Chapter 647: Hostages


    Concurrently, inside a darkened room, surrounded by darkened screens, with the muffled darkened tone, spoke a council of unjust figures. None knew their name, none knew their face, the only link; the rich and powerful.


    “How goes the trouble in the stadium?”


    “People have been killed. My team says the heroes will not be able to catch the missile.”


    “Was it wise to plot such a genocide?”


    “It is necessary, the council must decide the fate of the stray conglomerate. Any who dares to ally and join forces with outsiders must be punished. Alphia isn’t a ce to join hands and skip down pleasant ygrounds.”


    “Depending on the oue, we might have to pull our weight and buy out Lum.”


    “Time will tell, followers, time will tell.”


    .....


    The darkness of the room swapped for the dimness of the night. Three shooting-staresque figures fluttered to the unknown projectile. Gunfire kept the crowd in check, reporting officers raided the hotel one by one. The attack was well nned, traffic at such a time would prevent movement, the terrorists could escape with rtive ease. Three heads of dragons spiraled to a bright sh; the blinding light forced the eyes shut. *Vanquish,* nothing remained, the night sky continued as was due.


    “My lord,” the winged angels fluttered to the edge, “-we’ve disposed of the nuisance.”


    “Very well,” he said, “-I’ll handle the aftermath. I do hope mypanions haven’t given thee a hard time...”


    “No,” added Kaleem, “-they’re very weing. We get to fight all the time, color me impressed, the Shadow Realm is far better than our previous worlds.” A unanimous nod cleared any doubt of forcefulness.


    ‘Time to head to the Revirea,’ he leaped from the opposing ledge. Panic followed to the roads, cars were briskly parked, ambnces, firefighters, andw enforcement rushed to the scene. The walk till the hotel was around fifteen minutes, heroes of great stature leaped from building to building. Bystanders paused to peer towards the area, billboards swapped for the news sh. *Reporting live from the concert,* helicopters circled, “-a wild shooters have...” and so she went on to describe the events.


    Fear nestled the neighboring businesses, many closed in fear of arge-scale attack. The newly reinstated AHA held their weight. Soon, yellow tape barred the hotel, the shooters took the building hostage. Countless police vehicles, including a surveince truck, were parked at strategic locations. The negotiations from the head officers pulled in crowds of curious onlookers. ‘Situation’s taken a turn for the worse,’ he stood at the edge of the crowd, “éir, what’s the status of the evacuation?”


    “Hello, master, most of the singers and artists have fled the area. Kul and Asmodeus are providing escorts. What shall I do in the meantime?”


    “Where’s Draconis and the others?”


    “I’ve sent them to the Shadow Realm.”


    “What about Aceline?”


    “She’s in thepany of Kul, they’ll make for the manor after reaching the drop-off point.” Behind him rose an audible cacophony of distress. The fatally injured were left without help, shorter statured were pushed and shoved, none cared. “I must say,” he faced the area, “-the heroes are doing good work. The shield’s keeping the bullets astray. Rescue operations are underway.”


    “I know, I know,” replied Igna, “-the attackers have shifted to survival. The hotel’s held hostage. Quite the dramatic scene.”


    “Are we to get involved?” inquired éir.


    “No idea at the moment,” he said so nonchntly, “-regroup with Julius, have the jet make for Hidros immediately. Apexi’s top yers are in danger, use the AFR to kill anyone bearing a sliver of murderous intent. I’ll take care of the rest.”


    “As is wished, master,” the lens toggled to infiltration mode, “-I’ll assist thee remotely,” without dy, “-I’ll infiltrate thes first.” Transcripts of private and broadcasted conversations disyed for him to pick and choose. The outline of a group hued in a bright green. A few chained side-steps led to the middle of the road, whereby, the crowd lessened, and held a clearer view of the surveince truck.


    “Hey,” he waved, “-Odgar.”


    “Master?” he paused and stared.


    “Sorry detective, you know that man?” inquired a younger officer.


    “Yes,” he said, “-he’s the owner of our agency,” without much ado, an officer gave entry into the forbidden area.


