The moment Tom ported to Chaotic he noticed something was off. A little way off to the side to the side he spotted two Overworlders, instead of the usual one, present in the Port Court. Putting his scanner away he walked towards Kaz and his mother.
"Hi there, Tom." The two Kalinkas said.
"Hi you two. What's going on here?" Tom asked, looking around in confusion.
It was Kaz's mother who replied, "There are two creatures per tribe in here. I checked and saw Takinom and Ultradur earlier."
Tom was quiet as he thought about it. He looked at his friend, "You think it's about what Agitos told us a few days ago?"
"Yeah. Today, eight creatures showed up and it seemed coordinated. That's what I heard anyway." Kaz replied.
Giving her son a curious glance Cassandra asked, "About those M'arrillians planning to attack here?"
"Yes. The Codemasters haven't asked us anything for now, but maybe we should tell them more about what we learned." Kaz said as he gazed at one of the floating robots passing near them. As if picking up on their conversation it quickly flew elsewhere.
"Now that they saw that, they might-." Tom started before he heard his scanner ringing. Taking it out and answering he saw that it was Codemaster Crellan, "Codemaster Crellan?"
"Tom. It seems that a lot is going on today. I also heard your friend's message. We need to speak with you now." Ordered the Codemaster, his voice far sterner than he had ever heard it.
Tom nodded and gave his friend a look. Immediately, the two stood up and walked away.
Cassandra sighed, "Things are getting messier. I hope it won't get that bad." Somehow though, she felt like it would get worse. Crossing her arms Cassandra nodded as she saw her friend port in.
Chapter 59: More Of Them In Chaotic
As Tom and Kaz began walking towards the Battle Dromes they saw a robot waiting for them. Remembering their previous interactions with the Codemasters they followed it to a different section of the Chaotic. Looking around as they walked through a rather long corridor, they realized they had never been here before. Surrounding them were metal walls and what might have been a defense system inside of the walls. Having seen the security robots, they had expected some lasers or maybe more of the security robots hidden around here. It might have more than that though. Everything was possible now.
The duo continued until a door opened. Exchanging nervous glances, the both of them entered.
"Welcome." A strange voice said.
Guessing it was a Codemaster they headed towards the center of the room and stood there.
Kaz whispered, "This is really sci-fi stuff going on." Tom nodded in agreement.
"I will talk to them, please." Said the voice of Codemaster Crellan.
Suddenly a platform appeared a few feet in front of them. The both of them stared at it curiously as it began to glow. Covering their eyes, they saw the Codemaster appear as the glow disappeared. "We receive your message that you might know what is going on." Codemaster Crellan said as he stepped off from the platform.
"So far, we know that two creatures per tribe just came today out of nowhere. There was nothing said to us about it and it was all too coordinated for it to be coincidence." The voice of another Codemaster said.
Codemaster Crellan sighed, "I said that I will talk to them please." Ignoring the slight grumbling he looked at them, "You said that you might know why more creatures showed up at the same time. It's best that we know now and prepare any counter-measures if necessary."
"The Organization has been notified of their presence and are suspecting something going on." Said another voice.
"Alright." The two boys replied.
"Anyway, it's time you share what you know about this." Codemaster Crellan said, his tone serious.
Kaz cleared his throat and began to explain, "When we were in the Underworld for a scan quest, Agitos wanted to talk with me."
"Since I was with him, I followed them." Tom added.
"He wanted to know more about Chaotic and The Cothica. We didn't say anything given that it's illegal to do so." Kaz said quickly.
"We know." one of the Codemasters replied.
"Go on." Codemaster Crellan said.
"After we talked about it and confirmed something." Tom began but stopped, unsure how to explain it.
"That the creatures of each tribe want to use me and my friends to reach The Cothica somehow. We won't do that." Kaz replied, taking over for Tom.
