Sarah, feeling triumphant from her recent victory, walked over to her group's usual table and sat down. While most just ended up grabbing whatever space was available somewhere along the way they had kinda claimed the spot for themselves although, they never actually claimed it. It just seemed like it was their table and most people let them have it. Looking through her recent scans she waited for her friends to come.
About ten minutes later Kaz and Peyton appeared, chatting animatedly. The red-haired boy was grumbling with frustration while Peyton was smiling.
"Looks like you won this match Peyton." Sarah commented.
"Yup. All it took was a vroom! And he couldn't follow me up. I turned around and I charged at him, GTA style." Peyton replied while imitating someone driving.
"Yeah. It's as scary as would be if it happened in real life." Kaz grumbled as he crossed his arms.
"Yeah. I almost got run over once and boy was it scary." Sarah commented, wincing sympathy, trying to chase that particular memory away.
"You almost what?" The two asked loudly, surprised at not having heard about this before.
"Yep. Crazy driver came when I went to school last year and he would almost have gotten me if I hadn't jumped to the side. Took a curve too fast and that crazy driver almost lost control." Sarah grunted, crossing her arms and wishing she saw the face of the driver and the plate. She would testify just to have the pleasure of seeing whoever it was to lose his licence. It would be one less dangerous person on the road.
"Now I feel bad for driving as Mudeenu GTA style." Peyton grumbled.
Ironically, said creature wasn't that far away and frowned when he heard that. The humanoid lizard wondered what this GTA thing was. He had seen the match. All he thought was that it was an unconventional way of driving.
"Hey," Sarah looked at the group and noticed something was wrong, "Where's Tom?"
Kaz quickly glanced around, "I don't know."
"He didn't tell you what he was going bro?" Peyton asked, worried.
"No. I'll call him," Kaz pressed on his scanner and waited. No one picked up. It just rang for a while, "and he chooses not to answer."
"Dammit! He didn't tell us anything!"
"He didn't go to Kiru City, that's for sure," Kaz said, feeling anxious.
"Did he go somewhere on his own?" Sarah growled. She grabbed her head and let out a furious snarl, "When he promised not to do that again! What is he thinking? I'll give him a piece of my mind when he comes back."
"No," Kaz replied, clearly angry as well, "I'll give him a piece of my mind Sarah. He should have told us. What was he even thinking!"
"What is he even doing?" Peyton asked the two, concerned.
"Going somewhere alone." Sarah replied.
Kaz sighed, "He better not get caught by the M'arrillians, because I'm the one who's gonna catch him."
Chapter 37: M'arrillian Objective
As Tom ported in, he scanned the area around him. In front of him was a smooth-running river and surrounded by a green forest. The place looked like no creatures lived or wondered here. It was a little odd considering most locations they went to seemed to always have a trace of a battle or a skirmish around it somewhere. A tree a little damaged or burned up or churned earth usually. Here, he spotted none of this. Remembering Reggie's directions, he followed the river and hoped that Phelphor was still around here, somewhere.
As he took in more of the location Tom was happy that the creature chose to live on. Even if he committed many horrible things in the past, it was still better that he tried to improve. He was here long enough to know that any creatures could do something terrible or questionable, "Even Maxxor," Tom whispered to himself. The questionable situation in particular he remembered was when they went to save Reggie. He usually tried not to think about it.
Shaking his head Tom focused. He was here to find the ex-M'arrillian. His mission had to go on Tom told himself as he continued walking. As time passed, he often gazed at the river and the rest of his surroundings. Still given the current state of things of things in Perim, he was ready to bolt at a moments notice. His hand was in his pocket, finger ready to press on the switch to port out at any second, his scanner vibrating in his hand. It seemed his friends had realized he was elsewhere. Their wrath had to wait for now though.
Hours passed and Tom continued until he noticed a camp. He stopped and searched for a creature around. It might not be Phelphor. He couldn't drop his guard for a second. Making a decision he hid behind a tree and listened cautiously. He heard someone grumbling as if it was complaining. He looked carefully from behind the tree and noticed a creature wearing a cloak with his hood over his head. He had a fishing road in his hand, but it was clearly made by an amateur, who was beginning to get the grip on it. Making up his mind Tom decided to take the risk. He approached the creature and said, "Excuse me."
