Chapter Seven:
The Lizard People
For the next two days, the party stayed in the Lizard village of Girard. The place was surprisingly cleaner than most places Faolan had been so far. Still, he could see that this village suffered greatly from the catastrophe long ago and that the residents carried a particular disdain. Faolan thought at first it was merely their presence within the town, maybe that was part of it, but he saw something deeper when the Lizards locked eyes with him. This seldom happened, but it gave Faolan just enough information to know that these people had suffered.
Faolan had recovered from his transformation two nights before, but the guilt that came with it crushed his spirit. Not only this, but Pip had not spoken with him since the incident. Faolan knew he overstepped, but his desire to protect Pip overcame his better judgment.
Faolan lay in bed, a pallet on the floor of an abandoned house, staring up at the ceiling when a knock at the door broke his concentration.
"It's open." Faolan said.
Pip quietly slipped inside, the daylight spilling through the window onto the deer's form. Faolan's breath stopped at the sight of the beauty and grace that Pip exhibited, ambling across the room. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm… better than I was," Faolan said as Pip sat down next to him.
"Well, that's good. I'd thought I lost you," Pip said.
That statement made Faolan stop and say, "What do you mean by that?"
Pip hesitated. "Well, you took on a rather monstrous form."
"You think I wanted to be like that," Faolan's anger rising.
"Didn't you? You looked like you were enjoying it," Pip said.
"I…" Faolan started but stopped. The truth of the matter was, he did enjoy the rush of power coursing through his veins. It was addictive.
"I have never lied to you, and I will not start now. I did enjoy it, because they hurt the one other thing that brought light into my life. They deserved what they got," Faolan said, surprised at his own admission.
Pip was silent for a while. The tension in the air was building between them before Pip finally said, "That's the problem with power. Those who wield it can easily justify their actions, whether someone lives or dies. Those Crocodilians were retreating from you. Yet, you hunted them down like a beast and slaughtered them."
Faolan jumped to his feet. "FINE! Maybe I am a beast. I know I messed up. I know. But I'm not the only one who's killed people you have too. I'm sorry I am not what you expected."
Faolan walked out of the room and slammed the door as he went. He stepped outside and made his way down to the river. There on the bank, Faolan sat down and brooded on the argument. He knew Pip was right, but he did not care right now. The transformation saved them, didn't it? In reality, the transformation scared Faolan. Such raw power coursed through his veins, and he did not want to let go.
Thanks to Ayden, they were well fed and medicated. Pip's ear had shown remarkable recovery speed when Faolan last looked at it. Faolan sat at the base of a tree, quietly reflecting on the argument and looking at the Lizards going about their business. It was in that moment that Faolan took in the surroundings, identifying the colors of the village and the sound of children laughing. People talking, the smell of sweet, fresh-cut grass, and the feel of a warm breeze blowing through his fur.
"Such a beautiful day, don't you think?" Ayden asked, startling Faolan out of his reverie.
"Yes, yes it is," Faolan said, still trying to read the lizard but finding it almost impossible.
"Tell me, Wolf. What do you see?" Ayden asked.
Faolan looked around for a moment, taking in the scenery before him, and said, "I see a warm spring day, not a cloud in the sky, and a good day for a nap."
Ayden laughed and said, "I see all that too. But here is what I also see." Ayden stopped to puff on a pipe of some sort. The skunky odor wrinkled Faolan's nose. "I see a people trying to build a future out of the ashes of failure."
"I do see that. But what calamity that happened is beyond our time," Faolan said.
"Maybe for you, but not for me. I may not look it, but I have witnessed nearly two centuries, and I knew Dr. Rhoan," Ayden said.
Faolan froze. Here was someone far older who had seen the catastrophe happen. "What happened to cause such a state we live in today?" Faolan asked.
"That is not for me to say. I could give you the story but unfortunately, I am missing information that would make telling you pointless," Ayden said, puffing on his pipe.
