Punishment Halls

Even as the car navigated through the bustling streets of Punta Luzbel, a city which Koral had never seen before, the girl found herself utterly disconnected from her surroundings.

The vibrant color of the sea shimmering in the distance, or the bustling sounds of honking horns as well as the people going around with their day amidst the disheveled streets —none of them managed to evoke any sense of childlike curiosity in Koral, too emotionally stunted to derive any interest from them.

She simply held her head low as old man Apollo continued driving silently with only his right hand —the only one he had.

An entire day had come to pass since her world had been torn asunder, since the flames of hell had engulfed her life, leaving only charred remains of what once was. Koral’s heart remained trapped in a state of rigor mortis, unable to find even the faintest glimmer of solace amidst the ashes.

Kirana’s tangible and still form was now beyond her reach, robbed from her after committing so many unspeakable atrocities, and piled among the scorched corpses of her murderers. Whatever fate awaited their bodies was one that the blonde’s fractured mind could scarcely even begin to fathom —not did she want to.

Most of the dark hours had been brimming with night terrors and nightmares, refusing to leave her head even as the rays of the sun replaced the light of the moon. Apollo had seen that she received the most basic of medical treatments —taking the shape of bandages that now encircled her head, completely obscuring her ruined left eye; yet the excruciating phantom of pain had begun its relentless haunting the moment adrenaline was drained from her veins.

She could now name the place where the kidnappers had taken them to —Punta Luzbel, the city ruled and enforced by the Medula Cartel. Police held no true authority here, and the corners of alleys where full of old tales of brutality and their twisted manner of retribution. Naturally, her fate would have been very swiftly decided in a merciless manner if not for Apollo’s intervention.

Not like she particularly cared too much. In the hollowed chambers of her heart, Koral found herself devoid of both much will or any meaningful reason to live. With both Kirana and her attackers dead, the young girl felt adrift in a sea of pointlessness, stripped away of purpose and identity, leaving not much behind but an empty husk.

That was the reason why Koral didn’t bother asking for neither Apollo’s identity nor objectives for saving her, even as her future descended upon whatever his design was. The weight of her grief was too immense, too all-consuming, to allow for such trivial curiosities to take root.

At first, she had entertained the idea that maybe he was a detective, or a solitary vigilante who understood the enigmatic nature of being like the blue-haired phantom. However, Koral knew better than to indulge in such childish fantasies. The unforgiving reality was etched into the lines of Apollo’s weathered face, a grim reminder that he was no hero from a storybook.

After all, for as tense of an exchange that had transpired between them, the old man had ultimately chosen not to pursue further hostilities with the thug that survived, the bald man called Milo —a silent acknowledgment that whatever Apollo was, he couldn’t be much different from the monsters who had stolen her sister’s life.

Not like it made any difference to question it. The world had already revealed its true colors, painting a canvas of cruelty that left no room for naivety.

Perhaps sensing her desolated indifference, a palpable aura of listlessness that clung to her like a shroud, it was Apollo who attempted to break the ice from behind the steering wheel. His voice carried a hint of paternal worry, a discomfort that Koral found herself bristling against. She had never been good at receiving condescension from adults.

“Are you afraid?” Was his softly-spoken question, the words hanging in the air like a wisp, ephemeral yet also a bit suffocating.

“I’m not.” Koral answered with a sigh, her shoulders unable to muster the strength to sit upright, even if she were to have any inclination to try. “I just… Don’t care anymore.”

Her words were followed by another heavy silence between the two, so in the end, it was the young girl who decided to continue the conversation.

“Can I trust in you, Apollo?” She asked, tightening her fists as she felt the pungent sting of tears harming her yet-to-heal left eye. “Are you not going to kill me, for what I did?”

A part of her craved death, a release from all that pain threatening to consume her whole. Without Kirana by her side, she felt incomplete, emptied. That’s why, regardless of the answer Apollo would give, she wouldn’t resist her fate any longer.

“My goal is for you to survive.” He appeared to be a man of few words, sighing just the same as her, as more open landscapes gradually began replacing Punta Luzbel’s streets. “That doesn’t mean you should trust me.”

Apollo’s golden met hers for a brief moment, a glimmer of something indecipherable flickering within their depths.

