"This way!" Leilah called out and begun heading further down the alleyway.
"Wait a sec!" Arlo said. "Where are you taking us? You brought us here and now our abilities have conveniently been weakened. How do we know you aren't leading us into a trap?"
She turned around to face him. "You have every reason to suspect me. I don't know what I can do to persuade you, but we don't have much time." She continued walking further in. "I'm going this way. Whether you want to follow me is up to you."
And Seraphina followed her, dashing past Arlo.
"HEY!" Arlo grabbed her wrist and stopped her in her tracks. "Seriously Seraphina?! You don't find this fishy at all?"
"Well, yeah," she replied to him. "But I don't think this was part of her plan. She was expecting me to come alone. She's a high-tier and I'm a cripple. She doesn't need a dampener to get to me."
Then they rushed down the twisting alleyways, running along as fast as they can.
"Watch the ground and the walls," Leilah said.
"What??" Arlo questioned.
"Some of them can pass through surfaces," Seraphina explained. "That's how they were able to get to me, so stay cautious."
They turned around the corner, past a metal staircase fire exit, and into a crowd.
"THERE SHE IS!" one shouted.
"Not a step, further, Leilah! Our boss wants a word with you!"
Leilah came to halt ahead of them as Arlo charged ahead with eyes glowing blue.
"HEY! Don't try anything stupid, kid, unless you wanna loose your abil-?"
He punched him in the nose and broke it up into blood. The guy tumbled back into the guy behind him.
As the guy held his face and groaned, he expanded a yellow dome over them.
"Be careful," Leilah said. "Don't over-estimate yourself. Whatever you current level is, drop it by half."
"HALF?!"
Leilah's eyes now glowed a witch green.
More people surrounded – much more than the original group of four – and they faced out to all directions from inside the barrier.
"Half. Can you work with that?" she asked.
"Hmph. As if I had a choice?"
Hits landed hard on the barrier – whams and bams repeated and repeated = and Arlo flinched at every one.
"Hey I can't hold them off for much longer," he stated. "Get ready to defend. My barrier's coming down."
The barrier faded and the attackers closed in.
He pulled up a min shield, blocked a punch and hit him back in the stomach. The guy coughed up blood as he was flung back several metres.
Pain slashed on his shoulder as woman's long flowing hair brushed past him. She landed in a crouch before she sprung up and swung back. He caught her wrist and landed his fist on her cheek.
Blood splattered everywhere.
"GET Him!"
As more rushed to close in on him, he tossed the knife at them and stabbed on guy in the shoulder and took him out.
The other two jumped up for their attacked, but instead whacked in large yellow disk of a barrier.
Then someone emerged from the floor, needle in hand, behind him.
"WHAT-?!" he exclaimed as he turned around.
Seraphina jumped and pushed the guy out, knocking the needle to the ground. She stomped on it and it shattered into pieces.
She pointed to herself. "NO ONE DESERVES TO LIVE LIKE THIS!!"
"Ugh, foolish girl! Resist all you want, but you won't get away from us-."
Leilah elbowed the guy in the back and he thudded to the floor.
I miss being able to move like that.
Then Leilah dodged from the swipe of someone else before she zoomed in the zigzag to hit one after another.
Once she reached them again, she said, "They'll keep coming! We need to get out of here! Run!"
They turned to further down the alley where only two people stood in their way.
"NOT SO FAST!"
"MOVE!" Arlo shouted and slammed into both with his shoulder. They rushed past the two bodies and onwards. Every moment dragged on, even with a blasting heart breaking out of her.
"Hey, mind telling us why so many people are after you?!" he questioned.
"Not just me," she replied. "They're after all of us too!"
"Why us too?"
"Probably because we're high tiers. They want to disabler our abilities!" Seraphina answered.
A buzzing filled the air and a red light fizzled in to a silhouette of a man.
Whilst the two sisters came to a stop, Arlo charged on. "Again? Guess the fun never ends."
He pulled back his fist as he dashed towards the guy.
