They were still in the car and Kyrie wasn’t all that worried after all this late evening movents were what he was all about having lived with Negan.
Desirae drove with mild speed allowing Kyrie take in more of the city and it went beyond the cleaner roads and intricate designs of the buildings.
The people even in this lower district were different and yet similar to Strevus.
Most of them wore leather coats with top hats that had goggles embroiled in them.
It was a different look to the city and the district of wealth and glamour they were coming from.
Kyrie took it all in. It didn’t matter the city. Segregation, indifference and social disparity was always going to exist.
They got off and were on foot with Desirae’s heels clicking against the older cobblestone paths.
The path was lined by pipes and dimr gas lamps that provided enough light for people not to trip over themselves.
Soon, Desirae stopped at a wooden door with brass gears sticking out like it’s hinges.
She knocked once and then twice.
The porthole of the door shifted with clicking and hissing sounds behind the door. A weary face ca behind a coarse voice.
"Na"
The golden eyes that peered shifted left and then right and without another word. The door opened after a few more hisses.
The man behind the door was burly and looked like a hardened criminal but his eyes at this mont only held respect as he gave way imdiately.
Desirae walked past him, the most devious smirk on her face as she gestured for Kyrie to co with her.
They soon began descending spiral of concrete steps. Steam hissing all around while they ca down even under the green illumination of gas lamps.
" Where are we going? ". Kyrie asked, breaking the darkness he was in.
" Just trust —"
She didn’t finish speaking when echoes of cheers began coming from below the stairs. Kyrie’s eye brows to crease.
The end of the stairs sprawled into a massive do.
Kyrie’s crimson slits dilated.
"Wow"
Desirae smirked, tapping his shoulder.
"They don’t teach you this in school "
Kyrie nodded absentmindedly. The structure was actually sothing quite crazy.
The ceiling arched upwards with tal beams keeping the structure upright.
Gas lamps and Neteros powered lanterns layered the walls in the company of copper pipes illuminating the entire structure.
The structure itself was built magnificently. its size easily a city block large and the layout was tiered.
At the top on elevated platforms were the rich. Dressed in tailored suits, drinks in hand and servants flanking them and won on their laps.
The walls around them were curved in with exit routes from side to side.
Below was the larger crowd. They were rougher with weary faces but their cheers easily swallowed any sense of serenity that could exist here.
The air was filled with the sll of alcohol, tobacco, sweat and what Kyrie determined to be blood.
At the epicenter of the structure was a smaller sunken compartnt with massive gears stationed on each cardinal point.
From the teeths of the brass gears were violet like lasers that seed to inter-twine into a net to isolate anything within the compartnt.
Kyrie instinctively moved to get a closer look. Witnessing two individuals within the compartnt that he determined to be this world’s version of a fighting pit. The bloody stains on the walls and floors were clear evidence.
The two individuals. A man and woman looked like seasoned fighters. Their eyes were deep and determined.
The woman wore a sleeveless shirt that desperately tried to contain her voluptuous chest. Black pants and battle grade boots with fingerless hand gloves.
The man on the other hand wore a robe while he gripped tightly on a glowing sword while another sword hovered, orbiting around him.
"Psions?"
Desirae simply nodded.
Kyrie remained still and watched.
The fighters stayed focused even while the roars that tested the structural integrity of the arena grew.
The man was the first to move. He lunged forward behind his hovering sword that pierced through the air while spinning as it aid towards the woman’s chest.
She easily dodged. Side stepping and even with her body still slanted she stretched and flicked her finger twice with a slight delay on the second flick.
The man who was mid lunge, quickly leaped upwards as the air around him vibrated chaotically but he managed to dodge.
Her re flick had resulted in a power sonic blast. While he leaped, the delayed flick ca as a blast that slamd right into his chest sending him back into the lasers that bordered the pit.
The crowd roared even as the man grunted, his back scarred from contact with the laser even while blood erupted from his mouth.
The man quickly scrambled to his feet. Another sword by his side.
His eyes pulsing with intent while he charged forward again.The woman stood still. Her eyes trailing him but her expression was calm.
The mont he was in range she clapped her hands. The vibration that ca burst the man’s ear drums with a loud boom.
A concussive wave spread out like a blanket literally bashing the man from head to toe breaking his bones, his swords and his will.
He fell on his knees before collapsing on his face.
The woman, still calm, moved closer to the man raising her hand which was balled into a fist.
She punched down at the man’s head releasing a precise concussive blast of sounds that crushed the man’s head. Blood splattering on the floor.
The crowd went wild in that instant. so rejoiced, others frowned. On the higher platforms, crowns danced in the air exchanging hands. Bargaining life.
The woman turned and walked away. Her expression plain like this was just a chore.