“The most important lesson you must learn is that no one is trustworthy enough to leave your life in their hands.”

But then… If he truly meant those words, shouldn’t she be doubting whatever teaching he was trying to impart her in the first place? The train of thought left Koral reeling for a moment, giving up before there was any sense to be made. She didn’t understand him, and that ignited her frustration.

“Do you have children, Apollo?” Koral asked back, not even a hint of hesitation as she changed the topic into something she could more easily poke him with.

“Another crucial one is to never ask unnecessary questions.” He quickly replied, his voice carrying a subtle edge.

“Humph. I feel sorry for them if you do.”

>> “You’d suck as a dad.”

A small, entertained sound escaped from Apollo’s mouth, but mixed alongside the amusement there was also the lingering hint of melancholy hiding underneath. It was something that Koral couldn’t quite comprehend at her young age. She didn’t exactly dislike him though, and the feeling appeared to be mutual.

“You really have no respect, do you?” He finally replied, his words carrying a gentleness that seemed at odds with his prior severity. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips, one that didn’t appear entirely out of place despite the layers of coldness he wore like an armor. “Why don’t you try calling me Mr. Apollo for once?”

“As if.” Koral scoffed, rolling her eye with practiced apathy as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Consider yourself lucky I call you anything at all.”

She had already bared enough of her soul to the old man’s gaze, as he consoled her tears and helped her carry out the parting rites with her sister. As much as she didn’t hate Apollo, that was already more than enough of exposing the maelstrom raging within. The time to continue her anguish would come once she was given enough space for misery to suffocate her in private.

There were many things that she wanted to question him about as the lustrous black car marched on. From transcendental ones like how what were monsters like Apollo’s eagle supposed to be, to trivial ones like if missing an arm made it any harder to drive —yet Koral refrained from voicing any at all, her attention instead being called to the looming figures of large and lavish houses slowly appearing in the horizon.

Sun rays beat down harshly upon the opulent villas that dotted the landscape, each a monument to wealth and excess that Koral had only glimpsed through the flickering of television shows.

Lush gardens overflowing with vibrant blooms and ornate fountains adorned the sprawling estates, a stark contrast to the desolate alleyways and crumbling tenements that had been her only reality this far.

As the car wound its way through the exclusive enclave, Koral couldn’t help but notice the menacing figures of men copiously distributed across the area, their watchful eyes following the vehicle closely as it moved along.

And it was inside one of such villas that the car finally began decelerating, making Koral already feel out of place even when she hadn’t taken one single step outside yet.

The young girl’s jaw dropped, her eyes widening as they fully stopped before the grand edifice of gleaming white marble, perched high on their path like a crown jewel. Countless windows nestled between pillars sparkled like captured stars, allowing tantalizing glimpses into the lavish interior as Koral absentmindedly followed the silent Apollo, her gaze moving from one opulent detail to the next.

Twin staircases, elegant and curving outward like embracing arms, descended from the sprawling house’s main level to a patio below. Their handrails were adorned with vibrant red roses that trailed down to the stone path, winding through immaculately manicured gardens.

At the center of it all, a current of water cascaded into a large and crystal clear pool adorned with floating petals, the gentle sound of the stream a soothing counterpoint to the oppressive tension she felt across the men in suits stationed like statues.

The sheer extravagance that surrounded Koral, while not enough to completely distract her from pain, did certainly manage to make the air in her throat feel heavier. This was a world wholly alien to her, a realm of luxury and indulgence the likes she could have only dreamt of before. The lives of those at the top were a universe apart from the places she knew, a chasm of privilege and wealth that now that seemed utterly insurmountable.

As Apollo dictated their steps with a quick and confident pace, Koral found herself following his lead gingerly, her small frame dwarfed by the towering mansion. Had it not been for him guiding them forward she was certain that she would have faltered, too overwhelmed by the grandeur to even dare to approach —or perhaps even swiftly ejected before she could even set foot inside.

Counting the stories and balconies of the building above her head, the two of them climbed one of the staircases, its steps guiding them onto a spacious outer terrace from which the cascade originated. In there was a medium-sized pond adorned with vibrant lotus flowers, their delicate blossoms floating serenely atop the rippling surface. Large, colorful fish darted beneath the lily pads, their scales glimmering under the sun filtered through the latticed overhang above.

