ABJAW Chapter 2
All journey starts somewhere. For me, the journey starts the moment I step out of Francis's palace. It's a decision I made, and for me that's a start line. I don't have an exact time to return home, let alone meet with Francis. In a world where everything you see is sand, it's easy to make you feel lonely. Even if the world turns out not as fantastic as I hoped when I decide to make a journey, it's enough for me. Travelling is a process, not a goal. My job is to go explore the unknown, face the danger, learn the culture, and return safely. Those are my wish.
My job as a scribe is not really rewarding, but the perks of living in the palace (occasionally) stands out. I don't like the sheltered life of a scribe so I live outside, among the people. I've been living on the streets ten years of my life. This is nothing compared to dealing with people hating you for petrifying them and disrupting business. Those people are still out there, waiting for a chance to shiv me if I drop my guard. If it wasn't for my reputation as the one usurping the throne and one of Francis's confidant, no one would support me.
Also, living with the people makes it easy to move, and I did just that. I've decided, after at least two days of packing, that I don't need a bulk of my things with me. I am not travelling with a group, so why bother? All I need to survive and continue are money and essentials like food and stuff. Oh, and my eyes. That's a plus for me. Francis nags me about travelling expenses and stuff, but with a little reasoning and connection, I persuade him to give me just a small bit. I have a feeling money is no longer important the moment I cross the ocean.
Francis assigns me a transport towards the port, which can cut my travel to one night if I am not stopping by other settlements. The driver is a young lizardman around my age. To my relief, Francis gives me a transport that is not annoying or boring. He is chatty and loves some good joke that is not borderline racism, which is what I like. Light green scales cover his body, indicating his youth. He also have bright yellow eyes. The carriage we are using are nothing special. It's covered with tarp and support so the interior can also double as a living space. The lizardman (his name is Sizen) knows the way towards the port that is fast enough for me, but I tell him to stay on the 'scenic route' and take time. He talks to me about being fast, but I explain that it's my job to describe the world beyond the kingdom's wall, which somehow makes him excited. The look he gives me is kinda cute, in my opinion.
What surprises me of Sizen is his attitude towards me. No, not because I think all lizardmen are cautious around basilisks. Either he doesn't care or he doesn't know that I'm not wearing a blindfold like most basilisks do. As we talk, he stares towards my eyes like they are nothing serious about. After a while of travelling, I ask him about this.
"Of course I know you're not wearing a blindfold," he said with a smile. "There's nothing to fear about it if I'm not petrified, right?"
"But what if I accidentally turn it on? Won't that become a problem?"
"Why?"
"I mean, our petrification lasts a while."
"If it isn't life-threatening, then it's fine. Don't worry, Danica. I have some basilisk friend, too. I got accidentally petrified by one of them one day and man, did it feel strange. I want to move, but I can't. One of them stayed with me until I regain my movements and he's very sorry for it. I said 'it's fine. At least my breathing's okay'. It just feels a little uncomfortable, but I'm okay."
I smile towards him. Never thought that is a thing.
First stop is a farming settlement with a trade post. Sizen tells me about the post office service the settlement has, usually used for requesting goods and things like that. Occasionally either a runner (if they are quick enough) or a mail cart travels the treacherous wasteland. That first settlement and the kingdom is not that bad. The land are flat in between, so when trouble comes, it is easy to detect them and avoid them before it gets into a conflict. It's not that easy, however. Sometimes the mail doesn't get delivered, and the runner either get killed or captured by bandits. With the abundance of people working 'freelance' (i.e. bounty hunters), it's a small deterrence. Same goes to the mail carts.
Again, no one seems to care about me, a basilisk, not wearing any blindfold. The other basilisks in the area seems to wear them on a daily basis. That is when I meet some basilisk farmers who does not wear any blindfold at all. I ask them if they were taught to control their Basilisk Gaze. They shake their head and tell me that living as a farmer require eyes more often than other senses, so it's natural to control their ability. I also ask them whether only basilisks are tending the field, and they point me on some lizardmen conversing with some basilisks.
After resupplying and gathering all I could about the surrounding area (including a map), we travel towards another settlement. Along the way Sizen tells me about the natural wonders he can find, including rock structures and other natural construct that, for him, pleases the eyes. I can see some spiky rocks jutting out of the ground, off the dirt road. It is as if an explosion froze in time and become stone, or an internal explosion of a magical kind blew the rock outwards, leaving them in their current state. I am curious about how magic works, but that's one thing I can say about it.
