Chapter 4: The Touak
Garin awoke to the sounds of the camp as it prepared the morning meals. The savoring sounds and smells allowed him to feel a similar pang in his stomach. It was with a shock he remembered that he had not eaten since he first awoke to this strange world. It made him wonder if he could even eat food with what he had become now. The feeling remained, and so to appease the gnawing hunger he approached the chefs. The Sheok as they called themselves prepared a massive animal, with large molars and a huge forehead that seemed to protrude outward like a mask. They called it Teliol, a rather large grazing animal they normally hunt. Its legs matched that of a raptor or a bird of prey, while the forelegs and body were that of a grazing animal. Garin eyed the meat from the beast, and as soon as the meat was given to him he devoured it in seconds. In the back of his mind Tehran, scanning the food for any pathogens, sighed as he too enjoyed the savory beast. Satisfied, Garin turned to the crowd of waiting Sheok as he scanned for Priscilla in the mob. Tehran proceeded to search as well.
“Seems that we are becoming quite attached to Priscilla.”
“What is that supposed to even mean? She’s our friend.”
“Still, it brings to light many questions.”
“I’m going to ignore you now, ok?”
“Ignore? Please you couldn’t even if you tried… hello?”
Garin smirked inwardly as he spotted Priscilla at last, sitting down with someone. Moving rather quickly he closed the gap until he realized who she was sitting with.
It was not one of the Sheok that much was clear, but whatever the creature was it reminded Garin of an owl with a beak that was much too long. It looked up at him with a strange mixture of recognition in its massive yellow eyes. As he began to sit, he noticed the creature stand and bow in a manner that was akin to some kind of servant. Garin wasn’t sure he could take any new surprises, but at this point he was preparing for anything to show up any minute now and ask him for tea. Just how many people here were humanoid? The creature seemed to sense his confusion, and sat immediately.
“Salutations honored guest, or so I am told.”
“Honored, yes.” Priscilla said with a sip of her canteen.
“Umm… hello?” Garin looked to Priscilla, who simply shrugged as she continued to drink.
“My apologies, I did not mean to startle anyone with my presence here. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Melchior. It is a great and wonderful honor to meet a progenitor. May I ask how you survived all these years?”
Melchior seemed to almost shiver in anticipation for an answer, its eyes moving in tandem to Garin’s steading breathing. It made Garin very uncomfortable.
“I’m still trying to figure that one out actually.”
“Oh it must be an incredible experience. Such wonder! An actual live Shandori, here now in our time. It was as if the Gods themselves are sending us a sign. The other scientists won’t even believe it, they’ll need to see it for themselves assuredly.”
Priscilla cut in, her face growing rigid.
“Sheok-si is no being for your needles and probes Melchior, he is a great warrior and should be treated as such.”
Melchior seemed to resign a little, “Yes of course I understand his role in your society Pack leader, but you do not understand how much of a find you have with Sheok-si here. He is not like anything this planet has seen in centuries of time. He is a living fossil of his people, a great warrior he may be, but a colossal being in reality.”
“Speak plainly Melchior, your words escape their meanings to me.”
“He is a Shandori, Pack leader, a being made by the planet herself to defend it against a force that threatens the world. It’s all in their histories before the Hungering. Their kind was able to do great and powerful things with the world, some were even able to bend the land to their will if what my colleagues find is true. He is a god to us.”
“A god he is not, I have seen him bleed, and I have seen him fight. He is inexperienced, but powerful. No god is inexperienced as he was.”
“He may be as you say, but it does not dissuade me Pack leader. You and the Sheok have found what my people have been searching for our entire existence. He must meet my people, he must go to the Touak.”
“I forbid this, Sheok-si is not someone for you to parade as a savior. He needs to train, if he is to stop the Skiritix. He must be ready before.”
Priscilla’s face was solemn, which made Garin feel odd. Tehran was right about her wanting to protect him, even more so. The Touak Melchior, however, intrigued him. They may have answers to what he had become and even more important, to what had happened to the rest of his kind. He could not leave those questions unanswered.
“Priscilla, I think I should go.”
She looked up at him, first with fury, next with worry.
“Garin, you do not know the Touak. Some are wise, but they are only interested in what they may use. They take and give little in return.”
“Priscilla, they know about me. About what I am. How can I go on not knowing that much at least? And if what he says is true, he knows about what I can do to help you and the Sheok. You say I am inexperienced, so why do you deny me the tool I need to learn?”
She looked defeated, anger still burning beneath the gaze. But she sighed and accepted.
“You are wise as well Garin, but take heed, for those who are wise can be used just as easily if they are not aware.”
She stood up to go, but Garin stopped her with a small tug from his tendril.
“Come with me, please.”
She turned, her eyes focused.
“You said it yourself, I need to train. So what better way than with an experienced warrior. Please Priscilla, you’re the only friend I have right now and I couldn’t do this without you.”
Priscilla looked down at the ground, her attention seemed to bore through one of the iridescent red rocks.
“I must bring my Pack with me if I am to come to the Citadel. It must be with the blessing of Commander Melia, if I am to accept this. I am sorry Garin, but I cannot answer you now.”
She continued on, leaving the two of them. Garin turned to the Touak, looking at the ground as he did. The birdman seemed to be ecstatic, the excitement barely contained within the solemn face he tried to show. “Master Sheok-si, it is truly an honor to meet one such as yourself. I know that whatever it is you are searching for it will be found in the Citadel. More so then this place amongst the savage lands.”
“I can’t be certain of that yet, but thank you for the invitation. I just want to know who I am, and call me Garin”
“You shall, and more, Garin.”
