"Very well, I leave it in your hands, Doctor. Remember, you don't have much time—only half an hour to deliver the information I need," Zor said in an authoritative tone before leaving.
"Don't worry. You'll have it in less time," Doctor Ribeus replied with a confident smile as he manipulated a control panel in front of him.
At that moment, Ron and Alita were strapped to chairs resembling those used for dialysis, but instead of extracting blood, an unknown liquid began flowing into their bodies through tubes connected to their arms.
"With this serum, they'll tell me everything I want to know," the doctor sneered, letting out a low, chilling laugh. He then added, "Leave. I work better alone, and I don't like having meddlers around."
"Fine, I'm leaving. But remember: half an hour," Zor repeated before slamming the door shut, leaving the doctor alone with his "patients."
Minutes earlier, the doctor had shown them a terrifying tool, though in reality, it was a machine designed to induce a deep sleep. Once unconscious, the same machine extended metallic legs and hooks resembling hands, transferring them to a room akin to a medical intervention chamber.
"Rest easy, little creatures… Soon, I'll extract your deepest secrets and collect my payment," the doctor murmured, adjusting his dark glasses as he observed the young pair from the shadows.
From their gurneys, Ron and Alita muttered faintly under the influence of the sedative.
"Stay strong, Alita," Ron whispered weakly.
"You too…" she responded, barely conscious.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Paltio and his group were trying to devise a plan to save their friends.
"Golden, could you read that man Zor's mind?" Paltio asked, looking at the elder with hope.
"No. It seems he had something that blocked my ability to read his thoughts," Golden replied, evident frustration in his tone.
"It appears those guys prepare themselves well, despite hating both magic and technology so much," Lukeandria commented, crossing her arms.
"What are we going to do? How will we find the kids and the scepter piece at the same time?" Paris interjected, visibly distressed.
"We don't even know where they are," Nakia added, lowering her head with concern.
"Maybe Toco-Toco can search for them… though it pains me to say it," Chiki said, looking at the feline with a mix of resignation and trust.
"Yes! With my speed, I'll be able to find them, meow," Toco-Toco replied, puffing out his chest proudly.
"I don't think so. They surely have some kind of trap set up for intruders," Kilibur interrupted, shaking his head.
Everyone continued brainstorming a plan that could help them rescue their friends when Mok clapped his hands together to capture their attention.
"We must split into two teams," Mok proposed firmly. "One will go to rescue the youngsters, and the other will search for the scepter piece. Master Paltio, it won't be easy, but we'll have to separate again. I'll go with Lukeandria and Nakia to find your friends, but not before sending Toco-Toco to scout the area. And you can go with Chiki, Paris, and Kilibur."
"And me!" Rykaru interrupted, raising one of his ears enthusiastically.
"Yes, you'll also go with Master Paltio," Mok added, smiling at the little creature's persistence.
"But they're being hunted. They wouldn't last long out there," Paltio argued, concerned.
"Don't worry about that, Paltio. Now that I've recovered my powers, I can make everyone think we're Pax and Mok," Kilibur explained confidently. "It's like the trick Golden uses, but better."
"Ah! Like the trick you use, Golden," Mok commented, looking at the golden being with a mischievous smile.
"Yes, but unlike his mental power, I can make things look completely real, no issues at all. Projected images, even voices… Exactly like my partner did, but better and more realistic," Kilibur added proudly.
"You just had to say it…" Golden muttered, pretending to be annoyed, though a hint of envy crept into his tone.
"Alright, I hope everything goes according to plan," Paltio said seriously as he watched Mok and his team prepare. "Good luck to you all," he added, giving them a final look filled with confidence.
Lukeandria approached Paris and whispered softly:
"I'll come back for you, don't doubt it."
Mok, always efficient, found some old fabrics in the area and, using his tailoring skills (acquired over years of service in the palace), created improvised disguises to conceal their presence.
"We'll be like ninjas!" Lukeandria exclaimed as she put on one of the disguises, adjusting the fabric around her body with a mischievous smile.
"Yes, because we need to go unnoticed," Mok replied, finishing up by securing a black patch over his face.