The creature turned around and immediately saw the boy, "Tom." Said the creature, a tone of excitement in his voice, and grabbed his hood to reveal his pink face.
"Phelphor!" Exclaimed Tom, letting out a small smile.
The creature nodded, "You received the message from the other boy."
"Reggie. Yes." Tom replied.
Looking at the chaotic Player the ex-M'arrillian nervously searched for a small talk. Thinking of the best he could he pointed at his camp, "As you can see. I left my tribe. This is where I live right now." Phelphor thought at how terrible he was.
"Yeah," Tom replied evenly. He began to mentally tell himself that the creature wasn't a M'arrillian anymore, because he knew he might let it out by accident.
Phelphor found something to say. He gazed at the boy, "M- Tom. I… have to thank you."
"Hum… why?" Tom was confused.
Sighing, Phelphor sat on a rock and gestured at the boy to do the same, "For just telling me to call you Tom. I… I realised that I have to live." Phelphor crossed his fingers, "There are so many things I have to find. Why my father decided to help the Messenger of the Cothica, why the M'arrillians are taking the wrong path… Mostly those."
"I'm also glad for that." Tom knew he shouldn't bring up his question right now. It the would be a jerk move.
Phelphor sat the line down and waited for his diner to bite, "Life here isn't easy. I have to do everything on my own." Phelphor chuckled, "Still. I enjoy it," he gazed at the boy, "And how is life in your world Tom?"
He couldn't tell much, but there were a few things he could vaguely say, "The routine. I just live a normal life in my world. So, coming to Perim is something special. At home, I could just imagine adventures with Kaz." Tom let out a melancholic smile of a time where everything was possible, "Not anymore. I go to school to learn many things."
"A place to share knowledge to the young." The ex-M'arrillian resumed. He thought back, "For me, it was mostly my mother, like most of my tribe. Father was a warrior and I looked up to him. I became one and followed his path."
Tom thought of his father. He was a marine. He did the same and he always talked with him when the night came, giving news of his life and getting news of what went on his dad's ship. A strange similarity, except his mom had a job.
The creature and the human talked about nothing important for neither of them. It was clear that both were buying their time, or accepting to lose time.
As they spoke, Phelphor noticed that the human wanted to say something. He saw the boy tapping with his foot and wanted to speak of something in his mind. He didn't want to pry in the mind of the boy.
Tom played with his fingers and wondered when he should bring it up. Phelphor was simply sighing and had all his time.
The creature decided the initiative and ask the question, "Tom. Is there something you want to ask? I don't mind if you came to me for that."
"I felt like a jerk to just come for that Phelphor." Tom replied. The Chaotic Player took a deep breath and looked at the creature's green eyes, "I want to know what is going on with the M'arrillians. I know they are plotting something. My friends and I are starting to think they might try to come to… our world." Tom whispered the two last words.
Phelphor frowned as he heard those voices. He never spoke to anyone about it. He let out a loud grunt, "Yes. They are planning something big. That's why I was sent to Kaizeph. To get a few clues about it, since the Messenger of the Cothica lived there long ago." He clenched his hands on the rod, "I found my father's resting place instead and I returned to save you."
"About the plan?" Tom began.
"I don't know the full details of the plan. They didn't tell me everything about it. However, I know it has something to do with you Chaotic Players. I know they are trying to find a way to reach Chaotic. That's why they wanted your scanner and let you live." He turned towards the boy, "I'm sure you can port anywhere in Perim from Chaotic."
"Yeah." Tom admitted.
"They could send a full-on assault into Kiru City from inside the wall if they could use whatever you do to teleport into Perim. They wouldn't have any problem crushing the tribes from the inside."
"They can't use the scanners." Tom replied. He had thought about the Telebracers and how they could come into Perim. He cursed himself when he remembered he never told his friends about how they could reach Chaotic with them, "But there is a way."
"What do you mean? You would spy on them? It's a terrible idea." The ex-M'arrillian wanted to add more, but was cut.
"Mipedians and Overworlders can port to Chaotic thanks to some battlegear."
Phelphor was quiet. He gazed at the river and grunted, "Then you are in big trouble. If the other tribes can do it, so can the M'arrillians. I'm certain that they will find a way to Chaotic just by delving into the creature's mind, watching from afar. Maybe an ambush."
