L.E.O.N (Chapter Six)

Chapter Six
Legends and Laments

         The elevator doors reopened and he and Leon stepped into the corridor. Together they walked in silence, their footsteps echoing around the deserted corridor.
         Karl wondered whether Molly was still going to be sitting in the same seat she was in when he left her. He half hoped she wasn‘t. He didn’t think he could bare seeing her so soon after he had been so rude to her.
         Leon pushed open the door at the end of the corridor and he and Karl entered the room with the chairs. Instead of going off to the elevator on the left, which is what Karl expected, they went straight towards a small door near the corner of the room. Leon stopped by the door pushed it open, gesturing for Karl to enter.
         Karl looked at Leon nervously for a moment before striding into the small office.
There was not much in the room, due, Karl supposed, to the size of it. But what was in the room made it appear a lot smaller than in fact it was. There sat a large wooden, aged, desk; two wooden chairs on either side of the desk and a filing cabinet in the corner.
         Leon walked over to the far end of the desk and sat down, offering a hand out, implying for Karl to occupy the other chair. He did, sitting rigidly, not sure how he was supposed to act.
         Leon looked over the desk at him before speaking, “Okay then. I am going to tell you everything I can about the history of the rebellion. That is so say, everything that I know about the rebellion. Some of the things I will tell you: others may say is untrue. And they may be right; it is difficult to say for certain. But they would only disagree with the minor details. The important and most well-known details are known about and agreed upon no matter where you go.” He paused to look at Karl. His formal manner and tone had returned and Karl felt himself feeling very important indeed.
         “Now, as you will be unable to interject, we should get through this pretty quickly and as we have some pressing matters to deal with this is ideal. The others didn’t feel you needed to be enlightened so soon. I, however, disagreed. If you have a query about something I say, make some sort of a noise and I will do my best to address it. It is very important that you fully understand everything I am about to tell you. Do you understand?” he asked, and smiled.
         Karl nodded enthusiastically, he couldn’t remember being so anxious, excited, yet at the same time nervous.
         Leon sat back in his chair lazily, “Then we shall begin:
         “The world moves… Of course it does. Everyone knows that…

*

         Karl cleared his throat.
         Leon’s head jerked backwards, “Hmm? Oh, sorry, I was on the wrong page. Where was I? Ah yes. Well, all of that is background,” He paused before clearing his throat, “Not everyone had wanted to put the world back the way it was, and after the Kantogian invasion they created their own utopian society’s. They, and many others, protested wildly when the plans for the pulse canon were made, to such a degree that for many years mob rules was declared in many parts of the world.
         “After that: country’s started to do something about it. Australia was the one to lead the way in this new field when they created the first ever line of Genetically modified and cloned warriors: Clangeroids; “Clangys” we call them, and they were created by Australia’s leading Scientist: Sacheverell deFlonks.” Karl’s ears twitched at the name, and Leon smiled at him, “Yes, I was hoping you’d recognise that name. Sacheverell deFlonks was Bernie’s father. At the time he was on the side of the Government, helping to keep the peace. But when saw what they were doing with his technology he changed his viewpoints entirely, and fought to take down the Australian government.
         “For the people of Earth where now in a full-scale revolution, fighting tirelessly against the states that ruled them. Some governments saw that the time of their rule had passed and gave up peacefully. Others did not, and soon began plans for complete domination of the world. And the means to do so were just around the corner.” Leon stood up, and began pacing back and forward behind the desk.
         “A Russian scientist name Ivan Delopovich claimed to have created a chemical to enhance the muscular growth of beings by a factor of 1:50. Of course, at the time, nobody believed him, for he was only 14 years old at the time; and he was also the son of Thomas Delopovich, the scientist who devised the pulse canon, so everyone believed him to be as crazy and as maniacal as his father. Everyone except the American Government that is, who immediately hired Ivan to start research on a new line of warriors. The first attempts of these warriors were failures in their first year and created horrible mutations. It has been rumoured that in Ivan’s haste to find subjects for his work, he used even his own family, but that is only a rumour. At last, finally, one of the subjects survived the first year, and the American State went around the world searching for suitable candidates for their work.”
         Karl waited with baited breath.
         “The warriors they took were already accomplished, and they were further developed to keep the peace and above all, follow orders. When they were finished, that is exactly what they did.
