“Tamer thirteen, Master Rhys, eliminated by tamer fourteen, Lady Luna,” came Lord Kensington’s voice, echoing throughout the vast network of tunnels built into the cliffside.

“That’s good,” said Aurin, smiling at the announcement. “Luna’s still hanging in there even with an injured Minakai.”

“She’ll be just fine,” said Kyle. “If anything it will do her good having to fend for herself without you there. She relies on you a lot in the tower so it’ll be a good chance for her to prove herself not just to the rest of the competitors, but to herself too.”

There was suddenly a loud crashing as something very heavy charged down the tunnel towards them. Shamtile threw up a rock wall as everyone moved aside, but a powerful Gorungra burst through it as though the stone was foam. It ran on down the tunnel and out of sight.

“What was that?” asked Aurin, looking through the jagged gap in Shamtile’s wall.

“That Gorungra probably belongs to another tamer who’s in here with us,” said Kyle. “He’s lost the element of surprise with that failed attack, but we should be cautious nonetheless.”

“Another earth elemental,” said Aurin, looking to Shamtile’s most recent skylight. “Now we know who has been throwing us off course. Who do you think it belongs to?”

“It doesn’t matter who, all that matters is that we stop it next time we see it. Get that tamer wiped out good and fast.”

The loud crashing started up again and Aurin looked to where the Gorungra had come from while Kyle looked at where it had run. The two glanced at each other in confusion.

“This way,” said Aurin.

“No, it was this way.”

Chopchop and Snowlem dragged their tamers out of the way hurriedly as both a Gorungra and Gorunze charged down the corridor from opposite ends. Shamtile hurled a large rock at the Gorungra’s head while Wingbloom cast a razor wind at the Gorunze, but both of the charging Minakai were unphased. They narrowly missed Shamtile and Wingbloom as they charged and disappeared once more.

“Let’s move!” ordered Aurin, running down the tunnel after the Gorunze.

“Good idea,” said Kyle, nodding to his two Minakai.

He, Kyle and their Minakai sprinted down the tunnel as though they were running from wild Minakai in a monster tower. They turned and twisted through the corridors with Shamtile taking the lead. He found it hard to sense where his foes were while he was focused on running, but he was doing his best to give their enemies the slip.

“They’re still coming!” called Kyle.

“I think I saw something in an alcove!” yelled Aurin. “Shamtile, circle us back around.”

Shamtile scurried on all fours down a tunnel to the left and everyone followed. The crashing grew louder as their foes were gaining on them. As they passed by the tunnel Aurin had wanted to return to, he reached into an alcove and pulled something out of it.

“What is it?” asked Kyle, not wanting to look around.

“Incubator,” said Aurin, clutching both it and his egg tightly. “Shamtile, bring up more and more walls.”

Shamtile slowed down his running and returned to two legs, waving his arms wildly. One wall after another sprung up behind them and the two chasing Minakai were heard crashing through them in close succession.

“Do we need to stay here any longer?” asked Kyle.

“No,” said Aurin, realising what Kyle had meant. “Shamtile, open up the ceiling and take us up top.”

Shamtile focused and pulled apart the ceiling with his magic and Wingbloom soared up to the surface as Aurin’s lizard raised the earth and carried the rest of the group out on a stone pillar. They ran aside and slumped down onto the grass.

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“If they chase us down…we’re no longer…in their territory,” said Kyle through pants.

“We could have taken them down there,” said Aurin, ashamed of his cowardice.

“Yes, but would it have cost us any team members?”

“You’re right, you’re right.”

Suddenly the ground opened up once again and another pillar of earth raised up. Both the Gorungra and Gorunze from before stood before Aurin, Kyle and their Minakai. Alongside the stone and metal golem was a tamer they recognised, Bentley.

“Gentlemen,” he said with a sly smile.

“I should have known it was you with Minakai like that,” said Aurin. “That’s a pretty crafty strategy you’ve got there.”

“Why thank you,” he said. “It only came to me after I lost my Titanitoise while fighting out in the open.”

“And you still followed us up here?” asked Kyle. “You know you’re outnumbered right.”

“I’m aware,” said Bentley, “but I also know you both wouldn’t be foolish enough to go back into the tunnels. It’s better I try and end it now.”

