Their next step would be to find Gale. She was one of the most dangerous in the facility. However, Mist was at the deepest level and to get down there they would need Gale's help. She could provide them with much needed oxygen. However, Eclipse would be the one that would have to speak to her. She wouldn't listen to anyone else and with Glade now free they would have an easier time getting through the stronger security downstairs. Since Eclipse already admitted she wasn't up to the task of getting through the security not because she couldn't per say, but because expending all that energy would make her utterly useless for a time. That would mean Valentina or Alexandria would have to carry her meaning they would have one less fighter and Aurora well she wasn't a fighter. Eclipse did not allow her to train or sharpen any of her abilities. The only one that she really was even aware of was her ability to banish any type of darkness or any type of disease that tried to enter her body. Of course, the only thing she couldn't banish was the virus itself since it was what was giving her the ability.
They decide to continue as quickly as possible. Even though Glade was practically naked since any type of clothing was forbidden. All she really had was some synthetic lingerie so everything else was out in the open and it can get a bit cold down there. Even though she didn't show any signs of being cold.
The party continued further down until Eclipse moved her hand in front of everyone. "Wait!"
"What is it?" Alexandria was a bit annoyed at this but held her words for the moment.
"Look." Eclipse pointed to a spot not far from them and slightly up above.
Alexandria looked up to see a camera peering down in their direction. She moved closer to Eclipse and whispered in her ear. "How the hell does that thing not see us right now?"
"I'm masking our presence. It can only be done when we're in close proximity of shadow. However, it does take a bit of concentration and control." A sly smile crossed Eclipse's lips as she looked behind them at Glade. "Glade mind taking care of it for us?"
"It would be my pleasure." She started waving her fingers in front of herself and the iron that she had been collecting ever since she was freed from other places in the facility as they walked formed tiny little barbs and needles. Once she felt she had enough her wrist twisted and flung her fingers forward. The sounds of breaking glass and other materials echoed through the hallway as the iron barbs and needles penetrated the camera destroying it quickly.
Everyone froze in that moment. Alexandria was half expecting an alarm to go off. The first one to move was Aurora and she decided to start skipping and the familiar sound of her feet tapping against the floor bounced off the walls.
"Can you please explain, Eclipse, why we had to be quiet? Do these cameras also record sound?" Alexandria asked a bit annoyed at having to take orders from her at the moment.
"Of course they do." Eclipse answered in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Why is your daughter now skipping down the hallway?" Alexandria was going to make a point later about who is actually in command here.
"There are no alarms here in this area. We are now in Gale's area, and you won't hear things like that. When you hear the wind it's a vibration, correct?"
Alexandria nodded in agreement figuring Eclipse wasn't done speaking.
"Hitting your eardrums vibrating them and turning it into sound. It uses the air. What do you think somebody with the ability to control that could do with it? Even if she is deprived of senses, even the smallest feeling of something that you can control against your skin she hears that sound the vibrations the pulse of the air as the sound travels through it she can use it as a weapon. It won't be a very good one, but anyone within the distance of that room could be hurt and if her accuracy is on point, they could die. Do you understand now why I told you to be quiet?" Eclipse titled her head to the side giving Alexandria a sly smile.
"What about her your daughter?" Alexandria shook her head trying to focus on the task at hand instead of Eclipse's insanity.
"If you hadn't notice Aurora is not wearing shoes so it is her skin bouncing off the floor. Gale can hear things even if they are depriving her of her senses certain things have become so common to her that hearing them lets her know things on the outside are normal and Aurora skipping around the facility that is a normal sound. That's why I allowed her to do it without protest. It's the simple fact that we don't want Gale getting riled up. It's the same reason even if they saw that camera go offline, they are not going to sound that alarm because even sensory deprived Gale could still do something. It might not amount to anything, but one slip up from one of the researchers or the guards and she could be freed, and we don't want her freed when she is irrational. I want her to hear that Aurora is close. She may only listen to my words when she's in a crazed state, but if she knows that Aurora is nearby. She will be a bit more precise even if she is unhinged. We are not that far from her containment area. However, unlike Glade's containment area which was relatively unprotected because they don't consider her much of a threat without minerals and the like around her. Gale however can be extremely threatening. Air is everywhere without it we couldn't survive even this place. They keep her area as stagnated as possible, but they cannot deprive her of basic necessities. Of course, she is one of the few that live in high altitude places since she can control to a point how much oxygen her body actually needs to survive. Of course, going into that state makes anything else she does pitiful. However, it is a great survival tactic especially if you're trying to preserve your strength. Wouldn't you agree, Alexandria?" Eclipse gave her a small smirk seeming to enjoy the sound of her own voice a bit too much.
Alexandria nodded in agreement deciding instead to just listen and take in everything that was being said. She would answer when some time had passed to really think on the matter.
Even though they were talking a lot they were still proceeding forward. Glade wasn't saying much. Her hand traced across the walls taking in as much as she could. There wasn't much inside the facility. Dirt on the floor from soldiers or researchers who had gone outside and forget to properly clean their clothes or equipment. The small traces of nature inside the walls that weren't solely made from synthetic materials as she traced her hands along the walls and stepped and rubbed the soles of her feet on the ground.
Alexandria pondered for a bit on Eclipses question. "Well, you all are extraordinary people and it's amazing to think that you know everything that has happened from the start of this era all the way back to the other era that is long since gone. Do you actually think that once we deal with the guards around her that we can convince Gale that leaving here is the correct option. I know it can be rude to answer a question with another question. However, I find all of you extremely fascinating and since you are the leader, and your daughter and Glade have already agreed to our little deal. Why is it so imperative that we get the other two to agree if as you say they should follow you regardless, hmmm?"
