Chapter 18

A shrieking whistle could be heard as the Official Faction Token forger began to start progressing through the blood that was dripping from Kai's hand and into the mixture of melted ores that puddled at the top of it.

"Are you sure you figured out what you want it to be?" Aida asked as the forger continued on louder now.

"I know exactly what this Token will mean to us. Only one thing, one creature can compare to the courage, the fight, and the drive that we have as a Faction. Only one."

After he spoke, pressure from a line that ran above the forger could be heard blowing out of a leak. Simultaneously, a loud wheel began to spin louder and louder before a giant steel hammer dropped from the ceiling and onto the boiling red ores and blood that sat on the forger.

DING. DING. DING.

"It's begun," Seqoy spoke softly.

Moments later, Aida and Kai stood alone as the forger continue its job.

"When we leave here, you will carry the Token back to the Faction and -,"Kai began before Aida cut him off.

"I'm not sure what you're getting at, but I am not leaving you behind, nor am I bringing this Token without you."

"You may not have a choice, I just want you to be prepared is all."

"We will make it together, I won't leave you," Aida responded.

"Well if they get worse then we are hoping for, you may have to make that decision," Kai spoke softly while gazing at Aida, her eyes shining brightly in the dimmed room.

Feeling his stare, she slowly switches her eyes from the forger and to his eyes instead, admiring the man that stood before her.

"I've not wanted to leave your side since I've seen you-," she began before being interrupted.

The Official Faction Token forger began to quiet down as the hammer arose from the forger one last time and back towards the ceiling of the room.

"It's finished," a voice broke through the room.

Kai looked back as the figure of Seqoy strolled through the room and the the forger. He reached to the bright object that remained, holding it up for the other two to see.

"Only one thing, you meant an Ayitas," Aida spoke in awe.

Before them was a Token forged with rare ores that provided a bright gold color to existence. The shape of the token was the size of a normal palm of a hand, and shaped like a wing off an ancient creature that once roamed the Expanse.

Seqoy turned and held the Token out to the Faerlu Faction Leader.

"Your Token, sir," Seqoy spoke.

"Thank you Seqoy, now we must go," Kai responded before tucking the Token into a satchel hidden under his coat.

"Here is a back exit to the center of Njomon, it should give you a head start against the threat that awaits you," Seqoy held his hands in a proper posture as he stood in front of a door that was awaiting the two Faerlu members.

They thanked the odd Gacean before heading through the doorway and into the awaiting darkness. The room they thought they were going into was just a small, barely the size of a small closet-type of room. Kai reached around the walls until he felt the lever that Seqoy had warned him to find. After pulling it, the small dark room began to grow brighter as it shot up from the depths below until finally it was like a light was being turned off and on, showing the bright waters they were travelling through.

Slowly Kai looked to Aida, who was already noticing him in the light standing right in front of her. The Fearlu leader began to reach to his waist, grabbing the satchel and pulling strap from around his head. Afterwards, he looked to her again and handed the satchel and Token that lied inside of it to her.

"Hold onto it, please," Kai stated softly.

"I told you-."

"They will be waiting for us no matter what, I need you to be safe and to bring this to the Faction. Tell them to continue on to our home," Kai spoke before she could continue.

Reaching out, Kai sat one of his hands gently upon her cheek. Her blue hair covered half of her face, her blue eyes continued to gaze upon Kai as she leaned towards him. Kai felt the care that she had for him, knowing that this was the first time someone worried about him the way she did made her even more amazing in his eyes. As their lips touched, the room came to a slow halt.

As the two separated, Aida began to speak.

"I've been waiting for this to happen."

"I'm still not sure if that was the proper move for me to accept, but we will speak about it later," Kai responded. His feelings being everywhere for the moment.

"But-," Aida tried before Kai slung open the door from where they were.

Confusion set upon her face as she was utterly shocked at the person she admired. Slowly she finally began to step out after a few more moments of thought.

"I just don't understand..." Aida was starting before a bunch of noise could be heard coming from a room near the one that they arrived in.

A house abandoned in the better parts of Njomon was where they arrived. Aida quieted down before stepping to the side of a wall, covering her mouth and slowing her breathing.

"Where is the other one," a voice spoke aloud.

A slight struggle could be heard before another voice answered.

"There is no one else," Kai spoke aggressively.

"Lies!" The first voice yelled out.

"I'm not, the others were all sent back to the waters. I came alone."

"Then where is your Token? That's why you came here isn't it?"

"What? Who told you that?" Kai asked curiously and upset at the fact that someone was a traitor in his Faction.

The man in front of him stepped forwards, showing himself in the light that shined throughout the cracks of the old abandoned house. In front of him stood a man with a nicely trimmed beard and long black hair that reached his shoulders.

"Portam has done a great job for us. For me specifically. My name is Rif, I am the man from Sygnen sent to capture you and bring you back to Azutria," the solder Rif said.

Kai was surprised, out of all people Portam wasn't who he had expected to be a traitor. This wasn't supposed to happen this way.

On the other side of the wall in a different room of the house, Aida was also taking in this new information. Quickly and quietly she began to tippy-toe her way through the house and to the window that sat before her.

"You guys are worried aren't you?" Kai spoke suddenly as he stared at the floor. Two Sygnen soldiers held each of his arms on the sides of him.

"What do you mean?" Rif asked.

"You guys are worried, we are one of the first and only Factions to make an uprising of this extent against the Dusk Alliance. We are a true threat, and we are only getting started," Kai laughed slightly at the end of his statement.

"We are too mate. Take him to the Booster, search the rest of the house!" Rif exclaimed to the rest of the men.

A few Sygnen soldiers walked into the room next to theirs and searched for any others that might be there, Aida was long gone at this point.

Aida traveled through the beautiful city of Njomon until finally she reached a small Treader awaiting her at the docks, she floated across the waters until she finally reached the Faerlu booster that awaited her return. She climbed aboard the craft, and headed towards the captains deck.

Once the door was shut behind her, Leon stood in front of her, giving her a shocked look of interest.

"What's going on?" Leon asked.

"Portam is a traitor, Kai is captured by Sygnen, we must go back for him. We must..."