Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 107: What’s The Plan Now?

Chapter 107: What’s The Plan Now?

Together, the group slipped out of the room and into the shadows, moving swiftly through the labyrinthine corridors of the building.

"We thought you were dead," Larry said, his voice shaky as he struggled to keep up with Scarlett. His chest heaved with every step, his exhaustion evident. "Austin was sure of it. He said there’s no doubt you’d die."

Scarlett kept walking ahead, her invisibility spell cloaking the group as they moved through the dim corridors. Her silence was unnerving, and Larry’s words hung in the air like a shadow of doubt.

"Ayra is back, but Austin still didn’t let us go," Ethan muttered, clutching his chest where the dull ache of fatigue lingered. His voice cracked with a mixture of confusion and pain. "But something doesn’t add up. We killed Ayra, we saw the monsters devour her. Every last piece of her was gone. So how is she back? I can’t help but think she’s part monster now...half human, half something else."

Scarlett abruptly halted in her tracks, her back still turned to the group. Her voice cut through the air like a blade, firm and cold. "I was the Ayra you saw earlier."

The group froze, their breaths catching as they exchanged confused glances.

"Ayra is dead. The monsters devoured her body, soul, everything. There’s no coming back from that," Scarlett continued, her tone steady but filled with a quiet intensity. "I took on her form. It was necessary."

Her revelation sent shockwaves through the group. Larry’s brows furrowed, Ethan’s jaw dropped slightly, and Garvin’s face twisted in silent disbelief. But none of them spoke; Scarlett’s demeanor warned them not to push for further explanation. For now, they could only follow her, hoping that once they escaped Austin’s clutches, she’d finally unravel the mystery.

The silence was oppressive, broken only by the faint sound of their footsteps echoing in the empty hallway. Eventually, Garvin broke the tension, his voice barely above a whisper. "What’s the plan now?"

Scarlett stopped again, turning to face the group with a determined expression. Her eyes burned with an intensity that made even Garvin hesitate. "We’re leaving this place," she declared firmly. "But that’s not all, I’m going to punish Austin and Jones. They’ve enslaved too many innocent people here. People who follow their orders out of fear, knowing they’ll be severely punished if they resist."

Larry raised an eyebrow, his skepticism evident. "How exactly do you plan to punish them?"

Scarlett didn’t reply immediately. Instead, she turned sharply and resumed walking, leaving the others to hurriedly catch up.

As they passed through the heart of the organization, they moved carefully around the free citizens, who were obliviously dancing to blaring music, laughing, eating, and drinking. The group avoided contact with anyone, knowing that even the faintest collision could make an impact even if it doesn’t reveal their presence despite the invisibility spell.

Minutes later, they emerged from the building’s boundaries and into the open air. Scarlett released the spell, and the group slowly became visible. They exhaled collectively, relieved to be free from the suffocating atmosphere of the organization.

"What now?" Larry asked, his tone a mixture of relief and curiosity. He flexed his fingers, feeling a faint tingling in his hands. "By the way, thank goodness my powers are coming back. Whatever Austin injected us with earlier made me completely useless. I couldn’t even break free from the damn chains."

"It’s obvious," Scarlett replied with a dry smirk. "He’s perfected a formula to suppress powers. That’s how he maintains control by keeping anyone with abilities utterly helpless. But now, we’re out, and we have a plan."

"And what’s that?" Ethan asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Scarlett’s smirk widened, her eyes gleaming with a dangerous edge. "We’re burning down his organization."

"What?!" Garvin’s voice rose, his eyes widening in shock. "You’re going to burn it all down? That’ll kill the innocent people inside!"

Scarlett turned to face him, her expression hardened with resolve. "The innocent people have legs, they can run," she said coolly. "If the building is on fire, their instinct will be to escape. This is the only way to save them. I can’t talk to every single one of them and convince them to leave. They’re too terrified of Austin to act on their own. I can’t protect all of them either, not at once. But this...this will force them to act."

Her tone left no room for argument, but the group exchanged uneasy glances. They could sense the weight of her decision and the fierce determination driving her, but the morality of it lingered like a shadow over their minds.

"That’s true," Ethan finally said, a satisfied smirk spreading across his face. "Austin and Jones will have to leave the building once it’s burning. That’s when we’ll get our chance to punish them. The monsters they’ve been keeping are buried several meters underground. We can kill them too and claim their coins." His eyes glinted with a dangerous excitement. "I don’t care about the reasons behind why this organization exists. We can get the truth from the free citizens we save later. Right now, I just want to see Austin and Jones suffer. I want to kill them so badly."

Scarlett remained silent, her piercing gaze fixed on the distant building.

