Chapter 5
162.
Securing 5 out of the 7 Mystical Runekeys, the group is near completion. The last remaining realms will determine the group's fate, and these two are the most dangerous ones they'll ever face. Considering the current state of Kemitopia, the group can't get the same resources as before. This means they can no longer split into two teams, preventing their previous strategy.
Luckily for the group, FeLinE already thought things through while everyone was busy experimenting with Raven's talent. Judging from the talents they'll need in this journey, FeLinE came up with a new lineup.
"After considering the nature of what we are dealing with, FeLinE used the elimination process. FeLinE, Kita, Yuna, Hana, Raven, and Maiko, are the optimal lineup for this group." FeLinE:1000X suggested.
"I'm not included?" Darli and Lulu both said at the same time.
"Hai, the toxin crawls faster to the veins of the young ones," FeLinE:1000X answered.
"It will be the second time I'll explore a place without Lulu. Though technically this should be the first time, the one in Island of the Beasts doesn't really count because it was a rescue mission," Yuna mentioned.
"If that's the case then… Nyu should come back safe! Okay? That's an order!" Lulu sincerely told Yuna.
"Hai, hai," Yuna responded as she patted Lulu's head.
"But I want to come too! Adventure is waiting for my new talent!" Darli argued.
"I'm sorry Darli, but it's for the best. Padra might even burn the whole realm if something bad happens to nyu in Eunchambersia." Raven replied.
"Don't worry Darli, we can have our own adventure, just the two of us!" Lulu said.
"Hold on, now that's dangerous." Yuna intervened.
"And now we are equally worried for each other," Lulu replied as she smirked.
"Sounds fun, LET'S DO IT!" Darli agreed with Lulu.
"I feel like I'm watching some parenting session," Mittsy commented.
"I want to go on an adventure with those two…" Coco suddenly said. The rest of the group laughs as they finally agree to FeLinE's proposal lineup.
This time, Rubi, and Celeste will be on the island waiting for the team. Mae and Mittsy are tentative for now because considering the situation now in Kemitopia, they need their pawrents' approval before going on another trip. The rest of the maids will stay in Kemitopia to assist the Queen, while Eve will attend to her role as a member of the alliance. The Catgirls are also planning to ask Strigi if he can cover up for Maiko's duties since Maiko's talent will come in handy in Euchambersia.
3 hours passed by, and the meeting of the UniKemis was put on hold. They decided to pause for a moment since there were multiple agendas to tackle, and so far, the alliance only managed to address almost half of them. Maiko, Eve, and Queen Grace entered the room where the other Catgirls stay. But sadly for them, it's another meeting room.
"I feel like my head is spinning from all of these discussions," Eve said.
"I hope we can also pause the discussion here, we still need to go back to the meeting room after the break." Maiko requested.
"The discussion has been nonstop ever since I brought back the missing Kemis. My head hurts from this mess." Queen Grace added.
"Being the Queen surely is difficult, especially at times like this," Aoi commented.
"It's an issue that's been looming for years, this situation is inevitable," Lisa mentioned.
"I hope no one gets hurt from this chaos," Rin said.
"I know what's gonna help everyone's burnout, some tasty treats! We can bake some using the Palace pantry." Coco suggested.
"That would be delightful, feel free to do so." Queen Grace agreed.
"Oh, I'll help!" Lulu excitedly said.
"Me too!" Darli joined as well.
The maids proceeded to the pantry with Darli and Lulu, while the rest of the group took this chance to have some time off. All of the things they have done are for the sake of the Kemis, but they also need to take care of themselves too. After a short while, the maids came back with delicious sweet pastries accompanied by hot beverages. They also gave some to the members of the alliance in the other room.
The break time surely helped the group, and the meeting resumed later on. It's been a long series of debates, thinking about what's the best course of action for the Runes. They all agreed to keep using it, but effectively explaining it to the public is the problem. The focus of the public announcement will be using the Runes as defensive measures against the incoming doom to the realms. The survivors will also take part in the speech, testifying about what they witnessed in the other realms. The alliance also needs to water down the terminologies in order to help the public grasp the concept. The preparation goes on, revealing the situation might cause chaos, but the alliance believes everyone deserves to know the truth. It will all boils down to the leaders on how they will guide their followers.
