Author Comment: I want to thank my Beta-reader FollowerOfAnhamirak for his time on this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it.
I am happy that the problem on the site is solved.
Gal'Drad was busy talking with his warriors about their next move.
(So far, we know little of what Milla'iin is planning.) Gal'Drad began. His shining eye gazed at them with a hint of fear, (Whatever he is planning, I know nothing. He isn't very talkative about the end game. I cannot be too curious about it, but thankfully, other Chieftains were wondering what it might be too. It allows me to ask questions.)
(How are we going to know how they would try to invade Perim? Do they even have a way?) One of the warriors asked.
(I believe they have a special plan and one that will insult the way of the Messenger. I do not know how, but I fear that it might be fast approaching. We cannot let them win this.) Gal'Drad said as he gazed at his warriors.
(We won't. We need to collect everything we can.) Another one said.
(We can stop them now! We have enough weapons to strike at them.) One declared with conviction.
Gal'Drad immediately cut him off short before too many were incited by that plan, (We lack numbers for now. We need to have enough soldiers for this and I know we are barely a few thousands. We must wait to strike at them. They have much more than we can handle for now. If we can waste their plan, that would be the best thing for now. We might even make Milla'iin reckless if we enrage him enough.)
(Fine.) The soldier grumbled as he crossed his arms.
(I will have to take the risk and find out what it might be.) The Chieftain declared. He saw the others were about to protest, but he raised his tentacle. (I cannot risk any of you. If I am stopped, I will fight until I die. I won't leave any of you in danger. You are the warriors who began this rebellion. You are those who first wanted to respect the wishes of the Cothica. You are the ones who had the strongest belief in the Messenger.)
(You are the only Chieftain on our side Gal'Drad. You cannot do it on your own,) One protested.
(I have to. It will be less suspicious than anyone, and I know how to get out of this mess if I am found out.) Gal'Drad turned around and swan outside of the meeting room, letting no places for further arguments.
Chapter 51: Spy Game
Gal'Drad returned to the surface, ready to get anything he could about Milla'iin's plan. He had to find out whatever he was planning and ruin it if possible. He just hoped he wouldn't have to began the civil war sooner than necessary. There was too much yet to be done. Quickly pushing that aside he turned his thought towards Phelphor.
Phelphor had given no signs of life for a long time now. Still, no one could feel that the M'arrillian passed away. There was no news about him getting caught or captured. He could do that in his mind before the other tribes did anything to block his ability to communicate with his mind.
As the Chieftain thought back, Phelphor had disappeared shortly after Rath'tab had captured a human boy named Tom, the Chaotic Player who was close to Maxxor. The boy had somehow managed to escape and no one had managed to capture him again since then. He put his tentacle to his forehead and wondered if it was connected somehow. He couldn't see the Fluidmorpher just abandoning his mission on Kaizeph just to help a human from the Cothica.
Gal'drad wanted to thank whoever saved the human from whatever Milla'iin wanted to do to that boy.
He reached the main buildings and focused on the mission ay hand. He pushed aside anything else from his mind. He had to find out what the plan was and sabotage it if possible. The creature knew he couldn't just ask. He wouldn't receive any answer and serve only to cast suspicion on him. Not only that, but Milla'iin wasn't trusting anyone on the matter. He desperately wanted to avenge Aa'une's downfall and restore the supposed power of their tribe.
Gal'drad grumbled negatively at the thought. The will of the Messenger of the Cothica stood above the chieftain's belief. Glancing around he wondered where he should check first. Milla'iin home wasn't a pair he would dare to try, at least today anyway. Besides, he wouldn't hide it somewhere where anyone would think of first. Not only that, but it wasn't guarded at all, given that Milla'iin was busy handling everything. Thinking on it Gal'Drad had to admit that his enemy knew how to take command of the tribe, if for nefarious purposes.
"Gal'drad." Aval'par said as he joined his friend, "Where have you been? I've been searching for you."
The blue body of the M'arrillian paled for a second, before returning to its natural color. He grumbled as he waved his tentacles, "I was busy with everything going on. I didn't know you were looking for me? Did I miss something?"
"Did I startle you." His purple friend replied as he shook his head, "You seem to have a lot on your mind."
"Anyway, what did I miss?" Gal'Drad said, waving off his friends question, "Is Milla'iin angry?"
"No. You seem to always be busy for a while. I've been searching for you at your usual place when you have nothing to do and you weren't there," Aval'par replied.
Gal'drad wondered if there was a hint of suspicion in there. He wasn't certain and couldn't find anything pointing towards that. He searched for an answer, "With everything going on, I am feeling uneasy. I do not know what Milla'iin's plan truly is. I know he aims to reach the Cothica before the other tribes and he has a way, but is it true or not?" Gal'Drad turned back to his friend and added, "Is it even a real plan or not? We have the rebellion on us to deal with."
His friend put his hand on his shoulder and chuckled, "Don't worry. I don't know the means, but if it allows us to crush the other tribes and make the rebels regret their foolish attempt to respect this so-called Messenger of the Cothica." He gazed at the side and added, "Those humans couldn't have anything to do with the Cothica. The tribes are foolish to believe so."
