Indigo's Owl [Indigo Rewrite]

Chapter 38 - Traitor

Cloaked by Nobody's invisibility, Athira and the rest of their mismatched group followed Reader through the maze of corridors in complete silence.

More than a few slightly blurred figures passed them by, oblivious. Reader's group communicated with sign language, and though Athira couldn't understand what they were saying, she caught Kione's sharp eyes watching every gesture that passed between them, even going so far as to join in on occasion.

When they reached a large, bunker door, Nobody approached it and scanned the wristlet against the pad. It flashed and changed to the outline of a hand with a timer at the top. Nobody didn't seem to be expecting that, furiously signing something at Reader. Kione pushed his way to the front of the group, Orange flickering at his fingertips, but it was too late.

The timer ran out, and an alarm loud enough to rattle Athira's brain inside her skull began blaring down the corridors.

"You didn't tell me about a handprint," Nobody yelled over the alarm, glaring at Reader. "You said the wristlet was enough to—"

"I wasn't expecting to enter their vault," said Reader with a casual shrug. His eyes slid to Athira. "Regardless, I believe it's time for our other stealth expert to take over."

Athira rolled her eyes, engulfed the bunker door in Black, and shoved it upwards into the wall.

The Warden's 'vault' was more like a miniature city contained within a massive cavern, the sheer size of which was only possible due to the stability runes inscribed onto the rock around it. Several of the buildings resembled sleek high-rise blocks, with more than a few surprisingly tall trees interspersed between them. Grey tiles covered the floor, climbing several metres up the stony walls of the cavern.

"This place is massive," said Raph. "Where are we going?"

"Zoe will likely be somewhere in one of these buildings," said Reader as they headed down the ramp and onto one of the main, grey-tiled 'roads' leading into the city, still cloaked by Nobody's invisibility. "Which one, though, is anyone's guess."

"Narrow it down," said Athira, jaw clenched.

Reader regarded her with a cool stare. "Find me a conscious Warden, and I'll tell you. They communicate telepathically with a certain Purple's ability, so what one knows, they all know."

"Finding a Warden won't be a problem with the alarm we set off," said Kione, tapping the makeshift Frame in his hand. "We've got incomings. At least five up ahead."

"Stay together," said Nobody as the five incomings — all Elites, judging by their suits — came into view at the end of the street. "They shouldn't be able to see us if we just—"

Mid-sentence, the Elites opened fire. Raph and Athira immediately threw up a shield, the Black slowly bleeding into the Red where they met at the centre.

"Their aim is too accurate to be guessing," said Raph. "We need to—Athira, wait!"

Athira stepped through her Black, past the wall of blurred air and out of the invisibility zone. The centre Elite raised a hand, and the others halted their attack.

"Submit peacefully, and this will go no further!" yelled the centre Elite.

Black misted out from Athira's hand. "Funny, I was going to say something similar to you."

She engulfed the centre Elite's chest in Black and dragged him towards her. The other four attacked from a distance, their projectiles of varying Colours vanishing as they met the ever-growing cloud of Black around her.

When the Elite was in front of her face, Athira said two words.

"Where's Zoe?"

He grimaced, still struggling against the Black. "I will never betray—"