…
Naomi pushed through the lesser leaders, her footsteps light and quick. Anger seethed under her eyes, and the lesser knew better than to stay in her path. She stopped inside her own tent, her flap closing with the wind of her arrival. Just as she was about to set herself down, a shadow moved in her tent. She turned with her light rifle aiming at the movement.
Her Commander sat, solemn and with eyes shut, sipping a drink of the red water. It was the work of the Touak, the red liquid was, a froth beverage that lightened the moods and quelled the thoughts. Her Commander loved the drink, but knew better than to drink such a thing in front of the lesser. Even as cubs, Melia was one drawn to wonder and awe, but wise enough to know danger when she saw it. It was a comfort Naomi never knew.
“Sister Warrior, how fair you this morn?”
“Rage could not describe my mood.”
“What has you so frazzled, my love?”
“My charge, Sheok-si. He infuriates me with his lack of experience, his will to trust without questions. That Touak Melchior, feathered nuisance! He has convinced him that the Citadel is where he must go to find his answers. He will not see reason!”
“What reasons do you mean Pack- apologies, I forget we are not affront of the lesser. Naomi?”
“Why do you insist on naming me when I am your lesser too?”
“Aww come on, you’re my sister cub, I could not treat you as low as to forget that. But enough of formality, tell me your reasons.”
“They are tricksters Melia, all of them. They speak of prophecy and talk of science, but they all distrust each other. They claim knowledge and insight and yet they use that to detriment their own. I do not condone such fools, and neither should Sheok-si! Worse is…”
“What sister,” Melia’s face became concerned even through her reddened features “is it the sign?”
Naomi held her gaze, her worries and fears dribbling out of her like so much water from a river.
Their mother told them a legend when she and Melia were so little they could not hold spears. It was about the warrior of light, a being sent by the gods to save those who could not lift a spear for themselves. Her mother was gifted, a reader of people and a soothsayer of great renown. She spoke that the warrior was not Sheok or Touak, nor a creature of flesh. Light made form, a beacon to the world, and one of great tragedy, for his coming would bring a darkness not even death could end.
It was terrifying as a child, but now with the coming of the Skiritix and Garin, she wondered if she was part of some grand design. Was her mother more than just a reader of people? Or was she a reader of fates as well? She told her sister, reminding her of the story and making the connections, but her sister seemed unconvinced.
“He may be different Naomi, but he is a Sheok now. I do not think he is our mother’s warrior.”
“How can you be so sure? He seems almost identical to the way mother would describe him, it is scary how close it was.”
“If he is dear Naomi, who are we to stop him from his journey. If he wishes to see the Touak, let him. He is a Sheok now and he has the right to do what he feels is necessary.”
“You condone this? Even with his lack of experience?”
“I need not worry, for you are to go with him.”
Naomi’s jaw hung open for a moment, before she realized it and snapped it shut.
“But I have duties…”
“Your Second shall take them.”
“My Pack…”
“I have given them new packs to join.”
“But… Why?”
Her sister, quite inebriated, stood up and hugged her with the strength of a Morshk.
“Because dear sister, I’m tired of treating you as a lesser. You go with Sheok-si, you train him to be a warrior, better than what our mother foretold. And if you do not, I will flog you till your fur is as bare as when you were a cub. Don’t think I won’t!” She held as she spilled her drink onto the fire, which caused the heat to conflagrate and nearly shear off her fur on the spot. Melia laughed sitting down with her head on Naomi’s pillow.
“Go to him sister, and prepare him. If mother’s right and your suspicion correct, he may be the only one who can help us after all. And I’d rather know he is safe with you, Naomi, than by himself with those ‘tricksters’ you so eloquently mentioned.” She snorted as she began to nap on her pillow, her face solemn.
Sighing with defeat, Naomi began to pack her supplies and gear for travel. Her gear consisted of a pair of bolas for hunting, her razorsheik knife, from when she fought her sister for leadership of the tribe, her LAC Rifle, and finally her mother’s traveling staff, with the quiet purple Amethyst held in place at the top. The color reminded her of her mother before she had been taken by the enemy; solemn, wise and always listening. It was as if she carried her mother with her on her journeys before the Skiritix and their nightmarish abominations came. She gripped the staff tightly, for the fear of the future weighed on her now more than ever, and her mother always comforted her in such fear.
“Be one with calm, for a river is power even in calm, and the mind is more so.” Her mother was one for strange sayings, but that one always helped her, even in battle. Calm, she must be if she was to see the danger before it came, and to fight it with the fury of the raging river. She said goodbye to her sister, who snored loudly as she snoozed on her pillow. Grabbing her things, Priscilla pushed through the crowds of her lesser brethren, making her way to Garin and the journey that awaited them.
…
It had crossed over to high noon and the rest of the Sheok began packing their belongings to move the settlement beyond the jade trees and deeper within. It felt strangely calming watching the Sheok move through the trees as if they were melding with the forest itself. Returning to their home, Garin began to wonder if he would find such a place when he saw one of the Sheok break off from the rest. It was Priscilla, garbed in a traveling robe and a large staff with a massive purple stone at the top of the shaft.
“So it would appear that she is saying yes?” Tehran quipped as she came closer to the fire.
“It would, good.” Garin waited by the fire as the Touak Melchior rattled on about the wonders of the Citadel and his brethren, of the scientific marvels that awaited them.
“Good?”
“Yes, good.”
“A moment ago you were worried that she was going to abandon you and you were about to drag her along whether she wanted to or not. Now, all you have is good?”
“What should I have? She’s coming along with us, that’s good there’s nothing more.”
“Nothing would be walking without her, you were prepared to force her which says something more.”
“Don’t psychoanalyze me, Tehran.”
“It is not analyzing, merely observation within certain stimuli.”
“You know that’s the same thing.”
“Do I? And here I thought that I was merely sharing this mind of yours, apparently I know better than its owner, go figure.”