"And what if we are wrong and they really are?" Gal'drad asked, "Did you wonder about it?"
"Yes. And it's obviously impossible. They are weak and their battlegear are just an annoyance at worst. They are like pests." Aval'par said dismissively, eye shining a little as he said that.
The other M'arrillian gazed at the side. He knew he had to accept that soon they would be enemies. His friend wouldn't change his mind that easily, "Thank you. Though it's not really easing my mind as long as I don't know what Milla'iin plan is feasible. If it fails, it's the end of the M'arrillians." He walked away.
The other one turned around and walked away. He stopped before gazing back at his friend, "There is one thing. The so-called Messenger of the Cothica is back. We are hunting him down."
Gal'drad used everything he had to not react. He didn't know what to say and simply kept walking away. He just told himself that it would not end well if they got their hands on him. If he did anything, it would be costly.
The M'arrillian kept walking as he pushed his fear aside. He couldn't believe that the Messenger was back. He was even more motivated than before to stop his tribe from doing the wrong thing. He knew that if they got the human, his life would end or meet a worse fate. On the other side, he wished to meet the human who had convinced a M'arrillian to switch sides and gave his final speech before he met his demise at Aa'une's hand.
He stopped as his thoughts came back to his mission. He had to collect information. He had many options and not just searching for where they put the plan. His first plan was to check on Bahrakatan. Not only for what he might be making, but also to gently check into the mind of the Kha'rall.
Gal'Drad headed towards the home of Bahrakatan. The Coralsmith preferred to live isolated from the others as he found most of his tribe annoying. He often only answered when it was his leader or his own curiosity. He had heard that he went to visit their human prisoner when he was captured. Gal'drad was curious about the why, but guessed it was about the Cothica. It would be the only reason he might meet with a prisoner.
He reached the house. It stood at the top of a hill and near the water if he needed to quickly dive with the form of a shell. Looking back on it he had never seen Bahrakatan diving in the water in his entire life. He focused on the ground as he mentally prepared for the questioning. He had to be careful. He raised his head and walked towards the entrance. He couldn't make any mistake. He knocked the door with his tendril.
"What?" Bahrakatan grunted at the other side with annoyance.
He sighed. It was good that the other creature was annoyed and not angry, "It's Gal'Drad. I came because there are a few things I need to know."
"What is it about? I'm in the middle of working on something really important." The Coralsmith grunted as he opened the door. He glared at the Chieftain; his arms crossed as he blocked the entrance.
The other couldn't see anything inside. It was impossible to guess what he was working on. However, it was obvious something top secret was being made. He chose to not press on it. He knew Bahrakatan would be defensive physically and in his mind, "It's about everything Millia'iin is preparing. I am getting uneasy with everything going on."
"And you came to annoy me instead of Milla'iin?" Bahrakatan grunted in an accusatory tone.
"No. I know I won't get anything from him. During the meetings, some of the questions we asked were never answered." Gal'Drad explained "and I hoped you might enlighten me more on the plan."
Bahrakatan gazed at the side as he wondered if he should or not. His eyes shined at the Chieftain and replied, "I can tell you a few things, but nothing else."
Gal'drad used his mental powers to just gently touch the mind of the other M'arrillian. He met a wall. He knew the other creature might be expecting something like that. The other creature didn't notice his action and went on, "I fear that his plan might turn against us. If it failed, the other tribes can crush us."
"There is nothing to fear about them if they cannot reach us." Bahrakatan replied bluntly without explaining what he meant, "That is if what he says is true. I have my doubt about that part. However, his plan is to avoid a fight against the other tribes until we have the strength to actually crush them once and for all."
Gal'Drad decided to ask directly, "What is the plan?"
"I cannot tell you what the plan is. I don't even know that many details either. I'm just making a gear for the plan to succeed. I cannot let you see it though. You will see it when it's ready and Milla'iin gives the authorization."
"Fine," Gal'drad quickly gave up. He already knew it wouldn't go farther than that. He turned around and walked away.
"The targets are the humans." Bahrakatan said before closing the door. The Kha'rall wondered if it was okay to say that as he looked at his invention. It was probably his biggest one, but he questioned if it was for the best. They would reach Cothica though. He raised his pincer and asked himself, "Would it be worth it? Seeing the Cothica?" He decided to focus on his invention.
Outside, Gal'drad paled for a second before his color came back. He knew who the target was. The only way to reach them was to reach Chaotic. He knew it had something to do with teleportation. He had to plan everything with the rebels and foil whatever teleportation battlegear was being built inside of the Coralsmith house.
(You are the leader of the rebellions?) A voice suddenly said in his head.
Gal'Drad froze in place. He had been caught. He wondered who it was and looked around. He cursed himself for dropping his guard. He frowned and asked, (Who are you?)
AC: This is the end of this chapter.
Chapter 52: In Search Of Answer.
Theb-Saar brought Ab'lop to his castle to help with the interrogation of a prisoner of war caught by Marquis Darini, in hope to find out what the M'arrillians were planning. Ab'lop found out more than expected.