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Chapter 15: The Forbidden City of Adamas

Khaba was already soaring through the air for an hour now, as he sought out the tallest building he could find and landed on its ceiling to look around. Much to his annoyance, the entire city was still too vast to really make out details from his point of view, though at least he was able to make out the more prominent landmarks of the area. "Lucille, I will find you. Wait for me." As he was descending again, he was using his echo location to make out something.

In all of its destroyed glory, Adamas was nothing near as impressive in terms that other cities would have described it. Rather, it was impressive due to the lack of life and the vastness of destruction that once hit the place.

Eventually Khaba got to one of the few buildings that seemed intact, and tried to find a way in to see if there was something inside. Much to his surprise however, there was only a single entrance: a hole that lead into a tunnel of metal. "I wonder why they have this sort of entrance," he said to himself as he crawled inside and wandered through the ventilation until he reached a grid, which he had to blast away with a wind spell to get rid off. The interior of the building was however rather surprising. Instead of dusty and rotten furniture, it was filled with several piles of pillows and blankets, as well as a rug that felt extremely soft to the fruit bat as he landed on it. "Cozy. I hope the people don't mind that I destroyed their door." Being rather exhausted from the events of earlier, he went over one of the exits of the room and put his ears close to it.

At the other side, two people seemingly talked to each other rather calmly, but in a language that Khaba could not identify. They were laughing a little at some point, and then steps came closer.

Sensing that this could be rather problematic, Khaba flew towards one of the corners and focused his dark and wind magic to neutralize his scent and appearance to the two figures coming closer.

A strange thing, which Khaba noted, was that the two figures entering appeared similar to wolves, but still vastly different. One of them appeared rather fluffy with a black and white fur and ears that were floppy instead of the perked up shape the fruit bat knew from Gaius, while the other was mostly a very dark brown with a potato-brown throat and chest fur. They both wore some sort of blue pants and placed some sort of vest to the ground as they jumped onto the piles of pillows and began chatting some more.

Khaba rolled his eyes as he realized he could only hope to use the exit when they would sleep in, unless he wanted them to get suspicious about the door opening by itself. Having not much of another option, he spread his wings and flew back into the air vent and canceled his spells to knock at the metal walls.

Now the two strange canines jumped up and looked at the vent with puzzled looks on their faces. The black and white canine went closer and said something that sounded like a question.

Gods, I wish I had a translator rune with me, Khaba thought to himself as he crawled out and tried to imitate a bow to the two inhabitants in order to get around the lingual problem.

Now the other canine chuckled a little and pulled out a device from his pocket and touched and swiped on it a few times. "Alright, the Athena System should now be working for you, buddy."

"Athena System?" Khaba now tilted his head a little as he was wondering what the canine did with the object in his hands. "I guess it is a form of technology you guys kind of happen to have in Adamas. And makes it so I can understand you."

The canine nodded. "Pretty much, even though you should not ask me about the details. That technology is well beyond the comprehension of anyone in this godforsaken shithole. Name is Barry, by the way."

"Barry?" the fruit bat now looked a bit confused, but then shook it off. "That name is rather, well, new to me. I must get used to that feeling. My name is Khaba, and I am from Altradia."

"Well, that again is a name I hear the first time now," Barry replied with his arms crossed. "But, it is clear that you are from the surface, so that much I can get. I never saw someone like you before."

Now the other canine cleared his throat. "Before I never get the chance to introduce myself, I am Gabriel. And, I am curious of how you got here, if you allow the question."

"Well," Khaba now made a sour face. "One of my friends used something that was called a Hermes Device, completely by accident. Not sure what exactly happened, but we were separated and I am now looking for two otters."

"Ah, otters?" Gabriel smiled while his eyes looked nervously around. "I wish I had more of an idea about you surface dwellers. All we got here are dogs and the menni."

"Um, could you explain Dogs and Menni?" Khaba now asked as he was not understanding either of the two terms the canines used.

Gabriel now chuckled. "I wish the Athena System was able to translate unknown concepts better. Okay, the easy one first, dogs are beings like me and Barry here. Menni are, well, they are also bipedal creatures, lack fur all over, and might even consist completely out of metal once they put their minds into, well, puppets of metal? We call them androids."