"And once it was over, he said that we should be careful in Chaotic. The M'arrillians are planning something and they might come here. I wasn't sure if it was that true or not, but with the creatures coordinating their appearance, maybe." Tom finished
"The M'arrillians!" the Codemasters yelled at the same time.
"They cannot take control of our battlegears!" One shrill voice yelled.
"Still. They are surely planning something big. They won't just try to send one creature into Chaotic." Another voice, this one softer, suggested.
"We need to figure out what they are planning and sabotage everything!" Exclaimed a deep voice.
"Before we go on with this," Codemaster Crellan said loudly, interrupting the conversation, "there must be more you want to share with us! Am I right?"
"Yes. The M'arrillians also want to capture Alexandre." Tom replied nervously. It was best to tell everything now.
"Why?" Codemaster Crellan asked the boys.
"Because he is known as the Messenger of the Cothica. There is currently some preparation for a rebellion in the Deep Ocean. The M'arrillians who are loyal to Alexandre as The Messenger want to do something against those sided with Milla'in. However, if they captured him, they might be forced to end the rebellion and join them." Kaz explained as he gazed at Tom who nodded at him. It was best if there was a civil war among the tribe.
"We will take this into consideration. Thank you for letting us know these things. Do you have anything else to add?" Codemaster Crellan asked.
"Not really." Kaz replied as he looked at his friend.
"What would they do?" Tom asked.
"Michel will surely prepare a counter measure or something to reinforce the defense of Chaotic. We have strong defenses in place, but they may not be enough. Much depends on if the M'arrillians can still control our minds or not." Codemaster Crellan answered.
"Thanks. Other than that, there's nothing else." Tom didn't want to bring Phelphor into this. He was a deserter and knew nothing else other than what he had shared.
"We will summon Alexandre next and warn him about this." With this Codemaster Crellan invited them to leave.
The two boys did so, but before they exited the room Kaz added, "He knows it's dangerous and that he should be careful. I'm sure the creatures he met told him that."
"We just want to plan something in case anything happens. We can put a safety in his code." Codemaster Crellan said.
Unsure, the two boys exited the room, perplexed by that reply. They had no idea what the Codemaster meant and what the others might plan for him. They followed the robot as it escorted the back to their table and ran into Alexandre on the way.
"Hope I didn't do anything wrong." Alexandre commented as he saw them.
"No. It's about the M'arrillians after you and their plan to attack Chaotic." Kaz told him.
"Thanks." Alexandre said gratefully before continuing on his way.
The two teenagers returned to the table where they found Kaz's mom, Peyton and Sarah with Chaor.
Startled by the sight Kaz stammered. "C-Chaor!"
"Kaz." The ruler of the Underworld grunted in response.
"But you saw Takinom and Ultradur!" Tom exclaimed at best friend's mother.
"He traded places with Ultradur while you were gone." She replied uneasily.
"There is a lot to talk about." The muscular creature growled.
"I already said what I can to Agitos." Kaz said anxiously.
"Oh yeah. The interrogation in Underworld City." Sarah said, gritting her teeth as she remembered what the two boys had told them. She crossed her arms and turned to face Chaor, "And you won't get anything from us. Kaz had nothing else to tell you about Chaotic or The Cothica." Sarah warned.
"This isn't about that." Chaor snapped as he grabbed Kaz and pulled him away, taking them out of hearing range.
"Should we help him?" Tom asked concernedly as he watched Kaz and Chaor walk away.
"Better not bro. Chaor might drag him outside of Chaotic and those battlemechs won't be able to do anything. Kinda of a muncho bad idea." Peyton warned him.
"Fine." Tom sighed, resigning himself. The four kept a close eye on the creature and wondered what they would talk about.
The Codemasters too watched what was going on with Chaor and Kaz. The two on the screen were quiet enough, which was worrisome. Chaor was a loud creature and if he was that quiet, he had something important and vital on his mind.
"Something is telling me it's not about Chaotic or the Cothica." Crellan commented as he watched the screen.
