Luminary

Chapter 2

I hear a slight click, and then a part of the bookcase slides into the wall, leaving an inky black space behind. I let out a relieved breath that I didn't know I was holding and creep into the space. Part of me can't believe this is happening, but most of me is filled with excitement. I turn around, only to find the door sliding back into place and the space lit up by strips of lights on either side of the corridor floor. They're light is enough to see by, but still leave much to be desired. I walk down the dimly lit corridor that seems to be behind the back wall of the library until I reach a staircase that spirals upwards. It also spirals downwards, but I'm guessing the top is where the action is so I head upwards. The climb up the stair case causes me to rethink my current position. Do I really want to get involved in this? Am I really going to be able to keep all of this hidden from my family and friends?

The staircase levels off and before I know it I'm walking into a floor of the library that I never even knew existed. This is my last chance to turn back. Once I step into that space there will be a sense of responsibility for the safety of the city, and knowing me I'll be too stubborn to even think of backing out once I'm involved. Although my brain is telling me to stop for a second and think about what I am doing my body keeps moving and before I know it I am standing inside the room. I guess it's too late to back out now. The room is pitch black. I run my hands along the walls on either side of the door, determined to find a switch. Mission success, light is now emitting from a lone light bulb set into the ceiling in the centre of the room. I can now see the top secret super hero base, and after the secret entrance and dramatic staircase I'm expecting something spectacular but the sight that greets my eyes doesn't look that special.

It's a small room, around the size of my bedroom. Each wall is lined with sleek metal desks, half of which house high tech computers each sporting multiple screens, the other half are backed with glass screens and have plenty of space for papers. I head over to the closest computer and press the power button. I really need some more information at this point. I'd expect this place to be covered in papers and other mess to show that it's been used since it was built. In its current state with not even one paper or coffee cup to be seen it would be more likely that this was all an elaborate prank than a secret base for superheroes that saved that city as a regular occurrence. I open up the last mission file, skimming through the details until I reach the information I need, information on my Aunt Nadia's death.

"We received reports of explosions on Sanctuary Bridge. Aquaria and Terra went to investigate and make sure the structure was sound. It was just a normal job, the sort of thing that we'd use as a training mission. They reported back that the bridge had been blown to pieces and they were working to rebuild it. There was no villain in sight, then their line went quiet. Inferno and I waited at base, not wanting to make a move until we knew what we were dealing with. We trusted in their abilities, but we weren't prepared for what we were dealing with. Just when we were about to give up hope, Terra arrived back at base. She was badly injured with several broken ribs; she told us Aquaria didn't make it. She also supplied other bad news, Shadow Lux had caused this. We had faced Shadow Lux before and it had taken all we had to defeat him. If he was back then it meant he had regrouped and was stronger than ever, we couldn't afford to be missing a member. Terra suggested a trap, to draw him in then keep him locked up in one of our cells. Inferno and I agreed – this was the safest course of action.

The plan was for Inferno and Terra to keep him distracted then I would levitate a concrete cell on top of him that was shadowless, but also had no natural light to prevent Shadow Lux from escaping or fighting back. We would then find a way to safely move him back to base. The plan didn't go as we expected from the moment we arrived at the park where we had decided to set up our trap. He was waiting for us, and launched an attack that meant that I had to focus all my energy on keeping myself from being killed. There was no time for me to levitate a box on top of him. Terra tried to mauver the cell by controlling the earth it was placed upon, but she was too weak and the earth was too clumsy and the cell started to fall on top of her. I stopped concentrating on Shadow Lux for a few seconds, just long enough to blow the cell in the other direction, by the time I looked back Inferno was dead. Terra and I managed to stop him from destroying the Fire Pendant for long enough that it returned to its box, and then we went to make our escape. Shadow Lux hit Terra from behind with a beam of light as I was flying away with her, and she didn't have the energy to deflect the beam. She died in my arms. I returned to the base and thought it all over. As much as I would love to continue battling against the forces of evil, especially Shadow Lux, I decided that it was time for me to pass on the Air Pendant. Training up a new team, seeing their powers and personalities that would be so similar to my team and watching them get hurt would be too much for me to take. Although I am no longer part of the team if you ever need advice, just ask – you are in a library after all."