"Oh boy, that sounds like something Crawford would have more understanding of," the fruit bat replied and took a seat on one of the piles of pillows. "Anyway, otters have round faces, cute little muzzles, tiny ears, webbed feet and hands, as well as a hydrophobic fur. Oh, and very thick tails."

Barry's eyes closed and opened unsynchronized as he was trying to evaluate that information. "Right, better you introduce them to us once you find them. So, how is life on the surface? I imagine you might have some very nice technology by now."

Khaba looked a bit startled at that question. "Um, well, Scathsolas has so far found a lot of ways to utilize magic for a number of things like cleaning water, making light, enhancing plant-life, medicine, and all that. We do not have such big cities, though."

"Ah well, it is only a leftover, of which the north is not even inhabited at all," Gabriel said as he sat down on another pile and sprawled out completely. "Meanwhile, here in the south we Strayers keep up safety and order, while the Central keeps our kind as slaves. West and East are basically unsafe, and constantly scouted by both factions, as well as menni and dogs, which are living in desperate conditions."

Khaba now glanced to one of the pillows and picked it up to show it to the collie. "Um, you do have quite a bit of pillows here, you know?"

"Well, that is what we scavengers are there for. To steal resources and technology from the Central, so that our factioncan hold on," Gabriel explained as he buried himself deeper into the pile.

"Sounds like something," the fruit bat agreed and then laid down on the pile of pillows for the moment. "I guess I was lucky to not run into someone then. Too bad I am probably running into that risk at some point, if I want to find my friends. So, I hope you two stay safe and say my goodbyes."

Barry nodded as he sat down next to Gabriel and sprawled all over the pillows. "Well, it was nice having some guests for a change. But next time, there is a door downstairs. Just press the button and say you want to visit us. The ventilation is more something for air to be circulated."

With a blush Khaba covered his face and grumbled into himself. "Alright, I will keep that in mind."

Tychon had his eyes closed as he was trying to catch the scent of Lucille, Crawford, and Khaba. Much to his anger and disappointment, he caught so many scents that sorting them out was essentially impossible, thus he eventually reached a dead end in some alleyway and sighed. "This place is a labyrinth. Supposedly this city was made by an advanced people, but they have not used an orthogonal street system? I guess intelligence is not a necessity for progress at times." The fox sighed again and turned around to seek his way through the mostly destroyed city in order to make out any landmark to gain some oversight. Just a few minutes later he snapped and laid down on the ground to scream his frustration out into the air.

"Hey, is there someone?" a voice now called, and much to the delight of the fox two figures came over to him from behind one of the destroyed buildings. One of them was a wolverine, the other an otter. The two mustelids stopped in their tracks as they came closer and looked at each other in surprise. "Um, Septimus? What are you doing here?"

The fox sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I wish I would get a coin for every time I get mistaken for that guy. No, my name is Tychon. I am, or was, a servant of Gaius. And, who might you be?"

"By Odin, that guy is polite and does not sneer at me for being from the north. You definitely are not Septimus," the wolverine replied and offered his hand to the fox. "I am Prince Vidar of Kärmave, and this is my fiancé Leofwine." He now pointed at the otter.

"Leofwine?" Tychon crossed his arms as he looked at the rather chubby, but still quite handsome otter. "You are, the brother of Lucille and Crawford. Great, I think that I should tell you that they somehow opened a rift to this place and I am looking for them all over this place."

"What?" Leofwine yelled with an expression that was so twisted by his fear that Vidar had put an arm around him to calm him down. "Oh gods, I have feared that something like that would happen. I am such a horrible big brother."

Tychon shook his head. "They can handle themselves. Have you an idea how good your sister is at killing people."

"Oh, just shut up!" Leofwine now replied as he began running around in panic and hit his feet on a piece of rubble. "You have no idea how it is to lose family. I can't afford losing my brother and sister!"

"You think that I don't know the feeling?" Tychon now stepped closer to Leofwine and shook him heavily, while a tear came down his cheek. "While I am not Septimus, I saw a brother in Gaius. Someone whom I can trust, someone who cares about me, someone who saw me beyond my qualities as a slave. And within a moment, he was dead, as if you build a house for yourself and a storm blasted it away."

