The Kingdom of Havoc trembled beneath the onslaught of invading forces, the clash of steel and the tormented cries of its people reverberated throughout the kingdom. Smoke hovered across the ceiling, slowly filling the room; outside, fires engulfed countless homes as Atla’s men stripped the people of their belongings.

King Robert stood amidst the chaos… “Demons!” he shouted, driving his blade into the stomach of an enemy before dropping to a knee. Using his sword as a crutch, he gazed up as his knights were slaughtered, one by one, until only he remained. Amid the turmoil, Chancellor Plut stepped into the room, his gaze meeting the King’s. “Why Plut?” the King’s voice rang out. “Why has Venitas betrayed us?!”

Chancellor Plut smiled. “You humor me. Venitas believes it is you who has betrayed him. You see, his beloved went missing, unfortunately, by the time they found them, it was already too late. The man responsible—a soldier from Havoc, who also happened to be carrying a layout of our kingdom’s defenses.”

“Preposterous, what could we possibly gain from such meaningless killing? It goes against our honor! My men would never break such a pact.”

“True. The soldiers produced from Havoc are something; it made pitting ourselves against you all these years, quite problematic,” the Chancellor waved his hand, and soldiers of Atlas surrounded the king. “In truth, the matter is more complex than it appears. You see, it was I who orchestrated this betrayal,” he confessed.

“You... this is your doing?” King Robert said.

The Chancellor nodded. “Regrettably, alliances are only as strong as the other is willing to put out, but with Havoc completely under Atlas’s control, our ambitions can rise much higher than before.”

“Open your eyes, he’s betrayed your king’s wishes for peace?!” King Robert said to the soldiers of Atlas.

“In our kingdom, honor lies more in the weight of gold, than it does in one's own moral code,” Chancellor Plut said, his heartless smug expression unchanged. “I suppose I should be saying in luminites,” he said, picking up a shard he noticed on a table nearby. “Starting tomorrow, it’ll be our new form of currency around here.”

“Cowards! You should be ashamed of yourselves!” the king said, but the soldiers of Atlas stood firm, swords directed at him.

“Fear not, for it was all done for the good of Atlas. Our kingdom will rise stronger than ever before, thanks to your incompetence,” the Chancellor said.

“What of the people of Havoc?!”

“The Ceres tunnels seem suitable enough,” he said, turning to leave.

“Plut!” the king yelled, but then, many swords lunged forward; his cry rang out, bringing a smile to the Chancellor’s face.

***

“Galactic Wave!” Neptus shouted. A black whirl appeared beneath Rai and Plu, hastily pulling them forward, immediately after, Neptus blinked.

“What the,” Rai stumbled, falling to his butt, though, when Neptus blinked, the galactic wave vanished, flinging him and Plu through the air. “Get over here!” Rai shouted, snatching Plu up.

Reappearing beside them, Neptus reactivated his galactic wave before Rai hit the ground, speedily carrying them away. “Up ahead!” he shouted, viewing a gaping hole; it was much larger than the tunnel they were in, however, even at the rate they were moving, the crumbling tunnel was closing in.

Rai intertwined his fingers. “Alright Plu, I hope we’ve got the same thing in mind here,” he said, buttoning his coat so Plu wouldn’t fall out. Plu’s gaze was on the collapsing tunnel. Extending his arms, Rai yelled, “Ikken!” he slammed into Neptus and the blast propelled them straight into the safety of the larger tunnel.

“Made it…” Rai said.

“Yeah… just barely…” Neptus said.

“Plu…”

Standing, Rai pulled out the amulet, lighting the area around him. “Guess there’s only one way to go,” however, he soon came to realize there was no other way.

“What’s wrong?” Neptus said, standing to his feet.

“Idiot, you trapped us!”

“Idiot?! If it weren’t for me you’d have been smushed!”

“Not even, it was my ikken that gave us the final push,” Rai folded his arms, turning away.

“So, you admit it’s your fault then,” Neptus said, doing the same.

