I Am The Truth II

Chapter XXV: Hunting of the Mobilium Prime

Ballots had opened. More than two billion people across four nations and five coalition territories were scrambling to place their vote. Political tensions ran high on the media, with highly polarizing speeches by both sides broadcasting. Denny had immediately taken to television, speaking with such aggression that it sparked heated debates among netizens all over Ardonia. Trevor and Saxon had left Ataraxia two days prior to go on a brief tour in Conchord, rallying the northernmost districts where the largest nonhuman populations were. South Sendaria and the Badlands saw its fair share of support.

Hundreds of miles to the north however, it was only a distant sound. For Val, it didn't matter much compared to the task at hand. The Voltaris company had returned briskly from the Netherworld after Val had returned to them. She had refrained from explaining the whole story between herself and Vulcannus, but what she did tell was the truth. Once they returned, the group had traveled a few miles south to a village in Sendaria, where Val became exposed to the device for the first time.

With the gauntlet now in her possession and activated, she was being overwhelmed by a flood of visions, constantly appearing to fill in the blackness that she would normally see when she closed her eyes. None of them were in focus, just a blurry scene that shifted too quickly for her to decipher.

It had come so suddenly that she would always find herself on her knees within seconds. The Voltaris company could only stay by her side. It was she alone who could find the songs after all.

"I never knew... communicating with songs was this strenuous," Val wheezed.

"It is the Prime you are dealing with Val," Ingressus replied. "It has a much stronger pull than what any of us would experience."

"And yet, she cannot 'feel' her song the same way we can," Almrak added. 

They watched her gaze upon the metallic casing that now fitted over her arm between her shoulder and her elbow. They had modified it a little bit so that it would be more concealed. There was a single black tube that went out of her left sleeve and into the brown backpack that she wore, almost as if she were using an insulin pump. Actually, there was a battery inside her backpack to keep the device running. It would last her three to four days if continuously running.

She rolled down her sleeve so that all that could be seen was the wire coming out from the end and going around into her backpack. With the cloak, she really did look like a traveler now.

"Are you sure you want to leave for Mendoria?" Ingressus asked. "If you stick with us, then we can all accompany you on your task."

"Thank you Master Ingressus," Val said with a nod. "But there are people I must see in Mendoria before I begin. I have not seen them in a month or so now."

"Very well," The Master only said. "I do know Ria will not be remotely pleased."

Val looked to the ground. The Sendaris was her age, and yet it felt like Ria was trying to be an overprotective mom.

"However," Ingressus began, conceding upon reading the Mendoris' silent response. "Combat experience or not, she is only as experienced as you are if I say so myself. You both are the same age after all, and both of you have seen your fair share of the world in your own right."

"Thank you, Master Ingressus."

As the sun began to climb in the sky, the company bid her farewell. She had been given plenty of medical supplies given the extremely undeveloped setting of rural Mendoria. She watched them leave down a different path, one she would have also taken had she decided otherwise. A part of her wondered if she should have joined them instead, but she shook the thought out of her mind. She needed to see Galadar, Hadion, Magentus, and of course... little Porfyr.