Chapter 45: Thief's Identity

Within the engulfing darkness, a contraption is heard as a crack of light spills into the darkness before showing two silhouettes.

"Why does it have to be so dark?" Leah's voice echoes from one of the two.

Just then, the door behind them shuts with a loud bang. Dim lights flicker on along the sides of the large interior.

The interior is enormous. Large pillars stand in two rows on each side of the room, connecting into the high concaved ceiling above.

Both Leah, and Kase step over thick, black wires stretching across and connecting to large consoles surrounding them. The scent of oil, fills their nostrils the further they go.

Looking at the one side of the room, Leah sees multiple floors with steal railings on the side with nothing but darkness.

"I don't know about you, but this is giving me the creeps," Kase commented, his gaze fixed at he one end of the room before noticing a large crane as well as robotic arms hanging from above.

Locking her eyes on a motionless torso of a robot, Leah's face softens at the sight before looking ahead of herself.

"Remember to keep your guard up," she whispered.

"You know me," Kase replied, raising his weapon slightly.

"At all times."

With a sound of a contraption, the lights on the ceiling, illuminates the whole room, urging Leah and Kase to stand guard.

Leah's eyes dart up at the slight movement above on the second floor. Narrowing her eyes, she sees a female silhouette standing on the platform of the balcony.

"Hey you!" Leah said, taking a step forward.

Moving slightly, the figure shows herself as she steps into the light, revealing her to be another ningen like herself.

Her shoulder-length hair, has a dark maroon hue to it. She seems to be wearing a dark grey sleeveless top with a dark brown fabric on her forearm as well as a brown belt on her waist, accompanied by a device  hooked onto  her dark brown pants.

After looking briefly at her, remembering what Anya said about the theif being a ningen. There's no doubt in Leah's mind; this is Anya's thief.

"You took something that doesn't belong to you," Leah said, urging the woman to frown at her.

"I'm sure you can see what my friend and I are. We're the same as you."

After receiving nothing but silence from the woman, Leah lets out a silent sigh before raising her hand with a gesture.

"Please," Leah said, trying to keep herself calm. Knowing full well of what this woman may be capable of. There's no mistaken that she is the energy source that she felt earlier; even now, she senses energy signatures surrounding the place.

"I don't want to cause you any trouble," Leah continues.

"Just hand over the relic, then we'll be on our way. I promise."

The woman glares down at her before narrowing her eyes. Urging Leah to move her hand back slightly.

Remaining silent, she grabs the device from her waist before raising it. Moving her thumb over the surface, she presses it. Just then, a contraption is heard below her, urging Leah and Kase to step back with their attention focused ahead.

The contraption stops and after a moment, a trap door opens up before a pair of blue tiights appear under the frame. The floor quakes before stopping, only for another to be felt as mechanical sounds is heard from within.

Slowly backing themselves away, Leah and Kase look up at the woman on the platform.

"I told you, we don't want trouble!" Leah shouted out at her.

The woman huffs before throwing the device. Leah and Kase lock thier eyes on it as tumbles along the floor.

Staring at the device on the floor, they watch as a large metal foot crush it, causing yet another quake, urging them both to look up to see a large robotic humanoid standing before them with its glowing eyes looking down at them.

Leah widens her eyes with her mouth slightly open.

"Not good."

"Watch out!" Kase called out.

With that, the robot plunges it's fist into the floor, causing smoke and debris to spread out. Looking up at Leah and Kase who are now standing a few feet away.

Aiming his weapon, Kase fires at the robot, however, it just stares at him as the energy spikes bounce off its body.

"It's no use," Leah said, gesturing with her hand. She watches as the robot stands up straight.

"You'll never be able to penetrate it."

"Then maybe try thing you did earlier," Kase said, lowering his weapon.

"It takes a lot out of me. I don't want to risk it,"

"Are you telling me, you used it just in time for us to be cornered by something bigger?"