"But how did you live so long?" Faolan said as Ayden smiled.
"Ah, now that is something I can answer. See, when I was born, I had a rare form of cancer that attacked the heart. As a newborn, the doctors had given up hope of me living past a week. However, my parents were absurdly rich and contacted Dr. Rhoan who said he could help. He successfully merged my human genome with Iguana DNA. Not only did it fix my cancer problem, but it also gave me a highly dense bone structure, and I guess long life," Ayden said as he leaned against another tree.
"That sounds like your parents cared about you," Faolan said.
"Ha! My parents?! My parents wanted nothing to do with me once the merging was complete. My aunt took me in and I was home-schooled. At least until the catastrophe happened," Ayden smirked.
Faolan once again took in the scene before him. It amazed him how resilient people could be in the face of difficult situations. Despite all that life had thrown their way, this village still managed to pick itself up out of the ashes and keep moving forward.
"You look like a person lost in the wind," Ayden said as Faolan could not help but smile.
"You could say that, yes," Faolan said, reflecting inwardly.
"I'm not the greatest at giving advice, but here it goes. The best thing you can do at any given time is to be yourself and let nature take its course. There will always be troubles on the horizon but if you can keep true to yourself, then you have won the war," Ayden said as Faolan smiled wider.
"Hey, Faolan!" Atlas called.
Faolan looked up to see him, and BEBE approached him. Ayden nodded in their general direction.
"Hey, Atlas. What's going on," Faolan asked as Atlas and BEBE acknowledged Ayden.
"I hoped you would tell me. Pip is missing. We cannot find him anywhere within the village. Do you know where he is?" Atlas said.
Faolan's heart sank into his stomach. Pip was speaking out of concern, and Faolan slammed the door in his face. "We had a fight about an hour ago. I stormed out."
"What happened?" Atlas said.
"We had an argument about my transformation. I knew he was expressing concern that the power of transformation would corrupt my soul. And… he's right. That kind of power feels too good to be used. But at the same time, it is a part of me. I'm so confused about it right now. Regardless, I shouldn't have yelled at him," Faolan said, putting his head in his hands.
"Well, crying about it is not going to solve anything. Come on, let's go find him," Atlas said as BEBE began scanning.
"Demon! I found Pip. He is heading south right now. Not that far actually," BEBE said as Ayden was taken aback.
"Wait why does she call you demon?" Ayden asked.
Faolan sighed, "It's a long story."
The party rushed down the southern road. Faolan felt his stomach tied in knots, and his heart ached. The one person other than BEBE who showed him compassion and concern, and how does he repay them? With anger and a disregard for accountability.
"Pip. Please hold on. I'm coming," Faolan said as they drew nearer to Pip.
In the distance, they saw Pip dragging his feet, as if all life had left him. Finally, they caught up to Pip, and he looked dreadful. Tears stained the sides of his face, and his expression was so vacant that he hardly noticed they were there.
Faolan did not hesitate. He quickly ran to Pip and embraced him so hard that they crumbled to the ground. Finally, the dam of emotion broke for both Faolan and Pip. Both sobbed into each other, holding each other as if this was their last minutes alive.
"I'm so, so, sorry," Faolan said. They rocked back and forth for a long time. "I know. I'm an idiot, and you were right."
"Shush, just hold me you dumb wolf," Pip said as they sat like that for some time.
Finally, Atlas said, "All right, if you girls are done weeping, we should be getting back and grabbing our stuff."
"All right," Pip said as he rose, lifting Faolan with him.
"All I ever need in life is right before me," Faolan said as the Deermen blushed.
"Well, that and saving your uncle. And we still don't know what the ESOR is," BEBE said as Ayden's eyes lit up.
"You mean the Electronic Storage of Remembrance?" Ayden asked as everyone stopped and looked at him.
"How did you know what it was called?" Faolan asked.
"Because I was there the day Dr. Rhoan made it," Ayden said as shock spread through the party.
