Note: I made a little moodboard for the Hotel AU to go with the snippet. Viktor belongs to @mids-dumbbrain <3
Warning: not proofread.
“I gotta know who’s the chef here.” Argen took swallowed a mouthful of his pasta. “The Elder Gods did something nice for once.”
“Ombra look!” Asfel called while wrapping a thin cabbage around a thin layer of jambon of and cheese. “And then,” He sealed it with a dark red sauce. “Mmph! Try it.”
I never stopped darting my gaze around occasionally even when I started making Asfel’s new discovery with the most basic items available in the hotel’s cafeteria. I was in the middle of pouring the sauce when my eyes landed on him. He leaned back in his seat, and smoothly shifted his attention to his cup of whatever.
“He’s been staring at you.” Ferriel mumbled.
I took a bite, the pleasant flavor faded into the background as I glanced his way again. A timy smirk spread across his profile. His chalk white skin, the red sigils on his bald head, they were all too familiar to go unnoticed.
“Who?” Argen blurted out.
Ferriel mouthed. “Quan Chi.”
Argen frowned. Something managed to sew his lips.
Quan Chi tilted his head, listening to the conversation between three other women. Most definitely pretentious. Of course, at least one third of his attention was left on me.
+++
Each floor of the hotel was everless. Each hallway went on for what seemed like forever. But reoccurring elevators put out the chill that creeped up your spine with each step you took. Not only that, but it also fueled me to keep taking closer glances at the doors and walls.
Doors and walls.
Again and again.
“Oh, thank god, someone’s here.” A boyish voice came from the other end.
I finally started writing THE series. I wrote the first chapter about a year ago, but I decided to rewrite it. So here is a snippet. This is nor proofread!
“Why isn’t it working?!” Argen whisper-shouted, scanning his suroundings in hurry for the hundredth time.
“Shhh.” I hushed him, swallowing the heat of anger that was slowly building up in my chest.
A green light beeped. The heavy gates moved, the sound of metal running harshly on metal deafening to the core. The five of us stepped in the hallway, our bodies bent forward in a prepared posture.
Guns fired. Bullets blasted in the air, overloading our senses. I dashed forward, my bullets raining on the mercenaries. They collapsed one by one. At the end of the hallway, more of them were sprinting at us.
I sighed, stretched out my arm and flexed it to the ceiling. Hills of iron emerged from the floor, penetrating wide circles on their bodies. Their screams scratchy from pain, trailed off in echoes. We ran past the iron hill, neglecting the streams of blood pouring all the way to the pale floor. Having metal magic flowing through your veins would, by default, draw violent behavior out of you. And for people like us, the heads of the Metalrealm Resistance and Defense Organization, it was hundred times worse.
This is a snippet of Ombra’s first day in Black Dragon! Also, this is not proofread!
Ferriel (cupper bender) is the General of the Army and Argen (lead bender) is the General of the Air Force. Argen’s face claim is Robert Downey Jr. I’ll talk about him more.
The alarm went off. The worst sound in the world. With my eyes closed, I reached my hands to shut it up. I buried my face in my palms.
I had to get up.
I didn’t want to ruin my weekend by sleeping through it. And I did not. I had the whole day to myself, alone in my house, and without any social interactions. Everything was fine when I was preparing some omelette for breakfast until I sat down on the table to watch an episode while eating.
I was halfway through finishing my breakfast when my phone rang. On the screen was written: Ferriel.
“Yes?”
“Good morning, Atoosa. Uh, did I wake you up?”
“No. I woke up around an hour ago.”
“Good. Um, are you available right now?”
“Why?”
“Um, ok listen, uh, we’re having a meeting right now with this man called Kano.”
“So?”
“Argen didn’t tell us but it seems like he has made a deal with this man so he’d send us one of his mercenaries to train out soldiers. Argen said that mercenary is a very skilled shooter. He said his name is…Erron Black? Something like that.”
“Didn’t he tell you anything about who’s this Kano? Why would he want to hire a trainer while we already have the best trainers? What is he going to give Kano in return?” I clenched my fist, and reminded myself to stay collected. I could easily handle this. There was no need for frustration. The only thing clawing at my nerves was that I had to ruin my weekened just because he decided to spontaneous again.
Well, I would not do that. It was none of my concern, and he had to handle it all by himself.
“No I don’t know all the details. I just found out what is going on half an hour ago.”
“Then keep me out of this.” I ended the call.
+++
Argen won. When there are five people in charge of an important organization which its core responsibility is to protect the realm, the outcome is not always what each one of us wish it to be. And that’s why I demanded him to do the talking with this man named Kano. Argen didn’t usually listen to me in the first place, so I decided not to waste any unnecessary mental energy.
