I CLIMB (A Progression/Evolution Sci-Fi Novel)

How can this river be so damn long!

"Hey, Houston. How long has it been already?"

"A little over 43 hours since you started," came the familiar voice. "Good news—we can safely say by now there's no Xok'al behind you."

"And how far have we moved since the start? I felt a twist to the East maybe midway, but too lazy to do the calculations."

"What happened with the—"

"Cut the car crap, Houston. I've been swimming for nearly two days straight without taking a single breath of air, my body living off Pillar output like a coma patient on life support hooked to a car battery. So yeah—just fucking talk to me, ok?"

"Fair enough. I'd say we've moved over 352 kilometers since you started. More East than South actually."

"Oh… that's more than I thought… still damn nothing, huh. What about up?"

"Over 240 meters by now."

"... Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"Wait but then… we… we're near the surface!?"

"We should be, yes. Unless we're currently running under a mountain region or a higher eleva—"

"Let's be optimistic, ok. Let's just think that… wait, what…"

My waves suddenly sense a distortion ahead. The underground river is opening up? Is this… is this it!?

My body, practically moving through wave acceleration alone for a while now, jolts back to life. I push forward, heart pounding.

I brace several times—and sure enough, the river opens up. I shoot into open waters.

More than that… there's light!

Finally. God dammit.

I swim upward fast, wide strokes, EM force surging through my blades. Seconds pass. And then—air.

I break the surface.

The sun shines above me. Blue sky all around.

I exhale, relief washing over my body.

"Fake sun or not, Am I glad to see you."

I look around. An open field surrounds the lake. Tall, vibrant green grass waves in the breeze.

A beautiful welcome back to the surface. Not that I wouldn't have appreciated even barren land at this point.

I swim to shore and climb out of the water.

My body's soaked. My skin stings from the long exposure, but I shake it all off with a sharp twist—droplets flying hard enough to pierce the grass.

I toss my blades into the air, hovering them beside me, brush my hair back, and let the sun hit my face.

The warmth is a godsend.

I stay still for several seconds, just enjoying the feeling of something I've missed for two weeks.

After that, I open my eyes and focus on the surroundings more carefully.

Since I've moved mostly East… then… is this the Wild Plains? The grand expanse between the Ajnal and Azcoyatl civilizations where the beastmen reside.

Seems like it. Matches the map I have in my head. So… before anything else… I need food. Food and a proper rest. No sense trying to go back to the Ajnal region in this condition—least of all when I could run into Xok'al nests along the way.

I don't think much and start running Southwest. While going North would put me closer to where I was, the North of the Plains is Xok'al territory. Not in the mood for fights right now.

I keep running through the open plains, taking in the view, the feeling of the sun, the fresh air, the solid ground beneath me. Yeah… no swimming in the near future. Got enough of that for a lifetime.

And like that, I spot my prey after several minutes. Up ahead—a group of wild dino-type beasts grazing.

They look like broad-shouldered quadrupeds, something between a triceratops and a giant boar, thick-scaled and low to the ground, with short horns jutting sideways from the skull. Slow-moving, but with heavy builds—plenty of meat.

Sorry, guys. But… I need to eat.

I propel myself forward, blurring through the grass as I close in before they can even react.

I leap, twist mid-air, and rotate my body using my waves as I slash across one of the creature's throat.

I land on the other side and watch as the massive beast spills an arc of blood before collapsing with a heavy boom.

The others look at me, hesitate for a moment—then run.

Good. One is more than enough.

I walk toward the corpse and slice the hide open, pulling back the layers. With a few clean strokes, I separate the tendons and carve out a proper filet.

I carry it over to a nearby tree, cut some branches, and set them up for a fire, sparking them alight with my blades.

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The glorious smell hits my nostrils as I sit on a rock, turning the meat carefully over the flames, keeping it medium rare. I skewer it on my blade and take a bite.

Nice.

Way, way better than Xok'al meat. I nearly tear up from the taste.

Glad to be back.

I finish the meal after a while and leave the rest there. I grab the orb from the skull, but my Stage Progress doesn't even flinch.

I run toward a distant tree, lean against its trunk, and make myself comfortable for a well-deserved nap.

Imani raised his eyes, staring at the massive walls ahead.

Ka'tumal.

The Ajnal capital rose in the heart of a vast valley, its stone walls towering high above the surrounding land, dark as obsidian and smooth as glass. Sharp, geometric patterns were etched across every surface—rows of ancient glyphs, stepped motifs, and flowing serpent designs that shimmered faintly under the midday sun.

Mountains encircled the valley on all sides, their peaks jagged like broken spears, forming a natural fortress around the city.

Within the capital, towering structures of stone and conductive metal stretched upward—stepped pyramids and angular towers crowned with crystalline spires. Here and there, thin filaments of copper and silver ran along the walls and terraces, channeling faint EM flows that pulsed with a slow, steady rhythm.

Suspended platforms drifted between buildings, guided by subtle EM fields. Thin arcs of light occasionally flickered between anchor points, stabilising the pathways or controlling the flow of energy across the open courtyards.

Above it all, a colossal central pyramid dominated the skyline. Its face was covered in layers of polished stone and golden veins, crowned with a wide, circular disc at its peak—an ancient symbol of the sun.

