Karl strutted inside the Steelfort with confidence. Behind Karl, Damon and the rest followed with curiosity in their eyes. They reach a main hallway covered entirely in steel. Bolts and iron surrounded them. Karl placed his palm on the side of the wall where another steel door opened.
"It looks like the topside world has some grievances. I was sure that none of you folks would remember us. Not that it matters when we are sufficient."
"Do you know what is happening?"
"Yes," Karl nodded. "A beluaman of the fifth layer of ether. Dangerous foe that could submerge the entire continent. What I don't get is why you fools are fighting on top of us. The settlement above is dead. Aured has their own databanks that could explain what is that you need here. Perhaps they thought we are a people that needed saving."
"Not that there are people here."
"Are you the only one here?" Damon asked.
"Most of them have died. The beluas living next door butchered those who tried to escape alone. If you people come here this far, then it means that you saw what happened to those who turned into livestock."
Damon narrowed his eyes. Karl caught him.
"You can just blame it on others for their lack of reasoning. There are those who knew became senile, forgetting how many cities, steelforts, and settlements are there in this world. Most of the continents have submerge, and we humans live in the subterrane for the purpose of hiding. We are trapped like rats in earthen cages."
"But the data says-"
"Data?" Karl snorted. "Our databank and satellite says that most of the central continent has sunk. But are they below the ocean? It's the opposite, there are floating cities still fighting against the tide. It encases many in the old technology that we once relied on. I don't know what happened that made Aured City come to our doors. But if you wish to know the truth, then here it is."
Karla turned on the projection. It showed a global map with the word Aarde on top of the screen. Damon squinted his eyes at the words 'Aarde'. His eyes showed he was curious.
"The name of our continent. Do you not know the name of the planet you live in?"
"No. We just don't think of the name of the planet."
"And there are eight continent?"
"Eight continents, and eight seas. Well, there are about seven now, two of them half-sunk and yet still fighting."
"How do you know all of this?"
"Steelfort are bastions of humanity. They kept in secret and preserved until someone breaches this fort."
"Then you are handing all of this to Aured City?"
They gave Karl a complicated look. Trying to measure what he wants and wanted to this data. It was already suspicious that they toom them to this place without even removing their weapons. Damon adjusted his posture slowly. The rest followed Damon.
"I can tear you people into shreds in five seconds. Is the outside world so dumb with violence that this is the first action you take upon knowing that I might not give you the data? Please, I am no butcher. For the Glory of Humanity, I shall give you the data, and in exchange, I shall be free from this place."
"That's really it?"
"What? You want to kill even though I will give you the data?"
"No," Damon loosened his shoulders. "We have enough of fighting for now."
"Good," Karl nodded. "If you kill me, then good luck getting the access keys. I have a deadman's switch in the databanks. I activated it upon knowing that I am facing the same kind."
Mei moved to the screen. She gawked at the map of the world with curious eyes.
"This is where we are?" She pointed at the dot in the mid-western of the map. "I thought there are only a few bastions."
Karl laughed. "Bah, do you think humanity is so weak? And then what, you also believe that Aured City is the only bastion in the world where humanity is still alive? Aured City isn't the only city in the world that has not succumbed to the plague of the belua."
"Have you seen the belua? Tell me, what do you think of these primitives?"
"They are in pack and they eat the surrounding ether?" Ralf answered halfheartedly.
Karl folded his arms. "The belua are weak and primitive. They are developing because we kill too much of them. Do you know what triggers them to evolve? Our constant slaughter made them go beyond the limits of their primitive bodies. You saw how the cattle humans are. The ether is not only friends with us. It shares through different beings. The difference is that we etherians have developed the pores in our body that allow us to use it to our bidding. The thicker the layer of ether permits inside our body, the harder, the stronger, and absurd we become."
"The databanks said-"
"Again with the databanks," Karl spat. "Look, I am not asking you to believe to me. But I am asking you to think for yourself. Do you believe anything you read just by being told that it came from the databanks? Tell me, if you were to read a senile old man's mind and he mumbles information that he thinks is accurate and the truth. But truly is not accurate or is far from the facts. Would you believe this old man's testimonies just because it came from the databank? The mind is determine by the person's views. Information can change easily. Just because the databank said that, would you believe it? The databanks are old and senile. They display information based on the data they perceive. So tell me, would you believe the senile so easily? They might think their information is complete, but knowledge comes from the information taken. Don't be foolish. Think about the information given and not come into the conclusion before you have everything you need to make your own. I am giving you this data, hoping the world can have an additional thought. Every information here shall be leaked, and that is why I hope that you people cooperate."