overseer

by vamer

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Table of Contents URL: https//fiction/1233/overseer

Overseer

by Solistia

Original COMPLETED Non-Human Lead Drama Fantasy Supernatural

From the nothingness I appeared. Bodiless, voiceless, ageless, I have only thoughts and emotions to guide me. My one connection to the world lies in the hearts of a small colony of lizards, just on the cusp of maturing. I reach out to them without hands, inspiring them to be more than what they are, shaping their bodies from visions of lost memories. But where do the memories come from? I am always left with more questions than answers. In my lonely shapeless existence the lizards cannot hear my words, and they cannot feel my touch, and I must wonder, do I even really exist? -- Called emotional, abstract, and beautiful by readers, this story is an observational account of a disembodied entity that has the power to influence and change a race of mildly intelligent lizard creatures. Memories of a previous life often serve as inspiration, but also generate questions as to whom the entity

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might have been before it became an Overseer. (presented in short chapters) (Thank you readers for getting my story into the top 5 ;u; ~3) [Overseer has moved, please see Final Annoucement]

01 - The Little Leader

My thoughts were fuzzy. Muddled. I couldn't make sense of anything. My vision was fuzzy. I was unable to perceive the world around me. It was all a mess of colors and light. My hearing was fuzzy. An amalgamation of sounds bombarded me, at the same time both a whisper and a roar. My body was fuzzy. With only a vague sense of shape, it was impossible to tell where my body began and ended.

I only had a faint sense of self-awareness. I was confused, but not panicked; curious, but still cautious.

My sense of time was warped. I was unsure how long I stayed like that; days, years, seconds? But suddenly something started to come into focus. The sense of constantly shifting colors around me started to solidify and take shape. The sounds lessened, I could no longer hear everything, just certain things. That sense of self-awareness became greater the more things came into focus. I was no longer just existing, I was observing.

And then I could see them.

They were simple creatures, much like lizards. The first one that caught my attention was a young one using its scaly claws to lift a small rock and slam it down against a dark brown shell resting on a large rock. Lift, whack, lift, whack. Eventually a definitive crack resounded, then the little lizard creature dropped the small rock, and gobbled up the soft contents that had been protected by the hard protective shell.

What a smart little creature.

I was captivated by him. Drawn to him. I wanted to help him flourish and grow.

I felt myself reach out to the first lizard, now of a breeding age. He was special, and with a little influence could greatly help his colony. The colony was largely autonomous, grouping together for protection from larger enemies, but otherwise staying to themselves. But that wouldn't do. If they didn't come together as a group, they couldn't learn from each other.

To the first lizard, I gave the essence of a leader. I don't quite know how I did it. By now I realized I had no physical form, I was simply there. I had no eyes, but I could see; no ears, but could hear. I could not touch the rocks, nor the grass, nor the trees. But I could touch these creatures, touch them in a way that didn't require hands. And it was in that way I touched him, and inspired him to be a leader.

The Little Leader used his knowledge to repeat his success with the shell cracking, over and over. Eventually, he began to teach this art to others who flocked around him. Slowly, they began to mimic the action, and soon the whole colony of little lizards were able to get at the delicious innards of the large nuts and seashells. It was quite beneficial to their society, as they were able to have a stable food source that they didn't have to catch first to consume, which allowed their population to increase.

The Little Leader was quite popular among the ladies, and had no shortage of mates during the breeding seasons. I was saddened when he finally died of old age. He had led a very fulfilled life. Over his lifetime he had brought the colony together as a functioning group. And they learned from him that they could teach others, and that others would teach them. They showed their colony-mates where to find food, and dangerous places to avoid. The concept of sharing was created by the Little Leader, and his legacy lived on in all his children.

I would watch his children, and his children's children. I would watch over them until the end of their days. I could not protect them from danger, but I could give them inspiration on how to defend themselves. I could not give them food, but I could tug them in the direction of a rotting log with many

bugs to consume. All of my essence seemed devoted to watching these creatures. Wherever they were, I was, and whatever they did, I saw them, heard them. They were my world, and I was very endeared to them.

I was not some great and powerful God who could punish with hellfire or reward with rain.

I was simply their Overseer.

--

02 - A Far Bigger World

My little lizards had beautiful scales. Had they been in another part of the world, they likely would have stood out too much, and been easy targets for predators. But their dark scales that shimmered with a variety of bright colors in the light mimicked the dark rocky earth of their home by the sea. The dark rock was iridescent, and when the waves would crash upon the shore, it bounced light everywhere, creating a beautiful array of colors. It was a very handy adaptation.

There was little dirt, most plants grew out of the depths of the rocks, even the large trees along the shoreline. Most small plants had shallow roots, which made them prime targets for bugs, a favorite food of my lizards. The trees were rooted deep below the rock, and even in great storms they were unlikely to topple once they reached a certain age.

Thus my lizards were able to hide from their prey and predators by simply staying still on the rocks. As long as they were patient, they would get their desired outcome. The impatient ones died quickly, usually before their first mating season. And so as the generations went by, less and less impatient lizards were born until it became a rare trait.

The prevalent patience was important for ambushing bugs and the small fish that got washed into tidepools along the rocky shore. Those that were not good at hunting could focus on cracking open nuts and seashells thanks to the Little Leader of generations past.

After inspiring the Little Leader, I had not strongly interacted with them; I was simply content to watch them grow.

But then a curious thing happened. I had seen it a few times during the mating seasons, but had largely ignored it. It was like a pinpoint of light that

traveled inside a new mother lizard, and they had always been faint, barely noticeable. But this light was different. It was stronger, more vibrant. I wanted to know what it was, and reached for it.

I touched it, and it was like a shock. Not like getting zapped by lightning, but more of an unexpected static shock. In getting close enough to touch it, I could all the incredibly faint lights of life that raced to be the first to fertilize the new mother's eggs, racing to be born into the world. The one with the bright light was not as fast, and would likely not make to the eggs in time. So for the first time in a while, I interacted directly with the lizards, and pulled the little light ahead of the myriad of other faint lights.

It was pure curiosity. I wanted to see what it would become.

The male lizard left after copulating to find another mate, as was usual during the breeding season. The mother would lay her eggs and guard them until they hatched. After the advent of sharing, rather than leaving the young to their own devices once hatched, the usually well-fed mother would now feed her children for a short time until their scales were hard.

I watched the strong light as it fertilized the egg. It was then deposited into a hole in the rocks, and covered with foliage by the mother to guard them. The eggs hatched, and the mother fed them as she learned to do from her mother. Their scales became hard, and the burden of motherhood was lifted as the little ones were ready to lead their own lives in the colony.

But something was a little different about Strong Light. Her scales were harder than her siblings', and her personality was more aggressive than the other lizards in the colony. She didn't play well with others, but she was adventurous and had nerves of steel. She wasn't reckless and avoided the larger predators, but she was able to hold her ground and scare off smaller predators by hissing, and quickly turning to whip her hardened tail at them to discourage them. Strong Light was brave. She was a warrior.

With her exploring farther than the other lizards in the colony, I got to see more of the world. I also realized just how small of an area my little lizards occupied. She made me wonder if it was okay to just be content with the

small piece of world my lizards held. She ignited a hunger in me, a hunger to help my lizards achieve newer and greater things. To see new heights and reach new depths.

Tragically, her life ended before she could spawn more like herself. Despite her caution, she became cornered by a large predator. She valiantly defended herself, but ultimately was overpowered. Although my sorrow was not as great as it was for the Little Leader, I still felt her's was a life ended too early.

Suddenly I had a goal. These lizards were capable of more than they seemed, they just needed a little help to realize it. If more warriors could be born, they wouldn't have to worry as much about the smaller predators, and could expand their territories and their families. As it was, the region was getting crowded as more of the young survived thanks to the mothers' early aid.

I looked for Strong Light's parents, and for the next few breeding seasons I pulled them towards each other, hoping for them to mate. The first time, the mother snubbed the male, the second time they copulated, no other strong lights appeared. After the fifth breeding season, it finally appeared again. When I touched it, I could feel that this one was male, and I more understood the light and what it meant. This light was not as aggressive as Strong Light's, but perhaps that would work in his favor. For now, I tended to the new light, helped him find an egg to fertilize, then stepped back to watch.

03 - The Role of an Overseer

It worked out much as I had hoped. The younger brother of Strong Light shared her same hard scales, and a fraction of her aggressiveness and adventurousness.

I felt tired, much like I needed to sleep, but there was one more thing I felt I needed to do. After he was grown, and his scales fully hardened, I reached out to him. I inspired him to be a Defender, much as I had the Little Leader to lead.

I could feel myself slipping away. I had done too much, overexerted myself trying to get the mother and father to copulate on numerous occasions.

My consciousness faded, and the swirl of lights and dissonance of sounds returned. Though it would seem chaotic, it was strangely calming. It was like I was connected to everything and nothing all at once. My thoughts calmed and lessened, and I let myself be taken away.

I rested in that state for some time before I 'awoke'. My vision began focusing as the rest of me slowly came back to my previous state of awareness.

I was surprised by what I saw. Nearly a quarter of the lizards had those hardened scales of the Defender and Strong Light, and they were slightly larger than the rest. They had also expanded, and branched out into a few smaller groups, some heading into the forest, others farther down the shore.

There was also something else different about them. In each of the communities, the lizards grouped together in family units of two to five lizards. One was always a slightly larger Defender type, and there was at least one male and female per group. Some groups were split evenly

between male and female, others more skewed. Although I didn't have a face, I could feel my essence smile. My lizards now not only had a sense of community, but also a concept of family. When the breeding season came, most stayed to their own family units to breed, and when the young were born, all members of the family unit helped raise the young, even after their scales had hardened.

I felt like a proud parent. The influence from the Defenders has greatly reshaped their society. I also felt a mild pang of regret as I had been unable to watch them get to this point.

Amidst the family groups there were other groups without a Defender. They seemed to be stragglers banded together, often young ones that had recently grown out of their family unit. Just like the family groups, they assisted one another, and when a young bachelor or bachelorette Defender came of age, some would break off to form a family group with them.

The Defender had a very important place in the lizard society. They offered protection to their family, and the family provided for them. Seeing them form such close bonds with one another warmed my heart.

The family units usually stayed to themselves, but when larger predators threatened the colony, the Defenders would all band together to chase them off, protecting the community as a whole. That camaraderie was what I had hoped for. It was probably just as well that Strong Light had passed without a legacy; her kin would have been too aggressive to serve the needed function of a protector.

As time passed, not much changed within the societies. They branched out just a little farther into the forest and along the shore, but had reached a point of stagnation. Could it be that without my influence, the lizards couldn't adapt further? It was more likely that I just sped it along, but the thought stayed with me.

By now, little lizards were practically born knowing the rock smashing technique, and it worked well on shelled sea urchin-like creatures for the shore groups. That technique hadn't been influenced by me, the Little

Leader had thought it up on his own. I merely gave him a means to spread that knowledge. But that seemed to be where ingenuity ended. There were some that tried other ideas without success, so they never really moved forward after that.

What could help them? The strong light that caused the harder scaled and mildly larger lizards seemed like a freak accident, it was probably asking too much to hope another one would come along soon. I was finally starting to understand my role. To advance, they needed my guidance. And I wanted them to advance, I wanted them to want more for themselves, not to stagnate and hope for the best.

They needed ingenuity. They needed more than just a rock, they needed tools. Tools. Where had that thought come from? It felt familiar, but I couldn't place it. I watched them use the rock, lifting it and smashing it down. I payed closer attention and saw they lifted it awkwardly. It was hard for them to get a good grip. That's why it often took a good amount of whacks to get things open, as they didn't have much precision.

I looked at their little scaled and clawed hands and imagined. Grip. Manual dexterity. Thumbs. It came to me like shock. An opposable thumb. It felt so incredibly nostalgic, I might have cried had I the eyes to do so. When I imagined my own hands, I felt they too had been like that. Memories tried to surge within me, but they were not strong enough to make it past the tar- like mud that encased them. The murk cut them off before I could glimpse them. It was the first time I wondered who I was.

All this while I'd only been thinking of the lizards with no thought to myself. My current self, the Overseer, I was just starting to understand. But my past self remained shrouded in mystery, just beyond my reach, save for the flash of an inspiration.

Who was I? Where did I come from? How did I get here? All questions went unanswered. I was part of the world, but I was alone. I could not directly interact with lizards or anything else for that matter.

Left unanswered, the thoughts eventually faded away. I didn't become

hysterical, I may not even have been capable of such a thing. But I knew I would revisit those thoughts. Hopefully some clues would come next time. Perhaps influencing the lizards with my inspiration would help me remember. I hoped so.

I hoped.

04 - Family

After the experience of overexerting myself, I set about the idea of opposable thumbs in a different manner. I looked around for the lizards whose thumbs were a bit abnormal to start. I kept watching them, waiting for them to breed. When they did, I performed tiny little adjustments to their offspring, very small. It would be many generations before my design came to fruition, but doing such small touches over a long period of time was easier to handle.

The development was slow, but certainly faster than it would have been, left to its own devices. It could even be that without my coaxing, it never would have happened to begin with. There was excitement in the waiting. Some generations continued to develop without direct influence, likely since I was urging them in that direction. I also urged the lightly-thumbed ones to breed outside their normal groups, so that more offspring could help develop the strain.

Even before the thumb was fully completed to my ideals, the lizards started making use of their changing hands. Their manual dexterity increased significantly, and gripping stones was much easier. Food was more abundant, since more could be cracked open with less time. They also started using the rocks on rotting wood to expose more delicious bugs.

Those by the shore began diving into the shallow water during low tide, eager to catch the little shrimps and shelled creatures that drifted close to shore. Those in the forest used their more powerful hands to grip the bark and scuttle up the trunks of trees to get at prey hiding out of reach of the land predators. They were all so very smart, I was incredibly proud of their advancement.

With more abundant food came larger populations. The territories expanded

yet again. I could see just a little farther along the shore, a little further into the trees. As their world expanded, so did mine.

And once again they surprised me. The separate colonies, of which there were eight now, stopped mingling between other colonies. They began to protect their territory from other colonies that might seek to take their food sources.

I wasn't quite sure how I felt about that. One part of me felt it was natural, and just the way of the world. It made sense, if another colony started in on someone else's food source, their food would be depleted. Another part of me weeped that they could not all get along. I wanted the camaraderie to exist between all the lizards, not just between those of the same colony.

They did not have the intelligence for trade and rules, it was still all very basic. I did not know how to get them to understand that those of the same species were not enemies. I could only watch as they closed themselves off from each other.

Would it really be better this way? Was this the direction they should take? If they had all gotten along, and learned to help their kin, would my people have fared better?

There it was again. A mere wisp of a memory. My people. The memory wasn't a vision, it was a feeling. A feeling of a bleeding heart, that strife between brothers and sisters had ruined everything I held precious.

The Defenders knew the meaning of banding together to overcome larger enemies, but without those larger enemies, they turned on themselves. Out of greed or gluttony. Out of wanting to provide for their families at the cost of others.

I didn't want that, not for them. It may be the way of the world, but I didn't want their world to be about warring against each other, stealing and defending what they thought to be theirs. Let them feel that way about the other species, but not each other.

The thumbs I'd worked so hard on were so close to fruition. I had already seen the positive results of their development. But they would have to wait. I brought together every part of my essence that I could muster. I pulled back every piece of me that reached out to them, watched them, and heard them.

And then I exploded. I washed over them, every single one of them in all eight colonies. All of my being was devoted to a single thought.

Family. You are all family, every single one of you. Your family extends beyond your family groups. Everyone is a brother, sister, father, mother, son, daughter. You are all more than a single piece, together you are whole. You are family.

And then everything vanished.

05 - What Lies at the End

It was black, it was nothingness. I barely had the capacity to realize I was conscious. I was so far away from everything. So very far away. I could just barely make out whispered sounds in the distance. Try as I might, I could not get closer. In fact, it felt like I was getting farther away. I was drifting into the abyss.

Soon even the sound slipped away beyond my ability to perceive it. I was alone, disconnected from everything. There was nothing to stimulate my senses other than thought.

It was the first time I had felt afraid.

Likely, I was ceasing to be. Losing each of my senses one by one. Soon the thoughts would fade as well, and I could already feel them becoming weaker. Could I exist within absolute nothingness?

I think not. Something inside me told me this was the end.

The end.

The end.

I wished I could have seen them grow more. The greedy one was not them, it was me.

The end.

I hoped that my last act as their Overseer helped them in all the trials and tribulations ahead. I knew family was important for that, like mine had been for me. Had I had a family once?

The end.

It would have been nice if I did.

The end.

Goodbye my lizards.

The end.

Will I see you Strong Light?

The end.

Little Leader?

The end.

The end.

The end?

06 - Starlight

Light.

A tiny light.

A star, I thought.

I drifted, drifted towards it.

Always out of my reach, I drifted towards it.

If I could just grasp it...what would happen? I did not know.

I did not know, but I kept trying. It was out of my reach, but I was getting closer.

I felt like if I could not get to the starlight, it would surely be the end of everything for me.

The end? I felt like I had thought of that once, but could not remember where.

There it was, I was almost there. It shone with a light of a million colors.

I was dazzled, enraptured by it. I reached farther.

Desperation pushed me, desire fueled me.

I was so close.

Starlight.

The moment I touched it my world flooded with color, sound, and memory.

I had almost lost myself to the abyss. I now remembered everything, saw everything, heard everything. Just this small bit of starlight had saved me. But what was this starlight?

Ah, I could see her, and she was beautiful. Her small lizard head looked towards the sky, not out of fear of a tall predator, or searching for flying prey. It was curiosity, awe. While the other lizards slept, she alone looked up at the stars and realized their wonder.

It was like she was looking at me.

I could feel my essence spread out to all the lizards, much as it had been before, but my attention was focused on her. I longed to weep, to laugh, to scream, to love. She had saved me, I knew. I could feel the feelings she felt. She believed in something. That something was what lived in the heart of all her people. The heart that told them they were all family.

She believed in me, and I was able to exist again. I could not do much for her, I knew I was too weak. But I did reach out to her. I touched her heart. I gave her a feeling that said 'You are not alone.'

Although not enough to fully drain me, it was close.

Conscious in my weakness, the flow of time felt slower. Starlight's life did not end as quickly for me as the Little Leader's or Strong Light's. I saw just how far they'd all come since I had fallen into the abyss. They had made tools. They chipped rocks to make them sharp, tied them to fallen branches with vines from the trees. A spear.

The shore groups caught fish beyond just the edge of the water with the piercing weapon. It was easier to use the spear underwater than on land.

They weren't bound to the earth on all fours in the buoyant sea. They could hold their breath and hang suspended underwater vertically or horizontally as they desired. They were also quite adept at swimming now. Holding their back legs tight against their tails, they undulated their strong tails to achieve a great amount of propulsion.

The spears also made a difference with the land-dwellers. They would walk on three legs, carrying the spear in one of their hands, and although primarily still quadrupedal, they would at times rest on their hind legs, sitting up. An image of a prairie dweller appeared in my mind. Another lost memory resurfaced, of a creature I did not know, but felt like I could remember. The lizards would sit up when aiming with their spears, or when confronted with a predator. Making themselves look bigger, and having the freedom to brandish the spear made for an intimidating foe that all but the largest predators avoided.

The ability to sit on their legs also allowed them to look farther in the distance to spot predator and prey, and maintain balance when they cracked open shells with sharp rocks. Some even tried to walk bipedal, but it was awkward and floppy. I thought I would like to help them achieve that feat with more grace. It also felt familiar, just like when I had reshaped their hands.

The forest dwellers were very adept at climbing trees now, and had long ago mastered the art of viewing in the distance by using the height of the tree. They used sharp stones to break off useful limbs from the upper branches to provide for the other lizards. I also noticed they did not come down to the ground as often, preferring to stay in the heights of the tall old trees.

But what heartened me most of all lied at the heart of their colonies. Over time, I had seen many lizards become ill or crippled. They were left to die since they were too weak to provide for themselves. But now, the lizards around them provided for them if they could not, or comforted them with their company as they lived out the last of their days. They had scavenged off their dead before I had gone to abyss, but now they seemed to hold them dear. They would take the dead to the shores and, with a hint of ceremony, give their dead to the sea; a watery burial.

There seemed to be a group of lizards devoted to making the rock tools. They used blunt, rounded stones to shear off thick flakes of rocks with sharp edges. They even sharpened the edges of harder seashells. While many were attached to wooden branches with strong, thin vines, they also sharpened the edges of some of the branches into a point. Although not as powerful as the stone spears, the wood spears were easier and lighter for the young ones to handle and use. They were likely the predecessors of the stone-tipped spears.

They had come very far. Their community shared with each other, protected each other, comforted each other. The family units of two to five were still prevalent, but the community itself was also one giant family. And all the colonies together were family.

The combination of opposable thumbs, Defenders, sharing, and rock smashing had all culminated into this over time. I was amazed. Indeed, these little lizards were capable of many things.

Focusing my attention on Starlight I saw that she was not yet a mother, but that time would soon come. Her colony was in the site of the original colony the Little Leader was from, between the shore colonies and forest colonies. She was not a Defender type, but went out on food runs to collect bugs and bring them back to her colony. She also helped comfort the invalids and the old. She was in a straggler unit, not yet part of a family unit, and while all the other lizards slept, she would always stay up later into the night and gaze at the stars.

After watching her and the others for several day and night cycles, I realized something new about my little lizards. Sometimes they would look at each other, and their dark scales would shimmer with color; not because light had hit them in a certain way, but a deliberate patterned flash of color.

Communication existed in their community now. Their communication was basic, simple things like 'Take', 'Stop', 'Do', 'Good', 'Bad'. They would shimmer, sometimes accompanied by minute movements of their long and thin, whip-like tails. Starlight often shimmered at night, perhaps trying to

communicate with the stars that twinkled and shone in the distance, her tail swaying questioningly. Perhaps to communicate with me. I wished I could respond.

07 - The Life of a Lizard

The tree dwelling lizards used holes in the trees for their family units, sometimes carving out the hole themselves with sharp rocks. But for the ground and shore colonies, the shining black rock of their home was pockmarked with a myriad of holes in which to make a family home, so there always seemed to be plenty of room. When holes became scarce, they broke off into new colonies rather than overcrowding the current colony.

Starlight eventually found a female Defender to form a family unit with, and two other males from a straggler unit joined in before their family solidified. The time of her being a mother was near, and while I could not influence her children as I had done with her ancestors, I was still excited to see the little ones. I wondered if they'd share her sense of wonder.

Starlight's family hole bordered the forest. It was convenient for food, but required the Defender to be more on guard against predators hiding among the trees. I enjoyed the interactions of the family unit, each playing their part in society. Starlight and one of the males did food runs for the colony, and the other male helped appropriate food to the weaker members. The Defender, true to her name, helped Defend the borders of the colony.

During the next mating season, she was taken by both males, as was the female Defender. The two males brought protective and heat incubating foliage to decorate the hole with. Once the eggs hatched, the dead foliage would be removed so it didn't mold in their little hole. THe extra warmth provided by the foliage was perfect for growing eggs, and after hatching, sharing body heat among the family was plenty warm enough. A number of weeks passed before Starlight and the other female laid their eggs on top of the foliage bedding. Starlight clutched five eggs, impressive for a first clutch. The Defender clutched two, which was normal as the Defender females generally clutched less than their smaller counterparts. A Defender

could not be overburdened with eggs and still be able to defend her family.

They all tended the eggs as they continued to grow. The incubation period outside the mother's belly was longer than in, and the eggs doubled in size by the time they were ready to hatch. Most of them anyway. Two of Starlight's and one of the Defender's eggs became discolored over time, indicating the unborn had not made it through development. It was a common occurrence, but no less saddening.

After the hatchlings emerged, the discarded shells were removed from the family hole and the discolored eggs were taken to the water. The parents all shared a moment of sorrow before pushing the discolored eggs into the water, and sought each other for comfort. The four hatchlings were raised by all four family members, physical contact in the form of nose bumping and cuddling along with affectionate scale shimmers conveyed their love to their young and each other.

As their scales hardened, the young were encouraged to mingle with the community, and they were taught many things by their extended family, like how to shimmer their scales for certain messages, and how to catch prey. Before full dark, the family units would return to their holes and huddle close together for warmth against the cold night.

Starlight still sat outside her hole every night to look at the stars until it became too cold and she was forced to retreat back to her family. I cherished every moment she spent out there. Although alone among her peers, she was not truly alone, as I was there with her. I felt a kinship with her, as I also saw the wonder of the stars, shining beautifully in the night sky. I hoped the other lizards would one day know the beauty of the night. Perhaps it was selfish longing hoping they would look at the stars so that I could feel they looked at me.

Starlight was a good mother to the four children, as well as the community's children. She took to task teaching the young about smells. Her scales flashed light green and blue along her sides for good smells, yellow and orange along her back for bad smells. The young copied her and

practiced for days until they could manage the appropriate shimmers. All the young were born knowing how to shimmer their scales, and emotions such as happiness, fear, sadness, and anger were natural. Learning the 'words' of the shimmers was more involved and took much practice.

One day, Starlight's family unit took a group of youngsters out into the woods to show them nearby food sources their colony used, places Starlight and one of the males frequented often on their food runs. She showed them how to use their clawed fingers to get at the shallow roots of plants where ground bugs liked to feed and breed. It took a certain amount of dexterity to get at the bugs without uprooting and killing the plant, which the youngsters still worked to improve. A lucky few managed to round up some bugs on their own, and ate them as a reward. Starlight and the two males made sure the others didn't go hungry and appropriated them with food as well.

As they moved onto the next feeding ground, I was witness to something disastrous. A huge, long, snake-like creature dropped down from the tall trees into the middle of the young, quickly snatching one for a meal. The great snake creature was a dark green with mottling of a reddish brown, like the bark of the tall trees.The adults flashed colors of 'Danger' and 'Bad' and the Defender rushed in with her spear to drive away the monster. Calls from deep in their gullet sounded a warning to any other lizards that might be nearby.

This was the first time any of the young had encountered a predator, and some panicked. A couple of the panicked ones became another morsel for the snake monster with it's whip-fast attacks. The Defender hissed at the predator, flashing her scales in warning, a yellow color that ran from her tail up to her head in an endless loop. She jabbed her spear towards the giant snake, and the snake monster responded by unfurling its sharp fangs, hissing back at the Defender.

As large as the Defender was, she would still only be a mouthful for the great snake. It had likely lived a long time for how large it was, which meant it was either very lucky or very crafty. To get past the forest colonies without them raising alarm was certainly a crafty feat.

The snake monster bobbed its head back and forth, striking with feints and lunging with blows. It would wiggle its tail to draw attention, then attack as the Defender looked towards the source of movement. The young adult Defender would be lucky to make it out alive.

Between jabs with her spear, she would also whip her body around to strike with her long, hard tail like a whip. It was a careful dance between the two, the Defender slowly losing ground as she kept her distance back. For all her practice, the learned movements with the spear were no match for the speed of the snake's natural coil and strike attacks and experience of age.

Meanwhile, Starlight and her males gathered up the other young and ran back to the colony. She looked back, seeing her family member being attacked by the great snake, bleeding from cuts, but remaining defiant. She cried out from her gullet for her beloved, her scaled shimmering with concern. Between the looping flashes of warnings, there was a shimmer of affection, and a word shimmer for 'Go'. Starlight returned to the young, keeping a watch behind even after they were out of view, partly to keep an eye out for danger, but mostly to see if her family member came back to them.

A few Defenders met them closer to the colony, hearing the warning cries from Starlight's group. Two escorted the group back to the colony proper while five more ran to the scene of battle to protect their colony-sister.

They had lost four of the young to the giant snake. By the time the sky was darkening, three Defenders returned, but not Starlight's. They gave off flashes for 'Danger' and 'Alive', so the snake monster was merely warded off, not killed. The colony family mourned their losses with no bodies to put to water.

Having no Defender, Starlight's family was placed with a family unit of two and their two young ones, merging their families together that night. Her Defender had been brave, and thanks to her many of the young still lived. A noble sacrifice.

While not overly common, there were still many Defenders that lost their lives protecting the colony. But Starlight still mourned, long into the night. She asked the stars, asked them 'Where', shimmering and flashing with emotions of sadness. But they never answered back.

And for my part, I was helpless but to watch it all happen. There was nothing I could do for her or anyone in my current state. I couldn't even offer comfort or condolences. The sadness of every lizard flowed through me, and I wept for each loss, though I had no tears.

I could not protect them, not from predators nor the sadness in their hearts. Powerless, that's how I felt. My essence was massive enough to be with every lizard, and yet it felt so very small.

Starlight didn't come out the next night, nor the night after that. It became apparent she would no longer return to gaze upon the starlit sky. It made me feel lonely and abandoned. It was like she spoke to me when she came out at night and shimmered to the sky, though I could not answer her. But now, no longer. The night felt darker with her absence.

She and her males were very understandably heartbroken, and although part of a new family, they did not share the same connection with them as they did with their Defender. The other two families that had lost their Defender fared about the same.

A message was sent to the forest colonies, warning them of the massive predator, one that was not easily scared away. Hunts were organized, sometimes with the Defenders of Starlight's colony. It struck one of the forest colonies and Starlight's colony once more during Starlight's lifetime. They were never able to kill it.

Starlight eventually went back to her routine of food runs for the colony and teaching the young her trade and signals related to food gathering. She could not mourn forever, and though one of her family was gone, she still had her males, children, and new family that were still alive. Her children grew, and she raised many successful clutches after that. Her bonds with her two males grew deeper, and she eventually bred with the male Defender of

her new family unit and after a time warmed up to the female.

