Void's Psionics (34 page)

“
Crystal.” Visor
acknowledged as the group split after Oliver passed out the
transmitters.

Too easily did Renee locate the Tarantulas
and blew them up with a little kinetic blast, but ripped open its
skull and held her breath before enjoying a tasty change in
diet.

Search of the immediate area turned up
nothing after ten hours of thorough probing. Aside from lakes,
waterfalls, colorful fish, small animals and thick forests nothing
had turned up. Oh, and old webs were all too commonplace. The only
true strange thing was, something they all noticed and spoke of
were the lack of exoskeletons from the amount of webs. Tarantula
shells were quite valuable to humans as after being processed were
ideal for making sturdy skintight flight suits. The lack of them
was disconcerting.

It wasn’t until four more days passed that
they were in the seventh deepest ravine in all of Drakken Prime.
Dozens more overgrown spiders met their end and Renee was well fed
and often brought some meat back to the Hunters and birds.

Journeying for a revelation for over three
weeks came to a head when Stone held a hand up and knelt as Steven
stopped. Both Satellite and Visor stood around an object sticking
out of rock. He tapped his ear. “Oliver, Ms. Void, Satellite has
discovered something metallic.”

“
Don’t do anything. We’re on
our way.” Renee said.

Oliver spun and ran as only he could,
collecting transmitters as he sped through the old lava tubes.
Sparky flew fast and safely. Sometimes needing to land so Renee’s
head didn’t hit on the ceiling or get snagged in spider silk.

The group came together within an hour’s time
and already the immediate area was cleared. Oliver had been deeper
so he arrived minutes after Renee who was holding a hand and trying
to scan it. “Nope, can’t get a read on it other than it being made
of metal. Jess, what do you see?” here was a long pause as Oliver
knelt and looked it over. Dust had been caked on, but the silvery
sheen of metal made it clear it was unnatural. To prove it, the
object had sharp and straight angles. Whatever it was is still
mostly buried below.

“
Well I’m seeing otherwise.
The cave isn’t as small as your instruments tell you.”

“
I know, Sweetheart.”
Jessica spoke through Renee’s com. “Your camera proves it. That
room you’re in is more than triple what mine show me. And it curves
while you show it going straight… oh, I’m running a distortion
program and a mild magnetic field has warped my end.”

“
Can you correct it? It
sounds like we’re finally in the right place.”

“
No, the field is different
than anything I’ve ever seen. My program only makes the visual more
distorted. And I think you’re right. That could be the entrance to
the castle. It’s deep and in a really stable place on the planet’s
thick crust. I’d place a wager you’ve found it now, be
careful.”

“
Will do.” Renee touched her
ear and turned, the surgical style face mask still on in the toxic
air. “Boys, Jess made a bet we’re on the right track.”

“
Well Mrs. Menann never
makes a wager without a good chance of success. I’ve learned that
much about her.” Stone admitted.

“
I’ll take the lead, but
first I want to see what this is.” Oliver said and took a step back
from the object. So did the others. He lifted a hand and the rock
cracked away in chunks. Out came an oval portrait three times
taller than Oliver is tall and his height wide. It was a greatly
detailed picture once the surface was wiped clean. It was of an
extremely beautiful woman with long hair that had just the tips of
pointes ears as a delicate circlet was worn upon her brow. At the
bottom was the difficult to read Solarian language that is read in
many directions to save space and express much.

“
Queen Fru of the world of
wind. Nurturer of the wild spirit that seeks adventure within all
who live. Master of air and mother to more than four million
children. May she rule and flow forever
.”
Oliver translated as best he could without a software translator as
his mind was able to make sense without it. A natural Solarian
trait. Renee was able to read it once she was given the means to
have a block on her brain and body removed to fully understand her
own biology.

“
What a looker.” Steven
drooled a little.

“
What I want to know is what
she is doing here when I see nothing else around.” Satellite
said.

“
Look at the loop up on top.
This cave is huge. Most likely she hung from the ceiling. The size
of her portrait is ideal to greet people so they know she is Queen
if they had come for the first time. Kind of like a greeting.
Instead of a sculpture or bust, she did this.” Renee said. “Is it
just me or did they catch the mischievous side of her in the
eyes?”

“
It’s not just you. This
picture makes her seem like she enjoyed having a little fun.” Said
Stone Callicko.

“
Now that we satisfied my
curiosity, we can go. I’m taking point from here on out. You two
stick with your partners.” He told the birds. “Renee, Sparky, watch
the rear.”

Formation was made and onward they pushed.
Anxiousness had Sparky glowing, but not in trepidation. He was
anxious to explore, but held still as Renee climbed back in the
leather saddle.

It didn’t take long till a strange scent that
had been light and old for days suddenly got strong an fresh. “I
smell something.”

“
As do I, but I’ve never
caught such a scent. It smells predatory.”

“
That’s not what I mean… it
feels… familiar.”

“
Olly… do you mean from the
Beast planet?”

“
No… like a memory. This
smell is… safe? I can’t really explain it.”

“
Like from memories from
before you were sealed away?”

“
Maybe.” Oliver shook his
head. “Strange, but the scent is safe and threatening to me.
Something… no something’s are ahead. There is
more
than one scent.”

“
How many?”

“
More than one for sure.”
Oliver sniffed inside the helmet. “Can’t narrow it down. The scents
are intermingled and old. They’ve been here for thousands of
years…”

“
Go slowly, Brother. I’m
more concerned of you calling them threatening over safe. Deal with
your amnesia later.” Steven said holding lance and mace out and
ready.

Slowly they went and as they did, Jessica’s
signal to Renee had been cut. Rose was told to still be with Sparky
so they weren’t completely alone down in an algae glowing tunnel
that was cold and moist. But the further they delved the more
things changed. The cave began to smooth out and arch in a way that
spoke of civilization being responsible. The ground also began
showing signs of travel by gathered dust along the sides while the
middle was used sometimes. By what was a chilling mystery.