I know some lizardmen who are in tune with magic. Recently there has been discoveries of people being able to use magic after reading spell tomes or learning it from a hermit. It doesn't seem so out of place around my place. One of my friends, Senneth, the former Lizardman king, did have a long line of heritage with natural attunement with nature. His brand of magic is nature and earth because he can rapidly grow trees from a seed and control their growth. If that's not magic, I don't know what is. But, let's be realistic here. A farm in the middle of a barren wasteland? Now THAT'S magic. I know some of you might reason that there is a water source or an oasis to start a farming community. Let me tell you something. The groundwater around this region is contaminated by an unknown substance, and the only uncontaminated place around is the lizardman kingdom. We are not a race with great magical capabilities, let alone know how to filter them with complex machinery. This region never have rainfall, either, so it is clearly uninhabitable. Yet, these people learns how to transport water all the way from the lizardman kingdom to that community, or otherwise know a secret I don't know. I don't bother asking. They won't know anyway. The people who starts tilling the ground are already dead.
After we reach the next settlement (it's a relief nothing happens), I realize how everything starts to detach from the influence of the kingdom. The settlement is self sustaining, and it is sitting by a natural rock structure that looks like an arch. It's massive! I have a feeling titans of old (not sure if they are real or not, but I want to add flavor) erected it to commemorate something, possibly an achievement of their part. It looks so artificial in my eyes. Either that, or I don't know if wonders like this are strewn across the world. I'd love to see them one day in my journey, but for now, this arch-rock is the first.
The settlement has indication that it is a former mining colony. The ore has been depleted long before I get here (I've never even go this far from the kingdom before). Now, it's more of a trading post, or a checkpoint for travellers. It's nothing very intriguing in the settlement itself (aside from the fact that it is carved to the side of a rock cliff). But, you might understand its worth when it's nightfall and you need a place to rest and hunker down. In the middle of a vast desert, anything can happen. I'm sure I can handle it. Not sure of my travelling companion/transport, though. He looks like a run-of-the-mill, barely clothed lizardman. For the lizardmen, his clothes are ordinary wear for workers, for me, and possibly other civilizations, it's like he's trying to find a boyfriend (not that matters for us. Our race are...quite a bi, if you know what I mean).
The 'stranger' reception is quite present here, being so far away from the kingdom community. The people here don't seem to trust visitors, but they nevertheless try to stay civil about it. I know because Sizen doesn't know anyone in that town, let alone the workers. While they are lizardmen and basilisks in that town, they are not connected to the kingdom. I can also spot other races that look vaguely reptilian, and also some that are clearly avian.
The only place that look welcoming is the pub, situated just beside the trading post. It's lively, full of people from other places, and alcohols. While its liveliness is mostly out of place with the quiet bedrock town, it doesn't bother the people, mostly because it sits at the bottom of the cliff.
The inn is strategically over the pub and the trading post, possibly for weary travellers to stay. I try to convince Sizen to share the room, but I have a feeling that he is not comfortable with females, strengthening my opinion on his choice of clothing. He buys another room for the night, though, but we spend most of our time in the common area, talking about stuffs and Sizen's travel. To my surprise, his former work as a runner makes him quite knowledgeable of the topography of the land.
"So...will anyone get worried when you travel far from the kingdom?" I said, when we discuss about the travel. "We are one full day from the kingdom."
"The king, uh, personally asks me to accompany you, as a travelling companion," he replied. "I'm surprised when he asks me, but I'm glad that he chose me. You're kind of friendly too."
"Thanks. I'm flattered. So, wanna rest up for the night? I'm beat."
"Fine by me."
The night is quite uneventful. For me, I prefer the rowdy sounds just one floor below me than a silent night. I know people think that I'm stupid, saying that you can hear the sound of intruder firsthand, but I must assure you that my senses are still quite sharp even though I rely mostly on my vision.
Of course, the night can be quite rowdy to the point that I can't sleep. Just how late will they party anyway? This is a backwater settlement, not a big kingdom! Everyone is trying to sleep!
I step out of my room to try to reprimand them about the noise when I see someone waiting in the common room drinking alcohol. He is a lizardman twice my age, at least from first impression. Thoughts of hostility starts to fill my brain. If I am still my 16 years old me, my suspicions would not let him talk. I'd put a knife down his throat before I demand an explanation. But now, I am not going to be that person. I must rely on my Basilisk Gaze if I start to find suspicious activity. One glimpse into my eyes is easy to turn them into flesh statues.
That is when I realize that he seemingly has no intention to hurt me. All he wants is for company.
"So you're also up, huh, miss basilisk," said the lizardman. "There's a fight down there. Best not get involved. I don't know why I am not petrified right now, but I can assure you. I'm not drunk."
"Sweet talking me won't let you out of my suspicion, you know," I replied.
"Of course not. But if I do try to sweet talk you, I'd flirt you. Don't mind me. I'm just a bar patron trying to get out from the scene. But you're quite a thing around here. Never seen a basilisk before, let alone not getting petrified by them. So they are quite wrong about that, huh?"
"They're not, and I'm more than capable for that." I sighed. "Well, now that I'm awake and quite pissed, might as well talk with you."
