Not far from the stairway, Rein could see the destroyed remains of crawlers partly submerged under the sand. The sun was directly above the stairway.

Rein squinted his eyes “I don’t see any guard.”

“They are inside the stairway,” said Ebistu “let’s just head back to the island.”

Rein spotted a small crevice on the wall, maybe big enough for him to crawled inside.

“There’s small hole, i could- ”

“Don’t! It’s dangerous!”

“I’ll go there myself..” Rein said “is there anything i could use as weapon?”

“We only have this..” Leuria took something resembling a small gun from the hidden compartment on the dashboard.

“That will do..”

“Stop!” Ebistu yelled, taking the gun from Leuria “Don’t encourage him.”

“But- It’s the only way i could-” Rein protested.

“No! Let’s just go back to the island, they must be already lifted the blockage.”

He sighed and nodded.

“Rein..” Leuria looking at him.

“Good,” Ebistu turning their crawler around and they were heading back to the island.

 

On the way back to the island. Rein heard roaring sound.

Leuria screamed “Ebis!” pointing at the group of crawler approaching them.

“Those are-” said Rein.

Ebistu shouted “It’s the rebels!”

Two of them blocked their path and they were quickly surrounded. A ramp slammed into the deck, destroying the rail. Usife and Orteso followed by their rebel lackeys stormed into their crawler.

“Kelb! We are running out of time here. We need to dethrone that tyrant-” said Orteso.

“Orte! I told you, i will nev-” Ebistu shouted.

“Then.. You left us with no choice Kelb,” Orteso smirked, motioning at the rebels behind him “get that urchas!”

“Don’t you dare! Get away from them!” Ebistu moved in front of them, but he was thrown to the floor and restrained by the rebels.

“Ebis!” Leuira horrified.

One of the rebels grabbed her.

“Let go off me!” she screamed, flailing her hands.

Rein punched the rebel’s face, freeing Leuria.

“Get behind me..” he whispered.

“Fool! Losing to a child!” Orteso yelled at the rebels behind him “Get them!”

Several rebels lunged at Rein, but he managed to fend them off. He then heard heavy footsteps.

“Rein! Behind you!” Leuria warned.

“You are hindering my plan,” said the monotone voice.

Rein turned around and saw Usife was behind him. Before he could retaliate, Usife punched him in the gut. He groaned as he fell on his knees, coughing up blood, everything become blurry.

“Rein!” she screamed.

That’s the last thing he heard before everything went dark.

 

He opened his eyes and slowly stood up, his face hurt a lot. Looking around, he was left behind in the desert, it was dark. I should save them.. but the tracks had long gone. He then remembered, he looked up and found the moon behind him.

“Iss couldss usse that tos navigates toss the islandss..” he murmured why i sound weird?

 

After walking for hours, the skies slowly became bright. He looked back and squinted his eyes, the sun was still behind him. He continued walking towards the island.

It’s getting hotter. Rein was drenched in sweat. He still couldn’t see the island. Then he spot something on the distance, it’s a crawler. Rein ran to chased them while waving his hands, to get their attention.

“Wsaitss!” he croaked.

But it seemed they didn't see him and left. Rein fell on the sand, exhausted. No.. I must not given up.. He stood up, noticing the tracks left by the crawler. He decided to follow it hoping it will led him to the island.

 

Another hours has passed, but still he couldn’t see the island, the tracks were already covered under the sands. The skies was getting dark, he removed his drenched head cloth and his goggles because it was getting cold. He fell to the sand, too exhausted and thirsty. I- i need to rest.. closing his eyes. He heard a crackling sound nearby, then a voice calling for him. He opened his eyes, looking around.

“Rein!” said the familiar voice.

It was coming from his watch. Rein quickly stood up and opened his comm “Fab- Fasbian..” he coughed “Iss- iss thats- you? Is- I’lls sents- yous my coordi-”

“Boss, on your right,” said Garland.

“Huh?” Rein turning his head.

“That’s your left..”

Rein turned around and saw a light coming towards him. A silhouette was waving their hand.

“Hey! Boss!” he heard Garland voice.

