Shy and Aggressive: Book 2

by Johng117

Chapter 16: Deception

It was a cloudy day. The sun was obscured by the gloomy grey clouds. The weather was much cooler on this day. There was a breeze that blew the dust, and the scraggly branches of the dead trees in the area.

Junior and the gang followed Lightfoot deeper into the dead forest. They stopped at the edge of a hill, finding a large plateau to be ahead of them.

"We are here," said Lightfoot.

"Here? I don't see any fortress," said Rodan.

"Because it is inside of the plateau. There is a cave that leads inside. That is where we get in," said Lightfoot. He knelt down and began to use his claw to draw into the ground. He drew a lineand began to draw different sized squares.

"There are many different chambers, including a greater chamber deeper in the fortress. The slaves are kept in this dungeon. Somewhere around here," said Lightfoot, pointing to one of the squares he drew out.

"You memorized the whole place?" asked Junior in shock.

"They also had a map there. It helped," said Lightfoot.

"Makes sense," said Rodan, scratching his head.

"OK, we go in quiet. Lightfoot will lead the way," said Junior.

"What if we get caught?" asked Mosura.

"Then we wreck shit. Come on, we're three mutants and a magical girl. I think we can handle a bunch of medieval slavers in a cave," said Junior.

"Magical girl?" snorted Sunset.

"So... We do that thing? You know that Aang's the only one who can actually handle that, right?" asked Rodan. Junior grimaced. He didn't think of that being a contingency. Now he wished he convinced Angirasu to come along.

"It's fine. It might not come to that if we're careful," said Mosura.

"Yeah, but how careful can we be with a highly fortified cave?" deadpanned Rodan.

"I know a couple of spells that can help," said Sunset. She grunted as she held her hands up. As they glowed, they cast a brilliant light over the group. The group was blinded briefly. Junior winced as he rubbed his eyes.

"What was that?" asked Junior.

"It should be an invisibility spell. Though I never actually cast it before," said Sunset.

"Yeah, I can tell. I can still see all of you!" said Rodan in dismay. Mosura gasped.

"Whoa, look at the ground!" said Mosura. Confused, Junior looked down.

"What are we looking for?" asked Junior.

"Don't you notice? We aren't casting shadows," said Mosura.

"I did it! From the knowledge Amber gave, the spell is working if you can't see your shadow! It has this sort of perk where that those sharing the same cast can still see each other as well as themselves," said Sunset.

"Convenient. But there's a catch, right?" asked Junior.

"Well, the spell doesn't last long. We have roughly an hour or so before it ends. Unless I cancel it sooner," said Sunset.

"But you can recast it, right?" asked Junior.

"Yeah, but magic takes energy out of me. I'm a bit winded from a spell like that," said Sunset. Junior sighed in dismay. He knew this was too good to be true.

"Alright, let's make it count," said Junior.

The group made their way down the hill. Once they reached the plateau, Lightfoot took the lead. They found a large dark cave at the base of the plateau. Sunset drew out a small flashlight and turned it on.

"Glad I brought this along," said Sunset.

"What a fascinating device!" said Selena in awe.

"Hm. I see that you have similar tools," said Lightfoot.

"Huh?" Sunset looked at him in confusion.

"Nevermind. Hurry. But stay quiet. We are near," said Lightfoot as he moved further ahead. The teens followed. As they reached the lizardman's position, they stopped and stood in shock. They found themselves in a large room. The room was littered with dirt and rocks from the cave. The walls and floor were made up of steel, with conduits running beneath the grates on the ground and the walls. The ceiling above was mostly rocky, but there were steel beam frames above, holding up lights and the ceiling itself.

"Medieval slavers, huh?" Rodan looked to Junior with a cocked brow.

"This is... What's..." Junior struggled to process what he was seeing. The industrial look of this place looked too modern.

"This way," whispered Lightfoot, continuing to lead the group. The teens quietly walked through the metal corridors. It was cold, with bright lights in some areas, while softer lights in others. Lightfoot quickly pressed against the wall and motioned to the group. They all stopped and pressed against the wall as well. They found a masculine figure clad in dark armor to be walking by. They failed to get a good look at him, being that they were behind Lightfoot. Soon, the footsteps faded away.

"Come." Lightfoot led on.

"Now I see why they call ya, 'Lightfoot'," whispered Junior. The teens spent the next minute or so navigating through the corridors of this place. Lightfoot kept alert, warning his companions of any passing guards. While he had a good look at them, the others did not. Soon, they passed near a corridor, where a couple of voices were heard.

"Those things fucking reek, man. I hate lizard duty," said a distorted, male voice. Junior furrowed his brows as he heard the voice. It was distorted, almost like a radio crackle.

"I feel ya. Not to mention they give me the creeps. Have you seen the teeth on some of them?" asked another distorted voice.

Lightfoot had gone up further ahead to scout. During that idle conversation, he returned to the group.

"They're guarding the entrance to the dungeon. We must take care of them if we wish to remain hidden," said Lightfoot.

"Understood," said Junior. He and Lightfoot stepped out of hiding to confront the guards. Junior's eyes widened at the sight of them. They were men clad from head to toe in thick armor, with dark camo pants and finger-less gloves. They wore helmets with blue visors and masks covering their mouths. They held thick rifles in their hands. They didn't look like anything any military would typically have. The weapons had glowing lights on the side.

"What the fuck?" Junior whispered to himself. Lightfoot sneaked over to one of the armed guards. He motioned his head, promoting Junior to snap out of his shock. He stepped over to the second guard. Lightfoot began to count down with his claws. Junior tensed himself.

After the count down, Lightfoot swiftly struck the guard at the side of the head. Meanwhile, Junior slammed the second guard's head against the wall, causing a loud bang. The boy winced, freezing as the guard collapsed to the ground. Lightfoot peeked over a corner, finding the next corridor to be empty.

"We're safe," said Lightfoot. Junior sighed in relief, while the rest of the teens joined them.

"Whoa. These are the guys?" asked Mosura in shock.

"Ah hell, they have guns too? We're way over our heads," said Rodan with a nervous look. Sunset knelt down and inspected the unconscious guards. She noticed that there some kind of emblem on the armor. But, it was too worn out and faded to decipher what exactly it was. She decided to ignore it.

"We must hurry. There will be more guards soon," said Lightfoot.

"Right," said Junior as he began to search the guards. He found a card-like key to be clipped to the armor. Junior took it and stood to the door. He inserted the key into a slot, prompting green lights to appear. The door clicked, allowing Junior to open it. The group stepped inside, finding a long room filled with different cells. The air reeked of a foul stench. It wasn't death. It was more akin to a dirty tank of a pet reptile. Junior found that there were at least a dozen anthropomorphic lizards. They were of different shades of green, but bore similarities in appearance as Lightfoot, only they appeared a bit larger and bulkier in build.

"Is someone there?" asked a lizardman, gripping the metallic grate of the cell.

"Ah shit. I forgot, they can't see us," said Junior.

