Chapter Twenty
Six

"Are you sure?" John asks. I nod slowly, and explain, "For some reason, I can understand these symbols. I swear to God; 'Pittacus Lore' is written here." I point, again to that little moving flag on the map.

"Six, I believe you, and I think I know why he's there," John says grimly.

"Why?"

"Remember my premonitions?" he asks, and I nod. "What if he's the one Setrákus is using, not Metus? It makes sense! Pittacus is Lorien's most powerful Elder. Setrákus knows that he is a threat to him. So—"

"—he set Pittacus into a deep sleep and only uses him for power," I finish for him, "I can't believe this."

"I know, I know. Should we tell the others?" John says.

"Yes, but not right now. We need to let them cool off. Maybe tomorrow?" I suggest. John shrugs, and with his arm protectively around my waist, we leave the conference room.

"Where have you two been?" Crayton demands. John looks at his feet while I rack my brains for something to answer. "Roaming around," I reply in a monotone voice, "I was trying to clear my head, you know, after everything I've seen and heard. John must have gotten worried about me."

"Well? Get going! We have to train harder than ever before," Crayton says, and we get to work. I give a little more effort in this session. Before I went to the conference room for personal solitude, I was too occupied in my own thoughts that I let my guard down, leading to John's three victories. Besides, I had to give it to him; he was getting better and better at fighting.

Now, I had my knives out, slashing a thrusting them in the automatons that rush to me. The robotic dummies stop coming out. The system must be reloading some more. I flinch when someone tugs at the edge of my tank top. I turn around and say, "Ella! What are you doing here?"

"Can I have a turn?" Ella asks. Gosh, she's tall. For an eleven year-old that is. In fact, she's nearly taller than me. Damn it. Being short seems to run in my genes. "Sure," I say with a smile, and I step off the mat and take a seat on one of the benches there. Sam sits beside me and I ask him for the time. "Thirty minutes past seven. Man, Crayton is stepping it up," he complains.

"Want to practice fighting?" I ask, "I bet you fifty you'll."

"We aren't evenly matched!" Sam complains again, "Fine. But no betting, alright? We both know I'd get my ass kicked anyways." I smile at Sam and practice fighting with him. Whilst fighting, I smile at his progress. Sam may not be as strong as me, but he is perhaps just as quick and smart with his moves. But, as he had said, I win again.

Not a minute after, Crayton calls a closure to this day's training session. Like yesterday, we head to the dining room to eat. This time, they served what I think is chicken, only with meat a little darker and with a different and more appealing aroma. Nine is first to eat, and after eating two more bites of it, we decide it's safe to eat. I eat silently, chewing then swallowing until I finish my half.

I'm the first one to leave. I don't wait for the others to finish. But instead of going straight to bed, I walk back to the training room. It's odd, almost weird for me to enter the now quiet room. It's so still here—no gunshots, no creaking of gears, no muffled grunts. It's nearly peaceful here, except that I'll be using this for an hour more or two.

I walk on the white spotted mat, but not before slipping the dark glasses on. Once I step on the mat, I instantly see my attackers. There are ten Mogs, all charging at me at different intervals. I take down the first two, but the third manages to slip past my guard. If I hadn't reacted quickly, the third Mog would have hit me and will break the connection. You see, that's how the virtual reality works. If you die, the game is over.

Anyways, I block the third attacker's fist and punch his face. The other seven keeps on coming, with new ones trailing close behind them. I take them all down, until I see the words "Level Succeeded" written in English. This would be the first time I saw anything in English.

I take the glasses off and place them on the nearest bench. I sigh deeply. I know I'm going to have to tell them soon. As far as I can tell, they're all in good mood, but it's time to go to sleep. I know how much rest and relaxation means to them, especially after long hours of training. I decide to let them rest for now. Maybe tomorrow, when we eat breakfast. Then, I'll admit it to them.

I stand up and close all the lights that illuminated the training room. I walk to the bedrooms alone, thinking about the map on the wall. Could it be true? Does the map show the truth? What if it's jinxed?

Thanks again, to my very jumbled-up thoughts, I got lost, I think. The corridor I'm in leads away from the bedrooms, but because of the adrenaline, the adventure-lover side of me decides to discover what lies beyond.

At the end of the corridor, I stop before a big metal door. On the front, it read "Chimæra Unit" in large Loric symbols. It slides open, and the tip of Zakarius' nose hits my forehead.

I'm sorry! Zakarius exclaims, his head bowed low while he whines, as if expecting a punishment, Forgive me!

"Hey, hey," I say, running my fingers through his coarse fur, "It's alright, Zakarius. Calm yourself." He straightens up, and an idea pops in my head. "Zakarius, you know that map on the wall in the conference room?"

Indeed, yes. Master himself drew the map, and cast upon it is a charm that makes it move and pinpoint the exact location of its inhabitants, Zakarius says.

"Zakarius, I need you to come with me," I say, and together we walk back the way I came, this time heading to the conference room. Again.

It can't be, Zakarius whispers after I explain everything to him.

"I know it's hard to believe but, Zakarius," I say, "Pittacus is held captive in Mogadore, if this map is accurate."

It is accurate, but why is he there? Zakarius asks.

"I have a feeling that Setrákus is using him for power," I say calmly, but in my head I hear Zakarius throw on a fit of rage. "Zakarius, calm down. We'll think of something, and when we get to Mogadore, I'll give you the permission to rip Setrákus' throat out."

He gives me what I think is a smile, and he says, With pleasure. I have to go. I have to train my army for this war. After that he bows politely, and he disappears. The doors of the conference room open before him and close after he leaves. Meanwhile, with my enhanced hearing abilities, I hear the others look for me. I sigh and meet them in the sleeping quarters.

"Where have you been?" John asks, clearly disappointed.

"In the conference room with Zakarius," I reply.

"What were you doing there?" Crayton asks. I sigh. If I approached and slipped by them invisibly, I wouldn't need to face this interrogation.

"Staring at the map," I reply again.

"Is that all?"

"Why? Do you think I'd burn it down? It is important! We can use that for planning the war," I say, "I'm not stupid enough to do anything to the map, except to stare and examine it."

"I didn't call you stupid, I'm just checking, reassuring myself," Crayton says in defense. I roll my eyes and when I turn around, I nearly bump into Cole, who was about to exit his room. His hair is messed-up (no surprise there) and his shirt is disheveled. We make eye contact, and before I realized what was happening, he asks, "What do you mean?"

Damn it.

"What was that, Cole?" Crayton asks.

"Nothin—" I try to say, but Cole beats me to it again. "Her thoughts were about Pittacus in Mogadore."

"What?" Crayton asks angrily. "Show me, Six."

"The two of you knew and you didn't tell us!" Crayton yells at both John and me.

"Leave John out of this," I say, "It was my idea. All of you seem to in a bad mood so we decided to keep quiet until tomorrow."

"This is an important matter!"

"And the last matter we discussed ended badly. Fighting isn't good for us all. Now, Crayton, calm down. Six has a point," Marina says. Crayton inhales deeply and exhales loudly. "Besides," Marina adds, "The map may be lying or malfunctioning."

"This kind of map does not lie," Crayton says, "Like your Chests. No matter what you say, or do, this map will never lie."

That's it then. We have something new to fight for. "Pittacus really is in Mogadore, and we have to save him and Lorien."