“
Stars!” Oliver blessed as
they left the cave and it opened into a grand cavern easily five
kilometers high and twenty wide. The cavern was arched and beneath
it was an enormous pyramid surrounded by smaller ones to show it
was an underground city. The city was remarkably full of still
flowing fountains. Aside from glowing moss, the city was seemingly
untouched by time’s ravages. Great statues could be seen further
down a visible road. The sheer scale was mind boggling, but here it
was. The only sign of disrepair were of large boulders at the end
of the road behind the still proud statues situated at the end of a
wall encircling the city.

“
Shiiiiiiiit. We found it.
We actually found a lost Solarian city…” Steven barely
whispered.

“
Seems like our destination
is the pyramid they called a castle.” Stone spoke up.

“
Seconded.” Visor chirped.
“Should we scout ahead?”

“
Not yet. Whatever is down
here has plenty of places to ambush in that city.” Oliver pointed
with the cutlass. “If they can catch flying Drakes, you’ll not
stand a chance.”

“
Point taken.” Was the
grumbling reply.

“
Ten meter spacing. Stone,
you follow next.” Oliver walked forward, eyes moving round and
around in search of danger that was now apparent. He could
definitely sense hostility and being watched by something. The tiny
hairs on the back of the neck were straight up. But even with his
glowing eyes that could detect psionic energy and a chip that had
millions of uses, nothing moved aside from the far away
fountains.

Nothing came out as they walked and made
barely a sound, most coming from a slowly hovering Sparky so his
talons didn’t click on the smooth road.

A kilometer later they paused to take in the
two statues that clearly were patterned of Solarian battle armor of
a man and woman. But neither could clearly tell if it resembled
Oliver an Renee. The armor was identical though of a man and woman
type.

They continued past the open entrance gate is
when it happened.

Not ten paces in, one of a dozen randomly
spaced large boulders moved just enough for the chip to detect what
Oliver’s eyes could not. He leapt back as soon as the chip warned
and hyperawareness saved him by millimeters as the boulders changed
into great armored, four legged creatures with claws, teeth and
bodies covered in blades able to shred anything near it. The most
terrifying thing though was their speed, they were faster than
Cerberus Beasts and stood easily a hundred seventy to eighty
centimeters tall in the shoulders and easily weighed more than a
half ton. Their speed was barely a blur.

That was nothing compared to the primal roar
that came from each and every single one of them. Especially from
the largest that stood back from eleven others.

Steven barely got the grunt of “FUC…” out
before a massive telekinetic grip grabbed hold along with all the
others and were flung back as Oliver pushed forward with the shield
in an attempt to knock back the great killers with a blue wall
while flying backwards, but the expanding curved wall the shield
made merely passed around the black spiky creatures.

Then the strangest thing happened, as Oliver
managed to barely cross the threshold he had entered, the enormous
creature stopped. Stopped right at the city line.

Oliver stopped his arm from unlashing a
slicing wave while doing a back-flip and landing on his feet,
mentally he sat the others down and threw his right arm out yelling
“WAIT!” as Stone was about to send a slicing wave through his
readied hatchets.

“
They stop?”
Sparky was confused, but his glow was ready for a
fight.

At the line to enter the city was eleven and
one big pawing creature behind all who were hissing and roaring.
The wide space of the opening allowed them to pace like great cats.
The opening of their mouths made it clear these were what killed
the Drakes of the past who got too curious to explore. Their fangs
were long, thick and the muscles of their jaw were clearly capable
of rending armor like flesh. Icy blue eyes glared at them, but did
not continue the charge.

“
Safe my ass… What are
they?!” Renee had to yell over the roaring loudly filling the
cavern. “Why did they stop?”

Their body type, deep chest, large paws
complete with curved claws, began to make it click. “No way… I
think they are the creature I roughly translated in the laws as a
Warrior’s Pride.”

“
Correct. Now force them to
be
your
Pride.”

Heads turned to footsteps as a tall Creelin
appeared in a bright flash in front of two others who were Zeelin
warrior commanders. The lead walker was in a simple royal blue robe
of fine thread and he walked casually with his hands behind his
back.

“
What the hell are Creelin
doing here?” Steven remarked, lowering his lance after seeing what
had gotten behind him.

The leader was clearly an
Archiver, an ancient and wise leader of their people. Based solely
on a lavish maroon robe.
“We feel it
necessary for your future, Young Steven Metts.”

“
Well, damn. Who would of
guessed an Archiver knew my name? What is yours, Old Timer?” Steven
turned back to the greater threat still making a ruckus.

The Archiver didn’t take
offense.
“Archiver Brambbit. It is who I
am.”

“
For what reason do you
come?” Oliver asked, clearly seeing the Pride able to step across
the line, but not leaving it. Their scent was freshest now and they
could cross or else he couldn’t have scented them at all down the
tunnels and ravines.

“
If you’re still adamant on
uncovering your lost history, Oliver Void, you have two options.
One is to listen to me or end the very last Pride of Zeramndillieq
villip in existence by your hand. For there is no other alternative
to proceed unless you wish to fill their stomachs.”
The old Creelin said.
“And
I cannot allow you to kill them. This is why I come.”

“
Are we safe from being
charged? They are too fast and somehow my shield didn’t send them
flying.”

“
If we back away they will
calm. Their faithful task for the past twenty five millennia is to
guard the City of Wind and so they have. It is their armor that
defends from barriers. They will not attack. Come.”
He spun and walked away in hidden metallic shoes.
No one could see what lay beneath the robes of an Archiver, but
they were hardly defenseless.