I'm beginning to think my plan had more consequences than I thought. That thing had strayed off site and may pose a terrible threat to the Utarus should it come close enough. I remembered how they had such a hard time against a trio of Grimhorns even with their own teamwork, let alone a single Tremortusk which is literally worse than a group of midweight machines combined.
Those guys are dead if I don't do something and it is going to be my fault. Not gonna let that happen. Tsulu's condition was bad enough.
"A T-Tremortusk! What hell is it doing here?" sputtered Zohha.
"Can we fight that thing?" questioned Maki.
"I will." I asserted. Everyone looked at me as Ahmik jumped to his legs.
"I will come with you." Aaand here we go again….
"Not that shit again, Ahmik!" I growled. "No way you're fighting that thing, let alone when your leg is sliced open. So I'll say it only once:" I raised a finger. "Don't. interfere. I'll take it down myself." Then I turned to the others. "Everyone stay here and take care of Tsulu. In worst case scenario, evacuate the camp." As I was talking, my eyes met with Yulia's who was looking at me in an expression I couldn't read. Was she still thinking I'm pretending to be their leader?
"Talanah. Can you really fight against it? I mean look at the size of that thing." Gestured Maki at the massive machine slowly closing in on us, his tattooed face painted with pure horror.
"Trust me. This wouldn't be the first time I fight fuckers that big and won't be the last." They looked at me the same way they did when I told them about the plan to destroy the Tenakth settlement. "Like I said before, all I want is your cooperation. Make it easy on me just like I'm trying to make it easy on you. This is not an order. Just a simple request."
"Don't die out there, Talanah." Said Zohha.
"I try." I smirked before bolting off into the direction of the looming danger ahead. I might be trained on taking down those things but that doesn't mean I don't need backup once in a while. With a single whistle and my Clawstrider came swooping with its head beneath me and hoisted me over its back. It screeched as we both charged at the giant machine. "Where have you been?" I smiled patting its neck. "Let's wreck that thing together, buddy!" Now with my companion, I should make this fight slightly less annoying.
The Tremortusk's lens flare turned orange as it sensed our presence before glaring an angry red as I jumped with my machine on one of its tusks. It hit with a bang before my mount turned around in a circle avoiding the larger machine's canon electric beams whereas I shot one arrow after the next trying to get rid of the canons first. They're my biggest concern.
"Egh!" I groaned as I was shot with an electricity ball and could hear my Clawstrider screeching in protest as the poor fellow must have felt it. Then I was hit with a reminder that shock damage is the Clawstrider's major weakness. This wasn't working in my favor but I still need its help. Badly! However, I can still turn the tables if I freeze the Tremortusk. So I switched to my frost bow and shot at the machine starting the frost elemental buildup. I had to dodge a plasma shot here and a trunk swing there while shooting a barrage of icy arrows from atop my mount, sometimes at a canon and sometimes at a tusk until the buildup has completed and the massive adversary was coated in a sheet of ice, its biggest elemental weakness.
Now with its defense lowered thanks to the ice coating its body, I ordered my mount to land another hit with a claw attack breaking off a tusk and was met by a direct hit from the trunk. I retaliated by shooting a large arrow using my Sharpshot bow at the fatass abdominal area forming the blaze sac while avoiding the trunk flames.
Shoot the canons off. I thought. If I get my hands on one of those, it should change the entire course of this ordeal. I shot another arrow and destroyed a canon in the process rendering it useless. That's alright. I don't need all the canons anyway. The less weapons that thing had, the better. But right at this moment, the damn thing did what I hated the most. It sent large fields of electricity with every step causing my Clawstrider to topple down forcing me off of it. I quickly got off to my feet to distract the Tremortusk until my Clawstrider gets back up from its thrashing position on the ground. I was chewing on some medicinal berries as I drew my arrow as far as the bow string could handle and shot an arrow straight to a canon hoping it would break off but, dammit, it was still holding on. I dodged away from the three remaining tusks and managed to shoot off another one. By the time I did, my mount finally got up on its feet. My eyebrows furrowed at the sight of sparks that were starting to emit from it. However, that didn't stop it from landing a tail slam on the Tremortusk. My machine has already lost its resource container and I hoped this fight was finished before it's too late for it. If only I could get a canon. But I knew asking nicely wouldn't cut it.