         “All except one. Undoubtedly you have heard this name mentioned before. He was the twelfth and last warrior to be developed: Leigh, or Midnight. For unknown reasons the laboratory was shut off not long after he was completed.
         “One night Leigh went berserk and killed hundreds of innocents. He even turned on his fellow warriors. People were sent to stop him, but none could do it. He was much more powerful than any other they had produced. In just four short years he had terrorised every corner of the Earth, killing thousands of innocents, not to mention 7 of his fellow warriors who tried to stop him.
         “People think he’d went mad, but I couldn’t help think that it was something else, so I sought him out to ask him myself. So it ended, the final battle: Myself, Miss Eirian: who you have met, Gabor: the 7th warrior to be completed and Macabee, all against Leigh. We fought all through the night until daybreak, where only three warriors remained standing.
“We carried Macabee all the way to his home, and buried him there, so that he could be close to his wife and son. Leigh: we threw into the sea, after checking many times that he was indeed dead. He has not been seen since that day, but his rumour flies all over the world, the terror he once caused still lives deep within people’s hearts. That will never die…”He trailed off, and became lost in his though once more.
         Karl did not bring him out of his thought straight away but took the time to get to grips with everything he had just heard. Although he had never met this Leigh, although he had never experienced the terror he caused; he was already filling his heart with fear. Some people still thought he was alive. What if that were true? Dillon seemed to think it was. What if he were right? Thoughts and questions danced around Karl’s head provocatively. He had so many things he wanted to say, and to ask, but he couldn‘t. And even if he could, he wouldn’t know where to begin.
         Leon shook his head, “But the rebellion. I don’t know how much you’ve seen while with the guard, but the people are suffocating. Those who eat the lies the government feed them dine at the finest tables. Everyone else scavenges for what they can find and live in fear.
         “The world saw such hardship that maybe some people don’t want to remember - or perhaps they think that times have changed. We see the hardship our brothers face every day and do what we can to help them. We remember how they tried to rule us, and still, with fear and intimidation. And we try to prevent them ever casting such a shadow on us again.

         The door burst open and a man entered, puffing and wheezing. The intrusion brought Leon out of his daze and he rushed to the man’s side.
         “Calm down Macabee, what’s the matter?” Leon asked him kindly.
         Karl’s eyes widened as he heard the name again. It was the man who had stood behind him in that room; was it Macabee Junior, the man in the story’s son? Karl stared at the young man, whose father had been killed by this horribly terrible monster named ‘Leigh’. At that moment, Karl felt incredible remorse and sorrow, not just for Macabee, but for all whom Leigh’s rampage had effected in such a way.
         Macabee was trying to force out words in between short, hard breaths, but it was unnecessary; for there was a ground shaking explosion from up above. The room shook and Macabee fell back to the wall. A change had come over Leon again: he was not jovial; he was not serious; he seemed dangerous. A fire seemed to have erupted from within him as he scowled up at the ceiling before jumping forward past Macabee and rushing out the door.
         For a moment Karl sat in the room, not knowing what to do, before a voice yelled from the hall, “Karl, time to move!”
         Karl immediately sprang up and out the door, closely followed by Macabee. They flew threw the door leading to the corridor and sprinted down it.
         As they ran, Leon questioned Macabee huridly, “Where are the others?”
         “Robert is upstairs, along with Sir Dillon and Sir Spencer. Bernard has gone ahead, Miss Eirian, Miss Sommenel, master Connor and Potrer are awaiting our arrival downstairs.” Macabee called, his speech interrupted by his breathing.
         Leon didn’t reply but sped up towards the elevator which, luckily, was already open. Leon ran straight into it and turned around to face Karl and Macabee while holding out his right hand vertically to Macabee. Macabee stopped in his tracks and Karl followed suit.
         Leon spoke quickly, “Marshall, take Karl down with the others and lead them to the exit,” he said, and Macabee nodded. Karl, however, stepped forward at Leon’s words. Leon noticed this and nodded, “I know Karl. Believe me, I want you to help me as much as you want to help, but if anyone spots you it could jeopardise our mission. You must escape with the others, protect them.” The elevator doors closed and Karl was left to acknowledge his words.
