Without a doubt, everyone would be affected by that crimson paw. Lily could end up unharmed along with Hope if they used their specialties.
However, there was no time. I had to be the one to do it.
"Everyone!" I shouted.
Swiftly, I darted towards the crowd of 'Ava' and used my Uniform's special ability that I had recently acquired. It was merged with my Aegis Gear, so the Uniform could also replicate my Aegis specialties, like how my Gear could in the first place. With the help of my Uniform, I could produce white flames directly without using my Aegis crystals, but instead, it would come out of the fabrics of my Uniform.
"Argh!" White flames burst forth from the back of my Uniform and it shot upwards, disintegrating the paw in a mere instant. I quickly willed the flames to stay in mid-air after that.
"Everyone, listen!" I said. "If the User that activated this illusion specialty do not disable it at once, I will burn each and every one of you!"
"What?!" exclaimed an 'Ava' from the crowd.
"Hey, what are you talking about, Ava?!"
"No, no. I don't want to die while everyone has my face."
"Ava, Ava. It's me, Hope!"
"Wait, what? I'm Hope!"
Every 'Ava' there argued with each other about my actions. True, no one wanted to be labeled as the imposter in that situation. However, I needed to force Jessie to come out by whatever means necessary. If by threatening every person there could accomplish that one thing, then it must be done.
I was certain the Aegis Users on Lutalo understood the importance of my actions, but the Freya rebel group probably didn't. However, it was a risk nonetheless.
"You are lying," said another 'Ava' from the crowd. I was certain that she was a rebel in disguise.
"Yeah. There's no way you would harm your friends here just to find the culprit," said another one.
"Hmm."
Those two were surely the rebels from The People's Light mixed in with the rest of us. One of them could be Jessie, or, she herself was blending in flawlessly.
"I don't really care actually as long as I get the desired outcome. Let me tell you this, alright." The white flames shadowing everyone started to swirl. It stayed up there in the air, waiting for me to will it anytime I wanted.
"If I can't get Jessie to deactivate her specialty, everyone here will suffer the consequences. It's that simple. I'll give her five seconds to do just that," I said.
The crowd stood in silence.
"One," I said.
No movement whatsoever by anyone.
"Two."
A few of them looked at each other, confused as to what to make of such a situation.
"Three."
"Four."
One of the 'Ava' there stepped in front of the crowd. "You're crazy!"
"Five . . . Alright, here I go," I said.
The white flames pulsed a few times before it descended onto everyone. Once the flames made contact with the marble floor, it exploded throughout the lobby.
However, before the surrounding could be affected, the flames dispersed in mere seconds after that.
I sighed.
It turned out that Hope and Lily had covered everyone with their Aegis crystals, so no one was harmed. They did what I had expected them to do.
Jessie's illusion also had ceased to activate, allowing me to see everyone's faces again.
"Phew." I wiped the sweat on my forehead.
Lily's pink crystals slowly disappeared, while Hope's golden crystals turned into small glowing particles that floated in the air. It was beautiful.
Aside from the members of our groups, there were Jessie, Evgeny, Freya, and a dark-haired man I didn't know.
"I can't believe you really did it," muttered Evgeny as he took a few steps back towards the staircase.
Freya, who was the purple-haired girl back at Khovd had her eyes on me. A scar ran across her nose horizontally. She had her gray Aegis blades ready.
"Um." I didn't really know what to say at that time, what with Freya glaring at me. She and that dark-haired man really had blended it during that chaos without anyone knowing. It was a clever use of Jessie's specialty, I suppose.
"AVA!" yelled Freya. She lunged towards me along with the dark-haired man next to her.
Somehow, the hatred that had seeped deep inside me slowly surfaced itself. I didn't know why, but looking at those two made me angry.
Both of them slashed at me with their gray Aegis blades. Before it could even touch me, white flames burst out from the front of my Uniform.
"Erk!"
Freya and the dark-haired man stumbled before the flames formed a circle around them.
"What do you think you're doing?" I asked, my words came out sharper than I wanted it to.
