Dark Beauty written by Geia Akyama
Chapter 1-Tulgar Gaggle
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Errol's voice.
"Everyone can channel Eco, some better than others. One in ten million people can naturally channel Dark Eco, half of those die at an early age. Of the ones that live to become adults nearly all are mentally unstable like those poor wretches in the Dark Warrior Program.
But that one, just one in three thousand million, is stable. That once in a lifetime person can mold the Dark Eco to their will. Last ones were from long before Haven City was more than a dream concocted by peasants. The brother and sister who nearly ruled the world if ancient texts are to be believed.
Baron Praxis, we are overdue for such an individual. But the odds are in our favor. Traders, rouges and rebels alike flock to this once glorious city and with all the Eco we've collected such a person would be drawn here. They can't hide from us, sir. My men are already searching. This epiphany of your hard work can be molded to our purposes. It's just a matter of time..."
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FWEET FWEET FWEET FWEET!
A small alarm blares down an empty hallway of the Tulgar house. It was mid morning and most of the houses occupants were awake and in the living room in the company of armored Krimzon Guard soldiers. some wait at the rickety table while others stood around the room with their guns resting against the walls most had their helmets off while an older woman hands the KG bowls of broth liquid with bits of vegetables floating on top
the heavy tread of an armored KG soldier echoed down a dingy hallway of the old house and the rattle of the armor was nothing compared to the faint sound of a gun being loaded with blue Eco bullets.
The worn wood door was thrown open with a bang and a tall man in a Krimzon Guard uniform stuck his head into the bedroom. With the helmet off every detail of his face could be seen. The high cheek bones framed by wavy purple black hair with matching eyes. The scar along one cheek and square chin were among the strongest features along with the tattoos on his face of a Sergeant in the twelfth infantry.
a figure was sprawled out on the bed and one pale, slender leg stuck out over the edge of the narrow cot and a mess of Dark Eco colored hair was flung over the thin pillow at the opposite corner
"YOU'RE UNDER ARREST FOR SLEEPING TOO LONG AND FOR BEING COMPLETELY NAKED TULEE!"
The Young woman jerked awake and fell on the side of the bed opposite the door with a startled yelp in a tangle of legs arms and blankets. Snarls and grunts let the two men at the door know she was fighting free of her linen bonds
"your right Alden that IS rather fun!"
The KG soldier behind his helmet less comrade flipped the face plate back and smiled impishly at his eldest brother. Tulee was the only girl in the family aside from mom and she slept like the dead if you let her. She made up for that however in being rather strong and violent.
The girl knelt on hands and knees and swiped her shoes and some dust from under her bed before hurling a shoe at her older brothers. The soft soled shoe bounced harmlessly off the chest armor and landed on the floor at their feet with a thwack.
"ALDEN! MACH! YOU'RE BOTH SOOOO DEAD WHEN I GET MY HANDS AROUND YOUR NECKS! MAR HELP YOU, YOU'LL PAY!"
The girl snatched a reasonably clean shirt from a chest next to the bed and glared at her brothers retreating figures, just because they'd been promoted by the baron didn't mean they had to show off all the time!
"Precursors Alden! Did you see the look on her face? How long do we have?? I don't want to be in a room alone with her today!"
Alden smiled like the grim reaper and ran for all he was worth back to the kitchen, mom, and Uncle Knuth. There was enough time to snag some bread and get out the door before Tulee gave chase.
"I'd say five maybe ten minutes. She can dress fast..."
both men slid to a halt in the crowded kitchen and the young boy sitting at the table looked wide eyed at his eldest brothers. Airen was the last of the Tulgar Gaggle and the baby of them all. With a family of mainly men who all served Baron Praxis the kid had big shoes to fill when he grew up.
But for now the little four year old boy simply stayed with his uncle and aunt during the day. And played with other children, recently he'd been talking about a playmate with green hair who didn't talk at all.
"I know that look Mach. You woke her up but good didn't you..."
Tanner snickered around his porridge and tried not to smile too much. He was just a captain of the "dredge works." A unit that combed through the sewers on occasion to purge the city of metal heads that got too curious and of unwanted pests like those Metal-bugs.
Thundering from the hallway foretold a very angry girl's arrival and Mach and Alden squeezed between the crowd to get the table between Tulee and themselves. The furious girl slid to a halt at the end of the hallway and glared venomous fire at her eldest brothers. The look itself was more then enough of a warning of what was to come.
Those not involved it this little sibling spat quickly exited the little kitchen/living room on their own business leaving an aggravated young woman, a stunned child, two KG being cornered and an older woman long past her prime with dark hair that faded to gray.
The three siblings vied for a better position around the small table with the girl keeping herself between the men and the front door.
"Think that was fun huh Alden? Just cuz it's the day I've been waiting for doesn't make me easy prey... nuh uh... this time I'm gonna siphon your brains out through your EAR!"
"Shit Alden! See ya!"
Mach faked to the left and dodged to the right under his younger sisters reaching arm and out the door with a rattle of armor and a raspy prayer of thanks for his narrow escape. Fire danced in the sparring siblings eyes and tension in the room mounted as little Airen scuttled for his bedroom after his mother. These little fights happened on occasion and all you could really do is let them resolve themselves.
There was a pause as both siblings measured the strength of the other person and Alden made the first move.
The table and everything on it crashed to the floor as the much larger KG made room to spar with his sister. Though out weighed and lacking in her brothers height Tulee was no pushover and used her small stature to often flip her opponents on their backs.
The fight was short lived. Alden swept the ground under Tulees' feet with a low roundhouse kick only to find the girl had leaped straight up to land a kick directly to his chin with bone jarring force that snapped his head backwards.
The girl landed poorly and caught her brother's fist with her stomach. The punch was well aimed and the dark haired woman's eyes opened wide as she gasped for air like a fish out of water.
After that the squabble devolved into thrashing arms and legs that ended with the girl flat on her back and panting on the floor with her winded brother standing over her.
"Dammit Tulee you're strong something fierce. I just hope Errol doesn't want to do training today. Whew."
Alden staggered to the door and picked his helmet up off the floor and fished his gun out from under the slightly moldy sofa.
"Catch ya later Lee. And get some panties on."