They’d slowed down. The procession, now out in the open cavern of the real-world version of Undercity had slowed to a crawl. Ronin was doing his best to keep calm, but he was getting antsy. They’d been in the cave for a week already, and he didn’t know how long it would take the lizard ship to get from Jupiter to earth.
“Parden me, elder?” He finally said, when the group had slowed down even further. “I hate to rush you, but we need to hurry. The lizards are going to be here any day now, and we have to do what we came here for, before then.” The Daoist Priest didn’t change his stride, only continued to plod along at the same pace he’d slowed to an hour earlier.
“Impatience isn’t a virtue, young man.” The elder said, not bothering to look at him. “I’m an old man, if you hadn’t noticed, and many of our number are purely human. We’ve been walking nonstop for days because of your urgings. But we can’t go much faster than this, without leaving some of our number behind.” Ronin flushed a little from embarrassment at the gentle rebuke. He’d gotten so used to his bodies near endless stamina that he hadn’t thought about the others at all. Still, they had to move.
“Elder, I’m sorry to come off as rude. But we need to find what we came here for. If we take too long, we are all going to die. We have to…”
“Center yourself, young man.” The old man said, waving his cane dismissively. “We will arrive at the city when we arrive. Rushing at this stage wouldn’t benefit us at all. When we arrive, you and I will have tea with young Leo and Mycroft. That is when we will talk.” After saying that, the old man stopped talking entirely. No matter what Ronin did or said, he couldn’t get a response from the Priest. Giving up, he decided to pass the time taking in the cave as they walked.
Ronin initially tried to spot differences between this cavern and the one he was used to seeing. Eventually, he found it easier to look for similarities, since so much had changed. There was no sign of mushroom forest. Only deep loamy soil, which looked off, after two hundred years without any new organic matter. Ronin searched everywhere for even the dried-out husk of a mushroom, but there was nothing.
Next, they came to the place where the bridge should have been located across the deep gorge. Shockingly, both were gone. Now, the entire area had been filled with a large underground lake. Ronin frowned, wondering why he hadn’t seen this back at the ledge when they’d arrived. He shrugged it off as a trick of his night vision and the topography of the cavern. A thought struck him then that had panic gripping his chest.
“Wait,” he said, looking around. “How are we supposed to cross this? It’s much too large to swim, and I don’t think the suits could make the trip, to say nothing of our equipment.”
“As I said,” the old Priest said, raising a flare gun into the air and firing off a shot into the sky. “It wouldn’t have done us any good to rush earlier.” Under the light the flare produced, Ronin saw the other side clearly. There was a boat, large enough it might actually be classified as a ship, tied at the other shore. At the flare, he saw figures begin rushing around the deck. They hauled on a large chain, which spanned the entire lake. Thanks to the light, he saw something else as well, and it looked like he wasn’t the only one.
“Oh my gosh, White Flame, do you see that?” Elyria asked, pointing into the city. Ronin followed her finger, though he already noticed what she meant.
“I do,” he said simply. “I can’t believe I missed that before.” The slow burning flare had lit the city, and before it burnt out, Ronin saw the four giant stalagmites he’d seen growing inside the city limits clearly. Only they weren’t stalagmites, they were crystal trees.
Ronin blinked against the blindness the flare had left in its wake, trying to get his night vision back, in order to see what he’d missed before. He cursed internally, wishing he still had his cybernetic vision. Since the night vision his crystal body had was apparently far inferior.
“How did those get down here, and… how do they survive without sunlight?” Ronin asked, looking up at the crystal trees. They weren’t two hundred years old, because they were too small for that, but they had to be at least fifty. Since they looked a lot like the one in the enclosure.
“Master gathered them decades ago,” Aurex said with pride evident in his voice. “He wanted to create a settlement here for everyone to live in one day. Without the need for the ship. It’s where we are going to make our stand against the lizards…” Ronin thought the man would say more, but a sideways look from the old man shut him up instantly.
