Venturing: Old Pilas

Night had fallen whereas the stars shone above us. I was outside, staring onto the blank skies upon the rooftops. Claws grabbing tightly upon the railings in front of me. Silence filled my entire surroundings as I exhaled a breath and frowned for the moment in time. I had felt my heart beating for quite some time that I never knew if it was just the silence or something else as a matter of fact. Yet despite it all, I still exhaled a breath. I turned around from the railings and leaned myself backwards into the rails behind me. Feeling the cold touched upon the scales of my body. I only shivered. But remained still as the door opened before me.

I rose my eyes high towards the horizon; glancing at Zander who emerged before my sights. A silence filled himself with his eyes darting straight towards me. For only then that he smiled, I smiled in response, stating nothing as Zander walked up towards me and spoke.Breaking the silence surrounding us. “Yang wants you at the room currently." “Already and at midnight also?" I responded without hesitation, still staring at him in silence with the black dragon nodding his head responding to me again, “Yeah." “Alright. I will be there then." I exhaled a breath, shifting my attention to the darken horizon behind me for one more look before departing from the rooftop alone.

I walked through the rooftops; opening the door and headed inside. Descending the stairs until I reached the first floor below me was when I reached for  the silver door that was in front of me. Onto then was when I grabbed onto the doorknob and pulled back the door. Allowing myself to entered right in. It was pure darkness inside however. Yet I can see perfectly fine with my eyes glowing in the darkness surrounding me. There were others here too so it had seemed; all having mixed responses towards my arrival. Yet I was silenced as my eyes were kept towards Yang who remained silence all this time. We had maintained eye contact for a short while before she parted her lips and spoke to everyone present.

“Here is a map. The circles are the rocks. The X marks are the signs. You are to find that hidden base and expose it for the canines to raid it. Intel said that this secret meeting spot is very short and will end upon the morning's crack of dawn. Dismissed immediately." “Are we not going to use weapons and equipments for this-" “I said 'dismissed'." Growled Yang glaring at Zander while Kyro and Natty shift their attention towards me who nodded back towards them afterwards. We all departed from Yang immediately; out upon the doorstep of Yang's office where we had gathered for the time being. I glanced over to Ozkun whom had swipe the map from Yang's nose for the time. A faint smile appear upon his snout, although he seemed to be brushing perhaps in embarrassment or something.

I motioned everyone forward. Taking the lead as we headed down the length of the hallway, down more stairs and into the first floor where Ozkun laid out the map in front of us. We all glanced towards the map in silence. Not one peep came from any of us as a matter of fact. With all eyes staring at the map, I noted indeed that all circles were rocks, all marks were signs and I frowned onto this. Following it with, “Ozkun and Murjur. Take the map and stay here for the time being. Direct us as needed." “Sure." responded both while Kyro looked up towards me, I narrowed my eyes upon my main group, growling at them “As for the rest of us. We need to figure out what these rocks and signs are. They appeared out of nowhere apparently." “Guess that means we will take the rocks from the north." Kyro responded, grabbing Natty at the same time. “You and me will take the south then." Zander said, pointing towards me. I nodded acknowledging him. But stay silent afterwards.

Shortly onto that silence, we departed from HQ building. Our wings were spread and felt upon the cold crispy air surrounding us. Me and Kyro take a long deep breath before exhaling afterwards while a small faint smile drifted in and out from our scouts in silence. Thus I turned towards the other three. “Alright. Everyone set then?" A collection of nods came, “Split." I ordered and we all fled into the air, splitting apart from one another. Like ordered; me and Zander headed south with Kyro and Natty heading the other way. We grew apart from one another; far from the building we were upon as the morning sun drifts from the horizon, rising high to cover the dark skies with its light. I flapped my wings and smiled; Zander ignored me for some reason and kept his eyes up front. Staring down onto the horizon before me. But before either of us could go forward furthermore, I issued a command towards the black dragon as he stopped immediately and turned towards me.

“We stay here." “At this spot?" Questioned Zander with a tilt of his head and I nodding responding to me. He said nothing but dropping himself down onto the grounds below; landing as he folded his wings in silence and glanced around onto his surroundings. I followed him down. Stating nothing too as I had landed adjacent to him however. “Find anything about?" I questioned him, he shook his head frowning. We were upon the isolated street. There were no other vehicles or dragons or reptiles here. Yet the buildings were taller than us then beforehand. I shift my attention towards the crossroads at either side of the road; glancing upon the green signs that point to a particular street. Several random letters appeared upon these signs. Although I could not make out with it because of how far we are from them. I did noticed the rocks that was planted there. Adjacently to the signs however.

Onto that was when I nudge Zander and he shifted around; glancing at the same direction of where I was looking at. Raising his eyes, he noticed the rocks and the signs. His mind instantly flashed back onto something which I had presumed was the map as he shifted towards to me and spoke, almost exclaiming “That is part of the map! Where there is a cluster of marks and circles intersecting one another." I nodded my head and we walked forward to the clusters of rocks and signs in front of us. When we stopped immediately was when we hanged our heads; Yet I dropped to my knees and glanced upon the ingrains of the rocks however while Zander raises his head and glance towards the signs. There was something odd about these rocks. For there are no words imprinted upon them. Additionally, no pebbles or dusts were upon the flooring too. “This is odd." I muttered to myself, catching attention to Zander as he glanced down towards me in silence. I just waved him off.