Yet more striking than any material object, more captivating than the meticulously crafted gardens or the intricate tilework underfoot, was the woman resting there, seemingly awaiting their arrival. While she was covered in dazzling jewelry and fragrant blooms, her inherent beauty was one that left Koral enraptured.

In the wake of their approach, the woman was minding a crystal chess board laid upon a low terrace table. The pieces had tiny roses of various colors and states of vibrancy captured inside their tempered glass, and while she appeared amused by them, she soon enough raised her eyes towards Apollo with an unfaltering smile.

“Miss Valerica.” Apollo took out his hat and bowed his head for a brief moment before taking a seat in front of her, his large stature descending into one of the stuffed lounge armchairs —though his shape was still taller than Koral’s. While there were more than enough resting places for the small blonde to join the two adults, she instead kept her sheepish ground behind the silver-haired old man. “I’ve come, as per your request.”

“Is that how you decide to open this conversation?” The woman called Valerica replied with an entertained tone, one that didn’t completely undermine her strong and confident presence. Despite how youthful she looked when compared to Apollo, there was very little room for doubt regarding which of the two held a higher status. “Are you suggesting I should ignore the stray kitten you picked up along the way?”

>> “Having a soft spot for children is quite an attractive trait. Wouldn’t you think so, Solano?”

In Koral’s mind, Valerica could have easily graced the chapters of a telenovela. Her olive skin held a radiant glow, and high cheekbones accentuated the sharp, angular lines of her jaw. Her lips were painted a shade of deep crimson, adding to her poise and drawing the girl’s gaze with mounting curiosity.

So engrossed she was with her features, that Koral missed most of the subtle power dynamics woven into their conversation, nuance escaping her immature perception.

“I never intended to hide her.” Apollo replied, not sounding tense despite the smothering presence of the woman scrutinizing him. Perhaps he was used to this kind of situation. “Otherwise I wouldn’t have brought Koral with me.”

“What a lovely name, very fitting.” The young girl tensed up instinctively when the emerald green of Valerica’s attention fell onto her unsuspecting shoulders. They were framed by long, dark lashes that fluttered every now and then within their captivating gaze —cunning eyes, suggesting a level of calculation that Koral could only fail to imagine. “You’re welcome to stay with me for the afternoon, little beauty.”

>> “But as for you, Solano…” Her voice dropped down to a somber, chilling tune. “You should know better than to jeopardize my operations.”

>> “If you have a valid reason… You’d better start explaining yourself right now.”

Her hair was a fiery mix of dark-brown and copper crimson, cascading down her back and the sides of her face in lustrous waves, loosely curled as they framed her features with an elegance that seemed almost ethereal. She wasn’t tall, at least when compared to Apollo, but her lithe figure remained imposing, accentuated by a designer suit tailored to her frame.

In comparison to her own ragged appearance, with her sun-damaged and tattered plain dress, full of dried blood marks and dirt… What else could Koral do but to end utterly and thoroughly transfixed?

So much distracted the young girl was that she didn’t even pay mind to the telltale click of Apollo lifting the safety lock off his gun beside her. Realization struck a moment too late as he raised the barrel, aiming it squarely at her face.

The issuing blast caught Koral entirely off-guard. Her body crumpled forward as searing pain lanced through her skull, the bullet rupturing flesh and bone to lodge itself inside her brain —everything swiftly engulfed by a pitch blackness devouring her senses.

Once more, she was cast into this empty void. Was this how it ended? Had her survival of the previous day’s nightmare been this… Pointless? True, she didn’t know the reason as to why she still drew breath, but to have it snuffed out so unceremoniously felt… Anticlimactic.

Well, no matter. She had struggled enough. If death came to claim her now, then…

Her resignation was violently shattered as Koral found herself gasping on the floor, a trail of blood marring the pristine tiles beneath her. Somehow, she had cheated death again, the how and why a mystery.

Raising her gaze, she beheld the blue-haired specter once more, the sound of an angered hiss escaping from beneath the veiling strands as she was kept at bay by the looming presence of Apollo’s eagle. The old man had just executed her… But to what purpose?