         He stood for a moment, staring down at the ground. He knew Leon was right, he seemed often to be; yet that did not stop him being angry with him. Yet, he nodded to no one in particular then looked left at Macabee, who he found was looking at him and smiling. When their eyes met, he nodded and moved forward to the left side of the elevator doors. He pressed his fingers along the smooth metal surface, apparently looking for something. Karl looked at him and saw that he was looking up at the ceiling, his tongue protruding form his mouth slightly. Karl heard a quiet click and he looked back the wall. A small compartment had opened up in the wall, which Macabee pulled open and put his hand inside. A quiet ‘bing’ and the elevator doors slid open smoothly.
         Macabee closed the little compartment in the wall and then offered the path open to Karl, who nodded. Macabee turned around to pick something up off of the floor and when he turned back to Karl he was gone. A loud ‘thud’ was heard as he made contact on the hard ground below.

         Seconds after he hit the ground, Karl decided that it hadn’t quite such a good idea as he had originally thought.
         He looked around but could see little in the dark. Ahead of his face, though, were two legs. He imagined they belonged to one of the others and he picked himself up off the ground as quickly as he could without causing himself too much pain.
         He looked at the person embarrassedly while scratching the back of his head. Whoever it was remained silent. Peering through the darkness he tried to make out their face. As his eyes adjusted he could just make out the shape of the face and realised; he didn’t know that man.
         “That was quite a fall,” said a cool, calm voice that split the silence in half and made Karl step backwards. It was quite clear to him now that this was not anyone he knew. Karl could just make out two streaks of silver hair covering most of the man’s face and a thin but wicked smile beneath it. Also out of the darkness he could make out two bright green eyes. They were the brightest he had ever seen in someone’s eyes, other than his own.
         Karl was looking at the man in utmost curiosity, but nevertheless his hand went to and tightened on the hilt of his sword.
         He heard the man chuckling in the darkness, “Please, there will be no need for that my boy. I wish only to talk to you.”
         Karl remained cautiously curious.
         The questions running through Karl’s head stopped abruptly when the man’s smile widened, and Karl he had an unnerving feeling that his thoughts were being read.
         “Well, I will make this brief, as we are about to be interrupted momentarily. The amnesia you seem to be suffering from should make this a lot quicker and easier. I want you to meet me: tonight; at midnight; at the observatory, there are things I need to discuss with you, as I see you do not remember our last meeting.”
         Karl simply looked at him, adjusting his grip on the sword.
         The man then stepped forward into the thin beam of light and Karl saw his full face for the first time. The man looked as though he wasn’t a day older than Karl but had suffered much in his time on this earth and had grown old before his time. His was mapped with scars, telling the story of many years of battle; his hair was long and grey; though somehow vibrant. Karl looked deeper into the man’s face, and remembered looking as deeply into the mirror in the changing rooms before. Karl felt an overwhelming sensation of eerie familiarity.
         The man smiled and continued, “Perhaps by tonight you may have learned to utter a few words Leon.” He said, the smile never leaving his face.
         Karl’s eyes widened and he stared upon the beaten face of the youthful man. Leon? He had mistaken him for Leon? He wanted to tell the man that he had got the wrong person, but he had no time. There was a loud whirring sound from above him as something slid down the elevator cables. Karl was forced back to the wall as Macabee came flying down towards him, stopping inches from the ground.
         He let go of the instrument connected to the wire and looked at Karl his face full of worry, “Bloody Beatrol! Are you hurt?” he rushed to Karl and checked him over quickly, “You stupid Muppet, I never meant for you to jump!” he didn’t seem to know how to react, but finished with a concerned smile.
         Karl wasn’t paying attention; he was too busy trying to see around Marshall at the grey-haired man but he appeared to have gone. He scanned the elevator shaft for any sign of where he had gone, or where he had come from but there was nothing. It troubled him
         Macabee looked puzzled also and turned to see what Karl was looking at. When his face returned to meet with Karl’s there was a questioning look in his eyes.
         Karl simply shook his head and looked straight into Macabee’s eyes, who amiled and turned walked to the wall on Karl‘s right. Karl continued to scan the room, baffled.
         “Eh, Karl!” Macabee croaked, his voice shaking Karl from his search. Karl looked at him and saw that he was holding onto something on the wall, as if about to pull it sideways, “A little help here?”
         Karl wasn’t sure what he wanted him to do, but nodded all the same and walked up to where he stood.
         “That’s right, just grab hold of the edge of that other door, the gap should just be big enough.” Macabee said to him.
