"How good it turned out that young man, Chiro," said Golden as he floated alongside the other guardians in the air, thanks to Meliradal's powers.
"Yes, he was very cooperative. I hope his dreams can come true," responded Kilibur in a reflective tone, observing the young man from above.
Images of what had transpired still resonated in the minds of the five. They remembered how Chiro had looked at them with faith in his eyes, hopeful for a better future.
"Well then, if I tell you… will you help? Will you help make the world free, happy, and illuminated again?" Chiro had said, his voice filled with determination.
"Of course," Kilibur had replied calmly, his gaze warm but firm. "After all, you're not an evil being. That means that even in darkness, there is goodness."
Chiro, resolute, insisted:
"Then let me go with you."
But Krasper shook his head, crossing his arms.
"You can't come with us. I can only teleport the guardians with my power. You'd be a burden and slow us down."
Silver quickly intervened, his tone practical but kind.
"Come on, guys, just tell us the location."
Chiro frowned, visibly frustrated.
"So, you can't take me? You're just going to use me and leave me here to fend for myself."
At that moment, an older man with a noble yet weary demeanor stepped forward from the crowd that was beginning to awaken.
"Well, the boy can come with us to a fortress not far from here," the man said, his voice authoritative but also kind.
Krasper looked at him curiously.
"And are you…?"
The man smiled faintly, though his face bore the scars of years of struggle.
"I am the king of Hassdalia, or I was before those filthy shadows arrived and captured my people. Thank you for your help. My name is Hass."
Meliradal gave a small bow, impressed by the man's presence.
"Pleased to meet you, sir. I am Meliradal."
A woman from the crowd exclaimed in surprise:
"Hey! You look like the priestess from Fuertelia!"
Meliradal nodded with a modest smile.
"Yes, that's me."
The other prisoners began to murmur among themselves, filled with hope.
"So, have you come to save us?" some asked, slowly waking from their lethargy.
Golden, always direct, answered without hesitation:
"Well, for now, we're just searching for our lord Avocios."
Krasper rolled his eyes, giving Golden a light nudge.
"Don't be so serious and straightforward, kitty."
Kilibur quickly intervened to calm the mood.
"Yes, that's what we're doing, everyone. For now, Paltio is already working on finding a solution to end the shadows."
Chiro's eyes widened in astonishment.
"Paltio? Do you mean the one who put Meloc in a coma?"
"Yes, the very same," confirmed Golden proudly.
Chiro let out a nervous laugh, a mix of admiration and amazement.
"Wow, he's a legend in the kingdom. Everyone wants to defeat him."
King Hass nodded, impressed.
"That Paltio must be someone important."
Silver smiled with pride.
"Of course, he's the prince of Avocadalia."
King Hass placed a hand over his chest, genuinely surprised.
"The prince? Wow! I'd like to meet him if he's someone with such feats."
Kilibur gave him a reassuring smile.
"I'm sure you'll meet him very soon."
King Hass nodded gratefully, addressing the guardians.
"For now, we are in your debt. We promise you that nothing will happen to the young hamster named Chiro."
"Good," said Silver, satisfied with the agreement.
Kilibur turned to Chiro, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"See? There's nothing to fear."
Chiro thought for a moment before speaking, ensuring he gave them all the information they needed.
"Alright. The one you're looking for is far from here, underground. Beyond the forest where Treelion was, there's a large valley. Beneath a massive rock lies the entrance."
Krasper raised an eyebrow, visibly surprised by how close the location was. His gaze drifted momentarily, as if recalling his own previous journey.
"Wow, I can't believe our lord was so close to where I was," he murmured, his voice filled with disbelief mixed with a hint of irony.
A half-smile appeared on his face as he crossed his arms, adopting his characteristic confident stance.
"It seems destiny has a sense of humor," he added, almost as if talking to himself, though his words resonated among others.
The phrase hung in the air, imbued with a peculiar nuance: a mix of resignation and determination that only Krasper could convey with his unique style.
"You've been a great help, lad. We won't forget your support," Kilibur told Chiro with a sincere smile before saying their farewells.
King Hass's team was preparing thanks to the supplies Kilibur and Krasper had provided, while Meliradal used her magic to heal the wounded and weakened. With gratitude in their hearts, the citizens bid the guardians farewell, wishing them success in their mission.
Before leaving, Chiro approached Kilibur stealthily and whispered something in his ear that left the fox stunned, a mixture of astonishment and concern reflected on his face.
"Alright, no time to waste. Let's go," said Krasper, grabbing the fox boy by the arm and disappearing with the group in a flash of energy.
Back to the initial conversation, the five guardians were already near the location Chiro had described, ready to enter and rescue their creator, Avocios.
"Alright, how are we going to get in?" asked Golden, observing the terrain cautiously.
Meliradal quickly intervened, her voice laced with caution.
"If we just barge in, we'll be discovered, and they'll take our lord away from this place."
Silver looked at Kilibur curiously.
"And what did Chiro tell you, huh? He probably fell in love with you," he teased with a mischievous grin.
Kilibur visibly blushed, waving his hands in denial.
"No! What are you saying, Silver?"
Meliradal, always playful, joined in the teasing.