"Who speaks?!" exclaimed another lizardman.

"Silence, my friends. It is I, Lightfoot," said Lightfoot.

"Lightfoot? Are you a spirit?" asked another lizardman.

"Nay. I am still among the living. I have brought friends to liberate you," said Lightfoot, stepping over to the bar. The native reptiles still looked around, some murmuring amongst themselves as they attempted to find the source of the voice. Little did they know that Lightfoot was standing right in front of one of the cells. Junior scratched his head as he looked around. He then noticed that there was a computer console in the corner of the detention block. He made his way over and began to look over the console.

"Ah hell. What do I..." Junior looked over the dozens of glowing buttons on the console. He was quickly overwhelmed. He noticed a screen on the console, along with direction arrow keys, a familiar space button and enter button.

"OK, let's see."

Junior pressed the enter button. The screen depicted text, showing off different options. One that stood out the most was the text, 'Cell Controls'. He found multiple options for the controls. They ranged from closing, gassing, and electric shocks, likely contingencies against the prisoners. Then, the open option appeared in the boy's line of sight. Junior selected the option. A menu popped up, asking for which cells. Junior selected the 'All' option. Then, the screen displayed a menu asking for confirmation. Junior sighed in annoyance.

"Yes, dammit!" said Junior, hitting the 'Y' key. The screen then displayed text, requiring the insertion of a valid I.D.

"Hmm..." Junior drew out the card key and inserted it into the slot. The screen buzzed as it gave the red text, 'error'.

"Figures," said Junior, smacking the console in frustration.

"Bad news. I can't get the cells to open without the proper I.D.," said Junior, as the rest of the teens entered.

"Why bother? Let's just tear this sucker open," said Rodan, punching his palm.

"That'd be unwise. These cages were enchanted to harness lightning should we try to break free ourselves," said Lightfoot.

"Smart," said Junior begrudgingly.

"Sunset, can you try teleporting them out?" asked Mosura.

"I can try," said Sunset. Her hands sparked and shot them forward. The cells suddenly gave off a spark, which caused Sunset to yelp in pain. The lizards retreated from the cell grates with a start.

"Shit! Are you alright?!" Junior cried, rushing to Sunset. The girl winced, while sucking air through her teeth.

"Yeah, I think," whimpered Sunset. Junior took the girl's hand, causing her to gasp in pain. She had burns along her fingers.

"It doesn't look too bad, but let's not do that again," said Junior as he drew out bandages and began to wrap Sunset's fingers.

"What do we do now?" asked Selena. Junior looked to the cage with a grimace. He wasn't willing to test fate by trying to crack open these cells on his own. But then he remembered something.

"Lightfoot, you said that there was a map that helped you memorize this place, right?" asked Junior.

Just moments later, the teens were out in the hall, staring at a map on the wall. Based on what was depicted, this was a pretty large facility. For what it was for, they didn't know. But they knew that something like this required a lot of power.

"Right here. This is where the power is generated. If we shut it down, then we could get the cells open," said Junior.

"Are you crazy? That place is deeper into this facility," said Sunset.

"If you have other ideas, I'm all ears. Otherwise, this might be the only way. Looking for someone with clearance to open the gate will take too long and is too risky," said Junior.

"So what's the plan?" asked Mosura.

"Only a couple of us move in to shut off the power. The rest should wait in the cell block until the power's off. Once it is, bust them open," said Junior. He then turned to Sunset.

"You stay. You’re in no shape to cast anymore spells," said Junior. Sunset shook her head.

"No, I can still use magic. You'll need me if we want to maintain invisibility," said Sunset. Junior sighed.

"Alright. Rodan, are you good to stay?" asked Junior. Rodan reluctantly glanced at the lizardmen in the cells. Traumatic memories from his time in Ecstasia came flooding back. It was though his hallucination was some kind of premonition.

"Yeah..." said Rodan, half halfheartedly.

"I'll stay too," said Mosura.

"Ok. Lightfoot, you're with me," said Junior.

"I-I wish to come too," said Selena. Junior was about to decline but found the firm and determined look on the girl. She didn't look like she was going to take no for an answer. He rolled his eyes.

"Alright," said Junior.

"This way," said Lightfoot as he began to lead the small group. They again navigated the seeming endless corridors. They at times passed one or more passing armed guards, all wearing this dark armor.

Junior thought it was odd. He wondered how and why these guys were here, in a whole alternate world. So far, people they've run into seemed to come from hundreds if not thousands of years back. The way some of them talked and lived was like they managed to get by without having to go industrial. Yet the presence of a military faction armed with gear he's never seen on a common soldier from back home in a technologically challenged world didn’t add up. He questioned what type of people they were facing against.

---

The Eloi village was solemn. Mothers were contemplating the future of their sons, as the threat of the reptile folk loomed over them. Their gods, the Zetas, were asking them of their sacrifice for a life time of servitude. They would never see their sons again. To make matters worse, they were not old enough to even pass on their line, to lead to future generations to come. It seemed that the end of the Eloi was near.

Angirasu sat on the porch of the house with Adagio and Dwan. All three appeared to be bored.

"Man, I wish we went on that adventure. I'm bored," said Dwan.

"Yeah. I feel useless too," said Adagio. Dwan snorted as she glanced at the girl.

"You are useless," said Dwan. Adagio glared at her.

"Shut up!" said Adagio.

"Hey! Hey! No arguing!" said Angirasu, quickly getting between the two.

"Anything for you, Nice Aang," said Dwan, crossing her arms. Angirasu sighed.

'Damn it Goji. Why'd you leave me with these two?' thought Angirasu in dismay. He then looked to the Obelisk at the center of the village.

"You know, Gojira mentioned something about that Obelisk. How it was awfully suspicious," said Angirasu.

"You mean the fact that it looks like a giant dick?" asked Dwan. Angirasu and Adagio sent her an odd look.

"What? Have you not heard of Osiris? Those things are everywhere on earth. Why did they call that thing the Washington Monument when it looks nothing like the guy? Other than that one part of him?" asked Dwan.

"Good God, Dwan," said Adagio in disbelief.

"What?" asked Dwan with a shrug.

"You should discuss that with Rodan and Gojira. They love to talk conspiracy theories," said Angirasu with a roll of his eyes. But he looked back to the obelisk.

"But I'd be lying if what he said didn't have me intrigued," said Angirasu as he stood up.

"Where are you going?" asked Adagio.

"I'm gonna get a closer look at that thing. Wanna help?" asked Angirasu.

"I'm sure Dwan would," said Adagio with a smirk. Dwan sent her an annoyed look.

"Osiris!" said Dwan.

"I don't know what that means!" said Adagio. Dwan got up and began to follow Angirasu. Adagio sighed.

"Screw it. I've got nothing better to do," said Adagio, hopping to her feet.

The three teens made their way over to the obelisk. It was a tall structure, almost as tall as a house. It shined from the sunlight that hung high above in the sky.

"So what are we looking for?" asked Adagio.

