Arc One: Chaotic Field Trip
Part four
Night came and went with Tom and Kaz still tied to the pole. No rescue had come for them, but Tom was sure the Masked Guard was looking for them. Kaz wasn't as optimistic as his friend but he still held out the same hope for rescue.
Their bodies are now sore and stiff from staying in that position all night. They were only given one short break from the pole to pee. The guards offered them water and food, but they had to take off their helmets for them to get any. Another Chaotic rule was that no Chaotic should let a creature see their face. Not only was that the law of their people but they also reasoned with themselves that if they did take off their helmets then they will not get them back. If they didn't have their helmets then they wouldn't be able to talk to each other without the guards hearing them.
So, they didn't eat or drink anything within twenty-four hours. They were hungry, thirsty and tired.
"I wonder if the Overworlders got the scanner's owner." Kaz says, his throat felt dry but talking was the only thing they could do.
"Wouldn't we have seen him or her here?" Tom said. " I think they would have us all tied together if they had the owner."
"True." Kaz said, thinking it over. "But maybe they don't want us to know the owner is here too."
"Maybe." Tom says, but he didn't think the scanner's owner is here. He just has this hunch that if the lost student is here then they would know. But with no evidence either way, Tom couldn't be completely sure.
The silhouettes of the two guards saluting like they did last time the Overworlder leader came. "Looks like Maxxor's back." Tom told Kaz.
Maxxor walks inside and he wasn't alone. Viqtarr came in after Maxxor and behind him was another creature. She looks like a humanoid gazelle with huge horns on the side of her head and long blue dreadlocks. She is wearing a green outfit that appears to be made from plants.
Kaz didn't know who she was, but Tom thought she looked familiar.
Then the last creature came into the tent. He was much older than any of the other creatures. He is wearing mostly blue clothing. He has a long blue cloak over his thin body and a pointed hat that rested over his pointy ears. His long fingers are adorned with multiple gems. His skin is a light shade of blue, light blue eyes inset above a long white beard that almost reach his feet.
"I've brought some friends." Maxxor says. "You've already met Viqtarr here." He indicated towards the big bear creature who was so tall his head is an inch away from the tent's ceiling. "Her name is Katarin." He moved his hand to point to the female creature.
"Hello." Katarin says, trying to be polite. Well, as polite as a person can be to their prisoners.
"And this is Najarin the High Muge of the Overworld." Maxxor says, introducing the last and oldest one.
"Thank you for introducing me, Maxxor." Najarin said. "But I believe that wasn't necessary. Most people, even those as inclusive as the Chaotics, know who I am."
"Oh, you think so, Najarin." Maxxor says, then looks at Tom and Kaz. "Is that true that even Chaotics know our High Muge?" He asks, trying again to get them to talk. It was a weak attempt on his part, but he tried nevertheless.
Tom and Kaz just looked at him, their faces hidden making them look like they didn't react to the question.
"I see what you mean about the creepy silent treatment, Maxxor." Katarin said, stepping closer to the boys to get a better look. "It's a rare thing to see a Chaotic let alone capture two."
To Tom, Katarin seemed like she was just here to look at them. Like a person going to a zoo to see an animal they otherwise wouldn't be able to see in real life anywhere else. It was a little insulting to be looked at in such a way, but it was better than the look the bear was giving them.
"Can you understand me?" She asked slowly. Of course, Tom and Kaz didn't answer. "Nod if you can." She added after a second.
"I don't like her." Kaz said, sounding a bit pissed off.
"Dido." Tom says with same amount of distaste.
"I'll make them talk." Viqtarr growls, walking up to them and getting into Tom's face. He was so close Tom's visor fogged from his hot breath. "Just give me the go ahead, Maxxor and I guarantee these two will be shouting."
"Please stop, Viqtarr." Najarin said, getting everyone's attention.
Viqtarr still didn't look happy, but he had too much respect for the Muge to challenge him.
"Okay Najarin, but why do you care?" Viqtarr asks, trying not to sound disrespectful.
"Because those are children you are scaring." Najarin revealed to the shock of the other Overworlders.
"Are you sure, Najarin?" Maxxor asked, sounding surprised.
"Yes, I am." Najarin said. "Their bodies are too thin and a little small for human males. Not only that, but I can sense their minds have not yet fully matured." He explained. " I would say they are somewhere in-between twenty-two to thirty-five solons."
"That young?" Katarin said, looking back at Tom and Kaz with a new perspective.
