Somehow Toudy's surface was even less inviting than it looked.
While most of the surface was dry and burning, there were sections of reprieve here and there. Mostly deserts. Dyre's ship parked at the center of one while she and the graduate trio took a shuttle to approach volcanic territory. Not that they could get very close without the automated systems throwing up warnings.
"I can't get any closer without frying the systems, ma'am," the pilot said.
"Just drop us off here, then," Dyre said. "You three, take these."
She tossed each of them a vial, Sasha turning hers over curiously. A light green liquid sloshed within, an injector attached at the very tip. It reminded her of the medicines Mr. Erin would sometimes carry around.
"Use those to keep your bodies cool," Dyre said. "Just try not to fall in the lava."
Saying this, she injected herself, letting out a breath before moving to the exit hatch. The rest did the same, Sasha wincing as she felt her temperature drop considerably. As if she was back on Frostum. It spiked back to normal the minute she touched down on the surface.
The planet's heat. It blew against her fur as if she were constantly standing near a fireplace. And they weren't even that close to the lava. Looking on ahead, she could see the red liquid pouring over their volcano's side, creating an ever-flowing lake that mixed in with the lava of its twin. Volcano 2 looked just as inviting. Sasha swallowed.
"Hey," Sasha said. "Does the air feel...different to anyone else?"
"Probably 'cus it's a Class G," Cici said.
"No, it's not just that."
Her whiskers twitched, Sasha trying to get a better feel for the planet's signals. It wasn't just the environment that made the place uninviting. She wasn't sure why, but it felt like the planet itself was knocking at the back of her head. Prodding her. She tried to focus on the sensation, but it always felt like it was both right behind her and far away.
"What you're feeling is the legionnaire's presence."
She looked over, Madame Dyre pulling out her commpad.
"This world was freed some time ago," she said. "But the White Legion are an eternal force. What you're feeling is their efforts to reopen the portal a graduate closed."
Sasha recoiled. They can do that? She'd always been under the assumption that closing the Root meant no more legionnaires forever. Dyre seemed to read her mind, putting a hand on her head.
"It doesn't mean your efforts are in vain, my child," she said. "Closing the portals buys us precious time. To regroup. To fortify. It is only an endless conflict so long as the White Legion are hostile. And they only became hostile because of the Light Binder's meddling."
Though she said the words to cheer her up, it made her feel even more guilty about her choice to break out her liaisons. If the White Legion would keep coming as long as the Comet Man was active, then taking him down really would have really saved everyone. She looked to Iris, who didn't seem surprised by Dyre's words. She did give Sasha a knowing look, though. One that Cici raised a brow at, looking between the two.
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"We should hurry," Madame Dyre said. "The planet is still a few years off from reinvasion. Don't forget to inject yourselves frequently."
The spider took the lead, everyone else slowly trailing behind.
***
There was still a lot of volcano to cross, but Sasha at least got more accustomed to the heat after a while. She looked over the volcano's side, watching as gases billowed from tiny crates in the ground. Much to her surprise, they weren't the only ones crossing the death trap. Every so often she'd spot tiny creatures scurrying about. Thick black plants that seemed to burrow under the surface. Even within the lava itself, she saw more movement than she could possibly chalk up to just melted rocks.
"Surprised anything can live down here," Sasha said.
"They'd probably say the same about our world, Sash," Iris pointed out.
She smiled at that. The image of a lava-born creature seeing water for the first time. It made her a bit curious. She'd made friends in most of the worlds she'd traveled in. Why not try to make a friend in this lava nightmare?
Not like I've got much to lose. Hey, there goes some guys now.
The group stopped as they came before a larger ridge, the steep drop-off leaving to a long river of lava. It was within this river that Sasha saw creatures much bigger than the rest. As big as they were, in fact. They walked on all fours, with long rugged tails hanging in the air. The tips of which glowed a golden brown.
"Any chance those guys are friendly?" Sasha asked.
The locals all seemed to snap in their direction, pincers chattering in a language Sasha couldn't possibly understand. But they were all making a B-line in their direction, rugged tails swinging back and forth. Dyre shot a web at one of them.
"I wouldn't count on it, child," she said, yanking the creature up and slamming them on the ground.
The others chattered in response, the glowing tails opening up as brown liquid came spraying out. As much as she wanted to make friends, Sasha knew hostile intent when she saw it. She dove away, GT appearing before she zipped out of the liquid's range. Cici and Iris both dodged clear as well.
"Keep your distance," Dyre warned. "They'll melt you alive."
As she said that, Sasha looked down at the spot where she'd just been. The ground was still sizzling, rock slowly melting melting away.
Cripes. Sasha landed, throwing GT and diving as more poison shot her way. Given she was mostly a close combat fighter, javelin throws were all she could manage. And they didn't do much, her staff bouncing off her target's sturdy hide. Fortunately the same could not be said for her fox friend, who made short work of her target with a rock smashing into their face.
Between her and Madame Dyre, the chattering creatures didn't stand a chance, rocks and webs thrown out in quick sucession. With one final web yank the last of the locals fell. And Sasha not long after.
The panther collapsed, taking a moment to catch her breath. Between the extreme heat, running, and just how heavy the planet felt, even a simple fight became a one-way trip to exhaustion. Cripes. How the heck can a human manage to live like this? Is he even human? Cripes.
"Hey, guys. Check it out."
Cici was panting as well, but she pointed with her ear.
It was on the other side of the ridge, right where the chattering group had first been congregating. Madame Dyre, yanked it over, a scrap of paper falling into her hands. Or at least what looked like paper. It didn't seem singed in any way and Sasha hadn't spotted any trees nearby.
"Any idea what it says?" Cici asked, reinjecting herself.
Sasha shook her head, Iris pulling out her commpad. A blue light scanned over it, lettering appearing before their eyes. Along with a photograph.
Wanted. 1,000,000 chets on capture. Dead or Alive.
The trio exchanged glances. Once again, Madame Dyre didn't seem the least surprised.
"Let's go," she said. "We may not be the only ones looking."
They all nodded, though Sasha couldn't help but linger on the poster. The face of their target lingering over Iris's commpad.
One million chets? Geez. Just who the heck is this guy?
She reinjected herself, quickly following Madame Dyre's lead.