The Night Rider

Chapter 47 - Bookkeeper

The area exploded in a sea of Haze Trait.

Reina's dire warning came a fraction too late. Hawkins tried to reach her, desperately willing his exhausted legs to move. With all the battles against both the Overtaken, Gizmo and Reina herself, it was finally beginning to take its toll. His body couldn't keep up with his whirring mind, the tell-tale signs of a Transference too close for anyone else to interfere with.

"Hack! She's getting away! Gimme a boost!"

"Hold on, boyo!"

The Earth Traited reached out instinctively, the already crumbling ground responding in kind as it helped to springboard the Mediator forward. Cricket's plan was clear only to someone with such an unconventional Trait as his. To rescue an Agar on connection alone was incredibly risky but the fear in Hawkins' chest was more than enough of a reason to react.

"You will not win, Mediator. Memoriam will..."

Reina was barely audible against the shroud of Trait. Her form was completely submerged in mist but Hawkins could feel the air shift around the Singfall siren. The Transference wasn't finished yet. He still had time. Hawkins shot forwards, the ground crumbling beneath him. Lunging for Reina in a last attempt of desperation. A hand brushed against her scales, clutching only air. She was gone.

"Shit!"

Hawkins tried to contain his frustration, his fists balling in anger at such a simple bait and switch. There was no chance of locating her now and using her as a bargaining chip was completely wasted. The area was completely clogged by mist, too dense to see through even with the twins' flashes of Fire Trait. Hazard and Blaize attempted to illuminate the broken clearing with their pawsteps and Mantis attempted to clear the air with her Trait. It was no use.

"Move." Mantis spat, trying to warn him before her words were cut short.

Hawkins barely had enough time to recognise the emerald sheen of Cricket's eyes against the darkness. The static pull of Tarragon had swept over them all, leaving them frozen in place. The haze settled around them and began to part. All they could do was stare and listen.

The grinding sound of earth against metal, the smell of burnt stone and the forceful amber glow of the Overtaken was proof enough that Cricket was resetting all of Gizmo's hard work. Destruction to restoration. Exactly as the Tinker Mole had described.

"Is that...what I think it is? Is she..." Rin said, falling on deaf ears as the area they fought so hard to upend had returned.

It was a chilling thought to describe a Trait, a Craft in such a way. It was bewitching. Hawkins tried to fathom how Cricket had developed her Trait and strategy to this point. The only conclusion he could come up with was that she had learned from the other Enforcers. Be it through grimoire or an outside source she had been taught by someone. He just didn't know who.

Compared to Cricket's earlier attempts at a full frontal assault, waves of ambushes and receiving assistance from other Traited this was completely unexpected. They had prepared for her to bombard them with Tarragon and give away her position just like before.

Instead, she had rescued her Agar and blindsided them with such a simple manoeuvre that Hawkins' was kicking himself for not registering it sooner. Transference was hard to achieve but it was possible. Thinking Cricket didn't have such capability was what got him into this mess in the first place.

"Any ideas, Mediator?" Cull exclaimed, thawing out from the Tarragon's control thanks to the Infernal Triad.

Just as Hawkins tried to reply, his response was met with a light in the distance. Slowly the area became lit by stone pillars shrouded by flame, Cricket and the two Overtaken rose out of their trap and onto fresh ground beneath them. She moved like a luminous spider, her haze tendrils acting like extra legs while her unblinking eyes stared straight ahead at him.