    “What’s the status?” the team gathered next to the white and blue vehicle.


    “Detective, I’ll be inside, do make the parle quick,” he scowled and left, the negotiations to the right grew dire, words offort turned wreck.


    “Master, what are you doing here?” he inquired rather silently. Ulia and Kion made closer to the hotel, the moment it went loud, they were tasked to exterminate the assants, of course, an easier said than done task. Aki and Tensy were at the concert,bat experience was very much needed. Thus, Odgar and Cam regrouped per the call for help.


    “I was performing,” he said, “-forget it, I’ve handled the matter of stray projectile. You need but worry about the building.”


    “Odgar,” a gloomy voice turned the corner, “e inside darling, we have people to save,” greyish hair swayed to Igna, “e along, Kinless,” her chair rolled away.


    Hardworking intelligence officers fixed the multiple screens, “-inspector J, we can’t ess the enemiess. The infrastructure speaks of elder tongue.”


    “Magic’s involved?” she bit her nails, “-do a search using the magical library. If magic, I suspect Iqeavea or Hidros,” to which her using stare befell Igna, “-speaking of magic, aren’t you a noble from Hidros?”


    “Yes, Viscount of Glenda, also dubbed the Devil of Glenda,” he returned confidently.


    “Uh-huh,” her face seemed unimpressed, “-whatever,” back to the screens, “-try to infiltrate the hotel’s surveince.”


    “Snowke reported,” flickered a t-screen, “-the roof’s been closed. Signals are being dyed.”


    “Tech guy here,” added another, “-my AI’ s detected a jamming device, we can’t make a move unless it’s removed.”


    “Tech guy?” chuckled Igna, “-is that your hero name?”


    “Excuse me?” frowned the inspector, “-are people’s death funny?”


    “Oh excuse me,” he mmed the wall, “-the me lies in the hands of the corrupt police force. Don’t preach good and evil when you yourself,” a quick search showed, “-have been used of fraud and moneyundering. The news was swept pretty quickly, tis the case of bodies at Carter Lake... now then, J Neol, anything else to add?”


    “You right,” she leaned back, “-we’re corrupt. What of it?”


    “Tell me why you’re helping?” the atmosphere intensified.


    “For a chance at promotion,” she said, “-once I get assigned to Odgawoan, things will be easy,” her shrewd gaze resembled those he’d very often enjoy thepany of.


    “I like you. Remember my name, Igna Haggard, after the promotion. I’ll help in rescuing the hostages, inspector J, future hero of Odgawoan.”


    “You’re too confident,” said she, “-what can a mere artist do?”


    “Plenty,” he said, ‘-go on éir, do your magic.’ The intes merged into a single channel. “Attention heroes, I’ll take over the rescue operation. The inspector’s given full authority. Henceforth, I want people with the ability to scale walls to head for the 50th floor, make sure to approach from where they shot,” he leaned to a novice, “-tell the officer to start making threats. Don’t worry about the hostages.”


    “Are you stupid?” fired the inspector, “-you’ll get the hostages killed.”


    “Not really,” he snapped at the hotel,*Knowledge known to only the watcher, I, master and inheritor of Origin, beckon thee; Mantia -Library of the all-knowing; Realm Expansion.*


    “Hello, Kion, be a darling and sh the building in half.”


    “Excuse you?” coughed he.


    “Use the hero arts and slice the building...”


    “Very well,” the hesitant hero postured for the assault.


    “What n are you concocting...” narrowed Odgar, “-I can’t see the end goal...”


    “Well, that’s because,” the eyes shut, ‘-Vanesa, Saniata, and Draconis,e forth my children,’ a shot of nausea summoned to disrupt the flow.


    “Hello pops,” said Draconis.


    “How pleasant,” snarled Saniata, “-does pops require our assistance?”


    “Sorry, sorry,” he gave aforting embrace, “-I’ll get presents. For now,” he skipped into the road, “-watch and learn, Odgar.”