Alright, if that's how it's gonna act, time to bring the big guns. I pulled the boomstick out of my ass and hurled it towards the machine making sure to avoid the canons this time otherwise they'll get blown up. That's the same reason why I avoid using the Sharpshot arrow sometimes at the desired parts. I end up destroying them entirely when I need them intact.
I prepared to shoot off another Spikethrower and just when I drew my arm back to hurl the javelin, I ended up having to dodge a plasma shot. I tried to aim the weapon again but was interrupted by a tusk coming right at my face. At this point, the machine has gone annoyingly crazy. Every time I ready myself to throw the Spikethrower, I had to jump by an electricity beam or run away from that flamethrower.
"Hold still, you fat bitch." I growled impatiently then I finally found an opening when my Clawstrider hit the Tremortusk causing it to tumble a bit. That was my chance to move my arm back holding the weapon, sharp and pointed and ready to blow up the target, all the muscles in my arm tensed up ready to shoot the weapon. And right into the blaze sac it went causing said part to explode and engulf the machine into its own flames. Fantastic. Now it's the canons' turn.
And what's where I was aiming for after I dodged a plasma shot by a hair's width. I drew my bow pointing the tip of the arrow at the wanted target until I was interrupted by another arrow in my line of sight getting shot from another direction. When I looked over to see where the arrow had come from, I spotted who I now officially labelled as the biggest moron I have met in a while.
Ahmik was running in my direction as fast as his cut up leg could allow holding his bow. If my hands weren't occupied holding my bow and arrow, I would have facepalmed right this instant. He could barely run yet he's somehow finding it in himself to face off against the moving clusterfuck of tusks and canons.
"Look, I know what you wanna say but please spare me the lecture." he strained as he nocked an arrow. "I just wasn't gonna let you fight that thing alone." As he said that, we both dodged a trunk slamming on the ground.
"Technically, I'm not alone. I mean look at it." I pointed with my head at my busy Clawstrider as I shot an arrow at one of the million canons. Bang. Come on! One last hit!
"Spare me the technicalities, you know what I mean. Your machine doesn't count." He panted as we both withdrew when the machine sent more shock waves sweeping the ground where we were standing. Even my mount had to jump a few steps back. "You've helped us a lot. You've gone through so much trouble just so we could gather some lousy herbs. No amount of convincing will make me stand by and watch as you ward off a Tremortusk by yourself."
"Trust me, I wouldn't have minded the company." We ducked beneath a trunk before Ahmik grimaced in pain as he stood straight. "Preferably more fit company." And a tusk we sidestepped. "You know, the type of company that isn't bleeding from their heads or legs."
"As long as I can walk, I'll do anything in my power to be of help." We shot duel arrows at the final tusks eventually breaking them both off simultaneously. Now I won't have to worry about dancing my way around them.
"If you want to help, get back to the others. At this point, you'll get killed." I shot another arrow at a canon but I missed and hit the face instead.
"I couldn't protect Tsulu." That one sentence made me pause. "I failed to protect my own tribemate, all because of my own mistake no less. Please grand me this one chance to try and redeem myself."
"You'll get killed." Beneath my blunt remark was anxiety at the possibility. He opened his mouth to say something, but angry machines don't possess the common courtesy to let you have your conversation in peace. We jumped sideways as the machine charged between us giving me a nice view of machine ass at which I shot another arrow.
"At least I'll have died with a clear conscious." He said finally. I knew at this point, there's no talking him out of it. He's set up his mind. You simply can't change the mind of someone who was willing to set things right. The cost wouldn't matter, no matter how severe it would be. Well, he'd better have his seed pouch ready.
We dodged a plasma shot – correction, I dodged a plasma shot but Ahmik wasn't fast enough this time and he got hit. Luckily, there was no plasma building up otherwise his current injuries would have been the least of his worries. However, it was enough to make him fall to his knees with a giant metal leg hovering over him.
