The City's Dark Jewel

[Ivan Sarkozy]

The fear he saw was a needle of adrenaline straight to his heart. Like the strongest shot of tequila or vodka, hitting you instantly, flashing down your chest and out through arms and legs. Like the power when he seized it, flooding his body, coursing through every vein in his body.

The smell of the blood and the sweat and the stink and the dry air and the cries of the audience and the pounding of his heart and his heavy breathing, the sting of the salty sweat in the gashes and the ache in his ribs and chest and quads- all of it melded into life, this immediate life.

And all the weight, all the anger and hatred and hurt and fear and hopelessness over the last few months a mountain, compressing him, the piston pushing down, driving, harder and harder, the mix denser and denser, pressing....pressing...until-

a spark!

And Ivan exploded.

He struck at the man- a plea, Oh Ma! Pop! Forgive me for failing to protect you. I beg you. Please- felt the connect and the ribs giving way. Struck- a vow, I will make you pay, you bitch Yun Kao!!!- and felt a nose crumple. Struck- a lament, I loved you Ascendancy. You were my God. And now...- arms absorbing the blow from the kidney shot. Struck- a wail, Danya, Danya...Damn you Danya! What did you steal from me?- and heard the grunt. Struck- a whisper, Ahh Zoya! You left me...you just left. And now a part of me is gone- and his knuckles were torn by the man's teeth.

Ivan absorbed every blow to his body- My god it hurts.-, felt the feral man move around him- So fast! how can he be so fast?- grabbing at his neck. Ivan flipped him over and without thinking dropped right on him, head in a lock, feeling the man's teeth against his chest, hands flaying and punching and scratching, Ivan socking him in the head repeatedly, his knuckles bloody and raw -O god, I am on fire!.

A shot to the temple slowed the man considerably and Ivan flipped over so the man was on his stomach, him on top, head still locked. The man writhed under him, their sweat and blood mingling, the salt stinging the tears, shaggy hair stink in his face, head trying to hit him. The man slowed, Ivan's arms bars of iron cutting off all his air.

He held tight, sounds slowly fading away until all he could hear was his own breathing..

Finally finally the man went limp. Ivan held on for a moment more, making sure he wasn't faking, before trying to loosen his grip. It was as if his arms were iron, cramped and tight and unyielding even to him. Finally, they did give way, though and the man's head lowered to the ground. He still sat on him, legs to either side, ready just in case.

No movement.

He stood and found himself shaking, the adrenaline leaving his body, all his strength pouring out of a bloody wound, puddling around his feet. He tried to get the shaking under control. The power still glowed over his shoulder and he seized it.

It was as if everything the man had done to him was done again, only ten times worse. The roar of the crowd washed over him. Ivan looked up, tried to see past the lights, to see these people, the men and women who oozed sleaze and corruption as they ran the empire for Brandon.

The threw his arms up and ropes of air twined the massive lights overhead, ripping them free from their anchors in the ceiling as he pulled them down to the ground. They crashed around him and his opponent in an explosion of sparks.

And there they were.

He just stood there, heaving breaths, watching with a sneer.

[[Kasun modded with permission]]