"What do we do now?" One of Radhika's friends asked as she collapsed to the ground. Her expression was blank, but somewhere in her cloudy eyes there was an insinuation of horror.
Nobody answered.
"Can this key have a duplicate or something?" Drio asked, though no mark of hope was on that statement.
"Well, there isn't mention of any..." Saaret trailed away. "I cannot help with information I don't have. And that list is very small."
"We can at least try to find clues. Anything that helps us get close to... Juvo." Lily sniffed. Her eyes were glistening, yet tears didn't fall. As her perception of the world blurred, she looked away and wiped her eyes.
"Jayden, man come help me with this," Markus called.
He went to him and the both of them helped Drio get the idol up straight on the ground.
"I looked everywhere, it's solid", Drio said looking down.
"Needed a ball light. Would've helped examine the hole," Sanduo said as he failed to get any angle that offered a clear view all the way to the other end of the hole.
"What you refer to, is it that piece of technology that is a small sphere that emanates light?"
"To put it flatly, yep." Markus replied. He put his middle finger through it. "Can tell this much that it's bigger than this."
"Come on, Markus," Jayden hit him on the shoulder.
"What? I have nothing else that's thin and long which can be used to measure the depth of this hole. What did I do wrong?" He apparently had no idea what he had just done.
"Here you go," Saaret handed the ball light to him. "Good enough?"
"Yeah... You had this? How c-"
"Got it from the lads in the Sanctum."
"When?" Jayden asked.
"Now. I can make instantaneous jumps. Does it matter?"
"No," Markus grumbled as he put the ball light in the hole. It dropped to the bottom and glowed.
"Let's have a look," Jayden crouched beside him.
The IMG waited in anticipation of an observation as the duo examined the hole. "What do you see," Lily called over, her hands crossed and a slight frown on her forehead.
"Well, it has circular indentations like the key hole on the book. Nothing else really." They took the ball light back. "Nothing else."
They were in a trance now. What would they do? How could they find Juvo?
Amidst the forlorn crew, Lily's face lit up. Sierra spotted it. "What?" she almost whispered, her voice quivering with emotion.
She looked at Sierra, then to all of them. "We need to get back." She turned to Saaret. "But not the monastery. Take us to the temple on Zyphon."
"Why may I ask?"
"The Gods," she whispered, a smile appearing on her face, brightening it. "Genius."
"What are you talking about?" a boy asked aside Radhika.
She looked at him, momentarily, then went to Jayden and Markus. In her pace was an unnatural swift.
"Guys, Juvo got lured away."
"What?" both of them asked in unison as they suddenly stood up.
"The story. It suggested that the key was lost here," she pointed to the ground where pieces of debris still lay scattered, "but what happens then? If anyone like Juvo comes for it, they will definitely come here. Right here!"
"What are you trying to imply?" Sanduo stepped forward, his daughter behind him.
The senceptian stood poised right by them, listening intently. "Sir, what he found is not the key," now she was grinning, "It's a decoy. A hoax. The Gods knew a scenario like this could someday arise. They created the story based on it. We still have a chance."
They stared at her for a moment, processing everything she had said in their minds, then all of their faces lit up and smiles crossed their cheeks. They were all impressed, particularly Saaret. "Wow. Marvellous. You are a bright young lady."
"Thank you!" Lily blushed.
"Well, take us back then," Radhika told him.
"Sure," he prepared each of them. After a few moments they were set. "Off you go now."
They vanished the next instant and reached their destination.
The birds trilled as they flew from one branch, only to perch on top of another. The large corridor leading to the iron table was now filled with Radhika and her friends as they looked around the new place.
Sharlotte felt her getting closer to her goal. I won't fail you. Or this Multiverse. I will return back, victorious; in every way. She looked at the IMG, as they chatted and congratulated Lily. Really, they all are great. Good from the heart. They will be so successful once they get back.
She went upstairs. In the mirror, she looked at herself. Then her gaze fell on her amethyst necklace. Her face loosened and concern took over happiness. I hope you all are alright. She wanted to see her family again. She wanted to know they were okay. But she knew she must wait. She must finish what she was there for.