"AHMIK! MOVE!" I knew I wouldn't be fast enough to pull him away. Luckily, I didn't need to. A pair – no, two pairs of hands already grabbed him from his wicker armor and slipped him from beneath the leg just as it slammed on the ground with a thunderous echo. The sound alone made me imagine how Ahmik would have looked like had he been underneath the foot when it left its massive print on the soil.
"Getting killed out there without us?" laughed Maki as he helped his tribemate to his feet alongside Yulia.
"Come on! What about Zohha? Might as well let her join this party." I yelled sarcastically as I went back to aiming my arrow to one of the canons but had to get out of the way when the machine charged past me again, the Clawstrider chasing after it relentlessly.
"She's with Tsulu to watch over him. Yulia couldn't handle the sight of him anymore so she came with us." Explained Maki as he shot his arrow at the machine followed by the other two Utarus and me. And so, the four of us – excuse me, five of us (can't forget my Clawstrider!) cooperated at taking down the giant menace. I concentrated on the canons that have been driving me crazy since this fight started.
"Please let this be the one." I whispered as I let my arrow dart at the canon which, to my elation, finally dropped down from its location onto the ground for me to retrieve. But not even all the canons in the world could have prevented the tragedy at hand…
"Ack!" yelped Maki as he was stunned to the ground from the electricity buildup, I rushed over to him but I got smacked away by a trunk. I rolled away and when I strained to look from my position on the grass, I spotted Ahmik and Yulia rushing over to rescue their tribemate. But I knew it was late.
I knew when Ahmik got knocked away by a canon shot beneath his feet.
I knew when Yulia yelped as she stopped in her tracks at the surge of flames forcing her away.
I knew when the massive leg went down onto the helpless Utaru and when it went back up again, it was caked with blood.
"MAKI!" both the Utarus screamed helplessly at the sight of their own friend getting crushed alive right in front of them. I could have sworn my heart stopped beating for a second as reality dawned on me. But I knew I had to keep my shit together for the sake of the remaining Utarus. I need to finish this fight quick before more casualties ensue. And the hope of ever accomplishing that was right by my nose. When the Tremortusk bitch slapped me, I was sent flying only to land next to the canon I just broke off. With a few more medical berries in mouth, I hastily jumped to my feet and picked up the newly acquired weapon and aimed it at the soon-to-be scrap pile.
"Let's finish this." I growled from between my teeth as I shot the machine with its own canon without mercy. Bolts of electricity went one after the other hitting the machine without caring where I was aiming at. My Clawstrider screeched before leaping aggressively on our target, who has already lost a majority of its parts by this point but I suppose the bastard wasn't going down without taking more of us with him. With a violent swing of the trunk and my Clawstrider was knocked away in a heap of parts and sparks, falling lifelessly down never to get up again.
I felt my anger spike at that machine. And I showed that by shooting more of its canon blasts until it got stunned and fell down. I kept on shooting until I was out of ammo before dropping the canon, ran at the machine with my spear, and stabbed it with a critical hit at full force. I pulled out my spear and stabbed it again, and again, and again – hot red anger fueling every hit.
"DIE ALREADY, YOU TREMORBITCH!" I barked as I laid waste on the machine with my spear in my rage induced assault. If that thing got up before I could kill it, I swear! I have a fucking Spikethrower with its name on it! Right at that thought, the machine decommissioned and went completely immobile. The glaring red was gone and was replaced by blackness signaling the machine's death. I pulled out my spear and took a couple steps back panting loudly.
It's over. But it was not a happy ending.
Everything was eerily quiet as I approached my dead Clawstrider. As I eyed its dull lens, I was taken back to the moments when it was still running with me on top of it, to when it was in my company back at the fucked up outpost, to when it was screeching and slicing at the Tremortusk, eye lens glaring with life, now extinguished as it became nothing more than scrap.
"I'll miss you, buddy." I mumbled. In retrospect, the machines I override don't really harbor any feelings towards me and, in return, I make sure not to become too emotionally attached to them. This wouldn't be the first time I lose a machine and wouldn't be the last. Now that this one has done its part, I can let it go. I could always override another one and it's like nothing has happened. However, some things simply can't be replaced.