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They made their way down a flight of stairs and right after her question was asked Alexandria took a step and she could feel the difference as they stepped down. Her balance shifted for a second and she had to grab onto the nearest rail shaking her head.
Valentina did a similar action. However, Glade, Eclipse and Aurora were able to walk down fairly easily without any trouble. They kept moving while Alexandria and Valentina followed after them beginning to get used to the difference in the atmosphere around them.
Eclipse let out a devious laugh. "We are officially near her. After we travel through this hallway and turn the next corner her containment area will be in front of us. What you felt when you stepped down was her pressure ability. She can change the air pressure in an area especially if she's been sensory deprived. She does it as a defense mechanism in order to protect herself. People who are not used to it or are not in protective equipment usually get knocked to their knees, but being as you control time and space, and you are a shifter those things don't really affect you as much. Granted any other ability user who doesn't have a strong ability probably would've been knocked to their knees. I'm sure everybody in your party would've felt a similar reaction as you. You are about to meet somebody who cannot only accurately predict the weather but also help shape it. Of course, changing things like that would require more than just her. I've seen Gale and Mist create a hurricane just by thinking it. Their used to be more walled cities however before we were confined in this hell hole one of the reasons, we were confined here is that Mist and Gale decided to destroy one and do you want to know why?" Eclipse let out a devious giggle.
"Well, they destroyed it because it was the reason or let me rephrase that. That city used to be the capital of the walled city government, and they were the ones who decided that ability users should be locked up and they started building facilities. Even though this one is probably one of the oldest facilities it was not the first. This is ground zero for the virus however the facilities that the two of you know were built by the former capital which was destroyed along with a few other walled cities by Mist and Gale. After creating a hurricane/typhoon that ran rough shot over this new world. It was before the grand pirate king and before the merciless walled city government that you know today. That is the reason those two are sensory deprived. Mist more than Gale because while Gale is very important with the wind and biometric pressure and all that without Mist there is no storm." Eclipse was about to continue speaking than the muffled sounds of two guards floated down the corridor.
"Aurora, what are you doing down here? It's a bit late for you to be wandering, isn't it? How about you go back upstairs. You don't need to be down here today. You can come back tomorrow to see her." The guard tried to use a calm voice so as not to upset her.
"But you don't understand today is a special day and whether you like it or not auntie Gale is getting out." She giggled looking up at the guards with joy in her eyes.
"What did you just say?" He took a step forward ready to take her hand and walk her back upstairs.
The shadow behind him quivered and Eclipse came out from it plunging what looked to be an iron spike into the guard's throat.
Another guard picked up his weapon and was about to fire. Glade with an underhanded throw tossed another spike ripping off his trigger finger.
Valentina paused time for a moment except around Alexandria who dashed forward turning her right hand into a polar bear paw. She stopped in front of him tilting her head to the side and looked up at him. "Weren't excepting that were you?" She swiped at his face with paw ripping part of it off as both the bodies hit the ground with a thud.
Alexandria flicked her arm splattering the blood on the floor also bringing it back to human form as the four of them looked around to see if anyone else was nearby.
Aurora rocked back and forth from heel to toe as she spoke, "There are no more guards. The rest of them went further down along with the rest of the researchers. I don't think we'll see anybody else not until we get to auntie Mist. Momma?"
Eclipse was standing still her head down and her eyes closed. Both of her hands were open, and her fingers were extended.
Alexandria looked closely at her trying to focus and then her eyes widened as she saw the black threads coming from her fingertips.
Eclipse took in a deep breath and as she exhaled her eyes popped open. "It would seem they are mounting a defense around Mist. They gave up on protecting Gale. We were too close by the time they noticed what was going on. Having Glade and Gale freed is a great advantage. However, going down deeper they will protect Mist with everything because if she gets free this facility will fall. Those further down areas are submerged she could squash them like pieces of fruit. They fear that and they will do everything in their power to avoid Mist being freed even at the cost of their own lives." A devious giggle escaped Eclipse's lips.
"Wait, is there a way to keep us away from Mist?" Alexandria asked raising an eyebrow.
"There isn't it. They can shut the corridors and activate traps and the like, but they would not damage the facility. Even if they cut off our access, we would soon get it back it would just take some time. That's all they want to buy enough time to fortify the area because once they believe they can quell what is going on here they need the facility intact to subjugate us again or so they think. It's no matter all we need to do now is free Gale after that we can figure out how to get down to Mist. If y'all are ready you can go into that adjoining room, there and press the red button in the center of the console. I will go in through this door." Eclipse paused for a moment looking down at her daughter.
"Aurora, you will stand outside this door. You three will go inside the other room. Aurora must stay within the vicinity of all of us so that Gale does not react poorly. Are we all ready to release another friend?" Eclipse's eyes went a bit wide, and her smile seemed unhinged even though it was a happy one.
It was interesting the way Eclipse decided to word that. She didn't say bodyguard. She didn't say family member. She didn't say comrade. She said friend. It sounded like there was a question mark at the end because it was in fact a question, but at the same time it felt like somebody was taking that question mark twisting and turning it making it look like something else.
Alexandria, Glade, and Valentina went into the next room. It was just as they said everyone else had left. There were even some weapons left behind. Why they did that Alexandria didn't know, but she decided that until they were able to free Mist and get out of this place that they were going to work together. She hoped that moving forward everything that was about to happen was going to be for the betterment of this new world. So, that every ability user out there no matter who they were or what they wanted to do would be free to do it.