We cautiously approached the warehouse, the sounds of revelry growing louder with each step. We reached a side door, and IM once again phased through, scouting the interior.
"They're all in one big room," he reported back. "About a dozen of them, all drunk and rowdy."
"Perfect," Yolan said, cracking her knuckles. "Let's make an entrance."
With a nod, we followed IM through the wall, emerging into the dimly lit warehouse. The gangsters were clustered around a makeshift bar, their laughter and drunken shouts echoing through the cavernous space.
Our sudden appearance startled them. They turned to face us, their expressions a mix of confusion and drunken belligerence.
"Who the hell are you?" one of them slurred, raising a half-empty bottle of beer threateningly.
Yolan stepped forward, her imposing figure casting a long shadow in the dim light. "We're the ones who are going to put an end to your little party," she declared, her voice amplified by the acoustics of the warehouse.
The gangsters exchanged uneasy glances, their drunken bravado slowly fading.
"You think you're tough, huh?" another one shouted, stumbling to his feet. "Don't act like superheroes here in the middle of the night!"
Before the drunken gangster could take another step, I focused my imagination, creating an invisible barrier in front of him.
Thud!
He slammed into the unseen wall, the force of the impact knocking him off his feet and sending him sprawling onto the concrete floor. His drunken comrades stared in disbelief, their eyes wide with a mix of fear and confusion.
"What the...?" one of them mumbled, his voice slurred.
Yolan seized the moment, her voice booming through the warehouse. "We are the Anti-Gangster! And we're here to shut you down!"
The gangsters, sobering up quickly, scrambled to grab their weapons, but IM was already among them, his shadowy form darting through the crowd, disarming them with lightning-fast strikes.
The warehouse erupted into chaos, a flurry of fists, kicks, and panicked shouts. Yolan charged forward, her sword flashing in the dim light as she effortlessly dispatched anyone who dared to challenge her.
I stayed back, using my imagination manifestation to create distractions and obstacles. I conjured illusions, causing the gangsters to stumble and fall over invisible objects. I manipulated the shadows, creating pockets of darkness that disoriented and confused them.
Lili, still hesitant but determined, used her invisibility to her advantage. She moved silently through the chaos, snatching weapons and tripping unsuspecting gangsters.
The fight was intense but short-lived. The gangsters, outnumbered and outmatched, quickly surrendered, their bravado replaced by a desperate plea for mercy.
We rounded them up, binding them with imagined ropes and leaving them for the authorities to find. As we exited the warehouse, the first rays of dawn were beginning to peek over the horizon, casting a soft glow over the city.
"Another successful night," IM said, a satisfied grin on his face.
Yolan nodded. "We make a pretty good team."
I looked at Lili, who was still a bit shaken but also seemed to be glowing with a newfound confidence. "Welcome to the team, Lili," I said, offering her a reassuring smile.
She smiled back, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you," she said softly. "I'm glad I'm here."
As we walked away from the warehouse, the sun rose higher in the sky, illuminating the city with a promise of a new day. We had faced our fears, embraced our powers, and emerged victorious.
Arriving back at WRA Company, we all returned to our usual selves, shedding our superhero suits and trying to blend back into normalcy.
The building was quiet, devoid of any activity since it was the middle of the night.
"Tonight seemed easy," IM remarked, a hint of disappointment in his voice.
"Yeah, they were too drunk to put up much of a fight," I added, stretching my arms.
"Well, we can't expect every mission to be a thrilling battle," Yolan said with a shrug. "Sometimes, a quick and efficient takedown is the best approach."
"I still wonder, is it really that easy to be a hero?" Lili asked, her voice thoughtful.
"What was it like being in the Seer organization?" I asked, turning to Lili.
"A lot... of random things," she replied, a hint of bitterness in her voice. "Cutting wires... destroying servers... stealing information..."
"Sounds... pretty boring, actually," IM commented, raising an eyebrow. "I thought they'd be doing more exciting stuff, like world domination or something."
Yolan chuckled. "Don't be silly, IM. World domination is a bit too ambitious, even for the Seers."
