02-28-2015, 09:43 AM
Malik sipped at the iced vodka, darkened energies seeming to swirl around him, as if the primal atmosphere charged the air. It was life, that strange and miraculous energy state that had formed so many billions of years ago; that had refused to be bound, to be caged, to be hemmed in, stemmed, or circumscribed. Its nature, to fight, to scrabble, to grown. Life was pure energy.
And Malik felt that energy permeate the air about him. People came and thought they bet on the outcomes of games only, others to rub shoulders and network. But at its core, this place was a temple to the struggle of the force of life, to kill or be killed. And the presence of women- like the one behind him- indicative of the biological imperatives that called from something beyond thought, from something deeper than consciousness, that drive and draw to power. Before him was humanity at its most elemental. All of them supplicants and worshipers and slaves of that primal instinct that still existed at the core of all living things, no matter how many layers of technology or sophistication they wore.
And Malik loved every minute of it. His nostrils flared at the heady mix of sweat and blood and sex that permeated the air. He reveled in it, gloried in his humanity, despite his own Ascendant nature. His hooded eyes watched the fight on the monitors, the massive wall of a man against the smaller. A slight smile curved his lips. The smaller man's movements and style indicated far more intelligence and skill than the larger, who no doubt merely depended on one or two crushing blows from those massive fists to bring victory. And most in the crowd would be betting on the large man. But Malik knew and nodded a salute. What followed was a nothing short of perfection, a pugilistic dance, as the smaller man's honed skill and intelligence proved once again why Homo Sapiens had ascended from the family of primates and had bested the largest and most dangerous creatures on planet and now sat at the pinnacle.
The next fight, unfortunately, seemed to dash that elevated and ennobling spirit to the ground, that emblematic tapestry of humanity's ascension now trampled into the mud. His lip curled in distaste. What appeared to be a gaunt homeless man was pitted against a bestial drugged out mass of muscle and hair. Malik flicked his eye back to the man and woman, both of whom appeared to be vying for mastery- the woman was clearly the winning there- even as their eyes were glued to the fight. Idly he wondered what sort of game she was playing with the man.
Suddenly a crash drew his attention and he saw that somehow, the doors to the cages had burst open during the fight. The two men surged into the crowd running. Screams filled the air, panic. People roiled about in great waves, decorum and propriety lost as men pulled or shoved past others and women- heels kicked off or tripped on- grabbed at or pushed at men in their struggles to flee.
The bestial man disappeared from his sight, but the gaunt man ran with a feral look in his eyes, clearly seen as he emerged from the writhing sea in their direction. Malik smiled and leaned back. He had no fear here. Indeed, what had begun as a mockery had suddenly turned into something far more interesting. The Force called to him, begged him to master it and fell this thing. But Malik soothed it as one would a child with vague future promises. He would not call on it unless he absolutely had to. He wanted a fight, wanted to draw it to him. He felt life course through his veins.
Instead the creature ran at the man at the table. It seemed the man, too, had been lounging. Suddenly he stood and put out a hand just as the creature reached him, grasping him by the throat. Even as he did, Malik felt the surge of menace in the air as if it were flowing from off the man like a billowing cloak. Malik's eyes narrowed even as he saw a surge of electricity flow into the creature, its muscles jerking and spasming like a rag doll being shaken. And then he fell to floor as if his bones had become water.
Malik felt distaste in his mouth, though he wasn't sure at what exactly. Not that the man could call on the Force. He was used to that. Between Andre, Ascendancy, Michael and now the men in the Facility, being around others like him only served to give warning of potential danger- dangers he had no doubt he could handle. No, he was disappointed. So much promise, so much potential- a fight worthy of this place- and it was snuffed out before it began. He leaned back and sipped his drink, head turning to watch the crowd.
The chaos and panic still seethed but more subdued. The bestial man must have been put down. Another drink. Still, it had been a good evening. And the night was young. He turned his attention back to the man who'd used the Force. It was curious that he allowed himself to be led by the nose when he possessed so much power. Curious, but not surprising. The woman- Did she know? How would she react?- had a tiger on a leash. She was either a fool or more dangerous that she appeared. His smile grew.
