Chapter 24 : Finally Back!

Halilintar glanced at the pieces of ice on the ground before looked up to them with his usual cold demeanor. Both of his arms were crossed on his chest as he narrowed his eyes at them.

"You guys really took your sweet time sightseeing this planet."

He swept his gazed over them one by one, checking for their injury before fell down to the power sphere in Ice's arms and rose his eyebrows in surprise.

He walked to them, step steady and light before crouching down in front of Ice to take a closer look to the power sphere they had been looking for. Ice only looked at him with calm gaze before gave the power sphere to Halilintar.

Halilintar took the power sphere into his hands as he gazed over its feature while Ice stretched his numb limbs. Eventually, Halilintar glanced and his eyes softened for mili seconds at them when he took in the exhaustion seeping in their complexion.

He beckoned them to the direction where he came from, "This way."

Halilintar walked off followed by Ice who kept yawning behind him. The trio looked at each other before took off running.

They roughly pushed aside the wild bushes and the branches that covering their only way out.

"Guys!" Someone's voice which they missed since the last time they split up entered their ear. Well, technically they had the same voice, but this voice held its own special emotions that flowed freely in the tone.

Thorn beamed and ran to the owner of the voice with his arms opened wide, "Gemgem!"

"Gempa!" Taufan also ran behind Thorn together with Blaze.

"Mom!" Blaze wailed with dramatic tears falling down his faces as if he was a child that had been lost for several days and missing his mother warm.

They did lost, but not several days. Only for a few hours.

Gempa ran to them, smiling wider when they noticed him. He caught Thorn in his arms, followed by Taufan and Blaze who crashed into him almost making Gempa to lose his balance if he didn't react quickly.

And then, he felt another warm body pressed on his right leg. He looked down and was met with a baby polar bear cuddled to his leg. Ice looked up at him silently with his eyes before covering his face to Gempa's leg.

"Err.. Ice?"

"..." He hugged Gempa's leg tighter.

Halilintar pursed his lips and gave the power sphere to Solar who eagerly received it with sparkling eyes. He turned the power sphere sideways, tracing the pattern that visible in front of his eyes.

"Close your gaping mouth before the space flies enter, and then choke you to death." Halilintar monotonely advised which Solar snapped his mouth shut in reflex.

He coughed in his fisted hand with redness blooming on his cheeks. He actually didn't realized that while observing, he accidently gaped his mouth a little because of the antonishment he felt.

"First of all, space flies are as big as space mosquitoes, Hali. Everyone know that. Secondly, I don't have a big mouth since I never tell anyone about my secret or anyone secret." Solar puffed out his chest proudly.

Halilintar flatly retorted, "But, aren't you a boastful person?"

Solar triumph smile on his face was quickly washed away at the speed of light. Hence, he spluttered and tried to defended himself.

"No, I'm not! I'm just saying the fact!"

"Then, I'm also saying the fact that everyone know of." Halilintar smirked smugly, watching in satisfaction at Solar's annoyed expression.

"Arghh, you!" Solar stammered when he saw the smugness on Hali's face. His face turned red from how fed-up he was.

"Here we go again..." Ice mumbled before he hid his face back to Gempa's leg.

Gempa patted Ice's head as he stared at the two elementals who were arguing with his usual charming smile. However, you could see that the smile had different feeling. Rather than warm, it contained something dark and cold behind the smile that caused someone to feel chill crawling from their back even when they're one kilometer apart.

Halilintar and Solar shuddered at the same time as they turned to Gempa. They gulped down the fear in their heart and smiled stiffly at each other.

"Hahaha, do you know that this planet has its own unique?" Solar awkwardly asked Hali.

Halilintar felt cold sweat pouring down from his temple, "Don't know. What is it."

Even though Halilintar's answer was more a statement than a question because of his nervousness, Solar still answered the question proudly.

"The animals here are quick at adapting to every new situation. So, when Planet Umbra turned into a dying planet, almost every type of animals here turned into decomposers because of the lack of nutritions causing the plants here to died and decreased. Therefore, the herbivores will naturally also decreased and the carnivores will be short in food sources. As a result, there are imbalance in the food chains and the animals had to find a way in order to survive."

Halilintar gazed at him without a word. Hands crossed behind him as he stared dead to Solar's silver eyes. In the end, he only nodded his head and turned to look at Gempa.

"You hear what he said." Halilintar shrugged.

Taufan, Thorn, and Blaze dazedly looked at him before tilting their head to the side at the same time. Black quetion marks seemed to be floating above their heads.

Gempa only stared at Halilintar and Solar for a few seconds before laughing. Halilintar and Solar, who were really panic and nervous, let out a sigh and wiped their cold sweat that profusely pouring down their faces.