“I should go back to ignoring you.”
“Should, but won’t.”
“Should and will!”
“Still not hearing a certainty there, just face the truth Garin and deal with the feeling.”
“What truth?”
“You’re afraid to do this without her. She is the only person you know of since you awoke and she has cared for you when she had no reason too.”
“I’m a weapon to her that is why she helped. Just another spear to throw at her enemies.”
“Spears break under strain, warriors do not.”
“What the hell are you on about?”
“If you were just another ‘spear’ she would have discarded you long ago. You mean something to her too. For what, I cannot say, but she wasn’t likely to abandon you Garin, from what I have seen.”
“Another reason then, maybe a scheme to use me for a source of power.”
“You’re grasping straws Garin just accept it.”
“Fine, you’re right…”
“I am right. Now you go be right and say thank you.”
Tehran buzzed off, Garin feeling his conscience drifting back from his mind. Sighing, Garin pushed himself off of the rock he was sitting on, completely ignoring the comment that Melchior gave about his strength and motioned towards Priscilla just as she was reaching him.
“Thank you.”
“For what Garin?”
“For coming, this would have been hard without you along.”
“It is my duty to make sure you are trained, it only seemed right to journey with you and your stubbornness. But I tell you as I told you before, the answers we find may be nothing but fluff when it comes to the Touak.”
“I get the feeling that you have been told you were right a lot as a child.”
“I did not need another to tell me I was right. The world is the greatest teacher; she will tell you the truths you seek in time.”
“Poetic, did you come up with that yourself?”
“It was my mother’s.”
“You’re mother, who was she?”
“Enough, there will be time for questions on the road. In the mean time I suggest you prepare Garin, the road to the Citadel is not as paved as it once was; you need to be ready with supplies in case we have nothing to hunt.”
Garin still buzzed with questions, but Priscilla dismissed him as she moved to speak to Melchior. Frustrated, Garin went to collect some gear and food for the journey, running into some of the Sheok and Mouak as they were breaking down their tents. Melchior described the Mouak with disgust mostly.
“Filthy, they who I once called brothers giving up their lineage to journey with the Sheok. Have they no shame? It is as if they forgotten who they once were. I pity them mostly, for they will never know the splendor of technology again.”
They seemed organized, careful, as if each step to dismantle their homes was a prayer to some higher power. Careful not to disrupt them Garin made his way to the command tent, which was still held up as the last until the rest were taken down. Inside Garin found strange plants and animal flesh, things he could only imagine where they may have come from. The meat was exotic looking, with shades of brown and blue and even green flesh making up the majority, whilst the fruits and vegetables were plain and underwhelming, brown and black. Grabbing some meat and wrapping it carefully, he took a look at the plants, noticing a fruit shaped much like an apple.
Curious, he picked up the fruit, grasping it softly as he contemplated a bite. Bringing it closer to his mouth, the fruit seemed to shy under his maw, moving slightly away from him as much as it could under his grasp. Finally Garin snapped shut on the plant, finding that his teeth would not go through. Instead the apple sighed and started shooting juice into his mouth where he had bit the hole through. It was cold, refreshing, but it burned like orange juice going down his throat.
The apple deflated to a small flat skin and Garin realized that the plant wasn’t a plant at all. It was an insect, a rather large bulbous one, and it was trying to escape with its life as Garin set the creature down. Garin looked at it as he felt the slimy liquid he just drank go down his throat. He picked up another from the pile and started drinking as if he was sitting in a desert under the noon sun.
…
Drinking his fill of the strange apple bug juice, Garin took to packing the rest of the food. He looked for another beverage for the journey, finding a strange red water container. Reaching out with his tendril, Garin picked up the massive jug and placed it on the table with the other food. He drained some the liquid into a skin made from a reptile of some origin that Garin could not identify. The skin was iridescent white, with smaller shimmering scales cascading from end to end. Satisfied with the amount, Garin capped the end just as the Commander came into the tent. She stumbled, a paw to her head as she groaned lightly.
“Commander, are you alright?”
“Too much red water… need novesora… please.”
“Novesora?”
“Big round bug, ugh.”
Garin looked around for the strange bug he was only moments ago ingesting. One large Novesora lay nestled amongst the slices of animal flesh, digging its small claws into one of the plants. Grabbing the plump bug, Garin placed it in The Commander’s hands. She grabbed the front of the bug and bit through the crunchy carapace to the juice within. She drank greedily as the bug began to deflate.
“Thank you Sheok-si,” she said, smacking her lips with renewed vigor, “I needed that.”
“You’re welcome, so what about this red water?”
“It is Touak make, they call it ‘fire wine’. It is a strong drink, but it dulls the sense quickly and effectively. I really need to take my sister’s advice on the stuff.”
“It would seem so, is that alcoholic?”
“You use strange words Sheok-si, it is a drink made for losing oneself to senselessness. It is good only for escaping pain from wounds inflicted in battle. I drink it for other reasons, but that is its purpose.”
“Fire wine huh? Sounds like something that wouldn’t be so helpful in a fight.”
“That drink has saved me from going mad with pain after I almost lost my leg in a fight. There is purpose in all things Sheok-si, even something as strange as a drink. But enough of that, I am told you are leaving?”
“Yes with the Touak, I’m hoping to find some answers about myself.”
“Answers are given in time Sheok-si, why do you need to leave to their Citadel to find such things?”
“I don’t think these answers are going to come to me Commander, I feel as though I need to find them. Otherwise I’ll never know what I am to do.”
She shook her head and smiled.
“Good, it is not wise to journey and forget the destination. Just be sure to remember what you learn along the way.”
Garin smiled at that, it reminded him of someone, a figure in his mind that would not come out of the shadows. But the memory warmed him still, whoever it belonged to. Picking up his gear, he pushed open the flap to the outside as a hand came onto his shoulder.
