Jonathan opened the limo door for Lady Ada. After warning Claudia about Obex, and then leaving her at her base in the Hialeah district, he had returned to the warehouse as instructed. Lady Ada had been waiting for him outside.
"Now what, my Lady?" He asked, taking the seat opposite hers inside the limo.
"Now," She said, "We gather the others and meet with Spectre to discuss their next move." She ordered the chauffeur to take them to Imperium to pick up Wren and Erek.
***
Claudia paced back and forth, as she thought of a way to get Obex to leave the room before Ada arrives with her Royal Knights. If Johnathan's warning was real, and Claudia had little reason to doubt it, then Obex couldn't be part of the incoming discussion. It would reveal too much sensitive information that could potentially alert the Lord Ruler. Hendrick, along with Narika, and those that stood with him, had already left the base to prepare for the final phase of Operation Overthrow. Hendrick was to gather and convince as many Spectre sympathizers to join their cause, to stage a large scare rebellion that would be impossible for the Royals to ignore.
Now, the only people in the room were those loyal to her and her cause. Jake and Maya, the inseparable couple. William, her brother and Spectre's trump card for the final confrontation against the Royals. Klaus, Ada's spy. Zale. Sara, the Mermaid. After her rescue she had promised to repay Claudia for saving her that night.
Lastly, there was Obex. "Obex," Claudia called to him. "You can go home if you want. I doubt the Lord Ruler will try and go after you. They'll leave you alone, at least for the next week or so. That was part of our deal."
"I told you, I can only repay my debt to you by helping you overthrow the tyrant. And I am to do just that. Besides," He paused. "My work as the Guardian of High Tier is at its end. I have to find another way to make the Royals pay."
Shit. Claudia needed Obex out, but how can she kick him out without arousing suspicion. "I…-"
"You're part of Spectre now." Klaus jumped in. He stood and tapped Obex on the shoulder. "You're a rebel now, my man. Welcome aboard." He turned to Claudia. "Hey boss lady. Mind if I take him with me, show him around the other bases and whatnot?"
Though Claudia found Klaus to be a slivering snake, she couldn't deny his cleverness. She nodded. "Make sure he learns all the entry passwords."
Klaus smiled, then nodded. "Will do. Well, let's get going my man. Nothing to do here for today. Keep us updated while we're away, eh."
With that, Klaus left, taking Obex with him.
***
William saw the Aura first, the golden mist seeping into the room from the elevator doors, spreading and filling the space in a yellow haze, visible only to him. When the elevator doors opened, and Ada walked out, followed by her Royal Knights, it became obvious to William. The Aura was coming from the old woman, it was seeping out from her body, bathing her surrounding in a golden mist. The Aura felt potent. Strong. Powerful. He had only seen Aura like this when staring at Lunam itself, the origin. He also noticed that Ada hasn't even ignited her Aura yet. He remembered that tiny fire burning in her chest when he saw her at the warehouse, but that was it. Now he saw no flame.
A hand on his shoulder snapped him back into the moment.
"Will, you alright?" It was Claudia. He hadn't realized he'd been standing frozen in place, staring at Ada.
"He's never seen this much Aura concentrated in one place." Ada said, "You can not see it, but the room is completely filled with my residual Aura." She smiled. "And I haven't even ignited it yet. Shall I?"
The ignition of her Aura was like an explosion. He was expecting the usual fire to burst to life within her chest, however, what he saw defied what he understood about Aura. After exploding to life, the golden fire completely enveloped Ada, her entire body bathed in it. The Aura that she exuded somehow became even more potent, the mist became a darker shade of yellow.
"Here, see what I see." Ada said, and William was able to see the dormant Aura within everyone in the room, even Maya and Zale. How is that possible? Their Aura should've left their bodies after losing their abilities.
William looked around the room at everyone. "How am I able to-?"
"I have amplified your Aura using my ability." Ada explained.
William turned to Maya. "Maya, you… But that's impossible. You don't have an ability."
"What are you talking about?" Maya said, looking confused. Even Claudia raised an eyebrow.
"Everyone has Aura coursing through them." Ada explained. "We all have it, dormant within us. When losing your ability, all you truly lose is the capacity to ignite your Aura, not the Aura itself."
"Are you saying it didn't leave my body after I was kicked out of the dome?" Zale said.
Ada nodded at him. "It went dormant, making you unable to ignite it. Very few know of this detail. Then again, there are only three people that I know of that can see Aura." Ada gestured at herself and William. "Us two, and my brother. Though I'm sure there are other ways to figure this out."
"Can it be reawakened?" Zale asked. There was a hint of hope in his eyes. But Ada shook her head.
"Unfortunately, no." She said, "And believe me, my brother and I have been looking into it."
"Can you copy her ability, Will?" Claudia said, gesturing at Ada.
William tried, but quickly found he couldn't. Two things prevented him from doing so. "I can't." He said, shaking his head.
"Why?"
William thought for a moment. How could he explain it? "First," He started. "Her Aura is just too massive. Too large in size for mine to mimic." To put it simply, Ada just had way too much Aura. It was like trying to paint a giant's hand onto a regular piece of paper. You couldn't fit the whole thing. "And second-"
"The nature of my Aura is similar to your brother's." Ada interjected. "When I amplify another's ability, like your brother, I mold my Aura's signature to match that of the person. Think of our Aura as water, and think of everyone else's as different shaped cups. We match the shape of that cup with our Aura. But can you truly match the ever changing, and adaptive shape of water, using water?"
William nodded. Couldn't have explained it better myself, he thought. "Is as she says. Shame."
"Agreed." Ada said. Then she regarded everyone in the room. "Well then, shall we move on to business. I'd like to discuss Spectre's next step towards taking down the dome."
What followed was Claudia asking Jake to open up the files on Operation Overthrow. So far they had succeeded in accomplishing phases 1 through 3. Now, Arlong was roaming Imperium's top floors, using his ability to remain undetected while searching for the secrets to the dome's weakness. Jake had been keeping a close eye on him, but so far there had been nothing of note. Hendrick would be working on getting the Commoners on Spectre's side, so that when the time came, they would incite an open rebellion.
"Smart," Wren commented, looking at the computer screen detailing the information. "Keep the Royals busy trying to calm the rebellious masses, while Spectre attacks Imperium."
It was a sound plan, if the people actually had the courage to stand up to their oppressors. Claudia hoped they would.
"Your friend on the inside." Another of Ada's knights said. The one named Johnathan. "How are you certain he won't get caught? As Lady Ada pointed out, the Lord Ruler can see Aura. He'll spot your infiltrator."
A good point. But Claudia had planned for that. "Arlong," She explained. "will avoid the Lord Ruler at all costs. But now, we have allies on the inside that can support him." It was implied what she meant by that. There was no way Ada would let Arlong get caught. Not when he was their only means of figuring out the dome's weakness.
Jonathan said nothing more. Claudia hoped Ada and her knights understood the importance of protecting Arlong. She continued to explain, expanding on the details of their final phase. It would have to take place at night, as it would give Spectre a slight advantage.
When finished, Claudia looked at Ada. "And that's pretty much it. Unless you have something to add?"
Ada was quiet for a moment. "There is one thing I'd like to show you." She said, "Do you know of the Garden Seer?"
The Garden Seer? Claudia thought. Wasn't that the old woman with the ability to see the future?
"I do." Claudia nodded.
"Meet me tomorrow evening at her place." Ada said. "And bring your brother with you."