Actions causes an effect. Damon has wondered if his actions would result to something. The databank of this steelfort showed valuable resources. The Resources that meant to be in the hands of the government is now free to be use by anyone. Information has a price. Damon was clear in this. Yet he did not take any action to suppress this flow of information. In the information was the records of the belua and their ability to evolve. This would cause a stir in every bastion city in the mid-central continent. The only information that was not in the databank upload was the key to the satellites in which Karl has in store for them.
"Honestly," Karl said to them. If your group didn't come then I was willing to destroy this place."
"Why?"
"It means that they have no need for information. Alternatively, that they have become too stupid to realize that information is key to power in this world. In any case, I do not want the beluas to decipher the information that we have here. Oh please, do you think that they are as stupid as you think they are? They have been developing nicely and they can adapt to anything that they find. One of the researches have seen that they are able to absorb information through their senses alone. If they learn our ways then our advantages would be gone in no time."
"You don't believe, do you?" Ares asked.
"I do believe it. I witness it myself. How they evolve and learn. We know how they are by now. This beluaman would have taken the information here. The top beluas will soon come and improve further."
His tone became grave. "In the Eastern Continent, where the last Hive Mother was seen lies the continent of the belua hives. In this continent, a beluaman that had reached the six layer of power reigns supreme beyond the primitiveness of our society. The belua itself are not evil, they are living creatures that seeks to nurture themselves in hope they can live better life. There is no creature in this earth that are truly evil. However, does it mean we must seek understand with such creatures? No, we cannot coexist with those who we do not share the same form. The only way to exist is for us to destroy them."
"And this is coming from the guy that wanted to destroy this place in case no one appears?" Ralf mocked.
"But you people appeared. Opinions change when there is a need for it to change. Mocked me all you want, but I rather see this steelfort burn than have all the information here taken by the belua. A beluaman in the fifth layer of power is by no means coincidence. A being that has power like that will not settle in a murky place where the swamp has taken over. If your Commander didn't exist then it would mean that you wouldn't have reached me."
"But talk is finally over. The time to finish has come. Let's go before we are killed."
"Killed?" Damon asked. "What do you mean? Did you set this place to self-destruct?"
"That and the beluaman does not work alone. They fight in pair and that is why if things come to pass then I shall block this beluaman."
Damon contemplated before nodding. The group of now five got out of the steelfort, heading to the tunnel that leads to the surface where a lift carried them to transport tunnel.
"Looks like this is functional," Karl said. The group went inside the tunnel. The tunnel walls were mossy and the floor has rusted. They drew their weapons as they feel a disturbance in the ether. The tunnel behind them broke. Karl did not hesitate to shout at them to continue after seeing the figure drape in mist.
The figure has tendrils for hair with skin of rubber. Two elongated fangs on the mouth. Two emancipated limbs that shone with steel. There was no time for them to be slow. They climb the shaft leading to the surface with their figures running upwards in a sprint that uses their ether to the fullest. It was then that they felt a huge concentration of ether gathering in the bottom of the shaft.
"Watch out!" Ares turned around. Ralf caught her and continued sprinting while Ares started gathering the ether as a shield.
Karl leapt backwards, and with his palm, he brought down enough power to send the remaining forces back to the beluaman. Damon continued his desperate climb with Mei. Reaching the lip of the shaft, he deployed his grappler stakes and pulled the three into the shaft.
However, that was not enough to hinder the beluaman chasing them. The beluaman crashed through that broken shaft and appeared wielding a spear made of ether.
Karl pounced at the beluaman. The beluaman kindly replied with a palm strike that shot Karl down. Damon held his vibrant blade and took the charge.
"Retreat," their communicators rang. "This is an Outrider of Haven. Retreat now, Outriders, before you are all caught."
Then they saw a flyer passing through the ruins in low altitude. The beluaman slapped the air, but the flyer passed through the attack with stomach churning maneuvers and headed straight to the beluaman, firing a payload that broke the area, throwing them away, suffering equipment damage. Standing up from the rubble, Damon raised his head and saw a figure drop from that same flyer.
Clad in gray a suit that looked nothing like theirs or Karl. This figure held no ether. However, as he draw his vibrant blade he felt the blade vibrate to a frequency that gave the blade a strange flaming black glow on it.
The figure in a gray suit struck the ether. What made them shock was the fifth layer of ether scarred by a blade. The figure twisted his body, landing a roundhouse kick on the chest of the beluaman, sending the monster flying.
Landing on the ground, opening a chamber on his vibrant blade, and reloading what seems to be a battery filled with ether?
The figure rushed again. The beluaman slapped the air; the figure rolled sideways, threw his grappler and zipped through the air. He landed his feet on the ground and pounced once again, this time, he was able to target the neck of the beluaman.
He reloaded his vibrant blade and followed with a strike just below the ribs! The beluaman screamed in pain and ether gathered like a vortex. The beluaman was the center.
The figure turned away from the beluaman. Swinging away as the beluaman began imploding from its innards!