“Remember Sheok-si, you are Sheok now. You will always have a home with us, no matter where you go. Go now with pride, avesoren.”
“Avesoren?”
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“It means brother in arms.”
Garin, perhaps from the drink or the memory still lingering in his head, turned to hug the Commander. In time, she returned it and purred softly. Saying goodbye to each other, Garin turned towards his group. Priscilla was in her traveling robes and gear, and the scientist Melchior with his packs and gadgets. Together they headed for the forest of jade, breaking off from the rest of the Sheok as they ventured into the glittering canopies. As the pack began to shift into the woods, disappearing from sight, Garin noticed a shift in the moods of both Priscilla and Melchior. They seemed relaxed, which made him worry.
“Are you two ok?”
Melchior chuckled lightly.
“Yes actually, much better. I don’t know if you noticed Garin, but the Sheok don’t like me too much.”
Priscilla snarled, “That’s an understatement.”
“Why is that Melchior?”
“Melchior knows, don’t you?” It was more of a statement then a question, but Garin could not resist.
“Well?”
“Fine, if it pleases the both of you. The Sheok do not like me preaching the word of the Cheruv to their young, they see it as a cult and they do not want me poisoning their minds as they put it. I for one will not stop my ‘preaching’, if they cannot accept the fact that our word is meant for all than that is their choice, their children can choose for themselves. I don’t see their issue though, I only preach to those who listen anyway.”
“Yet they clamor for you every time you arrive, most mothers would see that as treachery in their eyes.” Priscilla smirked as she moved ahead.
“It is not treachery, I do not hope to convert unwilling minds, and I merely wish to show them what the Cheruv can teach.”
“The Cheruv?”
“You do not know? But you are one of their servants surely you know of the Cheruv?”
“I keep telling you Melchior, he is not one of your gods.”
“God or not, the Shandori are his servants, even a servant should know of their master it would be foolish not to know.”
Garin sighed as they continued to argue. He was beginning to wonder if he was ever going to get answers that made sense from these two.
“Sheok-si is not a god, gods do not bleed from wounds, and they do not feel pain. They are bringers of pain and judgment. Even your people should know of the Wrath of Gods.”
“There are not just vengeful beings that can be called Gods.”
“Weak Gods for a weak people, how fitting.”
“Barbaric Gods for a warrior people, how trite. Excuse me while I go vomit up all the ignorance you served me just now.” Melchior began to move ahead huffing and hooting as he pushed through the brushes. Priscilla seemed to be in as much of a foul mood.
“Ignorance, there is nothing I need from a bag of hot air any more than I need a spear to my gut. Ignorant, can you believe that feathered know-it-all?”
“To be honest, I think you both brought up some good points.”
“You’re no fun Garin.”
“What?”
She moved ahead as well, huffing in almost similar fashion to Melchior, Leaving Garin alone.
Garin strolled slowly, letting the tendrils on his back drag with the ground at his feet. Occasionally his tendrils would hit a boulder infused with sapphires, which dotted the forest. His mind began to wander and soon he was testing his strength on some of the boulders he happened upon. First, knocking them aside with an arm, next picking one up and throwing it, and finally, trying to break the boulder with his tendril and arms combined. Pushing with all his strength, he shattered the great stone as the sapphires trapped within began to sparkle and fall to the ground.
“So proving that you too are a brute?” Tehran gloated.
“So what if I am? I have to figure out what I can do with this power, don’t I?”
“I am not judging, merely observing. I am curious to see what we can do as well.”
“Mind lending me a hand then?”
“What assistance do you require?”
“Well, you did say that you could access parts of my brain right? Is there anything about controlling the ground beneath us or bending light or something?”
“That knowledge and power were among the elders of my race, we do not have the capabilities to summon that much energy. Besides, it would anger her.”
“Who, Sate? The planet would be angry with use for moving some dirt around?”
“Without her blessing of course she would be furious. Goddesses have very little patience for mortals, especially when they do not ask politely, Sate, she is a stickler when it comes to politeness.”
“I swear with you shouting goddess and the other two going on about theirs, I must be cursed by some vengeful deity listening to you all blather about. I don’t think they really care. Ouch!”
“Sorry, but I felt it necessary before you get us both fried for being cheeky. How you humans lasted without angering your gods I’ll never know.”
“Humans have them too, we just don’t fear ours like you all seem to. Sure they are revered, but we don’t let them interfere with our way just because they may not agree. Humanity does what it needs to survive.”
“How morbid, do you have no faith Garin?”
“If I did, I can’t remember it and from what I’ve seen I don’t want to remember that part. All it seems to do is split people up. Look at those two, they are at each other for no reason except they don’t agree with each other’s version of what a deity should be.”
“Even if they don’t agree, does that make them wrong?”
“I just don’t like it when friends fight.”
“People never think the same Garin, it’s a fool’s quest to make them otherwise. You’ll just end up uniting them against you for taking away that right. Great minds, sometimes they do not think alike at all. If you want to stop the fighting, find a common ground between the two people and push them to see that they are not so different.”
Garin sighed, “Okay, but that still doesn’t help me with the power situation.”
“Our power comes from Sate, herself; you must embrace her first before she can gift us.”
“So forcing me to convert to receive the power, doesn’t that contradict what you just told me?”
“I am not converting at all, it is your choice on whether we get to use our powers or not.”
“Fine then, in the meantime is there anything we can do that doesn’t involve praying for help?”
“Breathing, eating, and sitting. I’m pretty sure those are all still allowed.”
“Has anyone ever told you how much of a smartass you are?”
“Wouldn’t know, I figured they were just there to support my ever growing ego. It was an important job when I was clan leader you see.”