“That’s not what I said stupid!” Rai shouted, pointing a finger at Neptus, and they both got into a wrestling match.

“Plu,” Plu said, gazing at something in the corner of the rocky cave.

“What is it Plu?” Rai said, holding Neptus in a headlock.

Plu was gazing at a small linear hole in the corner of the rocky tunnel.

“Hey, do you feel that?” Neptus said.

“Yeah… a breeze. But from where?”

Rai took another step forward, but in doing so, the ground started to crack. Quickly they retreated as it crumbled away, creating a wide hole.

Neptus kicked a rock in, but they never heard it hit the ground. “How far do you think it goes?” Neptus said.

“Plu, go first,” Rai said casually kicking it in.

“Pluuuuuuuu!” Its voice slowly faded.

Rai, contemplating it, said, “It might actually be pretty far down-”

“Pluuuuuuuu,” Plu’s voice suddenly reappeared, before fading away, just as before.

Puzzled, Rai looked into the hole, only to see Plu caught on a root; it was faking the plummet... “Get off, we need to see how far down it is,” Rai said, reaching down and shaking the root.

“Plu!” It replied, gripping the root with dear life.

“Come here you stubborn little-” Yanking the root out, the surface they stood on crumbled, dropping everyone into unknown depths.

“I hate youuu!” Neptus hollered.

***

Standing before another gaping abyss, Lily and the crew were crossing a thin rocky bridge formed over thousands of years from the mountain.

Eloise waited to cross last.

Lily, moving forward inch by inch, muttered, “Don’t look down. Don’t look down. Don’t look do- eep!”

Eiji had shaken her. “Gotcha,” Eiji said.

“Eiji!” Lily accidentally glanced down. Instantly, she clung onto Eiji, closing her eyes. “You made me look down!”

“Here,” Eiji said, picking Lily up, causing her to yelp yet again, before dashing forward with ease and setting her down.

“Are we there?” she asked.

“Yeup,” Eiji said, and Lily opened her eyes—just to find out she was nearly in the same spot... “Eiji!” she slapped him, sending him over the edge while swiftly closing her eyes, and hunching into a ball.

“Help!” Eiji said, legs dangling off the cliff.

“Help yourself,” Lily said stubbornly. Once they made it across, Lily shouted, “Eiji, I told you I have a fear of heights!”

“I was only trying to help. Face your fears, you know?”

“No! That was not okay,” she said, walking away.

“I’m in trouble…” Eiji muttered.

Eloise, crossing the bridge, flinched; something was off! Explosions rocked the bridge.

“Eloise!” Lily shouted.

“No need to worry,” Eloise said, standing behind them. “What use is blinking if not in moments like avoiding pathetic attempts on one’s life.” Eloise glared at the corner of the cave from which a woman appeared.

Sniffing the air, Lily turned, “Nefarian,” Lily said. And of Kalumi descent, like myself…

“Stella of the vanguard,” Eloise said.

“She’s wanted in our kingdom as well,” Mocorri said, furrowing his brows.

“I thought I recognized her face,” Lily said. She was one of the criminals whose hologram appeared on justice tower, within the plaza.

“I was hoping that would have done the job, but I suppose it was just wishful thinking,” Stella said, sighing. She had small red cat-like ears, and her eyes and hair were also cherry red.

“What’s a criminal like you doing in Atla’s caves?” Eloise demanded an answer.

“Oh, you are as fierce as they say. It’s obvious, no?” Stella said.

“Primordial…” Mocorri said, furrowing his brows.

“Ding ding ding!”

“The primordial is nothing more than a legend,” Eloise said.

“Nuh-uh,” Stella said. “We just so happen to have an informant who is deeply knowledgeable in this matter,” she glanced at Lily.

“You can’t have it!” Mocorri shouted, gritting his teeth.

“Even if it were true, I’m afraid you’ll never get the chance to lay your eyes on it,” Eloise said, pulling her blade out—a wooden sword?! “Go, I’ll handle this. I can’t have apprentices’ in my way while I fight,” Eloise said.

