The guardian spirit, a towering figure with glowing red eyes and sharp claws, stood protectively beside the calm-voiced Seer. Its presence filled the chamber with an oppressive energy, sending a shiver down my spine.
Yolan's hand tightened on my arm, her silent alarm mirroring my own. We were trapped. If we tried to leave now, the guardian would surely detect us.
"I don't sense anyone," another Seer said dismissively. "It's probably just your paranoia."
The calm-voiced Seer, however, remained unconvinced. "I'm telling you, something's not right. I can feel eyes on us."
I held my breath, hoping they wouldn't discover our presence. But then, the guardian spirit turned its head, its glowing eyes piercing through the darkness, seemingly staring directly at us.
"There!" it growled, its voice booming through the chamber. "Intruders!"
The Seers leaped to their feet, their hands instinctively reaching for hidden weapons. The calm-voiced Seer's eyes narrowed as he focused on our location. "Show yourselves!" he demanded.
We were cornered. There was no escape.
If I yell "Blind!", everyone will be flashed! I imagined with all my might.
"Blind!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.
Nggiiii! A blinding flash of light filled the chamber, momentarily disorienting everyone, including Yolan and me.
I quickly grabbed Yolan's hand and imagined us teleporting back to the car.
Poof!
"Hahh... my eyes!" Yolan yelped, rubbing her eyes.
After a few moments, our vision cleared.
I shook my head, concern washing over me. "Shit, IM is still inside..."
"Can you teleport him here?" Yolan asked, her voice laced with worry.
I closed my eyes and concentrated. Teleport IM to here... I imagined with all my might.
After a moment, I opened my eyes, but IM wasn't there.
Is it not working? Why? I thought, feeling a pang of fear.
Meanwhile, IM was walking through the hallways, phasing through walls with his ability.
This place is decent... just like any other market... and why would they use this place as a meeting spot? he wondered to himself.
IM stopped in the middle of the hallway when he saw a girl in front of him, and he sensed she could see him.
She's staring at me...
He walked to the left side, but her eyes continued to follow him.
"You can see me, right?" he asked, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
She sighed. "Of course, I can... I have the power of invisibility. I am Lili... you must be a friend of that guy, right? The one who beat Elang at the concert?"
IM tilted his head. "You were there? Huh..."
She nodded. "I was just playing knocked out by your friend, by his power... I didn't want to get involved in the fight."
IM raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at his lips. "So, you're a coward, huh?"
Lili's cheeks flushed slightly. "I'm not a coward!" she protested. "I just... I don't like unnecessary violence."
"But you're working for an organization that thrives on it," IM pointed out, his voice hardening.
Lili sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I know. I'm not proud of it. But I don't have a choice. I'm trapped."
IM crossed his arms, studying her with a critical eye. "Trapped? By who?"
"By the Seers," Lili admitted, her voice barely a whisper. "They raised me, trained me... I owe them everything."
"That doesn't mean you have to stay with them," IM countered. "You can still choose to leave, to use your powers for good."
Lili shook her head, a flicker of sadness in her eyes. "It's not that simple. They have a hold on me, a power I can't break free from."
Tak! Tak! The sound of multiple footsteps echoed down the hallway.
"There's one!" a guardian's voice boomed.
They got out!? Shit, did those two make a bad move? IM thought, confused by the sudden appearance of a guardian.
"Lili! If you see an invisible guy, attack!" a Seer, accompanied by his guardian spirit, yelled to Lili.
"Boss Sam..." Lili hesitated, clearly conflicted.
Boss Sam raised his hand towards the guardian. "WB! Attack anyone who's invisible, except Lili if she uses her power!"
"Yes!" the guardian roared, its eyes glowing with an intense red light.
IM smirked. "Hey, Guardian! Let me introduce myself! I am a Harbinger who has evolved!" he yelled, his voice echoing through the hallway.
The guardian's eyes widened in recognition. "An evolved Harbinger... Master, he's the core power of an Unveiled user."
Boss Sam's eyes snapped up, a flicker of alarm crossing his face. "Unveiled... shit... good thing we didn't reveal any sensitive information earlier..."
