Tyrins was the capital city of Delphin and was located upon the largest island of the sea world. Lucius had never been there before but the cityscape reminded him of other urban nightmares he’d visited in the past. Nuclear power stations belched thick white plumes of heavy smog into the air through vast cooling towers and tall skyscrapers standing proudly above the rest of the tightly packed buildings, their glass sides reflecting the moon’s light across the rooftops. Digital billboards affixed to various buildings scrolled through an array of adverts using gaudy images and bright neon luminosities to try and hold their audiences’ attention. He hated cities, they were full of people trying to tread on others, desperate to climb to the next rung in their busy lives and indifferent as to whom they cast down on their way up.

  Rain fell like a fine mist and clung to his clothes as he turned down into another street that was full of traffic, pedestrians and vendors. A bike swerved out of his way, the rusted brakes screeching as the wheels dropped off the pavement, splashing dirty water onto his trousers. The rider shouted a curse that was quickly lost amongst the noise of the busy street.

  “I’ve only ever seen those in data archives,” Lucius muttered to himself, giving his leg a shake.

  Seen what?

  “Bicycles,” he replied. “Am I still going the right way?”

  Yes, walk to the end of this street and then turn right, that will take us into the church square.

  “Good, I’m getting fed up with this rain.”

  He continued on, passing an angry exchange of words between a vendor selling some repugnant smelling liquor and a passer-by who had knocked some the bottles onto the ground, smashing them.

  “Wanna buy some spice?” a young lad said, falling into step beside of him.

  “No,” Lucius grunted, extending the length of his stride.

  The lad jogged after him and gave him a gentle tug on the arm. “I’m sellin’ it real cheap mister, only two chun a gram.”

  “I don’t have any chun on me and anyway, when did the price of spice go up, it was only five okh a gram two years ago?”

  “We stopped dealin’ in okh after the market crashed out last year. Chun’s what passes as shrapnel these days.”

  Lucius picked up his pace even more, not wanting to continue a conversation that was going absolutely nowhere, but the young lad persisted and caught up with him again.

  “Listen, I tell ya what, I’ll do ya a deal. Half a gram for a chun?”

  “That’s no different from your original offer. You must think I’m stupid.”

  “I could just stick ya and take ya money mister, ya oughta be more polite.”

  Lucius stopped and turned on him, grabbing the scruff of his jacket and hoisting him into the air. “Listen you little leech, I’m not interested in your spice and I’m certainly not interested in sharing another word with you so why don’t you disappear and crawl back into the gutter you were lurking in.” With that he threw the lad onto a heap of rubbish on the side of the road and continued on.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  “You’ll regret that mister, I’ll ‘ave ya eyes out for touchin’ me!” the lad cried from amidst the waste bags.

  That was a little uncalled for don’t you think?

  “What are you now, my conscience?” he snapped back.

  No, but you should not go around hurting children like that.

  “If you think he was some helpless child then you’re more out of touch than I thought. That lad probably runs this block, he’ll have a whole distribution chain holed up in one of these buildings. If you’re worried about him getting hurt then don’t, it’ll be him and his gang that go around dishing out the hurt.”

  He rounded the corner and the square came into view. There were more stalls, like the ones from the street, that surrounded the tall monument in the centre of the square. The place was full of the poor trying to eke out an existence in a harsh world that had been made by the rich, for the rich. Another reason he hated cities, they offered little for the common people who were merely cattle for the wealthy to prey upon.

  The entrance to the church lay across the square, beneath its steeple that climbed into the smog-filled sky. There was a certain austere feel to the ancient building that stuck out like an ugly, grey blister amongst the smooth and modern refinement of the tower blocks around it. Nearby a woman was standing upon an upturned delivery crate and was waving her arms erratically in the air, babbling on about something that was too incoherent for Lucius to appreciate at the distance that lay between them. She was pretty though, that much was clear.

  Go over to that woman.

  “Why, I thought we needed to get rid of these things in the church?” he said, patting the cloak that lay against his leg.

  Just do it, I can understand what she is saying.

  “Well you must be the only one then, it sounds like a load of gibberish to me,” he replied, changing direction and heading towards the woman. Thinking about it, he wasn’t all that bothered about the diversion, getting a closer look wouldn’t be as disagreeable as he’d made out it to be.

  He noted the admonishing looks she was getting from people passing by before he’d got halfway between the monument and her makeshift podium. Some people even had an edge of fear etched across their faces, furtively looking about before they risked walking past her. He stopped at what he deemed a safe distance and continued to watch the woman. She wore an unremarkable brown robe that was completely saturated and tattered at the bottom. Long, wet, dark hair fell down to her waist and she had smooth, pointed features. It was her eyes that took his attention though, they were an icy blue and more striking than anything he had seen before. They sparkled in the lights from the streetlamps like sapphires. Minutes ticked by leaving him standing in rapturous silence before he realised that she was in fact talking complete and utter nonsense.

  “I think she must be crazy,” he said quietly. “It’s a shame really, she’s a good looking girl.”

  Lucius felt a flutter in his chest, like someone had released a net of butterflies inside of him.

  She’s speaking Aramaic!

  “Aramaic, what’s that?”

  Did you never pay any attention in your religious studies?

  “I’ve got to say Sepherene, I think things run a little differently from how you imagine where I’m from. Most people don’t do any religious studies and even fewer go to church. Religion’s become an outdated tradition; or religion as you know it anyway.”

  She is using an ancient language, one spoken by my Father’s son when he walked in your realm.

  “How’s she expecting anyone to understand her then?” he asked, bewildered.

  I don’t know but she speaks of Pontius Pilate and of how Delphin’s Director is making the same mistakes.

  “I don’t know who Pontius is but she needs to be careful what she says about the Director or she might end up in prison. Come on, let’s get on with the task at hand.”

  He spared the woman one last glance before starting to walk towards the church, her zealous cries slowly fading into the background bustle of city life.