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Reve, Nia, and I found our way to Tyrida‘s gates and found the others that would be with us on the quest. Vincent went on to do his own thing while waiting for us to finish.

There was quite a lot of activity around the gate, people coming in with goods to sell, and I saw guards checking out a carriage while talking to a person that likely own it.

„We‘re here!“ Nia called out to Franek.

Franek, of course, is going to be our leader of this group, because he holds the key to the vault. And he really does sound like a good leader.

„Good, you three should be the last ones. Let‘s hop on the carriages and be on our way to Kamlin Gate.“

„Aye aye, captain!“

„You can just call me Sir, or Sir Franek, please.“

We took our seat on a carriage and a moment later, we started moving towards Kamlin Gate.

We went East, through a town called Fender. There we gathered just some small supplies and then kept ongoing.

Just a few hours later, we saw Kamlin Gate in front of us. The walls were as big as the walls in Tyrida, with artifact ballistas on top.

We hopped out of the carriages and walked to the gate. Franek talked to a guard and showed him some ID, then we were allowed to go through. It appears I and the others didn‘t need to show our ID. That was lucky, if we needed to show ours, then Nia would have been in trouble. Maybe I should talk to Ivona to get her a forged ID like Vincent‘s and mine.

„Alright, from here it might get dangerous. The dynami might be around, so stay vigilant. Follow me, the map tells me to go this way.“

We were walking at the foot of the mountain, and the dynami border was close. The vault should be somewhere down the Eastern mountain. How accurate is the map exactly? Can Franek just zoom in on the vault?

I looked over at Franek, he had his artifact sword out with a holographic screen in front of him, just like what mine would do. He was waving around with his hand on the holo-screen, it was zooming in and out. I thought I tried that before with mine, I don‘t recollect doing so. I guess I didn‘t then, or my memory is really funky these days, maybe a side effect when being transported here? I always am bad at remembering names though.

I walked over towards Franek.

„Hey, Sir Franek,“ I was thinking about just calling him Franek, but I needed to be respectful to get on his good side.

„Yeah, Ethan, what is on your mind?“

„How far exactly is the vault?“

„We should arrive in about an hour or two. You can walk this long, right?“

„Of course, I just wanted to know.“

„Good, can I ask you something?“

„Sure, go ahead.“

„Is it a coincidence that your last name is Shield just like your artifact? Or did you rename yourself?“

Ehh, it should be safe to say that I renamed myself. I don‘t know how people around here react when saying I didn‘t have a last name. Ivona reacted quite well, so it should be fine. But just in case, I will say I renamed myself.

„I changed my name.“

„Why?“

Dammit. I hoped he didn‘t ask.

„Personal reasons, I don‘t really want to talk about it right now.“

„Alright then, Ethan Shield, thanks on joining this quest.“

„No problem.“

I moved back from Franek and glanced around. Ivy was at the back of the group. I thought about asking her if she was Ivona‘s sister, but I don‘t really know if I should. Ivona never mentioned a sister before, maybe because she just didn‘t want to talk about her? Or does Ivy just have the same last name.

Ivy wore a green cloak around her with her hoodie on, and her artifact bow glowed with green, matching her cloak. Unlike Ivona, she had two quivers around her hip, filled with arrows. I noticed that she has light armor inside her cloak.

I slowed my speed so I could get close to her.

„Hey, I have a question.“

She looked up. Her face and eyes are quite like Ivona‘s, she has an attractive look, the guys would likely be all around her if she would smile with glee, but she looked unhappy for some reason. Ivy‘s eyes were green, and I am pretty sure Ivona had the same green eyes.

„Hm?“

„Do you. . . Do you know a person named Ivona?“ I asked.

„Who‘s asking?“

I honestly thought she would hesitate before answering, but she quickly responded.

„I‘m a friend of hers. When I heard your name I would have guessed you were her sister.“

She sighed and looked forward.

„I‘m guessing she didn‘t say anything about me?“

„Yes?“

„good, you can stop talking to me now.“

„Huh?“

She started walking faster, avoiding me. I looked at her with confusion, then walked back to Nia and Reve.

That was really strange. What was up with her? Why didn‘t she want to talk? If she doesn‘t want to be bothered then I will respect her privacy, I guess.

I glanced towards the gunslinger, I think his name was Braxton. I wanted to ask him about how he can wield two artifact blasters, but he would likely ignore me as he did with Vincent. I am not going to bother with him.

„Reve, want to chat?“ I came closer to him.

„Sure, what shall we talk about?“

I wanted to be more friendly to people, to get some allies. I glanced at his war ax.

„Can I ask you how you acquired that ax?“ I had no idea what to say, this is the first thing that came to mind.

„Hm, it is a long story. If you want the full version, then the story would likely end when we are finished at the vault.“

„Ehh. . . then can I have the short version?“

„I basically went on a journey with my colleagues to Smittis, it took us a few months until we finally found the vault that we were looking for.“

„Smittis is the place with those insects, right?“

„Yes, the kypseli, we fought so many of them that we always needed to repair our weapons while we were out there.“

„So you know a lot about those bugs?“

„You want to know?“

I nodded.

