BIOLOGICAL SUPERCOMPUTER SYSTEM

Erik nodded and stayed away from the dangerous plants. He focused on the tracks again.

<It looks like the clones moved inland in a straight line toward higher ground,> he said.

[It's a good idea. An elevated ground would provide better visibility.]

The system paused.

[The tracks suggest they were headed for that small hill there. It's the highest place around, and it would offer the best visibility. However, it might also have put them in danger, depending on how the situation there is.]

<System, you mentioned caves in this region before.> Erik thought, pushing aside a low-hanging branch.

<If they had reached that hill, they might have spotted them.>

[It's possible,] the system said. [If they went on the hill, the rocky formations would have been visible. The problem is that I don't know if they spotted the caves. Seeing them is not so straightforward.]

<So you think they might have seen them?>

Erik's eyes narrowed as he studied the path ahead.

[There's only one way to find out—we need to get to that hill ourselves and see what's visible from up there. The clones would have done the same thing.]

<Let's hope you're right,> Erik said, ducking under a low branch.

Erik felt hopeful. Finally, finding the tracks of the clones meant he was not going to be alone anymore. He could finally start moving toward the Lorogia Mountain range and start his search for the blackguards.

Hopefully, they found a suitable spot to set up camp. If Mira and the others were alive, that would help keep them safe until he arrived. He wasn't exactly sure camping in a cave was the best of the ideas, but it was for sure better than staying in the open.

The trail continued through the deepening forest, and Erik followed.

A roar echoed through the forest, followed by the sound of cracking branches. Erik hid behind a large tree trunk, listening to the sound.

<It looks distant.>That meant that whatever made the roar was not an immediate threat. However, it could quickly be.

[We should move faster,] the system said. [The trail is clear enough that we can increase speed without losing it, and I don't think taking our time is a good idea here.]

<Agreed.>

Erik kept jogging around. The slope grew steeper as the hill emerged from the forest's shadows, its peak promising answers—or at least a better view of where those answers might lie.

…

…

…

After having reached the hill's base, Erik began searching for signs of his companions. He circled the slope, looking for trampled vegetation or other marks of recent human activity.

Even from this elevation, the trees completely blocked the view.

<This doesn't look promising,> he said.

[We still have a lot of road to cover before we reach the summit. There we might scale a tree and see what we find.]

Erik nodded and kept climbing up the hill. The path got steeper as he went higher. Along the way, he found signs that people had been there recently. He saw broken twigs, flattened plants, and footprints on the ground.

In some muddy spots, the footprints overlapped. Some footprints were deeper than others, showing that some people were carrying heavy things.

Avoiding obstacles and sticking to stable ground, Erik made his way up until finally he reached the summit.

There, his heart almost shot out of his chest. A large clearing spread before him, still covered by the trees but with wider spaces between them.

Here, the signs of human activity were much more; they were everywhere. Multiple fire pits contained fresh ashes that rain hadn't yet washed away. The ground had been packed hard by countless footsteps, and distinct depressions marked where people had slept.

<They camped here.> Erik thought, examining the remains of a fire pit.

The camp's size made Erik hopeful—his clones had definitely been here with the others. Looking around, he could see they had set up good lookout spots and organized different areas for sleeping, cooking, and defending.

Based on the stone arrangement around the fire pits and the ash accumulation inside them, Erik estimated they had camped here for one to two days.

[The clones followed their standard camping protocol here.]

The fire pits were placed in such a way to minimize visibility while maximizing warmth, with stone circles arranged to keep as much heat as possible.

The sleeping areas followed a defensive layout, set away from fires to prevent silhouetting. Clear paths connected different sections for quick movement during emergencies.

At the clearing's edges, Erik spotted lookout positions marked by ground depressions where sentries had likely kept watch. Even waste disposal had been properly established downwind from living areas.

<Good, but I'm more worried about what they did after they left.>

Erik couldn't see much of the forest from where he stood—it was just a vast stretch of green trees in every direction. He knew they needed to see farther to find his companions.

He noticed a very tall tree nearby at the edge of the clearing. <Should I get up there?>

[Remember to be quick, though; thaids might spot you.]

Erik nodded and climbed the tree. From there, he saw huge rocky cliffs by the ocean.

<System, those formations. Were you saying the caves are there?>

[Yes.] These were closer to the coast than their current position.

Erik looked at the rocks in the distance. He knew his clones must have seen these rocks from here, too.

The caves would be perfect for their needs—they were easy to defend, had natural protection from the stone walls, and could shelter many people safely.

The only problem was the thaids. Their presence inside the caves was almost certain.

Everything made sense now. The camp's layout and timeframe showed they'd clearly used this hill as a base while checking the surrounding area. After seeing the caves, they would have immediately moved everyone there for safety.

[The timing fits too,] the system said.

Erik smiled.All he needed to do now was to get there.

From his position, Erik could see the best way through the forest to reach the rocky cliffs. The path wouldn't be easy, but he spotted some natural trails that would help him avoid the thickest parts of the forest.

A sudden screech from a flying thaid cut through the air.

"Ah, shit."