Talulah glanced back at Koshelna, the confrontation between the two more tense than ever.
-What the heck do you want from me this time? - She asked, silently unsheathing her sword.
Upon hearing her question, the liberi woman faked an offended expression.
-Oh, can't I simply say hello to my dear daughter?
The Draco didn't reply back. Seeing this, Koshelna couldn't help but sigh in disappointment.
-Rebellious as always, huh?... - Her expression suddenly took a complete turn and became dead-serious. - Well, enough with the jokes. I think we both know why I'm here... Didn't anyone teach you how rude it is to eavesdrop on the conversations of others?
Talulah adopted a sufficient smirk.
-Truth to be told, I've never given a damn about the nobility's code of conduct you so dearly tried to instill me, but that doesn't matter now. I've heard everything, Kashchey. I know all about your plans to assassinate Gergeiev and replace him with a puppet of your own.
-Well, if that's the case... then come and stop me. - Replied Koshelna defiant.
Talulah gripped her longsword with force and began walking towards the liberi woman, resolute to end her miserable live right there and now... but, all of a sudden, she stopped in her tracks upon realizing something. This was what Kashchey wanted her to do, he was trying to trick her into killing him for his nefarious purposes.
Koshelna noticed the hesitation in the Draco and, grinning to herself, she said in a honeyed tone.
-Why did you stop? Weren't you going to kill me and put and end to my plans?
She tried her best to maintain her cool.
-I know you all too well, Kashchey. I'm not falling into you trap a second time.
Koshelna put on a stoic face, seemingly unfazed by the Draco's words, but in reality, she was hiding her annoyance. She had strapped a block of C4 onto herself with a device monitoring her vital signs connected to it. Had everything gone according to her plan, her death would have triggered such colossal explosion that the entire building would have been destroyed, and most important of all, vaporized Talulah in the process, yet her negative to kill her had sent everything down the sink.
After a brief silence, she spoke.
-You know? I'm a bit disconcerted. When I abandoned your mind, you were full of pain, shame, remorse, you were broken... but look at yourself now, so radiant and determined to continue fighting till the bitter end. It makes me wonder... What happened in the other world? - The Draco watched the liber woman with caution as she began to walk around her. - Tell me, Talulah. What was it? Did your visit to Earth bring peace to your soul? Did you have a sudden revelation, or...? - Her tone became malevolent and penetrating. - Or perhaps is that you met someone... special?
Not even a second after those words escaped from her lips, Koshelna spotted a torrent of fire coming towards her at such speed that she barely dodged it. When the flames dissipated, she was met by the sight of a very angry Talulah with her sword pointed in her direction.
-Wow, even though it was a mere conjecture from my part, looks like I was on the right. - Muttered the woman, visibly surprised. - You really got yourself a boyfriend...
-One word more and I'll cut your tongue off. - Hissed the Draco.
Her furious reaction greatly amused Koshelna, who adopting a mischievous smirk, said.
-Looks like I judged you a bit too poorly, my dear Talulah. I would have never imagined you'd fall in love with someone, specially after having lost almost all the people you cared for...
-No, I won't allow Will suffer the same as Alina and the others. - She replied, her words full of resolve. - I'll protect him with my dear life if it ever comes to that.
-So that's his name, huh? He must be a pretty handsome boy if he's managed to catch your heart. It would even interesting to meet him in person...
-Don't you dare! - Talulah furiously exclaimed. -I'm not letting you lay a finger on him, you vile snake!
The liberi woman let out a soft giggle.
-Don't be so violent, my dear daughter. At this rate you'll end up enraging someone... - The fake warmth in her voice vanished completely, revealing the pure darkness underneath it. - And believe me, we all would hate if something bad were to happen to your Willy... Hahahaa!!...
She didn't wait for her to finish. She had had enough.
