Chapter 81, The Great Drop

"Faster!" Leon hurried Andrew who was driving yhe car as quickly as he could. "Why are we hurrying again?"

Right now, all of us are in a large car and drivibg towards the Great Drop where the Ancient City is. According to Chase they've been gathered earlier than expected and are all getting ready to descend into the depths to subjugate the White Tiger.

"If the four major powers are planning to surpress the White Tiger we need to be there when it happens." I answered them. "The White Tiger is the Cardinal Beast that rules this dominion, it also has a large portion of familiars. If it dies, the balance will be broken."

"Even so, why should we join the four powers?" Angie asked.

"If we can somehow join the four powers, we may be able to get some information out of them." I answered. "Chase said that his team was also going to participate so we have someone who can refer us to them."

"Still do you really plan to kill it?" Rachel asked.

"No. I've nearly finished translating the text. I also know what the Leaves are, we just need them to weaken the White Tiger." I answered. "The Leaves refer to the Magician of Fallen Leaves, meaning Autumn has to be there when I cast the spell."

"Alright then." Liam answered.

"Where are we supposed to gather again?" Theo asked.

"The border between the four powers. The four powers' borders meet with the Ancient City." I answered. "That's what's keeping the four powers from trying to invade each other's territory.":

"What is the Ancient City?" Zhen asked.

"It's an old city, I think it must've been the capital of the west before the Chimeras arrived. From what I know the reason for the abundance of Vi and resources that are extremely valuable to Braves is thvery nature of the city before it was destroyed." I answered him. "But... the city has been standing for so many yaars but hasn't been explored due to the fact that the ground is unstable, the area around it causes anything that uses Vi to deactivate or become uncontrollable."

"Then won't our powers be affected as well?" Lucas asked.

"The Sacred Flower and those that have recieved its power are unaffected by things like that." I answered. "Like how we're immune to most Chimera abilities."

"Oi! I see the place Arata was talking about!" Leon said as I turned my eyes to see a giant hole in the ground.

"What is that?" Adonis asked.

"The Great Drop. The city sunk to bottom of that drop when the limestone was eroded by the rain and the balance was disrupted by the Chimeras." I answered. "It's an old, old city. Many lost their lives when the city fell down."

We come out of the car and look around to see soldiers and Braves gathered on each side of the drop and as I crane my head looking for Chase I see a familiar face, standing near the edge of the cliff that goes into the Great Drop.

"Monica!" I called out to her and the woman turned and smiled as she came our way.

"Yo, it's been a while." She smiled.

"Monica, why are you here?" Ethan asked.

"Research. I was here as part of an expidition team, our goal was to see what resources we could harvest here when our equipment went haywire." she answered.

"Monica ~, are they your friends?" A man pounces on her, he had orange hair with golden eyes and white skin with a fit build and was looker. Where have I seen him before?

"Oh, Dustin, hello." Monica greeted him. "They're friends of mine."

"Ah! Dustin Fencer, the Third Elder, the Tiger!" I exclaimed and bowed my head. "Hello."

"Oh, hello there." He patted my head. "Yo, if it ain't little Ethan."

"Hello, Dustin." Ethan smiled.

As they were exchanging pleasantries and by that I mean Dustin teasing Ethan the Chronicle appears before me in a blinding light.

"What was that?!" The two exclaimed.

"Beyond the boundary, the heart of the west, sleeps an ancient city. Within in depths, a power long forgotten." I read aloud. "Van, any ideas about this?"

"Don't look at me." He anwwered. "What's written in the Chronicke is something even I don't know. But... it's likely that something pf worth is at the very bottom of this hole."

Just then a loud gust if wind howls from within the hole and rises up to the surface carrying dust and dirt from inside the hole. Just as I'm about to take a peak into the hole, all the froces are being gathered.

We join Chase who waves us over and we listen to a man, with brown hair and brown eyes withw hite skin dressed in a soldiers uniform speak. He informs everyone about the plan, firstky, they've already sent down a team to scout out the area where the White Tiger is likely to be hidden, our job is to rendezvous with that team and together lure it out to the sirface where everyone will attack it. The plan seems to be simply and effective but it's obviously full of holes.

"This plan is full of holes." Angie whispers and I nodded.

"That man... isn't he the son of the current president of the Republic." Alistar stated. "It isn't like them to develop a plan like this."

"Everyone, please be careful when you descend into the hole, and watch your backs." He said and smiled.

As we were all talking, the man approached Chase and Autumn.

"Milo, is something wrong?" Chase asked. "Oh right, this is Milo, he, Autumn, and I go way back."

"Nice to meet you." I answered and offered my hand which he shakes and smiles.

"You two, be careful when you enter the ancient city. This plan was proposed to us by the Empire, trust no one from the Empire." He said in a hushed whisper. "Though the current heir is trust worthy, the rest aren't. Watch your backs."

"Okay." Autumn answered.

When everything was ready, we all descended into the depths of the Great Drop using either rope or ny jumping down.