Chapter III: Oilen Sea

"Believe in a place full of pure hearts, where no one rules but the just. Fear disappears when trust, forges its own path." Augur hummed, as he strapped a cloak made of bindfibers on his shoulders.

Places of refuge were far and wide between in places like the Methrican Divide or Caurceron territory. Methrican was infamous for its vast migrational cycles that passed through deadly barrier storms and Caurceron meant nothing but trouble, it was a place of fear and terror even before the Final War.

"Songs about refuge?" Ghost beeped, while curiously chiming in a comment about the Augur's break into song. "

Yes. Hope and trust." Augur answered.

Augur strapped his spear on his back with the help of a leash made of Eumrethar tongue wiring.

"So I take it were heading to the Junkyard?" Ghost inquired.

Augur lowered his hands and with a single motion, silenced the bind lights of his temporary refuge.

"Yes. The oath our kin swore was to guard it for as long as the Exalted return in the case of an extinction event." Augur explained.

The path ahead was now a streaming sewage system of oil, fossilic fuels and derelict scrap. When the vast Underworld was built, its architects designed the great machines who toiled its shape, only for the machines to dispose of themselves into the great pit. Methrican Divide. A sea of oil and scrap, vast and large as the widest of oceans on the surface. Augur beheld the sight of the ocean from a large opening in a sewage pipe, high above the divide. Occasional roars of flame and fire could be observed from his perch, a normal phenomena in such volatile environment. They were great landmarks, as most were lit to either serve as beacons or producing light. The Final War had laid the great lights of the Underworld into disrepair aeons ago, which made the Warumathans seek alternate means. Bind technology and campfires allowed for rudimentary luminescence in such an age. It was still a sight that warmed Augur's weary mind. Life still continued in the depths, no matter how small or broken. Much had survived and still endured.

"You have a plan to get yourself down there, Augur?" the Ghost quizzed while staring down at the vast sea below.

"Yes, but I suggest that you ride ahead. Ghost." Augur answered.

He produced what looked like a brightly luminescent sphere from one of his bags and placed it on gently on the ground. He kneeled before it, placing two of his hands and a vast majority of his appendages on the sphere. Concentration, delving into deep secrets and minds. Life, there was life. A surge of warmth traveled through Augur, he reached out and life answered. He released the sphere, placed it back in his bag and started to scan the horizon. Silence permeated the darkness ahead, but it was soon broken by a shrill sound and what could be only described as frantical beating of wings. Augur was filled with joy, they were still alive.

A majestic glow started to close in and it shimmered and reflected like a dance of lights and shapes. A mechanical being with beautiful, insectile wings flew towards the pipe, its haltere gracefully guiding it into a still flight in front of the pipe. It hovered and extended a variety of appendages towards Augur while its manifold eyes scanned and watched expectantly. Augur responded in kind and reached out with his appendages, coiling and touching the beast almost as if caressing it.

"You have gone through such terrible and dark things. Do not worry, you're safe." Augur reassured the beast, almost whispering.

The creature soon attached its powerful legs on the edge of the pipe and climbed its way inside, humorously hanging from the pipe upside down. Augur started to mount his numerous belongings on the huge insect.

"Ghost. Get to the junkyard and prepare the data founts, what remains of the Exalted and our kin need to be awakened. My Sakhrekan will carry me with haste, but I need eyes on the ground, in case the Darkness still inhabits the sea." Augur said while attaching his hands on sockets at the side of the mechanical beast.

He extended his appendages and coiled one of them into a socket at the back of its head.

"Fly." Augur's thought whispered and the insect responded in kind, kicking itself off the edge of the pipe and freedove closer towards the surface of the sea, before catching wind with its wings, accelerating it into a forward motion.

Augur had missed such a feeling, the feeling of flying. He thought of a destination and the insect slowly started correcting its bearing. The journey to recovery had finally begun.