         Karl looked at him for a moment before running his hand over the wall near to where Macabee’s fingers were and found a small crack running directly up from where his fingers were. Karl dug his fingers into the crack and prepared himself.
         “Good, now. On the count of three.” He said, and Karl nodded, “One… Two…”
         Together they pulled open the elevator doors to a horrible grinding noise that drowned out Macabee strained yells.
         The doors creaked open until the gap was big enough to crawl through. Karl let go of his half of the door with one hand and placed it on the other door. Macabee quickly jumped up over Karl’s right arm and held the doors open from above. Karl then let go of the doors and jumped up onto the ground in front of him as the doors grinded shut once more. Macabee let out a satisfied sigh. He turned to Karl, his face ashy and covered in sweat but grinning widely.
         They turned sharply as they heard the sound of footsteps coming from a passage to their left and four people rushed towards them: Ian, Eirian, Molly and a fourth person that Karl recognised as one of guard’s that was in the grand meeting hall he had entered.
         Ian and Molly were smiling widely at them. The fourth man looked pleased to see Macabee. Eirian, however, looked less than pleased; she was positively fuming to the point that steam looked as if it would emit from her collar.
         She ran right up to Macabee, her face bright red, and shouted, “WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?”
         Macabee’s expression changed quickly and he looked utterly bemused, yet he still seemed to be calm and in control. Karl recognised that kind of cool expression as one he had seen Leon wear.
         Macabee’s voice, too, remained calm, considering how he had just been spoken to, “I’m terribly sorry, Miss Eirian, for keeping you waiting all these minutes. You see, the state guard has just attacked us and there were rather a lot of matters to be dealt with, many of which demanded my personal attention in order to ensure that everyone could escape without incident. Perhaps I should have come down here first and lead you to the exit personally…I will make a note to do so when the next crisis emerges.” Despite his tone, and the pleasant smile he gave Eirian when he had finished, the insincerity and mockery was clearer in his voice than Karl had ever heard before. Ian and Molly tried to hide their snickering and the fourth man smiled widely, his expression mirroring Macabee’s. Eirian’s fists tightened and her face turned even redder.
         She snapped around at them all quickly but did not say anything; she simply strode off down a large passageway to the right. Karl looked to Macabee and noticed, despite his manner earlier, than he was now looking at the ground, his expression very different. He seemed to shake something from his mind as his head sprung up and he started walking off towards the tunnel on the left from which Molly, Ian and Eirian had originally come from. “Potrer, are they asleep?” he asked the fourth man.
         Potrer scratched the back of his head, “At the moment, yes. But with the noise they’re making up there, I don't know how much longer they will be.”
         Macabee nodded, “Right. Okay everyone, this way. Miss Eirian, please, it would be helpful if you went down the correct tunnel with the rest of us. We have no more time to lose.”
         They heard Eirien yell angrily before she sped towards the group. Everybody followed Macabee and as they did Karl took in his surroundings. They were now in a large cave of sorts; tall, wide and round, almost looked like giant worm tunnels. However it wasn’t rock, it seemed fleshy, almost alive; or like mucus; pale blue with patches of yellow and pink, Karl examined them as closely as he dared.
         Luckily for him, Molly was thinking the same things as he, “Marshall, what are these tunnels?”
         Marshall did not turn around, but stared straight forward as if contemplating something, and answered her, “They are tunnels Molly, and our only escape route in the event of an invasion.”
         Karl soon realised that, despite answering her question, he hadn‘t answered her question.
         Ian chuckled to himself, “Never knew you were a politician Marsh” he chuckled again.
         ‘Marsh’ did not answer him.
         “But, what are they Marshall?” questioned Molly again, in exactly the same tone she had used before, “The walls…their made of…well, it looks like…”
         “Monixan Juice.” Suggested Eirian, who had not spoke since Marshall had chastised her.
         “Well, yes, it does look like Monixan Juice…” Said Molly.
         Despite the fact that Karl could not see his face he could tell that Marshall was smirking, “That is because it is Monixan juice Molly”
         Molly clapped her hands to her mouth and gasped, stopping in her tracks, “you don’t mean…”
         “But of course I do…” said Marshall, stopping too and turning his head to look at her, “We have a whole family of them living down here. Leon rescued them from the Zenubian plains thirteen years ago, nursed them back to health, and offered them a home here. They gratefully accepted.”