Everyone took off, running back into the twisting tunnels.

“Eloise of Thundertyde, Princess of the Storm-forge battalion,” Stella said, crouching low. “I’m curious as to how you’ll fair against my legacies.”

“Stella of the Vanguard,” Eloise stated, slamming the tip of her wooden blade into the earth, “prepare yourself.” Static electricity shimmered around her, followed by a confident smile.

Racing around the corner, Lily said, “Should we go back?”

“No!” Mocorri said. “We must locate the primordial!” He gripped said, gripping Lily’s forearm.

“Excuse me,” Lily said, pulling away.

“I’m sorry… I’m just anxious is all.”

Gazing at Mocorri, Eiji squinted. Sighing, he stated, “Eloise is the third-ranked elite, I’m sure she can handle herself.”

After a moment, Lily said, “I suppose you're right… So what, should we continue our search, or should we wait for Eloise?”

Mocorri, peering into the dark, said, “What’s that?” From the shadows, two ghouls slowly emerged.

“Lily, don’t freak out, but there’s two ghouls behind you…” Eiji said.

“Just two?” she whispered… She figured that was something they could handle.

A blue glowing butterfly flew in, gracefully passing over the two ghouls. As it flew away, many more ghouls were revealed, one right behind the other; some even scaling the ceiling upside down. “That’s a whole lot of ugly…” As one lunged forward, Eiji grabbed Lily’s hand, jerking her away. “Run!”

Racing around the corner, luminites lit the rocky path.

Lily, turning around, activated two legacies, extending her hands toward the ghouls, shouting, “Discharge!” Slime burst forth, causing many of the ghouls to slip, however, they quickly piled over one another, continuing their chase. “There’s too many of them!” Lily said, turning to run yet again.

“Take this! And that!” While running, Eiji was tossing out all the remains of the bag behind him. A rubber duck, books, even a frying pan… Incidentally, he threw out the luminescence, which shattered in the eyes of the nearest creature, causing it to tumble across the floor. “I seriously thought I was going to find a better use for that! Ah!” another ghoul almost clamp down on him.

“Well take what we can get!” Lily said, jumping over a large mound of luminite.

Turning around, Mocorri utilized his Umbrella-Thorn Root, causing massive thorns to burst from out from under the earth, gutting a couple of ghouls, while at the same time impeding the movement of the rest. “Go!” he shouted. “I’ll hold them off!”

“We can’t leave you-”

“Go now!” a ghoul snapped the thorn, however, Mocorri summoned another, piercing it to the ceiling.

“Come on,” Eiji said, grasping Lily’s hand and running off.

***

“Ow,” Neptus said.

“Get.. off..” Rai muttered. Looking around, the cave was well lit with both small and large luminites protruding from the tunnel walls. “Guess I won’t be needing this anymore,” Rai said, putting the amulet away.

“Look at this,” Neptus said, gazing at the wall of the cave.

Rai stepped closer, eyes widening as he took in one particular drawing etched onto the cave walls—a tall, black creature hunched over a lifeless body… The figure bore an uncanny resemblance to the creature he encountered in the forest. Furrowing his brows, Rai took out his badge and captured a photo of it, ensuring then to photograph the entire tunnel as they moved along. Though most of it was the same as the last, armies shaded in black, marching in unison under distinct banners.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

The first banner had a black vortex swirling within an hourglass. The second, rivers of blood and fire. The third looked like a melting glacier with a judge’s hammer slamming over it. As they continued to explore, they noticed the fourth banner had been deliberately scratched out.

Rai put the camera down, looking toward Neptus.

“What do you think it all means?” Neptus said, staring at a disturbing drawing—a large circular formation with figures kneeling inside it. Their hands were stretched towards the sky, their faces twisted in agony as tendrils of energy sapped their very souls upwards.

“No clue,” Rai said, taking one last photo. His gaze lingered on the kneeling figures. Does this have anything to do with that thing, or with Taka? I’ll have to look more into it…

Noticing an exit hole, Neptus said, “Over here, I found another way out.”

