Bab 6: Finding Dan Heng
As moments went by, he nearly drifted off to sleep, and yet someone's annoyed voice woke him up instantly, causing his nearly asleep mind to kick into gear with nothing but a smoldering sense of anger at the wheel.
"Let me go," said Bronya, the source of the commotion. Natasha shook her head as she stood before the door.
"I'm sorry, but I cannot do that. If someone were to see you, it could end pretty badly."
Mark let out an annoyed sigh and stood up, staring at Bronya with tired, nearly blood-shot eyes that didn't look friendly.
"Sit down and wait here, understood, Bronya? I don't care who you are on the surface; here you're nothing more than a Silvermane Guard, part of those who sealed the Underworld. Not a lot of people will be friendly, so just sit the fuck down."
His words were calm, with an evident tinge of harshness in them—truth mixed in with unmasked bashfulness.
"Who are you to order me around?"
Mark had enough. He simply grabbed his metal pipe and walked closer to her, clanking it on the floor with each step.
"You either sit down willingly, or I'll knock you out the not-so-willingy way. There's no choice here but to listen. Got it?"
She glared at him, the tension in the air evident. Her weapon was on the bed, a huge oversight on her side. She finally crossed her arms and relented.
"Fine, but don't expect to order me around as you see fit."
He gave a light nod, glancing over to Narasha. He walked closer and whispered.
"Next time she tries to leave, let her go. If she causes any trouble, let's just say that she's old enough to take the repercussions of her actions."
With that, he looked to the side as March woke up. She whined and groaned like a kid, talking about '5 more minutes' of sleep.
"Wakey, wakey, it's time for the mission. Come on, wake up," chuckled Mark as he walked to her side, playfully poking her cheek. Somehow, not even he knew what came over him, but somehow, doing that felt natural. Perhaps it was his older brother instinct.
"Aw, let me sleep. And stop poking my cheek, you tease," mumbled March, her cheeks pouty.
Mark had no choice but to shake her awake, being rowdy yet gentle in his grasp and movements, as rapid as they were.
"Come on, March, we're in the middle of a mission; we have to focus."
She finally let out an annoyed groan and stood up. Beside her, Stelle was mumbling in her sleep about the Stellaron and something else that he couldn't make out. Still, his mind filled in the blanks, adding the information that he had once known.
"What is she talking about?" asked Natasha, concern on her face.
"About some things related to saving the planet. Nothing too important, you know?" replied Mark, unbothered and as calm as possible. Soon enough, she woke up as well, sitting on the edge of the bed, looking partially refreshed and partially as confused as everyone—except for Mark, who was trying to plan out a sketchy idea once more.
"Well, now that everyone is awake, let's head out. Oh, and Bronya..."
Mark looked to the side, but she was gone. He sighed, knowing that it was bound to happen one way or another. Nonetheless, he shrugged and put his sword back in its scabbard.
"Welp, time to go out. I bet you wonder where Dan Heng is... truth is, even I'm not sure. He went out with Sampo."
He walked towards the door, already thinking of going ahead to focus on Sampo trying to flee from the fight club. He gave Natasha a tiny smile filled with sincerity.
"Thank you for your help, doctor. We'll make sure to return the favor one way or another."
With that, the trio went outside to look for Dan Heng. With no clue on where to start, March thought about asking some kids for information, which led to all of them being in cahoots with a group of three little kids.
"Hi there. I was wondering if you saw some tall guy with a boring, serious face and black hair walking around the place. If so, could you tell us where he went?"
The group turned to face her, and the leader, Hook, spoke up.
"Do you even know who you are talking to? You're in the presence of the Moles, one of the strongest groups in the Underworld."
Mark sighed and nearly reached up for the sword on his back. Somehow, the effects of his interrupted sleep were still lingering heavily on his mind, turning every bit of irritation into straight-up anger.
"Mark, don't," said Stelle, grabbing his wrist and holding it firmly as it was half-way up. With a sigh, he lowered his hand, yet Stelle still clung to it.
"They're kids, Mark. Do you even have any idea about what you were about to do?"
He shook his head.
"Look, sorry, but I'm not in the mood. I'm way too grumpy when I have my sleep interrupted."
Below, the kids were huddled together, hidden behind Hook, who tried to threaten him, yet she was shaking in her boots when she realized what Mark was about to take out.
"Y-you dare threaten us? I-I will show you what happens when someone tries that."