"WAIT, HOLD ON! DON'T ATTACK HIM!" Leilah yelled. "HE'S WITH ME!"
He came to a halt with an inch between his face and fist. The guy stared at the first in front of him before she pushed it down.
"Don't stop!" Leilah ran past Arlo and shoved the guy to keep moving. "Keep running!" All four of them then sprinted down the alleyway. "I told you to wait for us! Why did you teleport here?"
"You were taking so long! I thought something happened!"
"Fine, then how much energy do you have left?"
"Err... Enough. I think."
"You 'think'? No, I won't take that risk! Go without me." She stopped in her tracks and faced back to where they came. "Take these two to L39. I'll meet up with you when I can."
"You gonna be okay on your own?" he asked.
"Yeah. I'll handle this."
"Alright." He grabbed Seraphina's and Arlo's shoulder and red surrounded them. "Hang tight, you two."
"Wh-?"
One moment, Seraphina's sister stood in front of her and the next she stared out into an empty warehouse.
Breathing blasted by her ear. Huff. Huff. Countering as the guy had sweat trickle down his chin. He bowed down and Arlo caught him mid-collapse, the guy's eyes closed like he was sleeping.
"Hey!"
"Are you okay?" Sera asked.
Arlo shuffled towards the wall on one side and helped him sit up against the wall.
"Where do you suppose he took us?" Arlo asked her. His hands were stuffed in his pockets and blood splattered on his shoulders.
"Based off his current condition? Somewhere far away, but we should be safe for now."
She unfurled her arm and took a seat on the floor, one leg crossed over the other."
"Well, that meeting was a disaster."
"Hey," he replied, "instead of sitting around, how about we figure out where we are and get out of here?"
"Mmm..." She hummed. "Go without me. I've decided I want to hear what else Leilah has to stay."
"You must be joking! We just got ambushed! I have no idea what you two talked about, but don't trust her so easily."
"I know, but she gave me an out." He raised an eyebrow with his arms crossed over his chest. "My ability – she said she'd help me get it back and you know I can't pass that up."
"And what did she ask for in return then?"
To work for an organisation who developed an ability disabler.
"Does she want you to work for her?"
What? How does he know that? "Hm?"
"Of course! Someone as powerful as you? Who wouldn't want you on their side?" He paused and stared at her. "You should think about this carefully, Seraphina. Think about what you're getting yourself into."
"I already have." He frowned deeper. "And the fact is, I need my ability back. So much of this world revolves around power, it's too hard to ignore. The hierarchy, ability modifiers, dampeners disablers, amplifiers. These all exist because only the strongest people get to dictate what happens. Back when I stood at the top, I missed my change and neglected to do anything. But now, there is a long list of changes I want to make."
"And what does that list include? John?"
He's not himself now. He has never been himself with me, has he? I want him to be himself with me and well, like he used to be.
And technically, no get married to a stranger.
"Yeah, it does. But what I hope to accomplish goes beyond, John and beyond Wellston."
To correct the system as a whole – in order for that to happen, I'll need all the power I can get.
Several days later, Seraphina walked around the park and towards a bench that Kayden sat on, textbook open in his hands and a backpack lying next to him.
"Kayden," she greeted.
"Oh, hey! How was school?" he asked back. He snapped his book closed.
"Fine."
Her eye caught on the book in his hands – 'Organic Chemistry'. Was he studying just not? Textbook and backpack? So he's a university student?
He slipped the book into his bag and slung it over his shoulder as he stood back up. "Alright, you ready?"
"Sure," she replied. "Are we teleporting there?"
"Yup, best way to stay under the radar." He tapped her on the back and activated his ability. "Okay, let's go. The faster we leave, the faster I can bring you back."
The park was in front of her and then a lab.
"Here we are!"
Her eyes scanned around the room. Where did he take me?
"Hey!" Her eyes landed on Leilah, who stood in front of a desk in her white lab coat and a purply-brown top underneath, hands stuffed in the pockets of her lab coats. "Good to see you again Sera. Welcome to the lab.
