The First Stand

Present Time

071 stood still, his glowing red eyes adding ambience to the dark hallway. The lights flickered, staring at the blue-blood he had tracked down. The tension in the hallway was palpable, as the girl looked back at him with nothing but what seemed like indifference.

"Your girlfriend ran off with my food," he said coolly, his imperceptible smile adding an air of danger to his beautiful face.

"Guess I'll just pass you on to the failures that run around this God-forsaken place."

As he stepped closer, his footsteps echoed through the corridor, the sound like a ticking time bomb counting down to an explosion.

"Seriously, I can't with you minãri. That one runs away with my gold-blood, and this one stares me down like she wants to turn me into tinned food," he chuckled, his voice laced with a hint of anger.

The blue-blood simply stared back at him, her eyes glowing brightly.

But then, without warning, she exploded into action, vanishing from her spot as she raced towards the red-blood, her fist flying outwards.

He chuckled lightly, sidestepping her punch, staring at the woman in front of him with derision. The red-blood opened his mouth, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife.

"Stop."

The blue-blood turned towards him, her eyes gaining mirth as she sneered, turning her fist towards his face.

071 widened his eyes, adrenaline coursing through his veins as he raised his hands to block her punch, the air exploding as her fist met his arms.

The two inhumans began to move in a blur, their movements quick and deadly as they danced around each other, vanishing and reappearing at irregular intervals. The air around them exploded in bursts of energy as they exchanged blows, their smiles growing wider with each passing moment.

"Where," the blue-blood said, her smile growing as the red-blood punched her, a tooth flying out of her mouth as she spat blood onto the ground.

"WHERE IS SHE?" She suddenly screamed, her voice reaching a crescendo as she descended into a fit of rage, her sapphire eyes glowing dangerously bright. Too bright.

071 muttered to himself, his eyes widened as he stared at the raging blue-blood from a distance.

"I can't believe it, those bastards actually did it."

The blue-blood continued to rage uncontrollably, the atmosphere becoming charged with energy. The lights flickered wildly, her silky dark hair fluttering around.

The red-blood suddenly gritted his teeth, his fists curled as he suddenly shouted, "YOU ARE UNFLAWED!"

"WHY DO YOU BOTHER WITH THESE THINGS?! YOU COULD HAVE ESCAPED IF YOU WANTED TO!"

He panted, confused by her inaction. The hallway was riddled from their short battle, some parts of the walls melting away into nothing. The florescent lights still continued to flicker, briefly illuminating their beautiful faces.

She stopped, her hand steaming as she stared at the ground, her breath stifled, "Some of us have people to protect."

"I guess you red-blood freaks wouldn't understand that."

071 stared at her for a while, his gaze shifting into something that seemed like sadness, before smiling with his fists unclenched, "I guess I wouldn't understand, would I?"

The blue-blood eyed him, her sapphire eyes examining the man who stood in the decrepit hallway with his dark hair fluttering from the residual energy.

The red-blood continued to smile, his eyes glowing crimson, "You qualify."

"It's Atrian. Atrian of blood Rorin." He stared at her, waiting for a reaction.

"Ironic." The blue-blood stared at him for a while then chuckled, the lights shining briefly on her beautiful face.

"What do you mean?"

"The Rorin are supposed to be protectors. It's in the name." Her blue eyes twinkled, the smile slowly leaving her face.

"Using the flaw of minari against one." She stared at the highborn in front of her, her smile turning into a sneer.

"Disgusting."

"Says the person that didn't tell her fucking girlfriend that she was unflawed. You don't get to lecture me, minari." He growled, his eyes glowing brighter.

"It was for her own good. Dori has always been...ambitious."

"Here's the deal." The red-blood said, his voice devoid of the compulsion he was so fond of using.

"We find a way out of this damned place together, and I help you find your girlfriend." He said with a sincere tone, his eyes searching her face for an answer.

"Counter offer. I wipe the floor with your pretty hospital gown." The blue-blood said with a smile, the air filling up with volatile energy.

"I can't wait to wipe that stupid smile off your face."

The blue-blood grinned, shooting forward again, her blonde hair fluttering in the wind.