The sun bore down on us mercilessly as we stepped onto the barren soil of Mars. It seemed like a dream, or perhaps a nightmare, but there was no denying the reality of our situation. Zahra, Francis and I had chased Ivon through a portal behind Val, only to find ourselves in a world controlled by the Zephyran. As we surveyed our surroundings, it became clear that this was no desolate wasteland. The famous red planet known as Mars had been terraformed. Its atmosphere now resembled that of Earth. The air was thin, but breathable. It was a strange sight, to say the least. Remembering that this was not our Mars helped me focus on the mission before us.
The Zephyran had truly made the Martian frontier their home planet. Yet they were a malevolent force that needed to be stopped. Val wanted to put an end to Lord Emmanuel's reign but the Zephyran was standing in her way. We were going to clear that path for her. We moved cautiously throughout the capitol city known as Phyl Prime, hiding from the Zephyran patrols that roamed the landscape. Our objective was clear: find Ivon, but we needed Val as our guide in order to do that. She was nowhere to be found when we emerged on the other side of the portal.
We had almost lost hope when Val finally did appear and seemingly out of thin air. She explained that she had lost Ivon in the midst of a fight. He used his own Zephyran soldiers as a distraction to escape. She was certain that he was hiding in the Capitol building known as the Tower of Oak, deep within a forest. It was located in the center of the city.
Val told us that this forest was unlike anything I had ever seen. Towering trees reached towards the sky, their branches intertwined in a mesmerizing dance. But it was not just the beauty of the place that struck me; it was the sense of foreboding that hung in the air. The Tower of Oak was heavily fortified, surrounded by a giant thorn wall that seemed impenetrable. To get near the Tower, we had to use a secret tunnel that Zephyran insurgents built to mount an attack against Lord Ivon and his regime. I found it hard to believe that any Zephyran would be disloyal to anyone on Eric's side. Then again, whose to say all of his children are just as human as him and can see through his sham of a rule? As we approached the forest, tension grew within our group. We knew the risks involved, but there was no turning back now.
As the cold wind rustled through the leaves of the forest leading surrounding the Tower of Oak, I found myself standing before an intriguing sight. Yet we found that the forest's labyrinth was created to keep enemies of Lord Emmanuel from ever getting to his domain. However, opposition to his regime revealed to us revealed earlier that the existence of an underground tunnel that led straight to the maze's exit.
Determined to uncover the secrets hidden within, I found myself embarking on this daring adventure. Alongside Zahra and Francis, we followed Val as she led the way into the depths of the tunnel. The tunnel's darkness enveloped us, amplifying the tension that lingered in the air.
Emerging from the tunnel's mouth, we were abruptly met by the formidable Capitol guards of the Zephyran. Panic began to seize us as they encircled our small group. How could they have known we would use this hidden passage? Our secret was exposed. But how? They then told us that one of the rebels they captured told them the tunnel's location. Okay, not really surprising. How can you hide your thoughts from a telepath when you're one yourself? I highly doubt that rebel willingly gave up that info. The Zephyran have been known to be very deceitful in their tactics against their enemies.
We were quick to dispose of the guards before continuing towards our destination but we faced another roadblock—more guards rather. Val's power shielded us from the Zephyran guards' detection. However, Val warned us that a strong enough Zephyran mind could detect us.
Pressing on, our determination drowning out the sound of the forest. Suddenly, the tranquil silence was shattered as a lone Zephyran guard emerged from the tower on patrol. His piercing gaze scanned the surroundings, and I could feel his mind reaching out, searching for any abnormality. This Zephyran seemingly had a strong mind. Val had trouble keeping us hidden from his detection.
Before anyone could react, the guard's eyes locked onto us, his telepathic senses picking up on our hidden presence. Without warning, he fired telekinetic blasts at us.
With lightning speed, the battle commenced.
The night was thick with tension as we stood on the edge of the battle-ravaged forest. Val grew increasingly frustrated with our constant retreats whenever the Zephyran reinforcements arrived. I could see the determination in her eyes, a fierce gleam that promised both danger and desperation. Without uttering a word, Val raised her hands to the heavens and dropped them. Just as quickly as she did, a bolt of lightning knocked waves of Zephyran guards off their feet.
"You can all burn!" Val cackled evilly as she dropped several more lightning bolts from heaven in quick succession. Suddenly, a stray bolt hit a tree near by and it caught on fire. Before long, the fire started spreading.
As flames danced on the tip, I watched, conflicted by the moral implications of her actions. But there was no time for hesitation. Val added fuel to the fire by lighting up other trees with her lightning strikes. Soon thereafter, the bush wall protecting the Tower of Oak was ablaze. The chaos erupted before us as the fire spread rapidly, creating a mesmerizing spectacle. The Zephyran soldiers were immediately drawn to the commotion, their frantic attempts to extinguish the flames only aided our diversion. Seizing the opportunity, Zahra, Francis, Val, and I slipped through the chaos and darted towards the towering walls of the Capitol.
As we raced through the corridors of the Tower of Oak, I couldn't help but feel a sense of thrill mixed with trepidation. The air was heavy with the scent of smoke, and the sound of crackling flames echoed through the halls. We knew the risks we were taking were immense, as even the Zephyran soldiers who ventured too close to the inferno were engulfed in frightening pyres.
With every step we took, we encountered higher-level Zephyrans, each one more formidable than the last. Our hearts pounded in our chests as we engaged in heated battles, our will to survive echoing in each swing of our weapons. The strength of our camaraderie and our shared purpose propelled us forward, despite the overwhelming odds.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, we reached the top floor of the Tower of Oak.
In the center of the room was Lord Emmanuel, surrounded by a few high ranking Zephyran. He wore a smug smile as he congratulated us. Ivon's voice dripped with malice as he warned us that we wouldn't be leaving this place alive. His words hung heavily in the air, filling the room with tension. We exchanged glances, a mixture of determination and fear reflected in our eyes.
Without hesitation, the battle erupted. Swords clashed, sparks flew, and the air crackled with energy. Ivon's bodyguards fought fiercely, their skills matched only by their loyalty. But one by one, they fell, their lives snuffed out by our unwavering determination. Val, with her extraordinary powers, stepped forward. She mustered every ounce of her strength and unleashed a devastating attack.
"You're not going anywhere!" Val yelled at Ivon. In an instant, a brilliant explosion of light consumed Ivon. He was vaporized into nothingness. His sinister presence vanished, leaving behind an eerie silence.
As the dust settled, Val's eyes gleamed with victory. She had done it. She had stopped Ivon in his tracks. The fight he had with her was quicker than we all realized even though we were fixated on defeating his guards. She told us that she manipulated time itself to counteract his quantum chain's ability to dodge fatal attacks.
"He always used it to get away from me at the last second." Val explained.
The impossible had become possible. After years of trying to avenge her family's death, Val's mission was complete. She had us to thank for that.
We learned we couldn't stay in the tower any longer as the ground shook beneath us. Val saw with her mind's eye that the fires below had consumed every Zephyran in the surrounding areas of the Tower. The fire continued to spread wildly into the forest maze. The tower started to collapse but before it did, we followed Val through a portal back to the hospital on Rayloria.