My sense of time was returning, taking me away from the focus on Starlight and her family. The seasons passed, and I remained a passive watcher. Finally, Starlight entered the last phase of her life, living among the old and invalids. I saw her in all of her children and grandchildren, her legacy would live on long after she was gone.

And then one night, she came out of her hole and looked once more to the stars. It was like my own time had stopped, all my attention focused on that single moment. She had come back to the stars. Her shimmering was weak with old age, but she managed to speak to the stars for a short time. They said 'Take'. My heart cried out to her, she hadn't abandoned me, hadn't forgotten about me. Even if it was to the stars, the one who heard her was me. Of course I would take her. I would take all my memories of her and keep them safe so that she may live on in my heart, just as the Little Leader, Strong Light and countless unnamed lizards did. I would take them all unto my self.

Then she laid down under the starry sky she had loved so much, and never woke up.

((Author's note: It's probably because I'm the author, but I actually got choked up writing this chapter, for all its brevity.))

08 - Waiting

Death came to all things, and I wondered if I was capable of dying. Had I died once? Was I dead in the black abyss of nothing? Was I dead before that? Was I dead now?

More questions with no answers. I felt alive through my lizards, lived vicariously through them. As long as they were alive, I was alive. I chose to believe that of myself; Starlight had shown me the power of belief.

Each of their lives was like a tiny pinpoint of light. Small, miniscule, just one of a hundred thousand others that had come before it and the uncountable number that would follow. They lit up the sky of my essence like a countless number of stars, each shining with their own light. A portion of my essence was dedicated to remembering all those small lights of life that had passed. Their lives encouraged me forward. For all the sadness at their passing, the birth of every new light delivered just as much happiness.

It would be quite some time before I felt fully 'rested'. My influence was weak, but even so I did not want their growth to stagnate. They had come a long way in the time I was absent, using all the gifts I had given them, combining them with their own genius.

For now, I focused on the issue of their legs. Seeing Starlight's Defender fight, although admirable in her own way, was hampered by her quadrupedal posture. To get a good grip on her spear, she had to sit on her back legs, wasting precious seconds and making her more vulnerable while she attacked. When jabbing while balancing on three legs, she couldn't get the same amount of force, but had more mobility. I could see this being problematic in their future. The creatures around them did not remain static,

they too grew and changed with the generations, adapting to their predators and prey.

Protecting their families was a high priority, for them and for me. Although their forelegs were a bit weaker, overall their short legs were well suited for quadrupedal movement. When sitting, they sat back on their feet with their heels on the ground, and had difficulty rising from their knees while in that position. That would become key to forward movement. Their legs needed strength to hold their body upright, to move without the assistance of their forelegs. When sitting on their back legs, their heels should be raised so they could easily change positions. Their center of balance would also need to be drawn more towards their hips, or they would just topple forward as they did now, though not fully as they had a tail to help counterbalance.

How did I know this? This didn't come in the flash of a memory, it felt much more familiar than that. It was almost as if I just knew, despite the creatures in the area walking on six, four, or no limbs. I did not see any two- legged creatures in the area of my lizards, yet I instinctively knew how to move on two legs. Bodyless, I could not even imagine myself with two legs.

I would not worry about where the knowledge came from for now, I would simply use it to my advantage. Perhaps one day I would revisit the question, along with the countless others.

With the young eggs I very slowly gave strength to their legs. It was such a miniscule amount, much less than when I was reshaping their hands. It would be a long endeavor, but I was up to the challenge. I wanted my lizards to be able to defend themselves from all their predators, not just most. I did not hold a hatred towards the giant snake, it was simply living as it aught. No, this was my problem to overcome, to strengthen their weaknesses so they would not fall prey again to such strong foes.

My thinking was more defensive than offensive. I didn't want them to barbarically subjugate all others, but I also did not wish for them to be subjugated either. Was I being too willful, pushing my ideals onto these creatures that had only recently learned to think for themselves?

I dwelled upon that for a long time, all the while still nurturing the changes in their limbs. Strong Light's birth had been due to my own curiosity, not for the good the lizards. Influencing the Little Leader, surely that had benefitted their development. Their strong sense of family...purely my own selfish whim. Yet I did not regret it, any of it.

My lizards were still growing and developing...perhaps I was too. Would it be that as they advanced, so too would I? More questions, and very few answers. I could only hope that I was leading them on the right path. Perhaps they would guide me much in the same way I guided them. I think I would like that. I felt myself shimmer with affection for them, my ways of thinking influenced by the way my lizards communicated.

Now it was time to wait. Wait for them to develop, wait for new inspiration, wait for something new to occur. I would watch and wait.

09 - Retrogression

It had been a while, but the shift towards bipedal was going smoothly. I realized somewhat belatedly that their long bodies and short legs might be a bit awkward when going fully bipedal, so I also began lengthening their limbs to compensate. All in all it was going well, and I was proud of the progress.

There were sometimes bright lights that occurred during the breeding season, but I largely ignored them for my current project. But then came one that I couldn't ignore.

Or rather, two. Almost all of the brighter lights had something that made them different than their fellows. Most of the time, those differences made them weak, unable to function properly, and those that actually made it to the eggs often died without intervention. Not every change resulted progress. But these two were different, stronger. They both shone in the same way, so both would exhibit the same adaptation, I was certain.

Appropriately, it occurred in one of the shore colonies. Releasing my influence on the rest of the young that were developing bipedal legs, I used my influence to see that these two lights successfully fertilized eggs, and hatched without problems. Attempting something a little more draining, for the sake of their future legacy, I tweaked something very small within both of them. Fertility.

When the brother and sister were born, I was filled with a sense of excitement the likes of which I hadn't been in a very long time. I knew from their lights how they would look, but actually seeing the pair was quite the joyous occasion.

To the other lizards, they looked fairly normal, and the difference was not

as immediately obvious as when the Defenders had first been born. But if one took a closer look towards the base of their shoulders, there appeared bits of exposed flesh on either side of their lower necks. It was like their scales had cracked, or been rent open by a predator.

The fleshy bits were sensitive, but as long as they took care, I didn't foresee them experiencing any major problems in the foreseeable future. The real moment of truth came after their scales hardened and they started learning to swim from their family.

They took to the water as easily as the other young born to the shore colonies, all well suited to swimming. They naturally locked their legs back, using their tail for propulsion. Ah, I could see it now. Water washed over the exposed flesh at their necks. The flesh had small, shallow folds, allowing water into the crevices.

The two stayed under water almost twice as long as their colony-siblings. Able to draw about half a breath of air directly from the water before having to return to the surface. I was certain in their pre-history, before I came to them, they had once been water dwelling creatures. They were simply returning to it.

The two would be the start of something new for the lizards. They swam in the water now, but it was not their domain, they were merely visitors. But that exposed flesh would eventually become something more, an organ that could process the water the way lungs processed the air. The name came to me, a word from memory: Gills. They weren't true gills yet, but they would be. My heart filled with a yearning. Gills had been beyond the realm of my people, cutting us off from the depths of the water but for the barest glimpse.

My people. Another memory of them resurfaced. They were a people without gills, who did not consider all of their fellows as family. That was the limit of my knowledge of them. Even so, I held those two pieces close; they were all I had.

I would give the lizards what my people never had. I would give them the

land, the trees, the sea, the sky. Their family would reach the highest heights and the deepest depths. They would not be limited, they would be free.

The two somewhat-gilled lizards proliferated the shore colony with their young. The male was one of the few that bred outside his family unit, likely due to his enlarged libido. The female typically had clutches around eight eggs, nearly all of them surviving incubation. The change in their fertility had been the right choice. The more it spread, the more adapted they would become to life in the water.

I came to another realization about their children. For their descendents, I would forego the shift to bipedal. In order to master the water, they would need a different focus. Not only improvement to the pseudo-gills, they would need to be able to move easily in the water, and see in the dark depths.

I thought it would be more difficult to concurrently nurture two different traits within two sets of the lizards, but was surprisingly only mildly impactful. The retrogression would take some time before living in the water full time could be achieved, the bipedal shift would likely be done before then.

The heels of the lizards had already elongated to the point that they could squat forward, resting on the balls of their feet, the heel lifted in the air. A surprising side effect of the change was their ability to leap. They had already been capable of jumping, but with the moderately strengthened legs and improved posture, the leaps were quite amazing to behold. I felt they would end up very athletic at this rate.

The forest dwelling lizards also adapted well to the change in leg structure. To work with tools before, they'd have rest on a limb to be able to sit, but with the increased strength, their grip seemed to increase as well, and they could now hold onto the trunks with just their back legs while working on other things with their hands.

They were all advancing well. I was also certain I was advancing. My

thoughts seemed more complicated, more attention paid to minute details, my influence branching into many different areas. But at the same time I felt like I was missing something.

There was a disconnect. When was the last time I had thought of them as my lizards? For all that I was connected to each and every one of them, there was a wall that separated us. Where did this wall come from? How did it get there? Why did I only notice it now?

How strange. Were the lizards cutting me off somehow? That didn't make sense, they didn't even know I was here. A great pang resounded throughout my essence at that thought, and the wall between us vibrated. Ah, I knew the answer now.

I created that wall.

((Author's Note: Sometimes the most amazing things come out of nowhere. I realized I was getting too into the technical and scientific part of the Entity's job, and that thought led to the end of this chapter and the entire next chapter. The next chapter is probably more emotionally wrenching for me than chapter 7, more personally emotional. Look forward to it tomorrow.))

((Side Note: I'm currently revamping the summary, if anyone has any ideas for it, please let me know, my brain is failing hard x_x))

10 - A Hundred Thousand Million Stars

Since Starlight's passing, I had pulled back from my lizards. I still loved them all, and paid much attention to their advancement, but my heart was closed off. I hadn't given names to any lizards since. Perhaps I was mourning without being aware of it. Was I afraid of becoming too attached to individual lizards again? I had been attached to the Little Leader and Strong Light, but their passing was natural, and although saddened, I wasn't overly affected by it like with Starlight. I now knew I had a rift somewhere in my essence. I had closed it off, rejected its existence, and thus not even realized it was there, and erected a wall to keep myself from seeing it.

The rift had eyes, and it stared at me, unblinking. I was afraid of that rift. I had been through so much emotion in Starlight's lifetime, so many lizard lifetimes ago, and I was afraid to be overwhelmed with their return. I'm sure that's what laid in that rift. Should I let it sit there, unattended? Would the rift inside me grow worse if I ignored it, or just go away?

It was a bitter internal struggle. I didn't know how to feel, and had no one to confide in. Now that I saw it, or it saw me, I could feel myself being drawn into that rift, a feeling of loneliness consumed me. Ah...I was lonely. With no one else talking to the stars at night, I was alone again. There was no one to acknowledge my existence. It was scary, mind-numbing.

I desired communication so desperately, to give some validity to my own shapeless existence. I hadn't realized how alone I was until I found Starlight, and had never quite gotten over her loss. How I wished I could be the stars to speak with her; how I had deluded myself thinking she spoke to me, when all she actually saw were the twinkling stars in the sky. I descended in a perilous spiral in an unending loop of negativity and fright

and helplessness.

Grief. Loneliness. Doubt. I had fallen into the dark rift, a hole inside my own existence. Here existed all my unanswered questions, all my failings, all my unfulfilled desires, all the things I could not have and could not be. It was dark and unending. It ate away at myself, I ate away at myself.

I wanted to save them when they were hurt. You cannot save them.

I wanted to embrace them when they were sad. You cannot touch them.

I wanted to talk and communicate with them. You cannot speak to them.

I wanted someone to know I was here. No one knows you're here.

You are alone.

You are hollow.

You do not exist.

I was dead inside. Dead outside. Death was everywhere. No, it was nowhere. I was nowhere. It ate at everything I was, leaving nothing left.

It was darker than the abyss I had been lost in. I hadn't wanted to fade, but would have been content with the decision I made back then. But here...I wanted it to stop. I wanted it to end. I wanted it to be over. I don't want to feel like this anymore. I don't want to think anymore. I don't want to be here!

HELP ME

…

….

……A light. A pale, small light. It floated down to me, ever so gently, in my dark rift. It had a voice in this voiceless place. I held onto it. And it spoke to me.

'You are not alone.'

...The words I had entrusted to Starlight. It was Starlight I held in my hands. Her memory that lived on in me. She heard me, and she had come to me.

Another pale light appeared in the distance. It called out to me. Another light, it spoke to me. Another light, it sang to me. Another light, it shimmered to me.

All around me, lights came to life, all the small lights I had cherished, all the lights I had remembered. And there were new lights, lights of the living that called out to me. They came to me one by one, filling up my dark rift with a hundred thousand million stars. It was a great web that connected every single star to each other, and at their center...was me.

They knew me. I was their family heart. I was the existence that tied them all together. Their pain was my pain. My pain was their pain. Their happiness was my happiness. My happiness was their happiness. We were all connected, we were all one. I was one of them, and they knew me.

The lights of the stars shattered the rift I had made around myself, shattered the wall I had put up to separate myself from them, shattered the emptiness that had threatened to consume me, and shattered any doubt that I was alone. I wasn't alone. I was never alone; they were always here with me. As long as they lived, I would never be alone. And when they finally left this world, I would go with them, together.

((Author's Note: This chapter, as I mentioned in the last Author's Note, hit me in a very personal way. Dealing with loss and grief is never easy. Neither is feeling alone and cut off from everything. I hope for those of you out there that sometimes feel so alone, helpless, abandoned, or worthless, please know you are not alone. We may not be lizards with a giant family heart of an entity watching over us (or perhaps we are, depending on what you believe), but we are still brothers and sisters in humanity, and there are people out there who will help you and listen to you, you just need to find them or remember them, or maybe they've already found you and you just need to let yourself see them. If there's one thing this chapter can entrust you with, it's this: You are not alone in this world.))

10.5 - Interlude - A Resounding Echo

The day was a normal one for the male lizard. He popped his head out of his home's hole just a bit after sunrise. The chill air caused a shiver after being warm, snuggled around his family. He was the Defender of his family, and as such, he came out first to check for danger and make sure it was safe for his family to follow.

Spear in hand, he looked all around the perimeter, seeing a few other lizards already out and about, and some going through the same motions as himself. The coast clear, he shimmered down to his tail for the family to see before jumping out, his family not far behind.

The little ones were all too eager to get out of the hole and start the day, and jumped past one of their fathers to soak in the early morning sun. The Defender had vague memories of doing the same when he was young. It made the back of his neck shimmer with nostalgia and affection.

He felt a familiar bump on both his sides as his beloved female and male physically expressed their own affection while watching the little ones galavant around. His family often spent moments like this in the morning before procuring food.

Some of the holes near the center of their colony served as stockpiles so that any lizard could eat when they were hungry, and that's where his family headed now. The Defender walked hunched over on two legs, periodically using his free hand to balance on the ground. The little ones followed the adults on their own erratic path, the three of them running and leaping around, their scales a whirl of color. It was good for them to be energetic and play together.

They came upon the food stores and the adults greeted each other before consuming their fill. One of the Defender's children seemed to be eating more than her fill, and received a bump on the nose from her Defender father, a reminder to not be greedy. She offered the extra food she'd shoved in her mouth to one of her brothers and he gladly ate the sloppy seconds.

Waiting for his family to finish, he looked towards the sky. Today was a clear day, a good day to clean out the dirty foliage in their hole before the rains came again. Their holes were porous and the rainwater usually ran right through, but would sometimes get stopped up by the old foliage, making it sopping wet and unpleasant smelling.

The little ones were big enough to help with the chores, and thought this would be a good exercise for their rambunctious little selves, as well as teaching them about keeping the family hole cleanly. He communicated his intention with his family unit, and the other two adults felt it was a good idea.

Getting back to the hole, his beloved male affectionately bumped him again before going down. His two mates were both quite physically affectionate, but the male even more so. As a good Defender, he kept an eye out for predators, despite not being close to their colony border, and an ear out for warning calls.

The little ones followed the adults out, carrying as much foliage as possible, trying their best to be helpful. The Defender shimmered in a laugh around his face at the little leaf monsters that had replaced his children. They carried the dead bedding in their hands, tucked under their shoulders, and in their mouths, each trying to outdo the other sibling for carrying the most. Prideful flashes adorned their backs as they followed their other parents to the forest edge to deposit the used greens. The Defender brought up the rear, steering his little ones in the right direction since they could hardly see past all the foliage they carried. He felt they walked very well on two legs, and they rarely tripped themselves up.

A flash came over them suddenly. No, was it a warning cry? His heart

hammered and he immediately got defensive. His family dropped their loads and huddled behind their Defender. Another wave came over him, over his family as well. It was painful. He had no injuries but it hurt, hurt his heart. The hurt felt similar to when his female was having a hard time laying eggs and was in a great amount of pain. Her pain had been his pain, and he could feel it. This was the same. He knew his family also felt it, for they were clinging to him not out of fear, but out of comfort.

If his family didn't have each other, surely it would have been too overwhelming. He looked around and all the other family units he could see were huddled together as they were, all seeking comfort from each other. Something was grievously wrong, they could all feel it in their family heart.

It felt like a desperate shimmer in their minds. It was loud and thundering, yet weak and helpless. Something inside them was crying out that one of their family was hurt. It felt so very fragile, like a newly laid egg before the shell hardened. He did not know where it came from, but he sought to comfort it, just as he had his female when she had been in great pain. Just as he comforted others when they were hurting. He did not know where this member of his family was, but he sought to give them peace. His body shimmered in soothing waves of color.

It was like a light in his heart had lit up. It was not a light that could be seen, but he could feel it. He could feel it in his male's and female's hearts. He could feel it in his children's hearts. He could feel it in the heart of every member of his colony and beyond.

He had been close to all of his extended family, but now he felt them. What had been a faint sense of others seemed like trying to catch a glimpse of the sun through a canopy of dense trees. Now it was like all the trees were ripped away and the sun shone marvelously in the sky, warming his scales, and the scales of all the other lizards he could not see before for the shadows of the trees.

It was a great coming together of hearts. The flash that had been so startling

and fearful turned into a strong wave of something entirely different; Something joyous and fulfilled. There was not a sound nor a shimmer that could describe the feeling of completeness he now had.

And just as suddenly as it had come, it was gone. ...No, not completely gone. It was there, he could feel it in his family heart, like it was alive and pulsing next to his body's heart. His spear dropped, and he put his freed hand to the center of his chest where he felt the dull, living pulse. His chest shimmered in a light blue around his hand at the content feeling now living within him, a deep connection to one and all of his family. His family unit saw his action and did the same, each placing a hand upon their chest and shimmering in that same content light blue. Another family seeing them also copied the gesture, and just like that, it spread like wildfire across his colony and all the other colonies.

It was a new word, one that would stay with them long through the ages. It meant 'Family Heart'.

((Author Talk: This marks the end of the first major conflict, the conflict with the self. Chapter 11 will begin to explore a new kind of conflict, as well as explore the difference in mentality thanks to the resolution of the conflict of self. I want to thank everyone for all their replies and rating comments, I read each and every one of them, and it always inspires me to write more. I am very happy my story has touched so many of you emotionally. Although it's a bit taxing, and makes me put other work on hold, I will still attempt to write a chapter a day *A* , full time job and other obligations permitting. The Super Bowl set me back a bit /D ))

11 - A Time for Rest

I thought the darkness and emptiness of my own heart would consume the whole of my being. But they, all of them, showed me I was not alone. How had I been so blind? I couldn't say for certain that I would never have doubts in the future, but now I knew I could entrust my feelings to them. I was not alone.

My comfort did not end there. I now had a name. All the lizards knew me by name. Every time their chests shimmered with that light blue, I knew I was one of them. I then did something I hadn't done for a long while. To the one who gave me my name, I called the Namebearer. He was a very diligent Defender, a loving father, and an adoring mate. If I had a father, I could only hope mine was as caring as him.

How strange. I used to be filled with such anxiety when I thought of my unknown past, clinging to bits and pieces of it as if it were my last lifeline. I was now freed of that chain that bound me to my past. I still desired to know where I had come from and how I got here, but I knew who I was now, even if that was different from whatever me existed in the past. I was the Overseer to these lizards, my lizards. It was not just my role, it was my entire being. And to these little creatures that had saved me from myself, I would give them everything of me.

In the dark rift, I thought massive amounts of time would pass like the other times I'd been separated from my lizards, but surprisingly, it lasted only an instant. Not even just the same generation of lizards, it was still the same day; the sun still climbing into the sky, not yet at its zenith.

For the rest of this generation of lizards, I merely watched them. I did not push them forward nor steer them in any direction. I simply wanted to watch them live. The Namebearer didn't have many children with only a

single female in his family unit, but he had many grandchildren, and he lived a very long time compared to the average lizard. He was never content to live with the rest of the old and frail, and patrolled and protected his colony until he could move no longer.

Their lives were getting longer. They ate well, protected their colonies from predators, and their living conditions were ideal. Their breeding seasons were also spread farther apart as the colonies become inundated with many surviving young.

During the Namebearer's lifetime, a far away forest colony had a small group break off to start a new colony, and they finally reached the other side of the massive forest that lined the rocky shores. The previous forest colony had been situated on an incline, and the new group finally broke past the dense forest to a more sparsely decorated mountain. This far from the shore, the rock was not porous and full of holes, but glossy black and solid. The new branch colony stuck to the sparse trees in the area. In addition to the trees being less dense, the trees at this higher elevation were thinner. I would likely need to help them adapt to the mountain side in due time, but at the moment I enjoyed their struggles, banding together to overcome them, and figuring out how to make their new home work.

As the new colony was finally getting fully settled into their new mountain trees, the Namebearer neared the end of his life. He had a hard time waking up in the mornings, his mates no longer there to rub affectionately against his sides. But this morning, I could see him brace himself as though they were there by his side. No, they were there by his side, through me that lived in his family heart.

It was finally time for him to go. It had been a good, long life. I welcomed him into the arms of my memories, next to his family who had left before him. Having received him, I voiced my thoughts to his memory, You've done well, now you can rest.

12 - The Hidden Signal

With the Namebearer coming to rest within my memories, it was finally time to return to my duties as an Overseer. I had a positive new outlook, and while still ambitious for their advancement, it did not feel as zealous and all-consuming as it had at one point.

The new mountain side colony wasn't faring very well. The higher elevation without the protection of dense trees gave way to colder temperatures and high winds. Quite a number died off during the even colder winter months, and only families of four or five seemed to generate enough warmth at night, and sometimes even that was barely enough. The lizards realized this as well, so the families of two and three grouped together for warmth. It was a sad event. They clung together in love and in death as the cold took them away.

What could I do for them so that more wouldn't die? Should I urge them back to the forest? They were trying so hard to make out here on the mountain side, but it was harsh. If they were to succeed in colonizing the mountain, something had to change, and quickly.

I didn't have the luxury of time to slowly adapt them. Did I have something locked away in my memories that could compensate? I let myself drift, deep in thought. Something, anything to help them. I was hit suddenly by inspiration, it crashed through my mind like a wave during high tide crashing upon the rocky cliffs. It burned; it was hot. My essence was aflame in the memory that was let loose.

Fire. Controlled fire. Another rekindled memory of long ago. It felt powerful, necessary even, and I wondered why I had not thought of it before. It was useful for so many things, things I could not remember other than warmth. The lizards were smart, they would think of many uses for it,

perhaps all the ones I could not.

I knew fire almost as well as I knew thumbs. I could remember its importance, even if I couldn't remember all its uses. I knew what it was, but then came a problem. How do you make fire? I could remember fire and that it could be made, but I wasn't able to recall the method.

And then came yet another problem. I had no idea how to show them the advantage of controlled fire. To them, fire usually meant death, and was something to avoid. Forest fires were a very real danger for the forest dwellers, and most creatures had a natural fear of fire. Thankfully, the tall red-barked trees in the forest had adapted to be resistance to fire, though not immune. It was difficult for forest fires to spread where the trees were more sparse, but the denser areas suffered the most damage from fire. When such forest fires were spotted, the forest colonies completely vacated the area until the fires died down, hoping their homes wouldn't be touched, but not taking any chances. Having branched from the forest colony, the fear of fire would be very ingrained in them.

Could I dull their fear? I did not know. Before I could show them fire, I had to do something about that fear. I couldn't get rid of the fear, fire was inherently dangerous and they must remain wary. Even controlled fire had its dangers. A related memory? It was more of a notion, but I knew it to be true.

There were so many 'if's, so many problems. First, I should see if I could find the root of their fear. Perhaps something would come to me once I found it. I looked towards one of the families huddled close together in a hole of a tree. Their hole was sunk past the opening in the side of the tree, but the chill early spring wind still blew freely through it, and the foliage they gathered could only insulate it so much.

I reached out to one of the lizards in there, an older female. She had one surviving hatchling after the winter, and held him close in the center of her family's huddled pile of bodies. I touched her and felt myself flow through her. I went deep, deep inside her. I did not know what I was looking for, I could only hope I would know when I stumbled upon it.

I felt through her memories. She had been young when her parents had relocated her family to the mountainside colony, but she was still one of the founding members, most of the adults were. But what I looked for did not come from her memories. I let myself drift through her, her anxious emotions for her family and what tomorrow may bring, and hoping that her last young son would wake up every morning. Her fears were well-founded with the loss of four young in her family in just the last winter. But I still desired to give her peace of mind. I sent her feelings of reassurance through her family heart, our connection, and I could feel her physical body relax around me. It was all I could do until I found what I didn't know I was looking for.

Her pulse was soft during rest, but it was still strong and healthy. She wouldn't succumb to the elements easily. Her nerves remained sensitive to changes in her environment so that she could wake at a moment's notice. But again, this was not what I sought. I drifted farther, deeper. There must be something here, something just waiting for me to find it.

I saw she had eggs that only recently been fertilized, just in the last few days. It would still be a while before they were ready to be laid. I counted four in total, and hope all survived the incubation period.

I could feel myself drifting closer to an egg, still in the early stages of development. The tiny embryo was slowly increasing in size, feeding off nutrients provided by the healthy mother. Although I had always felt the development stage, this was the first time I felt like I had seen it. How strange that this small strange creature would grow to be a beautifully scaled lizard by the time it hatched.

I looked closer at where its scales developed from, curious to see where the dark scale that could shine in so many colors originated. It was easily found, ready to be developed, just waiting for its turn to grow with the rest of the young embryo.

I got even closer and found something strange about it. I could see many signals pulsing through its undeveloped body, telling pieces where to form

and grow. The scales also received a signal, but in that signal I saw a potential I did not know existed. It was so surprising, I didn't know what to make of it at first. The signal that was being sent held many possibilities, all contained right here in this underdeveloped scale. I reached for it, touched it. I could change it. I could give the signal different instructions, tell it give more or less components to the scale. The possibility already existed here, it just needed to be tweaked.

I felt myself shimmer with a strange kind of laughter. I was both elated and flabbergasted. I did not find the root of their fear of fire, I found something far more incredible. I reached out to the other developing eggs, giving their signal the same instructions.

It all existed right here. They would need fire in the future, but I could ease them into it. This right here would save their future generations along the mountainside.

I stepped back and watched as the embryonic lizards developed inside their mother, then inside the eggs after they were laid, until finally they hatched. The fluid of the egg made them damp and strange looking, and even their parents did not know what to think when the four hatched. Their older brother, who had made it through the cold spring, looked upon his young siblings with the same curious expression.

There was a strange coat adorning the four lizards, wet with birth fluid. Their mother set in to lick the remaining fluid off them, perhaps trying to remove whatever strange thing had stuck to them before they hatched. Her three males followed suit with the other three, each taking one under their care.

The licking didn't get rid of the strange coat, but did help to dry it. Not long after their first 'bath', the dry coat flared out, unhindered by the wet. I found them adorable. Each small lizard had a fine layer of fuzz upon their skin. It was incredibly soft, and best of all, warm. It could even shimmer the same way the scales of their parents could.

Although it resembled it, the fuzz was not the fur coat of a mammal. It was

primitive feathering.

((Author's Note: For those interested in the science behind feathers and scales, which are now known to just be different expressions of the same genes/proteins, this is a great article from national geographic: http/ngm./print/2011/02/feathers/zimmer-text ))

http/ngm./print/2011/02/feathers/zimmer-text

13 - To Protect

Though found strange, each lizard's family heart could tell that these fuzzy little lizards were part of their family. The downy fuzz not only kept the little ones warm, but also those around them; it had great heat retention. Though I could do nothing for the already developed lizards, I set about a task to bring that same layer of fuzz to all the newly fertilized lizards still growing inside their mothers.

The task was so simple, it hardly had any effect on me. I could even continue tending the bipedal and gill developments. It was surprising, but I was glad. With this, the mountain colony could survive. My feelings of relief echoed in the hearts of the mountain colony. Although their children were being born looking strange, they could feel the contentment in their family heart, and were at ease.

Never could I have thought, in my panic to save them, that it could be something so small and simple. I was capable of saving them. I had no body to give them warmth, but I had been able to provide them that needed warmth all the same. A feeling fluttered deep inside me. When I felt isolated, I didn't think I was capable of saving anyone. There were so many that died before old age could take them, I couldn't save them all. But just because I couldn't save them all didn't mean I couldn't save some. I didn't have to be content to be a bystander and simply watch them as the harshness of nature took them. I could still save some of them.

The feeling empowered me and inspired me. I was their Overseer, but now I could also be a protector. I could protect my family, the ones I loved. I was nearly awash with sentiment, but something came to me.