"Just shut it," Leah snapped at him before watching steam seep from the openings of the robot.

"There is always a way."

She looks up at the woman on the platform, catching her glaring gaze upon her. After a moment, she raises her hand before pointing her index finger at Leah.

Just then, she hears quick heavy footsteps approaching, urging her to look ahead of herself, and gasps when hit on her torso by its giant fist, forcing her to fly back before crashing along the floor.

With a shout, Kase fires his weapon at it before he gets backhanded by it, causing him to fly across the room.

Feeling as if her chest has been caved in, Leah can only stare at the ceiling, trying to catch her breath and bare the pain.

Hearing the robot drawing near, she sits up before standing straight. After what happened, she realizes just how fast the robot has gotten. She needs to be careful from now on.

Widening her eyes when realizing; she turns her gaze to the corner of the room to find Kase laying on his back.

"Kase!" She called out before looking ahead at the he robot, and dodges its next attack.

The woman on the platform watch in silence as Leah avoids the robot's attacks, causing destruction with each attack missed.

Running around the robot, Leah locks her gaze on it. The robot fails to face her while she runs around it in circles. Smiling, she'll now use this to her advantage.

Aiming her hand at it, blue flames slither around it as it condenses into a sphere. With that, she stops before launching it at the robot, causing an explosion that engulfs its entire body.

Watching attentively, the women widens her eyes at what has just seen, only for her face to soften once more with her amazement being short lived.

Watching the smoke clear, Leah's eyes widen when she sees the robot still standing. After a moment, more steam seeps out from it.

Watching it now, only floods Leah's mind with wonder. It is now the second time it emits steam.

After a moment, the steam ceases, urging Leah to move into a stance. Just then, her eyes widen, forcing her to do a quick side step away from the robot's fist. At that moment, her eyes train to the following attack, urging her to dodge it as well.

Leaping away from the robot, she stares at it as it moves into its default position. Its attention, still focused on her.

Now she realizes. Everytime it emits steam, it gets faster. If the robot can improve its speed; Leah's pupils ignite into a blue glow. She can enhance herself as well.

The robot runs towards her with each heavy step, and starts throwing its punches, only for her to dodge each one.

Leaping into the air, and within a moment in time, Leah aims her hand at the robot as blue flames slither and condences into a sphere once more. She gets knocked away unexpectedly by an unknown object, causing her to tumble along the floor before recovering on her feet.

Glaring at ahead at the robot, she looks for the object that hit her, before noticing the movement of small crane on the ceiling. Letting out a sigh, Leah moves into a stance once more before looking up at the women who was now having a smile on her face.

She then notices something abnormal; faint blue strings of energy is emitting from the woman's hand. It trails all the way to the crane.

Glaring up at her, Leah massages her shoulder.

"You find this amusing, don't you," urging the woman to shrug her shoulders slightly.

"Ugh. Your silence is starting to annoy me."

"Leah," Kase's voice is heard from behind her as footsteps draws near, urging her to look at him as he stops next to her.

"I noticed there's a weakness on its back. If you can distract it, I could maybe get up close and tear out the circuits."

"Are you sure it will destroy it?" Leah said, keeping her gaze on the robot approaching.

Wiping the blood from the side of his mouth, he moves into a stance.

"I'm sure."

"If only Aven was here," she said with a sigh.

"Alright. Go to a safe area and wait for an opening."

"Yes, ma'am," he said with a nod before running off until he is hides behind the one console.

With a huff, her pupils ignite once more.

"You're just a dumb robot." Her body starts emitting a blue glow, only for her to look up at the watchful woman

"I'll show you what I can really do once I get serious." Just then, transparent blue flames surges from her body, causing her hair to flow slightly from it.

With that, the woman's eyes widen slightly before narowing them once more with a twist of a smile.

Moving her one foot back, Leah launches herself forward. Arching her arm within a moment in time, she collides her fist with the chest plate of the robot, causing a blow back of dust to form behind it.

