It was two weeks since the incident with the maggot, four months since they set sail into this world of dust and nothing. Silence had been their constant companion, leaving the ship with nothing but its wail and complaint, carousing what should have been a serene journey. Nobody had said much about the maggot, or how they had miraculously saved their ship from capsizing. It was as though everyone was keeping their distance and was afraid to mention it. The captain had avoided Austin too, keeping his distance from the man that had almost fed him whole to the maggot. There had been a few injuries too, but no death was recorded. The few that had gone missing had been found after three to four days. But there were no deaths. Damian had heard Aaron discussing with Catherine some moment ago, even though they had spoken in a low tone, he could still guess that they were referring to the incident. Oddly enough, Damian had caught
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ELIXA CHAPTER 26
Beth was right. Lucas, Mitch, and Alfred were not just loyal, they were an extension of his very body and would follow him to the grave if need be. He had not met Alfred and Lucas until he had met Mitch. The dark-haired man had grown in the streets. Carlos had met him one evening and had helped him with some of his dealings with some street thugs. Even though Mitch had claimed that he hadn’t needed help at that time, Carlos had helped him anyway and had saved his life when he was shot. That was the thread that had started their relationship. It had grown over the years like the bond of brothers. Alfred and Lucas had joined them afterwards and they had formed the Red Heron, with the help of Beth. While they had argued about it, Carlos could see the clear picture now. He had always tried to protect the men, to do things in a way that would not endanger their lives in any form. Yet, all his effort had been futile. And now, like every other thing he has, he has missed the only friends tha
ELIXA CHAPTER 27
The deafening noise of the rotating blades finally ceased as the helicopter glided to the left and the black mountains hid its features. White fogs held the apex of the crags, making them difficult to distinguish from the floating, morning clouds. Despite the green-black stones, the mud on the floor made Dorin wonder if the stories about this part of the world were true. He had never ventured so far into the west. But for Emron, this was the first time he would visit the far side of the world. Landervier, as it was called, was not just any other land, but was the most fertile land on the nine continents. Rain was a luxury on this side of the world. It was the only place where there was a balance since too much or too little of the rain could ruin crops. Dorin had only seen them in the books and heard a little about this place. But the rest he had heard mostly from people he comes in contact with on daily bases. Every trader and vendor—that were
ELIXA CHAPTER 28
Dust and smoke rose through the rough walls and the other end of the entrance of the cave collapsed, trapping them inside. Claudius could feel the weight of a thousand burdens on his head, making it almost difficult for his legs to carry his body. He coughed once and managed to get himself into a sitting position. There was a ringing in his ears too, and a lump at the back of his head. He must have bashed his head against the stones during the fall. But what had caused the vibrations? What was that light he had seen?He wiped the sand from his face, glad that the contact lens in his eyes had not fallen off. All around, dust and smoke kept their veil, making it difficult to see anything. The elegant stones that had stood earlier were in the rumble and seemed to rise towards the ceiling. It was the only thing visible. The only thing bold enough to reveal its ugly head.
ELIXA CHAPTER 29
Nina's feet echoed through the smooth walls as she followed behind the dark-haired man who had only stopped to point and instruct her on what to do. He was twice Nathan's size, and the dark hair that bounced on his head was as long as his shoulders. She could still remember the rich onyx moonlit eyes which portrayed the strength, adding more vibe to the bulging muscles that unmasked themselves on the tight edges of the gray Firstborn uniform. The instructions were the dos and don'ts and the punishment or reward that would follow. He had not advised her like a normal servant, worse, he was talking to her like a commoner. A mere stranger that does not deserve a place within the walls. Well, such happens when one steps away from their jurisdiction. These men were the authority here. Not even the emperor had the power to make and unmake things. Within the tower, the Firstborn rules. They were a free community, Freetown.
ELIXA CHAPTER 30
Nina had expected to see books and potions stalked on shelves until they could touch the ceilings. Since it was the library of magic and science, she had expected to see one of those fancy features she had seen in the movies. But to her disappointment, what should have been books, were replaced with numerous white lights, hanging on the shelves and stretching into every direction as far as the eyes could see. Since she had not been in an electronic library before, she didn’t know what to expect or how to access any of the resources. Blue lights poured out from the ceilings, showing heavy radiance on the shelves. There was no window, and the vent only allowed filtered air, too toxic for the lungs. It smelled like old woods, mixed with lemon. From her findings, this library was the largest on the continent, holding at least every piece of knowledge since the breaking of the world and after. She had even read somewhere that the librar
ELIXA CHAPTER 31
The ship finally came to rest at the base of a large crevice, separated by two enormous metal stones. Rectangular plates of milk-coloured walls rounded the front lines, holding massive antennas and signal transmission poles. A red light was blinking on it, bright enough to outshine a white light and almost competing with the weak glows of the sun. Each rectangular plate on the wall had a name and number written in red characters. On the far side, 87, was boldly etched on the wall, contrasting the black 'PROJECT' letters, hanging underneath. It was a home of metals, insulating tubes and plastics. "We are here." The lanky captain announced and disappeared into the cabin. Damian had hoped to see land, having traveled through sands for heaven knows how long. But notwithstanding, the feeling of arriving safely to their destination brought a little comfort through his stomach. This was their haven. This was Arthesia, the place which the hunters hold with so much awe and fright as well.
ELIXA CHAPTER 32
“Attention, attention. Please return to your various destinations. All units in the first hunt should please return to their various destinations” A feminine voice said over the hanging speakers. Damian and Catherine had hurried through the first gate. They had taken off the oxygen pipe on their nose and were making their way towards the hallway, where the men in white uniforms stood, with the analyzers, keeping track of everyone that came passing through. Each person still had their airbag, hanging freely on their backs, but none had the oxygen pipe. The air within the safe house was purified and would prevent the toxicity from the outside world. However, it had an identical smell to the air in the airbag and was a little bit moist and cold. “Good to see you, Mam.” The blond-haired girl—standing at the gate—smiled at Catherine and nodded to Damian. Catherine only returned the smile with a shrugged shoulders before raising her hands for the girl to run the analyzer over her body.
ELIXA CHAPTER 33
The sun was finally fading through the other side of the orange sky when they arrived at the city that grew out from the ground. Myriad of towers swelled from the dust, brown, elegant domes, sitting aloof on the single rectangular blocks, identical to several hundred that spread across the city. Oddly enough, there were gardens of green, sprawling through the base of the buildings and across the gates. Springs of blue waters also flowed from the far side of the city, towards the center gate and disappeared into the two hands of the world. For a desert land, palm trees and several trees whose names were not forthcoming danced with the north wind as if glad that the scorching heat was falling on the other side of the world.Kristen shifted the airpipe on her nose, patting the neck of the Bostrich and urging it forward. She followed behind the stiff-necked Vick who took the lead, smiling like a baby that had found its mother.Kristen's neck would have grown stiff as well, but instead, it