Exiting the smaller tunnel, they arrived in a very open space where even a river flowed through.

“Water,” Neptus said, leaning over and filling his canister. “We don’t know how long we’re going to be here for, we should fill up while we can.” Neptus furrowed his brow seeing the shade of the water slightly change. Looking to his left, Rai was peeing in the river. “What the heck?!” Neptus screamed.

Pulling up his zipper, Rai said, “You know, people keep saying we’re a lot alike; honestly, I hate it…”

“Likewise,” Neptus said, emptying his canister.

“However, it got me thinking. If they were even a little right—which they’re not! But… I figured, what would I do?”

“What’re you getting at?”

“Back in the forest, you didn’t leave just so you could prepare for the mission; nor was it hall point related. I think you took something, something that could, I don’t know, free your people,” Rai said.

“I told you... I was memorizing the map…” Neptus said, putting his canister away.

“Right, because Uncle Hau needs maps.” This alerted Neptus to the idea that Rai had seen their little exchange. After a moment, Rai muttered, “If it were my sister…” Sighing, “Plu, it's time buddy,” and Plu jumped happily, poofing into an apple. Taking a bite of the apple, flux rushed into Rai. “We want to head west from here.”

“How do you know that?” Neptus questioned.

“I’ve got a good feeling about it,” Rai said, turning to leave.

“Hold it!” Neptus said, causing Rai to pause. “Are you planning to tell them…” he clenched both his fists.

“Tell about what?” Rai said.

“About the key…”

“Listen, space boy, I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about,” Rai said, placing his hand in his coat while waving off the matter with his other. Neptus soon came to understand what Rai was doing. “You coming? We need to get a move on before more ghouls show up.”

“Right,” Neptus said with a smile. “Who knows, maybe we’ll find the king somewhere down here,” he said before bumping into Rai.

“I think I found the king… I’d say he’s seen better days…” Rai muttered.

On the floor—a crown, sitting atop the head of a skull.

“Venitas…”

Saliva dripped from the crown, slapping onto the floor as Rai dropped it inside the bag they had. “Mission complete.”

A harrowing screech echoed from afar, followed by countless more.

“Look!” Neptus shouted, gazing up. Countless ghouls emerged from holes high up along the cave, rapidly descending the walls.

“Seven or eight of them…” Rai muttered. Thrusting his fist to the sky, “When we get out of here, you’re going to regret it!”

“Come on!” Neptus shouted, darting off.

“If we can make it to that tunnel, I’ll collapse it behind us!” Rai shouted.

“Galactic wave,” Neptus said, causing the astral wave to appear and carry them forward, greatly closing the distance. Seeing the ghouls nearing the surface, Neptus shouted, “They’ll touch down before we can make it!”

“Then well just have to kick some ass on the way there now won’t we!” Rai shouted as the first pack of ghouls landed, and Neptus nodded, releasing his galactic wave.

They both extended their arms.

“Galactic Surge!”

“Ikken!”

The two attacks tore through the ground, somewhat intertwining with each other as they pummeled the first twenty ghouls, however, many more took their place.

Neptus, slamming the palm of his hand into the ground. “How bout this!” further off, a root burst forth, quickly expanding into a seven-foot plant. Its head rapidly expanded before popping, causing a black hole to immediately form, sucking many ghouls together, where they circled endlessly. “Starfall barrage!” Neptus shouted, clapping both his hands together, causing roots to materialize high above the ghouls.Meteorites in the form of small blades, rained down, shredding them to pieces.

“You want some of this!” Rai shouted. The ground trembled, and a massive root came out, skewering three of them. The root snapped its neck, flinging the ghouls directly into many others. “Plu, I need a lift!” The giant root turned toward Rai, giving a nod, before retracting under the earth and reappearing under him, giving him a height advantage. Jumping off the top of the root, Rai shouted, “This one’s a classic! Ikken!” and the burst of flux and wind crushed many of the ghouls, while at the same time blowing many others back.