         Molly’s hands where still at her mouth, “…he befriended Monix?”
         Potrer chuckled slightly, “Well, we wouldn’t call it ‘befriended’. They are, after all, Monix. But he built up a relationship with them that made them not want to splatter his intestines all over the Zenubian plains. Not that they would have succeeded if they had tried…” he trailed off, smiling proudly.
         Molly was now looking at the ground, lost in thought as they set off again, slightly quicker now. Karl wanted to ask someone what these Monix were and even opened his mouth to question… before remembering.
         Karl felt something hang in the air for a moment and then there was a giant explosion behind them. They ducked and covered as the walls shook and a high-pitched squealing filled the air. Drawing their weapons they turned and scanned the tunnel. The last of the debris fell but the ground still shook. Something was heading their way.
         It crashed round the corner and skidded to a halt where it stood tall. Karl didn’t think he’d seen anything more disgusting in his life – until he remembered ‘Viv’. It was large and purple with six tiny spindling arms, two massive legs supporting an enormous abdomen and large snapping teeth. The thing looked like a massive purple termite as it stood in the tunnel staring directly at Karl and his party.
         Karl noticed a small being appear behind the monsters legs, who lifted his hand high into the air and shouted something undistinguishable.
         Karl leant forward to hear what it was he said and was grabbed by someone behind him who yelled, “RUN YOU FOOL”, and pulled him off in the opposite direction.
         Before he knew it he was charging down the tunnel after the others his T-shirt still in Eirian’s surprisingly firm grip.
         He ran blindly, his eyes firmly on Marshall’s back, as the ground rumbled and the piercing yell of the monster seemed to creep ever closer. It was following them.
         The ground shook more violently with every large step the monster took, forcing the party to increase their speed. The thing was still gaining on them and soon it would be upon them. Marshall disappeared through a hole in the wall to the left, followed closely by Potrer, Ian, molly, and Eirian: holding on to a bemused Karl.
         The created screamed and crashed into the wall where his prey had disappeared but couldn’t get them as they emerged in a similar tunnel and Marshall took off left. They all followed, trusting Marshall, but the monsters screams seemed to follow them Marshall reached a junction and went to turn left before halting and yelling, “Shit! Run!” before speeding off in the opposite direction.
         Karl sped up and followed as the screeching returned. He glanced at the other tunnel as another Termite monster turned quickly and charged after them. Marshall seemed to be planning his steps exceedingly carefully, though the others seemed worried. Karl was no longer being dragged along by Eirian and was running near to the back of the pack with Molly just in front of him. He looked behind him to see the beast on his toes, preparing to snap.
         Karl yelled, “Get out!” and dived sideways at Molly, knocking her to the ground, narrowly escaping a large claw sent down by the monster. Karl noticed the others scattering around the floor as he got up quickly.
         The termite had just turned on Ian, snapping its jaws menacingly. Something seemed to awaken inside of Karl and he knew instantly what to do as if he had planned to do it all along. He sprang forwards and leapt up on the monsters back, clambering up it’s hairy, sticky skin, brought out his sword and buried it into the thing’s neck. It let out a horrific yell, blood gushed from its newly formed orifice, narrowly missing Karl. He brought the sword back out and drove it in to a new spot, at which the beast let out another horrible screech, it’s arm’s flailing widely around trying to dismount Karl. But they were too short, and soon Karl had driven his sword into the thing’s back many more times.
         Screeching, the Termite seemed to stumble backwards, Karl leapt off it back moments before it crashed into the tunnel wall. It snarled down at him, snapping its teeth angrily, sending blood all over the walls where it fizzled and burned the Monixan Juice. It charged at Karl who bent low and held out his sword. As it neared him he leapt forwards into a roll and swung out his sword, slicing clean through the termite's right leg. He darted out of the way as the beast squealed horrifically and fell backwards to the ground. The ground rattled as the beast fell and the air filled with its screams as it flailed about violently.
         Karl watched the helpless beast, screaming out in pain, and deep sorrow filled his soul. He looked upon the beast that he had mutilated, it would not be able to walk again, or perhaps it would just die where it lay, helpless and defeated. A tear streamed down Karl’s face.
