Dedicated to Prisim (again!) This time for her NaNo story, 'Guardian of Calandria' - go check it out!

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Chapter 3 - When Pasts Collide

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Shift gripped the Owl’s wrist for all he was worth as she flew them to safety.

They were surrounded in a kind of shield, constructed entirely from black colour as far as he could tell. Looking through it, the world seemed drained of colour. Everything was black where the hues and shades should’ve been, defined only by a white outline that kept their forms split.

From what he could tell, the Owl was levitating and they’d just passed through the ceiling, or the floor of Starpoint tower’s ground level. He was also pretty sure they hadn’t been anywhere near Talia’s hole when they did it so he’d be damned if he was about to let go of this girl’s wrist and get himself stuck inside a slab of concrete.

Despite his fears, it was less than a minute before the Owl dropped the shield around them and deposited him on the ground. As soon as the contact between them dropped, the uncomfortable prickling sensation that’d spread throughout Shift’s body disappeared.

He rubbed his hands over the green-striped section suit and looked around.

Starpoint tower was completely destroyed. What had been the shell of a once-proud, state of the art colour facility was now little more than a pile of shattered glass, concrete and warped metal. Noting how little of the rubble remained visible on the surface, Shift wondered just how far that underground cavern actually stretched.

The Owl shook her arms, or Shift assumed she had. The things were still hidden, as was the rest of her body. She remained levitating, her boots tucked up behind her even while the edges of her cloak trailed along the ground. It created the illusion of a purple-cloaked spectre hovering a few feet away.

She glanced around uncertainly, eyes raking over the distance. “You okay?” she asked.

Shift nodded. “I think so.” He gave her a sheepish smile. “Uh... thanks, by the way.”

“Couldn’t let you die there after that idiot elemental brought the tower down around us,” she said. “Although Reader has her to thank for currently still being able to walk.”

“I don’t think any of us would have complained if he couldn’t.”

Shift caught the slight upward movement of her lips. “Reader would have done enough complaining for all of us to not wish it on him.”

Shift snorted and attempted to stand. His legs wobbled beneath him before the muscles kicked in completely. “Quite a kick your colour has there,” he said. “Never felt anything quite like it.”

“There’s a good reason for that, I assure you.”

He took a moment to observe her, unsure as to why she was still hanging around... literally.

If he focused on her face, he thought he could see her eyes flicking between her body and his but it was hard to be certain. The cloak made her figure and expressions uncertain.

“Why did you come back?” he asked. “I’m guessing Reader is long gone by now.”

The Owl’s shoulders moved.  “You looked rather pathetic, all given up like that.”

“I’m not sure whether to be insulted or grateful.” He held out his hand. “My name’s Shift, by the way.”

She looked at his hand, staring at it with longing. When he thought she wasn’t going to reply, her voice came out uncertain. “I don’t suppose you could--“

A soft beeping at Shift’s hip drew her attention, cutting her sentence off. He fumbled around for a moment, fingers quickly undoing the clasp that held his communicator and tracker to his belt.

“They’re looking for me,” he said quietly. “Probably think I’m dead.”

Talia’s voice drifted from around the corner of the now-ruined Starpoint tower. “There’s someone over here, Raph, I’m telling you! It has to be him!”

The Owl rose further into the air, her cloak no longer resting on the ground. “I’ll take that as my cue to leave. Don’t go playing damsel in any more collapsing towers, mkay Shift?”

“Where’s the fun in that?” he asked after her.

She turned and drifted away. Shift glanced at the communicator in his hand. Quickly, he hit the mute button and adjusted the clasp’s grip settings before it was too late.

Two figures rounded the corner, a blonde in a blue suit and a darker haired male in a red. Shift waved an arm at the pair of them. By the time they got close enough for him to confirm their feathers, the Owl was no longer in sight.

The relief was evident on Talia’s face when she noticed him. She covered her eyes in a silent prayer before bounding over and wrapping her arms around him.

“You scared the hell out of me!” she said, voice muffled by her hair. “I got outside and Raph told me you wouldn’t have enough colour left to get out with him so far away, and then I thought...” she paused, frowning. “How did you get out here anyway?”

Shift scratched his head. “It’s the funniest story,” he said. “There I was, crouched under the pillar like a confused donkey in a lightning storm when the Owl appeared next to me and dragged me out of it.”

