Zephyr: The Elemental Clans

178 - The Lost Train

"Yeah... no shit Xyder was responsible. None of that helped us get closer to finding him, nerd," Fira stated bluntly.

I was so going to kill her.

"But if that's the case, then why hasn't this been reported anywhere?" Jaya pondered, "This is all out on the open. I know that few trains really ever come this way but surely another one should have passed and reported this after The Golden Lion's disappearance. It wouldn't have been a huge leap in logic to connect this to the missing train."

"You're right... if anyone saw this, people would surely connect the two incidents... which is why someone took measures to avoid people discovering it," I muttered.

"What do you mean by that? Are you on to something Dagan?" Storm pressed.

"I might be. Tell me, did the left tracks lead to anywhere important or significant? A town, village, farm, developed areas... anything?" I questioned.

"Ummm.... no, I don't... I don't think so no," Rydia thought back.

I don't remember seeing anything like that. Why?" Fira looked at me curiously.

"It's simple really. Both the left and right tracks connect to the same rail at the same place. Neither path leads to any place of importance. Considering that, let me ask you this: what was the point of the split in the first place? The left lane is longer and would use more energy and time to reach the sam0aÀ qqe destination, so why does it exist?" I put these questions forward to my allies.

"Why?" Satella asked.

"Does it matter? People are stupid, that's all," Fira waved me off.

Naomi stared down at the floor, deep in thought with a finger on her chin. She furrowed her brow slightly before her face lit up in realisation.

"Diversion!" Naomi declared.

"Precisely!" I confirmed, "I believe the left track is a new one, placed down to divert all future traffic far away from this site of carnage. Someone wants to keep Xyder's actions under wraps... but what and who has the financial and and physical ability to do something like creating an entirely new section of train tracks? One of the Elemental Clans? Or an unrelated powper with just as much influence?"

"Riiiiiiight," Fira purred, "And that helps us find Xyder how again?"

".............."

".........................."

".........................................."

"Well?!" Fira emphasized.

"It doesn't," I admitted.

"Nice. Good job Holmes," she spat.

"Fira, do you have a problem with me?" I asked.

"Me? Not one that I didn't always have, no," she answered.

"So then why are you so insistent on belittling me?" I hissed.

"I've always been this way," she shrugged.

"Yeah, I guess I forgot how much of a pain in the ass you always were in the time Duran made you his pet. It was actually nice not having to deal with you," I spat.

"Cool story bro. But all your rambling still hasn't got us any closer to Xyder has it?" Fira huffed.

"Yeah, yeah, fuck you too," I grunted.

"You wish you could with that nonexistent prick of yours," she cackled, in my face.

I grabbed her by the collar as I growled, "You little-"

"SLAP!!"

Before I realised what was happening, I was reeling from a powerful blow to the side of my face. Coming to my senses, I stared in shock at my attacker.

"Why me, Naomi?!" I cried out.

"Your eyes were funny," were answered.

"My eyes were- she was- ugh. It doesn't matter anymore," I gave in, "although my head suddenly feels so much clearer."

"Pffft. Everyone can see you're just being a big bab- Ouch!" Fira yelled, clutching her head as Alva's hand came down hard on her skull.

"Stop being such a brat," Alva sighed.

"But we still don't know where to go from here," Fira groaned.

"Actually, about that... I may have a way forward for us," Jaya announced.

We all turned swiftly to look at her and she jumped a bit in surprise.

"Oh... well... um... right," she managed to get out, clearly flustered by the excessive attention, "Well there are parts of the train lying around right? Maybe we can follow the scent directly to the train."

"...................."

"............................"

"...................................."

"What's with the silence?" Jaya enquired.

"Follow the scent?! Do you hear yourself?" Ciara blurted out, in total disbelief of what we'd just been told.

"I don't know about you Jaya, but my mother wasn't a dog and I am no bitch. I don't know whose sister you are if you are one," Naomi said, only half-jokingly.

"Wait you guys! Let me finish!" Jaya squealed, "We aren't doing the sniffing. This is!"

As she spoke, she dug deep into her backpack and drew out a small, rickety-looking, metal structure in the shape of a dog. She placed it on the ground beside some of the wreckage and after tinkering with it for a moment, it seemed to scan the steel shard and walked off in an easterly direction.

"Um.... what?"

"It's a prototype I'm working on! RoboDogs! It's rough around the edges but it can store scent as data and track it as long as there is a trace of it in existence!" Jaya explained excitedly, "Now stop resting on your backsides! We follow him to our next goal!"

****
Jaya's trusty little friend inched forward for what seemed to be ages. A few moons passed as the robot slowly and painfully trudged along atop it's stumpy legs, taking us all the way back towards the ranges before venturing deep within the intricately linked valleys. Eventually we found ourselves face to face with an almost unrecognizable, mangled mess of iron and debris that we soon realised was none other than the wreckage of The Golden Lion itself. Clawing our way into the unstable structure we looked for any sign or clue we could find. Blood marked every other corner of the vehicle, likely spilled by the passengers during the train's demise, however not a single body could be seen, despite the fact that a disaster of this magnitute should have seen at least a few fatalities.

We looked high and low, eventually happening upon a collection of strikingly crimson threads... threads we soon learned were far from artificial. With a gasp, Satella insisted with utmost certainty that what we were looking at was infact a tuft of Xyder's hair. The evidence seemed to point to this being organic as well, with the blood and what appeared to be scalp clinging to the edges suggesting that this was hair torn off in an incident.

Jaya's robot came in handy once more, ascertaining that the scent emanating from the hair wafted further up the mountains. We trekked along in a mixture of agony but also excitement at the thought that we may finally be approaching our goal.... We may finally be on the cusp of rescuing the others.

But of course, it wasn't so simple as being led directly to Xyder's face. We were taken to the well-hidden mouth of an ominous cave. A deep aura of hatred and malice bled out of the depths confirming in my mind that Xyder was cooped up within.

"This is it... we are about to enter the apex of our journey," I murmered, "Come on guys, let's head back to Barington."