Chapter 27 Phase 2 (6)

15 minutes later, they had counted about, 150 of them and Tumunomi Escaver pointed to the trees where they immediately ran towards after they had gathered crests.

"With the number of people we fought it can't be he the 6th or 5th batches."

"Why?" Andrew's blood was still pumping in his veins.

"Or the 2nd maybe," Jacob added.

"Their numbers are the lowest, they would not risk losing people." John caught on.

"Except, if it was absolutely necessary." Tumunomi Escaver added. "And it did not feel like."

"Yeah."

They did not know how long they had run for but they were panting by the time thep were done. And considering that the oast month had been a lot if training for them, the distance was quite far.

They saw no end to the forest so far. Trees, vines, branches and leaves was all they could see. Even he occasional clearing had its skies blocked.

"Is this place an illusion?"

"Maybe we entered a portal."

Jake's eyes shone, "cool."

"Maybe."

They stood in the clearing at the signal of Tumunomi Escaver's hand. And after no sign of a disturbance he then relaxed.

"Let's catch some rest, we will take shifts. Those sleeping will not he cook and those cooking will not be watching."

He twisted the CavityBracelet on his right hand and a small screen showed some itms which had been stored in its storage space. He told himself to rub the RestorativeBalm over his light injuries he had gotten from diving unto arrows during his watch.

"Andrew set out a tent and Jake should make the fire with you. You both will make something to eat. I will stay in the branches, Jacob on the ground and John in the vantage points, high, high up."

He looked to the last person he had called. "Look for the height of the trees then tell me what you can see, but come down if after 10 minutes you find no end. We, the lookouts will also divide our patrol directions into 3rds of the clocks cardinal directions."

"After about 3 hours we will make rotations. 2 of the patrols, branch and sky, will rest next and then…"

After orders had been spread Tumunomi Escaver clapped his hands and then moved into position.

Then, he allowed the questions that had been at the back of his mind to surface. Tumunomi Esaver twisted the CavityBracelet to the end of its length and an independent pocket of space revealed itself as if there was a curtain mid air.

Tumunimi Escaver stared at the array of things he had picked and then reached for a RestorativeBalm.

It was a Genre 0 Potent Artefact. Meaning that it could be used by Regulars. Normally, alcohol or a spirit would do in washing away the bacteria but he needed quick, effective work because they were not exactly at hi6me.

Was this an illusion?

Were they still in the same underground facility.

Had they gone through a portal?

He pushed the stinging pain that felt as if anys were gnawing at his injuries too the back of his mind as he reminded himself to scan his surroundings and moved in his self assigned patrol range before sitting down on a branch that was blocked by foliage.

2 hours passed and Tumunomi Escaver was ready to go rest when a hunch told him to scout once more. He then hopped from branch to branch after careful scouring with the amount of light they had been given in this place.

Eventually, his head snapped to a direction and he began stalking someone who thought they were a predator.

He got the reason for silent steps and the person's head that constantly kept watch about his/her surroundings as they walked. But why were they holding a piece of… Cloth?

He ran to camp a silently as he could through the trees and when he landed, he saw John reaching down in haste as Jacob showed his face.

They all looked at each other, and instead of alarming Andrew and Jake who were resting, they simply returned to their posts.

Minuted later, someone showed up. His hung sword on his waist and his uniform that had many pockets for different situations contradicted the flag on his hand which was white.

Waving it dramatically his other hand was up. But neither of he look outs said anything until the boy with high hair came into 10 meters of proximity to their sleeping members.

A dagger that Batch 7 had borrowed from their previous victims landed where the boy with a white flag was going to plant his next steps.

"I come in peace."

He raised both hands high and observed his otherwise silent surroundings. Tumunomi Escaver whispered in Jacob's then John's ears before deftly scaling higher and circling their clearing.

"What do you want?"

"Can i speak to the team leader?"

"How do you know you are not speaking to him?"

"I was sent by my team leader to reach an agreement of partnership."

The boy held out paper in his hands before dropping them on the floor and taking steps back.

Tumunomi Escaver sent signals so that even though John was the one who appeared to take a look at them, Jacob was the one who spoken.

His eyes raised to meet John's indifferent ones and he brightened because it felt like progress to him.

"So, you want to work together?"

"Yes, please." He nodded enthusiastically and hoped to catch the other boy's attention. "That's it."

John acted like a mute and directly ignored the attempt at communication.

"Why?"

"You reduced a portion of Batch 3's people and you did so without being tied down."

"Your point?"

John took the papers and began walking in a direction that was not where Tumunoni Escaver was perched.

The boy wanted to move closer because he was afraid they had lost interest but another dagger told him to wait or leave.

John reached into the trees and took a long route to keep the kid oblivious to his team leaders location before relaying the message.

He then told John what to say to Jacob before he changed locations to see if this one had been followed.

"Carrot and stick approach?"

"One of many possible probabilities."

"So who is going to be bait, then?"

"Well, since the lower numbers are on your side, we thought it best be from yours."

"I don't really like the sound of that."

The boy shifted in his feet. It was already uncomfortable enough that he couldn't see who eas speaking. "What's your suggestion?"

"Personally speaking, i would not even consider it at all."

He let out air, "no suggestions from your side, even?"

"The spoils too... How are they going to be split?"

"Well, because we have the manpower, we were thinking 70-30. Also, because of the number disparity."

Jacob laughed, "the correct answer was 'based on contribution."

John had laughed with him.

True to Tumunoni Escaver's suspicions, there was a group of people crouched in different locations. He wondered if they had seen him and his lookouts, if they were there for backup in the case where things went south or if they were there to act, regardless.

He sighed then quickly returned to John's location. He then gave them both instructions before returning to where he had seen the group of people.

"How can you suggest that if it was 70-30, then the roles would be reversed?"

"We need to have a bit of advantage, because while you have more manpower we carry more risks."

The boy was about to speak again but Jacob cut him off. "Forget about that for now." He turned his head about. "Were you followed?"

"You guys singlehandedly took down squads by yourself and you wonder if i brought back up?"

John made a sound from the trees and Jacob shook his head before John contained speaking.

"Thanks for the offer, don't worry about it."

The boy's eyes were in full circle and he had a feeling that Jacob was also there to wake up his sleeping comrades.

He realised this people would not back down from a fight, even if they knew the stakes.

But being ready for something was different from instigating it.

So what was their point?

They saw the numbers, so what was their reason for decline?

He stood there silent for a full minute and then raised his arms in a sign of peace before stepping out of the clearing.

The next time he looked back, Andrew, Jacob and Jake were not on the floor anymore.

For a second, the messenger boy felt scared; was he about to be attacked?