Kaz decided to return home after his day. He said good-bye to his best friend. He looked at his scanner. He wondered what happened to his code self, "Did I just get kidnapped by the same creatures who got Peyton?"
So many questions that his three friends didn't have for now. They were as clueless as himself. He kept his scanner in his gaze, just in case he got a chance to port his code back. He didn't have to hurry if his code was safe and sound. Still, he needed to know what happened to him.
He sighed as he closed his eyes. He grabbed his glasses and cleaned them a little when he bumped into someone, "S-sorry."
"Watch where you are going Kaz!" someone much taller than a human grunted.
He raised his head, "K-Khybon?"
The creature grumbled, "Yeah."
Khybon was a humanoid bird-like creature with three red eyes, four arms with three of them lost and replaced with a blaster and a drill and claws on three of his four arms He wore gray strips on his muscular chest and a blue crystal at the middle. He wore a pale brown loincloth with a pair of pants of the same color under it, which he didn't wore before.
The boy tried to walk around him, as he had important matter in his mind. He was blocked, "What are you doing here?" he had no idea why the creature had his arms crossed and stood in his way.
"Chaor asked me to watch over you with those… people," he glanced at one or two humans of that cult who watched him, "And he is right. Also, because you disappeared on Perim in the Underworld," he stopped crossing his arms, "And I intend to protect you," he gave a quick nod.
Kaz knew it was about the fact that he was the Underworld guide to the Cothica. What was the point now that they were there. Still, he nodded. It felt a bit reassuring to have a creature who didn't hit on his mom to watch over them, "Come."
Chapter 5: Hello Kaz
In Perim, Kaz grumbled as he watched the black bars that imprisoned him. He guessed it was black. It was all blurry. He had no idea where he was. Just that Atrapol put him there on his own. He had no idea where H'earring was. What didn't help was that he didn't have his glasses or his scanner anymore.
"D-damn," he squinted his eyes and tried to see anything. He put his hand on his face. He guessed he should keep his eyes closed. It was better not to see anything nasty they might prepare, "That means that Van Bloot is around," he realised without really thinking about it. He stood up and looked around. It was all blurry.
The boy heard footsteps. They were heavy. He guessed it was a large creature like Atrapol instead of Van Bloot.
"I brought you those eye gears back," the voice of Atrapol said.
Kaz saw a large silhouette with a pink thing on the hand silhouette. He grabbed it and put it on his face. Once he could see better, he raised his gaze and saw the creature observing him.
"How a human like you ended up as the Underworlder Guide to the Cothica?" he curiously observed. He put a hand on the bar, "You are lucky my lord doesn't want to hurt you. You stood in the way of my master and brought the beginning of his humiliation," he growled.
The boy gulped quietly. Still, he had no desire to back down, "I didn't make his decide anything that… did whatever happened to him."
"You will see soon enough. In an hour, you will be brought for dinner," Atrapol warned him.
"W-what?"
The large creature chuckled, "Yes. I was also surprise by this demand."
"What is he planning?" Kaz asked himself. He was nervous now. This was the kind of stuff that could end up badly for him. Especially since it was the first time Van Bloot put his attention to him. His best friend had to play around both his hero and Van Bloot to give Maxxor back his courage.
"Meanwhile, I am on duty to watch you. You might try something," the large creature sat on a bench and looked at the human.
He was right. Kaz wanted to find a way to escape, to save H'earring and to get back his scanner. That plan couldn't work with a jailer. The boy saw on the corner and cleaned his glasses the best he could. He closed his eyes and grumbled a little bit. He raised it and put them back. There was a bit of a stain he couldn't take it off. Still, he was used to it. His adventures in Perim allowed him to ignored partially those stains.
After this, silence. The two glanced at each other's. They had nothing to say to each other's. The boy focused on finding a way to escape later on, when he didn't check on the Underworlder.
Atrapol muttered, "What did you do to become the Guide to the Cothica for the Underworld?"
The red-haired teenager didn't answer. He had no idea himself. He could only guess it was because he was a friend of Chaor. He glanced at the bars that led outside of his jail. He had nothing to break them. He couldn't cut it anyway with the large creature.
A question got him a bit by surprise, "What does the Cothica look like?"
Kaz looked at the creature, "W-what?"
"You come from the Cothica. We heard enough of the creatures said so. What does it look like?" It was obvious that curiosity might eat Atrapol on the side. Or maybe it just annoyed him.
"It's not the Cothica," he sighed as he put his hand on his face.
"You just don't-"
"Call it that," the boy interrupted the creature, as he heard that many times.
The large creature frowned, but didn't do more. He lightly clenched his hands, "I see you denied that many times. No wonders few creatures thought you came from the Cothica until now."
Kaz decided to try something, "Where are we?"
"This is not for you to know."
"Is H'earring okay?"
The ominous answer that came to the boy, "He is still breathing," as if he said that in one breath.