Mark let out a sigh and carefully patted them all on the head, taking a deep breath that flew out of his lungs once more.
"Sorry, kids, I just had a rough day. So, will you lend us a hand? If you do, we shall assist the Moles in their endeavors down the line. Consider this a friendly collaboration where we unite as a stronger faction."
He squatted down and reached out for a handshake, waiting patiently. Hesitantly, Hook first looked over to her friends, then reached out and firmly shook his hand—as firm as a kid could.
"Fine, but don't expect me to go easy on you again, got it?"
Mark chuckled and nodded. He stood up, then everyone followed Hook as she led them to the fight club.
"He should be here, the man you described. I'm only showing you to this point, ok?"
Mark nodded, speaking calmly.
"Sure. Thanks for the help. We owe you one."
The kids went away, leaving just the three of them outside the area.
"So, Dan Heng is supposed to be inside. It must have been Sampo's idea," said Stelle, looking around the area, checking out everyone who was attending the show.
"That scoundrel," puffed out March, already more than fed up with his antics.
"Yeah, anyway. You two go in and get Dan Heng. Meanwhile, I'll wait here. Got to keep an eye out for someone."
Said and done, everyone went on their way. Mark leaned against the wall, and he suddenly became aware of the weight that lingered to the side of his legs, just above the knees. His baggy pants had two large pockets on the side, one of which housed his wallet, while the other handled the phone. Instantly, he became self-aware of those objects that he had so commonly used before.
"Damn... I must have turned dull after nearly freezing and finding myself in an entirely new world. What a slip-up on my side..."
His eyes met a fleeing Sampo, who shamelessly picked up the pace as he walked out.
"... but this one won't be no slip-up."
Instantly, he dashed after Sampo, pulling him to a halt by the back of his collar.
"Hey, my good old friend, Sampo Koski. Fancy seeing you here, outside. I guess you did introduce Dan Heng to the combat scene, right?"
He nodded, speaking in his usual tone, with a tinge of worry and another one of irony.
"Yes, yes, you know me so well, my friend. Someone had to take care of the finances of the group, so I made sure to find him a suitable job."
Mark nodded, taking it in, despite knowing the excuse already. It rattled his mind that the memories came back in such detail, slowly bringing along some extra information from the future.
"Well, I'll be damned. It seems that I remember some things based on the pure relationship between them. Wildfire, and with it came Seele, and now I recall who their leader is, but damn me... I can't seem to recall where exactly the Stellaron is, and yet I recall that Cocolia dies because of it... just what is going on?"
His grip involuntarily tightened around the back of Sampo's collar, and he yelped a little.
"Hey, friend, how about letting go, just a bit?"
Realization struck Mark out of his own head, and he let go in an instant.
"Sorry, I'm just... stuck in my own head."
As he spoke, everyone came outside, not really pleased with seeing Sampo outside, especially Dan Heng.
"So, you were about to ditch us again, right?" asked March, arms crossed as she glared at Sampo in her own angry, fluffy rabbit manner.
Sampo gave an awkward smile, then rubbed his palms together, trying his best to let loose a few words that would save him. Mark sighed and spoke in his stead.
"Look, guys, let's be honest. We're all aware of what type of guy he is. At the very least, let's not threaten to beat his ass up every 5 minutes, ok?"
He tried to sound serious, yet a tiny smirk tugged at the corners of his lips.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
Meritas
Meritas Hey, back with another one. Sure, the pacing is a bit slower, but I gotta focus on some details as well, keeping in touch with the game and how things went in there. On a tiny side note, I also have a YouTube channel where I post some stuff: https://www.youtube.com/@meritas_v. Make sure to check it out if you feel like it, I got some little things there too. So, until next time, peace out and Deus vult.
Bab 7: Tiny Outburst
*Please read the Author Thoughts at the end. Enjoy*
The others simply decided to take his word for now.
"Fine, we'll try, but don't think I won't smack Sampo if he tries something 'funny' again," said Stelle, giving her bat a tiny swing up and down just to show what fate awaits him.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, friends. I, Sampo Koski, shall be your guide and help you get in contact with Wildfire. Follow me, my dear friends."
With that, he took the lead and started walking in a seemingly random direction, yet he took the turns in a calculated manner through the labyrinth that is the Underworld. Mark's eyes darted to the buildings—houses with multiple stories—yet they were pretty worn out by time. The entire world was in a state of chaos, and yet Cocolia had divided the people. Whatever it was that the Stellaron had offered her, Mark couldn't figure out how it would play out.
