As Adibahari turned to leave, the chief called out, halting him in his tracks.
"Wait. The one in charge is Nefentes. He's the king's puppet. The Minister of State's Resources. He's the mastermind behind this project," the chief miner confessed, his voice laden with the weight of truth and a lifetime of burden.
His shoulders slumped as he spoke, the fatigue etching deep lines on his weathered face. It was as though the gravity of his revelations pressed him into the very earth beneath his feet.
"I, too, am a Tias," he continued. "Most of us here are just leftovers from the nobles' table. We're like pieces on a game board, moved around by those in power. No matter how hard we work, our lives are controlled by those who sit on their thrones."
The chief's eyes fell to the ground, seeking solace in the earth beneath him.
Suddenly, Lantana's voice broke the silence, sharp with defiance. "But what about the Antlers?" she asked.
"Antlers?" Adibahari repeated, intrigued by the mention of these mysterious figures.
The chief's expression darkened, a shadow passing over his tired face at the mention of the Antlers. "The Antlers are supposed to protect our people, to uphold justice and righteousness," he explained, bitterness creeping into his voice.
"But in reality, they've become mere puppets, controlled by the powerful," he continued, his words heavy with disappointment. "Since the Great War that devastated our land three centuries ago, the Antlers have lost their way. Some still hold onto their noble ideals, but others have been corrupted by the decay that plagues our society."
"We still believe that Axinite Antler is alive out there, because the Axinite stones here still glow," the chief continued. "Only we know this secret. But our Antler has never come to help solve this problem. Instead, he declared his death to the public," he said, his voice trembling with deep disappointment.
Suddenly, a gigantic roar echoed from within the mine caves. The ground shook. Workers scattered in fear upon hearing the sound.
"What's that noise? Adi, I'm scared!" Lantana clung tightly to Adibahari, her face pale with fear.
"That's the roar of Meloidee. Maybe we've dug into its territory by mistake. We're in trouble," the chief miner said with a worried tone.
As they emerged from the room of the chief miner, an unsettling atmosphere lingered in the air, thick with apprehension and uncertainty.
"Almaz... Almaz... Almaz..."
A haunting whisper echoed from the depths of the cave, each repetition of the name sending shivers down their spines. Yet, it was a voice that only Adibahari could hear, its origin obscured by the shadows of the room.
At first, the utterance was no more than a faint murmur, barely audible above the din of their surroundings. But with each repetition, it grew clearer, its enigmatic call drawing Adibahari inexorably closer, like a moth to a flickering flame.
Driven by a mysterious compulsion, Adibahari found himself compelled to heed the beckoning voice, his footsteps guided by forces beyond comprehension.
In a trance-like state, he ventured deeper into the labyrinthine passages of the cave, the whispers of the unseen entity echoing hauntingly in his mind. The glow from the Axinite stones provided some guidance for Adibahari.
Adibahari continued to walk deeper into the increasingly dark cave. Before him, there was a puddle of water. He assumed it was just an ordinary puddle, but it turned out to be a trap. Adibahari fell into it and immediately lost consciousness. When he woke up, he found himself in another dimension.
In front of him stood a majestic, gigantic Meloidee, a giant beetle. Its wings spread wide, its eyes glowing with rage.
"Almaz, what happened to you? Why do you have no light surrounding you?" the creature demanded.
Adibahari stood up, his eyes widening in shock at the sight of the Meloidee before him.
"Meloidee, I mean no harm. I only seek a way out of this predicament," Adibahari spoke, his voice trembling with nervousness.
"Almaz, what do you mean by no harm? They killed my children right in front of my eyes just seek for wealth." the giant Meloidee demanded. The entire cave resonated with its rough voice.
"Who killed your children? And why do you keep calling me Almaz? Maybe you have mistaken me for someone else." Adibahari replied, confusion evident in his voice.
