《Mana-Script》Chapter 20 - Confidence and Doubt
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The second group that walked through this maze was comprised of Olivia, Sahar, and Alice. Olivia held her flame to guid the other two, but she was mainly there as one of markers for Zoe’s team. Unfortunately, they could not see the group they were leading but a faint outline from the horde blocking Jude’s flame.
As they pressed on Olivia kept throwing looks back to make sure nothing was wrong behind them. Olivia was dressed in a frilly shirt, her sleeves flaring out at the wrist. With old fashioned black trousers, she looked like a magician. She left her long brunette hair drape over her shoulders. During a conversation that started when Sahar asked how she came up with the costume
“My favourite is third incarnation. To be honest I know the fourth is the most iconic, but I couldn’t be bothered with the huge scarf. Also, I rock the frilled shirt.” She spoke with confidence and puffed her chest out whilst speaking. Alice laughed,
“Yeah. You do.” Whilst throwing a thumbs up, which further reinforced Olivia’s sense of pride in her fashion choice.
“What made you two choose those outfits though? I love them. Very you.” Olivia inquired.
Sahar was in tight military inspired leather jacket, with three big straps going across her torso. She carried the look on with her black military trousers and a fancy belt that had some pouches on them. “Well, my power can do a lot, so I have to be practical for everything. Plus, I saw a hot guy on a TV show with this and thought it’d make me look cool.”
Both their attentions turned to Alice who was in a pair of white exercise trousers that had a pink strip down the outside. The trousers had a zip hidden so they could become shorts. They cut off just above the ankle so not to get in the way of her trainers. On her torso she wore a black thermal top with a white branded crop top over it. “I don’t know. I’m mainly here to run good so exercise stuff.” An attentive listener could have heard the shrugging motion through her voice.
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It was whilst they were talking back and forth about their costumes and their inspirations that they noticed the fire in front of them slowly dim. With a bit of logic, that evaded Olivia for a moment, it was worked out the boys up front had turned a corner. Though what was strange was that their light remained stationary, leaking light through the opening to the turn. This would imply the boys had stopped for some reason.
Had they found a dead end?
Were they waiting for another group?
Had they encountered an enemy?
It seemed the question was answered when in instant the light was snuffed out. Either their flame had gone out for some reason or another they had moved at such incredible speed the laws of physics had a hard time keeping up.
Olivia’s mind raced. She had not had enough time to process the information before her two teammates were starting to move. “Wait!”
Both women turned back to their light holder. “We need to stay here so Zoe and the rest can follow us. If we charge around the corner and disappear too, they won’t know it’s there.”
The listeners looked at each other for confirmation and stepped back, closer to the circle of light that protected them.
“Well then what do we do?” Sahar asked.
“I don’t know, let me think.” She was not used to these situations, where someone else relied on her decision. “Let’s wait for Zoe’s group, we know it’s a turn so we can lead them round and then scout out.”
At this time Sol was going on his rampage, unknown to the three. The black of the room swallowed the screams whole. But they were not without their own action to witness. As they stood waiting a loud thud echoed next to them. That sound was a precursor to a large section of the wall to their left coming crashing down.
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They turned around to try and see what had happened to only see Zoe’s group on the other side of the section. Without thinking Sahar activated her alteration.
Every time was different for her. Even powers that correlated to each other did not feel the same. As every cell in her body changed to accommodate the new influx of power. Her left arm was the one that changed the most. With a huge burst of flames her right arm shot the heat outward.
Her leather jacket lost one of its arms and now a had a burn mark around the shoulder and down one of the sides. The light poured out from her enough for everyone behind to notice them and light their faces.
Just like the activation of her power she ran forward, without thought. Instinctively she was joined by Alice.
Olivia stood, rooted in place. Though prideful and boastful about her outfit she was not as confident in her ability. She stood there, unsure of what to do. Not five seconds had gone by, but she had already started doubting herself. Why was she not following them? Why was she not the one jumping at the chance to help her sister?
Shaking her head, shaking the thoughts away, she moved. One foot after the other.
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