Duality (A Fanfic Continuation)

Fifty-Seven

November 2011

At sharp 6:30 came the faint sound of metal heels clicking against the stone tiles of the hallway. 

With each echo that resonated off the walls came a dryness in Eddy's mouth and an unsettling in his heart, amplifying with each second as the distant sound became louder and louder. 

His opponent was a controller of energy, more specifically radiations, which meant that although he could not wield fire, he could manipulate heat. A sudden chill ran through his body at the thought. 

Kim had already left a good while ago to let him get more comfortable in his surroundings and thus had long taken his words of calm with him. So here Eddy was, feeling the most vulnerable he'd ever been as an unfamiliar heat effused from the bare skin underneath his bodycon latex, while his knees trembled under the weight of his anxiety. 

~

The first thing Eddy noted when the door slid open was not the unusual appearance of the stranger but the sudden inflow of heavy energy that radiated off the figure in all directions, making his long sleek hair look as if it were a halo. Reaching down to just below his scapula, they were drawn back into a half ponytail with the help of a blue ribbon - hair as smooth as silk and as black as the moonless night, exhibiting a striking contrast to his immaculately fair skin. Eyes the colour of jade were poised beneath deeply set eyebrows, giving him an allure of age and experience despite the naivety exhibited by his plump lips and upturned nose. Sharp features and a chiselled jawline complimented his slender and tall physique beneath a loosely fitted white satin shirt tucked into a black checkered pant, the hem of which dug into his almost non-existent waist. The look was provided with a sense of completion by a small sapphire pendant resting between his prominent collarbones. 

Absolutely everything about this man was at odds with his identity as the 'Mighty Epsilon'. His striking appearance would easily make one assume him to be no less than a model. His file gallery was nothing compared to the way he carried himself in reality! Eddy gaped at the man in front of him, with awe or in admiration, he couldn't tell.

"Hey, I'm Soyre." 

The stranger extended his hand to Eddy who in turn blinked once, twice at the outstretched arm then at the flowing locks of black covering his shoulder blades. He gulped.

The voice was almost melodious, yet deep and soft, like a cello. It felt as if the end syllable rose higher in pitch each time a sentence was uttered. Eddy finally realised he was staring.

"Oh um hi, Eddy, nice to meet you." He said, giving the outstretched palm a gentle squeeze.

"Nice to meet you too." Soyre replied with a brief, yet charming smile, a charm that supposedly vanished when he fought, a glamour that supposedly dissipated as he trounced his opponents, still being able to leave traces of moves lined with poise and grace. Eddy shivered at the thought of facing this man, sceptical of whether he'd be able to return out in one piece today, but somehow he was ready, he had to be. If he was capable of drawing with the Firebird, the Epsilon could be managed too, his thoughts raced as if it was not meant to be the other way round, crouching under the steel gaze of the man towering upon him.

"You've been losing control?" The question was curt, and was responded to by a meek nod.

"Hm, how long has this been going on for?" Soyre asked with a pause.

"Kim said the situation was exceptionally worse in your last fight."

"It certainly was" Eddy replied, fidgeting with the gold glint on his finger as if seeking some unknown sense of assurance.