Quickly, they both rushed into the tunnel, where Rai shouted, “Ikken!” and the entrance to the cave collapsed, smashing all the ghouls behind them.

“Phew…” Neptus sighed, falling to his butt.

Breathing heavily, “How many shards… do you think we earned?” Rai said.

“Not sure, we left them all in there…”

The tip of the root from earlier, pushed through the earth, steadily appearing beside Rai. “For now, keep watch from below,” Rai told it. The root nodded, retreating below the surface of the earth.

“Were you just talking to a root?” Neptus questioned in disbelief.

“It’s Plu,” Rai said.

“That’s Plu?!”

“Yeah, surprised me too at first.”

After some thought, Neptus said, “Hey, can’t Plu borrow just through the earth and find a way out of here.”

“Unfortunately, that ain’t an option,” Rai said, rising to his feet.

“Why not?”

“The range is limited. At a certain distance, Plu simply reverts back into a normal root… Until I get close enough that is.”

“I see,” Neptus said, and they both gazed into the dark abyss.

“Ready for another go?”

“Not really…”

***

Under the castle, Tofi and Fu continued their descent into a narrow stone passageway.

“Do you think they’ll find out we left?” Tofi pondered out loud.

“No need to worry, I’ve already taken care of it,” Fu said proudly.

Back in the castle, a guard was walking by, momentarily opening the door of Tofi and Fu’s room, however, all he saw was a decaying toy puppet sitting on a rocking chair; as for the girl, she seemed to be sleeping under the blankets. The guard gently closed the door. Moments later, the head of the toy puppet Fu left behind fell off, and a crow flew in, plucking the stuffing of the pillows beneath the blanket.

Fu and Tofi, beneath the castle, crept through the shadows of the enormous lab, their footsteps light on the concrete floor.

As guards approached, Tofi pressed back against the wall, accidentally hitting a secret switch disguised as a cup. The desk, wall, and floor, including the ground, rotated to a secret corridor.

“Secret tunnel!” Tofi said.

“Tofi,” Fu stressed

“Sowee,” she said, bringing her voice to a whisper.

“Just how many secrets does this kingdom have?” Fu stated as they continued to explore.

Together, they slipped further into the cave, the next corridor was lit by small glowing luminites in place of where candles normally would be. Eventually, they came across a large chamber with elevated platforms, many of which crisscrossed a heavily gaurded are that was sectioned off. Unlike the white coats in the other room, the scientist here wore black coats layered with yellow buttons.

“I wonder what’s behind that…” Tofi was glancing at large black sheets draped the special zone at the center.

“Hey Tofi,” Turning, Fu realized Tofi sneaking up on the highly guarded forbidden zone. “Tofi!” he stressed in a hushed whisper, rushing after her.

Tofi gulped, glimpsing the centerpiece. The thing they were hiding, was a ceramic sculpture of countless hands reaching to the heavens. The hands were lifelike, their fingers detailed with veins and knuckles, each one unique. Collectively, they seemed to be grasping for something out of reach. The edges of it seemed to merge with the brown earth of the cave floor. She took a step forward, but strings wrapped her, quickly pulling her away. “Hey!” she complained.

“We’ve got to go,” Fu said as many more people started to arrive; they weren’t aware of their presence, and Fu was trying to keep it that way.

Weaving through the many guards, they overheard snippets of conversation among the scientists.

“The energy levels are starting to stabilize,” one of them said.

“We should be ready for the next phase soon.”

“Make sure the containment field is secure,” another responded. “We can’t afford any mistakes. The fate of our Kingdom is at stake.”

“This way,” Fu said, and they wrapped the corner where a giant green plant resembling a pea pod was.

“What! I love these,” Tofi shouted, happily jumping in and vanishing.

“Tofi?!” Fu shouted, but then she popped right back out, slightly slimed up.

“He-he, gross,” she said.

“Where’d you go?” Fu asked.

“Not sure, it was sorta dark, and spooky… but they’re glowing rocks all over! Wanna see?”

