Chapter 98: Intruder

Kothar crept around the narrow bend that led to the main cavern, he could hear the faintest rustling within, the intruder was moving through the cavern.

Kothar could feel the intruder drawing closer thanks to his electromagnetic belt, now that the intense signal from his sensors had faded away. He sent a small amount of mana to his Mana-sensing eye, to try and see if he could see the intruder.

Kothar stifled a gasp, the intruder's mana was extremely dense, so much so that he even shone amongst the bright ambient mana of Atla. 

Other than Tam, Krieg and the instructors at the Academy, Kothar had never seen such dense mana before. While an individual's mana density wasn't a clear indication of their battle potential, it was more than enough to get a good idea, and Kothar knew that he had no chance against this person, who was likely a Freemen here to kill or capture him.

The other Freemen he had faced so far had strange abilities and even stranger biology, but even when facing them, Kothar had known that he had a fair chance at victory.

But going head to head with the unknown intruder would be a death wish.

As the intruder strode further in, Kothar was able to make out some further details of the intruder, he was humanoid, but his fingers ended in claws, and from the silhouette that he saw from his Mana-sensing eye, Kothar could see that then intruder had a tail that snaked along behind him, and a relatively squat head.

[I think it's some kind of reptilian, and from the looks of it a very curious one.] Silane whispered, even though she was only audible in Kothar's head, the tenseness of the situation meant she instinctively whispered. The reptilian was rummaging through some of the parts that Kothar had already made for the spaceship, and Kothar winced as he picked up a delicate component that would make up part of the engine circuitry, tossing it back down.

[You think I can sneak out past it, or should I just use the Spatial Artifact?] Kothar had slowly backed his way back up the stairs, and had the diamond shaped artifact pinched between his fingers.

[I think we should wait, from how powerful it seems to be, it must already know where you are, and I think it makes no sense to abandon all your hard work if this intruder is peaceful. Who knows, he might not even be a Freeman.] Silane had seen the reptilian rummaging curiously through the components that she and Kothar had fabricated, and she was sure that a Freeman only after a reward would have spent little time ransacking the place immediately in search of Kothar.

[Are you trying to get us killed? Come on, Silane, that's a ridiculous risk to take, and I thought I was supposed to be the reckless one.] Kothar was exasperated, if he waited much longer, he was sure he wouldn't even have a chance to use the Spatial Artifact to get away, as the reptilian grew ever closer.

[Don't I get a chance to be a little rash, especially after you took a lightning strike to the face just a few moments ago. I just have a feeling, alright, and before you say that AI's don't have feelings about things, I do. I'm sure that whatever or whoever it is out there, doesn't mean us harm.] Silane pleaded with Kothar, this just might end up being a powerful ally that they needed after being betrayed by Krieg.

[Trust me Kothar.] Silane said finally, as the reptilian grew closer and closer, still picking up components of Kothar's unassembled, unfinished ship and examining them carefully.

[Alright, Silane. I trust you. But if this get us killed, then I sincerely hope we get reincarnated as a beetle.] Kothar still had the nerve to joke in such a tense situation, after all, humor was a tool he had often utilized to keep his cool in tense situations. 

Silane didn't reply, only making a retching sound.

Kothar crept back down the spiraling staircase, pressed up against the wood that was scorched and scarred by Kothar's Plasma Blade.

The reptilian intruder was just in front of the opening of the staircase, and Kothar would be able to see it as soon as he rounded the corner.

Kothar braced himself, clenching his fist tightly around the Spatial Artifact, and stepped out from the staircase and out into the open.

The mysterious intruder had its back to Kothar and with an orange scaled, clawed hand was currently holding what was supposed to be a bearing for a rotor that would propel it when flying within an atmosphere.

The creature was tall, almost twice Kothar's height, and was mostly obscured by a set of voluminous tan robes that wrapped all around it. The tip of a scaled tail was visible, twitching this way and that, peeking out from a fold in the robes.

A large trident was slung across its back, with tines made out of a blue metal that shone in the dim light of the dying fire within the cavern.

The robes ended well below the floor, but its feet were obscured by leather boots, with metal buckled straps at regular intervals.

[It must know I'm here, why is it ignoring me?] Kothar asked Silane, confused by the indifference of the reptilian.

[I'm assuming it doesn't want to scare you, but it could be like the mantis we ran in to, hoping to lull you into a false sense of security.] Silane's dislike of insects shone through again, and Kothar was about to reply when the reptilian turned.

It placed the bearing back down on the floor, and flung back its hood to reveal a squat scaled head, with bright green eyes that shone like emeralds.

The reptilian had a muzzle like face, and looked like a lizard, it opened its mouth wide while it looked at Kothar, baring hundreds of pointed shining white teeth, its bright red forked tongue flickered out and a long hiss came out from its mouth.