“Ugh, enough!”
“All I can tell you Garin, is that if you do not embrace Sate then we will never find out what happened to us. She is our people’s patron. She is not meant to shake a finger at us, but to guide us. Can you at least accept help?”
“Why does it have to be something based on faith? I don’t even know who I am, how can I trust something I don’t even know?”
“You trust me don’t you?”
“Well sure, but...”
“But nothing, I am telling you this is truth. If you trust me, then you need to believe me when I say we need her help.”
Garin grumbled to himself, “Alright, if you say so. I’m not convinced she’s real though.”
“It won’t be necessary, but thank you for your trust. In the meantime, I believe we have fallen behind. Do keep up now.”
Tehran whirred back inside his mind. Garin feeling the familiar presence leave as he did, his thoughts his own again. The jungle came back into view, the glittering shards in the canopies touching the sky with the white sun, coloring the forest floor in a dazzling brilliance. It reminded him of a metal ball in a dark lit room from his past, but the memory began to fade as soon as he reached for it. Frustrated, he pushed forward to catch up to the two as they continued their argument. Priscilla seemed to be on pins and needles with Melchior, whose fluffed brows and short stature made for an interesting show.
“What kind of race believes in only vengeful beings as their deity, it’s like you want to know nothing but sorrow!” Melchior’s eyes seemed to shift back and forth across Priscilla, almost as if he was scanning her.
“Weak Gods have no place in our lives, if we wanted to be babied by lesser ones we would have been killed by now.”
“You both need to stop, now!”
They looked at him with daggers in their eyes, but when Garin lifted up his tendrils to face both of them, they disarmed almost immediately.
“Yes I suppose you are right of it Garin, its getting us nowhere as it is.”
“You just know your argument was invalid, typical tricksters the lot of you.”
“Enough! If neither of you have anything to say that is productive then shut it and let’s get going.”
Garin moved to the front of the group, further distancing himself from the two bickering aliens. They followed in toll, both silent as the grave as they made their way through the glittering landscape. Garin let the sound of the forest take him in as he moved past the long marbled trees. The wind made the canopies dance, the living jade reflecting the sun’s white light across the ground. No other light could show such brilliance he thought, as he let the forest take him with its swaying music.
It was almost too perfect a moment, Garin thought. As he opened his eyes, his thoughts and mood changed almost instantly. In front of him stood a huge creature covered in green moss and jade fixtures. Marble coated its abdomen in a white alabaster and its legs were daggers hewn of obsidian. His mind racing, Garin noticed its face matched that of a spider, with four glowing turquoise eyes and two large fangs dripping ruby red. As his mind wrapped around the enormous beast, both Priscilla and Melchior trusted ahead of him, each in a battle-ready stance.
“He is afflicted,” Melchior observed, pointing to the creature’s back. It was true, the creature had a strange metallic fixture on its back. Garin wondered what it could be, but Priscilla pushed him aside.
“Stand Back Garin, this creature is a convert.”
“A Convert?”
As the thought raced through his head, the creature lurched forward, two large pincers appearing from underneath its body. In one quick sweep it knocked Garin into the air. His body took the blow but the force had pushed him into the jade trees above. Shattering stone fell from above as he collided with the hard surfaces of the tree, sending a shimmering shower down on his allies.
The two alien beings dodged the falling debris, moving around the creature to each of its sides. Garin began to fall, his arms outstretched as he landed on his chest. Pain arched through him, but only for a moment, as it seemed the pain was fueling something within him. He pushed himself up with his tendrils, his new found surge of energy pushing him forward. The Aliens were already combating the beast, dodging its claws and sweeping strikes. Garin shoved into the monster, using his tendrils to latch onto the creature. It shrieked, sending out a piercing noise which seemed to ripple the very air with power. The force knocked out his allies, sending them flying back into nearby foliage. Only the strength of his tendrils grip kept him from flying off of the beast. After the cacophony of noise, the beast raged at him trying desperately to reach him with his claws. Just out of reach, Garin began hitting it with his fists, shoving all his strength into each strike. The stone skin beneath each blow began to cave in easily, causing the creature to screech even more.
Drawing all of his pain into the last strike, Garin shoved his fist deep into the creature’s body, sending chunky bits of rocky hide and ichor out of the creature’s now dying body. It whined with pain as it began to slow reaching in vain to get at him. Once it stopped moving, Garin unlatched himself from the creature’s back moving to the side to get a better look at the monster he had slain. The beast seemed solemn now, but Garin wasn’t worried about the beast anymore. He turned to look for Priscilla through the forest and foliage. The forest seemed to lose its humming song as he pushed through, which made him worried. The Creature was dead already, so why was it so eerily quiet all of a sudden? He found Priscilla, her body limp as she rested in the shade of a long lavender trunk. As he approached her, he noticed movement to the right. A large metallic bug seemed to skitter with fury towards his friend, its large pincers snapping loudly.
Garin reached out with his tendril grabbing the insect. It screeched almost similarly to the monstrous spider being, sending a twinge of fear through him. Priscilla began to move, her body arching up in poised form. She looked at Garin, then at the insect. She snarled at the thing beastly, “Garin! Kill that creature!” Almost without thought Garin crushed the insect in his tendril with ease. The insect died instantly, not a noise escaped its mangled form.
“Are you alright Priscilla?”
She held her head sighing, “Yes, that beast had quite a voice on it, but I’m alright.”
Garin looked over to the Touak, noticing that Melchior was also in a mangled state.
Garin rushed over to check on Melchior noticing that he was bruised up upon his head as well as slight lacerations across his wings and arms. From what Garin could make out, Melchior seems to be breathing at the time, but he thought it best that he would keep him up right.
“Priscilla could you check up on him I am not sure what to look for?”
