Tanah imagined what his life would be if Bora-ra hadn't shown up. He would be tutoring Api and Angin in their studies with the help of Cahaya. Petir would be coping with her insomnia. He would be threatening Cahaya to stay away from his sister.
But no.
Now his sister was working for an evil alien, he was trapped in this cell powerless. It wasn't his best day. All his life, he was the one protecting the others. He was the one that everyone turned to when they needed help.
But now? He couldn't even save himself. He had failed to protect Petir from herself. Now he's failed to shield her from a larger threat.
He didn't mind getting himself killed, but letting Petir suffer was not an option.
The only thing he was capable of at the moment was to sit in the darkness, waiting for a miracle. The power nullifiers were a bitch.
The energy barrier dispersed. He looked up sharply to see a black figure towering over him, but shorter than his height.
His eyes didn't adjust to the predicament well. Faster than he can react, the figure lunged at him. He tensed, but realized that this was Petir. She wrapped her arms around him tight.
Tanah froze. Petir hadn't had human contact in years.
Her small frame was trembling. She buried her head into his chest. Slowly, his hands reached up to stroke her hair and pull her closer, sending a silent message that she was safe. He was here.
Tears sprung to his eyes. Sure, he'd hugged multiple people. But this was Petir. Something horrible must have happened. He'd never seen her break down, even if they were living under the same roof.
"It's okay," he whispered. "I'm here. I'm here."
Petir nodded in his chest.
For a moment, they were safe. For a split second, they believed that everything would be okay.
It wasn't.
Eventually, Petir calmed down. She wiped her tears away and pulled from the hug. She refused to meet her brother's eyes.
"I'm sorry," she said softly. "Please. Forget about me."
A bomb dropped in Tanah's world. He paled. "W—what? Petir, what are they doing to you? What's going on?"
Petir shook her head. She could not elaborate further. Standing up, she turned to the exit, but Tanah caught her wrist.
"What's going to happen to you?"
She stopped. Turning to him, she smiled faintly—just faint enough for him to catch.
Then she left, the barrier closing between them as Tanah could only watch his sister disappear with the glass-brained alien by her side.
* * *
Api wasn't sure what to expect. Apparently Petir is an assassin under Bora-ra, Tanah is MIA, and he was in an alien ship being escorted to his cell.
Yippee.
"You're lucky to be alive," the box-headed alien snarked, shoving him into a confined space. An energy barrier materialized, trapping him in.
Api glared. He tried for his powers, but it was useless. There must be nullifiers somewhere. If he could just get out of here, he'll burn their faces and pants off for the world to see.
His eyes fell on the exterior of the cell. This wasn't the only one. There was another human, who was staring at the wall, locked on the opposite side of his. Someone he knew.
"Tanah?"
The male turned, but it wasn't him. It was someone else. The male's red eyes pierced through the darkness, his hair ghostly white.
Api stepped back, despite the barriers segregating them.
"Tanah?" Api repeated cautiously.
With a primal scream, the metal ground quaked as fissures appeared on the flooring, disabling the barriers as Tanah lunged at Api, determined to tear him apart.
* * *
"Heart rate stable."
"Brainwaves stable."
"Blood flow stable."
Petir stared at the ceiling emotionlessly, her arms strapped to her sides as the scientists attached tubes to her forehead and arms, more specifically, to her power watch. She was being prepped for a massacre, but her mind was blank.
Moments later, she wouldn't exist as Petir any longer. Her powered counterpart would follow Bora-ra like a mindless slave, unkillable and ruthless.
She wondered if this was the right thing to do.
If Tanah was safe, then it meant this would be worth it. She would sacrifice her world for him.
An oxygen mask was placed over her mouth and nose.
Before she lost consciousness, she could see Halilintar materializing next to her, no longer restricted in her command, but under Bora-ra's.
She closed her eyes.
* * *
Api had no idea what these walls were made of, but whoever created them deserved a raise. Excluding the fact that he was about to die, they were excellent craftsmanship.
"Tanah! It's me, Api!" Api shrieked. Tanah's earth-gloved hand created a crater above his head, missing his hair by an inch. "I don't want to hurt you! Listen to me!"
"Don't want to hurt me?" Tanah sneered, scarlet eyes glinting insanely. "That's too bad, because that's all I want to do!"
"What's going on!" Api screamed, fists flaring with golden fire. "Why is Petir working for Bora-ra! Why is your elemental form separated from you!"
"Not anymore!" Tanah bellowed. "I'm ending everything! Starting with you."
Api was suddenly veiled in a layer of fire, forcing Tanah to recede in shock. When the flames died down, he was wielding twin chakrams, a black cap donned upon his head.
"I don't want to do this, but you're out of your mind!" Blaze blasted a wave of fire at his former president, sending him back. He recovered almost instantly and punched the ground, summoning pillars at the fire manipulator. Blaze dodged that too.
The commotion attracted plenty of attention. There were guards making their way, but the heat and quakes made it difficult for them to advance. There was no help coming for the both of them. By the way things were going, someone was bound to be sacrificed in the war.
Blaze raised a wall of fire that separated him and Tanah. That guy was out of his mind. What had happened? The last he checked, Tanah wasn't on board for dying his hair and wearing glow-in-the-dark contact lens.
"Get back here!" Tanah yelled through the flames.
Blaze bolted towards the exit. He slammed the button that shut it. "That's an order I'll have to ignore, prez!"
The doors closed with a hiss. He pressed his back against the heated metal wall, breathing a sigh of relief.
He was greeted by Halilintar, who was standing in the corridor like the grim reaper, the lights flickering between life and death.
* * *
"I can't believe this," Cahaya muttered. "Any of it. Not now. Someone please wake me up."
Angin, Air and Daun exchanged worried glances. They had never seen the light elemental fret about a matter for such a long period. It's been an hour and they were in Angin's room, which seemed convenient at the moment when he helped them make their grand escape.
"It's not a dream, Cahaya," Air said bluntly. "You have to accept it. Even if it means accepting the unacceptable."
"There's no logical explanation!" Cahaya berated himself. "I've known her since she was still on all fours! When could she have gotten her powers? Why would she be after Daun? She isn't someone who would be persuaded by anything! Let alone killing Tanah!"
"I got my powers by saving someone from drowning. There is no logical explanation," Air snapped. "Face it. We don't know why we got our powers or where it came from, but it's something much more. You should see that."
"I don't!" Cahaya screeched, pacing around the room. "I don't know what's going on! I thought I was the only one, but apparently not!"
Angin snorted. "What he said."
Air smacked the back of his head.
Daun blinked. "Speaking of which, how did you get your powers? I got mine when I helped a cat who was lost in the forest."
Angin suddenly turned hard of hearing. He escaped the situation by claiming he had stuff to resolve.
Cahaya pinched the bridge of his nose. "I believe I acquired my abilities when I stepped up for someone who was being treated unfairly by the teacher."
Daun blinked. "What does 'acquired' mean?"
The hydrokinetic female briefed Daun through the definition. After another hour, Cahaya managed to calm down and called it a night. He might be a night owl, but these were kids younger than him.
Angin and Daun bid everyone farewell as they left their apartment.
"You should call Api," Cahaya murmured. "Let him know that you're safe."
Air yawned. She was dreaming of dreaming in her bed soundly, but he had a fair point. Fishing her phone from her pocket, she dialled her brother's number.
He didn't pick up.