"Not sure. But maybe there's something inscribed here that could tell us some history. Or at least hint at its origins," said Angirasu.

"What's this thing made of?" Dwan knocked on the surface of the object. There was an almost hollow clang from the knock.

"Wait a minute." Angirasu began to knock on the obelisk as well. It made the same sound. He began to run his hand along the hot surface.

"I thought this thing was made of some kind of stone or something. But it feels like metal. Just ordinary metal," said Angirasu. Adagio squinted.

"There's some rust. Doesn't seem so divine to me," said Adagio. Dwan looked to the side of the obelisk. She noticed an indented square with gaps along the sides.

"Nice Aang, what does that look like to you?" asked Dwan. Angirasu stepped over to her and looked over her shoulder.

"What in the world?"

"Desecraters!" cried a shrill voice. The teens quickly turned in alarm. They found that a woman was pointing an accusatory finger at them. This had drawn the attention of the other villagers.

"You dare to defile this sacred structure?! Incur the wrath of the powerful Zetas?!" demanded the woman.

"Defile?!" exclaimed a woman in panic. The villagers began to murmur in panic and shout condemnation to the teens.

"Have you no respect for the divine?!" yelled a woman.

"For shame!" shouted another woman.

"No, wait a minute! We were just looking at it!" said Angirasu.

"You are just outsiders! You'll bring the wrath of the Zetas upon us!" said Tria angrily.

"What more can they do to you? They're already making you exile your sons!" said Adagio.

"Bite your tongue!" said Tria. Angirasu grimaced as the angry mob gathered. He knew that things were not gonna go well for him and the others.

Suddenly, the obelisk ignited. The torches roared to life, startling everyone in the village. From above the obelisk, a familiar apparition head appeared. It was the Zeta.

"Eloi, I call upon you," said the Zeta.

"Uh oh," said Adagio with a grimace.

"You must give up the remaining boys of your village. For it is the will of the Zetas." said the Zeta, it's eyes glowing.

"B-But, great Zeta! We will have no men left to help continue our people's legacy!" cried Tria. Suddenly, the flames from the torches burned hotter and brighter, growing large to the point that it almost obscured the obelisk. The villagers all screamed in fright, dropping to their knees and pleading for mercy. Angirasu, Dwan and Adagio stepped away from the obelisk, looking on fearfully at the sight.

"You will gives us your sons! Or else you will face the hunger of the reptile demons!" yelled the Zeta.

---

Junior and his group eventually came across a room in the hall. Sunset stopped as she took a glance into a room.

"Guys, look!" whispered Sunset. The group looked inside the room, finding it quite large. There were different consoles that filled the room, along with different screen monitors. In the center of the room, there was a podium-like structure that stood.

"Could be a security room or something," said Junior.

"Have they sent the rest to the drop point?" A male voice asked.

The group froze at the sound of the voice. They turned and found two men in uniform to be walking in. The teens made sure to keep away from the two, as to not make contact in their invisible state.

"No, there's no sight of them. That's why we're asking you to do your usual thing," said the second man, as they made their way to the podium. From the podium, a metallic helmet ejected.

"Yeah, yeah. It's a bit unusual to do this without a 'summons', right?" asked the man as he took the helmet.

The second man sighed as he sat at a computer console, beginning to type away. The large screen monitor in the room flickered to life, displaying a village. Selena's eyes widened as she recognized the village depicted. While she was shocked by this seemingly magical canvas, she was mostly shocked by the fact that it depicted a portion of her village.

"Well, the egg heads are asking for more test subjects. Our client is getting impatient," said the second man.

'Test subjects?' thought Junior.

The man at the podium placed on the helmet. It clicked, and a tube hung from the mouth piece, connecting to the console on the podium. He began to type away.

"Well they better make it count. All they've been doing is testing on males, so these are the last," said the man, whose voice changed from muffled, to distorted.

It was here that the teens came to a horrible realization. The helmet of the man was metallic curved around the dome. There were large black eye lens on the helmet, as the trunk-like tube hung. The voice was a familiar distortion.

"Heh. You think I can use the Zeta division as a reference for acting?" asked the man at the podium.

"Hey, all of this is classified, remember? Just do your job," said the second man in annoyance as he pressed a button on the console.

"OK, special effects are on. Torches are lit, obelisk is ignited... Waiting for the Eloi to gather..." The second man said as he quickly typed away at the console. "God this is harder doing this alone."

The teens watched the monitor as the Eloi were seen rushing around. They seemed to be focus on the line of sight of the camera. It only took a fraction of a second for Junior to realize what those people were looking at.

"OK, you're on in three, two, one. Broadcasting," said the second man as he pressed a button, as multiple ball-like objects began to hover around the man in the helmet. He had just cleared his throat.

"Eloi, I call upon you," said the man. Selena went pale.

"You must give up the remaining boys of your village. For it is the will of the Zetas."

"B-But, great Zeta! We will have no men left to help continue our people's legacy!" cried Tria, as depicted on the screen.

"Time to show divine wrath..." said the second man to himself, pressing a key on the console. The screen suddenly flashed with glimpses of fire, which slightly distorted the footage. The women in the village screamed in fright, cowering.

"You will gives us your sons! Or else you will face the hunger of the reptile demons!" yelled the man in the helmet. Junior growled. He began to make his way over to man at the console, much to Sunset's alarm.

"Goji! What are-" Sunset hissed.

Junior pressed on until he stood behind the man at the console. He suddenly grabbed him from behind, covering his mouth. The man gave muffled cries as he was placed in a head locked. Junior stood silent as he kept the man in a tight hold. He then felt the man beginning to go limp in his hold. He then began to gently lower him to the ground. Junior then proceeded to walk over to the guy in the helmet.

"If you continue to refuse, our divine-" The man in the helmet grunted as Junior yanked off his helmet, revealing his face.

"What in the-" The man exclaimed, looking around. The Eloi on the monitor gasped in shock and were in confusion. All they saw was the face of the deity quickly changing to that of a common man.

Junior yanked the man away from the podium and gave a swift punch, knocking him out cold. Junior looked to Sunset.

"Can you cancel the invisibility spell on me?" asked Junior.

"S-Sure," said Sunset, her eyes wide. She winced as she raised her hands. She hissed as she shot a bolt at Junior, who briefly flashed. The boy felt around himself. He noticed that he was casting a shadow on the ground.

"OK, let's do this," said Junior as he walked up to the podium. He noticed that the floating spheres bore camera lenses on them, circling about 180 degrees. Junior noticed a monitor on the podium, which depicted a three dimensional image of his face.

"Holographic technology, huh?"

Junior cleared his throat.

"Is this thing on? Can you guys hear me?" asked Junior, looking at the large monitor on the wall.

"Holy shit, Gojira?!" exclaimed Angirasu from the crowd.

"Yeah! Listen, we found the Lizardmen! It turns out that they were enslaved by the Zetas! These aren't gods, they're just men! This is all smoke and mirrors!" said Junior.

