Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The Drop flashed with a brilliant orange and yellow spectacle. The blazing light fell through accompanied by the echo of a young boy on its back.
“Woo-ha-ho!” Eli cheered as he soared through the sky.
Burpy looked back to his slinger, barreling in joy.
The boy patted his Infurnus’s back. “Let’s do a backflip through the window to give the gang a surprise!”
The fiery slug grinned big and began to swoop through the air, practising the moves. The air of Wild Spore was fired up with the heroic duo’s daring feats. The boy kept laughing as they spun through the flight. The hideout was in sight, the two sharing a confident look. Burpy flipped over the window and darted inside.
“Surprise!” Eli gleefully yelled into his home away from home.
Burpy returned to his proto morph. Eli landed with a dynamic pose, the Infurnus copying him.
“You guys miss…” his eyes scanned the empty room. “…us? Huh… guess they’re out for the day.”
The fire slug shrugged his shoulders. More of Eli’s slugs poked their heads from the boy’s backpack. They scattered to the floor and began their search for the Shane Gang. The group lifted up every thing and riffled through the parts in-between. Eli tossed his head about as he looked. Were they setting up a surprise for him? No, how could they have known he was coming at this moment. Unless they saw Burpy before hand.
“Guys? You can come out now and yell ‘Surprise! Welcome back!’” the boy chuckled to himself. It began to stifle as silence settled in. “Guys…?”
Whistle! Chitter! Chitter!
“Huh?”
Eli twisted his neck towards the sound. Burpy was hollering towards him from the computer desk. “What is it Burpy? Did you find out where they went?”
The slug gestured with his nubs to the screen. His owner stepped swiftly over to the desktop. His eyes ran across the screen.
“Trouble in Gateway Cavern? That figures that part. Calling all slugs, let’s get ready to go help the gang!” Eli waved his arm in a dramatic fashion.
The army of slugs marched off after him into the mecha bay.

Across the other side of the 99 Caverns, the rest of the Shane Gang were in the wake of a slugout. Trailers were flipped onto their sides as slingers nestled themselves between the axles. Slugs dotted the air with their elemental beauty. Blasters sung as shots were made. Pronto peered over his trailer’s edge.
“Do they ever give up? Dr Blakk was defeated! Why are they running about like headless Floppers committing to chaos?” the mole complained.
Kord made a quick fire before retreating back beside the tracker. “Does it really matter right now? They’re slinging at us, we sling at them, pretty simple!”
“Big blue be havin a point, me moley!” Katrina growled with her back against the trailer.
Mira leered around her cover, “It would be nice to know as Pronto suggested.”
Trixie sneered at the attack, “Once we win against them, we’ll have our chance.”
Their opponents cackled like a group of hyenas. It was four elites of the now disbanded Blakk Industries; C.C, John Bull, Locke and Lode. They whipped their blasters smugly as they sent out more slugs.
“We heard there was a big treasure round these parts! Some cyclops was bein’ real protective of a barrel!” Lode gleefully yapped.
John Bull chimed in, “Yeah! It must have big importance if he’s got the slugs to go with it!”
“Treasure?” Pronto lit up.
Locke snarled, “You ninnies! You weren’t supposed to tell them that!”
“Sorry big brother…”
“Sorry Locke.”
C.C shrugged then fired into the air. “Enough. We’ll just have you lot packin it back to your little clubhouse while we deal with things here.”
“What barrel and what cyclops?” Trixie demanded.
“Not tellin you, you goodie-two-shoes Shane Gang!” Locke snapped back.
The yellow dressed man eyed the returning sluggish ammo and laughed, “I don’t think it will be much longer till your sapped for slugs.”
Pronto gasped, “Gah! Our slugs are tired!”
“We did overwork them without Eli being around,” Trixie feebly admitted.
“Give it up Shane Gang!” Locke snickered as he fired off again.
The trailers that once gave them cover blew up into the air from a Grenuker explosion. The gang yelped as they met eye to eye with the fiendish four’s blasters. They raised their hands, blasters empty.
“It’s over… any final words?” C.C mocked them.
“If this is it… Pronto wishes to bequest all his possessions to his Darling Katrina’s turtle, Nugget,” the mole mopped.
The amphibianoid bared her teeth, “Rot.”
“You’re going to make a very angry family of Shanes,” Trixie poked.
“Oh yeah? They’ve been gone for weeks now. They ain’t gonna be your heroes now,” John Bull bit back.
Mira went to speak, but held her tongue. She instead turned her head away and made a smile appear on her lips. The villainous group gazed at her, crossed and confused.
Lode itched his head, “Uh… why is she smilin’?”
“Perhaps I know what Mr Bull has said is completely false,” she politely informed them.
“Hah! Yer just making stuff up, healer!” Locke belittled her.
The whirl of a blaster sounded. Before they could counter, the criminals were caught up in a web.
“Ya-ha-hoo! Wrapped them up like it was Slugmas!” the echo of the famed Shane’s voice bounced off the buildings.
“That’s our boy!”Kord cheered.
“Eli!” Trixie grinned from ear to ear.
The Infurnus swooped down before the gang, the rider leaping off. He cheekily waved. “Missed me?”
The pigtailed slinger rushed him for a hug. He embraced her back, his smirk fading into a warm smile. The moment was short lived as the romantic tension turned into a group hug. Kord scooped the love bird into his arms.
“Welcome back bro!”
Katrina snickered and leapt onto the cave troll. She bawled her fist and ruffled Eli’s hair, “Good to see ye back laddie!”
Mira latched onto them, beaming, “We are happy you have returned, Eli!”
“Don’t forget how much Pronto missed you too!” the molenoid wormed himself into the centre, clinging onto Eli.
“I missed you guys too!” Eli managed to speak through slightly crushed lungs.
Kord dropped his arms and the hug. The gang separated, their eyes prying onto their leader.
Another voice joined the conversation, “Eli! Am I glad to see you and your gang again.”
“King, good to see you again,” the boy waved.
The blonde man with his crown strolled over. “I’m happier than a singing slughound to see those crooks taken down.”
“Always happy to help, King. So, what were these guys looking for anyways? They said something about a cyclops and a barrel.”
The King of Sling turned his head towards the four. His fellow townsfolk began to cart them away. “That’s just the thing. Those hooligans rocked up cause the town was a-shaking more than when I play a song for it.”
Trixie piped up, “So you guys had an earthquake?”
“That rumble... that wasn’t an earthquake.. It’s something more…” the King shook his head. “You reckon you folks can figure that out? It has to be something to do with that cyclops guy and his barrel.”
“Consider it done,” Eli vowed.
Katrina bobbed her head, “So laddie, where be thar last ye saw of thar cyclops?”
“He headed on out to the Outland Reach. Poor soul doesn’t know the dangerous out that way.”
“You’ve been a great help, King. We’ll go get that guy while you keep the peace here,” Eli waved off the Gateway Cavern protector.
“Thank you, thank you all very much. Take care now,” he said his peace and the gang shipped off.

Mounted on their mechas, they rode into the Outland Reach.
“Pronto is curious about the contents of the mysterious barrel this cyclops man is to be carrying,” the molenoid hummed.
“Who knows what it could be? It could just be lunch for a big guy,” Kord suggested.
Eli chuckled, “If it’s a guy’s lunch, then that’s a pretty rotten treasure.”
“I’d still call it a nice find,” Pronto butted in.
Trixie tilted her head, “Maybe it could be a weapon.”
“Or be a barrel-shaped trap!” Katrina agreed on the girl’s line of thinking.
“Either way, I’m excited to figure it out,” Eli grinned wide.
“What about you Mira? What do you think is in the barrel?” Trixie asked the healer.
She looked over the group, “I hope it is merely something non-dangerous.” She scrunched her nose.
The mole pointed his nose into the air, “Fellows! I smell smoke! We are getting close.”
“Pipe down gang, quiet mode,” Eli directed.
The mecha beasts began to slow, their footfalls becoming a whisper over the sand and dirt. They came to a halt to gaze at the tower of light gray smoke. Nods were shared as they dismounted. They pressed up against the cliff’s edge. Below them sat a cyclops, thin as a fence post. He was cooking food over his campfire. Resting to his right was his mystery barrel. Everything about it seemed normal for a traveller to take with them. Aside from one glaring difference.
”What is he wearing?” Kord noticed the foreign clothing the slinger had adorn.
Pronto grumbled, “It is nothing like Pronto has ever seen…”
Eli put his hand to his chin, “It looks like something out of a medieval movie.”
Trixie eyed him, “Do you think he could be from another cavern system?”
“That would explain the clothes.”
Katrina gripped the cliff edge. “Aye, he be as suspicious as thar King of Sling said.”
“We should get a closer look,” Eli mentioned.
“Right,” his gang agreed.
They pushed themselves up from the dirt to make their way down careful and silent. Eli waved his hand for them to stay put behind a rocky ridge closer to the camp. The others ducked behind their cover and watched their leader. He strolled over to the odd cyclops.
His eye gazed up at the approaching boy. His hand glided over his hilt.
“Woah hey, I was just coming over to see what the smoke was. I thought there was a uh… forest fire.”
If it were not for the rock between them, Eli would have felt the vibration of his gang’s and slugs’ collective facepalm.
Eli’s mind raced with cringe over his own words, ‘A forest fire… really Eli? That’s the best you could come up with?’
The cyclops relaxed his dark cyan hand. His eye scanned the boy before him, fixating onto his bandoleer. “Are you some sheriff of this place?”
“You could say I kinda am. I’m Eli Shane, what’s your name?”
He seemed to crack a warm smile, “Tau- No- Clyde. Tau is my title.”
“What’s the title Tau for?”
“My job.”
“What’s that then?”
“I can’t say… my master would be very mad.”
Eli’s eyes trailed onto the barrel, “So, what brings you out to the Outland Reach?”
“Eyes… off… the barrel,” Clyde’s tone majorly shifted.
The boy jumped out of skin, “Okay! Yep- eyes off the barrel. Got it. Super important thing.”
“Do not ask about the barrel.”
Behind their cover, the gang watched with fleeting patience at the cyclops’s attitude towards their friend.
“If Eli gets any more sass from him, we’re going to get involved,” Trixie muttered in a growl.
Katrina snarled low, “Agreed lassie…”
Mira’s eyes were locked onto the barrel. Her hand clutched her heart and her breathe was sharp in shock. “There is something in that barrel. There is a large slug energy resting within.”
“What do you reckon it could be? A person?” Kord asked the healer.
Mira felt a lump in her throat at the thought. “It may be-”
“We cannot stand here as hopeless cowards! Pronto will set free the prisoner!” the molenoid leapt over the rock in a mighty war cry.
“Pronto!” the others exclaimed. Their hands barely missed their mole companion.
“Covers blown, charge!” Trixie shouted as she followed Pronto.
Kord and Katrina darted after the two, now five against one on the field. Blasters staring one another down. Mira kept herself hidden at the rock. She turned to her slugs for any means of reasoning and comfort. Down at the fight, Clyde drew his blaster. It flicked out into a crossbow shape.
“You dare to challenge a Commander of the Enlightened Council?” his wooden coloured eye burned with hatred. “Stand down and leave or I will smite you in the name of the Enlightened Alchemist!”
“Enlightened Alcha-who now?” Pronto raised a spooked eyebrow.
“Whoever he is, he sounds like bad news,” Kord gritted his teeth.
Regardless of the words expended, the Shane Gang did not falter in their stance.
“So you choose to fight,” Clyde flexed his hand.
The blaster screeched as an odd off-white fuzzy slug flew out towards the group. It hit velocity but instead of growing only larger like known slugs, it parted into five separate bodies. The gang could barely digest the foreign oncoming threat. Each member was punched down by the creatures’ fluffy fists.
Eli sat up from the dirt, coughing, “Oh that’s cold!”
Trixie grunted as she laid on her side, “What type of slug was that?”
“Was it even a slug at all?” Pronto tacked on.
Clyde loaded another round into his crossbow. His eye glared down at his foes.
Mira’s pupils wildly scanned the cyclops and his arsenal. Her eyes shot wide from behind her cover. “Quickly! Defend yourselves with a Geoshard!”
“What?” the gang shared a confused shout.
“Quickly!”
They trusted the slug healer’s call. One by one, they loaded and fired off their Geoshard slugs. Crystals sprouted around the Shane Gang as Clyde used his next attack. A thundering crackle erupted from the cyclops’s arm as a teal and yellow coloured slug morphed before them. Its lightning danced across the shining crystals. They covered their rattling eardrums. Their friend hidden away yelped in fear.
The enemy snarled at the defense. His neck snapped towards Mira’s location, his next slug loaded in. Again he tugged his hand back, sending across a Thresher. The woman dived from her cover. The rocky wall was cleaved into two.
“Mira!” Trixie yelled out in concern.
“I am okay!”
The cyclops snarled, “I will be your demise!”
The crystal barrier shattered from a mighty punch. The gang leapt out in droves. Kord shook his hand, hissing slightly from the pain. Eli was quick to draw his weapon, firing off Suds under their opponent. He slipped and fell onto his cyclops butt. His solo eye continued to dig daggers into the group that held him at blaster point.
Eli gritted his teeth, “What’s in the barrel?”
The cyclops dared not to speak, his glaring pupil saying all. The nurse began to edge closer to the barrel during the commotion. Her dainty hands graced the barrel’s top. In a fleeting final try, Clyde shot out his last round. A blue coloured slug flew out and transformed. Kord and Eli were quick to counter. The cave troll slung out his Flaringo whilst the boy sent off his Jellyish. The fiery slug blasted out a spiral of fire about the odd icy slug. It returned to its protoform as Goober’s goop reeled it into Eli’s awaiting palm. Trixie, Pronto and Katrina sniped the foe with their Jellyish slugs, wrapping him up in the green goop.
“Don’t you dare!” the cave troll snarled.
The amphibianoid jetted in, “Aye! Harm a hair on her head and ye be sleepin with tha cavern sharks!”
The slug within the boy’s grasp looked around in shock and curiosity. Eli shared back the interested look. The slug was almost the same hue and look as a megamorphed Frostcrawler. However, it sported a pair of thick icy horns out of its long fluffy hair. Along its back trailed a line of spikes down to its lizard like tail. On its tip sat a cotton ball like cluster.
“What kind of slug is this?” the boy pondered.
Trixie eyed the creature, “It looks like if the Earth Elemental and a Frostcrawler got fused somehow.”
Clyde’s vow of silence continued as his glare fixed onto the leader now.
Before they could conclude an answer, Mira had clambered back to the barrel and pulled off the lid off. A dramatic gasp parted from her. The barrel toppled over and out rolled a child. The gang witnessed in disbelief. The girl sat up and ripped the tape off her mouth.
“Ouch!”
Her green eyes darted across the Shane Gang. Her fair hand fumbled across her olden looking dress for something.
“Who are you people?” she snapped as she drew a slingshot.
The gang’s eyes widened over their faces at the pale orange snarling slug set within.
“Another Infurnus slug?” they announced in bewildered unison.
“Another?” the girl snapped back. “What do you mean another? Pyra’s the only Infurnus slug!”
Burpy poked his head over Eli’s shoulder, tilting towards the fellow fire slug. The other exchanged a confused expression back.
“There’s no way… I thought that was only a fairy tale!” the girl sputtered. She sprang to her feet and marched over to Eli. She inspected him closely. “Hmm. So that is an Infurnus!”
“Why were you in the barrel?” Eli asked the question that still lingered on his mind.
“And what are you wearing?” Pronto scoffed at the medieval-like short dress and pants combo.
The girl shot a glare at the molenoid as she adjusted her low buns, “You don’t know fashion even if it was smacked into by a queen herself!” She crossed her arms and pouted. “I was kidnapped by that nasty cyclops and stuffed into that ugly barrel. That is no way to treat a princess!”
Pronto huffed back, “Princess? You are misled! Pronto is the only king of any regard within the caverns! And if you are such a princess, where is your glorious crown?”
“It’s on my head. See?” She patted her head. The smugness faded as she felt nothing set atop. “W-where is it? My tiara?” She spun around and searched the ground.
The chirping of slugs sounded from the barrel’s side. A mustard yellow and fluffy gray set of slugs were pushing the girl’s tiara towards her. She beamed at the pair, collecting and setting her headgear back in its rightful place. The critters raced up her arms and set themselves on her shoulders.
“Thank you Holmes, thank you Bun-Bun.”
“Okay, this is getting really confusing,” Trixie held her head.
“How is it that confusing? Do you not know your princess when she is standing right in front of you? Hmph, commoners.”
Katrina scowled and cracked her knuckles, “Ye need to be learnin some manners, yer royal pain in the hiney!”
Eli set himself between the amphibianoid and the bratty child. “Woah! Kat, she’s just a kid!” He turned to the other, “Sorry about Kat. I’m Eli, what’s your name?”
“If I must refresh thine memory of my title, it is Princess Olivia, heir to the royal throne of Palace Cavern and all of Slugterra.”
Kord held his hand over his mouth, “A princess?”
Eli, Trixie, Pronto and Katrina mimicked him. The leader tried to regain himself quickly to prevent looking rude.
Olivia grew red in anger, “Why are you laughing? I will have you sent to the dungeons to rot for the rest of your lives!”
Mira sighed at her friends. She laid her palm onto the young girl’s shoulder. “I am very sorry for my friends.”
The Infurnus turned up towards the healer, chirping in glee. The other two slugs joined in, beaming with each word.
Mira’s eyes widened as she glanced between the cyclops and girl. She called to her friends, “Everyone! Please regain yourselves. They are not of the 99 Caverns.”
“The 99 Caverns? There isn’t 99 caverns,” the girl pouted. She turned on her heel as the Shane Gang listened in. “Well, no thank you to the Giggly Gang, I will be on my way home now. I have your faces remembered and I will tell my mum to never let you into the palace grounds.”
They watched as the girl trotted away. Exchanges of confusion were shared between one another, including the cyclops. Olivia stopped for a moment, twisted her head and then stared forward.
She cleared her throat, “Ahem… which way was Palace Cavern?”
The air was filled with signs and groans.
“Hey! I haven’t been to this part of the caverns.”
“Ye think so?” Katrina muttered under her breath.
“And here I thought Pronto was the most uptight,” Trixie softly added.
“Olivia, this is not the cavern system you know of. This is the 99 Caverns, a large set of caverns that make up the amount within its title. This the Outland Reach, the east most location within the caverns,” Mira tried to explain patiently.
The girl spun around, sweat dripping down her fading confidence. “Uh… right. Not… the caverns I know.” She shook her head. Tears began to show themselves, “Wait, if this isn’t the European Caverns, then how’d I get here? How do I get home?”
Mira walked over to the child, scooping her into her embrace. “There is no need to fear. Myself and my friends will be able to figure how you got here and find how we can take you home.”
Olivia threw her arms over her shoulders, sobbing now, “You are so nice! Thank you! Thank you!”
The others didn’t get a say, but they knew it was their duty to help anyone in need; even a bratty princess of a far away cavern system.
Eli smiled, “We’re the Shane Gang, its our job to help.”
Trixie played with her camera, “If what she said is true, these ‘European Caverns’ might be a cool new place to check out like how the Eastern Caverns were.”
Kord crossed his arms and tossed his head, “Yeah! My mind’s racing at the thought of what high-tech they might have.”
Pronto held his head high and grinned, “Ahah! Another realm to learn of the greatness of Pronto!”
“Me Moley, ye be havin big dreams,” Katrina chuckled. She gave the molenoid a cuddle.

