I have not been updating this for so long, I'm ashamed of myself. OTL
but anyway, here's the 4th chapter :D I'm sorry I made those of you who are following this wait that long.
I'm also sorry to say that the next update too, will take some time to be completed. School isn't exactly giving me allowances.
Excuse my mistakes.
Hetalia does not belong to me.
Thank you in advance for reading! Enjoy!
Breaking the lock was easy. Getting pass the guards took some effort. Finding the exit was nearly impossible.
Alfred shook his head to clear his thoughts. Nothing is impossible.
After that short motivational speech, Alfred had declared the start of their exit mission. He knelt down before the door, feeling dozens of eyes staring in anxiety behind him. Alfred couldn't blame them. After all the effort, it would be utterly depressing to be shut down by a mere piece of wood.
Alfred knew he failed at many things, but he wasn't going to fail this.
Alfred held up his hand, and willed for a ball of light. A sphere of brightness appeared at the tip of his index finger as the room turned darker. Alfred concentrated, morphing that sphere into something shaped like a small penknife. He then inched his finger forward, sliding his light into the small gap between the door and its frame. He swallowed, and flicked his finger.
The tension broke as soon as they heard the soft click. The door was open.
Alfred glanced back at his friends, their confident and determined faces giving him courage. He nodded once at them, and carefully pushed the door open, going about a centimeter per hour. They had to be silent or it'll be all over, Alfred knew that. He cautiously peered out of the tiny crack he made, straining his eyes to see whether or not are guards present.
The hallway was dark as always, the flames of limited number of torches flickering every 12 feet in their sockets on the wall. Alfred focused, listening for any other sounds after seeing no one in his line of sight. He doubted the security was that bad. Sure enough, his sharp ears immediately picked up the sound of someone snoring somewhere down the right side of the hallway when the door was blocking his view.
Alfred huffed nervously before he took a bold step outside. He flinched instinctively, half expecting to be grabbed somewhere and hauled back into their prison. But nothing touched him. Alfred silently motioned his friends to join him outside.
They were all gathered when the guard - to Alfred's horror - stirred from his sleep.
The blue-eyed boy almost panicked, but his friends were more than prepared for such circumstances. Elizaveta strode forward in several quick steps, closing a hand into a fist. Before the man could even react to what he saw, she punched him in the gut, knocking the daylights out of him. From the calculations they'd made some time ago, that should keep the poor guy unconscious for at least a few hours. Dragging him and locking him in their cell, they proceeded ahead.
"..Hey," Arthur said as Alfred fell in line next to him. "You okay?"
Alfred noticed that he was sweating up a storm though they'd barely taken twenty steps outside their cell.
He ran the back of his hand over his brow. "Yeah. Probably."
Arthur gave him a strange look, but otherwise said nothing else. The group forged forward, silent as mice. The flicker of flames casted strange shadows across the walls and floor as they moved. Alfred couldn't help feeling suspicious and paranoid. So far they'd only encountered one guard. Was it suppose to be that easy?
Alfred shook his head. He shouldn't think like that. He had to be aware, guard or not.
And suddenly, he was grabbed by the collar and jerked backwards.
"Idiot..!" Arthur's voice hissed next to his ear.
Alfred blinked, soon realizing his near fatal mistake. They had entered another hallway, this one leading to the armory. Two armored men sat by either side of the door leading to the chamber, and Alfred had almost waltzed right into them.
Snap out of it, Alfred told himself. Focus.
Alfred glanced at his teammates, silently exchanging a quick plan. Fortunately, they've carefully sorted everything out earlier and everyone understood what he was intending to do.
The rest of the group retreated several steps as Arthur went forward to stand beside the American boy. Alfred inhaled once and concentrated, weaving the light around them into a sphere the size of a baseball. Darkness instantly befell them.
Alfred inhaled as he heard the guards standing up in astonishment, blaming each other for putting out the flames. He heard the clanking of their heavy armor as they walked towards them.
Alfred counted silently. One. Two. Three..
"What the-"
Alfred released his concentration. The ball of light in his palm exploded, blinding anyone who had their eyes open - except Arthur. The green-eyed boy had swiftly formed some kind of sunglasses-like thing from darkness to shield his eyes, making him the only one who could see while Alfred's Gift was still having its effect. He shot forward with great agility, jumped, and kicked both the men square on the chest, sending them down on their butts. Arthur needn't use much strength. The heavy armors were on their side.
Before the guards could get up and regain their bearings, Elizaveta lunged forward, pushing them both flat on the ground with her immense strength. Yao soon joined her, producing a chain he'd managed to smuggle from under the folds of his ragged clothes. He seemed to rip the thing into two pieces, but Alfred had seen the Chinese boy use his Gift. He was duplicating the thing on the spot.
Alfred had to admit. That ability was darn handy.