Brandishing her sword, Talulah dashed towards Koshelna and threw a devastating slash. She reacted to the attack barely in time and bent her torso backwards, dodging the incoming blade by mere millimeters. After the initial shock, the liberi woman counterattacked with her gun and fired the entire cartridge at the Draco. She deflected the shots with her Arts, but it gave Koshelna enough time to close in and go for a punch to her jaw. Upon spotting her rival's move, Talulah blocked her fist and, with a swing of her sword, sent the liberi crashing against the wall. Koshelna attempted to stand up from the floor, but the wounds she had sustained rendered her unable to move. Seeing there was no other way out, she threw a glare at Talulah and said under her breath.
-Looks like you've got me this time, ughh...
-Don't be so melodramatic. - The Draco walked over to Koshelna and, pressing her sword's tip against her neck, added. - It's over, Kashchey. You've got no escape.
The liberi sighed in resignation. It seemed like everything had come to an end... but then, right when the two least expected it, they heard someone shout.
-Злоумышленники!! Открытый огонь!! (Intruders!! Open fire!)
The Russian soldiers unleashed a torrent of bullets in their direction, forcing Talulah to release Koshelna and seek refuge behind a shelf. The liberi did same, albeit unfazed by the shots and with a grin on her face, not believing her luck.
-Today's my lucky day it would seem. - She got back on her feet and, shooting a totally unconcerned glance at the Draco, said. - Well, it was an enjoyable meeting, yet I'm afraid it's time to take my leave.
Talulah's visage twitched slightly.
-You damned snake... Don't think I'll let you off so easily.
-Hehehehee, don't worry my dear. - Contested Koshelna in a mocking tone. - Sooner or later we'll cross our paths again, I have no doubt of it. Until then, goodbye... - She began to walk away, but right before leaving, she spun her head around and added and added a few last words of farewell. - Ah, before I forget! Next time we meet, please bring Willy along with you, I'm really dying to get to know him... And now yes, goodbye.
-Tch. - Talulah helplessly watched Koshelna slowly disappear into the darkness... until she was gone.
"I'll put an end to your evil plans, I swear", she silently said to herself.
Now that Koshelna had left the scene, the only enemies remaining were the Russians. Taking a hold of her weapon, Talulah crawled to a better position and took shelter there from the bullets flying overhead. The soldiers continued with their relentless barrage to try take the Draco down, but after a minute of constant shooting they ran out of ammo and gave her the opening to strike back.
- Посмотрите, вот она...AGGGHHH!!! (Look, there she is...!!)
Talulah's blade sliced two of the soldiers' throats at such breathtaking speed that their companions weren't able to perceive it, and before they could even react, her Arts engulfed and burned the entire squad, leaving nothing but ashes. With the battle now over, the Draco put her sword away and, picking up the lever she had dropped earlier, ran back to the fallen shelf. This time, she managed to move it a few inches, and after a few tries she finally released Will from beneath the shelf.
-Ughh... I was starting to think I would spend the rest of my days there... - Uttered the boy, pushing aside all the stuff covering his lower body.
-Sorry for keeping you waiting. I got delayed by an old rival. - Apologized Talulah.
-It's okay, Tal. I heard the discussion, it definitely wasn't your fault, but... - He glanced up at her with worry in his eyes. - The rival you've mentioned... Was it really...?
The Draco closed her lids for a brief instant.
-Yeah, it was him.
-Fuck*ng bastard, hadn't I been buried under that shelf, I would have butchered him for what he did to you. - He hissed, visibly angry.
-I know, Valery. I'm the first who wants him to pay for his acts, yet it wouldn't be of any use, at least for now... - She took a small breath. - Well, let's not distract ourselves any further. We need to find the others and get the hell out of here.
-Alright, let's go then.
Talulah helped Will get back on his legs and then the two began running back to the warehouse's entrance. The sound of their footsteps reverberated across the darkness as they made their escape, but not much time passed before they became stifled by the shouts of Russian soldiers and the first gunshots. Bullets rained all around them, decimating anything in their path, yet the couple tried their best to ignore it and kept pressing forward.
