Chapter 49: Even Lyra's a Monster [2]

Lyra swallowed down her reluctance and listened to the cold Tyla recall the last couple of days she was in a coma. In contrast to Lyra, Tyla didn't seem to mind being the one who had to bring her up to speed. She even had a slight interest in the woman who accompanied the man known as Huey Blade through the apocalypse. Now even more after she awakened.

She explained to Lyra and told her about how Huey had reached a temporary truce with Barak and how they returned to the settlement and fixed a meeting with the council. About how Huey accompanied them in the Subjugation, and went in great detail to describe his tremendous feat and confrontation against the alleged Boss of the Den; an Evolved Elder God, tough partially.

Tyla continued for the next hour and described everything that had happened since then to her, explaining the events that led up to her transplant and awakening. Every now and then, Professor Hathaway would input some of his thoughts and opinions, based on the one on one discussions he shared with Huey, about how he was determined to save Lyra and even went of the way to recovering the Core of a high level Elder God.

Of course he kept to himself the Revelation.

And aside from those rare times, it was Tyla doing the speaking. Hathaway was left befuddled and baffled watching...or rather... listening to her say so many words and speak so long.

Tyla was a cold and unfriendly sort, a woman of little to no words who was devoted entirely and loyal to her duties and responsibilities. A powerful woman who never spent time on frivolities, and never looked twice at a person.

That same Tyla, seemingly spoke endlessly about Huey. There was a glimmer of interest and desire in her supposedly taciturn azure eyes she failed to hide efficiently. The passion would at times even make it to her voice, raising it a slight tone or almost indiscernible pitch higher when she spoke about him, but both Hathaway, and now, Lyra were Knight's; their inhumane senses and perceptions allowed them to easily discover the slight changes in silver haired.

Though her voice seemed cold and taciturn, she even added some of her personal thoughts and commentary about Huey. She described to an extent her perception of him...and how she thought he was crazy and monstrous.

But powerful.

Towards the end of the whole explanation, Tyla subtly made it all about Huey. Well it was actually, but she began to input more of her personal opinions and thoughts.

And the amusing...or scary... thing was that, she did so with a straight face! Not a single ripple broke her cold mask.

By the end of it, Lyra had heard so much about Huey that she was certain someone might have had a little crush on the shameless swordsman who was fond of using his fist rather than the sword in cases more often than none...

Wait, wasn't Lyra letting her mind wonder too?

"... And so, he says he will be returning at latest in a couple of hours today." Indeed, the night was nearly over since Lyra woke up and the whole revelation about suddenly being a Knight and the talk about the last couple of days.

It was almost 'day three' of the day Huey claimed he would return. That was in a few hours.

"...a lot of things happened while I was asleep." Lyra lamented when Tyla was done and covered her face in embarrassment.

'I slept through it all! Dammit, that's fucking embarrassing!' she cried in her heart.

"Yes, that is true. It has only been less than five days when all that happened, but it certainly feels like much more." Hathaway laughed mildly and injected. He had still been studying Lyra's vitals and reactions throughout the entire time Tyla recounted the last couple of days, hoping to discover any abnormalities before it was too late.

Getting over the embarrassment and sense of uselessness she felt a little, Lyra reflected over what she learned. There indeed was a number of things that happened while she was asle—

'In coma! I was in coma!'

Huey had been through and did a lot, and a part of his actions were also as a result of her circumstance.

In other words, he did all those for her. He fought an Evolved Elder God for her.

'What the hell is this... didn't he say anything that happened to me was at my own risk and he won't be held accountable? Then he goes off an does something dangerous like that, jeez." The young woman mumbled to herself while having mixed and complicated feelings about it.

On one hand she felt she had brought great trouble on Huey and has been only a burden, even while she was passed out. And on the other hand, she...felt greatful that he didn't abandon her or leave her to die. Grateful that he did all of that for her, including coming into aggressive territory and facing an abominable monster.

Lyra had heard what would have happened if she couldn't get a core, in a few days she would be laying dead.

'Ughh...this is the second time too, ' Lyra moaned, feeling her head heat up.

He had done the same the first time they met. At that time, Lyra was on death's door, with one leg in the coffin. But Huey had been the one to pick her up and even saved her. He was the one who made her adaptable to the toxic atmosphere and even let her journey with him when he, in all honesty, had no reason to.

They hadn't traveled together for more than three days, either, but Huey had been the one fighting for her and protecting her, regardless of if directly or indirectly.

She said she could fend for herself and yet, ever since she had only been a burden. A big pain in the ass. Baggage in the apocalypse. What exactly had she provided to him in this their 'relationship'?

Was it the so called 'knowledge' of the current world? True that may be something considerable, but in the end it wasn't anything too major for someone like Huey. And besides, what she taught him was mostly Common knowledge, the people of the era all knew! And even Lyra, as an underprivileged orphan when she was little, was considered lacking in certain aspects.

