Chapter 14: Entering the Abyss

Makino and Arlandy are now inside the sealed area in the Kadofi Sector, along with many other volunteers in the request. Arlandy take a look in the now desolate and empty metal paved streets and the buildings that surrounds them and it gave him an uneasy feeling.

((...))

"Regeez, I once got a glimpse of this place once and this doesn't look lively like I remembered." Arlandy said reminiscing his time here and the silence is starting to get on him.

"You've been here?" Makino turned his head to him.

"Yeah. One of my request duties. This place was supposed to be a shopping district, packed with mechs around the corner here to buy on what they wanted. There are many stalls here that sells many stuff. Now, its almost like it's dead." Arlandy said to the eerie atmosphere the place now has.

"This evacuation of the mechs that live here because some gentle Mechanical Beasts got loose, I don't know about this." Arlandy continued.

((.....!))

"....You know, probably you're right."

This information sends a knowing suspicion within Makino, reinforcing his his belief about the beasts. And this sets up a vague plan in his head.

'The way they set the barriers in place here and the evacuation of the mechs here looks like this place is set up to be cage. A cage for viscous beasts. We're, most likely, the bait! I have to act fast.' Makino thought as he clench his fist, a gesture that Arlandy caught, sending him worry.

As the two mechs are talking in the back of the group composed of other Kaidels from the mines, pondered to themselves on what's gonna happen in this request as Altor is also participating, in wonder and worry too. But also at the fact that Arlandy is talking to him and Altor return the conversation too.

"Hey, look at that. Apparently Arlandy is getting chummy at the high places. Maybe we could get to know him better. Hopefully there's perks too." The one said that is Akadagi, a mech with a somewhat shady history.

"Hey, we know of your rackets, Akadagi. Snap out of it. He's an Armanben. He might ended up offended if you get your slimy fingers to him." The one who reprimanded him was Kofalu, a somewhat a veteran mech among the miners in the company.

((Wow, that was scummy.))

"Come on. Don't we all have that? Don't say that to me like you didn't have did everything just to survive, like lying about your class. It was the first and the most stupidest attempt for a racket." He retorted.

((Hey, that's kinda deep, you know.))

"Youngin', I think I'm doing a favor when I say that you need to stay away from the Armanbens. At all cost! You don't know what tragedy you might expect until it happened." Kofalu interjected that statement.

"Ok, ok, ok. Let's stop at that, shall we? We still have a request here and rewards needed to be reaped." The one who tried to diffuse that situation is Havati, a quite tall mech, in Kaidel standards but not to the higher classes, who is a quite uptight one at all times in work.

They agreed and the rest of group followed. They then called to Arlandy.

"Arlandy! Come on, you might not wanted to be left behind." Havati called out.

"Oh, yeah. Uh- I will be right behind." He cautionary said.

He turned to Altor and said a good advice.

"I think we need to double our guard. We don't what might happened." He whispered to Altor.

Makino was taken aback by this. He was warning him to be careful. He was wondering why he did this.

'Why did he tried to warn me to be careful? Is it because I helped him back then? Probably. I thought that he was gonna go on with his life- No.' His thoughts faltered by that.

'No. I shouldn't think that. No they're Magistoids- Ugh, No! No....' His own train of thoughts is in turmoil, but he managed to elicit a reply to Arlandy's warning for kindness' sake for his thoughts.

"Yeah... Thanks for that thought " He almost stuttered there for a bit.

Havati then also politely called to Altor.

"Sir Altor, you wanted to take the lead?" He calmly said.

Makino turned his head and replied to him.

"No. It's fine. I'm gonna follow who's going to lead this request." He said.

They were again gasped by this action. They almost started to murmur before Havati steps in.

"Thank you for your patronage, Sir Altor. So who's gonna lead this group?"

Everybody raised their votes on who's gonna lead and Kofalu takes the majority. With Kofalu on lead, the group head in. But there's something going on inside Kofalu's head.

'What on Regulus!? I've never seen that action in any Armanbens that I've come around. Just what is going on with him? Everything he does since he came to the company is all mind blowing. Who is he really?'

They journeyed upon the Kajuri Crossroads and started to scour place for clues that might lead them to finding one or more of the beasts that escaped. So far, not even a little clue is found. This created an atmosphere of uncertainty but also of impatience by some members of the group.

"Ugh! We've been searching for a while now. I wanted that reward now. I wanted to splurge on some quality goods that I can't my hands off" Akadagi grumbled under the pressure.

This elicited annoyance bubbling under the surface of the other members of the group. They apparently forgot that they have an Armanben with them. Altor and Arlandy, on the other hand, was on the lookout. They didn't mind the bickering there. Kofalu has been keeping a level headed focus but he's starting to get annoyed by Akadagi's nonsense.

"Hey. I have been looking for a while too, you know. Patience is really the key here if you wanted something." He calmly said.

"Bah! Yeah, that's the I wanted to hear from YOU. Just keep your proverb garbage with you. I know what I'm doing." Akadagi rudely scoffed at Kofalu' advise.

((Dude, that was just rude, you know. Why did I created this character in the first place.))

That comment is heard by Makino, triggering something inside him when heard his rudeness. He then stopped for a split second.

"Hm? Altor? Why did you stopped? Is there something wrong?" Arlandy said after he noticed Altor stopping.

For a split second there, he suddenly remembered a memory in his past, while he was in one of the battle with the Magistoids on Earth.

-------------

"You should have some patience on this. Magistoids' magic and their proclivity in using it can be unpredictable. You need to think wise before you go on a battle with them." A gentle stern voice said it.

"Hmph! Yeah, unpredictable. Like you right?" Makino said rudely by accident.

This caused a blowback inside of him, almost as it was against on his principles. Principles that was taught to him. He then suddenly stand up with his back front of him, he said with a somewhat apologetic tone.

"I'm...sorry....I know what I'm doing. Okay?"

"I understand." He gently said.

He armed his shot gun with magic enhanced bullets, ready for the fight.

Kachak!!

"Let's go now."

"Yeah, I know, Ardugo."

They started to crawled from a huge crevice from a ruins of a building as they started their against the Magistoids.