Everything improved only to worsen again. Felicia and Doku made sure to refill everyone's stomach. Khan, Ilman, and the squad leaders had killed many monsters, so the entirety of the group got the chance to appease their hunger. Yet, the lack of that distraction allowed them to focus on what they had just survived and lost.
The calm achieved after scaring away the flock forced the recruits to acknowledge their new situation. They had gone from fighting to defend the teleport to a struggle for their very survival. The battles had been part of a mission before, but everything was different now.
The crisis didn't differ between the species. It killed both humans and Niqols without caring about their status, wealth, and origin. Only power mattered in the wild, and it became clear how the aliens were one step above the recruits in that field.
The recruits weren't only generally inferior in terms of sheer battle prowess and experience. The casualties suffered by the group also affected them deeply, which sounded strange when the Niqols experienced stronger emotions. Those young humans had not been used to death, but the crisis quickly educated them in that field.
Moreover, the recruits had seen Niqols helping them without minding their different species. That sight was heartwarming, but it also originated deep regret.
The humans had learnt about the solar wind before the actual event, but they had let it happen without warning the Niqols. That cruel decision had been easy to make from their safe and distant camp, but it only caused disgust now.
The recruits had been proud about the idea of exploiting their superior knowledge to make the Niqols suffer and force them to ask the humans for help. Yet, those same Niqols were protecting and defending them now. It was hard to describe how bad the humans felt after sharing food and sleeping next to the students.
The group left the area in a hurry after eating and storing some provisions. They couldn't carry much due to the lack of backpacks and similar items, but they didn't want to end up in the previous grim situation. Still, the food issue would be over once they crossed the mountain chain, which was bound to happen the very next day.
The squad leaders prioritized leaving the battlefield to avoid meeting predators attracted by the appealing smell of the corpses. They didn't even bury the Niqols and human bodies since they could act as baits for eventual monsters.
The food didn't accomplish miracles, so the group had to sleep right after reaching a new safe area. Khan and Liiza could finally be alone for a while, but they only rested in each other's arms after finding a relatively isolated spot.
The third day of the travel finally caused a change. The mountains suddenly stopped filling the groups' vision and opened into a plain covered in snow that stretched far in the distance. The vegetation appeared scarce or hidden by the dark-grey layer, and faint winds started to blow after diving deeper into the new area.
Liiza checked the map often to make sure that the group was on the right path. It was easy to get lost in the snowy plain due to the lack of structures that the group could use as signals. They could only rely on the mountains behind them, but they were a bit too vague as a landmark.
The doubts and worries disappeared when a frozen lake appeared on their path. The group could finally confirm to be on the right way toward Zalpa, but they still needed to inspect the area thoroughly and compare what they learnt with their maps to understand where they were.
It turned out that the group was slightly off the planned course, but adjusting it wouldn't be a problem. They would only lose a few hours of travel, which were nothing when they thought about how distant they were from their destination.
The temperature rose as the group continued their march. Dark-green grass replaced the snow, and small bushes also grew near the shores of the other lakes that appeared on the path.
The environment didn't feature animals in its frozen areas, but Tainted creatures started to appear once the snow retreated. However, most of them lived inside the lakes and couldn't breathe outside. Even the few monsters that the group found shared that feature.
The group initially felt safe since the monsters couldn't leave the lakes, but the lack of water became an issue they couldn't ignore after spending two days traveling in the area. Even the food became scarce and forced the squad leaders to come up with plans to fish out the Tainted animals and monsters.
The emptiness of the areas outside the lakes hinted at how dangerous the monsters inside the lakes were. The environment was far from barren, so it didn't make sense for packs to ignore it. The group didn't find anything on the surface, so something had to make it uninhabitable, and only the creatures in the water could succeed in that feat.
The creatures that occupied the lakes could be strong enough to prevent other packs from appeasing their thirst, but humans and Niqols were far smarter than monsters. Also, the group could coordinate their spells and approach the hunt safely.
The lakes mainly contained an odd species of fishes capable of changing the color of their scales to hide inside the dark waters. Some Niqols recognized them, but the presence of monsters made their knowledge unreliable due to the abilities that those creatures might have developed.
Still, the group didn't need to learn the nature of those abilities. The lakes didn't hide the presence of the monsters, and those creatures weren't even too big, so Iris could slowly take them out with precise beams aimed at their heads.
Liiza also helped by freezing large chunks of the targeted lake whenever the monsters tried to send their Tainted underlings toward the group on the shores. Felicia and Ryan supported her in the process, so no one risked facing dangers.
The lake chosen by the group was relatively small since they aimed to clear it completely. The hunt provided more food and water, and it also told the squad leaders that they could repeat the process throughout that region as long as they continued to pick small targets.
The barren mountain chain had exhausted the group, but the travel through the plain filled with lakes restored their physical condition. Both Niqols and students could rest and eat quite freely, and the lack of dangers on the surface allowed them to ignore the constant pressure that surrounded them.
That peaceful period ended as the vegetation started to thrive and the lakes expanded to transform into a large marsh that featured multiple muddy areas. The change in the environment made the group enter in the last part of their travel, but it also brought their mindset back into the crisis.
