章 9: Oasis of the Scorch
As for the other team…
They landed right smack in the middle of nowhe- I mean in the middle of the desert.
Luckily, Alpha's GPS is synced with the Ocular Sun's latest records. They were only a few leagues away from the shard.
And when I say in the middle of the desert, your vision would be filled with hill after hill of sand. A gentle, cool breeze eased the heat they were experiencing. The sun wasn't even glaring on our beloved heroes too hard.
"3rd Shard Location: 3.7 leagues Southwest," Beta says. "No hostile detected."
"Get used to the heat, my lads," Hilda encourages. "I was bred here. I am sure that there are a few couple of counties around here somewhere."
Minotaur remained silent.
Meanwhile, Chou was calm. He decided to think of good stuff. Like, hanging out with his mates. Or mastering a new move. Or stealing Bruno's bread and blaming Lolita for it. Oh well…
"I suggest we move quickly," Balmond says. "The heat won't kill us, but we are wasting precious time."
"I reckon there's something around here… A landmark or such," Clint replies, checking his revolvers.
The group decides to walk. They weren't exhausted. They weren't in much need of rations too. After a half-hour of silence, Chou breaks it.
"I feel out of place here."
Balmond chuckled. "Don't be shy, boy. We aren't biting."
"Besides," Karina adds, "we're a team, aren't we?"
"It's just that Alpha is the only person I know here, and he isn't even a full human being!" Chou retorts. "No offense, though."
"Apology accepted," Alpha answers back, attending to Beta for any surveillance.
Miya and Cyclops are chatting it out.
"Why did your race did not approve of your prowess?" Miya asked the mage. "You're pretty valuable to me."
Cyclops half-heartedly said, "For them, size matters. I reject! No dream is too big, and no dreamer too small. Now, I control the cosmos!"
Miya smiles. She sees much enthusiasm from a small giant (yes, he is a giant), who willingly volunteers and risks his life for this grand endeavor.
"I heard your hourglass glimpses the future," Miya changes the topic. "You may try if you want to."
"Sure!" Cyclops then taps the hourglass on his back. The object starts to float around him, then to Miya.
"I cannot show your fate," Cyclops says. "My hourglass is a crossroads. You carve your own destiny."
Miya looks into the translucent glass. Her reflection morphs into several different images. She saw the Land of Dawn. All forms of citizens were rejoicing. She sees Zhao, Hayabusa, Karina, and a girl with a blue umbrella. She also witnesses Alucard with his friends, along with Freya and Franco, who was enjoying the drinks. Then the scene shifts.
She sees the war itself, but it was not that comprehensible. She is shocked as she sees bodies upon bodies, both from different sides. Most of her friends were still alive, but they were wounded very badly. She sees Alice and Vexana leech their souls out until-
She had to look away. Stare longer and she will be scarred.
"I am sorry," Cyclops starts. "The hourglass shows what it wants you to show, not what you want to see. It's rebellious, so to speak."
"It's alright, Cyclops," Miya forgave him. Cyclops points to Chou and the others, merrily conversing into random stuff.
"And then, I dashed behind this bad boy," Chou says, "and wanna know what I told him after?"
"What?" Minotaur asks.
"Omae wa mou shindeiru," Chou said before he bursts out laughing.
Karina scrunched her eyebrows. "What does that mean?"
"Translator activated," Alpha reacts. "It means, 'you're already dead.'"
The whole group bellowed. Clint was trying hard not to laugh so hard that he would cry eventually.
"Good one!" Hilda says.
"Okay, okay, let's hold it off for now," Cyclops says. "Alpha is picking up something."
The group looks at Alpha, who was a few feet away from them. He analyzes his surrounding area with his visor. He stops looking around.
"Is there something amiss?" Balmond asks.
"Oasis spotted."
Miya's eyes widened. An oasis? That is too good to be true.
"Can you determine where?" Miya questions Alpha.
The cyborg responded, "A few hundred meters… after we climb that hill. It should be visible to us." He points to a hill northwest of them. It wasn't too steep.
The team rushed to climb the steep sand dune. The breeze suddenly became stronger than before.
Minotaur, Hilda and Balmond struggled to push through the gales with their axes and hammers. Alpha used his spear as a walking stick for support. Clint's scarf and hat nearly flew off in the distance, since Chou caught them before they got too far.
"Thanks, chump," Clint said to Chou.
"Anytime."
As they reached the edge of the cliff, the winds slowly died out. At the top of the sand dune, they beheld a marvelous sight.
