A Shocking Discovery!

The drop was only five feet deep, much to the relief of the trio. They landed in a dimly lit pathway and walked forward cautiously.

To their surprise, seven different tunnels leading to different directions appeared before them.

'These people are surprisingly cautious,' Jax commented even as they followed the spear into the tunnel on the extreme right.

'Of course they have to be. It kinda reminds me of this game… Galactic rebels or something. The resistance forces in the game had underground bases with hundreds of tunnels,' commented Brutus.

'That's a kid's game bro,' Jax eyed Brutus, trying to hold back a chuckle.

'Yeah whatever.'

Contrary to their expectations, the tunnel was brightly lit and as they moved ahead, other tunnels appeared.

The place was a huge maze.

Without the spear leading, they would have long been lost due to the sheer number of tunnels which led to god knows where.

'Jax I hope once we get this guy, you can still lead us out of here. Record the way or something,' Denzel said.

'No worries bro. My trackers are on some of the guys in our unit. We won't have to navigate this maze blindly to get out,' Jax assured.

'Do you put trackers on everybody?' Brutus couldn't help but shake his head.

Jax just chuckled. 'Easy, easy. I'm not a stalker.'

'Did that come along with your spear?' asked Denzel.

'Nope. I modified it myself,' Jax replied, grinning proudly.

After ten minutes of walking, the trio found themselves in a huge cavern which split into three different ways.

The spear entered the middle cavern and Brutus and Jax followed after it but Denzel stood there, looking around.

Jax turned around. 'Denzel man, what's the problem? Hurry up, we got a native to catch!'

'This place is strange. Come look at something,' Denzel beckoned them.

He walked over to a corner of the cavern and knelt down, examining the ground.

Jax and Brutus exchanged glances.

Sighing, Jax recalled his spear and they hurried over.

'Look at this. What's something like this doing on a planet filled with natives who haven't even entered the industrial age?' Denzel lifted an inconspicuous bolt off the ground.

Jax and Brutus narrowed their eyes.

What was a bolt doing here?

The natives didn't have the capacity to make something that precise.

Besides, it looked like the component of some machine!

Could there be other people like them hidden under the planet?

At the thought of that, the trio instantly became concerned.

'We have to report this to the commander,' Brutus frowned, taking the bolt from Denzel's hand.

He squinted and examined the bolt with seriousness. 'I think this bolt is from a mining machine… one of those old type machines probably.'

Jax looked at him incredulously. 'And how did you know?'

'I've been reading books on minerals and mining… for my broadsword. I was planning on saving some money to have a new one custom made for me,' Brutus explained, scratching his brown hair awkwardly.

Jax couldn't help but burst into laughter. 'What has that got to do with reading about mining and metals?'

Since when did someone like Brutus willingly read something as boring as mines and metals?

To even remember inconspicuous details like how the bolts of a mining machine looked like!

'Shut up, man,' Brutus looked away, embarrassed.

Denzel raised his head and looked at the tunnel nearby where he found the bolt and narrowed his eyes.

'Let's check that tunnel out.'

'If we get lost in there we won't be making it out anytime soon. You sure you want to do this?' Jax asked.

'We have to know if there are people like us around. They'd have most probably used this tunnel,' Denzel said.

'The moment we come across more tunnels, we have to retreat or else we'll get lost,' Brutus said.

'Fine.'

…

This tunnel was much brighter and unique as compared to the others.

It was wide and had the signs of a well-used path.

Obviously, machines and people had regularly passed through this tunnel based on how smooth the ground was.

The walls were a pale grey and showed signs of being hewed.

'This place definitely leads to a mine. Look at the walls,' Brutus observed, running his fingers down the walls.

'What's that by the wall?' Jax pointed.

A small heap of dark blue stones half the size of a palm came into view.

Ahead of the trio, similar looking stones were scattered unevenly, going even deeper into the tunnel.

'Colorful rock? It certainly doesn't look metal,' Brutus said, walking over to pick one of the blue stones.

He tossed and caught it a few times, furrowing his brows. 'It's surprisingly warm… wait, it's getting hotter!'

Jax and Denzel watched in shock as bright light emanated from the stone and entered the forehead of Brutus!

Brutus groaned, stumbling heavily and crashed into the wall dropping the blue stone.

