Chapter 12: Uncovering Truths

Beneath a sky littered with countless moons, the other world stretched endlessly in eerie silence. The cracked, dry earth sprawled in every direction, broken only by jagged stones and the resting forms of Zagons, their hulking silhouettes barely shifting in the dim glow. Near the center of this desolate expanse, Sicrus, Zan, Josar, Mayzen, and Scray sat near one another, some perched on weathered stones, others standing in quiet contemplation. The air between them was heavy, the stillness filled with unspoken tension. Sicrus stood with his arms crossed, his sharp eyes scanning the horizon, while Zan leaned lazily against a rock, his expression unreadable. Josar remained seated, his hands resting on his knees, deep in thought. Scray, restless as ever, idly traced lines in the dust with his foot, his gaze flickering between the others. Mayzen, standing apart, watched the distant Zagons with an unsettling calm, his presence unreadable as ever.

A sudden ripple tore through the stagnant air as space itself twisted apart, forming a jagged portal in the darkness. The glow from the breach cast sharp, shifting shadows across the dry earth, briefly illuminating the silent figures gathered around. From the other side, Penim stepped through, his movements unhurried, holding a small grin. The portal sealed behind him with a sharp snap. His gaze flickered over the group, lingering on Sicrus for a moment before he exhaled and broke the silence.

Mayzen (without looking at Penim): You come without Andin.

Penim: Clearly.

A sudden blast of Intergy exploded against his chest, sending him hurtling backward landing on his back. The force knocked the breath from his lungs, a plume of dust rising from the impact. He forced himself upright. His jaw clenched, his fingers digging into the dirt as his vision cleared. His eyes burned with fury as he snapped his head up, his usual smirk replaced with an angered scowl. He saw Sicrus with a raised hand with Josar seen holding him back.

Sicrus: I’m so sick of your shit!

Penim: Fuckin Sicrus!

Sicrus: Mayzen, we can carry our shit out on our own. We don’t need this scum!

Zan smiles. Scray glares.

Mayzen: Stop, Sicrus!

Sicrus: I’m so done with this!

A heavy concentration of Intergy instantly formed in his raised hand. Gravity became heavier as Penim was building his own Intergy, ready to fight back too. However, Josar grabbed Sicrus by the wrist, holding him down, able to suppress the Intergy from Sicrus’s hand.

Josar: Sicrus, stop.

Sicrus kept his glare at Penim a while longer. Then he pulled back his Intergy and stepped a different direction pulling his arm away from Josar. Penim slowly got back up on his feet and brushed the dirt off of his clothes.

Penim: Fucker.

Mayzen: Sicrus, please control your temper.

Silence.

Zan: Well, shit! Hahaha.

Scray’s heart was pounding fast and heavily.

Mayzen: Why do you return without Troita’s president?

Penim: Zarnem showed up. Interfered and stopped me.

Mayzen: So, Zarnem knows you’re alive. And you didn’t try fighting him. You didn’t come back damaged.

Penim: See? I have self-control.

Mayzen: So, what exactly happened then?

Penim wipes the blood from the left side of his lip.

Penim: I released two of my cute hybrids. Surprisingly, they were destroyed a lot sooner than expected. Sen and his friends took them down.

Mayzen: Sen managed?

Penim: Of course. He didn’t even need powers from The Orb. His dark Intergy was already unfolding before Zan gave it to him. You did give it to him, right, Zan?

Zan: I did. I take care of my shit unlike you.

Penim ignores his comment.

Penim: So, there you go.

Mayzen: And Zarnem?

Penim: We spoke.

Sicrus: No shit. Get to the damn point already!

Penim rolled his eyes.

Penim: Zarnem thinks I started the war.

Zan: Hahaha. You?

Penim: He thinks I was the one who found The Orb and unleashed the Zagons.

Mayzen: And did you correct him?

Penim: Hell no! I took that chance to make him think I’m the one in charge.

Zan: You? In charge of us? Hahaha. That’s gold. I’d never respect you.

Mayzen: So, how much does he know?

Penim: Well, he’s aware of Sicrus and Zan. The rest of you aren’t a thought yet.

Mayzen: Good.

Penim: I’m sure he speculates there’s more of us though, which there are.

Mayzen: How much does Sen know?

Penim: Not sure. Haven’t met the guy.

Zan: I don’t get what the hype is about. Zarnem and I fought a little back in Clyden. He’s pretty pathetic. Ran away too.

Penim: Well, in comparison to most, he’s strong. Nothing like us though. Anyways, we made a deal.

Mayzen: Explain.

Penim: He’s going to let us into Krutone.

Mayzen: How so?

Penim: When Krutone’s gates open, he’ll allow us to get in. We just need to cause a bit of commotion. Since they’re cross Troita, chances are they’re going to get through Allatora, then Luria, and then finally Krutone.