“I’m not going in that,” Fu said.

“It’s a boomi-pod silly. You go in one, then poof,” she said, falling on her back, arms stretched to the ceiling, “right out the other.”

“Over here…” someone said.

“In we go,” Fu said, quickly jumping in.

Hopping to her feet, Tofi jumped forward. “Wee!” she shouted, vanishing into the pod.

Turning the corner, two guards and a scientist at the lead stopped. “Thought I heard something coming from over here.”

The scientist gazed at the boomi-pod, “Only those capable of utilizing flux force can traverse with a boomi-pod, and Mocorri still searching for the primordial,” he said.

“The girl and puppet are asleep upstairs, I had someone check earlier, there’s no one else who could have used it,” the guard noted.

“Yeah, guess I imagined it…”

On the other end, Tofi and Fu had circled the small cave nearly a dozen times, before Fu finally said, “I give up! Who runs a boomi-pod to a dead end!?” Fu plopped down against the wall of the cave. “I’m at my wits end here… Why am I even here? This wasn’t the life I wanted for myself...” Fu gazed at Tofi, furrowing his wooden brows.

“Mmmm. I got it!” Tofi said, bursting off into a blur, soon the entire cave began to shake.

“Tofi! What’re you doing?!” Fu said.

“He-he, he-he,” her voice echoed from all over, but bit by bit she slowed, “He… he…” Finally, she reappeared before Fu, slouching in defeat. “I thought be an invisible door like last time.. so I knocked all over the cave.. but I couldn’t find a single one,” she said, plopping next to Fu. Leaning back, she fell through the cave wall. “Not fair!” her voice squeaked, kicking and punching the air.

“Huh, there was one after all?” Fu said in disbelief.

***

“Quick! This way!” Lily said as another ghoul thrust its tentacle arm forward, a sharp claw spouted from the sucker. Ducking, it stabbed directly into the rock tunnel. “That was way too close!”

“Up ahead!” Eiji said, but then the earth gave out under their feet, and they slid far down, smacking the ground, and rolling against the dust floor. The ghouls stopped, waiting for the crumbling earth to settle. Quickly jumping to his feet, Eiji got in a combat stance. A couple of ghouls attempted to squeeze through the caved hole they slid into, but the large bone protruding from their back was too big. “I’m eating so much more calamari once I get back!” he said.

“Calamari is squid Eiji,” Lily said rubbing her behind.

“They get the point,” Eiji said stubbornly.

Lily looked around, then back to the hole they slid down. “Where did this hole come from?”

“Seems to be a pocket dug out by smaller critters over time,” Eiji said, grabbing traces of fur lying around.

Screeching, one of the ghouls retracted its protruding bone on its back, so it lay flat against its body, and using its octopus-like arms, it quickly slithered through the hole after them.

“Here they come again!” Eiji shouted, running away, meanwhile, Lily activated her legacies, this time it was five, appearing in her flame form.

Reaching her hands out, she said, “You’re all lined up!” A arm with its claw extended, burst out of the hole! “Discharge!” Fire erupted forward as her form slipped in the direction of the ghouls, roasting them all. “Looks like my training paid off,” she said as the flame form disappeared. “You were right about seeing Dr. Kael Eiji, it helped,” Lily said.

Eiji, curiously staring at the roasted tentacle, broke off the tip and threw it in his mouth. “Not bad.”

Lily’s face, green, muttered, “I think I’m gonna be sick…”

“You should see some of the dishes Nefarian’s eat,” Eiji said, snagging another piece before they left. “This would be considered a delicacy in Kalumi,” tossing it in his mouth like popcorn.

Lily shuddered at the sight.

As they emerged from the tunnel, they found themselves in a vast chamber with a huge statue looming over a doorway. The second they stepped in, a strange energy pulsated throughout their bodies.

“I feel… amazing,” Lily said.

“Same?” Eiji said, gazing at his hands.

Approaching the stone doorway beneath the statue, a cloaked figure stepped out from the shadows, blocking their path.