I knew as I walked past the dead Tremortusk amidst the sound of sobs that the worst has happened. Yulia and Ahmik were hunched over their fallen tribemate and when I came closer, you could barely recognize him. Protruding bone shards breaking through skin amongst the bloody mess. That was the dark fate that awaited Ahmik if he hadn't been rescued by his friends, only to have one of them suffer it instead.
"Maki! Please!" wept Yulia as she was desperately shaking him awake. I questioned if she deep down knew he will never open his eyes if he still had them, that is. The merciless stomp laid onto him by the heavy machine was enough to ensure instant death. Even if Maki survived it somehow, he wouldn't stay alive for long. And how could you live for five seconds when your skull is smashed through revealing parts of the brain and a half missing set of teeth? Or when your shattered ribs pierce through your lungs? Or when your legs and arms are twisted in random direction? And I'm pretty sure mashed inner organs are gonna be a nuisance to live with.
Ahmik was being quiet as if finding nothing in him to say anything as Yulia kept on weeping over her deceased friend, still begging him to say something. I wanted to tell her that it's no use but it was best that she lets the truth sink in by itself. It's less harsh that way.
"What the hell happened? Is Maki okay?" ran Zohha in our direction with wide eyes. No one answered her question as we all knew she was going to find out anyway. She gasped and knelt down besides the others to join their mourning. I stood there keeping my distance letting the others say their goodbyes to their friend. I turned my back to them to assess the situation so far. Ok, the Tremortusk is dead and so are Maki and my Clawstrider. And if that wasn't bad enough, we have ghost-ridden Tsulu to worry about. I questioned with a heavy heart if I could have avoided such loses if I had just slayed the Tremortusk right at the outpost instead of letting it wonder on its own. It should have gone back to its site once the override was over but for some reason, stupid thing had to make an exception. And apparently someone was reading my mind.
"That Tremortusk was YOUR doing, wasn't it?" I turned around to face who said tha – oh boy, Yulia.
"I only used it to destroy the outpost. I didn't tell it to follow me all the way out here." I asserted in a 'not putting up with your bullshit' tone but she didn't take the hint.
"If you hadn't controlled that thing with whatever magic you use, it wouldn't have come here and Maki would have been ali-"
"I DIDN'T ASK ANYONE TO COME FIGHT WITH ME!" I roared. That girl's attitude ever since I got here has gone beyond my patience. "I even told you to sit your asses at camp but did you fucking listen?!"
"Yulia. That's enough blaming, okay?" ran Ahmik over to placate the situation. He put his shoulders on the visibly shaking Yulia who must have felt intimidated at my outburst. "Talanah did her best to protect us and was at much risk as everyone here. It's unfair to deem her responsible for Maki's lose. *sigh* Listen, you and Zohha move Maki back to camp and I'll catch up with you. We will find him a burial spot at Plainsong. Remember what the Chorus says: death is a natural part of life. From death, a new life arises." The traumatized female Utaru nodded and joined Zohha in retrieving their friend's body. Me and Ahmik watched them carefully carry Maki back to the camp hearing a distant 'find his seed pouch' from Zohha.
"I'm sorry about Yulia. She's been through too much as you could see. When she lashes out, she tends to lose reason. As for Maki, we'll make sure his seeds get buried on a hill overlooking the most beautiful view we'll find in Plainsong." I remained silent so he kept talking. "Now that all the remaining threats are gone, no one will have to suffer through what we did again."
"Everyone will suffer eventually." I remarked. "Even if no one suffers here, they will somewhere else. We simply eliminated part of the threat that will keep coming back again."
"…" he didn't know what to say to that so I switched to a less gloomy subject.
"I'm sorry about Maki." Welp, so much for less gloomy.
"He was always the one who'd keep the group's spirits up." He shrugged with a pained smile. "He had a carefree nature for someone who had to survive on scarce food. A quality you don't see very often. I'll miss him. We all will."
"He was the only one who called me T. I loved that nickname." He chuckled at that then we stayed silent as if quietly mourning the loss. I looked out at the horizon; the world was illuminated by the morning sunlight which was reflected off the Tremortusk carcass. Speaking of which, I looted its parts and that included the tusks we broke off. I didn't even forget to loot my former Clawstrider while I'm at it. But now there's one more thing to do. "I'm leaving, Ahmik."