"What?!" exclaimed Angirasu.

"Listen, we need to get the Eloi out of the village! For some reason, these guys wanted the men! I can't say for what, but it can't be good. We'll try to free the Lizardmen and see if we can find the men! We'll meet you guys back at the village soon!" said Junior. He stepped away from the podium.

"OK, let's tie these guys up and move on," said Junior.

"Hey, this guy has an I.D.! You think it will open the cells?" asked Sunset, holding up an I.D. card.

"Maybe. Hold onto it for now. We still have to check and see if the men are held up somewhere," said Junior

"Unfortunately, I haven't heard of anything about humans being kept prisoner for the years I've been here. But perhaps we can search," said Lightfoot.

"Gojira, you're exposed, remember? You're at greater risk getting caught," said Sunset. She noticed Selena to be looking down at the ground. She had a stunned look on her face.

"Selena?" called Sunset.

"It... It was all a lie," said Selena, her tone distant and emotionless.

"Hey," Junior called.

"We... We sent them away for a lie. My father..." Selena trembled, clenching her fists.

"Selena, I need you to keep your cool, alright? There's a chance that we can make this right." said Junior.

Selena said nothing. She merely nodded. Junior couldn't blame her for being in the state she was in. After all, her entire world was just shattered before her very eyes. Junior took the I.D. card from Sunset and held it to Selena.

"I need you to go back and give this to Mosu and Rodan. They'll release the lizardmen. If this thing works, then take them and go," said Junior.

"But-" Selena was about to protest.

"Selena, I need you to do this. Right now, they need you. The Eloi need you. We'll stay and try to find the rest," said Junior firmly. Selena frowned. She took the I.D. and began to run out of the room.

"Gojira, they might not even be here," said Sunset, her tone small. Junior merely let out a long exhale through his nostrils.

"I know. But it doesn't hurt to look. Besides, we still have to shut this place down. We can't let them get away with this," said Junior, turning to Sunset. Or at least where he thought she was.

"Uh Goji, I'm right here," said Sunset. Junior blushed with a sheepish look.

"Oh. This might be a problem," said Junior

---

Some time had passed. Junior and his group continued to navigate through the corridors. They searched every room that they could, with the help of the different maps place along the way. There was no luck. All there were was supply rooms, tools for the slaves, medical rooms, living quarters, and armories. This was more like an actual military occupation rather than a bunch of soldiers being marooned on an alternate world.

With their stop at the armory, Junior had snagged a couple of hand grenades, much to Sunset's dismay, of course. Still, Junior thought they'd be useful for the power room.

With the magic spell having been cancelled for Junior, he was blind to Sunset and Lightfoot. So, Lightfoot would scout ahead, motioning for Sunset, who then guided the boy with her voice. This was a risky process.

"Whoa... what do you think did this?" asked Sunset. The group stood before a large glass cell, inside of a metallic room. The cell had some claw marks around the metallic walls and the thick glass.

"I don't wanna find out," said Junior. He noticed the words 'Containment' to be faded on the wall of the room. Junior saw that there was a console near the cells. He stepped over to it and found a monitor. The monitor bore a human figure, next to another.

On the monitor, there was a logged in date. Junior pressed the arrow key and selected the log. There was a crackle.

"Log accessed. Recorded 4 days ago..." a monotoned voice spoke. Another crackle.

"The Zeta division has had much progress in genetic research over the years. Our client was pleased with our breakthrough and specimens that we sent. In fact, she's commissioning more," a male voice spoke over the recording. He gave a small chuckle.

"Thanks to the Eloi, we've had plenty of test subjects to work with here," said the man. The recording crackled.

"End log," said the computer voice.

"Jesus," said Sunset in horror.

"Genetic research. That sounds more like GeneCo's schtick. Geez. An army and base with modern tools and gear. Dabbling in human experimentation? Just who are these guys?" asked Junior. He began to mess with the computer console again.

"Hey, select that one. 'Experiment Status'," said Sunset. Junior complied, finding different options. Each one was marked as Classified. Junior tried clicking on one. A screen popped up, requesting authorized I.D.

"Hmm. Looks like we can't- Hey, there's something," said Junior as he opened up an option, reading as 'Log'. Instead of an audio recording, there was text. It read as followed:

"The Eloi have proven to be a useful resource for our experimentation. While the research is meant for a client, the results will prove useful for our own bio-weapons program. Though I wonder how long until we drop the charade and just take all who's left. Unlike the other settlements we've had our sights on, this one could easily just disappear and very few would be quick to notice."

"I think I'm gonna be sick," said Sunset. Junior sighed.

"I guess we're not gonna find the men here. Let's just-"

"Halt!" barked a voice. The teens froze. Sunset and Lightfoot turned to find two soldiers to be standing in the door way. One of them approached, his weapon raised.

"The hell are you doing here?! Identify yourself! Who the fuck are you?!" demanded one of the soldiers. Junior slowly turned with his hands raised with a forced smile. He forgot that he was still visible.

"H-Hey guys. Listen, I know I'm not supposed to be here. Why don't I just walk on out of here and get out of your hair," said Junior, hoping that dumb luck will greet him.

"Oh shit!" One of the guards took a step back. Junior raised a brow in confusion at the man's reaction.

"We got a 10-99 in the Containment facility! I say again, we have a 10-99! Lucky Dragon is in the Containment facility!" said the second guard.

"Wait, ten ninety- hold up! Guys, we don't have to call this in! Come on, I just got lost on my way to the bathroom," said Junior with a nervous laugh. Sunset quickly fired a bolt of magic at the gun of one of the soldiers. Then, Lightfoot lunged for the second guard. He was slammed and beaten to the ground. Before the first guard could react, Junior took advantage of him being disarmed by knocking him out cold.

Suddenly, there was a blare of an alarm.

"So much for stealth!" said Junior.

"Let's get out of here!" cried Sunset. She gasped as she and Lightfoot briefly flashed.

"The spell wore off!" said Junior.

"We definitely need to go!" said Sunset, taking Junior's hand. The three ran out of the room, but found several guards rushing down the hall. The three ran down a separate corridor, as the guards shouted incoherently. They spent the time evading approaching guards, hiding in different rooms, and in the shadows of corners.

"Holy crap," said Sunset, turning. Junior and Lightfoot turned as well. They found a great room, where a massive device stood. It was made up of metal, with a sphere of violet energy in the center. The energy swirled and pulsed. There were multiple platforms, catwalks and conduits in the room, even levels that led to different floors.

"Looks like the power room," said Junior, in awe.

"It feels like... magic. It's so strong, too," said Sunset, still staring. She then looked to the boy next to her.

"Yeah, no way we can take this out," said Sunset. Junior noticed that on the upper levels, there were large structures connected to the massive reactor. They seemed to have vents.

"Those look like a ventilation system or something. Could that help?" asked Junior, pointing.

"Yeah! If they were destroyed, that thing could overheat and burn itself out. Or explode and take out this entire plateau," said Sunset, dryly.

