Chronicles of Idukuria (Chapter 7)

Chapter 7

“So you say your name is Amal?”

"Yes, I came here because she ran away from home about two weeks ago. I called the police and told everyone I know but...no one answered my call for help. But I found this in my sister's room.

The boy handed Petal a blue book. This is some kind of cult propaganda or some…"

"No," Petal said, cutting off Amal and flipping through the pages, "this is a piece of Kursiam values. It reads like a very authoritarian text." Petal closed the book and looked at Amal.

"Basically if you are a slave, be a good slave."

"That's what they did to my sister. Some kind of brainwashing, I know it! I need to follow them and…"

"What makes you think you can do anything," Ghavi said interrupting Amal. "If Azure wasn't here then…"

"I'm thankful for that but you are correct. But wait! Are you three not here to stop them? I think it is understandable that you are not with them."

"We are." Petal replied, "but this is a fight that I feel you are ill prepared for."

"Oh please, you have to take me with you. I need to see Hafsa again. I believe she can be snapped out of it, maybe like in a movie or something."

Azure sighed and added, "this is no entertainment, my friend. If you want to see the next morning, you should leave now."

"I'm willing to take that risk," Amal replied as he dropped his head. "Hafsa is my only sister. I can't leave her here with those fools. Who knows what they may do."

"Well, I think you already have an idea," Petal said annoyingly as the boy seemed unmoved by the warning.

"If you follow us from here, we cannot guarantee your safety," she said walking past him and onto the altar.

Petal crouched down and knocked on the floor until a hollow sound could be heard. Raising her fist in the air, it began to glow a green color. Thousands of small dust-like particles surrounded her fist before she slammed it into the altar floor.

Wood bits flew in all directions as they all waited for the dust to clear. When all was settled in the air, a large hole was exposed.

"Azure, Ghavi, let's get moving."

Peering at Amal, Petal said gruffly, "follow and you will not be guaranteed safety."

"I know," Amal said nodding his head

The four continued to walk slowly through the dark tunnel. As the four pressed on, the tunnel began to turn more cave-like. Stalagmites lining the walls let off an eerie green glow in the dark. The only sound that could be heard were of the footsteps of the four figures making their way onward.

“So what exactly was all of that back there?” Amal asked to finally break the silence. “I mean, was that some kind of advanced technology you guys were using? And I mean, who are you guys?”

“I’m not allowed to give a lot of information but we are from G.R.E.T.. We are here to investigate this strange group that has taken so many people under its wing. Over the past few months, we have been collecting information from multiple points around the world. We have finally tracked this cult, as you say, to this location. And it seems your sister has joined the fray.” Petal explain.

“Does anyone feel a bit of a breeze?” Ghavi said as everyone stopped to feel the air around them.

The wind suddenly began to pick up speed, pushing back against the group.

“Hold on, this isn't a normal wind!” Ghavi exclaimed as he grasped part of the wall.

“What's going on? How is there such a strong wind under the ground? There must be a way out that is connected to the outside,” Amal yelled.

“No,” Petal said to Amal,”give me a moment to scan this wind. It definitely isn't natural.”

A visor unfolded from behind Petals ear, covering her eyes which began to glow purple. A red dot could be seen scanning back and forth across the visor.

“Got any answers?” Ghavi impatiently blurted out as the wind began to wipe faster.

“Give me a moment. I need to finish a scan.” Petal continued to stare into the spiral.

“These winds are starting to create winds seen in an Earth typhoon.” Azure added.

As the winds began to spur more violently, Amal couldn’t help the urge to peer over his shoulder. Looking downward, the spiral wiped and spun into the shape of a whirlpool.

Faster and faster, the wind became unrelenting. Still gazing into the void, Amal's grip began to slip. Caught between a daydream and his own safety, Amal loses his bearing and begins to plunge into the spiral.

Amal screamed as she began a rapid descent into the spiral.

Thinking quickly, Azure pushes away from the wall to dive after Amal.

Outstretching his arms, the two illuminated whips materialized for Azure to throw at Amal. Catching each of Amal's legs separately, Azure's strange weapon becomes Amal's main lifeline between life and the spiraling abyss beneath him.

Ghavi's hand began to glow as he threw a small ball of light after the two. Expanding in the blink of an eye, the small ball stretched into a glowing net, catching Azure. The glowing whips held onto Amal's leg.

The trio formed a human chain as the wind continued to whirl.

Petal yelled to the trio. “Hold on, I got it. I see a person at the very center of the spiral. This is being caused by nano-tech!”

Petal pulled a silver, crescent-shaped device from her hip. With the click of a button, two blades flashed on each end of the device. With one strong throw, Petal flung the device into the center of the spiral.

