Indigo (NaNoWriMo13)

Chapter 32 - Stronger than Wrath

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Chapter 32 - Stronger than Wrath

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When the yellow Warden threw the first shockwave, Athira was ready. 

Instead of avoiding it, she stood her ground, raising a shield of black colour from nothing to try and unnerve them. She and Talon had figured the best way to deal with the Wardens was to present them an untouchable figure, one who didn't waste time playing with their prey. One who got straight to the point and was efficient. 

The yellow colour didn't make it to the other side, having disappeared into the abyssal maw. The white outline of the Warden's surprised face regained its colour as Athira dismissed the shield. 

"Shockwaves," said Athira, raising an eyebrow. "You're a Warden, and all you have is shockwaves?"

"Who are you truly, Owl?" said the male Warden, striding forward. Neither seemed to have an interest in Shift, who was fending off six Elites at once with relative ease against the wall. "Behind that mask, does anything lie there but darkness?" 

Athira touched the edges of the mask that formed the curved beak over her mouth. She hadn't been expecting them to try and talk to her, other than the initial 'surrender or we'll kill you' speech. 

"I'm the only thing beneath it," she said. Catching the exchanged glance, she smirked and let her colour play around her fingers. "Whether you class that as darkness or not is up to you."

The male Warden's brows drew together. "You don't know what you're playing with here, Owl. Answer the questions straight or you will find yourself at the centre of something you can't possibly understand."

"Oh," said Athira. "I understand. You want to know if I'm the Herald, come to destroy the pitiful project you've mounted as a defence against Rathe, correct?" 

The widened eyes and nervous glances told her she was. 

A sharp movement at the edge of her vision drew her attention. Her 'Turtle' was still fighting the Elites with a vigor she knew he possessed but had never seen him put into full effect. Even against six Elites, Shift appeared to be holding his own but he couldn't keep it up forever. Continuing to converse with the Wardens was a waste of everyone's time, time they needed to get out of here and back to base before the others noticed they were gone.

"So here's how this is going to play out," said Athira, feeling Talon ready within her mindscape. "Herald or not, I'm going to leave you here tonight with a destroyed project, and you'll be lucky if that's the only thing I permanently put out of commission. If you ever try anything like this again, I swear I will come back, and I swear that I will bring the Wardens to their knees. Understand?" 

The yellow Warden sniffed. "You sound like you've already won."

"I already have."

Athira extended a hand and called on her colour.

It pooled around the Warden's upper halves, mirroring the state of her hand. It pinned down their arms, still fluid at their motions as Athira gave it a moment to settle. Satisfied it would hold, she curled her fingers and ordered the colour to harden. 

She lowered her hand. The cocoon of colour remained around them. Their struggles and futile attempts to call their colour, she guessed, were rendered completely ineffective. 

Athira glanced at Shift, now down to four Elites. He's doing rather well.

He's a trained Colour, replied Talon. Although they're not supposed to be able to take on six Elites at once.