WHAT IS THERE TO SAY ABOUT TRAVEL? For the sore soles of the pilgrims, not much aloud, for saving one's energy not on idle conversation, but for walking, for biking, is the way. For the Order affiliates Zan, Jiehong, and Whiskey? Travel was a chance to get themselves out and into the world, to make an impact. "We're practically flying!" Jiehong shouted. Zan shouted back, "We are! Be on the look out for--! Crap! Look out!"

  Losing control of his bike, Zan sputtered and flew from his seat. "Ouch! help!" Zan cried.

  Jiehong was soon by him, his exo-suit, bulky thought it may be, wasn't so large as to hinder basic helping actions, such as providing physical assistance. "Up now, you," Jiehong said, lifting Zan to his feet. "You tripped over that root. You were being careless."

  Zan looked back. The root twisted up from the ground. Yet Zan saw something strange about it.

  "What is this?" Zan asked. Curious about what he meant, Jiehong and Whiskey investigated where he pointed, Zan already on his knees examining the root.

  "No kind of root I've seen," Whiskey said. "And I made my way as a hunter and forager, remember."

  "It's like... those 'cables' back in the Command Center. The ones Sigma-Prime uses to re-charge," Zan said of the root and its reflective, smooth surface which looked like a gem stretched and contorted into a piece of rope.

  "We should follow it. Scout out its origin point. We've been traveling a long time in the direction of the village. If the bunker is close to the village, this is likely it," Whiskey replied.

  "I agree. Mechanisms like this I have only ever seen at our base or inside of those Wizard Towers. Hardly a coincidence. Shall Zan and I scout that direction as you take the opposite?" Jiehong asked Whiskey, looking to Zan for approval.

  Zan found the plan agreeable. "Will you be fine by yourself?"

  Whiskey vocalized her approval: "I will take that direction, then. And yes, I will be fine. Should I need help, I will use the echo-beetles; you're not the only one who knows how to use the gadgets."

  Zan took lead as the Order. Jiehong just behind him. "Actually, Zan. Let me take the lead. I can remain to your front, but not in your way. This way, I can protect you from harm without disrupting your leadership."

  Jiehong's words shocked Zan. "We've come a long way, haven't we?"

  "We have. It's just the reality of our situation. It was foolish of me to question your role as Order leader. You were the first to leap into action and confront the walker and you were the first to fuse with the Power Crystal. And you really have shown incredible bravery. All of us have come a long way. If we are going to survive all this, we need to each with each other. Not against."

  Zan held back his tears. Only barely, though. "Thanks, man," he said, his insides wet with emotion.

  The two young warriors continued to walk along the root's curvature for a time. All along where they walked, Zan saw protruding earth bulge from where the cable twisted inside the soil. "I think something is in the distance," Jiehong said.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  Straining to see what he meant, after focusing, Zan saw a smudge on the horizon. "That?" he asked.

  Unclasping his bike from his back, he and Jiehong rode hard, easily flying their way through the forest splotches. Other than the soil disturbed from the cables, few vegetations got in their way. Zan noticed, however, that while the ground was easy to ride, the deeper into the woods they rode, the more soaked the ground became. He thought this would continue upon reaching the darkest depth of the wood, but he was wrong.

  Breaking through a dense tangle and into a small clearing, a large boulder dominated the clutch of trees. A pond was nearby, which only led into another pond beyond. Is this place a wetland? Zan asked himself.

  "Think this is what we are looking for?" his brother asked.

  Taking appraisal of the situation, Zan pressed his earpiece. To Whiskey, he said, "Return. I think we've found our bunker..."

  "Yeah," Whiskey said after looking around. "This is our bunker. What else would this be?"

  "But we haven't confirmed that yet," Jiehong said, reminding everyone of their lack of evidence.

  "Then let's find that missing link," Zan said. "Everyone, look."

  The trio split up and investigated the land. Not knowing exactly what he was looking for, Zan traced the cable close to the boulder but not directly into it; the cable, rather than entering the boulder at a point, and confirming its status, the cable instead descended into the earth, leaving them mystified whether this was a large rock or an ancient bunker.

  Fishing out of a nearby puddle, Zan pulled a rock with rugged edges. He started whacking away at the boulder, hoping to dislodge something.

  Seeing what he was doing, Jiehong said, "I like it! Brute and reliable." And so, Jiehong began to hit the boulder with his own rock.

  Before long, Whiskey joined in. After many, many violent apprehensions, the boulder revealed itself as the bunker they sought after a piece from its sediment layer fell, revealing a sparkling material underneath. "Remarkably well preserved," Zan told the group. And it was well-preserved, he thought, while looking into the small hole and seeing a glimmering radiance of the same unmistakable sheen as the command center's own.

  "Excuse me, can I help you?" a voice called out.

  Turning to see who the newcomer was, Zan saw a woman approach them from the pond's other side.

  "Our apologies," Zan said on behalf of the group. "Are we on your village's territory?"

  "Technically, but only the mayor and his aides know about boundary lines. Let alone care. Who are you? And why are you concerned with property lines?" the woman said. Her hair was gray but not of a tarnished quality. Though age brought gray to her long hair, its tone was vivid and boasted a berry scene to boost.

  Introducing everyone, Zan explained who they were and why they had come. The woman, who introduced herself as Molly-Holly, said, "You want to buy land? Utterly bizarre. Especially for people so young. These Martial Orders, though... they have people acting all funny about things. I think it's irrational. Wanting to dig up old buckets from long dead peoples..."

  Molly-Holly continued muttering for a span of several minutes. Decrepit and beyond their time, Zan groused. Why do they think their opinions are needed?

  Keeping a good face, Zan did not grouse aloud. He said, instead, "I understand, ma'am. We are outsiders. But we are fighting the good fight against the Expanse. Our Order is part of that good fight. Would you be so kind as to take us to your leader? That way, we can all sit down and talk about this."

  "Oh, sure. Follow me, younglings," she said as Molly-Holly led them to the village. "This is Guygale. Our modest community has gotten a reputation of late for training the best local toughs."

  "Toughs?" Whiskey asked.

  "Soldiers, mercenaries, guardsmen... brawny guys to haul manure carts. Whatever the job is, we have the guys and the muscles. If nowhere better if close by, that is," Molly-Holly said with surprising honesty.

  Not like there is any point to her lying to us, though, Zan reflected. How many places truly have specialty products? My village sure-as-rain didn't. That is why Jiehong's parents came to the place. To provide culture.

  Entering what passed for the village square, several buildings of rudimentary design dotted the forest's edge, not so far away from the bunker's location. An old mudbrick hut stood close to the pit-houses. "Here is our leader's dwelling. Let's go in and introduce you, then."