CHAPTER 9

Aided by Kalb's enhanced levitation, the odd trio reached the cavern in less than half the usual time. Raz was surprised at how agile the being was at high speeds, weaving around trees, down the hollow stump, and through the long network of underground tunnels.

They stopped just below the entrance to the cavern. Kalb careful lifted each of them up into the cavern before climbing up through himself. His massive body barely fit through the tiny, stalagmite-lined opening.

"This section of runes is unimportant," he grunted, waving a clawed hand at a portion of the stony wall. "What you need to focus on is this section, right here."

Raz and Lili both stared at it for a long time, but they were unable to translate any of the strange glowing symbols on the wall.

"Well," Raz half-growled, "Are you gonna help us, or what? We can't read these runes, and they're not going to translate themselves."

"Let me put it in words you might understand," Kalb said, his voice quiet, as if he were commending himself for some clever accomplishment. "Learn to see things as I see them."

Lili shook her head. "Raz, what..?"

"One second," he said, thinking hard. He knew the phrase was familiar, he had heard it somewhere before…

"In the fridge," the insane guard whispered, half to himself. "There's something that will help you see things like I do."

"Oh, sorry… I don't drink. Before noon, I mean…"

"That's right!" Raz spoke up suddenly, his emerald eyes opening. "Boyd. Boyd told me to look in the fridge..."

"The old, insane Asylum Guard?" Lili asked. "I don't see how he has anything to do with this…"

Raz knelt down on one knee, the index finger of each hand pressed against the corresponding side of his head. He pictured Kalb, the being so immense, crouched low on his armored hunches to avoid the low ceiling… trying to think of the feelings the being might be experiencing…

Suddenly, he wasn't looking out of his own eyes. He was looking through someone else's, someone much taller, whose eyes were veiled behind a T-shaped visor. Raz didn't believe it… he was looking out Kalb's eyes. Eagerly, he turned the being's head, looking at the runes.

They seemed to shift and dance in front of him, and he realized with great excitement that he could actually read them. He was about to turn Kalb's head again, to take in more information, when he was suddenly forced out of Kalb's mind.

Groggily, Raz sat up, back in his own body. Kalb took a step forward, stretching his neck out as far as it could reach. His intimidating faceplate was only inches from Raz's face.

"Very wise, Razputin," Kalb said approvingly. "Tell me what you gathered."

"Tysr is hunting for a 'pure soul'," Raz said slowly, hoping he wouldn't forget anything important. "He needs the one pure soul to power the Bileptum Dial in the BioWeapons Lab. Supposedly, that will allow it to pull you two back into one being. But what Tysr doesn't know is that was not designed to be used in reverse, so it would actually end up killing both of you instead of bringing you new life."

"Yes," Kalb said, after an unpleasant pause.

"There's got to be a way to get rid of Tsyr without harming you, Kalb," Lili suggested, placing a hand on his scaled arm.

At the touch, Kalb looked down surprisedly. "Y…yes. There must be a way. I am glad I have you two to help me find it. But before we do anything else, you must promise me that you will never let Tsyr take you hostage. The method of removing the soul calls an otherworldly pain to attack the body, a pain that I would not wish to fall on either of you."

"We appreciate your concern," Raz said sincerely. "But we were never planning on letting Tsyr catch us. We're going to give him hell, right Lili?"

"With you all the way," she said, clasping Raz's hand.

Both teens cast a glace at Kalb. At first, the being didn't understand what they wanted. Then, it dawned on him, and he uncomfortably stepped forward. With a fast movement, Lili seized his huge, clawed hand and placed it over theirs.

"It's settled then," she said, sounding like a natural leader. "Let's take the fight to Tsyr."

Kalb turned away. I have done all I could. I have given them hope now. But perhaps it was such vile thing for me to do… when the only thing that can result from the hope is broken promises. For I know there is only one way of defeating Tsyr…

Wow, short chapter. Sorry guys, I'm sort of losing control of this fic. I'm going to try and wrap it up soon, to make way for my next one.

So, until the next chapter...