Instead of words, an arrow was imprinted upon the rocks. “Same with the signs apparently, Ling." I heard Zander spoke in silence while I raised my head up towards him. Glancing at the signs also before nodding my head at him. “Indeed." I managed a whisper perhaps to confirm what Zander had saw or something while I take another look towards the sign and the rocks once more. The rocks showed the arrow was pointing towards the right. Towards the road over to my right side. I glanced over to the right then glanced back to the rock again. Before raising my eyes to the sign, noticing how the sign was also pointing in the same direction to for some reason. Upon this, I spoke with Zander as he glanced over to me. “Come on. We should see where these two right arrows point towards." “Perhaps towards other rocks and signs too?" Questioned Zander with me nodding back towards him. We departed from the pair of rocks and signs immediately, following the arrow down the road towards a new intersection then where we had stopped immediately upon.

Towards my right were the same rocks and signs; in the same position as the previous pair behind us. Zander was a bit surprise by this. But remained straight face as he stepped forth towards it and tilted his head towards the side. His eyes were in contact with the rocks and signs as I cough towards the black dragon, he turned towards me and spoke almost certain, “These arrows ingrained upon them were pointing in the same direction." “Towards the right?" I questioned, Zander nodded his head. I frowned; but walked up towards his side. Raised my head high and glance towards the sign in silence. Indeed, the arrow was pointing in the same direction of what odd reason too. It was never a conscience however either and I frowned again, heart pounding in my chest while my thoughts circled around my mind in wonderance of what we should be doing. Yet Zander always answered that however.

“We should report this straight towards Yang. She had the right to know this." “Indeed." I responded almost immediately, a departure of words from my mouth as I just responded to whatever the black dragon was stating. Although in his sense, I had noticed that he had his eyes widened for a brief moment before it disappeared as he raised his walkie high and speak. “Yang. We found arrows pointing in the same direction. They were pointing to the center of the town. What do you want to do?" A pause in silence had came before the static followed the pause. After which came a voice, but it was not Yang however. Instead, Kyro responded to our call “You guys have the same issue? Same with ours. All the arrows are pointing left. Heading straight down towards the middle." “What does that mean." I heard Zander whispered, then glanced towards me while I raised my shoulders. Stating nothing in silence.

Lastly, Ozkun came into the conversation and spoke to both of us, “Both of you are stating that the arrows are pointing here?" “No. Just the middle line of the town." Responded Zander which two clicks came as acknowledgement before silence as Zandere turned towards me, I exhaled a breath before speaking to him “We should gather information and find out why these arrows are pointing in the same direction." “Think it must mean something?" Questioned Zander and I shrugged again before turning around and walked. Retracting our steps down the road; back towards the first pair of rocks and signs that we had encountered. Upon which we had stopped; I drew myself closer towards them and crouched again before leaning forward. I take a long hard look upon the rock and sign. Studying the arrow that was ingrained upon it. There was silence for a long while before I shattered it with my own words; turning towards Zander before saying to him.

“The arrows come with instructions." “What?" He said in disbelief. But I turned the rock over onto its back. Pulling it from the grounds of which it stands on as a loud thus erupted the peaceful silence surrounding us. Below it were indeed a set of instructions. But like the arrow, it was another drawing. More clearer this time than the initial however. “That is a drawing of a computer." Commented Zander, still shocked but excited at the same time with me nodding at him, faintly smiling. “Indeed. Now what secrets do they have?" “And what computer?" Zander added while he pressed the button again before relaying the information gathered back towards Ozkun again. A pause of silence had came and I rose to my feet and walked towards Zander, hanging my head to glance at his walkie. First, static had came before Ozkun responded to both of us “Got it. Indeed Ling you are right. They are ingrained into a computer. I saw a bunch of keys sporting the same symbols as you both have stated." “Are you in then?" I questioned, “Indeed I am."

“But first things first however." Ozkun responded, cutting me off completely just as I was about to press Zander's button onto his walkie,  “While you guys have stated about the ingraining symbols upon the computer, Kyro and Natty reported about placements upon their however." “ 'Placements?' “ “Indeed." Responded Ozkun in kind, “From west to east onto the Northern side of Vaster; were this. Middle and bottom which is 'first and second' and Middle and top 'First and third'. “Wait. That perhaps have something to do with the length of the middle road." I blurted out, making an guess that seems to be out of this world however. Another pause had came when Zander glanced back towards me and shook his head afterwards and in response while I just frowned towards him and the walkie in turn. The walkie, however, created a pause as if pondering about what I had blurted out suddenly. Then came alive again responding to me, “You could be right. I will tell Kyro and Natty to go check that out." “We are already on our way into checking it." Interrupted Kyro with a small smile, shocking Ozkun while me and Zander just laughed.

