“Now, now. I mean you no harm,” the man said. He spoke with a peculiar accent.
“That was my kill. I saw it first,” Laurelle claimed.
“I don’t doubt that,” he responded. “Such a young girl,” he muttered. “My name’s Tila. I’m part of a group of hunters. We make our home just east of here. It’s been a while since we’ve gotten a significant catch. We’re all very hungry.”
“I’m very hungry, too,” Laurelle claimed. “Give me that rifle,” she demanded.
“Sure thing,” the man complied. “I don’t want any trouble now.”
He laid the weapon down on the grass and backed away. Laurelle put away the bow and arrow, and she snatched up his rifle.
“Just be careful with that thing,” he warned her.
“I can handle myself,” she insisted. She held the weapon up ready for any sudden movements.
“I can see that. You’ve clearly been on your own for a long time,” the man said. “You’re obviously very resourceful. Maybe there’s a way we can both benefit from this. Maybe we could split it,” he said, referring to the dead cat.
“You give me half,” said Laurelle.
“Sounds good to me.”
“Slowly,” Laurelle demanded. “I said ‘slowly!’”
“Okay, okay.”
The man cut the animal into two halves and tossed one to her. She quickly grabbed it and ran off.
As she hurried, she thought she heard something but ignored it. She was then grabbed from behind. Tila suddenly tackled her to the jungle floor. “That’s mine, you little bitch!” He shouted. He held her down on the ground while she tried to fend him off. His strength was immediately too much for little Laurelle. She had managed to grab a hold of the handgun strapped around his thigh, but he quickly took hold of her pistol-wielding hand in the struggle. In the scuffle, she managed to fire the handgun, and the rogue bullet went up through his head. His blood dribbled out the hole beneath his jaw and over Laurelle’s petrified face.
When she finally managed to force his corpse off, she began wiping her face. Desperate to get rid of his blood, she hurried to the stream of water just nearby and splashed it over her face. The cool water was a shock after the warm blood had been on her skin.
Laurelle raced back as fast as she could, eager to return. She climbed into a little opening at the base of a huge tree trunk and then dropped down to a small opening beneath it. She walked over to Vanakis and unloaded her findings for the day. They had been living like this for a while now.
“I almost made a kill today,” she told him, “but I still managed to get it. It’ll be good to eat something other than that fruit off that tree I found.”
Vanakis was very disorientated, the healing process was almost complete but his body was still weak.
She rubbed his forehead and smiled and then pulled the blanket higher over his chest. “I hope you’ll be proud of me.”
When Vanakis awoke, he found a sleeping Laurelle just beside him. He checked his abdomen wound to find it had mostly recovered from its impaling. He stepped out of the opening at the base of the trunk.
“I found the two of you passed out last night,” Slade mentioned.
“You could’ve killed the both of us and taken your bounty,” said Vanakis.
“Circumstances have changed,” Slade said. “It’s not just about a job anymore. It’s survival, and only together can we do that. That’s what matters—getting out alive,” said Slade.
“I agree,” Vanakis responded. “We still got no idea what this thing does, though,” Vanakis said as he tossed the crystal to Slade.
“What the hell is it?” The bounty hunter wondered.
“No idea. Whatever it is, it was projecting some kind of blueprints—a map of some sort,” Vanakis explained.
“Well, you’re supposed to know, aren’t you?” Slade questioned.
“Why the hell should I know?”
“Oh, that’s just great. You’re supposed to be leading some expedition in the heart of the jungle, but you’re just as clueless as the rest of us,” Slade remarked.
“None of this was on the to-do-list, okay, asshole?” Vanakis snapped.
“Oh, lovely. I’m oozing with more and more confidence every time you open that annoying mouth,” Slade barked.
“You got a problem? Feel free to piss off,” Val declared.
“I just might,” Slade threatened.
“Hey!” Laurelle’s higher pitched voice suddenly jumped between the scuffle. “If we can’t get along for ten minutes, then we’re not going to get very far at all.” The ten-year-old was suddenly the wiser of the three. They remained silent for a moment thereafter.