Zan: I wanna make an appearance in Allatora! I want a real fight with Zarnem this time around.

Penim: That’s my end of the bargain.

Zan: Eh, I won’t kill him. I just want a fun rematch.

Penim: What about you, Mayzen?

Mayzen: Hm?

Penim: When are you finally going to fight?

Mayzen pauses.

Mayzen: Unnecessary. I’m only here to plan and gather intel.

Sicrus: So, what do we do now? Just wait until Zarnem’s slow ass gets to Krutone?

Mayzen: Capturing Andin was supposed to speed it up.

Zan: We could just meet them at Allatora. At some point we should make ourselves known. It’ll force Zarnem to move since Kyto’s slow ass ain’t doing shit.

Sicrus: Zan, not now.

Zan: I’m being totally serious. Hahaha. I really am.

Mayzen: Zan makes a good point actually.

Zan: Penim already made a scene in Troita. If we do it in Allatora also, I’m sure it’ll rush Zarnem even more.

Sicrus: And what about Sen?

Penim: What about him?

Sicrus: So, is he joining us?

Penim: You know that’s not up to us. Big boss has to make his move.

Silence.

Sicrus: Aku needs more time alone…

More silence.

Josar: I can go talk to him.

Silence.

Josar: I think he needs to finally speak to Sen.

Josar looks around a little.

Mayzen: I want to return to Zan’s idea. We meet Zarnem at Allatora. Make our presence known to them.

Sicrus: You think Aku will approve?

Mayzen: He will. We’ll be making a statement.

Zan: A very bold statement.

Penim: Zarnem may not hold his deal then. If he sees it’s more than just Zan and Sicrus, he may hesitate.

Mayzen: No. I may not know Zarnem like you do, but if it’s anything I know about selfish people, it’s that they’ll throw others down to save themselves. He’ll do it.

Sicrus: Has Zarnem said anything to Sen?

Penim: I don’t even think Zarnem knows who Aku is.

Mayzen: Good. Let’s keep it that way.

Zan: So, the plan is burn Allatora to shit, right? Then present ourselves?

Mayzen: Just enough damage. We’ll give Zarnem about a couple more days to get there. Then we pressure him.

Zan: I call dibs on making the first appearance! If Sicrus goes first, he’ll take all the fun, and I’ll deal with leftovers. Happens every damn time.

Mayzen: We can do that. Zan makes the first move.

Zan smiles.

Penim: So, we have a plan then?

Zan: Yeah. My plan.

One by one, the group began to disperse, the heavy tension lingering in the air even as they parted ways. Mayzen was the first to step into the shadows, vanishing without a word, his presence fading like a ghost into the endless night. Zan stretched his arms with a smirk before strolling off toward the distant Zagons, his excitement barely contained as he muttered to himself about the upcoming battle in Allatora. Scray, still unsettled, cast one last glance at Sicrus and Josar before shaking his head and heading toward the far side of the wasteland. Penim lingered for a moment, cracking his neck before slipping into the darkness, his footsteps soon lost in the silence. As the dust settled, only Sicrus and Josar remained, their pace slow as they walked side by side, their gazes fixed ahead. Neither spoke for a while, the weight of unspoken thoughts hanging between them. Finally, Josar exhaled, shaking his head slightly.

Josar: You really were going to destroy Penim back there. I could feel your Intergy.

Sicrus: Hell, yes I was.

Josar: You realize he’s the one who’s going to get Zarnem to open up Krutone for us, right?

Sicrus: I’m losing my patience with that asshole. He pisses me off more than Zan.

Josar: Wow. You like Zan more than someone else…

Sicrus: Yeah, Zan’s a monster, but at least he contributes.

Josar doesn’t reply.

Sicrus: Zan at least carries out his assignments. Penim is always doing his own thing. I don’t trust him. Mayzen doesn’t trust him. Hell, you probably don’t even trust him.

Josar: I don’t.

Sicrus: But Aku wants to use him to manipulate Zarnem for Krutone.

Josar: Aku is waiting too long in my opinion. I get that he needs time, but he’s just making Zagons. How many Zagons do we actually need?

Sicrus: So, are you going to talk to Aku then?

Josar: Yeah. If anything, I think we both should. I think he’ll listen to you more than me.

Sicrus: Aku appreciates you too. Don’t think he doesn’t like you.

Josar: Sometimes it feels like I’m always pushing the wrong buttons with him.

Josar scratches the back of his head.

Sicrus: Yeah. Well, we got in this together, so we gotta see it through.

Silence.

The aftermath of the battle weighed heavily over Troita. Smoke still curled from the shattered buildings, and the scent of scorched stone and blood lingered in the air. The streets, once filled with chaos, now carried only the weary echoes of survivors picking up the pieces. Soldiers moved through the wreckage, clearing debris and aiding the wounded, while civilians gathered in hushed clusters, their eyes still clouded with fear.

