RB Chapter 216 A Sparky Reunion

The air had been still, a result of a cold night and unmoving currents, but now it stirred, causing a few strands of black hair to sway in the wind. After that scan with the brain waves by the white furred monkey, Eric had settled down, his spectrum domain out, the various electromagnetic waves distorting the air around him. His eyes were sharp, gazing at the massive beasts resting below. The previous night hadn't just taken a toll on them, but the beasts too.

A mist wafted out of his mouth when he exhaled, lasting briefly before integrating with the nearby air. It was cold, and in order to combat it, he was vibrating his cells, just enough to warm him, not to produce electricity.

"I wonder how Chloe is handling those new arrivals...will they listen to her orders...?" He mumbled out loud, his feet swinging on the edge of the brown walls. 

He felt a warmth, not originating from inside him on his skin from the east. The mirage of the sun had just appeared beyond the eastern horizon, attracting his gaze. A new day had arrived, just as it always did.

His ears moved, the sounds of a pair-no, two pairs of footsteps could be heard upon the stairs that led to the top of the wall. His sensitivity allowed him to instantly tell that none were Chloe's. He also managed to pick out the fact that whoever was coming wasn't an energy channeller whom had just woken up as they were too orderly, too rythmatic.

'So, they have arrived.' His head swivelled, as he directed his gaze towards where the owners of the footsteps were about to appear. He didn't stand up as that would give the impression that they were superior to them. Chloe was the overall commander of this temporary fortress. Her image would be diminished if he appeared too humble infront of the new arrivals.

As one of the newcomers climbed, so did his features start to come into view, first the brown hair and then the eyes, nose and entire face. The moment he saw who it was, he jumped up as if his butt was on fire, a dose of surprise and excitement in his eyes. It was someone familiar, someone he knew and respected. The first human with a spectrum domain he had met, Michael.

Another person, a woman was behind him, but that's all he managed to pick out as all his attention had been placed on him.

"Hohohoho...how you have grown. Now you even created a legend of yourself." He smirked, his canines protruding upon stepping off the stairs onto the wall proper.

"..." Eric was at a loss for words as he didn't know where to start. 

"Hmmm? Cat got your tongue. What's up Eric? How have you been?" His body blurred, appearing right in front of him, before he found himself in the man's embrace. A warmth he had never felt before burst from his chest, the warmth of something familial.

"Its...nice to see you too." He answered as he reveled in the hug. Michael's body was giving off torrents of heat unlike his which was simply lukewarm. He must have done something strenuous before meeting him, a surmise he reached himself.

"I feel like its been ages since I last saw you." Michael pulled himself away and held him by the shoulders, scrutinizing him thoroughly.

"That video you sent helped a great deal in grounding me or else I would have become very arrogant with my spectrum abilities." Eric said.

"Nah, I don't believe it did as you still went and did something crazy like allowing lightning to pass through you." He shook his head, dissaproval in his gaze at that.

"...anyway, before the serious topics, this is Mara." Michael pushed the woman to the front. Eric's eyes which had been occupied by the older man, jumped to the older woman. She had black hair black eyes and dark skin. A black leather body fitting suit was covering her body, the collar raised and the chest buttons loosened to allow her mounds air to breathe. Her gaze appeared to contain curiosity, warmth and a little bit of joy as she beheld him. The expression on her face gave him the feeling of a mother looking upon a son.

He was puzzled by the gaze, but he still shook the outstretched hand nonetheless.

"I am Mara, Michael and I grew up together." She once again introduced herself.

"...nice to meet you." After a bit of a delay, he answered. For some reason, Michael appeared nervous and eager when he introduced himself to her. 'He likes her.' Eric smirked at the realisation. 

"So, you two are the reinforcements, what about the others?" He asked.

"Before that, didn't you really have any other choice available than attracting lightning?" Michael asked, his expression bordering on stormy.

"...at that time, I didn't have the luxury of thought." Eric answered with some hesitancy.

"Ah...I forgot, you aren't a veteran of battlefields." Michael facepalmed, an apologetic smile hanging on his lips.

A battlefield veteran...something in that phrase caused Eric some discomfort. He had been fighting, taking on missions ever since the war began...even before the war, he had been in plenty of clashes, so, why wasn't he among the so-called 'battlefield veterans?'

"I can see it in your eyes, you don't agree with what I have said...mmmm..." Michael visibly scratched at his brown hair, probably searching for an explanation. Seeing that the man wasn't looking down in him, Eric let go of the small dissatisfaction that had been budding in his chest.

'Another!' Before the man could explain, another sound of footsteps even more ordered that those of Michael and Mara entered his ears.

"The iceberg is here." Michael said in a small voice.

"So, that's what I am in your mind." A cold voice resounded before the person even appeared in his vision.

"Shit! I forgot that she's always channelling..." A smile involuntarily tugged at Eric's lips upon that mumble and frown on Michael's face. It seemed that he wasn't on good terms with the person coming.

'She's too ordered. Those footsteps aren't ones of any normal Joe.' He thought as anticipation welled from his depths. The voice had already given the person away as a woman, so now all he was waiting for, was the person herself.

"The people above chose some very problematic people, so you have to be very careful. So far that woman rising up the steps is the most mysterious among our chaotic bunch." Mara said, chuckling after, apparently not one bit worried that the woman had heard her words.

"The most mysterious..." Eric frowned, variables were going to be problematic.

"At least, she's reasonable, not like those two idiots back there." Michael said.

"I couldn't help but overhear your previous words, Michael...(he wrly smiled)...about a battlefield veteran. Even you yourself, are still green to me...not just you, but all the humans within this fortress and those two you called idiots." The woman finally appeared, the cold voice finally getting a face. Short military hairstyle, light skinned, cold and probably antisocial. That was what Eric managed to gather from her.

"...but don't worry LIGHTNING SUMMONER, you will get a taste over the course of this war. Pray that you don't make mistakes that either cost you or your friends' lives." Her eyes narrowed as she continued. Eric was ticked off by the fact that it appeared as a lecture, judging by the emphasis on his moniker...and that condescending expression.

"If you had been a veteran, you would have had an optimal solution that would have ended with you alive and well, instead of charring yourself half to death by summoning an unpredictable power." With hands behind her back, she moved to stand by his left, her direction opposite to his, gazing out into the distance. Eric felt angry, his fists clenched, but she had been right and that's what hurt the most, stifling any attempt at a comeback.

"Hey! Iceberg! You seem to have a death wish, don't you now?" Michael's voice came out in a drawl as the joints of his fingers popped with a clench of his fists.

"Its okay, Michael." Eric let go of a heavy breath and diffused the situation.

"Mr. Michael, my name is Melty, if you call me that one more time, you will die." A very heavy feeling assailed Eric's mind as the woman unfurled her own murderous aura. It was so potent that for a moment, he became caught in a goreish illusion of his making. It was a good thing that his spectrum domain managed to awake him, or else he might have devolved into an unsightly mess.

As Eric repelled the murderous aura, he started to feel the control he and Chloe having over the situation about to slip. These people weren't ones they could order around.

"Now, that regenerating snake, where do you suppose it could be in all these auras?" She asked, the murderous aura still pulsing from her lithe form. 

"Hmph!" Eric snorted, electric snakes lighting up his black scales as he gave the woman a very cold look. "You seem to be mistaken about something here, woman. We are the leaders here. You will wait until the commander arrives." He threatened, domains clashing as electric snakes appeared to snap at something in the air around the woman. He wasn't a soft persimmon, conveying that was important for the upcoming meeting about taking action.