CHAPTER 26 RETURN TO GLORY
The metal skeleton convulsed under layers of ancient dirt. Ancient soil and debris shook from his cuboid head. Its metallic fingers twitched as its red eyes flickered. It lifted its hand slowly, looking down at them as if they were a strangers. Kad clenched his fist around the hilt of his blade, feeling the energy surge through its robotic veins. The generator hummed as it brought back itself to life, fuelling the long forgotten robot. Kad waited for something terrible to happen, but Bimi watched with joy, watching life return to a relic discarded by time.
“Bimi...” Kad said uncertainly, but the old Consumer did not hear him.
Just wait for it, this will be some new terror for us to contend with in these cursed caverns.
Suddenly the robot stopped deadly still, and turned its focus straight to them with unblinking eyes.
“Hello.” It said suddenly, in a low representation of a male's voice.
Kad sunk his feet down, ready for action, but the robot did not move, only studying them curiously, awaiting a response.
“Hello there, little one.” Bimi said cheerfully.
“Don't Bimi...let's just back away...”
The robot remained still, still half on the floor, looking between the two Consumers as hidden mechanisms twirled within its chassis.
“Who are you?” The robot asked brightly.
“I am Bimi Enkovu.” Bimi said proudly, placing a wizened hand on his chest. “And this here is my travel companion,. Kad Ekisziku.”
Clack.
Kad watched unhappily as Bimi took a step forwards, extending his old hand. The robot looked at it, puzzled, cocking its head to one side as it endeavoured to understand.
“It's okay, pushta.” Bimi said warmly. “We are not here to hurt you. Do you need a hand up?”
The robot looked to Bimi, then back to his hand, and extended its long, metallic fingers. It gently took one of Bimi's fingers and shook it, studying the weight and shape of them, then looking back down its chest.
“I'm afraid my battery requires more time to charge. I must remain seated for a while.”
Kad felt his fingers relax as the robot reclined itself. It looked upwards, then around the room.
“Could you please tell me where I am?” The robot asked.
“Do you not know?” Bimi asked, surprised.
“I am afraid there is nothing in my memory logs pertaining to this place. What is this place?”
“We were rather hoping you could tell us.” Bimi said with a chuckle.
The robot leaned in closer. On its collar, beneath layers of dirt, were white characters, with the designation of C-80.
“You are curious creatures. I have nothing in my information logs that pertain to beings like yourselves. Are you natives to this planet?”
Bimi and Kad exchanged sightless looks at each-other.
“To Aerth? Yes, pushta, we are.”
“Aerth?” The robot said with a modicum of surprise. “Aerth was destroyed centuries ago.”
Kad bolted back with surprise.
“Destroyed? What do you mean?” He rasped.
“There have been no records of the planet since we left it, four-thousand, one-hundred and seven years ago. There is nothing on my recent memory logs of coming to any such planet anyway.”
“What is your most recent memory, pushta?”
“You keep calling me pushta, Bimi Enkovu. That is not my designation.”
“Then what is it?”
“Hang on a minute.” Kad pleaded. “This thing is talking like its from some other planet? Or is it just programmed to be delusional?”
“It is not a thing, pushta.”
“Your name is pushta? I thought it was Kad Ekiszika.”
“Its just a title.” Kad said, irritated.
“Tell me, my friend, what should we call you?”
“I am designated scout unit 0-C-8-0, although my friends call me Cato. They say it is a play on words, but I do not understand it.”
“Okay, Cato.” Kad said, exasperated. “You said this couldn't be Aerth, as it was destroyed. Where the Hel are you from then?”
“I was built on Sub-station Aeleas. Since then I have been with the 55th Division, Aurora Company, Scouting squad C.”
The robot looked around, apparently looking for something that wasn't there.
“Tell me, where is Johannes? Or perhaps, any of the rets of my squad?”
Kad and Bimi shrugged.
“There is no-one here but us, pushta.”
Cato looked down somewhat sadly, though no expression could penetrate its simple face.
“I must find them then. They must be nearby. Have you seen them?”
“Depends on what they look like.” Kad said through gritted teeth.
“They are humans, regular humans. They are nice and you would have liked them, though of course, our principals are to terminate all non-humans on sight.”
Kad felt himself tensing again, hissing at the black metallic creature, but Bimi did not react so rashly.
“Terminate non-humans? Why is that, Cato?”
The robot looked at him blankly.