“Thank you, Aurex.” He said quietly, tapping his cane on the ground as he waited for the ship to arrive. “Don’t bother our guests overly much with those minor details, please.” After that, they waited in silence. Ronin didn’t know why the old man didn’t want to give them any information, but he decided to go back to the decision he’d made days ago, and just wait and see. After all, it wasn’t worth a fight if they would find out soon anyway.
Climbing aboard the boat, Ronin was worried it wouldn’t take the weight of their armor and equipment. Thankfully, they were underground and there was no wind at all to sway the ship. The captain just spread them out to evenly distribute the weight, and had Ronin and Jaya pull the thick chain on the way back.
It was really an ingenious idea, Ronin thought. To have the chain span the lake like that. All they had to do was pull on the chain hard enough to move the entire boat. Between the two powerful armored suits, the ride across the lake took a quarter of the time it had taken it to reach them, and before long, they were climbing off the boat to comments from the captain wishing he had a few of those suits to pull the ship all the time.
“This way please,” the old man said, gesturing them down a well-worn path, leading towards the city. Ronin was still in a hurry, but he’d resigned himself to waiting on the old man. During the walk, he again tried to find similarities between this city and the one he remembered. Again, there were a few, but the perfectly square buildings were now so time worn they didn’t look like cubes anymore. The four giant trees sprouting up in the city didn’t help anything either. A few of the nearest buildings had been knocked down from the rapid growth of the plants. Still wanting to know how the trees grew underground, Ronin craned his neck upwards as he walked under the trees. He thought he could see wasps flying around far overhead, but if so, they were tiny compared to the ones he was used to, proving once again that these trees were young.
As they walked, Ronin caught sight of several people he’d seen before on the ship. The clockwork couple and their clockwork guardians were present, as were the futuristic goth crew, with their guns, makeup, and black coats. They got several stares and a few pointed whispers as they passed, but no one interfered after seeing the old man walking at the head of the procession. Unsurprisingly, the old man took them directly towards the castle in the center of the city. Only now, it was called a temple. They only stopped once they’d reached a large room that was empty of everything, save several large clay jars piled up at the far end.
“If you would wait here for a time,” the old man said once they’d reached the room. “Feel free to make yourself more comfortable by slipping out of that armor, you will have a hard time drinking your tea in there anyway… I will have someone bring you to me once I’ve settled a few things.” After that, he left. The twenty plus men and women outside the room’s only door, was all that was needed to tell Ronin that they weren’t supposed to leave.
“So, what now?” He asked, looking at Leo and Mycroft. Who’d both been uncharacteristically silent for the last few days.
“Might as well get out of the suits and get them charging.” Leo said with a shrug that caused the fur of his mane to bounce. “The Priest might be a power-hungry old geezer, but he keeps his word. He said we are his guests, so he will treat us as guests… as long as we act respectfully, we are safe enough.” Ronin frowned but did as he was instructed. The suit’s battery meter was sitting at 18% anyway, and he wanted to charge it.
“What aren’t you telling me?” He asked once he’d climbed out of the suit and plugged it into a charger. “I can tell your hiding something, I need to know what it is if it will affect my team.” It was as firm as he had ever been with Leo, but he felt it was necessary under the circumstances.
“Look, young man.” Doctor Mycroft said for both of them. “We spent a few years down here a few decades ago. It was a good time in our lives, but it ended poorly. We don’t want to talk about it, but no, it won’t affect you. The Priest doesn’t go in for guilt by association.” Ronin frowned at the mention of this, Priest, like he was a lot more powerful than he looked. He’d asked about the man’s name on the trip over, but he’d been told no one knew it. That he went by old man or Priest.
“Very well,” he said at last, turning to Karr and his troop. “Sergeant Karr, I don’t know what to expect here, but every indication is if we don’t attack anyone, or respond negatively in any way, we will be safe here. So, for the time being, please keep an eye on our gear, and don’t let anyone cause trouble.” His eyes might have shifted over to Jackson at that last comment, but if Karr noticed he didn’t let on.
