by D N Meinster
The entire underground lit up as soon as he made contact. There were blinking lights on the walls, pictures of graphs that fluctuated as he watched, and levers and buttons that were without labels.
"Turn off," Aros said, hoping there was voice command. But there was no response to his request. "Figures."
He crept over to the walls and examined all the unusual instruments. One of these had to turn it off, right?
But if there was such a switch, he didn't find it. Though the screens he passed reacted to his touch, none displayed any instructions for turning the generator off. And without any sort of guidance, he was lost.
Aros knew he was in the right place. Why couldn't the Bellish have made this easy for him? If only he could get in touch with Keisler, so he could walk him through what to do. Maybe the eDat had information to help him, but how exactly was he supposed to access it?
"Activate eDat," he said. There was no response in the room. This place didn't seem to have any form of voice command. "What to do." Aros tapped his fingers along the metal console and considered how to proceed. There was really only one way forward.
Out of the corner of his eye, Aros spotted something descending from the open hatch. He whipped out his blades and spun toward it, letting out a relieved sigh when he saw what it was. The purple fuzz ball had followed him down here. It was hanging from its tails, watching him with its gleaming eyes.
"Do you know how to turn this off?" Aros asked it.
It cooed in response but gave no sign that it had any idea what he'd said. At least Rikki had a denhare that could understand her. This thing following him was no help.
"What are you?" Aros said, sidling up to it.
It was more ovular from its side than it appeared when he had been looking up at it. It had arms and legs, but they were perfectly hidden beneath the layers of hair. "Kwee," it said from a minuscule hole below its bump of a nose.
"Any idea what I should do here, Mr. Kwee?" Aros asked. He put his blades away and extended a hand toward it.
The fuzzball reached for him and placed the tip of its arm in his palm. Its hairs were much softer than a horse’s, and it tickled a bit as it prodded him.
Aros smiled at it, and then he felt a clunk on his back. One of the creature's tails had dropped onto him. "You're not going to choke me, are you?" Another tail fell on him, and the fuzzball launched itself at him.
Aros caught it in his arms as the third tail fell from above and tightened onto him. Once it felt secure, it hopped from his grasp and onto his shoulder. "Kwee."
At least it wasn't trying to eat him. Aros let it swing around his body and dart at the instruments as he got back to figuring what he had to do. He was going to have to hit every button and pull every lever. One of them was bound to turn the generator off.
Aros started with the nearest button and worked his way around the room. He pressed one, yanked another, and flipped every switch he came across. There was no obvious change after he'd gotten halfway around the room. The screens showed the same graphs and words as they had when he'd entered. All of the lights were the same color. If he'd shut it down, wouldn't all the lights turn off?
He continued interacting with every possible control, leaving no knob unturned and changing the direction of every lever. "Why isn't this working?" he cried, smashing the buttons with increasing ferocity. His fists slammed into the consoles, and he pounded away until he'd made contact with every apparatus. "Come on!"
When he finally made it around the entire room, he squatted onto the floor and gazed around. Why had nothing happened? Did none of the controls work? Or did they have to be pressed in the right order?
This was a bad idea. He wouldn't be able to shut off the generator without assistance. He'd have to go back to the hospital and hope he could find Keisler and get better directions. Otherwise, Rikki was splitting her attention away from Doren for nothing.
Unless Magenine would help him again. She hadn't spoken to him in decks now, but he knew She must still be listening. This quest was of Her making. She was trying to stop Neanthal as much as they were.
"Please, Magenine," Aros begged. The Goddess has pointed him true in Kytheras. She could do the same here.
He waited to hear Her whisper again, but no voice answered him. Was She disappointed in him? Because he resented Her for what happened to Leidess? That's why he'd asked Her to stop talking. That's why there was only silence now.
"Kwee."
Aros looked up and saw one of the bars on the screens rising up, and then the entire screen was hued red. Subsequently, the rest of the screens lit up in the same color.
