Unveil

One by one, the suspicions grew, especially towards that Doctor Hut. He had the weapon and could take out anyone he wishes, which he did, without hesitation.

It could be the adrenaline rush he felt from killing Doctor Beck or something else but he didn't wait to kill the woman as he did with the other doctor.

"He knows his way around knives, doesn't he?" Kefi observed. "The way he holds and swings them, he's not a rooky for sure."

"What I'm surprised with is how stubborn they are. Four people have died and they are still suspecting each other, not thinking that there is some outside force at play."

"Is that really what we should be concerned about? If they all die then there will be no one we can question." Caris spoke, earning sceptical looks from us.

"Don't tell me you're not enjoying yourself with the scene unfolding." Kefi crossed our arms and looked at him smugly.

"Well, I never said that I wasn't enjoying myself. I just feel like one of us has to sound like the voice of reason. And … If they all die then I can't extract those crystals on their bodies and check it's properties."

"Ahhhh~ And there is your true intention. There are sixteen left, as long as that man with the dagger and the other guy doesn't die, it's fine. Right Meraki?"

"Then we better pay attention to this."

Doctor Hut began to walk to the normal-looking doctor, who was still cowering with fear after he spoke something, hardly above a whisper.

"What is it, Doctor Washer? I couldn't quite hear you. Would you mind repeating that again?"

Honestly, I wish Hut would stop grinning.

"W-well, I-I was just t-thinking. M-maybe it's n-no one f-from here. I-it could be t-t-that s-s-s-snake girl too."

Finally.

"You're telling me, that a group of the world's smartest doctors and scientists, who have created a different dimension under a ruined castle using only a little bit of magic and their intellect, a nobody is able to see through that?"

"Pretty much." Kefi, I and Caris said at the same time, standing behind him.

I don't know when I moved but it must have been the work of Kefi and Caris followed us.

"Why are we standing behind him?"

"He can swing any minute now and remember? That man is my prey. I am just bubbling with enthusiasm being near him. Don't you feel it, Meraki? Your heart drumming in your chest from the excitement of being near one that was responsible for your family's death?"

"There are too many emotions here. I can't tell one from the other. Maybe I feel it, or maybe it's from one of them. I don't know."

"It's ok. Leave it to me."

"-you!" Our target shouted at the man, fury in his eyes as he attacked Doctor Hut.

"Whoa. What did we miss?" Kefi tried to cover her smile with our hand but failed at hiding it.

We watched the two men scramble and fight for the knife while the rest of them tried using whatever magic or mechanics they have to find a way out.

"You were always a coward!" Hut kicked Washer and tried to retrieve the knife that got thrown to the other side of the room, barely missing me.

Caris is also standing now, the glee plastered on his face as he watched the scene unfolding.

Washer used his magic to grab the knife first but the handle hit one of the scientists running around and became embedded on the wall.

We were also scurrying around, trying to avoid everyone that came in our direction. I discovered that I have a knack of dodging and avoiding contact with people without having to see them coming my way. Is it because of the intense emotions they carry?

Good to know.

It felt like we were dancing or at training again. Aurora would put lasers all around the training room and I couldn't touch them, it was extremely hard from the beginning. Then she made those lasers move.

It's safe to say, I got a lot of penalty and punishments during that training. But, it's really come in handy now.

Huh, I have to do something for Aurora to show my gratitude.

Finally, when Washer got the knife and had Hut pinned to the ground, dagger only inches from his neck did everyone stop moving.

"You, you know that I was forced to do that. I had no intentions of harming the child or her family that's why I stood outside. Had I known what they were going to do, I would have, I would have …"

"You would still have done it." He grinned up at him. "We know the type of person you are, Doctor Washer."

"I needed the money for my own daughter. That's also the reason I joined this place. I'm innocent! They said that I didn't have to do anything and I was innocent!"

"Now you're blaming someone else? Doctor Washer, it's not like you to say that. It makes you look more like a coward."

That man is getting on my nerves.

"You helped take down a family that did nothing to you and even helped you when you needed it. Is it wrong for me to suspect you to be the traitor? After all, you are nothing but lowly scum that only knows how to feed off others. Am I wrong in that? What will your daughter and wife say if they knew their old man is a mur-"

"Shut up!" He raised pierced the knife to Hut's neck, slowly drawing blood. His hands shook as he tried to force himself to stab the man.

"Come on, coward." Hut taunted watching the man writhe in misery.

I'm too far away.

"Caris," I called just as a scream escaped Washer's mouth.

"That was a sight to watch," Caris said, after taking the knife from Washer's hands with fluid movements, he clapped to make us visible. He calmly sat on a chair and watched them while twirling the dagger. "But the fun ends now, don't you think so, Miss Sagepice?"

They all turned to me, feeling only one emotion, fear. That feeling is so strong it suffocated the place with it.

"You either come with us peacefully or we are going to have to hurt you. You decide." Kefi shouted with a smile on her face.

Please say that you will fight. Please say that you will fight.

"We … We will surrender." They all raised their hands, well, all except the two on the ground.

"Aw, man. I was hoping for some action." Kefi still had the ropes Caris gave us and used her magic to bind all of them together.

"H-how? This place is impenetrable. Even if you do what we did, you wouldn't be able to come to this dimension! How?" Hut shouted, scratching his head with his fingers until they bled.

"Please restrain him before he kills himself."

"Of course, Miss." He bowed and tied the man in the rope he showed earlier.

"I was wondering why you wished to intervene now. Seeing that man's reaction, I think I can understand your intentions."

"You're quick to catch up, Kefi," I said, walking to the other man on the ground. "Doctor Washer."

"Sagepice?" Washer mumbled, looking up at me "H-how?"

"I have questions for you, please don't resist."

"I think he's in too much of a shock to resist." Kefi laughed, wrapping him in the rope too. This rope ... I'll need to ask him more about this.

"So what now?"

"You will have to bring all of this up to the surface." Caris told Kefi, "Think you can do that?"

"Of course! I wish everyone stopped doubting me. But then, I want Meraki to do it this time."

"Me?"

"Yes. Let my magic course through your body and envision what you need to do. The rest will be handled."

"Ok."

Warmth spread all over my body as Kefi's magic started to flow through my nerves and veins.

I feel lighter and stronger.

"Now, envision this room climbing to the surface."

I closed my eyes and tried to picture the room surfacing through the ground but with Kefi's last sentence I could only see it scurrying up to the surface like an insect.

Judging by the movement of the ground, it feels like that was how it reached the surface. Everyone on board was thrown back and forth, though Kefi kept us afloat and created a barrier around us so we were unaffected.

"That was a ride." Caris stood a little unsteady even after the room stopped moving.

Some of the people were knocked out while others had minor injuries. Those that were awake started arguing with each other, throwing the blame everywhere.

"What is the process anyway?" I asked, watching the men and women in the room shout and scream at each other.

"Process of?"

"Becoming like that."

"Ah~ Why? Do you wish to become like them?" He asked, leaning his hand against a countertop and smiling at me.

I looked at them again and shook my head.

"Seems like a pain. It has more setbacks than it does advantages. They aren't all the powerful either ... or smart."

"That's just because it's you they are up against, Meraki."

"No, Kefi. It's because you are here that I am able to be like this … It's you not me."