IM's eyes widened in surprise. "Speed of light? Are you sure you can handle that?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
"I have to," I replied, my voice firm. "Someone's in danger. We need to get there as fast as possible."
I closed my eyes again, focusing on the image of us moving at incredible speed, leaving only a blur in our wake.
We can move at the speed of light, I imagined, channeling all my power into the visualization.
The world around us warped and twisted, colors blending into a kaleidoscope of light and motion. The wind roared in my ears, and I could feel the immense pressure building around us as we accelerated to unimaginable speeds.
In the blink of an eye, we were there. We materialized in a small village nestled amidst rolling hills, the air thick with the acrid smell of smoke. Flames licked at the thatched roofs of several houses, casting a menacing orange glow over the once-peaceful community.
People were running in panic, their screams echoing through the night. I could feel their fear, their desperation, their helplessness. It fueled my determination, my resolve to put an end to this destruction.
Whistle
"This one's big... I'll handle this. Let me take care of it, but I need a frame..." I said to IM, my mind already racing with ideas.
IM chuckled. "That's not usually your style, but go for it."
Thud! I landed in front of the villagers, my sudden appearance startling them.
Slowly, I stood up and addressed them, my voice projecting confidence and reassurance. "Don't worry, people, I'm here to help."
The villagers stared at me, their faces etched with a mix of fear and hope. They had likely never seen anything like me before – a young man in a sleek black suit, a flowing cape billowing behind him, standing defiantly in the face of the raging inferno.
"Who... who are you?" a trembling voice asked from the crowd.
I smiled, raising my hand in a reassuring gesture. "I am the Imaginator," I declared, my voice echoing through the village square. "And I'm here to put an end to this fire."
I closed my eyes, focusing my imagination on the flames that consumed the village.
The fire in front of me is gone.
With a surge of power, the flames before me flickered, then vanished as if they had never existed. The villagers gasped in astonishment, their eyes wide with disbelief. I opened my eyes, a triumphant smile spreading across my face.
"One down, more to go," I said, turning to face the rest of the burning village.
I raised my hands, channeling my imagination once more. All the fires in this village are extinguished.
A wave of cool air swept through the village, and the remaining flames dwindled, then died out completely, leaving behind only smoldering embers and a trail of smoke. The villagers erupted in cheers, their faces filled with relief and gratitude.
"You saved us!" a woman cried out, tears streaming down her face.
"Thank you, hero!" a young boy shouted, his eyes shining with admiration.
I bowed my head humbly, basking in the warmth of their appreciation. It was a powerful feeling, to know that I had made a real difference in their lives.
But amidst the celebration, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. The fire had been too sudden, too intense. It felt like it had been deliberately set, a calculated act of destruction.
IM stepped beside me. "I just looked around the village. It seems someone started the fire intentionally," he said, his voice grim.
"I knew it!" one of the villagers exclaimed. "It must have been that guy!"
That guy? Is it perhaps Lili's friend? But this is far from where he disappeared... I thought, my suspicions growing.
"What guy?" I asked the villager.
"This one dude has been causing trouble in the village. He steals, destroys property, and now he's caused a fire!?"
This dude is from the village... It seems it's not Lili's friend after all.
"Where is he is?"
The villager pointed towards a nearby house, its windows boarded up and its yard overgrown with weeds. "He lives there," he said, his voice filled with resentment. "He's been terrorizing this village for months, and no one's been able to stop him."
I nodded, my resolve hardening. "We'll take care of it," I assured him.
IM and I exchanged a determined look. It was time to bring this troublemaker to justice.
We approached the dilapidated house, its once-grand facade now marred by neglect and decay. The front door hung open, revealing a dark and cluttered interior.
"I'll go in first," IM said, his voice barely a whisper. "You cover me from the outside."
I nodded, taking up a position near the entrance, ready to intervene if necessary.
IM phased through the door, his form disappearing into the darkness. A few moments later, I heard a muffled scuffle, followed by a loud crash.
I rushed inside, my senses on high alert. The house was a mess, furniture overturned and broken glass scattered across the floor. IM was grappling with a young man, his wiry frame surprisingly strong. The man's eyes were wild, his face contorted in a feral snarl.
"Let me go!" he shouted, struggling against IM's grip.
"Not a chance," IM retorted, his voice firm. "You're coming with us."
The man's eyes widened in fear as he realized he was no match for IM's strength. He thrashed and writhed, but IM held him firmly, his grip unyielding.
"What's going on here?" a voice boomed from the doorway.
I turned to see a group of villagers standing there, their faces a mix of shock and anger.
"This is the one who started the fire!" one of them shouted, pointing at the struggling man. "He's been terrorizing our village for too long!"
IM nodded, his grip tightening on the man's arm. "We're taking him to the authorities," he declared. "He'll answer for his crimes."
The villagers cheered, their relief palpable. They had finally been freed from the tyranny of this young troublemaker.
As we escorted the man out of the house, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. We had once again used our powers to protect the innocent, to bring justice to those who deserved it. It was a small victory, but it was a victory nonetheless.
As IM and I escorted the man to the nearest police station, he was subjected to a barrage of slaps and punches from the angry villagers. We couldn't intervene directly, but we made sure to keep the man from suffering any serious harm. The atmosphere was tense, the villagers' fury palpable.
Upon reaching the police station, we handed the man over to the authorities, explaining the situation and providing evidence of his crimes. The police officers, initially skeptical, were convinced by the eyewitness accounts and the damage caused by the fire. They assured us that the man would be held accountable for his actions.
As we left the station, a sense of relief washed over me. We had done our part, bringing a small measure of justice to the village. But I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this than just a simple case of arson.
***
Whoosh!
IM and I continued our aerial patrol, flying over the city and its surrounding areas, searching for any signs of trouble. But tonight, the world seemed unusually peaceful. The streets were quiet, the lights twinkling serenely, and there was no hint of danger or unrest.
"It's surprisingly calm tonight," IM remarked, his voice echoing in my mind.
"Yeah," I agreed, my gaze scanning the landscape below. "Maybe we're just lucky."
Or maybe, a small voice whispered in the back of my mind, the Seers are biding their time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Tak! We both landed on the tallest building in the heart of Jakarta, the iconic Monas monument.
We sat on the edge, gazing out at the sprawling city below, bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight.
"It's already night... we've been looking for trouble for hours," I remarked, a hint of weariness in my voice.
IM stretched his arms, yawning. "Yeah, and so far, nothing. Maybe we should call it a night and head back."
"Ah, let's go to the building first. Let's call Yolan and Lili to work..." I said, reaching for my phone.
I opened my phone and started a group chat.
[Me: @Yolan @Lili, can you both come to the office?]
I sent the message and waited for their replies.
A few minutes later, Yolan responded.
[Yolan: Sorry Xian, it seems both of us can't come today. There's trouble at the factory, and Lili is working there now.]
Lili's working at the factory... which one? I wondered.
[Me: Our factory?]
[Yolan: Yeah, how about you come? There's a lot of work today...]
[Me: Omw]
I closed the chat and turned to IM. "Looks like we're heading to the factory instead of the office," I said, a sigh escaping my lips.
"Alright, let's go then," IM replied, stretching his arms. "Maybe we can find some excitement there."
< Chapter 146 > Fin.