Vanakis went over to a tree just a few metres away and pulled a banana from it.
“What are you doing?” Slade wondered.
“I’m hungry,” said Val, “and there’s a banana tree right here.”
“You’re going to eat some random crap you found in the jungle?”
“Not random. Banana.” Vanakis replied.
“You don’t know where that thing has been,” Slade declared.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m eating the inside, not the outside.”
“It’s the same damn thing,” Slade claimed.
“It is not the same thing,” said Val.
“Oh no?”
“No. The outside is leathery skin. The inside is fruity goodness.”
“Goodness, my ass,” said Slade.
“Bananas are a rich source of vitamin B, all right? They provide thirty-one percent of the recommended daily intake,” Vanakis explained.
“You pulled that statistic out of your ass,” Slade claimed.
“I did not.”
“We’ve actually been eating them for a while now,” Laurelle pointed out to Slade.
“You stay out of this,” Slade instructed.
“Just do something with that bloody crystal already,” Vanakis insisted. Val enjoyed the banana and even grabbed one for Laurelle as Slade fiddled with the crystal.
Slade tried shaking it, tapping it, even knocking it on a tree, but nothing worked.
“It is a pleasure to watch your mind at work,” Val remarked.
Slade stared at Vanakis with his eyebrows frowned and teeth locked shut. Eventually, he ended up twisting the crystal. Two halves of it turned in the opposite direction. It suddenly lit up and floated up above them. A huge projection had spread out over the immediate area. Even though it was daylight, the hologram wasn’t any harder to see.
“What is it?” Laurelle asked.
“It’s a hologram,” Slade clarified. “Of our galaxy. Here’s Quallitra and Retyre.”
“This is Atmora,” Val pointed out. “What’s this marking?”
“It’s an x,” Laurelle said. “That’s where we’re going?”
“We’re not pirates,” Vanakis laughed with a banana in hand.
“It’s marking that spot for a reason,” Slade chimed in.
“We’re gonna take the advice of a ten-year-old girl?” Val questioned.
“Hey, screw you,” Laurelle jumped in.
“Don’t see you coming up with any smart ideas,” Slade added.
“Yeah, you’re full of ‘em yourself, mate,” Val responded.
“I’m doing a better job than you are,” Slade snapped.
“Well, thank you very much,” Jaroot said as he revealed himself. “I couldn’t have done it without you.”
Jaroot’s mercs fast surrounded them at gunpoint.
“You know me, I just love to help sadistic mercenaries,” Val remarked.
“Are you eating a banana you found in the jungle?” Jaroot asked. “You don’t even know where that’s been!”
“They’re a great source of vitamin B!” Vanakis shouted.
Jaroot grabbed the crystal as it hovered, and the hologram disappeared as he did so. “I’m afraid this is as far as you go, old friend,” Jaroot said to Vanakis.
“Loose ends and all that
, aye?” Val added.
“Something like that,” Jaroot responded. “Execute them,” he ordered as he left for Atmora.
As the mercenaries prepared to shoot the trio down, they checked they’re weapons. A pack of ravagers then ambushed the unsuspecting group. The mercs were torn apart as body parts went everywhere.
A beep noise suddenly went off. “It’s the Azura!” Val shouted, “I’ve got a signal!”
“Run!” Slade yelled.
Slade, Vanakis, and Laurelle bolted from the ravagers. The mercs kept the beasts occupied for the time being. They rushed through the jungle. Laurelle struggled to keep up with the other two, and Slade slowed to help her. A ravager bit down hard on his leg. He screamed in agony. Vanakis blasted it’s brains out with a rifle. Slade was barely able to move on.
“Go,” Vanakis shouted.
Laurelle pressed onward while Vanakis helped Slade to his feet. Laurelle came sprinting out of the jungle and up the steep, rocky hill. Close behind was Vanakis as he pulled Slade along. Slade tried to keep the ravagers at bay with his pistol. They were miles above sea level, high up in the mountains and climbing. Vanakis pushed himself hard with all his strength, with Laurelle leading the way. The Azura flew overhead. Its virtual intelligence had piloted the ship to Val’s beacon.