“Understood sir.” He said, saluting. After that, there was nothing to do but wait. They ate a small meal, consisting of a glass of nutrient fluid, and a few aphid crystal cores. Then, they waited some more. Ronin was sparring with Jackson, at K3’s insistence, when someone finally arrived to collect them.
“The Priest sends his greetings, and invites Ronin, Elyria, Leo, and Mycroft to have tea with him.” After speaking, the man dressed in Daoist robes bowed and gestured towards the door. Turning to K3, Ronin nodded at the giant and thumped him lightly on the chest with his fist, before following the robed man from the room, Elyria at his side.
“Thank you for accepting my invitation.” The Priest said, once they’d all been seated around a low table. The Priest poured each of them a cup of hot water, putting a pouch of dried leaves into his own cup, he dropped a crystal core into each of his guest’s, after dripping something on them from a small bottle. Ronin raised a brow at his cup, seeing the core dissolving in the hot water. He didn’t think it would do that without crystalized saliva acting to break the core’s hard shell.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
“Don’t worry, young man.” The Priest said with a faint smile. “I distilled ladybug saliva into a concentrated, and disinfected, catalyst that activates the crystal breakdown. It’s quite safe, I assure you.” Looking at Leo and Mycroft, he saw they were already sipping their tea, so he shrugged and followed suit. He wouldn’t say it was delicious, but drinking the nutrient fluid hot like this did change the flavor. He’d have to experiment with this again in the future, if they lived through this.
“Priest, I…” He started but was once again cut off with an upraised hand.
“First, I would like to enjoy my tea.” The Priest said, sipping at his cup. “This is good. Sadly, there are only so many herbs that survived the end of our reign over this planet. I do so enjoy the rare occasion I get to savor tea with guests.” He didn’t speak again until he’d finished his cup and poured himself a second, then he looked directly at Ronin and spoke. “Now, I would like you to tell me what you meant when you said you have to reach the ship. Because I assure you, young man. There is no ship in these caves.”
“I am glad you had the chance to enjoy your tea, elder.” Ronin said politely, “but I assure you, there is a ship down here. At least, there was one ninety million years ago.” He amended, a sudden fear gripping his heart the ship might have been removed after the beetle’s had probed the planet but before the rise of humanity. No, he couldn’t think like that, he had to keep hoping. “I discovered this cave in my pocket world. What some call personal realms and the beetles call stasis stones. It is down here… though, with as much as the landscape has changed, we might have to search a little bit more than I hoped, to find it.”
“Again, young man, I must insist there is no ship down here. I’ve lived here for… a very long time, if there was a ship, I would have found it. So, I am forced now to ask about the real reason behind your visit. Please, try to be truthful this time. Lying isn’t something I can abide in perpetuity.” Ronin opened his mouth to argue, when a thought struck him, and he looked around the room they were seated in.
It was a wreck, but he thought he recognized the small alcoves up near the ceiling where the hobats had once perched, and… yes, the dais where the throne once rested. It had been converted to a shrine of some kind, with a statue of a large flood dragon winding its way around a cracked and crumbled pillar of stone that might, once, have been a throne.
“How long did you say you lived down here, elder?” Ronin asked, turning his gaze back towards the Priest.
“Since before the fall, young man. This priest follows the path of Daoism and has learned a few things over the centuries about extending my life. Though, I’m afraid even my fortune will run out soon. Now, please answer my question. My patience grows thin.” Ignoring the implied threat, Ronin kept looking the old man in the eye as he next spoke.
“Is that so, I confess I haven’t studied Daoism, unless you count what I’ve read in wuxia novels. But it must be something special, to extend your life so long.” He sipped his tea, before dropping his final question. “By any chance, do you mind if I sit on the throne, resting inside the dragon statue’s coils?” The question had barely left his mouth when the old man moved. He was so fast that not even Elyria, who’d made her body around the ability to move quickly, reacted in time. Within a second, there was a thin knife pressed against Ronin’s throat, and the angry face of the Priest was inches from his own.
