[Stygians] Treatropolis prompt 1

"Nice place, huh," Esther remarked, voice completely deadpan, "Guess it beats tunnels for a change." She looked down at her phone in her lap, pulled up was the message from Puzzle, sent three weeks prior. Didn't know what was worse, the altogether depressing atmosphere of this place or the fact she'd gotten so distracted for three weeks she'd missed Puzzle's invitation. Well, there were some advantages to being late, she decided, stretching her legs across the car to the other seat. She saw all of one other stygian on the train, carefully keeping to themself on near the front, which meant she got the end car to herself. It felt like the aftermath of a party, trash collected underneath the benches- lots of leaflets, pamphlets, guides- what a waste of paper, really. 
"Castle..." Hester growled as if from right next to her, "why are we here again?"
"You read the letter! She asked for me! So what if I'm late," Esther shrugged, then leaned back to get a better look at the spires pulling themselves up from the horizon. Strange place.
As the ruins got bigger and bigger, Esther could feel something in the pit of her stomach. There was something... off about the vibe of this place. It felt like something was at its tipping point. Hester hummed from their place safely nestled in her shadow. She let out the breath she'd been holding as a grin drew back her face. They'd gotten quite good at reading her, hadn't they.
The train began its slow decrescendo and Esther felt that tinge in her stomach again, but this time it was colored like fire, tasted like blood. Whatever this place held it was time to find out.

(287 words)
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dskjhlgskdf canonically tying in my lateness? you betcha. 
super excited to actually have time to do this finally!
stygian is Esther (S-215)

stygians are a closed species by @/Zoomutt