(Part 7)

"Are you saying all this just because you were with them? Or, are you taking their side?" Ryan doubted.

"Think however and whatever you want. But I bet it on myself I won't be wrong." Alan claimed climbing back.

Kenzo hearing his determined call rolled his eyes.

"Sigh~ no matter what we say. He won't back down. Literally, just what is he made of I wonder…?" Helios murmured while Cassiel chuckled patting Gabriel shoulder, who shook his head in disbelief.

"From candle wax probably." Ezekiel guessed following Xavier who stood slightly anxious.

"Come on, don't worry too much, Vice-captain. I am sure, they are all healthy and well." Feng consoled.

Pushing Xavier forward from his back, Poseidon encouraged, "Be strong, Xavi. Since, the boys we left behind… are our juniors!"

Xavier hearing him smiled back, "Indeed…"

Adam turning to Alan who walked ahead quiet questioned, "Hey Alan… are you always like this?"

Alan slightly confused blinked his eyes, "Hun?"

"No! I mean… are you always this straightforward? More like, as if you are fearless… I know, I might be looking weird asking this however, I can't help but ask. Seeing you stand determined on the side you think is right and staying resolute on every single step you take or everything you want to happen… it's surprisingly hard to believe that a person like this even exists. Don't take me wrong, I just meant you are indeed admirable." Adam commented, his expression suddenly turning into a serious one, he stared at the ground, "And me…? I can't even think of matching up to you…"

Alan slightly staggered over his sudden remarks asked back, "Fearless?"

Adam eyed him complex.

"You're wrong Adam. Me and fearless? Me and determined? Me and resolute?" Alan questioned. "A certain someone, who couldn't even win over the consent of juniors he wants to reach heights alongside with. Always on the verge of being spurned, blamed and doubted… there couldn't be a bigger failure then myself." he confessed smiling.

Adam stood wide eyed.

"What's the use of these qualities? I might be the most coward existence in the whole universe, little one. If only you'll peek inside me a little bit and see..." Alan whispered proving him wrong. His expression fragmented yet strong stepped forward. All of a sudden tracing the sight of the mountain top they climbed down before he called out, "Boys, we are here!"

The twelve of them hearing his call, dashed forward. Adam on the contrary stood with his mouth a gape.

Seraph patted his head, "What's wrong, Adam?" Ryan too looked puzzled.

Staring at Alan's back he murmured, "He's sad…" Seraph too eyed Alan's back silent. "A fearless warrior who's broken…" Adam continued, "His expression showed that. Hey, Sera, Sera… no matter what I do… I just don't get him at all." Ryan too wondered.

The fourteen of them finally making back to the top exhaled a huge sigh of relief. 

"Unbelievable…" Gabriel mumbled speechless while Kenzo eyed the path they climbed down from exasperated. Clenching his fists, a deathly aura eluded him. Cassiel glanced at him with unamused.

"I bet he would burst in a moment or two." Xavier guessed.

Ezekiel nodding hid behind Helios while Azazel and Heber did the exact same behind Xavier and Feng.

Seraph coming up at last along with Adam and Ryan patted Kenzo his shoulder teasing, "Come on now, if you keep staring at it like this. The whole mountain might shatter into pieces with that killing intent of yours, your highness."

Alan exhaling also walked towards Helios, Poseidon, Gabriel, Feng and Cassiel ho studied the map.

"I bet this was the correct way which we just lost." Helios pointed towards the right.

"Yup, it can only be this one. Else than that, the map would be at fault." Cassiel added.

"Come on let's head on then." Poseidon suggested.

Ezekiel, Feng, Azazel and Heber rolled their eyes, soul leaving their bodies, they still nodded. Alan heading towards the right walked before them.

Kenzo finally calming from the continuous deadly glaring called out, "Come on, you lot! We are already running late! At this rate, we'll be pulling all-nighters beside jaguars."

Adam sighing also treaded behind beside Ryan and Seraph. After a walk of another half hour, Helios traced an approaching cavern, "Look! There it is, the cavern."

There fourteen of them rushing towards it hid behind a large stone. Peeking outside, they saw light entering from the other side of the entrance as well. "Yup, just like this map states, it is a double entrance cave." Helios assured.