"I know this must be a lot to take in but I'm glad you're still able to trust me." She reached forward and placed her hand on her shoulder. "Thanks, Sera."
"'Trust'? Not quite the word I'd use." She brushed her hand off her shoulder. "There are still plenty of things the two of us haven't settled. But I'm willing to set those aside if it means I can finally move forward with my life." Leilah looked down at her, eyes fallen. "Holding onto grudges from the past won't do me any good right now."
"I appreciate it," she replied. "Then shall we get started?"
Seraphina went off and changed into the hospital gown. It was a simple light blue that reached just above her blue and sleeves to the elbows.
She stared up ahead, talking down a gulp of saliva, at Leilah, who stood in front of a hospital bed.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" she asked.
She sighed. "Will I... really get my ability back?"
"Yes. There's no need to worry." She bit her lip. "How long has it been since you've had them taken away?"
"Two months. I've been counting the days." She closed her eyes. "Two long months of denial and grief. Two months with no progression and everything at a complete standstill. I'm ready for it to finally be over."
Both corners of Leilah's mouths were turned down. "I'm sorry Sera. I should've gotten to you sooner."
"No. I think it was all necessary," she replied. She clenched her fists at her side. "I feel like I've learned more in these last two months than I ever will."
Everything that happened. I would have never known what the life of a low tier was actually like. I used to think it would be so fun and freeing, and now I know its not.
And I wouldn't have known about John otherwise.
"Before, I kept trying to dodge certain responsibilities but now, I have a direction and I know exactly what I want to change."
Leilah smiled. "I'll ask you once more, Sera. You are aware of the conditions for this treatment. Are you sure you wish to continue?"
She brought her hands up to stare at them. And then she clenched them tight.
"Yes. I'll do whatever it takes."
She ended up in the hospital bed with the green blanket pulled up to her chest and her arms crossed over.
"You're putting me to sleep?" Sera asked, screwing up her face.
"The treatment takes some time but for you, it'll be over in a snap."
"That doesn't help me feel any better."
"Ah, it's oaky," she replied, frantically waving her hand. "All you need to do is relax." She leant her back up against her bed. "Here, how about this why don't you tell me about the first thing you plan on doing once you've recorded? Come on, let's heart it!"
Seraphina turned her head away from her. "My soulmate. He's not in the right place right now and no one can get through to him. He lashes out at everyone and it hurts himself so much and he doesn't realise it. I want to help him."
Leilah gave a small chuckle. "I get that."
Seraphina nodded and her eyes fluttered shut.
John first stood clenched on his thigh with teeth grinding together. A towel was slung over his neck.
Why does she keep siding with them? They've never learned anything. It's just all a facade to keep them on top after everything. They only care about satisfying their own egos – self-centered assholes. There's nothing to see in them.
The Safe House is just to spite me, and it's filled with those liars and cowards. Trash people who've done nothing but harm everyone around them, but somehow I'm to blame. I'm the only one who is in the wrong. I'm the one who is supposed to change?
Tears flooded the gates and burst down his face. Trickled down his chin and over his fist.
Sharp pain stabbed through his arm. John winced and rolled back to flop on the bed. He clutched onto his arm to see the piercing blue glow.
But Seraphina doesn't have her ability? Still, it stared up at him – the bright numbers as clear as day.
Did she just get it back? No, she can't have. There is no one to help her give it back – no one else would care about me.
There wasn't anyone to help her. The authorities were the only ones with the power to remove another's ability and they could only five it back and why would they? Seraphina didn't comply with them.
Unless...
...Unless she would do it in exchange for something.
A/N: There are two more chapters in arc 1 and I'm excited for arc 2. I do plan to go away from the general plot of the current webtoon to explore other suggested future plot. Also, it isn't really sustainable to write it based off the webtoon when the webtoon is still on going. Though, there is a lot more focus on Blemi with an explanation.
You can probably guess which one is next.
Thank you for reading this chapter. Please share your thoughts in the comments.