"I just need to reach that moment. But what the hell will I do then? I promised Serval that I wouldn't let her down, and yet I have no idea how to do it..."
Pitiful was his attempt at prying his mind away from those thoughts, for nothing worked in his favor. He kept looking around at the people, taking in the poor state of the Underworld, silently admiring their persistance and tenacity. Despite everything that had happened to them, they were living and making the most of what they had.
"They sure have it rough down here..."
Besides him, Stelle gave him a curious glance, wondering about what was going on in his mind. Ever since his first slip-up with his feelings being too noticeable, he made sure to hide them even better behind a face sculpted out of stone, never budging nor showing emotion. She fell in step with him, hands clasped behind her back as she leaned a bit closer, her golden eyes staring up at him.
"Hey, Mark, is everything alright up there? You seem out of it."
Mark chuckled, shrugging.
"Yeah, guess I'm just thinking a bit about this... city, whatever I should call it... it's a pretty odd place, yet the people are resilient... it's to be appreciated, truth be told."
She nodded, standing straight as they followed Sampo, who was glancing around confusedly as they reached what seemed to be their destination.
"I guess you're right. Living here must be tough, and yet here they are, kids and adults alike, surviving. It's one more reason to find the Stellaron and make sure things return to normal."
Before Mark could reply, Sampo's confused voice rang out.
"Where's Joshua?"
Meanwhile, March was staring at a wagon of orange-hued crystals.
"What are those shiny rocks?"
Sampo glanced her way, forgetting about Joshua for a moment.
"Oh, that's Geomarrow, an exothermic ore. The underground and the surface are sealed off, and yet the transport line is still running. We send Geomarrow up, and they send resources back. At least in theory."
He took on a more contemplative look.
"Most undergrounders are miners, so this is what they mine for a living. Without this ore, we would have frozen long ago. Anyway, let's keep moving; the person I was looking for isn't here."
The group began walking away, yet Mark had to satisfy his curiosity. He grabbed a chunk of the ore just to see how it felt to the touch.
"Hm, something like coal, I take it. You burn it somehow, or cause a specific reaction, and it gives out heat. I like the way it looks, though. Perhaps it could find more value as some sort of ore used in jewelry. Alas, no way to know about what other worlds have."
With that, he tossed the chunk of ore back inside and followed the group. Again, Sampo got an empty lead.
"Damn it, old Oleg isn't here. Where is everyone?"
March was slowly getting pissed again.
"Are you leading us on another wild goose chase?"
"No, trust me, I wouldn't dare."
Meanwhile, Dan Heng and Mark were staring at the huge building in the distance, light-colored like the Geomarrow ore, glowing dimly through what Mark assumed were some glass-like panels.
"The Furnace Core... it's what connects the Underworld to the outside... yet it was sealed off. An elevator of sorts, I take it. Also, judging by the name, it must also be something used to generate heat. Furnace..."
Mark's mumbling didn't fall on deaf ears. Sampo was quick to pick it up, and so were the members of the Express.
"Well, my friend, you sure seem to have done your homework on the subject. Yes, you are right about it; alas, nothing travels up and down anymore."
Dan Heng gave Sampo a sharp glare.
"Except you."
Sampo grew defensive, trying to brush it aside, yet it was clear as day that no lies would work.
"Yeah, Sampo does do some interesting things... I gotta admit. Masked Fools, sure..."
Mark's gaze lingered on the side of his eyes, staring intently at Sampo.
"...yet fool only in name, am I right?"
Sampo's gaze intensified briefly, for a mere second, yet Mark was able to catch it. Both of them began laughing, much to everyone's confusion.
"Oh, my friend, you sure say some wildly confusing things."
Mark nodded along, patting Sampo on the shoulder.
"I sure do. I sure do. Gotta keep things interesting, you know?"
With that, Sampo began pacing again, hopefully leading them to the right place this time. Mark had a tiny smirk on his face as he was able to strike true with his words. The piece of knowledge had fallen to him randomly, yet he had to endure the slight headache and dizziness that came with forcing the tiny bit of information back into place.
"Seems like I can sort of forcefully recall things, yet it comes with a price. If this tiny bit of information was enough to cause me this headache and vertigo, then I guess using too much at once would knock me out cold most probably... maybe even kill me."
