Interstellar: Exploring The Cosmos With My Anomaly System
Chapter 49: Conflict

Chapter 49: Conflict

"Are you certain?" pondered a figure their back to a messenger as they continued their work on a bench littered with metals and other materials and tools. The clay walls that surrounded them were lined pipes going through gauges, the subtle whistle of steam hitting their ears.

"Yes! They’re going to make a battery to combat us!" they reported, the messenger being the pink haired Alevarian from before, her dark blue skin fitting comfortably in the shadows of the dimly lit room.

"I see," they mused, dropping their wrench against the table in a soft thud that echoed in the silence of the room. "To get this intel, you didn’t disobey Godric on staying but, did you?"

The girl flinched lightly at the accusation, the figure’s gaze narrowing in the shadow that protected their face from sight.

"My what a dilemma, you didn’t stay in the forest like you were told did you?" They questioned, turning fully to the girl who was now cowering under her, her head hung low praying to herself her punishment would be light

"Alas I must applaud you despite your disobedience," They kneeled, their hand brushing through the girl’s already frilly hair. Before getting up and going back to their desk, hands lightly rubbing on the rough surface long crystallized from dust and rust "For better or worse this information has reached my ears and I intend to use it to its 100000th percent!’

"Anything and everything can be used for progress, that’s the beauty of science! So surely war is down to a science as well!" Their arms wrapped around themselves, in a tight self embrace, eyes narrowing with a coy smile.

"So they’ve decided to walk down the path of innovation? Can’t lie, it has me curious~ what’s with the sudden change?" Their voices grew softer and more thoughtful, on the other hand raising to their chin as they spoke more to themselves than the girl behind them. ’Is that old fool finally dead...’

"Could it be– some fresh faced newbie has taken over the reins..." they gasped, "Just the thought makes me feel all giddy, haha!"

"Lailla!" they commanded, the girl behind her shooting up immediately, standing at attention. The figure turned to her, their face finally coming to light. Her short silver hair remained lightly curled, framing her delicate features. Her lime green eyes carried galaxies within, what seemed like countless specks of crystals lining her iris. However her clothes left much to be desired compared to her looks.

Wearing a rough primitive coat of deer hide, reinforced to deal with the sparks of her work, covering her entire figure but her chest, her peaks noticeable despite her layers. Her hands were covered in gloves, those of which never seen off her hand, and her hair adorned with goggles, pristine with the finest metals she could gather.

"Don’t you want to use the toys I so gracefully gave you?" She cooed, her eyes narrowing as she judged the girl’s response.

"More than anything!" Lailla lit up immediately, her hands clenched with fists of determination. "Can i?!"

"Good, you are to find them and cut them off somewhere, they’ll most likely go for sulfuric acid first, that’s the hardest to get, and the main component of a battery." She picked up the wrench once more, immediately getting back to work.

"If we can stop that, their science will be too primitive to harm us,"

____________________________________________________________________

"It should be somewhere around here..." Astra murmured to herself, walking behind Zelr as he stuck out his blade, his gaze fixed on the silver tip of his blade, his hand outstretched ahead of them.

They walked among many hot springs, the tempting warm water soothing to the eye, though their skin was drenched in sweat, the heat almost suffocating.

"What exactly am I looking for..." Zelr pondered, his gaze daring not to leave his blade as to Astra’s previous warnings.

"The silver reacting from the sulfuric acid gas through a combination of chemical reactions and environmental facilitation," She muttered to him, her hands over her mouth as if she was in deep thought. Her eyes closed as she tried to think.

"What?" the hunter murmured, his voice tinged with annoyance.

"Gah! Just look at the silver. If it turns black then tell me!" She shouted, waving her hand in the air as if shooing him away. Her irritation is clear in her tone.

The hunter cluelessly looked at the blade, the tip still shimmering even in the foggy mist they’re in now. "Black huh—" He gruffed, Zelr’s shoulder slumped slightly.

’Just more sorcery...’ He thought, keeping to his duties before his grudges, they continued to walk, their steps quiet amongst the lack of words,

The more they walked the silver started to change, darkness starting to take over the pristine metal right before his eyes. Until it was overtaken in a sea of shadow.

"We’re here..." He muttered, looking above to see the path that led ahead. The hot spring around them is nothing compared to the sight of staring them in the face. It looked like the earth itself imploded into this one crater, nestled within was a body of water so blue it looks unreal.

’Hey Celi, how many more minutes until the winds change—’ she thought, watching the area around her, the open patch where the hotspring is nestled surrounded by the lush forest.

[Calculating...]

[Time calculated!]

[Estimated time: 15 minutes!]

"That’s plenty," She huffed, taking the bag off her back and started to shuffle through it, she pulled out leather gloves and a mask made out of leather, the inside stacked with many layers of thin fabric, one of them filled with grinded down charcoal that’s nestled between.

"Let’s do this." She smirked, her face filled with perspiration and a shattered smile. "Hope this works."

Zelr looked on as the scientist put the mask over her face, blinking as the small particles of charcoal would get near her face.

"You look ridiculous," Zelr commented, as the scientist equipped her gloves, the ends loosely fitted around her arms but it was just enough.

"Better than dead..." she muttered. Handing him one of his own. "Here,"

"I’m not wearing that..." He argued, pushing her hand back to her side, but she was adamant.

"Just wear the damned thing!"

"I said no!"

As they bickered, a dark shadow loomed over them both, a bear popping out the other end, it’s fur thorny and brissled, the creature twice the size of any she had ever seen. Zelr stared behind the bear, his eyes narrowing with focus yet Astra was petrified in fear. Though soon the bear fell, showing to be lifeless despite the sudden appearance.

"Was that just to show off?" Zelr asked, stepping forward, his blade raised, eyes locked on something Astra herself couldn’t see, his grip tightened, heart pounding in his chest. Astra stood frozen behind him, her breath caught in her throat, her eyes wide with fear as the enormous creature lay lifeless before them.

Then, a soft, mocking chuckle echoed through the steam. The hairs on the back of Zelr’s neck prickled as he turned, his blade still poised. Emerging from the mist, a figure stepped forward, her every movement deliberate and unhurried.

Pink hair swayed with each step, catching the dim light like fireflies dancing on the edge of the dark fog. The girl’s attire, gleaming gauntlets of brass and copper, reflected the heat of the surrounding springs, almost as if the very elements bent to her will. The shimmering metal seemed to pulse, alive with the hum of machinery.

"Who are you?"