It stopped beside him. His eyes were blurry, but he saw several figures jumped out from it. One of them quickly checked on him, telling him to sit down.

“Gar! Quick get water!”

“Okay!”

“Hang on, Rein! Gar! Quick!”

“Here!”

Water pouring into his mouth before someone lifted him up.

“Put him there, slowly,” he heard Fabian voice “bring my bag here!”

He felt something stinging on his wrist. Slowly his vision became less blurry and he saw Fabian, stood behind him were Kincade and Garland.

“Boss? You alright?” asked Garland, waving his hand on Rein’s face.

Rein smiled “Yeahs.. I’ms gladd to sees yous heres..”

“His nose,” Kincade mentioned.

“I know.. Rein, Hold still,”

“Wsha-”

A loud crack and his nose hurt a lot. Fabian quickly applied a cold plaster on his nose.

"Ouch," said Garland.

“Thank you..” Rein rubbing his nose.

“Stay still,” said Fabian, his eyes glowed “Hmm.. I see cracks on your ribs, here drink this.” handing a bottle of medicine.

Rein took the bottle and quickly drank it.

“What happened to you boss?” asked Garland.

Tossing away the bottle "Never mind me! We have to go save them!”

“Save who?” said Kincade.

“The locals who saved me.. I think they are at the island..”

Kincade confused “There’s other island?”

“Uh no.. the island of metal, there’s a fort in the middle.. city with metal building..”

“Metal building?”

“Maybe.. it’s that place where we stole this ride..” said Garland

“Stole?” Rein asked “Wait.. that burnt docking bay was your doing?”

Garland chuckled “Cade made i small fire for distraction, but it instead caused a huge explosion.”

“How i supposed to know there’s a fuel tank inside,” Kincade huffed.

“Fortunately there were no casualties..” Fabian added.

“Anyway, we need to go that place now,” said Rein.

“We left a drone there, didn’t we?” said Garland.

Kincade opened his watch, when he switched to the drone hovering above the island, it showed them a scene of destruction. The island was scattered, they saw the rebel and the guards clashing on the sands. Rein ordered the drone looked for Usife’s crawler.

“There!” he pointed at the crawler at the back.

Ortesso was ordering the rebels to kept firing at the fort. Not far behind them, Rein spotted Ebistu. Telling the drone to flew closer to him, Ebistu was watching the battle in horror.

“Is that him?” asked Kincade “Ebistu?”

Rein nodded.

“That guy beside him is huge!” Garland yelled.

“He’s one the leader of the rebels.. anyway.. i don’t see Leuria..”

“Who?”

“She’s also my savior,” Rein explained.

“Maybe.. she’s held inside,” Kincade rubbing his chin.

Rein told the drone to find a way inside the crawler.

“Hey! That huge guy is looking at us!” Garland groaned.

“Fly higher!” Rein ordered the drone.

Usife raised his hand, and they lost their drone signal.

Kincade perplexed “How?”

“We have to go there now!” Rein waved his hand.

They went to the helm. Kincade steered their crawler around and head towards the island.

“By the way, where are Eleanor and the others? are they on the way here?”

“It’s only us,” said Kincade.

“We told them to stay behind at our ship,” Fabian checking his bag.

“By the way.. how did you get in here?” Rein asked.

“Following you into that hole, it’s a long way down..” said Kincade.

“We were swept by the current when we reached the bottom, and we ended up in the sea,” Fabian explained.

“And then a huge serpentine robot chased us until we reached the coast,” Garland sighed.

“Thank you, you guys..” Rein smiled “for coming here to save me..”

“That’s what friends are for,” Kincade grinned.

Garland chuckled; Fabian just nodded.

“By the way.. we should contact our ship,” said Rein “tell them-”

“Impossible boss,” Garland crossing his hands.

Kincade said “Something is blocking the signal..”

“Have you tried on the higher ground?”

“We did, and we lost couple of drones,” Fabian shook his head.

“I see.. so we have to figure it out how to escape this place on our own..” Rein murmured “ Anyway, first.. let’s go save them, and stop this foolish war!”

“Roger boss!” Garland raised his hand.

“Oh yeah!” Kincade pushed the engine to maximum speed.