Reaching Salvation: Post-Acer Part 2

Adeline stayed back, noticing that Percival had put up a field. She summoned a bird spirit to hold her pocket watch for her.

Heidi skidded to a stop, looking over the Illuminati. She cursed under her breath, before taking a deep breath. "Nathan, you traitorous bastard, I'm going to slit your fucking throat!" she roared, holding her spear defensively.

Elena...was asleep. She couldn't really sense Flows, and didn't really care to, and that was that.

With a roll of his eyes, one adult walked forward with his hand held up.

"Nathan sent us." The man said, his electric blue hair sticking up at all angles. He was covered in metallic armour. "I need to speak with the leaders of the village but not either of Joey Haddon or Percival."

Percval's field continued to grow, until it now contained all 53 Illuminati inside. "...If you don't want to talk to me, then you don't have to." He said to himself when he reached the gate.

"Explain why he breached our agreement?" Erika replied coldy to the blue-haired man.

---

"Elena. Elena, wake up." Simon said, nudging the girl.

Before Percival's barrier had circled the Illuminati, another barrier had reached out and surrounded them all. Blocking any and all flow from touching them. Even a flow that would cancel them out.

"If all three of the leaders will come forward then three of us will come forward. Two for two and one for one." The adult said to Erika. "And then you'll get your answers."

"'Yer lookin' at one of 'em, Sonic," Heidi snarled, her spear pointed at the man.

Elena grumbled, looking sleepily at Simon. "Why do you wake me up?" she asked, rolling back over to go back to sleep.

"The bad guy came back." Simon replied simply. "Get dressed."

Adeline sighed. "What."

"Well, we're all here. Now talk," Erika replied to the man.

"Stupid Simon, I don't sleep naked," Elena grumbled, rolling out of bed and smoothing out her nightgown. "Close enough."

Simon's face turned red at that, turning away from the girl. "T-then let's go."

Noticing that Heidi, Ade and Erika were gathered, the adult stepped forward.

He was flanked by two who everyone would recognise as Elliot (who had fought Paul with Bone) and Carly (who had fought with Kira and Luke) who'd been around during Shima's first attack on the village. Only now they were adults.

Heidi's grip on her spear tightened anxiously. "Oi, Sonic, you plan on telling us what the fuck Nathan wants here, so you c'n get lost and we can carry on with our lives? That would be nice."

Erika narrowed her eyes at both. They're part of the original Illuminati.

"Go where?" Elena asked with a yawn.

"The Church. I think that's others are going and that's where Erika told me to go." Simon explained.

"Let's go, then, and get this over with," Elena sighed, crossing her arms.

Making sure that only Erika, Ade and Heidi would be able to hear it the adult who was named Jacob retained a blank face.

"Nathan has disbanded the Illuminati so as to pursue something that he has asked to remain top secret." Jacob said calmly whilst Carly and Elliot watched carefully. "His last order was for all of us to come to the village and to join you." He continued with the calm tone.

"When he came here originally he noted your numbers were lacking and he has... certain fears that if his presumptions are correct then you'll all be killed."

"Not to mention that he thinks you're gonna' say no and he gave us strict orders fer that eventuality." Elliot chipped in with a smik.

"What happens if we refuse?" Heidi asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Then odds are that you're all going to die." Carly answered with an indifferent shrug.

Jacob rolled his eyes at Carly before folding his arms. "We've been ordered to set up our own settlement right next to the village in the event that you refuse. But Nathan had hoped you'd all appreciate the extra man power."

Simon nodded, walking out the door and heading towards the Church. It felt so... empty to him, when nobody was working or laughing in the village, like everyone was holding their breath, waiting either to breathe out or to scream.

"So, we can either let potential enemies live among us, or right next door..." Heidi mused mockingly, looking over at Erika and Ade questioningly. She wasn't good for important decisions.

Elena followed after Simon, wondering if Christina was at the church, too.

"Former enemies." Elliot corrected with a grin.

"I meant what I said and I said what I meant," Heidi retorted childishly. "Potential enemies."