Gempa laughed, "Come on, let's go back."

He walked off, arms full of three people that kept talking about what they went through and right leg was still gripped tightly by one person. All had the same size as him. Halilintar shook his head at them before also walking off together with Solar that currently observing the power sphere with hundreds questions.

___________________________________________

"We'll help you." Raka nodded his head at the elementals.

Gempa gave him a gratitude smile, "Thank you. We're really grateful for all the help you gave us."

Actually, Raka was still in shock when he saw those seven entered the house together. His eyes widen even more because of the same faces they had and how colorful they are.

They stepped to the secret door and eventually reached the entrance door to the underground modern city. Once the door was opened, the bright light penetrated from the opening and those four who was missing scrambled to cover their eyes.

"It's too bright." Blaze hissed.

As the door was fully opened, those four almost popped their eyes out from how wide they opened them, even Ice.

"What..." Ice muttered in surprise.

"This." Taufan whispered breathlessly.

Blaze continued, "Is."

"So." Thorn gaped.

"Cool!" Those three beamed at the same time before took off running to the outside.

Gempa wanted to to run after them, buf because Ice held his leg, he could only reprimanded them from behind.

"Hey! Be careful! Don't get lost!"

"We won't!" Taufan, Blaze, and Thorn chorused as they ran and looked left and right with sprakling eyes.

Thorn gasped before pointing to one specific vendor on the sidewalk.

"It's blue lithops flower seeds!" He beamed and then ran to get a closer look.

Gempa sighed. He looked at Hali with pleaded eyes and smile attached to his face. Halilintar glanced at him, widened both his eyes, and pointed to himself in disbelief to which Gempa's smile became wider.

Halilintar threw both arms in the air in exasperation and walked away, shouting 'Why me?!'. Solar cackled at him caused Hali to turned around and glared at him, telling him to shut up.

"So, these four are the other brothers you were talking about?" Raka eyed the polar bear that clinging to Gempa's right leg.

Gempa nodded at him. Ice stood up from his position clinging on Gempa's leg like a koala to stared at Raka warily before he felt someone tapped his shoulder to reassure him.

"It's fine, Ice. They know about us." Gempa smiled at him when Ice turned his head to look at him.

Ice frowned, and when he want to retort, his ears perked up because of the sound of someone approaching. He saw an old man approached them from the corner of his eyes with calm gaze.

"We already contact your commander and reported just like as you said to them. They were really anxious when I told them about your condition and said that they will teleported you after you send your signal." The old man said after he reached them.

"Did you find your remaining brothers safely?" He continued to ask.

Gempa laughed, "We did. But, from what they said, I don't think it all went smoothly for them. I'm just relief that they are all fine, just exhaustion, but they are fine."

He made sure to repeated the words twice to convicing himself that they are indeed fine and he just touched them few seconds ago. Warm and alive. He couldn't bear if he lose another people he loved after the last time.

He fisted his hands in his side, feeling his nails dug deep to his palm. The old man softly exhaled from his nose and closed his eyes.

"Hurry up and send your signal. They are waiting for you to come back." He opened both his eyes and looked at him straight in the eyes.

Gempa's shoulder slumped forward as he let out all the tension and nodded his head in understanding, "Yes, thank you, sir."

___________________________________________

"Congratulation on you succeful mission, cadets!" Admiral Tarung announced at the moment they passed through the portal.

Commander Kokoci sighed at them, "Even though we didn't expect that the situation would be that bad, you guys passed the test unharm and still in one piece. Therefore, the seven of you can take two days off to rest and charge your energy."

The trio troublemaker cheered, while Ice already passed out and now was supported by Gempa. Halilintar visibly relaxed and Solar stretched his body, wincing when his body let out cracking sounds.

"Thank you, admiral." Gempa supported Ice as they walked out of the room.

Fang wanted to ask something, "Hey, what about that gho–"

"We don't talk about the ghost!" The seven of them, even Ice, together with Gopal chorused at the same time. Halilintar gripped Fang's shoulder tightly with his cold look, causing Fang to pale with cold sweats pouring down.

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Yesterday

Me : Time to write the next chapter.

Me, scrolling through your comments and vote and saw someone said that they will have examination tomorrow.

Me : Someone have examination tomorrow?! Must cheer them on then!

So, I, decided to update yesterday.

But..

I accidently fell asleep last night(υ´Д｀)

Me, woke up early : F**! FORGOT TO UPDATE LAST NIGHT!

No worries, I like writing. And I also will having an examination today with the worst subject I'm on. :(

It's ☆Social science☆

Good luck for those who have online or offline school today, like me :(

Blue Lithop Flower

Until next time!!