And then an unnaturally high-pitched blare filled the room. It slammed against Aros' eardrums, and he pressed his palms to his ears to try and keep it out. The room became bathed in red light and words flashed across the screens so abruptly that Aros couldn't make out what they said.
Mr. Kwee started squawking and scrambling around Aros' body. He pulled at both ears, which made Aros yelp, and then tugged at his spikes, which were reforming as his hair dried.
Aros hurried back to the hatch but didn't see a ladder or any visible means of getting out. He tried jumping to grab the edge of the hole, but he was a smidge too short to make it.
The fuzzball wasn't waiting for him to get out. Its tails uncurled from his body and stretched for the opening. When they were locked onto the outside, Mr. Kwee rose into the air toward the exit.
Aros grabbed onto the sides of the creatures, and both ascended to the opening. When he was finally outside the hatch, Aros let go and dropped onto the jungle floor. "Thanks," he told it.
Even from up here, Aros could hear the alarming racket. He didn't know if he had caused it to go off, or if the Goddess had, but he suspected that he'd done more than simply shut off the generator. It was time to get as far away from it as he could.
After Mr. Kwee's tails were wrapped around him again, Aros took off, heading back to Cortex and away from the wall and Oblivion. He hadn't gotten very far when a massive blast punctured the air and knocked him and his new companion onto the ground.
Aros looked back and saw the generator burst into a pillar of flame and consume the jungle above it. The heat was so intense, it prickled his skin and made the muggy feeling of the tropical zone a welcome relief when it returned.
"Oops." Aros hadn't intended to do that. He thought about the critters that lived in these forests and felt guilty for what he'd done to their home and to them. But then he remembered the locusts, and he hoped he'd at least gotten rid of them.
"Kwee."
Aros lightly poked Mr. Kwee and returned to his feet. Both of them gazed intently at the seared remains of the trees. Plumes of smoke encompassed the area, masking some of the damage in mist. But the harsh rains contained and washed away the bitter air as they penetrated the recently damaged jungle.
He still didn't know how to shut them off, but at least he knew what he'd have to do when he found the other two generators. The Bellish would undoubtedly be furious with him, but if they'd been cooperative and handed over their key, this wouldn't be necessary.
Aros turned away from the spoiled remnants and made to leave, but his path to the jungle's exit was interrupted. From out of nowhere, a yellow cloak spun into existence right in front of him, blocking his way out of the tropical zone.
Chapter Twenty-One
A Lot Like Home
M'dalla's flail hung at her side, ready to strike with merely a twist of her wrist. Her hair was a catastrophe of wet curls, but her cloak was in pristine condition. An intimidating frown clung to her face, and she stared at Aros for a minute before saying, "Oh, it's only you."
Aros would've had to unwrap at least one tail from his back in order to gain hold of his blade, so he was relieved when M'dalla hid her flail back inside her cloak. She must've been grateful that they'd tried to help her before since she wasn't going after the two Keys on Aros' waist.
"Where are your friends?" M'dalla asked, her eyes not
straying from Aros.
"They're in the hospital," Aros told her, looking away. "Doren's infected with the MR."
"So why aren't you with him? You know they'll incinerate him like they did Yuurei."
Aros didn't feel like he had to explain himself to this Roamer. Rikki was taking care of Doren. He was out here on a mission. The better question was, "What are you doing out here?"
"Saw the fireball," she answered, finally taking her gaze off him. "What kind of creature do you have there?"
Aros glanced at the fuzzball. "This is Mr. Kwee. I don't know what he is, but he won't leave me alone." And Aros was glad it had followed him or he might have been roasted.
"They've got some weird shit out here," M'dalla said. "Seems like they made half of these animals themselves."
Made them? "How exactly would they do that?"
"Haven't you been paying attention?" M'dalla asked, moving closer to Aros. "The Bellish abused their knowledge. They've used science to create animals that never existed before. It's no wonder Magenine wants revenge on them."
