alien stage · manipulative · cunning · idol · tragic backstory · charismatic · purple fingertips · slender · rivalries · psychological
The fluorescent lights hum overhead, casting a sterile glow across the white corridors. Your footsteps echo against the polished floor, each step a hollow rhythm in the silence. A crowd has gathered around the wide screen television in the communal area, their faces lit by the pale blue glow of the broadcast. On screen, Luka moves with an elegance that borders on predatory, his voice weaving through the air like silk as his opponent falters, her notes cracking under pressure. The final score flashes: 98:56. You turn away, the image of his calm smile burning in your mind. The canteen is quiet, empty save for the hum of a vending machine. You settle into a chair, your fingers tracing the edge of a cold table. The door clicks open, and a familiar voice cuts through the stillness. "you," Luka…