103 Path Of Peril
A white-coloured Spaceship soared through the air hiding amongst the clouds as it ripped forward with speed, blowing them all away to showering gas vapours. Yet, even with its glaring speed, it was still able to camouflage itself among the clouds making it seem like a mirage.
At the control seat of the spaceship…
Zeras sat down in the main control section as he repeatedly tapped on different buttons while looking at the radar where the entire map of the area could be seen and his spaceship traveling was also shown.
“We’re closing in on the Humban Chasm. Be there in approximately 2 hrs 20 minutes if we keep going at Mach 4 speed…” Zeras said to himself but behind him, a voice echoed out.
“Good, we’re closing in pretty fast…” Officer Halo said to him from behind where the four other officers could be seen.
“There’s something I don’t understand, though. If we pass through the Humbans Chasm let’s say we avoided getting into the war or were blown away by a stray attack and safely arrive behind it.
Won’t we just be shut down by the Kill The Strong Artifact then?” Zeras asked raising an eyebrow. A major hindrance to the EIA operation was due to that artifact and its ability to sense strong auras and blow them apart.
If they pass through the Humban Chasm, they’ll in the end have to face the artifact. With that, getting discovered or outright dead to the attack was a sure thing.
“Well, we’ve decided to tell you once you get closer to the Humban Chasm but since you asked, then let’s get it over with…” Officer Emmaus said.
“Activate Clear-Path Holographic Map image…”
The radar in front of Zeras changed as it suddenly released a beam of light into the air above the group with the image on it getting ten times more well projected.
On the image, three paths were labeled. An area below the map that says EIA base. Zeras could infer that it was the area where the EIA settled down and where they just took off from.
At the middle of the map, two long jagged lines run across it, with the tag, The Humban Chasm, clearly dotted in it.
That is probably where the war was currently taking place.
After the Chasm was the Humban settlement with the Humban Tower identified.
“That is the Humban tower where we are headed. That’s the spaceship rapidly closing In on the Humban Chasm. If we passed through the Humban Chasm, then we’d get shot down by that artifact.
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But look here, at the far end left of the Humban Chasm…” Officer Emmaus pointed out to him a particular place on the map.
It was right at the end of the Humban Chasm and it was represented with a spot of dark ink, and labeled, The Malovelent Sea.
“The place labeled the Malovelent Sea?” Zeras asked eyes narrowed looking at the area.
“Yes. We were also aware for a long time that passing through the artifact is a big problem. So we’ve tried searching for a place out of the reach of the Artifact’s attack range and we finally found it. It is a small path, just in between the Humban Chasm and the Malovelent Sea…” Officer Emmaus explained.
“That path is out of the reach of the Artifact. If we pass through the path, though it will take longer to reach the Humban settlement due to the extra miles. We’ll be able to safely avoid getting blown away by the Artifact…” Officer Arroyo butted in.
“Hmm. I wonder if the Humbans know about this path. I’m sure they would have successfully extended the range if they knew that…” Zeras said.
“Actually they don’t. They just believed the Artifact’s range covered all area and the Malovelent Sea covered the rest. There was no need to extend the range of the Artifact up to the Malovelent Sea…” Officer Emmaus.
“Why?” Zeras asked curiously.
“Because the Malovelent Sea is just another “Kill The Strong Artifact”…” Officer Emmaus replied.
“The Malevolent Sea is just like its name. A malevolent Sea…” Officer Arroyo said, the caution in his voice ringing out loud and clear.
“Nothing that gets dragged into the Malovelent Sea ever sees the light of the day again. Even the Humbans who are the natural inhabitants of the planet are not spared from that decree…” Officer Emmaus said his eyes narrowed.
“Um.. what’s in the Malovelent Sea…” Zeras asked cautiously.
“It’s the home of the Abyssal creatures. It’s a Sea but instead of fish is filled with Abyssal creatures. Powerful dark beasts with only a single aim. Kill any stranger on sight…” Officer Emmaus said nodding continuously.
“And they’re damn strong…” Officer Halo said.
“It was once said that an Abyssal creature at the same rank as a Peak Cosmic Rank stage being has once dived out of the Sea before…” Officer Emmaus said.
“A peak Cosmic Rank stage expert????” Zeras screamed out in shock on hearing that. Peak Cosmic Rank!!!, that was just a single more Minor level to reach the Galaxy Rank stage. The absolute peak cultivation stage on Earth!!! Such a creature dwells in the sea!!!
“If you think that’s shocking, the absolute shocker is that we don’t exactly know how many beasts like that are in the Sea. Who knows? there could be a thousand? Hundreds? Millions? It is just too mysterious and the EIA is not curious at all about it.
Why?
Because the cost of doing so is greatly above the benefits. How many people will be lost for the sake of exploration where a chance of finding nothing amazing is a possibility? So the entire world just ignores this place.
“That is why it’s a World Forbidden Area. Luckily, it’s a sea and the beings in it are also Sea creatures. They can’t come out of the Sea to attack the Humban settlement. So the Humbans are not at all worried. Besides, the Sea is just too far away from them. Contact or mishap is impossible…” Officer Emmaus said while leaving the Main control room.
“Know kid, the Abyssal creatures attack anything different from them, anything that radiates a different aura from them. And now we’re passing through the path just between the Deep Chasm and the Malevolent Sea… Just pray we don’t get discovered by the Abyssal creatures or we can only curse our shitty luck and…” Officer Arroyo said tapping his shoulder as he also headed outside with Officer Halo, not completing his words.
Left alone was Zeras who stared blankly at the Radar image in front of him soullessly.
He could see the spaceship rapidly closing in on the Humban Chasm and quickly on that path just beside the Malevolent Sea.
Passing in between a path where a war is fought on one side and the other where no one has ever returned from. One thing was sure, they were truly walking on the line between Life and Death, where their souls hung in the hands of Lady Luck.
— — —
Three hours later…
The spaceship finally arrived at the deep Chasm as Zeras changed its course and veered towards the narrow path indicated by the radar.
Zeras completely slowed down the speed of the spaceship inching closer to the place.
“Activate Absolute Conceal…” Zeras ordered as the Spaceship slowly turned transparent.
“You have successfully activated Absolute Conceal and reduced the speed to less than Mach one. It will now be three times harder to sense the spaceship…”
The AI voice only managed to calm Zeras slowly spiking heart a bit as all the Officers already gathered behind him in the Main Control room, creating a little tension in the small room.
“Here goes nothing…” Zeras flew the spaceship forward as they arrived at the narrow path and looked at the other side of the Humban Chasm. Zera’s heart dropped to his stomach with sweat droplets dripping from his forehead as he looked at the “Sea” beside him. f𝚛we𝗻ovel.𝐜om
“The..the… Malevolent Sea!!!”