The deeper they had fallen the stronger the winds had become, by now they were a storm that would have made travelling any further without Kass’ Flow Balls an exhaustive struggle. As it stood, now they were just a nuisance that could be used. There was no need to hold tightly onto the walls since the wind was more than enough to keep them up while waiting. Waiting for Milim to return though only Lyca and Crya actually remembered the sparrow-bee’s existence

“Ugh, all this waiting is making my fingers itch…” Kass whined impatiently, thrumming against the side of her cannon.

“It isn’t that bad.” Max mused from the side, fiddling around with his wires. He grinned. “But we could play rock-paper-scissors if you want to?”

Amused the twins watched from the side as the game began. The leopard was a beast at the game and the crowned champion of the Desert Garden. Not that that bothered Kass. No, she had her own game here. In the end Max had won 21 out of the 34 games played but Kass was still looking rather smug.

“Heh, this time you didn’t get to win ten times in a row!” She declared victoriously and he frowned.

“Yeah, I think I’ve been slacking…”

“Slacking, he says.” Crya snorted and Lyca hid her soft giggle behind a hand.

The game laid to rest for the moment, no other distraction came to live as the small form of Milim shot out of the dark below. The winds carried him and his words upwards. Sneaking into the heart of Dampfstadt had come to an end.

“Haa, and here I had hoped we would be able to avoid a fight…” Lyca sighed.

———

The alarms were deafening as they through the cavern, the sound reflected by the smooth walls and broken where they were rugged. The moment Milim had crossed the threshold between the pumps and the waters they drank from he had disturbed the sensors. Even as powerful of a tool his stealth was, it was most effective against people and not the unrelenting sight of Amber sensitive machinery.

“Finally…” Leora breathed out as yet unfelt tension fell from her shoulders. Without hesitation she leapt forwards, following the call of the east-most pillar that had been breached. It was a bit annoying that she had been at the direct opposite primary pump but she trust that Kai would be able to hold out until Mirabelle and Lagua caught up with him.

Lagua had been assigned as the contact with the Research Team when the alarms drowned out any conversation. The moment they were lowered to a more manageable level he had called in on Herald and Selene.

“Report.” His voice cut through then noise clear and concise.

“East-most pillar. Single invader, probably a scout. Either went back to warn the others or has already moved into the cavern proper.” Selene replied just quick.

The sensors sadly weren’t calibrated to discern in what direction they had been disturbed, they hadn’t been any time, so they had to go with guesswork.

“Good. Stay in position. We need to keep an eye out for the others still.” Lagua nodded and then added. “Always good to have backup.”

He cut off the call and moved. Eastern pillar, huh? Then Kai would likely be the first to clash with their intruders. His mind recalled what he had memorised of the surrounding terrains. Mostly flat landscape with a multitude of smaller lakes and ponds dotting the surface. He winced. Barely anywhere for him to set up his sniping position. Not even behind a crystal, focused within the depths of the lakes as they were around there. And the water often stood at least up to your ankles.

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Within the Research Centre, Herald let out an annoyed groan, slumping in his seat as their latest game of Duel Astral laid forgotten.

“Great, backup. I just love being backup.” The doberman grumbled annoyed and stood up to gaze out of the panorama window. His gaze darted over the distant landscape before locking in on the eastern pillar. His fingers tapped against the haft of his blade. An amused smile tugged at his lips. “I really should’ve expected as much…”

“Well, always save your trump card until it’s needed and I’ve to say you make for a good bodyguard.” Selene hummed behind him, giving a smug little smile as she brandished her wand.

“Oi! I’m more than just your bodyguard!”

“I didn’t think that needed to be said~” She teased him with a impish twinkle and he huffed.

But under the playful banter was steel as they gazed together over the cavern ahead. And for all her teasing words, Herald knew that when it came down to it, the mouse truly was their ace in the hole. Sure, he was an incredible swordsman but in this land of volatile Amber, Selene’s skills as an Ace Mage of Ebenerz gave her much more power and control than any other member of their group. A grin curled his lips as he noticed the unwitting pun.

And in the distance, Mirabelle rushed to Kai’s side as he overlooked the pillar rising out of the vast lake. A single metal catwalk connected the edge with the intricate machinery build within its centre.

“Looks like we’re in this together.” She smiled at him, readying her two massive shields as they rammed into the ground. They looked like the two halfs of a massive spear tip.

“Yeah.” Kai replied and a soft sigh escaped him as she reassuringly met his eyes. There was no hiding how nervous he was, huh? But then, he wasn’t going to let his nerves get to him.

He gazed over his massive shield gate across the lake, let those intruders come. They would learn not to underestimate the City Guard!

“… Herald would tease me to the Abyss if he ever heard my thoughts.” Kai groaned and smile as Mirabelle let out a snort.

———

Out of the storm blown pipe had become a rapid slide for Babylon’s team as the Flow Balls below them cut through the wind. Lyca and Crya shot out of the opening first, the cavern’s lake’s surface like a laminate plane as it bowed down before them. Where the water was sucked inside the other pumps.

Their feet landed with splash on the seemingly calm surface, disturbing it, and skated up the sliding hill of water thanks to Kass’ Flow Balls. Said jerboa was right behind them, the extra weight of her canon easily compensated for thanks to the control she had over her own Flow Balls. Max was right at her side while Milim clung unnoticed to his favourite resting spot.

Kai and Mirabelle hadn’t really know what to expect from the intruders but them just skating over the waters instead of being overly hindered by them was rather unfortunate.

A crimson glow enveloped the leading pair and then they came to face the Scarlet Bandits. And Kai thanked whatever insanity was at work that they were actually clad in cloth, however sparse it was, instead of facing him in the nude as they were noted to do normally.

———

Within her hidden hollow of crystal, Flizz rubbed her hands with eyes of twinkling violet. A malevolent smirk split her face apart.

Haggard laid sprawled on his back, looking bored and annoyed, and now sat up in anticipation as he noted her reaction. Crimson crackled across his back.

———

Rehn gazed through her Third Eye as the world around it washed away, following the link back to the depths below.

Something glitched.

Immediately the sight of a vast cavern opened up before her. Black stone tinted in prismatic blue. A flat but rugged landscape of countless lakes. All of it she overlooked from above.

Against this background she saw. The duo of Lyca and Crya flying backwards, fully transformed into their crimson forms. And on ahead… It was like a section of the world itself had turned into cracked static noise. A moving hole in reality that consumed her vision.

Rehn only had a split second to wonder what was going on before reality itself seemed to distort and pierce directly through her Third Eye… and then she could think no more.

It was like her mind was flailed by razor wire and burning, rusty nails were hammered through her brain. It was an agony unlike any she had ever experienced before. She had been robbed of all thought and feelings but the most purest of pain.

Was it a wonder then, the only thing she could do was scream?