Widening her eyes when noticing she made it move an inch. Leah leaps back a bit before she barely dodges its own fist. After a moment in time, the robot grabs onto her one shoulder before clamping down on the other.

Wide-eyed, she looks down in horror as she is now in its clutches. Its tight grip, incase her entire torso, making it difficult for her to breath. Shutting her eyes, she tries to release herself from its grip as the flames around her surge violently. However, its grip only tightens the more she struggles.

Just then, she is dropped to the floor on her back. Looking up at it, she sees as the robot starts going burserk with its arms waving around its back.

Standing herself up, Leah watches as it slowly turns away from her. With that, her lips twist into a smile when she spots Kase hanging on its back with his hand hooked into its circuits.

After a moment, the robot stops before steam starts seeping out, causing Kase to scream out.

"Kase!" She calls out, and runs to the robot.

"Damnit!" Kase shouted out, his voice sounding in agony.

"Almost there!"

The steam ceases, urging Leah to stop and look up with worry on her face.

"Kase!" She called out with her hand cuffed over her mouth.

Just then, the robots eyes dim out, before seeing a hand pop up from its back with wires within its grasp.

"I did it," Kase said, before falling off its back.

Groaning in pain while gritting his teeth with the wired device still in his scorched hand, he sees Leah crouch near him. The one side of his face is red from the severe heat of the steam.

"Your face," Leah said, reaching her hand to his face with her fingertips just inches from it.

"You've once said I was two faced," Kase said with a painful chuckle.

"Now it's official."

With her hand jerking away, she huffs.

"This isn't a joke," she said, resting her hand on his before closing her eyes.

"I'll fix it." With that, blue flames seeped from her closed eyes as it traverses around her until it reaches Kase's body.

After a moment, sapphire flames flows around the damaged area until it flakes away, leaving a healthy looking skin.

The flames face away, and Leah opens her eyes with a smile.

"Good as new," she said, standing up as she lifts him on his feet.

"Not sure if I healed your personality though." She gives a fake disappointed look.

"Very funny," he said, shaking his head with a smile. With that, his smile fades when noticing Leah looking up, urging him to turn around.

The woman from the platform slowly descends with her calm gaze upon them. Landing gently on one foot, followed by the other, she stands in front of the disabled robot. With her gaze fixed on Leah alone in silence, she moves her fringe around the side of her forehead with the tip of her her pinky.

Looking at her with a stunned look on his face, Kase clinches his jaw.

"Leah, she—"

"I know," Leah interrupted with a quiet tone.

"I'm as puzzled at you."

After a moment of silence, the woman looks up at second floor. Just then, the dark floors above light up, followed by the rest, showing countless silhouettes looking down with thier glowing blue eyes.

"More of those robots," Kase said, gritting his teeth.

"Too many."

They all have different shapes and sizes. Thier presence now surround the place. With all of them looking down at her, Leah can easily tell that it would be impossible to destroy them all. It's best to try and reason with the woman who stands before her.

"I understand why you're doing this," Leah said, looking at her.

"We're the ones intruding."

The woman tilts her head slightly before narrowing her gaze.

"My friend and I," Leah continued.

"We were only sent here to retrieve what you've stolen." Her words earns a glare from the woman, causing Leah to feel slightly uncomfortable.

"No one needs to get hurt here," Kase said, urging the woman to look at him.

"We'll be on a way if you just give us the relic you took."

The woman remains silent, with only the airy sound of the large interior.

After a moment of silence, the woman's eye-pupils ignite with a blue glow as a gentle gust of wind starts to pick up; urging Kase to take a step back.

"Anya..." The woman simply said under a chilling tone that would make anyone feel unease.

"We'll just go..." Kase said, stepping back with his arms still.

After a moment the wind circles around the building as the consoles begin to light up along with the large wires along the floor, and walls. Both Kase and Leah look around themselves in a slight panic.

