Okay, had this chapter finished late last night, but fatigue and sleep won out...that and I was watching the Doctor Who season finale...they need to bring in the next season...
Elphie Muse: I blame your friend for hooking you on that show.
Yeah...it is kinda her fault considering she showed us this season last year...but it's a good show! The Doctor's cool! And now the guy that plays him is the same guy who was Barty Crouch Jr. in Potter and the Goblet of Fire! How cool is that? And even cooler is the fact that the woman who played Sarah/Osiris showed up in an episode of Doctor Who.
Elphie Muse: Okay. That is cool.
Told you!
Okay...we kinda got off track...
Elphie Muse: Yeah...
Give me a break, I just woke up. But getting back on track, here's today's chapter. It was a bit hard to write considering a specific group of characters show up. They're way of talking is weird...I had to reference Wolf's Bane to see how they talk and I don't think I got it all right.
Elphie Muse: Cookies for those who guess the characters the author's talking about.
Please note the fun play on words for the title of this chapter. "A-Prior can be deceiving" instead of "Appearances can be deceiving". Pretty clever, no?
Elphie Muse: Get on with it!
Right! Now on with the chapter!
...Still not mine...don't people trust me enough to give me the rights to these things?
Elphie Muse: No.
Aww...
Sam and Gamon waited patiently as the Lloroi went over the proposed treaty again for what seemed like the twentieth time. The leader finally sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He looked at Sam.
"Have you seen this?" he asked.
"Yes I have," Sam replied.
"What's your take on this?" he inquired.
"Well…in all honesty, it is pretty fair. Considering we have to be cautious of the Aiuven as well as other threats, we're actually getting a lot from Earth."
"We?" Gamon said, arching a brow at her.
"I've been here long enough for this planet to be called my home. I can't just give it up now that I can go back to Earth," she replied. "I owe you all a debt."
"Are Earth's medicines better than what we have?" the Lloroi asked.
Sam bit her lip in thought. "Well…they are more advanced, but there are still new medicines being found from jungles on Earth. I think by adding Earth's medicines to what's used now, it should help people better. I don't know all that much about medicines from Earth. You'd have to ask Janet."
"Why her?" Gamon asked.
"She's a doctor," Sam said. "A healer," she amended at their confused looks.
The Lloroi sighed and put the paper down. As he opened his mouth to say something, a woman ran in and whispered something to the Lloroi. He sighed again and looked at Sam.
"Something wrong?" Gamon asked.
"Samantha, have you ever heard of a group of beings known as the Ori?" the Lloroi asked her.
Sam immediately went on alert, an uneasy feeling growing in her stomach. "I have," she confirmed. "And they're trouble."
"Why do you ask?" Gamon asked his brother.
"Because someone just appeared in town talking about how the Ori are the true gods we need to follow," the Lloroi answered.
"Son of a…" Sam muttered.
"Are they that bad?" the Lloroi asked.
"From what my friends told me, they'll enslave your people and kill all who resist," Sam said.
"So what do we do?" the Lloroi asked. "They seem to have special powers or something," he said.
Sam's eyes narrowed and she gripped her sword. "Not for long."
"Sam, this person could kill you if him having special powers is true," Gamon said. "It might be wise to pick a fight you can win."
Sam looked both men in the eye. "If we don't stop them here, they'll gain a foothold here. I'm not willing to take that risk. Hundreds of billions of people could die if the Ori win this galaxy."
"So what do you suggest we do?" the Lloroi asked.
"Let Earth know what's going on here," Sam said. With that she whirled around and left the Lloroi's house. She made her way to the town square, Lakota following her, a low growl in his throat.
"Hallowed are the Ori," a voice said.
Sam halted in front of what she knew was a Prior. A staff was in his one hand and a book in the other. "You are not welcome here Prior," Sam said.
"All who do not bow before the might of the Ori will die," the Prior said.
"No one here will bow to false gods. Not while I have anything to say about it," Sam returned, pulling her sword free. "Leave or die."
"You cannot stop the will of the Ori," the Prior responded.
"Then I'll die trying," she returned. She charged in only to be stopped when the Prior lifted his hand. She rose into the air and hovered there, a wince on her face and pain ripped through her body.
"All those touched by the evil gods will be purged," the Prior said. The sword slipped from Sam's hand as her vision began to blur.
Lakota let out an angry snarl and leapt at the Prior only to be hurled aside like a bug. Villagers stood aghast at what was being done to a wolfwalker. Jack rounded a bend and glared at the Prior who was hurting Sam. Without thinking he pulled the combat knife free and hurled it at the Prior. It struck him in the back of the head and he fell to the ground, dead.
Jack ran to Sam's side and cradled her head in his lap. "Carter? Carter? Sam, come on, wake up," he said, gently shaking her. "Janet! Dion! Someone get the hell over here now!" he bellowed.
Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker
Yellow, slitted eyes blinked and looked around at other winged creatures. "The (evil/foul/false) ones have (come/arrive)," a gray-blue voice said, images of the Ori and Priors appearing before the aliens' eyes.
"A Human (resisted/withstood/defied) the (messenger/prophet)," another said in a soft yellow voice.
"The Human is (stranger/foreigner) to this (planet/place)," a third said.
"The Human desires (peace/freedom) for all, even those (unknown/unidentified)," a fourth added.
The gray-blue alien looked at the others gathered in the cave. "It was (foretold/predicted) that (stranger/foreigner) would (come/arrive) at hour of (need/demand)," the alien said.
"What must be (done/prepared)?" the second voice asked.
"The Human must (prove/confirm) worthiness," the leader said.
"How?" a fifth inquired.
"The Human must (come/find/seek) us," the gray-blue voice said. The others nodded in agreement.
Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker
Dion watched as Sam slowly opened her eyes. The blonde sat up and rubbed her head. "Ow…what hit me?" she asked.
"Prior," Jack said. "He learned the hard way on how not to play with sharp, throwable objects."
"Thanks," Sam said. She swung her legs off of the bed. "How long was I out?" she asked them.
"A day," Dion said.
"How's Lakota?" Sam inquired.
"He's fine. Hishn had to drag him out to eat and whatnot," Dion replied.
Sam nodded and began to rise to her feet. "Carter, what the hell are you doing?" Jack demanded.
"Standing," Sam returned.
"Why?" Jack asked.
"Because I need to go somewhere," she replied.
"Where?" Jack demanded.
"I don't know," Sam replied. "I just…" she shrugged. "I heard this weird voice when I was unconscious. It was…powerful… And it was calling to me," she said.
"Weird voice? Through your bond?" Dion asked.
Sam nodded. "I can't explain it…but it was definitely calling me."
"Do you have any idea on where it was calling you to?" Dion asked.
"No specific direction, but it was cold…mountainous…and isolated," Sam said.
Dion looked at Sam, a slight wary look in her violet eyes. "It couldn't be…" she murmured softly.
"What couldn't be?" Jack demanded.
Dion looked at the pair. "That voice…I think it might have been an Aiuven's voice you heard."
"Isn't that bad or something?" Jack asked.
"Maybe," Dion said. "But if they're calling to Sam, then something's going on…something big…"
"I can think of one big thing," Sam said.
"You think they'll help us against the Priors and Ori?" Jack asked.
Sam shrugged. "It's worth a shot. In any case, I have to try and ask them." She looked at Jack, the man she loved with her whole heart, and Dion, the woman who had become like a sister to her. "I can't ask you to come with me."
"You don't have to ask," Jack said. "Where you go, I go."
"You're family Sam. Family sticks together," Dion said.
"Janet'll probably want to come as well," Jack said.
"Cassie needs to go back to Earth. I have a feeling things are going to get ugly here," Sam said.
"Why did she even come here?" Dion asked.
"Well, she hadn't seen her mom in a while. That and she is on summer vacation from school," Jack said.
"So it'll be me, you, Dion…and who else?" Sam asked.
"Either Gamon or Aranur. I think Gamon might be the better choice. Aranur needs to stay here and prepare any possible defense against these Priors," Dion said.
"Dion, it won't matter if Aranur stays or goes," Jack said. "Nothing here can stop those Priors."
Dion reluctantly nodded. "True. And Aranur will want to go where we're going," the black haired wolfwalker said.
"So…should we start preparing?" Sam asked.
Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker Wolfwalker
"The Human is (coming/approaching)," the yellow voice said.
"The Human brings (friends/companions)," another said. "Does that not (nullify/invalidate) what was (predicted/foretold)?"
"The Human relies on (family/relations) as do we. We shall (wait/watch) what happens," the blue-gray voice said. The other Aiuven nodded in agreement.
Okay, to clarify, the weird speaking aliens are the Aiuven. And that is how they talk...and it is hard to write for them because I didn't know what to put in parantheses and whatnot...
Elphie Muse: At least it's done.
True. And it makes me happy. What would make me even happier is if people would review...especially if this is on their favorites and/or alert list(s). I also accept unsigned reviews. But if you flame me, I'm prepared.
Elphie Muse: You are?
:Holds up bag of marshmellows, graham crackers, and chocolate: Yep!
Elphie Muse: Um...I thought you didn't like flames.
I don't. Which is why if I get any, I'll make s'mores then use them.
Elphie Muse: Who?
:points to radioactive purple penguin army: Them. They'll attack any and all who read but do not review and flamers. So review!
Elphie Muse: You are strange.
:looks up from squeezing marshmellow: Did you know marshmellows are squishy?
Elphie Muse: -.-;;;;;;