Chapter 30: A Little Help

-Is the ship ready? -Zaulan asked.

One of the guards answered without hesitating.

-Yes. Everything is ready.

-Perfect. Let's go. Put each one in a capsule.

The guards got to work without another word. First they placed protective devices on each of their faces, supplying a constant flow of oxygen. Then, one by one, they transferred each member of the group to separate capsules, filling them with liquid until they were completely submerged.

When they finished, the entire floor began to descend.

Slow, steady, like it had done this thousands of times before.

While they went down, one of the guards turned to Zaulan with respect.

-My Supreme Leader... are you planning to stay?

Zaulan looked up toward the center they were leaving behind.

-I no longer have any reason to. My purpose for being on this foul planet is done.

Finding them was all I needed.

The floor reached the underground level.

And there was the ship.

A matte black that reflected nothing. Two long fins pointing backward, each with a thruster that made its force felt even before it was turned on. Not excessively large, but it conveyed exactly what it needed to.

That it had not been built to stay on a planet.

They entered through the back. The guards secured the capsules in their designated places, one by one.

Zaulan looked at them for a moment.

-One of you stays here and watches over them. I'm going to rest while we travel.

The ship cut through space at maximum speed.

Outside, the darkness was total. Broken only by the light of stars that seemed suspended in time, planets on the edge of disappearing, others completely dry, with no sign that anything had ever lived on them.

Inside, everything was still.

One guard watched the capsules without taking his eyes off them. The pilot and copilot kept the ship on course. Another guard patrolled the interior, though somewhere between one round and the next, sleep got the better of him and he ended up standing asleep on his feet. And in his private quarters, Zaulan rested with the calm of someone who knows everything is under control.

Time passed.

Then the pilot saw something in the distance.

-There it is.

Planet Celatias.

It was enormous. And the first thing that caught the eye wasn't its size but its color. A bright sky blue that looked like nothing they had seen during the journey.

The pilot stared at it for a moment without saying anything.

-It's incredible how bright it is. I've never seen one like it.

-I can't wait to see what it's like inside -said the copilot, who also hadn't been there before-. What the inhabitants are like. How they behave.

When they began entering the planet's surface, a voice came through the controls.

Air control.

-Identify yourselves.

The pilot answered without hesitating.

-Investigator Zaulan is on board.

A brief silence.

-You may proceed.

That was more than enough.

They flew over what must have once been a city. Both pilots couldn't help but look down.

Ruins.

Destroyed buildings barely holding themselves up. Rubble covering the ground in every direction. A city nobody had touched in a long time, or that someone had decided to leave exactly as it was.

-What could have happened here? -the pilot murmured.

-That's why Zaulan is interested in this planet -said the copilot.

Before he could keep thinking about it, the ship's controls fired an alert.

Incoming attack.

The pilot didn't have time to react.

The impact hit one of the thrusters directly. The entire ship shook with a violence that left no room to ignore.

In different points of the ship, holographic screens deployed. The pilot's face appeared on all of them at the same time.

-We're under attack.

The sleeping guard woke up with a start, disoriented. The one watching the capsules ran toward the pilots. And in his private quarters, Zaulan opened his eyes.

His expression wasn't fear.

It was irritation.

In one of the capsules, something moved.

Slowly.

Yuzo began opening his eyes little by little.

Zaulan didn't waste a second.

He moved to the ship's controls and began working at a speed nobody could keep up with. Without taking his eyes off the screen, he ordered the pilots and the remaining guard to go verify the capsules.

The ship's energy was low, but it was enough for what he needed. He found a way to amplify it and direct it toward the communication.

The signal connected.

-Send reinforcements -said Zaulan-. My ship was shot down. We're being attacked by the Protectors.

The response came almost immediately.

-Confirmed. Reinforcements on the way.

Zaulan released the controls.

On the other side of the ship, Mozir didn't look for a way out.

He made one.

He hit the wall with his fist twice. The metal gave way and left an opening big enough for all of them.

They came out one by one.

When the last one stepped onto the ground outside, the group stopped.

Heliya looked around.

-What is this place?

Mozir inhaled slowly, processing every detail that came through.

-The smell of this place is nothing like Mount Tanjō.

-We'll worry about that later -said Joshido-. Let's find somewhere to hide.

At that moment the guards came out of the ship and cut them off.

Renir put his hand on his sword.

-Looks like we need to deal with them first.

One of the guards activated a device in his helmet and spoke to Zaulan.

-The prisoners escaped.

Inside the ship, Zaulan closed his eyes for a second.

-Just what I needed. I'll have to slow them down while the reinforcements arrive.

Outside, one of the guards stepped forward.

-You're not going anywhere.

Renir looked at him calmly.

-Oh yeah? Come and get us.

He drew his sword slowly.

The others stepped forward.

The guards exchanged glances.

-We're at a disadvantage -said the first-. It's not a good idea to face them.

-It's better to face them than have Zaulan get angry at us -said the second-. You know how he gets when he's upset.