"Well, you wanna take a chance?" asked Junior. Sunset grimaced as she looked at the reactor.

"Fuck it. We can't let these guys exploit anyone else," said Sunset.

"That's why I like you Sunset. You're a ride or die chick," said Junior with a chuckle. Sunset frowned.

"Just don't push it," said Sunset.

"Alright. We just have to get up to them. Lightfoot, you can reach that one, right?" asked Junior, pointing to a ventilation pillar near the wall. There were stones that stuck out, grates and conduits that hung.

"A worthy challenge to climb," said Lightfoot. Junior handed him a hand grenade.

"Take this. All you have to do is pull the pin and throw. Be careful though. You have a short amount of time before it explodes. Make it count," said Junior. Lightfoot nodded. He rushed to the rocky walls and began to climb. Junior turned to Sunset, who was searching a way up.

"Stay close," said Sunset, before teleporting herself and Junior to the upper levels. The two began to rush to the ventilation system, but quickly hid behind a crate, as a couple of guards ran by.

"What the hell is that freak doing here?!" cried a guard.

"Let's just find him and kill him! He's our priority right now!" said another. Sunset softly gasped to herself. Junior bore a grimace as he heard this. Judging how the guards reacted to Junior, they might have been talking about him. Sunset looked to him worriedly.

"Goji?"

"Let's not worry about it right now. Come on," said Junior as he rushed out of hiding. He noticed metal stairs to be leading up near the ventilation pillar. They began to climb the stairs until they reached a catwalk, leading to the reactor. Below was the ventilation, where the shaft was exposed and vulnerable.

"Ugh..." Junior grimaced as he found the height they were at. It was a long drop below. Not to mention the steel narrow cat walk they were on.

"I don't think we can make this shot without missing," said Junior, finding that the vent wasn't directly below them, and about twenty feet below. Meaning they'd have to throw the grenade to get it into the shaft.

"If I use my magic, we can guide the grenade," suggested Sunset. Junior nodded as he drew out the grenade. He took a breath, knowing that there was no room for error. There was a sudden distant explosion, startling the two. There was a brief rumble from the ventilation pillar that had exploded from the base. The reactor gave a loud buzz, as an alarm went off. Junior saw Lightfoot leaping down to a catwalk, then sprinting away.

"Looks like Lightfoot succeeded," said Junior in relief. There was a sudden tremor, causing the entire facility to rock.

"What-" Junior and Sunset felt the tremors grow more violent.

"Ah!!" Sunset screamed as she found herself falling over the rail of the catwalk.

"SUNSET!" Junior quickly lunged for her and caught her ankle. Sunset whimpered as she dangled below. She looked back at the boy, a fearful look on her face. Junior grunted as he was pressed against the rail, holding tightly to Sunset.

"Hold on! I'll pull you up!" said Junior.

"No! Toss me the grenade! We have one shot, but I know I can make it!" said Sunset, dangling below. Junior grunted as he held out the grenade. He dropped it, allowing Sunset to catch. The girl looked to the ventilation shaft, taking a breath. She gasped as the tremors came again. Junior grabbed onto the railing with his free hand as he kept his grip on Sunset.

"Hurry!" cried Junior. Sunset pulled pin and tossed the grenade. She then used her levitation magic to guide the explosive. It clanged as it bounced against the wall of the shaft, falling out of sight.

"I got it!" cried Sunset.

"Alright, give me your hand!" called Junior. Sunset grunted as she pulled herself, grabbing Junior's hand that held her ankle. With her secured, Junior released the rail and grabbed Sunset's other hand, before releasing her ankle. The two grunted as she hung, hands locked tightly. They were suddenly rocked by the explosion from below the ventilation pillar. The tremors grew more violent, and the alarm continued to blare.

"What's going on?!" cried a voice below.

"The ventilation system is down! The damn reactor is overheating!" cried another voice.

"Quick! Get everyone on the airships! We'll try to initiate emergency shut down!" said the first voice. As the men fled, the reactor began to burst with small explosions. The tremors continued.

"Gojira!" cried Sunset. Junior had the fearful look on her face etched into his mind. It was the same kind of look he's seen too many times. He wasn't going to lose her too. He didn't have a choice.

With a mighty pull and shout, Junior yanked Sunset high to the air. She yelped as she dropped against his chest, landing on her feet. Junior released her and turned to the facility, finding that it was starting to collapse in on itself. Rocks fell, along with steel beams.

"Let's go!" said Junior, taking Sunset's hand. The two ran along the cat walk and made their way down the flight of stairs, but the stairs began to creak and bend. The ceiling started to fall and damage the area around them. At this rate, they'll be crushed.

"Excuse me!" Junior suddenly scooped Sunset into his arms.

"Hey! What-" Sunset gasped as Junior rushed to the edge of the platform.

"No! No! Wait! Goji!" cried Sunset in panic.

"Up, up, and away!" cried Junior as he leapt off, just moments before a large steel beam caused the stairs to collapse.

"Eeeeek!!" Sunset screamed as she held Junior tightly, clenching her eyes shut.

Junior landed, bending his knees. The sudden stop rattled him a bit, but he stood back up and sprinted off. Sunset was panting, appearing traumatized as she held onto Junior.

"Don't ever do that again!" shouted Sunset.

"No promises," said Junior with a chuckle. Lightfoot came rushing over as Junior set Sunset down.

"Let's get out of here!" shouted Junior.

The facility continued to collapse. The generator began to fall apart, as small explosions burst along its surface.

Meanwhile outside of the plateau, Mosura, Rodan, Selena, and the liberated Lizard men stood just outside. They watched as the sight of zeppelin-like airships began to ascend, leaving the plateau. They bore symbols on their sides. However, they were indiscernible, due to the weathering damage that was on them.

The earth began to rumble. Everyone was almost knocked off their feet.

"They're still in there!" cried Mosura, running down the hill and back to the cave entrance.

"Mosu, wait!" cried Rodan as he chased after her. They both stopped as the landmass began to crumble before their very eyes. A great thundering sound deafened the air as the dust rose.

"No!!" screamed Mosura, her voice drowned out.

Moments later, the dust began to settle. Half of the plateau was nothing but crumbled rock. The air and earth had settle, leaving nothing but rubble behind. The remaining teens and lizardmen approached. Mosura just stared, her heart aching terribly.

"Oh my God. They're..." Mosura was interrupted as rubble was forced away. She gasped, as a small flame of hope ignited in her.

From the rubble, Junior forced his way out. He grunted as he stumbled. Sunset coughed as she followed, along with Lightfoot. Each were covered from head to toe in dust.

"Nice job with the dome, Red," said Junior with a sigh.

"Yeah, no problem," said Sunset with a chuckle. She found Mosura staring at them, with tears streaming down her face.

"Y-You guys!" whined Mosura. She rushed over to Junior and Sunset, pulling them into a tight hug.

"Don't scare me like that, you jerks!" sobbed Mosura.

"Aw Mosu," said Sunset, returning the hug. Rodan approached with a relieved smile.

