GLASS || The Catalysts Series, #1

X || Demons

"Um," Bellona says uncertainly. "Plan... B?"

Lena manages a small smile. "Hopefully, no. Just Plan A-One."

Though the rest looks confused, Lena turns towards Neesha, high above them.

"Neesha!" she shouts. Her echo travels up the cavern entrapping them and hopefully, Neesha is able to hear her from so high above.

Thankfully, a cheerful, enthusiastic wave from the vague figurine of Neesha seems to be directing towards Lena and the others. Lena gives her a thumbs up, wondering if she can make out the good sign. Neesha understands anyway. But she does something extra: she is so elated Lena worries for her safety at the edge of the cliff.

Neesha isn't waving towards them as a signal she's ready, Lena realises. She's trying to say something. Fortunately, she doesn't seem panicked or worried, so Lena assumes at least that isn't a sign for trouble. As she watches her, Neesha waves two hands above her heads, bouncing like Reyes. Lena bites her lips nervously as she holds out her palms hoping Neesha understands to be careful of her position.

She continues to make some gestures: wide, opening hands and some touristy gestures of sightseeing.

Confused, Lena simply raises a brow. "Okay."

"I can't read her," Fai says, squinting ahead. A second later, he frowns. "All I hear? 'What the heck?' And 'Big deal, I can do better.'"

The second he's voiced them, Fai is punched harshly in the arm. He backs away from an irritated Casper, whose temper seems to be getting worse each passing second. Bellona tries to steady him as he stands, still drained from using his abilities far beyond what they are capable of.

"I seriously do not understand Aquila — just a small circle, and we have an annoying copycat and now a pesky i-speak-of-whatever's-on-whoever's-next-to-me's-mind."

Lena sighs. "Do we really have to go through this again?"

"No, no." Bellona gives Casper a look. "We're fine."

"Another round of using Casper's metal?" Reyes perks up.

"No, that's not necessary." Lena turns towards Neesha, and this time, Neesha has finally calmed down. She bends over the edge, her palms over the rough surface of dirt and earth, awaiting Lena expectantly.

Lena smiles lightly, earning questioning glances from the others. "Don't worry. The rest will be easy. Just stay clear of the way."

Immediately without question, Fai steps out of the way, clearly understanding her confidence. With that, she nods to Neesha, and the girl brings both hands down, contacting the earth. Upon touch, the ground begins to quake and then crumble. Debris of tiny rocks start falling, and only then do Casper, Bellona and Reyes realise what Lena meant by staying out of the way.

"Woah," Reyes says, jumping out of the way.

"What the heck is she doing?!" Casper groans.

Lena doesn't answer. Behind her back, she silently crosses her fingers as she hopes this crazy thing she has in mind works.

That part of the wall crumbles slowly and unevenly, tearing itself apart.

"Is she trying to kill us?!" Casper complains again.

The quake is so powerful the entire area shakes, but only the part where Neesha has her hands on crumbles, gradually expanding right until the bottom of that part of the wall. Rocks continue to fall as the ground shakes, and Lena nearly stumbles.

When it's over, Lena waits for the dust to settle. As their visions clear, the entire space they are encased in is now loose, with an opening: one part of it — the part below Neesha where she'd played her role — is no longer a sleek, tall wall running towards to sky but an uneven slope possible to climb on.

"Hey, what the —" Casper begins, but stops abruptly as he sees their way out.

"Oh," Bellona says, abashed.

Though Lena seems calm on the outside, she is really lost for words. Inside, with her heart beating fast, her mind thinks: Wow, that actually worked.

"Woah," Fai exhales, clearly stunned. "All right. You people are something. Guess I did miss some fun while I was away." He steps forward and begins climbing, since he already understands Lena's intention from the very beginning.

Following him, she, too, steps forward. "Well, what are you waiting for?" she asks the rest.

Reyes is the first to recover among the remaining. His caffeinated body moves so quickly he rushes past Lena and is already climbing. "Wow. Cool," he begins muttering as he ascends.

Lena looks towards the other two, Bellona nudges Casper, who still seems in shock. Either he's impressed by Neesha's abilities, the plan, or perhaps even both, Lena isn't too sure. Bellona nudges him again, and reluctantly, he moves his feet, still in a daze.

Taking careful steps, they scale the makeshift, uneven slope. Lena waits patiently as the others ascend, still sloppy from their shock. She herself takes the rear, unable to suppress the growing grin forming on her face. What seemed impossible a moment ago is now laid out before her, as if to say, 'it's possible'.

Just as she is feeling really good, her euphoria, unfortunately, vaporises. The ground shakes violently, and she has to hold on to cracks and holds in the makeshift slope to stop herself from falling, clinging to it for life.

The shaking is so persistent that Lena can't even peel her face from the dirt slope risking herself falling. What's worse than having to cling on a slope for dear life? Not knowing what is the cause of the commotion that is forcing her to cling onto it. It's absurd to be holding on for your life when you don't even know the threat.

Somewhere above, she hears someone saying, "Oh, shit. No. No, no."

Dread unfurls around her heart. That doesn't sound good.

But Lena can't move. Repeatedly, she tries to move herself up even as the entire space vibrates, but her arms are turning wobbly and weak as she grips on for a stronger hold.

"Lena." Neesha's voice. Close by, just somewhere above. So close, yet so far.

A hoarser voice drifts to her ears, filled with obvious urgency. "Come on, girl, this looks bad. We have to hurry."

Strong arms grab at her, and she pushes herself up while maintaining a firm hold as much as she can.

"Careful!"

Lena can't even see. She doesn't even know what's going on, but she lets her friends from above pull her up. When she's finally on proper, flat ground, she takes a while to recover. Her head spinning, she stays on the ground which she feels still somewhat shaky. At this point, she isn't sure if the world is spinning, or just her.

"She all right?"

"Lena!"

"Neesha, destroy it! Break it down!"

What is happening?

Someone shakes Lena by the shoulders violently. "Hey. Hey!"

The ringing in her ear stops. But is it just her, or is the ground still moving?

"W-What?" Her eyes adjust to Fai.

"Come on," he says, pulling her off the ground and steadying her. "Look, you made it just in time."

Just in time...?

Neesha and Reyes are both squatting over the cliff side where Lena assumes they've climbed over — and her being dragged up. At that thought, she blushes, embarrassed by her own incapability.

"It's fine," Fai reassures from beside her. "It was like an earthquake down there, and you couldn't do anything."

Lena is almost afraid to voice her next question, though she knows Fai is listening in his head. She needs to get it out, anyway. "W-What is the cause of that violent vibration?"

"I'm just glad we're all up here," Bellona says softly.

Slowly, as Lena gains her footing, she walks over to where Neesha and Reyes are still bent over. As she gets closer, she realises the gloomy expressions on their faces. She doesn't need to ask what's wrong; at that point, she sees it for herself.

Below, where they were minutes ago, chaos has broken loose.