Unafraid
"Lord Zalxuk would have preferred it if you kept your mouth shut around Solare."
Noctira said.
"How's that?"
"I saw you lingering too close to Solare."
"And?"
"And?" she glared. She glanced at Reaver, who was lost in thought. "Is he serious?"
Noctira asked.
"Reaver!"
She shouted.
"Huh?"
Noctira rolled her eyes once Reaver snapped back from whatever she was thinking.
"You saw Skarvek talking with Solare?"
"Yes."
She nodded.
"And?"
I repeated, my tone getting defensive.
"And? If we keep talking to her, she'll think she is in power. Lord Zalxuk had refrained us from doing such a thing."
Lord Zalxuk—once the High Lord of Zionalma.
He was a disgrace to the rest of the kingdom, yet Noctira insisted he was a man of honour.
I didn't care—whether he was honourable or not—
What really mattered was…
I caught a glint of orange reflected in a pair of black beaded eyes from the corner of my eye.
A yellow streak.
My eyes narrowed onto the fourth floor—the Guardians of the Unirex floor.
Was one of them watching us?
Spying on us?
Snap.
Noctira snapped her fingers in front of me.
"You understand?"
I glanced back at her, nodding.
"Yeah, yeah."
I looked back up at the window again. The yellow streak was gone.
"What is wrong with you now?"
Noctira questioned.
I cleared my throat, looking back down.
"Nothing… I just need to go check on something…"
I mumbled. Before she could say a word, I began to walk to the nearby main entrance of the arena.
Who was that? Were they spying on us, the Zionalman?
Probably…
Surely, they were.
Fine, I will teach them a lesson.
I stormed to the nearest elevator, getting inside. The door stayed open for a while. My brow furrowed; was it broken?
Ah–
Then I remembered I had to press the button to my destination. How fiddly Earthling things were. I pressed the fourth floor button. The door slid close before moving up.
My hands gripped my sword, preparing to strike when needed.
Hornet and Solare have not gotten over what Reaver did to White Watch.
More rules and restrictions were forced on us.
For all I care, they can go to hell.
Those two and their need for 'rules'.
Rules like Earthlings were below Zionalma's. It was beneath me.
The elevator slid open.
Shh-ip!
I teleported through the empty hallway, searching for the room that faced where we three were standing and talking.
Shh-ip.
Where is it?
I spotted the GOU lounge room door opened. I teleported against the wall, the black matte suit clinging to the darkness, blending me in well.
"What is it?"
"I… Coven…"
"Coven? What suddenly made you interested in Coven?"
"He is just…"
Two members of the GOU were chatting inside.
Coven? I rolled my eyes.
How boring.
There—
The familiar orange glint reflecting off the black beaded eyes of the tiger girl.
Her.
She was the one who was staring down at us as if we were beneath her.
"Nothing," she said.
"Really?"
Time ticked by and their conversation stirred to another member: Toxic Doxie.
Something about her missing—
I didn't care enough to listen to the details.
"Do I have to go find her?" the other member said The lanky, whiny one that went by Aureolo.
"I don't know. Yes…?"
Tiger girl answered.
How long will this take!?
"You sure?"
"Yes. I am sure."
"Alright, I will go find her."
I closed my eyes, completely concealing my figure. A pair of footsteps left the lounge room.
My eyes blinked open.
The red glow seeped through the darkness.
I glanced at the man wearing that disgraceful human attire referred to as "pajamas."
Disgust morphed on my face.
I looked back into the inside of the room.
Finally, she was alone.
Shh-ip!
I teleported inside the room.
The tiger girl lay on the couch, unaware of my presence. She suddenly sat up from the faint sound of my teleportation device.
Her face was bare. Yellow fuzzy skin, black beaded eyes, a sharp jawline, and tightly coiled black hair.
Her head turned from left to right, trying to find the source of the sound. When she looked in my direction, my eyes glowed red, revealing my presence.
Her eyes widened, and she abruptly stood up from the couch. The smirk behind my matte black mask grew.
Though the flicker of amusement was gone in a flash when she tried to reach over for her mask.
Sh-ipp!
I teleported in front of her, taking out my long silver blade, and holding it against her neck.
"Don't."
A single word left past my lips.
I stared at her.
She was slightly taller than me—barely but it still annoyed me.
Pests like her deserve to kneel. Not stand before me with an inflated chest.
Her eyes spoke of determination that I wanted to break.
She took a small step back.
Enough for me to strike.
In a swift motion, the blade moved to her back—trapping her between my toned body and the sharp blade.
"My blade is sharp enough to cut gradetanium**. Your flimsy body is nothing to compare. It would be wise if you stayed still until I… get answers."
My eyes tracked how she swallowed down her protest. She was wise, it seems. Smarter than I thought she would be.
My face inched closer to hers. Her beaded eyes glossed like Zriuctekt—the black hole that hung above my birthplace.
Watching.
Always watching.
I took a step closer, moving in on her. The sharp blade brushed against her back. I briefly glanced at her claws.
Predatory claws—forced to be flat.
How pitiful.
How else will she fight me back?
"Ba–"
"I will speak, you will answer."
My face tilted, looking at her closely. My blade dug into her back. "Understood?"
She nodded, finally understanding her predicament.
"Better."
My grip loosened.
"Even a wild kugte* knows when it stands before something stronger."
She averted her gaze.
"So… were you the one spying on Zionalma Kingdom members?"
"What? No, of course not. Why would I sp–"
Lies.
I hated lies. Especially from a pathetic worm like her—
My blade slit through her black and yellow suit light, grazing her skin—close to cutting it.
"Don't lie," I grabbed her face with the other hand, turning it towards the window. "I saw it."
I saw her mind move, trying to find a reasonable explanation. I scoffed, as if I would for any reasonable explanation.
"I wasn't spying. I couldn't even listen to anything you three were saying."
My black-gloved finger dug into her fuzzy skin.
"Let go or I will tell Agile," she finally spat out.
My face hardened.
Tell Agile Eye. Hornet will know and eventually Solare…
The blade brushed against her back. Blood began to form.
She winced, arching her back.
"You tell that hooded woman and I will slit your throat. And you know no one will dare say anything."
"Then do it."
I blinked.
"What?"
"If you want to kill me, do it."
Silence…
For a moment, nothing reflected in my eyes.
My blade dug deeper, spilling more of her blood. Orange liquid dripped down her back. Droplets splatting against the floor.
"I can… and I will."
I yanked away her face, retrieving my blade.
I looked at her, disdain morphing my face behind the mask.
"Keep your mouth shut, tiger girl."
I warned before turning around.
I reached the doorway.
My hand tightened around my sword.
I could feel it.
The tiger girl still hadn't looked away.
Stupid creature.
Why wasn't she afraid?
I slammed the door behind me as I stepped out of the GOU lounge room.
⋆⋆⋆
Notes:
Gradetanium: The strongest material known in the Milky Way.
Zkarna Glossary
Kugte (Kugh-te) — A wild beast native to Zionalma.