20th October 2019

SHAY

"One last time, people!" Mike's voice echoed throughout the Launchpad of the Astrascends, a huge crater the size of a football field.

I was standing by the large glass window of the Headquarters, viewing the current scenario among the Astrascends, and the changes that had occurred after my time in the Spirit Prison. Violet had volunteered to give me a tour of the place I'd once built, which now felt unfamiliar to me.

"After Realmies, stay right here, your bubble is scheduled for 9:00 am... And White Realmies, due to your immense patience, we have scheduled your bubbles for 9.30 am!" He announced, his voice filled with enthusiasm.

After Realmies?

White Realmies?

My jaw twitched, trying to hold back my words.

"I know that Spirits can't eat, but we've still got refreshments for you, so head over to Daisy and Kyle, cause they've got the treats!" Mike winked, and half the crowd swooned, while the other half laughed.

"Are you a part of the treats?" Flirted a girl in the crowd.

"Unfortunately no, my lady," Mike shook his head, still grinning. "I'm in a committed relationship with my Clovie."

The crowd 'ooh'ed and 'ahh'ed at his mention of his girlfriend Clover, whom he hadn't seen for over two months. The din grew louder, the atmosphere fun-filled and jubilant as if we were at a party.

This was nothing like what the Astrascends were supposed to be.

"To those of you who want to ease your nerves, we've got a DJ Simon here, just blasting the latest music hits from the Earthly Realm, I'm telling you, you'll love it."

Some unfamiliar song started playing, and to my surprise, the crowd started singing along, all aged Spirits and young ones alike. Even a few higher Spirits could be spotted, their pure white robes swirling around them like haloes.

This was madness.

This was -

"Brilliant, isn't it?" Violet asked me, her dark blue eyes alight with happiness.

"Are you out of your mind?" I hissed, my blood boiling at the sight of the chaos. "This isn't LOLtube, this is the Astrascends, a liberalist group-"

"Exactly! We're a liberalist group, we aren't boring and orderly like the ISA," She answered swiftly.

"Violet, you can't possibly expect me to accept this chaos-"

"Shay, this chaos is exactly what they need... To loosen up before they get a chance to fulfil their destiny..." She answered, a small smile upon her powder blue lips. In fact, her whole face ranged with various shades of blue, making her look otherworldly.

"This isn't what Isaac and I had in mind," I frowned at the floor.

How had Isaac let this happen anyway?

Was he okay with all this partying and despicable human behaviour?

"Sir Claudius suggested this idea. By the way, he's Lord Claudius now, he joined the Enlightened just last week," She told me.

"Really?" I asked, thinking about boring old Claudius. Who would've guessed that he had suggested something as scandalous as this?

"And, Isaac is okay with this too," She added, easing my frown lines to smaller creases. "He even commended us on doing a good job."

"Fine," I sighed.

"Shay, just chill, okay? You can take as much as time as you want before you head the Astrascends again," She told me soothingly, placing her hands upon my shoulders, and steering me away from the window.

I sighed, running a hand through my platinum blonde hair. I'd let it grow longer in the past few months, so much that it came up to my elbows. It was a sign that I'd healed from my past, my depression, now that Isaac was back in my life.

Or at least I liked to think that it did.

"Where is Isaac anyway?" I asked Violet.

"I don't know," She shrugged, looking apologetic. "He's been very busy lately, but I'm sure he'll come to see you around."

I nodded, trying not to let the sadness get to me this soon. I missed Izzy so much that it hurt, my void of pain parched from not seeing him for two months. I was sure that he felt the same way about me.

"Shay, you're back!" Mike looked jubilant as he walked into the headquarters. I guess he must've finished his announcements.

"Now that you're here, I'll finally see my Clovie... And my sis Ren again!" He smiled at me, his dimples gleaming upon his face.

I could see why people liked him. He had a charm about him, that cheerful energy with a tinge of craziness that made him seem younger than his age. His eyes shone with sincerity, and he had a way of talking to a crowd, melting them with bare minimum words.

No wonder he was a success with his LOLtube channel. And by the looks of it, the Spirit Realm seemed to love him too.

"I hope so. I'll definitely need your help, and that of your friends too," I told him, and Mike nodded eagerly.

"Anything for you! You're the boss, Shay!" Mike answered cheerfully when the door opened again.

"Bestie! Welcome back!" Kyle and Matt exclaimed, throwing themselves onto me and pulling me into a hug. I laughed as I embraced them, my heart lighter than what it had been all these days.

"So Shayanna, when are we going to rescue our man, Noah?" Matt asked me.

"Shayanna isn't my name," I snapped as he chuckled. "And about rescuing Noah, I already have a plan..."

I remembered my promise to Renee, where I'd assured her that the Astrascends would rescue Noah. I just hoped that the Pit hadn't swallowed him by now, or Johannes hadn't done something evil to him.

That despite suffering so much, Noah would still be salvageable.

"You already have a plan? Shit, that's impressive," Violet sounded awed.