"Where are you heading next?"
"If I told you where I'm going, you'll follow me again, you stalker." I smirked crossing my arms.
"You're going to the Haunted Ground, are you?"
"So what if I was? Ahmik, I swear if you-"
"I'm not going."
"Eh?"
"You were right. I really should have let you do your job alone. I don't think I would have done much anyway. I barely was of any help against the Tremortusk, let alone against a jinn."
"You still think it's a jinn that did that?"
"It has to be something from another realm, I just know it. A machine doesn't cause all that no matter how powerful it is. Talanah, do you believe in the jinn? Do you think they're real?" his question caught me offguard so it took me a brief moment to think of an answer.
"W-well um, it's hard for me to believe in something that hasn't been directly proven to me. Yes, from what we have all seen today, something super weird must be behind what happened with the Tenakth but it doesn't necessarily mean it has to be the jinn. I have to see for myself the source itself before I can judge."
"Doesn't matter what it was - it's still deadly. But I'm warning you, Talanah. That thing is extremely dangerous. We've seen what it can do. Personally, I wouldn't want you to go over there but I know there's no stopping you. All I could do is wish you good luck and have these." He handed me a bunch of shards, arrows, metal bones and a coil. Was he carrying this stuff with him all this time?
"Thanks, Ahmik. Personally, I don't know what to believe anymore. Don't know if it's a disease or something else. But surely it can't be a jinn or a curse or whatever."
"It is!" I heard Zohha as she approached us running.
"Zohha-"
"Don't worry, Ahmik. Yulia is resting back at camp. Tsulu is still in the same condition. And we're going to put Maki in the plant cart to move him back to Plainsong. His seed pouch has already been acquired albeit a bit squished." Reported the Utaru at which Ahmik nodded before returning her attention back to me. "It's a curse, Talanah. What else could have caused all of this? Those Tenakth must have stumbled upon some sort of sacred ground and they angered the evil spirits." I rolled my eyes. Considering how complicated this mystery was, I may be open to different theories, yes, but I'm not willing to take this shit from folk who worship machines.
"You may not believe us, I know." Said Ahmik. "Doesn't change the fact that you're setting yourself up for horrible danger. You've seen the proof yourself."
"I know it's dangerous and that's why I have to go." I reasoned. "We never heard about anything that's capable of reanimating corpses and for that I have to investigate. I can't promise putting a complete end to this mess but I can at LEAST get an idea of what I'm up against and even perhaps find some kind of solution so the threat wouldn't reach anyone again."
They both looked at each other wordlessly with obvious anxiety on their faces. I opened my mouth to reassure them again but Zohha started talking first. "Well at least we can't let you go without proper preparation. Come back with us to Plainsong so you could restock and get some rest."
"I have overstayed my welcome." I mumbled averting my eyes.
"After everything you did? You could never overstay your welcome!" Asserted Ahmik and Zohha nodded happily.
"Well, I suppose you could use some protection until we get there." And at that, the two eyed me appreciatively.
We were back a couple hours before noon. I turned on my Focus time screen and saw it was 10:02 am. It felt like ages since I woke up this morning to track down the dumbass Utaru. Makes me wonder how things would have turned out if I hadn't asked about him only to be told by Yulia that he's been gone for an alarmingly long time. Speaking of which…
While Ahmik and Zohha were mumbling instructions to each other as we prepared to leave camp, Yulia has been quiet during the time when we all cooperated on taking down the camp collecting the weapons and any other tools. The previous two Utarus moved Maki's body into the cart initially used for storing the plants and herbs procured during their trip before covering him with the canopy. I untied Tsulu from his pole – avoiding his attempts at biting me several times – and kept his wrists roped together behind his back and keeping a hold on him. Ahmik and Yulia carried their collectibles whereas Zohha, currently being the most able-bodied out of the farmers, pushed the cart carrying their fallen friend's body. I solemnly eyed the dead Utaru and recalled how just this morning, we were getting breakfast together. Now he's being carried to his eternal resting place. Yesterday night, when I spotted the cart in the corner, I never would have imagined it would have to be reused for such a grim purpose.