By the next day, the plan is finally ready. The alliance worked all night to craft the perfect speech, and it was time for the public announcement. With the lead of the UniKemis, they set up the platform in the Royal Castle. It is broadcast live on Soc-Meds, and every Kemi can watch it through their wristwatches. Thus the public statement began.
To finally stop all the narratives made out of rumors, the survivors of the missing Kemis began to tell their whole story to the public. They were supposed to do it as soon as they reached Kemitopia, but the news about the survivors spread out quickly, causing a huge commotion. The truth behind the missing Kemis will be finally revealed.
It was a long tale and the story silences everyone. It's hard to absorb the fact that those other realms exist aside from the UniPaws. Though thinking deeply about it, the story makes more sense behind their disappearance compared to the baseless rumors. To explain the details further, it's time for the scientists to step in.
The elaborate presentation began, and the Kemis are slowly figuring out how realms work. Ignorance created dangerous speculations, resulting in the fear of the unknown. But with the effort of the alliance, the public is starting to shift towards their side. Gaining the trust of the followers is the first step for the leaders in guiding them.
163.
Before the speech even began, the citizens thought it would be just a short declaration of the final stance of the place, instead, it became a long series of presentations. Full details, backed up by shreds of evidence. This approach made the Kemis think that they are part of the decision-making process, which makes it more effective. Later on, Queen Grace took the stage to finally wrap up the announcement.
"We are aware that this is too much to digest in a single announcement. Therefore, we will let nyu all absorb the situation for now. The UniKemis already discussed the countermeasures in dealing with this problem. Our leaders will spearhead each place, making sure every Kemi is safe from Forbidden Runes. All of us here wanted the best for everyone, and we hope for your cooperation, for the betterment of the UniPaws." Queen Grace said as the public announcement comes to an end.
The broadcast was cut, and the crowd in front of the Royal Castle eventually left the place. It's evident that the Kemis were puzzled, even the ones tuning in to the live broadcast were on the same boat. For now, everyone returns to their normal lives while the Royal Guards clean up the mess.
The clearance of the protesters gave the opportunity for the team to restock their ships for the next adventure. Since Maiko and Eve were exhausted from the endless meetings, Kita, Yuna, Hana, Lulu, Raven, and Darli were the ones who monitored and helped with the restocking. Celeste teams up with Rubi to summarize the important details from their own meeting. The maids went back to their cafe, while Mae and Mittsy headed straight to their homes to talk with their pawrents.
It has been a long and chaotic day for everyone. Times like this can surely make someone question everything, though they cannot just simply stop moving. As of now, everyone in the group is minding their own tasks: Kita's group dealing with supply problems. Mae and Mittsy are having a hard time convincing their pawrents. Rubi and Celeste are negotiating with Strigi. Lastly, Eve, Maiko, and Queen Grace are still doing some paperwork. The alliance is planning to post guidelines by tomorrow morning, making sure that every continent will be ready in case a catastrophe occurs sooner than they expected. They already knew what happened to Oceanaia, and the alliance wouldn't let that happen again.
Eventually, the day ends and it looks like the group is slowly solving the problems that they have. As the next day rises, the atmosphere is surprisingly lighter than yesterday. Most of the citizens were convinced to step up and help while they have a chance. Others are still hesitant and confused, though seeing some Kemis following UniKemi's guide is a good sign.
The maintenance of the ship took another whole day, and after 2 days of staying in Kemitopia, the group is ready to voyage. The proposed lineup for Euchambersia was finally concluded, some went in their favor but there were still some that didn't. To sum it all up: FeLinE, Kita, Yuna, Hana, and Raven will enter the realm, while Rubi, Celeste, Mae, and Mittsy will be at the camp. Darli and Lulu will join the voyage and fly elsewhere once the group enters the realm. Lastly, Eve, Maiko, and Queen Grace stay in Kemitopia and will keep the UniPaws organized, their duties in the UniPaws cannot be left unattended this time.