“In a moment Garin, I still need to catch my breath.”
Tehran pushed himself from the recesses of Garin’s mind, taking note of the events.
“Well at least she is doing all right for a moment. Although, I suppose since we here we might as well try our best to make sure that the birdbrain over here isn’t hurting too badly.”
Garin sighed to himself in his head feeling the familiar buzzing of Tehran’s quick wit. But unexpectedly Garin noticed one of his tendrils reach out and touch the alien as a blue shimmering light cascaded over the alien’s body. In moments he started pulling up detailed information about the alien’s physiology as if he was reading a document about the alien’s biorhythm right then and there. The blue lights turned into a green one as its spread throughout Garin’s body causing strange ripples in Melchior.
Tehran started to sing to himself in his head as Garin noticed that the wounds that were on Melchior’s body began to leave almost as if they were evaporating, even the protruding lacerations on his body also began to lessen to Garin’s astonishment.
Over his shoulder Priscilla began to watch him work, almost mesmerized by the strange green light cascading over Melchior’s body.
“You may not be a god, but your race is strangely adept.”
“I swear I am making this up as I go.”
Melchior began to stir, his body convulsing to the green rhythms of the energy surging through body. His wide eyes began to open staring straight at Garin with an awe inspired glance.
“Oh thank you I was beginning to feel ruffled after that last screech. And it seems that Priscilla is in good spirits as well, what a delight.”
“You should learn to listen better trickster you’re likely to get killed next time something like this happens.”
“You know I would fight with you but it would seem pointless at this moment especially considering that the beast is already dead. I say we count our blessings that Garin was here to save us when we both needed saving. I’ll wager that will meet more of those converts along the way which by the way brings me to my next point; Garin, how were you able to heal me? Of all the learnings of my kind I have never heard of the Shandorians being able to heal, it would seem strange as well considering you showed no aptitude for healing earlier.”
“I have to say it’s new to me as well. I know you think I’m some great warrior but in truth I’m just as lost as you are.”
Tehran smiled inwardly to Garin, “Well you can thank Priscilla for that little addition. When she had ‘given’ us that interesting green weapon it turns out it was actually made for medical purposes. It was a simple matter to make it useful to our needs.” Garin remembered the glow of the green blast and the strange device that his body seemed to absorb. Was that one of his latent abilities as well? Just as it occurred to him, Melchior seemed to be ready to depart his wounds gone and his mood much lighter.
“Once we get to the city I am certain that we both can find some answers but in the meantime let us proceed I believe I have sat in the dirt long enough.”
…
Both Melchior and Priscilla were silent as they began to leave the Jade forest into the craggy badlands, which suited Garin fine considering their hostile nature towards each other. But it left his mind open for Tehran to spew his nonsense which made the long walk seem even more arduous.
“I don’t know why you keep insisting that I am an actual nuisance when in fact I’m the only one that is actually helping you on this journey. In fact, I believe that you owe me an apology.”
“What apology?”
“I just saved Melchior’s life. Were it not for me you would have been lost in the middle of the Jade forest, which by the way, is infected with converts. It seems that every moment you’re trying to treat me as the bad guy.”
“I do not know what you’re talking about Tehran, besides I didn’t see you on that last fight in fact you seem to be lollygagging during that time.”
“That was merely a test, during the very brief time that you are cognitive I realized that I have never had an opportunity to test how you would react on your own, though I must say you are very adept at handling the situation by yourself considering that the other two were knocked out, so congratulations.”
“You see this is why I’m hostile towards you, testing me when you should be helping me? It makes it seem like I am nothing but a test subject to you. I thought you said that we were supposed to be brothers in arms, instead I feel like I am on my own half the time.”
“It’s obvious I’m not going to get that apology so I will just say this, you performed spectacularly without my assistance. I shall however endeavor to help you in the future, for we are brothers in this. So I shall be the first to apologize and say that yes I have been rather distant but it is so that we may both grow together.”
A tinge of guilt crept up Garin’s spine but also a bit of anger seeing as he knew Tehran was playing to his weakness, but he could not help it.
“I apologize as well Tehran, the next time would you please assist us? I would appreciate it ever so much.”
Garin said in his mind, with so much sarcasm, he could have sworn in he heard Tehran burning from the acidic response, but Tehran said right back.
“If it suits me.”
As Tehran receded into the back of his mind, Garin realized that’s he was once again alone in the silence while the two aliens glared daggers at each other. Almost wishing for Tehran back he thought against it hoping that the silence would stop his throbbing headache from the mental ordeal he just had.
It did not.
…
With the journey in full swing, Melchior played the game of thoughts with his head, coming up with various situations in which he may one day beat his older brother in chess. Back at the Citadel, his brother Hawter was one of the great chess champions of their race, which frustrated Melchior to no end. His brother had only beaten him once and that happened to be during the greatest tournament that the Citadel had ever known. So for the longest time, he had never let his brother Hawter beat him in anything else. It did however make that one victory all the more poisonous, for Melchior did not like to settle for second. But with Garin and his prehistoric lineage he was confident he could meet his brother’s successes and perhaps even surpass them. However, the game of thoughts seemed to elude him, for Priscilla, The Sheok Huntress, was on his thoughts mingling and disturbing them.
How can a race be so close minded? Do they not have gods of their own or are they so blind to think that they know how everything about creation works? It angered him to no end to know that there was a race that was this closed off as to believe that they did not need gods or understanding. Or perhaps that was just her. She seemed to be his opposite, which not only frustrated him, but intrigued him. He cast the thoughts aside, but try as he might, they seemed to always come back.
