The air was crisp and cold, with a hint of winter's bite, though it was too early for winter. Little to no sunlight for that long had made it cold, and though faint, the fog was covering the place. Vision was limited to a few hundred meters at max.
After changing, K left home and locked the door, preparing for another regular day. Since many people stopped coming out of their homes, he has gotten used to opening his shop late. The shop was attached to his house, so he usually locked the house's door from the outside and then opened the shop.
He unlocked the store's front shutter and lifted it. The noise from the hinges was loud in the silence, and a little dust fell.
He entered, and the shelves were stocked with essentials like everyday necessities, widely consumed grocery products, household goods, and other items. The floor of his shop was quite old and cracked.
After cleaning up the dust, he prayed; it was just a routine. He wasn't much of a believer after all.
After that, he sat down on a chair, put his headphones on, picked up a cellphone-like device that looked like a glass pane, "Haven't played this one yet. Guess gotta give it a go," and started playing games. This is what his normal days are, or instead, have become.
During this time, a little far from his place, the weather was getting worse and worse and was making it hard for anyone to stay in the cold wind. Snow doesn't fall there, but it still feels as if someone was throwing snowballs at you.
Though there were some people still outside, none of them were out for a stroll. Only necessity could make someone leave their house in this weather, and out of this necessity, a man came out of his home, holding a woman who was shaking. They both had warm clothes on, so they weren't chilly, but that woman was quite literally trembling with cold, given that she was ill. So, he was walking slowly while holding her to support her walk.
It was getting colder, even reaching negative temperatures for a moment, but the issue was less the temperature and more the fog, which was making it difficult to breathe and hard to see more than a few meters ahead. The fog wrapped around trees and buildings, creating blurry shadows.
The air felt damp and earthy.
But before it could get any heavier, it suddenly started getting warmer. The mist started dissipating, but the wind was moving faster than before.
"Looks like it is getting worse, Honey," she said, "I think we should go home."
"But I do not think we should... Just a bit more and we would reach the clinic. You were just a bit sick in the morning, and now you are having problems moving. We are going back only after your checkup."
That man looked up and barely saw something. "We've got to hurry up a bit."
The clouds started changing to a dark, bluish colour. A humming sound filled the atmosphere, and the fog started disappearing. The nearby trees are shaking in the air. The temperature increased a bit.
Something dark, with a penetrating light, started coming down.
The man took his wife in his arms and ran as fast as he could.
The rumbling sound stopped, and the whole area went silent. Then, something landed on the ground, and fog spread around it. It was a hover ship — a vehicle Dramons used to travel around — but it was smaller than the mist made it look like, about the size of two or three cars.
Someone jumped out of it. "Ah, finally I'm back here... and it still smells as filthy as ever."
A few voices came from the spaceship. "Wait for us, Commander Irnis! Please don't jump off the Dahk and leave us behind like that." Some Dramon guardsmen came running out with a certain weapon in their hands.
Irnis looked like a statuesque woman with long black hair and dark skin, exuding an aura of quiet confidence. Her slender body moved with a ripple, suppleness, and grace that belied her formidable strength. Her presence seemed to draw the eye, like a magnet. People nearby can't ignore her presence.
"Oh?~ Do you think you have the right to tell me what to do?"
"N-no, ma'am," The guardsman panicked.
"Good. I am going to take this route. Ask Princess to come out, or else I will come inside."
"Yes, ma'am." They ran inside and came out with the Princess.
There were a total of five Dramons there. Three guards, the Princess and Irnis. For someone who was being referred to as a 'Princess', this was pretty loose security, but at the same time, they didn't even need any security. They are already many times stronger than humans and can instantly kill anyone who tries to attack them.
All the guards were closer to the Princess than Irnis and were not looking at her either. They were trying not to get into any trouble.
However, for some reason, the Princess was looking a little sad.
