Chapter 30: The Fallen knight

The chase didn't last long. The leader were pained to his core, letting out a horrid scream. His weak underlings were startled for a moment, before one of them tend to their boss aid. While the two reluctantly gave chase, deliberately slowing their pace to not face the fleeing wrenches. If that young man can bring their boss to his knees, what chances do they have?

This simple thinking of theirs had allowed the exhausted Pert and Zyro to scape. Furthermore, Zyro's arm were spent due to constant swinging but not his legs muscles. Therefore, he was able to run relatively fast, Pert on the other hand was an Aster known for their superior stamina. Keeping up with Zyro's speed wasn't a problem for the kid.

As they run through the caves rocky tunnels, passing luminous torches one by one. The grave expression on their face only grew darker. Zyro was deeply troubled, even Pert who always wear a cheerful smile looked serious. Despite scaping the plunderers clutches.

Things wasn't as simple as it seems.

***

In the small cavern made by Pert, Zyro sat, leaning against the wall. Panting heavily. Pert rested opposite to him, looking much better than Zyro, as if not that tired despite working for hours and sprinting to flee.

Zyro was truly amazed by Asters endurance.

A small, flaming ore positioned on the middle of the room serving as light in the kids humble home. It's a dark red mineral found in the deeper area of the mine, also known as radiant ore or solid fire because of its extreme but tamable flammability. Once this ore touches fire, it'll burn softly using its rocky body as fuel until it shrunk and weathered. It could also be ignited by simple spark from friction against solids.

This radiant ore powered all the torches in the Caves Mine. While the rich structures above society used magic for lights, fueled by magic crystals they dug here.

Truly, he was indeed in a different planet with more elements presents in existence. Unlike earth, only possessing 118. If Zyro and Aizra's calculation were correct, This world is bigger with a hundred more undiscovered new elements. One of it is what people called Magic stone.

At the thought of magic stone, a notification appeared in Zyro's retina.

[You have discovered Catalyst existence]

His weary eyes narrowed. Perplexed, then. A technical series of tables of information about catalyst, along with some illustrations of Catalyst crystalline fragments was showed - Virtual screens mostly colored in light blue.

Aizra, his mental AI cannot directly inject data into the brain due to the risk it pose. Hence, she had to manually transfer through optical hallucinations.

As he analyze the provided information, Zyro eyes keeps widening. Startled by the revelations.

Zyro was a mere trooper, a tool for mission execution specializing combat and mechanical repairs. And wasn't a high ranking official in-charge in command. Hence, he didn't have access to significant information about their goal - Catalyst. Such as experiments results, structure, material contents etc.

But it doesn't mean it's not to be distributed. Like Aizra nerve upload program, delicate info about catalyst was also hidden. Only revealed when needed, which is now.

After reading the data, Zyro let out a shaky breath. Hope igniting in his eyes.

He did it.

He found Catalyst, The STELLAR Goal for venturing into the Galaxy for many, many years. The goal of humanity. Unknowingly, he had been mining it all this time!

The magic stones behavioral properties - Crystalline stony body and explosiveness if recklessly damaged. Matched Catalyst - A humongous astronomical crystal that had mysteriously fallen to earth, almost dooming humanity.

During it's sudden arrival, humans tried to defend with weapons of destruction, razing the crystal meteor but in the end. Their struggle was proven futile. After the catastrophe, the few of what's left in humanity had studied Catalyst fragmented remains. And sending the STELLAR, who's goal is to find the source of Catalyst and stop it. For earth will be destroyed if another came. Which is a bit... Illogical in Zyro's mind. But he figured the government had deeper unknown reason for creating STELLAR.

Anyway, the data of Aizra concerning Catalyst

experiments conclusions perfectly matched the Magic stones properties. Except that, Catalyst is Cyan in color and more durable with greater explosive power if damage.

That's pretty easy to solve. Magic crystals had multiple rate of color. Currently unknown to him due to his limited knowledge. And every slaves in the mine knew that the higher the quality of magic stones, the greater it's durability and lethality.

But the most important revelation Zyro gain, is that. Catalyst origin might be in this world. Meaning, a lowly slave - Zyro. Doesn't need to build a interstellar spaceship for space expedition anymore. It was impossible to begin with, anyway. But now, the mission seem less impossible.

Busy in his thoughts and drained of energy, the two didn't speak a word as they rested to recover their breaths. Enveloping the small, stone room in tranquil silence.