The Shane Gang collected themselves and rode back to Gateway Cavern with their plus one and prisoner. Citizens cheered for their heroes return. They were approached by the King of Sling. Princess Olivia peered around the swan mecha beast’s neck.
“Eli and friends, I am very fortunate for you sorting out that problem. Thank you, thank you very much.”
“You talk funny,” the girl piped up.
“Who’s the little one?”
“This is Olivia, she’s not from around here,” Eli kept it short.
She stewed, “PRINCESS Olivia.”
“A princess? Where are my manners! Your majesty!” the blonde man bowed down.
Her ego peaked and she bowed back, “A crown recognises another.”
“Where was this respect for Pronto?” the molenoid sputtered.
“Don’t let it get to ya Pronto,” Kord consulted him.
Trixie interjected, “We caught the cyclops.”
Eli tagged in, “Right. He had kidnapped Ol- Princess Olivia and brought her here. He refuses to speak ever since we caught him.”
“A princess kidnapping? How terrible! Fear not Eli Shane…” he pointed finger guns at Olivia, “… and Princess Olivia, the King will soon sort out the evil-doer.”
The girl giggled, “I like you a lot, King.”
“Thank you, King. We’re gonna look at getting her home,” informed Eli.
A few of the townsfolk took up Clyde from the gang. One problem off their backs and one more to solve.
Their mechas trudged on to the outskirts of the town and into the mines. It was merely a dash towards their desired destination. Looming before them was the grand Gateway. It slept for months unused in the eyes of the 99 residents, however, the frame had been altered. The symbol of the Eastern Realm had shifted from its high position and replaced with another.
“That! That’s the picture that is on my mum’s cloak!” Olivia stuck her index finger towards the new symbol that stood under the 99’s.
“The European Caverns…” Eli breathed. His mind raced with the ideas of what those caverns could be like. After all, they did share a name with a surface region.
“So do we head there now?” Kord inquired, his chin on his palm.
Olivia turned to them, “If you’re ready to freeze your butts off! My home is colder than ice and only the toughest of the tough live there!”
The mole perked up, “Pah, they have nothing upon the toughness and greatness of Pronto and the Shane Gang.”
Mira squeezed herself in, “Perhaps it would be best to prepare and rest at the hideout before we embark on this journey?”
“Good call Mira,” Eli agreed. “Let’s head back and get ready to head off in the morning.” They turned their mechas about and headed out to the Shane Hideout.

After a few hours of travel, the crystals had dimmed. The gang were tucked safely within their home. However, inside was another story. The group’s slugs happily chirped and played on the table, watching the chaos unfold. Olivia was springing around the floor like an excited slug hound, her grubby hands attaching themselves to everything that lived inside. Pronto attempted to march from the kitchen to the couch. His legs were swept from under him by the hyperactive pre-teen. The mole grumbled at her as she scooped up a throw pillow.
“This one is a pretty light pink! And that one is really ugly. Yuck, mustard yellow? Who would pick that out?”
He snatched it away from her, puffing with disgust, “Perhaps a princess should not question a mighty king’s choice of decor.”
“Hmph. I was just saying the colour is yucky.”
“Olivia, that was a bit rude,” Mira voiced her dismay.
The princess puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms, “I guess.”
“Are you going to apologize to Pronto?”
“No way! He was super rude to me back, Mama Mira!”
“M-Mama?” the woman was left speechless.
Olivia smiled up at her, “Well, you act like my mum and are really sweet like a mummy, so you’re now Mama Mira!”
“I-” she was malfunctioning with sparks flying out her ears.
The young girl’s eyes darted away to her next target. “Oooo! Is that a television? My mummy wouldn’t let me watch it for longer than an hour. That’s only if I had done my daily reading.”
“Your mom sounds like she’s trying to teach you good things,” Eli comprehended from the story.
“I guess, but it’s all so boring. It’s always the same books about history and stuff. Other kids get to read really fun stories about dragons and distant caverns. It’s not fair…”
Trixie chimed in, “History you say? What can you tell us about that?”
The girl beamed at the suggestion of knowledge, “Well, the not boring of it is about this wicked man who lived over three hundred years ago. He was cruel and mean, but my great grandfather back then, King Alexander, put him into a tomb where he’d sleep forever!”
The gang shared a shocked expression with one another at the child.
“No no! He didn’t kill him! Just put him to sleep forever! Yeesh, why is that everyone’s first thought?”
A breath of relief washed over the room, settling nerves.
“There be more about this wicked laddie?” Katrina inquired.
Olivia put her index to her lip, “Uh… I can’t remember much more than that. Everything else was too boring or I hadn’t read it in a long while.”
“We could always learn more when Trixie gets onto the Slugnet when we get out there,” Eli said.
“Sounds like a plan, E,” the pigtailed slinger agreed.
Olivia giggled as her slugs wiggled their way onto her shoulders. “Hey! That tickles!”
“Oh right! Those slugs, what are they?” the slug savvy girl asked about the non-native species.
“You mean Holmes and Bun-Bun? They’re a Sleuther and a Multibun, they’re my best friends just like Pyra.”
The female infurnus smirked wide as her slug brothers followed. The yellow slug, Holmes, snickered along. Its heterochromic green and red eye watched as the gray one, Bun-Bun, chittered gleefully.
Kord’s curiosity peaked, “So what they do?”
“Holmes can tell if you’re lying or not and Bun-Bun is super cool! He can split up into five Multibuns and give you an ice cold walloping!” Olivia dramatized.
“So that’s what slug Clyde hit us with!” Trixie put two and two together. “That’s such a cool ability! The lie detecting is super cool too!”
“Pronto doesn’t think it is all that excellent,” the molenoid huffed.
Holem’s antenna perked and twisted. He winked shut his green eye. His open red eye locked tight onto Pronto.
“Looks like you’re lying, you uptight mole,” the girl made a snarky comeback as the molenoid sputtered.
“How did the slug know- no, Pronto does not lie!”
Katrina rubbed his head, “Me Moley, cut yer losses here. Ye do have to admit we all lie a wee bit.”
The gang shared a laugh, even Pronto giving into the happier tone.
Eli let out a dramatic yawn, “I think we should hit the hay.”
Mira knelled down at the coffee table and slipped her hands under its frame. From there, she produced a fluffy blanket. “Olivia, I hope this will be enough for you for tonight.”
The girl gingerly took it from her, hugging it to her chest, “Thank you!”
They shared their good nights and sweet dreams as they retreated to their rooms. Olivia snuggled up under the blanket with her slugs. Pronto snuggled up with his beloved Katrina within their dwelling. Eli and Trixie retired to their respective rooms. Kord flopped into bed with Mira by his side, pulling the covers up.

All but one of the Shane Gang was able to rest peacefully. As for their leader, he tossed and turned making his sheets dance. Sweat emerged from his brow as his eyelids scrunched tighter.
Placed inside his dream, snow pounded down in a fury on his body. He felt as if he was drowning in the cold blanket of white. His mouth parted to let out an empty scream. Words were frozen in the roaring blizzard. His weeping eyes desperately searched for anyone. Thoughts in his mind raced like mechas in the Slug Run. A unfamiliar shape obscured by the howling snow began to approach him. He tried to move. Only the rustle of snow answered him. The figure cocked its head at him.
Its mouth hissed in a deep tone, “What an interesting specimen… It is not any we have seen before. He will be quite useful to us.”
Their black gloved hand reached for the boy’s head.
Eli ripped himself upright, his blanket twisted around him. His hands darted to his chest.
Thump, thump, thump. Thump. Thump. Thump… Thump…
Relief washed over him. “It was all just a nightmare…”
His gaze fell down to the slugs that rested beside him. Burpy, Doc, Joules, Banger, Spinner, Chiller and that odd ice slug. The Infurnus stirred and stared back at his slinger, sharing a worried chitter.
“I’m okay buddy…” he reassured his friend.
Burpy nudged his hand, smiling up at him. Eli shared it back with a head pat. He looked out the window to the glimmering crystal light.
“Guess that’s our cue to get ready to head out.”
He pulled himself from his soft prison, got dressed in winter gear, collected his bag, and headed downstairs to meet with the gang.

After having a quick breakfast, the gang had bolted their way back to Gateway Cavern and now stood in front of the grand gateway.
“So… how do we start it up?” Pronto asked. “The last time we had the Elementals and the Shadow Clan. But we are lacking said Elementals and Shadow Clan this time around.”
Eli tossed his head, “Well, that’s true…”
“You didn’t think this through, did you, E?” Trixie snickered.
“Well, we did make it back with just Doc-”
“And the Shadow Clan,” Kord interrupted him.
“Ye lot be havin’ more experience with this than I,” Katrina pinned into the conversation.
“May I attempt a solution?” Mira sheepishly asked.
“Shoot,” Eli smiled.
Mira slipped off her mecha beast and rummaged through her hip bag. She took out and held up her Shadow Flute to her lips. She began to play a melody. Its voice echoed throughout the cave.
“What is Mama Mira doing?” Olivia asked.
“She’s calling the Shadow Clan,” Eli explained.
At their name drop, shadows began to swirl nearby. Emerging from the darkness stood the Shadow Clan Priest, the Chieftain and a small group of warriors. A mix of green and cyan eyes glances over the gang’s heads. Eli fished out the Shadow Talker from his bag and set it upon his crown.
“Son of Shane, daughter of Serene and allies of both, you have called upon our aid,” the leader hissed softly.
“We need your help to get to the European Caverns,” the boy requested of the clan. “We wanna help Olivia here get back home.”
Murmurs of the creatures spread between one another.
“He’s not lying! Please! I want to go home!” Olivia pleaded.
The Shadow Clan turned with mouths agape. The gang’s jaws silently dropped at the young girl.
Kord was the first to break from the stupor, “What- how can you understand them?”
“It’s my tiara, it helps me and my mummy understand the Shadow Clan. Priestess Casimir helped make my tiara.”
“That’s so cool,” Eli’s eyes sparkled.
The Priest of the 99 spoke up once more, “This information is quiet intriguing. If it upon the request made by the Protector of the 99 and the Slug Healer, will open the Gateway to the European Realms.”
The other members trotted and encircled the stone wheel. The Priest set himself in front of the gate. He turned with an outstretched hand to the healer. As she walked towards the Priest, Doc leapt from Eli’s bag and onto Mira’s shoulder. She slipped her palm onto the Shadow Clan’s then the three began to glow in a green light. The gateway trembled and awoke. The Shadow Clan hissed their chants. It shone with its brilliant pink light, basking the crowd before it. The inner ring clicked over from symbol to symbol before speeding into a spin. It paused on the European Caverns symbol and opened its gate to them. The song died down as the clan members retreated to behind the Shane Gang. Mira returned to her mecha beast, saddling up once more.
“Wow!” Olivia and Katrina breathed in unison.
“Cool as always,” Kord grinned like a kid.
“Thank you,” Eli bowed to the Priest. “Please protect the caverns while we’re gone. If my parents come back down, let them know I left them a message at the hideout.”
He returned the gesture, “We the Shadow Clan will protect the 99 Caverns as you and the Slug Healer have.”
The Chieftain stood beside Eli, “We will ensure the safety of those within, slinger and slug.”
“Thank you both,” Eli smiled.
“Safe travels,” the Chieftain waved them off and stepped back.
With a rev of mecha engines, the gang dashed through the gateway. The portal sealed shut as the final member crossed through. The Shadow Clan waited for the light to fade away before they did so too.