Val felt himself waver as the struggle wore him down. Vanakis stumbled for a second, and Slade dropped his weapon. Ravagers moved in fast—lots of them. Val kept on the move, he didn’t dare to look back. Laurelle was quick to swoop in and grab the fallen pistol to provide cover fire without hesitation or fear of the weapon she carried. Vanakis helped Slade onto the boarding ramp. He placed him down inside the cargo bay within and then quickly raced up to the bridge. Laurelle continued her approach to the ship at the mountain peak. Ravagers were everywhere, as the commotion had attracted the attention of many more. Dozens of beasts were on her pursuit. Laurelle turned and ran for the ship. Her little legs weren’t able to outrun the ferocious speed and intensity of the monsters on her tail. The ship was mere seconds away as ravagers closed in on her quickly. Laurelle leapt on, and Val blasted off. The Azura made it out, clean and quick.
A rivalry of hate brewing between two brothers, a mercenary going to claim the prymus as his own, and no one left to help the slaves. Things are really looking up, aren’t they?
Mera felt the boiling sensation of tea as it hit her lips. She was nice and relaxed within her quarters, with only a dim light on as she enjoyed the moonlight of the night sky while her favourite show was on. She was totally oblivious to the shadowy figure who dropped onto the balcony. The tenebrous individual slid the sliding door along its track with vigilance, just enough to sneak inside. As the television continued its program, Mera’s blood dripped from the gash in her throat. The assassin disappeared amongst the shadows as the victim coated the couch in red.
TWENTY THREE
The water laid calm with the night sky glooming over the light ripples of the ocean. The Azura flew over the endless seas, so close to the water that she left a trail behind like a speedboat. As the ship came to a stop above the deep blue sea, the boarding ramp opened. Vanakis saw the never-ending waters that were once home to the Quell. Atmora was swallowed by the sea and was now a planet made entirely of ocean.
“I’d come, too, if Veech could swim,” Slade told him.
“I’ll handle it. With a little luck, Jaroot won’t even be here yet. Just be waiting when I get back,” said Val. ‘I hope my lack of confidence isn't obvious,’ he thought.
“Would you get going before I die of old age?” Slade impatiently told Val.
“All right, all right,” Val commented. Vanakis removed his fedora and bandana, then placed a respirator over his mouth and then dove into the dark abyss. Vanakis felt Slade’s gaze watching him as he disappeared into the nothingness below.
Black was everywhere; Val could barely see two inches in front of his face. He turned on the light on his respirator, but it wasn’t much better. It was like trying to navigate with his eyes closed as he slowly descended deeper and deeper. As he plummeted further, the water pressure began to take its toll. His muscles were straining and his ears hurting. That’s when he saw the ruins of the once-magnificent city that dominated the planet. It was made entirely of stone, unlike the metals and concrete jungles of today.
Vanakis headed towards what looked like an opening in one of the buildings. Once inside, he popped his head out of the water slowly, careful to observe his surroundings before he simply hopped out. Never know what awaits on the other side.
The Tarian expected more darkness and shadows, but instead, he found light. The structure was half-collapsed and leaning to one side with cracks and rubble abundant. Vines and plant life had claimed this as their home. However, someone had lit the torches that hung on the walls. The flickering light made the room dim but gloomy.
‘Do I follow the trail of creepy lights?’ Val asked himself. Vanakis didn’t know what to look for, anyway. Against his better judgement, he decided to see where the torches led. He didn’t exactly have any better ideas, anyway. The prince crept through the halls while wary of his surroundings. The whole structure leaning over made travelling awkward, as water and roots littered the place. Vanakis froze when he thought he heard something. He didn’t move a muscle and listened intently. The Tarian heard shouting up ahead. Whoever had lit these torches was most definitely still here.
After a peak around the doorway, Val saw an enormous chamber. On the far end was a stone door standing several stories high. In front of it was Jaroot. The human was in an argument with his mercenaries as they tried to find a way inside. There was equipment and supplies laid around.
