Chapter 137: Where Are They?

Chapter 137: Where Are They?

Chapter 137: Where Are They?

“Not here.”

Step- Step-

“Not here.”

Step- Step-”

“Not here either...” Liz whispered as she pushed another door open.

She frowned, suddenly feeling anxious.

“I can’t find him.” She declared sometime later. “Neither the Commander nor him... I can’t find either of them.”

“So?” Rea pulled a lollipop out of her pocket. “Did you even check everywhere?”

“I did...” Liz muttered, scratching her head. “Do you think they’re together?”

“Why would they be?” Raya asked, curious by Liz’s sudden interest in their location.

“I don’t know...” Liz pressed her lips together. “You don’t think they went out together, do you?”

“That wasn’t part of the plan...” Kris whispered. “So I doubt it.”

“Ha! As if that Commander wouldn’t do something behind our backs.” Al sneered.

“Right.” Jay shrugged. “Even though it’s been so long, I can’t bring myself to trust her. There’s just something creepy about her.”

“Shut the fuck up, Jay.” Rea sighed. “You say that about every one of us.”

“That is true.” Kris nodded. “Just because they’re women doesn’t mean you should-”

“Can we focus on the important thing, please?” Liz muttered. “What if they’re out there? What if they’re fighting without me? They wouldn’t, right? I mean... I’m the Soldier here, so obviously... They wouldn’t go without me, would they?”

Liz’s successive questions were met by nothing but silence.

“Food is ready.” Bak announced less than a minute later, his head peeking into the command room. “Oh, everyone is here. Perfect. I have something to announce.”

“Yes... We heard you...” Liz whispered, scratching her head.

“The Commander went out. Not too sure why. She wouldn’t tell me.”

“Mm...” Kris brought a hand to his chin. “Yes, that does sound like the Commander.”

“A crystal? It looks like those...” It only took a second for Liz to realize. “He brought you one, huh?”

The female Granilith took Liz’s wrist, and lay the red crystal into her palm.

“You’re giving me your treasure?” The Soldier chuckled. “Thanks, I guess.”

Seconds later, Liz exited the vault, a slight smile on her face.

The female Granilith dug into the food brought to her.

She wasn’t particularly thankful for the food, but she appreciated it. It was only right for another of the Paru’s women to bring her food, since she was the first.

She peeked, below the blankets and pillows, at the much larger crystal that remained there, and chuckled.

Meanwhile, Liz closed the vault’s door behind her, and froze.

“Wait... Both of them are outside... Together...?”

Remembering her time outside with the Paru, Liz brought her palms to her blushing face.

“It can’t be... Don’t tell me that they’re... It can’t be... Can it?!”

...

‘Even if he could do so before, it’s understandable that he didn’t. Right now, I’m just glad that he can talk.’ Roka thought to herself after shaking off the strange and ill-timed emotions that had, earlier, risen for a moment. ‘It’s still not much of a plan. Trust him... I still have trouble believing in his word. Males can very rarely... But he is from a different Species. Still, how can I just -Leave it to him- without asking anything further? This is our mission and-‘

“Since our goal is to take one of the Tsero Crystals, it’s as you said,” The Paru interrupted Roka’s thoughts as the area filled with Tsero at the center of the mountain’s peak was visible. “We don’t need to kill them. Well, we don’t need to kill all of them.”

“Yes...” Roka nodded.

The Paru’s eyes narrowed as his gaze scanned the area.

“The Tsero Crystals stand at the peak of certain crystalline structures.” Roka explained. “The whole structure is valuable, but the top portion of it is where most of the use is located.” She pointed after a moment. “Can you see it there? It’s almost like a throne of white crystals... On top of that throne sits the Tsero Crystal. Obviously, it needs to be broken off, which is why I brought this.” Roka pulled the mechanical hammer from her holster belt. “Anything else that can be used on the go has already been lost... The first time that we got here...” She shook her head. “The structures aren’t particularly tall, so they disappear when surrounded by Tsero. But the Visero move around the Tsero Crystals, so catching glimpses of the latter is still possible.”

The Paru focused on the area that Roka was pointing towards.

Sure enough, a glimpse was caught.

“Yeah... I see it.”

“If it was just a couple of Tsero surrounding them, this wouldn’t be an issue. But there are hundreds. Around each particular Tsero Crystal, about fifty Visero walk around. The Tsero can feed on the energy that the Tsero Crystal holds without physical contact.”

“Tsk...” The Paru clicked his tongue.