Chapter 210: Kaisha's Story (5)

The ground beneath her feet exploded, launching her into the air, past the swarm of Aetherials, toward Taliyah. She landed on her good foot and prepared to run—but she couldn't. She had to continue to rely on the power of the armor, letting it absorb her energy reserves and speed up the healing of her ankle. She couldn't keep running for long.

But she wants to make every step she takes count.

The monsters were getting closer and closer, and Taliyah pushed Kaisa towards her again. This time, the ground she landed on was different, with sharp protrusions on the ground. Kaisa ran over it, wanting the fluorescent lights to follow her and not target Taliyah. The one in the front had the scar she left, and it seemed that it was about to touch her again...

It suddenly exploded into pieces, and glowing blood splattered all over the ground. Kassa stopped in surprise.

"Keep running!" Taliyah yelled, "Explode wherever you run!"

So she began to run around Taliyah.

Several fluorescent lights approached. Taliyah's "Stone Blast" blew through them. The other monsters seemed to have learned their lesson and slowed down, but this made them easier targets for Kai'Sa.

It didn't take long for their numbers to dwindle. But the rumbling was getting louder and louder, and the Chuanshajiao were about to run back. We didn't have much time.

Only three or five were left. Kassa stood near the rock eggshell, exhausted, and used the last of her energy to fire a round of missiles. Fearing the minefield, she slowed down, and every Void Spirit was hit by the missiles.

She smiled and looked at Taliyah. The girl was pale and coughing from the dust. She put an arm around Sammy's shaking shoulders, and he tried to help her stand.

“I can’t…” Taliyah gasped, “The ground… is unstable. I can’t hold on forever…”

Kai'Sa picked up Taliyah. She motioned for Sammy to climb onto her back, and then they ran toward the side of the gully. I was running out of energy. I didn't know if I could get to the surface with these two.

Suddenly, Taliyah twisted away from Kai'Sa's embrace and leaped up, summoning a stone platform that rose from the ground beneath her feet. She pulled Kai'Sa up with her, and took them with her. As they were about to reach the ground, her strength ran out. Kai'Sa and Taliyah grabbed the edge, trying not to let go...

More than a dozen hands reached down, all covered in dust. Is this true? Kasa couldn't believe it, she stretched out her arms. Two hands pulled her up. It was true. She looked up and saw a few familiar faces, all from the Taliyah camp. Among the people who grabbed her wrist was Kadira. I'm saved.

“Zaifah!” Taliyah called out when all three of them were back on solid sand. “Qadira! You’ve come back!”

"And we found helpers." Kasa nodded to them, "Very smart. Thank you."

At the bottom of the gully, Chuanshajiao rushed back into the crevasse. Kasha raised a finger to her lips and mouthed "Don't move." Chuanshajiao's hearing and vision can only capture moving objects. If we stay still and quiet, we can survive.

The monster poked the deflated body of the fluorescent lamp with its huge horn. It swayed and turned around, and saw that the glowing monster howl and the young were also dead.

Satisfied, it dug through the rock and burrowed back into the ground.

Kai'Sa waited until she could no longer hear its sound before letting the others move. Then, exhausted and pale, Taliyah raised another stone bridge for them to rejoin the others. Kai'Sa, exhausted, and Sami, only slightly wilted, led the rear.

"I can climb up by myself." Sammy said to Kasa with a smile, "But it's great that you came back to help. Otherwise I would slow everyone down and cause a lot of trouble."

Kasa looked at the child sideways and couldn't help laughing. "How can I bear to watch a first-class stonehopper go away and never come back?"

The night was lit up by a blazing bonfire. The stone bridge of Taliyah was pushed out from the dangerous sand bank and became the wall of the camp.

Kasha lay down outside the firelight, not wanting to show her body aches. Rest is more important than eating, she thought pathetically, as the smell of roasted cabbage drifted over.

Taliyah sat quietly beside her and handed Kasa a full bowl of cabbage and corn porridge. Kasa pushed the bowl away. "Are you hungry?" Taliyah asked.

"I'm so angry."

Taliyah looked surprised. "Why?"

"You should have listened to me," Kai'Sa said angrily, "and what happened? You couldn't protect everyone - you thought you killed those Void Elves, but they were the ones who attacked us later. You almost lost everyone. If I hadn't been there, you would have died." She saw Taliyah's mouth twisted, her jaw clenched, revealing regret. "And you abandoned them when they needed you the most. You left everyone in the desert to die, and you just tried to save a life."

Taliyah was silent for a moment. "It's not that I don't know how to be grateful, but... you know you made the same choice, right? When you came down to save me."

Kasha didn't know how to answer.

"Don't go to Zoran." After an awkward silence, Kai'Sa said, "The collapsed void corridor that I have been tracking is right under your route. I dare say that corridor leads to Zoran. Which means that the place has been occupied by the void."

Taliyah nodded, her shoulders deflated. “I’ll tell them they need to find another place.”

"Them? What about you?"

"As for me. I'm going to Zoran."

"Taliyah——"

“You’re going to Zoran too?” Taliyah sighed. “I thought I could protect these people, take them to safety. But you’re right—no place is safe. So… we have to build one ourselves.”

"Uh. What do you mean?"

"If the Void occupies Zoran... then we will take it back! Let it become a place to live and a place for everyone to go... Of course we also have to help those who are already there." Taliyah's tone was so optimistic.

"If the Void really occupied that town... they would not leave anyone alive to wait for rescue."

“How can we possibly know something so far away from here? Even if there is only one person who needs our help, it’s worth a try.” Taliyah took a step closer and held Kasa’s hands. Taliyah’s palms were warm and rough, and Kasa could feel them even through the second layer of skin. “I can’t do it without you, Kasa. I can’t kill those fluorescent lights by myself... but as long as I have you, I can do it. Let’s go find that place together.”

If she had been there when my home was conquered by the Void... maybe I would have been different. Kai'Sa looked at the hope in Taliyah's eyes, the strength in her eyes. But I have become who I am now. The world needs me. So does she. I have also seen the effect of our unity. I think, I need her too.

If Zoran were still alive, he would definitely agree.

Kasha took a bite of the roasted cabbage, nodded and said, "Okay. Just think of it as saving another thread for the tapestry."

Taliyah waved goodbye to her former followers, and Zaifa led them farther and farther away. Earlier, Zaifa found a place on the map, a former trading city, and the road should pass through pastures. "Even if the food is gone," she pointed to the map and said, "it is very likely that we can find prey in this area."

“Stay safe and take care of yourself,” Taliyah said, hugging her tightly. “The Weaver Mother is watching over you all.”

Now they were out of sight. She turned to face Kai'Sa, her only companion for the rest of the journey. She must be glad to have someone to accompany her, Taliyah thought, smiling slightly. She wouldn't admit it, though.

They rode on a stone bridge floating over the sand dunes and headed towards Koharise, where their destinies briefly intertwined.

(End of this chapter)