On the other side of the portal, the Shane Gang was spat out into a cave. The mecha beasts skidded across the dirt. They looked around their new surroundings.
“This is… the European Caverns? Pronto thought that they would be… how to say… grander?”
Olivia pouted, “That’s because we’re in a cave, Royal Buttmole!”
“Buttmole? I am greatly offended!”
Katrina spoke over them, “Lassie, ye be pushin it with tha ugly nicknames.”
“I give nicknames to people I like and don’t like, you get to guess which one it is,” Olivia smiled innocently.
“We can sort that out when we figure out where we are,” Eli proceeded up the tunnel.
The gang tailed him. The further along they travelled, the chillier the air had become, soon turning into a harsh breeze. They gripped their fluffy clothes tight as they emerged from the cave.
“Oh I know this place!” Olivia exclaimed. She pointed ahead with a steady hand. “This is Crossroad Cavern! My mummy and I would see it on our way down to Trainyard Cavern!”
“Trainyard Cavern? That means there’s trains here too,” Trixie said with relief in her voice.
Kord grinned, “That works out too good. Just need to find the rails and its smooth travelling from there.”
“If we catch the next train, it could take us to my home!” the girl cheered.
“Pronto?” Eli asked of the molenoid.
“Certainly. The quicker I, the Greatest Tracker of the 99 and East, finds these elusive train tracks, the sooner we can be rid of her ‘Royal-Pain-In-The-Hiney’.”
“Hey!” the princess sputtered.
The molenoid merely held a smirk before sniffing the air. He cringed, “Agh- my glorious nose hairs have… found a chill. However, Pronto will persevere and lead his group to victory!” He tried again, this time pushing through the annoying pain. The donkey mecha trotted ahead of the gang.
It wasn’t long before they were met with their desired location.
“We are close now- GAH!” the molenoid and donkey tripped over the railway’s edge.
The gang shared a laugh.
“You okay Pronto?” Eli managed to get out between the giggles.
“Pronto is very fine, thank you.” He looked down and beamed, “A hah! I have found them!”
The gang shared an ego boosting clap with Eli congratulating him, “Way to go Pronto!”
“Thank you, thank you,” the molenoid grinned even wider as he stepped off the tracks with his mecha.
The ground began to rumble in time with a distant train horn.
“That sounds like our ride,” Eli smirked.
“Lemme guess… you wanna do it Max Jackson style and jump onto it with the mechas?” Trixie guessed.
Eli innocently chuckled, “It’s gonna be cool and fun.”
“I wanna do it! We’re gonna have to since there isn’t a station for who knows how far!” Olivia echoed Eli’s eagerness.
The train rolled into view, leaving them with a small window of choice.
“I be down for it!” Katrina began to ride beside the train line.
“Wait for us Kat!” Eli followed along with the rest of the gang.
The train rumbled along side the mecha beasts. The group’s eyes locked onto an empty storage car. One by one, the beasts leapt into the open door. They slid into park against the walls with their daredevil riders laughing like mad men.
“That was epic!” Kord yelled.
“So cool!” Trixie tacked on.
“I think my heart is still trying to find its rhythm once more,” Mira held her chest with a small smile.
Olivia jumped off the swan mecha and looked up at the gang. “Come on! This isn’t a space for a Princess and her fellows to sit for the ride. There’s a food cart near the front of the train and some really comfy seats.”
“You had Pronto at food cart,” the molenoid’s mouth watered. “This is something you and I can agree on, Princess Olivia.”
The gang dismounted their rides and followed the young girl into the main carriages of the train.

Chapter Text

The gang piled into a vacant booth near the door. Olivia, Kord and Mira on one side whilst Pronto, Katrina, Eli and Trixie squeezed onto the other. Olivia pressed herself up next to the window with glee in her eyes. The Shane Gang all seemed to share in the delight as their vision was blessed. Their view of the beautiful shimmering trees with blue green leaves lining the railway was magical.
“Wow,” Eli cooed at the sight.
“It’s so pretty,” Trixie spoke in awe. She was quick to take out her camera and record their journey.
Curious eyes stared at the ragtag group of outsiders. Katrina huffed at the attention, “What? Can’t an amphibianoid and her friends be happy on a train?”
Olivia pried her eyes away from the glass and glanced at her, “They’re gonna stare cause you’re with royalty, remember?”
Kord stole a glance of the other passengers. He recognized the races of humans, elves, cave trolls and the odd molenoid and reptilian seated, but there were two odd race of riders on the train. “Huh, never seen guys like those before.”
Olivia looked over the seat to see the citizens minding their own business now. She turned to the cave troll and remarked, “Well, I bet they haven’t seen anyone like you around either. If you’re staring at those kapri and harenoid people, they’re just everyone else. Happy citizens under the royal family’s watch.”
“Oh! Its kinda like when we went to the Eastern Caverns and no one there knew what a molenoid was,” Eli remembered.
“That sounds like heaven!” a passing rabbit person in overalls said. He laughed afterwards. “Sorry for the intrusion, just some harenoid humour.”
Pronto sputtered in disbelief. Before he could retort, Eli waved it off, “You’re all good, have a nice rest of your day sir.”
“You lot too,” the happy harenoid stepped away towards the cart they just came from.
The molenoid stewed, “Pronto is ashamed of that horrible comment he called a joke!”
“He better be keepin his paws off our mechas…” Katrina scowled.
“I think he might have some cargo in where our mechas are. I did see some carrot labeled boxes back there,” Kord took a guess.
Olivia bobbed her head, “The harenoid people are some of the best farmers here in the European Caverns. Though, they’re not a huge fan of molenoids.”
“I beg to doubt that statement is true! How could any race not like molenoids?” Pronto crossed his arms.
“I overheard them talking about it to my mum. Something about a fight over land?”
“So a land dispute?” Trixie pulled the dots together.
“They have a full on fight over it,” Olivia looked disinterested. “It’s all so silly. Why can’t they just half the cavern for both them? That would make things easier.”
“Things aren’t that simple,” Eli sighed. “Not everything is black or white, good or bad, light and dark-”
“You drone on like the old harenoid librarian,” Olivia yawned. “You’re making me sleepy.”
The gang shared a laugh at the exchange.
Mira summarized Eli’s thoughts, “Eli is correct though. Things cannot be resolved unless the people involved speak and understand one another.”
“Pronto must know, are the molenoids of these caverns as grand as the Pronto’s own of the 99?” the molenoid leaned on his hands.
“I dunno. Mum never lets me see the fights. I only know about it from her stories.” The princess huffed, “It’s not fair. She gets to go on big adventures while I’m stuck at home doing boring book work.”
“She does it to keep you safe. My father was very much the same when I was a little girl myself,” Mira smiled.
“That sounds like a boring way to do that…”
Eli waved his hand, “It may sound boring, but that’s why parents do that. They do it to make sure you’re not in harm’s way. My dad was the previous defender of the 99 and my mom was a bounty hunter looking for him when he disappeared.”
Olivia bobbed her head along. “I guess, but that’s really cool for them. But you got to go on adventures and you’re still a kid.”
“My dad made sure I didn’t step in till I was 15,” Eli sighed with a calm look.
“Oh…” Olivia’s face scrunched before falling into a frown.
“Ye be quite young to be in this mess, lassie,” Katrina tossed her hand.
The young princess looked to her Infurnus on her shoulder. The two exchanged a somber glance. “Yeah… it’s kinda scary… but I’m a tough slinger! I can protect myself and I’m brave!”
The gang smiled at the girl’s self-esteem boost.
Kord hummed in curiosity, “Speaking about your mom and all that… what exactly happened to get you kidnapped and taken to the 99?”
The princess’s face dropped and paled. “I… I don’t remember much… all I saw was a scary man. He was gray and wore a green robe. He was like a corpse. My mum tried to protect me but I passed out before I could see more. I really hope my mum is at home.”
The gang held a sombre silence. Mira’s hand glided along Olivia’s back in a comforting manner.
The speakers of the train bleeped. The drone of a lifeless man’s voice spoke, “Greetings passengers, we are approaching ‘Palace Cavern City Station’. If this is your stop, please be ready to depart. Passengers with mecha beasts and large cargo, please make your way to the storage train car. Please remain standing or seated within the booths until an employee arrives to assist you with your large cargo. Thank you for travelling with Stampede Trains.”
The train rumbled while coming to a slow. The group lifted their heads to the window. The green blue flora began to disappear as the train rolled into a darken tunnel. Shadows shrouded the train’s body. Lights within the train flickered to life. The flash of illumination brightened the brick and mortar that engulfed its source. The hum of the lights echoed in time with the chugging of the train wheels. A harsh screech of breaks beckoned groups of passengers to stand with their belongings.
The speaker man spoke again, “We have arrived at ‘Palace Cavern City Station’. Doors on the left side will open and please mind the gap.”
“This is our stop!” Olivia’s eyes lit up as she leapt over her companions to the aisle.
“Watch it!” Pronto spluttered.
The child did not falter in her step, “I can’t wait to see my mum again! She’s gonna be blown away with what I tell her about the 99 Caverns!”
The beaming girl was now jumping in front of the cabin door. The other members slid off their seats and joined her, though not as eager to block the doorway. A few other passengers stood, hovering near their seats. From down the aisle, a goat man with dark brown fur approached the gang. He fixed his purple train uniform with his fluffed his hand.
He began to speak, “Guests with cargo, please follow myself to the storage car.” His puffed eyebrow raised at the group before the door.
Mira was quick to move Olivia to the side, smiling politely to train employee. The kapri sighed with a soft smile. His hand tucked into the door handle and slid the partition over. He led the group in like a herd of loyal sheep.
“Passengers, please claim your items whilst I set up the dismount ramp.”
As the Shane Gang mounted their mecha beasts, the kapri man turned on his heel to a sealed panel beside the door. He carefully inputted a code to open the box and pulled a lever. From under the train car’s floor slid out a ramp connecting the car to the station platform. A rev of a mecha engine was the only warning for the kapri man. Over his back flew out the swan mecha with a crazed little girl at the helm and a panicking woman as her passenger.
“Woah! Hey!” he was spun about on the spot.
“Watch out Mr Train Man!” Olivia laughed.
“Olivia! Please slow down-” Mira feebly pleaded.
The other mechas raced pass the worker, sending him into another spin and landing him on his rear. His pupils pinged about his eyes like a dual game of pinball. All he could do was watch the Shane Gang and their dizzy doubles dart from the station platform.

The mecha beasts ran between the crowd members set in the grand train station. People side stepped the outlanders like a formal dance.
“This way! Up there!” Olivia called over her shoulder as the talon-like feet of the swan mecha trotted ahead.
The metal beasts climbed up the grand stairwell of the station. They stepped into the brilliant light of the cavern. The Shane Gang’s eyes shone with wonder at the buildings that fenced their sides. Bright white and gray stone homes lined with colourful flowers along their edges.
“Wow-” Eli breathed at the sight.
Trixie was quick to fish her camera from her belt. She dove right onto recording, “These streets are beautiful!”
“Yep! Palace Cavern is the prettiest cavern in all of Slugterra!” Oliva proudly smiled as she giggled at their awe.
Pronto shook his head and looked to the young girl, “If this is some ‘Palace Cavern’ then where would be that palace?”
“Look up silly mole! It’s massive like your stomach.”
Their gazes rose to the magnificent towers that over looked the town square, dwarfing the buildings before it. The molenoid’s jaw hit the ground as his friends’ eyes glimmered in amazement.
“Impressive, right?” Olivia’s grin grew even wider. “Come on! It’s even prettier and cooler inside!”
The princess trotted ahead with her companions tailing behind her. Trixie’s camera glossed over the architecture, the glint of the lens attracting the eyes of citizens. It was brief but their faces showed an odd sign. Mixed looks of confusion and sadness flashed before being taken away behind a smile.
“Aye, what ye be starin at?” Katrina barked towards a passing rabbit person.
The harenoid almost leapt out of their fur before speedwalking away from the scary fish lady.
“Katrina-” Eli huffed at his friend.
“Laddie, they not be too fond of we.”
Trixie watched the crowd through her lens. Her lips turned downwards. “Kat’s right Eli… they’re staring at us.” She sheltered her camera.
“They always stare like this. Afterall, you are being escorted by the Princess, you know?” Olivia blindly spoke about her fellow European Caverners.
“Pah, let them stare! They are just looking at the greatness that is Pronto!” the molenoid proudly puffed his chest in agreement.
Eli rolled his shoulders, “Guess it could also be like how we were seen as Outlanders to the Eastern Caverns.”
“I think that may be the answer we are looking for,” Mira chimed in.

