[Switch.]
'What..?'
'Where am I?'
I awoke somewhere wrong.
'Where the hell am I?'
I forced my eyes open and scanned.
'No voices. No footsteps. Nothing.'
Stairs to my right. Hall straight ahead. Some kind of room between them. Tables, tools, metal, and clutter. Some sort of experimental closet?
'Who brought me here?'
I looked down at my body.
My wounds and blood had been cleaned.
A pale gray bucket and a damp rag to my right.
A chain placed neatly in a coil.
My chain.
My gauntlets were removed.
My arms and body left bare.
Someone touched me.
'Why..?'
No.
This couldn't be.
I swore to myself.
'Who did this..?'
Who did I see last…
'That murderer.'
What kind of freak..?
He left me alive.
Cleaned me.
Like I'm his to handle?
I felt sick.
This time not because of the nausea.
'That piece of shit... death is too good for him.'
'I'll make him wish he was dead.'
I sprung up, grabbed my stuff, and looked for a way out.
'Where's the exit?'
'Move.'
'Stairs?'
'Has to be.'
I rushed to the top, and found a hatch, and shoved.
Didn't budge.
I slammed my fist on it and shoved harder.
It had to open.
'Shit! Why won't it move?'
'Open. Open!'
No use.
I hit it again.
Harder.
Again!
Nothing.
'No!'
'I'm not staying in here!'
Banging, my hand hit something hard on the side.
'Ah!'
'What-?'
A keyhole.
'That freak!'
'He locked it.'
'He locked me in.'
I grimaced.
'Where the hell is that key?'
My eyes darted around frantically.
Corners. Sheets. Tables.
Nothing.
'Damn it! Where?'
Where would he keep it?
Close. Somewhere hidden.
So victims could never be found again.
I turned too fast, missed a step and tripped.
'Shit-'
I tumbled, and hit the floor facing the corner he'd left me in.
'Disgusting.'
My stomach croaked.
'I'm going to ruin him for this.'
Something small and black by the sheets.
Could that be it?
I lunged for it.
Key.
'Come on.'
I ran back up, and shoved in the key.
Click!
'It fits.'
'Idiot.'
No...
'Too easy.'
I threw the hatch open and moved.
Cough! Cough!
'What the hell?'
I choked on the ash and spat.
Why wouldn't he hide in a place like this.
I forced open the hatch and pulled myself out.
Narrow.
Abandoned.
Befitting.
I moved faster.
'Why would my mother ever send me here..?'
'To this hellhole of psychos?'
They should've died to the Rupture.
I don't even know how to maneuver this place.
"Whatever. I have to move."
I cut through the plazas and strips, catching odd glances and looks the whole way there.
"Where are the guards?"
No response.
'What's their problem?'
'Are they deaf?'
I scoffed.
'I'll just ask around at the markets.'
Narrowed in on a shop, I bumped into some old man.
"Hey little girl, you blind or just stupid? Watch it."
The fuck?
"Neither, stay out of my way. You ever heard of an accident?"
I pushed past and walked away.
'Dick.'
I neared the shop, and stopped just short of the counter, keeping the street behind me in view.
Close enough to talk, far enough to move.
"Where are the guards?"
Not a question, a demand.
The merchant stared at me blankly.
"Guards? He snorted. You new down here or something? The guards don't come around here unless it's to collect the shipments."
"What?"
"Your head in the clouds? Explains the clothing…"
"Excuse me?"
"Forget it. I'll find it myself, asshole."
A laugh echoed from behind me.
"Oh, you find that funny? Why don't I give you something better to laugh about?"
My fist clenched.
He smirked.
"What was that? You mad?"
Another chuckle escaped from his mouth.
My teeth ground against each other.
'Wait…'
"Yeah, I'm mad. You're not gonna like what that means for you."
Not enough eyes on me.
"Just move. You're in the way of the customers."
'Oh yeah?'
"How about this?"
I smashed the counter in two. All the items along with it.
"There you go! Now you don't have to worry!"
Now, everyone in the vicinity was looking this way.
Perfect.
Snickers and whispers travelled through the crowd quickly.
"Looks like it is pretty funny!"
"And you're welcome. No one was buying this weak shit anyways."
He lunged over the rubble and attempted what looked to be a tackle. I stepped aside, attention focused on rallying the crowd.
'Body's still off, but it'll be more than enough.'