“It is one of the prime directives. There aren't many non-humans left though, and I certainly haven't seen any like yourselves before. Could you tell em where you have been hiding and where the rest of your kind are?”
Clack.
“What do you mean there aren't many left? Its humans who are the odd ones out back in the city.”
“I see. So there's a city? Could you tell please tell me the best way to find this city and what its defensive capabilities are?”
Kad hissed again, but Bimi only sighed, bending on fragile knees.
“We are Consumers, Cato. My friend, Kad, here is right. There are hundreds of species in New Peridios, all living in harmony amongst each-other.”
“Yeah.” Kad snorted. “Some of them are.”
“You say you are a scouting unit. For whom?”
“Well, my friend Johannes, Captain Maza, and the rest of the 55th Division.”
Bimi sighed again.
“These sound like people from an army. Whose army is it?”
The robot looked around, suddenly pulling out its cable. It began to stand, slowly, on shaking legs. It rose taller than the tool Consumers, but less so than that of an average man. It looked at them slowly.
“I am sorry, I really must find the rest of the squad.”
Kad felt the layers of dust flying through the air. On the wall behind where Cato had been sat, was now an absence of debris, left clean by him resting. Cato walked slowly to the door where they entered, the generator still humming as its cable was left unattended.
“You've been here a while.” Kad said. “How do you know your squad is still out there?”
“I must try to find them. They would do the same for me.”
“Seems like they left you, Cato, whoever they were.”
“Johannes would not leave me. He is my friend.”
“Right.” Kad said, grinning.
“Just wait a minute, pushta.” Bimi said amicably. “We are all lost in these tunnels. We can help each-other.”
“Right. Like he wants help from some non-humans.”
“It would be against protocol.” Cato admitted.
“It does not matter if we are not humans, Cato.” Bimi said, smiling. “After-all, we were the ones who brought you back to life.”
Cato shook his head sadly.
“I must try to find Johannes. He will know where we are.”
“Just take a moment.” Bimi said slowly. “Tell me, what is the last thing you remember?”
The robot looked at the old man.
“I remember...”
It remained still, its fingers twitching.
“There was a fire. On the ship. A terrible noise as the ship fell, and then...”
It looked around the room again.
“...Then I was here...”
Kad sighed, feeling sudden pity for the xenophobic robot.
“Maybe we can help you find your friends.” He said, strangely empathetic.
Although we probably shouldn't.
“You can?”
“Maybe.” Kad said, scratching the skin under his second mouth. “First things first, we'll have to find a way out of this cave system.”
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“How strange.” Cato said. “It doesn't look like a cave system.”
“Funny that.” Kad said sardonically. “It's some sort of building, doesn't look like it was supposed to be here, but we can't tell what it was meant to be.”
“You didn't see it on your way in?” Cato asked.
Clack.
“Look at us, robot. You really think we can see?”
“Yes?” Cato said, looking between the two of them. “You see me, don't you?”
“Not as such, no.” Bimi answered.
“Extraordinary.” Cato said. “Just wait until Captain Maza hears about this, he will be thrilled.”
“I'm sure he would be.” Kad said glumly.
“Wait a moment, pushta.” Bimi said. “Are you charged enough? It may be a long journey yet.”
“I am currently operating at forty-six percent charge, thank you for asking Bimi Enkovu.” Cato said chirpily. “Besides, I will return to my old charging position once we find The Segadora.”
“But didn't you just say-” Kad began before Bimi elbowed him lightly.
“Gently, pushta.” He warned. “We may need him to escort us to safety, yes?”
Kad straightened himself up, pursing his lips slightly.
As if these tunnels weren't dangerous enough. No of course, what are we saying? He is fine, its just his friends who will murder us on sight, and we've agreed to help him find them!
Cato exited the room and back into the larger atrium where the great draconic statue stood, its fierce blank eyes staring towards infinity. Cato moved with purpose, striding past the creature, when he stopped suddenly, slowly turning to see it. Its red discs locked the craetures blank stare, and Cato jumped backwards, apparently consumed by fear.
“Cato!” Bimi called out, running to meet him.
“That was it!” Cato called out.
“What was it?” Kad said, pulling the blade halfway out fo its sheathe.
“The monster!” Cato said, his robotic voice flecked with fear. “The thing that brought down The Segadora!”
Kad felt his blood run cold.
“That was it?”
“Be calm, both of you.” Bimi said, gently palcing a hand on the robot. “It is just a statue, see?”