The gang continued along till reaching the open space before the grand gates of the palace. The mechas paused in their stride as the riders gazed at the shut gates.
“Weird… they should be open…” Olivia muttered to herself.
“Is something amiss, Olivia?” Mira asked the child.
Olivia turned about, dismissing the nurse’s concern, “Nope! Just… uh… we need to talk to a guard! Yeah! They’ll let us in!”
The donkey mecha began to step forward. “Allow Pronto to flag down a royal guard, after all, he is royalty as well.”
The molenoid spotted a passing guard. He waved down the silver armor clad cave troll.
“Yoo-hoo! Mr Cave Troll Guard sir! We demand direct entry into the palace to meet with her royal majesty!”
The guard raised his eyebrow at the molenoid and stamped his pole arm. “What is your business with her?”
“We’re escorting Princess Olivia back to her mother after she was taken from her,” Eli added in.
“That’s right! They are my guards and rescused me! So please let us into the palace,” Olivia topped it off.
The cave troll guard’s eyes fell onto Princess Olivia, their owner taking a knee to her. “Apologies, Princess Olivia. I did not see you within this group of slingers. Please forgive my lack of diligence and allow myself to escort you and your entourage into the palace before our leader.”
“That’s better,” the blonde girl smirked.
Getting off his plated knee, the guard began to lead the gang towards the gates. They eyed the lockless gate before them. Their guard escort stepped towards the left of the gate archway. He lifted his pole arm and plugged its head into a slot within the stone. A jiggle and a jolt of the spear head made a clicking sound. The large gates began to cry and creak as they parted from one another. The pole arm was taken out and walked in with the guard and the Shane Gang into the grand palace’s courtyard. Lush green trees lined the pathway and scented the air with their vibrant flowers. Bushes and benches were placed about in a neat and orderly fashion. The seats were filled with butlers and maids on their lunch breaks.
The guard turned to the Shane Gang and spoke in a stern tone. “I must inform you that no mecha beasts are to be ridden beyond this point. I ask that you dismount your steeds. They will be taken to our stables for safe keeping and care. Rest assure, they will be returned upon your dismissal of this place.”
“If any of the mechas get any scratches, you best better buff it out before I see it,” Kord grumbled lowly to himself.
Thankfully the guard did not hear Kord’s angry yet empty threat. He waved over passing employees of the palace. The riders climbed off their rides and gave them to approaching stable hands. The guard trudged onwards with the gang completely on foot. They were able to gain an even better sense of appreciation for the beauty around them.
“This place looks like a fairy tale,” Trixie breathed in fascination.
Eli bodded his head along, “Yeah… but it’s real. It’s all real right in front of us.”
“Aye, next thing they be tellin’ us that there be dragons flying about!” Katrina chuckled her inclusion.
“I wish… all the dragons died years ago. Even before my grandpa was born,” Olivia huffed in annoyance.
“Oh dear… that sounds horrible,” Mira frowned.
The girl looked up at the nurse with her green eyes, “You shouldn’t feel bad. You didn’t do anything to them.”
“All living creatures deserve a chance to live,” Mira softly spoke.
“They were really cool in the books I saw them in,” Olivia hummed in a happier tone. “Maybe there’s some still around. After all, there’s these slugs around here called ‘Draco slugs’.”
“The Draco slugs are quite the interesting lot,” the guard bobbed his head along.
“What do they do?” Eli’s sparked with curiosity. “With a name like that, they’ve gotta be a fire element like Burpy and Pyra.”
The two Infurni slugs chattered joyously in hearing Eli’s interest.
The guard’s head tilted as he continued to lead them along, “Draco slugs are believed to be the runts of dragon nests which never develop into adults. It would have been Princess Olivia’s great ancestor, King Alexander, whom had discovered these odd creatures and used them as ammunition.”
“Woah! That’s so cool! I want to find one!” Eli grinned madly.
Trixie chimed in, “I wanna film them and learn everything about them!”
Pronto puffed with a delicate wave, “Pah, they seem quite impressive, but not as mystical as the Elementals we once carried, yes?”
“Elementals…” the guard murmured to himself. He shook his head as a shadow cast itself over the party. Before them stood a grand doorway made of pure white marble and carved stone. The gang’s heads turned and twisted to view it all as they passed under it and into the main building itself. Their feet pressed themselves into the velvet red rug forging the path. More guards lined the rug like silver edges. Their eyes stern and focused on the palace visitors.
“We’re getting close to the throne room now! Mum’s gonna be so happy to see me again! And meet you guys, you’re pretty cool… mostly Mama Mira,” Olivia exclaimed with an innocent smile.
“You said your mom basically does everything here, she must be a very strong woman,” Trixie added onto the conversation.
“Strongest person ever! No one can beat her,” the princess put her hands to her hips. “And I’m gonna be as strong as her so I can protect her and the kingdom!”
The guard cleared his throat, “Pardon my intrusion, but the throne room is nearing. Please be on your best behaviour whilst meeting with him.”
“Him?” Kord picked out of the sentence.
He didn’t get a response as the guard directed them with his spear’s head. The cave troll went to ask again only to be replied with another directing spear joust. The gang turned their attention to the open doors before them and another red rug lining their way to the throne. The youngest of the group charged forward with her face lit up.
“Mum! Mum! Miss me?” she called into the echoing room.
On the throne was an oddly large figure for someone who was meant to be the princess’s mother. A strong hand flicked upwards and towards the approaching girl and her slow following entourage.
“Wait- you’re not my mum!” the girl stewed.
The throne was occupied by not the queen but rather another guard. This one was far more intimidating than the one that escorted them. His chin was fluffed with a golden beard and his hair was covered in a short tight top knot ponytail. His brown eyes were paired with a pink scar over the right.
“Huh? What? Oh, Princess Olivia-” he leaned forward in his seat.
The girl was turning red, “Where is my mum?”
He held a grim look, “Oh that is quite the tragic tale. She went out looking for you. I was assigned to take her place until she returned.”
Trixie leaned over to Eli and whispered, “Something’s fishy. I don’t think this guy is all too pleased to Olivia again…”
The boy nodded and replied softly, “Agreed. Maybe we can try to get him to tell us more.”
Pronto didn’t seem to hold the same air of suspicion his friends found. “Well then, if that is the case, then we can leave this child here and go back home! Easiest mission completed by Pronto and the Shane Gang!”
“Not yet Pronto,” Eli stepped in and looked to the guard. “Where’d she go then? Can you call her back now? Just wanna make sure Princess Olivia here is reunited with her mum.”
“She’ll return soon enough. Just leave the brat- I mean, uh, young princess in my care,” the guard forced a fake smile. “I do also believe it is quite rude that you haven’t introduce yourselves to I as Princess Olivia’s saviours yet.”
Katrina huffed, “Ye expect it from we to tell ye? Why don’t ye say yer name first, laddie.”
A slight tinge of pink washed from the guard’s face as the amphibianoid spoke. “Though this is not the standard proceeding, I shall. I am Guard Captian Wolfrigg, or Lord Wolfrigg as I am now in charge of the throne in Queen Grace’s absence.”
Eli sighed and complied, “My name is Eli, this is my gang, Trixie, Kord, Pronto, Mira and Katrina.”
“When were you made the guard captain? Where’s Mr Leon?” Olivia quickly sparked in annoyance. “You’re just a petty squire!”
“I will have you and your group of brats thrown into the dungeon to rot!” he snapped back.
“I am the Princess of the European Caverns. You will tell me at this instant where my mum is or I’ll have you thrown down there!”
He laughed in her face, “Now that is rich! Your title means nothing. I am in charge now. You can meet her soon enough with that attitude of yours, missy.”
Katrina was the first of the enraged group to lunge at Wolfrigg. “Ye dirty landlubber! I will have yer skin melt and boil under me Beautoxin’s gas if ye don’t be tellin us details, now!”
Lapis and Munchy growled in time with their slinger from their tubes.
Wolfrigg’s cheeks grew a flustered pink. “Well now, this is a lady who speaks her tongue. Perhaps I will give that information out in exchange for something-”
“You sir are very un-knightly! You do not dare flirt with a taken woman! She is my darling Katrina!” Pronto snarled in defence. He pulled his blaster up into the cave troll faux lord.
The gang followed suit, all pointing their blasters towards their new enemy.
“Ye better bite yer tongue, laddie.”
He aggressively shoved away Pronto’s blaster. “I’ve had enough your banter. Guards! Seize these intruders and take them to the dungeon!”
Waves of guards fell into the room, spear, crossbow and sword blasters lining their defensive wall.
“Oh boy… here we go again,” Eli groaned.
“Drop your weapons and surrender your slugs to the royal guard,” the escort guard had commanded of the group.
Without a chance to bite back, they complied and threw down their weapons. Their hands raised in the air. Some of the guards came to collect their belongings, confiscating anything that wasn’t the clothes on their back.
“Careful with my camera!” Trixie barked at the pat down.
“There is nothing more than a medical kit within my bag,” Mira whimpered as her belt bag and the Shadow Flute inside was taken.
Eli groaned as his backpack was removed while Katrina barred her teeth from her knife being seized.
Burpy, Pyra and the rest of the slugs snarled and bit at the approaching guards. They tried to make a run for it. Guards scampered over one another in a chase for the escaping creatures. They cornered and captured them with their own Jellyish and Arachnet slugs.
“How fascinating,” the head guard spoke as he joined his comrades. “Two Infurnus slugs. Here I believed that only one existed. Why, I believe Master will be quite pleased with this discovery.”
“Master? Who’s your master?” Eli side eyed their captor.
Wolfrigg chuckled, “Ah. I assure you that you will all meet with him soon enough. For now, just know him as a powerful man you dare not cross, nor his commanders.”
“Commanders- wait!” Eli remembered. “We already beat one of them! Commander Tau!”
“Tau was a weak link and an even weaker slinger. I figured as much seeing you lot caring for the brat. Corrupting her mind to think she’s been saved but really, you’re here to destroy the kingdom.”
Trixie snarled, “You’re lying!”
“We rescued Olivia from that guy!” Kord doubled down.
“You dare call us criminals whilst you misuse your power?” Pronto added on in a snarky retort.
“I have had enough of you criminals. Be gone with them. Have a messenger sent to the Tower to bring master an update report.” Wolfrigg waved away the gang. “I have to prepare these slugs for their examination.”

A while after their conflict with the ‘Lord Wolfrigg’, the Shane Gang were locked behind dungeon bars. Stripped of their weapons and slug friends, the gang could only yell into the empty ears.
“Well that went swell,” Trixie rolled her eyes with a sarcastic tone. She sat herself in the back corner with her arms crossed.
“I’m going to make him pay! He isn’t a knight!” Olivia fumed as she stomped about the cell.
“Hey Kord, reckon you can get us outta this?” Eli asked the big man.
Kord inspected the bars, sighing. “No can do. Bars are reinforced smolten.”
“Aye, be real shame we don’t be havin any of our wee slugs,” Katrina huffed from beside Trixie.
“They did not take all of our slugs,” Mira softly whispered. Her hands ruffled through her hair and presented two slugs. Doc and Nana grinned towards their slingers.
“Way to go Mira!” Eli beamed.
“It was not I, it was Doc’s brilliant plan to stowaway within my hair to escape capture.”
“Lassie! We be hittin thar jackpot! The little laddie and lassie can go get us some keys and get us outta here!” Katrina plotted quickly.
“Pah, Pronto can charm our way out of this dingy prison,” the molenoid had to interrupt.
Doc and Nana just shook their heads at the mole. Doc leapt onto Eli’s shoulder and gave him a loving headbutt. Nana stationed herself onto Mira’s shoulder, holding onto her hair for support.
“Ugh… do you have an off-button somehere?” Olivia poked him.
A cough cut through to the group. “Hey, mind keeping it down a notch? Some of us are trying to sleep.”
They shot their attention towards the opposite cell. A purple cave troll with long maroon hair and short beard glanced at them with tired eyes.
Olivia’s face fell into shock as she grabbed the bars. “Mr Leon!”
“Wait… Princess Olivia? I- I can’t believe it! You’re back and safe- well… as safe as being imprisoned is to be,” the cave troll rocketed to his feet to share in the same joy.
“That nasty Wolfrigg squire is gonna pay for locking us away, right?”
“I wish that could be the case, Princess. But alas, we are prisoners till we rot or are taken.”
Eli butted in, “Taken where?”
“Taken away to that cursed mine within the Winter Wastelands,” Leon coughed.
“What’s the Winter Wastelands?” Trixie asked next.
“I take it you all are not from around these caverns? In short, the Winter Wastelands are the dead caverns in the northernmost region of the caverns. There lives a great evil known as the ‘Enlightened Alchemist’.”
“There’s that name again,” Eli grumbled. “‘The Enlightened Alchemist’.”
“Was that not the name that ‘Commander Tau’ cyclops man shouted as he attacked us?” Pronto inquired.
Leon snorted in dismay, “Commander Tau… Clyde. He was a palace guard just like Wolfrigg, or should I call him by his new title, Commander Alpha. They both work for the Enlightened Alchemist.”
“What else do you know about them?” Eli pressed on.
The ex-captain huffed, “Wolfrigg was once my own squire. He, myself and the guard squadron had taken off in search of Queen Grace and Princess Olivia. As we travelled, he struck me down with a new found evil strength. I was stunned and my squadron could not do anything to defy him. So he took my position and locked me away in this cell.”
Olivia screamed and punched the bars before her. She only echoed herself as she fell back cupping her knuckles. Mira dashed to her aid, taking her bleeding hands into hers. She silently asked for Nana’s assistance. The old Boon Doc jumped down onto her slinger’s hand and healed the girl’s injury.
“Olivia, please be careful. Is your wound feeling better?”
Olivia’s face was filled with bewilderment. She raised her hurt knuckle to see no signs of damage. “Wow- Thank you Mama Mira and Miss Nana!”
She wrapped her arms around the healer.
“I am quite happy you all found and rescued her. On behalf of the European Caverns, I thank you,” Leon bowed to the Shane Gang.
“No need to thank or bow to us. We’re just helping where we can,” Eli humbled himself and his friends. “And we’re gonna help find Queen Grace and defeat that Enlightened Alchemist guy.”
He looked up at the ceiling with a grim expression.
“Just gotta get our slugs and gear, right E?” Trixie moved to his side slowly and placed her hand on his shoulder.

Meanwhile in the armory of the palace, Wolfrigg was marking down the slugs and blasters he had gained off the Shane Gang. His pen danced along the clipboard, greedily marking down the two Infurnus slugs within his possession. The slugs held nasty growls towards the cave troll in their canister prisons. He sneered back at them, a deep snicker rumbling in his throat.
“You think you’re all so tough. You’re merely pawns for a greater plan.”
Burpy snapped back a rude retort.
“I don’t even understand a word you’re saying but I do have to ask if you kiss your mother with that foul mouth of yours.”
The 99 Caverns’s Infurnus boiled in his cell.
Wolfrigg tossed his head in amusement. His smug look only lasted a short while as he then glared down at the odd ice slug in Eli’s arsenal.
“Ugh… Tau, you are a failure. You were given one task. How hard is it to abandon a child in another cavern system? An absolute imbecile…”
His mind was taken away from his fellow commander’s failure as he remembered the two bags he had yet to rummage through. His hands hungrily grabbed onto the orange backpack first. Unzipping the bag and tipping out its contents, he noted down loose coins, lint, a pack of playing cards, slug food and two interesting crown shaped objects. He picked up the black and green device off the table. Passing it through his fingers for investigation, his brain sparked.
“Shadow Clan technology. Crude yet intriguing. Perhaps Master will find a use for it.”
He exchanged it for its twin, this one rather coloured in orange and white. Prying eyes inspected this crown and the technology that laid within its casing. He held it up and smirked. A crown for a king and a discovery he could make. Without a second thought, he laid it on his skull. The slugs grinned with devious glee at the mistake he had made.
“Oh no. He’s gonna go crazy now,” a voice chirped.
“What was that? Who goes there?” Wolfrigg jumped to a defensive stance.
“Down here, genius!” the voice said again.
“You? You’re speaking to me?” the cave troll’s utter confusion spread more as he looked to the slugs.
Pyra chimed in, “You’re right Burpy, he is gonna go crazy.”
“How is this possible? Wait- this device. I can understand the slugs with this thing,” he was beginning to enjoy his new found power.
“Don’t let the power go to your head. It might bring the crazy out,” Burpy continued on.
Stinky chimed in, “Yeesh, even my slinger’s smarter and he barely uses both his brains.”
Bluster tagged in too, “You know, we can talk about the most boring and mundane thing.”
“Like taxes and algebra?” Luna asked.
“How bad Max Jackson films are?” Seasong started a flame.
“How can you NOT like Max Jackson?” Bluster sputtered.
Wolfrigg stared at them in bewilderment, “Max who now? And ugh, don’t yell.”
Seasong smirked, adding onto the fire more, “Max Jackson has the same one trick; explosions and poor slinging posture.”
“Nah, you’re crazy for that!” Munchy and Bludgeon barked in unison.
The slugs began to rant on and on about how good a film series was into a cacophony of opinionated squeals. Wolfrigg plugged his ears and screwed his eyes shut.
“Shut up! Shut up! Silence! I demand silence!” he begged.
The slugs did not listen to his cry and continued to yell at one another. The cave troll thumped the table before him and threw off the talker in a bitter rage. He stormed out of the room and barked demands at passing guards to watch over the bickering creatures. The confused yet loyal guards took their station within the room.
“How could Lord Wolfrigg been so upset over some slugs?” one asked his colleague.
The other hummed, “Maybe they insulted his mother.”
“With such a fragile ego like that, I’m surprised he kept his ex-wife for as long as he did.”
“I’m honestly still in shock he has a daughter. One day he was whimpy and egotistical, now he’s big and in charge.”
The first guard laughed, “The ego stayed.”
His fellow cackled along for the joke. With the given opportunity, the slugs initiated phase two of their plan.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Bang!
The guards flung around on their heels with shock. The canisters had fallen off the table and began to roll about. The electric locks released the tubes, adding into the madness. The guards stumbled about each other trying to grab the fleeing slugs. The first guard managed to grab a hold of Pyra. Burpy smartly and quickly chirped to his fellow Infurnus. With a devious grin, she flared up. The searing heat of the glass passed through the guard’s glove. He screamed and threw the tube away to nurse his palm. His partner was about to bark at him before releasing the other slugs had escaped from their tubes.
“Oh floppers-” he cursed.
“You’re letting them get away!”
“Says the guy who didn’t think twice about picking up the fire slug tube!”
“Why I outta-”
The two began to throw hands and insults at one another. The slugs cackled at the misfortune of both before skedaddling entirely. Burpy led the slugs out of the armory and into the massive halls. He turned to Pyra and the other European slugs for aid.
Pyra returned a confident chirp on behalf of Olivia’s arsenal. As they were about to make their next move, Chiller spotted something to speed up their choice. He squealed at the sight of rushing guards.
Without a chance to breathe, the slugs bolted away. They weaved and dodged on coming slug fire as they followed their friends through the palace walls. Louder squeaks of terror erupted from the slug brigade the closer each shot was to them.
They rounded a corner when one of them stopped. Spinner called out to the other Arachnets along with the Frostcrawler and the Mutlibun. He ushered them to fall back with him. It was crude but effective. The Arachnets spun their webs to across the hall in a tripwire set up. The Frostcrawlers painted the floor in a sheet of ice whilst Bun-Bun followed Spinner.
As they turned down the corner, the perusing guards tripped into a dog pile and slid across the icy floor. The stragglers paused strategically to assess what happened to their fellows. They weren’t given much time to plan as five pairs of cold fluffy fists barreled them over. Left in a daze, the guards could only watch the fuzzy figures disappear down another turn.