"That's our Shay," Kyle pat my head like I was his pet cat. I pulled away, scowling. "She's always ten steps ahead of us."

I shrugged, humbled by his response.

"Well, I've dug a secret tunnel from my prison cell to the outside... So we're going to use that to infiltrate into the Spirit prison... And I need the rest of you guys to help me out," I told them.

"Sounds cool," Matt said. "We should call the others too, the more help we get, the better it will be."

I nodded.

With everyone on my side, we would get Noah out of the Pit of Darkness, within a month.

*****
10th November 2019

After three weeks of brainstorming and plotting out Noah's rescue plan, we were ready to carry it out today.

We gathered in the headquarters, waiting to meet up with the people that I trusted the most. They were the ones who volunteered to risk their lives to save Noah, claiming that Noah wouldn't hesitate to do the same for them.

"So, is everyone here?" I looked up, glancing at all the Spirits in front of me.

"Yes, I think so!" Kyle answered while Matt and Louis nodded. Next to them, Raina and Daisy were busy chatting, but quietened, once Simon nudged at them.

"... Seven, eight, nine," Violet counted under her breath, pointing to Mike, me and finally her. "Yeah Shay, we're all there."

"Good," I grinned, as I took my chair in the board room, trying to ignore Isaac's absence.

"So let's run over our plan once again," Mike told everyone, putting his loud voice to use. "Phase one: Transport. Simon and Louis are in charge of the Portal Bubble and people count."

Simon and Louis nodded. They were responsible for steering us to the Spirit Prison from our headquarters and bringing us back, without getting caught by the ISA.

"Phase two: Fake guard," I said, looking at Kyle. "He's going to pose as a guard, and help us infiltrate the prison."

"That's right I am," Kyle beamed. He'd been a guard before he decided to become a Spirit Guide, and we were hoping that his old ID would help him camouflage.

"Okay, that leads us to Phase three: Infiltration," Mike told us. "Once Kyle takes his position near the exit of the tunnel, Raina needs to enter and make sure that the coast is clear. After that, the rest of us enter."

The rest of us included me, Violet, Mike, Daisy and Matt.

"And finally, it's Phase four: Rescue operation," I spoke out. "Mike, Violet and I will descend through the Prison and reach the Pit of Darkness and rescue Noah. Daisy and Matt will be maintaining our Shield."

Everyone listened with rapt attention and nodded to my words. I couldn't help but wonder if anyone in this room would betray us if any of their faces held a shred of guilt that I could sniff out.

I don't trust any of them. Why would they volunteer to a literal suicide mission, especially when they didn't get anything in return?

But I keep my thoughts to myself because I really need their help. This was one job I couldn't do alone.

I mean, I would have already done it if I could.

"Isaac isn't coming, is he?" Violet muttered under her breath, looking worried on my behalf.

"Nope," I told her, trying to mask the fact that Isaac has practically been non-existent since I'd returned. "He's busy."

Violet nodded, tearing away her concerned gaze at my indifference. I appreciated the fact that she didn't pry.

"I'm so excited to visit Johannes's territory," Mike's eyes shined with enthusiasm as he thought about the Pit of Darkness. "Wonder what he'd say if he saw me now..."

"He'd probably call you a pesky brat, Mike," Daisy laughed.

"Don't say that, he's my buddy, Daze!" Mike frowned, "Did you forget our scrabble sessions on Sundays and murder nights on Mondays?"

I snorted, as the room erupted in laughter. Mike continued to crack more jokes, considerably lightening the war-like atmosphere of the headquarters.

That was when the faintest whisper fell into my head.

"Shay?"

I froze immediately upon hearing the all too familiar voice speaking telepathically.

"Shay, can you hear me?"

"Look who decided to turn up after weeks," I scowled. "Where are you, Isaac?!"

There was a pause.

"I don't have time for your drama," Isaac spat out. "Just listen carefully."

"Look, you don't come around in my head, issuing me orders-"

"Don't rescue Noah," Isaac cut me off, his voice as mechanical as ever.

"What the fuck? Why not?!" I shouted telepathically.

"You don't have to rescue Noah, because he isn't in the Pit anymore," He explained as if he were speaking to a toddler.

"But..." I threw a glance at my cheerful comrades, "Where is Noah, then?"

"That's something I need to tell you in person," Isaac answered. "Meet me on the 20th, at the cave."

"Wait, Izzy, wait."

But he was gone by then, leaving me more puzzled than ever.

"So when are we leaving, boss?" Mike asked me, oblivious to my current state of dilemma.

"We're not leaving," I blurted out, seeing their faces change into a myriad of expressions, varying from confusion, to shock and disbelief.

"Shay, what do you mean?" Violet questioned. I caught her gaze, somewhat less hostile than what the other members seemed to throw towards me. And when I finally found the energy to speak, I told them what Isaac had just said.

"Apparently, Noah isn't in the Pit of Darkness anymore."

*****