    *Traitors, stop cowering and face us like men,* thundered the officer, *-my fighters are getting ready to storm the building.* Blood-stained shirt crossed his path to where Kion stood, Vanesa kept calm in thefortable piggyback.


    “Igna,” said the startled Kion, “-what now?” they stared at the enormous building.


    “Can you cleanly sh the building in two?” the eyes narrowed in doubt.


    “Yes, if I go all-out, I won’t be useful afterward...”


    “Yeah, don’t worry about it,” the fingers curled for a fist bump, “-got to show them what the Devil of Glenda and hispanions can do.” Switched to thes, “-alright heroes, the operation will happen almost instantly. The moment the building splits, rush in, take the criminals, and rush out, we’ll leave the hostages.”


    “What about us?” Inquired Saniata and Draconis.


    “Use the Griffin and clear the first floors,” the lens outlined red-figures, *beep,* each was assigned a specific target.


    “Don’t we risk them shooting back?” inquired another.


    “No worries,” he smirked and gently shrugged, “-Vanesa, care to put them to sleep?”


    *Ancient Demon-arts... I’ve forgotten, whatever, Paralysis,* her gloomy hair jolted up. Electricity dispersed throughout the building, “-Alright, DO IT NOW.”


    *By the blessing of the holy light, sharpened my de so I can slice through matter and time itself, break my body, burn my skin, tear my soul, a hero stands no matter the oue for my heart is eternal, Ultimate Martial-Arts: Infinity sh,* a crescent-moon shaped projectile split the hotel vertically in half.


    “ATTACK NOW!” screamed he, the stationed heroes ran in, took the attackers, and leaped out the other side. The broken behemoth crumbled, arge b of concrete fell to the front and fired particle to the bystanders, *p,* the destruction stopped, *Mantia – Book of Restoration, Honz, fifth passage, broken art be fixed, fixed art be broken, eternal cycle; creation and destruction, the levy for reality changes prospective, watcher watches, creator creates, destroyer destroys, and restorer restores, Hicht.* Before the curiosity of countless onlookers, a skyscraping behemoth split and reattached instantaneously. *Realm Expansion – Release.*


    Besideid pinned terrorists, Kion buckled, “-I got you,” said Igna. The duo returned with arms around the shoulder, “-How does it feel,” said Igna, “-Inspector J?” a frightening griffinnded and roared, the children slide and waited. The revered legendary monster shrunk to match the children’s size, and perch on his shoulders. In the distance, a jet departed for Hidros, ‘-they’ve evacuated.’


    “How does it feel?” she coughed, “-you’re insane... splitting the building just to capture the criminals...”


    “Do be flustered,” said he, “-the hotel was never in any danger. I could have killed them instantly,” he looked to Draconis and Saniata, “-what’s the fun in that?” he shrugged. ‘How’s the message,’ he side-nced an invisible watcher, ‘-don’t try anything, else, you’re next,’ wrote across the murderous expression.


    “Well then, I ought to say thanks...?”


    “No,” he leaned to her ears, “-consider it a favor, futuremander of the Odgawoan forces,” not another word said, with Kion in tow, an unmanned limousine arrived, “e on in,” said Tensy and Aki, “-oh it feels great to work with Igna.” The door shut and off they bolted.


    The heroes, mainly Tech guy, a man dressed in an office uniform, and snowke, a man bearing the features of a cold princess, were bombarded by attention from the onlooking press, other minor characters were given their spotlight. One side topples, the other benefits. The scale of Ansoft’s failure and the Hero’s triumph would have a greater impactter on.


    ‘Lady Gaso,’ he watched on outside, ‘-she dares tantly show maliciousness. She and her damned council...’ the thumbs furiously typed, “-start buying shares from Ansoft and Lumian O’, use the money from the ring to invest. Restrict ess for anyone else. Amsey needs to reimburse.” As predicted, the conglomerate did so, Ansoft’s shares dropped in price, in the span of two hours, Igna owned 60%. ‘Another day, another scheme,’ streetlights blinked across the tainted windows, the guests knocked back many o’ drinks, as for the children, fatigue reigned supreme.