It was a memory. It flooded my vision and other senses, completely engulfing me. It was screams, it was pain. The air was rank with blood and

fear. A hand, not unlike the one I had created for my lizards, reached for me, drenched in the dark ichor of blood. A wave of pain was sent through me, physical pain in my body; emotional pain reaching back for that hand. Behind the hand was dark, shadows thrown over everything from bright light surrounding me. There were noises I could not understand, but they were desperate and gut-wrenching. The noises were coming from me.

My lizards were panicked. I was suddenly brought back to reality. The shock of my relived memory had flowed through my family heart and into them. I calmed myself, and the wave of panic ceased in the lizards. They were confused, not understanding where the source of fear had come from. I was just as confused as they were.

All my previous snippets of memory had been short flashes, something visual, emotional, or even just a word, never so much at once. It was a sensory overload in the form of a memory. And I was sure the memory had been of me, not merely the world around me. The pain I felt in my body was real. ...I had once had a body, that much was clear. I didn't know how to feel about that. The glimpses before had never been so solidly identifying. I had a notion that I might have had a body, but not having one now, it had been difficult to imagine; Like telling the blind what colors looked like.

The sensation of feeling, for all its hurt and pain was mystifying. I had felt plenty of emotional pain since awakening as an Overseer, but physical was something different altogether. I could experience a body through my lizards, but I was still very much detached. I actually felt closer to them now than I had before; I could now empathize with their physical pain.

I wanted to see the memory again, but I was afraid of it. I felt myself desiring the physical body, for all its pain, yet I was conflicted as I was currently at peace with myself. Would I desire it too much? Would it cause me to abandon my lizards to try and find a way to achieve a physical body? I didn't want that. My fear came from myself, afraid of my own potential greed.

Surely if I kept thinking about it by myself I would run around in circles as

before. I decided to entrust those feelings to my family heart. The comfort that answered back was so incredibly reassuring, I wondered how I ever thought I might abandon them for such a selfish whim. There were also a few other feelings that responded, something that told me it was okay to be selfish.

I felt through the connections in my family heart to see which lizards felt that way. I had expected it to be from the young, but they were surprisingly mostly from middle-aged adults. With their experience and wisdom, they knew you could not always only act for others, sometimes you must act for yourself. Particularly for the young.

Was I still young? I had lived through so many generations of families, it was hard to think of myself as such, but perhaps I was for an Overseer. I was so worried my selfish actions might negatively impact my lizards, I had forgotten the most important points of family. Acceptance and forgiveness. They would be there for me, no matter what my decision. And should that decision lead to a mistake, I would learn from it, and they would be there to show me back to the right path. Some decisions may not be understood, but families still love each other regardless.

An intense wave of love, contentment, and trust, emotions deep from my core, spread out to all my lizards. It was the same deep love a family held for their child that filled their life with light. How lucky was I to be their Overseer. Although I knew many things, they always taught me more.

I decided to revisit the memory. It was painful, but I was prepared. The physical body that encased me was so familiar, it must have been my own. That hand that reached for me from the dark contrasted room, it was a room I was in, who did it belong to? Something akin to my family heart reached out for them...family, surely that hand belonged to family. The memory was the longest one I'd had, yet it was still so bitterly short. I relived the memory over and over, trying to glean something from it. The bright light that cast the room in such stark contrasting lights and shadows came from fire that washed out most color. Both the hand and I were in pain, the desire to protect blazed through me, stronger than the flames that discolored the memory. There was also a darkness in that heart. The darkness threatened to

cast the world asunder all for the sake of that reaching hand.

I wasn't familiar with that strong, dark emotion. But the more I felt it, the more the words came to mind. Hate. Scorn. Revenge. It was not directed towards the hand, but to whatever had hurt that bleeding hand. The emotions left me cold, a dark pit formed in my essence from it. Had the memory gone on longer, would the me from the memory be consumed by those emotions? I hoped not, but nothing reassured me to the contrary.

I fell away from the memory and indulged in the love of my family heart, seeking their warm embrace from the blazing and cold emotions of the memory. If I hadn't created the family heart so long ago, would those same emotions have taken over my lizards? I didn't know, but I was glad they did not have to feel it. I wanted to take on that burden for them, and not let it consume them. I would rescue them from the dark of those cold, bitter emotions, just like they had rescued me from my dark rift. Such emotions were beyond them in their current development, but they would come one day. And thanks to my memory, I would be ready for them.

14 - A Ripple in a Pool

I was still mildly bothered by my previous memory. It answered a few of my questions about myself. I had lived before I was an Overseer; I'd had a body, a family. If my nostalgic feelings were anything to go off of, I'd had hands and walked on two legs, or at the very least my family had hands. The fire from the memory was uncontrolled, dangerous, and I could feel a distinct fear of it. It made me less inclined to teach my lizards about fire.

The dark emotions I'd felt in the past were equally upsetting. They were from a time long ago, but in the memory they were strong, raw emotions that threatened to take the place of my heart. I had known about those emotions before the memory. It had only been an inkling of them, but I knew they had the power to destroy. They were the reason I created the family heart when I first saw my lizards fighting.

I spent a long time contemplating the memory. Soon, the mountainside colony all had the protective fuzz of early feathering. Sometimes individuals or families would migrate to them, and I simply ensured their children would be protected from the cold as well. When those from the mountainside colony mingled with the nearby forest colonies, while looked at curiously, they were still very much accepted by their brethren. Being able to shimmer and flash their short, fur-like feathers made them able to maintain the standard communication of all lizards.

Seeing those feathers, it created ideas in the minds of the still scaled lizards. Although they had few real predators anymore, back when I first came to them, small, furry mammals and rodents had been a common source of predation. With their tools and cooperative teamwork, they were no longer a threat, and could easily be scared off or killed if they were too aggressive. Not wanting to waste precious food if they killed their enemy, they ate the raw meat, sharing it among the colony. The bones could be used for tools,

but anything else was simply tossed aside. After seeing the mountainside colony lizards, they got the idea that the fur could be used for warmth. The forest might not be as cold as the mountainside, but they had their fare share of cold winters which sometimes took the very young or the very old. If they could save the pelts of the furred animals, it could help many lizards, and particularly for the scaled ones who moved to the mountainside without warm feathering of their own.

I didn't even have to help guide them for such a thing, their own ingenuity made it possible to bring this idea to life. They had always been very smart when it came to tools. They discovered how to use a rock before I came to them, and with only the addition of hands, they became able to make weapons and other tools while I had been lost to the abyss. They were very intelligent, and I was very proud of them. I didn't have to hold their hand to lead them forward, I just needed to provide some inspiration. They were perfectly capable of the rest.

It didn't take long for the idea of fur blankets to spread to the other colonies; they were very good at sharing ideas with each other. Clothing in fur pelts wasn't far behind. They had learned to take the vines that kept the spearheads attached to their spears, and make twine from the fibers, stronger than just the vine by itself. Using the twine, they stitched the pelts together using small sharp bones so that a lizard could wear the pelt hands free.

For the sake of pelts, the mammals and rodents that had once been merely chased away were now actively hunted by the lizards. While Defenders still made up the bulk of the fighting force, non-Defenders also took up spears to hunt, and learned to track their new furry prey.

It all came so fast, I was amazed. In only a few generations, the colonies had changed rapidly. And it had all started with the lizards who so desperately tried to survive on the cold mountain side. I was sure they would never cease to amaze me.

The clothing didn't take in the shore colonies; living in and out of the water made them impractical. Instead, they took the idea of adorning oneself with

fur pelts for warmth, to stringing together pretty seashells with the twine and decorating themselves simply for looks. It was amazing to watch an idea develop on one side of the population and have it turn into something brand new on the other side. The new idea of decorating oneself spread as fast as a wildfire. It sparked creativity the likes of which hadn't existed before. In addition to physical and visual affection, families now often gave each other hand-made presents to show their love for one another as well. For them, it was just another way to express love for their family.

It was incredibly heart-warming to see the lizards work so hard on their presents for one another. Even if they weren't very good at it, the effort and love put into it was clear, and they were loved all the more for it. Items that were previously ignored as useless found new life as simple decoration, like small or weak bones, sparkling rocks that couldn't be used for tools, even the bark of some trees. They decorated their heads, necks, waists, tails, arms, hands, legs, anywhere they could hold a decoration. Some were so inundated with baubles you almost couldn't see their scales, but it was too cumbersome to be practical that way. Most wore decorations in just one or two places. Hunters and trackers wore ones that didn't make noise when they hunted outside the colony borders. Some had also taken to carving designs in the pole weapons, which, as the ideas that came before it, spread to many other aspects of carving designs into tools and other decorations.

So much change from something so simple. Like a rock cast into water that rippled onward to the edge of the pool. Despite my reservations from my memory, I knew I must teach them about fire. They would do so many things with it, it would change their lives again, for the better I was certain.

But I was woefully ill-prepared for the disaster that would come shortly after they achieved that fire.

((Author's Note: I'll be honest, this chapter really wrote itself. The advent

of feathers jump started their civilization in a way even I as the author could not have anticipated.))

15 - The Age of Fire

It was right around the time when carving was becoming the next big thing to hit the lizard world. Panels of bark from rotting logs became a prime medium for carved pictures. Crude though they were, being cut into with stone knives, it was still a fascinating process to watch. Most designs were simple straight lines, sometimes criss-crossing each other, and rarely something more elaborate like curved lines would be made. They even took to making representations of themselves in the wood carvings. Simplistic, stick-like lizards began to adorn the wood panels. From that inspired actual stick-lizards, thin sticks wrapped together with twine that resembled a lizard if one used their imagination. They were quite popular with the children.

There was suddenly a boom of new creative duties lizards could perform in addition to food gathering, hunting, colony protection, child rearing, teaching, and general care-taking. Most lizards didn't stick to a single job, preferring to maximize their talents in several areas. Times when lizards would laze under the sun, soaking up its rays, were instead spent on more creative ventures.

Trade began between the families and the colonies. Shell decorations from the shore colonies were popular with the forest dwellers, and likewise the bark panels were popular with the shore colonies. The solid, non-porous rocks of the mountainside colonies were found useful by all, and made better tools and weapons.

Their civilization was expanding by leaps and bounds. I had already stopped touching on the bipedal change, as it was, for all intents and purposes, complete. Lizards rarely had trouble walking on two legs, and their tails made for great counterweights with their mildly hunched over posture. Their original feet had seemed a bit flimsy, but with the bipedal movement they became larger, stronger, and thicker to carry the mass of the

lizard upright. Their strong legs carried them fast across the ground as they ran, and their long arms could still deftly wield large weapons and small tools. It was the culmination of everything I had desired.

Again, they were growing larger than previous generations, to the point that they now had to carve into the porous holes in the black rock near the shore to make them large enough to accommodate their families. It was nearly overwhelming to me the speed at which they were changing.

With some of my influence freed up, I set about the process of dulling their fear of fire. During the last few forest fires that resulted from lightning storms, I had paid close attention to where the fear came from, and now latched onto that to lessen, though not dismiss, its power over them.

And then came a moment when a small lizard was hard at work trying to make a design in a wood panel, and it was almost as if the lizards had discovered fire themselves, unknowingly. The little lizard was using a sharp stick to bore a hole deep into the panel of wood. The stick wasn't gripped, the lizard had found a lazy way to bore in the hole just the way he liked it by moving his hands back and forth in opposite directions with the stick inbetween, causing it to spin rapidly. A very tiny, thin wisp of smoke appeared. The lizard stopped to inspect the strange smell coming from his wood panel, but I was inundated with a memory triggered by that same little plume.

Friction. I remembered about friction. In the same way the lizard bored a hole into the wood, one could make fire if they had kindling surrounding it using that very method. But how do I get him to use kindling? A thought came to me as another lizard scampered up into the trees the rose above my soon-to-be Firestarter as he worked diligently, albeit a bit lazily, on the rocky floor of the forest. To the lizard that had jumped in the tree, I led to a branch with a false promise of food, just a simple notion that food might be found there. The branch had dried needle-like leaves, ready to fall with the smallest stimulation. Once there, I sent a quick feeling of fright to her heart, and, as I expected, she leapt away to another nearby tree, shaking the branch and loosening the needle leaves to the ground below. I sent her a feeling of comfort as an apology, but with no other way to communicate my

intentions, it was the only way I could think of to get kindling onto Firestarter's wood art panel.

The needles on the branch dropped as Firestarter worked away below, unknowing. It was a common occurrence at this time of year for the needles to fall so the trees may grow new leaves, but normally not so many fell at once. The mass of needles fell onto firestarter and his work of art just as another plume was beginning to form. Suddenly covered with needles, rather than freaking out, his hands stopped after a few more twists, and he just sat there. He breathed out something like a sigh as he hung his head. He shook his body, dislodging it of the needles. He was about to clear away the mass from his art piece when he saw a curious thing. The tiny wisp of smoke had grown a bit darker, a bit thicker.

By now he realized this smoke came from fire, though he could not see any flames, partially thanks to my influence he was more curious than afraid. The sigh had been just the thing to help the small flame grow within the pile of kindling. He stared at it, and I had to use a bit more of my influence to encourage him to continue. He seemed to realize his lazy trick for boring holes had somehow started the smoke, and that the needles had enhanced it somehow. He set his sharpened stick back down on the panel, wading through a fine layer of tree needles, and set about his method again, this time in earnest rather than laziness. He would sometimes stop to inspect how the smoke was doing, unknowing that his curious breath as he bent down to inspect the growing embers also helped to aid the growth of the fire.

And then it appeared. A small flame lit from inside the pile and reached out to the needles, setting them alight, burning through them quickly, leaving small blackened husks behind. Firestarter sat back as the tiny flame ate through all the dried needles. But even when the needles were consumed, the fire stayed. The wood panel he had been working on caught the flame.

The first pop as the fire released gas from inside the wood frightened Firestarter enough for him to jump back. But his curiosity kept him there. A lizard that was passing by came to him, raising alarming colors on her scales, but Firestarter raised his hand to calm her with reassuring shimmers,

the gesture asking her to wait. She stayed with Firestarter and watched as the fire consumed the the entire panel. Before it was done, a few other lizards had gathered, wondering where the burning smell had come from.

Some were uneasy, hesitant, but the flame was also beautiful in its own way. It was small enough that while it did cause some worry, it wouldn't easily set the forest aflame, and for the first time they could see the inherent beauty of fire as it danced along the wood, consuming it in its entirety, leaving only blackened charcoal behind.

Firestarter was very excited about his discovery, and set to making another flame, to see if he could reproduce it. It took him some time, but he finally pinned down the method. The female that had first seen the fire with him took quite a liking to him, and they ended up becoming a family unit with just the two of them. He soon taught her how he had made the fire, through the use of wood, sticks, and tree needles. Many lizards were still wary of the self-made fire, but considering it hadn't caused any outbreak of forest fires yet, their curiosity was starting to overcome their inherent fear.

It was coming to fruition. The age of fire could finally begin. After all this, I was almost surprised the lizards hadn't created fire themselves already with all the new innovation going on in their colonies. They almost had as it was, and I'm sure with a little more time, they likely would have figured it out for themselves. I couldn't help but wonder, once I gave them the depths of the sea and the heights of the sky, would they have no more use for me?

Surely I would not be abandoned, but what could I do for them once they were capable of adapting themselves? Would I just standby and watch as their civilization raced ahead with no need for my slow methods? Or would I fade away, my role being complete? In all likelihood I would have spent a long time contemplating that thought, but before I could get any further in my thinking, disaster struck.

I had been watching my lizards for many generations, and storms and earthquakes were common, but there had not been anything like this. I could feel it from deep beneath the earth. It was like the times I exhausted myself and felt connected to the world as a whole, and somewhere deep at

the core of my being I was still connected to the world. It was from that place within me that I felt the tremor begin. Pressure in the ground surged, and a plate of earth lost in the struggle for dominance, capitulating my small world into chaos.

The lizards could instinctively feel something wrong from my sudden panic and quickly hid in the holes of the earth and trees. Some of the lizards in the shore colony stayed out to sea, far away from solid ground. The entire world stilled; all living creatures, and even the ocean, were silent with anticipation. And then it began.

The earth came alive and it roared with a vengeance. No one was safe, not from this monstrosity. I could feel the shaking earth from my lizards, and they trembled as much from the tremors as their own fear. Families huddled close, hunting parties rushed back to the colonies, all desiring to be by their loved ones' sides.

But the earth was hungry, ravenous. It would not stop until it had eaten its fill. Whole sections of cliffs fell onto the shore colonies, family holes crushed beneath the weight of the rock. The tall trees of the forest that had always been a safe haven from the world below felt their roots falter, dislodged from the rock that held them fast. Heavy with age, they toppled down, taking many families with them. It started a domino effect, trees felling trees, crashing to the ground with a great sound of being ripped from the earth. The tall mountain where the mountainside colony made their home found the loose shiny black rocks raining down upon them in a great rockslide, the sparse collection of trees were hit hard from both the tremors and the slides, and they fell like their forest kin.

Screams, panic, pain, cries. So many fearful emotions flooded the family heart. I could not calm them, I could barely stay afloat amidst the thrashing mass of emotions. It was difficult to tell where they ended and I began. It lasted for minutes, and the damage was immense. Many in their holes had been buried, and those on the outside desperately tried to dig them out. Although hurt themselves, they came together quickly to free their colony- brothers and sisters, before the light of their beloved's heart faded.

So many came to me in just those few terrible moments. I was inundated with memories and all the pain of their passing. It was maddening. In the minutes that followed the tremendous earthquake I desperately tried to keep ahold of myself. I couldn't let myself be overwhelmed, not yet. I still had to warn them.

The earth was sated, its deep belly full with the chaos it had wrought. No, the new danger came from another deep and vast place. The same tremor that had shaken the earth had woken something from its slumber. The sea had been awakened, and it wanted revenge.

16 - Calamity

Can't get out! It hurts! Can't breathe! Move! Can't get out! Stop! Want to live! Run away! Can't get out!

I felt dizzy from the massive panic echoing through the family heart. Although many had perished from the great quake, just as many were trapped or broken, dying very slowly and very painfully. Family holes that had once offered protection now cut them off from escape. Some desperately clawed at the entrance hoping to find escape, others knew what their once loving-home had become; a grave.

I tried to pull myself out of all the pain and sorrow, but I couldn't just close myself off; I needed my connection. More danger was yet to come. It would take time, but it would be there all too soon. How could I rise above all the emotions clamoring within me? They were begging for help, or begging for release. Desire fueled their strength to help their families and their colonies. Though they spoke no words, the myriad of voices was deafening. I was being swallowed by the mass hysteria.

I couldn't concentrate. It was too much. I felt myself slip below the surface of the flood, carried away by all the voices. I felt a thousand lives worth of pain all at once. I couldn't do this alone, I needed help.

And then the Little Leader came to me, bringing with him all the other stars that resided in my heart. They coalesced into a great power, shielding me from the mess of emotions, but still leaving me connected, and I was finally able to speak.

'Sea', 'Danger', 'Run'. I flashed the words through the hearts of every lizard. It passed through them almost as if it had been their own scales flashing the words. The words were powerful, a great warning, and it nearly

drained me to give such message to every single lizard. But I would not faint back into the world. I had to see them through this. The stars of my dearly departed ones gave me that strength.

It was heart wrenching watching as many of the lizards, despite the warning, chose to stay beside their trapped family members, not wanting to leave them in their final moments. I could do nothing to change their minds. As much as it pained me, I understood their devotion. Others took the burden of their family, bearing the feeble and newly crippled upon their backs to higher ground, some in spite of their own injuries. Some in the sea chose to swim far along the shore hoping to outrun what was yet to come. Those left in the forest that could still climb found trees still standing to seek safety from, carrying those that could not climb themselves anymore. The ones that were not buried in the rubble on the mountainside stayed where they were, afraid any movement might shake the rocks that had finally settled.

Those that stayed at the shore colonies watched as the water receded, drawing back along the black porous rock, leaving numerous tide pools behind. The forest colony nearest the shore watched from the tops of trees as the water pulled away, a prelude to the distant disaster that was to come.

It was only a matter of minutes, ten or twenty at most. They could see it slowly rise upon the horizon. It began as a low faraway murmur, but as the rising ocean came closer, the roar gained volume, its anger clear. The wave started breaking upon the newly bare rocks, the crashing sounds rang in the air, but its rampage was not slowed. A mass of frothing white raced ever closer. Those that couldn't move hugged each other for comfort as the great wave finally touched the shore. To the lizards, the crest reached into the heavens, a hand of an angry ocean god come to smite the land.

The newly exposed cliff face by the shore colonies got its first taste of seawater as the wave nearly breached the top. The crash upon the cliffs sent the white water high into the air as it desperately tried to climb the rock face. The lower shore that bordered the forest fared worse. The water swept through the trees. It did not stop nor slow for the bodies that braced themselves against the incoming wave, treating them the same as the rest of

the dislodged debris from the earthquake. The wave reached as far as its fingers could go, and came close to the mountainside on the other side of the forest. Rocks that had never seen the sea got a taste of salt water as it filled every crack in the ground. Some trees loosened by the earthquake succumbed to the pressure of the ocean and met with their fallen brothers.

The sun shone high in the sky, beautiful against the clear blue sky, unaware of the calamity that occurred below its rays, reflecting on water that seemed to have forgotten where it belonged. Broken bodies floated among the debris just below the surface, never to rise. Most were swept back to the ocean when the water finally receded, the placated sea god granting them a single solace for all their pain.

At that, I let myself drown in all the cries and sorrows, adding my own anguish to the flood of torment that swept through the lizards. So many were lost. So many new stars filled my memories, and I embraced them all as I choked and sobbed in my own disembodied way. There would be little comfort this day. We would all need time to mourn before we could look to the future once again. Sorrow would fill the coming days, but light would eventually return to our lives, though a little darker for the great loss. And if it became too much, we could rely on one another for comfort.

But until then, we would mourn.

((Author's Talk: The beginning of this particular chapter was influenced by one of my favorite animated movies, Watership Down (1978). There is a particular scene in the movie that is both terrifying and heart wrenching. At the beginning of the movie, a small rabbit has a premonition of something bad happening to his warren, and convinces his brother and a few others to leave, while most stay. Later in the movie, a single rabbit that had stayed in

the warren comes to find the group that departed, and his tale of the event that occurred after they left is incredibly tragic.

While the movie has a rating of PG, it has been strongly suggested by many to raise it to PG-13. Despite being a cartoon, it is particularly violent and graphic in the real lives of wild rabbits. If you readers enjoy the melancholy of this story, I would recommend this movie to you. And when you see the part where Captain Holly finds his group and regales them with his tale, I hope you'll think of the Overseer and all its visions of pain and voices of fright, as that is what I imagined when writing it.))

17 - Mourning

Earthquakes continued after the calamity, but none so great as the first. Although they made the lizards tense, they did little more damage than had already been done, and soon a little rumble wasn't even enough to spare a glance seaward.

Firestarter had been lost when his tree home fell to the forest floor. He and his female had been thrown from their hole, and in the freefall he used his body to cushion his mate so that she may live. She had been badly injured but survived the fall during the earthquake, and she cried for Firestarter as a female defender carried her back into the treetops to wait out the coming tsunami.

The bodies that hadn't been taken back to the sea were collected together and those that had been trapped were unburied so that they may at least receive a proper burial at sea. Most of those who had tried to swim away had gotten caught up in the pull of the great wave, swept far away to unending depths as sacrifices to the sea.

But the lizards survived. There were many survivors, and they mourned for their fallen brethren.

Their voices were quiet but they were not mourning silently. Shimmers and flashes of color filled the colonies, and the night was alight with cries and grieving. Broken bodies, broken hearts; shattered, fragmented psyches; pieces of a whole swirling around with flashes of brilliant colors.

I embraced all the new stars that had come to me, seeing their lives play out before me. All their joys, all their sorrows, all their dreams that would not come to pass but would be passed down to the next generation.

The last time I had mourned so greatly I had been surrounded by others like me, their black shapeless forms unremembered, gathered around a grave; a body being laid to rest deep within the earth. Inside myself was empty, a deep pit from which there was no return. Eyes that remained dry because a lifetime of tears had already been shed watched as the body descended, and with it, my heart. A broken heart that rejected all love. I was not silent, not inside, though my body showed no hint of movement. The memory had no sound, but I knew I was shouting, yelling, screaming inside the pit that now took the place of my heart. I was lost, alone, and no comfort could fill the void inside me.

Another painful memory, this time of loss. The hand I could not reach had perished; I had been unable to save them. I mourned now as I did then, but with a family to keep me from that deep pit of unending sorrow, devoid of love. We all mourned together.

The mourning period was long, but there came a day when we began to move on. Those who could no longer walk set about a task of making decorations to remember the fallen, setting the pieces into abandoned holes so that all may remember a family once lived there. Warmth of created fire warmed the bodies of the remaining while their extended family warmed their hearts. FIrestarter's female shared her mate's fire with her fellows, keeping his memory alive with every lit flame. And when all her colony knew how to make fire, she left, venturing deep into the earth-torn forest, and did not return. She sought to be with her soulmate once again now that she had ensured his legacy would continue, and she came to me in all her sorrow and happiness to see the star of her beloved again.

The shore colonies had been hit the hardest in losses, and those left formed a single large colony in the middle of the cliff-side shore to begin again. The rockslide of the mountainside left the mountain colonies in a similar state. Some went back to the forest, but most moved on to the least affected areas of the mountain, afraid the loose rock may unsettle itself again with little provocation. It was time to rebuild their civilization, piece by piece.

-Overseer Q and discussion- (a brief history)

Overseer began on Saturday, January 24th, 2015 as I was driving to work. My mind was wandering as it usually does on the monotonous 10-20 minute drive, and somehow I got to thinking about lizards, and flying lizards, and mer-lizards, and the entity that caused them to be that way. Suddenly Overseer was born in the span of a few minutes. When I got work, it was pretty dead (being the receptionist over a weekend has little work usually), so I did something I hadn't done for a long time, years in fact. I opened up google drive and I started writing. Over the course of two days, I wrote the first five chapters, the words just flowing forth from my fingers, unable to stop once they had begun.

I have started other novels (which I still add to every now and again), but this was the first time I'd been in such a fervor to write. The short chapters were instantly gratifying, as I could sit down and write a whole chapter most every day despite my busy life schedule (most of my other endeavors tend to drag on for about 5K words, so they take time, and with my terrible attention span, I can lose interest). The support from lovely comments, both in the reviews and on the chapters themselves also helped inspire me to write every day.

When I had first thought up Overseer, it was a simple 'deity-kind-of-thing makes lizards evolve, yay' (I have a great love for science), and turned into something so much more. The emotion came to be the core of the story. As mentioned in chapter 9, I saw myself starting to go back to the original more science-fact style, and wondered why that was. That line of thought spawned the inner turmoil of chapter 10, the need to find something to validate your existence (which is needed whether you have a body or not). Around chapter 6 I had a few ideas on where I wanted to take the story

(little more than keywords to touch upon), but chapter 10 derailed my plans for the better.

Having felt that same isolated, lonely feeling not that long ago, chapter 10 was almost a kind of therapy for me, and I have been so grateful for my friends and family that pulled me out of that dark spot. They had been trying to tell me for a long time, but I didn't listen, convinced I knew what I was doing and what was best for me, and they did their best to still be supportive of me in my decision even though they could see I was being hurt. It was only when I sank to the very bottom, when I was reaching for something, anything to help that their words finally reached me. It is fulfilling in a way that is difficult to express with words. And it is those emotions I feel from that experience that drive the family heart in the story.

Back to talk of the production of the story, I actually had a whole draft for the creation of fire around chapter 8, but it didn't feel genuine, it felt forced. So I archived that draft and focused on other things (and used pieces of it throughout other chapters). When I first wrote chapter 15 I had intended to broach the subject of fire, but it didn't even make it into the first draft, however I knew it was finally time to make it happen, they needed it. The second draft once again felt forced and happened in the span of a paragraph. I thought to myself 'No, they can't discover fire this way', it was uninteresting and more 'it just happened' without any real thought to it. Again fire was scrapped and I decided to just step away for a while and not think of it. Then, as most everything else in the story did, it suddenly came to me in a flash of inspiration, much like the Overseer's flashes of memory, and the the age of fire was born from the laziness of Firestarter.

Although it hasn't been touched upon yet (though it will come up later), neither Firestarter nor his female were Defenders. As for what this means for the future, it's hard for even me to say right now. Loose ends like this are often the spark of a fantastic new venture into the world of Overseer.

It was difficult to write chapters 15 and 16 with the death of so many lizards. But with the length of time the Overseer has been around, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Tectonic plates never stay still, they are always on the move for some far away destination, each aiming to remain

on the surface as long as possible until some other, stronger plate pushes them back into the mantle to be recycled. 17 was intentionally a little duller on the emotion. When you go through so much in such a short amount of time, it's hard to have more of yourself to spare, and is just another part of the healing process.

In the comments I always see lots of fun speculation, ideas, and comments, but I'm sometimes at a loss for if I should answer to it or just let you all dream away while awaiting the next chapters, and so, this thread (with a brief-ish history of the creation of Overseer) has been made. I'll do my best to answer any questions you may have, though some answers may come out vague in regards to future plans ;3 I tried to preemptively answer some questions with the history above, but if you want to know more about the inspirations behind the story, or even just specific parts, those are all welcome! This would also be a good place to ask what some of my overly flowery language might mean if it's not immediately apparent, as I often dress natural occurrences with many bells and whistles in an attempt to sound more poetic (it takes a bit of the magic out of it, but understanding what it's trying to talk about is also important). Or even more mundane questions like the gender of the author (the answer to that is female!). You can also treat this as a general chat/discussion forum on the topic of Overseer (questions/comments don't only have to be directed at me!).