With her mind running a million miles per hour, Koral’s eye hardened in spite as she prepared herself to fight for her life once more. Whether she lived or died, she wouldn’t allow anyone to choose it for her.

Unlike Kirana, who was robbed of such choice.

Yet any urge to resist was immediately quelled, pacified by the delicate touch of Valerica’s hands cupping the sides of her face from the ground, cradling her under the velvety touch of her fingers.

“Such a cruel and merciless fate you’ve met.” Her melodious voice carried a spellbinding cadence. Koral was dead certain now that this woman was the one behind all her suffering, profiting from the very atrocities issued on her name while she reveled in luxurious decadence. “Don’t worry, you belong to me now.”

But… Even as her rational mind rebelled, the small blonde found herself entranced by Valerica’s beauty, powerless against the thorned vines of captivation tightening around her heart —or was there something else at play that she could not yet see? Unseen forces manipulating her vulnerability?

“Live for my sake, and I shall ensure all your deepest desires become reality.”

The blue-haired specter loomed above her shoulders with menacing tension, a promise of impending devastation… Yet Koral couldn’t fight anymore. There was one desolation that rendered her heart to uselessness. She had no crave for luxury, nor power or beauty to rival Valerica’s.

There was just one yearning that her soul could not relinquish.

“All I want…” Koral’s words trembled as tears streaked her face, anguish she could no longer contain. “… Is for my sister to come back.”

A moment of quiet understanding passed between them as Valerica’s fingers gently caressed Koral’s bloodied blonde hair. She exchanged a brief glance with Apollo, turning her soothing gaze back to the distraught girl after confirming her sister’s status.

“Sweetheart, I’m sure you miss your dear sister very much. If it were in my power, I would move heaven and earth itself to bring her back.” Her voice was dripping with a saccharine empathy that made Koral’s skin crawl… Yet she couldn’t move away from this hollow comfort either. “Unfortunately, that’s what happens when a loved one dies.”

>> “As agonizing as it is, she’s gone from this world.”

Koral wanted to recoil from this stranger’s presumptuous words. She didn’t want her speaking about her plight like she had any idea… And yet, no one else had offered before even an ounce of the kindness her broken spirit craved for.

“However…” Valerica continued as she reached out to tenderly tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “That doesn’t mean she’s gone from your life.”

>> “Your sister will live forever inside your heart, and you can share your memories of her with me if you feel like it. I want to know all the love you two shared.”

>> “I’m here for you, ok? To listen, and to help you keep her alive.”

>> “And who knows?” A private smile played across her painted lips. “Perhaps she’s even watching over now, protecting and guiding you from heaven.”

Sniffling, Koral meekly wiped her tears with trembling wrists, dislodging the bandages previously wrapped around her head. She refused to appear pitiful, not anymore, and certainly not in front of these two adults.

“I understand…” The broken girl reluctantly caved in, survival instincts and desperate hunger for compassion overriding all other worries. “… I’ll do whatever you say.”

The words felt like glass coming out of her throat. She was aware of how she was repeating the same patterns as she had with Kirana —surrendering to hands more eager to take control… But fear kept her compliant. Thinking for herself had only brought disaster.

“Well said, my dear.” Valerica’s tender smile took on a subtle, predatory edge as her hand drifted towards the paradoxical splatter of blood pooling on the tiles. “I knew you were a smart girl the moment I laid eyes on you.”

In an eerie motion, the Cartel Ringleader sank her fingers into the crimson puddle, despite it being only a thin surface across the floor, drawing from it what appeared to be another translucent chess piece like the ones she had been toying with earlier.

Encased within was a delicate half-withered flower, its oceanic blue petals seemingly imbued with a faint inner luminescence. Its miniature elongated shape was streaked with subtle veins of violet and midnight blue, emanating an undercurrent of danger amidst beauty, even in its fragile state.

Valerica’s rapt attention became consumed upon this new addition, rising gracefully as if dismissing Koral’s presence as no longer worthy of notice. She examined the pawn with clear appreciation, as one might appraise a precious jewel.