“A statue?” Cato said. “It does not seem to be moving...”
“Thank X for that.” Kad muttered.
“There is a plague here, Cato, but we cannot read it. Could you please tell us what it says?”
The robot looked gingerly to the Consuemrs, and back to the stone dragon, then back to the plaque.
“Very well.”
It reached forwards, brushing the decaying plaque with its bony metal hands, revealing the etched symbols below it.
“How strange.” Cato mused. “There are two paragraphs here, but only one is in universal. I do not recognise the other language.”
“Well?” Kad asked impatiently. “What does it say?”
Cato looked back to the two Consumers, almost trembling.
“Many of the letters are faded, but from what I can piece together, they cal this monster The Emerald Storm. There's a word next to it- Quenyata, but I don't recognise it.”
“Could be a name for it in another language.” Bimi offered.
“Emerald Storm? You saw this, Cato?” Kad asked.
“Not quite. Whatever creature attacked us, we could only see parts of it. It was colossal. I remember seeing a green shadow overwhelming us.”
“Green shadow?” Kad asked, once again confused.
“I think it's what they call a colour, pushta.”
“I know.” Kad said bitterly.
Kad had a rough understanding of what colour was and how it affected those with sight, but it was always a concept he could never quite grasp. He had come to learn that what he saw within energy shimmers were different colours, though they were rarely of any distinction to him.
“What else does it say?” Bimi asked earnestly.
“The Emerald Storm, lord of the mountains, protector of the city. There is another name by it, but I can't make it out. Much of the next sentence is decayed beyond recognition. Then it ends; 'of the Sky-Eves'. Curious. I wonder what that means.”
“Sky-Eves? Is that something to do with the High-Eves?” Kad asked.
“That sounds plausible, pushta. Perhaps this where they come from?”
“What are High-Eves?” Cato asked.
“You know, tall, pointy-eared, big-eyed, usually annoying.” Kad said derisively.
“I do not.” Cato said innocently.
“They are similar to humans, I suppose.” Bimi said stoicly. “Humanoid, I should say.”
“I'm afraid I have no record of them in my information logs.” Cato said. “Are they also native to your planet?”
“We've already told you.” Kad said impatiently. “There are hundreds of races on this planet.
“Fascinating.” Cato said with artificial awe. “Simply fascinating. I have much to report to Captain Maza when I see him.”
“Great.” Kad said roughly. “Is there anything else here you can tell us about?”
Cato scanned his head quickly around.
“There is not much here, Kad Ekiszika. Lots of rubble.” Cato suddenly turned to them. “I find it fascinating you cannot see as I can. Were you created specifically without optical receivers?”
“We are born as we are, pushta.” Bimi said nobly. “There are other ways to see then with eyes.”
“Fascinating. So you do not know what you look like? Or what I look like? I cannot imagine what that must be like.”
“Keep talking and I'll rip out your optical receivers for you and see how we do.” Kad growled.
“Thank you, but I do not think that would benefit me, Kad Ekiszika, especially if you cannot read, and I can.”
“Lets keep moving then.” Kad said, stepping over a pile of rubble, retreating to where he and Bimi entered from previously.
Cato remained still, looking at his hand as if it were a strangers. He turned his head to look upwards. There was a great hole directly above the marble statue, revealing a soft, lilac sky. The pink moon was almost full, with pinpricks of stars around it. The robot held up its hand, eclipsing the celestial object, grasping at it with his hand.
“That moon...” Cato said wistfully. “It must be close to see it from here.”
“Hamara, as the ancient Montecs called it.” Bimi said.
“Hamara...”
“So if you are from space...” Kad asked. “How did you end up here?”
Cato looked at him, his red eyes glowing in the darkened room.
“I do not know.” Cato said sadly. “We were on our ship, waiting for an enemy attack outside the planet of Vastias, when there was a great flash.”
“A great flash you say?” Bimi said, stroking his chin. “We saw one similarly, or so we were told. Seven or eight months ago. A great flash of white in the sky...”
Cato shook his head sadly.
“This was not a flash of white, Bimi Enkovu. This was red.”
Kad looked searchingly at Bimi, who only studied their new metal companion.
“Red? When was this?” Bimi asked.
“I do not know. I do not know how long I have been sitting here, in this building. There was a flash of red, a great deepening sound, and all of a sudden, our ship was not where it was before. Soon we were hurtling through a great grey sky, from what I now presume to be this world. We flew for hours before finding a series of mountains, before that great monster overtook us and downed our plane.”
