A cool breeze washed over Eleanor as she gazed up at the night sky. Violets and sapphires undulated beneath the swirling galaxies of vibrant darkness while stars speckled the swatches of warm magentas and cool cobalts. The colors of the universe came to life without the light of the sun to trigger its translucent reflections, and the beauty that enveloped the world of Violleth was unending. For when the swirling crimsons and sapphires ended, the sky became cyanic emeralds of glowing blues, but for now the sun slept.

Eleanor stood at the top of a building as she opened herself to the world. The infiltrator invited the thoughts of others to whisper their secrets and lives in silence to her.

“Where is he… He better come alone.”

“I hate patrolling this side of town…”

“You think the lab could raise my pay so I wouldn’t have to live with these animals.”

    There was no filter in the true natured minds of others when they complained, only second thoughts to tame them when they cared enough to try.

“I wonder if that scaly- Wait… no… that’s a slur. Crap, what was her name?”

“Fuck… she’s so hot when she’s on her-”

    Eleanor quickly shook her head clear as her cheeks warmed in the lewd thoughts and lustful feelings from someone in the apartment below, and she took a deep breath to calm herself.

    “I need the thoughts… not the feelings,” Eleanor quietly scolded herself, and she stepped to the edge of the building.

    Her eyes washed over the city scape as she noted the different paths she could take, and she began her way. Her heart was steady and her footfalls soft as she jogged across the rooftops, jumping over fatal gaps and scaling balconies while the thoughts of others fell through her mind. She ran freely through the city, over sleeping minds and the restless, only pausing to make marks on a map of where those involved with Killrize resided. 

    The violets of the night sky started to shift as the sun warmed the horizon in anticipation, and Eleanor finally began her return to the Red Tail Tavern. Her mind was hazy in her exhaustion as she leapt to another rooftop, but she failed to bounce back to her feet after rolling through her momentum.

    “Great…” Eleanor breathed while sprawled out on the roof top, “I should… just walk on the streets I guess…” she grumbled before forcing herself up, and she looked over the edge. 

    She nodded to herself before bouncing on her feet a few times, reclaiming some semblance of energy, and she began her descent. Hold after careful hold she climbed her way down, maintaining most of her fluidity as she kept her focus.

    “Shit!” Eleanor chirped as her grip slipped, losing an untold amount of feet and a year off her life as her heart leapt into her throat before she managed to catch herself. “Oh gods… Why… Why didn’t I listen to Avery?” she scolded herself with a shaky breath as adrenaline trembled through her. “Slow and steady now…”

    Eleanor continued her way until she finally reached the ground with her adrenaline fading, and a tearing sting started to throb in her finger tips. Her eyes flickered to her right hand to find she had broken several nails back to blood in her slip.

    “Owwwwwww!” The pain rushed through her, and she began frantically shaking her hand with a pout. “Not cool!” she huffed at the wall before kicking it. “Ow… that… that didn’t help…”

    “Why would it?” an unfamiliar voice couldn’t hide his amusement, and her eyes darted to find a dramelun whose dark scales and indigo skin made him difficult to spot in the early light. “You okay?”

    “I… Yes,” Eleanor nodded, quickly tucking her injury into her pocket.

    “If you say so,” he held his clawed hands in surrender. “You from around here?” he pressed curiously while looking her over.

    “Are you?” she raised an eyebrow, and a soft laugh escaped him.

    “Maybe I am, maybe I’m not,” he opened his arms, “You could easily find out by getting a drink with me.”

    “It’s five in the morning,” Eleanor stated as she focused her tired mind.

    “Isn’t that enough of a reason to drink in itself?” he teased, and she furrowed her brows slightly.

“She’s definitely not from around here. Wonder if she’s alone...”

    Eleanor began walking away without a word, and his eyes widened slightly.

    “Where you going?” he pressed, but she continued her pace, and he jogged after her.

“Maybe Ki is right about me coming on too strong…”

    “It’s uh… not the safest place to be walking alone at night,” he pressed, but Eleanor ignored him. “Or… morning? What is this time called? Twilight?”

“Shit… how do I convince this girl I’m not a creep?”

    “Can I uh… keep walking with you?” he tried.

    “Why?” Eleanor stopped, looking at him.

“Because you look like shit, but still hot.”

    “Cause I was watching your climb, and you almost fell,” he sighed, “Your hand looked messed up too. I can smell the blood.”

    “I…”

“Well… if she wasn’t creeped out before she is now…”

    “I’m fine,” Eleanor shook her head. 

“It’s that damned lizard-fucker.”

    Eleanor’s eyes darted to a man glaring at the unaware dramelun from across the street.

“What the fuck is he still doing in town?!”

    “Uh…” Eleanor took the dramelun’s arm, and she began walking faster.

    “Well okay,” he huffed in amusement, “I’m fine with this.”

“I’m going to skin him for daring to touch my sister.”

    Eleanor’s eyes flickered to the dramelun in thought while the hate of the aetherum scratched at the back of her mind.

“I don’t know what I said right, but I’ll take it.”

    Happy amusement echoed from the dramelun.

“I’m Ti by the way,” he smiled, flashing his razor-sharp teeth.

“Uh-huh,” Eleanor nodded as she focused on the nearing aetherum’s presence.

“Dramelun scum…”

The aetherum reached for Ti with malicious intent, but Eleanor pulled the dramelun forward, forcing him out of reach. 

    “What the heck?!” Ti blurted, barely catching himself, and Eleanor spun to face the aetherum.

    “I’m gonna skin you, you fuckin’ scaly!” he barked, but Eleanor quickly stood between them.

    “Whoa whoa! Hey now!” she gulped as her heart raced, “What’s going on? No need for slurs!” 

“He fucked my sister!” the man shouted before glaring at Eleanor. “And what are yah? Some kind of scale fucker?” he sneered, and Eleanor frowned as his anger infected her own.

“Leave her out of it,” Ti scowled, “She’s a nice girl, and your sister asked me out, bud.”

“Shut the fuck up!”

The tensions grew deeper, and Eleanor clenched her teeth with the temptation of rage a spark away from igniting.

    “No! You shut up,” Eleanor glared at the man, “Get your racist bullshit out of here!”

    “Shut your mouth bit-”

    Eleanor’s knee cut him off as she rammed it into his family jewels, and he collapsed with a squeak while her wrath begged to go further.

    “Shit…” Ti blinked before grinning, “Nice hit!” he praised, and Eleanor took a deep breath, withdrawing herself from her emotions.

    “Just… get out of here,” she mumbled.

    “I-I’ll kill you!” the man wheezed before Eleanor knocked him out with a swift kick to the head, and she began walking away.

    “Wait up!” Ti called out, and he followed after her, “I owe you one.”

    “It was the right thing to do,” she hummed in her stoicism.

    “Yeah, but still,” Ti huffed in amusement. “Let me know if you need anything while you're in the city,” he offered, and Eleanor paused before looking to him.

    “Do you know anything about Killrize?”