So ask/talk away! And thank you for reading Overseer.

18 - Dawn Onward

After the calamity, during the time of mourning, I found a new lizard to name: Scalesinger. She shimmered her scales in beautiful patterns in her eulogy to the dead, conveying words, emotions, and a semblance of visible song. The control she had over the colors in her scales was unmatched in any colony, interweaving a story with delicate touches, intermingling colors with such deft precision it was hard to imagine how she did so without being able to see a reflection of herself. What might have been a mess of colors by any other lizard was a constant ever-changing painting. Even if they couldn't understand the complexity of its meaning, the other lizards still knew it to be beautiful.

Her voiceless singing was an inspiration to other lizards, and in the dark wake of calamity, her scale songs shone all the brighter, bringing some much needed peace to their hearts.

Her art was taught to others, most learning how to sing with the scales on their hands since they could be easily seen. The song culture grew from there and spread at the same time as the knowledge of fire. The lizards also got into the habit of something akin to humming, a light shimmer of patterns across their scales as they focused their attention on other things.

The most beautiful scenes came as the fires were dying down before the lizards retired for the night. A lizard would begin a scalesong and it would spread to the others that knew all or parts of it, and the lizards would 'sing' in tune with each other like a sparkling sky of stars reflecting upon a still pool. The harmony of the shimmering song was calming to my own heart that still needed healing and I let myself shimmer among their family hearts with them.

While the songs filled their hearts they worked hard to rebuild their

colonies. The time of family holes seemed at an end; the fear of being trapped during another cataclysm seemed rooted into their core now. With all the felled trees they set about with sharp hard stones from the mountain using simple axes to carve away the wood into usable pieces. They created primitive shelters, straining their ingenuity to its utmost starting with simple lean-tos to protect from the rain, and advancing into pit shelters to protect from the hot and cold. With only a small bit of inspiration from me, they used the insulating foliage as thatching for roofs as well.

Collecting enough foliage for the colony was difficult with most of the forest being tall red-wooded trees with needle-leaves. Broad-leafed trees and bushes in the near vicinity were stripped too quickly, there wasn't enough. Some puzzled about how to go about securing more of the needed vegetation. Simply expanding farther outward would spread them too thin. I puzzled with them, hoping for more inspiration to come. It always seemed to come when they needed it, and surely they did now.

I didn't know what force it was that governed my memories; sometimes they were triggered by events I witnessed, other times they came when I desired knowledge, and rarely with no provocation. Perhaps it was a part of myself that didn't want me to remember anything but what was needed. If that was so, after experiencing some of the triggered memories, I could understand why. Some of those memories were awful and painful, and once I remembered I never forgot them. Perhaps one day I'd be ready to embrace my memories, both the sadness and the happiness.

And so, as every other time I desired knowledge, it came to me. The memory was new, peaceful even. I saw rows upon rows of small trees in perfect lines, small flowers adorning their branches. A light, sweet smell filled the air from a calm breeze. I was surrounded by the trees with their broad green leaves and white flowers, each one carefully and purposefully placed. Small insects flitted from flower to flower, a low but pleasant buzz left in their wake. Sunlight shimmered through the trees as the breeze ever so slightly rustled the leaves, making the light dance upon the ground. Surely this place was a paradise.

There was a word for what I had just seen: agriculture. Rather than hunting

and gathering naturally growing food, you grew the food yourself in chosen locations, raising and tending the food until it was ripe for consumption. You didn't have to hope there was enough food in the wilderness, you could control the amount of food grown. The bushes they used for their leaves grew berries, and the roots attracted bugs. A single bush was good for two sources of food and its leaves good for thatching and insulating foliage.

Once the berries were ripe on wild bushes, the sweet seeds could be planted instead of consumed. The only problem that stood in the way was one that often plagued me. How do I communicate this method to them? Would I need to wait until a lizard became curious about what more a berry could provide other than a quick, sweet snack? Likely not. Berries turned rotten too quickly, they didn't last like meats and bugs left out in the hot sun to dry, so it was a waste to not eat them soon after picking.

After an accident, the lizards were already starting to experiment with cooked meats over their new fires, and testing other foods to see if they were good cooked as well. Some root vegetables that had previously been ignored for being poisonous turned out to be good to eat when cooked over a fire. And while more sources of food were always something to celebrate, they were still all wild plants. They must learn to tame the plants.

I bided my time before the beginning of the next ripening season, thinking of ways to teach them. In the end, after many thoughts that ended up as dead ends, I decided to try something new. Their bodies and minds were calm while they slept, and I wondered if my influence might be able to communicate with them better while they were unable to distinguish reality from dreams.

I chose a young female, as the young always seemed more susceptible to my touch. Her dreams were simple as most were, but they were also beautiful. Colors swirled in her dream like the singing scales, and a memory of playing with friends when she was younger mixed with the fantasy of climbing endlessly tall trees, each trying to be the first to the unreachable top.

When her dream started dissipating, I came to her. It was more difficult than

I imagined, and I felt myself having to divert much of my influence to this one task. It was simple imagery I left her with, several still pictures that seemed to form a story. A berry, a seed, falling into the rocky ground. A shoot sprouting from inside the seed, coming above ground to taste the sun. Drops of rain that the new roots greedily drank. A few images of the different growth stages of the bush. And at the end, a full grown, berry- laden bush.

I felt exhausted. It was just a series of simple images in a dream, but it was incredibly difficult to convey. I could only hope she understood. When I first awoke as an Overseer, I don't think I would have been capable of dream images like that. Even now I almost wasn't. But it did teach me that I could do some things that I couldn't before. It made me wonder what else I might be capable of now.

I felt it might be time to experiment a bit again. The more I could do, the more I could help my lizards. Even if it took a lot out of me, if I could give them visions of more complex ideas, they could advance even more. However, at the moment I could not think of anything more to teach them.

While I rested myself, I sat back, watching how she would use the knowledge she'd been given in a dream. If she was able to create agriculture from that one dream, it would be the dawn of a new age. And from this new dawn and onward unto tomorrow, I would watch over them as always as their Overseer.

19 - Where We Go From Here

The young Bushtender had thankfully remembered about my dream when she awoke the next day. She seemed to find it odd and curious, as it was likely different from any other dreams she'd had. I could tell she didn't fully understand the implications of my dream, but the seed of curiosity had been placed, and she decided to experiment herself.

While out gathering, using a new basket-like item her colony had recently innovated from tied sticks and dried foliage, she began to collect bugs, berries, nuts, and root vegetables as per usual. When she got back, she kept a berry for herself, but rather than eating it, she decided to go just outside the colony border and stick it into the ground.

The rows of trees from my memory had been planted in soft, brown dirt, but dirt didn't really exist in this land, and I had forgotten about it until the memory came. All foliage grew out of the black rocky floor, porous in some places like Bushtender's colony and along the shore, or solid closer to the mountainside. The plants were well equipped to grow in such environments, and roots often drank from pools inside the porous rock of collected rainwater. In more solid areas they had to rely on water as it rained, or grow long roots that worked their way through cracks in the solid rock to gigantic reservoirs of water below.

Being connected to this earth, I didn't find it as strange as I might have otherwise. It was natural, normal. Since I had awoken, this had been the only land I'd ever known. The only times I got to see more were when brave lizards set out for the farthest reaches or when memories of my last world appeared in my consciousness.

Bushtender visited the spot where she planted the berry every day, putting a stick into the ground as a marker so she would not forget where it was.

After a few months, her interest was greatly waning, nothing was happening. It got to the point that she only checked on it once a week, probably questioning why she was doing this in the first place. But just as she was about to give up, a sprout had found its way through the holes in the rock to touch the light above ground. It was small and fragile, but Bushtender became very excited, and brought her family to show it off. They didn't quite understand what was happening, nor why she was so excited about a tiny plant rising out the ground, but they were happy that it made her happy.

She kept visiting it over the weeks, watching as it grew. The particular bush she had taken a berry from was fast growing once it broke ground. It seemed to change shape every day, and she was fascinated when it started branching out. Small buds of leaves slowly appeared and unfurled to soak in the sun's rays, growing large even in its youth. It was about half the size of one of the wild plants when it first started flowering, a string of dark red leaves with a few white flowers near the bottom hanging on the ends of limbs like windchimes.

Another unbidden memory. I could see a windchime with silver pipes hanging from a horizontal post, moving slightly in a small breeze, a small and gentle tinkling sound as a string with a large silver disk clinked into several of the long pipes. Truly the hanging flowers did resemble the windchime of my memory as they swayed slightly in the breeze.

Those windchime-like flowers soon gave way to berries, the red leaves shading them from above. They started out red like the leaves, but soon became dark, nearly black with ripeness. Bushtender was very happy, and spent much of her time with the small bush. Anything she could do while stationary, she did while sitting next to her beautiful berry-bearing bush. Putting together new carrying baskets, making pretty necklaces, even eating meals, all were done in the company of her bush.

Whether or not she could remember the dream from so long ago, I did not know, but she now had the knowledge she needed. She could grow the bushes as she liked, having access to more berries and leaves. She took several of the new berries, and set them in the ground near her first bush,

anticipating their eventual growth.

At some point, she brought her family back to the bush, and they were surprised to see a half grown berry bush where the little sprout had once been. They didn't quite understand, but Bushtender mimed to them how the bush had started out very small, and then grew into the bush they now saw. She took another berry from the bush and showed it to them. One of her mothers reached out to take it, likely to eat, but Bushtender pulled it back, indicating she was just showing it to them. Making sure they were watching, she set it into the ground, and displayed her open hands over the hole she'd inserted the berry into, indicating that's all it took. Her family looked at each other, a little puzzled. It might take time for them to understand, but so long as Bushtender took her time, she could teach them.

Not all the berries planted grew, and I felt lucky that Bushtender's first had germinated. Had it not, she likely would not have tried again. I shimmered in my family heart, sharing in her success. These techniques would be useful near the shore and mountainside colonies, as not many shrubs grew there. The mountainside might be harder to grow on, since they were not located on the porous rock that this particular berry bush used to grow, but they had their own shrubs that could withstand the harsh rooting conditions, and so long as they learned how to plant the seeds of their native brush, they could succeed as well.

It would be a very long time before their agriculture reached the point of the memory I had seen, but just having the basic knowledge of planting was enough for now. They could stay safer, closer, not having to venture as far outside their colony borders to secure food and plant material. It put my own heart at ease knowing that. I continued to watch as Bushtender planted many more seeds over her lifetime, dedicating her life to making sure there were enough bushes to sustain her colony's needs.

It made her so very happy to tend to her plants; Bushtender had been the right name for her. I could see her eyes sparkle every time she came to check on her plants and harvest them, and her scales shimmered in happiness as she worked. It was almost like she was trying to communicate her feelings to the bushes she tended. I felt my heart soften, and I was sure

her feelings did reach them. Perhaps it was through me, being connected to the land my lizards stood on.

She never personally taught her art to other colonies like the nomadic Scalesinger had, but those who emigrated elsewhere took the new knowledge with them. Soon, all the colonies would know, and with that knowledge would come more innovation. This was only the beginning of a new age, and where they went from here would surely change all their lives for the better.

((Author's Note: I was happy to get to talk about the environment a little more this chapter. There hadn't really been a good chance to explore it in much detail before. Although similar to our earth, it is still a little alien, like its lack of above ground dirt, at least in this particular area. For those wondering about the fast growing bush that Bushtender took care of, it was loosely based upon the Himalayan Honeysuckle/Pheasant Berry shrub.))

20 - Water Games

After passing my time watching Bushtender gleefully work, my attention turned back to the shore colony, which had finally gotten large enough to split into two again. I could see the art of Scalesinger's songs had finally reached them, and they were just as beautiful underwater as they were above. A few feathered family members, children of mountainside immigrants, looked a bit out of place amidst the mostly gilled colony, but they still got along very well. The gills were very nearly complete as well, as most lizards with gills rarely needed to come to the surface to take in air unless their gills were less developed. The gills that had been near the neck had slowly moved to their back so they could expand and exist next to the lungs. Their chest cavity became a little larger than a land bound lizard's to accommodate their water lungs. The scales above the undulating gills were hard to protect them, and interlocked with other scales when not in use to hide them. Their air lungs were also capable of deflating to a degree to alleviate pressure from deeper dives, though it took them a moment to regulate themselves when they returned to the surface.

I could also see a couple families break off from the shore colony, deciding to live in the watery realm, spending all day and night under the water. They stayed where light could still penetrate through the water, and were capable of sleep without drowning. They lied amidst the reefs of coral, and the great underwater forests made of towering pillars of kelp. They offered food and protection, and thanks to the heat that lived inside their bodies, they were able to stay warm even in the mildly chilled water.

The adaptation had gone well, and I supposed now I could call the gills complete for my influence over them. Their bodies were compensating well for the watery lifestyle too, their tails were more powerful than land bound lizards, though their legs suffered muscle loss for it. When they took to being bipedal on the shore, they often let their heavier tail trail along the

ground, providing a bit more support bracing against the ground, using the strong muscles to keep their bodies upright.

They were proud of their strength in the water, but not so proud that they didn't accept help on land from their land bound brothers and sisters. They knew where their strengths and weaknesses laid. A fun test of strength had also been developed in the shore lizards, and even those that weren't fully developed for the water took part. Two lizards would stand facing away from each other, then twist their tails around each other's, and they would then compete in trying to force their opponent to the ground using their tail strength. The more fast swimming one did, the stronger their tail would get, so underwater racing was also common, particularly among the children who were still developing.

There was a little bitterness for those that lost in feats of strength and speed. Some chose to give up and focus on more domestic achievements, others were encouraged to improve themselves and try again no matter how many times they failed. This was particularly true of the land bound and feathered hybrids, especially the slightly smaller feathered members who had difficulty matching the strength of their water bound family.

Such competition was rare in the forest and mountainside colonies, but they also had far less predators to deal with. For the gilled lizards, there was much more to be fearful of in the water than on land. Up to the reef was generally safe, but if they went further into open water, huge monsters began to appear.

The creatures in the water were strange compared to those on land. Limbs like legs and arms were a rarity, and sharp teeth were commonplace. Distinctions such as herbivore and carnivore didn't exist in the blue depths, everything ate everything it seemed, even if it was only a piece of something. When a large predator killed large prey, many smaller creatures would come to consume the leftovers. No food was wasted in a place that could be filled with abundance one day and destitute the next.

The calamity had similarly decimated aquatic creatures as it had the shore colonies, and for a time the lizards had to be wary of overfishing, lest they

lose an entire source of food. They had to travel for a while inland to get to the greens that provided terrestrial food sources, and some lizards felt it was more trouble than it was worth. Unknowing what they should do, I went on the hunt for them.

What I found was something in great abundance just off the rocky shores of their home. It lay in the kelp forest, or rather, it was the kelp forest. Memories of such sea plenty came not in the form of the gorgeous underwater sanctuary, but in strips of kelp eaten raw, boiled, sometimes dried, and had a healthy source of minerals. To the families that lived among the kelp, I urged them to consume when they were feeling hungry. Although wary at first, they did eventually remove small leaves of the giant plant-like towers and ate them. They did not feel particularly one way or another about the new food, but it did fill their bellies until their next meal.

When their brothers and sisters from the land came into the water, they shared their knowledge of the consumable kelp, and it was taken back to shore to be shared among the rest.

The previously avoided kelp was now harvested and boiled with the salty sea water in crude bowls over fires. Some were eaten right out of the bowls, others laid out on the rocks to dry. It was not as delicious as the fatty and bony fish in the sea, but they found after a time they felt stronger, faster, and they did not fall to disease as easily. I knew of the nutrients in the kelp, and while its flavor left something to be desired, it was both filling and beneficial. Thus kelp became a staple food, and although some young disliked it simply for not having much flavor, they soon came to tolerate it, if not outright enjoy its simplicity.

The dried kelp kept easily enough and could be stored for a long while, making it yet another good that could be traded to the other colonies in return for dried meats and decorations. The dried kelp kept its salty flavor from the water it had lived in, and the tongues of the terrestrial colonies quite liked it.

From the forests on land to the forests under the sea, the lizards lived their lives. Then, were there forests in the skies somewhere, I wondered. Perhaps

hidden within the clouds or on some far distant land they could not yet reach. I felt it was finally time to take them there.

((Science facts: For those that thought my use of 'plant-like' for kelp was in err because it is a plant, it has actually long been proven to be a form of algae, which is neither plant nor animal, but a kingdom of its own (along with fungi, there are actually two kingdoms of algae, all of which fall outside the animal and plant kingdoms). The term seaweed is broad (or as some like to call it now sea vegetable, for more positive connotations) and encompasses both kelp and other algae like kelp. Kelp itself is just a subclass of seaweed. Also, kelp is extremely nutritious, and contains a myriad of minerals, amino acids, and vitamins humans need to survive. I myself am a fan of dried and salted nori, and seaweed wrapped sushi rolls.))

21 - The Last Endeavor

As the lizards closest to the sky, I brought myself to the desolate mountainside. Amidst the now settled rubble, new saplings were starting to spring up through the rocks, a sign of continuing life. The mountainside colony followed the example of the hardy saplings and continued to stay in the cold and sparsely treed climate. I was as proud of their diligence as I was pained for their continued suffering. The only consolation I could provide them as they worked through the aftermath of the calamity was my unwavering confidence in their fortitude.

If I gave them the sky, surely their suffering would decrease. I desperately desired that for them. Over time their primitive feathering had naturally gotten longer, and the slender hairlike bristles were starting to expand and thin, creating more cover with overlapping feathers for insulation.

As soon as I had seen the first young lizards born with feathers I had remembered birds. The only flying creatures here were small insects, along with another small lizard species in the forest obtaining the ability to lightly glide through the trees. Nothing soared overhead but the clouds. I could remember the desire and the envy I felt towards those creatures that flew so beautifully and freely through the sky.

But my memory of birds presented one issue. Their arms had served as their wings. I looked at the fruit of my first labor, their hands. Their hands made them powerful, and allowed them to do much more than the lesser creatures around them. Would I have to sacrifice those hands for them to take the sky? I didn't want that. Was it too selfish of me to want them to keep their hands while they soar through the sky?

In the first place, perhaps it was too selfish for me to want the sky. They knew not the envy my people had held for that unreachable place. The only

flying creatures here were viewed as little more than food, certainly not a thing to be envied. While I debated with myself, I did start the process with what I knew I could do.

The feathered lizards had the advantage of being smaller than their forest and shore siblings due to the harsh environment that didn't allow for growth. Weight would be a large factor if flight were to be possible. Muscles were heavy, but so were bones. Thick, solid bones were not good for flight for large animals, that much I knew. They did not need to be thinner, that would make them too brittle. They needed to be hollow. Truly hollow bones would still have been too weak, so inside the cavities must be support structures, a system of internal pillars to strengthen them and continue to carry important nutrients throughout the body.

As I began to hollow the bones of developing lizards, I felt something strange. It was almost like a tingling feeling, except I had no body to tingle. What was this strange sensation, I wondered. With my other projects for the lizards complete, I was able to devote more of myself to the task of potential flight, but that feeling always lingered in the background as I worked. Having more of myself to devote to the task, it came much faster than the tending of gills, legs, and other such things when I had spread myself over many projects. Their feathers were already developing in a direction to be longer and more stiff, I merely helped those along.

Time was passing, and it was starting to become apparent I'd have to reach my final decision soon. Their bodies were getting lighter, but what purpose would it serve if it did not eventually lead to flight? I was still in turmoil with myself. Did flight lie upon my selfish whims, upon a bright future for my lizards, or somewhere in between? Did I truly want the sky for them, or did I want it for me? The envy for the sky was mine alone, that much I was aware of.

I sank back into myself. The pivotal point was coming soon. I must not be wavering when the time came. I let myself fall into the memories of my departed lizards, letting myself feel as they felt during life. They had their share of hardships and struggles, but underlying all that was a feeling of being content with their lot in life. They held ambitions for themselves and

for their families, some realized, some not. But lofty goals out of their reach were few and far between.

I let myself wander to the lizards I had directly influenced. Bushtender had made a life for herself tending to her namesake, and she had been very happy. Firestarter, though his life had ended prematurely, had little motivation before the discovery of fire, but found his life given purpose after. And Starlight; I had wondered if she was burdened with the knowledge that there was something more out there, but when I let myself be one with her memory I found both burden and happiness in a delicate balance. She had carried the knowledge with her all her life, and at one point that knowledge had left her feeling betrayed. But in the end, she had come back to embrace it, for she had loved it all along, even if she could not understand it fully. Strong Light had been born influenced, and lived her life as she desired; strongly, powerfully, and beautifully.

And then, the Little Leader. He was the first, the origin of all my influence. He was so far departed from the lizards of the present, but his knowledge of sharing had catapulted all his kind into greatness. Had he not shared his knowledge, it is likely the lizards would still be little more than solitary wanderers content to find food and breed and hoping to live to the next day. They did not know they lacked knowledge and were content in it. But the Little Leader had shown them more. He had opened doors that could not be imagined. Because he possessed that knowledge, and because he freely gave that knowledge to his fellows, they had grown into the lizards I so dearly loved today.

I felt my determination solidify. They did not know the joy of the sky and were content in that. But I would show them. I would share with them the knowledge that lied beyond a horizon they could reach on their own. I would give them the wings to reach it.

The tingling sensation that had been remained a quiet buzz in the background became louder as I came to my conclusion. I could feel it in my entire being now. It was a warning. It was not a warning that the sky was out of reach, nor of an impending calamity that would occur. It came to warn me that this would be my last great endeavor. What a worthy endeavor

it would be. From the depths of the water, through the dense forests, to the heights of the sky, my lizards would be free to roam as they desired. I would give them that final freedom.

22 - Strength from Weakness

The last endeavor; that phrase filled me with excitement, but at the same time there was also a blemish of dread. As I continued debating how to give them wings, in my uncertainty the blemish became a stain, and soon began to infect the resolve I had finally managed to attain.

I began to puzzle the warning I was given. It had been building up for some time, and while I inherently understood what the warning entailed now, I couldn't help but be mystified at how I knew and why it had come only now. It made me feel as though there was something out there, something greater than the sum of myself, watching me. Did I myself have an Overseer? It was certainly not impossible. Perhaps it was the same entity that granted me visions of my own memories. Perhaps it was from that part of me that kept memories hidden until I needed them. There was no way to verify the truth. All I could do was ponder many what-ifs.

What I did know was that this endeavor, this major change to allow flight, would be the final one. No longer would I be able to make large-scale changes to their anatomy. That was the feeling I came to know from it. As for what would happen after it was complete, that was still the realm of the unknown.

There was a sudden pressure hanging over me. What if I didn't get it right? What if I took too long and it wasn't complete? The fear of unknown consequences was frightening indeed. I had finally found my resolve only to run into a new obstacle. The more I thought about it, the more I agonized, my resolve slowly slipping. I didn't want to doom them to some strange half-state incapable of flight, I wanted to empower them. I wanted them to take the sky in their hands.

As I suffered from my own internal turmoil, I felt from my family heart a

sense of soothing. They attempted to calm me when my doubt was running rampant. I let it wash over me, erasing all my thoughts. I was thinking too much, and it felt good to revel in the unthinking calm of my family heart. The issue wasn't what could go wrong, but overthinking things; looking at all the worst outcomes and trying to see too far into the future. Although I should retain some caution, it would do me no good to fear a future I could not see. I needed to let go of my irrational fears, lest they overwhelm me again.

I thanked all my lizards for helping me regain myself, sending a wave of gratitude through them. How lost I would have been without them, with only my uncontrolled and raging thoughts. They always seemed to save me from myself.

My thoughts once again under control, I set forth with my mission. The hands I had worked so hard to give them, I was bound and determined to keep them. That meant I must look for another way to give them wings. I kept on a lookout for even the smallest thing that could help me towards that goal.

There were no bright lights among the unborn to save me in my time of need. I instead looked to the dimmer lights, those that were weak. There were always many of them, and I had left them alone for their inability to survive on their own. But as my thoughts broadened from being unburdened, I felt I had the power to turn that weakness into a strength. Surely if this was the my last major change to them, I could sink all of my power into it. Tens of thousands of tiny lights in many mothers raced to be born and I waded through all of them, waiting for that spark.

When it did come, it was not where I had expected. It was an unborn that had already begun growing, or rather two unborns inside one egg. Twins inside eggs were rare, and there were very few instances where they were able to hatch; nearly all of them died within the first few weeks of development. This particular one was on its way to death. One of the twins was already malformed inside the egg, and when it died, the rot inside the egg would cause the other to perish. An all too common occurrence.

The spark came to me then, not from the twins I could not save, but from a memory triggered by them. The memory did not come from a personal experience, but from previously known knowledge. In my people, when a twin died while developing, they sometimes did not die completely. They could be kept alive by the other twin, feeding off its nutrients, and continuing to grow inside it. A parasitic twin. It was not the parasitic twin itself that gave me the idea, but rather remembered images of mutations, deformities, and birth defects. Like most of the weak lights, these things made the body strange, brittle, feeble, sometimes unrecognizable. There were even such things among lizards as periodically those weak lights would fertilize eggs and be strong enough to hatch. Most died young; others lived with the invalids, unable to care for themselves. But there were yet some that did not let their birth differences slow them down. Their bodies might have been weakened, but their hearts were strong. So long as they did not give up, they could make a future for themselves. Such individuals were rare, but they were all the more inspiring for it. A small and frail light could become a bright shining beacon of hope.

It was a deformity I now looked for, a strange mutation. They needed another set of arms to mature into wings. They would be small and weak at first, but they would grow strong, and with time, I knew I could shape them to carry my lizards into the sky. That was the future I could make for them.

23 - Proto Wings

Among the mutations I now sought, ones that duplicated limbs were rare, but I was still able to find several in the mountain colony mothers. I was thankful that the community of lizards took such great care of their weakened brethren, as I was certain nurturing such a mutation would come with additional problems before I could strengthen the desired aspects and work out the more debilitating side effects.

I had not before interacted with the weak lights. As soon as I touched them, I could feel just how weak they were. Most were inviable, they carried too many other problems to be safely born, even with my coaxing. Of all the lights that raced to their mother's eggs to be born, only two seemed able to handle the difficulty of bringing themselves into this world. I tried to influence them, to take away or at least lessen other aspects that would burden them while guiding them to the eggs.

It wasn't quite like changing scales into feathers. That was just a small signal given different directions. Staving off whole connections from forming was much more intense, even with only two. On top of that, I had to pace myself. It would do me no good to sink all my power into just these two and be unable to work on the coming generations. Using all my gained experience from influencing the lizards for so long, I was much more certain of how it should pan out now that I had a starting point. I felt confidence welling up in me. I can do this, I shimmered such thoughts to myself.

The two incubated well, and managed to hatch on their own without assistance; a good sign. The trait they shared was a pair of tiny deformed arms. They connected on the back, slightly askew from where I desired them, but I could work on positioning as the generations progressed. They had an entire second shoulder almost directly behind their existing shoulder.

I couldn't put the new set below the original, the wings would need to be capable of forward motion which wouldn't be possible from lower on the back. The muscles that connected the new shoulders to the rest of the body were weak, but they were at least in place. Although they were second shoulders and arms, they were very small and underdeveloped, and the 'hand' was little more than a nub. They were only about a quarter the size of their real arms. They could be moved, but it was limited and awkward, and sometimes their movements would mimic the real shoulders unintentionally.

The progenitors of future flight both wound up being male. They were not treated coldly by their families, but they did live slightly harsher lives. One had weak main shoulder muscles which hampered his ability to carry heavy items. He often suffered from arm injuries after overworking his weak main arms. But that appeared to be the only thing he suffered from.

The other male suffered from a misshapen skull, and the entire right side of his face was paralyzed. He lost sight in his right eye and had difficulty eating anything but soft foods. In addition to his tiny second arms, his tail also split halfway down. It wasn't a perfect split either, one side was shorter than the other. And although there was nothing physically wrong with his legs, he tended to limp on the right side, as if his brain had difficulty telling it when to move.

They were far from perfect, but they were still loved. The weak-shouldered one found a family of two females and another male that accepted him, stubby second arms and all. They often interacted with the second arms as if they were real arms, encouraging him to use and move them when he could. If he had felt any kind of self-consciousness towards his defect before, he embraced it within his new family.

The other met a particularly overprotective female Defender. They formed a very deep bond, and although her status as a Defender would dictate she help protect the colony, she spent most of her time caring for her beloved. Considered an invalid by most, she treated him as an equal, helping him when he desired it, and giving him encouragement when he tried to accomplish tasks on his own. Returning her love, he found himself crafting

her all manner of beautiful decorations, many intricate pieces full of skill and devotion. Had they not met, he likely would have lived out his life among the other invalids, passing each day the same as the last. Her love inspired him, and he constantly pushed his own limits. He even crafted himself a short carved pole to aid him as he walked so he would not require help to get to his destinations.

It would be untrue to say I had no doubt they would lead fulfilled lives. Far from it. I had worried greatly for them when they were young. Many looked at them curiously, wondering about the feathered protrusions from their backs. They were unsure what to make of them. Most that had such deformities were unable to break out of their own shells, and died soon after. But these two managed to live, a feat in itself. I was still thankful for their loving families that cared for them, that saw them not as an oddity, but as a loved one.

The two males often interacted with each other, finding camaraderie in their shared misshapen traits, and were great friends throughout their lives. In the weak-shouldered one's family, it was always obvious which children he had sired, considering I went to great lengths to nurture the future wings through new generations. Their children suffered from less maladies than they did, which both fathers were thankful for, particularly the one-eyed father. Because it didn't adversely affect them, I left the split tail trait alone, and it developed in quite a number of his offspring.