"Good to see you back, bro," said Rodan, meeting Junior with a fist bump

"Glory! Our heroes have returned! We are free!" cried a lizardman. The tribes of reptiles gave loud cheers in unison. There were many lizardmen and crocodile men here, each with their own sizes and shades of colors. Lightfoot smiled.

"Thank you, my friends. Because of you, our people are free," said Lightfoot, bowing to Junior.

"Heh. It's no problem," said Junior, scratching the side of his head.

"Gojira... My people," called Selena. Junior glanced at Sunset, who bore a grimace. The boy sighed.

"I'm sorry, Selena. We couldn't find them. They were here before, but now they're gone," said Junior. The girl frowned deeply.

"They were here?" sniffled Mosura, having settled down a bit.

"Yeah. It looks like they were guinea pigs for some kind of genetic experimentation. Someone was paying for them," said Sunset.

"I bet it was that Malicia bitch we've heard about," said Junior, looking to Rodan.

"You mean the one that the witches were making those Skull Walkers for? Why?" asked Rodan.

"I can only guess," said Junior. There was a sudden sense of dread over the teens.

"Come on, let's get out of here," said Junior.

The reptiles, humans and mutants began to make their journey from the now destroyed base. Along the way, Junior heard a faint rumble. He stopped and looked back at the plateau, where more dust rose. He heard a faint bellow in the air. Junior felt himself drawn to the mysterious sight and sound. But he couldn't fathom what it could be.

"Goji, we're gonna leave you," chuckled Rodan.

"Sorry. I'm coming," said Junior.

---

Malicia stood in the middle of a room. She was admiring the images illustrated on the wall. But, she turned back to find one of her soldiers kneeling before her.

"What?" asked Malicia.

"We received word that the plateau was lost. We have them in contact for you right now," said the soldier, holding up a crystal ball. Malicia used her levitation magic to take the glowing object.

"Leave me," said Malicia. As told, the soldier stood up and rushed out of the room. Malicia turned her attention to the crystal ball.

"Report," said Malicia.

"I regret to inform you, your majesty. Zeta Divison's base of operations was lost. Our reactor was destroyed and the plateau collapsed on top of the facilities. We've lost control of the Eloi and our labor force as well," said a voice from the crystal ball. Malicia gave a tired sigh.

"It seems that you had rotten luck. No matter. How long until you can recuperate?" asked Malicia.

"We're currently evacuated in our airships. The necessary tools can be regained sooner, but a new facility may take months to construct. There's also the need of test subjects," said the voice.

"There's a fortress within our territory that you may use. Just east from the Eloi. It may not be as advanced, but it's a start. I'll even provide whatever I can for containment. As for your test subjects, there's another village not too far from my capital that's ripe for the picking," said Malicia.

"Thank you for your generosity and understanding, your majesty," said the voice. The crystal ball went dark. Malicia felt a presence around her.

"Will you not have them executed? You're well within your right to," said a different male voice. Malicia merely smiled.

"Don't be silly. I only execute defectors and the useless. While they failed in defending their fortress, they are still of use to me. I will just have to make a couple sacrifices of my own," Malicia.

---

The Eloi village was much more lively than it was previously. The lizards sang songs of thanks and celebration for their freedom. They danced, during this occasion. They even roasted the fresh kills they had, in the spot where the Obelisk once stood.

While some of the human villagers were still fearful and reluctant, others took to mingling with the reptiles, but Selena sat silently and alone. She noticed Junior standing beside her.

"Listen, Selena... I'm sorry that we didn't find anyone back there. Especially your dad," said Junior, apologetically.

"What do you think happened to them?" asked Selena. Junior hesitated to answer. He certainly couldn't tell her what he thought exactly. Not after he looked through those record logs back in that base.

"I don't know. I just hope..." Junior fell silent. He sighed.

"Hey, at least your home was saved. Not to mention, you helped saved another people. Well, maybe that isn’t the accurate term," said Junior, finding a lizard man scarfing down on the cooked leg of an animal.

"Yeah..." Selena sighed. Junior frowned.

"I'll give you some time to yourself," said Junior, before walking off. As he did, he found Rodan standing next to Angirasu and Lightfoot. They were eating as they conversed.

"Hey, sorry if I come off as inappropriate, but how do you tell the difference between males and females in your kind?" asked Angirasu.

"Ah. Well, it varies based on certain species. But most commonly, you can tell at a glance by the scent. Also, males have a thicker base at their tail, while females are more slender. In our tribe, males tend to be brighter in color than the females," explained Lightfoot.

"Is it considered... I don't know, perverted to look at your tails? Or even to smell you?" asked Junior, raising a brow.

"To look, no. To stare, yes," said Lightfoot.

"Yeah, I found that out the hard way," said Rodan.

"What do you mean?" asked Junior.

"When me and Mosura were in that cell block, I was staring at a couple of them to see if I could figure out which one is male and female. Because you know, it's hard to tell," said Rodan, awkwardly.

"Turns out a female started freaking out when she noticed. Then the whole prison was filled with a bunch of angry lizards," said Rodan.

"That's what you get for being a perv," deadpanned Junior.

"Hey, it wasn't even like that! Gross! But I did learn that some females sound kinda cute and are more curvy looking. Not those curves! I mean in general!" said Rodan quickly.

"Ah. I see you learned something," said Lightfoot with a nod.

"Don't worry. I'm sure they find you repulsive too," chuckled Junior. Rodan grumbled.

"H-How do females smell?" asked Angirasu.

"Why the hell do you wanna know that?" asked Junior in confusion.

"Call it a weird curiosity," said Angirasu.

"They smell like clean feathers," said Rodan. Junior, Angirasu and Lightfoot merely sent Rodan a look.

"How do you know that?" asked Junior. Rodan was silent.

---

Earlier that day...

Rodan was walking about in the Eloi village. He hummed to himself, a smile on his face.

"Man, that party's gonna be awesome. I can't wait to pig out!" said Rodan. As Rodan passed some large bushes, a pair of hands reached out grabbed him, pulling him inside. Rodan found himself on his back, finding a lizard man over him. Rodan whimpered, his face growing pale. He knew that he had a bad feeling about these things. The lizard growled as it leaned close.

Rodan clenched his eyes shut, awaiting his end. But felt a sharp nip at his neck, causing him to grunt in pain. The lizard suddenly gave a throaty chirp, holding a loving look in its eyes.

"I've always wanted to do this, but I've been cooped up in that dungeon. Please, have my hatchlings!" the lizard man spoke. Or rather, the lizard woman. She spoke in a lustful young feminine tone. She began to grind her pelvis against Rodan, who cringed and whimpered. Rodan's nose was filled with the scent of this aroused creature. Her long tail began to curl and wrap around the boy's leg.

"Huh. You're a lot softer than I imagined. And smaller. I'm surprised, Lightfoot. Hey, where's your tail?" asked the lizard woman.

"Huh?!" exclaimed Rodan. The lizard froze.