The Infurni duo and their merry band of slugs had slipped down onto the dungeon’s level. They bounded across the stone floor in search of their slingers. Each leap was sounded with a call.
Pronto stuck his nose up in the air. “Do you hear that?”
“Hear what?” Kord asked.
“I hear it! It sounds like our slugs!” Mira gleefully ran to the cell door and peered through the bars. “I sense their energy approaching rapidly!”
“Yay!” Olivia cheered as she and the rest climbed to the bars.
Eli grinned massively at the approaching slug wave, “Burpy! Way to go buddy! You guys got the key for this?”
Burpy chirped and shook his head at first. But he thought and changed to a nod.
“I take that as a yes?” Eli hummed in a small concern.
Mira stepped back, “Friends, I believe we should be away from the bars. Burpy plans to use force.”
Heeding the slug healer’s warning, the gang backed away from the barred wall. Burpy nodded towards Spinner and Torch. The Arachnet burped out thread and handed the loose end to the Infurnus. Torch lined himself in the centre of the web string and pulled back. More slugs held onto Burpy and Spinner, increasing the strong hold on the makeshift sling. The Forgesmelter could feel the tension of the thread fighting against his force. He let go and flew towards the bars. He spun, morphed and launched out a molten metal goop onto the smolten bars. The gang jumped back as their prison melted before them. Not skipping a beat, they darted out of the prison and reunited with their slugs.
“Glad to have you guys back!” Eli beamed with his slugs piling onto him.
Kord nodded, “Thank you slugs!”
“Always got our back!” Trixie grinned.
Katrina smirked, “Like a crew, they never be leavin a matey behind!”
Eli’s brain sparked as he turned to the other cell, “Oh right, Leon was it? Let’s get you out of there too.” Torch leapt onto his slinger’s hand ready.
“No no, don’t fret for me. It’d be better off if I stay here. Clearly Wolfrigg finds some joy in toying with my imprisonment.” The troll shook his head, “You need to focus on escaping and finding Queen Grace. She would be able to set my old squadron straight.”
“Where would we start looking?”
“Gold City Cavern is full of people, good and bad. I’m sure you’ll find someone who knows where she might have been taken to,” Leon pointed with his fingers. “It’s east of here. There’s a train that goes directly there through Harefield Cavern. If you miss it, you’ll just have to follow the tracks on mecha back.”
“Thank you Leon. We’ll find her as soon as possible and break you outta here,” Eli promised.
“Depart now whilst you have the element of surprise on your side.”
The gang shared their promise and goodbyes to the ex-guard captain then followed their slugs back out into the ground floor. Olivia and Pyra took lead as they searched for the armory.
“Pronto does wonder how the slugs managed to escape in such a quick way?” the molenoid ponder.
“Well, Burpy and the others are pretty good at escaping, just like us,” Eli speculated on the mystery.
Burpy grinned and nodded.
“We’re almost there! Just a that door up ahead!” Olivia said quickly.
The gang rushed along into the armory, stealing back their gear. Eli groaned at the mess on the table. “Geez, when you rummage through someone’s stuff, least put it back in the bag.”
“You don’t think he put on the Shadow Talker, do you?” Trixie worried.
“Nah, he didn’t! He put on this weird thing,” Olivia cut in as she held up the orange and white crown. “I found it on the floor.”
“Wait… the Slug Talker? That means,” it clicked in the Shane’s brain. He turned to Burpy with a held back snicker. Burpy innocently shrugged, though his smug smirk didn’t leave his face.
“The slugs belittled the ‘all so mighty’ Wolfrigg?” Pronto laughed out.
Eli couldn’t hold it in, “Seems like it!”
Katrina interjected, “Laddies and lassies, I hate to be cuttin this giggle fest short, be we best be getting to our mechas and catchin thar train.”
“Right. Lets get a move on gang,” Eli swiftly gathered his things back into his bag and strapped up.
The Shane Gang rushed out into the hall, blasters in hand ready for a fight. And a fight they got. Wolfrigg was blocking their exit. His brown eyes burned with anger towards his escapists.
“Well, well, well. Now where do you think you are running off too? You all thought you could escape?” he drew out his blaster.
Pronto gluped and pointed, “That is… a very large sword blaster.”
Eli cringed at the memory, “It’s bigger than the Emperor’s.”
“It can’t be as strong as his, this guy is just a fraud,” Trixie chipped in her two cents.
“You don’t scare us!” Olivia growled.
He bared his teeth with rage, “I am Commander Alpha! One of the heads of the Enlightened Council! I will make you wish you didn’t break out of your cells, worthless maggots!”
The massive blaster slashed across the air. From its blade, a Thrasher ghoul soared out. It spun into a saw blade then divided the people in its path. The gang leapt out of the way and fired back. A mix of fire and wind slugs sent the large troll flying back onto his behind.
“Book it!” Trixie yelled.
The Shane Gang bounded over the winded Commander Alpha and darted out into the courtyard. The once blooming and bustling gardens were now lifeless. All the gang could focus on was getting their mechas and hightailing it outta there.
“The stables are this way!” Olivia beckoned her friends to follow her.
They ran like wild slug hounds after the girl. Not far ahead was the mecha stables where their beasts rested. Kord gave a sharp whistle, activating the mechas into standby. Olivia copied the big man, seemingly for no reason. Kord and Katrina barged their shoulders into the stable gates. Each slinger mounted their mecha beast and reeved their engine.
Mira held out her hand for her passanger, “Olivia!”
“I’m okay! I have my own!” the princess leapt onto a smaller sized mecha sabertooth. She started it up and raced out before the others.
“Keep up!”
Eli grinned at the brashness of the princess, “Don’t need to tell us twice!”
The gang tailed their guide across the courtyard and out the front gates. Guards on standby of the outer wall were purely surprise as they watched the mecha beasts escape the palace. The metal claws scrapped the stone roads of the township in the mad dash for the train station. The beasts flew down the stairs and into the wandering crowd. Gasps and yelps sounded as pockets of floor were opened to the gang. The train they needed to catch was readying to leave.
“Stop! Wait for us!” Olivia called out to the train hand.
Pronto turned pale as he looked behind the group, “I do not like to be the bearer of bad news, but I believe to have spotted the angry Mr Wolfrigg!”
“Quick!” Eli broke ahead of the group and into the open cargo car. Lucky’s feet skidded across the floor and into the opposing wall. The other mechas fell in line behind him, turning into a mecha pile up inside the train car. They sat in a daze as the poor train hand could only shut the door and head into the main car. A whistle blew and the train began to chug off.
“Woooo!” Kord cheered.
“So long sucker!” Katrina grinned.
Eli breathed relief, “That’s one problem solved!”
Mira caught herself and sighed, “That was terrifying…”
“It’s okay Mama Mira!” Olivia slid off her mecha to hug the shaking nurse. “That big mean cave troll can’t hurt us now!”
Trixie bobbed her head along, “Olivia’s got a point. We should be right for now.”
Pronto flopped onto the floor, “Pronto wishes to nap.”
“Ye said it laddie,” Katrina yawned.

Though it was all cheers and joy inside the train car, Commander Alpha watched the train depart with a cocky grin. He mumbled to himself, “Those fools. They may have escaped, but they’ve only gotten themselves into more trouble. They’ll be back.” He lifted out his tablet and called someone on it.
The line opened to a gruff voice, “Commander Gamma speaking.”
“Gamma, it’s Alpha, you are harboring some interesting individuals on your train. Have them captured and brought back to the palace.”
“Understood, Commander Alpha.”
He shut the tablet down and smirked wider.

Chapter Text

Celebrations burnt out as the Shane Gang regained their breath. Their eyes collectively fell back on the door to the next train car. As they began to make their way over, they heard a thud. Heads turned back around and they shared a soft laugh. Pronto had fallen onto the floor and curled up beside his mecha beast. His snores echoed inside the car.
“Do we… just leave him?” Olivia asked as she looked up at the others.
Eli patted the girl’s shoulder. “Yeah, let the old mole rest.”
“It’s his nap time,” Kord joked.
The girls had a giggle at the delivery. Silently and carefully, they opened the door and ducked inside the next car. Just as they had on the previous train, they sat within the dining booth. The princess hailed down a cart-pushing kapri train attendant.
“Hi, Ms Train Attendant! Can we get seven traveler’s snack boxes?” she asked with a bright grin. “Oh, and six cups of Earl Grey too, please!”
“Of course, dear,” she smiled through her furry gray face. Her eyes fell on the others at the table as she noted them down in a notepad on her cart.
The gang sheepishly waved to the waiter. She bobbed her head and set down her pen. “Won’t be long, just sit tight,” she turned on her heel and dragged her little cart behind her.
“Aye, I could get used to this type of transportation!” Katrina folded her arms behind her head, leaning back into the cushioned seat.
Eli chuckled, “Same here.”
Kord hummed, “So the plan’s to get to Gold City Cavern?”
Trixie bobbed her head as she leaned onto Eli’s shoulder, “That’s what Leon said. Best chance we got to find the Queen.”
“Mr Leon is always right. Well, he claims to always be right,” Olivia chimed in. “But still, maybe the police department in Gold City will know where my mummy is.”
Eli was impressed, “Police? That’s gonna be a huge help.”
“You guys will probably like Gold City Cavern. It’s the biggest city in all of the caverns. Even bigger than the Palace!” Olivia grinned.
“Do it be made of actual gold?” Katrina leaned forward with interest sparkling in her eyes.
“Nope, it’s coloured by this pretty light that the crystals on the ceiling make!”
Mira’s eyes sparkled as the girl explained, “It sounds magical.”
Olivia giggled and smiled up at the healer, “It is kinda!”
“Alright, darlings. Here are your tea and food,” the kapri woman returned to their table with their hot drinks and boxed lunches. She pulled them off her cart’s top, slid them in front of each member, and then placed down a massive shared bowl of slug food. The slugs eagerly grinned at the feast and leapt in without a second thought. She smiled at the group before attending to another passenger. The gang’s pupils enlarged over the hot meal, with most of their mouths salivating over it. They began to chow down in their own ways; Eli, Trixie and Kord scoffing it down like it’s their last meal of their lives, Katrina taking a bit more class and shoveling it in, the same with Olivia. As for Mira, she giggled at her friends’ eating habits.
“Wow! This is so good!” Trixie beamed brightly.
“It’s better than actual British food,” Eli swallowed down a chunk.
“What’s a ‘Bri’ish’?” Olivia raised an eyebrow at him.
“It’s a thing back in our caverns,” Eli fibbed.
Burp!
The table turned to their cave troll friend, the bashful giant laughing into his hand. “Uh, it was Pronto?”
“If you’re gonna burp, you’ve gotta do it with more energy,” Eli took on the challenge. He let out another belch.
Trixie cackled, “You guys-”
Burp!
The boys began to laugh more, joined by Trixie and Olivia. Mira couldn’t help but let out a polite sigh mixed with a short giggle.
BURP!
Shock spiraled over them. Their gazes lifted onto their amphibianoid companion dabbing her lips with a cloth. “Aye? What ye lot be lookin’ at? If yer’ gonna be belchin’ down the train, ye cannot beat thar’ queen.”
Trixie snickered, “Kat has a point. All hail the belching queen!”
The others chimed in between their giggles, “All hail!”
The slugs added to the chorus of chuckles as they began to burp in their own little challenge.
Katrina hummed and looked down at her mostly finished plate. “Hmm… perhaps we be savin’ some grub fer’ me moley. The lad would be quite grumpy without a belly full of food.”
Eli nodded along. “That’s a good idea. Pronto would love this too. Scoop all the leftovers into my box and I’ll go get him.” The boy stood up from the booth and trotted to the storage car.
Within the darkness of the car, something shimmered over the molenoid. It made a whirring sound and took aim. As the door of the other car began to beam light into the shadows, the source of the sound slumped away into the darkness.
Sniff. Sniff.
Pronto sprung up with mouth-watering glee. “AH! Did I miss breakfast? Wait for Pronto! He must fuel his mighty heroic flames!”
Eli held his stomach in laughter. “Don’t worry, Pronto, we saved you a moley bag for you.”
“Ah, a good man, young Eli Shane!” Pronto’s pointed teeth gleamed. “Now let us feast like kings!”
As the duo began to turn, a bright flash blinded their vision.

Minutes ticked along in a long and grinding manner. Despite having fun conversations, the gang’s minds were nagging them. Trixie’s eyes flickered on and off over the storage car. Katrina’s nails tapped against the glazed tabletop. The feeble girl broke the silence.
“Where’s Eli and the mole?” Olivia asked, her voice trembled slightly.
“Aye lassie, it ain’t be thar’ thing to be lolly-gagging after food,” Katrina’s nails continued to sing their tune.
“Yeah, I’m gonna go check on them. Probably just Pronto taking his time munching,” Kord volunteered. He stepped out of his seat.
“I’ll go with ye laddie. I be putting holes in the table if I worry any longer,” the amphibianoid shot up and out of the booth with her companion.
The blue duo walked towards the storage car. The door split and they peeked inside.
“Eli? Pronto?” Kord called into the car.
Katrina skipped ahead into the dim area. She asked again, “Me moley? Eli? Where ye two be?”
“Do you think they could’ve run off somewhere?” Kord questioned, covering his bases.
“Maybe? Aye, me head be a mess. Thar not be much an option for them to go- ow!” She grumbled and glared down at her feet. “Which be the thing vexing me?”
Shuffling her foot aside, she bent down and something clicked.
Kord tilted his head, “What is it? A sharp bit of hay? Loose box cutter?”
She held up a white shard between her fingers. “A bit of plate.”
“Broken plate? Ugh, my gut’s eating me right now. This is probably something bad. We should get back to the others.”
“Agreed laddie.”

The others waited for their friends, their ears perking up to the clunking of the sliding door.
Trixie almost sprang from her seat, “Where’s Eli and Pronto?”
“We don’t know, but we got something interesting,” Kord informed the group with a furrowed brow.
Katrina opened her hand and presented the evidence before them. “See fer ye’selves.”
The gathering of slugs shared an exaggerated gasp.
Olivia picked up the shard from the amphibianoid. “It’s… it’s a piece of a plate? What’s that gotta do with anything? Reckless star boy could’ve dropped it or the Royal Molebutt could’ve eaten the plate too. ”
Trixie glared at the object, her mouth curled into a scowl. “I doubt that. Eli’s not the type to drop things unless startled. I think they were captured by someone on the train.”
“Me thoughts exactly, lassie.”
Kord hummed, “Everyone’s kinda a suspect when you think about it. We don’t know anyone on the train, nor do we know their relations with each other.”
Trixie nodded, “But if you had to go with your gut right now Kord, who do you think could’ve done it?”
“My guess is as good as yours. My gut feeling is all over the place.”
Olivia cut in, “Wait! Does this mean we get to be detectives now? If so, I wanna be Detective Olivia Holmes! Detective Holmes is my favourite crime show detective!” The young girl was incredibly giggly and eager.
“Uh… sure?” Kord agreed with a confused look.
Olivia and Holmes puffed out their chests as they stood up on the chair. “Leave it to Detective O. Holmes and her Assistant Detective Holmes! We’ll need to investigate for clues!”
Trixie got up as well. “Let’s split up. We’ll cover more ground like that.”
The princess chipped in, “I think we should investigate the conductor! Every Stampede Train has a security system somewhere on the train.”
“The conductor should be informed of the two missing people on the train,” Mira bobbed her head along.
“I kinda wanna check out the storage car again, something’s not right in there to me,” Kord thumbed back behind him.
“I’m with you on that Kord. I want to see the scene myself,” Trixie crossed her arms with a determined look.
Pronto’s and Eli’s slugs chirped in agreement with them. They leapt onto the cave troll and pigtail slingers.
Katrina “Aye, I’ll go with the lassies if ye two be safe lookin’ back in there.”
Trixie hummed as she stood up, “Right. Meet back here in 30.”