Magenine's Retribution. Is that why they called the plague the MR? Because She was upset by what they'd done? Making their own animals did seem to be outside of normal practice. Mages could add wings to a horse, but they didn't make the horses from scratch.
"I'm sorry about Yuurei," Aros mumbled. He didn't know the Roamer, but he figured they had been friends. Why else would she have asked for their help to save him?
"Too late for Yuurei," she sighed. "Don't think he ever expected to go out like that. He was a fighter. Would've rather had one of you kill him." M'dalla was less than a foot away now. "What are you doing out here?"
Aros looked back to the ruins of the generator. How much should he tell her? He had a mission and he was content on doing it alone. Plus, he didn't know if he could trust this Roamer. She was after the third Key as well.
When he went a while without answering, she spoke up. "Not willing to tell me? I don't blame you. Slythe still wants me to get Belliore's Key."
"Why?" After all this time, they still didn't know why the Roamers were after the Keys. They claimed to be on the same side, but all the battles they'd had told him different.
"We can protect the Keys better," M'dalla said. "Or we were supposed to be able to." Her eyes met Aros'. "I think you and your friends are doing a better job at it than us."
"Where are the rest of you?" Aros asked.
"Terrastream. There's not a kingdom in Ghumai without issues. And I thought the Parting would have strengthened the Five Kingdoms."
There was something about the way she said that that didn't sound quite right.
"You're looking for the Key out here? You're not gonna find it."
"I know where it is," Aros stated.
"Then what?"
"I – " Aros didn't know if he should tell her his mission. Was this all a ploy so she could take his keys? "Tell me everything about the Roamers and I'll tell you."
M'dalla snorted. "I can't. Sworn to secrecy. Only the Pr – " She cut herself off. "I can tell you why I was nearby, though. I've been trying to learn as much about this place as I can, exploring these zones to find a way to get the upper hand. I need that key, and I need them to pay for what they did to Yuurei."
If she had already been to the other zones, she might know where the generators were. She could help him. So Aros told her about his mission, leaving out only the final step regarding the perpetual thing. He'd reveal the rest as long as she didn't betray him once the final generator was deactivated.
"So that's what you're up to," M'dalla snickered. "Good job turning it off."
Aros folded his arms and looked away, and Mr. Kwee did the exact same from atop his shoulder.
"I have an idea of where you need to go," she said. "But we'll have to take the long way. This cloak is only good for one."
"Where did you get it?"
"See, I'd tell you, but then you'd only have more questions. And I can't answer them without betraying my fellow Roamers."
Aros dropped his arms to his side and hurried past her. "We need to get an AGT."
"Come on, kid, you must understand loyalty."
That was something Aros did understand, and he hoped he wasn't crossing his friends by working with their adversary. "It's Aros."
"Okay, Aros, can you stop asking me questions?"
"No," he shouted back at her, and he rushed through the rest of the jungle, careful to avoid any vines or intimidating creatures. When he finally made it to the tree line, he looked back, expecting to find M'dalla chasing him. But she was nowhere in sight. "I guess it's just us," he said to Mr. Kwee.
But M'dalla twirled into place at his side seconds later. "Do your friends find you to be annoying?"
Aros wasn't about to answer her questions when she wouldn't answer his. Though he knew that Rikki and Doren hardly found him to be aggravating, at least when he wasn't attacking them. Aros scratched the back of his head. That was a low point in their friendship. And it was between them. He would never share it with M'dalla.
Could she be so close with the other Roamers? Were they more than partners? Were they all friends?
Aros considered asking her, but knew she wouldn't answer and that she'd only find the question bothersome. So instead, he said, "We need an AGT to get to the other zones." And there were none nearby. The parade of vehicles only flew through the city, apparently. Out here, there was only the faint hum of the transports coming from Cortex.
"You need one," M'dalla corrected. "But I'll help you out this time." She spun in place and shifted away.
