"Prepare to be annihilated, intruders!" the voice declared menacingly. But after a brief pause, it added, "This stupid alarm isn't working! It didn't alert me to these intruders."
Mok quickly interjected, "Wait! We're not intruders. A monster ate us, and that's how we ended up here."
"Ah! That changes everything. You should've said so from the start," the voice replied as the lights in the area flickered on. When the space was illuminated, its true nature was revealed: it resembled some kind of advanced scientific station or laboratory.
"A thousand apologies. My friend here probably swallowed you by accident," the voice said.
"Your friend?" everyone asked in unison, confused.
"Yes, my friend," the speaker clarified, removing what looked like a megaphone from his mouth. "I'm Professor Kuang, and this little one who accidentally gobbled you up is my friend Ciertarias." The scientist appeared before them—an elderly man with round glasses, curly white hair, a thick white beard, and features reminiscent of a Bacon avocado: an elongated seed shaped like a pear, smooth skin, and a light green hue on the back. He wore an immaculate white lab coat, fitting for a dedicated scientist.
"A Ciertarias? What's that?" they all asked simultaneously.
"Well, a Ciertarias is a sort of reindeer with giraffe-like legs—or at least, that's the scientific name I gave her. I found her on the brink of death and saw an opportunity to bring her back to life by integrating technological components. Thanks to my inventions, she's alive today. Plus, she allows me to stay inside her as a protective measure. Though I prefer to call her Rose, in honor of my late wife," the professor explained wistfully.
"Wow, this guy really doesn't hold back—he spills everything without being asked," Pax muttered under his breath.
"It's logical. He's a bacon," Mok responded without hesitation.
"You mean those who are engineers and scientists?" Alita asked curiously.
"Yes, exactly those," Mok confirmed with a nod.
"And who are you?" the professor inquired, studying them closely for the first time.
Paltio stepped forward and introduced each of his companions. However, when he mentioned Pax, Professor Kuang frowned.
"Why are you traveling with a Red Shadow, boy? Don't you see they're our enemies? Quickly, get behind me—I'll protect you!" the scientist ordered, stepping into a protective stance in front of the group.
"Calm down, Professor. He's with us," Paltio intervened swiftly. "Let me explain everything."
Paltio began recounting their situation but was interrupted when Golden took over directly. The golden hologram emerged before the professor, who took a step back, visibly startled.
"What kind of futuristic technology is this?" the professor thought aloud as he listened intently to Golden's words. His mind was already churning with possible theories about how a holographic being could speak to him.
It took a while before they managed to convince Professor Kuang. After carefully listening and understanding their situation, he apologized again to his "little" Rose, who had swallowed them without warning.
"I'll gladly help you find your horses inside my Rose," the scientist assured them. "They can't be too far away."
"And where are you headed?" Kuang asked, genuinely interested.
"As we've already explained, Professor, we're searching for the Avocios Scepter. We must deliver it to Tejod by the agreed date, or he'll kill my parents and destroy my village," Paltio explained sadly, revealing the heavy burden of responsibility weighing on him.
"I see," the professor murmured thoughtfully. "But it would be best if I take you there in my Rose. She's incredibly fast, and you'll reach the outskirts of Bacadolia in just one day."
"One day?" Pax exclaimed, astonished. "Wow! That saves us a lot of time. Normally, it would take us three more days."
"That's true, Professor," Ron added.
"Yes, young man. My friend Rose is extremely swift," Kuang confirmed proudly. "But I'll only drop you off on the outskirts. I don't like being near the city. I don't want them capturing my girl—this creature is noble and only feeds on dirt and leaves. Besides, the Green Shadows are there."
"The Green Shadows?" Alita asked, intrigued.
"Yes, child," the professor replied.
"Ah! The Green Shadows. I see… It makes sense," Pax said, reflecting aloud.
"Why do you say that?" Ron asked curiously.
"The Green Shadows are responsible for supplying technological advancements to the dark realm. They create super weapons using their tools and the magic of our Dark Lord. They've made incredible things, like powerful beings…" Pax paused dramatically before continuing. "...but it's strange that Tejod hasn't used them against you. With them, he could have all five realms and Avocadalia under his control in the blink of an eye. Though he prefers magic to technology."
"What beings are you talking about?" Mok inquired, leaning forward with interest.
"I've never seen them, but soldiers talk about giant mindless warriors that annihilate everything in their path. I only know them by the name Tropogax. They were created with both technology and magic."
"Wow… What other horrors do these cursed shadows have hidden in their arsenal?" Paltio reflected, visibly concerned.
"Well, kids, you'd better take a seat," Kuang instructed as a sort of table with integrated chairs emerged from the floor. Everyone sat down, though some did so cautiously. However, it didn't take long for them to realize that Professor Kuang wasn't malicious. For extra safety, Paltio asked Golden to read the scientist's mind.