"Oh. I didn't notice that." Hotekk replied sarcastically before scathingly adding, "Is this more of your incompetence like when you spoke with Tom before we were authorized?"
"We can solve this in a match if you want. I would enjoy literally putting my first in your face Hotekk." Crellan replied simply.
"None of you will act like children." Imthor warned them. The sound of his fingers on his armor resonated, "We have a more important situation. What do we do with what they told us?"
"I'm still here you know!" Alexandre yelled, bringing their attention back to himself.
They all looked at the man. Crellan and Hotekk both covered their faces, realizing how they had behaved in public.
"…Right." Even the mature Imthor was embarrassed.
"Anyway. I will be careful about the M'arrillians. They already tried to get me twice." The man replied with a smile. He wasn't kidding.
"What?!" The seven Codemasters exclaimed.
"When and how?" Crellan quickly asked.
"When I was with Cassandra, near the Mipedian desert. We escaped by simply porting out. Those crabs like creatures don't know how to be quiet. The other time was with my friend again, in the Underworld yesterday. An ambush by Aval'par. Cassandra threw a rock on his face and he fell on a wall. We escaped too. I told her not to worry her son and his friends by telling them about it." Alexandre explained calmly.
"We should have brought you here much sooner." Crellan sighed loudly.
"And why so casual about it?" Imthor asked.
"It's not the first time. When I was in Perim, in my youth and in flesh, I had been chased a few times. One of my friends was a M'arrillian who tried to kidnap me. He wasn't easy on the eyes, but he had a kind heart when you looked deep enough." Alexandre gazed down and silently added, "I still miss them all."
"We will have to know more about that eventually." Imthor said as he appeared near him in his golden armor. He crossed his arms, "Anyway. From now on, we will modify your code a little. It won't affect your personality."
"In theory." Crellan said honestly.
Hotekk shot him an annoyed look, "It's like saying that a cure for a disease can kill you Crellan. Even if the chances are slim."
"I wouldn't take a cure that might kill me. I'm still too young to take that risk. Maybe on my deathbed though." Alexandre quipped as he crossed his arms and let out a small smirk.
"Back to the subject at hand." Imthor said before gazing back at the camera. Kaz and Chaor were still deep in discussion. He had no time for that now and hoped that Hotekk kept a closer eye on them, "Crellan said in theory, but if there is a problem, we can easily return you to your previous code. There is nothing to worry about. We have a saved version of your current code just in case. If there are any adverse effects, we will immediately know about it. We can see all the binary numbers in your code."
"I guess I have no choice anyway. That exit is currently locked?" Alexandre commented, pointing at the door he had entered from.
Crellan nodded.
"Then let's do it. I don't want to lose my time trying to escape or fight back something impossible. Still…make sure my code is okay, because when I come back to the real world and there is a problem, I might talk with my father and he will have a talk with you."
The Codemasters gulped nervously.
"We will make sure of that." Imthor said as he raised his hand. He pointed at the man and the body turned into binary code. After a few seconds, the changes were done and the human was back to normal, "And done. From now on, you can port back to the Port Court even without your scanner. The scanner will also come back with you."
"You can do that?" Alexandre asked, surprised at the revelation.
"Yes. We don't do it because the players need a minimal amount of responsibility. They might feel like God with it. If they get themselves in trouble, they have to get out of it on their own." Imthor explained.
"I don't mind that." Alexandre said, nodding.
They spoke about it a little more before the man left.
Alexandre wondered if it would really avoid some trouble. He knew he had to test it eventually, before he might get kidnapped by the M'arrillians. He also wondered if he was still himself or not. He returned to the table and searched for Kaz, "Where is he?"
"He's with Chaor." Sarah replied, tapping her fingers on the table.
"For what?" Alexandre asked.
They told him what they knew. The rest would have to wait later.
AC: This is the end of this chapter.
Next: A Ruler Order.
Chaor gave an order to Kaz as he revealed a few things going on. He wanted the boy to do something under a catastrophic circumstance.
