"I don't have visions of the future, I can only sense where it might lead us," she told Myles.

"So in other words, you know we will meet the mad scientist, you just don't know when or how," Myles said.

Heda nodded. 

"How accurately can you predict the future?" Myles asked.

They were walking a narrow path through thick trees and high bushes. Although the sun had already risen, only faint rays reached them. Heda's hair shone a fiery light every time they pa.s.sed a clearing, or anytime sunlight managed to find its way to her. Sylens and Friede trailed behind them. 

Friede was on alert, looking left and right, expecting the Roosa'al to appear at any moment. Sylens was frowning. He'd been staring at his feet ever since they sent Pawel on his way. 

Friede noticed the man's troubled expressions. "What's on your mind?" she asked. 

"They're treating us like children," he hissed. He lifted his head and glared at Myles. "Who does he think he is anyway?"

Friede let out a long sigh. "Why must you always compete, even in situations that don't require you to?" 

Sylens shot her an intimidating look. "We're at war. Whether you like it or not, there will come a time when saving your skin will come first." He glared at Myles then turned to her. "He has nothing to gain from this war. Why is he here? Have you thought about that?" 

"He's helping us, and he's never shown any ill will toward us," Friede replied.

"He's helping us now. Even Heda can't say what he'll do next," Sylens said in a sullen voice. 

Friede's lips pursed into a smile. "You're just afraid of visiting that scientist again," she whispered. 

Sylens's eyes widened. "Friede, for our friends.h.i.+p's sake, don't speak of that again..."

Friede chuckled. She shot a quick glance at Heda and Myles then turned to him. "He just turned you into a toad. He's turned me into a worm and had me dig holes in the ground to escape angry chicken..." She shuddered. "Who should be more embarra.s.sed? You could have eaten me if you crossed my path back then." 

Sylens was about to say something when he noticed that Myles and Heda had stopped. "What's going on?" he asked. 

Heda turned and put her forefinger to her mouth. They heard rustling in the bushes then a snake came slithering between them. It zigzagged around their legs and quickly vanished inside the bushes. Seconds later, they heard strident clicks in the distance. Friede's eyes narrowed.

"We're on the right path. He's trying to chase us away now," Heda said. 

Soon after, half a dozen creatures appeared within the trees. They walked on four legs made out of pointy metallic sc.r.a.p. They had small heads that resembled those of small dog breeds. Their bodies, however, were as large as an elephant's. 

They moved with surprising speed, reducing the distance between them and the group in seconds. They surrounded the champions then screeched. Their open mouths revealed rows of razor sharp teeth. 

Myles could sense they were powered by neutral energy, much like the old man they fought earlier. Only these had much bigger crystal b.a.l.l.s inside of them. Their legs looked like heavy curved swords. One hit would split them in half. 

***

South from where the insect-like creatures attacked the group of champions, Pawel was walking toward the forest's exit. He was in a bad mood. His mind raced with ideas, all of them revolving around how the champions had forsaken them, exactly as Rimbaldi predicted once more. 

"Oh, Pawel, this is our trial, and we have to do it our own way!�� He said out loud, imitating Heda. 

"Oh, I'm Heda, I know I'm gorgeous, I just act like I'm hiding it!" 

He hadn't noticed the cloud of dark matter that hovered above him. "They all look down on you Pawel. They always will," he heard a voice speak all around him. It sounded like a good natured grandfather, looking out for your best interest. 

Pawel stopped and looked around, frightened. "Who's there? Is that you Rimbaldi?" he asked out loud. His eyes frenetically darted in all directions, looking for the source of the voice. When he looked up, he only saw trees rustling.

"Looking for me?" he heard the voice behind him.

He jumped around to see a shadow stand before him. It was his height, and had the same thin corpulence as he did. He stared at it in silence, his lips quivering. "Are you some of Rimbaldi's new friends?" he asked. 

"No," the shadow replied. Its calm voice was soothing to the ears.

"Do you live here?" Pawel asked. 

"No," the shadow answered. 

"What are you?" Pawel's eyebrows furrowed. 

"You're upset. Is it because of your friends back there?" the shadow asked. 

Pawel clutched his fist tightly. "I don't have any friends," he hissed. 

"I saw you running toward them earlier. You were smiling, even when your legs couldn't carry you," the shadow said. It leaned toward Pawel. "Did something happen to your friends?" 

Pawel shook his head. "I thought they needed my help..." His shoulders began shaking. 

"Did they reject you?" the shadow asked. 

Pawel shot the shadow a dark look. "What are you? How do you know any of this?" 

"I only want to help. Your friends inside the forest, they won't survive long," the shadow said in its soothing voice.

Pawel frowned. "What do you mean by that? Tell me!" he asked in a croaky voice. He tried to grab the shadow but his hands only clutched the air. 

"They abandoned you. Yet you still want to help them?" the shadow asked. It sounded amused. 

"They're our only hope. Rimbaldi said so..." Pawel said in an undertone. 

"I can help you," the shadow said. It approached Pawel until it came nose to nose with him. "Will you accept my help?" 

"Will you help us survive the coming catastrophe?" Pawel asked. 

The shadow shook its head. "I can show you the truth, however. You'll understand that there's nothing to be afraid of. You'll understand that the will of our Lords is undisputable. You'll come to make peace with it, and you'll move on. Your fate is sealed. You can't escape it." 

Horror-struck, Pawel began retreating. The shadow chuckled. It walked after the frightened young man, who broke into a run. "Didn't you hear a word I said?" the shadow's voice boomed across the forest. The young man squealed. He begged his legs to run faster, but they were at their limits.

The shadow turned into a cloud then chased after Pawel. His screams as the shadow merged with him carried all over to the four champions, who were busy repelling Rimbaldi's creations. 

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