Al and the team boarded the advanced jet provided by the I.P.S(Institute for Practical Science), with Loh' following closely behind. As they settled into their seats, Cesar addressed the group, emphasizing the importance of their upcoming task.
"Once we arrive, our priority is to locate the entrance described in our intel," Cesar explained. "Despite the enemy's inactive portals and the absence of significant movements, we should expect anything."
Cesar's words prompted a nod of agreement from the team. After Cesar said down Loh' addressed the team passionately. "While the war may have momentarily ceased, now is the prime opportunity to unite the forces of the world," Loh' proclaimed.
"With the God Leaves understanding, we can seek contact with the Dark and Light Acolytes. The Church powers will undoubtedly follow suit once we bring them into our alliance. This Earth will have its best chance at survival, considering the first move by the Rakh-ahtan nearly wiped us all out."
Al listened attentively, quietly contemplating the feasibility of an alliance with the Dark and Light Acolytes. Memories of Roman and Raul, both captains of a Mortal Ring, and Godfrey, an Immortal, treating those creatures as mindless disasters lingered in his mind. Were they truly capable of intelligent cooperation?
Asoto', gave a short groan and separated himself from the group, clearly affected by some underlying tension.
Agnethe seized the moment to voice her thoughts, her tone firm. "After the last mission, I believe I have proven my worth to the group, I propose that Asoto' learn English. His constant groaning and leering needs to stop."
The sudden statement caught everyone off guard, and all eyes turned to Asoto'. He halted in his tracks, pivoting to fix his gaze upon Agnethe, slowly uttering "No" in a deep voice. He stunned not only Agnethe but also everyone else present.
Breaking through the thick clouds, the landscape beneath them gradually appeared. It was a desolate wasteland as far as the eye could see. The land seemed to have crumpled inwards, with one piece of earth overlapping another. Debris-strewn areas were charred, evidence of a sweeping flame that had ravaged the land.
But soon, the scenery transformed. The land became lush and verdant, depicting fertility and life. However, a dry riverbed stood in the distance, reminding the viewer of the land's harsh reality.
As the jet descended, it dropped off the seven individuals near a lengthy crevice in the ground, a natural incision that, if water flowed, would create a breathtaking waterfall.
Loh' began explaining the information they received from the I.P.S. "According to the report, there should be an entrance at the bottom of the dried-up crevice," he said. However, before Loh' could finish, Asoto' brushed past him, paying no attention to the rest of the conversation.
They finally reached the bottom of the crevice after a long walk that carried them into the nearing sunset. The once-flowing water had evaporated, but still, there was no visible entrance in sight.
Al scanned the surroundings, searching for any signs of an opening, when a familiar voice echoed from his ring, catching his attention. "To your right," the voice directed. Al wasted no time and shouted to the others, "Look to our right!"
Although nothing seemed unusual at first, a falling rock caught their attention. To their surprise, the rock began to expand and undergo a mesmerizing transformation, gradually shaping into a Satyr—an imposing figure nearly as tall as Cesar.
"Greetings, gentlemen. My name is Saladin Nennius, I decide who enters the Lightning-stone's 3rd Immortal Ring," the half-man, half-ram creature said in a soothing voice.
"I sense faint traces of Will within you five, I'm guessing, your unrecognized disciples. However, who are you two?" he inquired, pointing at Asoto and Loh'.
Cesar stepped forward, preparing to respond, but Loh interjected. "Senior, my name is Loh' Pohlieus. I represent the Institute for Practical Science—a collective of the world's most brilliant minds, I want to speak to your Captain and anyone else in authority."
Asoto' interrupted, struggling to pronounce the words, "Tonovia... we are Tonovians." Saladin's gaze shifted toward the two towering, muscular blue men.
"If you seek to establish an alliance with the Lightning-Stone Leaf, you came to the right place. Our god Lightning-Stone has a wide circle of friends and possesses an open mind. You claim to be part of the world's smartest minds, but we do not hold much regard for the world. If you can answer my questions correctly, however, I will take you to meet my captain. But f you fail, I expect all the merits from the phantom seed you have enlisted to help you." Saladin remarked.
The atmosphere grew tense as the weight of Saladin's challenge settled upon the group.
Al and Cesar looked at each other, Jin, Ellie, and finally Agnethe. “Well, we have been staying with the I.P.S. for a while now. Despite almost losing our lives, it has been a comfortable stay,” said Ellie. The rest slowly agreed, with Agnethe being the last to agree.
Saladin's smile widened, satisfied with their collective decision. He then posed his question, probing their understanding. "What is the difference between day and night?" Loh' entered a state of deep contemplation, but Cesar leaned in and whispered, "One is characterized by light, while the other is enveloped in darkness." At the same time, Jin interjected, "The Day signifies All-being, while the Night represents Non-being."
Ellie, eager to contribute her perspective, spoke up. "My mother taught me that the Day embodies masculinity, while the night embodies femininity. It symbolizes the harmonious integration of the higher and with the lower."
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Al and Agnethe remained silent. They agreed with Jin, Ellie, and Cesar's different answers.
Meanwhile, Loh' continued to contemplate, searching for the correct answer. "I do not rely on dreamy ideals or abstract interpretations. I am a man of logic, and my strength lies in observation," he thought.
Finally, he answered, "The day is ruled by One, while the night is ruled by the many." Saladin's gaze remained fixed on Loh' as he posed another question, "Does the One follow the many, or is it the many that follow the One?"
This time, no one offered suggestions to Loh'. Each team member pondered the question, including Loh' himself, who recalled the teachings of his brilliant teacher. She was the greatest mind known to Tonovia.