There was nothing special about it, at all! Literally nothing!

She was just weak and useless.

Thinking like so, she moaned again, feeling downcast.

At the rate it were going, Huey would cut her off, Lyra knew it. He had done enough for her, and she had nothing in return. Was it the so called 'knowledge'? Yeah, well, he already met with Professor Hathaway and the Ntuli Tribe. Without a doubt, they knew far more than a single orphan would.

'No, no, no, no. I can't let that happen. I absolutely can not let him leave me! ' Lyra's mind raced as she slowly panicked.

But there was still hope. There was still a light.

'I...I-i have a Core now... I've become a Knight, which means I have power. That's right, I have power now, I should be able to stand by his side! I can support him, no longer will I only be a burden! ' feeling her heart quicken, she immediately considered.

Lyra couldn't let Huey go. No, no, she needed him. He was her ticket to something great and beyond her.

Huey Blade was her chance to get her revenge.

"Is there something the matter?"

Hathaway's concern filled voice snapped Lyra out of her reverie. Her head jerked up and she was met with the focused gazes of the other two. Now that she had learned the circumstances and relationship Huey had with the Tribe, she could relax a bit more around them, although she still kept her guard up at the minimum.

Y-yes, yes. I'm fine. Totally. " She blinked her eyes then smiled sheepishly.

Hathaway was studying her brainwaves, so he could tell she didn't mean that. He had determined that since the negative effect may not be associated with her physical appearance, then maybe it was mental or psychological. But he still required more data than just staring at a screen.

At that point, Lyra frowned lightly then turned.

"Umm, why do you keep staring at me like that?", said Lyra at Tyla.

The aloof silver haired lady sat with her legs crossed elegantly and with poise. Her cold and indifferent gaze betrayed not a single hint of her thoughts, but instead slowly and almost imperceptibly swept against Lyra's figure.

Her eye were silent and judging as she appraised her target from head to toe.

Then she responded in almost monotone.

"I'm curious, what does he see in a person like you to go out of his way for?"

" Excuse you?" Lyra's expression fell cold as she rebuked in a low oppressive voice.

Tyla met her gaze and continued, unperturbed.

"It's obvious you've improved after becoming an accursed, but prior to that, your level was rather trifling. I'm seriously confused how you've survived this long."

Hearing her abilities from before being termed as 'trifling', Lyra suppressed the side of her face from twitching. Then she smiled coldly, the light not reaching her eyes.

"Isn't that strange, huh. I remember leaving you and your little cheerleaders a few parting gifts, though? How's your left eye doing by the way? I see you've managed to get it healed, that's good. But it's a shame, a scar from a weakling like me looked good on you back then." She mocked, tauntingly.

She wasn't going to sit around while some Huey-simp talked down on her like she wasn't even there.

'And that condescending tone and look... '

Lyra wasn't sure why, but Tyla never gave her the right impression since the beginning. She had been harboring wary and aggressive tendencies against her, but had managed to suppress that strange feeling.

Perhaps it was from almost getting killed by her before?

Or was it something else? She seemed to be acting purely on emotions and bad blood.

Lyra didn't think about that. Maintaining her mocking, lightless smile, she held the side of her face and tilted her head slightly, then said with ridicule unrestrained in her voice.

"Oh my, you're not going to say anything? Well, I think I remember it was three on one last time too? What, you going to call your little group? Oh, how's the lady with the slit throat, hopefully she didn't bleed to death, did she?" Her expression transitioned to a mockery imitation of concern.

Tyla's expression only twitched a single second, then reverted the very next. But the coldness in her eyes deepend as they reflected the mocking figure of Lyra before her.

Then she said calmly, coldly.

"You've grown a big mouth. Perhaps one of your finest charm? Well this is good anyway. We of the Ntuli Tribe don't batter with words. I was curious to how strong you've become, so why don't we do battle?" Tyla's posture never shifted throughout it all. She was casual and indifferent, cold and menacing.

Slowly, Lyra's smile receded and a deep shadow cast against her expression. A dangerous glint sharpened in her sapphire eyes, a sharp violent hue in their depths.

"You're asking for a fight?'

" Did I stutter, you stupid girl? " Tyla remained lofty.

Then Lyra smiled, the edges of her lips twisted disturbingly. Her eyes were full of only dark, malicious glee, her expression rather terrifying.

The temperature seemed to drop by a single degree. The darkeness deepend and the shadows surged.

"Fine. I'm also curious to see what I can do." Lyra seemed sinister when embraced by the illusionary darkness. Her smile was like the devil, in contrast, Tyla's was cold and composed, yet terrifying.

"Aren't you going to stop us?" Lyra side glanced at the spectating Professor and Tyla did the same.

Hathaway adjusted his glasses, glanced at the screen in his hand then raised his head at the two.

"No. This good for the three of us. Perhaps I'll be able to get all the data I need. Do battle."