Raph looked incredulous. Other than a minor graze to his head, he appeared to be uninjured. “She came back for you? Why?”

“Apparently I looked too pathetic to let die. Who knew that was a positive attribute among the villains here?”

Raph shook his head. “Only you, Shift. Only you.” At the sound of a beep, he pulled out his communicator, letting Kione’s face appear on the holographic screen in front of them.

“We got bigger problems, guys,” said Kione. “We lost both Reader and the Owl after calling in the Elites for back up. They’re not going to be happy if all we have to show them is a ruined tower and a-- why the hell does Shift’s tracker say he’s nearly thirty metres above the ground and moving at a speed of an Elite’s board towards Sirah’s centre?”

Raph and Talia looked up to Shift. He gave them a knowing smile.

“Because I managed to get my communicator attached to the edge of the Owl’s cape,” he said.

*+*+*+*

Athira slammed the window of the abandoned warehouse open, causing the glass to shake in its frame. She slipped inside, stalking towards the raised platform she’d built for herself.

Stupid, Athira, stupid! First you lose your amulet, and then you lose the guy who stole it! Where did you come up with that plan, same place as the elemental? She undid her cloak and threw it on the ground. Congrats, you’re a bigger moron than the elemental!

She sat down, crossing her legs and cradled her head in her hands. Her runes were overheating her body as they worked overtime to keep her colour under control, resulting in a migraine. Her head felt like it was about to explode. The rest of her felt like she was trapped in a furnace. She half expected her skin to start melting off any minute now.

What if she never got Talon back? She shut down the thought. That wasn’t an option. She’d tear this city apart to get her amulet back. Better the loss of one city than all of them.

Why did I lose Reader? Damn it Talon, I’m sorry.

The quieter part of her rose up. You could have kept Reader’s trail, but the green colour would have died for it.

The thought brought up the image of the green colour, Shift, in her mind.

He was a Colour, the ‘heroes’ of the city that worked in teams under the Elites. She’d known that much from a quick glimpse of those ridiculous uniforms they wore. Since the red colour had singled out Reader, she assumed they were there for him and not a scenic tour of Starpoint tower.

When she realised he was still inside the collapsing building, it’d confused her for a moment. She’d come back to pick up Reader’s trail after he slipped through a trap door, only to find everyone except the green colour gone. It took her a minute of watching him from the corner of her eye before it clicked. He had no way out.

She hadn’t really thought about it when she acted. She just did it. Grabbed him and pulled him through, despite the cost to herself without her amulet protecting her from the after-effects of a massive use of her colour.

Athira examined her forearm.

And yet, it hadn’t been as great as she’d expected. She was still able to see straight and her body didn’t feel like it was made from molten rock. The only explanation for it was that Shift’s colour had somehow affected her own. Once she let go of him, the brief respite from her colour lifted quickly, returning to its usual chaotic self.

Her mind settled on a decision. Something about the hero marked with green had calmed her power, forcing it to retreat to the deeper part of her where Talon usually kept it.

I’ll find him again. Maybe he has the solution to stopping what’s coming.

Athira tried to focus her thoughts. She’d have to track down Reader as soon as possible, but first she needed rest. She needed to calm her mind, enter her mindscape and lock down her emotions just as she had in the days before her amulet. Revert back to the old way of keeping herself from blowing up, before Talon was there to help her.

She straightened her back, inhaling through her nose, exhaling through her mouth. She let the sound of air flowing through her lungs centre her, focus her energy as she rose into the air, fingers resting loosely on her knees.

Azarin, he, who comes through night. Zark’n, he, who guides the light. Laris, she, who holds the gem. Rathril zi la ish varen.

Athira felt herself being pulled deeper into her mind as the rhythm of the words lulled her. It wasn’t the words so much as her familiarity with them that calmed her.

The black void tugged at her consciousness upon her fifth repetition. About to let herself go, a slight change in the energy around her pulled her from the meditation.

She was on her feet, colour ready at her fingertips an instant later. The fire was back in her veins, pushing against her sanity, and telling her to unleash hell upon the intruder. “Who’s there! Show yourself!”

A figure slipped out from the shadows beside the window she’d entered through. Athira’s body tensed.

Athira clenched her jaw. If they followed me, they’ll regret it.