I rubbed my fingers together, and glared at Kano. I bet these four chiefs couldn’t tell if I was really angry or not as this permanent death stare was always painted across my features. To say the truth, I was annoyed. I did not need to be sitting there around the table listening to their discussions, but this seemingly Australien man had to know that Argen was not alone. He had to see with his own eye - the other being just a cybernetic one - that he had zero chances to execute his tricks.
However, it wasn’t the right time to sot down and suffer in silence because Argen was going to lead us in the path he chose himself. He wanted to be in control, and so did I.
Warning(s): none. Ombra is a jerk at the end. I’m sorry.
Pairing(s): Ombra x Alex ( @chadillacboseman )
Characters: Ombra, Alex and Alora ( @bihanspookies ). Billie ( @cyberneticsanguinaire ), Argen (my oc), Kano and Erron are mentioned.
Word Count: 1.7k
Summary: Alex is making Ombra curious. She wants to learn more about him. And she realizes that he has the power to make her feel funny. Also Alex learns that Ombra knows Turkish just like him.
Author’s Note: This is all about these two developing feelings for each other. I’ll write more stories about their cute little love story. I hope I did Alex and Alora justice!
It was worth it to encounter Kano so uncomfortably often just to see him for a few minutes. Alex Demir was making me more and more curious each day. He was handsome for sure, and also charming in his own way, but those kind eyes looking at me so cheerfully and that toothy smile did not belong to this mess of a fight club.
I put my hands in my pants’ pockets, and watched General Argen dodging Billie’s poweful punches and kicks. Argen happily followed me and insisted on fighting all day in the cage; just like a toddler going to the amusement park with his mother. The savage crowd around the fighting cage were ripping their throats apart by their mad screamings.
I scanned them from where I was standing - away in the shadows -, hoping to catch a glimpse of Alex. I would not miss that messy bun and headband, and of course, that height. But apparently, he wasn’t there cheering for Kano’s daughter.
I turned on my heels to go for a walk around the club; all around it. That was the main reason I came here in the first place, and that very motovation blooming in me made me nervous. From the first second Argen and I entered the portal to Earthrealm I kept reminding myself that this would pass swiftly. I would analyze him, his behavior and who he actually was, and then I would erase him from my mind completely. The only reason that dragged me all the way from Metalrealm to Black Dragon was his Turkish accent, not his cute jokes and the way his pretty eyes gleamed when he looked at me… .
No! No, no, no, no, no!
I stood still. I was obeying my emotions.
“There you are, Ms. Ironhead.” A feminine voice called, a little bit lost in the distant yellings and deafening music. Her auburn hair was neatly braided, and the sleeveless turtleneck highlighted her well trained muscles.
“Alex and I heard that you have paid us another visit. He’s looking for you, I guess. He was thinking that he could use your help with that new bomb he’s crafting. And I have found you now. Guess I just did him a big favor.” The woman explained.
Despite her implied humor, her intense blue eyes were daggers to my own.
I nodded. “Thank you.” And I started walking again.
“Nice jaw, by the way.” She threw a compliment in a totally monotone voice.
I rose my hand in appreciation, then immediately made a turn, and the increasing volume of the noises was reduced dramatically. I dashed in the corridor untill I reached the stairs. I flew upstairs, passed a corridor, and made another turn. My heart was booming in my chest. I took steady yet silent steps towards his room. I stopped breathing in order to listen closely, figuring out the situation. Not a single sound was emitting except the clatters of some objects.
I bit my lips, and knocked the door two times.
“Yes?” Alex called.
“It’s me. Ombra.” I responded, trying to maintain my usual nonchalant tone.
The door was opened, and a familiar, tall figure appeared before me. His white tank top was barely covering his muscular chest and abdomen. As usuaul, his dark hair was tied up in a bun, and a few thin strands were lightly kissing his forehead. His smile grew wider the second my eyes met his.
“Hi!” The word jumped out of his mouth as though it had been waiting for it for days.
I allowed a tiny smile to colorize my pale face. “A lady told me that you were seeking my help.”
“Yeah I thought it’d be cool if you let me use your powers for this little bomb I’m making.” He stepped aside so I could take a look at the mess he proudly created on the floor.
“May I come in?” I asked for permission.
Alex politely gestured for me to enter. His room was dimly lit by a study light which was focused on the piles of wires and screws on the floor. On the wall, I spotted several polaroids of some of the mercenaries and him. At the far end of the room stood a training dummy with a picture of Kano’s face taped to the head of it. The paper was nearly ripped in pieces. Every single one of these mercenaries seemed to be thirsting for Kano’s blood, and they were only tolerating him because they were forced to work for him for some reason. This lack of freedom, and living your life the way someone else desires it was a redundant line written all over the pages of my past. I knew his anger to bits.