Lily furrowed her brows, curling her hand into a fist. “Who are you?” she said.

The cloaked figure remained silent for a moment before, throwing off the cape, stating, “I’m with the vanguard, and it’s my duty to make sure no one gets past this point.”

“Strange, I don’t remember seeing your face on the pillar, you must be new?” Lily said.

“I’m not an official member, yet. You could say I’m trying out.” Seeing the badge on Lily’s waste, he said, “Maybe killing a promising apprentice in the upcoming placement exam is just the push I need to make the cut.”

Eiji stood in front of Lily, “You know her?”

“The vanguard keeps their eye on everything that goes on in the empire,” he said, and roots glowing green emerged beneath his feet. “After all, we’ll be the ones to tear it down!” His body slowly became enveloped in vines that emerged from below, increasing his size until he was a massive twelve feet. “My name’s Rumpel!” The large vine monstrosity jumped directly at them. “Run little piggies!”

“Here he comes!” Eiji shouted, running for cover.

Lily, activating four legacies, shouted, “Discharge!” The roots and rocks slipped from her body to the tip of her hand, extending out like a club; thrusting forward, she smashed it straight into Rumpel’s gut. “I’m not running!” she shouted, hurling him far away, right into the leg of the statue. The roots and earth that had formed Lily’s club, slowly retracted back into her rooted-earth form, instead of disappearing.

“Woo! You go Lily!” Eiji said.

“That freaking hurt!” Rumpel yelled, his large lump of vines appearing from the shadow of the crater in the leg. Jumping down, he said, “You’re gonna pay for that!”

***

As Rai and Neptus continued deeper into the tunnel, it eventually expanded into the largest tunnel they had been in yet. Luminites the size of houses decorated the path they were on; which also happened to be full of numerous man-eating bugs.

Neptus, placing his hand along his chest where his core lay, said, “How’re you holding up?”

“I feel fine?” Rai said.

“Seriously?” Neptus said in disbelief.

“I don’t know, maybe it's because you’re blinking more than me. I haven’t used it once?”

Neptus thought on it for a while. After a bit, he spoke up. “Hey Rai, you know the photo Alan sent you, did you read the part about the ghouls traveling in a pack?” Neptus said.

“No, I must’ve missed that,” Rai said. “Why?”

“The first ghoul we encountered, it seemed like a scout… but from the description, ghouls aren’t supposed to be smart enough to execute such a thing?” Neptus said.

“I just assumed it was a stray?” Rai said.

“Maybe…”

Rai, gazing to his left at a much smaller tunnel, said, “Down there…”

As Rai and Neptus ventured deeper into the tunnel, the darkness began to give way to a soft, glowing orange light. They could feel more power coursing through them with each step closer that they took. The light grew brighter, casting shadows against the cavern walls, until finally they arrived. Before them, was a vast cave, illuminated by the radiant glow emanating from the center of a giant tree that had been severed in half. The side of the trunk was carved to form nearly a hundred steps, leading to where the pulsating orange plant, roughly the size of a soccer ball, awaited.

Rai and Neptus could feel the power emanating from it.

“Is that the primordial?” Neptus said.

Rai nodded in agreement, “Looks like it…” Rai glanced at the base of the tree. “Hey it's Mocorri!” and so, they made their way down.

“Mocorri!” Neptus said, approaching him at the foot of the stairs. “What’re you doing here?”

“Did we really travel that far west…” Rai said, gazing around.

“You’ve made it!” Mocorri said. “At last! I was beginning to fear no one would make it, though I didn’t expect you two.”

“What’re you talking about?” Rai said.

“The birth of the primordial, it’s arriving!” Mocorroi said, glancing at the light emitting at the top of the stairs.

“Great,” Rai said, unenthusiastically. “Let’s get it and bail, this place is flooded with ghouls.”

“No no no, you don’t understand,” Mocorri said, running over to Rai, grasping his hand.

“Not my thing,” Rai said, pulling his hands away and taking a step back.