After a while, with lifted mood thanks to the bountiful blessings he've been having today. Zyro toned to the smiling, but not actually smiling Pert.

"Don't think about it, who knows. Maybe they'll let us be... Why don't you take out the meat so we can eat"

The kid lifted his head a little.

"...Yeah, your right! You broke that big man balls after all. He problem learned his lesson."

Pert smile became real. Zyro knew something is creepily wrong with the kid, but didn't discriminate against him for being a... Likely, psychopath. Who's in the normal mind would smile all the time? Zyro too, is mentally ill person - Aizra, his mental AI functioning as one. So, the kid is actually his kind in some way.

They savor the arid beefs with delight as though it's a sacred meal. It is though, for slaves. This is the first time Zyro had eaten alien meat from an unknown creature. Surprisingly, it tasted similar to beefs in earth. He was a little hesitant in eating it for it may be poisonous to human body. However, people living here possess similar anatomy to humans, exceedingly so. If he didn't knew any better, he'll mistaken them as his own kind. Hence, Zyro conclude that his digestive system can handle their food, same as they do.

Furthermore, his in desperate need for protein. If he didn't consume some, his shrinking muscle will degrease further, lowering his already pitiful strength to a dangerous degree as time went by. Without tools to test the otherworldly meats edibility, he could only take the risk. Fortunately, the meat turn out to be edible.

Amidst their meal, the blonde kid spoke after a forceful swallow.

"Zyro, had you heard the outrageous bounty the Gricks placed on the fallen knight?"

They often had casual conversation like other miners to past time. Feeding Zyro the latest news and basic knowledge, such as the Gricks prince death. After having Aizra record beast language to be translated for him, his channels widened exponentially, including other slave and guards chatters. Interestingly, quite a famous rumor was spreading around recently - A dreadful being named the Fallen knight.

"Hmm, how much?" Zyro asked the price of his head.

Indeed, Zyro is the fallen knight. If he was not mistaken. The mysterious legend was said to had fallen from the stars. His raging flight drew a crimson line for the mass to see, aiming to bent his rage to the peaceful union mirage of the prince of Gricks and princess of vampires.

As the rumors goes, the fallen knight was a powerful foe clad in dark steel. But was no match for the angelic prince. Knowing he cannot win, he targeted the delicate bride. As heroic as the prince are, he sacrifice his life to for the safety of his beloved.

That's how, they say the prince die. Heroic and full of honor. While the severely injured knight fled pathetically like a coward. And was now being hunted.

Although, believable for others, Zyro already figured out the truth. The crimson line in the sky was his blazing starship landing. He had no idea where the certain point of impact was. But, piecing the fragmented information. He figured it had landed in trouble. He was unconscious back then, for he was recovering after awaking from the long hibernation. Therefore, the epic battle between the fallen knight and the prince was a lie to paint the prince death with glory.

Due to reality being in contrast to what actually doomed him. There's only one Grick that look important, bearing a royal arrogance and mighty strength. Probably thanks to his high mark and status. Which Zyro closely saw miserably dying in one strike from the ominous four armed demon without even seeing his real killer.

The poor Grick death and the prince coincidentally align, making Zyro assumed it was him. He was still astonished by the prince strength though, if Zyro wasn't wearing helmet that night. One punch is all it takes to crush his head.

His thoughts only lasted a second.

Pert cheerfully informed.

"A hundred green coins! Can you imagine that?!"

Zyro almost spit out the meat his struggling to chew. He shifted uncontrollably, and tried to calculate it's value. A hundred green coin is equal to 1000 yellow coin which is equal to 10,000 orange, multiplied by ten... 100,000 red coins.

His highest wealth were merely 5 red coins. A single one of it could buy half bread. Meaning, he could afford 50,000 whole breads with his bounty!

Daze for a moment. Thinking.

'Maybe I should turn myself in?'

Sure, he'll probably be tortured and be miserably executed. Paying the crime he did not know let alone commit. Atleast his filthy rich 😎

The two continue their idle chatter as they ate the heavenly hard meat for a while, fantasizing about better days to momentary forget their miserable lives.

However, their joyful respite was short-lived.

Shutting their mouth, the dou heard a distant tapping sound.

Like a drum of dread, footsteps resounded heading towards them from outside. Each stride was calm, pacing slow and steady. Soon, a bright light from a lantern caressed Pert's fabric door.

Zyro sighed.

'...So they came.'