✓ | Supernova.

chapter ten

CHAPTER TEN: THE BETRAYAL OF IKARIS

"Oh, no..." Phastos mumbled softly. Nova looked up to see Phastos' powers that had created a picture of the world; it had large red spots on it and a beeping sound filled the room. It didn't take a genius to know it was bad.

"What about the Unimind?" Sersi came rushing back in the room, Ikaris following behind. Nova assumed she left to go get him.

"I haven't figured out a way to connect us, but I'm close. I'm very very close." Phastos had a panicked tone to his voice.

"How much longer?" Sersi pressed.

"I don't know, Sersi!" Phastos' raised his voice in frustration. Phastos took deep breaths as he created something in the palm of his hand. He quickly put the device in Makkari's hand and said, "find the point of emergence."

Makkari was quick to understand, leaving as soon as he finish speaking, which caused Phastos to stumble due to her incredible speed.

"You always knew the end was coming." Druig commented. Him and Thena were looking at a painting as he spoke, while Nova stood next to them and picked at her nail polish that was nearly gone. "It must... be a relief."

"That deviant is still tracking us." Thena commented with a blank expression. Nova could easily see the rage shining in her eyes-because Gilgamesh was gone, and it was all that Deviant's fault.

"Revenge won't bring peace for you, Thena." Druig sighed softly.

"But killing it might." Thena made it clear that she didn't want to talk about it anymore. The pain in her eyes was barely noticeable, as she was amazing at hiding her feelings. But Nova could see the tear threatening to fall as it glistened in the dim lights, and she could see how she she struggled not to break down. Nova knew Thena like the back of her hand; it was nearly impossible for her not to read the woman with ease.

After all, there was a time where she loved her-maybe she still did.

Suddenly, Thena smiled. It wasn't a happy smile, but a vengeful one. Her mind was focused on killing the Deviant who had killed her best friend. What Druig had told her went in one ear and out the other.

Druig merely glanced at Thena, taking in the smile that began to fade. He squinted his eyes slightly, watching as she left.

"I'm close to figuring it out-" Phastos was suddenly cut off. Nova's ears began to ring at an all too familiar sound. Ikaris had blasted beams of light at what Phastos created, sending it flying to the ground, and knocking Phastos back several feet.

Nova slowly walked over in confusion, her eyes never leaving Ikaris as she glared daggers. She should've known better than to trust him.

"Boss, what are you doing?" Kingo yelled in deep confusion.

"I've let this go on long enough." Ikaris sneered. Nova's eyes narrowed even more.

"Don't hurt him!" Sersi ran into the room, helping Phastos sit up straight. Phastos groaned in pain as he got to his feet, "he lied to us." Tears were welling up in the woman's eyes, "you already knew about the emergence."

"No he didn't." Kingo tried to convinced himself otherwise. Nova, however, believed Sersi in a heartbeat. Maybe there was a time where Nova trusted Ikaris, even if just for a second, but the two had always argued in the past-from silly bickering to full on disagreements. She would take Sersi's word over anything Ikaris had to say without second thought.

Ikaris had a stone cold expression on his face. This wasn't the Ikaris Nova knew at all. She felt so uncomfortable watching him, watching a version of the man that she thought she knew. He was never perfect, but she didn't take him for a traitor. "Ajak told me everything when we left Babylon." He said, his stone cold expression never wavering.