         The others had gotten up and were staring at Karl. Karl did not look at anyone but kept his eyes firmly on the monster. Vaguely he heard Potrer say something about going and reluctantly they set off. Molly appeared at his side and stared at the monster
         She whispered, “You’ve gotten stronger.” She turned to him and smiled; “Looks like you’ll be protecting me from now on…”
         Karl looked at Molly and did not turn to look at the beast again, still calling out for help.
         He looked deeply into Molly’s eyes, those love filled eyes. He didn’t know how to feel. Grabbing him by the arm she rushed, “Come on, we need to catch up; and these things are Garapoans. Quick!”
         Molly’s grasp on Karl’s arm tightened as she spun him around and she started running down the tunnel. As they did, Karl heard a large squelching noise behind him, and the beast’s yells of pain stopped. He guessed that whatever had happened was a trait of the Garapoan.
         There was now silence in the tunnels, filled only by their own footsteps as they searched frantically for the others.
         Molly panted and seemed to panic but Karl would not accept defeat so easily. Molly began to slow down so Karl grabbed her hand and pulled her level with him, picked her up and ran with her in his arms. Karl found that he could run faster when he wasn’t running with others and the walls zoomed quickly past them.
         Karl’s eyes darted around the tunnels for a clue as to where the others went.
         A horrendous roar met their ears from a small passage to the left. Karl quickly darted down it and found that it spiralled downward and to the right. At the end of the tunnel he found a small room.
In the middle of the room stood Eirian, her swords drawn. Ian was lying off to the left, bleeding from the eye. Marshall was lying to his right, gripping his left shoulder in his right hand, which was covered in blood, and his left arm was lying on the ground some distance away from him.
         Karl’s eyes then fell on Potrer and his mouth and eyes opened wide. There was a large being standing at the far end of the cave, in front of a hole that looked like a doorway. The thing was probably eight feet in height; its skin was silver and looked to have been stretched tightly over its body; many of its veins lay on the outside of it’s skin; it’s face didn’t resemble a face at all: there were no eyes, no mouth, no ears; nothing. It looked to Karl as though it was once a human which had been horribly disfigured and trapped inside this thick, silver skin-like material. In the beast’s right hand it held a large metal pipe and in it’s left, clawed, hand held high in the air was Potrer, grasped by the head, his arms limp, his skin pale, blood drippin from his open mouth, face distorted in agony.
         Karl dropped Molly unceremoniously onto the ground and ran forwards towards the beast, his sword drawn. He heard the cry of ‘No!’ from Eirian but he wasn’t listening. He had never been filled with such rage before in his life. This thing had taken away a life and Karl wasn’t about to let him get away with it. Karl sped up as the beast raised its right hand to meet with Karl: he ducked quickly, avoiding the beast’s lunge, his sword arm swiped at the beast’s right arm which sliced through it effortlessly. Karl landed behind the beast and swung his sword around behind him with all his might.
         The beast behind him let out a ghastly groan of pain as the blade cut it in two and it fell to the ground, dropping Potrer as it fell.
         Karl stepped forward towards Potrer as Eirian rushed to the beast and drove her swords into it’s head, it let out one last groan of pain and fell silent.
         Karl stared down at Potrer’s lifeless body for a moment; noticing Eirian looking at him with wide eyes. He’d never seen death before. He screamed at Potrer in his head, demanded that he got up. He didn’t stir, his face contorted, he wasn’t going to…
         Karl raged.
         Eirian and Molly were at Marshall‘s side attempting to stop the bleeding. Eirien mutters a few words under her breath and held her hands to Marshall‘s shoulder. A soft blue light surrounded her hands and Marshall gasped with relief.
         Eirian looked at Molly and jerked her head towards Ian. Molly ran to him and attempted to rouse him.
         There was a loud screeching noise from the tunnel they had come from but no one paid it any heed. Ian and Marshall were now being helped to their feet and all were coming to the centre of the room. They looked down at Potrer, all except Eirian and Karl; Eirian stared at Karl in the most curious of ways, while Karl was looking anywhere but at Potrer.
         “Let’s move out then,” called Marshall, as best as he could, his voice shaky, tears falling readily from his eyes. His voice quivered, “I’ll take Potrer. Ian and Karl, if you could please carry this thing, I suspect Leon will wish to examine it. Eirian and Molly, if you will please lead the way.”
         Eirian bent down and picked up Potrer while everyone else followed Marshall’s commands without dispute; Karl couldn’t yell his protests. Marshall sighed and picked up his arm and they all left the cave in silence.



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