Three hours had pa.s.sed since we landed in Moscow.

"My back," complained Hope. He sat down next to me, caressing his back.

"You're not old enough to have back problems, Hope," I said.

"Here, drink this you two." Freya handed me and Hope a mineral bottle each.

"Thanks."

At that time, we managed to steer clear of any prying soldiers. While we were hiding in an alley, the sound of gunfire and explosions filled the air. Jessie and Evgeny had contacted us before. They said we didn't need to draw the enemies' attention any longer; since the military coup and the Pseudo Users had entered deep inside Moscow.

After all, attacking from the enemy's blind spot was our aim from the very beginning. Everything was moving according to plan.

"Hmm . . . We have been resting in this alley for fifteen minutes," I said. "We should get going."

"No, not yet," said Hope quick. "I need more time."

My eyes drooped as I watched Hope breathed heavily. He was not very athletic, I knew that much. Despite that, he managed to continuously fight for hours, and to push him further would affect the mission.

"Hope," I called. "Leave the fighting to me. You and Freya can just provide support from the rear."

Hope blinked. "I'm fine, Ava. Ten more minutes, and I will be up and about to kick some soldiers' b.u.t.ts."

I smiled at his enthusiasm.

The three of us rested there in the alley for ten more minutes, when Jessie's voice got through using our earpieces.

"Our fighter jets are entering Moscow's airs.p.a.ce," she said. "I'm quite certain we have their air forces on us. No helicopters or jets will get in your way for a while."

"Great," I said.

Jessie cut off the communication after she confirmed that Caesar's team was making steady progress in destroying the railguns. She also said that Hope's team was no longer required to draw the enemy's attention. All in all, we were to head to a checkpoint where Caesar's team would regroup with us.

"Um, Hope . . ." I said.

"I'm alright now. Guess we should not let Caesar wait. The checkpoint is not that far away from here." He gave me a smile and tossed his empty mineral bottle in a garbage bin.

Freya carried her backpack as I stepped to her side. Though, when she looked up, her whole body froze on the spot.

"A Teria airs.h.i.+p. Up there!" she pointed with her index finger.

A ma.s.sive, dark military airs.h.i.+p came into view, presumably had been hiding the whole time. That s.h.i.+p could've deactivated its invisibility cloak at that very moment.

"Ava, thanks for supplying me with your Aegis crystals," said Hope as he formed a large, square s.h.i.+eld from his arm. Quickly, he pointed it at the Teria airs.h.i.+p. "Stand back."

Freya and I did what he asked, and after that, he released his plasma energy towards the airs.h.i.+p.

BOOM!

The Teria airs.h.i.+p ruptured into flames and crashed down far away from our spot. The ground shook for a few moments after that before it settled down. Without a doubt, the soldiers in the area would surround us if we waited there.

"Let's go," said Hope.

We moved out of the alley and ran across the street. Maneuvering our way was never a problem, but since our objective was to group up with Caesar, we couldn't risk attracting any attention towards us. Fortunately, there were few enemy soldiers in the vicinity. I could only guess that The People's Light and the military coup had most of the enemy's attention.

"Hmm." Hope waved at us to stop.

"What is it?" Freya asked.

"Someone is watching us," he replied. I looked at him and he nodded.

"Yeah, I feel it too," I said.

The air was heavy for a moment, and then, a Teria airs.h.i.+p appeared just a few hundred feet overhead. It was not like the usual one. That particular Teria airs.h.i.+p was two times larger, and its vessel was coated with dark reflective paint, giving it an intimidating look.

I squinted at it. "Hey . . . Someone is falling from that airs.h.i.+p."

"Two," said Freya.

Indeed, there were two people free falling from the airs.h.i.+p at a steady pace. They wore red military uniforms like nothing I had ever seen. No one in the Great Corporate United wore red uniforms before, except for Melker.

They seemed to be slowing down when they were about two hundred feet above us. Then, somehow, they hovered slowly to the ground and landed on their feet, like it was a normal thing.

"W-What?" I muttered.

Their uniforms had a word sewed in gold at the left side of their chest. It had 'AMA' on it. Furthermore, I knew who those two were the moment they landed.

"Kian and Liam," I said sharply.

Kian ran his hand over his ponytailed blond hair. He smiled when I called his name. Liam, on the other hand, didn't show any emotions. The silver strand covering a part of his face irritated me for some reason.

"Big Sis Ava." Kian sniffed and tears poured out of his eyes. "To think that fate is so cruel to bring us together like this."

Hope, Freya, and I looked at each other.

"He can control matter, right?" whispered Hope. "Look at his Kian's boots. It's covered in his white Aegis crystals. Perhaps he manipulated nitrogen around him as he freefalls, and used it to safely land, like layers of dense particles cus.h.i.+oning him and Liam."

"That's . . ." Freya paused. Her expression turned grim. It could've been a wild guess, but Freya didn't see any chance of us beating him.

Kian sighed. "I'm sorry, but I have to stop you here. Ama thought that you wouldn't interfere with the A.V.A plan, but I suppose she was being ignorant. Her love for you blinded her, and perhaps it still is."

He held his right hand towards me; when a cl.u.s.ter of his glowing white crystals sprouted from his back. The cl.u.s.ter slowly took the shape of a long-haired woman, wrapped in layers of clothing. The woman looked at me for a second.

"Allow me to introduce my wifey. Her name is Felicia," said Kian with a smile.

The glowing crystallized woman, Felicia, only had her upper body formed from Kian's back. I didn't know if I wanted to call that thing a 'she' or an 'it'.

"Great. He got a screw loose in his head," said Hope.

Kian narrowed his eyes at him. "You three can try to escape, but I don't recommend it." As soon as he said that, the air felt dense. I found myself gasping for air.

"This guy . . . Don't tell me he was playing around back then," said Hope.

"That was the case," said Kian. He raised his right hand towards Felicia and she held onto it with her two hands. "I wanted to get inside the underground city, but Evgeny's barrier is annoying. So, Liam and I tricked you people into thinking us as allies, so that we could get in. Unfortunately, I suck at acting."

He glanced at Felicia. "Look over there, dear. It's Ava."

Felicia looked at me up and down. Though, her crystal-like appearance somehow made me question a lot of things. From the looks of it, Kian manifested only her upper body from his back, and therefore, she couldn't actually move from her spot.

"Liam, I'll take care of those three. Don't interfere," said Kian.

"Tsk." Liam glared at him. "You wouldn't hurt Ava. He's too precious for you."

Kian and Felicia stared at Liam. "The Pillars value her, much like Ama. Ama loves her, and so do we."

Felicia reached out for Liam, but he took a few steps away.

"Felicia, honey, don't mind him. We got Ava there. Let's give her and her friends the hospitality they deserve," said Kian. Felicia nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"We have to fight," said Hope. Sweat trickled down his cheek.

"Yeah. He is, perhaps, the most troublesome Pillar we have ever faced," I said.

Kian lunged forward and Hope stepped in front of me with a large, golden s.h.i.+eld.