"It was the Axinite Antlers," the Meloidee growled, its eyes burning with sorrow and rage. "They are the ones responsible. And you... you look just like Almaz, the one who once fought for us."
Adibahari's heart pounded in his chest. He had heard tales of the Axinite Antler, a powerful Antler during the war but he doesn't know that Axinite Antler could be this cruel? And also why was the Meloidee confusing him with this Almaz?
"I am not Almaz," Adibahari insisted. "But I can help you. Tell me more about these Axinite Antler and why he would commit such atrocities."
The Meloidee's eyes softened, but the pain remained. "Your face... you look just like my friend Almaz, our guardian who vanished after the great war. But you're too young to be him. The Axinite Antler is one of them that destroying our homes and killing our kin. If you truly want to help, get me Axinite Antler!"
Adibahari took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. "But the Axinite Antler was died centuries ago." he explained, hoping to calm the Meloidee's rage.
The giant beetle's eyes narrowed, and it shook its massive head. "You are mistaken." the Meloidee said, its voice filled with a grim certainty. "The Axinite Antler may have died, but he still alive. He lives among the commoners, hidden in plain sight."
Adibahari felt a shiver run down his spine. "How do you know this?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"It's impossible for him to be dead, for his power can still be felt through the Axinite stones here," said Meloidee, her voice a mixture of sorrow and hope, its massive, beetle-like form casting a long shadow.
"If that's the case, give me a clue to find him. I don't know him, let alone how to bring him to you," replied Adibahari, stepping closer, his brow furrowed in determination.
"Take this Axinite stone," Meloidee said, reaching into a crevice in her armored exoskeleton and pulling out a shimmering, brown orange stone. She enormous mandibles clicked softly as her spoke. "It will glow brightly when he uses his Astakona as you draw near. But remember, be careful with him, for his heart is as hard as stone. He feels nothing," Meloidee warned, her multifaceted eyes reflecting the dim light as it pressed the stone into Adibahari's hand.
Adibahari accepted the Axinite stone, feeling its cool surface pulse with a faint energy. He looked up at the towering monster, swallowing his fear.
"You have one month." Meloidee continued, its voice resonating deeply. "Bring him to me. If you fail, know that not a single soul will remain in Apokarpa."
As Meloidee finished speaking, she raised one of her massive limbs, and a sudden swarm of beetles emerged from behind her, their wings buzzing loudly as they flew swiftly toward Adibahari. The insects enveloped him, and his vision went dark.
When he regained consciousness, he was met with the sound of Lantana's crying. He blinked, trying to clear his vision, and saw Lantana standing before him, her face streaked with tears.
"Adi!" exclaimed Lantana, rushing to his side as she saw her friend stirring.
"What happened?" asked Adibahari, clutching his aching head and slowly sitting up.
"You suddenly fainted." replied Lantana, her voice tinged with worry as she knelt beside him and helped him to his feet. She brushed dirt from his shoulder, her touch gentle but urgent.
"I... I met Meloidee." Adibahari began, his voice shaky. "She told me she wants the Axinite Antler for revenge." He winced as he recalled the towering, beetle-like monster and the intensity of their encounter.
"Is that true?" Lantana asked, her eyes widening in concern, her hand resting on his arm for support.
Adibahari reached into his pouch, feeling the cool, hard surface of the Axinite stone that Meloidee had given him. He pulled it out and held it up, the stone shimmering faintly in the light. "Here," he said, showing it as proof.
The Chief Miner, a stout man with a weathered face and piercing eyes, stepped forward. His expression was grim, his movements deliberate as he approached. "What will happen if we don't give her the Axinite Antler?" he asked, his voice steady despite the tension in the air.
Adibahari turned to face the Chief Miner, his gaze resolute and unwavering. "She will destroy this land until there is no trace of life left." he replied, his voice carrying the weight of the dire warning. The room fell silent, the gravity of the situation sinking in as everyone exchanged anxious glances.