Chapter 27 Pessimistic

A couple more hours passed as they continued driving. It was almost noon, and the heat was rising.

At the very least, the awkward atmosphere from earlier was gone. The break from earlier seemed to have done wonders for Amber.

Nothing has happened in the last few hours. Aside from the occasional casual conversation that Lilly started, no one really had anything to say, so they just kept quiet.

Miya's boredom got the better of her, and her eyes started to wander. She looked around the inside of the truck to find something to entertain her, but she found nothing.

Her eyes went towards the front, and she saw a rock formation emerging from the horizon. Her boredom was slowly being replaced by anticipation.

As they got closer to the rock formation, it seemed to grow bigger. It looks like the one they saw back when they met Lilly and the others. Only this time it's way bigger.

This one was about three times its size. As Miya looked between the two cliff sides, she saw buildings on the other side of the canyon.

"We are finally here!" She thought to herself, but that train of thought was then stopped when the truck started to slow down and finally stopped at the side of the road.

Don't get out. I just need to say something to Goldie. " V's voice said, coming from the front cabin.

"Yeah, we got it," Lilly replied.

Then, Chrys' truck reversed until his cabin was parallel with V's. Then, a conversation was started between Chrys and V.

"What's wrong?" Chrys asked.

"I don't mean to be pessimistic, but I got a bad feeling about going through that damn canyon." V replied.

"Well, you're always pessimistic."

"Screw you!"

"About that bad feeling, I can't confirm it since I'm still too far out, and if your feeling is true, getting closer is a bad move." Chrys said.

"Yeah, I agree." V nodded.

Lilly, is there any other way inside the city?" I don't remember the layout. Christy called out.

Apart from going above the canyon, There is another opening on the left side that is quite a bit away. Do you want to go there? " Lilly answered.

"That is... hmm..." Chrys seemed to ponder the new information.

"Okay, how about you guys go to the other entrance while I go through 'bad feeling canyon' over here?" Chrys proposed.

"Is there a reason for us to separate?" Lilly asked.

"This is the exit you guys took, correct?"

"Yes, that is true."

"Then, I presume you guys didn't have a 'bad feeling' while going through, did you?"

"No."

"Then I want to 'investigate' the reason for the 'bad feeling', and why only now has it appeared."

"Hmm, fine but... I have a few concerns." Lilly said.

"Aww, you're concerned about me." Chrys said, with a teasing and somewhat insulting smile.

"Like hell!!!" Lilly rebutted.

"I'm concerned about Sister Morgan. If that feeling is true, then... Lilly's face formed a very worried expression.

"Don't worry. We have made it this far, so she is not going to fall short. Besides, how many times has this type of scenario happened already? " Chrys asked.

"To an alarming amount. Since you have a habit of leaving her alone. "

"Hmm, 'leaving' is a bit wrong. "'Being separated', I think, is a much better term." Chrys said.

"Hmph, fine, go do what you want, just-"

"I know, I'll find her right away," Chrys assured.

"Okay, then. I guess that's the plan. Hey... get in front, and guide me to the other entrance. " V exclaimed.

"Sure, and also Lilly is my name." Lilly said as she hopped into the front cabin.

"Haha, Karma is sweet!" Chrys laughed mockingly as he drove off.

"I swear, I will end that man." Lilly said to herself.

Then, Chrys' truck headed towards the big canyon, while the others went towards the left. It took them about an hour or so to arrive at the other entrance.

The entrance just seems like a crack on the side of the canyon. The split was small in comparison to the entirety of the canyon, but it could still fit the truck with enough space on both sides to be able to fit another 5 trucks directly on their sides. There was still an opening up top that let in the afternoon sun.

They went into the split slower than their original pace. One could say they are still cautious of the "bad feeling".

The surroundings were rather dark. The only reason they can see is because there is an opening above that lets the sunlight in. It extends onward towards the direction they are heading.

On both of their sides, a shelf-like rock formation resides. It's about 4 meters high, with a rather sloped side. It is a perfect place to do the 'bad feeling'.

"Hey, Amber, Miya, get down." I saw movement at the corner of my eye. " Rose said in a calm, collected voice.

"Wait. Don't make any moves that suggest that we know they are there. " Lilly whispered.

"But us moving this slowly is quite suggestive, isn't it?" Rose asked in a somewhat irritated tone.

"This place is quite prone to the occasional rock coming from up above. So, this is normal stuff. " Lilly answered quietly.

She then whispered to V. "Hey, this is a worse scenario than if we went from the front. You got any ideas? "

Without taking his eyes off the road ahead, V replied. "No, I'm not Goldie, who can bullshit his way out of any situation."

"This is an especially bad situation for me and you because of the terrain." "If it turns for the worst, we are going to have to depend on Hela and Loki."

"We might even lose one of the girls if it goes that far." V then concluded his statement.

"Tsk, it looks like the situation is going for the worst." Lilly commented as she saw a man sliding down on the left side.

"It looks like there will be no talking. "Get ready to fight our way out." V added that the man who slid down was then followed by five other people.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen!" The man who slid down first yelled.

He wore a pair of goggles and a rather mismatched set of clothing. A brown vest is paired with bright red pants and a pair of black boots. He looks like someone who just woke up and grabbed the first pieces of clothing he could get his hands on.

The people with him are dressed in more or less the same manner. A purple shirt with yellow stripes, an over-the-top baggy pant, and a piece of clothing which can only be described as a potato sack.

