-----E-----

„There you are, Vincent! I have your armor! And, uh, where is the reward?“

„Oh, thanks for the armor, and about that. We aren‘t finished with it yet.“

„What? What do you mean?“

„I mean, the quest is longer than we thought.“

We went outside Dunwich, Nia found a different route out, and Vincent explained the situation.

„Our next task is to find the artifact vault, and take the most valuable artifact there.“

Nia and I looked at each other.

So that place was a vault, I was right.

„But it is in the Dynami Empire‘s border, so we have to be careful.“

„Oh, great. What have you gotten us into now?“

„Relax, I have my blaster, and you have your shield, and Nia has her. . . grenades.“

„But what if the Dynami possesses artifact weapons?“

„That is a possibility, but we can find a way to defeat them.“

He must be joking. If it is just bandits, then we might have a chance, but if it is the Dynami Empire‘s army, then we are in trouble.

„I guess we could scout out the area before deciding.“

„That‘s the spirit!“

Wow, he sounds excited, that‘s weird.

„Anyways, where exactly is this? Where in the dynami territory?“

„Southeast of us, right at the edge of the continent.“

„Eh, what?“

Don‘t tell me we have to cross the entire dynami territory, just to get to the vault? This is insane. Now it might make sense that this might take weeks!

„If you are thinking we don‘t have enough supplies, then don‘t worry, Wilmer got us covered with enough. I have enough food and zettra stones in my backpack.“

That is not what I was worried about!

„Ooh, zettra stones? Can I keep one! I always have to steal energy from others because I never find these stones!“

----------

I can‘t believe Vincent managed to convince me by joining him on this suicide mission. And even worse was that Nia helped him convince me. What side was she on anyway?

We were in the same woods as last time, but now we would go even further. Nia said that there shouldn‘t be many dynamis around, because their capital and bigger cities were on the big islands near here, they were really close to Slefend.

„Are you sure we won‘t come across lizards?“

„Yup!“

„And how would you know that?“

„Because I have been around here much longer than you!“

Nia was happily skipping around and humming a tune.

„Nia, what kind of grenades do you have?“

„Hmm, well, I have ones who explode. I have ones who puff out smoke. I have ones who make a big flash. I have ones who temporarily disables artifacts and renders them useless. I have . . .“

„Wait wait wait,“ I stopped her. „You have grenades that disables artifacts?“

„Yeah? And?“

„They should be really useful against the dynami who would have artifact weapons. Then this should be easier than I had expected.“

„But there is only one problem with that grenade.“

„And that is?“

„I only have one.“

Ah, crap.

„Where do you even get these grenades?“ Vincent asked.

„I build them!“

Oh, she is a crazy daredevil who likes to use explosions, and she even builds them.

„Then can‘t you build more?“

„I don‘t have the necessary materials to do so!“

What kind of stuff do you need to build one of these anti-artifact grenades? I would like to call them AA‘s but that is already taken. A-art? Anti-art? I think I will just stick with anti-artifact.

„Do you have enough to build a normal grenade?“

„I only need a zettra stone. So yea!“

„Can you show me how you make them?“

„When Tessera goes down, and we make camp for the night, then I will show you.“

„Sure, sounds good.“

I wonder how she makes them, I am getting more curious by the second.

Wait a minute. Did she say Tessera?

I stared back at her, and I saw Vincent had a thoughtful look. He might have had the same thought as me. The star is Tessera? How can that be? I never thought this is how I would find out about the star‘s name.

If we are still in the same star system, then did we somehow get to one of the other three planets? I don‘t understand.

I walked up closer to Vincent and quietly spoke to him in our language.

„So the star is Tessera, huh?“

„I guess so.“

„If this planet is populated, then that must mean we are on one of the other planets.“

Vincent thought for a second.

„You might be right, how are we going to find a spaceship here?“

„Only if I knew.“

----------

We started making camp for the night. We had no encounters with the dynami so far.

„The camp is ready, can you show us how you create those?“

„Sure!“

Nia pulled something out of her bag and placed it on the ground.

It looked strange. It was like a metal square plate with one limb on each corner.

„Can I have a zettra stone?“

Vincent handed over one of his.

Nia placed it on the plate and began making motions with her hands. Then her screen came up. She selected an option and the plate‘s . . . No, the machine‘s limbs started collecting the materials from the stone, also it was collecting dirt from the ground.

Then when it was done, Nia took away the stone and the machine began creating the frame of the grenade.

„This must be some sort of printer.“

„Yeah. An artifact 3D printer.“

The printer finished with the grenade, and then it started coloring it with all kinds of fancy textures. So she does not paint them, the printer does it for her.

„Aaaand, done!“ She said with joy and took the grenade in hand. „Doesn‘t it look cute?“

„Eh, if you call a bomb cute, then your weird.“

„Heh heh.“

She inspected it for a bit, then she handed it out to me.