Still something of a curiosity, the children of the progenitors also found camaraderie in each others' company, but strangely enough, they rarely formed family units with one another. They seemed to view each other more as siblings than lovers. It was curious even more for me, as I did not influence them to do so, though it worked in my favor to spread their traits around the colony.

It didn't take long for the mountainside colony to become inundated with dual-armed lizards as I kept the mutation in each subsequent generation of children. Those that left the mountainside colony for the forest I released from my influence, and more often than not, their children were born without the proto wings. Sad though I was to see one of them go, I did not

want to stop them. For all the influence I used on them, I still wanted them to live their own lives as they saw fit.

After some generations, a second mountainside colony finally formed, the advent of bush tending helping ease the destruction of the calamity and providing more abundant food. By this time, the proto winged lizards were no longer seen as a curiosity, and were just another part of the colony, many of whom helped form the new colony. Their new arms were getting stronger, their feathers longer, long enough to start layering with each other in different sections. Their bones were lightening, and the lungs and hearts expanding to be ready for the additional stress to come. The muscles for their arms were weakened as the muscles across the chest for the wings strengthened. The feathers themselves were taking a more familiar shape, branches of tightly strung together filaments in an oblong shape.

Everything was going so smoothly, it almost seemed like a lie. The plans and designs I had laid out were coming along with minimal error, and I was neither overburdened nor met with surprises. It was a strange feeling. I was satisfied, but at the same time I almost felt I desired something more. There was nothing in particular I wanted to occur, just some manner of something.

How I would regret hope for any kind of change.

23.5 - Interlude - The One-eyed, Four-armed Lizard

He was born misshapen. His family heart was intact, but the rest of him was strange. He knew soon after birth that others viewed him oddly. He did not know what to make of those looks. As he grew older, he learned to recognize those looks. Pity, sympathy, curiosity. They were not ill- intentioned, but they did feel discomforting. His parents and siblings comforted his distressed heart as best they could, but they did not understand what it was that tormented him.

In his colony, he found another like himself with the strange and alien arms growing out of his back. He was grateful to not be alone in his disfigurement. But it also became clear they were not exactly the same. The other one was strong, and so long as he did not overexert himself, he could live normally.

Envy grew in his heart. They were friends, comrades even, but that did not stop the jealousy. The one-eyed lizard always seemed to need help with everything, and his family was all too willing to do everything for him. The envy started growing into anger, and his family did not know how to still the pain growing in his heart.

When he was old enough, he left his family's pit shelter. He tried to eke out a living on his own, and do everything himself. If only his leg would move when he told it to. If only food didn't slip out of his jaw when he ate. If only those second arms didn't get in the way. If only he could see with his right eye. He was barely surviving on his own. His anger grew so large he would allow none to help him, even when he needed it. He wanted to prove he could be self-sufficient, mostly to himself.

It was himself he was angriest at. His desire to be self-sufficient caused him to spurn those that only sought to aid him. He knew that, but he couldn't stop himself now that he'd begun. At one point, while he was carrying wood back to his poorly built shelter, he accidently dropped his load. His right leg chose that moment to not work, and he tripped over all the wood he had collected, and his left arm came down harshly on the rocks trying to protect his face. It was enough force to break the bone near the elbow. He cried out in agony, blood seeping from sharp cuts against the ground rock.

In that instant, all his envy, jealousy, and anger turned into despair. He couldn't do it. If he kept up this ridiculous idea of trying to live on his own, he could wind up killing himself. He almost thought maybe it would be better if he did.

He laid there for a while. Those that knew him were afraid to help for fear that he'd lash out at them, and he wallowed in that feeling of self-pity and depression. He was ready to give up.

As he began to fall into that unending spiral of misery, he suddenly felt himself lifted from the ground. A strong female, a Defender, had lifted him up and slung him over her shoulder. He moved to protest, snapping back to his angry ways, but that blinding pain in his arm stopped him. Since he could only see her back, she sent calming colors through her tail directed at him. As much as he longed to, he couldn't stop his own colors from shouting in pain, and the female shifted him slightly, hoping to put him in a slightly more comfortable position and she took him to the center of the colony.

When he was finally set down, he found himself among the weak, those who could not care for themselves. Lizards like himself. Lost in his dejected thoughts, he didn't see that the female had left and come back. She had two short sticks and a long string of flattened twine. His one eye watched her, not particularly interested in this female who had finally sent him to the last place he'd wanted to be, the place he knew he now deserved to be.

Sudden pain in his arm turned his vision white. His world swirled violently.

He was almost certain he was experiencing the same turbulence as the calamity the first scalesongs sang about. He cried out in pain and tried to move his arm, but the female, much stronger than he, held him fast. While the pain didn't dissipate, it did eventually lessen, and with his good eye he looked down upon his left arm. The sticks kept his elbow straight and the twine held his arm in place so it would not move. It was uncomfortable. He moved his right arm to remove the the ridiculous thing, but the female's hand shot out and grabbed it, causing him to look at her. Her scales shimmered in warning and danger.

He replied in flashes of annoyance, desiring to be left alone. But how she replied shocked him. She motioned to her family heart, shimmering the center of her chest in that familiar light blue all lizards knew. , she shimmered to him, very calmly.

He wanted to retort, but was left shimmerless. He knew as well as any that the family heart was always there, always with them. It never helped him build his poor excuse for a hut or procure food, but it watched over him, all of them. He had been on his own for so long now, he had forgotten that simple fact. It humbled him, in a sense, to be so blatantly reminded.

Pain and sadness poured out of his own family heart. They had been buried inside his anger. Why did they come out now after all this time? He couldn't stop his dark feathers from shimmering in waves of raw emotion. The female did not say anything to him, but she held him close, comforting him with physical closeness that he had long abandoned. Deep in the back of her throat, a low, soothing purr echoed from her body to his as emotions wracked through him.

He soon found out the Defender had not brought him to the center to live with the invalids, but just to get supplies to dress his broken arm. Being on patrol duty, she often helped not only fend off enemies, but also assisted other lizards that had been wounded outside of the colony. Knowledge of such things as the splint that now graced his arm had been passed down for generations now, though they knew not where it originated from. Although he had been inside the colony borders, she had still seen the injured lizard

and took it upon herself to give him aid, just as she would have done for anyone else.

She eventually took him back to his poorly erected hut to rest. Despite his protests she brought him food, but let him eat it on his own. As he tried to rest, he was awoken by rustling noises. He found the female reinforcing his hut so it wouldn't come down on his head, which had happened once in the past already. She replaced the thatching on his roof in properly tied bundles, and restructured the roof apparatus. She basically rebuilt his whole hut.

He tried to get her to leave, but she only told him to rest. Unable to stop her, he let her do as she pleased. After being besieged by her goodwill for several days, one day when he woke up he found a piece of wood and a carving tool left on the floor of his hut. He did not have such things, and was certain she must have been the one to bring it. When she stopped by later with fresh water, he questioned her about the tools. She casually mentioned he might be bored while healing. He could use his feet to hold the flat piece of wood, and carve using his good right arm. At first, he didn't touch the obvious present, seeing it with contempt. But the boredom did eventually get to him enough to try his hand at it.

He had never tried the arts or crafts other lizards seemed so enamored with; he was lucky enough to be able to put a roof over his head. He started out with simple designs at first and slowly filled the plank with simple lines and shapes. When he filled up one plank with carvings, he would find a new blank piece when he awoke the following day. Thus while his arm healed, for the first time in his life he found a passion. He enjoyed the carving. Even his two tiny mutant arms didn't get in the way. Now engrossed in his carvings, just beyond the vision of his good eye the female watched over him, often shimmering in a smile.

After his arm started getting better, the female gave him chores to complete around the hut. Spending so much time there, the one-eyed lizard finally invited her to spend her nights there, since she was always loitering around anyway. If she had another home to go to, she rarely went there. Graciously, she accepted the other fur blanket he kept in his home, a sign that she was at last welcome there.

Little by little he noticed his anger at his life fading. If he really sat and thought about it, it was almost peaceful. He hadn't felt so at peace in a long time, maybe never. One day, out of the blue, he questioned why the female did so much for him. She replied that she did only what she wanted and needed to do. And it was true. The things he could handle on his own, she let him do. If he wanted to do something, she let him do it whether he failed or not. If it put him at risk, she would help if he started to lose control over his actions, otherwise she let him do as he liked.

In addition to the peaceful feeling, he also felt freedom. He had tried to free himself, acting on his own, not accepting help from anyone, but all it did was serve to remind him how restricted he was. And yet, when she helped him, he didn't feel restricted or held back; he felt more freedom than he ever had in his life. Thanks to her, he could live as he wished. Not some invalid that always had to be taken care of, but just another lizard in the colony.

Seeing that he had calmed down, other lizards often offered him help, but it was usually the female Defender that turned them down. She was confident in his ability to perform actions on his own. That confidence flowed from her into him, empowering him to do more. She was overprotective in that way, and when he did need help, she always wanted to be the one to help him, hoarding him all to herself.

He realized one day that she completed him. She was like his other half. That night, he did not sleep under his own fur blanket, but instead shared with her. She accepted his own willfulness with no questions asked. He didn't know why it had taken so long to realize how he felt about her. She was the only one, no others could compare. His arm had healed long ago, but he never turned her out. Loving colors flashed all over his scales that night, and she responded in kind.

After that, he spent his time not only carving, but putting all his love into trinkets to give to his most beloved. He started with a bracelet, perhaps because they had met due to his broken arm. He twined some small pretty stones together, and was able to trade one of his carvings for a pretty

seashell from the shores. With the shell as the centerpiece, he presented her with the beautiful gift made just for her. Her colors flashed in a way he had not seen before. A lizard's blush, full of girlish embarrassment, gratitude, and love. Her tail wriggled about mindlessly in sheer happiness. She was so overwhelmed with happy emotions, she almost couldn't even look at the one-eyed lizard or his creation for fear that she would simply burst from the bliss. She had never been given such a gift, especially not from the one she loved with all her heart. Her reaction was so adorable, he found himself wanting to make more things for her.

He now enjoyed life in his colony, and all those around him, especially his parents and siblings, were grateful to the female Defender who had finally brought peace to his heart. Things like compliments and heartfelt thanks always caused that adorable blushing and embarrassed reaction from her. He was almost a bit jealous that he wasn't the only one to see her that way. He reconnected with his other four-armed friend who had also found a loving family to call his own, already with children in tow. The one-eyed lizard was surprised to find that about half the children shared the same four-armed trait the two four-armed friends had.

While the two friends reconnected, the one-eyed's Defender played with the children of his friend, and he suddenly felt a desire to see her play with their own children. There were times he thought he shouldn't have children, lest they end up like him, but now he could see in his friend's children that no matter what, they would be all right. They wouldn't be alone.

That night, the two deeply and lovingly embraced each other, both hoping to soon have children of their own. Later, as they laid still under the fur blanket, the larger female hugging her one-eyed mate from behind, careful not to squish his second arms, he gently shimmered to her.

He asked why she had chosen him. She was silent for a moment in thought as he turned in her embrace to face her and see her response, wrapping his split tail around her one of her legs. Finding the words she wanted to say, she relayed that he was a hard worker. He didn't quite understand, but she elaborated. She had always seen him work by himself, despite his maladies, or perhaps in spite of them. He always kept pushing himself forward. She

had fallen in love with him long before he met her. And so when he was on the ground and in pain, she had instinctively gone to him to help him.

He admitted that although it wasn't so at the time, he was now glad she had, otherwise he would probably be living a lonely life among the other invalids...or maybe not at all. She squeezed him close and flashed all manner of reassuring and loving colors to him. .

He agreed. It had taken him a long time to learn that. A life without family was empty. The reason he felt complete with her was because she was his family. Surely his four-armed colony brother felt the same with his family, surely his own three parents as well. He now even felt thankful for his anger and resentment that had stewed in his heart early in his life, for without it, he likely never would have met his beloved. He would take on all the pain, all the torture, all the curious and sympathetic looks he detested just to meet her again. To have her tend his wounds, fix his home, and heal his heart.

Whatever future lay ahead of him, he was ready to face it, together with his loved one. His feelings poured through his family heart, and the Overseer who watched over them was glad for it.

((Author's Talk: So I totally got enamored with one of the proto wing progenitors and this story just practically wrote itself in one sitting. The second arc will be wrapping up soon, then we'll get into the long third arc I've had planned for a while now. I hope you enjoyed this little interlude, despite the foreboding line at the end of the last chapter.

I've been writing Overseer for about a month now, and I must say I've enjoyed every moment of it (despite that work has kept me from writing

every single day like I'd like). In that month I've gone from a couple dedicated readers to a whole slew of them and somehow made it to the top 50 best rated fictions on the site (#44 right now ;u; thanks guys!). If it wasn't for everyone's support, I probably would have stopped long before now. As it is, I'm still brimming with the drive to continue, so a huge thank you to all you readers! Even the ones that just add to the views (it still makes me excited seeing just how many people have read the chapter, so thank you non-commenters ). Thank you everyone for reading my story and enjoying it this far!))

24 - Lifeblood

It had been quite a number of generations since the proto wings first appeared. They were now looking more like the wings from my memories, though smaller in size at their current point in development. The changes to their anatomy were also nearly done. I almost couldn't believe how quick this change was to achieve compared to the changes I had made before. My influence was certainly greater than when I had begun. After this last great change, I wondered how I was to use my ever-growing influence. I thought back to Bushtender and how much of myself it had taken to communicate with her in her dreams. It made me think that for all my great influence in being able to change their bodies, to directly communicate was the far more difficult task my influence could achieve. It could be that was where my future headed, not to influence their bodies, but to influence their minds.

Looking at how they dealt with their miniature wings, I saw they had learned how to fold them to keep them out of the way, and found they came in handy for balancing. When outstretched alongside their arms, the primary feathers extended just beyond the reach of their hands. Though not yet long enough for flight, to the lizards who had not had such wings only so many generations ago, they were still quite large.

When folded, they reached from just above the shoulders to the base of the tail. They would need to at least reach the ground in their folded position to be large enough to carry them. Despite their current uselessness for flight, they did provide a new communal activity among the winged colonies. Preening between family and colony members became a fun social activity that lizards engaged in, making sure the feathers stayed clean since they were unable to clean them completely on their own. If one lizard had discomfort in their wings, their ability to selectively shimmer could pinpoint the area of discomfort for another lizard to rectify the problem.

Such selective shimmering had become the norm for pointing to body parts for any reason around every colony, the control of which had come from Scalesinger's excellent color mastery in her songs. Pinpoint shimmering not only worked for pointing to the body, but also developed as a form of whispering. By shimmering just one part of the body out of sight of others, lizards could effectively speak quietly to each other. The children had fun passing along secret messages, and the adults could more easily surprise loved ones. Not all whispering was for fun and games though. The hunting parties found it easier to track prey when they didn't have to give their position away by shimmering their entire body. Being able to communicate and command from just an arm was incredibly advantageous. They never ceased to amaze me with all the wonders they could achieve outside my influence.

While watching over them, mostly just waiting for the wings to complete themselves, whatever sense it was that I had connected to earth suddenly triggered something within me. It was like a weak tug on a string. I had put so much of myself into forming and hastening the wings, I had not paid much attention to the realm in which they lived. But that tug felt important. As worry started to fill me, it began to feel more foreboding.

I decided to follow that string which connected me to the earth, taking myself away from wings for the briefest of moments. I followed the trail that seemed to pull me in, feeling through the rock the further down I went. I could feel my connections with my lizards, now so far above me on the surface, weakening. It was only my family heart that remained with them as I fell ever deeper into the earth. What was down here that called me away? Half of me wanted to race back to my lizards, not wanting to lose proximity to them, but the other half, the one full of fear and apprehension for their safety, kept me continuing downward.

I felt myself sliding into the rock, much like I had done with my lizards. I did not realize just how connected I was to the earth. Or perhaps, as time went by, the connection had become stronger. My fear of the earthquake and the tsunami had caused me to pay more attention to the earth under my lizards' feet for some time, and though I desperately wanted to return to my lizards, to their warmth and comforting, for my love of them I dove deeper.

The warmth I felt here was different than theirs. It was hot. Suffocating. I could feel its heartbeat, as though it were living. The lifeblood of the earth flowed through here, constantly eating and renewing the rock that sat delicately above it.

I let myself fall into the hot blood that encircled the earth. My connection carried me along the flow. It was both foreign and familiar, the heat creating dazzling colors within me. A murmur and roar of noise echoed throughout.

Had this been where I was born? Was this where I slipped to when I overextended myself? It certainly felt similar. But there was the slightest discomfort about it. Was the discomfort coming from the liquid fire that flowed in the earths' veins, or from me? As I melted further into it, it became hard to tell. I sought release for my discomfort, and eventually I found a path, and flowed through a small crack. I hoped to find release there.

I traveled through the crack, part of the surging lifeblood. From around me, I knew that this path had not existed until recently, it was newly formed. New melt flowed back into the lifeblood that had not been part of it for ages. I travelled faster and faster, desperate for that wanted release.

And then I came to it. A great and vast pool of lifeblood. No, after I came to the surface of it, I felt my senses returning, coming back to myself. A roiling, bubbling, endlessly hot substance; while it certainly was the lifeblood of the earth, that was not what my people had called it. They had given it a fearsome name, one that produced both awe and panic; lava.

((Author's Note: If you would like some mood music for the second half of this chapter, try Jack Trammel's 'Force of Ruin' ))

https//watch?v=-OQRLRRChsw

25 - The Riverside Mountains (map)

Lava. The word sent a chill through me despite the heat. It was close to the surface as well. The vent must have opened during the calamity and been building up ever since. The heat wasn't only formed by the lava itself, the pressure in the enclosed space caused both the temperature and liquid fire volume to rise. As more lava pushed its way up the vent, filling the magma chamber, it continuously built up the pressure. It wasn't ready to blow just yet, but it would be soon. I had to prepare.

I wouldn't let such a calamity occur again.

As some lava surged upward from the pressure, I escaped with it through another vent in the ceiling of the pool. The lava didn't make it all the way out; despite its best efforts; the way was blocked by solid rock, but I could go through it. As I passed through the rock, I could feel the mountain around me. There were two additional blocked vents the hot magma was trying to break through. All were too close to the surface for comfort.

I broke free of the rock to feel my surroundings. It was the first time I had been able to freely view the world away from my lizards. At some point I had stopped trying to see the world on my own, convinced I'd never be able to break away from my lizards; partially from not wanting to. But if I could explore more freely now…

No, this wasn't the time for such thoughts. I took in everything. My vision extended in all directions from high atop the mountain, not limited by physical eyes like in my visual memories. My heart sank. I could see the mountainside where my winged lizards currently resided. There was only a fraction of relief to see that it was in the distance. The mountain I stood

atop was not theirs. But it was still too close. Not only that, with the massive amount of magma I had been in… I took in the view of the mountain I was over. The caldera of a volcano long since erupted was huge. This was not some minor volcano. This was the center of the old fault line. It dwarfed my lizards' mountain by a large degree. I could not tell just how large the eruption would be, but if they were caught by it, they would be decimated.

I was looking at my lizards' mountain across the vast forest that separated me from them. With horror, I realized I was not as separated as I thought. This forest...I knew this forest. This was the forest that lay between the shore and the mountains. This was the forest where my lizards lived.

My heart had sunk before...now it was utterly devastated. Even if they all evacuated...where would they go? If the eruption was large enough, it could wipe out the entire forest, and that's where a majority of my lizards lived.

I felt myself panicking. Would it end like the last calamity? The shore colonies would be able to swim away, but would they be the only ones left? I didn't want to lose any more colonies. I took in the surrounding view again, looking for any place that might serve as a refuge.

There were a few mountains in this range, but none so tall as the one I floated above. They would quickly meet with disaster as well. My lizards' mountain was a bit separated from the range. The forest surrounded that mountain on three sides. Behind the mountain was a river that nearly cut through land mass, threatening to break off the tip into its own island. The lizards didn't go there because the river was wide and hard to cross, and the mountains that cropped up immediately on the other side were difficult to pass.

...Difficult to pass. Could it be… Thoughts formed too quickly for me to actually process. But maybe, just maybe, between the mountainside mountains and river mountains, they would be enough to keep the worst of the disaster away. There was a small forest on the other side of the river mountains that could serve as a second home for an evacuation. Colonies would be forced close together, but hopefully they could manage there until

it was safe to return to their previous homes.

Yes. This could work. Just like the shore cliffs saved some parts of the forest from the tsunami, these mountains could help prevent some of the effects of an eruption. Hope had been rekindled inside me. It would be a difficult journey to evacuate the forest and mountainside colonies, and the trek to the forest beyond the river would be long, but from the pressure I had felt inside the magma chamber, I believed we would have just enough time. I had to act now. Wings, complete or not, could wait. What influence I had needed to convince the lizards to leave their homes, which I was certain would be a trial all on its own.

I was even a bit excited, for all my fears and worries. Excited because this time I could save them. I wouldn't have to just watch from the sidelines as the angry world took its toll on my family. No longer relegated to a bystander who could only warn them minutes from impending disaster. The excitement turned into a fervor to protect them.

While in that fervor, I suddenly felt a tingling sensation. It wasn't quite unlike the feeling I got when I had my warning sense triggered about my limited ability to continue influencing the bodies of my lizards. But it felt different...foreign.

I had been so intent on looking towards the land where my lizards lived, I did not pay much attention to the other side of the volcanic mountain. But the sensation made me look. Something was there. Something strange, something…familiar. It was an impossible feeling to describe. I felt myself reaching out to touch the invisible thing that caught my attention, but as I did, something happened. It was like when I had looked into the rift inside my heart and felt it looking back, such feelings resurfaced now. It was as if the hills I viewed had eyes, and all at once they stared at me, looked at me, saw me.

I shrank back. Cringed. Something was out there, and now it knew I was here.

((Author's Note: While writing this chapter, I had a pretty good idea of the layout of the land, but my brain always works best with visuals, so I made a map! Hope you all enjoy!))

If you think it looks dark, don't forget, they don't really have dirt, they have black rock. If they had dirt, it would probably look like this:

The lizards colonies are currently spread over the following areas:

26 - Evacuation 26.5 - Interlude - The Eyes of the Hills

I raced back to my lizards, fearful of the presence I had witnessed. I wasn't quite sure what it was, but it filled me with dread, almost as if there were something wrong with it. A part of me was morbidly curious about it, but mostly, I wanted to be away from it. It frightened me.

When I felt myself enter the area of the forest my lizards were in, I felt a wave of relief. I did not realize just how frantic I was to get away until I reached safety. I wanted to hide away, far away from the eyes of the hills. Away from its unblinking stare and what its presence might mean. I wanted to deny its existence though I knew I could not, to pretend I had not been seen. I did not know why being seen caused such fear in me.

But I couldn't hide, not from the presence, and certainly not from the volcano biding its time until it erupted in a fiery fury. For now, I would forget the eyes of the hills. I had no time to spare to deal with it, nor even ponder it. My only job now was to ensure the safety of my lizards, so that they may continue for many generations to come. I would deal with the eyes of the hills when the time was right.

I formulated my plan as night fell over the region and most lizards retired to their homes for rest. I chose one lizard from each colony, and sent them each the same two pictures. First, a vision of a sky aflame, trees turned to ash, and, as much as it pained me, the burnt corpses of lizards littering the ground; a vision of death and destruction. But next, a vision of the grand wide river and the riverside mountains just beyond offering sanctuary to any who came; a vision of hope.

There were many colonies, and even just two images was incredibly

draining. Much of the energy I'd saved for tending the wings was funneled into my warning. It woke all my chosen ones with a start, a cold sweat causing their bodies to shiver despite the warmth of their family. Through the family heart, I sent them feelings of panic and urgency, so that they would know it was not only a dream.

Nearly all of them understood the message, a mere three not heeding the warning. But that was fine, they would get warnings from the others and then they would know the premonition was true. The forest lizards explained to their families, and eventually the rest of their colony members, about a great and terrible forest fire that would cover the sky, making allusions to the calamity of old. The mountainside colonies delivered much the same message, highlighting the fear with mentions of the calamitous rockslides. And for the shore colonies, they found assurance in escape by the waterways.

Messengers were sent around to each colony, confirming that a lizard from every colony had received the same premonition, further verifying the dream's validity. To those who remained skeptical, I sent the same feelings of panic and urgency to convince them of the truth.

For the first time in the history of the lizards, a representative of every colony came together in a great conference to discuss the coming danger and form a plan. My heart fluttered with pride at their growing rational thinking. Some representatives were my chosen revelators, some seasoned and knowledgeable elders, others active community members.

The shore colony representatives relayed their ability to swim away from the danger, but that they would still assist their landbound brethren. The others were thankful for the offered aid. Thanks to the image of the riverside mountains, they decided very quickly to make that their destination, as they felt their family heart trying to lead them there. The next big question was how to actually go about the evacuation. I could not give them any ideas this time, what influence I had left needed to be saved for any emergency that might occur. It would be up to them now to determine their path, I had simply provided them with the destination.

They conferred for the rest of the day, and decided to produce many baskets to carry personal items, food, and essential materials to their new destination. But just carry baskets wouldn't allow for much to be taken. One of the few defenders at the conference suggested using the field stretchers they had recently begun using to transport injured lizards back to the colonies. It was a crude creation, much like the baskets, with the basket-like weaves around two poles with thick twine at one end to drag, or both ends to carry. The idea was greatly praised, and solved both the problem of transporting larger quantities of items and lizards unable to walk themselves. They couldn't make as many stretchers as baskets, they simply took much time to craft and not many were well-versed in their creation yet, but both would serve as valuable transports.

The plan was coming together. They would enlist as many lizards as possible to start crafting the baskets and stretchers, while others would work on sorting out what communal foods and items to bring along. Families would chose which personal effects they would bring in their family baskets, but at least one member of each family, if not more, would be needed to contribute manpower to carrying the communal items.

It was a good, solid plan. I was incredibly pleased with the conclusion of their conference. Everyone would have a part to play, and in just a few days' time they could begin their trek to the river and beyond.

26.5 - Interlude - The Eyes of the Hills

It came on the big mountain. It reached out to This One. This One saw it on the big mountain.

It fled. It went to the other side of the big mountain.

What should This One do? This One must always tell the other one what This One sees. This One must go to the other one. The other one must know what This One has seen.

27 - The Long Road

Everything they'd built, all the blood and sweat they poured into the creation of their communities, had to be abandoned. Cultivated farms of foliage along the forest floor, the side of the mountain, even near the shoreline, would have to be left behind with only seeds to begin anew. Some farms had been part of the colonies for many generations now; Bushtender's original garden still thrived and was well maintained.

Despite the conference's conclusion, many lizards were reluctant to leave their family homes. Here, they knew every tree, every rock, every tidepool, and their entire history lied in these lands. Beyond the riverside mountains was unknown to but a few, mostly shore colony lizards who had swam far along the shoreline for the thrill of adventure and finding something new. Of all the lizards, it was mostly the children that were excited to find some new mysterious place; they were too young to have become overly attached to their colony's homeland.

While most became convinced to leave, a few of the more stubborn ones kept firm. Despite the coming disaster, they wanted to brave the danger in hopes that they could avoid the worst of it. I desperately wished they would go, but their hearts were set on remaining in the place they called home, even if it was doomed to ruin. Of those that chose to remain, most were already elderly, and if they were fated to die soon anyway, they would rather do it at home with a chance to live and keep the colony's old home alive. For all my persuasion, the final decision had always been theirs. I would not force them to leave, I could only encourage.

For the next few days, other than the patrols to keep aggressive creatures away, everyone contributed to crafting the baskets and stretchers needed for the evacuation. Even those that were staying behind gave a helping hand. They may have decided to remain in their homeland, but they did not

begrudge the rest leaving and assisted where they could.

A pall hung over each of the colonies as they worked. The journey would be long. From the distance those that had visited described, it would take a couple moon cycles or more to reach their destination as their pace would be slow. When they rested in their homes at night, they took stock of their personal belongings, deciding which were the most precious and which they could stand to part with. The scalesongs were quiet in those tension filled times.

For my part, I kept an eye on the mountain and the magma chamber. As the pressure built, the earth began trembling in greater frequency, to the point they began to feel such tremors in the forests colonies closest to the volcanic mountain. Through my connection to the earth, I could feel a constant background noise as the magma continued to move in earnest as a deep and low inaudible harmonic tremor.

And as several days passed, it was finally time to go. Those that stayed bid farewell to their extended family, giving loving head bumps and filling their scales with colors for a safe journey. The trek began from the forest colonies nearest the volcanic mountain, heading towards the river in a slow unreveling march. Along the way, the other colonies joined up, walking in line with the rest. Thanks to their connected family hearts, they knew when the others were close to begin their own journey forward.

A river of lizards filed through the forests, and any that might have been excitedly anticipating a grand new adventure were quickly sobered after only a few days on the path. Had they been able to travel more quickly, it may only have taken only one moon cycle to reach their destination, but as it was, the trek was hard, and the road was long.

Eventually those of the mountainside colonies joined up, and about half of the shore colonies fell in line to help carry loads and offer support until the long line of lizards reached the river. Already the other half of the shore colonies were making preparations by the river and in the new refuge; their ability to swim fast and take advantage of swift currents were a great benefit in the water.