"Oh! That's right," the professor exclaimed, clapping his hands three times. Suddenly, small metallic figures the size of Toco-Toco appeared—two-legged robots with extendable arms and glowing blue eyes.
"These are my assistants, my Kbots. The 'K' stands for the initial of my name, in case you were wondering," the professor explained proudly.
"No one was going to ask that," Pax muttered to Alita, who couldn't help but stifle a giggle.
Quickly, the robots approached the professor to await instructions. He ordered them to prepare drinks and snacks. The Kbots obeyed instantly, moving with mechanical precision. Within seconds, the table was filled with an assortment of food and beverages. Everyone ate until they were satisfied.
"Wow! Thank you for the meal, sir," Ron said as he patted his belly contentedly.
The professor smiled and whispered something to a few other Kbots, who nodded and disappeared quickly.
"What did you tell them, Professor?" Paltio asked curiously.
"Patience, young man. You'll see soon enough," Kuang replied mysteriously.
"That seems odd to me," Pax murmured, frowning beneath his helmet.
"Well, I think you're all tired. Follow me," the professor instructed as a wide door emerged from the floor in front of them. They stepped inside, and the door closed behind them before beginning to descend like an elevator.
When the doors opened, they found themselves in a brightly lit corridor with several doors lining the sides.
"Well, kids, I don't get many visitors, but I hope you can rest comfortably. I'll let you know when we arrive," the professor said as he walked toward one of the rooms. "I took the liberty of placing clean clothes, pajamas, and towels in each room in case you'd like to take a bath."
"Wow, Professor! This is amazing. You have everything you need inside this animal—it's like your own home!" Ron exclaimed excitedly, especially after noticing there was a private bathroom in his room.
"Yes, young man. Get yourselves settled, make yourselves comfortable, and enjoy the ride. I'll send one of my Kbots to inform you when we arrive," the professor concluded before taking his leave.
Everyone decided to follow the professor's advice. After showering and changing, they gathered in Paltio's room to talk.
"All of this seems really strange to me," Pax said, breaking the silence. "All this kindness from the professor… It doesn't sit right with me."
"The weirdest part is what he whispered to those robots. Plus, he said it was a surprise. I hope it's something good," Ron added thoughtfully.
"And we're inside a giant animal that's half alive, half robot. Doesn't that seem terrifying to you?" Alita interjected, glancing at the door as if she feared something might come out of it.
"A deer with giraffe legs… That's what the professor called Ciertarias," Pax explained. "But with an 'x' at the end: Ciertariax. It's a creature created by Tejod. However, it was harmless, which is probably why it ended up nearly dead."
"So it's a creature created by that badger," Ron reflected.
"Yes," Pax confirmed.
"Interesting… and how fortunate that one of his creatures doesn't want to eat or kill us…" Ron murmured, but before he could continue, Alita interrupted him.
"Hey! What about your rules? Did you already forget?" she teased with a mischievous smile.
"Bah! I'm tired for now. Don't push your luck, or I'll cut out your tongue," Pax retorted, glaring at her.
"Relax, everyone," Paltio interjected to ease the tension between them. "I don't think it's anything bad. To answer your earlier question about what the professor didn't tell us—if it were something harmful, we'd already know by now."
"Let me guess… You had Golden read his mind, right?" Alita asked with a sly grin.
"Well, yes. Just to be sure he was on our side," Paltio replied, shrugging nonchalantly.
"Alright, we'll trust your judgment, Paltio," Ron said with a nod.
"Yes, young master, that's fine. I always trust your decisions," Mok added, showing his support. The others agreed as well. For now, there was nothing left to do but rest. The room was spacious, and the bed was large and soft, inviting them to relax after a long day.
In his room, Paltio took the two pieces of the scepter from his bag and carefully joined them together. As soon as he did, a glow instantly emerged, illuminating the room. The central sphere and the three circles of Tropalia began to blink at each other, as if recognizing one another. This fascinated the boy, who then took out the egg the merchant had given him. It shimmered with rainbow-like flashes, radiating a mysterious aura.
"What's inside? I can't wait to find out," Paltio muttered to himself, gazing at the object curiously.
"Paltio, we should train," Golden interjected from within him. "Besides, I can stay alert for both of us."
The young man nodded and closed his eyes, immersing himself in the mental plane to continue his training. In another room, Alita did the same with Nakia, while Ron simply fell into a deep sleep. Pax, on the other hand, used the time to fix his hair and meticulously polish his armor. Mok, true to his style, was busy counting and organizing his knives.
"Well, our friends are fully relaxed now," Professor Kuang murmured to himself, a shadowy smile spreading across his face. "It's time to do what we must."