It was mid-morning the following day when the alarm was raised. SJ had informed Alice of Kibble's injury, and she had promised to go and see him urgently, after which SJ had continued back to the crags. She located Fas, who had been relieved to see her, and Gary, who was looking much better after Lythonian's healing. He flatly refused to go to the plains to rest, though, although as a compromise, he had agreed to rest in the forest for the day.
"What's going on?" SJ asked Lorna, as the ranger who had relayed the message started back to the forest path.
"There is a rider coming. A single draconian, from what he said."
"What shall we do?" Cristy asked.
"We have to deal with him; the longer we can keep the town from knowing what has happened here, the better."
"I'll speak to Aletheia, see if she can help," SJ said as she hurried over to where she was by the purified lizards. The lizards looked at SJ as she approached, and one walked toward her. None of its actions were threatening, so SJ put her hand out to it as it rubbed against it. The behaviour change in these beasts was miraculous.
"Aletheia?" SJ said.
"Yes?" Aletheia replied. She had been busy standing by the forest's edge, slowly doing whatever it was she did to the plants there.
"Another lizard is approaching. Are you able to deal with it, like you did these?"
She turned, blinking with her inner eyelids, her vibrant eyes glinting in the morning light. "No. It takes time to purify anything," she replied, turning back.
"Is there anything you can do? That power thing you did? The pulse of light?"
"No, sorry, I am still drained from my previous actions. I can't do something like that again for a while yet."
"Damn," SJ cursed.
Cristy had followed SJ. "What about the lizards?"
"What about them?" SJ asked.
"Can we use them? Do you think we could ride them?"
"I don't know."
"Perhaps," Dave said. "It's possible they were mounts before, and they still have their saddles fitted, not that I am an expert on lizards, of course."
"Aletheia. Would the lizards allow us to ride them?"
Again, she turned from her work and tilted her head before looking at the lizards. "Perhaps some, but not all."
"What does that mean?" Cristy asked.
"As I say, perhaps they will allow some to ride them, but not all. They are purified beasts. Not the corrupt ravaged others of their kin."
Cristy looked at the nearest lizard that had stroked SJ's hand as she passed. Nervously, she approached it, holding her hand out. The lizard watched her for several moments, its tongue flicking from its lips as it tasted her scent, then leaned forward, sniffing her outstretched hand. After several moments, it licked her hand. Cristy shuddered. "It felt like rough wool."
"It looks like it accepted you," SJ said. "See if it will allow you to ride it."
Cristy slowly moved around the side of the lizard. Its head turned, watching her movement. Patch and the pack, which were still sitting nearby, also watched, Patch having stood nervously.
"I'm fine, Patch," Cristy called.
Patch growled in a low warning tone, and the lizard turned towards him, blinking with its large reptilian eyes.
Cristy slowly reached up for the strap that hung from the saddle and then, with a quick jump, leapt up, pulling herself onto it. The lizard reacted, shifting slightly as she did, nearly sending her tumbling back off it, but she held on as she slowly hauled herself into the saddle properly. The lizard didn't react, and she carefully lifted the reins.
"Do you even know how to ride?" SJ asked.
"How hard can it be?" Cristy replied as she flicked the reins. The lizard lurched forward, its rocking, sweeping step jostling Cristy from side to side as it did.
"Wahh," Cristy cried as it moved forward. "Okay, this may take some getting used to."
Over the next couple of minutes, Cristy got used to the swaying motion and the way she had to shift her weight to stay centred on its back. "This is easy," she called, grinning.
Lorna had joined them, watching the display. "Let's see if we can get another," she said as she stepped forward towards a second one. As soon as she did, it hissed, baring its teeth. Lorna immediately backed away. "Nope. I ain't trying that again."
"I wonder," Dave said. "Umm..."
'What?' SJ thought.
"Well, I think it's alignment-based. Or potentially at least."
'Which alignment?'
"Cristy is neutral good. Perhaps someone with a good alignment."
"I'll try," SJ said. The lizards had accepted her after all.
As she approached them, they tilted their heads to her and allowed her to stroke their faces, but as soon as she worked to the side to try to mount one, they moved out of her way.
"I can't either," SJ said. "I wonder if it's something different about the one Cristy is on."
"Lorna is neutral as well. But not neutral good. I think you have to find someone with a good alignment," Dave said.
'Can you see anyone?' SJ asked.
"Err..." Dave fell silent for several moments. "Lythonian is good, so are five of the guards, oh and Darren."
SJ looked towards where Darren was standing with several guards. "Darren? Come and see if one of these lizards will let you ride it," SJ called.
Darren looked over, slightly taken aback. "Why me?" He hadn't been anywhere near the beasts since the attack, keeping his distance at all times.
"Just come and try, will you? And hurry up."
Darren walked over slowly, very slowly.
"We haven't got all day," SJ huffed.
"I'm not a fan of lizards," Darren replied. "I got bitten by one as a child."