They all had dinner a little later. As Markus put a dencilinian leg in his mouth and Sierra pinched him after failed attempts of slowing him down causing the leg to fall back on his plate, Jayden put fries in his mouth and smacked his fingers dressed with a delicious dip. As always the chefs were satisfied having given them exactly what they had wanted and stood nearby with happy faces.
"Good job." Lily heard, suddenly. It was Jayden. He was smiling with his dazzling eyes. "You gave us hope. Put us on the right track again."
"Yeah, cheers for Lily!" Sanduo raised his glass. All of them clacked their glasses and followed a loud "Hip hip hooray!"
"Oh, thanks so much! I will try my best and give this mission everything I've got!" her expression conveyed the most pure form of happiness and her smile touched all of their hearts as she celebrated alongwith them, cherishing the night that they had dedicated to her.
__________
A little later they went to sleep. Rooms for the newly come came out of the ground right outside the monastery. Lights flickered and glowed in the night and Radhika entered the newly created space. The rooftop was transparent like her home here, to allow her see the swirling colours in the skies. They relaxed and lulled her to sleep as she got lost in them.
She laid down in the comfortable bed and exhaled deeply. Her father coming back to her for a purpose was the best thing that she could ever have imagined happening to her. She held on to the thought of having him by her side for as long as she could, and drifted into a sweet dream.
__________
In her room, Sharlotte was already asleep. Two hours passed with her sleeping comfortably. Then she started dreaming.
"Where am I?" Sharlotte looked around. It was black. She could see herself clearly but nothing else. She stepped aimlessly and reached out with her hands, "Hello?"
Plop.
She looked around again, but this time, a sound attracted her. Plop. Water? She followed the sound. After walking a short distance she found a stream. A single tree stood by it, its leaves wet and trickling water. Why is it wet? What is this place?
She made out a hum. It increased in volume as if it was coming towards her. She felt herself getting warmer, heartbeats racing in anticipation.
The noise grew louder and suddenly stopped. Perplexed she called out again, "Hello? Where am I? Is someone coming?"
"Yes." The wind carried a voice.
She got chills. But recognised the tone.
"You have done well child. Exactly as I have told you to."
"I have followed, Lord Kahaden. Exactly as you have asked me to."
"You shan't go unrewarded." The surroundings turned from black to white and got blinding.
Sharlotte woke up.
Panting, she poured herself a glass of water. She drank it and put the glass back on the table. She sat straight for sometime. How did he get into my head? And a reward? Commendable... but that was scary.
She pulled her blanket over and turned to a side. Just get some sleep.
__________
In the prison, the prisoner looked outside the window. He saw random colours flying past the ship and worlds unlike anything what he had ever seen. He didn't know where he was headed or what Juvo had in mind for him. Either one was damned to be unpleasant.
His harnesses restricted him from any movement. He could only sip water that flowed through a conduit in the wall and another liquid which had a conduit of its own. It was food. He never had enough. But his hunger did not bother him at that moment. He knew what he needed to do. What he had to do.
"Saaret?"
He hoped him to respond.
And following his calling, Saaret materialized in front of him. "Jarka. Hybrid of three species. Traitor to Juvo, and rescuer of the IMG when it wasn't even formed. What can I do for you?"
"If you'd do the courtesy of letting me out. I need to warn them. The IMG, they are here right?"
"How do you know that?" Saaret sat by him.
"I saw them getting killed by the Gods."
"That's unlikely."
"Urgh! I saw it! After Juvo brought me here, I had this vision. I heard this voice. It told me to find them."
Saaret considered it. He was already astonished by the fact that he knew Juvo's location. What the captive was implying could be another arrow in the same direction. With a flick of his fingers, he freed the captive.
"Thank God you believed me." Jarka turned around to thank him but Saaret had already disappeared. He looked infront and found the gate, unlocked. Shortly after, he slipped into the open, unnoticed.