In the palace, Sen sat on a bench with his back against the wall. Little by little, he integrated Intergy to his still hurt shoulder, healing himself as best he could. Yerah carried over towels as Dain returned with a small metal pitcher, cool condensation forming along its surface, and poured water into a basin beside them. He wordlessly handed Sen a cup, watching as his friend exhaled sharply before taking a slow sip. The silence between them wasn’t uncomfortable, just heavy.

Dain: You sure you don’t want help?

Sen: I’m good. I gotta learn how to do this myself anyways.

Yerah: I can ask Ira if she can come help.

Sen: No… she’s still in shock.

The three of them remembered Fex.

Dain: Do we know if Zarnem is back yet?

Sen: Yeah, he’s back. President Andin also.

Yerah: We’re supposed to meet with them at the main hall.

A minute of silence. Sen continued healing his shoulder.

Yerah: Do Makota and Shera know we’re supposed to be in the main hall?

Sen: Not sure.

Yerah: Maybe I should go find them and let them know.

Dain: Yeah, let them know.

Sen: Do you know where they’re at?

Dain: They might be in the waiting room we were in before the attack.

Yerah: Alright, I’ll go tell them.

Sen: Ok.

Yerah leaves. Minutes pass.

Dain: So, this Penim guy according to Zarnem is responsible for these monsters, eh?

Sen: Yeah. Or at least that’s what he’s been reporting around.

Dain: At least?

Sen: Hm?

Dain: You said ‘at least’ like he’s lying or something.

Sen pauses for a moment.

Sen: Can we talk a bit?

Dain: Aren’t we already?

Dain sits by Sen.

Sen: Something happened in Revano.

Dain: Hm?

Sen: Zarnem told me keep quiet.

Dain became concerned.

Dain: What now?

Sen sighs.

Sen: Back in Revano, we got out like nothing.

Dain: Yeah, I wanted to ask about that too. You went with Zarnem to see Osin.

Sen: I did… and Zarnem was explaining to Osin that Penim is behind it all.

Dain: Yeah, we knew that already though.

Sen: And that was supposed to be enough for Osin to just let us all go?

Dain: Hmm…

Sen: Why is everyone against this Penim guy? Even Osin.

Dain: And he just let us free, all because of the name Penim.

Sen: Right… but I’ve been thinking more. Osin is evil. He’s a dictator. Just look at how he runs Revano.

Dain: Ok, right. But we knew that.

Sen: His people are suffering more than the people of Eztan or even here in Troita.

Dain: Yeah, I’d agree.

Sen: But the thing is, I use to hate the people of Revano. But after seeing them hungry. Hurt. Lost.

Sen pauses.

Sen: I think they hate Osin also. But they worship him.

Dain: Ok. Where are you getting at?

Sen: I guess what I’m saying is, it was never the people’s fault, the people in Revano, or even Revano soldiers. It’s Osin’s.

Dain: Right…

Sen: So that means, Osin is the reason my parents are dead… my parents died to Revano soldiers…

Silence.

Sen: But that’s not what I’m stuck on. We’ve known this…

Dain: You’re talking about Zarnem.

Sen: Yeah… when we were in Revano, he told me to keep quiet. I did. But the way they talked, it was like they were friends.

Dain: So, that’s how we got out so easily.

Sen: We got caught by those spies in the White Forest… or did we? Did Zarnem lead us into them?

Dain: What do you mean?

Sen: We were all tied down right away… All of us… except for him.

Dain: Oh… now that you mention that.

Sen: All of us just thought it was because Zarnem stood his ground, but now I’m starting to think he led us there. He wanted to see Osin.

Dain: Damn…

Sen: And the way they spoke. It’s like they worked together to kill this Penim guy.

Dain: And so Penim is retuning with a vengeance.

Sen: Right. We could all see how Fex was losing trust in Zarnem. I wanted to talk to Fex.

Dain: But he’s dead now.

Sen: And now I don’t know if I’ll find the truth to Zarnem.

Dain: It’s odd enough he would leave a leadership position from Krutone.

Sen: Exactly that too. He was a captain there. No one just climbs the ranks that high and then leaves.

Dain: What are you thinking of doing then?

Sen: I want to talk to Zarnem about it, but every time I do, he disregards me almost immediately. He’s always dodging questions.

Dain: I see… You don’t trust him too.

Sen: It’s not that I completely distrust him. It’s just, I’m losing that trust.

Dain: So, what now?

Sen: I mean, we still have to get to Krutone. We’re already this far.

Dain: We can always turn back.

Sen: Yeah right. And go through the White Forest again?

Dain: Damn…

Sen: Besides, I’m not going to leave her with him.

Dain: Hm?

Sen: Yerah.

Dain: Oh.