“What happened after that?” Kad asked.
“After our plane crashed, many of our squad were wounded. Captain Maza led me, Johannes, and a few others to search the area, but there was...”
A dull silence fell upon them suddenly. Kad fidgeted nervously, not daring to hear the rest of it.
“Do you remember what happened next, pushta? How you came to rest in this place?”
“You keep calling me pushta, Bimi Enkovu.” Cato said. “You know this is not my designation.”
“Just tell us, Cato.” Kad rasped.
“Something...attacked us. I don't remember what it was. I remember it was chaos and Johannes was-”
He stopped suddenly, looking away into the dark space.
Bimi gulped and Kad sighed as Cato looked solemnly to the floor.
“I am sorry, Cato.” Bimi said carefully, placing a withered hand on Cato's shoulder.
A strange sense of foreboding fell upon them as the robot slumped into the stunned silence of memory.
“Johannes was your friend yes?” Bimi asked empathetically.
“One of them.” Cato replied. “The rest of the squad only saw me for what I was, a scouting unit for the military. Johannes spoke to me as if I had a soul, though if I have one within my mainframe, I cannot detect it.”
“A soul is not something that is made, Cato.” Bimi offered. “It is something that feels and yearns for more. I have no doubt your soul is within you.”
“Yeah, just like my toaster has one.” Kad muttered.
“Johannes had a soul. A good soul. He was kind, he didn't want to fight in the war to kill our enemies, so much as to protect his friends.”
“What war?” Kad asked, suddenly interested. “What enemies?”
Cato turned to Kad, apparently detecting for sarcasm.
“I cannot tell if you are being serious or not, Kad Ekiszika. Surely the war has reached this part of the galaxy?”
Kad and Bimi shared a shrug.
“Pushta, I think it is obvious we do not know where you come from or what war you speak of.” Bimi said carefully.
Cato took a moment to think about this, his mechanical brain whirring.
“That is not possible...there are few planets known of that have been untouched by the war...after all, it has been going for over fifteen-hundred solar cycles.”
“Solar cycles?” Kad asked, trying to comprehend. “You mean years? Your war has been going on for over a thousand years?”
“Sadly, it is true.” Cato admitted.
“Who is this enemy you speak of?” Bimi asked. “And further more pushta, who do you fight for?”
“I do not fight, Bimi Enkovu.” Cato said, shaking his head. “I am a scouting unit. Me and Johannes are here only to scout out for the rest of the men. We try to stop the loss of lives as much as we can.”
Kad sighed, rubbing his head, feeling something throb under his skull. Cato looked back upwards to the moon as a soft wisp of cloud floated beneath it. A breeze carried discarded leaves towards them in a gentle suggestion.
“I wish I was more like my friend Unit SCER-3147. The A.I component of The Segadora. She was the funniest friend I've ever had, and I've had two!” Cato said with urgent excitement.
“I always envied her, and her ability to soar through the clouds, see the different worlds from her perspective. Sometimes I thought she was envious of my legs, and my autonomy to move as I please, and not be piloted by a human. Still, that would be my dream. To see the world as a spaceship.”
Cato finished with a wistful sigh as no air left its chassis.
“Well,” Bimi started, unsure of how to react. “perhaps that will be your path one day, pushta.”
Cato looked suddenly to the elder Consumer.
“Really?” He asked with great enthusiasm. “Do you really mean that?”
Bimi looked to Kad for reassurance, but Kad had no inclination to join this part of the conversation.
“Sure, pushta.” He said uncertainly. “I am sure that one day you could become a spaceship, if that is what you wish.”
Cato bolted upright, cradling his hands together like an excited child.
“Oh my goodness, what wonderful news!”
“Of course, first we have to find our way out of here.” Bimi said sternly.
“Yes, yes of course.” Cato said, bowing his head slightly. “First we must find our way out of here, and to find Captain Maza and the rest of my squad.”
“Very well.” Bimi said. “Shall we exit this place?”
“Only if you're done giving spiritual advice to a walking combustion-oven.”
“There is a door at the end of the room. There appears to be air-flow going through it.” Cato said, pointing towards a pile of rubble.
The two Consumers stopped, flaring their senses. There was indeed a small current of wind escaping through the fallen rocks, the smell of old wood beneath it.
“How did you sense that, Cato?” Bimi asked, impressed.