„Yeah, I haven‘t seen one before, and I don‘t know much about them. It would be great if you would tell me about them.“

Might as well know about them while I am here. Who knows when I will encounter them.

„Kypseli are a hive mind, controlled by a matriarch queen that is somewhere in the middle of Smittis. Her hive is too big for her, so she has created smaller queens that are her subordinates, they control a small part of land and are always loyal to their matriarch.“

„So there has been no betrayal there? Like maybe a queen wanted to be the ruler or something?“

„There is! There is a queen on the eastern part of Smittis that wants control over the hive!“ Nia chimed in the conversation.

„It is only a rumor, no one actually knows if there are two different hives attacking each other.“

It would be interesting to see two swarms attacking each other, gaining control over land slowly and all that.

„What do kypseli look like?“

„They have workers that are small, mostly the size like. . .“ Reve looked down at Nia. „Like the size of Nia here.“

„Did you just compare me to a bug?“

„Well, it is the truth. If you would lie down then the length would be similar as theirs, but they are wider than you. Anyways, they look like overgrown beetles, they have large sharp mandibles and six legs that can walk on walls. Their scales are not as tough as the warriors though.“

„Why do I feel like you are calling me a bug.“

„I am not calling you a bug. Actually, you kinda are.“

„Huh?“ Nia stared, confused.

„The warriors are different, they come in various shapes and sizes. It‘s like the queens are always making different types.“

„So they are basically just overgrown bugs of all insects that are around here?“

„Maybe the swarm uses the small bugs as inspiration for their own, but they have tougher scales and sharper claws. I have also seen kypseli that are not like the bugs around here. Maybe I just haven‘t seen a normal one yet, my colleagues also haven‘t seen the smaller version of some kypseli.“

„Interesting. What about the queens? What do they look like?“

„They also have different shapes of insects. Like the warriors, but much bigger.“

„What about the big bugs in dungeons and vaults? Aren‘t they basically like kypseli?“

„Not really. Kypseli have some sort of natural glow on their bodies, mostly the color purple and blue, but people have seen them glow with other colors as well. And the bugs in dungeons don‘t exactly have the same features as normal small bugs.“

„What do you mean?“

„Dungeon bugs are strange, though they look like some of the bugs on the planet, they still have features that just looks different. Like they shouldn‘t be on this planet. All dungeons and vaults have different bugs, some do look identical, but they are still. . . different.“

„What, like they are aliens?“

I am kind of an alien myself. But it‘s better to not tell them that.

„It would be absurd, it would only be a fantasy. I need to see with my own eyes if these come from the skies.“

Heh, only if you knew that the guy standing next to you is that fantasy.

„I believe people have come to this planet!“ Nia suddenly said.

„How come?“

„Just some rumors going around, nothing else.“

Does she just instantly believe in rumors? Well, kids would believe in anything that they are told.

„I think this is enough talk, I need to think a bit.“

„What? But I want to ask you some questions as well, I have been answering your questions so you should too.“

„Oh, right, sorry. What is your question?“

„How did you obtain your shield?“

I knew that was coming. Well, my mouth is going to say some lies. I can‘t tell them the truth about how I got it. Maybe when I find out more about this planet‘s secrets, then I might tell them the truth.

----------

We have been walking for some time now, and the vault‘s entrance should be in view in a few minutes. We had no trouble with dynami being around, there have been no sign of them in this area.

I thought one thing that was strange. Vaults have entrances for their artifacts, but when Vincent, Nia, and I were at the vault with the tank, there wasn‘t actually an entrance. The dynami were excavating the artifacts, they likely dug down and retrieved the tank that way. Maybe some vaults have entrances and others only need to be uncovered from the soil. That is really strange, this planet is just one giant question mark. Nothing makes sense around here. I seriously need answers, otherwise, my head will explode with confusion.

„The entrance should be around this cliff,“ Franek said.

We looked around until someone called to us that they found it.

„Just under those shrubs,“ the man with a spear said and pointed to the ground.

We went down on our knees and uncovered a giant hatch in the grass. We pulled the hatch open, it was heavy as hell, we needed all of us to open it up. Even Nia helped out.

We looked down and saw stairs leading down to the underground.

„Sir Franek, didn‘t other artifact hunters find this first?“ A man with the ax asked.

„Yes?“

„Then why was it overgrown with plants and grass?“

„When hunters leave the area, the grass around the entrance would for some unknown reason cover it up. No one knows why. And you are saying that is weird when dungeons and vaults disappear when the artifact within is collected?“

Disappear? What does he mean by that? Great, just great, I have even more questions now.

We started moving downwards, some of us had torches to light up the darkness, though we could have used our artifacts to lighten it all up.