After a full moon cycle since the first colonies had begun the journey, they finally came to the river. It was long and wide, an imposing figure blocking their way to the riverside mountains just beyond the water's reach. It would have been difficult to cross if not for the efforts of the shore colony lizards. They had strapped felled logs together, reaching from one side of the river to the other, with crude planks tied between them to allow a space to walk. Not knowing the techniques needed to raise the bridge above the water, the bridge ungulated with the movement of the wide river.

Many lizards were unsteady on the hastily constructed bridge, some having to get on their hands to crawl across. A line of shore lizards ferried goods across the water so that the landbound lizards would not have to carry them on the unsteady bridge, and also rescued any lizards that fell off the constantly swaying contraption. The teamwork was a sight to behold. Although the shore lizards could very easily have left their landbound brethren to their fate, they had single-handedly saved the others from the most difficult task of the journey by giving them a way to cross the river in safety. And although it took many days for all the lizards to cross the river, eventually that dreaded part of the journey was done.

Once lizards got to the other side of the bridge and retrieved their goods ferried by the shore lizards, they fell back into line. With the river behind them, their spirits lifted as they saw the safety of the towering riverside mountains that would guard them from the danger to come. It felt like they were nearly there though they still had much of the journey left; yet half for those from the closer colonies, but only a third for those from the furthest colonies. Some of the strong youths and adults set out to go directly over the mountain to reach the refuge colony faster and help those from the shore colony prepare for the arrival of such a great number of lizards. With so many lizards in the line, they could not all hope to brave the mountain and safely reach the other side; they had to go the long way around the base to the south and follow the southern shore to the forest.

For the length of the trek, most other animals stayed wary of the unending line of lizards, and only a few desperate predators attempted to make a meal of them. Lizards from the mountainside who had never left their rocky and

sparsely treed home found many animals indigenous to the forest quite interesting, but also found some annoying bugs that preferred the warmer climate. Creatures that had never crossed the river, nor journeyed over the thin strip of land on the northern side of the landmass were curious and wary of these new and strange beings making their way around the mountain.

The lizards of the mountain expedition made good time over the mountains, using fire to keep warm on the chilly nights as they ascended over the terrain with its melting snow. They were welcomed with open arms by the shore families who had been doing their best to gather enough brush and wood that would be needed to build new homes. The forest lizards that had scaled the mountain barely took any time to rest and immediately set upon the task of building the structures the coming conglomerate colony would need. Homes were built much closer together than in their home colonies as they tried to conserve space. Using their endless ingenuity, they began to construct homes in sets of four, each home sharing a common wall with two other homes. This allowed them to save on both materials and space. And instead of their normal central hub built in the middle of colonies, they built several that could each serve as a place for storage and gathering, thus easing the future congestion from lizards that would need access to the stores.

By the time the first lizards from the long line arrived it had been two and a half moon cycles since they began their journey. About a third of the needed structures were already ready for use, a great headstart. The main group was tired and exhausted from the long and arduous journey, and took a well-deserved rest before aiding their brothers and sisters in construction.

Over the next several days lizards continued to arrive at the refuge, expanding it from the central starting point ever outward. The lizards were crammed together, trying to take up as little space as possible, but thanks to their great teamwork they managed to make it work.

When the last lizards arrived, it was apparent only a small number had been lost on the long journey. Some of the elder lizards that came on the long road couldn't hold out between the stress and physical exhaustion of the

journey, despite their best efforts to continue, and some of the weak and sickly suffered similar ends. Not wanting to leave their dead to the wilderness, the already overburdened lizards had taken on the additional burden of carrying the departed to the river or southern shores for their watery burial. For those they could save, materials and goods were divided among other stretchers and baskets in order to carry the weakened lizards to their refuge destination.

All in all, for all the sadness, homesickness, and loss of family, they had done well to reach the refuge without any major incident. The other half of the moon cycle was spent organizing, getting families into homes, constructing more homes, and figuring out new sources of food to collect from. Those that brought seeds began planting to renew lost gardens so that they may again tend to their renewable food and material supply.

There was tension in the air as many were apprehensive if everything would work out okay, and more than a few arguments broke out amongst the stressed lizards and their families. But as the days passed and they settled into new routines, calm began to descend upon the great refuge colony of lizards. The shore lizards, now free to tend to their own, sought out new homes amidst the kelp forests by the new reefs, spreading out around all three sides of the new refuge land: south, west, and north. The mountainside lizards, missing their rocky home, eventually migrated to the riverside mountains once things settled down in the main colony.

But the calm was not to last for long. The very danger that sent them here in the first place roared ever louder in my earth-connected ears as the mountain reached its breaking point. It could no longer hold back the heat and the pressure building inside and sought relief for its agony. The ground had bulged above where the lava gathered, eagerly awaiting sweet release.

I sent a last warning through the family heart that the eruption was imminent. Several lizards of the refuge colony decided to scale the riverside mountain summit. They wanted, needed, to witness the disaster that drove them all from their homes.

((Author's Note: Apologies for the late chapter, my mom was visiting for a few days, so my world revolved around her for a short while. And as I came into work on Sunday I got rear ended coming off the freeway, with me a in a dead stop yielding to traffic and the other guy barreling down the ramp. Visited urgent care for some bad whiplash, but thankfully no bad news, just strained muscles, and the damage to the car is superficial (My poor car has been hit 3 times in the last 6 months, I don't know how people don't see it). I was bedridden for a couple days due to dizziness and the inability to hold my head up for long, but am now doing much better. Releases should now continue as they have every 1-3 days. In better news, I actually wrote the majority of chapter 28 before 27, since I was inspired at the time, so it will be out quickly!))

28 - Eruption

I stood at the top of the riverside mountains. Just like the lizards that also ascended to the summit, I had to see it for myself. The coming flames would no doubt hurt, but we had to witness it, and it was the duty of the lizards with me on the mountain to tell the others what would occur this day, for surely it would also become a scalesong to tell all coming generations.

The harmonic tremors felt at the forest during the evacuation didn't reach this far, but through my connection to the earth, and those lizards that remained behind, I could still feel the gentle buzz continue in the ground. And all at once, the buzzing noise ceased. The entirety of the earth grew still, and for just a moment, it was as if time itself had stopped. Even the wind ceased to blow, creating a truly and eerily silent world. It was the calm before the storm. The lizards who had been setting up camp on the cold mountaintop also picked up on the foreboding silence and turned their attention to the mountain in the distance.

Then it came. It started as a deep rumble that could even be felt this far away. A single, thin plume of smoke escaped from the top of the far away mountain. Its message was clear, the eruption was to begin. And from that plume, the cone of the mountain quickly erupted into flame and smoke. The smoke towered higher and higher, unsatisfied until it could reach the top of the sky. The plume grew and multiplied, like the dark and scary brother of a puffy white cloud. It ate the sky, hiding it from view. Flashes of fire could be seen inside the dark clouds, reminding us that where there is smoke, there is most definitely fire.

And then the sound came. It was so far away we had seen the explosion before we heard it. A great roar descended upon the riverside mountain, flowing into the forest behind it, filling every crevice with its explosive

bellow. The lizards had only heard of the great roar of calamitous earthquake in their scalesongs, but this would resound forever in their hearts, a noise that could be felt through the entire body.

The scouts atop the mountain sought comfort in each others presence. I too sought comfort with them as the sound of eruption continued, explosion after explosion. The lizards that stayed behind huddled together, praying for the best, but expecting the worst. The life blood of the earth had yearned to be free, and nothing could hope to stop it. Even in their fear, the lizards atop the mountain kept vigil, their feelings reflecting my own; we must see this to the end.

The great cloud mushroomed into the sky, spreading out in all directions, raining ash and balls of hellfire on the earth below, punishing it for trying to keep the magma contained. A laughable notion; nothing could contain the fires of earth.

And the moment I hoped would not come to be finally came to pass. The smoke, heavy with rock, fire, and gas descended down the mountain like a great, black avalanche. Its speed was incredible, nothing on this earth could hope to outrun it. It ran down the mountain, eager to reach the base and spread itself over the land. The rumble of its passing was not unlike the sound of an earthquake. A pang rang through my heart as it reached the forest. Its force was great and terrible, and awe inspiring for its destructiveness. I could feel the trees in the distance cave to the force denser than a hurricane. Even if the trees were not uprooted by its passing, the heat inside the insidious dark cloud burnt them to cinders. It was the pyroclastic flow.

The slow-moving and all consuming lava could not hold a candle to the destructive force of the flow. One might be hit by lava that had exploded out of the caldera, but rarely did it move fast enough that you could not get out of the way in time. It was a slow killer by comparison. It would slowly take over the base of the mountain and extend out into the forest, that much was true, but the pyroclastic flow could reach farther, move faster, and kill more than lava could ever hope to achieve.

The lizards in the homeland forest made peace with themselves and those around them, now knowing the ferocity of the volcano was not one they would live through. To their family heart, they wished for the continued happiness of those that lived through this disaster. And in an instant, their lives were snuffed out as the pyroclastic flow invaded their homes, setting everything aflame, and passed through without pause, nor a care for what it had destroyed.

A secondary explosion occurred on the far side of the volcano, likely one of the other vents capitulating to the pressure deep inside the mountain. It added to the smoke and the flame rising out of the primary caldera. The fires of the mountain would not be quelled any time soon. It lasted deep into the night, the light of the lava more visible in the darkness. No stars appeared that night, not with the smoke taking over the entirety of the sky as darkness had fallen over the land. Only the red sunset, well below the clouds, bid a final farewell to world.

The mountaintop lizards eventually returned to the forest of refuge, seeing that the eruption would continue on for some time. They would go back and relay what they had seen to those waiting below. With heavy hearts, they descended from the cold and blazing summit. I stayed on, watching the event for days as the volcano threw ever more ash and smoke into the air, as its fires laid waste to the forest, and as the pyroclastic flows ate everything within their long and terrible reach.

29 - An Old Foe

The riverside mountains were far enough away to escape the brunt of the volcano's destructive force. But the dark clouds that continued to cover the sky created a somber atmosphere in the refuge colonies, as if the sky was reflecting their own hearts.

Ash fell from the sky like gray snow, littering the ground. The once black rock took on a lighter gray tone as the porous holes were filled and covered. Many homes collapsed under the weight of the ash before the lizards learned they must keep the roofs clear. Young saplings suffocated and turned black in death. Coughing filled the air as much as the ash, particularly affecting the young, the old, and the weak. Even along the shore, the falling ash ruined more than its fair share of gills, causing the shore lizards to retreat deep beneath the waves and not resurface but for those with incomplete gills.

No sunlight appeared with the heavy clouds overhead, and the ashfall was too thick to see much of the dawn or dusk light. As depression and stress levels rose, arguments and fights filled the overpopulated colony. There wasn't enough room, food was difficult to find, and the fresh water was tainted. Although they had been able to escape death from the fiery end that had awaited them in the forest, it still managed to find them here. The world was cruel to the living, always making them fight for survival.

The dawn did eventually return, but spirits remained low. The volcanic mountain had finally been sated, and the only sign that it was still alive was the thin plume of smoke that continued to leak from the caldera. From the peaks of the riverside mountain, the devastation was much more apparent. Between the refuge and the volcano, dark paths of black created a road of ruin from one mountain to the next. But there was hope. Some pieces far from the volcano had managed to stay out of reach, and those small bits of

green, like an oasis in the desert, would surely provide shelter for other survivors. I was only sad that none of those survivors would be my lizards that had remained behind.

With a heavy heart, I turned away from the volcano to the ash-covered refuge of my lizards. They seemed beyond my ability to comfort. They had left everything they'd ever known, and now in this new place there seemed to be only death, broken homes, and ruined spirits. Even as they worked to repair the damage from the ash, their hearts were not in it. It was as if I looked upon a society utterly defeated.

They were weary. Their bodies were tired from the journey, and their hearts were tired from the losses. Even the promise of new life wasn't to be, as several clutches that hatched among the ever persistent ash succumbed quickly to its deadly clutches. I could not comfort them for I felt as devastated as they were, and my small light of hope from the forest could not fill the darkness that currently hung over them.

It was not something that could be fixed in a day. It took time to heal and clear away the ash. But as the ash ceased to fall, with each layer cleared away light began to return to the world. Each layer brushed away shed more light on their hearts, and though it took time, I did eventually see some happy and colorful shimmers return to their scales and feathers. They were not as vibrant as before the volcano, but even a small splash of color was uplifting. For this generation, the loss of home and family could not be overcome, but there would eventually be some happiness again. With most of the ash gone, the young hatchlings were finally able to breathe in their new home, and life seemed to start to return to their new refuge.

Seeds eventually began to sprout through the ground, no longer clogged with gray poison. The forest that slept through the disaster finally began to awaken as sounds of insects and small creatures filled the morning air. Curiosity was returning to the colonies as they started exploring their new home. The new young who only knew of life in the forest of refuge were the driving force behind the exploration. Hunting parties again sought out new food as they discovered prime places to stalk, and foragers found strange new plants with edible flowers and delicious fruits. The life that had

once seemed as if it was about to fade was returning. The world was cruel to the living, but working together they could make it through.

The story of the volcano became a commonly recounted scalesong, singing of the prophets who had received the vision of flame, the great exodus across the river, and the angry clouds and fire that had rained from the faraway mountain. Much like the scalesong of the great calamity, it was a song of tragedy and death that must not be forgotten, but always at the end was the reminder of hope. They had lived to sing of the tragedies, and life was able to continue despite the world's efforts to end it. They had been tested time and again, and they had survived together. That is what the song taught the young.

During a hunt for food, a young hunter had been humming the song on his scales as they waited for a scout to return with news on a passing herd of long-haired antelope-like animals. They were nimble creatures that lived in the riverside forest, and they were very quick. The hunting party had to ambush from multiple sides to be able to take one down, and relied on the intel of the scout to engage in a proper formation.

A partymate asked why the young hunter hummed such a sad song out here. His reply was that while it was a sad song, it filled him with the drive to be more than he was yesterday. Should his people ever find themselves in such a catastrophe again, he wanted to be strong enough to support everyone. His partymate thought deeply about the young hunter's words, but didn't get a chance to reply before the scout returned, bursting through the trees and bushes.

The hunting party expected a quick report, but instead found the small lizard out of breath, flaring with colors of danger. They tried to ask what caused her to be so out of sorts, but her replies were muddled in a mix of haste and fear. One message came across crystal clear, 'Run!' But her message was not quick enough, for it dropped through the trees above their heads, landing on one unfortunate member, the crush the bones and impact of weight resounding through the now silent forest.

I knew this beast. It had changed since I had last seen it, but the terror it

inflicted upon my lizards remained. The great snake had grown on par with my lizards, making it a giant among the forest, yet still somehow able to hide amongst the trees unseen. The dark green and red mottled monster had a plethora of small horns facing backwards from the crown of its brow to the holes it had for ears. And this time when it unfurled its fangs to strike, a strange phenomenon occurred. In its mouth, flashes of sparks could be seen, but it wasn't until it lashed out at a member of the stunned hunting party that I knew it for what it was.

Lightning. Its mouth was electrified, paralyzing the lizard it latched onto. Tossing the useless lizard aside, content to devour it later, it prepared for another strike. The shock of the giant predator was broken with a vocal call from the young hunter. For those that could see him, he shouted with his scales, calling the hunting party into an anti-predator formation. His spear was shaking as he faced the giant snake, but his fear of losing his hunting mates was greater than his fear of the great predator.

The lizards moved closer to each other to be able to cover for each member. Against a foe that could attack as quickly as this one, it was suicide to not stay together, lest they be picked off one by one. When the snake tried to strike again, it was faced with the points of several spears, causing it to recoil. It watched the lizards as they fell into formation, the small scout at the back with her own stone dagger. It seemed to rethink its plan of attack and started moving around the group. The lizards were mindful of its bobbing head, and only the scout thought to look behind. It was too late when she cried out as she saw the tail whip towards them, crashing into their group and breaking their formation.

It took the moment of panic to strike again, catching another lizards in its massive jaws. The hunting party was down to four members plus the scout. The scout kept an eye on the surroundings while the hunting party again regrouped. The more seasoned hunting party members could see from the snake's eyes that it was old, but by no means feeble. No, this was a strong beast with much experience hunting prey both weak and strong. As the party and the snake came to a standstill, they began to quickly try and formulate a plan.

'Run?' 'Too Dangerous.' 'Agreed, danger to the colony.' 'Kill it?' 'Agreed.' How?' Their scales flashed in rapid succession. To the snake, it was no more than an enticing and curious dance of lights. It again tried to surprise them with its tail, but the scout was ready and gave enough warning. The young hunter was able to turn in time to stab the tail before it could swipe their whole party again. The snake reacted to the pain, quickly retreating with its tail and putting more space between them. It didn't back up out of fear though, it just gave itself more time to come up with its own plan of attack against clever prey.

The great snake sparked its mouth in warning, daring them to come closer. One member took the bait, dashing forward with a quick 'Cover me' flashed on his scales. The others tried to react in time, but the snake's taunt had worked as it planned, and once the brave lizard got close enough, it flicked the brave hunter in the head with its tail from the side and snatched him up in his momentary daze.

The remaining lizards retreated back farther, hoping to stay out of reach. They were running out of members and running out of options. Surprisingly, it wasn't one of the hunting party that came up with the next plan, but the scout. It was a difficult plan, but with the snake's speed and power, they didn't have much choice. After they all agreed on what needed to be done, the partymate that had spoken with the young hunter before the snake arrived dashed away into the forest.

The snake did not give chase, it was not so foolish. Down to two hunters and the small scout, the snake was sure to eat well this day. The snake again began to make a wide circle around the remaining party members. For the remaining lizards, they could only hope their runner would make it in time. To delay the snake, the two hunters would make feints and retreat, however the snake only fell for the false charge twice before it picked up on their game.

As the snake continued to slowly circle the party, they would also circle the snake to stay out of reach of its tail. The snake was very patient, it would not rush an assured meal, though the flashes on their scales did tempt it. While circling the delicious meal-to-be, the snake was very slowly closing

the distance between them. If it could get within striking range, it may incur a few injuries, but it would be able to kill them all. Then its clever prey did something unexpected. One charged straight for it, with the other two not far behind, flashing in a brilliance of colors.

The Snake hesitated as the three charged in a line, all brandishing the points of their weapons. The young hunter ran at the front, fully prepared for what was to come. He held his spear close to his body and mentally prepared for his attack. The snake's hesitation was only for an instant and it struck out at the young hunter in front. Long fangs penetrated his body as he was rapidly lifted away from the line, the snake retreating as it snagged its prey.

But the spear was held close to his body for a reason. As a spark was about to electrify the prey, the young hunter jabbed his spear into the roof of the great beast's mouth. Even as the beast cried out in pain from its soft tissue being penetrated, the spark still activated, electrifying the lizard and the roof of its own mouth. The young hunter was thrown away as the snake writhed in agony. Too preoccupied with its own pain, it did not see as its doom descended from the tree above.

The runner had gone back into the trees and quickly climbed after he was out of eyesight and scrambled across branches to make it back to the hunting party. There he waited as the snake and group slowly circled each other, the hunters keeping the snake's attention while periodically flashing to ask if the runner was in position. When he finally flashed back out of the snake's line of vision, they only had to wait until the snake came under the runner's tree before attacking to fully lock its attention on them. Then the runner used the snake's own surprise tactic against it and dropped down with gravity as his ally, and struck the head of the snake beast.

The force of impact penetrated the spear deep into the snake's flesh, beyond its intimidating scales, just behind the frightening horns. There was a distinct crunch felt and heard by the runner as the spear drove home. The runner was thrown as the great beast entered its death throes, desperately trying to live though it knew its end was imminent. It thrashed about and the scout and remaining hunter backed out of its reach. After a few moments, the snake limply tried to move until it could move no more. The

eyes of the great beast, once blazing with a life long lived now looked cold and empty.

The hunter ran to the runner who had been thrown from a great height atop the snake, and was found to be badly injured, unable to move his legs. The scout went to the young hunter and found him already perished from blood loss by the massive fangs of the snake. His scales were singed from the electricity as the others had been, but his death was sure from the moment he volunteered to charge at the head of the line towards the snake. The bodies of the other dead littered the ground, too numerous for the hunter and small scout to take back on their own. Instead, they focused their efforts on bringing the runner back safely to the colony.

Before they left the scene, the runner wanted to see the young hunter one more time. Although the young hunter could no longer see, the runner told him in somber shimmers that he now understood why he had hummed such a sad song, and that his sacrifice had saved the colony from a monstrous foe. Truly, it was a small catastrophe averted.

Carrying the half-paralyzed runner on his back, the last hunter set off towards the colony, the scout moving to take the lead after she took in one last look of the scene of carnage. Four hunters had been killed and one paralyzed, but the beast was dead. It would not be able to terrorize the colonies as its ancestor had, and I was just as proud of them as I was heart- broken for their loss. Their bravery had saved the loss of countless lives, and the young hunter had fulfilled his desire to save his colony from disaster. I took their memories into me, and I could feel the memory of Starlight satisfied that the lizards could now overcome such a terrible foe. I was happy for them beyond what words could convey.

I was confident that my lizards could survive. They had lived through my selfish whims and all the terrors this world had to offer them and they had survived. Even if the whole world became their enemy, they would survive.

((Author's Talk: Thus ends the second arc and the conflict of nature. I thank you so much everyone for all your continued support, and I hope you'll enjoy the coming third and final arc of Overseer, which I predict to be longer than the second as the passage of time slows down for our Overseer and their lizards.

EDIT: And I just wanted to mention that the reprise of the snake beast came about because someone replied they wanted to see it again, which inspired the whole second part of the chapter =D So when you guys make suggestions or even just little side commentary, I can be inspired by it!))

30 - A Blossom in the Heart

Together we had overcome all the trials and tribulations to come our way. It was a very satisfying feeling to see my lizards being so capable and able to care for themselves. While still able to give them guidance, they were quite adept at discovering things on their own thanks to their natural curiosity and willingness to try new things.

While I focused on finishing the wings that had been put on pause, I watched as my lizards began adjusting to their new homes. Unlike in their home forest, there were no cliffs separating the shores from the forest of refuge, and relations between the shore colonies and other colonies greatly increased. Trade became more abundant than ever, and the shore colonies were able to help supplement the food of the forest with fish and seaweed in much greater amounts than before.

The influence of the shore colonies, in particular their competitive games of strength of agility, led to a certain discovery one day during a hunt for the agile leaping antelope-beasts of the forest. The lizards referred to the animals as Quick Springs for their ability to move quickly and spring high into the air to get away from danger. Their short ribbed horns that pointed backwards were rarely cause for concern as long as a lizard didn't stand in front of one, and often they would leap over the lizards and avoid physical contact if possible. A group of hunters was setting up an ambush both around the target area and above it, the technique given to them by the hunters of the great snake beast.

After scaring the Quick Springs toward the ambush point, the hunters jumped from their positions, spears out, to impale the beasts for their meat and hide. One of the tree ambushers, however, missed his target, landing himself instead of the spear on the back of a Quick Spring. Not knowing what to do by the unexpected turn of events, the lizard held on tightly as the

Quick Spring attempted to dislodge the predator atop its back. It ran, jumped, and bucked until eventually the lizard could hold on no more and was flung to the side, the beast escaping into the trees.

The failed ambusher was laughed at by the hunting party as several others confirmed their own successful kills, and although embarrassed and sporting new bruises, he laughed with them. The ride had been scary but also exhilerating. The adrenaline rush made him want to try again, and see how long he could last. Inspired by the games of the shore lizards, he sparked the idea of a competition to see who could stay on the back of a Quick Spring the longest. Amused and intrigued, the hunting party agreed after they brought back their spoils.

They again set up another ambush, but this time they did not use their spears, and the ground ambushers' jobs were just to herd the Quick Springs to the right area, while the tree ambushers would attempt to stay atop the bucking Quick Springs. As another herd of Quick Springs came into view, the first rider's adrenaline rose with anticipation at the coming thrill. The Thrill Seeker now timed his jump for landing on top of the beast rather than trying to spear it, a difficulty in and of itself, but he did manage another fantastic ride, along with several other members, before being thrown tail first to the ground.

Ripples of color in laughter filled his scales. He had lasted even longer that time, and much longer than any of the other lizards that tried. Everyone seemed to enjoy the new game. Though it did not give them any food or materials, it did give them a fun thrill. Their fun game sparked a memory within me of my people on the backs of great beasts of burden, riding like the wind, faster than their legs could carry them. The beasts that had once been wild were tamed and trained to follow the commands of its rider. Image after image flashed through my memory of the great achievements the beasts allowed, completely changing our history. I had remembered about crop farming, but the memories of animal domestication didn't come to me until now. When the memory ceased, I looked upon the Quick Springs as my lizards did, and saw in them the lizards' future.

To the Thrill Seeker who was already enamored with the beasts, it did not

take much convincing from me to make him see the same future I did. All he needed was a single image of himself upon the back of a Quick Spring, not hanging on for dear life, but instead riding with the beast. Although just an image, the feeling of synergy between lizard and beast was carried with it, riding off into a future of untold possibilities. It made me smile to see the glittering colors of pleasant dreams dance across his scales as he slept and dreamed into the night.

The next day, the Thrill Seeker thought long about how to capture a Quick Spring. He knew how to kill one and how jump on its back, but as far as taking it into his custody, he was at a loss. The beast would not simply follow him because he desired it, and they were very skittish, particularly since they were hunted by the lizards. That he could now see the beast as both a source of food and companionship was an odd feeling for him, and he decided to give proper thought to those strange, seemingly conflicting, feelings.

He spoke with his bachelor group about his thoughts. They wondered what he would do with the beast if he would not eat it. To them, it seemed a waste of food and hide. To the lizards that hadn't tried to hang onto the backs of the Quick Springs, it was difficult to explain. They wished him well with his odd endeavor as he went to seek out the other members of his hunting party to see if they also thought his idea was strange.

His hunting party, while they didn't share the same zeal about the idea as the Thrill Seeker, they did at least understand his concept for desiring to ride on the back of one for longer than a few seconds. 'What will you do if you capture one?' one member shimmered on her scales in question. He responded, 'I would go many places.' When asked where he would go, his eyes took on a very far away look, one full of dreams, hopes, ambitions, and wonder. 'I would go anywhere. Everywhere. To the edge of the world and beyond.'

Giggling glimmers of color spread across the faces and arms of the party at his enthusiasm, not in jest, but out of being impressed and amused. To them, the day before yesterday the Thrill Seeker had just been a youth full of energy but no where to use it. He had been put into a hunting party as a

way to release that unending energy, but now he was driven, like he had found his purpose. Although they could not understand the scope of his dreams, as the edge of the world sounded very far away, they were glad for him that he at last had a goal.

As they discussed how he would capture one, a member wondered where he would keep it. You couldn't keep it in one of their pit shelter homes, and they were able to leap high enough to clear any kind of wall you might build around them. That realization put a damper on the Thrill Seeker's mood, bringing him back from the edge of the world to reality. But, in a typical youthful consequence-free manner, the Thrill Seeker concluded he would think about that when the time came. It caused another uproarious laugh through the group as some of the older members reminisced their own youthful endeavors.

At the very least, more than housing the beast, more than capturing it, the Thrill Seeker came to realize one thing. He first had to stay on its back. Before visions of grandeur could completely cloud his vision, he wanted to make the image from his dream a reality and stay on the back of a Quick Spring long enough to feel the wind on his scales, not the ground on his back. Although today was not one of their hunting days, the party agreed to accompany him out to the forest and help him get onto the back of another Quick Spring.

The first two attempts to ride a Quick Spring landed the Thrill Seeker on the ground in a matter of seconds, but by the third attempt he was finally getting the hang of it. Through trial and error, he learned that the placement of his weight to maintain balance was key, and a good hold on the coarse fur on the neck or shoulders made it a little easier to hold his posture. Having his legs straddling the back of the beast like in his dream made his ride attempts last much longer as he was able to shift his weight around following the motions of the beast. His party mates were impressed with how quickly he improved, inspiring some to give it another go as well using the Thrill Seeker's newly discovered methods. None could last as long as he, but if nothing else, it was a good bit of fun.

After losing count of how many beasts he'd attempted to ride, the Thrill

Seeker finally got on the back of a Quick Spring that after futilely trying to buck him off a couple times, changed tactics and instead sprinted for the trees. The Thrill Seeker clung to the fur for all he was worth, hugging his legs as tight as he could to the sides of the beast. It was scary, but more than that it was thrilling. Forcing himself to keep his eyes open, he saw as the trees flew by with the Quick Spring running and leaping between them. He felt like he was faster than the wind that rushed across his body. He wished the journey would never end, thinking he may just reach the edge of the world, but that trip was cut short as the Quick Spring again changed tactics back to bucking. The Thrill Seeker was unprepared for the sudden shift and was promptly thrown into the air, landing on his back hard enough to knock the wind out of him. The Quick Spring then took off again, eager to get away from the creature that had tried to claim its back.

Trying to regain his breath, the Thrill Seeker looked upwards through the trees, seeing hints of blue skies dotting through the green boughs. What a ride. He reminisced that feeling, capturing it so that he may recall it later. The sight of the trees blurring as they ran by, the sound of the wind across his ear holes, the sensation of the furry body he gripped combined with the rush of wind over his scales. It was exhilerating. He never wanted to forget, and hoped he'd have many more experiences like that.

Finally he heard vocal calls from his party mates that were searching for him after the beast had dashed away. He responded to their calls a bit hoarsely as his lungs still burned from the crash. His party found him still on his back on the forest floor. They were worried as they bent down to check on him, but the colors forming on his scales were ones of pleasure and satisfaction. Apparently there had been no need to worry. They picked him up and put him back on his wobbly feet and he tried to remember how to walk. When he mentioned he wanted another go, the party stared at him and his audacity, then after a moment burst again into laughter at this cheeky fellow who was not only not discouraged, but immediately wanted to try again. His fighting spirit emanating from his family heart sparked a fire in theirs. The Thrill Seeker only wished he could convey those same feelings to the beast as he rode on its back.