Kyrie’s stomach tightened. A bit disgusted.
He had killed before but this right here was using lives as sport. For entertainnt. Not for survival.
Desirae’s eyes searched Kyrie’s face as she spoke.
"Behind all the opulence, the tea parties and plazas. This is the true Astria. "
Kyrie murmured in an undertone.
"A perversion"
She nodded gently in agreent.
...
Kyrie’s eyes were open but he didn’t even notice when it happened. He felt like he only blinked before a loud bang resonated.
Out of nowhere ca a flock of marshals. They moved in fast and organized. Their dark blue uniforms and brass buttons illuminated by the light of the arena.
Behind the Marshals were two sentinels. They wore the sa uniform with orange wrist bands. The pressure of their psychic energy twisting the space.
The crowd had erupted into chaos with people shoving each other in a bid to get to get to the stairs.
So people climbed over each other as Marshals tackled so down. Arresting them.
The wealthy individuals in the upper floors were escorted out by sentinels. Not rushed or pressured just treated like flowers.
Kyrie’s instincts in this mont scread run.But no one was running toward him. They were running past him.
Around him.
It was like they knew he was there but ignored him nonetheless.
"--What?"
It made no sense to Kyrie who looked at Desirae.
She stood perfectly still, her hands in her trousers pockets, her expression calm and leisurely.
Around them, the chaos continued. But none of it ca close to them.
Kyrie couldn’t understand what was going on but it wasn’t invisibility.
Desirae looked at him as she turned towards the exit.
" It’s simple perception control " she said calmly.
"Their minds cannot register our existence, only a hindrance they have to avoid "
Kyrie’s eyes widened. When did she even start this? While they entered? Or just now ?
"We are in their ntal blind spots?"
She smirked as she gestured him towards the exit.
"Smart boy, Let’s go "
Kyrie followed behind her when a marshal ran past at full speed diving at a man, who was just inches away. Tackling him down.
*Jeez*
—---
After the bust, they drove back to the hotel in silence. Kyrie lost in thought about the true nature of Desirae.
She was a ball of mystery. Abilities that were nothing he had seen before and an attitude that made it almost impossible to tell she was this terrifyingly strong.
After what seed like an eternity, they finally arrived at the hotel as the engine went off and Desirae finally faced Kyrie.
"Quite the night huh?"
" Quite the day ". Kyrie retorted.
He didn’t get a single mont of rest so far while the weight of Rudolf ’s demise still lingered in his mind. Though deeper now.
"Get so rest. Tomorrow starts early."
Kyrie got out of the car before looking back in with the door still half opened.
"Thank you"
"You’re welco." She winked.
—
In his room, Kyrie prepped a hot bath and this ti he allowed himself to soak properly.
The day had been long. From Strevus at dawn. The airship. Rudolf. Astria. Desirae. The fight club.
So much in so little ti. Story of his life.
In a few minutes, he was out of the bath and dressed in his night wear
Finally on the bed, he closed his eyes, exhaling slowly...
And then he heard it.
A moan.
It was muffled and ca from the next room.
Desirae’s room.
Kyrie’s eyes snapped open.
*The fuck?*
Soon there was another moan. Louder this ti. Kyrie sat up imdiately.
Is she— pleasuring herself ?
He pressed his hand to his face, half laughing, half interested and against his better judgnt, he extended his Psyche Resonance.
Just to confirm. Only to confirm he swore.
The emotional feedback hit him. It was desire, pleasure, satisfaction. And mischief.
She knew he was listening? Kyrie’s brow raised.
And then her voice found it’s way into his mind.
*You want to join?*
Kyrie’s eyes twitched in place. Taken aback.
*Nope. Nope. Absolutely not.*
He buried his face in the pillow, groaning.
*She’s insane.*
But his curious and perverted side still wanted to know. He extended his skill again. He knew she could tell so there was no need for subtlety.
Two people
Both female.
The hotel attendant?
And Desirae.
The scene resolved in his mind.
Clothes discarded, legs raised, the attendant’s breathless gasps mixing with Desirae’s low and teasing chuckles.
Kyrie pulled back imdiately, his face burning red.
*That’s one hell of a movie*
He rolled onto his back, staring at dangling chandelier on the ceiling.
*She’s exactly like Negan.*
He’d taught Kyrie how to read people, how to move through the world with ease, how to survive unapologetically.
Desirae was the sa.
Free-spirited. Bold. Unbothered by the rules and yet nervous when they’re too many eyes.
*No wonder they’re friends.*
Kyrie closed his eyes. Blocking out the ever increasing moans.Tomorrow would bring new lessons. New challenges.
But tonight?
Tonight, he’d learned more than enough.
Reviews
All reviews (0)