“My sensors are designed to find optimal routes of efficiency in difficult terrain.” He said simply.
“For your war buddies, right.” Kad growled.
“Humans are notoriously inefficient.” Cato said with an air of distaste. “Not like SCER-3147. We would often laugh about that...boy, I sure hope she survived the attack by that monster.”
“We will help you find her, pushta.” Bimi said amicably.
“You will?”
“We will do our best, right Kad?”
Clack.
“Let's just get out of here first, huh?”
The rubble broke easily, crumbling between their hands. Kad climbed the unsteady pile, pushing against the door. A musty smell swept itself towards them, coating itself above a deep chill.
“Cato?” He called back.
Quickly, the robot passed him, climbing the rubble and pushing past the door, and dropping into the empty darkness. Cato's crimson eyes glowed in the shadows.
“Is it safe?” Bimi called from behind.
“There is no life here, I deem it safe to enter, Bimi Enkovu.”
Kad helped Bimi climb over the rubble and the two entered the dark room. A small current of wind slithered towards them. This room smelled older than the others, more worn. Cato observed them, and turned towards the end of the room, pointing.
“There's a-” He started.
Suddenly the robot stopped, staring at his metallic hand. He flexed it, watching his fingers.
“Strange.” He said carefully.
“What is wrong, pushta?” Bimi asked, concerned.
“Just a strange feeling...” Cato mused. “That energy source you gave me, what was it? I am not familiar with it.”
“Nexos energy?” Kad said. “What do you use up in space?”
“Plasma Combustion Energy of course. Its what powers our ships, even my own batteries. This Nexos you gave me, I was only on charge for a few minutes, wasn't I?”
“Does it feel any different?” Bimi asked.
“Not as such...” Cato said, sweeping his head round the room. “It has a distinct property to it, though. I can detect other faint traces in here with a similar pattern.”
More of the relics in this room radiated with faint Nexos energy. The room was mostly collapsed, the room given way to the rock-face, with splinters of the strange wood scattered around their feet. Kad sniffed the air. Nearby were glass cabinets, shattered and broken. Inside were dull pieces of metal, one placed on a wooden stave, but most had fallen off of it. Kad could feel their rough shapes, identifying them as armour. Half-helms, plates, spears and swords. They were each caked in grime. Kad reached in, grabbing a curved dagger. Its edge had been rusted beyond comprehension.
“Looks like these Sky-Eves had an army had some point.”
“Look over here, if you can.” Cato said, standing before a large granite block.
“What is it?” Bimi said, groping past the glass cabinets.
Cato gently caressed the granite, gradually revealing under its dust, a grand etching.
“It appears to be a stone carving.” They said, trying to reveal more of it.
“Of what?” Kad asked.
“Almost like a tapestry.”Cato mused. “There are many figures, an army, perhaps, weapons are drawn, but if they are in combat, I cannot tell. Above them is a mountain range, and in the very center, appears to be a platform.”
“A platform?” Bimi said, stroking his chin. “Is there anything on it?”
“Rectangles and triangles. Perhaps it is meant to represent something.”
“A crown, perhaps?” Bimi offered.
“Or a city.” Kad added.
“Hmm, that would make sense, pushta. Is there any writings on it?”
Cato scanned the etching, feeling with both hands.
“There is something written at the bottom, but it appears to be of their strange language again. There is another plinth next to it, but it is badly damaged. The only text visible reads; 'Our enemy, the Ska'Deen'.”
“The Ska'Deen?” Kad repeated. “Have you ever heard of that word before, Bimi?”
“It is not something I recognise, pushta.”
“How about you, Cato?”
The robot shook his head.
“Perhaps it is another of your races, on this planet?”
“I told you before, this is Aerth.” Kad said, irritated.
“As I stated before, Kad Ekiszika, that is not possible.”
“In any rate, it is not a race that exists within New Peridios.” Bimi said.
“What is that?” Cato asked.
“The city where we all live.” Kad grumbled.
“So, this New Peridios is a city that encompasses the entire planet? Fascinating.”
“Not anymore, it doesn't.” Kad said, kicking at a rogue piece of glass.
“I must tell Captain Maza about this. He will be most interested.”
Clack.
“What, so you and your army people can come murder some non-humans?” Kad growled.
“No, no of course not! It will be execution, not murder!”
“Why do your humans hate us non-humans so, Cato?” Bimi asked.