The guardian lunged at the spot where IM had been, its claws swiping through empty air. IM, meanwhile, reappeared behind Boss Sam and Lili.
"Gotcha!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with playful menace.
The guardian, alerted by its master's proximity to another presence, turned its attention to IM.
"Master!" the guardian roared in warning.
Thud! Before the guardian could react, IM landed a solid punch on the back of Boss Sam's head, knocking him unconscious.
Swoosh! Two of the men unleashed a flurry of attacks, their fists and kicks aimed at the empty space behind Boss Sam, hoping to land a hit on the invisible IM.
Meanwhile, Lili stood frozen in place, torn between her loyalty to the Seers and her growing unease with their actions. The sight of IM effortlessly dodging their attacks and her boss lying unconscious on the floor filled her with a sense of conflicting emotions.
The two attackers continued their relentless assault, their frustration growing with each missed blow. IM, however, seemed to be enjoying their confusion, his laughter echoing through the hallway as he effortlessly dodged their attacks.
"Is this really the best the Seers have to offer?" he taunted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You can't even hit what you can't see."
One of the attackers, a burly man with a shaved head, growled in frustration. "Come out and fight like a man!"
IM chuckled. "Why would I do that when I can have all the fun this way?"
He reappeared behind the burly man, delivering a swift kick to the back of his knee. Crack! The man cried out in pain, collapsing to the ground.
The other attacker, a woman with a fierce expression and lightning-fast reflexes, spun around, trying to anticipate IM's next move. But he was too quick for her. He reappeared on the ceiling, hanging upside down like a bat.
"Boo!" he said, his voice playful yet menacing.
The woman let out a startled yelp, her eyes darting around frantically. IM dropped from the ceiling, landing lightly behind her. He tapped her shoulder, and she whirled around, her fist connecting with nothing but air.
IM chuckled again. "You're getting warmer," he teased.
The woman gritted her teeth, her frustration mounting. She closed her eyes, focusing her senses, trying to detect IM's presence.
But it was no use. IM was a master of stealth, his ability to phase through objects and manipulate shadows making him nearly impossible to track. He continued to toy with the woman, appearing and disappearing at will, his laughter echoing through the hallway.
Lili watched the scene unfold, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew she had to make a decision.
"U-Umm..." she stammered, her voice barely a whisper.
Before Lili could make a move, the guardian spirit suddenly unleashed its power. A wave of pulsating energy washed over the hallway, causing the air to shimmer and distort.
IM, caught off guard, stumbled back, his invisibility flickering for a split second.
"There you are!" the burly man roared, lunging towards the spot where IM had momentarily appeared.
But IM was already gone, his form fading back into the shadows. The guardian, however, had locked onto his energy signature. It let out a guttural growl and charged forward, its claws outstretched.
IM reappeared just in time to dodge the attack, rolling across the floor and coming to a crouch. He glanced at Lili, his eyes pleading for her to make a decision.
Lili's inner turmoil reached its peak. She couldn't stand by and watch IM get hurt, not after he had shown her kindness and understanding. With a surge of adrenaline, she made her choice.
"Stop!" she cried out, stepping between IM and the guardian. "Don't hurt him!"
The guardian hesitated, its glowing red eyes fixed on Lili.
"Lili, what are you doing?" Boss Sam's voice, weak but still commanding, echoed from the floor. "Get out of the way!"
Lili stood her ground, her voice unwavering. "I won't let you hurt him," she declared, her eyes meeting the guardian's with a newfound defiance.
The guardian growled, torn between its loyalty to its master and Lili's unexpected defiance. But before it could make a move, IM seized the opportunity.
He lunged forward, his fist glowing with spectral energy. With a powerful blow, he struck the guardian's chest, sending it flying backward and crashing into the wall. The impact caused the guardian to flicker, its form momentarily destabilized.
IM turned to Lili, a grateful smile on his face. "Thanks," he said softly.
Lili nodded, her heart still pounding in her chest. She had made her choice, and there was no turning back now. She was on the side of the Unveiled, and she was ready to fight for what she believed in.
< Chapter 129 > Fin.