"You-"
"I did nothing to him. He won't die if you are that worried. He tried to protect you too much and they calmed him down," Atrapol answered.
The creature stood up, "It's time. You will answer my question about the Cothica another time."
"Fine," he replied.
The creature opened the door and made a quick glanced, ordering him to walk first.
Kaz obeyed and walked out of his prison. He walked towards the door and climbed down the stairs. They were a few windows, but couldn't recognise where he was. He couldn't see enough to know where he might be. He couldn't see the field. Only the dark horizon.
"Turn left."
Once they finished climbing down the stairs, they turned left. They walked through the corridors. They were a few soldiers and guards that watched the teenage boy, whispering among each other's.
They reached the room. The boy saw Lord Van Bloot on his chair. His arms and fingers crossed. Kaz knew that the creature saw better days.
The pale blue-green humanoid harpy had many new scars on his face and chest since the last time he saw him. His mechanical red eye focused on the boy, along with his black eye. His large teal featherily wings missing a bit of feathers. Not that much that it would inconvenient the creature and they were signs that new one was coming out. He was bald except for his long brown ponytail. He wore a brown loincloth. He smirked, "Welcome human. It has been a long time since you ruined my plan."
Kaz nodded, "Not long enough."
Atrapol put a hand on the shoulder of the teenager, "Respect my master! Sit down and watch your mouth if you value your life!"
"Okay. Okay," the human sat on the chair and looked at the creature in front of him. A quick glance told him that this was an old structure that might had been lost through time. It told him enough about the kinda life Van Bloot had for a while. He decided not to comment or to ask anything on his downfall. That would piss off the creature or enraged him.
The large armored creature frowned at the lack of apology for insulting his master. He took a few steps back and observed. He would eat later anyway.
"I'm sure you understand why we captured you. Am I right?" Van Bloot began with a small smirk.
"I think so," he replied, not telling them directly what it was. He wouldn't answer for the creature.
"It's because you are the guide of our tribe to the Cothica," he put his hands on the table, "And I have no intention of letting Chaor benefit from it," he frowned a bit as his bony fingers crossed between each hands, "And for that, we are going to need your help. Whatever you want it or not of course."
Kaz frowned. He adjusted his glasses, hiding his reaction when he heard the threat. He was a bit scare, but he had no intention of letting the creature knew it affected him, "Obviously. Where is H'earring?"
"Alive. Your cooperation will of course… Make sure he stays that way," the harpy chuckled.
The teenager refrained from losing control. He wanted to tell the creature what he thought of his plan. Still, he held it back, "I don't see how I can help you. The creatures managed to do it on their own. The other tribes are on Earth anyway."
Van Bloot frowned. He knew that, "Even so, as long as you are here, Chaor will have some trouble. I have his guide."
Kaz wasn't sure if he should break the news. He was uncertain of the Lord of Treachery knew he was just a code and not his real self. If he didn't, it was better not to share that knowledge, "They can come to Earth. I don't see how I can be his guide anymore."
"You are still useful as a guide. The land was found, but not his treasure," the harpy stood up as he grinned.
"Treasure?" the human had no idea where the creature was going with that. He wondered if he was delusional or the creatures believed about something like that. It was the first time he heard of such a possibility.
"Do not pretend like you don't know?" Atrapol warned the boy.
Van Bloot observed the boy, "I have no idea what this treasure is, but there has been some talk by Chaor's soldier. Maybe not when you are here, but my spies heard of such… rumors," he slowly said the last word of his sentence.
Kaz guessed the creature was driven by hope. Hope to take power over the Underworld and away from Chaor. Of course, it was based on their belief that Earth was the Cothica. If they got this treasure, it would put them as the master of all Perim. Blessed by the Cothica, the creatures would bow to him. Thankfully, they were wrong in the matter.
"Answer him!" Atrapol ordered.
"W-what?"
The harpy of the Underworld frowned as he stood up and hit the table, "I asked where is the treasure or what it looks like? You must know something!"
"I don't."
"Liar," the loyal soldier of Van Bloot grunted.
His master sighed as he sat down, "We cannot hurt you to get the answer out of you. Putting ourselves as the enemy of the Cothica would only mean one thing. Still…" his organic eye glanced at the boy, "I do believe you know nothing of the matter. Because Chaor would know about this already. The treasure is still just a rumor. Anyway, we need to eat. None of us wants you to die out of starvation Kaz," he snapped his finger.
It was then that the servant brought the food.
Kaz already noticed the poor quality of the meal. It just showed how far Lord Van Bloot had fallen. Still, he made no comments. It was eatable and it still smelled a bit good. It was still higher quality than anything the Underworlders ate anyway.
He wondered when his friends would come. He wondered if H'earring was alright. He wondered how furious Chaor would be.
Lastly, he wondered how to handle this situation until rescue would come.
AC: This is the end of this chapter.
Next: The Right Thing.
In her search for Kaz, Sarah ended up in trouble and a creature of an unknown tribe tended her wounds.