She was petite with a slender figure and wore a dress with shiny, iridescent patterns on it. Her raven hair fell down her back with little mixed colored highlights in some parts. She had an unearthly beautiful cerulean eyes, full lips, unfairly fair skin, high cheekbones, and a delicate heart-shaped face. A small jewelled crown adorned her forehead. And yet, despite her elegant appearance, her charming features shone through, with a subtle, endearing quality that made her even more beautiful.
But her eyes were sad. She seemed as if she had been bullied, and the way she was looking scared of Irnis, was clear.
"Madam Irnis... what path have you chosen this time?" A guardsman spoke from behind the other guardsman.
"This new path I haven't been to before. It will take us to Lakshman-kshetra and don't worry, people there won't pull up a riot like others, so we can roam peacefully without killing someone... just follow me, idiots. Change the mode of the ship to 'Walk' because I want it to stay close by."
"Yes, ma'am."
They did as she instructed and followed Irnis in the way she was going. Princess wasn't looking up and was a bit distressed by something.
As they turned onto the street, their unexpected visit shook every person nearby. Their guards seemed relaxed as if they were out for a morning walk. But the princess was kind of stiff, and her demeanour gave off a sense of uneasiness like she was being forced into this.
Some people who were far from them went to hide while those who came in front of them bowed down in fear, especially, since they were looking more afraid of Irnis.
It was kind of a marketplace, so everyone closed their shops and stores when they passed by, and as expected, K's shop was there too, but he didn't close his shop as he was engrossed in his game... engrossed enough to not notice what was going on nearby.
"Why...do I feel like a grandfather playing this game? ...I'm too bad at this one." At this time, he won't even chase a thief who would steal something from his shop right now.
The sky at that time felt like that of evening or early morning, a bit dark with a hint of light, so K had turned all of the lights on, which made a glass pane in his shop shine on the downhearted Princess for a second. She noticed K's open shop, feeling something strange there and looked at K sitting there, playing games on his device.
Looking at the standing Princess, Irnis stopped and went towards her, "Where are you looking at? Did you forget what I told you?"
"N-no. I-I was just lookin-... Please keep going..." Princess suddenly turned her eyes.
"And what exactly are you looking at?"
"No-nothing. Just keep walking!"
"SHUT UP! Know your place. You think you can order me around?"
Princess looked down. "no..." Her voice went lower.
Irnis saw K's shop open and him sitting nonchalantly, ignoring her and playing games, she went towards him. Her gaze pierced through the shop window, fixing on K with an unsettling intensity.
"Irnis, I think we should-"
"Shut your mouth up. I have to teach this guy here. He dares to ignore me, so he needs to pay for that." She smiled. This illogical phrase only seemed meaningful because of her sadistic desires that don't need a reason.
She didn't stop. She went to him with her eyes gleaming.
"Human, you seem to be ignoring our presence. I find that insulting." Her voice was like a cold breeze, cutting through the silence. It wasn't that loud, but enough to intimidate someone.
Her words dripped with disdain, and she drew herself up, her energy field crackling with anticipation. "I challenge you to a Duel, human. Refuse, and I will make an example of you."
The Princess remained silent but watched with an unreadable expression.
"Hmm-hm, wait a minute." K completely ignored her. A really good fuel for Irnis's anger.
She growled. "Look at me, human! You are asking for your death."
K's eyes finally lifted off the screen and met Irnis' blazing stare.
The intensity of her anger was too strong. The cracked floor was shaking because of the energy released by her armour's mechanics.
"YOU ARE IGNORING OUR PRESENCE! I FIND THAT... INSULTING!" The sound of her voice was like a crack of thunder that shook him to attention.
He didn't lose his composure and took off his headphones and put his mobile on a desk.
"Who are you?" Yes, he knows that she is a Dramon and nothing will change even if he knows who she is...
"You do know what you are saying, right? You are going to fight me, the Third Commander of the Armed Forces of Dramons, Irnis. Accept or Die. The consequences would not change."
K's mind raced as he realised the gravity of his situation. He had unknowingly crossed a line he didn't even know about, and now, he is facing Irnis.
"I accept," he said in the heat of the moment.