‘They’ve been here a while,’ Vanakis thought. Val slipped behind one of the pillars that surrounded the outer walls of the chamber and hid in the shadows.
“It’s been hours,” Jaroot said, “and yet we are no closer to getting inside.”
“Sir, this door, and whatever mechanism operates it, is millions of years old,” the merc explained. “I’m afraid working out how it works isn’t as easy as turning a doorknob.”
“Make it happen,” Jaroot ordered.
Vanakis observed the heavy equipment as well as the ash and markings left by explosives. ‘Blasting the door obviously didn’t help,’ he said in his head.
“Hey!” A mercenary stumbled upon the hiding Tarian. “Hands behind your head, now!” he barked.
“Shit,” Vanakis remarked.
Jaroot didn't look very surprised to see Vanakis lurking about. Val was walked over to the door, and his weapons were confiscated.
“You just can’t help yourself, can you?” Jaroot told him. “Well, good. You can open the door for me.”
“What makes you think I can open it?” Val laughed.
“You found that crystal, and you activated the crystal. I’m not sure how but you obtained it. Now, find me a way through!” Jaroot quickly lost his patience.
Vanakis remembered how they opened the chamber which contained the crystal. The prince began to look over the door. He searched for something similar to that of the triangular slot found in the temple on Veeraan. Sure enough, there it was—a hole shaped just like the dagger.
Vanakis reached for the dagger in his belt. Just as he did, the mercs reacted defensively and immediately took aim at him. “Oh, relax,” Vanakis told them. He pulled the dagger out, but hesitated before he put it in.
“Do it!” Jaroot shouted. “Do it now! I deserve to see it!”
Vanakis inserted the triangular blade of the knife into the hole. The entire door shook—all fifty feet of it. It shook only for a second, but as it did, the dust was unsettled and lifted into the room. Val coughed as the mercs took a step back. The door halved and began to slide open, the two sides disappeared as the black room beyond was revealed.
“You first,” Jaroot said to Vanakis with a handgun pointed in his direction.
Val slowly entered with caution. Jaroot and his goons stayed
close by. Then, it lit up and they all saw it. The prymus sat on a pedestal in the centre of the nearly pitch-black chamber. It quickly glowed a bright blue and lit up the room. However, the chamber was so big that the walls and roof were too far away to be seen and remained hidden in the dark beyond. The prymus was an orb, and it was clear; the bright blue light emitted from its centre. Vanakis approached it in awe, as was his present company.
“Stand back,” Jaroot ordered. “I will be the one to claim it. The right is mine.” He held his gun at Vanakis.
His mercs grabbed the Tarian then shoved him back and out of the way. As Jaroot stepped within a mere metre of the artefact, it glowed even brighter. It was almost too bright for Jaroot to look directly at it, but at the same time, he couldn’t look away. The prymus had mesmerised him. The human reached out, ready to take it in the palm of his hand. Just as he made contact with it, energy suddenly rushed out from within the artefact. All of them stood and stared, completely awestruck.
Jaroot snatched the prymus right off the pedestal. The hologram disappeared, and Jaroot stared intensely at the artefact for a moment. Then, the room began to fall apart. The ruins shook. The ceiling began to crumble, and Jaroot’s hired guns had already started to flee.
“What’s happening?” Jaroot yelled.
“How should I know?” said Vanakis.
Jaroot bolted to the exit, followed closely by Val. As they left the chamber, they realised the entire ruin was breaking up. One mercenary who ran across the room was crushed by an enormous stone. The pillars that made up the next room were tumbling over. Jaroot and Vanakis attempted to traverse the constantly-changing obstacle course before them. Vanakis grabbed his weapons off a dead mercenary as they passed. As they reached the stone halls, they found more perished mercs. Vanakis almost tripped on the roots that had grown throughout the ruin. Even more water was in the Quell remnants now as it crept in through the fresh cracks. The flooding had begun.
As they fled the destruction, the floor beneath them crumbled. Jaroot fell into the mud below. The water poured in, and Jaroot was sinking fast. The prymus simply rolled right up to Val’s feet. As the Tarian grabbed it to take off, Jaroot cried out.
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