The group parted into two, with Katrina, Mira and Olivia making their way towards the head of the train, while Kord and Trixie rushed back to the storage car. The trio of girls hurriedly squished past the pews of passengers and luggage. The train’s kapri workers turned their confused glances to the sight. They opened the following door to have their noses greeted with flavorful scents. The pair of cow-like kapri chefs turned their heads to their commuters, their eyebrows bent in confusion and annoyance.
A lump sat uneasy within Mira’s throat. Olivia huffed but her hands were latched tight to Mira’s sweating palm.
Katrina tried to snap to the point, “Uh… ahoy there laddie and lassie, we be missin’ some crew and we be wantin’ to know if either of ye have seen a molenoid and a black haired kid about?”
The female kapri scowled and threw her head about. As for her male co-worker, he snorted out smoke. “STAFF ONLY.” He barged into Katrina, sending the woman back out of the kitchen car.
Mira and Olivia retreated to her side, helping up their friend. The young girl decided to have a few choice words with them.
“You big meanies! That’s not how you treat a princess or her companions! To the dungeons with you both!”
The door slammed shut with more enraged grunts. Katrina pushed herself up with a mighty growl. “AYE! Ye landlubbers be messin’ with the wrong pirate!”
She was met with a mumbled reply, “Go back to your seats or get thrown off the train!”
“Perhaps we should see Kord and Trixie. They may have found more clues of where Eli and Pronto have disappeared to,” Mira softly tugged at Katrina’s jacket back.
The fish lady deflated her chest, “I see lassie. Be best we did.”
“I’m not done with those bullies!” Olivia stomped around like a raging mammoth mecha beast.
Katrina grabbed the child by the back of her collar and held her like a slugline kitten. “I be wantin’ to knock a few of thar teeth out too lassie, but we better not be pushin it.”
The princess’s body fell limp and crossed her arms with a mighty huff. “Okay. But I get first dibs when we gotta fight ‘em!”
“Perhaps we should return now? Please?” Mira insisted again with fingers frantically dancing over her upper arms.
Katrina set down Olivia, the younger clinging to Mira’s arm with a tearful puppy gaze.
“Sorry Mama Mira.”
“Thank you both,” the healer sighed.

The trio made their way back through to the car, defeat looming over them. As they open the parting doors, a group of kapri train staff approached them from the isle behind them. The head of the group lowered his head with sharply pinched eyes. “I’m going to ask to see your tickets.”
“Tickets?” Mira’s face turned pale.
Olivia puffed her cheeks and groaned. “We don’t need tickets! I am YOUR princess and princesses have life-time tickets to ride the trains! My mummy, the Queen, said so! Even Mr Guard Captain Leon said that’s the same thing! And these are my friends, my ticket covers them too!”
“Olivia, please calm down-” Mira softly begged the girl.
The kapri herd exchanged quick bewildered looks between each other, soft mutterings and hand signs. The leader straightened himself.
“You’re not the princess anymore, girl,” he barked in a low tone.
Katrina bounced into action, tackling the first train staff closest to her.
“Run!”
Mira pushed Olivia into the following car and blocked the door with her body. She feebly tried to fend off the ambush.
”Olivia! Find Trixie and Kord! Please!”
Olivia pounded on the door and screamed, “Leave Mama Mira and Miss Katrina alone!”
“Go!” Katrina’s rumbling shout echoed.
A whirl of a blaster started and then bang. The door wouldn’t budge. A goopy green ooze seeped into the cracks, sealing the escape for the young girl.
Olivia tried with all her might to pull the handle. Nothing would work. The sounds of the struggle dying down with the tapping of hooves replacing it. The girl backed away from the door and darted to the other end, wiping the emerging tears from her cheeks.

Across the train, Trixie, Kord and their slugs had found themselves in another storage car, walls lined with metal shelving and wooden crates stacked in between.
Trixie traced her finger across a crate underling the words etched into the wood. “’To: Golden City Cavern. Handle with care’. Least we know this train is going out where we need to be.”
“That’s the only good news I’m hearing right now. Be better if it said ‘Eli and Pronto are in here’,” the cave troll waved his arms with sarcastic flair.
“Nothing is that easy, Kord,” Trixie sighed with a small smile.
Kord cupped his hands around his mouth, “Eli! Pronto! Where are you guys?”
The pigtailed slinger’s ears perked up, pressing her finger to her friend’s lips. “Shh- I think I hear someone.”
Thud.
Burpy chirped from Trixie’s shoulder and pointed up ahead. The two slingers shared a nod and drew their blasters.
Thud.
A crate began to shift on the far bottom shelf. The duo stepped closer, each step in time with the thudding of wood. Once just out of arm’s reach, they pressed their backs against the neighbouring shelving. Kord gripped the edge of the box as Trixie lifted her spare hand to count down.
Three fingers up, then to two, then one. As her final finger fell, Kord tore the box from its home. The pair leapt in front of the gap with blasters triggers at the ready. A muffed yelp answered their aggressive advance.
“Eli? Pronto?” Trixie and Kord shouted in befuddled unison and their slugs chirped with glee.
The boy and molenoid were tied up back to back in a thick rope with cloth scraps tied around their mouths. The look of relief flooded their faces, their legs kicking with joy. Trixie slid down to their side and pulled off their rags.
Eli drew a rushed breath, “Thank slug it’s you guys! We got knocked out by some of those goat people.”
“They hit Pronto really hard! If they had not taken advantage of his much needed beauty sleep, I would have dispatched those fiends with my great skills!” the enraged mole spat.
Kord’s eyes darted around the isle, “Save the thanks and revenge plots for later, we’ve gotta untie you two and find the other girls.”
“Ugh! Whoever tied these ropes are making this way harder,” Trixie grunted while trying to hook her finger tips into the rope knots.
Burpy, Doc, and the odd ice slug bounded to Eli’s aid.
“Crud- we’ve got company,” Kord alarmed the group.
The pattering of hooves was rocketing towards the gang.
“Go! We’ll get ourselves outta this! No point in all of us being caught!” Eli ordered his gang.
Before Trixie could retort for her partner’s safety, slug fire repelled her and Kord down the train.
“Get back here!” the attackers demanded through the whirl of blasters.
Kord grabbed Trixie by her arm and dragged her down back to the car where the mecha beasts were. The scurry of the pair knocked down some crates. The kapri staff vaulted over the hastily made barricade and galloped faster.
“They’re gaining on us!” Trixie yelled ahead.
“We just gotta make it outta this cramped car!” Kord kept dashing forward.
More and more slugs fired out towards the fleeing duo.
“Hit the deck!” Trixie yelped and dove into a roll.
Kord followed her call, the spray of destructive slugs smashing through the dividing doors.
“Take it that’s our exit made!” the cave troll commented as the two darted through.
Yet another makeshift barricade was put in place with heavy creates. The duo pulled back deeper into the storage car.
The enraged train staff were snarling at the mess the escapees made. Between the annoyed huffs, they managed to push back the precious cargo. The hoofed fiends stalked the room’s edges, baring their teeth and slugs.
“Come on out, there’s no where to run!” one of them growled. “You’re surrounded, you pests!”
Kord and Trixie braced themselves in the darkness shrouded air behind their mechas. Their faces shared a grim yet determined look. The Kapri crept closer to their hiding spot, their grunting becoming louder.
Suddenly their ears perked to another sound. Across the car, the door slid open to a crying young girl. She glanced at the workers through her teary eyes.
They tried to play as sweet as pie to appease the child. “Hey there, little girl. You should really go back to the other car. It’s not safe in here.”
The girl wiped her eyes and toyed at her crown with one hand. “H-huh? W-what do you mean?” she stammered.
Kord and Trixie’s hearts sunk at the whimpering voice of the young princess.
Trixie softly prayed, “Olivia, run away.”
“Go back to the other car or you’ll get hurt,” a more gruff worker warned her.
Olivia sniffled then looked at the ground. “B-but I’m looking for my friends.”
The same worker was growing impatient. “Your friends are in the train car you just came from, little girl.”
The princess was quick to her guns; in this case slingshot; and fired at the kapri before her. “Liars!”
From the sling, Bunbun twirled in the air and split into five bunny-like forms with each punching down their own guard. Their bodies few back towards the opposing exit. That was their cue to jump in. Kord and Trixie joined the battle, slinging their Jellyish slugs to keep the guards down for the count. The slugs rendezvous back to their slingers.
“Bunhead! Mechabrain!” the little girl gratefully cheered.
“Really with the ugly nicknames still?” Kord groaned.
Trixie quickly interjected, “We’ll whine about it late, mechabrain. Olivia, where’s Mira and Kat?”
“They got caught in the other train car! You’ve gotta save Mama Mira! And the angry pirate lady!”
“Let’s go then!” the pigtail girl took the lead back to the passenger car.

As the odd trio ran towards the last location of their missing group members, the warring trot of heavy hooves thundered towards them on both sides. The employees of the train barged through the sliding doors and faced the barrels of their blasters at the heroes.
Kord turned to the group’s six whilst Olivia and Trixie stood their ground at the twelve. Backed pressed together, blasters ready.
“We’re like sitting ducks here-” Kord groaned.
Olivia grimaced, “Those are the meanies that took away Mama Mira and the pirate lady!”
Trixie stomped her foot and demanded, “Where are our friends?”
From the adversaries, the train’s conductor emerged. He glared at them with his beady brown eyes, his muted brown rough furred face in a permanent frown. In his hands was a blaster with twin barrels.
He replied to them with a nasty tone, “Your friends? They’ve beeeen sticking their noses where they’re not meant to beee. Baa!”
He clicked his hoof on the floor. Two of his employees trotted forward with Katrina and Mira held hostage.
“Kat! Mira!” Trixie and Kord exclaimed in unison.
“You can make this easy for yourselves. Baaa…. Or beeee forced into submission.”
“Ye think ye dirty scallywags can stop us?” Katrina mocked the kapri. “Ye barely have feet to stand on!”
“Beee quiet, prisoner. Baa…”
Kord looked over his shoulder, throwing a shrug. “So is that baaing thing something all you do or-”
Trixie chimed in, “It’s kinda annoying, isn’t it? Always having to ‘baa’ b’s and at the end of speeches?”
“Silence! BAA!” the leader barked.
Olivia tipped the final straw, “Oh, so it is something he can’t control!”
“I will not beee beeelittled byyy you outsiders! Baa!” He stamped his hoof and continued, “I am Commander Gamma of the Enlightened Council! You will bbooow to the Enlightened Alchemist’s command! Baaah!”
Before anyone could say another word, Commander Gamma clocked his blaster and fired out two slugs at once. The rush of energy filled the car as the hero trio dropped to the floor. A combo of a chilling Frostcrawler and a thundering Cloudstrike slug struck into the crowding employees and toppled them down. Olivia bolted to her feet and fired her Multibun at their assailants. Trixie blasted her own Frostcrawler at her feet then slid across the floor. She knocked over the ducking kapri, releasing their grasps on the other girls. Katrina grabbed Mira and Trixie, climbed onto a table and joined the fight.
“Ye be regrettin’ takin’ us hostage!”
Gamma clambered over his lackies, snarling while he staggered to his feet. His eyes darted about, the far door blocked by the bodies of his unconscious brethren.
“You’re toast, Mr. Nasty Train Man!” Olivia claimed as the Shane gang readied their blasters.
The door to the storage car began to jostle.
Kord’s eyes snapped to it, “Oh great- more guys!”
Olivia turned on her heel, ready to strike. The partition slid to the side and out leapt more slingers to the fight.
“Eli! Pronto!” Kord gleefully cheered.
“Good to have you guys back!” Trixie beamed from her high ground.
Eli grinned as he tried not to stumble over the mess of goat-folk. “Thank Doc, Burpy and the little ice guy. They helped free us.”
The mentioned trio on Eli’s shoulder grinned eagerly at the recognition.
Pronto huffed, his body frame posing with sass, “Pronto could have gnawed through the ropes, but his teeth were quite hurt-”
In that brief moment, Gamma launched another attack, blasting at the roof with a bright flash that engulfed the interior train car.
“Phosphoro slug!” Trixie reported as the gang shielded their eyes. As the brilliant light faded, their target was scampering out of the train window.
“Where does he think he’s going?” Pronto snapped his jaw.
Eli sprung fast towards the window, “He can’t get far! Not with how fast we’re going.”
“Don’t let the laddie get away!” Katrina rocketed behind Eli.
The boy pushed himself out of the window, clutching to the side of the train which warrented the fearful call out of the gang’s nurse.
“Eli please be careful!”
Katrina followed the leader, whilst answering Mira’s worrying quarrel. “He’ll be right lassie! We be keepin on him!”
“Right behind you, sister and lil bro!” Kord crawled out after Katrina.
Pronto darted for the opening and scrambled up the side with them. “Wait for Pronto!”
Olivia began to climb up towards the open window. Mira’s hand honed in on the young girl’s shoulder, holding her back.
“Olivia! That is dangerous!”
“But we gotta stop the bad guy!” she pouted.
“We’ll catch em up ahead,” Trixie mentioned an alternative.
“I agree with Trixie, it would be a lot safer.”
Olivia huffed and slid away from the window, “I guess so-”
After a quick exchange of nods, the girl trio sprinted towards the head of the train.

Katrina and the boys found their footing on the train’s roof. Leaping his way across to the next car, Commander Gamma turned his head to see them.
Eli shouted, “Hey! Almost forgot about us?”
“Baalasted stowaways!”
“You’re not getting away that easy, billygoat!” the boy continued.
Pronto looked at him with a raised eyebrow, “When did Billy get here?”
Kord interjected with his blaster fire. “Ask him that later! We’ve got a goat to slug!”
Gamma grinds his teeth before taking aim at the group. “Get off my train! BAA!”
Two slugs launched from Gamma’s blaster, this time a Forgesmelter and a Hop Rock. Kord’s Rammstone was followed up with Eli’s Vinedrill, Pronto’s Frostcrawler and Katrina’s Makobreaker. The swirl of heated smolten was pushed faster by the explosion of the Hop Rock. The counter of the frosty wall being shattered by the devastating punch of the Rammstone protected the gang from harm. Vines snuck through snatching the opposing slugs and the hoof of Gamma. Teeth rained from the Makobreaker, surrounding the kapri man. He kicked at the Vinedrill’s snare. Loading his blaster with one ammo shell, he fired at the vine, slicing it with a Thresher slug.
Gamma started to gallop away from the quartet yet ensured to keep retaliating with each pump of his blaster.
Eli and co ducked and weaved through the slug fire, returning their own shots back at him during their pursuit. The kapri commander pranced in a disorderly manner through the shots.
“Quit dodging Pronto’s moves!” the molenoid demanded as he stomped his foot.
“I will smite you all! BAA! In the name of the Enlightened Alchemist!” He patted along his belt for another shot, his face grew in annoyance.
“Outta ammo, are ye? What was all thar big talk fer’?” Katrina mocked him while she and the boys stepped closer.
“As if I would reveal that to my enemies, baah…” the train conductor stewed.
“End of the line, Commander Gamma,” Eli and the gang took aim.
“Not quite yet, baaa…”
Wooo wooo! The train whistled.
A heavy and dark soot cloud poured out from the train’s funnel and flew towards the gang. They coughed and panicked in the sooty mess. From Eli’s bag emerged his Tormato. The orange slug set itself into the ammo slot of their owner’s wrist blaster. They chirped loud and clear.
“Go Gale! Get rid of this cloud!” Eli replied between coughs. He aimed his wrist upwards and fired.
Gale flew high into the air, spun and transformed. With a mighty beat of their wings, the blinding soot cloud blew away. As they gathered their returned eyesight, they were shocked to see the empty air before them.
“Did he jump off?” Eli stammered.
“Doubt it! He must’ve slid under our noses when we got blasted with soot!” Kord grunted, rubbing the smudges from his face.
Pronto leaned over the side and exclaimed, “Ahah! The tricky fellow went this way!”
The molenoid swung his body through the side of the train. The others followed through single file. They poured into the car and spotted the fleeing Gamma heading towards the previous train car.
“Stop right there! In the name of Pronto and the Shane Gang!” the mole announced.
“Blaasted stowaways…” the kapri aggressively baaed.
He grasped the sliding door and ripped it to the side only to be met with the barrel of a blaster.
Trixie smugly pushed Gamma back, “Going somewhere?”
She along with Mira and Olivia filed into the engine cabin, pinning Gamma between the split Shane Gang.
Eli smirked even wider now, “Give it up, Gamma. You can’t run, we’ve got you surrounded.”
The kapri grunted. His hand swiftly reloaded his blaster with another single shot. The barrel flicked up and fired towards the girls.
“Watch out!” Katrina and the boys shouted.
Mira grabbed Olivia and shielded her with her body. Trixie kept her feet grounded and blasted back at the approaching Cloudstrike. Crystals sprouted from the launched Geoshard’s body, deflecting back the crackling lightning strikes.
Gamma’s eyes shot wide. It was too late. The karpi’s fur fluffed up from the heavy shock. He laid on the floor sparking slightly as his Cloudstrike sat dizzily on his torso.
The Shane Gang shared victorious cheers and exchanged high fives.
“Way to go Trix!” Kord grinned.
Katrina locked the pigtailed slinger under her arm then scuffed her hair with the other, “Quick thinkin’ lassie!”
“Just as Pronto would have planned, it is good that you thought the very same!” the molenoid boasted with a grateful smile.
Olivia sauntered over to Gamma’s side, pulling at her eye and sticking out her tongue, “Ha ha ha! We win!”
Eli looked around the engine car, pondering, “Hopefully this hunk of steel can still get us to Gold City.”
A soft murmur came from below the gang, “Set… up… baa-lockade. Harefield Cavern… baah…”
“Gah!” Olivia yelped. “He’s going to get us captured at the next stop!”
Kord peeked through the front windshield, “Looks like we’re slowing down too, only a matter of minutes before we’re got, bros!”
Eli sprinted to the exit door, “Then let’s get to the mechas and get outta here. Can’t catch us if we’re already running!”
The gang followed Eli back to the storage train car, saddled up their mecha beasts and burst out onto the grassy grounds of the cavern.

