Strike At Midnight || Luka Couffaine

Chapter 13 ❧ Remember

I recognise a stark white structure shaped like a lotus flower- the ArtScience Museum. At the horizon were artificial structures like tall trees graze the sky- the Super Trees. To the opposite direction is a huge ferris wheel- the Singapore Flyer was the largest I've ever seen in my childhood.

I'm back in Singapore.

A flurry of emotions overwhelm me while I feel like my nerves are set alight. As I dangle thousands of feet in the air on top of the iconic Marina Bay Sands, I feel disoriented.

Am I still wandering inside my own mind? It all feels so intricate and so very real.

"Ignition," the voice behind me says. When I tilt my head back, scorching hot flames blast out from the man's enclosed fist. The police retreat back before they could be singed by the bright flares. I can clearly now observe the man taking me hostage. He wears a mask like that of a superhero and a ruby red suit with black and grey feathers that decorate his arms.

I would recognise the Crimson Sunbird anywhere.

But wasn't he a superhero in Singapore? I heard that he was famous since he represented the country's national bird. It's been several years so I could hardly remember the details.

Without warning he turns back to me. His vermilion eyes locked gazes with me before he so casually tosses me off the roof.

And here I go again for the second time today. A child-like scream erupts from the throat as the wind whips my short hair and clothes in every direction. But before I could feel the plunge towards the ground itself, I land gently into a pair of arms. They wrap around me protectively and even affectionately.

Golden eyes like the morning sun carefully inspect my form. "Dad?"

Even though time let me forget, atleast right here and at this instant, I could tell that behind the red velvet mask is my father. He smiles. "Hey there, little moon."

Dad wears a bat-themed suit similar to my own. Only that it was a much lighter shade and peculiar bat wings decorate his arms. We land safely onto the ground and civilians crowd around us. He passes me over to a woman with peach-coloured hair. "Get her to safety."

"Chiroptera! Let me show you what it means to be superhero. If you run now, I'll burn down the whole of Marina Bay Sands until it's nothing but ashes ."

Dad sighs. I stammer, "D-dad, dad, I'm scared."

He tilts my chin up with a careful claw. "Don't worry. If anyone wants to hurt you, they will have to go through me."

He takes off, meeting the Crimson Sunbird on the rooftop. He says, "Not that I don't think you have the ability to do so but good luck setting all three buildings up in flames- it's a tourist attraction for a reason."

The woman with the peach-coloured hair pushes out through the dense crowd and flees to somewhere unknown. "Be brave, sweetie."

Words form on my lips- beyond my control. "Mom, is dad going to be okay?"

"He'll be fine. I don't know anyone stronger than him. But I'll have to return back so behave yourself when you're with Master Shou." Now that I can see her up close, she looks exactly like me- or I look exactly like her. Right from the wild hair to the minuscule features of her face, I look like her carbon copy. The only difference is that her eyes are as blue as a cloudless sky.

My childish voice replies, "Okay." But, who the hell is Master Shou?

"The Crimson Sunbird is still on a rampage," a lean and withered old man says. He wears a long gray robe that drapes over him and brushes the ground.

"We'll return his miraculous to you as soon as he's defeated, but for now please take my daughter with you," mom says as she places me down gently. I have to tilt my head straight up to meet the tall master eye to eye.

"She has grown shorter."

"I think you've just grown taller," I say cheekily.

Mom touches her air and whispers something to her communicator. "Please get to the Merlion and stay as close as possible. It's-"

"Yes, it's the blind spot and the safest location in case that the battle breaks farther out. Defeat the Sunbird immediately before it could happen." He begins pulling me away by the arm.

"Wait," I say, feet dragging onto the floor. "Mom, you're leaving too?"

"I'll be back, I promise. Once this is over, I'd like to introduce you to some people you might like. They're your age."

"Is it Adrien?" I say, hopefully.

"Little moon, Adrien's all the way in France. You haven't met these kids yet, but I think you'll like them too."

"Come back soon," I say, stretching out my arms expectantly. She bends down and hugs my small figure before quickly placing a kiss on my forehead and withdrawing.

•●•●•●•●•

"Selene!" Grimm yells urgently in my ear.

Jolting awake, I jerk up to a sitting position. I groan as I rub my temples. "Where are we?"

"Our whereabouts are unknown. I sensed a tugging force towards a direction and appeared here. We've returned back physically but not in the same space."

"Hold up," I say, looking around. I recognise the retro sofa, posters of music artists lining the walls and the untidy study corner. "This is the Couffaine's house."

"W-wait where are you going?" Luka's muffled voice can be heard from the other room.

"Pardon me for arriving unannounced but there is an issue I must address," a gruffer voice replies. The door to the living room slams open, making us flinch. I splutter while Grimm's eyes widen in surprise. An old man- beard longer and greyer than the vision I saw before- steps into the room. "I can sense it."

He stops and tilts his head towards our direction. His eyes are no longer a dark brown and are instead, milky white and lacking pupils.

"Master Shou?" Grimm asks breathlessly.

"Welcome back, Kwami of Isolation."

•●•●•●•●•

This took me so long to do! I kept rewriting this chapter because I felt like it isn't complete, but I can't force it!!!