Lili shook her head. "It wasn't always boring. Sometimes, we had to infiltrate heavily guarded facilities or deal with dangerous individuals. But most of the time, it was just... tedious tasks that no one else wanted to do."
"Sounds like you're better off with us," I said, offering her a reassuring smile. "At least we get to fly around and fight bad guys."
Lili smiled back, a genuine warmth in her eyes. "Yeah, I think I am," she replied softly. "Also, can someone take me home...?"
"I'll do it," Yolan volunteered, walking closer to her.
"Time to go home. Tomorrow's a holiday," I said, yawning.
Bwongggg! The familiar sound echoed through the office, startling everyone.
The four of us looked up at the ceiling, though there was nothing visible. But we could all sense a presence, something emanating from above.
"Now what is it? Don't tell me it's another ghost?" I groaned, feeling exhausted from the previous night's activities.
The air grew heavy, a palpable tension settling over the room. Everyone instinctively tensed, their senses heightened. IM's eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed on the ceiling, as if he could see through the solid concrete.
"It's not a ghost," he said, his voice low and serious. "It's something... else."
Before anyone could react, a section of the ceiling crumbled, showering the room with dust and debris. A dark figure emerged from the opening, landing gracefully on the floor. It was a man, tall and muscular, his features hidden beneath a black cloak and a wide-brimmed hat that cast his face in shadow.
"Greetings, Unveiled," the man said, his voice deep and resonant. "I've been expecting you."
A chill ran down my spine as I met the stranger's gaze. His eyes, hidden in the shadows of his hat, seemed to pierce through me, reading my very soul. I felt a surge of power emanating from him, an overwhelming presence that dwarfed anything I had encountered before.
IM stepped forward, his voice unwavering despite the palpable tension in the room. "A Harbinger? Who do you serve?"
"Oh, someone immediately recognizes me as a Harbinger?" the man chuckled, his voice a deep rumble that seemed to shake the very foundations of the building.
"Because I am also a Harbinger, but evolved to be human," IM replied, his voice steady.
The man's eyes widened, his chuckle abruptly stopping. "What do you mean, evolved to be human?"
"This guy," IM pointed to me, "is my master. He made me become human because he's too strong."
The cloaked figure's head snapped towards me, his unseen eyes seemingly boring into my own. "Is that true?" he asked, his voice laced with a mixture of curiosity and disbelief.
I met his gaze, my own determination unwavering. "It's true," I confirmed, my voice steady. "I am Xian, a descendant of Wali Ra Kian, and IM is my Harbinger."
The man let out a low whistle. "Impressive," he said, a hint of admiration in his voice. "I've heard rumors of your lineage, but I never thought I'd encounter one of your kind in person."
He paused, his gaze shifting back to IM. "And you, a Harbinger who has evolved into a human? That's even more remarkable."
IM shrugged, a playful smirk on his face. "It has its perks," he said. "Like being able to eat ice cream without it melting in my hands."
The man chuckled, a deep, resonant sound that echoed through the room. "Indeed," he said. "But I'm afraid our meeting isn't a social call."
His tone turned serious, the air in the room growing heavy once more. "I am here on behalf of my master. He is also an Unveiled, but from a distant bloodline."
Yolan raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? What's his name? I know a lot of people in the Unveiled community."
"Liam," he said simply.
"Liam..." Yolan paused, trying to recall any of her cousins, aunts, or other relatives named Liam, but she shook her head. "Never heard of him."
"That's because he only has 1% of Unveiled power. But even so, he possesses a power that is quite strong," the man explained.
"A Harbinger outside means the master is powerful indeed, I know that... but 1%? How strong could he possibly be... what's his power?" I inquired, intrigued.
"Let me ask you first, what is your power?" the man countered.
"Imagination Manifestation," I replied confidently.
His eyes widened in astonishment, his jaw dropping. A slow smile spread across his face. "That power..." He suddenly knelt before me, bowing his head respectfully. "Your majesty."
I was taken aback by his sudden display of reverence. "Your majesty?" I repeated, confused. "What are you talking about?
< Chapter 139 > Fin.