INTERWOVEN ADVENTURES | Circadian Earth: Book 1

Chapter 34

Cybal stared at the familiar figure who had just landed. "I can't say I was expecting to see you here, Amelix."

"Cut the pleasantries," Amelix said. "I'm going to be needing that one."

"That makes two people who have wanted to capture me while I've been this city..." Stardust grumbled. "Either way, I choose my own fate. And it certainly isn't anywhere with you, unless you can prove to me that it'll be safe for me, and I can leave when I want."

"So hostile. I mean you no harm, of course. I just want to learn more about you, since I'm guessing you're prototype 2-21, and you have the strongest core of any Nasric in history."

"But what would you be doing with that information?" Cybal asked.

"This isn't any of your business, Cybal. Just allow her to hand herself over to me. Or, alternatively, you can tell me exactly where 2-14 is. I only need one of the two."

"I'll come with you!" Alice said happily, before being pulled back by Cybal.

Amelix wasn't impressed. "You have no use to me. Now listen. You're going to hand over either 2-21 or 2-14. I really don't care which. The rest of you are free to go."

"Can you at least let me free?" Bel asked, still struggling.

"What she said! You're going to let her go before any negotiations can go ahead!" Stardust shouted.

"You're foolish if you think you can give me orders in my own domain," Amelix growled, tightening her grip on Bel. "Give in, or watch this one die."

"Ooh, you live here?" Alice was intrigued. "Does that mean you know a way into this building we've been trying to get into?"

Stardust was connecting the dots. "Your own domain... so the Ember Witch works for you? Forget it. I'll never join you."

Amelix's free arm suddenly began to change, something that even Alice and Cybal had never seen before. In a matter of seconds, where her hand had once been was now what appeared to be a cannon of some kind. "Then this one dies."

Cybal was stunned at the sudden change in Amelix's attitude. Glancing at Stardust, she noticed that the fire had gone out. And she already knew what that meant.

Stardust stared at Bel, and back at Amelix with a smile. "If this is your own home, you care about robots, otherwise why else would you be here? Either you don't have much power here, or you're not going to follow though on your threat. Which one is it?"

Amelix's eyes narrowed. "One single Nasric is easily replaceable."

"Don't just stand there!" Bel shouted angrily. "Do something!"

Her smile gone, Stardust flew forwards, taking Amelix by surprise. Upon contact, the energy she had stored while her fire was out was released in an electric blast stronger than the previous one, which coursed through Amelix, causing her to drop Bel.

"You little..." Amelix was knocked back a little by the charge. "What did Izzy put into you?!"

"More than I've shown you," Stardust growled. "Come on, Bel. We're leaving."

Bel eagerly grabbed Stardust's hand, and the two of them flew away while Amelix was still processing the attack. It was the most anyone had ever managed to do to her.

Cybal looked at Beyu. "We need to follow them, even though you don't like Bel. I don't want Stardust landing herself in more trouble."

Looked to me like she can handle herself...

Alice suddenly found herself pinned against the wall, and looked to Amelix, who had sprung back to action. "Oh, hey! Are you feeling alright after that zap?"

Amelix ignored Alice. Instead, she turned to Cybal, who was stunned at the fact that she'd gone for Alice. "Tell me where 2-21 is going."

"Why should I do anything for you when you're attacking Alice?"

"You're in my city. You'll do as I say... or you'll get to watch Alice get torn apart. Tell me where she went."

"Do you really think I know? My best guess is that she's trying to get far away from you!"

Amelix stared at Cybal, increasing the pressure on Alice, who was now just confused. "The real question is, how willing do you think I am to kill her? You think you've known me for a while, but everything I told you and Izzy has been a lie. Everything I've done was part of a plan to-"

"Quit with the monologue, I get the point." Cybal sighed. "I really don't know where Stardust is. Just let Alice go."

"How long have you been in the city?"

"This is our second day."

"Okay..." Amelix let Alice go, but as Alice turned to reunite with her sister, Amelix swiped at her, scratching one of her eyes.

"What is wrong with you?! She did nothing wrong!" Cybal shouted.

"I'm proving a point," Amelix said calmly. "You are in my city. I am in control of you, and everything around you. Consider this a warning."

"Then you know that there's a Trialian in this building besides the Ember Witch. Can you at least help us get her out so we can get her back to her folks?"

Amelix tilted her head. "How interesting that you know of Layla. I can imagine Izzy told you."

"They did. Are you going to help? You owe it to us after all that."

"I owe you absolutely nothing," Amelix shot back. Changing her arm back into a laser cannon, she aimed it in Cybal's direction. "Rule number one. I always win."

"What is that even supposed to mean?!" Cybal suddenly flinched, as Amelix fired.

"Isn't it bad to try and hurt others?" Alice asked, still pinned to the wall. "And I thought we were friends."

"I could tell you the sky is actually pink and you'd believe me," Amelix shot back. "To put it simply, I was waiting for my opportunity to use you all for my own gain."

"What's your end goal, anyway?" Cybal asked. Amelix's blast hadn't done all that much, but she was clutching her side. Beyu was looking up at her with a concerned expression.

"Why would I tell you that?"

"At this point it's the least you could do!"

Amelix looked at Cybal, who could tell that if she had a mouth, she'd be grinning. "The least I could do is let you live. You're going to find 2-21, and you're going to bring her back here."

Cybal crossed her arms, revealing a blackened patch under where she'd been holding her side. "As if."

"Suit yourself. I won't judge if you choose her over Alice."

"What do you mean..."

Amelix fired one more shot, which appeared to miss. "Oh, oops..."

"That was a good attempt!" Alice encouraged.

Even Cybal let out a small smile. "I guess you need to work on your aim."

"Do I?" Amelix asked. "Or maybe I hit exactly what I wanted to hit."

Cybal looked down, and realised that the shot had been aimed at her bag, and some of the crystals had fallen out of the smoking hole that the laser had left.

"Maybe you should check the contents. I'll be at the top of this exact building if you happen to need me," Amelix said with a chuckle.

"What... oh. Oh, no." Cybal quickly opened the bag and took out the phone. The outside damage didn't seem to be too much, but she knew that the inner workings were fried. Her connection to Izzy had been severed.

Beyu nudged Cybal's leg.

"What is it?" Cybal asked.

She took Alice.

Cybal gasped. She looked around, and true to Beyu's words, the two of them were now alone.