“Please, please I mean you no harm!” came the voice. The man, a good three heads shorter than the average person teetered towards her, arms clasped at his chest. “I... I was just told to come here, and...and I have to give you this!”

He held out something, facing to the left of where Athira was perched in the rafters. He obviously had no idea where she was in the room, which gave her a small amount of satisfaction.

She levitated down, landing on the ground behind him. “What is it?” she demanded.

The man jumped around. “I... I’m sorry I don’t know! He... he just said to come to this warehouse and, and and give it to you!”

Reader. Reader saw my mindscape, somehow managed to pick up this location from it. Bastard.

His hand shook as she took the carefully wrapped parcel from him. Even through the layers of paper, she knew what it was. She tore it open with reckless abandon.

Inside, glinting at her was her amulet. She ran her fingers over the silver surface, tracing the black outline of the raven inscribed on it.

Talon? Talon, can you hear me?

Ath...Athira? came the reply. It was Talon, certainly, but he sounded dazed. Reader... Reader did something to the amulet, I think it’s okay, but... I just feel a little weird in here.

It took all of Athira’s self restraint not to let her fingers constrict around the amulet. If he tampered with it, hurt you in any way, I swear to god I’ll kill him.

Talon was quiet. I don’t know what he did.

The delivery man glanced uncertainly at the exit. “Um, I’ll just be going--“

“You’re not going anywhere,” she said. “By he, you mean Reader yes? Where is he?”

“He, he said there was a note! It was in the package--“

Athira levitated the remains of the wrapping paper to her hand and pulled the individual sheets apart. The note, now ripped into three pieces due to her haste came together easily under the influence of her colour.

My little Owl,

                       I realise I may have been too hasty during our first meeting, so I’m returning your amulet as a peace offering between us. I am most curious about it and the runes you carry and hope we can meet again. If you’re interested, my messenger will provide additional details.

                                                                                                                                        Reader.

Athira flicked up her eyes, catching sight of the delivery man as he tried to escape. She raised her hand, cocooning him in colour and lifting him from the floor. He squealed in surprise as she dragged him back towards her.

“Reader says you have additional details for me to find him,” she said. Not trusting herself to keep the amulet safe, she commanded her colour to lift it to where her cape sat, nestled among the rafters.

The man squirmed. “Uh, yea, but he said that first you had to--“

“No, no first,” said Athira. Her colour was burning inside her, and Talon’s previous words only pushed her on. “You’re going to tell me where he is, or where he’s been hiding out right now or we’re going to see exactly how long you can resist my colour when it wants something.”

His eyes went wide. “Please, please just let me go I can’t-- I mean I don’t know!”

Someone burst in through the door of the warehouse, interrupting her next question.

“In here!” came a familiar voice.

Athira turned to see three Colours, a red, a blue and a green line up and take their positions. And they weren’t just any Colours. They were the same ones from Starpoint tower.

“Put that man down now, Owl, or we’ll have to restrain you,” said the red colour. “If you tell us where Reader is now, we’ll be lenient with your own punishment.”

“My punishment?” said Athira, dropping the man and stepping towards the Colours. “I think you’ll find that I haven’t done anything worthy of one.”

The blue earth elemental pointed an accusing finger. “The Elites don’t put out warrants for nothing, you know!”

“Guys, will you chill?” said the green colour, Shift. “Remember what we discussed on the way over here? At least talk to her first!”

“Yea, talk to me after I saved your life.” Athira folded her arms. “Thanks for repaying me so kindly,” she said dryly.

The red colour frowned, but lowered his hands. “Fine, but we’ve only got a few minutes, Shift.”

He walked towards her, his strides confident and sure.

Athira waited for him to get closer. She was confident in her ability to slip away when it became necessary. Some part of her was curious as to what he had to say. The other part of her felt vulnerable without her cape to mask her movements.  

The red colour stopped in front of her. The elemental and Shift flanked him, but maintained their distance. Shift gave her a thumbs up, to which she rolled her eyes.

“So, Owl,” the red colour began. “Since you saved Shift’s life, I’m inclined to give you...” He narrowed his eyes, pausing for a moment before his mouth parted and he half stumbled, half stepped forward.

“There’s no way... Athira?”

*+*+*+*

A/N - Word count: 9800