It was a short laugh however. Soon that faded out into the surrounding silences while I just shook my head, faintly smiling for the time being. With Zander glancing at me, I nodded my head responding to him in silence before saying “We should head back. Maybe join in with Kyro and Natty for aid into the middle ground investigation." “Alright." Commented Zander as he and I spread our wings and flew off for the short distance between us. However, in that moment in time; we heard something crackling behind us which forces us to turn around and glance towards the source of it. Sparkles had came from the lampposts of the road we were upon. The building's lights within flickered on and off at rapid paces. Shocks and disappointment were the main responses to these causes while I frowned, Zander scratches his head as we watched the power goes down.

“You guys are seeing this right?" Immediately came Ozkun's voice, Kyro gave his two clicks. Zander followed with his own. Ozkun exhaled relieved that we were alright as he spoke confidently again towards us, “Find out what was the cause of them." “Should you be investigating with us also Ozkun?" Questioned Kyro as a pause of silence had came before another two clicks had came. “I am coming too." Yang remarked suddenly. There was a pause in silence; me and Zander kept eye upon the blacked out buildings and lights that now surrounded us. I frowned. So did Zander. While we had pondered over how this blackout had happened and created, including the source and who committed the cause too; we turned our attention towards the source of the voices. Spotting already Kyro, Natty, Ozkun, Murjur and Yang as they all gathered around us.

All eyes were towards me. I stated nothing to them. Yet my eyes were upon Yang who frowned but nodded in silence; as she stepped forth in front of us all. She turned around and glance at the black out in front of us and frowned suddenly. “Did any of you figure out why we got ourselves a blackout?" “Told us to gather here." responded Ozkun which Zander just glared at him. Ozkun ignored him and focused his attention towards her as the latter nodded her head glancing to me afterwards, “Well?" “We should investigate the cause. Find out why. But at the same time, we need to protect that map and information that we had gotten from the sources surrounding Vaster." “Right." Cursed Ozkun with a frown, remembering about the map and all the drawings made upon which. As he attempted to depart from us, Zander had already stopped him and shook his head suddenly before speaking “You should stay here. I will go." “Stay safe." Zander nodded before departing from us as Yang gave a nod towards me and immediately departed from my presence.

Everyone else except for Ozkun committed the same cause as I find myself staring towards him in silence; he just looked to me and stated nothing in turn. For his lips were sealed; yet his eyes were directed towards me. I exhaled a breath and closed my eyes; turning away from  him in response before glancing down the road that was in front of me. With Natty and Yang heading rightward, into the alternative roads where they had disappeared from my sights and Kyro already heading the opposing way. But landed a few inches away from where we were; glancing at the different rocks and signs in front of himself. I motioned to Ozkun and flew off further south as the latter nodded his head, tailing me.

There were a lot of panicked at the homefront it had seemed. Reports were given straight to some electric company that was perhaps far from where we are. With fainted sirens and other emergency noises fading in the distance, we fled southward. Landing after a while as Ozkun frowned and glanced around himself. Wondering why we were here instead of everywhere else where everyone was however. I turned towards him; but departed my eyesights towards the surrounding elsewhere again. Glazing down onto the rundown of the roads and the buildings too. Somewhere deep within the southern of Vaster, closest to the plains that separates Vaster and Virkoal Forest was where we are. “You really think that the source of it is here?" Worth a try." I responded, glancing back to Ozkun who frowned, but nodded following it as we continued walking by.

Indeed, the buildings were a bit rundown. For no one had decided to live here anyway. Broken buildings, shatter windows and dirty rotten old roads was what surrounded us instead of the newly invested Vaster upper North however. We still continued moving for the time being. Going further from where we had landed until we had stopped. For in front of us was a large gray box. Strapped in with yellow stripes that wrapped around it. It was not opened for some reason however. But we never cared if it was as we walked towards it. I immediately kicked it and something hummed from its source. “You were just looking for a back up generator huh?" “This is the only one that was working at the time." I remarked, having nothing else to say for the matter as he gave a nod. Departing from the generator and leaving for upper North where the other officers and Yang had gathered. Somewhere upon the roads.

For a long time after searching, the gang had concluded about something. For just as we had arrived, Zander was the first to greet us as he held his head high from the grounds beneath themselves, smiling faintly as me and Ozkun looked a bit worry towards them. And it seems to be not just him; but the others as well. Al gathered around the map in front of them. Pointing and arguing amongst themselves about something as Zander stepped over to Yang and tapped her shoulder; she raised herself to her feet glancing towards Zander pointed over to both of us. Yang followed him, smiling faintly at us in response. I just waved at her, acknowledging Zander as we joined in onto the group. “What have you found?" “A generator at south of Vaster. Unworking. So we had kicked it instead." “Guess it hurts?" I gave a nod. She only smiled faintly before laughing; or rather chuckling towards herself. It had caught the attentions of others as they turned towards  both of us. But shortly after…

“I know where they are!" Exclaimed Ozkun which startled everyone as we all glanced towards the blue dragon.