As they came to a stop, Kai climbed down from his panteri observing the terrain around him. There was a large opening in the mountain toward the top of a shorter peak with many higher peaks around it. There were smaller openings they would pass on the way up.
The set of stairs were crumbling in some areas but they had been built wide enough the damage would have negligible effects on their ascent.
"These monkeys are quite smart. They have a great vantage point and can see their enemy approaching from quite the distance. We can't see them but I'm willing to bet they can see us," Kai said. "We'll have to walk up that single-file. Quite the vulnerable position to be in."
Lana nodded. She was listening to him, the plants and the panteri. She relayed what the plants told her to her panteri friends.
Eight panteri broke off. Four went one direction while the other 4 went the opposite way.
Kai started to lead the way to the stairs when Lana put her arm out, "I have to lead the way. I want you at the back. It's almost a guarantee they will ambush with a pincer attack."
Kai nodded, "smart. I think I'd do the same. Any technology use?"
Lana took a deep breath, "if we wait a few minutes, there won't be. At the same time, that's a tip-off to them that we're coming. We just won't be so easy to watch."
Kai nodded, "those plants and beasts really are useful to you, aren't they?"
Lana chuckled, "I prefer them to humans."
A few moments later, "left side is down."
"Shit!"
Lana swore then looked at Levalis, "the second team is under attack."
He let out a low growl, "how many?"
"The trees say 15," she replied.
The rest of the team watched as Levalis lowered his head to the ground and took off in the direction the other team had gone. All the rest of the panteri went with him. Lana filled in the other team when they arrived a few minutes later wondering where the rest were.
"The other machine is down," she announced as it happened. "Three panteri are badly wounded. It will take them a while to return. I'll heal them before we head in."
"Lana, the longer we wait, the more time they have to prepare," Kai said.
She scoffed, "do you think they aren't prepared? Why do you think the panteri provided their finest for this mission?"
Kai nodded. He was beginning to see the strengths in this girl and was proud of the growth she managed throughout the year.
"Have you decided on order to go in yet?" he asked.
"Honestly, I think Sam's deflection ability will be required before anything…. Dobin behind him. I want Karlen and Chekof helping you in the back. Tanisha also needs to support from the back. Do you have your abilities, Tanisha?"
She nodded, "that deflection is going to be great!"
Lana smiled, "it will keep the stones at bay and force them into melee."
"Almin and Blaine, I want you supporting the front. Rene, provide healing in the rear," Lana said decisively.
"Do we go now or wait for our friends?" Dobin asked.
Lana smirked, "we go now." She started walking, "we'll have our own pincer action when they attack. The panteri will have them flanked."
They headed toward the stairs and the panteri caught up with them there. Lana healed the injured them explained the plan. Levalis didn't like her going in that way, but he had to admit the plan should work.
They bet part was, because she moved in when she did, the scimmia were blind to the fact the panteri and rejoined them. They were too close to the bottom of the steps for their eyes to catch it.
As they started climbing the steps, Lana held her husband's hand tightly. She put the trees on her own surveillance so they would have some warning when the scimmia left their caves and were heading their direction. She also wanted to know if any went into a different cave to tip off the others.
They were halfway up when Lana said, "get ready. They did send a runner as well."
Lana fired a vine toward the trees as a signal to Levalis the fight was getting ready to start. Sam and Tanisha both were on guard. As soon as a rock was seen in the air, they threw up the deflection shields. They both held them like umbrellas while the others rushed past to engage in melee.
Dobin widened the stairs to enable two people to stand side by side with enough room to fight. Kyle decided to make it a bit easier. He had chosen lightning as one of his abilities. He put a lot of energy into his attack and threw out chain lightning.
Six scimmia were instantly killed. There was one rock thrower left and he had been low on ammunition. Three others were armed with four sticks each. There were fifteen behind them. While the humans were fighting up front, the panteri came in behind as planned.
They used their tentacle to pass some scimmia to the ones in the back. It was absolute mayhem. While injuries were sustained, they were easily healed.
Lana knew the main forces were in the big hole above, but she refused to leave options behind. They went in every entry on the way up, killing any scimmia they met along the way. Lana went into every entry first so she could hear what was being said and respond accordingly.
This enabled her to destroy any technology in the caves as well. None of the caves had a secondary exit. There were also no living quarters. All of them were guard posts.
With Kai in the back, he didn't notice she was destroying the tech. In fact, the machines she destroyed didn't look anything like what they would refer to as technology.
The technology they had before them used crystals, rocks and conductive metals. She had Dobin follow her close behind and reform them while Kyle blocked visibility of her movement from behind. On the way out, Kyl;e sealed all the entryways so they couldn't be occupied in the future.
There was now only one place to go. The dangerous one.