“Your Mania Blossom is a Datura…” She murmured, turning the piece to admire it from every angle. “Quite promising. I have high expectations that you’ll promote to a better piece if given time.”

“I intend to train Koral.” Apollo interjected firmly, as if cued by the ending of this strange ceremony. “And make her a part of my division.”

“So the little wildflower will become one of your Sicarios.” The Ringleader’s emerald eyes flicked briefly to the old man before returning to her prize. “Aren’t you a cruel one, Solano?”

>> “I won’t object.” She added before Apollo could reply, a secretive smile played across her lips. “If you’re the one supervising her, I’m certain she will grow into a most reliable member of la Medula.”

As the silver-haired geezer thanked this boss, he extended his hand to rest on Koral’s shoulder, as if to subtly tell her to retreat. The girl, however, resentfully jerked it away. Though the tension had been defused after Valerica’s intervention —the two spectral beings dissipating into ethereal mist; Koral hadn’t forgotten the old man’s gunshot without warning. She’d make him apologize in due time for the offense, even if her life hadn’t been permanently extinguished by it.

Rising to her feet unaided, Koral’s finger drifted towards the displaced bandages, drawn by the flickering sensitivity behind her eyelids. Gingerly, she traced the area, wincing as her exploration confirmed that she still had the eyeball —though sight had been cruelly robbed from it.

“This matter is the reason for your summon.” Valerica’s commanding tone redirected Koral’s attention, as the two adults carried on with their babble. “Rafael, bring the boy.”

With a couple of curt gestures from her jeweled fingers, the tensely poised men stationed along the terrace’s edges snapped into brisk motion, exchanging words until another child was promptly ushered before them —Koral discerning that he couldn’t be more than a few years her senior.

“You can call him Kyros.” Valerica introduced him, her focus already drifting back to the chessboard, moving pieces along with fascination. “He has a Punisher too, just like your Koral.”

This so-called Kyros possessed olive skin a couple of shades deeper than Valerica’s, his sharp features setting him apart from the many other children Koral had seen before. His eyes were a piercing clear shade of brown, intense and almost feral, had they not been rendered hollow by some unseen burden. Dark raven hair fell in messy strands that framed his face and reached just below his earlobes.

Yet the most striking aspect of this strange boy, beneath a dirty and plain linen shirt that clung to his thin frame, were the kaleidoscopic ensembles of markings adorning his limbs. On his left arm, crimson glyphs coiled in intricate spirals, while azure and more straight angular runes mirrored them on his right.

Their vibrant, almost three-dimensional quality made Koral skin crawl —they didn’t look like tattoos, but more like living scars that appeared to breathe with every subtle movement. She was sure she caught them shifting and undulating subtly, as if imbued with a life of their own.

“So I’m running a kindergarten now…” Apollo sighed, though Koral could tell his annoyance was superficial. “Is there anything else, Flor?”

“You catch on quickly, as always. Such a good trait to have.” So wait… Did that mean this Kyros freak would also be joining her ‘training’? “I may even be somewhat envious. Wish I had such a capable teacher by my side when I was a bud.”

Apollo parted his lips, but the words died unspoken as he shook his head, reining in whatever reproach had nearly spilled forth.

“The three of you may leave now.” At Valerica’s dismissal, the old man rose swiftly from his chair, a hint of relief etched into the lines of his face now that this meeting was coming to a close. “But I do have a warning for you, Solano.”

>> “Make sure you don’t abandon these ones…”

As those words hung heavily in the air, the old man turned to the stairs without hesitation, the empty sleeve of his coat swaying under the abrupt movement, completely unfazed by the scorching rays of the sun. Koral gasped, realizing that she was being left behind, but after a few halting steps she paused —Kyros had remained rooted in place like a statue.

Tugging insistently on his arm in an effort to break his catatonic trance, Koral’s eye met Valerica’s one final time, with the Ringleader’s unnerving smile both bewitching and disturbing her.

“We’ll see each other again, moonflower.” She stated with certainty. “You’ve yet to tell me about your sister, have you?”

A shudder rippled down Koral’s spine as she swallowed hard, unsettled by the undercurrent of dread that Valerica’s words stirred within her. It was difficult for the girl to believe that mere moments ago, she had so readily agreed to follow the Ringleader’s bidding —a surrender that now felt akin to making a deal with the devil himself.