"Wait that would make you almost two-hundred years old," Atlas said.
"You're correct. I told this story to Faolan already," Ayden said as Atlas slugged Faolan's arm.
"Ow, what the hell?" Faolan said.
"Why didn’t you tell me," Atlas said as Faolan rubbed his arm.
"Okay, one: I didn't think it was my place to tell another man's secrets. Secondly: I was way too worried for Pip to bother with that. And thirdly: I didn't have time to tell you," Faolan said as the Fox huffed.
"Fine. But do keep in mind that communication within a party is vital for safety," Atlas said.
"Yup, there's always safety in numbers," BEBE chirped.
The party walked back to the village. Pip and Faolan held hands the entire way. The unease he had previously felt about being with another male was gone. This felt right, and anyone else be damned if they thought otherwise.
"What do you know about the ESOR," Atlas asked after a long pause.
"Not much. I was there for a check-in with Dr. Rhoan when I saw the device on the table. He told me it was to protect the future. Whatever that meant," Ayden said as Faolan touched the arrowhead necklace around his neck.
"What was Dr. Rhoan like?" Faolan asked, who surprised not only himself but the others around him.
Ayden took a moment to collect his thoughts and said, "The man had a warm disposition. Every time I visited, it wasn't the traditional doctor's visit. It was like stepping into a second home. He, his daughter, and his wife were super kind to me. Of course, I was a kid at the time, and I remember becoming fast friends with their daughter, Emily. There were many occasions when I would spend the night at their house and the Rhoan's were well known in their community. But that's all I can really remember."
Faolan did not respond right away. He and Pip shared the warmth between them as they walked towards their temporary housing. The wolf knew they would be setting out tonight, but this moment was for healing. "I'll never transform again," Faolan thought as they stopped in front of the house.
"Ayden, do you have your gear ready?" Atlas asked as Faolan and Pip looked up in surprise.
"Yes, I do. Give me a moment," Ayden said as he ran off to his dwelling.
"Wait. He's coming with us?" Faolan asked.
Atlas looked at him for a moment. "Yes, he seems to have a connection with you. In fact, there is a connection between all of us here. Including BEBE."
"Oh, I'm a connection?" BEBE cooed as the Fox smiled at her.
"Yes, little one. Even you, a machine who shouldn't have one is a connection. If I'm correct, a live soul lives within your circuits, but then I'm only guessing," Atlas said as Faolan smiled.
"At first, I didn't want to believe a machine could have a soul, but after seeing and being around BEBE, I think it might be true," Faolan said as BEBE suddenly extended her thin robotic arms around him.
"Thank you! Can you be my big brother? I never had one before," BEBE said as Faolan froze.
Somehow, this little robot had implanted itself not only in his heart but deep within his soul, as well. The one machine that was more organic and purer than any other creature in existence, and she wanted him as a big brother. "Of course." Faolan said, surprised by his own affirmation.
"Yay!" BEBE chirped as she happily circled Faolan and Pip.
"Now I know you would make a great father," Pip said as Faolan leaned into him.
Soon, they had their gear packed and Ayden on their shoulders alongside them. Faolan could not help but feel a certain pang in his stomach, as the village had been peaceful. A sharp contrast to the danger they fled from and on the journey before them. They were almost to the edge of the town when a young lizard ran up to them, followed closely by the villagers.
"Mr. Faolan. Here. Take the lizard plant. It is our most sacred smoking plant," said the young lizard as Faolan took a leather pouch full of green and brown dried crinkled leaves. The smell was strong, but different from the skunky odor Ayden smoked earlier. The plant smelled rich and savory, comforting him before he knew what happened.
"We know the incident on the bridge was not entirely your fault and we heard how your wolf clan was nearly wiped out because of Bog and the Crocodilians. We hope that this purest form and blend of plant will aid you in your journey. Chief Ayden, we thank you for your leadership over the years and wish you a safe journey. Please come back to us safe," said the Lizard woman who bowed.
