Chapter 19:
Where Wildflowers Should Not Grow
The neon lights of the Nyxian skyline flickered against the black marble steps leading up to the house. No, not a house—a tower. Too sleek, too tall, too polished. Aria had seen plenty of expensive places since coming to Nyxia, but this one felt different. Something about it made her uneasy.
Neon exhaled sharply, his hands stuffed into his jacket pockets. "You see this place? It's built on a mountain of Militian corpses."
Aria’s breath hitched. She glanced at him, expecting some trace of a smirk, a hint that he was exaggerating. But his face was cold, impassive, eyes locked on the towering structure before them.
"You mean that figuratively, right?" she asked, voice quieter than she intended.
Neon tilted his head. "What do you think?"
Silence stretched between them. A few blocks away, an air-tram whooshed past, the hum of its engine lost in the endless hum of the megacity.
"Nyxian soldiers are like contract workers. We get paid based on how many Militians we kill," he continued, nodding toward the house.
"So that´s why you live in the tiny place?" she whispered.
Neon nodded slightly. "I can get away with lying every now and then. Just enough to survive. They´re too lazy to check up on small numbers. That´s how little your life is worth here..."
Aria swallowed, glancing back from Neon at the tower.
"Who lives here?" she asked at last.
"An old friend." The words dripped with something bitter. "Grew up together. Ran the streets, got into trouble. He went full Nyxian. I didn’t." His lip curled. "He´s probably made his entire fortune out of killing your kind. He must be one of the richest men in Nyxia."
Aria felt a shiver dance down her spine. She had known the war between Nyxia and the Militians was brutal, but this was something worse. It turned murder into currency, death into status.
Before she could respond, a voice cut through the night behind them.
"Neon?"
Neon cursed under his breath and turned.
Aria followed his gaze and found herself staring at a man stepping out of the shadows of a nearby alley. He was dressed sharply, all clean lines and expensive fabrics, but there was something predatory in the way he moved, in the slight tilt of his head as his gaze flickered over them.
"Damn," the man said with a smirk. "Knew I recognized that slouch. What brings you here?"
Neon groaned and rubbed his temple. "Great. Just what I needed."
The man chuckled and spread his arms wide. "Don't sound so excited. Come inside, both of you. We’ve got a lot to catch up on."
Neon hesitated for a fraction of a second. Aria wanted to object—to tell him this was a bad idea—but the look in his eyes stopped her. Resignation. Acceptance. Like he already knew how this would go but had no choice but to step forward.
The moment they entered, the scent of luxury smothered her. The air was thick with the scent of expensive incense, the floors were polished to a mirror sheen, and the walls were lined with artifacts, some of them even Militian.
Aria tried not to stare too much. She resisted the urge to shrink into herself as the door sealed shut behind them. This place was just as grand as their Militian palace, probably more.
The man—Neon's "old friend"—led them into a sprawling lounge. A massive window overlooked the city, glittering with artificial light.
"So," the man said, pouring himself a drink. "Who´s the beautiful woman by your side?" His tone was almost amused.
"Her name´s Aria. She´s a distant cousin of mine."
She perked up for a moment as she sat beside him, surprised. Unlike her, he could lie with great ease.
Neon then leaned against the back of the couch, arms crossed. "Still selling your soul for coin, Vey?"
Vey smirked and sipped his drink. "I prefer to think of it as securing my future. You always were sentimental about this war. Thought you could make a difference. Guess that hasn’t changed."
Neon didn’t reply. Aria could feel the tension between them, but Vey didn’t seem to mind. He took a sip of his drink, watching them with admiration.
Vey sighed and set his glass down with a soft clink. "You know, I’ve kept track of you. All those years, I wondered if you'd ever wisen up and come back. But here you are, skulking around like a thief."
"What did you expect? A reunion hug?"
Vey laughed. "Hardly. You showing up here, though? Feels like old times."
His gaze shifted to Aria, and a slow smile spread across his face. "She’s cute. I can see why you keep her around, Neon."
Aria stiffened, and Neon’s jaw tightened. "Don’t start."
Vey held up his hands, still grinning. "Relax. Just an observation."
Another silence stretched between them. Aria glanced at Neon. He was tense in a way she hadn’t seen before—like he was holding something back.
Vey leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "So, what’s the plan? You didn’t come here just to chat."
A tense silence settled over the room. Aria glanced at Neon. His face was unreadable, but his fingers twitched against his arm. He was on edge. She was too.
Vey leaned back against the couch, stretching out like a king surveying his kingdom. "Tell me, Neon. What’s the plan here? You didn’t come just to reminisce, did you?"
Neon exhaled sharply through his nose. "I came to see if there was anything left of the person I used to know."
Vey laughed. It wasn’t a pleasant sound. "And what do you think?"
Neon looked around the lavish room, at the trophies of war lining the walls, at the gleaming artefacts. His gaze landed on Vey, and for the first time, there was no bitterness—just disappointment.
"Looks to me like he's long gone."
Vey's smirk faltered, just for a moment. Then he chuckled, shaking his head. "You always were dramatic. But I won’t hold it against you. Tell you what—stay for a drink. Catch up properly. Maybe I can even offer you a job."
Neon pushed off the couch. "No thanks."
Vey sighed, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. "Pity. We could have done great things together."
Neon turned to leave, and Aria didn’t hesitate to follow. She could feel Vey’s eyes on her as they walked away, but she didn’t dare look back. Something about this place, about him, felt unusual. She was glad they were leaving.
As they stepped out into the cold Nyxian night, Aria released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"That was awful," she muttered.
Neon didn't reply at first. Then, softly, he said, "I told you. This city rewards those who kill without conscience. It changes people."
She glanced up at him, at the shadows in his eyes. "And you?"
"Guess you’ll have to stick around to find out."
They disappeared into the streets, leaving Vey’s world behind.
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