The Quantum Games

Chapter Twelve

“Don’t let the pride of what once was prevent you from building towards what shall be.” E.B.

Level Five

Full Team

As Rose relayed the information to the team, James detected an urgency in the eagle’s tone. Something was near, and that was all the team needed to act.

“Quick, get behind the hills near the tree line,” James commanded. The team hustled to the high grass overlooking the area.

Nadia was already activating her Phantom Veil, maneuvering closer to the open space. “Frank! Move it!” Trish hissed as the heavier boy lagged, struggling to keep up. He finally plopped to the ground, panting heavily.

James nodded to Nadia, who descended the hill towards the area Rose had highlighted.

Moments later, Nadia reported, “I see a young boy. He looks humanoid.” She paused, weaving through the tree line. “He’s shouting, but I can’t make sense of it… Nex, is the translation working?”

“Dialect detection is active. He might just be making noises,” Nex confirmed.

“Why would he be shouting?” Will asked, but Nadia cut him off.

“Wait, I hear growling…” Nadia relayed. “Something’s in the tree line with me.”

“Nadia, stay put, we’re sending someone in—” James cut in.

“No time!” Nadia shouted, rushing towards the small boy. She made contact with whatever was circling him just as it moved in.

Tainted Vul'Raxx: Level 8.

Emerging from the depths of the night, a formidable black wolf-like creature prowls with an eerie, predatory grace. Its thick, jet-black coat absorbs the light, rendering it nearly invisible in the darkness. Elongated hind legs and a muscular frame give it an unnaturally swift and silent gait, allowing it to close in on its targets with terrifying speed—sharp claws and fierce fangs dripping with a sinister lust, hinting at its corrupted nature. Once a noble predator of the wild, Vul’Raxx now hunts those who dare to stand in its path to power, driven by an insatiable hunger for dominance.

Without thinking, Nadia instinctively matched the gait of the wolf-like creature. Her Regenuium-spiked claws dug into the ground, propelling her toward the intersection point of the Tainted Vul’Raxx. With a final leap, she pounced on the creature, which only sensed the new surge of energy at the last moment.

The young boy stood proud but winced as the predator neared, only to see it swiftly knocked off course and tumbling to the ground. He soon spotted Nadia, her form emerging from the cloak as her metal-clawed fingers sank into the creature’s neck, eliciting a shrill howl. Without waiting for a counterattack, Nadia doubled down with repeated blows until the beast lay still.

Assassin vs Assassin! 16 Points!

As Nex’s commentary rang out, Nadia winced, reminded that she was still in the Games. The announcement momentarily pulled her out of her primal state. She had been following her instincts to help the boy, but the reality of the situation came crashing back.

< Level up! Nadia is now a Level 11 Cellulator >

“Who… who are you?” a startled voice came from behind her. Nadia turned to get a closer look at the boy. His mouth was agape, quivering as he tried to discern who this new figure was. Nadia noted his darker complexion and thick, almost horse-like hair resembling an Earthen mullet, growing from his neck rather than flowing down. He had two pointed ears, with a black mane flowing in and out. His form was clothed in simple brown garments, seemingly made from the earth and animals around the plain. His legs were positioned further back than an average human’s, giving him a goat-like appearance. His oversized golden eyes finally caught Nadia, which took the words from her mouth.

Kael’Ryn of the Zar’Keth - Level 2

Young son of the Zar’Keth Chieftain. As a member of the Primordial Race of Terra’Primis, he has a strong connection to the earth. Known for his deep golden eyes and innate ability to sense the earth’s energy, Kael’Ryn is seen as a future leader. He is closely bonded with his family and often accompanies his father on tribal duties.

Nadia took a moment to gather herself after reading the young boy’s description. Retracting her claws, she slowly backed away from the downed bloody wolf creature. “Umm. Hi.” Nadia gave a shy wave. “My name is Kama. I’m not from around here. Are you familiar with something called the System?” she asked, trying to find a simple way to explain her presence.

“The System?” the boy responded, seeming not to understand.

“Yeah… well, what about something called the Cosmic Integration or the Quantum Games?”

“No?” The boy shook his head but wanted to give some detail to this new deadly presence before him. “We have the time known as the Dawn of Skyfire, but that is only shown in early lessons for how the great tribes came together.”

“Hmm,” Nadia questioned how she would continue when a voice came through her Nex communication. “Ah, Hem!” Will was becoming impatient.

“Kael’Ryn, do you…”

“You can call me Kael!” the boy babbled, still trying to get on Nadia’s good side.

Nadia smiled. “Kael, I have some friends with me… They are eager to meet you as well. I promise they will not hurt you, but do you mind if they come out?”

“Friends?” Kael questioned.