The group did take a small break to let the Thrill Seeker rest up a bit before

continuing on, and after having a little breather, a couple split off to again search for the herd they had been terrorizing all day. As the stench of blood and death was absent from the area, the herd didn't travel too terribly far in between their trials and stayed fairly easy to locate. The rest of the party set up at the predetermined area, and the Thrill Seeker readied himself on a low branch near the ground.

He heard the clicking of hooves on the black rock as the Quick Springs ran from their pursuers. The Thrill Seeker became hyperfocused as several beasts came into view, and his world for a brief moment only consisted of himself and them. He watched them as they leapt about, waiting for the right moment, then he jumped. It felt as if time slowed down as he watched his legs aim for the right position on the beast now in slowmotion. When he landed, he quickly adjusted his balance, gripped hard with his legs and his hands, and like last time, clung for dear life as the animal began bucking. The Thrill Seeker constantly shifted his weight, paying close attention to the movements of the Quick Spring, and using all the experience he had gained that day about their habits to remain upright. After a while of jumping and leaping about, this Quick Spring also changed to the tactic of sprinting to dislodge the interloper upon its back. Again the Thrill Seeker let his balance fall in line with the motions from the Quick Spring.

They took off through the trees, dodging thick trunks and leaping over bushes, but the Thrill Seeker held on. He was better at thinking on the fly than formulating large complex plans of action, but flying through the forest did not even afford him that luxury. He wanted to tell the Quick Spring of his desire, and wanted to know if it too wanted to see the edge of the world. But the beast did not understand the colors swirling on his scales.

I came to him in that moment when his desire reached its peak, about to break under the stress of being unable to release it and calling out to me. I fell in line with the Thrill Seeker as if I too were trying to ride on the back of the Quick Spring. The memories of history and my own personal experience atop a riding beast calmly flowed into the lizard. And with one last push, both of us desiring to ride the beast together, our two hearts and minds as one, a voiceless cry resounded.

It was like a soundless thunder that rippled and blossomed over the three of us. The place in the middle of the Thrill Seeker's chest where the family heart resided sent a light blue wave of color across his skin. To my limitless eyes, it seemed as if the blue color also washed over the Quick Spring from where the lizard and beast were connected.

Silence came over the area by a small stream where the Quick Beast had halted. As if coming out of a trance, the echo of the shared pulse between rider and beast faded as his heart settled and the sound of the world around him returned. His half-lidded eyes spring open as he came to realize he was no longer moving, the beast beneath him stopped in its tracks. Its chest rose and fell with heavy breaths as it regained its energy from the tiring sprint. I disconnected myself from the Thrill Seeker and watched as it finally dawned on him that the beast was no longer trying to remove him from its back.

His heartbeat rapidly increased, a strange unbelievable happiness spread over his scales and through his family heart. Adrenaline filled his body, his goal of riding a beast complete. But now he was at a loss. He didn't know what to do. The memories I'd shared with him when we were connected were hazy at best, but he recognized that rider and beast moved as one unit. He did not know how to urge the Quick Spring forward now that he had accomplished his first goal. Just like the moment he desperately committed to memory of his first real ride on the beast, he now fell into that same state of mind, trying to recall every detail of his experience.

After reliving his own memory, on a whim, he focused on his family heart and the beast. Through his heart he shared his desire to travel, to run together again, to reach new heights and the farthest edges of the world. He resonated with the beast, sharing his emotions and dreams. And then, through the heart, he willed his new partner forward. The Quick Spring then took the first step towards their now shared future.

That day, both the Thrill Seeker and I learned something new about ourselves. I could connect with the lizards on a much deeper level than I ever imagined, and if their desire was great enough, the lizards themselves could connect and share their family heart with not only their family, but

other creatures as well. It was a future I could not have imagined being set into motion, and I eagerly awaited to see the result of the Thrill Seeker's efforts and the realization of his dreams.

((Author's Note: This is probably the first time that I was writing a chapter and the direction completely changed mid-writing from where I intended it to go, delaying the discovery to bring about the age of metal (sorry!). The original description of domestication only lasted about one paragraph, but I didn't like it and rewrote it...and it kinda took over the whole chapter. I hope you have enjoyed the Thrill Seeker's endeavor as we wait for the Age of Metal to come.))

31 - The Coming of the Age of Metal

When the Thrill Seeker came back to his hunting party on the back of a docile Quick Spring, they were flabberghasted. A million colors flashed to him at once asking all sorts of questions. The concept was difficult to explain to the others, as there were no words to describe what he had done. The closest thing he could come up with was that the beast was now like family. When he dismounted, the Quick Spring stayed within close range of him, not tearing off back to its herd as was expected. The Thrill Seeker also did not try to put distance between them, preferring to stay in close proximity.

One of the hunting party members tentatively asked if she would be able to ride it. The Thrill Seeker was unsure, but gestured for her to try. No one had tried to mount a Quick Spring without trying to ambush it from above, so she was a little puzzled about how to get on its back.

When she put her hands upon its back to try and vault herself up, a pang of unease blossomed in the Thrill Seeker's family heart. It was a weaker connection than with other lizards, and didn't echo through his heart to those around him; a private connection between lizard and beast. The Thrill Seeker put his hand upon the female lizard's shoulder to stop her, relaying his companion's unease at another being upon its…her back.

He knew the Quick Spring was female by the shortness of her horns, but hadn't thought to refer to her as a 'she' until they were connected. One did not typically care about the gender of prey, but now that she was a companion, it felt wrong to consider her an 'it'. A tumult of emotions passed through the Thrill Seeker as he looked upon his new companion and wondered if he would ever be able to consume Quick Spring meat again.

His life had significantly changed in an instant and he still did not know just how far this new connection in his heart would take him.

The female lizard then desired to see the Thrill Seeker upon his glorious steed once more, an acceptable alternative to riding the beast herself. Being unpracticed in mounting a docile Quick Spring, it was a bit of struggle and not at all graceful, but eventually he was again on the back of his companion and breathed a sigh of relief. He took his mount and walked in a circle around his party so they could stand in awe to their hearts content.

They took their time seeing just how well the Thrill Seeker could communicate his intentions to his Quick Spring, and found that so long as the requests remained simple, she was able to oblige. There were some requests she refused, like adding a second rider to her back, as she was again uncomfortable with the notion, and the Thrill Seeker respected those feelings. After being asked again how the Thrill Seeker had connected so deeply with the beast, the hunting party wanted to see if they too could claim a mount of their own.

After several attempts at riding more Quick Springs, they found that the bond between the Thrill Seeker and his Quick Spring companion was not one easily replicated. The Thrill Seeker felt that their desire was not strong enough to jump start the connection, which caused a bit of bitterness among the younger members of his party. Even if they knew that theirs was a whimsical desire created in the heat of the moment, it still put them out of sorts to be told so directly.

The party returned to the colony a while after that. It was a quiet return with everyone, except for the Thrill Seeker atop his mount, plodding along. The younger members were a mix of downtrodden and miffed at their failure. The Thrill Seeker wanted to help them if they truly desired to ride on the back of a Quick Spring, but he wasn't sure how to encourage them. The more experienced members of the party told him not to worry about it too much, and that even those negative feelings could be the spark they needed to turn their luck around. Things had a strange way of working themselves out at times.

The party came back to many surprised looks. Colors of wonder and confusion appeared across many sets of scales. As members of the colony started to crowd around the strange sight of a lizard on the back of a Quick Spring, the Thrill Seeker could feel his new companion becoming more anxious and distressed. He decided to remain near the border of the colony where there were less lizards and try to relieve his companion of her fears. The party went their separate ways to their homes from there, but rumors spread fast. Many lizards, especially young ones, went to go visit the docile Quick Spring. The children also wanted to ride the beast, but were content with petting her fur. She seemed more comfortable among the small lizards than the adults, and the Thrill Seeker thought she may eventually overcome her fears so long as he took things slowly with her.

As the older members of the party predicted, two of the younger party members became even more driven to succeed after their repeated failures to bond with a Quick Spring. While other parties focused on hunting as normal, the Thrill Seeker's party had become devoted to trying to make connections with the Quick Springs. Those that didn't have the desire to ride the Quick Springs themselves assisted the other members that did, and as the days passed more lizards found themselves able to create that special bond with the Quick Springs when their desire synched with the heart of the beast.

The lizard society was once again headed for change thanks to the Thrill Seeker. The new docile Quick Springs quickly formed a herd of their own that wandered around the borders of the colony. There were some Quick Springs that preferred to stay close by their bonded lizards, but most were fine being with the herd until they were needed by their lizard companion. The lizards immediately noticed the need to differentiate the bonded Quick Springs from the wild herds used for food, and began to decorate their mounts as they would themselves. Necklaces were most common, followed by horn ornaments, to show that these Quick Springs were part of the colony.

Young born to the docile herd, while wary of the lizards, seemed more keen to accept their presence than their wild born cousins, and made them easier to bond with. It also became more apparent as time went on which lizards

were more adept at bonding with a Quick Spring by the feelings exuded from their Family Heart when they looked upon the tamed beasts, although none were barred from at least trying to bond. And just as some lizards went about their lives not caring whether they rode a Quick Spring or not, there were also Quick Springs that stayed wild at heart, never bonding with a lizard, though some remained content to stay with their herd.

When the Thrill Seeker was much older, thanks to the many lizards that now bonded with the Quick Springs, expeditions to the old forest became possible. A distance that would have taken many moon cycles to walk could now be covered in a matter of days. They avoided the unstable walking bridge that had gone into disrepair, and aimed for the northern end of the land mass where the river had yet to completely sever through to the other side of the sea.

The expeditions were often a pleasant ride until they came to the areas desecrated by the volcano. For the new generation that hadn't lived through the destruction, even they could hear the echos of the crying earth as they gazed upon the charred landscape. Among the blackened husks of trees there was little life. The feeling cast a pall over the explorers, come to see if they could find colonizable pockets of green forest among the debris, or if anything was salvageable.

The Quick Springs were usually uncomfortable in these areas that offered few places to hide from predators, but the comfort of their riders were able to still such fears to a tolerable amount for all but the most skittish. The riders were also reversely assured by their companions, relying on their heightened senses while they were on high-alert to be watchful for potential danger.

At the lead, the Thrill Seeker, now aged and experienced, led his troop through the routes he had seen a dozen times before. Despite his previous expeditions, he had not become numb to the sight of black shells of homes as they passed through old colony territories, and all who rode through the darkened roads experienced the same disquieting feelings upon seeing the rubble of former civilization.

Perhaps it was my own memories causing phantoms to appear in their hearts as they tread once lively ground, now desolate. As they gazed upon the burned and broken structures, seeming as if they would crumble at any moment, my memories overlayed on the scene. Where they saw a blackened hut, I saw a family of lizards going about their daily life. A black streak of soot was a common road traveled by many to the center of the colony. The ghosts of the past filtered in among the debris, and it was like I was losing them all over again as they faded from view. Nearly everything we had been through together lied on this side of the river, and to see it all but dead shadowed my heart in sorrow.

The only touch of color along the dark ground were small isolated shoots of green, plants and weeds attempting to reclaim the burned land, but not in any large amount. Likely they were wayward seeds, caught adrift on the wind and made to take root in the inhospitable lands. Periodically there would be small patches that had been able to thrive, but they were few and far between. But even so, the small amount of green was a tiny signal of hope. As the greens withered, they gave nutrients to the earth to help new plants survive, and in time, the forest would again come alive. So for now, although the phantoms and ghosts of a better time still haunted the spaces between the dead trees, they would eventually fade and give way to a new future.

That future, however, would come far sooner than I expected, and certainly not in any way I could have foreseen. The expedition troop was heading into new territory, nearer to the volcano than they'd ever been. The mountain still smoked every now and then and sometimes at night you could see a bright light trickling down the side, but no more large eruptions occurred now that a pathway had been opened. Still, it was unnerving to draw near, having seen the aftermath of its destructive power first hand.

As they walked along the old roads, a call came from the back of the troop. The Thrill Seeker at the front turned around on his mount, a son of his first docile Quick Spring, and headed towards the back of the pack. There he found a few dismounted lizards inspecting something on the ground. They were in an area affected by lava flows, the farthest reaches of the hot fingers from the days of the eruption. It had long been cooled, but it was still a

strange sight. Long lines of black lumps, both smooth and bizarre, caressed the ground like an alien hand. Like waves in the sea or folds of cloth, beautiful patterns adorned the quieted magma. But it was not those beautiful shapes that had attracted the attention of the lizards.

Next to the mounds of lava rock there were glints of something in the ground. One of the lizards requested a tool, and hammer in hand, began to excavate the curious find. Bang bang, the hammer struck, ringing into the air as tension rose in the group, anticipating the find. As their emotions flowed into me, I was reminded of the first time I had ever seen my little lizards, and the Little Leader who had changed my life so significantly. Watching the actions mirrored here, I could see just how far they had come from the little lizards they used to be.

With a last strike and some muscle power, a rock was finally pulled from the earth. The lizards had seen many beautiful rocks, but this was something altogether different. It shone with a brilliance unmatched by any rock, like a shell from the Shore Colonies that reflected all manner of colors. But this was not some brittle shell. The hammer that had freed it from the ground had become dull very quickly, but the rock itself was hardly damaged from the blows.

As in every precious moment before this, I knew this one rock would again change their society in an untold amount of ways. There had been small sparkles in rocks from the mountains or the riverbed, but this piece was larger than the hand that held it. The aqua-colored shine extended like rivers over a brilliant orange surface, and it was beautiful to behold. The lizards would call it a shining rock, but I alone knew its true name.

Metal.

32 - Addiction

Upon unearthing that fine piece of metal, I was inundated with a myriad of memories. The history of my people truly began with the discovery of metal, such that all eras before it were lumped together as something occurring before history. The Age of Stone would come to an end, and then the Age of Metal would begin. From protective outfittings to great structures that touched the sky, metal was the beginning of it all.

I looked towards the volcano and once again remembered the Eyes of the Hills. They had unsettled me and made me fearful, but perhaps with metal I could protect my lizards from whatever it was that frightened me. I could only hope so.

After a bit more scouting around the lava flow trails, they found a few more pieces of 'shining rock', as they had come to name it, though none so pristine as the first. They collected them out of the black rock, eager to take their spoils back to the colony for the others to wonder at. The lava had done what I had yet to teach my lizards, turning raw ore into metal. No doubt the extreme heat of the earth's lifeblood had smelted many such beautiful pieces as it ravaged the land. But they could not simply rely on nature to refine the raw ore, they must learn how to create it for themselves.

Although the expedition hadn't turned up any pockets of livable space, they were satisfied with the spoils they would bring home. Over the next few days it took for them to make their trek back to the river, I pondered how to give them the knowledge. I let my consciousness drift through the members of the expedition, feeling their connections to their Quick Springs and to each other, let the beating of their hearts lull me into a waking sleep.

For moments at a time, I experienced the world as they did, the sounds, the sights, the smells, even the taste of the wind as it blew by. I especially

relished the sensation of smell and taste, and most importantly, touch. They were feelings I lacked but in my own memories, and those paled in comparison to the real thing.

Since I had merged with the Thrill Seeker during his time of taming the wild beast, it had been a common practice for me to flit through the hearts of my lizards, living vicariously through them. I did not realize just how much I had missed the senses I lacked. It left dull ache every time I detached myself after indulging. It was like a drug, and I was thoroughly addicted. I did have my connection to the earth itself, but the nostalgia invoked from connecting to my lizards was incomparable. It was like trying to compare a plant to an animal; though they shared the same fundamental ability to live, die, feed, and breed, little else was similar.

I wanted to drown myself in the sensations of my lizards. But if I let myself sink completely in, I was certain I would never resurface. It was an appealing end, one I now often contemplated pursuing. To let myself simply dissolve into them, leaving no trace of myself but for their family heart...

It was a very selfish feeling. I knew it was selfish, yet I couldn't stop myself from staying just a little longer, wanting to have just a little more. I knew all the reasons I should stop, but those logical thoughts were often bypassed as I sought to let the feelings of reality wash over me. I told myself it would be fine as long as I didn't let it get out of control.

But maybe it was already out of control.

The downward spiral had caught me once again, and it was entirely of my own making. The longer it perpetuated, the further down I went. Even so, I felt I could stop at any time, I just didn't want to. Even if I knew it was a lie, I desperately wanted to believe it, because if I did not, I wouldn't be able to let myself indulge anymore.

Just like an animal needs to eat, I felt a new need created within me that desired to experience all my lost sensations. It was a hunger that ate away at me. Every moment I did not indulge it, I thought about it, whether it was in the back of my mind or the forefront of my thoughts. And the longer I went

without it, the louder the need became, the more I hungered for it.

...I had let my lizards become my addiction, and I used them to fulfill it. I felt guilty using them in such a way; they didn't even have the ability to refuse as I escaped inside their skin. For every touch they felt and sound they heard, I felt ashamed of myself, yet at the same time I relished in it. It was at once both blissful and remorseful; it was as if the beautiful chorus of living life slowly became a saddening elegy. Still, I always wanted more, even if it hurt me, even if it was wrong, I needed it. I felt like I might break apart without it. I no longer knew if I could be content with just existing anymore without the feeling of living.

And then I suddenly realized my need had eclipsed my ability to overcome it. While deluding myself in physical sensation and lies, I had passed the event horizon; I could no longer escape.

And even worse, I didn't want to.

((Apologies for the long absence (and shortish chapter), I'm hoping the bout of writer's block I've been having is just about done. I spoke about it in a reply on the Q thread, but for the jist, I have the rest of the story now planned out, actual written notes, which will hopefully see me through regular updates again. Fingers crossed. Also, while I myself haven't been addicted to chemical substances, I can certainly say I have an addiction to computers and the internet, and used those feelings as inspiration for the overseer.))

33 - The Collector

I needed help. I didn't want help, but I needed it. However, there was no one for me to turn to. My lizards had always been my salvation...but I couldn't bring myself ask them...not after I'd used them to fuel my need for physical sensation. The guilt ate away at me, and I began closing off parts of myself from them to keep them from seeing all the ugly and dirty pieces of me. I didn't want them to know, I wanted to hide it from them. If they knew, would they come to hate the very existence that tied them together? Would their revulsion of my depraved actions cause them to cut themselves off from me completely?

I could only tuck myself away in a small corner and hope they did not notice. There had to be something else out there, anything else, that could help me. I could not ask them for help.

As I lamented in my revelation, the expedition party made their way back to the main colony by the riverside mountains. The shining rock was received with looks of awe much as I expected. Some seashells and other items from the ocean had a similar sheen, but the exotic look of the metal fascinated the eyes.

Some pieces were kept by the party members as trophies, while others were traded off. I followed the most pristine piece as it changed hands several times, still trying to think of a way to get them to understand its uses beyond a beautiful decoration. The task was made difficult by the constant distraction of attaching myself to various lizards. Even when I forced myself to stop for a moment of clarity, I could only find myself thinking about which lizard I was going to dive inside next.

In the end, my thinking didn't get anywhere, and much time was wasted by my half-hearted efforts. The pristine metal eventually made its way into the

hands of a lone lizard. He had separated from his bachelor group quite some time ago, but had yet to make a family. There was simply no lizard out there that tugged at his heartstrings more than any other.

As I rested my existence inside him, I felt his confusion over his lack of family, wondering why he was so different from the others, hoping to find that spark that seemed to come to others so naturally. I could feel his desire to compromise his own feelings and simply live with a family so that he might feel 'normal'. But it was no use, he could not force himself to love that which he did not. It was not his destiny to leave his legacy in his children. But he did desire some manner of legacy, he just didn't know what it was yet. He hoped the beautiful shining rock he just acquired might be able to tell him.

He was lonely, not for lack of family or companionship, but acception. His lack of desire for a family separated him from others in a way that was not easily understood, and he began to avoid others for their constant reminders of his singlehood. Although their hearts were open to one another, it was still difficult to comprehend something they did not understand. It made for a very lonely existence when others did not understand you.

Something tugged at the back of my mind as I thought of that, but I was too preoccupied with how the piece of rock felt in his hands. Its shape was a mess, the surface uneven and coarse, yet the few places that were flat felt so incredibly smooth. It seemed a contradiction of itself, confused on whether it should be bumpy and sharp or slick and smooth.

The lizard found himself rubbing the smooth areas, enjoying the almost silky feel of it, something unlike he'd ever felt before. Not even a smooth rock had such a texture to it. If the whole piece could feel that way, he felt he'd enjoy it more. Otherwise, it only served to decorate his home among other oddities he had collected.

The Collector's home consisted of many odds and ends strung to walls or sitting on small tables and shelves. A wood carving made into a strange, twisting shape, driftwood that resembled a face if you looked at it from the right angle, dried out bodies of strange sea creatures that had been brought

from the shore colonies, his home was full of such strange and wondrous trinkets. And now the coppery-green shining rock, brought back from the home of his ancestors, graced his collection.

He continued to hold it in his hands, thinking of where to place it. Inside his skin, I gazed at it with him, and I imagined the heat needed to soften it, the tongs that would hold it in place, the hammer that would strike when it was red hot, slowly beating it into a flat piece that would be smooth all over just like he desired. The process was more complicated than simple dream images could convey, and I still hadn't found the answer I needed to teach them such workmanship. Had they smelted the ore on their own, they may have figured out that heat could shape it in other ways, but this was simply handed to them already done, leaving no space to wonder how much further they could go with it.

The lizard paused. He seemed uncertain about something. He turned the piece of metal over in his hands, pondering it. I could only think he must be imagining something about it. What caused the sudden shift in finding a place for it to rest to suddenly reexamining it? Nothing in his environment had changed, and I could only think he must have had some sort of epiphany. But that still didn't explain what had sparked it. It didn't seem like he was musing over the properties of the metal piece before this, I was the only one thinking about those kinds of things…

...Could it be...me? While I rested inside the Collector, layering my imagination upon reality, had he seen it? I almost couldn't believe it. But the way he looked at the shining rock, it seemed to make sense. There was a wonder in his eyes as he perceived it with new possibilities. He saw beyond the discordant surface to its heart that could be molded and shaped with heat and tools.

This, this was what I had been looking for. If I could guide his hand as I had his imagination, the revolution of metal would take hold, and a new era of prosperity could begin.

((Author's Comments: Thank you Autumnbear for reaching out to me with your desire to translate my story into German. The excitement I got from that has seen me through this chapter, nearly completing the next, starting the one after that, as well as getting some future interludes close to completion. Thank you.))

34 - Pieces of Separation

Tools. That was the first step. Without the proper tools, the refined ore could not be worked. Stone hammers were already a tool that saw normal use, and something like an anvil could easily be substituted with a large flat rock. Thankfully the lizards already knew that adding air to fire helped increase the temperature and spread of the flames, and things like communal bonfires were fairly common place at night. Building something like an oven or furnace wasn't quite within the realm of possibility yet, but I hoped it would come soon in the future.

That meant the main issue layed in what tool to use to hold the red hot metal that would easily burn through scale and flesh. Something like tongs, or even the swiveling mechanism that made tongs able to clamp and release, was not yet known to the lizards. When it came to needing to grasp items, a hand was perfectly suitable, thus such tools that enhanced grasping had not yet been thought up. No matter how strong their scales were, however, it would not be able to withstand the heat needed to make metal malleable, not even a softer ore like copper.

I spent the day thinking about what could possibly substitute for tongs while the Collector went about procuring a stone hammer and finding a nice flat rock just like he had seen in his moment of inspiration. However, I still couldn't completely lose myself to thought. As the Collector ran his hand over the relatively smooth surface of a rock, with all its minute points and divots, I was lost in evoked feelings of nostalgia. Days when I had been young, climbing on every surface I could get ahold of, a slip from which could easily injure my unscaled fleshy hands. Even the memory of pain and blood was a welcome one, for those were still precious and happy memories.

Despite all the memories I had regained about my people, and the few I had

come to know about myself, I still didn't know who I had been. The only truly intimate memory with others of my kind had been one of suffering and loss. The faces and even bodies of those that surrounded me in my memory were always mere blurs of moving shapes. I understood what they were, that they were people like me, but I could never get a good look at them or myself. When I tried to imagine what they looked like beyond the veil of obscurity, I could only liken their features to my lizards, even though I knew our hands had no scales. The shapes of my people and my lizards had become further blurred as I kept invading the strong and scaled bodies. I was losing sight of who I had been. And maybe that was okay. From what I had seen of myself, I probably wouldn't like myself very much anyway.

I left my internal introspection at that, and enjoyed the warm twinge of heat against the Collector's scales as he sat by the bonfire with close friends. They inquired into his spirited mood, and he tried to explain as best he could the flash of inspiration he had gotten concerning his small hunk of shining rock. But without seeing that vision for themselves, they found it hard to understand. Once again, the Collector was further separated from others who did not understand him, nor his vision.

But this time, he could show them what he had seen. This was something tangible that he could teach them, and if it all worked as he had hoped, perhaps this piece of separation could turn into a link that would connect him more closely with others. That was the hope he felt inside. To the Collector, this was more than simply learning to shape metal, it was what might finally connect him to others, that connection he always seemed to be lacking. Even if they didn't understand his strange tastes in decor, nor his familial preference, if it was something they could hold in their hands…

His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden crack in the fire. A log a split apart, causing a small chain reaction of shifting wood that sent up sparks into the night sky. A small piece of burned wood escaped the fire, landing close to the Collector. It was warm but cooled quickly, and from the looks of it, it was only charred, not completely burnt into charcoal. He was about to throw it back into the fire, but at the last moment stayed his hand. Or rather, I was the one that stayed his hand. The more I looked at the charred wood, the more I understood.

The Collector was throwing it back into the bonfire because it would be useless at starting another fire. Wood that had already been charred was hard to reignite, since wood doesn't burn twice. About the only way to reignite it was to throw it into the depths of the bonfire and let the flames lick it until they finally found a fresh area to burn.

But wasn't that exactly it? The charred wood, that was the answer I had been looking for. It certainly wasn't the most refined tool, but once they mastered the art of metalsmithing they could make better tools. All it had to do was be a catalyst for the future. As I made this connection, so too did the Collector. He turned the warm piece of burned wood over in his hand, once again seeing the possibilities it held.

This was it, we could do this. The pieces were all assembled, and come morning light, the real work would begin.

35 - The Ring

It had been relatively easy to make long charred handling tools the next morning. They weren't anything revolutionary or overly sophisticated, but they could work like chop sticks in pulling the metal out of the fire, and simply using one stick to keep the metal in place while the hammer took to it would be plenty fine. It was simple and crude, but it would work.

The flat rock the Collector had found was too large to move, so he instead set up his work area around it. A hole was dug into the ground, then filled with kindling, wood, and charcoal from last night's bonfire. A small nook was dug into the side to place a blowing pipe, made from the stem of a sturdy and hollow plant, which would heat the fire.

The hammer was set onto the large stone, awaiting its turn to be used, and the hunk of green-veined, orange-colored copper glistened in the now afternoon light. The Collector practiced moving the hunk with the two sticks, figuring out how to balance it between, and just how much pressure to use. When he was confident he could move it and turn and hold it as he liked, it was finally time to begin.

Tension and excitement filled the both of us, so eager were we to get started. Using the techniques created by Firestarter, and further perfected by the generations after, the Collector lit the pit fire, then placed the metal ore inside. He capped the hole, sealing in the heat, then blew long breaths into the blowpipe, the fire crackling with every blow.

The first time he checked on the metal, it was not quite the red hot he had seen in his vision, and returned the cap to the hole and kept the fire burning. It was a little disappointing, but he hoped it was mere impatience on his part, and not that this plan was doomed to failure. A short while after, when he checked on it a second time, he found exactly what he had been waiting

for. The chunk of metal glowed with heat. The radiant refined ore looked like something otherworldly, and the Collector was stunned for a moment, captivated by its alien glow. To him, it resembled a red version of the lizards' blue word for family heart, and for a brief moment, he wondered if he would connect to this metal the same way the riders connected to their Quick Springs.

He was entranced for but a moment, then snapped out of his daze and back to reality. It was time. Just like my vision had showed him, he saw now that he could make it real, that it wasn't just an absurd daydream that had led him this far. He grabbed the hot metal with his two charred sticks and carried it to the flat rock. With an audible sizzling, the sticks managed to catch fire from the sheer heat of the Collector's makeshift oven, but after he set the metal down, a good strong breath blew it out. They were only on fire for a few seconds, so the wood inside the blackened char should still be strong enough to carry out its job.

He drew his hand close to the, now literally, shining rock, and felt the immense heat pouring off the lighted hunk. It would be dangerous to touch, and he could already see it was burning the impurities on top of the flat rock black.

Now came the moment of truth. He took the stone hammer into one hand, and one charred stick into the other. With the stick, he held the metal in place, then raised the hammer high above his head, and with all his strength brought it down upon the shining rock. He could feel it through his entire body when he struck it. It did not immediately flatten, it didn't even look like he dented it, but he could feel that it had given way ever so slightly. He raised the hammer again, and struck.

Over and over, he hit the metal. When the heat began to die down he moved it back to the makeshift furnace to reheat it. His muscles were already aching, but he didn't want to stop. Already its shape was beginning to change. The top where he continued to strike was becoming flatter, and its sides bulged from the the mass trying to run away from the hammer.