It had taken the group many days to reach the marsh. They had already entered their second week of travel, but everything could potentially end after crossing that region. Liiza even contacted Zalpa to confirm that she was on her way to meet them. The last struggle separated students and recruits, so tension inevitably fell on them again.
That marsh differed from the region that Liiza and Khan had almost started to view as their personal home. It almost completely lacked stable areas. Mud and dirty water covered the entirety of its surfaces, and a few giant trees occupied sparse spots. Those plants had dark trunks as large as buildings, and their roots spread for many meters before going underground.
The water reached the group's knees in many areas. The roots that spread on the surface also hindered the travel, but the trees could act as signals since the maps had marked them.
The travel inevitably slowed down due to the many hindrances that the environment put in front of the group. Still, the monsters remained the main threat. Packs of snakes and leeches filled the shallow dirty waters. Some of those mutated creatures had even developed abilities, but they couldn't do much when Khan and the others were at their peak.
The trees started to appear more often as the group trod forward, and patches of ground begun to replace the mud and dirty water. The destination was finally in sight. They would meet Zalpa in the strange forest past the marsh, but an unexpected event happened when they entered their last day of travel.
Khan, Liiza, and Zaliha were the first to notice multiple presences quite close to their position. They would have normally changed direction in front of such a numerous group, but they decided to walk toward them since the source of that mana came from Niqols.
The other group did the same when it sensed those potential allies. Almost thirty familiar Niqols appeared in front of Khan once the two teams met. Those aliens were the servants who had worked in the valley. Khan even recognized someone that he had only seen during the meeting with Yeza.
'His name should be Zura,' Khan thought while glancing at the middle-aged Niqols in the lead of the other group.
Zura had been the servant who had given Khan the warm change of clothes after he stabbed his own leg. His presence made Khan reevaluate how joyful that meeting was since it forced him to recall Yeza's comment about the xenophobic Niqols.
"[This is a fortuitous meeting]," Zura bowed once the two groups got close enough to talk.
The Niqols wore the same blank face that Khan had seen in the palace, but his gestures were polite enough to put the squad leaders in a good mood. The other aliens behind him also bowed to greet the other group and built a friendly atmosphere in mere seconds.
"[It's nice to meet allies for once]," Ilman announced while performing a bow, and the squad leaders imitated him after voicing polite greetings.
Khan also performed a bow, but he didn't say anything in that situation. Still, he didn't miss the curious and surprised glances that converged in his position when Liiza took his hand to wrap his arm around her waist.
Many didn't hear Yeza's announcement, especially the servants who had remained inside the palace during the outburst of monsters. The relationship between Khan and Liiza was a surprising event which her political position highlighted.
Liiza didn't care about her legacy, but the same didn't go for the other Niqols. She remained part of her mother's tribe, with claims on her position as ambassador. Yeza was even a unique figure in the social and political environments, so Liiza's partner was an important topic for some aliens, especially those loyal to the old ways.
Liiza didn't consider that her actions could cause problems. Yeza had acknowledged her relationship, so no one could dare to say anything about it. However, Khan had become paranoid even before teleporting toward his first alien planet, and that feeling couldn't remain silent after recalling about the xenophobic groups of Niqols.
"[How did you escape the valley]?" Ilman asked without adding any negative meaning to his tone.
"[The Lysixi left the tunnels connected to the palace, so we used them to leave after Yeza sent us the location of the next safe area]," Zura shortly explained, and the squad leaders nodded even if they didn't know anything about the tunnels.
"[Aren't you off track]?" Zura continued after placing his cube on the muddy ground and creating the map with its azure light. "[You came from the valley, right? How did you even end up here]?"
"[Liiza had an ally in this area], Ilman revealed while pointing at the forest in the distance. "[We planned to meet with her before reaching the safe location]."
"[Do you mind if we tag along]?" Zura asked as his eyes moved toward the four squad leaders.
"[Not at all]," Iris replied before performing another polite bow. "[We must stick together in this dangerous period]."
Khan slowly led Liiza on the opposite side of the newly arrived Niqols after the groups fused and resumed the march. Only she noticed those vague actions, but he limited himself to reveal a meaningful gaze when she looked at him with her questioning eyes.
Liiza didn't understand the reason behind Khan's actions, but she accepted them for now. She would simply question him once they got some privacy.
The marsh eventually ended, and a thick forest unfolded in front of the group. The same giant trees with roots that spread on the surface filled the next region and created a wild scene. That would be another tricky area to explore, but Khan rejoiced at the sight of proper footholds.
The students and recruits remained stunned in front of that strange environment for a few seconds, but Zura suddenly shouted something in the Niqols' language that most aliens didn't understand.
The shout distracted everyone and made them unable to see how their new companions curved their fingers into claws and slashed them at the humans in their surroundings.
The event had been too sudden and unexpected. The newly arrived Niqols had already blended with the group, so they didn't have problems finding human throats. Their fingers pierced skin and muscles easily and made blood spurt out everywhere.
Everything happened too quickly, even for the squad leaders. Iris had focused on the sudden shout only to move her attention on the painful cries of her underlings. She noticed Zura's attack only after his fingers pierced her throat.
****
Author's notes: Also, I know that I've promised many chapters before the break. Long story short, I lack the time and the energy to write them while I handle two stories. I'm sorry.