The otter now averted the fox's eyes as he rubbed his cheek and tears began to form around his eyes. "No. No." He collapsed onto his knees and pushed his hands on his face to cover his face. "He can't be!"

"For Zeus' sake." Rolling his eyes at that display, Tychon wiped away the tears from his eyes and shook his head. "I know it is a hard thing for you to go through as someone who knew him. Gaius was an amazing person. But grief won't bring us any further, we need to focus on what we have to do now."

"I must be looking pathetic right now, I am sorry," Leofwine replied as he now got up from the ground again and hugged the fox. "Once we find Lucille and Crawford, I need to apologize to them."

Now both Vidar and Tychon arched their eyebrows. The fox took a deep breath and then began to ask, "Because you are way too overprotective and sensitive, while they are free spirited and rational?"

"Uh," now the otter looked a bit startled. "In a way. I guess that over time I have become much of a nuisance to them. Wait a minute, did you just say my sister killed someone?"

"Around five officials of Urbulchem, which were involved in an incident regarding a toxic solution to commit genocide in Bijulac and Scathsolas, an assassin, and five people that were randomly in a building she destroyed," the fox counted. "Have I mentioned that she also kicked the butt of the lover of the emperor's grandson? Because, if an otter is capable to beat a bear in physical combat, then she is a fury, so to speak. I am glad to never have been hit by her."

"Unlike Septimus as far as I can remember." Vidar chuckled at his own remark and then pulled the fox and otter into a hug. "Alright, nice to meet you Tychon."

Tychon sighed as he pulled himself free from the two mustelids and rolled his eyes another time. "It is kind of early for that, don't you think? Let us try to locate the kids and bring them to safety, alright?"

The two mustelids nodded and were now following right behind Tychon as the fox was now looking ahead of a large complex in the distance. "We only need to pay attention about scents. If we catch those, we will find them right away."

At another place, a bit later, Aldric and Fionnbharr were wandering around a fraction of the city, which seemed to be fully engulfed with plant life, which over time had destroyed a lot of the buildings and created a small biotope within the landscape otherwise plastered with debris. Even insects and birds seemed to be surviving in this small spot of green.

The young albino was looking pleased as he glanced at the trees and looked up at the dome that kept the place separated from the outside world. "I am wondering how this little forest formed. Wait, I can check that out." He put a finger on the bark of one of the trees and then closed his eyes. "Oh, this is interesting. They let rain come artificially."

"Which keeps this city alive, I would assume. A lot actually seems to be off, considering how many years have passed. The city is in ruins, but the materials themselves seem unaffected," Aldric said as he glanced over to one of the many towers. "Metal is affected by rust, and in ten-thousand years there would have been plenty, yet there is none at all. I am curious what sort of metal they use to withstand time like this. It is not magic, that much I can tell."

"Oh well, that is hard to say. I wouldn't understand most of the things I see, because I would need to study the basics first," Fionnbharr said calmly as he wandered around the forest and crossed his arms. "One thing that is bothersome is how I can look into the future, but it is always a mess. Else I could just say where to go."

The shaman chuckled at that statement. "Well, it is a test for us. And frankly, there is not that much left standing anyway," he said and wandered along the path some more, and stopped in his tracks a few moments later. "Someone's scent is close by. Canine, but not exactly the same as a wolf or jackal." Aldric now turned around and held his staff ready.

Soon enough a figure emerged from the side of the tree, a dog with a black and brown coat, whose pointed ears were perked up as he glared at both of the badgers while holding a strange weapon in his hands.

"Okay, I have no idea what this is all about," the shaman said as he stepped closer to Fionnbharr, while keeping his eyes on the shepherd.

The dog growled as he got closer to the albino and clicked on a small device that was attached to his pants. "What are you surface dwellers looking for in Adamas? Plan to destroy our systems? Murder us in our sleep? Stealing our technology?"

Aldric glanced with a calm expression at their opponent. "In all honesty, I care nothing about this city other than a potential key to stop a rather powerful creature from doing Yishai knows what to the planet."

"Yishai?" the shepherd now lowered his weapon a little, but glanced suspiciously at the shaman. "A strange name."

The shaman shrugged. "It is not like is a very well-known entity. But he wanted us to be here, so we are."