The ship cruised, heading to their next mission. The island is located in the northeast, quite near the island of the Beast Mimis. And it looks like Darli and Lulu know exactly where they'll be heading once Kita's group enters Eunchambersia.
The travel took a lot of days, it wasn't that far compared to Nesuto but the current is what made it difficult for the ship. It is something that is still not yet thoroughly studied in the UniPaws. If the Kemis can precisely pinpoint the favorable ocean current, then the voyage would be faster compared to just sailing straight toward the destination.
Eventually, the group reached the island. Setting up the camp cost them some hours, it was already afternoon when things were finally settled. The island is somewhat different from the others that they've been through. The grass is dark green, and the soil is also darker than usual. Oftentimes, the islands resemble the environment of the realms that they are connected to. It's windy in the Nesuto, cold breeze in Blizshore, and jungle theme for Hachtile. Some are not evident like the previously mentioned realms, but this time, the island definitely tells the group what to expect in Euchambersia.
"Alright, we're good to go!" Kita said.
"Maybe we should enter the realm tomorrow morning? It's already afternoon, and we all know exploring at night is hard." Hana suggested.
"Day and night don't make any difference in this realm," FeLinE:1000X mentioned.
"That's more I like it, let's go and explore then!" Kita energetically said.
"I wonder why, I guess there's only one way to find out," Yuna curiously replied.
"It's my third realm, and I'm actually pretty excited about this one," Raven mentioned.
"We are excited too!" Darli responded.
"We are going to meet Badi, and then Padra! It's been a while since the last time I saw Badi, this is actually a good opportunity for us to pay them a visit." Lulu added.
"The smallest ones in the group heading to the largest creatures in the UniPaws. Baffling if nyu think about it." Rubi commented.
"I should really get some lessons from them," Celeste said.
"Me too…" Mae and Mittsy echoed the same sentiment.
And for the 6th time, the group once again activated the Ruin, opening the gate towards another realm. Kita, Hana, Yuna, FeLinE, and Raven entered the portal while the rest of the team wished them luck from the camp.
"GANBARE!" Darli and Lulu shouted.
"So which one do nyu prefer, going through realms or staying at the base?" Rubi asked Celeste.
"I prefer here at the camp. The realms are indeed mindblowing, but there are still some left to discover here in the UniPaws. I'm actually recreating the world map based on our expeditions!" Celeste answered.
"That would be a huge accomplishment if the societies adapt to your modern map," Mae commented.
"Let's celebrate when that happens!" Mittsy added.
"Speaking of discovering the UniPaws, let's start exploring!" Lulu told Darli.
"Hai!" Darli excitedly responded.
164.
Entering another realm, everyone widens their eyes, observing the wild nature of Euchambersia. Wild overgrown plants, most of them are veins with spikes. Flowers are extremely colorful, and some of them even crawl from the ground. But that wasn't solely the problem, Venomous Beast Mimis are also looming around. Maiko could be a really good help for them in this situation, unfortunately, the only option for them is to sneak their way out.
"This is crazy, the plants here are truly alive," Kita said as the group carefully walked through the jungle.
"Technically all plants are alive, Lulu and I grew flowers back then. Though I get what nyu mean by that," Yuna responded.
"Are they self-conscious or just mindlessly roaming around?" Hana curiously asked.
"To some extent, yes. Plants here crawl and set up traps for small Beasts, which will serve as their nutrients once the Beast Mimi dies and decays on the soil. Actively moving around the jungle keeps the plants alive, but they still don't have emotions and feelings." FeLinE:1000X explained.
"That sounds terrifying. On a positive note, the Beast Mimis cannot attack us out of nowhere as long as the plants are near us." Raven mentioned.
Later on, the Relic indicated that the group is near the civilization, but there's no form of any structure or some sort around them. It looks like the Kemis' place is hidden in plain sight.
"The Relic says we're right here, with other Kemis," FeLinE:1000X said.
"Are they invisible? Coz I can't see anyone near us." Kita replied.
"It's either they are above or below us." FeLinE:1000X clarified.
"I'll check the skies, be right back," Yuna said as she levitated above the trees.
