The Bloodline System

Author's Note: Unedited Chapter

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Aildris sat back on his haunches, taking a moment to appreciate the lush surroundings. "I've been thinking about that. Ria could be back on Earth, or worse, he could be with the Alliance."

Falco stood up, wiping his hands on a rag. "Yeah, and finding the Alliance location is next to impossible. Only their leaders and core members know where it is."

Endric paused, considering their options. "If we assume the worst, and Ria is with the Alliance, we'll need to be smart about this. Even if we do discover the location, it's not somewhere we can just barge into."

Falco looked thoughtful. "Even Gustav wouldn't barge in there thoughtlessly but he probably will have knowledge about the place. If only we can find someone who can give us inside information."

Endric leaned back in his seat, his brow furrowed in thought. "We had to destroy the homing system in the Alliance spacecraft. If we didn't, they would have tracked us by now."

Falco nodded, his expression tense. "Good call. But that would have really helped us locate the Alliance too. We'd be flying blind."

Aildris turned to face them. "We need to find another way. We can't just be flying out there aimlessly."

Falco drummed his fingers on the armrest, frustration evident in his eyes. "What if we inform Gustav? He needs to know about Ria."

Endric shook his head firmly. "No, we can't do that. The Alliance captured Ria to draw him out. If we tell him, he'll come rushing in, and that's exactly what they want. We have to keep this from him, no matter what."

A tense silence settled over the cockpit as they contemplated their next move.

Aildris broke the silence, his voice thoughtful. "Maybe returning to Earth is our best bet. We can regroup, gather more resources, and plan our next move more carefully."

Falco frowned. "But what about Ria? We can't just leave him there."

Endric placed a reassuring hand on Falco's shoulder. "We're not abandoning him. We're just making sure we're prepared. We need to be smart about this. If we go in unprepared, we'll be captured too, and then we're no good to Ria or anyone else."

Falco sighed, his shoulders sagging. "You're right. I just hate the thought of leaving him there."

Aildris nodded. "We all do. But we need to think long-term. If we're going to save Ria, we need to do it right."

They sat in silence for a moment, each lost in their own thoughts.

Aildris finally spoke, his voice resolute. "Once the repairs are completed, we head back to Earth. We'll come up with a solid plan and gather any resources we need. Find out all the information needed about the alliance. Once we're ready, we'll go after Ria and bring him back."

Falco and Endric nodded in agreement, their resolve strengthening.

The day passed slowly as they continued repairs on Gustav's ship with the help of the Verdantians. Their plant-based technology seemed to seamlessly integrate with the spacecraft.

As dawn broke on Verdantia, the planet awoke to a serene and beautiful morning. The vibrant plant-life swayed gently with the breeze, and the bright sun cast a red glow over the verdant landscape.

The air was fresh, filled with the scent of blooming vegetation and the sound of chirping creatures.

Elder Thalon, a verdantian approached them, his eyes filled with wisdom and understanding. "May the roots of Verdantia guide you on your journey."

Falco handed over a bunch of credits. "Thank you, Elder Thalon."

Thalon smiled gently. "Go now, and may you find what you seek."

They boarded the spacecraft, the engines beaming to life. As they lifted off, they looked back at the beautiful planet to engrave it's look into their mind before final departure.

Suddenly, the sky began to darken unnaturally. The red hues of the morning were replaced by an eerie twilight. Endric, Aildris, and Falco exchanged worried glances, their senses heightened by the sudden shift.

"What's happening?" Aildris muttered, his multicolored eyes scanning the sky.

Without warning, figures in dark robes descended from the sky, their forms silhouetted against the ominous clouds.

They hovered above the ground with masks obscuring their faces. A loud, booming voice echoed across the landscape, amplified by some unseen force.

"In the name of the Gustavo Alliance, we declare a takeover of Verdantia!" the voice announced, sending shockwaves through the verdant fields.

Endric's eyes widened in shock. "The Gustavo Alliance? Here?"