"Eh?" The lizard woman squinted, leaning closer to the boy. Her bad vision began to adjust, painting a clearer picture of the boy. Her eyes widened in horror.

"Ah! The letch!" cried the lizard woman, pushing herself off of the boy, holding one paw between her legs.

"Hey, you violated me!" said Rodan defensively. The lizard began to hiss at the boy, bearing her small sharp teeth at him. Rodan cried as scampered out of the bush, running away.

---

Present...

"Rodan?" called Junior. Rodan just stood with a blank expression. He turned and noticed a familiar lizard woman. She stood from a distance, her eyes narrowed. She gave an aggressive hiss, prompting Rodan to look away.

"I don't wanna talk about it!" said Rodan. He then cleared his throat as he leaned close to Lightfoot.

"Hey, dude. I think that female lizard's eyeing you. Maybe you should go talk to her," whispered Rodan.

"Y-You believe so?" asked Lightfoot, a stutter in his voice.

"Oh yeah. She's definitely interested," said Rodan with a forced smile. "But you might wanna introduce yourself. I think she has bad eyesight,"

"Bad eyesight? You just said she was-" Junior was interrupted as Lightfoot quickly handed him a half-eaten turkey leg.

"Excuse me, friends," said Lightfoot as he walked off. Angirasu looked at him in disapproval.

"Don't mess with people like that," said Angirasu.

"One, he's a lizard. Two, I know what the ladies like. She's definitely interested," said Rodan. Junior scratched his head.

"So... Are you gonna tell us how you know-"

"It'll be a snowball chance in Hell before I tell you!" yelled Rodan.

"OK," said Junior, taking a step back. Dwan suddenly popped out of nowhere and glomped Angirasu from behind, causing him to grunt and stumble.

"Nice Aang~! Dance with me, hero!" said Dwan, hauling Angirasu away.

"W-Wait!" cried Angirasu.

"Hero? We did all the work," scoffed Rodan, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Real heroism is a thankless job, Rodan," said Junior. Rodan chuckled.

"Since when did you start using cool lines?" asked Rodan.

"Ah come on. It wasn't that cool," said Junior.

"I'm gonna get some more food. You want anything?" asked Rodan.

"I'm good," said Junior. He was about to take a bit of the turkey leg he had, but noticed the bite mark. He cleared his throat before tossing it aside. He watched the village celebrate during this evening alone. He felt a sense of calmness here now, unlike the couple of days of being here prior. It was a feeling he missed.

"Looks like we did good, huh?" asked Sunset, walking over.

"Mm hm." Junior nodded. But an uncertain look was on his face. "Do you think they'll be able to get their old lives back?"

"I don't know. Probably not. But that doesn't mean that their new lives will be worse," said Sunset. Junior took some comfort out of that. So long as the Eloi become more discerning and independent, there may be a chance that they'll grow out of their trouble. By watching the interaction with the reptile folk, he thought that this may be the start of something good for both of them.

"You've been a pretty heroic guy lately," said Sunset. Junior looked her way.

"I mean, you always had a tendency to throw yourself into danger. Which is something I always hated about you," said Sunset, rubbing her arm.

"But... as much as I hate seeing you do that, I can't help but admire you. You've even saved me plenty of times," said Sunset. "I... I hope to repay you someday"

Junior said nothing. He instead turned to face the girl. Sunset bore a confused look at his lack of response. She gasped as Junior suddenly bent down and embraced her. Sunset felt his hold on her tighten. As she made contact with him, she felt a sadness.

'Just don't leave...' a voice echoed in Sunset's mind. The girl felt herself tear up. She returned Junior's embrace, smiling.

'I won't' thought Sunset.

The two heard a sudden sound. It was someone clearing their throat. They turned to find Mosura standing, an annoyed look on her face. Sunset and Junior released each other. Mosura had a small hint of a pout on her face. The red haired girl walked over to Mosura.

"He's all yours," whispered Sunset with a wink. Mosura lost her sour look, replaced by a blush. She turned to Junior, who awkwardly scratched his head. Mosura merely smiled as she walked over.

"Popular with the girls, aren't you?" asked Mosura, teasingly.

"Not really," said Junior with an embarrassed chuckle. Mosura stood next to the boy.

"So, where to next?" asked Mosura.

"Well, I was looking at the map. Judging by the speed of our ride and such, we can keep going without stopping at any towns. We'll have to camp, but we'll make up for a lot of time this way," said Junior.

"Sounds like a plan," said Mosura with a nod

The next day seemed to have arrived quickly. Junior and the gang were gathering their things and placed them into the back.

During this, the Eloi had began to resupply the teens for their next journey. They were provided with essentials, from food and water to freshly cleaned clothes.

"I think that's everything," said Adagio, handing Junior a basket.

"Sweet. Hop in and let's get going," said Junior.

"Hold, friends!" called Lightfoot. The teens turned to find the reptile folk to be gathering.

"Our tribes wish to bestow upon you gifts for our gratitude for our liberation," said Lightfoot.

"Aw you guys didn't have to," said Mosura sweetly.

"Speak for yourself. I'm curious to know what they have to give," said Dwan eagerly. Lightfoot held up a necklace, made up of different sized teeth.

"A necklace made up from one tooth from the strongest ones of both our tribes. Symbolizing the ferocity you've shown," said Lightfoot, approaching Junior. He placed the necklace on the boy, who looked at it oddly.

"You guys actually pulled a tooth out for this?" asked Junior.

"I pulled out two!" Interjected a Tree Hopper Lizard.

"Huh." Junior felt Sunset nudge him in the side.

"I mean, thanks. It's a kind gesture," said Junior with an awkward smile.

"For the women of your tribe, we give them these charm bracelets," said a female Tree Hopper, as the girls were approached and given the gifts. The bracelets were made up of plant fiber, decorated with a bright colorful feathers, and beads.

"How pretty!" said Mosura.

"What kind of charms are these?" asked Adagio.

"Ah. These were made from the feather of a bird known for its sweet musical mating call. It's said that these charms will help you succeed in courting a mate!" said a lizard woman.

Junior raised a brow. He then noticed Adagio and Mosura quickly slipping on the bracelets.

"Do you guys have an extra one?" asked Dwan. Sunset shook her head in amusement.

"Thank you, kindly," said Sunset.

"Bring the rest!" said a lizard man.

A couple of crocodile men, or Moss Backs, approached.

"We give to you the weapons used by our captors! This boomstick!" said the Moss Back, holding out a dark rifle.

"Oh sweet!" said Rodan, taking the rifle.

"Wait, Rodan. Let me see that," said Junior in a almost parental tone. Rodan pouted as he handed over the rifle. Junior looked the weapon over. He found a switch and flipped it. He then aimed far off to the side, prompting the teens to duck and cover their ears. No shots were fired.

"OK, here. Don't play with it," said Junior as he handed the rifle back.

"Bitchin'," grinned Rodan. The same Moss Back also handed Junior a handgun.

