CHAPTER 16 – T-minus (2)

"Attention, everyone who can hear."

"About time," I sigh and get up.

After very few little words by Silver-mask, there was a lot of silence. Now this announcement… it sure was heard by everyone, unlike the case with Silver-mask's conversation with us. And it didn't even exactly sound like Silver-mask, or maybe this voice of his is edited differently, currently.

"I… am The-Examiner. I am the one you should thank and or or hate on, for all of the tests you may have heard of," The-Examiner says. "Shootings at colleges. Massacre in a grand hotel. These merely are news of your own city. Your city, state… your whole nation… I watch."

"It must be the white mask guy from the video," Lost-Bird says.

"Yes I am. I'm the white masked person who introduced you to our idea of New-World, in that video. Thank you for recognising me," The-Examiner says, and Lost-Bird's body stiffness, so does mine. "Why of course… I'm watching over you, as is my job."

Oh yes, it indeed was even the same voice, even when the video one seemed to have more shrill in the voice. Maybe the phone we used, had more base setting. Ah, Wrap's phone.

"You must have seen, through a distance if I may. Those beautiful, trapped creatures."

I quickly send Forcerer, Feather and Psyand, a message, in the group on TBC. To alert them, as this may be a distraction.

"These creatures are your test," The-Examiner says. "It may be your first, maybe second, maybe third… whatever so, the rules are simple: survive."

Ah, if only that speaker was in a reachable distance, I'd smash it. But, that could lead to worse.

"There are powered-individuals among you. So like the hotel massacre case; it won't merely be a shoot-down. Even when you could get shot like a flying bird."

Yeah, no, I'd love to smash it, irrespectively.

"And you shall have a choice… as in the massacre, we lost a few capable candidates. Not going to lie," The-Examiner says. "You can pick a side."

"Ah… fuck you!" Rusk whines.

"They won't be trapped for long. Not longer than a week. Even if one month, I wouldn't care. So once they are free, they shall hunt, according to how much they have been made to starve," The-Examiner says. "And YOU don't have to be the victim."

"Yeah, we know how this goes," Lost-Bird sighs.

"Power-individuals can casually submit themselves. All you have to do is… reach the front gate alive, and let us know," The-Examiner says. "Catch is, you need to survive until you get a reply to it, accepting it. You need to show your worth, I'm sorry."

"Well, that was interesting though, not gonna lie. I'm invested," Rusk says.

"He may be a bit high," Lost-Bird sighs, signing an injection towards his shoulder.

"Others… you can bring us a powered-individual," The-Examiner says. "I know… it sounds crazy. They are stronger."

I scoff.

"So we give you targets. There are so many here… and there are some, if you kill… you are free," The-Examiner says. "The one has trapped the beings… even if you get him to lower the trap somehow… you are free. Or kill him."

"Number one wanted, Rusk," I say.

"You are out in the light, Rusk," Lost-Bird says.

I laugh at that.

"Fuck you…"

"You may see one or many armoured individuals. Kill them and get their bodies," The-Examiner says. "There are some… who betrayed us. They have a chance to come back. We respect their decision, the creatures won't harm these individuals. Until and unless you hurt them. So pick wisely."

Betrayed?

"Lastly. We only ask three people not to die. We want these three alive. They are our top priority," The-Examiner says. "Two shape-shifters. One male, one female. And the third… is called as Arson. We request these three to just come with us quietly. The shape-shifters don't die easily, so don't think twice to harm them."

Shapeshifters… must be Witch and Feather.

"But Arson… you better not face him. Unless you feel lucky," The-Examiner scoffs. "He is our top priority. We know you are here Arson. You'll be ours soon. Even when you are a classified being."

Who was that?

"Pick your sides," The-Examiner says, and the message seems to stop.

I and Lost-Bird exchange glances. I try to ask him if he is Arson… but that'd endanger him, if he really were.

"We need a plan soon," I say, out loud.

"Or we could wait for help," Rusk says, and I look at him, he looks back. "Maybe for a while."

How could he still believe in TBC?

"The people could start attacking us. Then the creatures would be the lesser problem. Trust me," I say.

"Bad experience?" Rusk scoffs. "Well, I have an idea…"

***

"Attention, everyone who can hear."

"There he is," Forcerer says, sighing, and gets up.

I get up too. "A distraction I suppose?"

Forcerer shrugs. We both start walking, and leave the apartment, as the voice goes on-and-on, speaking about this test, or whatever.