Now the shepherd's eyes went even wider as he aimed his weapon on Aldric. "What are you planning here? Answer!"

A bit dumbfounded about that sudden burst of fear, Fionnbharr snapped his fingers and the weapon of the shepherd suddenly disappeared and reappeared in his own hands. "I really am not in the mood for some dumb fighting, so you could be so nice and tell us a little. Is there something in this city, which can be related to a World Destroyer?"

"Uh," the dog was now stepping a little backwards, and then began to run away from Aldric and Fionnbharr, only to be stopped by a wall of rock that rose up from the ground.

Aldric stepped closer to the shepherd and pinned him against the stone. "You better answer what we ask for, or I have to persuade you by other means."

"Please, I am only doing what I have to," the shepherd replied as his heartbeat got faster. "We need to make sure that this city remains safe from the outside. It is nothing personal."

As a response, Aldric pushed his knee into the canine's stomach. "Neither was that. So just tell me, is there any complex in this city, which can be related to a being that is capable to pose a threat to the entire planet?"

"Well, this is the only part of Adamas that was not blasted into oblivion by E.P.O.S., so what do you think?" the dog replied sarcastically, before he yelped as Aldric now pressed his knee deeper into the stomach. "Okay, okay! I know nothing specific, but there is an old research facility, which has a still functional basement. It is located in the Central territory."

"See, that was rather easy," Aldric replied as let go off the shepherd and move a little back. "So, we need to go to the central of this city then? What does the building look like?"

The shepherd sighed. "Huge complex, intact for the most part, consists of glass, so," he now looked down at the feet of the two badgers. "Footwork might be a good idea; else you will get bloody feet."

Aldric rolled his eyes. "Good, considering there are inhabitants in this place, where can we purchase something? And is gold an acceptable payment?"

"Again, Central territory. But, you two would not be allowed in anyway," the shepherd now shrugged and was about to wander off, before he stumbled over a tree root.

Fionnbharr now got closer and helped the dog up, smiling calmly all the while. "I think there is no need to be hostile towards each other. We hold no vile intentions, and you probably have nothing really solid as a reason to be hostile to us. So, just let us talk this over, alright?"

"Quite the diplomat, aren't you?" the shepherd replied and dusted himself off. "The name is Henry, so who are you two surface dwellers?"

Aldric now sighed. "Surface dweller is not really the best term to call badgers, considering we can dig through the ground and often build our homes as subterranean structures."

"Fascinating, if you want to tell that my asshole," Henry snarled back and then crossed his arms. "You want to go to the Central, but they are going to kill me, if I lead you there. My collar has the neat extra to blow off my head with an explosive or cut it off with blades, depending on what model they put on my neck, if my masters demand it so."

Now Aldric looked at the device attached around the shepherd's neck and arched an eyebrow. "I am not foreign to the concept of mechanics. I would however assume that there are things in use, which are unknown to us. Well, I would understand the danger, so in case you would just tell us what we need to know, we would be thankful."

"Suck my cock, fuckstripes," Henry replied and gave Aldric the bird, before he felt the staff of the shaman hitting him right in the groin.

Power and adrenaline went through Aldric's arms as his eyes began glowing and he began to put much more pressure on the body of the canine. "Just a small tip from me. If you want to make a stripe insult, be prepared that I will end your bloodline once and for all. In the worst way possible."

"Alright, alright. The Central is the central part of the city; in case you couldn't figure that one out. It has an intact skyscraper for the menni and the research facility, ten greenhouses, and a general industrial complex with huts for us dogs. To the south there is a place at which some of us dogs have built up a safe haven for themselves, while the rest may house whatever manages to survive in this wasteland," the shepherd replied as he shielded his scrotum and tried to free himself from the badger. "Can't you just hit me in the face, my balls hurt like hell".

"Alright," the badger replied and smacked the shepherd across the face, knocking him out. "You are welcome."

Now Fionnbharr got closer and scavenged the unconscious body, pulling out a combat knife and several parts, which appeared to belong to the weapon. "Well, I hardly need all this stuff. And he learned his lesson about being a jerk."

"Lesson? Well, whatever we call it, we should be careful. He indicates that the people at the Central might not be so nice. I did not even know they had people here, so that is a downer," Aldric said and stretched his limbs as the glow in his eyes faded. "I will just make us some cover for our feet from the plants we have around ourselves."