Here in this temple to the forces of life and nature there were still games to watch. And play. Malik stood and walked over to the man, adopting a casual smile. "It was fortunate you had a taser or you would have been killed."
And Malik felt that energy permeate the air about him. People came and thought they bet on the outcomes of games only, others to rub shoulders and network. But at its core, this place was a temple to the struggle of the force of life, to kill or be killed. And the presence of women- like the one behind him- indicative of the biological imperatives that called from something beyond thought, from something deeper than consciousness, that drive and draw to power. Before him was humanity at its most elemental. All of them supplicants and worshipers and slaves of that primal instinct that still existed at the core of all living things, no matter how many layers of technology or sophistication they wore.
And Malik loved every minute of it. His nostrils flared at the heady mix of sweat and blood and sex that permeated the air. He reveled in it, gloried in his humanity, despite his own Ascendant nature. His hooded eyes watched the fight on the monitors, the massive wall of a man against the smaller. A slight smile curved his lips. The smaller man's movements and style indicated far more intelligence and skill than the larger, who no doubt merely depended on one or two crushing blows from those massive fists to bring victory. And most in the crowd would be betting on the large man. But Malik knew and nodded a salute. What followed was a nothing short of perfection, a pugilistic dance, as the smaller man's honed skill and intelligence proved once again why Homo Sapiens had ascended from the family of primates and had bested the largest and most dangerous creatures on planet and now sat at the pinnacle.
The next fight, unfortunately, seemed to dash that elevated and ennobling spirit to the ground, that emblematic tapestry of humanity's ascension now trampled into the mud. His lip curled in distaste. What appeared to be a gaunt homeless man was pitted against a bestial drugged out mass of muscle and hair. Malik flicked his eye back to the man and woman, both of whom appeared to be vying for mastery- the woman was clearly the winning there- even as their eyes were glued to the fight. Idly he wondered what sort of game she was playing with the man.
Suddenly a crash drew his attention and he saw that somehow, the doors to the cages had burst open during the fight. The two men surged into the crowd running. Screams filled the air, panic. People roiled about in great waves, decorum and propriety lost as men pulled or shoved past others and women- heels kicked off or tripped on- grabbed at or pushed at men in their struggles to flee.
The bestial man disappeared from his sight, but the gaunt man ran with a feral look in his eyes, clearly seen as he emerged from the writhing sea in their direction. Malik smiled and leaned back. He had no fear here. Indeed, what had begun as a mockery had suddenly turned into something far more interesting. The Force called to him, begged him to master it and fell this thing. But Malik soothed it as one would a child with vague future promises. He would not call on it unless he absolutely had to. He wanted a fight, wanted to draw it to him. He felt life course through his veins.
Instead the creature ran at the man at the table. It seemed the man, too, had been lounging. Suddenly he stood and put out a hand just as the creature reached him, grasping him by the throat. Even as he did, Malik felt the surge of menace in the air as if it were flowing from off the man like a billowing cloak. Malik's eyes narrowed even as he saw a surge of electricity flow into the creature, its muscles jerking and spasming like a rag doll being shaken. And then he fell to floor as if his bones had become water.
Malik felt distaste in his mouth, though he wasn't sure at what exactly. Not that the man could call on the Force. He was used to that. Between Andre, Ascendancy, Michael and now the men in the Facility, being around others like him only served to give warning of potential danger- dangers he had no doubt he could handle. No, he was disappointed. So much promise, so much potential- a fight worthy of this place- and it was snuffed out before it began. He leaned back and sipped his drink, head turning to watch the crowd.
The chaos and panic still seethed but more subdued. The bestial man must have been put down. Another drink. Still, it had been a good evening. And the night was young. He turned his attention back to the man who'd used the Force. It was curious that he allowed himself to be led by the nose when he possessed so much power. Curious, but not surprising. The woman- Did she know? How would she react?- had a tiger on a leash. She was either a fool or more dangerous that she appeared. His smile grew.
Here in this temple to the forces of life and nature there were still games to watch. And play. Malik stood and walked over to the man, adopting a casual smile. "It was fortunate you had a taser or you would have been killed."