With a flash, Lure, followed by Swiftly, Sinistra and her brother, entered back into the hideout. They were greeted by a floor covered in thousands of raven feathers forming a sea of black.
“I couldn’t reign her in,” whispered a bruised and beaten Coven chained by the very constraints that had been used vs Lumière.
The heroine, who stood beside her victim, looked apprehensive, contemplative, not aggressive. No snarl, but a faintly visible smile ornated her beautiful face.
“A truce. I know that I have wronged you.” She glanced at Lure and continued her monologue while her gaze was directed towards an empty space. “But hear me out: I did it since my conscience told me.”
Swiftly, with hateful eyes, sprinted towards his wife in the blink of an eye and destroyed the shackles. Lumière didn’t stop him, appearing completely defenceless.
Lure glanced at Sinistra who shrugged. Drama was about to happen that hindered their goals. Her friend’s indifference didn’t help either to solve the problems. Swiftly embraced his weak-looking wife and touched carefully her burned flesh. The smell was similar to roasted pork meat, and this scene had something grotesque, for it reminded Lure of the strange cruel fetishes of life.
“I’m sorry, and I really mean it. I have only defended me lest I would be a prisoner again.”
“Was the severity of your retaliation justified? Can you admit in good faith that a hero should maim and torture their enemies like this?” Coven was right.
Lumière moved a step back. “No, I can’t. I did betray your trust, but you have kidnapped me in the first place, robbing my freedom and comfort.” She smiled weakly and added, “Let’s talk this out.”
Lure believed that she had heard a hint of guilt in Lumière’s last sentence, although everything could have been played as well. She stepped forward and asked, “What can you give us as compensation? What is your value?” At that point, Lure was done being nice and preferred a different approach.
Those questions formed deep frowns on the heroine’s forehead, and she replied mechanically, “As one of the highest B-ranked heroes of the younger generation, I…” She stopped in her speech because she probably realized that she had given the wrong answer. “I can still help you find your father.”
“Shaking her head, the young villainess replied, “We already found the whereabouts of my father. Your help might be a benefit to use, though. We’ll sign a contract.”
“A contract? What kind?”
“A contract meant to restrict even an Empowered.” Lure kneeled to the wounded Coven. “Do you still have the strength to bind Lumière with a contract?”
Coven cooed like a true raven. “Of course, I do! It would be my pleasure.” Her flesh was visibly regenerating, even rejuvenating. At that point, Lure wondered if an Empowered actually dies of old age. Indeed, no such case was known yet, although only time could tell. However, the skin did normally not rejuvenate and stayed like it was after regrowing from an injury, But Coven was an exception as her legs looked smoother again.
“What is the content?” An air of seriousness surrounded Lumière now.
“Simple. You don’t tell anyone directly or indirectly about being kidnapped by Huic and won’t diffuse the existence of this hidden dimension and you’ll help us once. In return, we’ll let you go. No string attached.”
Lumière nodded, whereas Swiftly had an ugly expression on his face, showing his unwillingness and understanding of the situation all at once.
“All those raven’s bodies will be enough for the ritual.” Coven’s face was filled with anger and pain, but she focused on the task ahead.
She stood up, still supported by her husband, and spoke a strange incantation in Latin. The feathers moved on their own, forming a little hill designated as the principal node od the ritual. Dancing in the rhythm of a flying raven, she touched a feather and it burned. As the first one burned, so did all the others, without emitting heat or affecting the environment.
“I swear that I won’t harm or retaliate against the heroine called Lumière unless we are attacked or schemed against. Further, I shall honour this deal or I won’t advance in ranks anymore. If I break my vow, then my party members shall be punished too.”
Lumière, Swiftly and Sinistra repeated what Coven had solemnly proclaimed; the world was their witness.
This contract, unlike any type of blood contract, didn’t have too many serious repercussions. While it was true that they may not advance naturally anymore, they could still Renounce. However, both Lumière and Lure had greater aspirations, thus giving the contract credibility.
Lumière uttered, not amused but somehow in pain, “I swear I won’t tell anyone what has transpired in this hideout and will refrain from harming directly or indirectly Lure … and her affiliated party members. I shall assist Lure in meeting with her father and brother.”
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She was honest insofar as she spoke about ‘meeting’ Lure’s father, though she didn’t specify how she would help.
After her last word had been said, the hidden dimension rumbled, which confirmed that the establishment of the contract had been a success. People didn’t know why, but the contract had intelligence on its own, following the spirit, not the letter of what had been agreed upon. This phenomenon was sometimes called “The Eyes of the Heavens” as it appeared that an entity judged over the adherence.
Lure looked at Swiftly who still hadn’t shed his air of animosity towards Lumière, and he surely wouldn’t in the next hour.
“We should now work together to achieve our common goal, meeting my father!”
The heroine nodded, besides, there was no going back.
Coven clicked her tongue. “Is that wrench really worth all this hassle?” She had a point since so far, the heroine hadn’t been a boon at all, on the contrary, she had severely injured one of Lure’s team members. As a leader, Lure should first prioritize the well-being of her allies, not some abstract plan in the future, and she decided to reflect later on it.