SJ knew nothing of Darren's childhood; he may be another Legionnaire, but they hadn't really spoken about their pasts from Earth.
Slowly, he approached, and as he neared the closest lizard, it went through the same process of flicking its tongue before sniffing and then licking his hand. He had nearly pulled his hand away in revulsion and rubbed it on his trousers as soon as it did. Then walked out to the side.
The lizard allowed him to climb up onto its back without any problems.
"See," SJ said, grinning. 'Okay, who was another?' SJ thought.
"The tall dryad archer," Dave said.
SJ looked over at where the archer stood. Her name was Nieve, if she remembered rightly. She was one of only two dryads in the guard. The majority of the dryad race weren't combatants.
"Nieve?" SJ called. Nieve turned to look at her.
"Yes, Ambassador?" she called, a little shocked at being singled out.
"Can you come and try, please?" SJ asked.
The dryad frowned, confused, before walking over. She wasn't fearful of them, as Darren had shown, as she calmly approached. Dryads always appeared to have a more natural affinity to beasts and nature than most races. That was why Alice was a druid after all.
Moments later, Nieve had clambered onto the lizard's back.
The three newly mounted guards' riders moved around the meadow, getting used to the motion and how to remain seated properly, before they approached the forest path.
"We will wait until it leaves the path," Lorna ordered. Several of the guards had taken positions up along the paths just inside the forest line and would ambush it from the rear as it broke into the meadow. With no tents longer visible at the gate and the area cleaned up, it would appear that the group had deserted it. That was the hope anyway, and that the draconian and its mount would be too focused on the empty gate than what was waiting to greet it.
Time passed slowly as they sat waiting. SJ had flown further down the trail and spotted the draconian and its mount. She had flown back immediately.
"It's about five minutes away," SJ called to Lorna.
"Get ready," Lorna shouted.
Seconds dragged as they waited for the beast and its rider to appear. The entrance to the trail was wide, and it ran straight for a fair distance before turning and winding through the trees. SJ was sitting on a branch watching it approach.
As the draconian neared the meadow, she watched its expression change. With a shout, it struck its lizard with the flat of the wicked-looking scimitar it held. The lizard hissed angrily as it started to speed up. As it speedily approached the meadow.
Just as it started to clear the treeline, Lorna yelled. "Now!"
At once, everything happened. Guards in the forest that had been behind the lizard appeared; they were mainly carrying spears, which were presented towards the lizard's rear. The three purified lizards ridden by Cristy, Darren and Nieve closed in immediately. The draconian crying in alarm, the shining white beasts brought his mount to a halt.
It hissed and shrieked towards the three abominations in front of it, snapping its jaws angrily. The lizard was still partly inside the forest, and not fully clear, which prevented it from turning easily to move back down the trail. Archers drew their bows, pointing them at the draconian rider, who cursed and slashed down at his mount.
The lizard bucked for the better of a word, almost dislodging him, but there was nothing he could do. The three lizards stood in its path, and his mount was unwilling to move closer, regardless of how many times he struck it.
That was when Fas made his move. He shadow-stepped onto the lizard's back. Being under the tree's shadow allowed him to do so as he positioned his blade at the draconian's throat.
"I suggest you stop resisting," Fas said.
The draconian's eyes widened in shock at his sudden appearance, but there was nothing he could do.
"Drop the blade," Fas said.
As the draconian released the scimitar from his grip, Fas struck him on the back of his head with the pommel of his sword. The draconian slumped sideways as he fell from the mount's back. The lizard continued to twist angrily, unable to do anything as it was hemmed in.
Fas hopped down to where the draconian now lay prone and secured its wrists.
"What do we do about the lizard?" Darren called from his saddle.
That wasn't a discussion that they had had; they had expected the lizard to attack, but instead it appeared wary of its purified kin, not wishing to approach them.
"Not sure what we can do without Aletheia's help," Lorna shouted over the lizards' shrieks.
A stalemate ensued for some time, the lizard unable to retreat or to turn, yet unwilling to go further into the meadow.
"Everyone move back and see what it does," Lorna cried.
The rear guards retreated before moving back into the treeline, and the lizards were moved away from the trail mouth. As soon as the lizard had room, it only left the trail long enough to turn before it sprinted back into the forest and along the trail away again. With no rider controlling it, it didn't appear to want to attempt to fight its way out of its current situation.
"Should we have let it go?" SJ asked as she flew down to Lorna.
"Unless we had tried to kill it, we had little choice."
"I'll get scouts to track it," Darren said as he climbed from his mount and jogged towards the forest.
"Get the draconian to the clearing," Lorna ordered.
Four of the guards picked the limp form up and carried it away towards the forest where they had made their encampment.
"What do you want us to do with him?" Cristy asked.
"I'm going to question him," Lorna smiled wryly.
SJ frowned at her comment. She knew Lorna had been involved with the interrogation of Greb, who had attacked her in Killic previously, and he had been left as a broken shell after he had contradicted his oath. "Should Lythonian question him?" SJ asked.
