BOOM!
The red orb exploded with a large energy wave that knocked back the two agents.
When the explosion settled, a large red translucent portal stood in its place.
[NOTIFICATION: New Ability Detected.]
[Intra-dimensional Portal, Level 1 (P-Type - Spaceborn)]
[COPY STATUS: Unavailable. Physical contact required]
The agents got back on their feet, still clutching their disruptors.
"It's a portal," the first agent stated.
"Wonderful observation, Sherlock!" The other replied sarcastically. "Keep your aim forward. If anything comes out of that, blow it to hell!"
Before he could finish his statement, two yellow rays of light jumped out of the portal, striking both of them.
The two agents stood motionless, frozen in place. They were fully conscious, but they had no control over their bodies.
As the agents struggled to move their bodies, a majestic figure walked out of the portal.
The purple screen in front of Mark began to blink furiously.
[WARNING: S-Tier Mindborn Detected.]
It was an elegant older woman in her late 40s. She had long straight white hair and was dressed in a green military suit and trousers, with a long brown overcoat to cover it up.
Her eyes, though covered with spectacles, radiated with a bright yellow aura, and her clothes and hair glowed like the sun.
Glancing around the hallway, she stared briefly at Mark, then directed her attention back to the agents she had restrained telepathically.
"Oh no." One of the agents blurted out. "It's the Amber Witch."
The woman directed her attention at the agent who uttered the statement. Staring directly into their eyes, a faint whisper echoed from her mind to his.
"Shoot yourselves."
The agents did not see her lips move, but they both heard her command echo from within their minds.
Within moments, both agents aimed their disruptors at each other and fired simultaneously, then collapsed helplessly to the floor.
Niltrax was a powerful compound used to nullify powerborns temporarily, but to a mere human, it caused instant and severe paralysis.
Another agent had arrived at the scene, ready to shoot at the woman.
Without flinching, she whispered a sound with her lips.
"Cease your breath!"
[NOTIFICATION: New Ability Detected.]
[Mental Persuasion, Level 2 (P-Type - Mindborn)]
[COPY STATUS: Unavailable. Mental link required]
Once again, the agent heard the voice echo in her mind. Her breathing suddenly ceased, and she gripped her neck with both hands, gasping audibly to force the air into her lungs.
Within seconds, she was sprawling on the floor. Not long after, she fell unconscious.
Five more agents came marching down the corridor, all armed with disruptors. They noticed the bright red portal and charged towards it.
"Halt!!!"
One of the agents cried to the others when he saw the woman with the yellow aura. The rest of the agents stopped their march and turned toward their leader.
"Look at her aura — It's a Mindborn! Don't go any further! We'll take her down from here."
The agents aimed their disruptors at the woman and prepared to fire.
"It's too late. You're already within my range."
The agents all froze where they stood. The woman took control of their bodies, forcing them to point their disruptors toward each other. They all fired simultaneously and dropped down to the floor.
Mark witnessed the whole altercation with awe. He had never seen such a raw display of power.
As he lay on the floor, he began to imagine how he could have escaped long ago if he had abilities like hers.
After taking out the guards, the woman walked over to Zorn's body, squatting next to it.
"Did you do this?" She asked Mark, giving him a cursory glance.
Mark replied with an affirmative nod.
"Well done. You must be the weatherborn I'm looking for."
The woman turned her attention to Mark, staring at him curiously. Her eyes stopped glowing, but her yellow aura remained.
Like the putrid stench of a rotten orange, she could sense the fear radiating off of Mark.
"Don't be afraid. It took me a while to find you, but you're safe now."
Mark did not see her lips move, but he heard her voice loud and clear in his mind.
[WARNING: Mind Breach Detected.]
[NOTIFICATION: New Ability Detected.]
[Telepathy, Level 1 (P-Type: Mindborn)]
[COPY STATUS: Available. Mental link established.]
[Autocopy Initiated for User Defense}
"No, no..." Mark protested. "Don't copy."
[Copying... SUCCESSFUL]
[Mind Breach Blocked]
Mark was suddenly hit with a massive headache. He grasped at his head, screaming in pain.
In a flash, the woman was by his side.
"Talk to me. What's wrong?" She asked.
Despite his best attempts to utter a sound in response to the woman, Mark's speech failed.
[New Power Acquired]
SLOT 2: Telepathy, Level 1 (P-Type: Mindborn)
[NOTIFICATION: All power slots filled. New power unstable. Reboot required to stabilize.]
[Reboot Initiated.]
The headache ceased and a wave of relief washed over Mark. His eyelids and body felt heavy, and seconds later, he fell unconscious.
Another figure had crossed through the portal. This time it was a young male with blonde hair, not much older than Mark, dressed in a dark blue combat uniform.
He walked over to the woman, looking downwards so as not to tread on the collapsed bodies.
"Did you save anyone for me, Captain?" he asked.
The woman gave him a cold stare, to which he stepped back nervously.
"Grab the weatherborn and send him through," she ordered. "I can sense more agents coming; a lot more."
"Yes, ma'am."
The blonde male inhaled deeply, and his eyes began to glow. Unlike the woman, he glowed with a bright red aura. He waved his right hand with a lifting gesture, and Mark began to levitate toward him.
"Let's go, Captain."
The woman headed to the red portal, but not before she searched Zorn and took an unknown object. Then, she disappeared behind it.
The male figure caught Mark in mid-air, placing him on his shoulders. Then he walked through the portal afterward.
When the three of them were safely through, the red portal imploded with one final energy burst.
For a brief moment, Mark reopened his eyes.
He was in a different room.
It was small, but unlike the prison, it was brightly lit with white walls all around.
Slowly turning his head around, he realized he was surrounded, but his eyesight was blurry, and he couldn't identify them.
"Get a Lifeborn here now!" The woman ordered, then walked over to where Mark lay and gazed at his wounds.
She gently stooped over and gave him a kiss on the forehead, then patted his short dark hair.
"You're in so much pain, but it'll be over soon. Your wounds will be healed shortly."
"Who… who are you?" Mark asked, almost inaudibly.
"Rest now, Marcus," She replied. "We have a lot to talk about when you wake up."