Chapter 90: Ch129. Octavius - 2 (Escape)
Kurt could only see the Association members’ bodies falling, one by one, all split by Octavius’ almost invisible attack.
It was as though the man in front of him was completely different from the loving father he had known in this echo of reality, if what that Kurt said back in the [SHADOW WORLD] was true.
The man in front of him was ruthless, cruel.
It even felt like he enjoyed the bloodshed he had caused.
And as if it weren’t nearly enough...
He did all of that using nothing but his bare hands.
"Now, should I do the same with you?" Octavius asked, slowly descending from the top floor of the Association building, as if he was just floating in the air. "Or should I take some answers from you, first?"
As Octavius landed, Kurt was able to cover himself with darkness, turning into a solid, pitch-black cocoon, while Octavius’ invisible attacks hit his black shell.
He was nothing but an easy, sturdy target there, only waiting for the president of the association to find a way to break through the almost indestructible shield.
Only that Kurt wasn’t thinking of just staying there to see what could happen.
As he felt the attacks hitting the external layer of his shadow shield, he finally found some time to really focus on the task at hand.
So he sharpened his senses, and let it flow deeper and deeper down the building.
Until Kurt finally felt it.
The very faint presence that he had grasped, in order to come back to his home world-line.
Kurt just didn’t understand why their presence was so dim, and he didn’t want to believe in the ominous foreboding that his heart gave.
So he just grasped their presence once again.
Leaving the shadow shield up.
***
When Kurt looked around again, he was inside a small metal cell.
It was so tiny that it could barely fit three people in there.
Evellyn and Nikolai were there, backs turned to the door as Kurt appeared without a sound.
They seemed to be holding something in their hands, and when Kurt approached, finally making himself known, the two almost shouted, but held it in.
Both Nikolai and Evellyn were almost skin and bones, their eyes had almost black dark circles underneath, and their clothes were even worse than Robby’s.
The sight of them made Kurt’s heart sink to his stomach.
Only when Kurt looked at their hands, he could understand why they didn’t want to scream.
There was a very small creature in their hands.
"Groth..." Kurt said, unable to hold it in.
"Kurt...?" Evellyn’s voice was nothing but a stuttering whisper.
Nikolai just looked at him, from head to toe.
And after a few moments of consideration, he finally broke the silence.
"Are we hallucinating, now?"
"I wish I had enough time to explain." Kurt began. "But not, now. And no, you’re not hallucinating. How good are you to get out of here?"
They exchanged glances, and Kurt saw the slightest glimpse of hope in them.
"I’m sorry for not coming back sooner, I mean it, even though there’s nothing I can do to make amends for it... But I’m here to take you guys home, now."
Suddenly, the whole cell started shaking.
"Fuck, he broke through, already?"
’Will you let me do that?’ Kurt heard Arias’ voice echo through the cell.
Kurt expected Evellyn and Nikolai to say something about that, but they acted much more timid and introspective than he could ever imagined.
They looked almost lethargic.
And Kurt also couldn’t stop asking himself what had happened to Groth.
But the more he thought, the less time he had.
So he just grabbed their hands, and the group disappeared in the darkness.
Right before the cell door was slashed out of its hinges by Octavius’ strange swordsmanship.
He looked around, almost sniffing the air, and let out a frustrated sigh.
***
They reappeared at the rooftop of the Association building, the wind blowing hard at Evellyn and Nikolai’s faces.
It was like a spell had been broken, because at the first moment, when they felt the warm breeze on their faces, their eyes lit up.
It was as though life was returning to them, little by little.
"How does it feel, guys?" Kurt asked, with a slight smile growing on his lips.
"Like reality." Nikolai answered. "I don’t know how you pulled that off, but it’s ridiculously typical of you." He laughed.
But it was a bitter laugh, despite the light gleaming in his eyes.
"Where were you? Why did you take so long...?" Evellyn asked, looking almost sadly at Kurt.
He looked at Evellyn, shook his head, and answered.
"I’ll tell everything once we’re back to the others, okay?"
She looked at Nikolai, and he nodded.
"Okay." She said, looking down.
Kurt tried to smile, but he knew his friends were mad at him, and he couldn’t blame them for even a second.
So he just focused, and said.
"Okay Arias, it’s your turn."
Kurt’s shadow grew larger and larger, as the rooftop started shaking, the same way the cell they were in did a while ago.
Kurt put his mask back on, and his shadow began moving, bubbling, like boiling water.
And after a few seconds, a majestic white dragon emerged from the darkness.
Even if Nikolai and Evellyn didn’t want to express anything, they couldn’t help themselves but gasping at the sight of the enormous beast.
"It’s a long story, now hop on, it’s gonna be a bumpy ride!" Kurt announced, jumping towards Arias’ neck.
Evellyn and Nikolai did the same with Kurt’s help, and soon after, they were flying.
Until Kurt felt a slight cut in his arm.
It bled slightly, so he knew they weren’t safe anymore.
But underneath his mask, Kurt smirked.
"Arias, give him hell..." Kurt told the dragon, who turned around and opened its gigantic maw, releasing a blinding torrent of white fire towards the Association’s building.
Towards Octavius Blake.
The Association president almost got caught by the fire breath, but he managed to protect both himself and the building.
And the next thing he saw, was the enormous dragon being enveloped in shadows.
And not even a second after, the dragon wasn’t there anymore.
But Octavius was smiling.
Grinning, even.
"So, it officially begins..." He said to himself, lighting a cigarette. He brought his holowatch to his lips and said. "Prepare for the hunt. It’s open season on both regulars and irregulars... Let’s purge this society, for the glory of the Kha’Ur."