"He probably likes you. You're friendly, plus… you don't have a defined gender, do you, little fox?" she said, chuckling softly as she listened to the exchange.
Kilibur turned even redder, crossing his arms.
"It's not like that!" he protested, though it was clear he didn't want to continue discussing the topic.
Golden, impatient as ever, interrupted firmly.
"Enough with the nonsense and help come up with a plan!" he exclaimed, frowning.
Meliradal giggled.
"Spoilsport," she muttered, though she obeyed and focused on the situation.
"Alright, we'll talk about that later," said Kilibur, trying to regain his composure. "Getting back to what you said, it's best to use my earth magic and go underground to avoid detection," Meliradal proposed.
Silver nodded thoughtfully but with a warning in mind.
"And if there are cameras and other things, remember that these shadow people are very advanced when it comes to technology."
"If that's the case, well, I'll quickly go inside to scout once we sneak in," suggested Golden, confident in his speed.
Krasper shook his head, stepping forward.
"Alright, but it would be better if I go. My invisibility can help us."
Golden huffed, though he accepted the logic of the proposal.
"Fine, do it. The rest of us will wait for the signal."
Meanwhile, Kilibur remained troubled by what Chiro had whispered to him before they left. However, he knew there was no time to discuss it with the others at that moment.
Meliradal created an earthen elevator, using her magic to carve out a safe tunnel beneath the surface. Everyone quickly entered, and the group descended several meters while she used her plant magic to detect any signs of nearby life.
"We've arrived," she announced finally, opening a small gap in the earthen wall to observe the outside.
Peering through the opening, they saw an enormous red door guarded by several heavily armed soldiers.
"That's the door, Chiro mentioned. We need to get past it without being seen," murmured Krasper, carefully analyzing the scene.
Golden raised an eyebrow, looking at Meliradal curiously.
"Hey, Meliradal, couldn't you have just taken us directly past the door?" he asked, slightly irritated by the obstacle.
Meliradal shook her head, her expression serious.
"No, I can't do that. I sensed proximity signals, and if we'd gone that way, we might have been caught."
Golden snorted, crossing his arms.
"Bah! Let them come then. I would've given them a beating."
Kilibur quickly intervened, reminding Golden of the reality of the situation.
"I don't think it's that simple. Remember these people captured Avocios, a creator entity."
Silver nodded, sharing Kilibur's concern.
"You're right about that."
"Well then, we trust you, lizard," said Golden in a somewhat sarcastic but determined tone.
Krasper smiled confidently, adjusting his invisibility ability.
"Said and done. Leave it to me." Without waiting for a response, he vanished on the spot, blending perfectly into the surroundings like a humanoid chameleon.
With stealthy movements, Krasper began weaving through the hallways, dodging guards and cameras without being detected. Finally, he reached a room where he saw a humanoid squirrel operating various technological devices. On a giant screen appeared Meloc.
"So your leader fled from Reedalia… What a bunch of cowards," commented the humanoid rat, Meloc, his voice dripping with mockery.
Ribras, unfazed, responded calmly, though his words carried a mix of amusement and pride.
"You would've fled too if you saw a massive Kaiju spewing boiling lava in front of you."
Meloc let out a brief, forced laugh, as if trying to downplay the matter. However, his expression quickly turned serious, his eyes narrowing slightly as he seemed to genuinely ponder the possibility with curiosity.
"Indeed," Meloc finally replied, his tone confident but laced with a calculating undertone, "or perhaps I would've faced it with my ingenuity and technology."
After a deliberate pause, during which his gaze seemed to wander momentarily, he added with an inquisitive glint in his eyes:
"And what… did they manage to kill the giant lizard? Or not?"
Ribras shook his head, shrugging nonchalantly.
"To be honest, I don't know. I also left the place before everything turned to ashes."
Meloc nodded slowly, clearly impressed by the account.
"A giant beast, huh… Well, I'll look into studying it later. It might provide something useful for the future."
After a few seconds of silence, Ribras changed the subject, adopting a more practical tone.
"Well, I must get going, Meloc. I need to return to our point of origin with the black shadows. What should I do with our guest?"
Meloc responded without hesitation, as if he had already planned every detail.
"It's best you take him to our house in Tehtra. He'll be safer and better cared for there."
Ribras smirked ironically, idly playing with a device in his hands.
"Yeah, I heard your prisoners and assistant were stolen from you. Seems like your helpers don't last long by your side, huh?"
Meloc frowned, visibly irritated by the sarcastic remark.
"News travels fast to you, my friend Ribras. But that won't hinder us. Very soon, what we planned will be ready. So you'd better move from there and take Avocios to Tehtra immediately."
Ribras nodded, though his tone remained mocking as he ended the call.
"Alright." With that, he crushed the control panel in frustration, leaving claw marks on the device. "That rat isn't my boss," he muttered to himself, though he knew Meloc was right.
After a moment of reflection, Ribras raised his voice to give orders to his companions.
"Hey, everyone! Pack everything up! It's time to move out."
Meanwhile, Krasper observed everything from the shadows, processing the conversation he had just overheard. His face reflected concern as he realized the urgency of the moment.
"Oh no! We'd better act immediately," Krasper murmured, activating his communication with the other guardians.