Faolan could not speak for a moment. The entire time, he thought the villagers hated him, but in truth, they simply wanted the best for him. Faolan could only bow in thanks as tears welled in the corners of his eyes. The only real words he managed were, "Thank you."
Ayden chuckled warmly, "Thank you, Amy. The plant will indeed come in handy."
"All right, you emotional lot, if we are done here, let's go," Atlas said in a firm tone but with a hint of a smile.
Soon, they left the village far behind as they walked down the road, heading south again. Faolan hoped they would reach Lyall before anything terrible happened to him. Pip, sensing Faolan's distress, put his arm around his shoulder.
"Don't worry, Faolan. We will get your uncle back," Pip said as Faolan smiled.
"I know…" Faolan said, even though his voice did not match the words.
"Of course we will get him back. But we will need to make a stop first," Atlas said as both Faolan and Pip looked up.
"What do you mean?" Faolan asked as Ayden smiled.
"Well, Atlas and I have been discussing our current situation. Right now, we need more information if we are to rescue Lyall and the only place I know that has that is the old shaman woman," Ayden said.
Faolan had no clue who Ayden was referring to or what the word "shaman" meant. However, Faolan looked at Pip, who seemed to understand what or who this shaman woman was and how they could help. Pip looked at Faolan and shook his head.
"You have no clue who we are talking about, do you?" Pip asked as Faolan shook his head.
"Nope."
"Great! That's what happens when you live too far out from society," Atlas said half to himself and half to the group.
"Excuse me, but what society are you talking about? Oh, you must mean the miles upon miles of wrecked earth that SEER sought to change into his image," Faolan said as Atlas smiled.
"So, you're finally getting a backbone. About time. Also, yes, there is a society but greatly spaced out and not like the one of old. Think of it like the wild west in ancient earth history," Atlas said.
Pip smiled and said, "Is that why you dress like a cowboy?"
Atlas looked at him and said, "Do you see a cowboy hat on me?"
"No, but your garb screams cowboy," BEBE chirped as Atlas looked at her.
"Listen here you lot, I am not a cowboy. If anything, I'm a foxboy or more precisely, fox man," Atlas said as they all giggled.
"That reminds me of a song from long ago. I can't quite remember the tune but something about a foxboy and internet," Ayden said.
"OH, I know what you're talking about. It's…" BEBE began but was cut off.
"All right, ladies. If we are quite done with how I look, lets continue," Atlas said even though they had been walking the entire time.
"He seems touchy about that one song or maybe the way he is dressed," BEBE said in a whisper to Faolan.
Faolan stifled a laugh as the Fox's ear twitched wildly. "Maybe, but let's leave it be for now."
So, the group walked throughout the night. The moon rose over the horizon, and Faolan froze in fear as the rays struck him. But nothing happened, and his confusion grew. Faolan looked at his hands and then up at Pip. "I don't understand. I thought I would automatically change."
"It doesn't work like that. I don't know all the specifics, but from what I learned from Alpha, the change usually happens in combination with a significant emotional event," Atlas said as this stunned Faolan and Pip.
Faolan thought, "Was it possible that witnessing Pip wounded plus the moonlight brought out the beast? If so, than the change is not as automatic as he thought. Was the secret to controlling the power linked to emotions?"
Pip saw Faolan's face and grabbed his hand, "It does tell me one thing, you change for me. Even if it seemed a little misguided I love that you came to my rescue."
"Get a room!" Ayden said as they both looked at him.
"What does he mean by that," Faolan said as Pip smiled.
"I'll show you later."
Suddenly, the group stopped. Off in the distance stood another massive structure, similar to the one before, but somehow this one felt different. It actually looked different. If Faolan remembered the word correctly, it looked like a massive cathedral.
"There it is everyone. The cathedral of the shaman woman. Be very respectful when speaking with her. She holds supreme power over this area and undoubtedly she knows we are here," Atlas said.
They all walked down the hill together towards the shaman woman.