"No way," said Mosura, slack jawed.

"We also thought these were important. We took them from the guards in the dungeon," said the second Moss Back, drawing out a magazine and clip from a bag he held.

"Extra ammo. Nice work," said Junior as he took the bag.

"Guys, what the hell do you need guns for?!" asked Mosura incredulously. Rodan Junior both looked to each other and then back to Mosura.

"You're kidding, right?" asked Rodan.

"Yeah, you didn't say anything when Aang was given a freakin' mace," said Junior.

"But that was a mace!" said Mosura.

"Yeah and this is a gun," said Junior, holding up and waving the pistol.

"Gojira, they're dangerous!" said Mosura.

"Mosu, guns aren't dangerous. People are dangerous," said Junior, his tone flat.

"But-"

"Mosu, it'd be rude to decline a gift," said Rodan in disapproval. Mosura slumped her shoulders.

"Guys, just promise you'll be responsible with those. We aren't exactly near any 21st century hospitals," said Sunset.

"We promise to be careful," said Junior and Rodan in unison. Mosura sighed.

"Oh alright," said Mosura. Junior and Rodan began to remove the clip and magazine from their respective weapon. But as he tried to remove the bullet from the chamber, he realized that there was no access to it. He looked the pistol from every angle but couldn't find it. He then looked at the clip, which had a plug-like protrusion sticking out.

"Huh." Junior placed the ammunition in the bag, while setting the weapons in the back of the wagon.

"A bota!" said a Tree Hopper, handing the gift to Rodan.

"We could always use an extra container for water," said Rodan with a smile.

"It's a fine one too. Made from the scrotum of a Indricotherium," said the Tree Hopper. The teens just stared. Rodan felt sick to his stomach as he held away the bota.

"Gee, thanks," said Junior with a wince.

"And this perfume. Just for the beautiful females who wish to attract a male," said a lizard man, handing out a clay container.

"Ooh! Dibs!" said Adagio, taking the container. She opened it, finding the liquid inside. She brought it up to her nose and took a whiff. The Dazzling suddenly gagged in disgust and began to cough.

"What is that smell?!" cried Adagio.

"It's just the musk of urine from the majestic Thorn Tail," said a lizard man, pointing to the distance, where a herd of stegosauruses grazed. Adagio turned green as she quickly sealed the container.

"Hey, Dwan. Want this?" asked Adagio.

"Hell no!" said Dwan.

"I don't get you humans. I've used that myself in my day. It drove my mate crazy," said an older lizard woman, a nostalgic look on her face. A couple of females murmured in agreement.

"Don't be rude. Just say thank you," whispered Sunset. Adagio moaned.

"Thank you," said Adagio half-heartedly.

"Skin moisturizer! Taken from the bile of a Giga Boa! Perfect for hot and dry environments!" said another lizard man, holding another clay container.

"Don't forget the lip balm! Made from the snot of a wild boar!" said a lizard woman.

"Ah. You're too kind," said Angirasu with a cringe.

"I don't think I can take anymore," said Rodan.

"We also give to you this!" said a Moss Back, holding out the decapitated head of a saber tooth cat. The teens yelped, as the dead eyes stared at them.

"I'm pleased that you like it. I didn't have enough time to skin it and remove its innards. But you can still use it to store jewels and your trinkets!" said the Mossback, handing Junior the large head.

"Ah..." Junior grimaced, as a chunk of flesh fell from the head. He looked to the reptile folk, who appeared eager.

"Thank you very much," said Junior uneasily. Meanwhile, the Eloi just stared in shock and disgust.

"I have a bad feeling about this new friendship," said Tria, leaning close to Selena.

"Well, I guess this is good bye," said Junior as the 'gifts' were put in the wagon.

"Safe travels, friends. May the spirits guide you on your journey," said Lightfoot, bowing his head.

"Sure." Junior was about to leave but found Selena rushing over. She embraced Junior into a tight hug.

"Oof!" Junior grunted. The girl released him and gave a sad smile.

"I'll never forget you or your friends. Thank you, for all that you've done," said Selena. Junior nodded to her with a smile of his own.

"Yeah. You take care of yourselves," said Junior as he hopped into his seat on the wagon. Angirasu prompted the triceratops to move forward. The reptile folk and Eloi all waved farewell to the young heroes. All the way till they were out of sight.

Junior looked back at Rodan from the wagon.

"Ro, hand me the hand gun and a clip, would ya?" asked Junior. Rodan did as requested.

"Guys, please don't play with those. We're in a confined space, those things are loud..." Adagio grimaced.

"I'm not. I just wanna look it over," said Junior as had the clip on lap. He looked where the clip should go, finding a socket inside.

The gun itself appeared more bulky compared to your average pistol. It was no magnum revolver either. This thing didn't use lead bullets for ammo.

"Sunset, you can sense magic, right? Can you check out the ammo too?" asked Junior. Sunset hummed as she drew out a magazine. It as well bore a plug-like protrusion on it. There was a slit with a glowing violet light on the side of the magazine.

"I can feel it. It is magic," said Sunset in surprise.

"Magic guns huh? Just who were those guys?" asked Junior. Sunset noticed the worry in his tone. She herself was worried. Just who were those guys to have this kind of technology? What also worried her was that they seemed a little too interested in Junior.

---

King Gareth stood over a table, along with his generals. Men dressed in light pieces of armor and clothes. They were around his age, some a bit younger. They were looking over a large map, with different colored pieces depicting armies and structures on top.

"We managed to push the Dogomites back after dealing with their secret campsite in our territory. Right now, we're going to set an ambush from this pass here just around our coastal territory. This way, we can catch their ships off guard, while eliminating their ground forces," said one of the generals.

"Our allies in the Bay have agreed to lend us their help in this attack. This way, we can start going into the offensive by taking dominance from the sea," said another general.

"But we are still outmatched from the ground and air," sighed King Gareth.

"If we have more allies join us, then that may change," said Prince David, joining the party.

"Ah. Your highness." The generals did a brief bow.

"I've already visited a few neighboring nations. At least one of them should join us in this fight," said David, confidently.

"Indeed. Go through with the counter attack in Nautalous Cove. If we want to regain ground, then that's a start," said Gareth.

"Yes, your Majesty," said one of the generals. The men began to leave. Gareth gave a tired sigh.

"I don't know how long we can keep this up. The Dogomite army is too large compared to our own. Their dark arts make them a threat as well," said Gareth.

"No matter what, father. We will not submit to that wicked tyrant," said David. Gareth sighed.

"Yes. I must be getting to Elsinore. Lord Salem has invited me to meet the people and our special visitors," said Gareth. He then turned to his son with a smile.

"Won't you join me, my son?" asked Gareth.

"But what of the capital?" asked David.

"It's safe. Besides, I wish to have a chance to bond with you, my boy. It's been some time," said Gareth, solemnly. David softly smiled.

"I suppose the capital can make due with our absence for a few days," said David.

Comments

[Marebook7]

Nice chapter.