After a few minutes of walking, they came across Bronya surrounded by a bunch of people wielding some weird spear-like weapons, with a few of them having rifles slung over their backs. While everyone was trying to figure out what to do, thinking of not attracting too much attention, Mark stepped forward, not putting much thought into it.
With a whistle, he got everyone's attention.
"Ey, everyone, just back off. You're on the wrong turf. This is Wildfire ground, so get the fuck away, Vagrants."
They all turned to watch him, and someone pointed their gun at him. Mark didn't budge, despite the vein on his neck pulsing twice as fast from the rush of adrenaline.
"Yeah? Or what are you going to do?"
Mark sighed and just waited for it, pretending to check the time on his wrist despite not having a watch on. Soon, out of thin air, with a bunch of butterflies surrounding her, a girl appeared out of thin air, cutting the gun with ease using a scythe. Infuriated, she spoke up.
"You dare try to attack someone on our turf?"
Mark smirked from the back, pointing a finger at them.
"Told you to get the fuck out. You didn't listen to me? Maybe you'll listen to her."
She glanced his way, noticing Sampo in the back, who tried to brush it all off.
"Phew, thank you, Seele, for the help. These thugs have no idea trying to attack someone on Wildfi-"
She cut him off.
"Oh, shut it, Sampo. This has 'you' written all over it. The last thing we need is a side order of Koski."
Mark chuckled and gave a nod.
"Well, since we've finally met who we were looking for, how about we discuss some issues here and there? I'm pretty sure with all the trouble you're facing, a helping hand would be appreciated, right?"
She regarded him with a stern expression, her short stature not helping the threatening gaze at all. Her eyes tried to pierce him and read beneath, yet doing that wouldn't be easy with him. She brushed a strand of hair away from her eyes.
She relented and glanced over to Bronya.
"I hear a Silvermane Guard is paying the underground a visit. Is that you?"
Bronya snapped back, pretty annoyed and frustrated.
"You kidnapped me and brought me to the underground. What is the meaning of this?"
Mark noticed that her gun was slung over her hip, yet she didn't reach for it. Perhaps even she knew how useless it was in front of Seele.
Seele scoffed, mimicking her tone in a mocking manner.
"Listen to her. 'What is the meaning of this?'... she still thinks she's an Overworld princess."
Mark took a step between them.
"Calm down, both of you. I'll explain what the hell is going on in here, ok? But first, you two need to hold your horses. You might find it hard to believe, but you share more things in common than you'd like to admit."
Mark's words carried another tinge of the future that was yet to be uncovered, traces of the past lingering in it about the connection that the two share. He wiped his nose with the inside of his palm before the blood could come out.
"Who do you think you are to order us around?" scoffed Seele, crossing her arms. Mark sighed and nearly facepalmed.
"Who am I? Doesn't fucking matter, but what DOES matter is how you two, supposed 'important' to both your regions, are acting like kids right now. Seriously, I know you're both young and all, but come on... stop acting like that. You both have responsibilities and the like; both need to ensure that your people are safe, and both are in charge. So, for one DAMNED MINUTE, you two shut the fuck up and let me explain."
His outburst was unexpected, even to himself. Somehow, the frustration he was trying to keep under control had managed to break free and express itself pretty colorfully. To everyone's surprise, however, they both relented and stood silently, waiting for him to speak.
"Well... that was easy..."
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA
Meritas
Meritas
Well, here we are with another chapter. I want to thank everyone for 10k views and 96 collections (it's a record for me, having reached this point in just 6 chapters. I have to admit, I'm glad and overjoyed) and I hope you'll stick around for more, since I have quite a lot of plans in the future. For now, however, I might have to stop posting for a while, or at least post a bit more scarcely, since I have some things to handle these days, then if it all goes well, I'd have to go abroad for university, get a job, all that stuff. So, for now, I'm letting you know that I will try my best to post as much as possible, yet do expect some discrepancies in my schedule when it comes to posting. If you're curious about what I'm doing, just write some comment on the novel or something, I'll make sure to get to you and answer. So, until then, I'll see what I can do. Tomorrow I might be able to get a chapter in, but until then, peace out and Deus vult. Enjoy and let me know what you think about it, maybe even leave a review since every bit of interaction motivates me to keep writing, and it also helps the series.
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