Sen: If we leave, the three of us leave together.

Dain: Haha. Not Makota, Shera or even Ira?

Sen: They can if they want.

Dain: But you’re not leaving Yerah behind.

Sen doesn’t say anything.

Dain: Are you growing to like her even more? Are you going to tell her?

Sen: Tell her? Tell her I like her?

Dain: Yeah.

Sen: No way. Dude, we’re in the middle of a war.

Dain: Ok, and?

Sen: War is not the time for a relationship.

Dain: Fair point.

Yerah was quietly waiting outside. She heard everything. Quietly, she left in shock.

Dain: Anyways, we should really get going to meet with the rest of them. Is your shoulder doing better.

Sen rotates his shoulder slowly.

Sen: Yeah, it’s a bit better now. Let’s get going.

The main hall of the palace, though still standing, bore the weight of Troita’s recent devastation. The high ceilings cast long shadows over the polished stone floors, where faint traces of dust and rubble remained from the attack. A lingering tension settled in the air as Sen and Dain entered side by side, Yerah just behind them. Makota and Ira were already inside, their expressions unreadable as they stood near the massive round table at the center. Zarnem was there as well, arms crossed, his stance rigid, his gaze flickering between each person as if anticipating confrontation. At the head of the table stood President Andin, his presence commanding yet weary, the toll of leadership evident in the lines on his face. A handful of guards stood along the walls, their presence more symbolic than necessary. For a moment, no one spoke.

Andin: First, let me thank all of you here for assisting with the Zagon outbreak. I want to show appreciation by letting you all stay for the night. Food, water and rooms will be provided. The sun is setting, and it would be unsafe to travel in the night. Please accept my thanks by offering this palace to you.

Zarnem nodded.

Andin: Secondly, I will be sure to arrange supplies for all of you before you go. It is another show of gratitude for fighting by us. We only survived because you were here with us, so I thank you for stepping by our side.

Andin looked down to his papers.

Andin: Thirdly, tomorrow morning, we will arrange a proper burial for Fex.

Silence.

Andin: Fex fought and died although he was not from Troita. He’s a soldier from Clyden who protected us, and we will honor his life with Troita’s gratitude.

Ira got up from her seat and left. Makota and Shera looked up to see her leave. Sen, Dain, and Yerah kept their composure.

Zarnem: Please excuse her.

Andin: No, it’s fine. I understand. Please, let her have her time. No need to excuse her.

Zarnem: We do thank you for allowing us to stay the night, and for everything you’re providing.

Andin: It’s the least we can do for your help.

Zarnem: Is there anything we can do to help the people here?

Andin: Oh no, no. It’ll be fine.

Zarnem: We can contribute a little to Troita before we leave.

Andin: No, no. You’re ok. These people will work in the name of Yeshma. It’s fine.

Zarnem: Oh…

Andin: Yes. Please don’t worry about it. It’s really no issue. Tell them they’ll go to heaven and they’ll do the work. It’s really no problem.

Zarnem: Understood…

Andin: But is there anything else I can do for you?

Zarnem looks over to his crew then back to Andin.

Zarnem: No, everything is fine. You’ve provided enough.

Andin: Ok, I’ll see you in the morning.

Zarnem: Thank you again.

Everyone left the room. Ira was outside wiping her tears. Makota and Shera wanted to comfort her but Zarnem was already approaching her. Sen, Dain, and Yerah watched from a distance.

Zarnem: Ira. Are you—

Ira: Where the hell were you?

Zarnem paused.

Ira: Fex died… and you were no where to be found. We waited so long for you, and then the attack happened! We could’ve used you!

Zarnem: I was fighting also, Ira!

Ira: I’m talking before that! If you were already with us, he’d still be alive! And you came back without a scratch on you!

Zarnem: I was caught up!

Ira: Caught up with what!?

Zarnem: I was protecting President Andin! He was with me!

Ira doesn’t reply.

Zarnem: I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for Fex, but I was protecting Troita’s president!

Ira (crying): It’s just not right…

Zarnem watches her weep.

Ira: We grew up together. We went to the same school and taught together at the same academy.

Zarnem: I know… but remember Fex fought for us. He didn’t die in vain.

Ira didn’t say anymore. She left. Zarnem looked back to see the rest of the crew listening in to the conversation.

Zarnem: Speak to the guards or maids to find your rooms.

Zarnem leaves.

The sun dipped lower on the horizon, casting long shadows through the palace corridors, stretching across the cracked stone like silent specters of the day’s losses. A somber stillness settled over the group as Zarnem disappeared from sight. No one moved right away. Makota and Shera stood uncertainly. Sen, Dain, and Yerah lingered. The halls felt emptier now, the grandeur of the palace doing nothing to ease the growing fractures between them all. For the first time since this war had begun, the idea of moving forward felt heavier than before.