An oasis was there, all right. A wide one. The oasis spanned the desert for at most a mile. There were numerous streams and lakes circulating the undergrowth. Random rock formations sprouted in their field of vision.
"I have never been here," Hilda says. "The Wasteland is a territory of harshness and wonder."
They climb down the sand hills and into the shrubbery. The temperature rapidly cooled down, even if there was no cloud that hindered the sun's blistering heat. It was still awfully quiet. No animal or cactus was in sight, just a couple of palm trees, a few lakes and a-
"Wait, is that what I think it is?" Cyclops exclaims, squinting his eye for a better look.
"Yup," Alpha replies. "A huge turtle."
In the center of the fields lay a huge blue turtle, prominent in the distance. It waded in a shallow pool, which was insanely crystal clear. It did see the heroes, but it showed no obvious reaction. The reptile just happily swam, eating a couple of leaves.
"A big oasis inhabited by one big tubbo," Karina recites. "What's the significance?"
Miya readies her bow, but doesn't nock an arrow. Her bow enhances her eyesight, and she had no intention of killing the gentle giant.
"A blue crystal seems to be jutting out of its back," she replies. "It seems that the other edge of the oasis is dark and creepy."
"Those are where those diablos come from," Minotaur explains. "This oasis isn't safe for the turtle at all."
Alpha suddenly yells, "Demons, 4 o' clock!"
All at once, the team unfolds their arsenal. Miya readies an arrow, Clint brings out his guns, Alpha and Beta activate battle stances, Chou covers the backside, and the others frantically surround the field with their sight.
A small group of demons, mainly Ravagers and Lava Golems, attempt to traverse the thick shrubs. But, as soon as they touch the first leaf, they disintegrate into a pile of sand.
"Oh… Kay," Hilda confusingly starts. "What's with that?"
Cyclops answers. "Cosmic barrier protects the oasis from demons. Turtle controls field. We are let in."
"The turtle itself decides who enters?" Chou replies, asking for assurance.
"Request close-up analysis," Beta says.
The team closes in on the turtle, who still doesn't mind the new guests. After being a few meters away from the turtle, it quickly turns to look at the heroes, who jumped in surprise.
"That's new," Balmond said. "Let's see if it speaks."
"Let me try. I am the one with charisma," Chou boasts. Karina smirks.
Chou walks up to the reptile. "Oh, ye majestic, cerulean giant! Doth you speak with our tongues?"
Miya facepalms. "Oh, Lord."
Meanwhile, Karina and Hilda is snickering in the distance.
To their surprise, the turtle did speak.
"Why do ye mock me with thy words?"
"OH… KAY! SORRY!" Cyclops squeaked, trembling in shock.
"I am calm. No need to plead for mercy," the reptile said, turning its body to face the group.
Hilda asked it, "Who are you?"
"I am the Empyrean Turtle," it said. "I wade through this miniature oasis that gives me my refuge. I have lasted millennia in this place, and I remain untouchable from any force that hinders goodwill."
"What is your role?" Balmond interrogates.
"I guard these crystalline waters, for they hold something truly dear."
Beta blipped around Alpha, signaling. "Liquid analysis complete. Has extreme healing properties. Lake is extremely deep."
"Deep?" Clint replies, confused. "Oh turtle, is the lake deep?"
"The lake isn't a lake," the Empyrean Turtle answers. "It's a gateway to another side of this world. There, you shall find your shard."
The team's eyes widened. Chou started, "Wait wait wait… you mean… the 3rd Dawn Shard? Shouldn't that be the crystal on your shell?"
The turtle chuckles. "Silly. I apologize for your misconceptions. This crystal is my life force. Destroy it, and I will be non-existent. Though, only the Lords can decide my fate, and I am never destined to die for now. You must act in haste, as the opportunities are just as scarce as the alignment of the cosmos. Dive in the lake and rummage for the answer."
At this point, the turtle dives in the not-so-shallow body of water, until it was completely submerged.
Miya peered on the edge of the lake. "I can't see it."
Suddenly, Karina pushes her off. Miya yelps as she plunges to her watery doom.
As she resurfaces, she yells, "What was that for?!"
Karina simply shrugged. "Well, is the lake deep?"
Cyclops didn't waste any time. He dived in the water. "Yippee!" After him, Minotaur followed suit, though he didn't dive. He waded through the water and held his breath.
Balmond, Clint and Hilda followed in. Miya dived straight down after them. Chou and Alpha were left.
"The water is surprisingly inhalable. You won't drown," Alpha says. "Trust me." He dives, and Beta goes down with him as well.
Chou's nerves racked.
I should've been with Alucard, he thinks as he dives like a swan.