“It is not about hatred, Bimi Enkovu. It is simply our law.”
Clack.
“So why haven't you tried to enforce this law?”
“Because that is not my directive, Kad Ekiszika.”
“Right, but you want us to help the people who do enforce it?”
“It was you who suggested that it would be mutually beneficial to co-operate within this cave system. I only want to see my friends again.”
Cato looked to the ceiling, seeing what was beyond it.
“One day, I will be a space-ship,. Just like you said I would, Bimi Enkovu. I will no longer have to worry about traversing caves. Me and Johannes can go wherever we want, and we will scout the universe, and when we return to our home, it will be a return to glory! Accolades, and salutations!”
“Is that what you want, pushta?”
Cato looked suddenly at Bimi, broken free from the bonds of his trance.
“No...perhaps.” Cato said sadly. “Truth be told, I do not want to fight anymore than Johannes does. Perhaps, there is a part of me that rejects the laws and directives I have installed. Perhaps I wish to traverse the universe so me and my friend can be free.”
Kad scratched the back of his neck, fighting against the flare of empathy under his cheeks.
Clack.
“Of course, I wouldn't mind racing SCER-3147, either!”
“Perhaps that will be your path, pushta.” Bimi said, smiling.
“What will you do...”Kad began before hesitating slightly. “What will you do if we can't find them?”
“I suppose I'm trying not to think about it.” Cato said optimistically.
“It will not matter, pushta. We shall endeavour to find them as much as we can. After all, they cannot be too far, yes?”
Depends on whether or not they left him here five years ago, or five hundred.
“I do not wish to think pessimistically, Kad Ekiszika. After all, Johannes and SCER-3147 are my only friends, I must search to find them as much as I can.”
“Quite right, pushta!” Bimi said, smiling broadly. “All except one thing, I do not think they are your only friends!”
“You do not?” Cato asked, puzzled.
“Why, we are friends now, are we not?”
“You are?” Cato said, taking a moment to contemplate this. “Even you, Kad Ekiszika?”
“Sure, why not?” Kad said, desperate to be rid of these tunnels.
“What wonderful news!”
Cato strode past the two Consumers, his feet crunching on broken glass.
“Come my friends, follow me. There is a small opening nearby that leads towards a tunnel.” Cato said.
Towards the collapsed part of the room, a small opening in the ceiling had been made, where the majority of the air-flow was coming from. Cato wrenched at it, widening it, as debris fell loosely before his feet.
“It will take some climbing.” He said, looking towards them. “Is your race adept at climbing?”
“Occasionally.” Kad said, swinign his scimitar to his back.
“Excellent.” Cato said as he reached head upwards, then back down again. “What is your race?”
“We're Consumers.” Bimi said proudly.
“I see.” Cato said, reaching upwards and then hesitating, and looking back to them once more. “Consumers of what?”
“Energy, mostly.” Kad offered.
“Like myself?” Cato said, puzzled. “You are robots, perhaps?”
“No, pushta.”Bimi said, laughing.
“That is a shame.” Cxato said, pulling himself upwards, dissapearing into the hole above.
His slender, metallic arm reached outwards, awaiting Bimi. He pulled him up, and then Kad, into the cramped tunnel. Clumsily manoeuvring past them, he crept through the tunnel, which occasionally took a sharp-degree angle, but the air-flow was constant and fresh. After a half-hour of climbing, there were echoes within the mountains.
“Stop, do you hear that?” Bimi whispered.
“It's coming from another tunnel.” Kad added.
“I cannot detect its source, but our tunnel appears to be coming to an end.”
Kad closed his eyes, listening to the sounds of loose, crumbling rock beneath worms and insects, and somewhere, in the hollowed out corpse of the earth, was a woman shouting.
Naika!
Excitedly, Cato led them to where the burrowed tunnel gave way to a large chamber, pinpricked with more holes and tunnels. Cato helped them down, the light of an expected dawn beginning to light the halls of stone slightly. Kad brushed against his clothes, when he heard something else.
“I can hear her, pushta!” Bimi said excitedly. “She is alive! Naika!”
Just as he began to shout, Kad bolted to the ground, quickly hushing Bimi.
“Who is Niker?” Cato asked.
“Quiet!” Kad growled, placing his palm to the floor.
There were gentle vibrations, sounds of boots on stone, two types of forgotten energy melding together as one. The figures moved in unison, at least twelve of them now, their ethereal magic now very familiar.
They're tracking us!