“How do you know?” He asked, voice barely above a hiss. Elyria, who’d been caught off guard, darted forward, short sword in hand, only to be stopped by Leo’s strong arms.
“Leave it girl, he’s too fast, and too strong. Trust the kid to do this, it’s all we can do now.” She struggled but gave up after a second and sat back down. Eyes burning holes into the old man’s body, and hand now resting on her sidearm’s grip.
“Smart girl.” The Priest said, never taking his eyes from Ronin’s. “Tell me how you know about the pedestal?” He asked again, knife never wavering from its place at Ronin’s neck.
“I told you,” Ronin said calmly. “I found this place in my pocket world. It was infested by hobgoblins and batlins, but we cleared it out. One of mine now sits on the throne. She grew quite a bit and gained immortality… at least, if what the old king said was accurate anyway.” He spoke as calmly as he could, with a knife pressed against his throat, hoping his earnestness would convince the old man.
“That’s how I know there is a ship down here. A lizard ship, one we can use to escape the planet. We can take all of you with us too, even crystallize the natural humans who still live here… but we have to do it now. If we can’t find out how they got the ship down here, we won’t be able to leave… please, help us, and we’ll help you.” They stared into each other’s eyes for a long time, but eventually, the old man relented and sat back.
“Fine,” he said eventually. “But I am going to need to see proof before I allow you free rein over my home… and you’ll swear to me now that you won’t touch my throne or disclose any information about it to anyone else who doesn’t already know… all of you.” He added, looking at Elyria, Leo, and Mycroft. Ronin smiled then, knowing they’d won, if not an ally, at least a temporary accomplice.
* * *
They talked for several hours. Getting to know one another, and proving to the Priest they were telling the truth. After Ronin exposed his secret, he shared a little of his past. If he was to be believed, he was more than five thousand years old. Having stumbled onto the city after he’d wandered into a cave to die. He’d reached old age, and wanted to die in peace, instead, he’d gained immortality. It was an interesting story if nothing else, but Ronin couldn’t focus on it, with so much riding on their mission.
“Priest,” a robed human man said, entering the throne room, turned temple, at a run. “There’s activity from the satellites, you need to see this.” The old man sprang to his feet at the words, and darted towards the door, slowing long enough to instruct the younger priest to escort his guests to the observation room, as he left.
“If you would follow me then,” the still out of breath priest said, gesturing towards the door. “I will lead you to our observation room.” They followed the man, who was breathing heavily inside his mask, down several long halls, until they entered a room that looked like it came straight out of a book about NASA. There were rows upon rows of computers lined up, and a large screen that took up most of the far wall. That screen was now showing a ship of human design, blasting off from the moon.
“Those rotten dogs,” Aurex said. Ronin didn’t notice the man before he’d spoken, and cursing himself for ignoring his surroundings, did a quick scan. Fabius stood beside Aurex, the clockwork couple and two of the goths, who referred to themselves as the twilight court, were standing there as well. He was glad K3 wasn’t here to see his laps, otherwise he’d be in for extra sparring sessions with Jackson.
“I saw that,” Elyria said with a wink, but dropped the topic when the screen swiveled around. It was now pointed out, away from the sun. Ronin squinted, but it proved unnecessary when the view zoomed out, until it came to rest on the lizard ship, which had now passed mar’s orbit.
“At the current speed, it will be here in approximately two days.” Someone said from behind Ronin, though he was too preoccupied to find out who. He cursed, knowing he had to move faster, and that, even if he did, it wouldn’t matter. Still, there had to be something he could do…
“Do you know how to get in touch with Owl two, or Xerox from here?” He asked Elyria, turning to her once he’d thought of something. “I need to contact him, right now.”
“I,” she said, confused at his intense stare. “I don’t, he’s been contacting us. Though I know he monitors all channels, so…” Before she could even finish speaking, Ronin rushed to the old Priest’s side.