"So, everyone! Who do you think's gonna win?"
"Place your bets now!"
I surveyed the crowd. Still no sign of him.
"If he can even make it back up!"
Laughs roared into the air.
"Silver! Silver! Silver!"
Chants echoed throughout the city.
"It's Alyra." A grin slowly creeped onto my face.
"Alyra! Alyra! Alyra!"
Not enough.
The merchant took his time standing up.
"Oh, you're done with your nap?"
"Sh.. Shut up."
"I'll kill you!"
Decently muscular. Dense.
Weak instinct.
'This'll be boring..'
He tried something like a swing.
Embarrassing.
I took a step back.
"Is everyone ready? The main event is about to start!"
"Yeah!"
'I've gotta make sure this drags on as long as possible.'
A fist flew at my face.
Catching it with one hand, I snickered.
"Weak. Why don't you try a little harder, buddy!"
"Damn! That chick is strong!"
I tossed his hand back to him. Staggered, he swung again.
I blocked down, pushing his hand into the ash. Using his momentum against him, my knee injected into his chest.
Blegh!
'Oops.'
"Poor guy. Don't quit now, you'll lose all your endeared customers!"
"Guh... I'll kill you..."
'Uh, are we serious?'
'Okay, gotta improvise.'
I shot him off my knee and into the air. As he floated, I whipped my chain around him, and slammed him to the ground.
"Yeah!"
"Alyra! Alyra! Alyra!"
Looking around, there were still no signs of him.
'Damn it! I'm running out of time!'
'What else...'
"Who else wants to challenge me? Let's run a gauntlet!"
"Hell yeah!"
"Who's gonna do it?"
"Come on. Don't be scared!"
"You can't be as weak as this guy..."
"Someone go out there!"
"Don't be a wimp!"
'Doesn't matter who steps up… just keep the noise going.'
"Fine. I'll do it."
Taller than the last one. Decently muscular.
Mediocre instinct.
'Hm.'
"Alright, lets get started! As a bonus for stepping up, I'll give you one free hit!"
"She thinks your weak!"
"Get her!"
'Good. Stay hype.'
"Everybody get nice and loud! I want to hear you!"
"Alyra! Alyra! Alyra!"
"Yeah! Keep the energy up!"
Hopping around and hyping up the crowd, I prepped for the hit.
"Alright! Come at me!"
"Right here!"
I patted on my side.
"You're gonna regret this, Silver!"
He charged, cocked his arm back and struck me in the side.
No reaction.
"I thought I told you, it's Alyra!"
Grabbing his wrist with my left, I punched in his shoulder blade with my right.
Agh!
Swiftly spinning my body, I side-kicked him in the ribs.
"Uh oh, someone catch him!"
"Woah!"
"Get back in there!"
Someone shoved forward, trying to get closer.
The others pulled him back.
'I like it. Get excited.'
He dusted himself off and got back into his fighting stance.
"Commendable!"
He lunged forward again, and threw a punch with his left.
'Seriously? The weaker hand this time?'
I easily sidestepped the slow attack.
As I was dodging, he quickly planted his feet and threw a strong right kick at my gut.
'It was a feint?'
Already off balance, I was knocked back a little bit. Briskly, he rotated his torso swung his left arm wide open at my face.
A grin took over my expression.
I let the swing connect.
Bam!
A dull sound echoed from the hit.
Unfortunately for him, my face didn't budge.
His eyes opened wide.
"Solid punch. I liked the feint too."
"Ohh! She ate the punch!"
I swept my foot behind his, dusting him off the floor, and elbowed him to his chest on this way down.
Ack!
His back hit the floor, and his body went limp.
'Shit. Again?'
"You done already?"
No response.
"Is he dead?"
'Damn! I hope not?'
"I didn't hit him anywhere vital, he'll be fine."
'I hope.'
"Alyra! Alyra! Alyra!"
I looked through the crowd. Still no sign of him.
'Damn it! That's all I had.'
"Anyone else want to try? These guys were just weak!"
"Yeah! Someone go in there!"
I turned, looking for ideas.
'I'm gonna have to find another way. No one is gonna-'
Something heavy dropped in the ash beside me.
A spiky mace... and a chain.
'Who..?'
"I'll go."
"You mind if I use a weapon?"
A silence filled the area.
"It'll be quicker that way."
'What?'
"I'm appalled. You have guts."
"Use whatever you want."