The trip back wasn't too eventful. We passed by a couple machine sites on the way but I only had to fight them once. When the Flamehorns spotted us, they ran away leaving us enough time to hightail it before they change their minds. But I was forced to fight back against a group of Scroungers accompanying a flame Bellowback.
To make it short, I made a quick work of them. When I shot the Bellowback's sac, it caused an explosion affecting the Scroungers in the vicinity. I shot multiple arrows towards the fire engulfed machines anywhere I could aim before they all went offline. Once the obstacle was taken care of, I went back to Tsulu whom I have left in Zohha's care to be his guard again. I kept his tied up wrists in my hold from behind him ignoring his giggles at which the others either gulped or flinched. I turned my head towards him with furrowed eyebrows. My heart went out for those guys really. It's one thing to lose a dear friend to a machine but… to have another get infected by some unknown force? it's no brainer to know which fate is worse than the other…
It wasn't much long before we were greeted by the gorgeous view that is Plainsong. Massive elevated wooden structures connected together through bridges are what those farmer warriors call home. We passed by the farms and agriculture grounds surrounding the front gate of Plainsong where we were approached by a handful of fellow Utarus who instantly knew on first sight that something was wrong. There's not much to describe other than revealing the deceased Maki to everyone's shocked gasps. And when someone asked what's wrong with Tsulu, he was met with more giggles. After all the hassle was over with, Maki was taken to his burial ground whereas Tsulu remains quarantined in his own locked up and separated zone in case his condition was infectious, which… wasn't really farfetched considering what happened to him for steeping foot inside the outpost for two minutes. But if that was the case, why weren't I and Ahmik infected too? The theory about this whole thing being the doing of a disease made less sense the more and more I thought about. If it was a disease, Ahmik would have been infected instantly, considering he had multiple direct contacts with those guys. Maybe it's related to immunity? No, it can't be. Seeing as Tsulu seemed perfectly healthy and furthermore he never got close to anyone of those undead folk, much less touch them. I shook my head in stress before gulping a much needed mouthful of ale as I was seated on the edge of the second floor overlooking the fields ahead. It was nearing 5 pm and the dark clouds began snaking through the purple sky. I've been staying at Plainsong for the majority of the day to get all the rest I could get and prepare myself physically and mentally for the terror I know I'm very most likely setting myself up against. After the Utaru survivors have got some sleep themselves, they had some business to attend to.
"Maki has been taken care of, but we don't know what we're going to do about Tsulu." I heard Ahmik reporting to the douchebag convey known as the Chorus.
"We shall leave him confined until further notice." Replied the Chorus asshat, Fane, which was some guy seemingly in his forties and looks like a Widemaw. "If we see no progression, we shall return him to the earth where all living things belong."
"But… but…" stuttered Ahmik.
"So we're not going to do anything about him?" objected Zohha.
"I'm sorry, Ahmik. We do not know of his condition so we could prepare a cure for it." Replied the other Chorus member, Shael, who was less of a traditionalist and actually more reasonable. "You cannot cure something you know nothing of."
I turned around in my seat to see Ahmik and Zohha's reactions. The former bowed his head in surrender clearly failing to talk his way out of this, the latter taking him by the shoulders and they both walked in my direction before they each took a seat by both my sides. The three of us listened silently to the singing voice of the Utaru tribe before Ahmik broke the ice.
"Maki's seeds are now where they belong. They shall bloom into a beautiful tree someday. They're planted over there alongside his body." He pointed to a small hill to the west where the sunshine was gradually fading against the hill, leaving orange and purple hues across the horizon.
"Good choice." I mumbled with a tired smile sipping more ale.
"Tsulu, on the other hand, nobody knows what's going to happen with him." added Zohha. "There are only two possibilities. Either he gets better or he dies. The healers are taking a look at him now but if he stays that way, we'll have no choice but take him down. His seed pouch has already been taken from him in that case."
"I'm sorry about Maki and Tsulu." I offered my condolences at which the two mumbled their thanks. "By the way, where is Yulia? She was awfully shaken up."
