Book 4 | Agent 34 and the Last Gem

Chapter 47 | Back From the Dead

Agent 34 yawned, stretching as he awoke from his uncomfortable slumber.

"Nearly there," Grime told him.

"Sercon tells me they are going to leave Renya if we don't hurry," Venon told the elf. "They are voting upon it and mostly everyone wants to leave,"

"Thad wouldn't just leave," Agent 34 exclaimed.

"He will," the dragon told them. "and he is. It's in the best nature right now to flee. It isn't normal to stay and fight for something that you know isn't worth fighting for,"

"It is very well worth fighting for," The elf said. "All of this has a purpose: to overthrow my brother,"

"but can you really overthrow someone who can't be overthrown?" The Ar'gual With The Crippled Leg told him.

"Shut up," Venon snapped. "We are nearly there. Get ready,"

Agent 34 shook Ismara, waking her gently. He told her their situation and both of them prepared to arrive back to the Zena after about a week of hiding.

~ ~ ~

Venon landed on the shore, letting the three off his back slowly. Before Agent 34 could say goodbye, he ran straight into the jungle and in the direction of where the Ar'guals were constructing the new Zena.

Twigs and branches snapped as he trampled them, the wildlife scurrying away. Vines hit his face as he ran, trying to pull him away from his run.

The elf emerged out of the forestry and into a clearing which was now covered in a newly made building. It was made out of white stone bricks that was carved into unique designs. A giant statue of a dragon that Agent 34 recognized as Wímad was positioned in the front of the new Zena.

He quickly grabbed a nearby Ar'gual and asked him for directions to Thad. Once the creature told him, he dashed into the Zena as fast as his legs would take him.

Agent 34 ran through the newly constructed maze of corridors that the Zena now had, dodging Ar'guals and every other creature within the Zena. He saw the giant metal doors at the end of the hall, nearly leaping over everything in his path to reach it.

The elf raised his right foot, slamming it into the door and knocking it open. It clanked as it flew backwards, hitting the wall with a thud and nearly breaking off its hinges.

Agent 34's armor clunked together as he lowered his foot, walking slowly into the room to show his presence to the leader of the Zena who sat atop the throne with confusion.

The dwarf was dumbfounded by his friend's sudden appearance. "A-Agent 34?" he exclaimed. "I thought—"

"I didn't die," He corrected him. "It was a coverup. We couldn't let anyone, not even you, have knowledge of what I was doing,"

"What could you have been doing that would require such secrecy to fake your own death?" Thad asked with a little irritation.

"Finding the gem," Agent 34 said boldly. He grabbed the hilt of his white blade, swinging it over his shoulder with steadiness.

"And did you succeed?" He asked, still surprised at Agent 34 rising from the dead.

"I did,"

"Let me ask a favor of you," The dwarf stood up, coming down the throne and towards Agent 34. "Don't ever do that again. You made us think we lost you and lost the war,"

"We didn't lose the war," he reassured him. "and we won't lose the war. We have the gem. We can defeat Lord Braunick and hand him what he deserves,"

~ ~ ~

Lord Grari was pleased to see that Grime, the Ar'gual With The Crippled Leg, had returned from his solitude at the old Ar'gualian base and decided to aid the war. The other Ar'guals began to build him a room to construct armor for all of the Destigems and few higher-ups in the Zena. They tried to give Grime some more Ar'guals to help him construct the armor, but he refused and said it wouldn't be as strong.

The Zena itself was happy to see Agent 34 and Ismara had returned. They rested all their hopes upon Agent 34 now, believing him to be the only one to be able to defeat his twin brother who lies upon the throne. Ismara, too, has somehow come up with this concept on her own during their period of travel.

Everyone was surprised to find that Venon had made a comeback. They thought he had perished in the battle or spent his last waking moments being the only one in Renya to bask in sunlight one final time.

Thad was happiest of all for them to return. He cancelled every plan of leaving Renya and acted as if it never happened. He had hopes of actually winning this war now, as did everyone else.

The Zena was now back to normal.