room. Lilith took a sip of her tea, her eyes thoughtful.

Ava decided to break the almost awkward silence, her voice a soft inquiry. "You really think you'll find them in Portugal?"

Lilith nodded, setting her cup down. "I've got a lead, and I won't rest until I've tracked them down."

Despite Ava's best effort, the awkward mood between the two of them lingered. There was a palpable tension and unspoken questions creating a discomfort that begged for resolution. Ava shifted uncomfortably on the bed, feeling Lilith's scrutinizing gaze on her. 

“Took you long enough.” Lilith finally said, her gaze still on Ava. Was she even blinking her eyes ?!

“What?” Ava replied quietly, feeling intimidated by the Sister Warrior. She didn’t think she’d get used to her deadly stare anytime soon.

Ava felt Lilith's gaze, an unspoken inquiry that hovered in the air. The weight of suspicion settled between them, and in the pregnant pause, Ava's mind raced to comprehend Lilith's silent interrogation. It didn't take long for her to connect the dots, and the realization dawned on her like a sudden revelation.

Ava's heart skipped a beat as a chill ran down her spine. The weight of Lilith's suspicion struck a nerve, sending a jolt of fear through her. It was as if Lilith had glimpsed into a secret realm of her emotions, leaving Ava feeling vulnerable and exposed.

“Lilith, please, don’t ask her about it.”

“I’m not an idiot.”

Ava sighed, knowing Lilith's protective instincts were firing on all cylinders. The Sister Warrior cared deeply about Beatrice, and any hint of ambiguity in their interactions raised Lilith's suspicions.

“It's not…She’s just helping me to control the Halo.”

“Sure.”

“It’s true.”

“But not the whole truth, am I right?”

“Well...”

“Yeah, I figure.”

Lilith stood up and went to her stuff. Ava mirrored the movement, though the unspoken tension lingered. It was as if Lilith could see through Ava's words, straight into the uncharted territories of her connection with Beatrice.

“If you hurt her, I’ll hurt you a thousand times worse, you know that right?” Lilith's voice carried a warning, showing her protectiveness over Beatrice. But somehow, Ava understood that behind the threat, the Sister Warrior just gave her both the shovel talk and her blessing. 

“If I hurt her, there won’t be any me for you to hurt, Lilith. I’d rather pull the Halo off my fucking back myself than hurt Bea in any way.” Ava's response held a sincerity that echoed in the room, a proof of her feelings for Beatrice and the lengths she would go to protect her.

It drew a small smile on Lilith’s face, obviously pleased with the sudden outburst of the Warrior Nun.

"Well, let's hope it never comes to that. Take care of her, Ava." Lilith said with a hint of warmth, and with those parting words, she gathered her belongings, ready to resume her own day. Ava smiled at her, butterflies going crazy in her stomach. It was one thing to talk about her feelings with JC, but it was another to share them with Lilith and have her accept them without questions. It suddenly felt less crazier for her to be head over heels for a nun. 

Before Lilith had the chance to vanish into the air, Ava spoke again.

“Ugh, there is this thing at the bar tonight, Karaoke night, do you want to come ? Bea promised me she’ll stay, I know she won’t sing, but she could enjoy your company?”

Ava asked in one go, obviously shy to even suggest it.

“Are you really asking me to hang out for Karaoke Night ?” Lilith asked, looking at her like she just murder her entire family.

Well, their Tom and Jerry dynamic was obviously back.

“Okay, okay! forget that I even asked!” Ava shouted, blushing from embarrassment. Lilith said nothing for a few seconds, just looked at Ava with an intense stare.

“I’ll see you around, don’t do anything stupid.” she said as a farewell to the Warrior Nun.

“Yup, Yup, sure, I’ll behave” Ava said quickly, avoiding the taller girl's eyes.

Lilith vanished into thin air, leaving Ava alone in the room. The quiet lingered, but Ava couldn't shake off the weight of Lilith's unspoken concerns. As she sat on the couch where the teleporting Sister Warrior was before, Ava was left to deal with her own struggles about the complexities of her growing connection with Beatrice. 

As their game grew in intensity with each kiss, Ava knew they’d soon lose control. She hadn’t thought that far into that scenario yet but one thing was sure, she'll do everything she could to protect Beatrice.