23. Now what?

After driving halfway through the night, with the glow of the now burning city at their backs, and a cold, dark forest ahead, The ragged bunch, all remain silent,their focus on Silver. "So....now what?" Someone asks, and this makes a quiet discussion break out in the back. After some time, a question is asked. "What do you think we should do silver?" By who, it didn't matter. "We need somewhere safe, and not in control of powerful people, i cant fight them yet, as for where, well...all I can say for sure is...I hope the last map of the region is accurate enough..." Silver says unintentionally leaving the group feeling suspense and mystery. "Come on why do secretive? We are a team now!" The young man with small frame and tower shield that she hasn't caught the name for yet, exclaims. "The issue is, I don't want to get anyone hopes up, we are going to the advantage region. It used to be home to an ancient race called the 'Tex' though, they mysteriously died or disappeared, leaving an entire city fortress behind if it still stands, though we my have to clear it out...its worth a look, but i don't know if it still stands is the issue." Silver states, her mind having wandered to all the research on advanced and ancient machines in her past, remembering the books she read with descriptions of this race and their machines. With that, the group falls into more discussion, most of the group not even familiar with the subject as its not a school directive. Several curious gazes linger on silver, finding her intriguing despite being a brute. "We are almost out of the forest, maybe...half an hour? Then we have about three days travel over the plains of sladiva plains, home to mostly docile or smaller predators beasts, and the guardian of the plains, an ancient earth dragon named Sylvia, hopefully she is as kind and easy to communicate as the guide book says, otherwise we may need to take shifts and drive straight though." Saying this, Silver lets out her first yawn after being up for more than two days of nonstop motion, the quiet hum of the power cores lulling her to sleep slowly.After driving most of the night when silver reaches her limit, stopping at the base of a large hill, before hopping out, nearly falling from exhaustion before speaking to the group. "Let's all catch a few hours shut eye, we will get going after I can see straight." She says, to the agreement of the group, only for her parents and micah to walk over. Her parents start talking about her previous mention of the ancient civilization. "Are you sure that hunting down a relic of a long dead civilization is worth the risk? What if nothing is there? Or if there is, its not what we need to keep us safe?then what?..." They ask, beating around what they actually want to say, but silver already picking that up turns around looking at the two of them, before speaking up. "Yea...yea...those are all possibilities, i guess you guys have a suggestion? Lime guess those underground labs?" Silver says, making her parents gawk in surprise, afterall they haven't spoken about them, or anything else related to it since moving into the city, just before Silver's birth. "Didn't think i would know huh? Did a pretty good job burning the records and erasing any mention, but...as you know I am abnormal for our kind by a lot, I am the first in the family to be abnormally strong and agile at a young age, exhibiting low to mid powerhouse stats, among other oddities, so when i was younger I did some research, and dug into the two of you and eventually it led me to some crazy stuff, a supersoldier program, looking for ways of creating genetically enhanced beings who, after gaining their class will become extraordinary powerhouses, but the project was mysteriously scrapped...or discovered at your labs right? So you both ran..." Silver sighs, her exhaustion showing as she turns away. "Im not mad, I couldn't care less, But i was curious why i was a freak, and the more i grow now the more of a monster I am becoming..." With that, silver grabs a coat before climbing on top of the truck, finding a spot to lay down for the night. Her parents, taking a few moments to come out of their shock to look up at micah who keeps looking between silver, and them his eyes filled with confusion,shock, and realization, but all of it leaves him unable to speak. "It...it was never out intention to hurt her, she is our daughter by blood, she is the greatest achievement of our previous research..." He interrupted them looking down with an intense gaze. "Wait, wait, you guys weren't just a mid class mechanic family? That was a front to hide the fact the two of you were biological researchers! Silver is a super soldier!?do you have any clue at how insane that is?" He bellows, his voice having ridden up as he speaks, the facts having excited him finally knowing something important about his best friend, in the process alerting the group nearby as the were making a small camp. "Shhshssssshh shshsh keep your voice down---" her parents get interrupted by the frail looking swordswoman who with the help of her daughter walks over as she speaks. "Too late for that...whats this about a super soldier? You were part of those experiments huh. Well, if what you say is true...and silver is turning into a monster fighter, then I am glad to have followed, no point in my girl being enemies eventually with something like that." The two are now at a loss for words unable to speak, and nothing they say could clarify anything, its then silver speaks, though groggily. "Let them be, it doesn't bother me, and from my research, their research program was amongst the least invasive and destructive of all the programs i could dig up, i love them regardless, but our goal is the city...i have a plan and it doesn't involve the labs, or technically the city, the city was home to a very advanced mechanica race, if the last expedition notes have any truth to them, I might be able to bring some ancient war machines back online to put up one hell of a fight, how many i don't know, even one could give me a fighting chance against a mid or mid high tier powerhouse...so stop pestering them...and me...and get some rest we have a long journey still..." At the end, Silver's voice fades until a mumble, with which afterwards a soft snoring sound can be heard.