Gibson’s nostrils flared as he whipped about and snarled at her. Several things were bothering him about the situation and pouring gasoline onto the fire of his rage. First, she had seen him when he was hunting someone else. Second, she actually CALLED TO HIM. It was like she had a death wish or something. He figured that he could help her out with that.
"You’Ll d0. WhIcH ONe arE yOu w4ntiNg, Inf3ct1on, oR d3aTh? GeTTinG inF3Ct3d isN’t GoIng tO g3t yOu iNtO mY bEd. YoU’d haV3 tO iMpr3Ss mE fIrsT, aNd gIviNg 4wAy yOuR taCtiCal aDvanTaGe isN’t hElpInG wiTh tHAt."
He was infected, he wasn’t stupid. There was a reason he was King. Still, he had to admit, her courage was slightly impressive. He made a rather imposing figure, with his hood darkening his face so only his yellow-green eyes shone out, and the terrifying color spiderwebbing through the rest of his circuitry.
"I’m interested in whichever you think will work," Vira replied evenly, a smile on her lips, and then she laughed. "Into bed? Darling, unless you’re hiding a beautiful female render, I am not interested in anything beneath your suit.”
Despite her words, her eyes trailed over him, lingering on the circuitry that traced his suit. The yellow was comforting and upsetting all in one, the urge to befriend and murder the other virus warring within her. She hadn’t dropped her cloak yet, waiting for him to jump her, but if he didn’t make a move soon, she was going to.
"Щёll тнaт’$ a fїґ$т. Ї ц₴ёd то нavє тнє ladїё₴ faщиїиg all оvёґ мё, по мaттєґ щнїcн щaу тнєу ₴щциg."
He paced, looking over her, and their surroundings, determining the best course of action. He was also trying to decide if he wanted to infect her or kill her. Which was he hungry for? Another soldier, or to feed? Which did he want most?
There was a tension to this confrontation, as if they were both sizing each other up, or at least, that’s how it felt to the new Abraxas. Eat or infect? Infect or eat?
He finally decided. He’d infect her, then eat her if he wanted to later.
”$ёєїиg a$ уоц нavє $омё кїпd оf dёaтн щї$н, Ї’м gоїпg то нavё то apоlоgїzє. Їт’$ gоїпg то Ьє a lїvїиg dёaтн тоdaу.”
Before he even finished speaking, he ran forward, then suddenly changed course at the last moment to used a nearby crumbling wall to launch himself at her flank.
"Well, I’ve always been special," Vira said demurely, feeling his gaze almost physically. From the little he could see, she was just an average female render - pretty, maybe, but not a guard, not strong. She was created to be the perfect hunter, after all; the appearance was just another way of luring in prey.
Living death - so he meant to infect her? She would have laughed at the idea, except that the virus had used the wall - fuck - to throw himself behind her guard, his fingers latching into her cloak.grabbing her hip before she could get back. So that’s how the game was going to be played.
Vira ripped the clasp of her cloak free, not trying to keep it intact - there were plenty of cloaks, but she only had one life - and let it fall, freeing her to grab his wrist. She used his momentum to help her swing around, a high kick aimed for his chest, hoping to wrench his arm loose - or off, if she was lucky.
The kick not only freed his grip, but launched him into a wall, fracturing the already fragmented code even more, and embedding him into it.
"Уоц lїттlє glїтcн."
He could see what she was now. His first instinct would have been to order her back to the den if he hadn’t gotten a whiff of her and parsed that she wasn’t his code. She wasn’t the pure Abraxas stock.
"Уоц’яє Ba$їc вa$є, aяєп’т уоц? Йоґмallу Ї щоцldп’т ёvёп Ьотнёя, вцт уоц cо$т мё $омё pєґfєcтlу gооd pяёу. Ї’м gоипa тaкё уоц їп₴тёad!"
He ran forward and slashed out with his claws, looking to open her render and knock her back at the same time, maybe even take a few voxels with it.
Vira raised her hands (claws, now) and brushed her hair back from her face, taking a deep, calming breath. He’d scratched her, but that was no worry, she was fine - but the comment.
"Basic base?" Her voice hissed out of her throat. "I’ve been Queen since Abraxas was my competition. You’re nothing but a child dressed up, playing the part of an adult!” She sidestepped him, leaving him with only a slight slice of fabric, her anger making her quick but too rough to strike; she took a breath and tried to focus. "You fucker, I came here to face real competition!” She stalked towards him, her guard still up, ready to block any movements he made. She thought absently of her viruses, wondering if it was worth summoning them, but no, she could end him alone.
"How fucking dare you, you beta-class infected!” She darted forward suddenly, her claws reaching for his wrist. If she could break it, he would die, simple as that, because she’d have the advantage.
"BЁTA CLД₴₴ ЇЙFЄCTЁD?"
He spun, grabbed her off hand, and slammed her head into the ground with his free hand.
"Ї щa₴ тнє AЬяaжa$ Jalёи’$ fїґ$т aпd опlу lїєцтёпaпт. Ї щas тнё оиlу Ї₴О нё кєpт alїvё. Уоц мaу Ьє a qцєєи, вцт Ї’м тнє Кїпg. Ї ДM AЬяaжa$, уоц fґaggїи’ Бa₴їc! Уоц $ноцld fёёl ноиоґёd. Иот єvєґу pяоgяaм caи ₴aу тнёу gот ёaтєп Ьу AЬяaжa$."
Vira was yanked from her feet, slamming back onto the pavement with a sickening crunch. The breath was gone from her lungs and her head felt weak, but she had no time to dwell on it.
She gathered her legs under his chest, curling subtly, and was reminded of another fight, long ago, with the real Abraxas. She missed the other virus in a strange way, like how one misses a toothache.
"I am the virus's first - only child - the only true virus on this - this whole fragging grid. The rest?" She kicked against him, hard, throwing him back and scrambling the other way. "Infected, all of you! Basic - infected." She pushed herself to her feet. "I am a virus and you are nothing. Abraxas was twice the virus you'll ever be!" She was panting, sucking air back into starved lungs. "And if I matched him, what do you think I can do to you?"