Gamma’s train continued to slow down at the following station, his workers already eagerly waiting to board the train. The angered commander had barely recovered from his dazed state, departing his train onto the station floor.
He held his head and barked orders to his employees, “Get out there and capture those stowaways! Baa!”
“My my, Commander Gamma, you look as if you were hit by a lightning rod,” a calm yet hissed feminine voice addressed him.
“Baa! C-Commander Delta, Madam!” the kapri was spooked. “Y-you’re early for inspection.”
“Is it not best to be early to one’s destination, conductor?” Commander Delta smiled through her fanged mouth.
Gamma gulped, “Y-yes Madam Delta. Baa.”
“Now then, you speak of these ‘stowaways’. Tell me more about those troublesome slingers. Perhaps better to tell I than our Master?”

Chapter Text

The air of Harefield Cavern is rich with wheat and children’s laughter.
“Come on, Lou! We’ve gotta hide before the big monster finds us!” a harenoid child with white fur yelled for his brother.
“I’m right behind you, Liam! There’s no way she’ll think to look for us here,” the yellow furred harenoid boy responded as the two ran between the wheat fields.
The two young harenoids dove into the tall crop line, giggling between each other and rustling it. Their rustling grew louder as the brothers began to playfully roughhouse.
Lou spat, “Hey- quit it! She’s gonna find us.”
“Okay- okay, let’s stop-” Liam nodded as the two settled to lay low.
Time ticked by, the wheat rustling again.
“Hey, why are you moving, Lou?” the younger brother grumbled.
Liam looked at him, “I’m not-”
He was cut off by the rustling growing monstrously louder…
“That’s… that’s just Jeanie… right?” Lou’s voice trembled.
A low droning growl rumbled the ground whereas a dark shadow covered them. The brothers glancing back and up behind them. They belted out terrified screams and bolted from the wheat field.
“JEANIE!” the duo screeched in tears.
Their screams summoned their older pink fluffed sister, her furry feet stomping in a hurry.
“Liam! Lou! What happened?”
Her brothers dart behind her and peek from behind her shoulders. The trio glance upwards to see the shadow-casting creature as Jeanie makes a stand. She draws her blaster and slips a Rammstone into the chamber. A pull of the trigger sent the slug flying into the creature.
Jeanie staggered as she lined up another shot. She peered over at her brothers, “Run back to the house! Tell Ma and Pa about it! Go! Go!”
Without needing a second telling, the boys hightailed it down the field lines back to their farmhouse.
The creature let out an unholy screech as it batted away Jeanie’s slugs. The harenoid slinger dove to collect her ammo and went for another shot, but alas her slugs were drained.
“Ugh! What’d you do to my slugs, vermin?” she grunted with anger.
She had only one option left. She took her only healthy slug, her Hoverbug, and set it up for a launch.
“Dash, it’s up to you! Lead that vermin away!”
The speedy slug flew out from the blaster, taking the extra speed to draw the monster’s attention onto himself. He darted through the air, the dark shadow tracking after him. Jeanie retreated to the farmhouse, her pink fur now pale and her body shaking with fear.

Closer to the train line of Harefield, the softened march of multiple mecha beasts crossed under the somewhat dense mushroom line.
“If Pronto may say; and I do believe you all wish to hear what he says, that was a complete DISASTER,” the molenoid on his donkey mecha harshly exclaimed.
“If you’re such a great tracker Mr. Royal-Buttmole, then track where Gold City is!” the brash young princess spat.
Pronto snarled, “You, young princess, have the attitude of a misbehaving slughound!”
“I am a well behaved princess!”
“You are not!”
“Are too!”
“Are not!”
“Are too!”
“AYE- SILENCE!” Katrina spun her mecha about towards the molenoid and princess, her maul grinding in rage.
The duo shrank and shut down, their shaking gaze cast onto the angry amphibianoid, the younger sheltering herself behind the team medic. The red in Katrina’s face began to mellow out as she returned her attention to the front.
“What’s that up ahead?” Eli pointed over the distance.
The gang followed their leader’s gesture. Laying a couple miles ahead a massive red barn guarded by a golden sea swaying in the cavern wind.
“People!” Kord exclaimed.
Olivia piped up, “They’ll be able to tell us how to get to Gold City Cavern!”
After an exchanging of knowing glances, they began to charge into the field and gleefully cheered. Their mechas and bodies were brushed with the wheat, the slightly earthy, grain-like smell flooding their senses.
Pronto grinned wide, “Perhaps they’ll have food! Pronto, the Magnificent's mighty stomach yearns to be filled!”
“Can’t agree more, buddy!” Eli beamed in acknowledgment.
Mira shuffled, her smile falling into a nervous quiver, “Friends, I believe something feels off-putting-”
Whirl… PEW!
A collective of white bright flashes flooded their vision. The gang’s arms flew up to protect their eyes as they groaned and squealed in pain. Their mechas tried to push onwards, but their legs would not budge.
“I can’t see!” Olivia whined.
Kord grunted as he tried to push his mecha into overdrive. “Ugh! C’mon Wyatt! You can get through this!”
Trying to push as much as they could, their mechas would not even move an inch. Something slithered up along their legs and hooked over their arms. They restlessly struggled against the unseen tendril-like assailant.
“Let us go!” Trixie demanded while twisting in her restraints.
“Aye! Munchy! Bite us outta this would ye?” Katrina called upon her trusted Makobreaker.
Eli grunted after her, “Buzzsaw! Burpy!”
The trio of slugs were dazzled by the blinding lights, stumbling over their respective slingers and onto the dirt below.
An aged and gruff voice growled loudly, “What are you vermin doing in MY field? Are you stealing my family’s crops?”
Eli winced through the light show towards a shadowed figure emerging from the wheat field. It looked to have rabbit like-ears over its head and an arm built like a blaster.
“Who are you?” he asked whilst dazed.
“Pa! You caught the monster?” another voice joined the confrontation, one that was softer and more female-like.
Eli grunted, “Monster? What monster?”
The world around the gang began to dim and regain its colour. Blinking multiple times to return their proper vision, the gang could now make out their attackers; a pair of harenoids, one elderly white, likely ‘Pa’, and the other a bright pink. Their twitching noses and red eyes locked onto the group. A simple downward glance answered their question regarding their mobility; Vinedrill vines.
The older spoke again, “I’ll ask one last time before I have the rangers arrest you; who are you, vermin?”
Eli grasped his head, the weight of it paining his wrist. “Ugh… We’re not bad guys.”
“And we’re not thieves either!” Trixie tacked on.
“We are incredibly sorry for trespassing onto your land, sir,” Mira quickly apologised to the aged harenoid.
“But that’s no you should be treating your princess!” Olivia fumed from upon her mecha beast.
The harenoid Pa’s eyes seemed to widen a bit, a glimmer of realisation appearing within. He places his index finger and thumb to his mouth and whistles through it. The vines on Olivia’s mecha retracted into the earth as the harenoid apporached her.
“Princess Olivia, I did not see you! Oh pray to the Elementals you are not hurt by these kidnappers!”
He attempted to reach for her hand, but the young princess slapped it away.
“They’re not kidnappers! They’re Mama Mira and her friends who saved me from that nasty cyclops that kidnapped me!”
“Honest! We helped her get back here,” Kord tried to help.
Trixie jumped in as well, “We defeated that guy called Commander Tau along with Commanders Alpha and Gamma.”
Pa grew annoyed and worried in the same flick, “They must have used a Hypnogrif on your mind to make you believe that. All this talk about ‘Commanders’ and whatnot. We’ll have the village healer see to your recover-”
“You’re not listening to me!”
The pink harenoid interjected, “Pa- listen to them. They look nothing like monsters. Except the one on the donkey mecha beast.”
“Hey!” Pronto sputtered.
Eli tried to appeal to Pa, “Mister, we’re really trying to help these caverns by finding Queen Grace.”
“The queen…” Pa put a fluffy hand to his chin. His face scrunched up and groaned.
Olivia stamped her foot, “Let them go, now!”
He grumbled, “I’ll let you lot down on ONE condition.” He points to their blasters. “Surrender your weapons and stay upon your robotic creatures.”
“Uh- no way. You’re not serious,” gasped Trixie.
“Give up our blasters after ye scallywag attacked us? Hard pass, princess,” Katrina snarled.
“Katrina, it’s okay,” Eli tried to simmer the amphibianoid’s fire.
The gang shoved off their blasters, although reluctantly. However, Mira coddled her blaster. Pa’s eyebrow lowered, his temper seeming to boil.
“Mama Mira?” Olivia glanced back at the woman.
“I- I am sorry,” she replied, disheartened. She slid her blaster from her wrist, her watery eyes reflecting into its green metallic surface as she placed it softly upon the dirt.
Kord groaned, “I don’t like this, bro…”
“I don’t either, Kord, but this is the best thing to do.” Eli eyed down at his blaster.
Pa gestured with his head to the weapons, “Jeanie, pick ‘em up.”
The pink fur harenoid gathered up the blasters like berries from a scattered basket. She inspected Eli’s blaster closely, her gaze fixated on the blue star.
“Jeanie,” the father sternly repeated.
“Yes, Pa,” Jeanie rushed to balance the large blasters in her small arms.
“As for you, princess, and these vermin. You lot follow close and don’t you dare be running off. You have a lot to answer ‘fer.”
The aged harenoid whistled sharply into the cornfield. The loud scampering of mecha claws rushed towards them. Out from the field leapt a pair of well-loved chicken mecha beasts. Jeanie stowed away the blasters on the brighter mecha’s saddle bag then the harenoid family mounted their rides. The gang solemnly trotted behind the two thus murmurs shared between one another and the wheat field.
“Oh how wonderous. We lost our blasters and being held hostage by a pair of rabbits who dare mock Pronto,” the molenoid whined softly.
Eli huffed slightly, “It’s better than being strangled by more vines.”
“I suppose we did trespass on their farm,” Trixie shrugged in regret. “Guess we could also ask for directions if we get let go.”
“I don’t like this,” Olivia pouted. “I am the princess, they should be listening to me. Right Mama Mira?”
The nurse kept her head forward.
“Mama Mira?”
She clicked back into reality, looking away from the harenoids. “O-oh I am quite sorry. What was the question, Olivia?”
The princess tilted her head, “They are meant to be listening to me.”
“Oh um…” Mira stuttered.
“We don’t exactly look like a group of knights,” Kord coughed over them.
“Knights of Slug!” Olivia quickly added, forgetting her previous question. “It sounds kinda cool!”
“Eh, five out of ten,” Pronto critiqued.
“Eyes forward!” Pa harenoid snapped.

They all looked ahead at a three-story farmhouse, and next to it, the large barn they had seen from afar before. It stood tall over them as its shadow consumed the light around them. The building’s exterior was worn and chipped; the red paint peeling over the off-white siding. The two chicken mechas used their heads to push the sliding door aside. Pa and his mecha tossed their heads in the direction of the opening.
“Go on, get in all of ye.”
The low march of robotic feet filed into the hay lain room. The gang lined up their rides, dismounted but also kept their glares tight on their unlikely hosts. The two harenoids stood in the frame, staring them down. There was a mix of groans and shivers from the group.
“Jeanie, watch them. I don’t want any of them getting out and scaring your siblings. Or attracting more monsters.”
“Monsters! We could help and show you we’re not bad guys,” Eli began to pitch. “We’re pretty good at getting rid of monsters.”
Jeanie tried to appeal too, “Pa, they seem to have some really strong lookin’ gear and slugs. Plus they’re clearly good at protecting the princess.”
“I am not listening any begging from vermin. Don’t let them get into your head either, Jeanie,” Pa warned as he patted his daughter’s shoulder. “Understand and do this for me, please.”
“Yes Pa…” her ears fell back with defeat.
“Don’t you go off, I’ll figure what to do with you lot before long.”
The father harenoid hopped off towards his homestead leaving the barn in silence once more.
“This is preposterous,” Pronto crossed his arms with a huff.
“We be leavin’ our mission’s next step in the hands of a sentient fluff ball?” Katrina kicked at the hay.
“Hey!” Jeanie interjected.
Katrina grumbled, turned her back after nashing her sharpened teeth. Pronto flopped dramatically to the floor. Eli and Kord plopped down onto some nearby hay bales. Eli kept his eyes on their blasters meanwhile Kord looked around for an exit or distraction. Olivia puffed her cheeks and grappled herself to Mira’s leg. The nurse’s gaze fell onto the straw-flooded floor.
“This barn hosts a faint dark energy…”
The others glanced at the healer, exchanging confusing looks before Jeanie popped a query.
“Dark energy? What does that mean?”
“Jeanie, was it?” Trixie walked over, tossing the suspecting question aside. “And that guy is your dad, right?”
“Yeah?” she seemed to loosen up.
“Why does your dad not trust what the princess said?”
The harenoid played with her fluffy elbow. “He’s just on edge. He’s always been the protective type and as stubborn as a mule.” She shuffled a bit before continuing. “By the way, I’ve never seen-”
AHHH!
A mass of sharp screams broke through their conversation. Heads spun to the sound as feet scampered to the outside.
“Ma! Fluffballs!” Jeanie shrieked. “It came from behind the farmhouse!”
“We’ve gotta help!” Eli boldly announced.
“Uh, pardon my intrusion, but with what blaster, Mr Eli Shane?” Pronto pointed out.
“In my mecha!” Jeanie bounced away.
She swung open her saddle bags then tossed out the gear back to their rightful owners. The Shane Gang and Olivia rearmed themselves then readied their slugs.
“Follow me! If it’s that monster again, then we’d need all the slug power we can get!”