Irnis smiled. "Very well, human," she said, her voice filled with sarcastic politeness, "let's see how long you can last against me."
Princess let her eyes close, letting this unfold.
Those guardsmen grabbed K by his hands and lifted him off the ground to take him to a suitable place.
When he was getting dragged away, he saw Princess's face. Her facial expressions were quite off, and unhappy; her eyes were closed. He had heard about her but was seeing her face for the first time. It caught K off guard.
The commotion around them grew. While some spectators tried to take advantage of the situation and escape, others rushed for something more important.
The guardsmen finally stopped at a place, and Irnis pointed at the area.
"Here, you will face your fate, human."
It was a park that had once been a vibrant green land. It now lay in ruins because of the destructive power of Dramons' enjoyment. The ground was scarred and barren and resembled a badland more than a playground. The kids' playing equipment, some other amenities and even the park's borders were broken in a way that looked intentional. The area gave off the vibe of danger, unwelcome, and creepiness, like warning the visitors to stay away.
But K was still unperturbed. He wasn't acting brave, he didn't want to do anything at this point that wasn't going to help him out, not that anything he can do can help him. He knew defeat was almost certain, but he refused to back down, his courage was unwavering, or probably instead of courage it was his stupidity.
At the same time, Princess's eyes were reflecting deep sadness and helplessness as she watched this happen. Her heart was feeling worse every second. She wanted to save his life, but she was bound by circumstances.
"Please, Irnis, have mercy," she whispered, a little sound in the silence, "This human's life shou-" She was silenced by Irnis's eyes.
Her try to persuade Irnis, her desperate plea to Irnis to spare K's life trembled like a torn leaf in the wind.
"I don't think I allowed you to talk, did I?" Irnis said while getting ready for her feast.
Princess backed off and looked at K. Her eyes pleaded for forgiveness as she was powerless to stop the events that were about to unfold.
*"Why is she looking at me like that?"* K thought.
He understood that she was not in favour of this duel, but he also knew that she was unable to do anything, and her sympathies weren't going to change anything. He was alone in this fight, with no one to rely on but himself. In a duel, there are only two important things: strength and knowledge about the enemy. He lacks both. So, he did what he could — steeling his resolve for the fight ahead.
Those guardsmen let go of his hands.
K and Irnis both stood on the opposite side of the park.
Irnis' eyes were devoid of emotion, her gaze cold and calculating, like a predator looking up at its prey. She seemed to relish the situation, her expressions were showing her sadistic feelings.
*"I gotta do this quick. Well, anything I do is gonna end up as nothing, so at least I would want to land a punch or something. That would look great for a human, so she might leave me alive with praise."* K thought in his mind while looking at Irnis.
Irnis, on the other hand, looked pretty calm and also excited in front of him. Her confidence was more than her strength.
K clenched his fists and thumped the ground with his feet, launching himself forward towards Irnis. His right arm cocked back, fist tight and then he unleashed his full-force punch. But...
*"I missed?"*
Irnis was too fast for him to even touch. He didn't stop and continuously tried to hit her, but to Irnis, it looked like a baby trying to fight an adult.
"Trying hard, aren't you?"
She almost looked like she had disappeared and gone behind him. K sensed her presence right behind him and turned back, not losing the momentum as his hook hit her. This time, his fist touched her, but he was too weak.
Irnis scoffed, "Nice effort, Human."
She pulled K's hand aside and punched him hard in the gut. His eyes teared up as he coughed up saliva.
"You're too weak to hurt me."
K's bold charge was met with a swift response. The impact was immense, and his body crumpled under the blow. His vision blurred as he struggled to breathe. The world around him went hazy, his senses blurring as burning heat gripped his body.
That punch knocked the air out of K's lungs like a hammer. His chest burned, and his diaphragm convulsed. His mouth breathed too wildly, desperate for oxygen. Time slowed down for him. His torso sagged like a released spring.
The damage was too severe for a mere human to handle. His eyes went red, and his body crumbled. He lost his grip on his body.