„Here, you can have it.“

„You sure? Don‘t you need that?“

„I have no space for it, so you can have it.“

I took it and thanked her.

„Do I have to give it energy?“

„You have to make it touch any artifact and press the button on the grenade, then the workers in your artifact start giving it energy. Then when you press the button again, a timer starts until it explodes into beautiful colors!“

So the Nanos activate them. Ugh, I hate thinking about them.

I bagged the grenade, then we started discussing about our shifts for the night.

„Oh oh!“ Nia raised her hand. „Can I have the first shift?“

„No, we still can‘t trust you yet.“ Vincent said straightforward.

„Come on, Vincent, she won‘t try anything.“

Nia smiled.

„Ehhhh. Fine, but it would be your fault if she steals anything.“

„I won‘t! I promise!“

„Kids are terrible at keeping promises.“

Vincent and I went to sleep on a futon that Wilmer gave us, it was much better than sleeping on the grass.

I trusted her, she would likely still stay with us, because I have the key to the vault.

Now that I am thinking it, can others go into the vault without needing the key? Nia made it sound like others could go there without one. I am hoping the key is the only way there.

----------

„Hey, Ethan, time to wake up, it‘s your second shift of the night.“

That was Vincent, waking me up, I wished I could have slept longer. I think I heard a small chuckle from him or was that my imagination?

„Yeah yeah, I‘m awake.“

„Heh, hope you have a great watch.“

He was definitely chuckling about something, I haven‘t heard him laugh for some time.

I stood up and was about to grab my shield when I noticed something different.

„Huh?“

I took the shield with both hands and inspected it.

„Oh, what the hell.“

My shield looked completely different. It should have the triangular shape with purple energy. But now . . .

„Why the hell is it a heart shape with red energy?!“

Vincent laughed.

„Pfft, I don‘t know, try asking Nia.“

Of course, it was Nia, she can even change other artifacts shape? Where the hell is she? I glanced in every direction but didn‘t see her.

„Well, have fun fixing that, I am off to bed,“ Vincent finished and laid down next to the fire. „Oh, and she is up on that tree over there.“

I looked where he pointed, and there she was, sleeping on the tree.

She is also a prankster? Great.

I sat beneath the tree Nia was on, and started fixing my shield. This was likely going to take the rest of the night. This is the last shift, so when I am done, I think I am going to give Nia a lesson.

----------

„So I can‘t do it anymore?“ Nia said with a sad expression.

„It took me the whole night to fix it to what it was before, so no, you can‘t.“

„Ehh, what if I don‘t listen to you?“

„Come on, you wouldn‘t do that.“

„Hmm, maybe I will.“

I was actually getting annoyed by her. I was about to say something more, but Vincent stopped all of a sudden.

„Hold up,“ he held his hand up high, making a sign to stop.

„What is it?“

„I see a road up ahead.“

A road? I followed his gaze, and sure enough, there was an obvious built road in the forest.

„The dynami made that?“

„Yup! It‘s connected to their towns and city,“ Nia stated out. „We could easily cross it, but remember to look both ways, there could be dynami around.“

Now it was getting more dangerous. We were deep into their territory, how have we not come across wandering lizards?

We came closer to the road and glanced in both directions a few times, then we crossed it.

„Well that was easy.“

We continued on forward, and after a few hours, we suddenly heard a scream in the distance. Then it abruptly stopped.

„What was that?“

„It came from the direction we are heading in, let‘s go on and check it out, but quietly.“

We moved through the forest, watching our every step to avoid making much sound. We saw figures ahead, and we hid behind some bushes.

There were two lizards hovering over a dead human.

„Well that was boring, isn‘t it cheating using that weapon you have?“ one of them said.

„He was running so fast, your ax could not reach him.“

One of the lizards just had an ax, which was an artifact weapon, but the other one . . .

„Is that a rifle? Blaster rifle?“ I quietly asked.

„Of some sort, yeah. And they are both wearing artifact armor.“

They were fully armored up that glowed orange. Vincent‘s blaster might have a hard time taking them on.

„Let‘s bring him back at the excavation site, and you can harvest his skull if you want.“

„Wow, that‘s nice, coming from you.“

They were talking like it was a normal day for them, I guess it was. He did say an excavation site, is that where we are heading to?

„Hey, Nia, does your anti-artifact grenade make their armor useless?“

„It should lower their defenses, but you want me to use the only one I have now?“

„Save it, there is only two of them, you should throw a flash grenade instead, then Ethan and I charge.“

Nia pulled one out and charged it.

„Ready?“

Vincent took out his blaster and held it firmly, while I drew out my sword, and then I activated a program that I called Armor Piercing. I haven‘t tested it out yet on creatures or lizards, but it should be able to go through tough armor. In front of the shield appeared spikes. If it would not go through, then I would immediately change it to the Wind Protection program.

„Ready.“

Nia threw the grenade high and it landed near them, then it made a ringing sound.

„What the?“ They both turned to look at it. Bad move.