Soon, Toco-Toco took off at full speed to locate Paltio's friends. With his super hearing, he overheard some guards talking about a certain Doctor Ribeus. According to the voices, he was in the prison tower, located near the outskirts of the realm. Without wasting a second, the cat returned with the information.
"The tower… I know where it is," Paris indicated, quickly sketching a map on a spare sheet of paper found nearby.
"Great! You're quite the artist," Lukeandria commented, impressed by the precision of the drawing.
"Alright, it's time to move out," Paltio said, watching as Kilibur used his magic to transform Paris and himself into identical copies of Mok and Pax.
"Wow! It's like looking at myself in a mirror," Mok murmured, surprised as he observed the magical replicas before him.
Paris, now disguised as Pax, approached Lukeandria and said:
"Good luck, my friend."
"The same to you," Lukeandria responded with a warm smile before departing.
Without further words, the team led by Mok set off in search of Alita and Ron. Before leaving, Mok turned to Paltio and said:
"Master, take great care of yourself."
The group slipped into the underground tunnels, guided by Toco-Toco, who was searching for the correct path to the prison tower. Meanwhile, Paltio, along with Kilibur and Paris—transformed into Mok and Pax—exited through the main door, ready to carry out their mission.
Each team, focused on their respective tasks, departed with determination. They wished each other safety, promising not to take unnecessary risks.
Meanwhile, Doctor Ribeus continued to observe as the machine administered the last drop of liquid into Alita and Ron's bodies. A sinister smile spread across his face beneath the black scarf.
"Good… In a few seconds, they'll tell me what I need to know," he murmured, barely containing his excitement. "3, 2, 1… You may open your eyes."
The two youngsters slowly opened their eyes. Ron looked at Alita, and she looked at him. Both appeared disoriented, but something in their expressions had changed.
"Let's see… An easy question to start and confirm if the serum worked," the doctor said, leaning slightly toward them. "Hey, boy… I see you keep staring at the girl next to you. Does she like you? Is she your girlfriend?"
Ron tried to resist. He knew he shouldn't answer, but something in his brain forced his mouth to move uncontrollably. The words escaped his lips before he could stop them:
"Yes! She's the one who gives me strength every day. She's the most beautiful girl in the realm, and I… I…"
Before Ron could finish his sentence, the doctor interrupted him with a disgusted grimace:
"Enough! That's so awkward and sappy! I hate sappiness—it's revolting; it makes me want to vomit," Ribeus exclaimed, shaking his head in distaste. "But I see that the serum works after all. It's mine, my creation, and it always delivers excellent results," he boasted, adjusting his dark glasses while smirking arrogantly.
Alita blushed intensely at Ron's declaration. She was about to respond with something similar, but the doctor raised a hand, demanding silence.
"Silence!" he ordered firmly. "It's time for you to tell me the truth… What Lord Zor wants to know."
The doctor pulled out a portrait and placed it in front of them.
"First, tell me this: do you know these people?" he asked, pointing to the images of Paris and Kilibur in the photo.
Both answered in unison:
"Yes!"
"Excellent," Ribeus replied with satisfaction. "And now, why did you lie?"
"Because we were trying to hide them," both Ron and Alita said, struggling to stay silent, but the words spilled uncontrollably from their mouths.
Ribeus continued his interrogation:
"And since when have you known these individuals, eh?"
"Since today," they responded simultaneously, though they tried to stop themselves, clenching their fists and tensing their muscles. But it was useless; the serum forced them to speak the truth.
"Good, you're cooperating," the doctor muttered, carefully noting every detail in his notebook with precise handwriting.
Ron and Alita glanced at each other, horrified. Both were thinking the same thing:
"Damn it, if this keeps up, they'll know exactly where those two are."
Finally, the doctor posed the most dangerous question:
"And now, the million-dollar question: WHERE ARE THESE TWO?"
The youngsters had no way out. The serum compelled them to keep talking, and just as they were about to reveal that Paris and Kilibur were with Paltio, hidden in the bag he always carried, a loud explosion rocked the place.
The blast shook the tower, sending debris flying everywhere and enveloping the room in a thick cloud of dust.