I want to believe that this guy is hiding something, but the more we talk that night, the more that it is less apparent. An hour into the night and I slowly think that this guy is genuinely trying to talk to me. You don't know what will happen out here in the wasteland. In a world where 'kill or be killed' is a norm, something like this is a good change of pace.
The lizardman is also a traveller, but he came from the north. Unlike me and Sizen, he's a travelling merchant, hopping from settlements to settlements to find supplies to sell or otherwise precious junk with value. He tells me a lot of things, including the dangers and things to avoid while travelling, like having a bulk of things or a moving house. Those things mostly attracts bandits and it's more problem than it's worth.
When I start talking about my travel plan, he becomes intrigued, but he cannot tell her about the world beyond the sea.
"If I have your youth and your eyes, I might go there," he said. "Ships often travel to and from the land beyond the sea, so I can tell you a bit of a rumor going on. Just so you know, the people living there are mostly mammals."
"Mammals?"
"As in races who give birth instead of laying eggs, like us," he said. "What I'm concerned with, miss, is how inexperienced you are in travelling."
True. This is my first actual time travelling so far away from the kingdom. We were travelling further from it one time when we were on the run, but not as far as this settlement. The older lizardman is telling the truth about my travelling experience. I hope Sizen is a better traveller than I am.
"I'm not going to judge your capability of survival," he said. "From the look of it, you've learned not to trust people that easily. Basilisks tend to do that. Not going to judge anyone."
"No, you're not really judging me," I replied. "I learned it the hard way."
"As do all people living out here. Say, are you from the kingdom? The one ruled by a Basilisk King?"
"How can you tell?"
"Your feathers are tidy. I've heard that ever since that king reigned, your people started to prosper and your relationship with us were mended. Is it a good place for this lizard to rest a bit."
I tell him all about the kingdom. I know this guy is quite honest, so I tell him about the problems we face and things like that, including supply route and distrust of some people to Francis. He understands, nodding while I finish my sentences. In the end, he smiles towards me and said, "Then it's settled, then. I'll travel there first thing in the morning. I hope you and your companion have safe travels through the sea."
"We will. You too."
By then, I'm so tired talking to him that I excuse myself to my room. What a good person, I thought. I try my best to suspect him of trying to woo me or mislead me into trusting him, but he's an honest merchant trying to find a living in an unforgiving world. At least that's what I think of him. Years of distrust, betrayal, and making enemies make me easy to read someone if they are lying or not.
The night goes on quietly after the bar fight was over. The next morning comes by so fast that I don't have time to prepare for our next length of journey. The intense sunlight hits my face, so I wake up and prepare myself for travel. I locked the door last night in case things go awry. The merchant has already gone from the common room, possibly resuming his journey towards the kingdom.
I am a bit embarrassed when Sizen woke up before me and has been preparing the carriage for our next length of travel. Five years living in relative comfort in a decent house can make you lazy. Besides, Francis has not been around for a while, so it isn't surprising that I like waking up late.
He gives me a smug look, knowing that I wake up late even though I'm a female basilisk (our race tends to wake up the moment there's sunrise. It's a common thing among our people). I got annoyed and said, "Wipe that grin off that face or I'll petrify you with that ridiculous grin."
"Hey, don't get mad, okay?" said Sizen. "Geez. It's not like it matters anyway. I am a stable-hand. You're a scribe. Of course we have different waking time."
"That's not the point.... Ah, screw that. Let's go. You know where we are going from here?"
Sizen shows me a map and plots the route towards the port. By this point, we are quite close together that we occasionally joke or make banter with each other. It's mostly a happy trip, but we know it's not going to be happy all the way. This is not a fairy tale, and we are living in the middle of a desert.
We stop near some junkyard of a bygone civilization. Sizen wants to go, knowing that it is an invitation to an ambush. I stop him. Ambushes always start with traps before raiders attack us. I walk down the carriage and pull out my knife while Sizen, apparently knowing that we are going to be attacked, pulls out a crossbow.
A complete silence came down that area. We are waiting for the inevitable. I just hope Sizen has no qualms in killing. To survive in a dangerous wasteland, no one would be innocent. Sooner or after, they will have to kill to survive. That is the reality of the present. Our present.
Between the two of us, however, I have the better fighting instinct than Sizen, but that doesn't mean Sizen is completely helpless. I have a hunch that I am going to be shot, so I quickly shout toward Sizen to take cover. He reacts as quickly as he can. True to my hunch, sound of gunshot fills the air as I roll down the wagon. The animals pulling the wagon panics and threatens to run with the wagon, but Sizen calms them down while I stand up and look at the situation.