So instead he focused on the badlands that sprawled between here and the Citadel, for if one was not careful the very land itself would swallow you whole. The badlands were full of dangerous creatures, but the good news was that they were all night dwellers and this was the sun season. As long as the group stayed away from the caves and caverns they had nothing to worry about. There was one thing that Melchior kept his eye out for, and that was the harpies. Unlike their nightly dweller brethren, the harpies feasted upon anyone who traverse the badlands particularly in the high mesas.
Melchior had a keen eyeball for harpies, especially the purple feathered Lotus Harpies. They were his favorite to study back at the Academy of Aeronautics in the Citadel, for as harpies go they were the swiftest and the most deadly. Easily eight feet tall, the purple Lotus harpies actually feasted among other harpies and some were revered as leaders due to their deadly instincts. What you had to look out for though was their talons. Purple Lotus Harpy’s talons contained a poison, a strange chemical reaction that if applied to the skin or inserted into the blood would cause the victim to obey the harpies for several hours.
Melchior remembered testing this same poison on one of his classmates, a pretty girl named Rosaline that he was too afraid to ask to dinner. She managed to get his clothes off only to begin ripping his feathers off as well. It was a night to remember. The good news is that the Purple Lotus Harpies were not known for leaving their habitat which was actually south of the Citadel where the highest concentration of mesas existed. But Melchior knew better than to trust everything his textbooks said when it came to Sate. So now with a new disturbing thought to focus on, Melchior let a smile creep through as they trudged into the arid land.
“Why are there no cacti out here?” Garin said as his tendrils scoped the area, their screens of eerie light reflecting off the ground.
Naomi turned to him with a raised eyebrow, “What is a cacti?”
Melchior became curious as well to know, but his train of thought ended when a ripple coursed through the ground. His mind filtered through what it could be, but only two things came into focus. Either it was a dune worm, or it was a Klaktio scorpion. The dune worms were the most likely choice since only they could make such a ripple, but there had been stories of the scorpions as well being able to create many earthquakes with just their tail.
“It is nothing to worry my friends, only two beasts could make such a quake and both of them are herbivores, well one is an omnivore but they do not enjoy the taste of Sheok and Touak flesh.”
Garin began to look at him nervously, “What about me?”
Melchior laughed out loud, holding his guts to his side as he almost tripped over a rock.
“I do not believe that they like your taste either Garin, those two beasts eat an incredible amount of food, we would be nothing to them but appetizers.”
“Well that’s good to know, how much farther to the Citadel?”
“It is only a few more miles south and then we must travel the Under Canyon to Avis Port. So about another day’s journey.”
The Huntress Naomi marched toward Melchior with the fervor befitting her race.
“You know as well as I that we cannot take the Under Canyon to the Avis Port whilst in the sun season. Especially not with the converts out in full force. They would likely take us there as well with their Tunnelers before we had a chance to get to Avis Port.”
Melchior was beginning to despise this woman, but he could not pass up an opportunity to put her down a peg.
“The Under Canyon has been cleared out since you were last in the Citadel, Naomi. In fact there is no more converts in our area thanks to the new weapons we’ve developed. Much like your light gun that we fashioned for you, we have also developed a new type of melee weapon that harnesses that same solar energy. It has led to many… Interesting battles with the Skiritix and their mutated masses, usually with their utter destruction and our triumph. Simple to say you have nothing to fear from that area any longer, but do go on it is nice seeing you make a fool of yourself.”
He could almost feel the heat from Naomi as she glared into the back of his head. He could not help but smile as she began to fume with her low guttural growls.
As his smile widened, Melchior began to see the Under Canyon come in sight. The Under Canyon was the name of a river that spread from the Citadel all the way into the Jade forest. It was the main source of water for his people as it came from an underground spring that spanned the entirety of the badlands, but all seem to converge at the Citadel’s apex. It made the Citadel’s location that much more secure for their citizens never went thirsty.
It was for that same reason that many of the animals of the badlands converged near the Under Canyon, for they were just as desperate for water. So it was not converts that Melchior feared as they went under and deeper into the canyon, but the various beasts and reptiles he knew awaited them. Sucking in a deep breath, Melchior plunged the group into the darkness of the canyon following with a hand on the side of the wall. He reached into his pouch that held his light pistol and aimed it into the center where the shadows of the canyon were darkest. Closing his own eyes, he said, “You two may want to close your eyes for this one.” He pulled the trigger and with it, a large flash of light pierced the inner Canyon lighting up the entirety of the area. He opened his eyes again to see the very beast he was afraid of. Whilst the other creatures that lurked in the darkness fled from the light, one large apex predator remained near the pool where the river coalesced. Melchior only knew the beast in his textbooks back at the Academy.
It was called a Joungir, a beasts with three large eyeballs and a body covered in a shell that was serrated. It was over twenty feet long, had a mouth that was long, sharp, and jagged, with six legs that ended in points. It was highly aggressive, extremely territorial, loved the river habitat, and would kill in seconds if you weren’t careful. His light gun wouldn’t be a match for the beast, especially with the serrated blades on this specific specimen, but for two hunters...
He turned to both Garin and Naomi, and sighed, “We have a problem. Do you both see the beast in the water?” Naomi turned staring down at the canyon. “Yes I see him, he looks very much like the Joungir.”
Melchior laughed, “That’s because it is, and that’s not good for where we are going.”
Garin looked down as well, “What do you mean?”
Melchior looked back at the beast, “The creature before us Garin, is a highly territorial beast and will not stop until it kills us for entering its domain. We have to make sure that that doesn’t happen, because I do not believe we have the power to defeat that thing. Unless you and Priscilla can come up with any bright ideas, the only other way would be to swim under it. I do not know about you Garin, but I can’t hold my breath that long.”
Naomi looked back at the group, “I believe that you are mistaken Melchior, in fact this should be very simple.”
“How so?”