The woman raises her hand up slightly, urging Leah to slowly back off. With that, the woman waves her arm forward, causing the large glowing wires to move towards Leah and Kase before tangling around their limbs and torso. Twisting and turning, Leah and Kase try to free themselves.

After a moment of struggling, Leah's eyes glow bright before body starts surging with blue flames. She snaps the one wire from her wrist before trying on the other, only for another wire to wrap around her free arm again.

Moving her hand forward, the wires pins Leah and Kase against the wall, causing them to groan in pain. With the flames splitting nto fillinments, Leah lowers her head, trying to bare the pain she has just felt.

Slow footsteps are heard coming closer. Leah raises her head to watch the woman as she steps closer, her glowing pupils locking onto hers, accompanied by a smile of delight.

Turning to look at Kase, she sees him unconscious already. Looking down at the woman with a glare, her hands closed into fists.

"Let us go!" She said, and tries to break herself free once more.

"I have a question for you," the woman said, her tone sounding calm and collected, urging Leah to stop struggling for a moment to look down at her.

"Who taught you?"

Taken by surprise by the sudden question, Leah frowns.

"What?"

"Who was the one who taught you how to do that?" The woman asked, holding her arm from behind her back.

"That's none of your business!"

"I disagree with you," the woman said, leaning forward slightly.

"Something like this, is my business."

"I don't care," Leah said, gritting her teeth, still moving her wrist within the wire around it.

"You won't get an answer."

Letting a slight sigh with her gaze drawn to the floor, she looks up at Leah once again.

"It's alright," she said, taking one step closer.

"I think I know the answer already." Her eyes narrow.

Letting out a small chuckle, Leah glares down at her.

"Good luck trying to guess."

The woman smiles before chuckling quietly.

"Aven," she simply said.

Widening her eyes at what she had just heard. She wonders if she was only hearing things.

"What did you say?" She said, hoping that she was actually hearing things.

"It was Aven, wasn't it?"

She did hear correctly. So many questions has sparked in her mind. How would some stranger she has never met, know Aven.

"H-how did you-" Leah pauses, still trying to process this.

This woman knows Aven, and she's of the same species. Her pupils has the same blue shine to it. Her brother mentioned that he only taught this to three others; Alecia, Silas, and Kevra.

Leah's eyes widen once more, as she stares down at the woman looking up at her, still with glowing blue pupils.

"You're..." She muttered, urging the woman to tilt her head.

"You're Kevra."

"Impressive," the woman said, moving her arms to her side.

"I'm surprised someone actually remembers me."

"So..." Leah said with pain still sounding in her voice.

"Are you going to let me go now, or what?"

"Of course," Kevra said, her eye pupils dims out into their natural serene hue. Just then, the blue energy within the wires cease. Loosening its grip, Leah and Kase drop to the floor with it.

Standing herself up, Leah looks at Kevra before walking to Kase.

"Kase?" She said, crouching next to him before leaning his back on her lap.

Footsteps are heard, urging Leah to look up at Kevra. Even when knowing her history with Aven, she still feels anger towards her for what she did earlier.

"So..." Kevra said, looking down at Leah as her eyes narrow.

"That Anya sent you?"

After a moment of silence with Kase still on her lap, only to ignore her question before tapping Kase's face once more and calling out his name.

Another set of footsteps is heard, urging Leah to look up once more to see a robot the same size as a normal person with a similar body type to that of a man.

Ignoring her silence, Kevra narrows her gaze.

"He'll bring your friend up with you," she said, urging Leah to look up at her.

"I would love for us to talk."

Kevra turns around before walking away.

"Come follow me, please," she simply said, still walking her way to set of doors ahead.

The robot steps towards Kase, urging Leah to step aside as she watches it gently pick up her friend before walking past her.

Staring in awe at the robot before her, she wonders why such a thing isn't found anywhere back at home.

With her curious thoughts fading, she starts walking and follows the robot towards the doors. Still feeling the watchful gaze from the others above.