Mocorri’s hands were shaking nervously. “The primordial, it’s not like other luminites,” he said, pinching his thumb to his index finger. “For it to be born, it needs… blood, ” a giant thorn burst from under Rai, but another root emerged, obliterating the thorn and saving Rai. It swung at Moccorri, but he avoided the attack.

“Thanks Plu,” Rai said. The large root retracted, and soon, beside him a thick root slowly emerged until it was at about eye level with him. Facing Rai, it nodded as if to say ‘welcome.’ Rai, curling his fist, said “What’s your game?! Did the Chancellor put you up to this?”

Mocorri smiled, “The Chancellor? Please… It was the Chancellor’s plan to migrate these ghouls from the coast and have King Venitas ‘incidentally’ killed. It was even his ploy to blow the Ceres tunnels with you lot in it; how you survived it beyond me…” he said, stepping forward. “However, I’m not doing this for that frail pathetic man. No, I’m doing this for someone much more... reasonable. They’ve even promised me the entirety of the kingdom once I’ve delivered them the primordial! All I had to do was keep this place a secret long enough for the primordial to spout.”

“Who’s this person you’re talking about?” Rai said.

“Person? Whoever said anything about a person? Mocorri said.

Next to Mocorri, what looked to be a massive bulging root fixed into the wooden stairs, busted out, detaching its body from the trunk. Its body immediately pulsated in a bright glowing blue; and between the cracks of its bark skin, it pulsed red, roaring to the sky. It had tentacle-like roots for legs, including many glowing veins that led to a red gem in the center of its chest.

“Evolved Minus!” Neptus said.

“Shit!” Rai stated, jumping back.

A screech reverberated from high up in the cave, and nearly a hundred ghouls appeared at the edge of the holes, but they didn’t take a single step beyond that.

“Ghouls, ghouls, ghouls!” Rai screamed. “Go bother someone else, we’re a little busy here!”

The Minus, gazing at the ghouls, shifted its head, causing a large pack to head west, while the other went east.

“Rai… it’s controlling them.” Neptus said.

“I saw...” Rai said, gritting his teeth. Dammit… What’s our best course of action here?

“Hahaha! You’re screwed now!” Mocorri said. “Together, the Minus and I will rule over-” Small tentacles pierced into Mocorri temple, splattering blood across the floor. “What- I thought.. we were going to rule…” and his body went limp.

“He’s dead…” Rai said in shock.

Mocorri’s head lifted, and the tentacles of the creature were slithering out of his mouth, rubbing against the deceased man’s cheeks. “I… have… what… I… need… Leave…” his corpse said in a ghastly tone.

“Rai, let’s get out of here,” Neptus said.

“Sorry, to burst your bubble Neptus, but I’m not going anywhere,” Rai said.

Slowly the ghouls made their way towards the backside of the cave.

“Leave…” the corpse groaned.

“Leave? Ha! If you think I'm going to let some corpse tell me what to do, you’ve got another thing coming. I plan on being the number one elite, how can I expect to do that if I’m always turning tail and running? And somethings telling me, I’d seriously regret leaving you with whatever’s up there.” Looking at Neptus, Rai used his baby voice, “But Neptus, I don’t want you to get hurt, run along,” he said, shooing him away.

“As if!” Neptus shouted, stubbornly standing beside Rai. “Like I’d run and leave you alone with this overgrown root and a bunch of ghouls. We both know you just want the hall points.”

“Will you quit it with that!”

“Die…” Moccori’s corpse said.

Rai, sensing something below, shouted, “Watch it!” From the earth, giant spikes erupted, though he dodged it well ahead of time, meanwhile Neptus blinked to avoid it.

“It’s using Mocorri’s roots!”

“Get back here!” Rai shouted, seeing the Minus proceed up the wooden stairs with Mocorri’s body.

“Incoming!” Neptus said, causing Rai to turn around.

The ghouls had finally touched down and were rushing straight at them!

“You ready?” Rai said, back-to-back with Neptus.

“Ready as I’ll ever be!”