“Well for starters, the beast itself is stationed in the middle if we were to go on the outside of the canyon wall away from the water, we would not need to go near the beast.”
Melchior stared straight into Naomi’s eyes, “How do you suppose we could get by a creature that has three eyes, one of which is on the back of its head?”
“With Garin of course.”
They both turned to him in tandem and with a confused look on his face Garin said, “What?”
…
Garin could think of several bad ideas that would have led to an easy demise. This one caught him by surprise. Holding on to not only Priscilla but Melchior as well with his two arms, Garin was latched to the canyon wall with his two tendrils slowly shuffling around the craggy peak and jagged edges that made up the wall of the canyon. High above the river itself, he could see the Joungir moving around in the water not noticing them dangling over its head. His heart was racing, because it just so happened that at that very moment he realized he was afraid of heights.
“What is taking so long Garin, we need to get to the end of the river by nightfall.” Melchior was becoming impatient but it only seemed to frighten Garin more. The beast itself seemed only like a speck with how high they were up. Though even with his fear, the tendrils held firm and not a bit of slack was given as he climbed along the canyon wall. Priscilla hung on his back holding his torso as he shimmied back and forth constantly turning right as he moved along the wall. After a while, he started to get dizzy even veering off course in different directions, he felt like a top spinning constantly without any hope of stopping.
The plan worked well, as the beast overlooked them completely. He had almost reached the end, but just as he was letting go to latch to the next part of the wall something shuttered in the ground. Garin was quick to react, pushing himself back along the wall just as a massive form shot out of the wall itself. It was a worm-like beast, with a gaping maw that descended down into the river. He had short tendrils along its body and was easily the size of a bullet train with how long it was.
Melchior began to shout something, but with the roar of the debris, Garin wasn’t able to make out what he said. With Priscilla so close to his ear, he heard her perfectly.
Tunneler.
Garin remembered, and completely forgot his fear of heights.
Tehran however, was already scanning the beast just as the Tunneler descended upon it. Its wide gaping mouth tried to wrap around the scaly monster, but to no avail. The beast itself was ready for the Tunneler, and proceeded to spin vibrantly and viciously, using its sharp edges like blades. The Tunneler screamed in pain as blackened blood began to stain the water. But the Tunneler was not through yet from what Garin could see. It tried to wrap around the beast like a snake desperately trying to slow down its spin. That only seemed to make the creature spin faster, causing even more blood and flesh to follow the creature’s body.
With the debris finally settled, he could now make out what Melchior was saying.
“What in the blue fires of hell are you waiting for, Garin?”
Snapping back into reality, Garin began his descent, moving even faster than he thought possible.
In his head he could hear Tehran feeding him information about the encounter.
“My, my, so that is what a Tunneler is. It is a good thing that we have such a beast scanned, perhaps next time we’ll be able to fight such a thing.”
“What do you mean fight it? There’s no way we can go up against something like that, it is about the size of a skyscraper that can burrow underground.”
“I beg to differ. But enough about that, do keep the wall on your mind if you would, I’ll worry about the scan.”
Even in the middle of a life or death situation, Tehran could still annoy Garin enough to make him want to beat his head against a wall over, and over. He fought the urge to continue doing his spinning top move to make his way with the group in tow. The sounds of the river started to roar louder making it very clear that he was getting closer to the ground. Another rumble cascaded along the canyon wall, only this time nothing came out of the wall but a large quake. Garin held as tightly as possible, but the quake was so strong that it ripped his grip off of it causing him and his companions to fall. He could hear their screams match with his own as they all fell into the dark red water.
He pushed for the surface gasping for air. Once settled, he looked around for his friends, but so far none had surfaced, he began paddling for the shoreline when he noticed Priscilla floating along the bank, she wasn’t moving. A surge of horror and rage shot through him, as he launched his tendril to grab her. Catching on her clothes he dragged her to the shoreline pulling her along the banks. Garin became frantic, for he could not make out a breath. He looked around for Melchior and saw him swimming for the same shoreline. Latching out his second tendril, Garin pulled him in like a fish, tossing him next to Priscilla.
“She’s not breathing.”
Melchior looked up to him still catching his breath and said, “That much is obvious.”
“Help her!”
“What do I look like a doctor? I have no idea what to do.”
Garin looked down at her body and felt the frantic fear creep along his spine.
Just then Tehran came back into focus.
“The scans complete, by the way. So how is the group doing?”
“Priscilla’s not breathing.”
“Well that can’t be good.”
“Please help her, like you helped Melchior.”
Tehran was eerily silent for a moment, which made Garin even more fearful. Then Tehran said, “She’s got water in her lungs, the only way to get it out, is to suck it up.”
Garin felt his determination return.
“What do I need to do?”
Tehran took control of one of his tendrils and placed it on her chest.
“All you need to do is suck, and I will push.”
So Garin sucked, he pushed his lips and began sucking as hard as he could. The feelings of awkwardness and strangeness seemed trivial when compared to saving his friend’s life. Just as he was about to take a breath, he felt Tehran push on her chest, forcing the access water right out of her mouth. She gasped immediately, going into a coughing fit as Garin heaved a sigh of relief.
“You’re welcome Garin, I don’t suppose I could get a thank you?”
Without a hint of sarcasm, Garin thanked Tehran.
Almost taken aback, Garin could almost hear Tehran begin to mumble in confusion. It brought a slight grin to Garin’s face to know that he caught Tehran off-guard for once, but he did really mean it. Seeing his friends looking well, made Garin realize the situation as he turned round. The creature was still fighting the Tunneler, both of them wrapped in battle. For once, Garin didn’t feel like venting out his frustration on anything that large. So with a swift swipe, he grabbed both Priscilla and Melchior and proceeded to run as fast as his metallic enhanced body would let him.