Steeling her resolve, Koral refused to stumble or hesitate, unwilling to show weakness in the face of such a frightening woman. She continued tugging insistently on Kyros’ arm until he began following of his own accord, the two children hastening down the white marble staircase in pursuit of Apollo, who was lighting a cigarette.

“That could have gone worse.” The old man began, his softening voice and trembling lower lip betraying the nervousness he was trying to conceal under quick-moving feet. “I’m sorry about shooting you, Koral. La Flor is a very obnoxious woman. She would have demanded a demonstration of your capabilities, and that was the quickest manner.”

>> “I told you before to never trust anyone, did I not? That advice rings especially true when it comes to her.”

“I don’t forgive you anyway.” Koral responded bluntly, her voice carrying a disgruntled edge as she sent a kick in Apollo’s direction, though it failed to even budge his burly form. She stained his pants with dirt though, which was enough of a victory in her book. “The least you could’ve done is warn me, asshole.”

“Would that have made it easier on you?” Apollo responded, unbothered by her petulance.

They were talking about shooting her in the face. Perhaps he had a point, however…

“Excuse me!?” Koral replied with exaggerated indignation, though the fire in her tone began to dim as memories of the pain and the fright of the void resurfaced, exacerbated by the dull throbbing of her still-aching eye —which she continued to ignore. “I’d like to at least get a choice if it’s about getting a bullet inside my head…”

>> “What if… The not-dying thing didn’t work this time?”

Her voice trembled, vulnerability seeping through the cracks in her bravado. Apollo responded to those quiet, hesitant words with a weary sigh, momentarily silenced before he directed his attention towards Kyros.

“So, brat…” His tone was coarse and harsh, and very unlike the one he had used with her so far. Perhaps he didn’t have much fondness for children after all, and she was the only exception? “What’s the name of your Punisher?”

Kyros, who still looked out of it, remained muted until their steps towards Apollo’s car had diminished the opulent mansion’s outline in the distance.

“Aethyr.” The black-haired boy finally uttered, driving Koral to voice her curiosity on the subject for the first time. She made a conscious effort to appear more upbeat, not wanting Kyros to get any wrong impressions about her —nor to expose vulnerabilities further.

“A Punisher is one of those ghost things, right?” This much was a given, or so she thought with a raised eyebrow. “They have names? How about your bird, Solano? How do I know which one is mine's?”

“Don’t call me by that name, thank you very much.” Apollo swiftly retorted, tossing the half-consumed cigarette to the ground with a flick of his wrist, seemingly more eager to escape into the sanctuary of his car than to continue smoking. Maybe his nerves had calmed down, thanks to her of course. “The name of the eagle is Sunshine Recorder. We’ll be working together from here onwards, so remember it well.”

>> “As for yours… That’s something you should already know. Look inside yourself for the answer.”

Koral’s brow furrowed at the old coot’s cryptic comment. To ‘look inside oneself’ sounded like one of those cheap suggestions peddled by the scam diviners of the streets. And yet, against her better judgment, she found herself following his advice, closing her eye and attempting to dig through the tumultuous layers of her thoughts in search of a resonant echo —a connection to the blue-haired monster.

The simple act of shuttering herself from visual input ignited a visceral reaction in the young girl. Flashes of Kirana’s final moments, scorched into her memory with searing clarity, resurfaced to haunt her with terrifying speed. Koral trembled, her entire frame racked by anguish… Yet she pushed through the anguish, forcing herself to face the onslaught even as her teeth began to chatter uncontrollably.

And just like Apollo had said… It was there, poorly veiled beneath the fresh memories of hell —a presence both familiar and foreign, lying in wait for a chance to bare her blades against the world once more.

“I know the name.” She managed to say, struggling to control the cold sweat that beaded on her brow. Her two eyes opened, though the right one remained haunted by the visions that danced in the black obscurity.

The word emerged as little more than a tremulous whisper, laden with the weight of a truth she could scarcely comprehend. At that moment, Koral understood that the path before her would be one of silence —paved with the echoes of muffled screams, those she wanted no one else to listen to.

“It’s Hush.”