With that, his Gorunze shot a topaz laser beam from its eyes straight at Shamtile, but Chopchop leapt in front of it and deflected the attack with his metal blades.

“You think we’d let you get the jump on us again?” asked Aurin.

“Not happening,” said Kyle. “Attack!”

All six Minakai charged into the centre of the grassy battlefield and began their battle. Shamtile and Snowlem aimed for Gorunze while Chopchop and Wingbloom took on Gorungra.

Gorunze shot laser beam after laser beam, which Shamtile used his stone armour to block. Snowlem countered by conjuring a blizzard to obscure the metal golem’s vision. The attacks slowed and became less and less accurate with each subsequent attack. Shamtile stomped his feet on the ground and it flipped from beneath Gorunze who was thrown across the battlefield, colliding with Gorungra.

Chopchop leapt forward at the two Minakai that had collapsed in a heap and swung his mighty blades. He smashed chunks from Gorungra’s yellow crystals and the golem let out a deep groan of pain. Wingbloom meanwhile summoned a swirling gust of wind that swept the grass and leaves from nearby up and blocked his opponents from seeing where they were.

Shamtile leapt across and pummelled the Gorunze with his stone fists and Snowlem encased his own fists in thick ice and beat against the Gorunze. After a while, it stopped trying to get up and lay defeated while Gorungra tried to fight on against the combined power of Chopchop and Wingbloom. Try as it might, the battle was ended with a swift strike from one of Chopchop’s blades that smashed the crystal on Gorungra’s back to pieces.

“Ah dear,” said Bentley with a shrug. “I knew it was a long shot when I came up here to fight you, but I didn’t have much choice.”

Lord Kensington’s voice called out from a loudspeaker. “Tamer six, Master Bentley, eliminated by tamer two, Master Aurin.”

“No credit for me then,” chuckled Kyle.

“It must be whoever dealt the final blow,” said Aurin, looking to his now battletested Chopchop. “It’s alright, I’ll give you half a point for your contribution.”

“Only half?” scoffed Kyle.

“How do I get down from here?” asked Bentley, looking over his shoulder at the palace which sat in the centre of the grassland that lay below the cliff.

“Wingbloom, give him a ride,” said Kyle to his flying plant.

Wingbloom obliged and Bentley grabbed onto his legs to be carried down. Wingbloom returned moments later. Aurin and Kyle headed over to the cliffside and watched as Bentley walked across the grass towards the palace.

“What’s the plan now?” asked Kyle.

“This,” said Aurin, placing his incubator on the ground and setting the Petalcub egg inside it.

“Of course,” chuckled Kyle.

Aurin pressed the button on the incubator which sent a forcefield around the egg. The egg started to glow a green light and a small wolf cub appeared as the shell vanished. The glow started to fade and revealed Aurin’s latest Minakai, the Petalcub he had been carrying around for the past couple of hours.

Shamtile immediately wandered over and started poking the Petalcub which looked confused for a moment before tyring to bite the lizard’s arm. Chopchop greeted his new teammate more cordially by tapping the flat of his blade gently on the Petalcub’s head, careful not to nick it with the sharp edge.

“How many tamers are left?” asked Aurin.

“I think we’re down to just below half,” said Kyle, watching over the serene castle grounds. “I would say tamers will start dropping like flies now that most people’s teams have taken a few hits and are starting to tire out.”

“Petalcub, are you up for a few tests of your capabilities?” asked Aurin. “I need to make sure we can count on you in case things take a turn for the worse.”

Petalcub barked excitedly and leapt onto Aurin. The little wolf licked his master’s face as Shamtile held his head in his hands in second-hand embarrassment. What a disgusting thing to do was all that was going through his little Minakai head.

“Do you think he stands much of a chance against the rest of the Minakai in the competition?” asked Kyle.

“Probably not, but that doesn’t mean he can’t be useful.”

“I suppose that’s true.”

“I’m more curious as to whether anyone else has been fortunate enough to find any eggs.”

“Even if they have, they’ll have to find an incubator like you did. It’s a strong possibility that you have the only one.”

Aurin looked at the incubator that sat on the grass. He was in two minds as to whether to leave it hidden up here where nobody else would find it or to bring it with him, but he had to consider that carrying it around may make him a target for any others who may have been fortunate enough to find a Minakai egg.