“Can you give me an open channel to the beetle ship?” The old man turned to him but didn’t ask any questions after looking into Ronin’s eyes for a moment.
“Of course,” he said after only a second’s hesitation. Bending down, he hit several keys on a nearby keyboard and then turned back to Ronin. “Just hit this button… I put it on speaker, hope you don’t mind.” Ronin didn’t have time to play the games, and it might be better if the Priest heard what he was going to say anyway.
“Owl Two, this is Ronin, can you hear me?” He asked, after he’d pressed his hand down on the red button in front of the microphone on the desk. “Owl Two, this is Ronin, I need to talk to you.” Less than a minute passed before he heard the emotionless voice echoing out through the room.
“My lord, this is not a secured line. If you would wait just…”
“It doesn’t matter anymore, Owl Two, you can see as well as I can that the government has left, and the lizards are almost here. I need…”
“I have secured the line, please go ahead my lord.” Owl Two said, continuing after a pause that made Ronin bite back a retort at the damned robot.
“…Thank you, Owl Two.” He said, taking a deep breath. “I need to know how long before you have to evacuate the ship?”
“My Xerox has everything loaded onto a number of dropships. I was waiting until I’d heard from you before pulling the trigger. Once I separate from the ship, I won’t be able to contact you again until you and my copy have fixed the ship. At current estimates, however, I will have to leave in thirty-two hours.” Ronin blinked at that; he hadn’t known the android would be shut down. Did that mean his pocket world would be shut off as well? He cast the thought aside as not being important at the moment and got back to the matter at hand.
“Can you still crystalize people into my world?” He asked at last, getting to the real reason for the call.
“My Xerox has already disconnected that function, my lord. He could reinstall the needed hardware, but it would take six hours, then another six hours to pack it away again. That would leave you with a twenty-hour window to crystallize more humans, but I would insist on at least a four-hour safety window, so call it sixteen hours, starting six hours from now. Why, have you found more… Ah, I’ve just hacked into the data banks for your location… yes, I will get my copy working on this. Have you had any luck finding a way for me to get to the ship with the equipment we need?” Ronin listened to the android talk, a wave of relief flooding through him when he realized he would be able to save these people after all.
“Not yet, Owl Two.” Ronin said, feeling much more confident now than he had before. “You just get started reconnecting whatever it is you need to, in order to crystallize the people down here, and I promise I’ll find it before you have to launch.” The conversation wrapped up quickly after that, and Ronin turned to the now staring Priest, and his expression was all business when he next spoke.
“I can crystallize every natural human here, but we have a narrow window to do it in. While that is happening, I will need to take my team and go searching for the ship. You heard my researcher; we are on a deadline now. If we can’t get this done, then we’re all going to die.” The Priest, fingered his beard, looking at Ronin with consternation.
“You are asking me to take a lot on faith, young man.” He said at last, looking over to Leo and Mycroft who nodded their support of Ronin’s words. “I wouldn’t have agreed to this, for anything. Apart from I know Leo and Mycroft very well. We might not have ended our friendship on the best terms, but I respect their opinions. If they trust you, then so will I, but I won’t force anyone who doesn’t want to participate. Everyone here had resigned themselves to a glorious last stand before the end. So, if they don’t wish to go, I won’t allow you to force them.”
“That’s fine,” Ronin said, feeling relieved. “We have picked up a few other survivors already, and in both cases, there were people who didn’t want to go. We respected that choice… now if you will excuse me. I have a ship to find.” Waiting only long enough to get a nod of approval from the Priest, Ronin turned and strode from the room, followed by Leo and Mycroft and with Elyria buzzing along at his shoulder. The twilight court and the clockwork couple looked at him as he passed with contemplative looks. While Fabius and Aurex’s expressions couldn’t be read behind the masks they wore. It didn’t matter. If they cooperated, Ronin would save them. If they stood in his way, however, Ronin would show them no mercy.