The Life Beyond You

Chapter 2

We walked through a door, for a moment a sharp bright light pierced my eyes. I blinked rapidly until my eyes adjusted, revealing a sight I couldn't believe possible. We were in some sort of..Pillar Gazebo. The sky was a clear light blue and it looked like a forest. No way anything here is part of New York. The marble pillars had vines holding tight to them, wrapping up onto the curved top. The ground was stone, symbols and images scattered on seperate ones. I was to busy trying to take it all in to notice the four wooden chairs raised on an upper level.

"Cyra. New York bounty hunter." A deep voice muttered from behind me. I turned around and saw a man sitting in one of the four wooden chairs. He was pale, his broad arm resting at his side. He was wearing a black button down shirt half tucked into his tight black pants. He studied my face, his...Golden eyes tracing me up and down. His lips curved into what looked like a pout. He had sleek black hair, messy and unkept.

Salsa Dancer.

As soon as that thought popped into my head, I heard a loud laugh echo from the man seated to his left.

"Oh god, Salsa dancer, Knox she just full on recked your style." They guy laughed, his poofy hair falling over his silver eyes. He was wearing a tight white shirt that hugged his figure, and ripped blue jeans. Something about his laugh in that moment annoyed me. He looked over at I guess who would be Knox now. Knox raised one of his hands to the side of his head, it was full of black rings. His pinky rested on his lips and he let out a grunt. There was Conan to his right, and next to Conan an empty chair.

"Oskar, always late. Tsk tsk." Conan slouched in his chair, giving me a side smile. Flirty.

"She already figured you out Conan." Shane said, bending over to look at Conan rolling his eyes.

"Stop reading her mind Shane." Knox said forcefully. Shane just smiled and scooted back in his chair.

"Since Oskar is-"

Suddenly a huge crash came from above me, like something fell from the sky and hit the roof of the Gazebo. Down slid a short, young guy.

"I'm bloody here mate, sorry alot of injured little ones today." His accent british. He was wearing all white, and for some reason I had to squint. He have me a small bow and hovered to his seat. But I'm the only one confused. Knox looks at me for a moment then clears his throat.

"Welcome to your one and only Trial. Make it out of this and you might have a more meaningful like then what you do in New York."

"How do you know I wanna stay." I say very matter of fact.

He gave me a smirk and snapped, a chair appearing behind me. I go to sit but I wait..

"Oh bloody sit your butt down, it's not booby trapped." Oskar sighs, like he's in a rush. I sit back in the chair, legs crossed. I realize what I'm wearing wasn't the same as last night. I'm in a short black skirt and a loose black shirt. I look over at Esteria who is shoving Conan aside in his chair to make room for her. She gives me a I was helping look. I roll my eyes and let my arms rest on the chair.

"So, what do you actually do in this New York..? Did I say that right?" Knox rubs his head, unsure.

"I assume you've never been? And by the sounds of it you already know." I tilt my head and glare at him.

"Yes, I know what Esteria informed me of. You tell me though, what do you do?"

"I help people." I shrugged.

Conan let out a quiet chuckle. Knox raised his hand and he stopped immediately.

"Right, you shot and killed 4 people within the last month for a mere $4,000? Seems like your helping yourself."

I sigh and uncross my legs. "Your right, I work for myself and I work alone."

His pinky brushed his bottom lip again and he nodded.

"Is this crap of Cyra's life because I'm not like any of you? Because at this point your wasting your time, I'm of little value to anyone."

"God she's just full of self respect isn't she." Shane ran his fingers through his hair, smiling.

"Next question," Knox flashed Shane a look and he shrugged, "Who do you want to fight?" He asked calmly.

"Fight?" I look at Esteria. She mouths something: Conan.

"Yes fight, pick someone. So we can assess your skill."

"Oh right my nonexsistent skills silly me. Conan."

Knox raised an eyebrow and nodded at Conan. "Just weapons." He mumbled.

"Ah the fun part, this is what I came to see." Oskar said, scooting up in his chair. Knox snapped again and my chair dissapeared and I stood up. I see my sword on the ground by the door but before I can move to get it, Conan's thick arms are around by waist. I pry one off, kicking his leg causing him to slip. He snickers and I run to the door, grabbing my sword. Sure I've seen Peter Pan enough to know you how to use this. Just as I was confident enough to do this, Conan pulls out three sharp throwing knives.

Suddenly one flies at me, skimming my leg. Pain shoots up my left leg and I wince, looking at the cut bleeding. I ignore the pain and raise my sword, but before I can act it's gone in Knox's hand.

"How does this even work!?" I say, dodging another knife. Knox laughs, I got distracted by it for a moment. It was deep and smokey. I sigh and focus again. Hands on it is. Conan runs at me and something made me jump, swinging my legs around his shoulders. He fell on his back, letting out a groan. I give him a smirk, and he grabs my neck, slamming my head on the ground. I blink and everything goes blurry, but I manage to knee him right in he crotch. He loosens his grip and I flip him on his stomach, pulling his leg back.

"Give me a smile and I might let go." I say sarcastically, letting go as he yelps. My legs are all scrapped up and I feel weak. I stand up as straight as I can and Conan holds his crotch, mumbling back to his seat. Esteria is laughing at him all the way. I feel like I'll throw up if I open my mouth so I just look at Knox..His golden eyes staring right into mine. Oskar claps and laughs at Conan too. Shane just yawns and looks at the sky.

"Well anyone can bruise Conan, his looks don't help him in a fight." He got up, his black button up revealing the top part of his chest. I avoid looking at him
as he walks around the Gazebo, thinking.

"I'll give you the choice. Stay here and become one of us, or return to your life shooting down men from the roof tops and making no name for yourself."

Something inside of me boiled up and made me yell. "I'm not there to make a name for myself, I'm not there for the pleasure of having an amazing life. I'm there because I just drove. I ran and ended up there and everything else fell. It might of been a mistake, but if I'm going to be ridiculed for my actions then I want no part of this..place... with any of you." I turn and half limp to the door, but someone walks up behind me and picks me up, there warm hands gripping my thighs. slamming the door open.

"Knox she didn't-" Esteria's voice faded as to door slammed shut.