Tom was sitting on his chair as he talked with Kaz and Sarah. They were a small argument going on before he cut them, "I will be fine. I'm going to port directly in Kiru city. I haven't seen Maxxor for a while. Maybe he won't be busy."
"I know Tom, but we don't want a third case," she replied.
"At least you know where I am going. If I'm not back in a few hours, call me and I'll answer no matter what," the black-haired teen boy sighed with a small smile. He couldn't be pissed of at them when he had been in trouble more often than his friends recently.
"I know Tom, but I cannot help it. I'm worried for you," his best friend replied. He gazed at the screen where his mother participated in her Chaotic match. She was in a winning streak. She only lost a match against him. So far, he was better with his strategies than her.
MajorTom stood up and nodded, "I know. I won't get out of the city. If I do, I'll port out and ask one of you to come with me. I promise."
"You better be," she grunted while crossing her arms.
"I will. I'll be going now," he walked towards the teleporting platform.
The two sighed. It was still an improvement. They had to be honest. They went really far. It was just that Tom was the one who got caught in much more trouble.
"Maybe the Overworld is less protected," Sarah wondered.
"It is a large territory to cover and there is a lot of place for ambush. Much more than in Al Mipedim or the Underworld," Kaz agreed.
"Kaz…" she hesitated to speak her mind, but a gaze from her friend made her continue, "Did your mom tell anything about Alexandre?"
The boy crossed his fingers and nodded, "Yes. She called him yesterday and talked together for a long time. She didn't get anything from him. I think this Alexandre is stubborn because he said nothing about Kaizeph and how he went there. However, she convinced him to play Chaotic once again. She told him what would happen when he'll get a code," Kaz worryingly gazed at her, "He's in."
"So, he's coming to Perim eventually."
KidChaor nodded, "Yes. That will solve many things."
"But him returning to Perim, with the tablets and everything."
"Yeah. A lot of trouble for sure."
None of them knew what would happen if Alexandre returned to Perim. Would he looked different enough or would he remain similar to the image on the tablets?
With the scars, it might be easy to get recognised. Chaotic would get more Chaotic.
Chapter 18: An Old Story
Tom appeared in Kiru city and gazed at the tall castle. He reached it in a short amount of time. Still, his friends were getting really worried for him. It annoyed him, but it also reassured him. They didn't want him to get in deep trouble again.
The boy didn't intent to get kidnapped by the M'arrillians once again and won't drop his guard for a second. However, in the living city of Kiru, he didn't have to worry about that tribe. Just the guards who might go after him. The classic. He put his scanner in his pocket.
As he walked towards the entrance of the castle, his thought wondered back to their discovery. With what they found about Alexandre and what Perim truly is, he was still wondering how it was possible to travel back in time. He was just glad that no Mipedians were there, because they would be in trouble and unable to say anything, they found out together.
On Earth, Kaz told him they had to wait for Alexandre to meet them in Peri.
He must want to be certain he could come back to Perim before telling everything. He remembered what everyone thought about Kaz story. They thought he might had lost his mind or lived too deep in his imagination. Everything was real, but those who couldn't go to Perim. They wouldn't believe it.
He got the authorisation to enter in the castle. It was obvious that nothing of great significance was going on if he could enter.
"Tom. It's been a while," Maxxor said as he greeted the boy. MajorTom failed to notice the great relief in the creature's voice.
Najarin was by his side and nodded. They had met in Kaizeph last time.
Tom knew that Maxxor surely was aware of his adventure in the Lost City, "Yeah. There's been a lot going on," he crossed his arms. He didn't want to bring up that he had been kidnapped by the M'arrillians.
Maxxor beat him too it, "I'm glad you manage to escape the M'arrillians. I was extremely concerned when I learned they captured you," he let out a small smile, "Thankfully, you have been spotted in the Overworld before we tried to get you out."
"W- Thanks," he gazed at the side.
"You are a precious friend to us Tom," Najarin said. He asked, "But we aren't certain how you escaped them."
"I managed to get my scanner back and port out," the human replied, not wanting to talk about who saved him. He wasn't certain where Phelphor was. Still, knowing that Maxxor wanted to try something to save him was bringing a smile in him. He then noticed that Najarin was holding a tablet in his hand.
Maxxor nodded with a smile.
"Since you are here, maybe you are curious about this tablet we recently found?" Najarin asked with a small smile.
