Benjamin kept a safe distance with Robin as he followed him through the narrow passages.

“Good to see you, too,” he tried to break the ice. “I mean, I wanted to contact you. Really. But I don’t know how. They kept me there.”

No replies.

“I sneaked out the moment I got the chance. But it took me nearly two days to ‘accidentally’ tumble back in here.”

Robin stopped abruptly and warned him with a whispered “Shush!”. His gestures indicated danger ahead.

Benjamin hid in the corner of a shabby wall as Robin instructed. Though his heart panting violently, he still felt warm at the same time. It was safe to tell that his pal still cared about him.

“What’s up?” he whispered back.

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Robin pointed to a certain direction, where a huge shadow was cast on a mountain. It was as high as the mountain itself. In the mean time, hollow poundings, as well as their echoes, could be heard in the whole space.

“The sound...Footsteps?” Benjamin inquired. “Of a Homo Jumbo?”

Robin nodded and suddenly found Benjamin clinging to him like the old times. Something in his heart melted.

“What on earth do you come here for?” he queried when they had settled down beside a dumping place. “I thought you got out of this bloody place.”

“I did,” Benjamin answered. “But I came back.”

“Why?”

“To save you! To save the warriors!”

“What are you talking about--Ah!” Robin gave a cry of pain.

Benjamin noticed there were blood coming from his waist. “You hurt? Let me see.”

But Robin rejected. “Continue,” he demanded.

“Well, er, I come with a message. Look, do you know where to find Elder Joe?”

“What do you want?”

“A disaster will soon befall here. I have to tell Elder Joe. Where is she?”

“She’s probably at the peak of Mountain Archaic. Didn’t you hear? Tonight is the night.”

“The night of what?”

“Of power shift. She’s stepping down.”

“What? That’s absurd! There is no such thing as power shift in here! She is supposed to be the permanent leader.”

“That Zooney guy has his way. Come on, let’s go to Mountain Archaic and find out.”