"Thanks goodness." Feng uttered thankfully. 

"So… are we going in or not?" Ryan questioned, eyeing Xavier and Kenzo who looked at each other clueless.

Alan on the contrary stood up heading out, "Let's go."

Seeing him step forward without a plan, Helios grasped his arm pulling him back. Falling back on Helios, Alan blinked his eyes baffled. The little rabbit to flunged out of his collar falling down.

"Just wait a minute." Helios cautioned stern.

Alan surprised on the contrary turned around to face them.

"Are you out of your mind or something you multi haired brat?!" Kenzo whispered vexed while Azazel looked around alerted.

"What's wrong?" Alan asked clueless.

"Don't be so carefree and just step outside. What if something is inside there?" Ezekiel forewarned while Poseidon nodded beside Cassiel and Xavier.

"Yeah, and what if you get eaten by that certain something? We seriously can't find another Alan here." Adam threatened him senselessly.

Seraph and Ryan smacked their foreheads in disbelief.

Despite hearing their warnings a sudden playful smirk left Alan's lips. He chuckled heartily, "Pft! Haha!!"

The thirteen of them silent eyed him unamused.

"Are you boys serious? Haha…" Alan continued to ask.

"Don't just say that you are world ranker and it was foolish of us to hold you back." Feng guessed aware of his usual haughty dialogue.

"Haha…" Alan still laughed, "No… There aren't any animals here, haha…"

"Huh?" the thirteen of them asked confused. 

"Boys, didn't I tell you before, that the higher the altitude the lesser the hot blooded animals reside there? Seriously, rather than snow reindeers and markhors. We won't find anything here, haha!" Alan laughed wiping his tears.

"Oh really? Then what about polar bears?" Heber debated back.

Hearing his question, even Kenzo, Xavier, Cassiel and Poseidon turned to him embarrassed.

"Seriously… just how many marks did you score in your science exam?" Ryan asked in disbelief, "Or, do you think you are the only polar bear who has emigrated from Antarctica to here just to die?"

Azazel too smacked his forehead speechless alongside Gabriel as Heber stood embarrassed.

"But snow leopards, wolves and foxes could be troublesome." Xavier guessed.

Alan shaking his head stood up, "Come on, heads up everyone. There's nothing to worry about here, I'll guarantee you that. Moreover, it will be nightfall soon, we better hurry up. As for leopards, foxes and wolves, I bet we won't even see one."

The fourteen of them looking at each other silent for a while stood up.

Soon heading inside the cave with Alan guarding the front while Kenzo the back. The rest of them admired the sight of the huge cavern from all four corners.

"Forget slightly big, Helios! It's hella big!" Feng claimed astounded, commenting on the statement Helios stated before.

"It's indeed very big…" Xavier concurred meanwhile Poseidon touched the walls. "And, it's seems quiet old as well." he assumed.

"If we were to construct a house in here, I bet we could make a bungalow as huge as our academy." Cassiel guessed.

"Yeah…" Seraph agreed.

"Wah!!" Adam revered looking around. Ryan too stared marveled, "I haven't seen anything like this ever before…"

Alan smiled.

Helios eyeing the map in his hands wandered, "Now that we have successfully infiltrated the cavern... for the next hurdle, just what is this grey dot? After it, X marks the spot, where the materials are hidden. But, what could possibly be there?"

Kenzo walking too pondered thinking the exact same thing, "Surely blue points means rivers while browns are for caverns and caves… Purple points are for mountain slides and waterfalls while green are for changing routes over different hills. Now with the grey dot… what could it possibly depict?"

Xavier sensing the two of them troubled walked over. Grasping Helios arm, he tiptoed to grasp the map's sight. Gazing at it for a while he spoke up, "An underpass probably…?"

Hearing him Alan too turned around.

Xavier nodding stood straight repeating, "Yes, from what I have learned. Grey dots or double grey lines usually represents tunnels or underpasses on a map."

"Underpasses?" Helios repeated.

"Exactly." Alan concurred, "You're right Xavier. Unlike the tunnels under bridges which are found in cities. Over mountains underground tunnels are present in numbers those leading to different places. Just like this cavern, as it leads to the different side of the mountain."