The group sprinted after the zipping harenoid down the dirt road then around the house’s corner. Dozens of harenoids were darting in and out of the fields like terrified rats. Their mother stumbled after them trying to wrangle them to safety. The father harenoid was trying to stand his ground, firing into the sky with his slugs. The monster began to throw its tendrils in a frenzy to latch onto the free slug energy in the air. Gazes traced up the appendages to the body of the beast.
“No way!” Eli sputtered.
“The monster!” Jeanie cried out.
“It’s one of those eels from the Deep Caverns!” Trixie quickly identified. “But it doesn’t make any sense! It’s out during the daytime! I thought it was a night creature!”
Kord jumped in, “Does it matter? It’s looking right this way thinking we’re its lunch!”
“I ain’t be on the menu, squid-face!” Katrina barked as she went to sling.
Pronto snapped his hand around her wrist, pulling her harpoon down to the ground and her Rammstone slammed face first into the dirt.
“Me moley!”
“Katrina, that thing sucks up slug energy!” Kord warned.
“Pronto just wanted to protect his darling Katrina and her slugs,” the molenoid added.
“It can beat us, right Pyra?” Olivia nodded to her partner slug.
The light coloured Infurnus grinned big and lined herself onto the girl’s slingshot.
“Olivia no!” Trixie screamed.
Pyra flung off the band towards the monster until she was snagged mid-air. She squirmed within its grasp consequently wasting her slug energy. It sipped her dry before flicking her back at Olivia’s feet.
“Pyra!” the girl cried.
She fell onto her knees crying as she gently scoped her slug into her palms.
“Olivia,” Mira dashed to her side.
“Nasty thing!” Jeanie growled.
Pa boomed from across the battlefield, “Jeanie! What are they doing here? I told you to keep them in the barn!”
“They said they could help! They already know a bunch on it!”
“The rangers would be any moment! They’re the rightful experts on these monsters! Not some random outlanders claiming to be heroes!”
“Bit late now ain’t it, Pa?” Jeanie grumbled before turning to the Shane Gang.
“Any slug we sling at it it will sap of energy!” Eli reminded the gang and informed the harenoids.
Kord gulped as he looked away from Mira, “It’s going to get its All-You-Can-Eat Buffet if we don’t stop it bro!”
“You’ve actually fought these things before?” Jeanie asked as she dodged an attack.
Eli rolled to the side and scavenged his backpack for a slug, “Kinda! We know its terrified of light; well clearly this one isn’t, but we did over charge it with slug energy. So maybe that’ll work again?”
“And lose our slugs energy? Hard pass, laddie,” Katrina gritted her teeth. “Just let me wrangle the beast!”
“Eli has a point. We can attempt to overcharge it. It would cause itself to slow down and become far more vulnerable,” Mira spoke before standing up.
“Oh no way you’re letting yourself become eel chow!” Kord grabbed his partner’s shoulder. “There’s no way it could just work-”
“Please, we need to try. The slugs are losing their hope and energy. We cannot risk this ongoing!”
Mira wriggled herself from the cave troll’s grasp. She rushed away from her friends and waved her arms wildly.
“H-hey! Over here, Mr Eel!”
Its glowing orange-red eyes followed the healer, her energy capitivating its growling stomach. Tendrils lashed out and captured her. Mira struggled for a moment however seem to succumb to the draining. But in a flash she had been dropped, the tendril slipping from around her and unexpectedly beside her. Mira sat up rubbing her face. The monster shrieked in pain, particles of dark energy seeped from its stub. Looking around for the reason, Kord had slotted another slug into his blaster.
“Kord!” Mira shouted in confusion yet graditude.
“How’d you like the taste of Threhser?” the cave troll boasted.
The others had their jaws drop before switching into fight mode. They had finally realised that this wasn’t exactly the same as the one they had fought previously, this one was far more physical.
“Guys! Threshers and Lavalynxes!” Eli called out as he fiddled to place his double barrel attachment to his blaster.
His gang rapid fired off their slugs therefore making the creature whine and thrash more as more of its particles bled out. They slipped and dived out of the rage’s range. Eli took aim with Buzzsaw and Torch, pulled the trigger and watched the sparks fly. The duo fused their powers together, both striking the creature with one final blow. The beast was done, its limbs scattering around its collapsed body. Its eyes flickered with life before becoming blank.
“Woooo! We did it!” the gang cheered.
From the fallen body, orbs of slug energy floated out and returned to the slugs they had been stolen from. Pyra’s body burned with a new passion and she quickly cuddled her slinger. Olivia sang her glee and praises to have her friend back. Jeanie shared in the glee; her slugs had returned to their bubbly selves. Her team hung about her neck like a living necklace.
“Uh… isn’t it meant to go ‘POOF’ now?” Pronto worried.
Trixie pulled her camera from her belt and began to record. “Pronto’s right. This eel is nothing like what we defeated back home.”
Jeanie tilted her head, “So these monsters are called ‘eels’ and they’re meant to poof out of existence when taken out?” She couldn’t seem to keep a straight face. “You outlanders are quite strange. You said you’ve fought them before but you never seen them just fall? You must’ve hit them good enough to make ‘em into mist!”
“So what happens to them?” Kord asked.
Jeanie rolled her head, “Gold City Cavern sends out a group of rangers to come pick up the creature to take it back to their cavern.”
“Oh hey! That’s where we’ve gotta go!” Eli piped in. “We got told that someone there might know where Queen Grace was taken to!”
“Gold City’s a big place, I’m sure you lot will find more than enough to save the queen!” Jeanie beamed.
Pa trotted over, his large family trailing behind him.
“I… I believe I ought of throw an apology to you lot. And a thanks. Thank you for helping get rid of that dark creature.”
“It’s what we do; help,” Eli shared a soft smile.
The mother harenoid added her suggestion, “I think we can do more than say thank you. Stay for dinner, fluffballs. You can also spend the night inside a nice warm bed rather than sleeping out in the fields.”
“Good call, Ma,” Jeanie perked up.
“Pronto and his gang will graciously accept your hospitality, madam!” the molenoid grinned widely.
“Oh Pronto,” the 99 Caverns natives all commented in unison.
“That’s good to hear, fluffballs. Also, just call me Mrs Cottontail for now,” the mother nodded.
“Thank you Mrs Cottontail!” Olivia beamed.
The Shane Gang, the princess and the harenoid family tucked into their farmhouse for the evening. They shared a grand meal, the swarm of young kits yapped the ears off their guests. Jeanie tried to wrangle her younger siblings to behave although their excitement was unmatched. The gang tried to keep their origins to a minimum though did tell tales of defeating evil in the 99 Caverns.
After the meal had concluded, Mrs Cottontail and Jeanie helped the gang to their temporary rooms. On the second floor, Eli, Kord and Pronto were directed to sleep in the common room whereas Trixie, Mira, Katrina and Olivia were invited to bunk with Jeanie. The two groups parted ways into their sleeping quarters, hoping to tuck in for a good night’s rest.

Eli found himself subjected to yet another winter storm. Snow rushed pass his head and the tips of his ears began to freeze. He tried to yell for his friends, but alas his voice had froze up. He winced his eyes, trying to pick out shapes before himself.
”The slug. The slug. Give me the slug.” A raspy voice demanded.
‘Who was that?’ Eli could only think to himself.
“Give me the slug. NOW.”
The air curled into raging winds both tossing and turning Eli in its wake. He could barely keep his eyes open let alone his balance. What he believed to be the source of the voice approached him. A figure cloaked in a hooded robe. Its gloved hand reached out for him.
“Give me the slug. Give yourself up for the great-”
Eli shot up in a cold sweat causing the blanket to snare around his legs. He struggled to slip out of his cotton binds, managing to kick it off with enough time. His quick but quiet pants thankfully did not stir his friends. The boy felt his throat drying up. He shoved himself off the couch and snuck out of the room. He stepped onto the open hallway, the swaying hanging lights taking his gaze.
“Hey Eli, what you doing up?” a girl’s voice whispered.
“Gah!” Eli tried to keep his tone down. “Trixie?”
“Oops, sorry E.”
“I kinda just wanted to get some water.”
A mild monotone speech came from downstairs, “It is my duty as Commander Zeta, on behalf of Commander Delta, to deliver this letter to the princess’s cohort that guards her.”
“A letter? What in the queen’s grace do you mean for those outlanders?” Pa replied.
Eli and Trixie ducked behind the banisters then peered between the columns.
Pa was talking to a pale pink harenoid. Their lower face was covered with a black mask. They tapped their foot whilst holding out an envelop to the elderly harenoid.
“Be sure to give it to them. Do not fail to do this duty. Commander Delta demands their attendance tomorrow.”
Pa’s frail fingers took the letter. Commander Zeta stepped back and unhooked their numb chunk blaster from their belt. They swung it around before disappearing into a puff of dark smoke. Pa sighed and fell back into his armchair, passing the letter between his hands.
The snooping duo ran down the stairs to console Pa.
“Mr Cottontail?” the two asked.
“Oh, you two, you’re still up? I guess you heard most of that.” He passed on the message to them.
Trixie took and opened it. “Greetings Princess Olivia and her cohort. I ask of you to spare some time during the 12th hour of this day you receive this letter. I have arranged a grand lunch at Gold City’s famous La Taupe Festin and would be more than delighted if you all attended. I wish to discuss your mission and what I know of Queen Grace’s disappearance. Kind regards, Commander Delta.”
“Who was that guy?” Eli asked about Zeta.
Pa’s nose scrunched up as water shallowly pooled in his tear ducts. “That was my brother’s child, Cassidy. They were misled and fell to working for that accursed Alchemist.”
Trixie hums curiosity, “What misled them?”
“Their father had fallen ill with an unusual sickness that made him turn rabid. For everyone’s safety, I had to make the dire choice to lock him away in the basement of the barn. That poor child could not stand seeing their father in pain,” Pa took in a deep breath. “They set out to find some ‘doctor’ who claimed he could cure him if Cassidy would work for him. I tried to convince Cassidy not to, but they insisted it was the right thing to do. I wish I put my foot down more before I lost them to being a slave to that crazed Alchemist and his slippery second in command, that Commander Delta.”
The elderly rabbit man broke into heavy tears, “I just want my family to be normal before all this riffraff happened.”
Eli patted Pa’s shoulder, “Don’t worry Mr Cottontail, we’re going to help fix things. We’ll make sure we help Cassidy get back to you and find a way to cure your brother.”
“Thank you… you are good kids. I am very grateful you are not only strong slingers, but also wise with words. Please also keep Princess Olivia safe, on behalf off all the European Caverns.”
“We’ll do anything to help,” Eli reassured him.
Pa wiped his tears away and stood up, “Alright, get your tails back to bed now. You’ve got a long day ahead of yours.”

Morning peered through the cavern, the warm feeling waking those inside of the Cottontail farmhouse. Eli and Trixie updated their gang members of the message they had been given last night. They gathered their things, thanked their hosts and exited towards the barn for their rides. To their surprise, the dead eel was being loaded in chunks into a long mecha trailer by slingers in uniforms.
“I guess those are the rangers?” Eli spoke up.
“Mhm! They all wear those greenish tunics with their emblems to tell everybody they’re the Rangers!” Olivia confidently informed the group with a bright smile.
“So you lot are the ones who helped take out this eel?” one of the rangers, a human guy with darkish grey hair, asked.
Pronto puffed out his chest, “That’s right! We’re the ones who put an end to the vile beast!”
Another ranger, a cave troll, strolled over, “Saves us the trouble of running like headless cavern fowl trying to chop it up. Thanks for that.”
“Hey boss! You said something about taking some group of kids and their molenoid to the next cavern, right?” yet another ranger piped in, this one being a-
“It that be a dark bane?” Katrina pointed at that ranger who stood closest to the trailer.
“Woah! Calm your scales, madam,” the human ranger interjected. “That’s a bit rude, ain’t it?”
“Dark bane are bad news, dude,” Kord reached for his blaster.
“HEY!”Olivia squeaked.
The gang looked down a the grumpy little girl.
“Only some dark bane are big meanies! The rest are all super friendly! My mummy said her great grandfather signed a peace treaty with their general years ago!”
The gang lowered their guards slightly, though suspicion was still high.
“Sorry…” Katrina sheepishly apologised.
Kord sighed and spoke his sorry too.
“The dark bane back home aren’t as nice, sadly,” Eli tried to explain lightly.
“It’s alright,” the dark bane ranger replied. “It happens, I get it. Some bad eggs give us a bad name, but I can tell you there’s not a single bad dark bane up here. Are you lot are the kids? Said something about you being the princess’s cohort.”
“Yep, guess that’s us,” Trixie nodded. “We’re wanting to head to Gold City Cavern and Mr Cottontail said you guys come there.”
The human ranger nodded, “That’s right. You guys are welcomed to follow us long as you don’t get yourself in more trouble than fighting these eels.”
“We promise,” Eli answered.
“Alright, we’re about to head off, hope your mechas can keep up.”
Kord grinned smugly, “Oh they can do more than just keep up.”
“Wait for me!” Jeanie called as she bounded up to the group.
“Jeanie?” the gang all asked in confusion.
“I was going to head out towards Gold City Cavern too. Wanted to go see my big sisters who live out there.”
“That is quite sweet,” Mira sweetly smiled.
“Well, lets get this show on the road and not take up more of the Rangers’s time!”
The Shane Gang mounted their mechas and waved goodbye to the Cottontail family.

As they trotted onwards, questions plagued Eli’s mind. He turned to the pink harenoid riding beside his gang.
“Hey Jeanie, do you know anything about the Enlightened Alchemist?”
“Know anything? That terrible guy took away my cousin to be his messenger.”
Trixie shrugged, “All these Commanders turn out to be terrible people, is there any real reasons why?”
Jeanie shook her head, “Can’t say… but I know there’s a folk’s tale about the Alchemist. He didn’t just randomly show up over 20 years ago. He’s way older than that.”
“Old like a dinosaur?” Kord joked.
“Not that old,” Jeanie snickered. “But more like 300 years older than he looks.”
“Oh wow!” the gang shared the shock.
Jeanie cleared her throat then began the story.
‘Back when the Alchemist was just a young man, he used to work in the royal palace under King Alexander, the king before Queen Grace’s grandfather. One day, he had used a Seeall slug to foretell the king’s future. However, all the Alchemist saw was his own sad and worthless end. He didn’t like that and wanted to be far more. He secretly plotted day and night to become the new king or even more powerful, to be a god of Slugterra. He attempted to create powerful beings that he could use to reshape the world around himself; elementals. However his first attempts had backfired on him, imbuing himself with slug energy that granted him immortality. King Alexander, with the help of the Dark Bane General Obsidian and their combined soldiers, had gone to war against the Alchemist and his mindless army. They defeated him and sealed him inside of a tomb in hopes he’d never reawaken. However, a massive tremor broke out across Grimlore Lake Cavern about 20 years ago, releasing the Alchemist from his prison.’
The human ranger sighed, “That story is always such an oddity. Such a terrible guy coming back and lurking in the shadows again. He waits till the time is right to strike. He had made the royal family disappear.”
“Like my daddy…” Olivia sniffled. “Mummy said he was missing when I was about 2.”
“Oh Olivia…” Mira murmured worriedly.
“But that’s gonna change! I bet that nasty man has my daddy in a prison at his tower! My daddy is super strong and has to survive! And I’m gonna save him and find my mummy!”
“That’s the spirit, kid!” Katrina cheered.
“Eyes ahead! Gold City dead ahead!” the dark bane ranger called out.
The gang turned to look at the brilliant golden bathed city before them. Tall buildings clustered in the centre, smaller buildings encircled them whilst they were all engulfed by a surrounding stone wall. The entire city shimmered at the group’s arrival, opening its golden gates to them.