After several minutes of frantic chase, Will and Talulah made an unexpected turn left to lose their pursuers. It seemed to have worked at first, but bad luck made them stumble right into a Russian infantry squad. The surprise caused by the sudden encounter didn't last for long, and before anyone knew it the soldiers were pointing at the couple and about to open fire. Talulah extended her arm and prepared to deflect their shots with her Arts, but suddenly...
-SLASSHHH!! - A shadow moving almost as fast as light barged into the scuffle and cut the soldiers' heads off with extreme ease. When the last one dropped dead to the ground, the newcomer turned towards the couple, and there they recognized her.
-Texas!! - Exclaimed Will. - It's a relief to see you're...!
-Cut it, Will. - Contested the Lupo with a stoic expression. - There's no time for chit-chats. The Russians have discovered us, we need to get out of the HQ as fast as possible.
-Yeah, I concur with you, but... Where's Mostima? - Asked Talulah.
-Here! - Everyone turned their heads to the side and spotted the aforementioned Sankta coming out from the darkness with a box on her hands. - We got what we were searching for, now let's escape this place!
Talulah and Will followed the Penguin Logistics girls towards the exit. Outside the warehouse, Redblade was struggling to keep the Russian troops at bay, but the team soon arrived and together they pushed them back. The rest of the escape was an absolute nightmare, with alarms blaring furiously across the base and soldiers pouring from all directions to stop them. In spite of that, Will and the others made their way across the halls and, after minutes of intense fighting, they managed to abandon the building.
Upon setting foot on the courtyard, the team was met with gunshots from the Russian defenders to their side, which forced them to seek shelter at the service door's landing.
-Great, that's all we needed. - Cursed Redblade under his breath. - What are we going to do now?
-Leave it to me.
Talulah took a step back and, extending her arm, unleashed a storm of fire against the perimeter wall. The reinforced concrete didn't withstand the extreme heat and melted before the flames, leaving a giant gap. When her Arts dissipated, Talulah looked at the others and said.
-There's our exit route, now run!!
-Got it! - With her staffs in hand, Mostima went into the open and froze time around the soldiers to cover their escape. Once everyone had crossed through the hole and gotten out of the HQ's territory, the team rushed to reunite with Amiya and the rest. They found their partners several meters down the alleyway, trying to fend off a Russian squad.
-Hey, guys, it's them!! They've finally returned!! - Exclaimed Sora exultant upon spotting Will and the others.
-Heh, you do arrive at a good time! - Said Matthews, directing a glare at them while he shot back at the Russians. - I have no idea what you did in there, but you've managed to alert the entire garrison!
-Yeah, sorry about that. - Apologized Will, scratching his head slightly. - In any case, we've got Priestess's notes.
-Seriously? - The Doctor instantly turned towards his companions and shouted. Ok lads, you've heard it! We're leaving!!
Upon hearing this, the operators left their defensive positions and quickly retreated to the side alleys. The Russians went in pursue of the team, but the labyrinthine network of passageways proved very hard to navigate and, by the time the soldiers realized it, they had lost them...
Several hours later, Amiya and her friends arrived at a lonely waste ground, where they were finally able to catch their breaths.
-Damn, a little bit more and we would have been done for. - Uttered Croissant between pants.
-Maybe, but what matters is that we're safe for the time being. - Contested Will.
While this exchange took place, Mostima left the box she has been carrying through the entire escape on the ground and, raising her gaze towards her companions, said.
-Alright, guys. Here is the box we were all so dearly searching for. I have no idea of what could be inside, but I have the hunch it'll help us locate Priestess, so... shall be open it?
Her question was answered with a collective nod. Without skipping a second, Redblade kneeled besides the box and ripped off the sealing tape with the help of his blade. The others watched with increasing expectancy as the swordsman carefully opened the lid, and then...
-Wait, is that... a cube?