After contemplating, a thought flashed through his mind, and Loh' responded with conviction, “The two speak to each other. It is the word spoken between both that is followed. The word made flesh, living breath. The Many and the One follow the way of life.”
Saladin felt like he had reached an epiphany. His eyes sparkled with approval. "You may lack Will, but you are brilliant, Loh' Pohlieus. I will talk to my captain on your behalf." Saladin said.
With that, Saladin led them back to the bottom of the crevice. This time, he revealed his brown-colored C-stone, which caused an opening to appear, leading into a tunnel. They ventured further into the depths of the unknown.
As they ventured deeper into the 3rd Immortal Ring of the Lightning-Stone Leaf, the team couldn't help but be captivated by the presence of numerous cultivators who possessed humanoid animal forms.
Similarly, Loh' and Asoto' drew the attention of those they encountered. Their unique blue skin and bulking size made them stand out amidst the diverse crowd. Saladin guided them toward the central hub of the ring, the Task Center, located at the heart of the Immortal Ring.
Soon, they stood before a reptilian figure, a foot taller than Loh' and Asoto'. Clad in a regal brown and blue robe adorned with "Choutsei" stitched on it. The reptilian being wielded an imposing axe.
Saladin summoned Loh and the rest to join them. The reptilian entity introduced himself as Kuotsou Choutsei, the Captain of the Immortal Ring they had entered. "I understand your desire to assist, but the God Leaves have already devised a plan to address the Rakh-ahtan predicament," was the Captain's first sentence.
Loh' remained composed and replied, "We do not ask for your strength. The collaboration proposed by the I.P.S. involves exchanging and sharing knowledge and information, that is all."
Loh's words conveyed their genuine intentions and a desire for mutual benefit rather than hiding an agenda. The team patiently awaited Captain Kuotsou Choutsei's response, hopeful their proposition would be met with understanding and openness.
Asoto seemed bothered by Loh's response but remained quiet. "Even animals pick up shiny objects. Despite your lack of understanding, you might have something of value your kind has picked up through the ages," the immortal lizard said.
He added, "I will give you some discernment so you might know who you are dealing with. There are six God Leafs comprised of 24 rings called Seeds. Each seed is a team of 6 cultivators. The first 5 are Immortal Seeds, which are made up of 30 Immortal cultivators. Between all six God Leafs, there are 180 Immortal Cultivators. Under the 5 Immortal Seeds are 19 Mortal Seeds. Making a total of 634 Mortal Chasm cultivators in all the six God Leafs, 864 positions total."
Al and the rest were left speechless. "There's something more to this; I just can't see it," Al thought, but Loh' spoke up. "That's a Hexagonal system. You're mimicking nature, like beehives, turtle shells, or the molecular structure of carbon."
Captain Kuotsou Choutsei began laughing and shut Loh down. "It seems you know something. But what you know, lacks understanding. We are not mimicking nature. We are mimicking the law on which nature is based. If there isn't a mind sharper than yours among the Tonovians, we might not be useful to each other."
Loh' felt he had just been given the key to the problem he and Robert had been working on.
Before departing, Captain Kuotsou Choutsei made a revealing statement, his words echoing through the air. "I am aware of your kind as well. Not long ago, the Evergreen Leaf encountered many of your young ones, led by a Tonovian named Goeh' Tahloew."
Asoto' abruptly rose from his seat, his voice filled with anger as he shouted in his Tonovian language, "So, Tonovia has fallen after all. Our mission, given to us by our Father of fathers, was in vain,"
Loh looked at his companion with fury hidden beneath his cold eyes and exclaimed, "Asoto' Tinneus, you no longer need to accompany me for my protection. You are free to pursue your path. But I, Loh' Pohlieus, will continue working with Robert and the I.P.S to ensure the complete annihilation of the Rakh-ahtan."
They had known each other since childhood. Asoto' locked eyes with Loh', "I will go to my people. Someone must protect what you have failed," he stated in broken English.
Asoto's declaration hung in the air, leaving Al and the team bewildered and struggling to comprehend the magnitude of the situation. Loh', unperturbed by the chaos, calmly walked away.
Al and the rest followed Loh's lead without hesitation, placing their trust in him. As they flew back to the I.P.S., Al couldn't shake off his curiosity and sought an explanation from Loh' about the concept of the One and the Many following the Living Word.
However, Loh' delved into an educational lesson on molecular processes triggered by day and night.
Hours passed, and they arrived at the I.P.S., but Loh' had yet to conclude his explanation. Al and the rest felt overwhelmed by the influx of information, their minds fried hours ago.
Disembarking from the aircraft, they reunited with Robert, giving him a detailed account of their mission's partial success. Recognizing their efforts, Robert granted them a few days of much-needed rest. However, their respite was short-lived when Cesar summoned the team for an urgent meeting, with Loh' and Robert in attendance.
"We are facing an escalating assault on our Antarctic base, with a growing number of infected creatures, including a Rakh-ahtan warrior," Cesar informed them. "Your team will be deployed to defend the base for 30 days while we initiate extraction protocols to safeguard our valuable data and personnel. As Asoto' played a crucial role in the team's strength, we will provide you with inhalers to last the entire duration to compensate for his loss."
Robert then revealed, "I will be sending reinforcements, familiar faces. We have enhanced our super skins to support our super soldiers better." The team absorbed the briefing, their minds shifting to preparation mode for the imminent mission.
As they left the room and prepared themselves, Robert expressed his confidence in their abilities to Loh'. "Thanks to your change of heart, Loh', the experimentation phase has finally been concluded, and the tests have yielded positive results," he remarked.
Loh' maintained a stoic expression, unwavering in his resolve. "I have no concerns whatsoever," he responded. "Too many lives have been lost in this war. We cannot allow the death of a few to deter us now."