Tom gave one gaze at the leader of the Overworld. It was obvious that he knew of his little stunt in Kaizeph. Just seeing the green face lightly frowning.
"You should have told me you intended to go in Kaizeph Tom," the green creature suggested.
"Sorry. We just proceed as usual when we do our scan quests," the boy replied. It was always that way with his friends, "And with everything going on, I might not be able to ask about this on my own. If this mess continues," he sighed.
The ruler nodded and decided not to push any further. Najarin had suggested to read this tablet with MajorTom, to know what he was thinking of it. They also had to watch his reaction. Najarin suspected that the human might know more, but they couldn't share everything because of some rules.
The Cothica wants to remain a secret, Maxxor thought as they had to collect information in an indirect way. He didn't like to do this to his friend. Tom was someone close who proved his trust and friendship times and times again. He almost got hurt or crushed by Chaor when he brought back his courage. All for a scan of him. It was clear for him, Intress and Tom that it was such a small reward for everything. He knew it was simply because this was who the boy was. However, the future of Perim and his tribe was on the line. Something that big asked him to act as the leader of the Overworlder first.
Najarin asked, "I'm certain you want to know about what this tablet contained. Since you are curious about it, I want to share it with you."
"Thanks," something is going on, he thought. The teenager knew they wanted something. None of them really spoke up about it, "Why?" he asked.
Maxxor replied, "Maybe it will cause less trouble if we say a few things. We know you will return to Kaizeph eventually."
"Sure," he lightly gazed at the side, already did.
They noticed it, but knew it wasn't in their quadrant. The High Muge added, "And since it's related to you and with the M'arrillian situation. It's best that you know more about the Chaotic Player."
The boy nodded, "That's why we want to understand what is going on. I don't understand why they believe we came from the Cothica," he sighed, "We aren't."
They understand that their Chaotic Player friend really believed that he didn't came from the Cothica. From their point of view, it wouldn't be possible. From the creature's perspective, it was the opposite.
Najarin began reading the tablet, as no one else was talking. He began to talk, "Today, we had a special moment I wanted to record. The Messenger Of The Cothica paid a visit with his Mipedian friend. That lizard was still pissed off for what I accidentally did to the strange outsider. Anyway, the messenger was showing us one of his skills he learned from his mother. We were about to eat some meal made in the Cothica and we are getting excited for this."
Tom crossed his fingers as he heard how they spoke about Alexandre. The creature was certain that the human was a messenger. He wasn't sure if the boy believed that back then. It wasn't only that, but the fact that there wasn't any consequence for doing so, he wasn't a code. He had no restriction like us, he began to realise. He was also getting a little nervous, as he felt the gaze of Maxxor on him. The player didn't know why and it made him uneasy. Still, he focused on Najarin words.
"He showed us how to made something called… pasta. Using stuff, we made for bread in something else and adding some sauce. Simple, yet it smells really good. As we were preparing this, he talked a little about his home. The tablet is too small and I'll put in another one. He mostly talked about his family. His weird father who invents many things. One of those things brought him to Kaizeph."
Tom was surprised that what brought Alexandre to Perim was something invented by his father.
Najarin turned the tablet to the other side, "He said that his father would never repeat it again. Something to go to another world, connected to his own. He said it was Perim. I commented that his father was a strange one. Alexandre said he was crazy, that's why he appeared in Kaizeph. When the sauce was ready, we were about to put it with those… pastas when someone came and our friend dropped the sauce on a creature. It was then that Najarin the-" he hesitated to continued for a while. He sighed and continued when his ruler gave him a sign, "red came to be. And how Alexandre met my High Muge. A long verbal reprimand followed. That was another of our friend's misadventure, but at least, a funny one."
Maxxor was snickering when he imagined Najarin with that sauce. He could see the High Muge angry about it.
"Did that Overworlder really write the true?" The human asked.
The High Muge didn't answer as he tried to think back. He ignored the snickering from his ruler. A little bit of that memory came back. Something finally came back of his lost memory in Kaizeph.
He remembered the Chaotic Player. He remembered how pissed off he was when their first meeting ended up with waste of food. He remembered being curious about the stranger as the Overworlder explained that he was a Messenger Of The Cothica. He didn't believe, just like the messenger was opposing those words.
He remembered something that convinced him it was the case. A faith hope it was true, as the Mipedian and the Overworlder were friends.