He closed his eyes during the said dive, and after feeling the lukewarm water, he swims straight down. He could breathe, yes, but he is hyperventilating. He's used to disappearing monks, but not breathable water. He opens his eyes. His friends are slightly ahead of him. Cyclops was struggling to swim with his tiny feet and arms. Chou pushes down as he helps out the poor giant.
After a couple of seconds, as prominent ray of light shone on them, beckoning them to go faster. The gravity suddenly shifted in the center, forcing the heroes to swim upward. This confused most of them. Minotaur was the one to resurface first. Soon after, Karina and Miya did the same, followed by Alpha, Cyclops, Chou, Balmond, Clint and finally Hilda.
As the Megalith Wastelander rises from the water, her eyes beheld something wondrous.
The lake was really a portal. The landscape showed the setting sun (which is funny, because it was like… noontime on the desert) and the grassy mountains. The grass was bright and neatly trimmed, and different types of flowers grew everywhere, ranging in color. A sparkling forest was on the far reaches of their spot, with the addition of a straight river.
It was technically a terrestrial heaven.
"Shouldn't we note the fact that we are on a fountain?" Cyclops suddenly mentioned.
The other heroes took note of this and tried to rise out of the fountain. What's even more shocking is that they weren't even wet. Yes, not a single drop of water remained on their clothes.
"Well, that's something," Hilda said.
Beta buzzed. "Location Unverified. In the middle of an island in the middle of the ocean. Needs more peripherals."
"IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN?!" Chou yelled. "Ah, great. Don't tell me we're stuck here."
To test that, Karina submerged her arm to the fountain. She felt the base of the structure. Her eyes widened.
"Ah, shoot," Clint dejectedly replied. "Well, I guess we have to camp here."
"That, you need not do," a voice called out.
The heroes looked behind them.
How could they put this in words? They saw a man. Well, part of a man. From head to waist, he is human, with a well-toned torso. He wore shiny shoulder guards which were covered by his long, white hair, which is similar to Estes's. A helmet with a unicorn's horn adorned his head. But that's not the point. From the waist down, he had the body of a white stallion, hooves and all! He held a white and gold scepter with a blue gem attached to it. The crystal seemed to revolve and glow on the tip of the scepter.
"Allow me to introduce myself," he said. "I am Hylos, Guardian of the Fountain of Youth."
Miya gasped. "The literal Fountain?!"
Hylos shrugged. "It doesn't really make you younger, but it sure does possess the gift of life. It is also a portal to another side of this world. That, the Empyrean Turtle assured you." His tail whipped around.
Clint had a lot of questions. "Okay, first of all, state your business. I have seen a lot of strange things here, but not as big as this."
"Patience, my friends," Hylos said. "Your journey seems to be short-lived as we speak. We need to come to terms and I must help you comprehend the nature of this world."
"Can you start with where we are?" Chou asked.
"You're in the middle of the Anantasheshan Ocean," the centaur said. "I am the Grand Warden of the Centaurs that guard this fountain from the evils that wish to claim this holy essence for their own personal desires."
"Why is this fountain of such importance to you?" Balmond asked. "It seems it's worth it to stay here than explore around."
"We are used to living in these conditions, but we can adapt. I assume you seek the Dawn Shard."
Cyclops jumped and clapped. "Team needs the shard! Where is it?"
Hylos pointed on the fountain's top using the scepter. On the top of the intricately carved fountain lies a white gem, shining brightly. The carved lines of the fountain illuminated with white light, which seems to come from the gem itself.
"That, is why, Berserker," Hylos finishes. "We thought it would be of great value for the prophecy, so we kept it safe, and isolated ourselves here. The turtle was right. He said that you'd come. We have prepared, and our departure will commence shortly."
"So, you have thought about it this whole time?" Karina asked, wanting to be assured. "Couldn't you go to the other side just to inform Estes?"
Hylos looks at Karina. "Shadow Elf, I can tolerate your quizzical thoughts, but I wish to say to you that Estes knew of this all along. He didn't wish to tell you or anyone else in order to maintain the confidentiality of what we harbor: the Shard. Tell me, what would happen if my brethren and I were to rise from the other side to tell your King of what we have in store? That oasis is being encircled by the Dark Edge of the Wasteland. Take the Shard, and the barriers weaken. That's why we all go together."
"But what of this island?" Minotaur snorted, setting his hammer down. "You promised to protect the Fountain."