In effect, the first object which Redblade took out from the box was a strange-looking wooden cube. Its entire surface was polished and it didn't seem to have any distinctive feature whatsoever. To say that the operators were befuddled would have been an understatement.
-Let me see it. - Taking the cube between his hands, Matt knocked on the cube's side to determine if it was hollow. However, the dull noise he got in return showed it was completely solid.
-Leave it, Matt. It's just an insignificant wooden cube. - Will told his friend. - We still have an entire box worth of documents and other stuff to skim over.
-Yeah, you're probably right.
The boy put the cube down and, shifting closer to the box, began analyzing its contents along with the others. Hopes were quite high among the team members, yet as they grabbed documents and read them, things soon turned sour.
-Ehm... Could someone please explain me what the heck is this? - Asked Redblade, showing his partners an extremely aged sheet of paper, which had printed an image of an Originium Prime ore and cryptic text below.
-You ask me. - Replied Croissant. - I can't fully discern what's written on mine, but it says something like Certificate of ownership: AMa-10... What's that even supposed to mean?
-To be honest, I have no idea. - Answered Texas.
The team continued skimming over the other documents in an attempt to find anything of use, but to no avail. Disheartened by the lack of results, the Doctor distanced himself from the rest of the group and let his gaze wander around aimlessly, trying to think of an alternative... It was there that he noticed the wooden cube they had discarded to the side. He approached and lifted it up from the ground. "What secrets could this cube be holding from us?", he asked himself, spinning the wooden object on his hands.
Suddenly, a terrible ache assaulted him. The Doctor stumbled a few steps back while holding his head in pain, and there a memory flashed before his eyes.
"It was a pleasant summer afternoon. The warm rays of the setting sun caressed his pale skin and his ears listened to the breaking of the waves against the sandy beach. This idyllic scene was completed by the orange and yellow tones of the twilight sky, painting a beautiful landscape. A soft sound of humming prompted him to turn his gaze to the side, and there, sitting near him, was none other than Priestess.
-Today the sea is lovely, isn't it? - She asked, turning towards the Doctor.
Her mesmerizing lilac eyes left him unable to think of an appropriate response, but then he felt his lips move as if they had will of their own and heard himself reply.
-It certainly is. I had heard some of my colleagues say that the waves could get a bit too noisy, but to be honest, this place is rather calm.
-Yeah, I'm glad we came here for our anniversary... - She replied, her gaze fixed on the infinite sea.
Emitting a low hum of agreement, the Doctor remained silent for a brief while, yet sooner than later he resumed the conversation by saying.
-Speaking of anniversaries, I have something special for you. - A very surprised Priestess watched the Doctor stand up and search the backpack near him. When he sat back down, he was holding a wrapped gift in his hands. - Here, I hope you'll like it.
After a few instants of hesitation, she finally took the present and, glancing at him with a warm smile, said.
-Oww, thank you! I truly wasn't expecting a gesture of this kind.
-Heh, I know. - He answered. - I guessed that a small gift for our anniversary would be nice... but that aside, what are you waiting for? C'mon, open it and see what's inside.
She nodded her head and began ripping off the gift paper. The excitement contained in her lively expression was incommensurable, yet instants later it was completely replaced by confusion as she unwrapped the present and saw what it was.
-Ehmm... a wooden cube?
The Doctor couldn't help but chuckle a bit.
-Heh, I already expected a reaction like that... Here, let me show you.
With Priestess's curious gaze fixed on him, he took the cube and, much to her surprise, pressed a barely perceptible button on its surface, which activated a hidden mechanism and caused a small panel to spring out.
-Oh, so that was the trick. - She uttered in amazement.
-Yeah. It's supposed to be a puzzle cube where you can store personal pictures or any other stuff you want. - He explained.
-I can put photos in there you say? - Her face adopted a mischievous smirk. - Oh well, then I suppose I can store there that picture of you where...