"Yes. It is the true."
And the ruler kept snickering, but was getting his emotions back in control. Despite everything, they were observing the boy. They didn't get that much of a reaction. He wasn't surprise about the name of the Chaotic Player. Still, they were aware that Tom knew more about the matter than them.
"Why was he convince that Alexandre came from the Cothica?" Tom couldn't believe it.
Maxxor explained, "The Cothica is known to be the source of great power. What it could do or is. It's unknown," he searched for his next words.
Najarin stepped in, "Some believe it gives a creature great power. Others believe it gives wisdom, which is also quite powerful in the right hands. Some believed it might be some legendary battlegear or mugic that doesn't exist elsewhere. Other's, believe that Chaotic Players came from the Cothica, using unknown powers beyond our grasp. Some believe that this Alexandre was a messenger of the Cothica, because he used his power to come here and unite the tribes against the M'arrillians. He seems to also convince a M'arrillian to turn against his own tribe."
"Real or not, you Chaotic Players came from a place we cannot reach. More and more will believe that you come from the Cothica, because of everything you are doing. I witness once Chaotic Player getting 'coded' and left nothing behind. No body. That still leaves a strong impression on me. Yet, one of my soldiers overheard a few days later that the Chaotic Player was indeed alive, but won't ever return in Perim. His code was destroyed."
"Little events like that makes us believe that you have great power as more cumulate," the High Muge concluded.
The human had to be honest, it was really mysterious what they could do, when he put himself in the shoes of the creatures. When they wore shoes.
He couldn't explain anything or he would break the rules. He gazed down as he let that sink in, it makes sense why they would believe it. "Kaizeph just brought this up faster then?"
The two creatures nodded.
Tom had to ask something. He was wondering now, "Maxxor. Do you believe like some creatures that we come from the Cothica?"
Maxxor thought about it and gave a quick answer, "Honestly. I am not certain if you really come from the Cothica. I just know that one Chaotic Player came in the past, when our ancestors retreated in Kaizeph. That Player managed to unite the tribes and fought back against the M'arrillians to our victory. It's a shame they forgot about him, because history would have been written about Alexandre."
"I also avoid thinking about it Tom, but if we forgot everything, his friends here must have forgotten too," Najarin commented.
With the little they found, the human had doubts, "I'm not so certain. Maybe they kept some of the tablets and they remembered. You are remembering things thanks to that."
The old creature nodded, "I sincerely hoped, because their spirit would have suffered a lot."
The ruler came back to the subject, "I do not really believe it is the true, that you come from there. However, it is a possibility I cannot put aside. If it is true, then I would have let my tribe down. I have to assume it might be true and check everything, just in case."
The boy nodded.
"However, Tom, never forget that I consider you a friend, way before we heard of such rumors and what we learned from the tablets," a large smile formed on his green lips, "And for many other creatures. I believe you will never try to harm our tribe or your friends in the other tribes in any ways," he put his hand the Chaotic Player shoulder, "And I know it."
The High Muge added, "I let you scan me. That is proof enough of my faith in you."
MajorTom smiled and replied, "Thanks Maxxor… Believe me. I want to say much more than I can," he lightly shivered with some regret, of being incapable of saying more. He wanted to talk about his home to them, but it wasn't possible, "I want to talk more about me, but they are laws and I cannot disobey them… Because the consequence might be that those would be the last thing, I'll do in Perim. They'd know immediately if I said anything. I'm sorry I can't."
He wasn't certain if they would believe him.
"I know you would Tom. I rather have you here than satisfying my curiosity for such price," the green creature said.
Tom nodded with a small smile. They spoke a little more about trivial stuff and the boy ported out, as he had a match that would begin soon.
Najarin and Maxxor watched the boy disappearing thanks to the power of those scanners.
"Maxxor. I know you made the right decision."
"I wouldn't lie to him Najarin."
"Tom knows you told him the true."
After this, they studied the tablets a little more.
AC: This is the end of this episode. There isn't that much yet. There is still some cooldown before the last trip to Kaizeph and a big spike in the end of the Mystery Arc. They had to wait for Alexandre.
Next: The One Who Read Human Words.
Theb-Saar searched for a Mipedian clan who might knows about the words of the humans. He found a group in an Oasis very few visited, as it was found in an arid part of the desert.
