Mark never expected a hidden city full of people, a realm populated by a secret society whose purpose was the protection and preservation of humanity. Olympus, the home of the Order. A mountainous archipelago nation, with cities built on the sides of cliff faces that overlooked a vast ocean and its artificial sky. No one had any means of personal transport, it wasn’t necessary when every train, tram, and bus was always on time.
It was told to Mark that the realm was made by the ancient Greeks who were experimenting with the possibilities of magic and created a realm that could house over hundreds of millions. When the city was rediscovered by the Order, it was long abandoned. The skeletons of its former residents were turned to dust, there was evidence that people lived there but their remains were long gone. Making it a mystery to why or exactly what happened that led to the city being abandoned.
He couldn’t help but laugh at how militarised the entire realm was, how certain islands are dedicated to train or produce weapons for the soldiers and those specialised to slay monsters or to fight conventional wars. Every island had a bunker and a garrison force. There was no need for a police force when the army was just around the corner. While that made Mark feel uneasy, he was at least thankful that the city was kept clean and void of petty crime.
As he walked through crowded streets, he appreciated how ethnically diverse the city was. It was a city that represented the combined efforts of humanity, but his assassin side appreciated how he blended in with the crowd. He didn’t need to play the part of a tourist or a foreigner. Not when everyone would suspect him of being one of them, the only exception was the second most commonly spoken language in Olympus was Labric, a hybrid language of Latin and Arabic. A language Mark couldn’t understand how or why it existed, though he understood that if the existence of monsters and demons were strange, the existence of an unknown language shouldn’t be far off to him.
Mark wouldn’t say it out loud, but he found it hilarious that demons and angels freely walked alongside humanity. Every time he saw a demon, his lips cracked a smile at the potential religious wars he could spark by just taking a picture of them and sharing the photo on the internet. Alas, no one is allowed to have fun here. He thought to himself.
The species that made Mark confused the most was a creature called a Kit. Sitting down on a park bench eating a kebab in a bustling food court. Unlike demons or angels, a kit wasn’t a creature of magic or a Horrifica. Instead, the bipedal creature of fur and a cat-like appearance was a branch of subhuman that evolved from the jungles of the Amazon. With a loud purr, it ate the contents of the kebab with a content smile. Mark couldn’t understand how a Kit genealogically had more in common with him than an angel, yet it did.
After the Kit finished its meal, it stood up and headed off. Mark watched how the creature was hunched over, like it was ready to run on all fours once again. Looks like he wants to catch the nearest bird, Mark joked to himself. Though Kit’s were rare in Olympus, he noticed how none two are alike in appearance. He remembered a time that he saw a Kit that had the appearance of a sphinx cat.
Though that wasn’t why Mark decided to go through the city, he wasn’t interested in sightseeing the bizarre citizenry that made up the joint cities of Olympus. He had plans on the mischievous side. As he walked into the jewellery store, he smiled at his friend Roxy. A young Mongolian woman with jet black hair flustered the moment she noticed him enter her store.
With a smirk, Mark leaned over her counter. ‘With an expression like that, you must be bored.’
Roxy chuckled awkwardly, her fingers playing with her hair as she tried to regain her composure. ‘Mark… so what brought you here?’ She stuttered, her voice barely louder than a whisper.
‘I want to see how my favourite soldier selling necklaces and rings is doing. Can’t a caring man catch up with the people he likes?’
Roxy rolled her eyes at Mark’s teasing response. ‘We both know our time together was only for fun, nothing too serious.’
A grin formed from Mark’s lips, ‘darling, you wound me! Are you telling me that you are only used me for my body?’
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She looked around, making sure no one was in the store. ‘Oh, I did use that fine body of yours.’ She reached over the counter to grab Mark’s collar to pull him close. ‘And I can tell you want to use mine again, I can see it in your eyes. My place perhaps?’
Seeing this as an invitation, Mark leaned down to kiss her lips. Only to pull away with a prideful smirk, one she was too familiar with. ‘Sadly, I have classes tomorrow and I can’t afford to miss them again. So how about we go to my place instead?’
‘And will the reptile be there?’ Roxy said with a raised brow. ‘Last time he was there, he was not happy to catch us both in the act. Plus, he makes me uncomfortable.’
Mark paused for a moment, only to groan in annoyance to realise that Jackson would return home that day or sometime early in the morning on the next. ‘Shit!’ He blurted out, ‘yeah, I forgot about him.’
Roxy pouted for a moment, though she let out a chuckle as she pulled away from Mark after lightly slapping him for not remembering such a crucial detail. ‘You came here for a booty call and didn’t make sure you are available or if your boss returns home from a mission. Rookie mistake for a seasoned killer.’
‘I’m sure we can make time for ourselves, maybe the weekend after my exams and all of that. A little treat and… reward for all my efforts in becoming a member of the Butterfly Legion.’ Mark responded.
‘Mark, darling. I already had a sneaky link organised for a meet-up that day, and he is going to cook dinner for me.’ She smiled at him, wanting to tease Mark’s ego.
With a shrug, he leaned against a poll. ‘Are you saying I don’t look after you?’
‘I am saying if you want my attention, you need to organise better. And perhaps learn how to cook. Besides, I am sure you have some other woman to look after your needs. Unless you admit you are terrible with the ladies.’
Mark chuckled, ‘I live with two strange individuals. One I swear is a schizo, and the other is an emotionless reptile. I think it is fair to say I don’t have any role models at my home.’
With an annoyed sigh, Roxy leaned over the counter to pinch Mark’s cheek. ‘You’re a dick, you know that.’ She pulled away from him and folded her arms. ‘But in all seriousness, Mark. You should focus on your studies more than trying to have sex with everyone who finds you moderately attractive.’
‘I am an excellent shot.’
‘Yes, you are…’ Roxy blushed, but shook her head to regain composure. ‘But there is more too, well… that, and shooting. You are becoming an operator within the legion. You are joining a unit without a name and is led by someone with a reputation. You’ll need to know how to kill ghosts and maybe even know how to choke out a rabbit with horns.’
‘Jackalope,’ Mark corrected. ‘See, I know something.’
Annoyed, Roxy glared at him before she continued with her point. ‘You know what I mean. Just focus on your studies. You have the smarts, you just need to stop being an arrogant ass.’
‘And I will, but how about this? If I pass my exam, we meet up and have fun.’
Roxy looked up at Mark and laughed. ‘Again, with the rewards, you always wanted to get something if you complete a task, do you?’
Mark shrugged. ‘I was an assassin, most of my life I was doing something to get an award out of it. Sometimes it is cash, food, if I am lucky, it is the hottest person available.’
‘World’s deadliest slut.’ Roxy mumbled. ‘If you get ninety percent, and I doubt you will. I will organise my sneaky link date to be with you instead. But on one condition, you are buying me dinner. Not cooking, buying. Am I clear?’
Mark gave her a mock salute with his two fingers. ‘I won’t disappoint.’ He said before he made his way to the exit.
Roxy continued with her work, rolling her eyes at the man who accepted her little challenge. ‘I like to see you try.’ She mumbled as he left her shop.