Kings Game

Chapter 60 - Diminished

"Maybe because it's a miserable thing to say out loud. Ain't nothing to be done about it, so just drop it already."

"Kell, I'm worried about you."

"And that's your problem, now isn't it?"

"Kell!"

Nul stood in the doorway, glaring at her.

"Eavesdropping on us now?" Kell asked.

"I don't have to. You're yelling so loud half the city can hear you."

"So let them fucking hear, see if I care. If they have a problem with it, they can bring it to me directly. Besides, who even cares? Who cares that I was tortured and maimed on the other side of the continent."

"Kell," Nul began calmly, "I know that you're upset about what happened in Uhlara-"

"Oh I am beyond upset. We go on an adventure to find me a blade and do everything but. Roran gets to adopt a new kid to project his guilt onto, Sarah got better at pretending to be human, you turned into a fucking demi-god, and even Karyn became an esteemed whore priestess." Kell held up her stump. "All while I became less."

"Kell, stop."

"Oh, is that not exactly what happened? Am I being unreasonable?"

"No, you're being a bitch to the one person who's actually willing to put up with your bullshit."

Kell turned and saw Karyn sitting on the bed, hugging herself. She wouldn't meet Kell's eye, but she saw tears shimmering at the edges.

Kell groaned, pissed off at the situation and pissed off at herself.

She threw on a shirt and pants, then kicked on her boots before grabbing her cloak. She grabbed a spear and shoved past Nul on her way out of the room.

"I can't breathe, this place is too suffocating."

Kell left the room and trotted down the stairs and out onto the street. Outside a clerk and a city guard were coming towards the apartment building.

"Everything alright?" asked the guard.

"Fucking fine."

Kell strolled past them.

She felt like an idiot. Both for breaking a wall and for yelling at Karyn. Karyn didn't deserve that kind of behavior. She rubbed her wrist against her side, feeling the steel bangle press into her skin. It normally weighed nothing at all, but tonight it felt heavy.

"Gods I'm stupid," Kell said softly.

She'd been surprised at how easily the wall had shattered under fist. Nul's etchings had always given her inhuman strength, but that was before Nul had acquired Akanos. Now Nul's etchings were in a new league. They had constantly updated and refined the designs on both Roran and Kell, finetuning them over and over again. Kell had never been more powerful or more dangerous. And now she was a danger to the one person that loved her the most.

"I need a drink," she mumbled to herself and headed off in search of a tavern.

(2)

Finding one of her old haunts, Kell shouldered the door open and sauntered inside. The crowd looked rough but jovial, comprised mostly of weathered Champions. She walked to the bar and thumped her spear on the ground.

"Oi," she called, getting the bartender's attention. "Get me something strong."

The bartender nodded and came over with a bottle and a glass.

"Just a glass?" he asked.

"Leave the bottle," Kell said and dumped a handful of coin on the counter.

The bartender nodded again, poured her a glass, then collected the coin and left. Kell grabbed the bottle and added a few more fingers before she was satisfied. Taking a sip, Kell tried to contemplate where her life had gone wrong. There were so many options that it was hard to choose.