For a moment, Tom sees Maxxor horrified by what Najarin said, but quickly changed his face back to a serious expression.
"That doesn't change anything." Maxxor said, then spoke to Najarin. "Can you find out anything else from them?" he asked.
Najarin walks over to Tom and Kaz and places his hands on their heads. After a moment, Najarin lets go of them.
"Hmm, I don't believe so." Najarin said. "Those helmets they wear are acting like a shield. It is like a fog is surrounding them, preventing me from seeing anything useful."
"Could do it my way." Viqtarr suggests, cracking his knuckles.
"No!" Maxxor shouts unexpectedly. Supersized, everyone looks at him, but he quickly regains control. "There's not enough time for that." He explains. "The Mipedians are expecting us in half an hour and I want everyone prepared in case the meeting turns violent."
He turns around and leaves the tent after that. Viqtarr, seeing no more reason for him to be there, also leaves.
Katarin looks over to Najarin and asks: "May I speak to you for a moment?"
"If you wish, but perhaps somewhere," Najarin glances at the two boys. "with is less people around."
"Of course." She says then follows the old Muge out of the prison tent.
They walked to the edge of the camp, far enough away so no one could hear them talk but not too far away where if they were attacked their allies would not be able notice.
"Now what is it that you wish to talk to me about?" Najarin asked.
"Do you think their families are looking for them?" She asked obviously referring to the two Chaotic children.
"Yes." Najarin answers. "Though we know little about the Chaotics, I'm certain they value their children."
"Then why let their children run around in the forest alone and with no protection?" She asked.
"We have no idea why those two were in the forest." Najarin said. "They may have ran away from home, or lost their way. There's too little information for us to make a reasonable assumption at the present."
"Should we expect other Chaotics to come looking for them?" Katarin asked, after thinking about what Najarin said.
"Perhaps. I wouldn't be surprised if they do come for them but they may not be able to find us." He says, then looks back to the camp and all the other Overworlders working. "There's not much more time until we leave. I think it's best for us go help the others prepare."
After Maxxor's second visit, the camp's activity had jumped up dramatically. Neither Tom nor Kaz could see what was going on outside the tent, but they could hear the rushing of armored feet running in every direction. A few times they heard rumbling and felt the ground shake when an Overworlder used an earth attack. When that first happened they were afraid the camp was under attack, but the Overworlders didn't seem to make much noise about it.
"I think they're making something with earth attacks." Kaz had told Tom.
"Are you sure?" Tom asked.
"Yeah, I remember my Mom once told me creatures can use some attacks to build stuff like buildings or make repairs. The Underworlders use fire attacks to melt rock and metal so they can shape it into something else."
With that knowledge, it sounded like the Overworlders were indeed preparing for a possible battle with the Mipedians. After all, they would need stronger shelters to shield themselves besides a bunch of tents.
Tom and Kaz didn't wait too long for someone to come back. About an hour after Maxxor and his allies left, the two guards brought them outside.
The campsite had been transformed into a stronghold for the Overworlders. Large stone walls now surrounded the area making it into a fortress. Three new watchtowers were built with cannons on top. Kaz spotted Katarin on one of the towers using some kind of telescope.
The Overworlders had finished building and now were getting all their armor on and weapons prepared for the worse possible scenario.
"This way!" One of the guards pushed Tom and Kaz forward towards the wooden gates of the new wall. There were two dozen soldiers in formation waiting. "Stand here." The guard ordered, placing Tom and Kaz a few feet away from the standing soldiers. The guards put their hands on their arms, their grip felt just as tight as their chains.
Maxxor came riding on a Skeletal Steed with Najarin following through the air. They stopped in front of the soldiers.
"Remember, no attacking unless I give the signal." Maxxor said, then turned his mount towards the gate. "Open the gates!" He yelled.
Eight soldiers, four on each side, pulled the robes that in turn pulled the gates open.
"Turn and forward march!" Maxxor commanded, and kicked his skeleton horse on the side to make it move. Najarin is still flying in the air and following Maxxor.
The two dozen soldiers turned, then began marching out of the gates.
"Get moving." One guard said to them and then quickly force both Tom and Kaz to start walking.
They walked for miles. Both Tom and Kaz were getting weaker every minute. Their energy almost completely gone thanks to not eating, drinking or sleeping for a day and a half.
The large, lush green plants began to thin out until only tiny, thin trees with barely any leaves and dried up bushes dotted the landscape. On a hillside ten meters away from them, a group of Mipedians were waiting for them.