Fionnbharr nodded as he looked at the dog's attire and then at the boots. "I would prefer sandals, if that is okay."

In the time that Khaba had spent to reach the Central's tower, he was already feeling his wings getting slowly tired from all the flying and landed on its roof. As he canceled his shadow cloak, he walked towards a door on the roof and concentrated on evoking a ball of fire that melted through the lock within seconds. "Okay, let's see what this so called Central is all about." As he walked inside the giant complex, Khaba sneaked alongside the wall and evoked his shadow cloak again with a layer to keep his scent hidden from the inhabitants. He was stepping rather carefully to not stumble over the stairs, though eventually he tripped and fell down anyway. As he got up, he was glad that his nose was still intact, though the pain was not very comfortable for him.

The interior of the tower was rather blank, as gray tiles span all over, with windows letting in the artificial light of the dome. While Khaba stepped further along the floor, looking at the doors, several noises could be heard from behind them.

"Menni? Or dogs?" Khaba was getting curious, as he was stepping towards one of the doors, and knocked at it. Being hidden from sight, he found himself safe from anyone's eyes, and noses.

And after the door opened, he was not disappointed. The figure that was stepping out looked rather alien to the fruit bat, lacking any form of hair, showing a smooth, beige skin with a rather pale tone. Apart from that it was wearing a shirt with pants and some sort of cloth around its feet, covering it mostly. "Okay, I have no patience for this," he said and threw his door shut.

"Interesting. So that is a menni," Khaba concluded and moved further, with his ears perked to search for anything that could be of interest. The more floors he descended, the more he felt the dread of the colorless building around him, till, after his legs began hurting, he reached the ground floor. A massive lobby, with a huge door leading to another set of stairs, which were descending deeper into the ground.

Before he could make another step however, a loud scream was heard, and several dogs rushed into the lobby, with the headless body of one of their brethren being carried inside.

"No, no, no," a female dog with cream-colored, short fur and floppy ears said as she was looking at the corpse and crying her eyes out. "Why? Why?!"

"Disobedience has to be punished. Examples have to be set," a calm, unnervingly cold voice said as a menni entered, wearing a helmet and a small object in his hands. "He dared to steal food, and you shall not think that you can do the same, it is that easy."

The canines remained silent, though they were all shaking in fear. Khaba however sneaked up behind the man that was threatening them and channeled his magic into his claw-gloves. A moment later as the claws, enchanted with light, came out, he rushed up with a quick movement and the menni was split in half. "A piece of advice, try to be less of someone I want to murder straight away."

Now the dogs were looking in shock at the rather small newcomer, and two even collapsed as they failed to comprehend the situation. One of them however, a mostly black, slightly white, and also slightly brown male dog, was stepping up and walking towards Khaba. "I am not entirely sure if I should thank you or fear the consequences of what might happen to us. Stranger, I have to thank you for trying to help us, but I fear it is all going to be our demise."

"Oh, just shut up," Khaba replied and flew onto the Bernese's back. "I am going to help you out of this mess. You can get out of here and be free from your chains, or collars."

The dog sighed and patted the head of Khaba. "I fear that we can't have that be fulfilled. Our collars are machines made to instantly kill us, if we disobey. You see what it did to one of our friends. A button press, and it was a horrible scene."

"Then we will get rid of the collars," the fruit bat suggested as he dangled down from the strong arm of the dog and chuckled in gleeful excitement. "I remember that Crawford mentioned something about electricity when it comes to your stuff. I just take it out and the blades can't do anything."

With a face twisted in disbelief, the dog just stared at the fruit bat and then shook his head. "You are thinking this is easy? How do you want to take out energy from the batteries?"

"Like that," Khaba replied and flew upon onto the ceiling and spun around. In the same moment a smaller amounts of energy went up to him, forming a sphere below him, which he quickly dissolved. "See? We just use magic."

"Magic?" the Bernese was rubbing his forehead and then shook his head. "And there I thought I was awake. Okay, this is definitely a dream."

With a quick movement, Khaba flew down into the dog and held on to his back. "Oh, you better belief I am real, because else I will have to pinch you."