Waiting for a moment, Petal started into the spiral, as if waiting for a timer to finish.

Finally, her gaze broke. The small device could be seen rising from the center of the spiral. Whirling around in the same direction as the spiral, the center of the cyclone began to rise toward the group.

Petal yelled to the other three. “Hold tightly to the walls!”

With a great heave, Ghavi swung the other two to the sides of the cavern. With a firm thud, Azure and Amal held firm to the cavern wall as the spiral continued to rise.

The green wind began to wipe even more violently. Only a few feet below Azure and Amal, the device hovered in mid air as the spiral began to thin. Holding her breath, Petal leaped across the vortex, quickly leaping from each side of the cavern. Pasting Ghavi after 2 leaps, she eventually jumped past Azure and Amal. Once she became parallel to the device, Petal gave one final leap, catching the crescent device with her hand.

Petal, as if doing a headstand in midair, held the device stationary. The green wind continued to thin. The silver device became the new epicenter of the vortex. As the wind continued to whirl, it began to spiral itself into the small device.

Slowly, the wind began to dissipate. Petal, slowly levitating in air while she also slowly descended.

Finally, Amal again looked over his shoulder. He could hear a small voice crying. He peered down the long cave. A small woman could be seen. Tears streamed down her face.

Petal continued her descent, keeping her focus on the silver device, now hovering over the woman.

The woman let out a yelp as her gaze upward to the group was broken. She dashed away, further into the dark. As soon as the strange girl dashed away, the wind completely stopped blowing.

Azure leaped to Amal. Wrapping his arm around Amal's waist, he calmly ordered, “Hold on,” before making the same maneuver as Petal before.

With Amal following, the four landed together at the bottom of the cavern.

“Look right there,” Ghavi said, pointing to a small indention in the wall.

Petal walked to the small hole to get a better look.

“Big enough just for a person to crawl into,” Petal remarked, “and now we know where we have to go.”

Petal turned around and looked at Amal.

“This is what I was talking about before. This cult is possibly not even a cult, but syndicate run ideologues using advanced technology. You may want to stay put.”

“No!" Amal quipped nervously, “I...need to save my sister. No matter how dangerous it is. I believe I can help.”

“Things may get even more dangerous from here, my friend. We may not be able to protect you at all times. Also, if our guess is correct, we may encounter...”

“No, no, no,” Amal interrupted. “I'm not flinching but I'll allow you guys to do what you have to. I can't go back, even if I want to. I came here for Hafsa's sake.”

“...Tama Sphere.” Ghavi finished his admission.

“What?” Amal replied, confused at Ghavi's response.

“We may encounter a Tama Sphere.”

Azure turned toward Amal. “Everything we have encountered so far is not natural. It is artificial. We use this technology from G.R.E.T... All the weapons and devices you have seen us use are made up of microscopic robots, manipulated using our own built-in computer,” Azure said pointing at his head.

“The weapons your sister used and that green whirlpool threatening to stop us, those were manipulated using the mind.” Petal said, turning to the hole. “I pray for the young girl we saw. Her mind was not in a calm state. That whirlpool was the work of a jumbled mind.”

“Your sister and all those in this cult are probably under the state of mind.” Azure said.

“She didn't respond to me or listen to a word I said.” Amal said disappointed. “This technology is controlling her.”

“Maybe or maybe not.” Petal added. “ An individual usually must be open to using this technology. Most nano-tech users have a device that helps control the microscopic machines. These individuals that we have encountered seem to have the technology living inside of them.”

“Please,” Amal pleaded,”I need to save her. You were right, this is a lot to take in but please, I'm begging you. She is the only family I have left. Let me help, even from afar. I even have this.”

Amal pulled a small, blue oval-shaped device from his pocket.

“I believe this has some of that technology that you are talking about. I got it from a group similar to you guys.” Amal explained.

Petal took the device and examined it in her hand.

“A group like us, is that so…," Petal said, turning the device all to different angles.

Petal continued to examine the device for a few moments while Azure and Amal joined in to inspect the device.

“Usually, it would be ridiculous to allow someone unarmed to help but you might be helpful to us...from afar... as you said before,” Petal said.

“Let us continue,” Azure said,”we need to find out if this path does lead us to where Gorn is.”

One by one, the four walked in the small hole, taking their time to not scrape against the rocks. First Petal, then Ghavi, and Azure with Amal staying close to one another. After a minute of slowly crouching through the small space, the walls began to widen.

“It looks like it gets easier as we keep going. I bet we don't have much longer. That girl couldn't have gotten too far very quickly.”