We sat down on the floor. I watched the way his brown eyes shone in enthusiasm as his muscular arms began working once again. This made me even more certain that he was pretty invested in this job. But crafting explosives in Kano’s territory would not remain a mere hobby for long.
“What are you making this for?” I asked in a low voice.
“Kano needs it to blow up the basement of this drug dealer.” He explained briefly, his eyebrows lowering slightly in discomfort.
However, this was not a surprising sight. The research I had done about Kano and his mysterious fight club clearly unravels this fact that almost evetyone who work for him were compelled one way or another. And Alex was one of those who was here crafting weapons for Kano because something terribly went wrong in the past.
And I wondered what was that. But I was far away from his walls to dare and ask this too private of a question.
“Are we together in this?” Alex asked, his eyes scanning mine. They were searching for a glint of hope, yet they were concerned.
“No.” I nodded. “This is all Kano’s business.” I watched as that glow in his eyes faded into the gray ocean of realization.
I bit the inside of my cheek. The chances were high that Alex was desperately hoping to do another mission with me.
Suddenly, he stopped working, held his arms close to his torso, and dropped his head slightly to avoid eye contact as far as possible. A few more strands of dark hair hung down from his headband. His large hands stroked the wrench slowly.
“I am happy to see you here again.” He almost whispered. Cautiously, he made the eye contact he was afraid of.
Inevitably, my lips curled down into a small smile. Was it too early to say the same thing to him? I couldn’t just say nothing.
I nodded slightly. “Seninle muhabbetimiz güzeldi.” (Translation: Your company is a delight.) It was finally the right moment to reveal some portions of me.
My smile grew a bit wider as I saw his eyes widen and his lips part in disbelief.
“You…” Alex left his sentence unfinished, his mind still too busy to handle the words.
“Yes, I know Turkish. But I am not Turkish, at least not totally.” I helped him to speak.
“What do you mean not totally? I thought you were a Metalrealmer.”
I took a deep breath. “Well, the truth is that I am only a half-Metalrealmer. I was born in Iran, and I have Turkish ancestry.”
Alex was listening with such enthusiasm and curiosity floating in his brown eyes as though I was revealing arcane truths from the depths of the universe. Then maybe going a little further wouldn’t be harmful.
“It’s complicated though. My parents sometimes used to speak Turkish at home, but that differed from this language. Both have many words in common, but they’re still not the same. I have to give a history lecture to explain what exactly is the reason for that.”
“This is…interesting. To be honest, I did use to wonder why you look so different from your buddies.” He was referring to the other four chiefs in charge of the MRDO.
He opened his mouth to continue - there was a ninety nine percent chance that he was going to introduce himself -, but I closed it with my next words.
“I know you were born in Istanbul.”
“Yeah. Did Erron tell you that?” Alex pronounced his name with such caution as if Erron would have told me something inappropriate.
“No. I did an overall research before I stepped in this fight club.”
Subtly, Alex let out a breath of relief. “Niiiice.” He paused for a moment. “How much do you know?”
“Just that you are a Turkish mercenary. Kano is doing a good job. There are barely any information about him and his organization accessible.” And that was why I had my guards up high in the sky the first day I set foot in here.
Alex hummed uncomfortably. These tiny signs of annoyance appeared whenever I mentioned Kano. Something tragic must have happened between these two.
He began working on the bomb once again. His brows were frowned in concentration, and the muscles in this forearm twisted from time to time. I looked away at my thighs. He was…quiet attractive. That was what almost everyone thought, right? RIGHT?
“So can I use your powers?” He said. “Would you please make two bolts?”
“If I remember its shape correctly.” I twirled my hand in the air, silver dust gathered around my fingers, and just as I visualized, two bolts appeared between my fingers. I handed them to Alex who had been watching me in awe.
“So cool!” He exclaimed.
I fought the urge to not tear down the whole building just to see this sparkle of amazement across his face for a bit longer.
I had to go. Things were getting out of my control, so I stood up without a second thought. Alex got up immediately as well, looking at me with his long brows wrinkling his forehead in worry. “Is everything ok?”
“Yes, I just have to go.”
“When will I see you again?”
“Soon.” I stopped at the doorway, and saw Alora walking this way before I turned to Alex. “By the way, my name is Atoosa. “Ombra” is just a very famous alias. I thought I’d let you know.” And I walked out of his room. Maybe in another timeline, Atoosa’s heart was not surrounded by enormous iron walls, so she would stay just a little bit longer and smile just a little bit wider.