"They are very few of the battlegear and they can only port one creature." Tom replied, trying to reassure himself.
"It won't be enough." The creature remembered something and sighed in relief, "but there is some good news."
"Good news?"
"That depends on what is going on in the Deep Ocean." said Phelphor, crossing his arms, "As far as I know, there is a civil war preparing. Maybe it began now."
"A… Civil war?" Said Tom a little nervously. It might be good news if it was happening with their tribe. Still, he couldn't believe there would be one, "Why?"
"Simply put, Aa'une's death disturbed the order in their tribe. It's… more complicated than that though. The reason many M'arrillians followed Aa'une wasn't only out of absolute loyalty. It was also out of fear. It was the same for me."
"I remember that…when I looked into your memories. He was extremely powerful," Tom commented.
"He was. No one had the courage or the will to fight back against him. He had absolute control over the tribe. Out of loyalty or fear. Even the words of the Messenger of the Cothica had no effect. None of the tribe could change his mind and stop him from continuing the war against the other tribes. On the surface anyway." Said Phelphor, gazing at the river.
"That means that your father reached them?" Tom guessed.
"Yes. When Aa'une fell, the absolute control over the entire tribe was broken, and many of those, who descended from those touched by the words left by my father…decided to prepare and act. The civil war that is surely about to happen is between those who followed Aa'une's path and those who wish to follow the wishes of the Messenger. Since he came from the Cothica, his words are sacred. Who will rise in the end? I don't know."
"Yeah." Said Tom absently, pensive. There was nothing he could do to influence it. It was too big and he wasn't stupid and crazy enough to try to go there. He had been captured by them last time and barely escaped.
"That might put their plan to a halt, or at least slow them down." Phelphor summarized.
Tom thought that maybe he should call the Codemasters and tell them about it. They had to be ready for the moment when creatures might come. The other thought that came to him was that Alexandre was here. If the M'arrillians saw him, what would happen. He wondered if he should bring it up but hesitated.
The ex-M'arrillian let the boy process what he just explained. It was a lot and something the human might have predicted in a way.
Tom sighed, "Phelphor… the Messenger of the Cothica. What would the M'arrillians do if they saw him?"
"He's… here? He's here?" The creature asked twice. He almost dropped his fishing rod and grabbed it back just in time. He looked at the boy with the irises of his eyes enlarged while the rest of his body was rigid, "How can he still be alive?"
Tom sighed. The creature had picked up on the implication way too quickly. TV shows clearly lied about how easy it was to hide things, Tom grumbled internally, "Yes. But what would they do?"
Phelphor thought about it. It didn't take long before he had the answer, "They will capture him to unite the tribe. Those who fight against the old ways are following the Messenger of the Cothica's will. If they capture him, they will use him as leverage. They will give up the rebellion and join whoever is in charge of the tribe. They will strike at Chaotic if that happens. Then, they will claim the Cothica and your kind will be enslaved by the M'arrillians. Tell him to stay away from Perim."
"I will." Tom said, knowing it would probably be what would happen if Alexandre was caught, terrible as it was.
"Tom. How is he?" Phelphor asked, curious.
"His name is Alexandre. He is much older now."
"He's still alive. How?"
"It's something really hard to understand. He just traveled to Perim, in the past," Tom explained, trying to put it in the simplistic way possible.
"It's the Cothica. Of course, you can do something like that." The ex-M'arrillian told himself, quick to accept the simplistic answer.
"Yeah…but we're not from the Cothica." Tom countered.
Phelphor decided to let it go for now.
"You still got nothing?" Tom asked after a few minutes, looking at Phelphor's fishing rod.
Phelphor grumbled, "Nothing." He had been fishing for a while.
"Maybe the bait is gone." Tom replied.
"Bait?" The creature took out his fishing rod. There was nothing to use as bait.
Tom suddenly realized the creature didn't know how to fish properly. He chuckled slightly.
The ex-M'arrillian blushed, "It's not funny. I'm still trying to figure out how to even properly do that!"
"I'll show you." Tom replied.
Tom passed the rest of the day explaining to Phelphor how to properly fish, just like how had father taught him.
AC: This is the end of this chapter.
Next: Peyton and Lulu.
Peyton is still unsure of what to do with Theb-Saar's explanation. A talk with Lulu will help clear his mind.