"Ah, well that is a thing," the dog chuckled weakly and turned to his brethren. "We need to get this boy to our quarters, maybe we can actually get away from here."

The canines nodded, and Khaba covered himself in a shadow cloak again as he was carried on the Bernese's body to a smaller building. "I am Khaba, by the way. Nice to meet you guys."

"The pleasure is mine. And the name is Patrick,[1]" the dog replied as he entered through the door and let the bat unfold his wings and uncover his own dark veil. Moments later the collars of the inhabitants were glowing as the energy was taken straight out and dissolved by Khaba. "It is time for us to leave this dreaded place."

Now Khaba jumped off from the back of Patrick and glanced outside, looking at the area surrounding them. "Fences. Other buildings. Are there more of your kind?"

"Yes, there are," Patrick replied as he stroked though the patch of fur on his muzzle. "Their quarters are kept strictly apart from here. They will increase security after this, so you should be careful, if you consider helping them as well. In case you want to visit us, Khaba, we will be at the Strayer's headquarters to the South."

The fruit bat nodded as he flapped his wings in a manner to say his goodbyes and flew back to the building. Feeling rather well in his short skirmish for freedom, he went right for the stairs leading into the basement, and opened them with a glowing sphere that melted through the lock. Wandering further, and further underground, he finally reached something that truly was unexpected.

A large room, filled with machinery, and outstretched with windows on ground and walls, which revealed the vast depth of the deep ocean, with aquatic wildlife, which was so foreign to the fruit bat, he shuddered as he walked around. "By Ra, this is huge."

"Ah, it certainly is," a voice said from behind Khaba, causing him to startle at the sight of the person that was now standing there in front of him. "I was wondering why someone entered at this time. Usually those idiots just ask me to leave my documents in a folder and go back to work", the person, a male menni, said as he glanced at his unexpected guest. "So, I have the pleasure to see a fruit bat that was not killed in order for me to examine the body. Male, adolescent, and alive. But that hardly makes this a formal meeting. Tell me your name first, little boy."

Khaba tilted his head a little bit and stepped back from the man that was looking at him with an unnerving curiosity. "Khaba. And I am looking for two otters, around my age. One is a female, the other a male."

"I see," the man now scratches his chin and chuckled. "Well, they have not been to the Central so far. And otherwise, there are the Strayers, and several districts with poor living conditions. I would tell you to look there. If it wouldn't be a perfect opportunity to examine a living specimen for once."

Now Khaba stepped even further away and spread out his wings threateningly. "I am not going to be some experiment for you. What do you think I am?"

"An animal, possessing an intelligence that was increased by tempering with the genetics of an ancestor specimen," the menni scientist replied coldly. "In contrast to those beastmen, which have half of the genetics of our own ancestors. In that regards I have even less reasons to don't do anything than with other surface dwellers."

Feeling the sense of dread taking over, Khaba unleashed a darkness spell and covered everything into a black mist until he fled the laboratory and flew up the stairs in order to escape. It was to no use as suddenly a shock went through his body and he collapsed mid-flight onto the stairs.

With noticeable steps the scientist got closer to him, and lifted his weakened body up. "You are the key to my research. I can't let you just fly out on me without making any sorts of test."

Khaba wanted to reply something, but his mind was growing more and more powerless as it drifted into unconsciousness, leaving him vulnerable to the intentions of the man.

"Seraph, she is waking up," a voice called close to Lucille's ears as she was opening her eyes. Realizing that she was lying on a pile of pillows with a blanket covering her, she got up and glanced into the face of two similar looking dogs, a husky and a malamute, of which the later was a female with a very genuine smile on her face. "Good morning, young lady."

The otter blinked twice and then looked at the dogs with some surprise. "Funny, I have never seen people like your kind before. May I ask where I am?"

"Ah, we are in Adamas. Or precisely in the Eastern district," the malamute replied and helped Lucille up. "My name is Ophania, and you are in our humble home."

"Well, I heard the name Seraph," Lucille remarked and looked at the husky that was wearing a white shirt with blue pants and holding out his hand. "I am Lucille, nice to meet you."

Seraph smiled and shook her hand as he looked at Ophania for a moment. "Very nice to meet you as well. But, if you don't mind the question, what brings a person from the lands above to our city?"