“I apologize.” Lure bowed to Coven and Swiftly.
Sinistra chimed in, “I wasn’t there to give advice; thus, she made more mistakes than necessary. However, in the end, she’ll still achieve her goals.” She embraced Lure from behind, backing her up.”
Lure replied, “Thank you, everyone, for your support.”
Swiftly sighed, but he was loyal, as was Coven. The couple looked slightly more appeased.
“I have to apologize to you too.” This time the heroine bowed to both Swiftly and Coven, not only Lure. “You may be evil, but I should have still treated you like humans, and shouldn’t have excessively hurt you. I have recognized that you both have only worked on behalf of Huic, you are not him.”
“We’ll accept that apology,” said the couple in unison. “For Lure!” The first part was faked, the latter wasn’t.
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The headquarters of NIP in 3N had been ravaged, especially the first floor. The receptionists’ bureaus were annihilated, and debris was lying everywhere. Several superheroes had been patrolling the streets and were stationed in the building as the security level had risen to the maximum.
When Lure and Lumière moved further through the lobby, an A-rank followed by a whole squad of B-ranks stopped them. “What is your bidding?” He looked rather grumpy and tired.
Lumière strode forward, her hair glowing in an intense golden light. With pathos, she announced to the world, “Let us pass, for I have come back!” She smiled as if she was the boss and running the business. She was clearly pleased with the attention she got.
Perplexed, not believing his eyes, the A-rank hero replied, “Wait. Aren’t you Lumière?” "Lumière," whispered the squad of B-ranked heroes. “Yes, it’s her.” The A-rank hero asked, “How?”
“I am sorry. I'm not allowed to explain my circumstances.” All that was needed was her halo, her charisma and her reputation, and every door opened. Convinced of her identity, the leader moved his hands towards the stairs because the lift was probably damaged and couldn’t be used. At the front, she sauntered through the flock of heroes, presenting her might, beauty and youth while she heated the air with her aura. It was truly remarkable that she managed to keep emitting energy at a constant level since she didn’t have a passive ability that would sustain her output. In other words, she needed to consciously emit the energy which was very taxing on the mind.
The two women walked up the stairs, shaking the building, whenever they went. Perhaps it was the second most important news of the day, right after the madness and chaos in 3N.
On the third floor, she swiped her still working hero card and entered the medical department that was as busy as an anthill. Regular doctors were frantically trying to save civilians and the heroes with healing abilities were helping them. Although healing abilities were far more effective than regular western medicine and conspired to have made doctors obsolete, in truth this only applied to empowered beings as there were simply too many regular humans.
The dominant woman commanded to a female healer with a roaring mice costume, “Tell us where Strider is.” Identity confirmation wasn’t needed at all.
“Please follow,” said the meekly D-rank heroine. They went towards the rear where the listless heroes were stationed and where unsurprisingly the least amount of noise was made.
From afar, Lure could see her father lying on a common hospital bed. As they went closer, her heartbeat increased and her sweat pores opened. How would he react when he saw his precious daughter? Indifferent, hating, or loving?
The healer stopped at Strider’s bed and excused herself, fleeing from the tense situation.
“Dad…,” said Lure cautiously. He didn’t react, not even blinking. “Dad,” she said a second time with more power. No reaction either. She tried it a third time. “Dad,” and her father’s head moved slightly to her. His lifeless eyes weren’t talking, they were silent.
Lumière was talking with a nurse, and after finishing, she said, “He’s the most severely affected patient. He doesn’t possess even the will to live, or to end it.”
Shocked, Lure gasped for air.
Obulus, the father of the twins, Lure and Bastion had duelled, came to them and said with downcast eyes, “This is a dark day for 3N, for everyone. Not only have we lost countless civilians and some heroes in battle as well, but one of the most talented heroes has become a mushroom.” He clenched his fist and locked Lure into the eyes. “I am sorry. Nobody deserves such a life.”
Lure replied, outraged, “He’ll come back. I’ll save my father.”
The hero replied, shaking his head, “Impossible. I was treated by an A-ranked healer and I could only be partially be restored. I was told that the soul isn’t damaged, merely some parts containing your emotions are locked. Whereas I was only marginally affected, your father seems to have been the main target.”
She gently caressed her father’s face, and he didn’t react at all. “I’ll find a way!” Rather was she encouraging herself than proclaiming a fact to the world.
After asking multiple people, Lumière confirmed Obulus's words. “You can’t do anything, besides finding that S-rank hero responsible for the attack. And blame Huic too. Without him, your father wouldn’t be a vegetable. Your fiancé had been brought away by his father. I got no intel about him.”
Lure plunged and landed on her father’s bed, crushing his arm. “Too much. Too much.” She hyperventilated.
“Sorry I’ll make you sleep. It’s better for you.” Lumière nodded at another hero.
Tiredness sucked Lure’s consciousness into an abyss.