"She will be fine." Shrugged Ahmik. "The situation has been awfully dire for her – for all of us. She'll have to calm down sooner or later. She's resting upstairs if you wanna say hi." I scrunched my nose and shook my head at the idea. It's not like I'm being uncaring but I don't think she'll be too happy to see me.
"Nah, it's alright. Is she still blaming me for Maki's death?"
"Hey you said it yourself." Said Ahmik putting his hand on my shoulder. "People say dumb shit when they're mad. I'm sure she'll come to her senses once she is calm enough. She could even apologize to you!" I listened to him among the peaceful chanting surrounding us.
"Don't worry about it." I shrugged it off before swallowing the last drops of ale letting the cup dingle from my finger. "She doesn't have to apologize. We have been through enough shit as it is." That's just one half of the reason, the other half is that I really didn't care much whether she stayed mad at me or not. That's not me being inconsiderate but thing is that I meet a lot of people almost daily. If I stress myself over what each one thinks of me, I'll grow early wrinkles. I only help with machine related problems or solving any other case. If there's any personal problem anyone harbors towards me, it's theirs alone and they can keep it to themselves. Furthermore, we're not exactly close and so I don't harbor much attachment to anyone here otherwise, if we were actual friends, their opinion towards me would have more than mattered. I might enjoy their company, yes, but until we get to know each other better, they'll remain nothing beyond mere acquaintances. Then again, it's not like I'm that much social anyway, however friendly I am, so I don't bother trying unless they've gained my utmost interest.
"So what are you gonna do now, Talanah?" asked Zohha after a long ass moment of silence with the singing of the Utarus for background.
"I'm going to the Haunted Grounds!" I blurted out and the singing stopped instantly. I probably shouldn't have said that too loud…
"The Haunted Grounds?" "She said the Haunted Grounds." "Has she lost her mind?" "Why is she going?" "That place is dangerous!"
"Ok so you all seem what the Haunted Ground is." I commented as I got up to face them putting my cup aside. Might as well gather some info now that I have accidentally garnered their attention. "Can someone tell me what that place is about exactly?" Silence. "Anybody?!" more silence.
"They don't really like to talk about it, Talanah." mumbled Zohha.
"Well, I don't like how the Haunted Ground is spreading all that horror." I retorted. "An entire battalion of Tenakth has been either eliminated or scared off because of whatever is out there. I have to know what it is!"
"If you want to learn something, you could ask the Chorus." She suggested.
"Oh please. Knowing Fane, he's probably gonna spout some shit like we must embrace death or whatever." I mocked using my best fat fuck impression. "And Shael most likely doesn't know any better either. If I'm getting answers, I want someone who will actually give them to me."
"They say it's a place full of evil spirits." Finally someone opened his mouth after a brief silence thick with fear and hesitance. "Whoever goes there never comes back."
Again with the evil spirit baloony? I thought with a frown. But now that they have finally began to open up, might as well listen. "We believe that Utarus who don't get their seeds buried never find peace so their spirits haunt that place and attack anyone who nears It." explained a woman who was carrying a basket.
"Some say it's the souls of the Tenakth who died a dishonorable death."
"I heard it's the spirits who never made it back to the afterlife."
"Well, rumor has it that they're ghosts looking for fresh bodies."
"Someone once said that machines possess souls too and so they're trying to kill us even in death."
And so it was one bullshit after another. I have confirmed by this point that even if those guys talked, I'll never get anything useful out of them besides superstitious nonsense. I guess this is what I get from people who treat Plowhorns like deities. Only way to really figure out what's going on is by going there myself.
"I think it's time we part ways." I said.
"Thank you for everything, Talanah." The gratitude in Ahmik's eyes almost made them seem like they were sparkling.
"You really helped us out." Chuckled Zohha as she wrapped her arms around my shoudlers.
"Yet I couldn't help Maki and Tsulu." I mumbled. Even though what happened to those two couldn't have been helped, it's one of those times where you feel a bit of guilt over something even though you know it was out of your control.
"Talanah, don't you dare." Asserted Ahmik.
