"So that's everything" Tiny said as we roamed
round the mingling dungeon. He had spent the last few hours showing me every nook and cranny of this shithole. They had finally gotten me some clothing and I was able to get a drink of water. The amount of blood I washed off myself was enough to stain the corners of the drain. After I finished Tiny didn't even recognize me.
"So what do you think?" He asked arms crossed.
"It's shit." I said back and he chuckled in agreement.
"Soon, you'll get used. When you're out in the arena, you'll pray to be inside these walls again newbie."
"You don't have to keep calling me that, my name is-"
"Are you crazy-" he practically jumped at me covering my mouth, lowering his voice to a whisper. "We don't share names. It's the first rule." These motherfuckers won't say anything to reveal their identities. Only age, name- that is given to you- and fighting specialty. "You will get a name once you fight."
"And when do I fight?" I asked.
"When you piss someone off." He smiled an ugly smile and walked away leaving me standing alone. "Come, it's time for dinner in our grand 'dining room'" he mocked calling out to me and the other men cackled. Calling it a dining-room was somewhat misleading. It was a room. They ate in it. That was all. In it stood a multiple metal table's. I walked over to where Tiny was talking with two other men and sat in a empty seat that rocked when you sat on it. The light bulb in the center of the room flickered and was bare. It hung down on it's white wire, adding to the meager ambiance of the room. It was the kind of room that puts you on edge, completely exposed. The walls were bare concrete with their own personal brand of mould growing favourably from the dripping pipes. The two men beside Tiny turned towards me looked at me winking seductively.
"Now this one is haaannddsomme- where you come from darling?" He said before stroking my face. "Got a name baby?" The other chimed in. "Those eyes are making me dizzy-absolutely, delicious.." I didn't know what to say.
"He ain't all that ladies." Tiny said struggling to swallow a large bit of bread. "I mean you ain't bad looking or nothing- just, no princess is gonna go for that face is all I'm saying-" He said finally swallowing putting his hands up in surrender.
"Well he can have me anytime he wants, and I ain't no princess I'm a motherfucking queen." He giggled rubbing his hands on my chest.
"I'm alright honey, but thank you for the offer." I replied. With a lingering goodbye they moved on to the next table.
"Trust me, they'll be looking like peacocks in 6 months time." Tiny said shoving a piece of meat in his mouth. "When you ain't had none for that long, you tend to go a little loopy, and well...they ain't no princesses but their mouths still work wonders." He said finally swallowing.
"Sounds tempting" my sarcasm making him smile, "but I'm a married man." I say.
"Ahhhh you got yourself a little bird already. Well congratufuckinglations mate, you'll probably never see her again so that's the best I can offer ya." He pointed to the two men. He snickered.
"You're in my seat" I hear from behind me. I turn around. The man stood there, a sort of toddler expanded to adult size, irritation in his anger, a sort of impetuousness. I watched as thin blond hair moved over skin that yearned for more shade and rest. His eyes were on the small side, as if afraid to let the light in; his mouth was small and rigid, as if only used for the sort of smiles women cringe at, perhaps born of a lifetime of suspicion and the special kind of superiority that radiates contempt. It was one of those mouths that only twitch upward when a deception is achieved. "Hey look guys we finally got ourselves a 'pretty boy!'" Everyone was watching. Pin drop silence. This man was feared by his peers. For the life of me couldn't figure out why. He got up real close to my face and sniffed me, "You definitely could pass as human, but your eyes..dead give away pretty boy.." he snarled. "So What kinda 'freak show' are ya then? Elf? Light-fucker or Dark-fucker you ain't looking like much else." He cackled, a small laugh escaped my lips, "Freak show?" Tension was high. When I was a warrior I lived off these moments, the adrenaline coursing through you, sparks of electric firing up your muscles. It's addictive as fuck when you get it right.
"Guys let's not do this here-" Tiny got between the two of us, pushing on my chest to back off but he couldn't even budge me. I wasn't moving.
"Do what- we're having a nice chat right—Lukas?" He shouts and I turn my head to see Lukas at the top of the room conversing with the other guards.
"Right." He replied back, that basically means once fists start flying, nobody in their right mind is gonna jump in to stop it. They were watching though, had probably taken bets on the winner, sick fuckers humans, the lot of them.
