ALL NOVEL Chapter 43: Wasteland
Two days later, they flew above the town of Calan on Thayer's flying golden ship. It had been a busy two days of training and preparing. Temur took his job as leader seriously and he made them train together starting from the end of the duel.
His first focus had been on Cele. "You lacked hand-to-hand fight experience. You rely too much on your fire. That'll be dangerous in fights."
So he had made them tell each other their abilities, and then they began to train in a way that would benefit everyone. Litha was in charge of buying all they needed and making sure everyone was adequately prepared. And then more training.
"We don't have enough training as a team," Temur told Thayer now as they flew through the sky.
"We will have to make do with what we have. The zone appeared so suddenly. Now let me tell you the teams that will be going. First, we have the GUV, The Iron Fist, The Blazing, the Walkers, and then you, The Gold."
"Wait.. the name of your Guild is The Gold?"
"Yes. It will be but it's not yet approved."
"Why are we after a zone if you don't have a Guild," Litha asked.
"That's not a problem. Individuals can own a zone and that's why I'm here. It also creates a problem; some individuals can pretend they are freelance but are actually from individuals who want to claim the zone."
Temur groaned. "We don't even know the actual numbers of the team that will be after the zone?"
"Yes. Just treating everyone as fellow competitors that will kill you if there's any chance."
Jael rubbed his eyes. "So if just anyone claims the zone, how will they know if it's from a bidder or freelance."
"The zone regulator has been keyed to me just as others will be to them. That will be the verification they need, and once you place it, only I can remove it." Thayer said. "Others aren't allowed to bring in a zone regulator and you will also be given a new spatial ring after they inspect you. You'll see."
"At least there's that," Litha muttered.
Jael looked around. He had never been on a normal ship back home, but the inside wasn't like this from the tvs he sometimes saw glimpses of at work. It looks like the inside of an expensive car. He was told the flying ships run on mana stone which can be gotten from monster cores.
"The wastelands." Thayer pointed.
The wasteland is a desert, but without all the sands, the ship is low enough for them to see the hardened ground and the rocky dunes.
No animals or monsters walk the land except for the occasional bird that dared fly beside their ship and the flying monster that attacked them, but Tim slammed it down with his power.
Other ships also fly by them, and once they got deeper into the wastelands, they begin to see Awakeners walking in three different directions.
And Jael remembered. "Your other teams, how will they get to their zones."
"They should be there by now. See, we are here. That's the black castle zone!"
The black castle zone is a big mansion of black stones that jutted out the wastelands like some angry bird. The stone looked too smooth and firm to be called a ruin, the only sign that Jael saw was the crumbled roof.
Their flying ship slowly descended and landed beside others, sending up a cloud of dust
"Here we are," Jael said as his legs touched the ground. The air here smells like sand and harsh sun. Temporary metal buildings has been erected around the castle with the emblem of different guilds, and the most dominant one carried the crest of the Tower Guards.
The same Tower Guards could be seen walking around and glaring at everyone their eyes could see. Awakeners walked around or just stood in one of the different stalls that were selling fast food.
"Mr Thayer Argent." A woman in glasses called. She came close to them at the flying ship and the two shook hands.
Thayer introduced his team and told them she was his secretary. One of his secretaries. "She has been here since three days ago to buy us space and smooth over the logistics."
Cole, the secretary, pointed them to their tent among the other tents, a metal tent with the golden flag of Argent on it. "We've paid all the money we have to pay....."
She led them towards their tents, Jael was doing his best not to stare at the different Awakeners. He was both surprised and not that not all of them were teenagers like them. Most of them are also adults, but all of them are are of Iron rank.
".....and this is your place. From what I heard you'll be going into the zone tonight." Cole finished.
"Thank you, Cole. Can you find food for my team? This will be the last time they eat before they enter the zone."
The inside of the tent is far bigger, more roomy than the actual size he saw outside and Jael got the suspicion that it's an artifact. "Honestly just how rich are you?"
Thayer sat on one of the couches, he leaned back and smiled. "Do you know how much wealth is in the Tower? When you rise higher maybe you'll get the idea."
Litha snorted. "He's so rich the universe acknowledged him and gave him a talent that runs on money."
"The literal definition of golden spoon," Temur grunted, he was looking through the art arranged on the walls of the tent.
"You got it all wrong," Thayer said with a slight smile on his face. "I was born in this Dungeon Tower, so it is the Tower that acknowledges me as the golden child."
"That's why I stay close to your golden glow," Tim said with a smirk.
Cele rolled her eyes as they began to talk about Thayer and his golden wealth. Later, Cole brought their food, and they ate while they prepared for the evening.