Upon hearing this, a jolt of electricity hit the Doctor and, trying his best to hide his embarrassment, exclaimed.
-For goodness's sake, no! There's no need to remember that incident, please anything but that!
His agitated response elicited a giggle from Priestess, who, after having had some fun at his expense, proceeded to calm him down.
-Nah, don't worry, I'm just kidding. I would never preserve such embarrassing photo, even if they asked me.
-I hope so, because else I'll become the laughing stock of the entire Research Council, Evans and Friston included.
-No, I don't think so... - After a brief while of silence, she turned to the Doctor and spoke. - Well, in any case, thanks for the gift. Next time I'll make sure I return you the detail...
-There's no need for that. - Replied the Doctor, cutting her off. - Presents may be wonderful and such... but for me, the greatest gift I could have is you.
Without uttering a response, Priestess shifted closer to the Doctor. Their faces were mere inches away from each other, so close that he could feel her breath against his skin. They remained like that for a few minutes, until she finally leaned in and pressed her soft lips against his own in a long, passionate kiss..."
-Dokutah. Dokutah... Dokutah!!
The voice's insistence ended up breaking the Doctor from his daydreaming. Lowering his gaze, he saw Amiya standing in front of him with evident worry.
-Uhmm... Amiya, w-what's the matter?
-Well, we were trying to reach out to you, but you weren't responding at all. - Answered Matt.
-Oh, I see... - He looked back at the cube. The memories of the events he had just witnessed were fresh in his mind, and he didn't know for sure, but maybe... "Yeah, let's give it a try".
He slowly slid his hand over the wooden surface, eventually coming to a halt at the spot he had seen in his vision. Taking a short breath, he pressed with his index finger, hoping for his hunch to be correct... and to his satisfaction, it was. He heard the familiar click! Sound, followed by the hidden panel springing out into the open. Amiya and the others watched the scene in disbelief.
-Dude, how did you do that? - Asked Croissant, bewildered.
-Ehh... I had a gut feeling, that's all. - Replied the Doctor, trying to conceal his discomfiture.
-........ - Although unsatisfied by his lackluster answer, the team pushed the matter aside and focused its attention on the panel. Resting on it was a thin envelope which had written on it To Henry. Talulah grabbed the envelope and, after analyzing it for a minute, unceremoniously opened it. Inside she found what seemed to be diagram of some sorts, along with a note which read:
"If you are reading this, then it means I've managed to evade the FSB, at least for now. I don't have much time, so I'll go straight to the point.
I have discovered vital information regarding the Observers. Apparently, the attacks of 2107 weren't their first act of presence in our planet and they might even date back to the years prior to the Great Disaster. Now I'm headed to some ancient ruins to investigate the matter further. I've left the coordinates of the site together with a map I obtained from an ancient petroglyph.
Please, be careful out there. There could be dangers lurking among the shadows.
Goodbye."
Upon reading the note, Matt couldn't help but crack a smile.
-I have no clue of what she might be referring to, but hey, now we have means to locate her.
-Yeah, and I believe that the coordinates she's talking about are the ones written here. - Said Mostima, pointing at a set of numbers printed right in the middle of the diagram, numbers under which there was a half-erased inscription beginning with Krem.
-Wonderful! - Exclaimed Exusiai. - This discovery brings us one step closer to completing the mission!
The news elevated the team's mood greatly, with some exchanging happy looks among themselves... except for Will. The boy watched the map immerse in deep thought.
-Why does this chart seem so... familiar?... - He muttered in a low tone. Suddenly, he slapped himself in the forehead and cried out. - Oh my gosh! Why hadn't I realized it until now?
-Willy, what's the matter? - Asked Matthews with a concerned tone.
The boy glanced at his friend and said.
-It's the diagram, Matt. I recognize the line patters in it.
-Wait, you know what place it portrays? - Inquired Talulah.
-Yes. - He answered. - I recognize it because... it's a chart of Moscow.