Chapter 271:Clue.
The convoy continued.
For several hours, the pattern repeated. They would travel, would encounter beasts and Larry’s group would fight. Silver and Ravenna would occasionally participate when something escaped the main formation.
Sometimes they fought. Sometimes they simply watched. Nobody complained when Ravenna used her rifle from a distance.
Her attacks rarely interfered with the others, and she was disciplined enough to avoid firing when another contractor was moving through her line of fire.
Silver noticed that the others were beginning to recognize this. They still didn’t like having them around but they were starting to understand that Ravenna wasn’t helpless.
At one point, a Rank Three beast emerged from a patch of tall grass directly beside their vehicle.
It was a strange creature resembling a mixture of a hyena and a large reptile, with a long jaw and thick plates along its back.
Silver immediately drew his sword but Ravenna was already aiming.
The beast charged directly towards them.
Silver stepped forward as Ravenna fired. A flaming bullet struck the creature in the eye.
It staggered.
Silver closed the distance, his sword raised. The blade cut across its neck and beast collapsed. He stepped back.
Ravenna lowered her rifle.
They looked at each other.
"Nice shot."
"Nice finish."
Antony appeared behind them.
"That was disgustingly coordinated."
Silver laughed.
"We’ve had practice."
The comment wasn’t entirely true. They had practiced together, but their coordination had also developed naturally through everything they had survived.
Ravenna knew when Silver would move and Silver knew when Ravenna would fire. Neither needed to shout instructions anymore. They simply understood.
Marcus watched them from a distance. He said nothing but he didn’t look as annoyed as before.
The convoy continued.
By the late afternoon, the valley had become noticeably more crowded with wildlife. Silver saw entire groups of beasts moving across distant ridges.
Some were fleeing, others seemed to be searching for something and a few were fighting among themselves. It wasn’t normal.
Silver was certain of that. He slowed the vehicle slightly.
Ravenna noticed.
"What are you looking for?"
"A landmark."
She turned toward him.
"You still haven’t found it, even just a glimmer of something familiar?"
"Not yet."
"Do you know what it looks like?"
"Not exactly."
Ravenna smiled.
"That’s reassuring, we’re going to go around in circles. I can bet you on that."
Silver laughed.
"I know the general area."
"From the book?"
"Partly." He glanced at her. "And partly from what I remember reading."
Ravenna nodded.
She didn’t question him further. They needed information, badly at that. Silver eventually decided to ask Larry.
The opportunity came when the convoy stopped near a rocky clearing to allow the drivers to check their vehicles.
Silver approached the front. Larry was standing beside his vehicle, studying a map.
"Need something?"
Silver looked toward the map.
"Have you heard of any unusual locations deeper in the valley?"
Larry raised an eyebrow.
"Unusual?"
"Caves, strange rock formations, anything contractors talk about."
Larry studied him for a moment, then he folded the map.
"There are a few, this is the death valley, but there is one that stands out for how unusual it is; A cave."
Silver’s attention sharpened.
"Where?"
"Not far from the eastern route."
Ravenna had followed him and immediately noticed the change in his expression.
"What kind of cave?" Silver asked.
Larry shrugged.
"Nothing impressive from the outside."
"What makes it unusual?"
"The animals around the area."
Silver’s expression became serious.
Larry continued.
"People at the observation centre mentioned it. Apparently, low-ranked beasts gather around the entrance."
Silver looked toward the valley.
"How many?"
"Depends."
"On what?"
Larry shrugged.
"Some days there are ten. Other days there are thirty."
Ravenna frowned.
"Do they live there?"
"No."
"Then what are they doing?"
"Nobody knows." Larry folded his arms. "That’s what makes it strange."
Silver’s mind immediately began racing.
A cave, animals gathering and a location not far into the eastern border. His memories suddenly felt closer.
He forced himself to remain calm.
"What kind of beasts?"
"Mostly Rank Ones and Rank Twos. Occasionally a Rank Three."
"Do they enter?"
Larry shook his head.
"That’s the strange part."
Silver stared at him.
"They don’t?"
"Not usually." Larry’s voice lowered. "They gather around the entrance, but they rarely go inside."
Ravenna looked at Silver.
He could see that she was thinking the same thing. There was something unusual about that place but Silver didn’t want to jump to conclusions.
"What do people think is inside?"
Larry laughed.
"That’s the problem."
"Nobody knows?"
"Nobody has investigated seriously."
"Why?"
"Because it’s Death Row Valley ..." Larry gestured toward the surrounding mountains. "An unexplored cave in a place like this isn’t exactly an attractive vacation destination."
Silver smiled.
"Fair."
Larry continued.
"Some researchers think there might be an underground spring. Others think there’s some mineral that attracts beasts."
"Could be an Awakening-related phenomenon."
Larry looked at him.
"Possibly."
Silver remained silent. Larry studied him.
"You interested?"
"Maybe."
"Why?"
Silver shrugged.
"I’m curious."
Larry laughed.
"You’re an odd one."
Silver smiled.
"People tell me that."
Larry returned to his map.
"If you’re thinking about going there, don’t."
Silver raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"Because we’re not there to explore caves." Larry looked at him seriously. "We have a destination. We reach it, complete the mission, and leave."
Silver nodded.
"Understood."
Larry seemed satisfied.
"Good."
Silver returned to Ravenna. The moment he reached her, she whispered.
"That’s it."
"I’m not sure."
"You are."
Silver sighed.
"The location fits."
Ravenna looked toward the distant valley.
"Then we should investigate."
"Eventually." Silver glanced toward the convoy. "We can’t just abandon the mission, we need to find out where it is first."
Ravenna nodded.
"And then?"
"Then we decide what to do afterwards."
She smiled.
"You’re already planning."
"I can’t help it."
Ravenna leaned closer.
"I know."
The convoy began moving again.
Silver returned to the driver’s seat. Ravenna climbed in beside him. As they drove, Silver kept thinking about the cave. He remembered the original story, some of the things matched it’s just that the beast tide for them had already passed.
Silver had never imagined that those small details could become important. Now they were everything.
He didn’t know whether this was the same cave, or whether the Awakening Stone was still there, and he certainly didn’t know whether something else had changed because of his interference with the original story.
But if the cave existed, he needed to see it.
The convoy continued toward the eastern side of the valley. The sun slowly began descending and shadows stretched across the rocks. The number of beasts around them continued increasing.
Silver’s hand rested lightly on his sword. Ravenna held her rifle across her lap. A faint glow of fire occasionally flickered around the weapon.
They were ready.
Whatever waited ahead, they would face it together.