It was Lorna's turn to frown. "Lythonian? He's the town cleric; he isn't an official member of the town guard or council."
"But he is draconian; therefore, racial oath bonds won't be broken. We also know Lythonian's word can be trusted beyond doubt."
Lorna contemplated SJ's comment. There were other draconian guards in the town's forces, but none of them held any positions of authority. "I suppose it makes sense to use draconians. I will have the guard do it with him. I really wanted to see him squirm," Lorna sighed.
"So would I," SJ admitted, "but this way, it may be easier to extract information."
Lorna couldn't argue with SJ's reasoning. "I'd better brief Lythonian on what we need him to do then, and that's if he agrees."
SJ nodded in response as they headed to the forest.
Lythonian had initially resisted the request from Lorna, which SJ believed had been half-hearted, until she had stepped in and explained her concerns over the draconian oath. Lorna had looked a little upset, and SJ had thought she might have wished to take some of her anger out on the draconian prisoner. Darren had returned with information that the lizard had turned off the main path back to town and was in a clearing in the forest. He had warned the rangers to stay away from it, but stated that it needed to be dealt with at some point. They couldn't leave one of the lizards in the wild between the crags and the town.
Lythonian came to find Lorna and SJ a couple of hours later.
"How did it go?" Lorna asked.
Lythonian sat heavily, his brow furrowed, concern written on his face, before he spoke to remove a canteen from his inventory and drank heavily.
"It was quite revealing. The poor wretch of a being," Lythonian shook his head.
"You feel sorry for it!" Lorna exclaimed.
Lythonian stared at Lorna. "He is a being, not an it, and also I may remind you of one of my kind," he replied calmly, although there was a hidden tension. "And yes, I do feel sorry for him; he knows no better. Since being a hatchling, he has only known the harsh reality of the desert and how they live. From the age of twenty, he was sent out into the wild desert to hunt his first scorpoid. They use it as a sign of warriorhood. Only those who complete the task may ever have a chance to become riders, who are their elite class."
SJ listened intently as Lythonian continued. It became apparent that the more he had disclosed, the more archaic the tribe's way of life was. Even many of the draconians feared their chief, who was renowned for dealing harsh punishments to those who didn't necessarily fail but made simple mistakes. After SJ heard the way the chief had spoken to Zigferd about using fear, she could believe what Lythonian said. The concerning part of Lythonian's information hadn't come until much further into the conversation, as he had unloaded his soul over what he had discovered.
"You could have started with that," Lorna blurted.
"Sorry?" Lythonian asked, confused.
"If he doesn't return, 'they will send out a party' should have been your leading comment. Did he say how long it would be?" Lorna now leaned forward on her knees impatiently.
"I didn't think. I was so concerned with how they were all suffering."
"Did he say how long?" Lorna repeated, fidgeting.
"He was due to return tomorrow morning," Lythonian said.
"Darren," Lorna called, the urgency in her tone making several of the guards look at her.
Darren had gone to rest, and hearing his name called, came over. Lorna explained what Lythonian had discovered about a group being sent out if he didn't return in the morning.
"I'll let the scouts know. We know it takes a good two hours from the crags to the town, if not longer. So, I wouldn't expect him to have returned until mid-morning. That would probably give us until midday or early afternoon before any others are sent to search. I'll let the scouts know," Darren said as he hurried off.
Lythonian spoke again. "There was one more thing. The chief and his daughter have access to a special drink. It apparently can grant them a kind of foresight. It was rumoured that they could talk to the ancient chiefs when they did so, who guided them."
"That sounds unusual," Dave said.
'In what way?' SJ thought.
"I've never heard of anything granting foresight. It sounds more like a hallucinogen."
'They have those here?'
"Yes. The capital had a major issue several decades ago. An alchemist started producing a new potion that was apparently a booster of sorts. It was actually a hallucinogen that caused beings to believe they were stronger or faster than they were. It took a while to discover, and by then several had not just become addicted to the feeling but also died by getting themselves in dangerous situations, believing they could deal with them."
That was a concerning thought, and SJ was amazed that similar fates had occurred in Amathera as with problems on Earth. "Thank you," SJ said.
Lythonian looked at her, looking a little surprised. "For what?"
"For helping, I know it made you feel uncomfortable, and it's appreciated."
"You don't need to thank me. I'm glad I did it now; it gives me hope that many of them can be saved."
"That's if there are any of them left," Lorna muttered.
Lythonian scowled. "I've just told you why they are the way they are. They need help, not killing."
"I may agree they need help, but if they don't come willingly, I will kill them, as I would anyone who threatens the town," Lorna replied flatly.
Lythonian stared at Lorna for a few moments before standing. "I think I'm going to rest." He smiled at SJ as he turned and walked away.
"That was uncalled for," SJ said to Lorna once Lythonian had walked off.
"What?" Lorna said.
"You know what," SJ replied, shaking her head.
