Vinta stopped as the corridor split in two. He checked the two paths. There were no signs of the intruder anywhere. He cursed himself as they had truly lost the wind creature, "Dammit!"
His twin brother Shimmark came to his side, "No time to complain! We still need to hunt the creature down!"
"We split up again and search for him!" The Mipedian decided.
"We are searching for him to. A fog like creature is difficult to search for and the heat signal isn't helping us," Hotekk told them. He cursed something out of frustration.
"The others are coming too," Imthor added. He sounded calmer than the other Codemaster.
"Go!" Vinta ordered.
They split up and continued the search in teams of two. The two twin siblings were side by side. They followed their guts, hoping to find the enemy.
Chapter 123: To Secure Chaotic
The wind creature was on the ceiling of the corridor as he watched some strange marine creatures pass under him. He was a little nervous as the security was extremely high and he was on his own. He looked around and once he was sure it was safe, he continued on his mission. He realized this place had greatly changed somehow. He cursed the creatures for poisoning this place and turning it into whatever it was. It was also extremely labyrinthic. He could end up farther away from his objective if he wasn't careful.
The worst part was that they put guards to protect nothing. They were only decoys. He needed to quickly tell the difference between decoys and those who were really protecting something.
Those bugs weren't helping. They guarded a door as if their life depended on it, even if it was a trap.
He found another guarded door. Once again, two large bugs protected it.
"They still didn't find that creature," one Danian said as he pointed his battlegear around.
"And it's quiet. It escaped them and is hiding around."
"The Codemasters didn't see it. Think it is outside of their view?"
"They have blind spots," the other one replied. He frowned, "Enough talk. I have a feeling something is close."
They increased their vigilance.
The elemental creature wasn't sure if they were really protecting something or not. If he wanted to pass through the door, he needed to pass in front of them. If it was a trap, leaving would require a lot of luck. If not, he would be found. He might not be lucky this time and end up as their prisoner or killed.
He refused to let himself die or be captured until he succeeded in his mission. He hesitated to check behind the door. It might not be the right one. He thought about it. The creature wondered if there would be more guards when it was a place they really needed to protect. The wind creature decided to try this door anyway. There was no absolute and losing time could only be costly at the end.
He waited for his chance and passed through the crack under the door. The Danians didn't see him. He was on the other side and looked around. He didn't notice anything standing out.
It was another room with a few desks. There was nothing else that stood out. The creature knew it was an unused room.
Hotekk continued his search. He tried to find the creature, but to no avail. They didn't have surveillance everywhere and it was troublesome. He grumbled in frustration and nervousness. Things could go wrong at any moment now.
"Still nothing?" Imthor asked. He was starting to get a little nervous too.
"Nothing. I'm sure the creature is somehow out of the camera's vision. The only places that the cameras aren't watching are the ceiling and the corners."
The other Codemaster thought about that too. He quickly realized what the fog creature might have done, "Maybe it is on the ceiling. The tribes are a little like humans. They don't have the biggest tendency to watch above them," Imthor wondered if he should tell the creatures. Maybe getting a reaction would be for the best, "Tell them. That creature will surely get reckless if in fear of danger."
The other nodded, "Don't forget to search the ceilings. That creature can fly and be above you."
The wind creature heard those words and knew it would be difficult. He had to escape from the room. He approached the door and listened to the other side.
"And to think we would have to guard our restroom to fool that intruder," one Danian said.
The elemental creature realized they slipped up. Alas, it was after he went into the room, "Could have said it sooner," now, it felt more like rubbing his nose in his mistake.
He waited for a few minutes. He tried to guess the perfect moment to escape. Except for the two talkative Danians, there was no one else.
The fog creature slipped outside of the room and managed to avoid their gaze. None of them looked behind them towards the door.
"Don't forget to search the ceilings. That creature can fly and be above you," a voice from an unknown source said. It was the same thing the Danians said just before.
The moment the fog creature heard those words, he quickly flew forward.
The Danians raised their heads a little too late to see the intruder. They grumbled about nothing standing out and went on.
Tera Motus went on his own, searching for the creature. He was glad that one of them was a prisoner and not executed. They were his enemies now, but they were still his tribe. He looked for the wind one. He knew that it would be a stranger, as it wasn't an element he interacted with. It was mostly with the fire and earth members of his tribe and not the wind or water.
The rock and ice creature checked above him after he heard the message. He put his hands on his hips, "And why would he stay above and not under now?" He wondered to himself. He continued to look around for the intruder.
He stopped when he noticed the fog above him. He squinted his eyes and cracked his rocky bones, "Stop!"
The wind creature stopped when he noticed the creature of his own tribe, standing ready to fight him. He landed on the ground and gazed at him, "So the traitor is here. No wonder the others were ready to fight us and seemed to know our little trick."