Ethan continued, his voice rising slightly with enthusiasm. "Even though Austin and Jones are chosen members with enough power to extinguish the fire, they can’t afford to let the free citizens escape. They’ll come out of the building to bring them back, and that’s when we’ll strike. Once we capture them, we set the place ablaze again, this time burning it to the ground, along with whatever lies buried beneath it."

Scarlett’s eyes drifted to Maya, who sat slumped on the ground, staring blankly into space. Silent tears streamed down her cheeks, glistening in the faint light.

I’m sorry Scarlett but I promise you that those two will regret ever being born, Scarlett thought grimly, her expression hardening. Without wasting another moment, she activated her invisibility spell, her form vanishing before she touched Garvin and the others, cloaking them as well.

Her voice was low but firm as she spoke, "Let’s end this."

Scarlett summoned her fire element, conjuring a large, blazing flame that swirled and danced in her palm. The heat radiated off it, and her determined eyes reflected its flickering light. She turned to the building, its towering structure standing as a symbol of oppression.

With a flick of her wrist, Scarlett sent the flame hurtling toward the building. It landed with a deafening roar, igniting the dry wood and fabric. The fire spread rapidly, devouring everything in its path as thick smoke began to rise into the sky.

The group stood in tense silence, watching the chaos unfold. Screams and panicked cries pierced the night air, mingling with the crackling of the flames. The once-orderly organization descended into pandemonium.

Naked and frightened, the free citizens began pouring out of the building, some limping from injuries while others emerged unscathed. Scarlett’s group watched them scatter, avoiding the hysterical crowd as they waited for their real targets.

"They’ll come," Ethan muttered under his breath, his eyes locked on the organization’s gates. "Those bastards can’t resist trying to salvage their control."

Moments later, Austin and Jones stumbled out, coughing and covered in soot. Their faces were twisted in rage and desperation as they scanned the area. Behind them, more free citizens scrambled out, fleeing the inferno.

Scarlett’s eyes narrowed, her gaze zeroing in on the two men. Without hesitation, she darted forward, her speed enhanced by her powers. In a blur of movement, she tackled both Austin and Jones to the ground with a force that left them gasping. As she pinned them down, the invisibility spell faded, revealing her and the rest of the group.

"You bitch!" Jones spat, struggling beneath her iron grip. "You’re still alive!"

Austin thrashed against the ropes Scarlett had summoned, his voice laced with disbelief. "You’re a chosen member? How did I not sense you?"

Scarlett smirked coldly as she secured the two men with ropes imbued with her earth element, ensuring they couldn’t escape. "Because you’re both fools," she replied curtly. Turning to her team, she issued her next orders. "Larry, Ethan, start treating the injured citizens. Garvin, keep watch."

The group sprang into action. As Larry and Ethan tended to the injured free citizens, Scarlett turned back to the burning building. Raising her hand, she summoned another surge of fire, directing it into the already blazing structure. The flames roared higher, consuming every trace of the organization’s stronghold.

With her crimson monster eyes activated, Scarlett scanned the ground below, her enhanced vision revealing the hidden chambers where the monsters were kept. She created a small opening in the earth and unleashed another burst of fire into it, ensuring the destruction of every creature hidden beneath the surface.

When the task was done, Scarlett turned to face the free citizens who had been treated. Her voice was steady as she addressed them. "You’re free now. Go wherever you want. Austin and his organization no longer have any hold over you."

But instead of gratitude, a man stepped forward, anger etched into his features. "Who said we weren’t free before? You’ve destroyed our home!" he yelled, his voice trembling with fury. "What did Austin and Jones ever do to you?"

Scarlett’s team froze, stunned by the outburst. Before Scarlett could respond, Garvin’s temper flared.

"Are you insane?" he snapped, his voice rising with indignation. "Do you even understand the kind of people Austin and Jones are? You call this freedom? Living under their rules, pretending you’re safe while they manipulate and enslave you? That’s not freedom.. it’s bondage."

Another citizen, a woman, stepped forward, her voice trembling with anger and fear. "We were safe from the monsters! We didn’t have to worry about food or shelter. But now you’ve destroyed everything!"

Scarlett sighed heavily, placing a hand on Garvin’s shoulder to calm him. "Let it go," she said quietly. "The forest is free from monsters now. If they’re wise, they’ll find somewhere else to go. If not, they can rebuild this place themselves, but Austin and Jones are coming with us. They’re finished."

Ethan frowned, his voice laced with uncertainty. "Are we really going to leave them behind? All of them?"

"Yes," Scarlett said firmly. "If they want to stay here, that’s their choice. But Austin and Jones are coming with us. Kato will enjoy the gifts I’ve prepared for him." She glanced over her shoulder at Maya, who still sat on the ground, her tears never ceasing.

"Ethan, carry Maya on your back and let’s go."

With that, Scarlett led the group away, the destruction of the organization blazing behind them as they disappeared into the night.