The grenade blew up in a flash of light, blinding them instantly. They held their hands against their eyes and growled in anger.

„Let‘s go!“

Vincent and I jumped out of cover and charged at them.

Vincent shot many rounds at the one with the rifle. But when his shots went close, an energy barrier blocked them, but it did look like it was starting to crack.

I ran towards the ax lizard with my shield in front and collided with him. The energy around him broke really quickly and the spikes went through him. Whatever type of armor they had, it was not good.

„ARGH!“ It yelled out and blindly swung its ax around.

I jumped back to avoid it.

„Program! Zero!“ The rifle lizard said.

So they also can call out programs. What did zero mean?

Rifle lizard had his eyes closed, but was aiming towards Vincent, and then fired a few rounds.

Vincent managed to dive and roll to the left, dodging all of its shots.

„How does he see me? He has his eyes closed and is blinded!“

I didn‘t understand it either. But I had the ax lizard to deal with right now.

Ax lizard was listening in on my footsteps and kept on turning towards me. Did that flash grenade not make them also hear ringing sounds?

If he wouldn‘t allow me to attack him from the back, then I might as well make him attack me.

I changed my shield to the Wind Protection program and ran towards him.

He swung his ax and I blocked it. Then the power from my shield made him lose his ax from his hand and then it flew high.

„Program! Armor Piercing!“ I called out and immediately impaled the lizard again, and then I aimed for its neck with my sword and sliced.

The lizard fell to his knees and spat out blood, then it fell down with a thud.

„One down!“

I started moving to the rifle lizard.

Vincent went behind a tree to get some cover from the lizard. But that tree would not last long, the rifle was quite powerful.

„Hey, you reptile!“ I yelled to the lizard, and it started aiming towards me.

I changed the shield to the program Expanded Shield, now my whole body was protected with energy.

The lizard fired his weapon, and it all collided with my shield. My shield was tough, but I saw cracks appearing on the energy. It was not going to hold.

„Vincent!“

„I got it!“

Vincent shot a few rounds at it from behind, and the lizard‘s energy barrier broke and was hit a few times.

It growled and called out a new program.

„Program! Five!“

He aimed for me and fired, but it was different this time. Instead of a normal rifle shot, it fired some kind of hook at me, and it hit my shield and got stuck on it.

Then I saw that the line had the same energy color as mine, and it was all going to the lizard‘s artifact weapon.

I knew what was going on. But it was too late.

My shield lost its energy power, and I was defenseless. I saw that the lizard‘s energy barrier was back up, it stole my energy! My shield was already low on power, I haven‘t charged it with a zettra stone for some time.

The lizard cackled. And called out a different program. But I didn‘t listen because I started to run for it and try to get behind cover.

Then I heard his shot, I turned back at him with my shield and managed to block his shot, but it wasn‘t ordinary. It was explosive.

I was flung backward, and I hit a tree and fell on the ground.

It hurt like hell, but I wasn‘t losing consciousness.

Vincent kept on firing, but the lizard shield was barely cracking.

The lizard turned back towards Vincent and was about to fire at him when a grenade was thrown towards Vincent.

The grenade didn‘t explode, instead, it made a bubble shield. Was that one of Nia‘s gadgets or grenades?

The lizard‘s explosive rounds collided with the barrier and it cracked and then broke right at the last explosive round.

I saw Nia, quietly running behind the lizard and moved her hand towards him, then the lizard energy started to fade.

She was stealing the lizard energy! And somehow he didn‘t notice her.

The lizard shot normal rounds towards Vincent, but then it stopped working.

It growled in confusion, then he turned around to see Nia running away.

„Shoot him now!“ Nia called to Vincent.

He shot a few rounds, no barrier was in the way, and hit him on the back and killed him. The lizard fell with a last grunt.

I stood up in pain from the explosion and walked towards Nia and Vincent.

„That was much harder than I thought.“

„Yeah, it was, wasn‘t it? Hey, Nia, thank you.“

„No problem!“ Nia smiled.

„What was that you threw at Vincent?“

„Some crappy artifact gadget.“

„An artifact gadget?“

So there are also artifacts like that?

„Yup, an artifact gadget, they are mostly usable only once. And that barrier completely broke when Scaly-Scales over there fired at it. Also, that was my only one, you owe me,“ she said and handed her hand towards Vincent and gestured for money.

Scaly-Scales? What a name for that dynami.

„What? I am not going to pay you, I didn‘t ask for it.“

„But you needed it,“ she smirked.

„Oh, whatever, here,“ Vincent tossed a silver piece to her.

„I was just joking around, but thanks for your generous donation.“

Vincent looked annoyed.

„We should rest here, I was pretty roughed up by that rifle lizard.“

„Yeah, I saw that. That was incredible.“

I looked over towards the dead human.

„We also should bury that man, we don‘t want to leave the dead to be disturbed by wild creatures.“

Vincent was about to oppose but didn‘t.