"I am doing this for the sake of the Cothica. They are getting invaded by M'arrillians who want to control the Cothica and then Perim," Tera replied as he stomped the ground and raised a wall behind him, "You will not pass me."
The fog creature landed on the ground and took a physical form. He looked like a humanoid bug made of wind. He cracked his fingers as he gazed at them. The creature's foot slid on the ground and prepared to attack the other one, "If I fail, I will at least eliminate a traitor."
"And you are ready to abandon the Cothica and the humans that live here," he frowned as he cracked his joints, "You refuse to see what is going on and the danger that they are facing."
"You believed the lies of the creatures," the other one replied.
The rock and ice creature squinted his eyes, "The words of humans themselves aren't lies," he ignored the call from the Codemasters that told the others his location. He was a little nervous. He was fighting someone who might be stronger than him. A target that can become intangible at will.
"What are you talking about?"
"I met with some humans. They have the power to talk between their worlds and Perim. They grew more powerful than the legends," he looked at the other one right in the eyes, "I will protect the Cothica. It doesn't belong to any creature of Perim," he didn't state he wanted to see their world. He quickly saw the other creature hadn't listened to him as a wind attack came towards him. He painfully grunted as he took the attack. He took a step back and summoned rocks in his hands. He threw them at the other one who dodged them easily.
Tera dodged wind blades coming at him and stomped the ground, raising the earth towards his adversary. He followed up with a rock spike, but both attacks missed the fog creature. He dodged the tornado coming at him and tackled the other creature against a wall, "You know the others are coming. It's over for you!"
"You will pay with your life for what you have done against your own tribe! I'll turn you to dust," he said as he shot another attack.
Tera was hit on his chest and hit his back on the wall he created. He painfully grumbled as he had a few cracks on his chest. He used his power to reduce the cracks he had. It would take a while until it was gone. He took a deep breath and jumped at the side when another attack came at him. He saw more coming at him and crossed his arms. He painfully grunted when the wind caused damage to his body. He raised his head and saw the other creature coming at him.
He rolled on the ground and avoided a kick. He countered with a punch as his fist made of rock grew and sent him away.
The wind creature sent a few wind blades at the other one and followed by a flash kick.
Tera blocked the wind attack, but that kick hit him right on his face and sent him against the wall. He didn't have time to move when a wind ball hit his face and flew up. His visage was cracked by the damage. He moved to the side as he reduced the cracks on his face.
The two continued the battle, but the rock and ice creature knew it wouldn't go well for him. He was forced to back away as more attacks hit him. He was slower than the other one. Even if his body was harder and he was stronger, it was pointless when his attacks missed.
The wind creature turned into his fog form and passed under the other one. He reformed himself and threw its most powerful wind attack.
Tera screamed in agony as he took a direct hit and crashed against the wall he made with his power. It had cracks on it, but it was large and didn't leave any space for the wind creature to pass. The rock and ice creature chuckled, "Looks like… This is it. At least… it's surely over for you."
Vinta, his brother and Gal'drad appeared behind the wind creature. They quietly prepared their attacks, as the other one hadn't noticed them.
When Tera spoke those words, the wind creature froze as he felt their presence. He turned around, but it was too late to do anything. He was hit by the three creatures and was sent against the wall. He tried to move, but he was hit again and couldn't fight anymore. He tried to take his fog form, but couldn't because of the exhaustion. He cursed himself and glared at Tera. "Traitor," he said, and lost consciousness.
The rock and ice creature sighed. He whispered, "The Cothica matters more than my allegiance," he looked at the creatures and stood up. He winced as the cracks were painful.
Gal'drad approached him, "Are you alright?" He kneeled down and checked on the creature.
"Not at all. It's really painful," Tera replied. The M'arrillian helped him stand up.
The other creatures came to join them.
"We need to restrain them right now," one Overworlder declared.
"Where's… the other?" The rock and ice creature asked.
"Restrained. We prepared something to contain them. Your warnings allowed the Codemaster to prepare something for creatures like them."
"Right. We made a room to isolate them. It was prepared before in case of contagion from Perim, but it has another use now," Hotekk replied as he slid his hands quietly. He chuckled, "Anyway, put him there before he can try to escape."
"Will do," the creatures replied.
Vinta and Shimmark helped Gal'drad to hold the elemental creature. Vinta said, "Hold on. We'll bring you somewhere to rest."
"T-thanks," Tera closed his eyes. He needed to rest to recover from his wounds.
AC: This is the end of this chapter.
Next: Talkative M'arrillians.
Tom, his friends and Remi visited the M'arrillians to get a little more out of them, the creatures came with them to figure out what the M'arrillians would do without their Coralsmith.