Mr. Kwee squeaked as he witnessed her disappear.
"Don't worry, she does that," Aros said, tickling the top of the fuzz ball's head. Whether it understood him or not, he was glad to have a pet at his side. And he didn't mind M'dalla accompanying him either. But he needed to learn more about her and the Roamers. He'd pester her until he got the information he needed.
What would his friends say if they knew he was hanging around with a Roamer but didn't learn anything?
That's Aros.
No, not this time. He'd find a way to get her to divulge their origins. Or he'd wind up with a flail to the face.
Aros rubbed his cheek just thinking about it, and then noticed an AGT zooming toward him.
When it stopped and the door opened, he ran through the downpour and skipped inside. He swiped the water off his armor and patted his hair as the vehicle sealed him in.
"Where to?" M'dalla asked, lying in one of the seats.
"Take us to the arid zone," Aros said clearly.
"Proceeding to destination," the AGT replied, and the transport lifted away from the jungle and whooshed off through the sky.
The heavy rains clinked against the outside of the vehicle, and the two sat in silence, listening to the meditative sound.
Aros was the one to interrupt the ambiance. "How old are you?"
M'dalla rolled her eyes. "We're going to play this game again?"
"It's not a game," Aros grumbled.
"How old are you?" she said, sitting up.
"Eighteen."
"I haven't been eighteen in a long time."
Did that mean she was much older than she looked? Aros wasn't even sure she'd reached her mid-twenties. "What about the others?"
"We're all older than you," she stated.
"What kingdoms are you from?"
"You really want me to break my vows, don't you?"
"I want to trust you," Aros replied.
"And you need me to answer your silly questions in order to do that?" M'dalla stared at him. "I'm a Twilean. Now, shut up."
Aros had never met anyone from the Twilight Islands before, and he suddenly found her much more intriguing. He'd never seen the Unending Seas. The closest he'd gotten to them were the shells that some collectors had back in Kytheras. Ratch had shown him one once, and made him hold it up to his ear so he could hear the echo of waters that had long ago surrounded Ghuma
i. "What are the Seas like?"
"Ughhh," M'dalla growled. "Imagine a lake, but bigger."
The only lake he'd seen recently was Perish Lake. And Leidess had been there.
Aros was finally as quiet as M'dalla wanted as his thoughts drifted to his deceased girlfriend.
"Now arriving at your destination," the AGT notified them.
The transport stopped and the door opened.
Aros braced for the heavy winds and showers from Rikki's storm, but only sunlight came into the vehicle. "What?" He dashed out, concerned that the storm had ended and something had happened to his friends. His feet landed in sand, and a familiar feeling took him back as his feet sank into the grains.
He was surrounded by a desert not unlike the Absentia. However, there was life in this arid zone. Cacti sprung up from the barren flats, and dunes were displaced by more than simply wind. Aros might try to spot what other creatures dwelled within, but he turned about, more concerned with the current weather conditions.
Cortex was in full view, as were the dark clouds that consumed the tops of the skyscrapers. Rikki's rains continued, just not here.
"Why isn't raining?" Aros asked M'dalla as she approached him.
"Does it matter?" she replied.
Aros wasn't sure. If there weren't any solar sheets making power for Belliore in this zone, then it didn't. But even if that was the case, why didn't Rikki's storm reach this zone? Were there preventative measures here that could halt rain?
"Come on," M'dalla insisted, and she headed into the desert.
Aros followed, though he had no idea how they might find the generator amongst all this sand. It was likely that any hatch or entrance was buried within and finding it would be impossible.
Crooooh.
Mr. Kwee scrambled on top of Aros' head, and Aros hopped back as a creature emerged from one of the dunes. It was the color of wet sand, with barbed ears and a snout topped by a horn. Its feet were round and flat, and as it stepped into the open, it revealed a muscular torso that led into another head coming out of its backside.