A group of raiders, wearing tatters and hiding among the junks, are approaching us from the direction where I stood a couple of seconds ago. They seems to be oblivious to the fact that I am a basilisk, or they think that my eyes are damaged. I whisper to Sizen to close his eyes and trust in me while I discreetly open my Basilisk Gaze. The Gaze is not instant, so it can catch my target off-guard. The moment they see the prismatic color on my eyes, they are doomed.
The raiders, however, seems to know how to deal with a basilisk, but I won't let them get away. I quickly put down a stare on them as I activate my gaze. They seem to be thinking about why they aren't petrified yet and keep approaching us, but I know they will. Their reptilian yellow eyes are glowing from behind their face cover, meaning that they are unprotected. But, surprisingly, I am not worried about our situation. I am more fascinated by their language. They seem to be talking with a different dialect than our language, and some of them do not sound like our language at all. It's still surprising how I can think about that in a tight situation like this.
Then another thought occurs to me. What if they are distractions? What if they have basilisks in their midst, immune to my Gaze, waiting for me to get distracted petrifying some lizardmen while they attack me from behind? It's not that I know how to deal with petty raiders. It's just I have gut feeling that something will go from bad to worse pretty soon.
My suspicions are correct. The moment some of the lizardmen starts to freeze in place, I hear Sizen's yelp. I turn around and look towards a lone basilisk, eyes active, looking down at me while putting a makeshift knife near Sizen's throat.
"Put down your weapon," said the basilisk. "And give me all your precious things. Do it, or he dies."
The problem with Sizen is that he is in the middle of two basilisks using the Gaze, so he's effectively petrified in the middle of our staring contest. I want to help him, but the basilisk raider seems to know that Sizen can't do anything in the middle of a basilisk's fight.
I can't do anything to help Sizen, but I can't let him die to fulfill my own needs. I'm not that heartless. We have become friends for a while. It's a shame to lose a good person.
Just then, I realize something wrong with Sizen. His petrified pose seems to try to gesture me towards something. He can't move any part of his body, but I know he's trying to signal me something with that pointing pose, moments before he is petrified by my eyes (Basilisk Gaze is not an instant process). The raider seems to be oblivious to Sizen's posture, and I realize what he means.
Feigning surrender, I look towards the basilisk's eyes and slowly lower my knife. With my eyes still on him, I discreetly reach my hand to the one weapon directly underneath Sizen's feet: his crossbow. I have a feeling that it's heavy, but being on the floor is enough. Without looking at where the crossbow is shooting, I pull the trigger, hoping that it is pointing at the basilisk.
Unfortunately for me, it isn't. The crossbow's bolt goes through the wooden carriage and hit a metallic object behind it. It makes a 'thunk' sound. Fortunately for me, the basilisk is easily distracted. He looks back, surprised by that noise, which is the moment I move in and takes his grip away from the petrified Sizen. I don't want anymore problem, so on the first chance I get, I quickly slash his throat. He gurgles as black blood bursts out of his neck. He is holding his neck while trying to stop the blood. The other lizardmen, still petrified, could only watch as the only fighter they have left slowly dying of blood loss. I take this time to quickly pull the carriage's rein and push down Sizen's still-petrified body as the animals pulling it go wild and pull the carriage in high speed. We break through the makeshift barricade in relative ease while I hold onto both Sizen and somewhere in the carriage, hoping that I hold. Just then, Sizen starts to slowly move and pull the rein slowly, which calms the animals.
I am quite surprised myself. Normally the Gaze takes at least half an hour to wear off if there is not constant eye contact. Sizen manages to break through the petrification as I turn off my ability, but I soon realize that it isn't the case.
Only his hands move, but most of his body are still petrified. He can move his eyeballs and look at me. It's kind of freaky, but I am glad he's okay.
His whole body starts to twitch and finally moves. After he regains complete movement of his body, he flexes and move his body to test his muscles. He then turns towards me and said, "You do realize this is white, right?"
"Yeah...sorry."
"I'm fine. Glad you took my message," said Sizen. "If I wasn't accidentally petrified so many times in the past, I wouldn't be able to make that kind of movement."
Wait, what? He got accidentally petrified so many times in the past? Aside from the fact that he's okay with death and violence, he has an interesting past.
I ask him about it, to which he blushes and said, "I got...a basilisk lover, once. We made eye contact all the time, and it always ended up with me petrified. It didn't work out, though. Not because of the eyes. I'm not that committed."
"Ouch," I said.
"Well, it's the past. Anyway, Danica...your aim is the absolute worst."
We both laugh on that comment. I'm more of a knife person, so...you know.
In the end, night falls soon after we find a place to set camp. Exhaustion, coupled with being dirty and non-stop travelling, makes us want to rest up for the night. The night in the desert is calm and lonely, but that way I can see stars above. I talk to Sizen about constellations and what the lizardmen people sees in the night sky. I tell him about them to the point he sleeps. I smile towards his sleeping body and look at the sky alone, before exhaustion takes the best of me and I sleep, too.
What a day...