The Mipedians have about the same amount of soldiers as the Overworlders. Tom wondered if that was something the two Tribes agreed on beforehand. About half of the Mipedians are riding these large dinosaur like animals called kozorrs.
"Those things don't look nice." Tom commented, looking at the kozorrs' large bodies. Their bodies are armored with mint green scales except their bellies which have yellow scales. They have very sharp beaks. Tom is sure if one of those animals wanted to rip him apart, it wouldn't have any trouble with a beak like that.
"There're just kozorrs. They're like the Mipedian versions of horses." Kaz said.
"Halt!" Maxxor commanded. Everyone stopped marching and stood at attention.
A moment of intense silence passed by before Maxxor began to slowly move towards the Mipedians. One Mipedian riding a kozorr, also began heading towards Maxxor. Tom recognized the Mipedian as Prince Mudeenu.
They meet in the middle of the two groups and began to talk.
"Can you hear them?" Tom asked Kaz, as they watched.
"No, and I can't read lips either." Kaz says.
"Hey!" Someone shouted from the Mipedian's side. Tom and Kaz straightened up in shock at the voice. It had come through the communication link on their helmets.
"Where are you?!" Kaz shouted back.
"On the right side of the Mipedians." The voice said. Tom and Kaz looked for a few seconds until they saw the other Chaotic. He was difficult to see being so far away, but there was no mistaking him for being a human. His helmet and gauntlets are exactly like Tom's, identifying the person as being a part of the Crellen Clan. His blue and white cloths were torn apart and covered in dirt. Tom cringed when he noticed dried blood on the boy's cloths.
"Reggie, is that you?" Tom asked, recognizing Reggie's voice the few times they talked at school. It was unsettling to see Reggie like that. The boy is from a rich family and he always wears nice, expensive cloths. Now those cloths are completely ruined and probably cost just as much as the dirt covering them. "It's me, Tom and Kaz."
"Yes, it's me." Reggie conformed, his voice was raspy. "But how did you get captured?" He asked.
"We found your scanner and tried to find you, but then the Overworlders found us instead." Kaz explained. "How did you get captured by the Mipedians?"
"Long story short. I came to them for a trade, but it didn't end well." Reggie said.
"B-but, what?!" Tom stuttered, confused and in disbelief.
"You broke the rule of silence?!" Kaz yelled. It was a difficult thing for both boys to imagine any trade worth breaking the rule. Their ancestors made that rule thousands of years ago. Only the Code Masters had the right to deem if the situation warrants them talking to outsiders.
"What were you trading?" Tom asked.
"A map." He answered, but didn't say what he wanted for the trade. "But the Mipedians don't have it. It's still hidden in the jungle. I think the Overworlders may know about it as well and they want it just as badly as the Mipedians."
"Wait, what's on the map?" Kaz asked.
"That's not important." Reggie said, avoiding the question. "Did you send for help before you were captured?"
"Yes." Tom said.
"Do you know why the Mipedians want us?" Kaz asked.
"What do you mean?" Reggie asked, confused.
"Maxxor said he would trade us over to Prince Mudeenu." Kaz explained.
"I don't know anything about that," Reggie said. "and I don't think Mudeenu wants you. Right now, all his focus and energy is on finding the map."
"Then what is Maxxor and Mudeenu negotiating about?" Tom asked,
" I don't-" Reggie said, but was cut off.
Kabooomm!
A large explosion went off on the hillside, knocking down Reggie and a few Mipedians. The Overworlders were farther away than the Mipedians so they didn't suffer as much. The blast had caused chunks of rock to fly in all directions, many pieces had hit creatures on both sides. The blast was far enough away from everyone that no one had died, but a many were injured. Including Reggie, who now couldn't hear and had a large gash on his leg.
The kozorrs didn't like the loud noise or how the ground shocked. Their Mipedian riders are trying to calm them down, but their efforts doesn't appear to be working too well. Another blast may send them into a stampede.
"Attack!" Mudeenu ordered, thinking that the explosion was Maxxor's doing.
And then within a second, an all-out battle broke out between the two Tribes with the Chaotic boys in the middle.
Notes: Well this took longer to edit than I thought. When I went back to read through it, I thought it was too short and so I added a few things. This chapter was originally around 1,700 words but now it's over 2,700 words.
Thanks for all the reviews. I don't want to answer the questions though because they will be answered in future chapters. I did read the story girl1213 wrote called The Chaotis but this story is going to be very different than that one.
I only have a week left off school so I'll try to get the next chapter out before then.