Alfred whistled, signaling the clear coast as he knelt down, his hands working swiftly as he chained up the guard's arms behind their back before moving to restrain their ankles. Arthur worked on the other man, making loops that were impossible to untangle.
Kiku led the rest of the Gifted towards the armory. The door was locked, but he'd already expected that. He lifted his hand and touched the padlock, and it broke into five separate pieces. Kiku had discovered that his powers did not only allow him to assemble things, but to disassemble them too - though it needed a cool-down each time he uses it. After that trick, Kiku would not be able to take anything apart for another 30 minutes or so.
He and a few others barged into the chamber, quickly picking up heavy weapons and carefuly arranging them in a manner where it would be a chain of death traps the next time the door was to be opened. As soon as they got out, Elizaveta dragged the guards they'd just assaulted over and shoved them in with a huff. She slammed the door close and Kiku slid the newly modified padlock into place. That should buy them some time if anything happens.
Alfred gave them a grin and a thumbs up when they rejoined the group, but the moment did not last long. He knew this was just the beginning. Things would not be as easy later.
They continued moving with Alfred leading the way. They slipped through several guarded hallways without much problem since most of them just sat there snoring away.
It seemed to take forever, but they finally reached their second destination. Like their own, the door leading to the other batch of Gifted kids' chamber was guarded. Using the same trick they'd used against those of the armory, they quickly overwhelmed him.
"..We're here," Mei closed her eyes and projected her voice, hoping that it will reach those inside. "Come on out."
There was a pause of silence as everyone held their breath. Then there came a few clicks, and the door was warily pushed open. Slowly, the other group trickled out.
As soon as Feli saw his brother among them, he wasted no time thinking. He leaped forward and tackled the boy in a crushing hug, muttering something in rapid Italian. Tears of indescribable joy spilled down his cheeks. His brother lightly chided him in English, but otherwise looked just as happy and teary-eyed.
Alfred could feel his own eyes going misty from watching them, but he blinked hard. This wasn't the time. He turned to the boy with startling blue-eyes and held out his hand.
"I'm Alfred," he said. "Nice to finally meet you."
The other boy nodded before taking his hand. "Same here," he said in a slightly accented voice. "I'm Ludwig."
Brief introductions were made. Feli's brother was Lovino. The slightly tanned boy he always hangs around with was Antonio. The tall guy with the purple eyes and somewhat scary smile was Ivan.
"So I guess you guys already know the plan?" Alfred said, adjusting his glasses. The group nodded grimly.
"Good," Alfred smiled. "Let's head to the mining area."
xXx
It wasn't hard to find their way to the mining area. Heck, Alfred could've made it there blindfolded - not that he wanted to try - for he'd been feverishly memorizing the way each time they were brought there.
The group emerged from the hallway into big open space. Though accustomed to the dimness, Alfred's eyes could make out nothing. The darkness seemed unending, spreading all around them. Alfred shivered involuntarily. Everything felt strangely eerie without the clanking of tools and rude shouts of men.
Alfred felt Arthur nudging him, cocking his chin straight ahead. The blue-eyed boy followed his comrade's gaze, and saw the small illumination amidst the darkness.
This was the most dangerous part. That illumination was the direction they needed to head for in order to gain freedom and that place was heavily guarded. One mistake will lead to failure, and Alfred had absolutely no intention of doing that. They were going to make it out. Each and every one of them.
Even if it kills him.
"..Are they any traps?" Alfred whispered. His powers had no use here, and he dared not ask Arthur to use his as sudden brightening of lightning without sources of illumination would bring up suspicion to anyone in their right minds. "Anyone here has Gifts that extends to night-vision or something like that?"
Everyone shook their heads glumly.
"Shall I light the way?" Antonio, who's Gift was fire-manipulation, offered cheerily in his fading Spanish accent.
"That might as well just tell the whole world we're here," Alfred said before breaking into a sigh. "I guess we're just gonna have to take the risk."
They were all reluctant, but no one had a better plan.
"Let's all hold hands," Feli suggested before they mustered their courage to forge ahead. "It won't be as scary that way."
No one argued. They smiled and grinned to one another as they latched their hands together - just to boost their confidence. They can do this.
It was just as Alfred had said back in their cell. All for one, and one for all.
"Ready?" Alfred whispered, stealing a quick glance at Arthur - who, nodded back with a small smile. "Let's go guys!"
Once swallowed by the choking blackness of his surroundings, Alfred could feel his bravery faltering. But when he felt Feli squeezing his fingers, he steeled his nerves. He wasn't afraid. Not of this stupid darkness.
They were half way through when Ludwig suddenly halted to a stop, tugging the rest to follow suit.
"Wait-" he started to say, but it was too late. Illumination flashed to life, and sounds of dozens of footsteps reverberated in the silence. Guards trickled into formation as a hidden alarm blared to life.
Alfred bit back a very frustrated curse. The moment came faster than he'd expected.
They were surrounded.