Outside, it was complete mayhem. People rushed away from the building as they saw the fire rise higher and higher, engulfing an even bigger section of the building. The gas leaking spread everywhere, dragging the burning tongues of flames along with it.
Nobody could approach the source of the gas and nobody could stop the fire due to the extreme heat.
“Get the water! Get the goddamn water!!”
“Where is the gas valve?! How do we stop this?!”
Workers and guards alike tried to stop the disaster before all the building catches on fire but to no avail. They blasted it with water and fire extinguishers, trying to calm it down but nothing worked.
“They have gone to stop the gas leakage! We need to stop the fire!”
What was previously only the kitchen, was now the entire hallway, and the fire was pushing forward quickly. The smoke filled the corridors of the building, almost suffocating everyone inside.
People outside watched the scene with horror. They had never seen the Red Pearl in such a state before. Half the building was blasted off and the fire was burning the other half, trying to destroy everything that came in its way.
“It’s going to collapse…” One citizen said as they watched with a deep frown.
“Huh?”
“The fire is burning the foundations of the building. If it continues at this rate, the entire building will collapse in no time.”
Although most of the building was built out of stone, the wood parts were the problem. They were easily catching on fire and slowly eating away at the foundations.
There was no time to waste, the fire must be extinguished or the building was bound to crumble.
***
Meanwhile, at the lowest floor, Arthur rushed out of the tunnel at top speed with Sora on his back. After quickly drinking a health potion, she regained some energy and was able to hold on tightly. Meanwhile, Arthur was staring around him.
‘Smoke… The fire is still going?’ He raised an eyebrow. He knew that what he did was a huge problem, but he expected the workers and guards to quickly get rid of it as it should be a part of the safety protocol of the establishment.
However, what Arthur didn’t think of was the nature of the gas being pumped into the pipes and then into the furnaces. That gas was fueled with mana as all things are in the Divine Realm which amplifies its efficiency to a whole different level. Even the smallest amount of it could make an entire room burn with ease.
‘Ugh, whatever. I need to meet with Isla and get out of here before we’re completely stuck.’ He thought to himself as he took a turn to the right, heading to the secondary exit as he agreed with the others.
That was when he had to instantly halt and jump back again.
“Take to the lowest floor! Check the gutter!”
Seeing many guards running around the area, searching for him and his group, he hid himself.
‘How many are there?’ He clenched his teeth as he looked around him. He knew that in less than a minute, Arthur was going to be found if he didn’t leave the place immediately.
“Don’t make a sound, Sora. We will get out.” He said as he shushed her.
“Ok…” She nodded her head.
‘There should be another exit.’
Looking to the side, Arthur decided to take the second path which was a detour but still completely empty. Like a shadow, he moved quickly and quietly through the path, barely avoiding being detected by the forces invading the building.
‘Isla is close by.’ He mused as he took a third turn. He kept running while keeping an eye on his surroundings.
That was when he felt a presence approaching him at an alarming speed. For a second, he thought it was an enemy. But, looking over his shoulder, Arthur saw Isla appearing out of one of the many rooms.
“Psst, here!” She said in a whisper.
“Isla!”
At the same time, Arthur heard the sound of footsteps approaching him quickly from both sides. The guards were closing down on him at an alarming pace. So, without hesitation, Arthur jumped inside before Isla closed the door without making any noise.
“Search that area! They should’ve not gone far!”
The guards passed the room as they ran toward the other side, unaware that their targets were there.
“Shhh.” Isla put her hand against the door, next to Arthur’s head as she waited for the sound of footsteps to vanish.
Arthur stared at her from up close, trying to keep his breathing quiet. The two stared at each other for a few tense moments, talking through their eyes. Weirdly enough, they almost forgot about the current situation as their eyes peered through one another.
But, eventually, the two snapped out of it as Isla pushed herself off the door. “I almost didn’t see you coming here.” She said, trying to sound calm as usual.
“… I didn’t think you would be waiting for me. Isn’t the entire building surrounded at this point?” He asked as he walked after her.
“Not fully. They are still trying to calm down the fire. We need to take this opportunity and leave the building.”
“Isla…” Sora muttered with a delighted tone.
“Hey there,” Isla replied as she gently rubbed the little girl’s face, wiping some of the blood sticking to her face. “Are you fine?”
“Mmm… I’m fine.”
“I’m glad I found her quickly. She was in a really bad condition. But… More importantly, they took Finlay and Serko away. I couldn’t find them.” Arthur said as he watched Isla open the window and looked outside.
“I already suspected they will do that. They are most likely on their path out of the city now.” She said coldly. “We will find them before they leave.”
“I know,” Arthur replied. “Let’s get Sora out of here first and then chase them.”
“Both exits had been closed so our only option is to jump from here,” Isla said.
They were currently on the second floor of the building so the distance wasn’t too big for them. With their powerful bodies, jumping from higher altitudes was now far easier than ever.
“Ok. That looks fine. Go ahead first, I will throw Sora to you. You can reduce her momentum with your gravitational powers.” Arthur said.
“Mm…” Isla nodded then slowly climbed up the window and put her leg outside. Then, with a simple leap, she jumped down, reaching the ground quickly. Her landing didn’t make a noise as she was able to easily reduce the noises with some gravity manipulation.
“Throw her to me.” She said as she opened her arms.
“Are you ready, Sora? This might hurt a little. I’m sorry for that.” Arthur said as he patted the girl on the head.
“It’s fine. I can handle it.” She said with a nod.
Seeing the confidence in her eyes, Arthur could only be taken aback. This girl would always surprise him in the most unexpected ways. In the end, he smiled at her.
“Ok, get ready…” He said as he picked her up and put her over the window. “Now!”
Then, he threw her off. However, almost immediately, her body lost all momentum as she started slowly descending right into Isla’s arm as if she were a tree leaf, floating down in the wind.
“I got you,” Isla said as she hugged Sora and then looked up at Arthur. “Your turn.”
The boy nodded as he put his legs outside and grabbed onto the edge. Then, he took a deep breath, released himself, and started falling.
However… Arthur never reached the ground.
A//N: Don’t forget to give the book some golden tickets for good luck! :3