"An accident with some machinery," the otter replied and took a deep breath. "My brother touched something called a Hermes Device and I lost consciousness when the light engulfed us."

With an understanding smile the husky glanced at her and then to Ophania. He went towards a shelf and took a book from it, in which he browsed the pages until he found something. "Ah, yeah I see. The issue of wormhole generators is that they need to be synchronized. In case they are not, well, they might have misplaced you altogether throughout Adamas."

"So I just have to find those two and get back home. It should not be complicated," the otter replied and went through her headfur as she was about to leave.

But Ophania kept her from leaving. "I fear, you are not going to be safe in this place, Lucille. We are living in a poor district, and all we have is brought to us by the Strayers, while the Central is constantly trying to annex us."

At that warning Lucille only laughed and crossed her arms. "Whoever dares to get into my way, I will annihilate them all."

Ophania shook her head. "Please, be considerate of yourself. You will die in this city, if you are not careful enough."

"A risk I have been exposed to before, and I am still standing." Lucille was now getting more adamant in her tone and looked at Seraph. "I will take care of myself, so don't worry."

The husky nodded and pulled out a small weapon from his pocket. "Alright, but as former member of the Strayers, I am probably the best person to help you orientate in the city. Well, I and my little gun Cherub."

Lucille shrugged and then nodded as she grabbed her chakram from one of the tables in the room. Being now ready for a new adventure, she was smiling a little and bound her weapon to her belt.

Seraph meanwhile gave Ophania a kiss and opened the door to let Lucille get through. "Okay, with me it should be relatively safe. I know the safest ways through the city, have a lot of combat experience, and a certain talent for treating injuries. We should check at the Strayers HQ first, because they might have information about your brother and your friend."

"Thanks," the otter replied as she stepped through the doorway out into the streets of Adamas, or at least something looking like a suburb. She glanced over many destroyed houses, and a few still standing ones in a slightly less than acceptable condition. "We should hurry."

Völundr found himself drowsy as his hoofed feet stepped through the lonesome streets. Feeling how his eyes got more and more tired from the monotony of destruction. As he sat down on a piece of concrete, he stretched out his limbs, and made himself as comfortable as it was possible to him. Assuming he would be alone anyway, he dozed off rather quickly.

What he did not know about was that someone was already going to cross his way soon. Crawford stepped carefully towards the shape of the burly boar and held his crossbow ready as he poked Völundr's shoulders. "Hey, are you awake?"

An annoyed mumble escaped the porcine's snout as he got up from the rumble and glared at the otter. "Oh please, I was already planning to have a nap, and you butt in and make everything harder."

"Not the best place for that, to be honest," the young otter replied with his eyes rolling. "Anyway, I am Crawford and somehow landed in this place. Have you seen my sister and her boyfriend, a small fruit bat, by any chance?"

"Wait, Crawford? You are the brother of Leofwine, aren't you?" For a moment Völundr seemed surprised, but then chuckled as he glanced over Crawford. "Yeah, not much muscle or fat, you don't eat that much, do you?"

Crawford sighed and hit the boar in the stomach. "Okay, you apparently know my brother, so explain from where and who are, please."

The boar nodded. "I met him and Vidar at a tavern, where I decided to join them, because things were falling apart in Kärmave without Vidar," he explained and then yawned a little. "In case you wonder, we are here because we failed with those gems and need to find a solution about that thing that might be summoned by it."

"Oh boy, then it is good that I accidentally teleported us here." A sigh escaped the muzzle of the otter as he leaned against a wall and looked up towards the artificial sky. "Alright, I think we can do all this quite well. I plan to go to the northern part of Adamas. I have listened to some bypassing inhabitants, some weird, wolf-like people, and heard that there is something weird going on. Weird usually means interesting, and interesting means potentially useful."

Völundr swiped his tail around and scratched his belly a little before he looked towards the direction he presumed to be in the north. "It was planned that in two days we should be meeting in at the highest tower in the eastern district. Maybe we should try to find Lucille and Khaba first, and then head back to there to meet up with everyone."

With a nod the otter agreed to that suggestion and then eagerly jumped up into the air, for no other reason than overflowing excitement, as they went to for the search of Khaba and Lucille.

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[1] Pronounced as Paht-Rick