As white light blinded her, Aura felt a pulling sensation tugging her toward a certain direction. A dizzy feeling washed over her, and she felt slightly queasy. Suddenly, the tugging sensation vanished, her vision slowly returned, and her stomach settled.
Aura immediately looked around, taking in her new location. They appeared to have been teleported to the center of a native settlement. Large, hollowed-out boulders that appeared to be houses lined the edge, with four roads leading to the outer areas of the settlement.
Grey, multicolored-eyed faces watched them, partly hidden in the cave-like entrances of the houses… they must be the natives… Aura thought as she observed them, noticing their wiry builds and grey skin. Colored lines of energy seemed to flow along their skin in intricate patterns. The trial voice interrupted her observations.
[Please proceed to the settlement defense wall. You have been assigned to defend section 12.]
"You guys hear that?" asked Aura.
"Yeah, assigned section 12 on the defense wall," replied Lucas.
"Hmm… which path to take?" muttered Kai with a pondering look.
"I don't think it matters," Navi responded.
"It does if we don't want to walk forever," Kai replied, looking at the four paths.
"Well, pick our road, pathfinder," Aura suggested in a playful voice.
Kai grinned at her. "This one," he pointed to the left path.
Navi laughed. "Alright, you heard our pathfinder, let's go," and started walking toward the chosen path.
Lucas shook his head as he followed. "Really, guys, you trusted him to pick our path? Now we're doomed," he said in mock horror.
"Hey, we are not," Kai defended as he chased after Lucas.
Aura moved after them, catching up to Navi and matching his walking pace. The settlement was large, the path winding through boulder-shaped houses. The natives watched them from windows and doorways but made no attempt to greet them or engage in conversation.
Aura turned to Navi. "Do you think they can understand us?"
"Possibly. I hope so, otherwise protecting them could be harder," he replied as he observed them. "They don't seem to be afraid, just cautious."
"The town is pretty," Aura observed as she looked with interest at the crystals decorating the homes in spiraling patterns, providing the town with light. Some of the crystals were hung on leather-like cords, musical chimes echoing as the winds whispered through the town.
"Chloe, can you tell us what these people are called?" she asked. Chloe's telepathic answer entered everyone's mind.
[They are Zoryn, and this world is called Zorathar. The Zoryn mostly live in boulder settlements like this or large underground cave cities in basalt caverns near massive underground lakes. They have many uses for the energy crystals that grow all over the rocks on their planet, created from the excess energy provided by the never-ending energy storm that covers it]
"What about the lightning?" Aura asked curiously. "Isn't it dangerous to live in open settlements like this?"
[No, the lightning poses no threat. It never strikes the ground. It's the windstorms that are dangerous]
"That's interesting," mused Lucas, fascinated by the strange occurrence.
The houses soon ended, as did their path, as they reached the outer edge of the settlement. They were greeted by a massive wall made of strange metal several meters high. At intervals along the wall, there were symbols with a number above them; the number closest to them was 53.
"No," wailed Kai, "more walking."
"It seems you are not cut out to be a pathfinder," laughed Aura.
Lucas grinned evilly. "Must have had a bad roll."
"Come on, walking never killed anyone," Navi said, laughing.
"Ugh," groaned Kai.
Aura, still laughing at Kai's misfortune, started walking along the wall, following the numbers in descending order. Eventually, the group arrived at a section of the wall with the number 12.
"Now what?" voiced Lucas.
"No idea. Chloe, can you help?"
[Touch the symbol]
"Okay…" Aura reached out her hand and placed it on the symbol. It responded immediately by glowing softly. A soft hum was heard, and blue energy-like platforms emerged from the wall, forming steps leading to the top.
"That is cool," Lucas said, excitement in his voice. "Wonder how it works," he muttered as he started examining the wall near the stairs, fascinated by the technology.
"Lucas, you can pull the wall apart later, after we complete the mission," Navi said as he dragged him away and started up the steps.
Kai followed them, snickering. For once, he was not the one being made fun of… though he did do it on purpose, not that he would ever admit that to anyone.
Aura shook her head, smiling, and climbed up the stairs too. She was glad to see that they were still able to joke around.
Joining the others at the top, she saw that the wall was several meters wide, allowing at least four people to walk comfortably side by side. It also provided an uninterrupted view of the area, as the wall's height was above the boulders. Along other sections of the wall, groups of trial participants, just like them, were sitting or huddled together in whispered conversation.
Apart from a few quick glances, no one seemed to acknowledge their arrival, and the air was heavy with a quiet tension.
"Well, this is cheery," the sarcasm in Kai's voice almost tangible.
Aura was about to ask the others a question when the ground started vibrating, progressively getting stronger.
All four looked at each other. "Void wave," they said in unison.
They hurried to the wall's edge, and there in the distance, they saw a familiar, large purple flickering shadow on the horizon. The trial voice sounded in their heads.
[Void Swarm approaching. Be ready to defend your wall section.]