Imani exhaled softly.

It was without doubt one of—if not the—most impressive sights he had ever seen in his life.

He followed behind the cohort that had brought him here. It had been a long journey, and that had given him plenty of time to think.

On one hand, he was glad—relieved, even—that he would probably be seeing the others again. On the other, the weight of Alonso's death pressed hard on his chest. And if Ayu was there… that would be the hardest part.

But there was no choice. No use lying to himself or the others. They deserved to know. No—they needed to know.

Slowly, the group made their way down the winding mountain path and toward the massive entrance.

Several guards stood at attention, silent and imposing. Imani could tell at a glance—they were at the Lord of Sparks stage.

They didn't speak. They didn't question. One brief pulse exchanged between them and the lead escort was enough.

A deep rumble echoed through the stone as the smallest of the concentric obsidian-like gates began to open, revealing the way within.

Inside—

Imani's breath caught as the city unfolded.

Terraced streets wound around the central pyramid, broad stone paths alive with motion. Faces everywhere—laughing merchants calling out offers, children darting between stalls, guards in gleaming armour patrolling with an easy, practiced stride.

Further along, a massive forge caught his eye. Rows of official blacksmiths worked in perfect rhythm, shaping Ajnal armour and weapons beneath sheets of controlled heat.

Overhead, suspended walkways flickered with stabilised light. Couriers darted across them in swift lines, pulsing signals trailing in their wake.

Compared to the outposts Imani had seen, this place breathed differently. No tension. No constant fear. It felt… like a proper city, untouched by the Xok'al threat.

Well… they could live like this only because those outposts—and the warriors holding them—were paying the price to keep it that way.

As Imani walked, he received more than a few curious gazes, mostly from the children. Their wide eyes followed him with open curiosity. As he looked at them, it stirred memories of his own—faces that might still be waiting back on Earth. Faces… that he may never see again.

He smiled faintly and kept walking.

The cohort led him all the way to the base of the central pyramid.

The guards at the entrance didn't flinch as they approached. With a brief pulse, hidden panels in the smooth pyramid shifted, sliding open to reveal a staircase.

They began to climb, but did not reach even halfway before turning left. A pathway emerged seamlessly from the stone, guiding them along the side of the structure to a sliding door.

There, they stopped.

Only the leader of the cohort proceeded inside—Imani following just behind.

They walked through smooth corridors that felt like a blend of metal and obsidian, the surfaces incredibly polished, the geometry sharp and flawless.

Soon, they reached a chamber where the Ajnal turned and extended his arm, pointing to a bench set against the wall.

"You may wait here. You will be summoned shortly."

Imani nodded, and the man left.

Imani glanced around, but the room was rather plain. He sat where indicated, closed his eyes, and waited.

Several minutes passed in silence before he heard movement from the corridor.

Moments later, another Ajnal steps in, and behind him… Arjun.

Arjun's eyes widened in surprise the instant he saw him. For a moment, he froze, disbelief flashing across his face.

Imani guessed what was passing through his mind, and gave him a slight nod and a faint smile.

Truth be told, he didn't blame Arjun. Logically speaking, the decision to search for Alonso had been reckless. And yet… even if he went back in time, Imani knew he would have done the same.

Arjun exhaled quietly and sat beside him, still processing the sight.

"How's it been?" Imani asked casually.

"I… I thought you were dead."

"Wouldn't blame you," Imani said, leaning his back against the smooth wall. "I should have been."

"I'm… I'm glad you're alive."

Imani smiled faintly. "Guess it wasn't my day yet. So… how have things been in the outpost since I left?"

"We were moved to another outpost after the discovery of the High Nests. It wasn't long after we got there that I heard about the emissary from the Azcoyatl requesting our presence," Arjun replied, voice was lower than usual.

"And what are your thoughts about this emissary and the odd request?"

"I believe it's them."

Imani nodded. "Let's hope so."

They kept chatting a while longer, until both eventually fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts as they waited.

After some time, more sounds reached them. Footsteps—more than two this time. Both Imani and Arjun straightened slightly.

But soon familiar figures appeared.

It was Ishaam, along with the rest of those who had stayed behind at the Ajnal village.

Imani's gaze swept over them. Maurice and Mei now wore the traditional Stone Jaguar armour set—sleek, dark, marked with the angular patterns unique to the Ajnal.

They looked different. More composed. Hardened.

When the group spotted Imani and Arjun sitting there, their eyes lit up in clear relief. Without hesitation, they approached and bowed respectfully.

The tension in Imani's chest eased for a moment. At least they had made it this far too.

The eleven of them waited patiently, exchanging quiet discussions about recent developments from each side.

Apparently, Mei and Maurice had just reached the Stone Jaguar stage and were about to be sent out when the summons came. They mentioned things in the village had been rather quiet, save for occasional reports of the Xok'al growing more active in the northeast.

Minutes passed in silence, minutes that slowly turned into hours.

Until finally—

The door ahead slid open.

An Ajnal stepped through, dressed in garments similar to those worn by the village priest, but far more refined. Dark layered cloth, edged in gold and copper threads, with a long mantle embroidered with curling glyphs of the sun and serpent.

He stared at them and spoke, voice calm and steady.

"The emissary has arrived. Follow me."