Forcerer's phone vibrates.

"Ah... Could be dangerous to leave Witch at her place. Of course I know, Scelesthe," Forcerer scoffs.

"Isn't her name Scelestha?" I ask.

"No. It is supposed to be a fake name," Forcerer says.

We reach Rusk's flat, and as we do, we hear a breaking sound from inside. Forcerer breaks the door, with his… forcery.

"Bit dramatic," I say.

"Not the time man. Read situations," Forcerer says, with his stiff-palm-body-language to the add.

Inside, a creature, a guy, with an exterior of armour extending out of him, or it. Guy-creature, which literally looked like one of those like the ones trapped, turn behind, it holds a sword in its hand, and silently stares at us.

Forcerer releases his forcery, and Guy-creature just lifts his(?) sword and stays there, unhinged. The sword just seems to absorb it… somehow.

I observe the skin(?) on Guy-creature move. So that was his(?) powers, or something. Maybe something all these creatures did. These sure were different than my set of enemies. So now it was decided, of who really was being chased here.

I stand there and watch, as Forcerer goes ahead and tried his forcery towards different parts of Guy-creature, as he(?) just stands there without being bothered. Once Forcerer reaches close enough to Guy-creature, he(?) gets hold of Forcerer and throws him towards the broken balcony door, to the balcony-fence, which Forcerer hits.

I flinch and look at Forcerer, but he looks fine, just hurt on his head, which is not too unusual for him.

"So that doesn't do it for you. You are an interesting specimen," I say.

Guy-creature scoffs.

Probably he(?) can't speak. As he doesn't, even when moments pass.

Guy-creature moves, towards Witch's room, and as he does, I do too, and hold his sword, which he tried to defend with.

"Hmm, you must not know me," I say.

A cut forms on my hand, as Guy-creature takes away his(?) sword, with haste. Must've not liked the heat that I produced on the sword, which was yet his part of the body. Not a summer-bod.

I spread my wings, to shake the little buzz in head. As Guy-creature slashes his sword, I move both my wings to cover myself, and the spikes at both the wings' edge, blocks the sword.

"There was this recurring character in dragon tales. A black dragon. With such battle skills. I merely took them as an inspiration. So you should never try to fight them, with such skills," I say.

The old black dragon, probably a few decades ago, maybe a century ago. They were killed off, as they were suspected to be Rahambose. What a loss of a warrior.

Guy-creature applies too much pressure with his sword, and I do too. To make use of the stiff-point, I lift my lower body, and kick my legs, and so does Guy-creature.

"Ah, proceeding to by my soulmate? I like it," I say.

We both get dragged behind, and as Guy-creature slashes again, I defend with one wing and party his(?) attack. Forming claws from my hands, I slash towards him(?) and I feel pain in my claw, as it breaks, after forming a wound on him(?).

"That is… weird," I say.

Before, with forcery, he could just bear it, with his sword. That took a lot of mettle. But his sword, which my wing faced, didn't exactly seem strong. Yet, he could make me form only a scratch, with my claw almost breaking apart.

He(?) must be dense. Literally.

I move myself and jump beyond him, and hold his neck, from behind. But before I can move though, a slash resounds out, and only the head stays in my grasp, as the other part attached to it, just falls.

I find this ripped apart girl, Witch, ahead of me. With a sword in her hand. I look at her, still in my frozen stance, holding the head. She doesn't look like she is hurt even a bit, just standing there with the sword, frozen in the moment too, in her stance, even with such a crippled body.

As the freeze lifts, Witch looks at me. I shudder at the gaze, and drop the head, and stiff my pose, only to form an unnecessary-but-hearty bow, the next moment.

"We haven't introduced before, Witch. Myself Feather," I say. "Don't worry, we are aquainted currently to Scelestha, whose real name is Scelesthe."

Witch stares at me for a moment, with her serious expression. She signs at her ear, then forms a super-sign, by forming a circle with her thumb and index, while the other three fingers stick out. Then she signs towards her mouth and shakes her head.

I look at her torn neck.

"Ah, your… voice box," I say.

Witch holds up her index finger, and I nod. She looks at the floor, and so do I. Guy-creature… is still moving. Witch forms a sword with her hand, and pierces it into him(?), and his flesh seems to reduce, by a lot, and she… somehow seems to take it within herself.

Witch's neck gets covered, and while looking still torn, her body reforms to an extent.