Last of a Dying Breed
Vemarra Taranis
Chapter 1
A few shafts of light faintly broke through the dark of the crumbling caverns. Casting back the shadows from whence I had taken shelter within. Though light and warmth do not typically cause bother to my mind; it is an instinctual desire in my lesser brethren that form my body to lurk with the hidden realms further in. So I was roused, and I lumbered into the much more damp, darker sections of the cave for a bit longer.
At least, until I woke up fully, and realized I was standing in the wreckage of what had been my former colony. My senses gained focus, and searched the disheartening scene again. The tattered remnants of the facility and the burned, charred corpses of my colonymates. I can still smell the horrendous stench of the smoldering fires deep in the bowels of the facility, much further in.
Something though, that is quite different, catches my ocular senses. I stray towards it idly, and walk over to the glimmer that wavers beneath my vision. I wrap tendrils around it like a vise, and slowly begin to examine the object. It appears to be a machine of some sorts. Something, disconnected in a sense, compared to the average consoles and inner workings of the geothermal facility I surmise it to be from. Sleek, slender, and composed of harmonic, angular material that forms around a kind of core that still glows faintly with light blue energy.
I carefully test and tinker with the object, rolling it from tendril to tendril until I grow annoyed at it and toss it against a small rock in frustration. After watching it hit the hardened rock, I see a very hefty and blinding beam of light shoot out. This light strikes the roof of the cave, and vaporizes the rock near the area of contact. Puzzled immensely, I go over to the object again and pick it up in my arms again. After careful examination I find a point of contact near the core that after squeezing performs the previous action of casting the scorching beam.
Thoroughly satisfied that this whole incident wasn't a scarring loss, I spend time getting used to the light recoil of the hefty beam weapon, and head back towards the collapsed entrance of the cavern. With a bit more confidence of my own self defense aside my already incredible physical strength, I walk out amongst the sunlight and up to the surface.
Trailing through thick brush, and sliding low branches out of my eyes with my free arm, I wander for a time. Scouring the surface for any signs of threat or danger that may lurk near my proposed place of resettlement. There are hints and tracks, days and weeks old; left in long dried mud and earth. They seem somewhat animalistic in nature; left probably by one of the many feral tribes of creatures that dot the landscape. There is limited knowledge from my days before in the colony of the surface dwellers; but they seem to relocate frequently unlike us Lekgolo.
Whereas it seems they flee before the mere seasons passing, or the lessening of access to resources and nutrition; we as a species would endure in our chosen place of nesting and safety in order to continue to prosper and expand for further generations at proper times. But, of course, this is a technical impossibility. Considering my inability to reproduce for quite some time due to the youth of the majority of my many Lekgolo that make up my muscle structure, this is very unlikely to continue for decades. Without proper introduction of fresh, mature worms to aid me in this endeavor, I am left with only my survival mechanisms to ensure my colony's eventual return to any sort of prominence.
A crunch of leaves draws my senses and snaps me from my reverie. With ruthlessness I fire at the offending and intrusive noise with the beam, burning away two trees and several bushes with the raw power I wield. A screech and squeak of slight surprise, fright, and pain erupts and I see a mane of hair and fur running away. I give consideration to give chase, but instead make the decision to fashion myself makeshift armor by gnawing toughened bark into plated forms and fusing them with the heated tip of the weapon in my arm. The result is an armored carapace concealing much of my exposed torso, arms, legs, and the hips region of my body.
Satisfied with the sturdiness of my protection, I ponderously begin to track whatever beast had been stalking me. Following its rather reckless path that leads deeper into the woods. Well of the path I had been from prior. But my curious nature precedes itself, and so I follow it to a rocky shelf overlooking an immense valley. From here, I can see a rather swooping, beautiful landscape. Filled with life, lush and verdant.
From the towering mountain ranges that loom and lord around the far off lands, to the babbling brooks and gushing rivers running into the valleys that are full of tall flowing reeds and what I faintly recognize as wild wheat or corn. The thick trees encircling that span for as far as the oculi can detect. This place is ideal. Perhaps not entirely for my kind, but for many others.
And that is when I hear the breathing. The faint, gasping breaths. Tiny whimpers accompanied with small grunts of pain. The vocalizations appear quieter, less harsh in tone compared to what I typically reconcile with something larger, or threatening. More so it sounds like something I would naturally be inclined to take pity on, and seek to aid. Though most may not understand, it is the nature of higher thinking Lekgolo of my colony to respect and even nurture those who are lesser of strength or capacity to harm. We are, after all, much more peaceful than we may seem; only ever fighting when necessary.
I turn, and finally face what can only be described as a complete non-threat. Something so small, and harmless I have no ill intent towards regardless of what instincts tell me to tread carefully. It seems young, this creature; which is hiding in the thin brush by the cliff edge. Its figure is slender, but okay in build. Perhaps more of a runners physique compared to my lumbering mass. There are curves where I deem it unnecessary, although there perhaps is some form of attraction this species needs compared to mine that requires this in this creature's species. The fur I saw from earlier appears to be from other animals, cut off from the body and used as some form of covering. Wrapped over its decent chest, and around its waist in some kind of loincloth.
The mane is less so fully a mane, rather a shock of unruly hair that flows from its scalp and heading down its shoulders and back. It is black in color. The oculi it possess are large, fearful, and deep blue in the irises. With a small, pointed piece of cartilage and skin that I can only presume forms some kind of smell receptor with two nostrils. A modest mouth, currently contorted in pure fear, completes the thin complexion that stares at me frightfully.
Naturally, I adopt a form of caution, and size up this creature, before ultimately disregarding my instincts to be cautious and settle into a casually defensive seated position. Mindful of both of our personal spaces, and watch it. For a time, we regard each other, and I note the large burn on its right arm that must be from my weapon discharge. And here, I leave it, mutual caution and a mix of fright and curiosity keeping us rooted to stare at each other at the edge of this cliff. Locked in a non-spoken fight for who will move first.
Hiya there everybody! I hope y'all enjoyed my first chapter of this unfolding story. I had a brief moment of passion to push out this chapter after a long thought. Again I hope you liked it and if you did be sure to follow and favorite. Leave a review with your thoughts if you don't mind or if you're shy don't be afraid to pm me your thoughts. I'm always look for critique so I can improve.
Love all y'all, Vemarra