"What a beautiful chilly morning we have here at Grander Canyon today."

"In particular, at the Arian Split or the Arian Crack."Haha, don't you think? " "The man with googles," he said before pointing his hand towards the truck.

"...

"Huh. Are we not very talkative? " "So," the man said, with a disappointed face. He then snapped his fingers together.

The people with him then drew their weapons. They look like multiple weapons joined together.

The rock shelves on their sides were then filled with people wearing the same outfits and weapons as the ones in front of them. They seem to be coming from behind the rocks and the cracks in the walls.

"Ah!" Suddenly, something in Miya's head clicked and made her emit a sound of shock.

"Don't worry, Miya. We got this. " Lilly spoke in a soft and gentle tone.Miya guessed she took her surprised reaction as a sign of fear.

"No, I'm not worried." It's just that I'm pretty sure I met these guys before. If I remember correctly, they are called "vultures." Miya said.

"Oh, you know about them?" Lilly asked, quite shocked by her knowledge.

Yeah, me and Chrys met them when we just got off of that train. Chrys, umm... 'dealt' with them earlier? " Miya doesn't know why, but her answer slowly turned to a question as she tried to find the appropriate words.

"No need to explain further. I already know how he acts. Lilly said to her before facing out towards the front.

Miya then focused all of her attention towards the front.

"I presume that you people know how things work around here." Because if you guys didn't, I'm pretty sure you would have played on my "playful side." "The man with the googles said in a playful manner."

The man's expression suddenly turned into a serious one. But now, it's time to let you know my "serious side." "So," the man said in a cold and intimidating voice.

"I'm somewhat of a business man myself, so let me cut you a deal, my man, my friend, my brother." He pointed towards V.

If you give up the girls and the materials, and maybe throw in the truck as well, I will let you go. You have my word. "Deal or no deal?" The man asked, extending his hand forward.

V slightly opened the side window and popped his hand out. His hand then formed a hand gesture with only his middle finger sticking out before quickly going back into the truck.

"Aww, and here I was, trying to be nice." The man said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Get them!" The man then said, with a domineering tone.

The people on the rock side then poured down on his command and began charging towards them.

"Hold on!" Lilly warned.

Then, the unusually quiet Hela stood up, and hopped out of the car with Loki, who had already bonded with her axe.

"What is she doing?! Get her back in! We can't leave her behind! " V shouted.

Before any of them could do anything about Hela, She's already on the right side of the truck, and ready to perform an upward swing with her axe.

Hela then swung her axe upwards, causing a massive purplish flame to erupt diagonally. It quickly froze, forming a massive crystal spike in front of her.

The ice spike was so tall that it went through the opening at the top of the canyon. Not only that, it kept going higher, to the point that it could be seen from anywhere in the canyon.

Meanwhile, somewhere at the top of the canyon, A certain person's attention was caught by the sudden appearance of the crystal spike. The person then quickly ran towards the direction of the spike without much hesitation.

Meanwhile, back at the source of the said ice spike,

"Holy shit!" One of the men, who were about to attack the truck, exclaimed.

Hela's action made the people attacking them stop in their tracks. Some of them even fell on their butts due to the pressure that the ice spike produced.

Even the people who were in the truck felt the extreme force hitting them. It even seemed like the truck got some air.

"Ugh, what a punch!" One of the men said as he shook his head.

"We need to stop her right now!" Another of the men yelled.

"Now or never, boys!" Another person shouted.

Suddenly, all of the people who were about to attack the truck turned and started to run to Hela.

Hela performed a horizontal slash that sent her axe flying off of her hands. Her axe, which was now airborne, seemed to have a life of its own as it spun around the truck, forming a barrier of ice around the vehicle.

After it finished going around the truck, it landed perfectly back in Hela's hand. just in time to perform a block on an incoming arrow.

"Shit, Whitey, go guard the right side." I'll go on the left. " V shouted as he got out of the driver's seat.

"Hup! Are we just staying here? Won't we get surrounded? " Lilly shouted as she also got off.

"Yes, that ice spike can get anyone's attention, Goldie's attention included."

"And also, this is the best standpoint with the desert behind us, and that ice spike blocking the front." V replied.

"Okay, hold out till Goldie gets here to finish the job." "Got it! " Lilly said as her coat transformed into a metal snake head.

Meanwhile, Hela was battling a person with a spear. She then swung her axe to the side into the open air.

Loki then jumped out of the axe. While in mid-air, Loki's body rapidly expanded. Just as it hit the ground, Loki was in the form of a wolf, the size of an elephant. It quickly ran forwards, and sank its massive jaws onto the nearest person.

Even with Hela and Loki fighting separately, a few still managed to get past them and attack the truck.

Even though V quickly knocked them back to be dealt with by Loki. They were slowly getting overwhelmed due to the fact that a few people, who were still on the ledges, were shooting down projectiles.

A few of these projectiles even hit the mark. With some of them sticking out of Loki and Hela, Though they don't seem to be affected that much.

Even Rose had to get involved with Chrys' pistol. She tried to hit the people on the high ground, but they used rocks near them as cover.

"Raaah!" A man screamed as he approached the front of the truck with his weapon.

Suddenly, the back of his head was shot by an unknown projectile. Upon closer inspection, it looked like an arrow made of blue light.

Lilly then turned to look at the arrow. Her eyes then quickly filled with excitement and joy.

She took a deep breath, and proudly yelled, "Sister Morgan is here!"