Denzel hurriedly kicked it away while Jax knelt in front of Brutus.

'Are you alright man?' Jax asked worriedly, checking Brutus' pulse.

'I've never felt better! It's as if I'm seeing a new world for the first time!' Brutus exclaimed gleefully, looking around with a foolish grin.

Denzel and Jax exchanged worried glances.

'Has he gone mad?' Jax whispered to Denzel.

Denzel shrugged helplessly. 'I dunno. I certainly hope not.'

Jax turned to Brutus and waved his palm in front of Brutus' face.

'Bro, how many fingers do you see?'

'Five, obviously,' Brutus looked at him as if he thought Jax was a retard.

'Whew, his mind still works,' Jax sighed in relief.

'Why won't my mind work?' Brutus eyed Jax before finally shaking his head.

He looked at his hands with great interest and tentatively stretched it out.

A wall of earth rose up from the ground slowly, reaching his height in about five seconds, causing the duo to gasp.

'No way, no fricking way!' Jax exclaimed.

'Brutus, how did you do that?' Denzel asked wide-eyed.

'I just thought of raising a wall and it came. My mind is filled with strange new information!' Brutus grinned widely.

Without hesitation, Jax snatched one of the blue stones from a nearby pile.

'Jax what are you doing? What if it has some negative effects?!' Denzel yelled at him.

Jax looked at him, giving him a wide grin. 'Denzel this is good stuff!'

'Drop that stone!' Denzel lunged at him but was blown away by an explosion from Jax's body!

*BOOM!

Blue arcs of lightning crackled around Jax with a startling ferocity!

Denzel could hardly believe his eyes.

What the fuck?!

Denzel was stunned.

How were Jax and Brutus also using elements like the natives?

Subconsciously, his eyes strayed to the blue stones.

Should he take one?

What element would he awaken?

Wait, why was he thinking all this? What if the stone had some negative effects or something?

It was too dangerous!

Countless thoughts run through Denzel's mind as he contemplated.

To take or not to take?

'Fuck it.'

Denzel scrambled to his feet and picked one of the blue stones.

…

'President Zhang, what do you think you're doing?!' Boreas roared from the holographic screen.

'I'm saving my people, of course,' replied President Zhang, looking at the holographic image of the five councilors straight in the eye.

'By endangering others.

Zhang, we understand your sentiments but this is just pure madness! Saving your people by endangering other innocents? That is very wrong!' councilor Gaul chided.

What a bunch of fucking hypocrites… President Zhang resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

'What you're doing is endangering the galaxy. For what's right, stop this foolishness. If you want land that badly, we'll give you an uninhabited planet.

Leave Gaelen-II and its inhabitants alone,' said councilor Vanna coldly.

Endangering the galaxy? President Zhang looked at councilor Vanna incredulously.

How could she spout such bullshit with a straight face?

'If you had done so earlier, it wouldn't have come to this. I'm afraid it's a little too late to leave.

What's done has been done. Besides, we have restrained ourselves from wiping out the natives.

If I call off this invasion which is already at its' climax, the Gaian people will not be pleased,' President Zhang shrugged helplessly.

Because the land is from you bastards... he added inwardly.

If he told the generals to stop the invasion and go to a planet given to them by the council, they would call him an idiotic fool.

'That wasn't a request but an order. Think this through carefully and for the sake of your people and the innocents on Gaelen-II, leave.

If not, we'll be forced to send the Imperial fleet to hand the planet back to its rightful owners.

You have an hour to give us your response,' said Stafyllidis calmly.

The call cut abruptly, leaving a solemn faced President Zhang.

'Fuck!' he cursed.

These councilors were hellbent on causing trouble for him, even having the gall to order him to leave the planet!

They were blatantly threatening him.

Sure, it would be nice to have a planet without any prior inhabitants.

That way, Gaians would have a planet of their own to call home but was it worth it?

Look at how the council had made them suffer but was now extending help with barely veiled threats.

He would rather remain here than take gifts from the hands of smiling devils.

Taking a deep breath, Zhang sat heavily in his chair.

He didn't know what to think or decide.

At least he had an hour to come to a decision.

'Give a holographic call to the generals and officials,' he ordered his secretary.