"Yeah, those two couldn't have been rescued by any of us. You weren't the only one in this, you know." Agreed Zohha.
"Well, at least the rest of you made it back safe. Of that, I'm glad. But I have to go to the Haunted Ground to see if I can prevent any of this from happening again." I almost forgot we were talking about a cauldron here. But it doesn't matter what kind of place that is, whatever fuckery it harbors, it can't be good.
"Yeah, be careful out there, T." winked Ahmik at which I grinned. But now that my job here is done, I bid those two one last farewell before jumping off the upper floor and glided my way back down by the gate using my Shieldwing. But as I made my way towards the exit, there stood a face I wasn't thrilled to see.
Yulia.
What the hell brought her down here? If Ahmik thought she's resting in the upper floor, she must have snuck off from behind their backs. And judging from the grim face she made at me that she must have a bone to pick with me. Well, I'm not giving it to her.
"So you're finally leaving?" she asked standing in my way. I intentionally tried to pretend that I didn't see her so I could go my way in peace with all awkwardness avoided but seemingly she doesn't wanna make it easy.
"If it will make you happy, yes." I replied with zero enthusiasm. Whatever drama this girl is trying to start, better make it quick or I will end it myself.
"You think we would have been better if you hadn't shown up?" for such a bold ass question, she was being very calm about it which irritated me.
"Sure, I guess so. If it means not having to deal with you." If she's being openly rude, might as well give her the same treatment. I didn't care if she was mourning or traumatized or whatever. That was no excuse for her to hold such a misdirected grudge. The girl has officially lost her mind. "Listen, I know you're still upset about Maki and Tsulu but guess what? So the fuck am I. Blaming us for what happened is unfair and won't change anything."
"But let's think about it. If Ahmik hadn't gone to that outpost, we wouldn't have had to follow him and Tsulu wouldn't have been cursed. And if you hadn't brought that Tremortusk out of its site, maybe -"
"-Maki would have been alive, I know!" I snapped not feeling like waiting for her to finish her ridiculous speech. "And that's why I told you to stay the fuck out of my way but you didn't listen. I also don't remember asking you to come after me when I went to track down Ahmik. It's true he shouldn't have gone out there but he never saw any of that coming. No one did." At that point, we were hurriedly approached by Ahmik and Zohha who had witnessed the scene from afar.
"Yulia, what are you doing here? You were supposed to be resting." Reprimanded Ahmik gently as he put his hand on her arm.
"What have you been telling Talanah?" demanded Zohha as if she sensed what Yulia's intensions were who seems to be on the verge of breaking down again.
"Look, it was my idea, okay?" cried Yulia. "It was my idea we follow you guys to the outpost and it was I who had convinced Maki to come help against the Tremortusk. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut!" ok, I did not see that coming.
"That doesn't mean it's your fault by any means so will you give it a rest already?" I asserted. "You only tried to help but just like everyone else involved, you had no idea what was going to happen next."
"Yulia. That's enough. It doesn't matter anymore. Let it go." Requested Ahmik calmly.
"Sometimes I beat myself up for not having joined the fight earlier." Said Zohha. "Maybe I could've managed to save Maki somehow. But I know that letting guilt eat away at me especially over something that we had no control over will get us nowhere. So just let it go, Yulia. I know you're upset and we all are. But pointing fingers and finding someone to blame isn't how we should go about it."
"Let's just drop it and go get some rest, okay?" I said before turning my attention to the other two Utarus. "Please help her to a place where she can rest. Maybe some good sleep will knock some sense into her."
"Will do. Thanks again for everything, Talanah." Said Ahmik as he began steering his broken friend towards the settlement.
"Take care out there." Said Zohha as she accompanied the other two. I watched them walk away for a few steps anticipating another tantrum from Yulia but when they made it inside, I turned around to do my business hopefully with no interruptions this time.
First thing I did was head over to the nearest Charger site. The trek back didn't take too long now that I don't have anyone to protect this time. I carefully approached the machine which was grinding for biofuel in the soil using its saw horns. I wonder if this is the one that attacked Ahmik. Well, it's mine now. One override later and I got myself a ride. I hoped on then set off, for it's finally time to visit the mystery cauldron.