Falco clenched his fists, dark energy crackling around him. "Such rubbish! We have to interfere,"

Aildris nodded, his eyes glowing with the colors of the universe. "Let's do this."

The three friends stepped off the spacecraft, ready to confront the intruders. The robed figures descended, their feet touching the ground as they spread out in a menacing formation.

Each figure exuded an aura of power unleashing their supernatural abilities as they spread about the surroundings.

A couple of the robed figures landed before the trio. One was a tall being with shimmering scales. The figure's mask bore a star-shaped pattern, and it's eyes glowed with a violet light.

'Hmm? They don't seem like ordinary folks...' The figure said internally as he noticed the strange aura all three of them exuded.

The fact that they were also not native species rang a warning in his mind but nevertheless they were the Gustavo alliance. Anyone knew not to mess with them.

"Surrender now, and your lives will be spared," the figure declared.

Endric stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. "I'll offer you the same opportunity."

"Hmph! At least I gave you lots a chance!"

Twwwhoosshh~

All of the figures charged forward in the next moment.

Endric's telekinetic abilities surged to life, a wave of force emanating from him and crashing into the robed figures. Several were thrown backward smashing into trees and plant life behind.

Falco launched himself into the fray, dark matter swirling around him like a storm. He conjured weapons of pure darkness, slicing through the air with deadly precision.

He cut them down one after the other, painting the surroundings with blood as he mercilessly engaged them.

One of the robed figures, a creature with wings and razor-sharp talons, met Falco's attack head-on, their own dark energy clashing with his.

"You dare compete with my darkness?" Falco's eyes gleamed in annoyance as a burst of darkness radiated from his form.

The eyes of the creature widened in utter disbelief as he turned around to flee.

Unfortunately for him, before he could get far, Falco's darkness consumed him.

In another area, Aildris's eyes glowed as he absorbed the colors from the surroundings, his body radiating with power. He targeted a group of robed figures, binding them with beams of multicolored light. The figures struggled against the bindings, their own abilities trying to break free.

The leader of the robed figures, the multi-limbed being, retaliated with a powerful blast of energy. Endric countered with a telekinetic shield, the force of the impact causing the ground to tremble.

"That's it?" Endric taunted.

The robed leader's eyes narrowed. "You will regret defying the Gustavo Alliance."

"For people who claim to be under my brother's banner, you are extremely weak!"

Blink~

Endric vanished and reappeared behind the leader.

With a thrust forward, a surge of telekinesis radiated with immense vigor, ramming into the back of the leader.

Bam!

He spat out blood as he spiralled across the air and half is his robe got ripped.

'How did he? I thought his power was just telekinesis?' the leader was in disbelief.

Endric blinked again appearing right above him and snapping his fingers.

"Moon drop..." The moment these words left his lips, the leader felt an insurmountable pressure.

The robed figure unleashed a barrage of energy blasts, each one powerful enough to level a building and aimed them upwards.

This helped him have enough time to evade it's area of concentration as a burst of energy zoomed him towards the side at very quick pace.

Boom!

The moon drop descended on the surroundings, creating a huge crater as a burst of wind spread across the surroundings.

The battle raged on, each side unleashing their full power.

Endric's telekinetic abilities allowed him to manipulate the environment, lifting boulders and hurling them at the robed figures. He wasn't just facing the leader alone, he was still rendering assistance in defeating the others since there were a lot of them.

From a swirling vortex of luminescent energy high above the planet, a figure watched the fierce battle unfold below.

The portal, shimmering with hues of violet and emerald, framed the scene like a celestial window. Through it, the cloaked observer could see the struggle between Falco, Endric, Aildris, and the relentless forces of the Gustavo Alliance.

The figure's eyes, hidden beneath the shadow of a dark hood, gleamed with admiration and anticipation. The powerful trio fought with a fluidity and ferocity that was mesmerizing.

His lips curled into a smile beneath the mask. "That's our Lord's brother and his friends... This will be exciting," he murmured, his voice a low, reverent whisper.