After a short while, Yuna came down and said, "I didn't see anything up there. No treehouse or something the like."
"Then that means they are beneath us," Hana responded.
The group looked around, carefully checking if there was a cave or a hidden passage that would lead to the residents, but it was more challenging than they thought. The search was never easy, they were extremely cautious since one wrong move could poison them. Spiders, snakes, and other Venomous Beast Mimis are also crawling in the jungle. In Euchambersia, bright colors on living things mean toxic. That is why the Venomous Beast Mimis naturally have vibrant colors, and the environment itself is also colorful. This gives the Beast Mimis the edge of blending through the place without being spotted, just like how creatures adapt to their environment.
After almost an hour of searching the place, Raven found a slanted wooden door connected to the ground. It is behind the bushes and well hidden, it could be the entrance that they are looking for. Since there's only one way to find out, the group opened the door and saw a staircase leading to a dark path, the labyrinth towards the Kemis.
The group created a torch using their items plus the resources near them, and then down to the labyrinth they go. The place is in total darkness, the only source of light that they have is their torch. The atmosphere makes the group double-guess if Kemis truly live here. There are no signs of life, but the Relic tells them that they are near the other Kemis. After a couple more steps, the group reached the bottom of the staircase. They started to wander around but in that instant, someone snatched their torch from the hands of Kita and put the fire down.
"What happened?" Hana worriedly asked as the surroundings went dark.
"Someone stole the torch but I didn't notice who it was. It happened too quickly, all I know is that was a Kemi." Kita answered.
"Looks like it's using the darkness as its advantage. That could mean he's a resident here." Yuna mentioned.
"Anooo… Excuse us, we don't mean to intrude. We are just looking for a shelter to stay in." Hana loudly said, trying to communicate with the unknown Kemi.
"Lower your weapon," the unknown voice echoed in the labyrinth. Judging from the vocal tone, the Kemi is probably a man.
"Weapon? What weapon?" Kita confusedly reacted.
"Maybe he is referring to FeLinE's Relic," Raven responded.
"That's not a weapon, it's more like a shield," Kita argued.
"Everything can be a weapon if nyu swing them hard enough," FeLinE:1000X commented.
"Nyu are not helping!" Kita replied.
"Can we like talk somewhere, we can explain ourselves," Hana said, trying to negotiate with the unknown Kemi.
"I think it will be best for us if we let Hana do the talking," Yuna mentioned.
"FeLinE doesn't want to put down the Relic, this only belongs to FeLinE. Relics are solely for Sentient Kemis." FeLinE:1000X said.
"Sentient Kemi?" The unknown Kemi reiterated.
"Hai. Relic belongs to Sentient Kemis, FeLinE is a Sentient Kemi." FeLinE:1000X responded.
"I knew it… There are others…" The unknown Kemi said as it approached the group. The light blue scales on his shoulders, arms, and long pointy tail start to glow dimly. Almost the same height as them, dark skin, and long light blue hair. He is wearing light clothing, allowing him to be agile—a Scorpionman Kemi living in the labyrinth.
"I'm Scraz, forgive my sudden approach. Kemis here forbids fire, especially near the entrance." Scraz explained as he introduced himself.
"Wait, let's go back to your previous statement. What do nyu mean by there are others?" Yuna questioned.
"BEFORE THAT, NYU CAN GLOW?" Kita intervened.
"Hai. Most of the Kemis here can glow, and I'm guessing that your group isn't from here. Follow me, let's go somewhere safe." Scraz answered as he led the way.
Suspiciously for the group, Scraz went in the opposite direction where the rest of the Kemis are. It looks like something is up, though they are not sure if he is someone they can trust. Another problem for them is there's no other light source to follow. It forced the group to follow Scraz due to his glowing skin, but they remained vigilant along the way.
Eventually, they reached what looked like a dead-end. The wall opened when Scraz pushed a part of the wall. A spacious room with Luminous Rocks that lighten the surroundings, it is the place where Scraz does his research. No other Kemi knew about this place, and the group was the first one he invited.
"Please enter, before someone spots us," Scraz said. They all entered the room as the wall closed again.
End of Chapter 5