Prisoner of the Amulet

CHAPTER 10

PTD, or personal transport disc, wasn't larger than a common palm in an inactive state. But once powered, he could enlarge up to five meters in diameter. Which was more than enough to transport even the largest among them, the battle vards.

Sanomis used them in every visitation to the surface. Which was to be expected, considering the vastness of the territory he was covering in his research. Without the help of these useful, little things, he knew he couldn't even manage to do the tenth of it. No wonder they were provided with them. The accelerated exploratory process was finally making sense, once Sanomis discovered the real reason for their arrival on this planet.

The gathering of the information in conventional methods, would certainly give more accurate facts and data. But it would 've lasted for far too long. Those who planned this vile mission, undoubtedly knew that. They most likely knew they had a limited time period of staying on Dorull. This device lowered the risk of being discovered. So they could faster and easier enslave the unfortunate ones, who called this place a home.

It was almost poetic that Sanomis had decided to use precisely this device, as a mean to help in stopping them. Although, that turn out to be much harder, then it firstly seemed. There was still one major obstacle he had to solve, before he could even proceed. PTDs could only work, once they've detected the life form. And as the geologist planned to use them in an attempt to deceive his likely pursuers, he had to find a way of tricking the discs into believing his particular life form is on all of them. One other problem was that the PTDs had to transport him to the designated locations, at the same exact time.

Sanomis had spent almost an entire night, thinking about the predicament he had found himself in. But whatever new idea presented itself, he would always stumble upon the same exact problem. He was all alone. And he somehow had to find a way of being many. More precisely, he had to figure out a way to be in several places, at the same exact time. For the time was the main thing he was wanting to spare. Otherwise he knew, the time would not be the only thing he'd lose, on his long journey towards the village of Vur-Paan.

Sanomis was now almost willing to accept that this long and tedious walk was the only thing left for him to do. He was already loading the map of the Chaygor region on his display, in order to check for the apparently fastest routes leading towards his destination. It wouldn't take long before he dismissed the first couple of them. They were passing by far too many orcish settlements along the way. Sanomis was already marking the third route for the closer look, when he got interrupted by a small, and rather curious visitor. A visitor, which will turn out to be quite a helpful one.

It was a plain field mouse. Somewhat outside of its usual area of living, since the nearest field wasn't exactly, well, near. Mouse hopped right into this cave, most likely drawn by the remains of the food. It Stopped itself straight in front of Sanomis. And on top of the broken and discarded piece of nutritive bar, the geologist accidentally dropped, while eating. The bar was rich in taste. Full of proteins, vitamins and minerals. Everything vards needed. No wonder it was a food of choice for many of them. So no wonder, the mouse devoured it in mere seconds. And the little animal wanted more.

The mouse moved towards the geologist. Closer and closer. Until it was only a pace or two away from Sanomis. Animal enjoyed the food so much, it forgot about its own safety. It stopped being afraid. It only thought about the next bite. The mouse stood up on its back legs, stretching the front ones towards the geologist. Tiny, pinkish nose wiggled from left to right, as it was catching the pleasant scent of the food, still coming from Sanomis' general direction. it looked as if the mouse was asking for more. As if it was begging him.

"Are you still hungry?" Sanomis asked, breaking off a piece of the bar.

The mouse squeaked, as if it was confirming that. As if it understood.