-We can't let them leave under any circumstances -said the third.

The three drew their weapons. Rectangular, wide, a black that reflected nothing.

-Don't underestimate those weapons -said Joshido-. We need to attack fast.

Renir was already moving.

-Renir, wait! -said Joshido.

Too late.

The guards didn't have time to react. In an instant Renir had already left all three on the ground. He put his sword away calmly.

Joshido looked at him.

-That was just luck. You can't throw yourself at the enemy out of pure emotion.

Renir turned toward him.

-What's wrong with you? I defeated them in a breath.

-That's not the point.

-Then what is the point?

Yuzo and Mozir looked at each other and tried to calm both of them down without much success.

Until Zaulan appeared.

-I'm afraid you won't be going any further.

Renir looked at him without changing his expression.

-I'll defeat you in a moment. You won't even make me break a sweat.

Zaulan let out a short laugh.

-Living beings who are overconfident in their abilities always end up defeated. Or dead.

Renir drew his sword.

-The only one who will be defeated here is you.

-Renir -said Joshido-. He's just provoking you.

Renir looked at him for a moment.

-I know -said Renir-. I'm going to give him the beating he's looking for.

And he launched himself forward.

Zaulan looked at his bracelet with the same calm as always. Gray, with several buttons marked with different symbols on his left wrist. He pressed the first one.

An armor began covering him from head to toe. Light brown with orange details, loaded with a technology that had nothing improvised about it.

Without effort, he extended his hand and stopped Renir's sword cold.

Then he drove a hit into Renir's stomach that sent him flying back toward the others.

-Looks like he's going to give us more trouble than we thought -said Naiden.

-It's the first time I've used this armor -said Zaulan, looking at his own hands with something close to satisfaction-. I made it myself. I can finally put it to the test.

-Best if we all attack together -said Eldren.

Zaulan laughed. His voice came out thick and mechanical through the armor.

-Attack me together. You can try. But it won't work.

Renir launched himself again. This time straight at the body, trying to make a cut that would get through somewhere.

The armor held without a problem.

-How persistent you are! -said Zaulan.

Renir stepped back, looking at the blade of his sword and then at Zaulan, unable to believe it.

-Earth element. Rock projectiles -said Zaulan.

From the ground, sharp pieces of rock began emerging, shooting directly toward Renir.

-He can use an element? -said Yuzo, unable to believe it.

Joshido moved to Renir's side in an instant.

The metallic blades emerged from his wrists.

-Let me help you a little -said Joshido.

Renir and Joshido moved at the same time.

The metallic blades cut through the rocks and Renir deflected the rest with his sword without any of them reaching their target.

-You need more than that to finish us off -said Joshido.

The others joined them, closing ranks in front of Zaulan.

Suddenly two ships of the same model as Zaulan's appeared above the building. Their thrusters lit, their cannons pointing at the surroundings.

They began firing at the Protectors in the area.

-About time they got here -said Zaulan.

Heliya looked up and then at the group.

-More are coming. Best if we leave now.

-You're right, let's go! -said Joshido.

The entire group turned and ran.

-Not so fast! -said Zaulan.

-Earth element. Sticky earth.

A mass of dark earth burst from the ground and shot toward Joshido.

Naiden saw it.

And stepped in the middle.

The earth wrapped around him instantly. Heavy, dense, sticking to his body with a speed that left no time to react. Naiden tried to move but there was no way out.

Joshido turned.

-Naiden!

-Go! -Naiden shouted-. If they catch you too you'll all be in trouble.

-I'm not leaving without you.

Renir and Heliya moved to either side of Joshido and pulled him without giving him any more choice.

-Joshido, we have to go -said Heliya.

From the ships, reinforcement guards began dropping down, spreading through the building.

-Catch them at all costs! -Zaulan ordered.

Eldren raised his arms.

A gust of wind burst from him and pushed the reinforcements back, buying them the time they needed.

Mozir didn't wait. He moved to a wall of the building and broke through it with one hit.

One by one they made it outside.

-Do I have to do everything myself?

Zaulan stepped forward to go after them.

But the Protectors began attacking the reinforcement ships and the battle around him intensified.

He stopped.

He looked toward where Naiden was, still trapped under the heavy earth, unable to move.

-Well. I'll have to make do with you for now.

He turned to the reinforcements.

-Let's go. And don't forget to bring him to the ship.

While the guards dealt with Naiden, Zaulan lowered his gaze to his hands, looking at the armor.

I'm getting closer to my goal with every step.

Two of the guards stood in front of a window, watching the planet grow smaller as they moved away. It was enormous. A deep emerald green mixed with a dark brown that gave it something difficult to put into words.

-I really liked that planet -said one of them-. It's calmer than most.

-I wanted to explore it a little more -said the other-. But I suppose that'll be for next time.

A pause.

-Do you know what it's called?

The first one thought for a moment.

-I once heard Zaulan say it's called Srald.