More Pseudo Aegis Users popped out of the corners of the mansion.
"Hey!" yelled Caesar. He turned towards Evgeny and approached him. "Do you know what you've done?"
"I know," answered Evgeny calmly. He proceeded to calm everyone down, and the newly emerged rebels lowered their weapons. "However, Jessie's actions were mandatory, at least from how I see it."
"Mandatory?!" Inghild approached him too.
I willed my flames to disappear. Freya stood up slowly and looked at Hope with a sad expression. I was stunned, since Freya was glaring at me just a few minutes ago, and then she went all sad somehow.
"Hope," called Freya.
He turned to look at her.
"Will you return to The People's Light?" she asked. After that, she glanced at Jessie.
"No," said Hope simply.
"WHY?!"
Freya stomped her foot.
"I need to be there with Ava . . . And I want to help as many people as I can, Freya."
"Are you saying you can't do that in The People's Light? Jessie has been--"
She covered her mouth.
Beatrice walked over to Hope's side and said her piece as well. "Hope has the right to do what he wants. I know you guys had helped to shape Hope into the person he is now, but he has no obligation to stay with The People's Light."
Evgeny coughed, pulling everyone's attention to him. "I am deeply sorry for everything that transpired just now. Jessie wanted to test the Lutalo's capability. That's all. There is no ulterior motive whatsoever. It was her earnest wish, and so did the rest of us."
"You could have us all killed!" exclaimed Jennifer.
"I was about to deactivate my specialty in time, but I suppose I underestimated the Grim Reaper's resolve when it comes to combat," said Jessie.
"Ah . . . So everyone knows my nickname I guess. Hmm, don't know how to feel about that." I crossed my arms.
"Jessie," called Hope.
"Hmm. Yes?"
"Are you the one who gave me my Aegis? You haven't answered that question yet."
Jessie sighed. "I was the one who gave the order to have someone delivered that Aegis to you."
Before Hope could say anything, Evgeny clapped his hands. "Forgive me, Lutalo. It was wrong for us to treat you that way since we need your help, as much as you want us to help you."
"Huh." Caesar cracked his neck. "I'm pretty sure I had told one of your people that I would hang your heads if you guys try anything funny."
"Ah . . . As I said, we wanted to test your strength and how you would react in such a situation. Jessie would have intervened if not for the Grim Reaper that handled the situation in her own way."
Evgeny continued, "I don't see Gheele Folami with you guys, so I assume he will go out of his way to barge right into the underground city if anything happens to you people. I wouldn't want to incur his wrath, so, please, forgive us."
"Hmph!" Lily in her Full Aegis Form pointed at Evgeny. "You can have my forgiveness if I can have your neck right now."
"Mer Lily!" Sofeea jogged to her side.
Evgeny was not deterred by Lily's demand. "Let's talk upstairs. There's a room that I have prepared for Lutalo, and of course, the infamous Freya rebel group as well. I promise that after this, all of us will give you our utmost care and you can have my head if anyone of us decides to betray your trust."
Lily lowered her hand. "Have you seen Kian? The First Pillar? He disappeared into this city."
Evgeny and Jessie looked at each other.
"We will spill out everything we know, and the current state of Russia as well," said Jessie with a calm voice. "Please, come with us."
I clicked my tongue, which made everyone to look at me.
"If any of you try to do the same stupid thing again, I will destroy this place without any hesitation. Of course, if that is not enough for me, I will have this underground city burned down as well," I said.
Jessie and Evgeny lowered their head slightly.
"We can assure you this will not happen again. We know you want The People's Light to cooperate, and we do as well. One is not foolish enough to incur the anger of the Grim Reaper from Lutalo. We have learned our lesson. Indeed," said Jessie.
"Huh. You better keep your silly traps to yourself," I said.
In the corner of my eye, Sofeea was shaking as she stared at me. Jessica, who was known to not care much about anything around her was shaking as well.
Perhaps it was the first time for Jessica. Sofeea should have known how I really was from the past year we teamed up together during missions.
Certainly, I needed to show this side of me more often to those rebels from The People's Light.