"Only in a lengthy span of time did we realize our true mission," Hylos answered. "It was never about the Fountain. It was always about the Shard. Through the Fountain, I see your actions, and improvise our next plans here, so that our departure may be swift as possible. My brothers are merely on their daily duties. I suggest you stay here while I inform of your presence immediately." The centaur galloped (or walked? This is confusing.) down the hillside, straight through the forests in front of his path.
"Can't we just get the shard and escape?" Clint suggested. Chou smacked him upside the head.
"Dude. It's disrespectful. And besides, this Hylos dude has some sort of value in our mission. We can't just leave."
Miya joins in. "We still need to hurry, and notify Estes and the other company of our conditions."
Alpha said, "We need Hylos for the transmission. Analysis from Beta indicates that he is the only one with the ability for such communications."
Shockingly, Hylos galloped (yeah I am sticking with galloped) back to the heroes in breakneck speed, never even breaking a sweat. "I have done my part. If you wish to contact the Elven King, I will let you."
Karina nodded, giving out a "yes" answer. Hylos then trodded on the edge of the fountain. With the use of the end of the scepter, he made a circle on the water. The liquid rippled, forming a very clear (and strikingly colorful) image. It was a live feed of the happenings in the Citadel's Library, and Estes was there, using the ancient scrolls.
"Can he see us?" Hilda asked.
Hylos answered, "The other end of this is a plane projection of us. The projection is formed by an indistinguishable whirlpool of water. No science can fully contain these mechanics."
Miya decided to give it a try. "Estes! It's us!"
Estes looks on them, and he smiled. "Ah, it's good to see you, Miya. I assume you've met Hylos."
Hylos said, "Good afternoon, my liege."
"Hello, my friend. I am glad things are going as expected. Give your new companions safe refuge before their departure in the morning. I allow you to give what they duly require. Never forget the shard."
"I hope you will help us with the execution of the plans. It's risky once the Shard is misplaced."
Estes sighed. "Don't worry. I have marked the Ocular Sun to apply a makeshift portal instantly once all of you have made it through the other side. I need to talk to them privately, Hylos. Mind giving some space?"
Hylos took a few steps back. The heroes peered in on the fountain's edge.
"My warriors, never fear. The condition of the other team remains stable, though the truce hasn't been attempted yet," Estes begins. "Once you reach the other side, Johnson, along with a few other heroes and the Royal Cavalry will hold off any opposing threat that comes. We are to leave the turtle behind."
Cyclops was the first to complain. "Why should we even leave the turtle? He looks nice."
Estes answered, "Dear mage, without the shards, what would be its worth? It'd choose to sacrifice its life for you to be escorted safely than live forever."
Chou inserted in the conversation. "What of Alucard and the other team? Have they come in contact with Bane?"
"That, you are right, Chou. I heard that a naval fleet of unknown origin is on its way as well. Fortunately, they have raised the white flag. Now, go on, my heroes. Make the most of your time in that place." The water rippled, and the image blurred, splitting into different pieces. Sooner or later, the transmission cut off.
"So much for that," Minotaur mumbled.
They heard the grass behind them rustling. Hylos remained calm, while the others fixed their gazes.
Balmond asked, "Who is there? Show yourself."
Out of the grass came an elf wearing a white, sleek outfit. A gauntlet crossbow was fitted on her left arm. She was riding a white smilodon with huge upper canines.
"Woah there! Easy!" the elf said, comforting the agitated predator. She climbed off of its back and held out her hand to Hilda.
"Hi there! I am Irithel, nicknamed the Silver Cyclone. I am with my friend, Leo, seeking refuge among these parts."
Cyclops's face lit up. "You're the one Nana talked about! She said that she accidentally freed you by casting this… thingamajig thingy… uh…"
"Dragon Cat Morph spells," Miya continued.
"Yes, yes, that one! Thanks."
Irithel chuckled. "Ah, I see! Though, I did not come here alone. I also have another companion of mine."
Another wave of rustling came. Out popped a woman with a sharp face and completely blue eyes. She surpasses as human, if you don't count her deformed feet, which was like a raptor's. On her wrists were two huge purple shurikens that glowed in the early night. Karina immediately recognized the outfit.
"You're from Alaghat, aren't you?"
"Yes," the woman answered. "I am Karrie, reporting for duty. I will aid you in this mission, along with my sisters. They are preparing for this endeavor, and we shouldn't fall behind."
"Two female assassins of almost the same name, harnesses pure damage, all the same," Chou recites. "Karina and Karrie!"
"That's some nice analysis, Chou," Clint complimented. "At least the prophecy is piecing out right in front of us."
Hylos budges in. "We have prepared a celebration before we depart. We formally invite you."
"So," Irithel started. "What are you waiting for? Let's go!"
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