“Yes, friends!” Will burst out of the bushes. “I can’t believe Kama was the first to make contact with another species on an alien planet.”

“Pay no mind to him,” Nadia said. “That’s Brick. He’s a talker, but well-intended.”

Will switched to internal communications. “Pay no mind to the fact that you basically chose our mission side for us. I was looking forward to playing the bad guys for once.”

“No, you weren’t,” Trish chimed in. “We all know you would’ve done the same thing if put in Nadia’s situation.”

“Yeah, but,” Will started.

“Yeah, but look at him. He's just a kid, seeing aliens for the first time,” Trish interjected over comms, then gently took over from Nadia, who had stepped aside after killing a beast with her bare claws. She addressed the boy aloud. “Kael, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Glitch. Is anyone else out here with you?”

“No… I snuck out,” Kael admitted with a sigh. “I was hunting for my tribe. I didn’t expect to see a Vul’Raxx so far from the mountains, let alone past the Divide.”

“Is your tribe nearby?” Trish probed. “And how old are you, Kael?”

“I’m old enough to hunt!” Kael replied defensively. “Others my age hunt…” He sighed again, then added, “They’re a few clicks south of here.” He paused, contemplating. “Would you like me to take you there, or are you headed somewhere else?”

Trish looked back at the group. The seven of them, plus an eagle, exchanged glances and shrugged, not having any better ideas than to follow the boy. He seemed to process the presence of another alien race talking to him fairly quickly.

“Kael, we’re from far away. We were brought here by technology that surpasses our knowledge, and we’re trying to find a way back home,” Trish explained, trying not to startle him again.

The boy appeared to be processing the information but seemed to grasp the situation. Trish decided to proceed with the earlier request. “But we’d love to go with you and see your village if you don’t mind us asking you a few more questions on the way?” Trish smiled as the boy turned and began leading the team toward his tribe.

As the team followed the boy, they decided having a single speaker interact with him was best. Will was initially frustrated that he wasn’t the one talking, but even he soon realized that Trish had a natural talent for engaging with the boy and stopped complaining.

“All right, Kael, first tough question… Did you make your outfit?” Trish asked with a warm smile, though she wasn’t sure if the boy even knew what a smile was. She aimed to ease his nerves, conscious of the six strangers trailing behind them, one nearly towering over the rest. It seemed to work, either thanks to Trish's kindness or Kael’s openness to strangers.

“Oh no, I want to! We have crafters in the village who create our clothing. This is just a tunic for streetwear, but our warriors get their leather garments once they are accepted into the academy. While we know everyone in the tribe, our clothing signifies the trade of the person.”

“Warriors, huh?” Trish questioned, then asked, “Is your dad part of that group?”

“He was! But once he became our Chieftain and, well… after my sister was taken, he focused more on the good of the tribe rather than fighting. That’s why he is pushing me away from joining the warrior training academy and towards safer trades.”

“That’s pretty cool that your dad is the chief. It must mean you have some big shoes to fill. How large is the tribe?”

“Yeah, I can do it!” The boy hit his chest in a prideful bump but then sighed, “Well… I want to do it. I just hope my dad will finally let me train soon. The tribe was once in the thousands! But the Taint and the loss of tribe members have taken their toll over the years. Our last count was around 800 residing in the main village.”

Nadia quickly flashed a message to Trish after hearing the boy’s response, redirecting Trish’s next question. “The Taint? Is that why the Vul’Raxx attacked you?”

“Yeah, it’s gotten worse over the years. My dad talks about the times of peace and prosperity, but I am starting to think that is a lie. The Taint takes all the living. The further north you go, the worse it is. The Divide is the furthest anyone can go, but even that area is unsafe now. The mountain grows hungry,” Kael finished with a weary tone.

“The Divide? And do you mean that northern mountain? How can it be hungry?” Trish attempted to parse the young boy’s words.

“Oh, the Divide is just the river north of here. It divides the lands north and south. None who cross the Divide return, and those who do return follow the will of the mountain.”

“I still don’t get it. It’s creepy, but what’s up with the mountain?”

“A creature stirs. A monstrous one. Those who fall to the Taint provide it with metals in its slumber. We mine the outward mountains to keep the peace, but the mountains are running dry, and the Taint is only growing stronger.”

“Do you know what type of monster it is?”

“No. My father likely knows, but it’s not something they teach us. The cycle is what keeps us safe—we take what we need from the earth and share with the mountain for peace.”

“Ah, we’re almost there!” Kael announced into the new silence as Trish and the team processed the information. He was looking towards the horizon, where the group saw a village encircled by thick rock. It wasn’t built from brick and mortar but from rock that seemed to mold into a natural wall. Individual stones were shaped and spread, with smaller watchtowers on the sides and a large bulging wall at the center, extending from the main village.

“Welcome to my home!”