Chapter 170: Finally Rescued Zenick! (2)

Aisha stared at his hand. "So no one can touch him."

"Apparently."

His tone remained calm, but his eyes had become colder.

Aisha adjusted Zenick in her arms. The weight was already becoming unbearable. She could feel his head resting against her shoulder, completely limp, his breathing so faint that she had to pay attention just to make sure it was still there.

"If you touch him again, it might make things worse," she said.

If the miasma ended up attacking Nykos, Aisha would have to think of a way to stop it from corrupting him. But at this moment, she could not purify anyone, with her power still not showing any signs of recovering.

Nykos looked at the blackened strands around his wrist before slowly curling his fingers. Then he clenched his fist. They were just as annoying to deal with as they had always been.

Aisha lowered her gaze to Zenick.

"Then I’ll carry him."

Nykos looked at her.

"You?"

"I’m the only one who can."

Nykos stared silently at her for a few seconds. In the end, he couldn’t argue with her point.

He then removed his coat and wrapped it around Zenick’s body, leaving enough space for Aisha to maintain contact with him without letting her get affected by the miasma. His movements were careful, almost strangely gentle considering how easily he had dealt with the Sentinels only moments ago.

"Hold him tightly."

Aisha nodded.

She shifted Zenick against her chest. The instant she did, the miasma inside his body reacted again, but this time the black lines across his skin stopped spreading.

Aisha released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

Nykos noticed this and asked, "Can you walk?"

"Probably."

He gave her a long look before turning away. He could tell she was forcing herself to look strong and wouldn’t listen to anyone. So, he didn’t stop her. "Fine. Just stay close to me."

The rest of the matters there had already been dealt with.

Vince stood near the entrance, his weapon lowered as he watched Aisha carrying Zenick. Elias was beside him, but neither man spoke. They had both seen what happened. Even if they were shocked to see their boss being so agreeable and obedient to her, they could only keep it to themselves. And they were also surprised by what had just happened.

The moment Nykos tried to touch Zenick, his own power had been affected.

Yet Aisha could hold him.

Vince’s expression turned serious. "Boss."

Nykos glanced at him.

"We need to leave now."

"I know," Nykos replied.

Vince nodded and looked toward Aisha, frowning slightly. "If she keeps carrying him like that, she won’t last long."

They knew that Guides weren’t completely immune to miasma. They could slow down the process of corruption caused by the miasma in their bodies using their purification ability, but they could not completely get rid of it or nullify its effect.

Nykos’ gaze moved briefly between them before settling on the corridor. "Then we need to move faster."

Before they could move, a distant sound reached them.

A siren.

Everyone stopped.

Aisha’s eyes narrowed.

The siren continued ringing until the sound spread across the contaminated zone, growing louder until the walls themselves seemed to vibrate.

Nykos looked toward the ceiling.

"They found us."

Vince’s expression hardened. "That’s fast!"

"Is it the Association?" Aisha also glanced up and asked.

"Most likely."

Aisha tightened her hold around Zenick. "How long do we have until they arrive?"

Nykos listened for a moment, his head tilting slightly as he caught the sounds coming from far beyond the chamber.

"Not long."

He turned toward her.

"Stay behind me."

Aisha frowned. With Zenick in her hands, she wondered how long she could keep up with Nykos and his men.

But just as she thought of this, the shadows from the ring on her finger wrapped around her while avoiding contact with Zenick. They stretched outward and tied themselves around Nykos’ wrist, making it appear as though he had tied them both together.

The sound of engines came from above.

Then came the unmistakable announcement of the Association.

"All personnel inside the contaminated zone, this is the Guide and Sentinel Association. The area is under military control. Surrender immediately and prepare for inspection."

Aisha’s expression changed. "Do they know we’re here?"

"No..." Nykos looked at her. "They know I’m here."

He stepped closer.

"And they won’t know you’re here."

Before Aisha could ask what he meant, shadows rose around her even thicker.

They wrapped around her body without touching Zenick, forming a thin layer that covered her presence entirely. The darkness moved beneath her clothes and across the edges of her hair, concealing every trace that could lead the Association’s scanners toward her.

Aisha looked down.

"What are you doing?"

"Hiding you."

She stared at him for a moment before whispering, "Thank you."

His voice softened slightly. "It**’s** something I should do."

Aisha wanted to respond, but another wave of dizziness struck her. She tightened her arms around Zenick until it passed.

Nykos noticed this and steadied her. Then his gaze lingered on her face before he finally turned toward the others. "Let them take Zenick."

Aisha’s grip tightened. "No."

Nykos looked back at her. "They’ll need to get him onto our ship quickly."

"I’m not letting go of him."

He stared at her for a moment and finally sighed, letting her do as she wanted.

The sirens grew louder.

Outside the chamber, footsteps began echoing through the tunnels.

The Association had surrounded the contaminated zone.

Nykos glanced toward the entrance and then back at Aisha. "Stay here until I tell you otherwise."

Aisha frowned. "And what are you going to do?"

His smile widened.

"Make sure they don’t find you."

He disappeared into the shadows.

***

Outside the contaminated zone, hundreds of Association soldiers had already surrounded the area.

Their battlesuits reflected the lights of the hovering military shuttles above them. They had their weapons raised and scanners already activated to ensure no slip could possibly happen. They had made sure they contained the contaminated zone in front of them using barriers.

But they also knew that this wouldn’t be enough to deal with the person they were told to stop.

There had been a tip-off that Nykos had been sighted within the territory of the Association. Initially, it was treated without much attention, but the report was conclusive, with proof of him walking around leisurely with his men as they headed toward a warehouse.

An order was sent down by the Chief Master to capture him, dispatching the soldiers to this place.

An officer stepped down from one of the shuttles and looked toward the entrance.

"Has the Admiral arrived?"

"He’s still inside the contaminated zone," a soldier replied. He looked at a reading device and added, "We’ve detected multiple unidentified psychic signatures, Sir."

The officer’s eyes narrowed. "And is it really confirmed Nykos is here?"

"Yes, sir. There’s a visual confirmation from the first squad."

The officer nodded before touching his communicator. "Seal the area. Order everyone that no one enters or leaves without authorization."

The soldiers spread farther around the perimeter. More military shuttles descended from above, carrying additional troops as the containment line tightened around the facility.