"So Tinkerbell, flash your fairy dust and be a man-" He wasn't thinking when he let out his boiling antipathy and swung his tight fist, too quick and potent, into my jaw; the impact like thousands of venomous blades piercing apart his clammed fist. It lead him to one conclusion: that it hurt. A lot . That was dirty play. But as his fist collided with my jaw, something dormant had awoken in me. A fire-a beast-a demon. A mixture of Dark and light magic intertwined together, revived my starved muscles of power and strength. Replenished, my soul was set ablaze, the power that had been untamed for so long was hungry to be let out. The sheer raw power gave warning to of the wrath that was about to come. For too long I had forgotten who I am, I am the light in the storm.
————————
There is blood on my knuckles and a bruise above my right eye, yet I can't recall the fight itself. They say they'll be hell to pay, but I got what I wanted. Him whimpering kissing the floor in his own pool of blood, pissing himself from the fear. The victory is mine.
"You want another round?" I con hungry for more. He crawled away from me screaming leaving a trail of piss and blood. All fists were lowered. I hit the target every single time. I burned him too, the release of the light forces, which lay dormant for too long, put on a damn show today. I looked around me, and they all stank of the same thing, Fear. The darkness that now shrouded the face of the brave men was exposed as a mask. The smell was thick and heavy, interlaced with the stench of death, and broken by the screaming silence of the unknown. The storm within me had ebbed to nothingness, now the silence was as pure as the wintry blanket outside. I was really tired, I need to remember how to ration my energy. Shouldn't be too long before I pick it up again. My reflexes are in full swing already. I was brought back to reality by people, dressed in medical uniforms, lifted my opponent off the floor squealing and praying for death to pay him a visit spare him from the pain. Every man in the room was sheltering, they had either ran off or watched in sick enjoyment. I looked to see Lukas, arms crossed smiling from ear to ear, before he backed out into the private corridor. When my ears became more accustomed to the lack of sound I thought I could hear the buzz of the water pipe that was partially iced over, but other than that only my rhythmic breathing brokered the air. The silence became uncomfortable and I walked out towards my room waiting to embrace the solitude. I sat on my bed, tempting my body with sleep closing my eyes...."NEEEEWWWBIIIIEEEEE!" I hear accompanied with rushed footsteps running down the hall. Once the footsteps reached near my door, Tiny grabbed the door to stop himself from flying away. He was out of breath heaving and once he had some wind in him he slammed the door shut.
"YOURE A MAGICAL BEING! Oh my GOD! This is amazing! I mean the firework show blew your cover but dark magic too!? BUT PONT BEING you'll be able to free us all-"
"Oh FUCK THAT- I'm not doing shit for you prejudice dickheads!"
"HEY, not all humans are PREJUDICE that was just RIOT,"
"Ah so that's his name, fucker could've said something before that."
"You may be brilliant newbie, but you're soooo fucking thick!"
"You know what Tiny-should we have a round 2 cuz suddenly I'm feeling less tired-"
"You fell into the trap...." The shouting suddenly stopped and he was serious. The friendly persona had subsided and he was concerned. "You showed your hand Infront of Lukas, he knows how strong you are now-"
"Lukas was good to me, he knew what I am."
"WHO DOES HE WORK FOR!?" He shouted at me.
"He works for the-"
"He works for the KING..the asshole who is keeping us here. He is a mad man and Lukas reports EVERYTHING to him. His right hand man. Lukas isn't a human, he was born in Valtor."
"Making him a nightslayer."
"Exactly.." ohhh this guy is going down the wrong route fast. "You can't trust him. And now you've shown your hand. Lukas is gonna pick YOU for THE MOST dangerous fights. And another thing, he'll never let you leave."
"What do you mean?"
"Usually if you're injured, unskilled or something they are merciful and let you go. But now he has seen that You're the strongest competitor, they won't lose you, they'll never let you go." I was confused. Now this place was even more dangerous, who to trust was always a weird one. But now, I'm missing something, I'm missing part of the puzzle. I can't figure it out, yet.
"Oh and another thing," Tiny starts again. "You're little fire show was supernatural-demonic, unholy... we got a name for you." He was smiling. "Welcome to the game 'Lucifer'."