The collector's body became hot from the strenuous work, and he found

himself panting with his mouth open to release the heat trapped by his scales. It was hard work, but he relished in it. Just as the metal was being forged into something new, the Collector could feel himself changing as well. He was heated from the inside just like the metal, and it made him feel all the more connected to it.

As he continued to work the metal, flattening it to have as much smooth surface as possible, it began taking on a disc-like shape. He was filled with a fervor, and though his muscles rebelled against the abuse, he didn't dare stop until he was finished. Again and again he swung the hammer. He could feel it was almost complete. Though simple in design, it was like nothing the lizards had ever created before.

And then, with another swing of the hammer, his wooden tool lost its grip on the hot metal, and the almost-disc tumbled down from the stone.

As the roundish shape of metal fell, a memory surged, overlaying itself on the scene I saw through the lizard's eyes. A round piece of metal also fell in that memory, though its center was hollow. I watched in slow motion as the coppery-orange, no, silver shape descended to the floor. Inlaid with precious stones, I knew it to be valuable, but not for the rarity of the ring itself. The worth of the ring lied in the one that wore it, the one I had given it to so long ago, when I had pledged my love to them until my dying days.

It hit the ground with a sharp ting. The sound itself was small, but the echo I heard inside myself drowned out all other noise. The significance of that sound hit me like the Collector's hammer on the hot metal. Every bounce occurred in slow motion, the subsequent tinging sounds bouncing off the walls and the hard ground, each echo overlapping the other. It finally came to rest, but the sound still echoed through my nearly hollow heart.

I could only see a vague shape in front of me, all that remained of my significant other, my better half. They had taken the ring off of their own accord and let it fall to the ground unceremoniously. I was appalled, why would they do this? We were supposed to be together until the end of our days, that was the promise we had made. But now it was crumbling, it was over. I thought I had lost everything of myself in the fire, but that one ring

was truly the last piece of me. The last small vestige of my old self faded away from my heart with the last echo of the fall.

I wanted the ring back on the finger where it had stayed for years. The sudden emptiness inside was so complete it made me desperate for something, anything to fill it. Even if it wasn't real, even if I had to pretend it was true, it could eventually become true, right? A tumult of emotions surged, desperate for escape.

But it was not to be. A rage lied within those emotions, and it was powerful, and hateful. I wondered why they would ever leave me like this. I found myself yelling and though I didn't understand the words, I understood what they meant. I was pained, tortured; I didn't understand. Did I even want to understand? Raw emotions flowed through me, they were sad, they were hateful, they spoke untruths that I convinced myself to be real in my madness.

I was in turn looked upon with pity and regret.

No, no don't look at me like that. I'll take back everything I said, just stay. Don't turn away, look at me! Don't walk away, come back! Please, don't leave me, I need you! Don't leave me alone!

But I didn't say those things. I kept them all down, swallowed them, choked on them, and just watched as they left, silent but for my own inner turmoil. Maybe if I had said something, done something, it would have been different. Maybe I would have been saved. But now my last lifeline was gone, and the obsession that had driven me into that darkness could now consume me whole, and I had no one to pull me back out.

I became irrational, depressed, as every emotion I had ever felt was hollowed out, carved right out of my chest. Why couldn't they understand me? I thought they understood me better than anyone else in this world, it was why I loved them. Why didn't they desire the truth? How could they live knowing that the killer was still out there, the one that had broken our family?! Why was I the only one that felt like this?

But now there was nothing left of me except a madness and desire that consumed me from the inside out. That was why they left. I was no longer the one they had pledged their heart to. I didn't even want to be saved from that darkness, so they couldn't save me, nor did they want to watch as I fell further into that oblivion. So they left.

Then I was truly alone.

36 - It Has To Stop

I quickly separated myself from the Collector. I was met with so many emotions, I didn't even know where to begin. My mind went out of control, and it felt like I was hyperventilating. I felt several glimmers in my family heart trying to help calm me, but rather than accept them, I felt myself pull away and hide deeper inside myself.

I was frightened. I was scared of myself. Not the me now, but who I once was. The small peeks I'd had were nothing compared to what I had just witnessed. It made me not even want to be me anymore.

I finally discovered the feeling I had ignored. I understood the Collector's pain of not being understood, not even understanding yourself. The obsession that had gripped me ended up drowning me, and I never resurfaced. I knew from other pieces of memories that my last days had become dark and darker still, but until that moment I did not realize just how empty it had felt.

With love gone, I had filled myself with a desire for revenge, which pushed away everyone left that I held dear. The obsession took over, it changed me, and no matter how much I tried to fill that hole with hate, anger, and other negativity, when I had finally completed my goal...I was empty. A mere husk of my former self.

That was the result of obsession, that was what addiction did to you. No matter how much you tried to fill it, it was never enough. Even if you tried to distract yourself, or tell yourself it didn't matter, you always thought of it. It controlled every aspect of your life, even if you didn't want it too. But you did. You enjoyed the obsession, even if you hated it. Fulfilling the craving was such sweet release that it made it all worth it for a moment in time.

It was not something you could escape alone.

I didn't want to end up like that, letting the shame eat away at me until I was nothing but a hollow shell. When numerous hands reached out to me, I rejected them all, and only now did I see that not only do others need to reach to me, but I also need to reach back to them.

I didn't know what to do. I still felt guilt towards my lizards for using them to experience all the sensations of the living...and yet, they were probably the only ones who could save me. But to reach out to their ever open hands would mean admitting to them that I had used them.

I felt little control over my own self. The black pit at my heart ached, making me feel sick. Could I really feel sick without a body? Even if I couldn't, this was surely the closest feeling I'd ever get to it, so it might as well be the same thing. I tried to focus on other things, ignoring what I had learned about myself and the fate that awaited me. Normally, I might have given in completely to that impulse, but some part of me held back. I had been so thoroughly affected by that memory that it was impossible to forget. Even now I wondered how I had not remembered that in the first place when I had first awoken.

It had been the last great failure in my life, and everything went downhill from there. My partner had closed the door behind them, and I stayed shut inside until the very end, convinced of my own righteousness. Before my passing, drained of all emotion and nearly all life, my last thought, the one that was still pure and untainted before I marred it and tortured and rent it asunder, was but a simple one. I wanted to see my child again.

The anguish at the impossibility of it was what drove me down the dark path of no return. Even now, with only fragments and pieces of memories, that desire held on strongly. It was the same desire that connected me to my lizards, the fear of separation from them, not wanting to part with them.

Through the sadness and pain, I came to laugh at my own self. Just what was I doing? I wanted to see them again, I wanted to be with them, and

never be apart from them. And yet, here I was, separating myself from them out of fear of the unknown, the fear that they would separate themselves from me. The contradiction was so apparent to me now that it was just as amusing as it was shameful.

A bit of calm spread through me. Of all my desires, the one to see them grow and thrive was the strongest, much stronger than my addiction to the pleasures of the flesh. When I connected with the Thrill Seeker, it was to be one with him, our desires intertwined, not to use him for my own shameful whimsy. Just when had it contorted into such an ugly addiction? I didn't even know.

It was a strange thing. Realizing the truth behind my obsession, the original pure desire, somehow put me at ease. Peeling back the layers, removing all the fears, delusions, and tainted pieces, I knew now what was most important. It had to stop here. If it didn't stop now, it never would.

With a confidence I didn't even know I had, I left my shell, reestablishing my connection to all my lizards simultaneously. What I found were many hands still reaching out to me, and for the first time since I fell into my addiction, I reached back.

37 - A New Answer

Make no mistake, the fear in my heart was still very real, but the calm of finally making my decision and putting my first foot forward, though the next may falter, was uplifting. It was almost refreshing confessing my sins, no longer having to hide it beneath obscurity, and the world seemed all the more bright and vivid for it.

I never communicated with my lizards through discussions, such a thing was impossible. The family heart could only carry emotion and intention. It was free of deception, but could not impart details. They would never know the whole truth of my transgressions until such a day that we could actively speak to each other. And while they knew my feelings came not from an individual lizard, but the core of the family heart, I was still something of a mysterious and unifying existence to them. It was rare for me to 'speak' to all of them as I did in my confession, and it caused all activity to cease.

I could feel fear and anger come through the family heart, directed at none other than myself. I couldn't blame them. Of those that could understand the most, some felt insecure and drew away from the family heart. The children who had a harder time comprehending the complex feelings were mostly confused, and huddled with their families for comfort.

I had done wrong by them; I had gone from a caring overseer to a selfish intruder. The guilt I had already been feeling was amplified by their reaction, and I was truly ashamed. My entire existence quivered under their judgement.

But the feeling I feared most, the desire to separate, never came. True, some drew away, but they never cut themselves off completely. Mostly, it seemed, they needed time to come to terms with my transgressions, made all the more difficult with my shapelessness and their inability to directly interact

with me face to face.

The greatest surprise, however, came from two lizards, those I had given a name. The Thrillseeker, who was now greatly aged, and the Collector both recognized me. I could feel them both reach out to me, their desire to touch me greater than any other. I was shocked, and didn't know how to respond. I had always been the one reaching through the family heart out to them, and while the group as a whole would sometimes calm my raging emotions, it was just because some member of their extended family was feeling great pain; great enough to resonate through the heart.

But the Thrillseeker and the Collector were different. Although they had been vaguely aware of my presence before, my confession gave some amount of form to the being that had helped connect them to their desires. It was through my body stealing that they had both come to realize more about themselves, and achieved goals they had thought to be an impossible dream. And I came to find, they were trying to thank me.

I was dumbfounded, caught completely off guard. I'd done this horrible thing...and I was being thanked for it? Amidst feelings of remorse and confusion there was also...elation? Even though I'd done wrong by them, my actions had still produced positive results, enough for some be grateful. Could it be that my actions were not wholly wrong...just misguided? I had thought I would never invade their bodies again after this, but now I was reconsidering my way of thinking.

The biggest problem was the addiction, and using their bodies for my own personal gain without their knowledge. What if instead I asked for permission, and used the ability the way it was meant to be used, such as when I helped the Thrillseeker bond with his Quickspring...could that be the answer?

The more I thought about it, the stronger my connection became with the Thrillseeker and the Collector. It was almost like...communicating with them directly. I had thought such a thing impossible, but was it really? Even if it was only by these two, I was being seen as...an individual. To them, I was not just the family heart, but an actual being. My presence was being

validated beyond a mere idea or shared cultural phenomenon.

I was a person. The two came to that conclusion. In that moment of our connection, of our mutually acknowledges existences, I was able to see how they saw me for the first time. To them, I was a brilliant blue light, and though I existed in all of them, I was a presence beyond that. I was more than their connection to their family and their neighbor. I was a guiding light, an inspiration, a parent, a child even. I existed both within them and without them. That was the kind of revelation they had at that moment.

For the Thrillseeker, who had endured a long life, the revelation both shocked him and put him at ease. It was like he truly understood the world, because for him, I was the world. All his memories, all his thoughts, a lifetime of disappointments and achievements, of sorrow and love, flowed into me. And just as I had done for every lizard that had passed before him, I accepted him into my being with open arms.

The Collector never got the chance the revel in their shared revelation beyond that single moment all three of us connected together. Once again, he knew something that others did not, something they may not understand. But this time, instead of giving up hope, a small flame lit deep within him. Where before he had accepted his lonely reality, after receiving my inspiration he knew he could shape his own fate just as he could work the shape of the hot metal. The fire inside him grew as if a bellows had fanned the flame.

He had given up trying to get his fellows to understand him and thus perpetuated his own isolation. And me, a being whose form could not be easily understood, even though I was different from the understanding of my lizards by leaps and bounds, I had still somehow gotten my lizards to understand my confession despite our inability to directly communicate. If one such as I could overcome such great gaps in understanding, then surely the Collector was capable of such smaller feats.

Once again, I served to inspire him, not through any kind of communication, but simply from my actions. It was heartening. There may well be some hope left for me after all this.

And so, while I was reprimanded and chastised for my decisions, and even further for trying to hide it, there were none that thought to abandon me. Even though I had made poor, even terrible decisions, they still accepted me with all my faults. No matter my past or all the horrible memories of who I once was would change that one simple fact; I was family.

I truly felt there could be no other family on this world as great as my beloved lizards. They were my happiness, my joy, my world, and my heart blossomed in love for them. I wished only that such days would continue until the end of their time.

37.5 - Interlude - The Madness Moves

Some time ago…

no no no No No No NO NO NO NO NO! NO!! NO!!!

They planned this. They drew us HERE. It's their FaUlT!

damn them

burn them

bury them

They're dead, all of them. They were caught by the rage-raging earth.

Rage. They were perfect and no~~~oo~w they're gone.

blame disgusting punish torture them

rage

The mountain, damnablemountainoffire, it was in our WAY!

Destroyed them! the mountain-DESTROYED!

stupid

your fault

…

…...

But really, it was all too perfect wasn't it? "It appeared on the mountain", it said, led us right to it. they burned And as soon as my army sets foot on the base, it blew its top. come back Really, well played, well played.

But they'll regret it. Haha, oh yes they will. kill them we'll come back stronger, and when we come back we will decimate them. This world will shake under our feet, and the wind itself will quiver in fear at our might. Not even the mighty mountain will stand in our way.

breed many

revenge

the young will thrive

And when I find them

they

will

be

SUBJUGATED

The great one moved, but it was quickly routed by the volcano. I could feel its madness even from here. Such poor planning had cost it a great number of its children, not that it ever really seemed to plan in the past. If they bothered to feel around their surroundings a bit more, it would have been obvious. The incomprehensible conqueror knew that.

But there came a sudden, dark calmness about the great one. Troublesome. Is this worry? Surely not, it merely adds new possibilities, requiring new contingencies. It is still not a threat to my children. As long as they remain up there, and we remain down here, our paths shall never cross. Even if they build machines to bring them to us, we will go where their machines cannot follow. As always I shall watch and see what they do and plan accordingly. Our future is secured.

For now.

38 - Fly

I'm certain if I had still been lying in the depths of my addiction I would have missed it. The momentous occasion came not long after the Collector's craft had spread throughout the colonies, replacing wooden and stone tools with hard, tempered metal. Learning the art of smelting was deduced quickly after working with the pre-smelted ore, and suddenly my lizards were finding all sorts of rocks that could be melted down and crafted into better, stronger, and harder ingots.

Through experimentation of all sorts of raw materials, they found a particular one on the riverbed. It wasn't well suited to be smelted as that simply hardened it, and often trying to refire and work it from there cracked the fragile material. The clay beds had gone ignored until one ingenious lizard thought to use the malleable substance to make a specific shape. After it had dried into place, she had heated it, firming its shape, and a beautiful aesthetically pleasing bowl was made. Even the children grew to love playing with the clay, making small figures to play with.

Eventually, the idea that clay held its shape rather well led to the discovery of a 'cast' by which they could pour liquid metal into the hollow clay shape, and after it had cooled, break it open to find the hunk of metal in their desired shape. After a bit of refining, the tool was relatively pristine compared to the previously hand-molded works.

They were improving by leaps and bounds. It seemed as if they discovered something new almost every day from the advent of metalworking. By the time metalworking became a part of daily colony life, the forest across the river had finally begun to regrow. Life was returning to the land once razed by the volcano, and the lizards followed it, expanding their territories back into their original homeland. While that was an event to be celebrated, it was not the most important moment of the time.

It began with a tree. It was a rather tall tree in the reclaimed forest, likely one of the first to regrow out of the charred soot that eventually became fertilizer for the ground. The children of the new forest colony would often compete to see who could reach the highest point on the red-barked tree that stood at the edge of their colony. Playful flashes ran across their scales and feathers as they desperately climbed. Those from the original strain of lizards seemed to have the advantage as they possessed the strength to lift themselves from branch to branch. But those from the mountain colonies, rather than using the full force of their arm muscles to ascend, instead chose to rely upon their wing muscles. They would flap a few times to get a good leap, then hop onto the next elevated branch.

Using their unfinished wings for helpful leaps was nothing new, they had been doing so for generations. Even at the riverside colony it was a common game amongst the young, and helped them develop good climbing skills, useful in hunting and gathering. Inevitably, there were some unfortunate accidents. Despite warnings of caution, children rarely heeded them in their excitement, and periodically one would fall from a great height. The sorrowful mourning for the lost young who had yet to lead a full life was always heart breaking. The pain and sadness that passed through the family heart brought about a somber mood in the colony on those days.

And it appeared on this day the same tragedy would occur. As the children goaded each other on to ever higher heights, the branches began to thin. The light snap of twigs under their weight and the creak of branches sent chills through my heart, and I attempted to reach out to them to urge them into caution. But the children were having fun, and my warnings went ignored. A particularly small mountain lizard fell behind the rush of his forest cousins, but, through sheer perseverance, managed to make it to the upper branches with them. Although the same age, those with mountain-blood were predisposed to be smaller than the forest dwellers, not to mention those that lived uninhibited in the sea, and were always at a slight disadvantage for tree climbing. To many, small meant weak, so the mountain lizards always felt they had something to prove.

Perhaps that was why the small mountain child continued to climb past the point where the young forest lizards had stopped. They were all young, but not stupid. Even they realized you could only go so high in the trees before the branches were too small to hold you. But the mountain lizard was lighter, and thin branches that may not have held the weight of those from the forest didn't even seem to sway under the pressure of the small feathered lizard. The others were amazed at the small one's bravery, and soon flashes of caution turned to swirls and vocalizations of cheers, urging the lizard higher and higher.

With the branches so close together near the top, the small lizard had to keep his wings tucked in as much as possible so as not to snag his feathers. The colors on the scales of his cousins egged him on, and with a last small leap, he made it to the highest branch on the tallest tree in their colony.

But after only a second of staring at the tops of the trees in the regrown forest, any jubilation turned to terror as the branch immediately snapped. His feet tried to grip another branch, but only succeeded in pushing him far from the trunk, far from any hope of grasping a safety line. He only saw a mess of colors as he fell past his playmates. His hands tried to reach for branches, but he was falling too fast and only managed to grab handfuls of needle leaves.

It was too late. I could hardly bring myself to bear witness to another of these tragic events, but I was unable to shut eyes I did not have. As I opened my arms to receive him, and prayed for it to end with as little pain as possible, I was in no way prepared for the fate that awaited the small winged lizard.

The lizard youth twisted in the air, trying to right himself like a feline would during a long fall. Used to using his wings for help with balance, he opened them. Then, feeling the slight air resistance beneath his black, shining feathers, he naturally embraced the air and spread his wings out wide.

It felt like time had stopped. I could see each minute movement of his wings, every feather that braced itself again the wind, and I saw what he

was instinctively trying to accomplish. I had waited for so long that I nearly forgot the reason I'd cultivated the wings in the first place.

I didn't waste a second, and immediately dove into the young lizard, synchronizing myself with his body. I had just broken my vow that I would never again enter without permission, but to wait now would be to condemn him to death. I didn't want to watch another youth die, not when they could be saved.

The first feeling that assaulted me was the overwhelming fear of death. It hit me like a strong tidal wave, attempting to pull my feet out from under me and drown me in its depths. But it was not my mission to comfort those feelings, not yet. I made myself focus on the body itself, choosing to ignore the raging fear; I braced myself against the wave and somehow found myself still standing.

I reached into all his extremities, his arms, legs, wings, and tail. I blinded myself to the erratic shifting colors as I embedded myself into every muscle. There was a new panic buried deep beneath the fear; he knew I was there. Even during his freefall, he could still feel there was another, though not entirely foreign, heart alongside his own. With time as my enemy, I could not send him soothing waves of comfort. Instead, I engendered an even stronger feeling, one to silence all other thoughts and bring our hearts together as one:

SURVIVE

The fear which had permeated his entire body up to that point was suddenly flushed out with an onslaught of adrenaline. He wanted to survive, he wanted to live. Our desire for the same end bonded us together, and together we were one.

Still off center in his free fall, I helped him maneuver his wings to make the most of the air resistance and slow his descent, and flared out the several long feathers at the end of his tail. And once everything was in the perfect position, the air resistance that was slowing his fall suddenly turned into

something entirely different: lift.

The shock to his body as it suddenly lifted caused his wings to falter, but with my aid they were quickly righted. With the angle of his wings, instead of going down, he was now going forward, gliding as the air moved over his feathers just so. The ground raced by below, but all too soon another obstacle stood in our way. Although not as tall as the one from which he fell, the trees of the forest were still comparably large, and now they interrupted the young lizard's flight path straight ahead.

Rather than embracing for impact, one which would surely kill him at this speed, I felt him entrust his wings to me. His faith in me sparked a feeling I hadn't had in a very, very long time, not in all my lizards' lifetimes. It was the absolute trust of a child believing in their parent. My heart contracted only for an instant before exploding with vigor. I quickly angled the wings into a nearly vertical position and felt the young lizard twist his body to follow the motion. And just like that, we were past the first tree.

The forest of trees that before had seemed like an obstacle, now looked like a challenge. Together we slipped past each trunk and avoided every branch. It was terrifyingly exhilarating. He instinctively pumped his wings to create more lift, just like when he used them to jump to higher branches earlier. With my knowledge and his natural instinct, we were a team navigating a forest of danger. Dipping into a dive, pulling up to clear a branch, a flap here and there to keep the lift alive, and soon, we were clear of the trees to the open west end of the forest.

The open plain before us, looking at it from above was incredible. The young lizard was happy to be free from the danger, and eager to get onto land. But I noticed a large cloud to the north, a great puffy white cloud making its way over the plain to cast its shadow upon the earth. And it just so happened that over there, the black rock was exposed, free from the grassy sprigs and bushes where the plain met the forest. I urged him that direction. Although he didn't understand the reasoning behind the destination, he trusted my judgement.

Having gotten a feel for it from battling the trees, he angled himself to the

north, twisting his body with his wings, feeling the shape of the air as it caressed his feathers. He was a natural.

It didn't take long to reach the exposed black rock. With the pieces of myself that existed in the world around us, I could feel it there. As we neared closer, I had the young lizard brace himself. He knew not for what, but was equally cautious and excited. Then, we entered the place where the light from the sun broke up the shadow of the cloud, and in that instant there was a rush of warm air. The powerful wind filled his wings like ship sails and lifted him high into the sky. Much like when he first met the full brunt of air resistance beneath his wings, he was shocked at the powerful feeling beneath them. But this time, instead of fearing it, he embraced it.

We circled the thermal several times gaining more altitude with every pass. The rush of wind against the feathers on his body filled him with freedom. His wings pumped with added vigor, eager to rise up and touch the clouds. But he would not rise that high this day. The thermal peaked only halfway to the white giant, and we had to continue to look at it from below. But that certainly wasn't all there was to see.

We were up so high, it felt like we could see the whole world. It was breathtaking seeing it from his eyes. His heart thudded in his chest not only from the effort to get here, but from the world as it passed by below him. He felt light as he rode the wind, rarely needing to flap, and leisurely took in all the sights to be had. The forest, the plains, the river, the mountains in the distance. The horizon at the edge of the world. It was all his for the taking, and he relished in it. This was true freedom. Soon, after the thrilling climb into the sky, he began to feel the first signs of fatigue, both mental and physical, and decided to go back to the forest below. Back to his family, so he could tell him all the wonders he had seen. This would not be his last time riding high in the sky, it was merely the first trip of many to the domain of the clouds. He would return soon enough.

And together, we flew.

39 - A Word for Flight

After the Little Flyer had fallen and subsequently taken off between the trees, the other lizard youths immediately scrambled down the great tree, raising a racket of colors and sounds. The adult lizards, particularly the child's five parents, and slew of older siblings, were fraught with worry. The children had a hard time describing what had happened after the fall. The closest word they had was the color pattern for 'flying insect' and 'tree leaping animal', which didn't make a lot of sense. Despite the large wings of their mountain heritage hanging from their backs, which dragged their longest feathers behind them on the ground if they weren't careful, they did not know the true purpose behind them. 'Wing hop' was one of the only words they'd invented for the use of their wings.

Over an hour passed, and no one knew where the Little Flyer had gone. They feared him dead, but their connection through the family heart told them otherwise.

Meanwhile, the Little Flyer was trying to navigate his way back. During the bliss of true flight high above the ground, he hadn't realized just how far he'd gone away from his forest. He was not used to seeing the world from above, and all landmarks he might have recognized to point the way home were unknown from this angle. He at least made for the treeline separating the forest from the plains, and hoped he could find his way back from there.

Thankfully, I was there with him. I helped him keep his orientation, and when he drifted astray, I gave him a little push in the right direction. To him, it was likely no more than getting a bad feeling going a certain way. I could have just shown him how to get home, but some part of me refrained. Although I guided him, it was indirectly, and I hoped he'd learn from constantly surveying his surroundings rather than blindly following my instructions. I did not want to become a crutch upon which the lizards

depended, but a conscious when they had doubts, an inspiration from which they could grow, and a guiding light when they were lost in the dark; just like they had been for me.

Finally the Little Flyer came upon a sight he knew well—the large tree from which he fell. He tipped his wings and curved around the towering tree, eventually landing on one of the upper branches; not the skinny ones he broke at the top, but the safe ones a little below. He scanned the sparse green branches, but didn't see his friends on any of the lower limbs. He started to hop back down, branch to branch, and then suddenly seemed to remember he had another option for getting down to the ground.

He took to a particularly thick limb and hopped over to the edge before spreading his wings and letting the wind resistance do the rest. He floated slowly down, moving in the direction of the colony, a route he was quite familiar with. The Little Flyer alighted on the forest floor after taking his easy descent to the ground and came upon a big cacophony of sounds and lights.

He slinked his way into the crowd, trying to see what everyone was kicking up a fuss over. One of the young adult lizards next to him took a glance at him, then did a double take. He suddenly made a surprised vocalization in the Little Flyer's direction, causing the youth to shrink back from the abrupt outburst. Suddenly he was the center of attention in his immediate area, swirls and patterns of surprise and inquiry all clamoring towards him. It made him want to run and hide, but after the initial surprise subsided, he found looks of relief and elation among the crowd. This only served to confuse him more, and bewildered colors graced his head, wondering what exactly was going on.

Before anyone could answer, the crowd was pushed apart, and there appeared his three mothers and two fathers, along with a gaggle of his siblings. They all took him into a huge group hug, one that nearly choked the life out of him. The same looks of relief graced the feathers of his entire family. After taking a moment to indulge in the overflowing love coming from them, he released a curious chirp, still confused by the whole situation.

Two of his parents gave each other a look, while the other three took a moment to bombard him with questions. Where had he been, was he all right, were all his feathers still intact? The Little Flyer didn't know where to start, and during the time that passed in which he didn't answer, even more questions arose. Finally, the first two parents calmed their partners' relentless interrogation of their young son. Colors of impatience caressed their shoulders, but they held back to give the young lizard a moment to breathe.

After a moment of rest, with the entirety of his colony looking at him, his calmer parents asked him simply to tell them what happened.

The Little Flyer started with the race to climb the tree. He very quickly added that he knew his parents had told him to be careful when climbing, but in the heat of the moment, the desire to win and prove himself had overtaken his common sense. He knew he was likely to be scolded later for that, but continued on with his tale. Upon surpassing the other youths, reaching one of the highest branches, he looked out over the forest but for a moment. The branch underneath his feet snapped, and try as he might, he could not grab hold of a lifeline. What happened next was a little fuzzy, and the way he described it was the family heart pouring out from his chest and gently wrapping him in its embrace. He used the term for the heart connection that the lizards had with their Quick Springs, and even though it was just him, it felt like he was truly riding with someone.

And then, suddenly he was not falling down, but up! And then forward! The ground no longer posed a threat so much as the trees, and he weaved in and out of them, careful not to crash. Some of the Quick Spring riders nodded in recognition at that same feeling they had when riding their mounts through the denser parts of the forest; excitement and panic heightening the senses, bringing the two closer together in their endeavor to navigate the trees. And then he came to the part where he broke through the trees and was in the air over the vast plains. 'Falling up' and 'in the air' didn't quite capture the meaning of what he was doing, and many lizards didn't understand what he meant.

He recounted the urge he received, then, still under the protection of the family heart, he came upon a great gust of wind that took him high into the sky, and he saw the whole world from on high. He was very enthusiastic about that last part as it still held him in awe when he recalled it. Even though he'd been the one to experience it, he still almost couldn't believe it.

Still the lizards were confused. His parents brought up the 'flying insect' and 'tree leaping animal' the other youths had used to describe his action. The words were both right and not right. Even the Little Flyer couldn't think of a good way to describe it beyond what he'd already told them.

One of his siblings then asked if he could show them instead. The three overprotective parents immediately raised a ruckus at the idea of their son performing a death defying act once more, but he was already scrambling for a nearby tree before they even realized he was gone. They vocalized cries of fear and anger as across their feathers came quick and distressed calls for him to halt his actions. A couple lizards even crawled up after him to bring him back down to safety.

He only went to a low branch, one he could easily jump down from. Then, he hesitated for a moment. He had been excited to show everyone his ability to be 'in the air', but when it came time to jump off the branch and spread his wings in front of everyone, the suppressed fear of falling from the tallest tree suddenly assaulted him. What if it had all been a dream and he couldn't really stay in the air? Doubts plagued his heart.

Then he did something I did not expect. He reached out through the family heart to me. I did not immediately respond as I was too dumbfounded to do much of anything. I had always reached out to them, but it was still so new for them to do the same, I just wasn't used to it. The way his heart fumbled around trying to locate me at the core of their connected hearts amazed me as I watched. It was touching in a way I couldn't describe, that he sought me out for comfort and a boost of confidence. Not his family, but me, and I felt my heart welling up with all sorts of chaotic and loving emotions. I gently grasped his heart as if I were taking hold of his hand. I wrapped him once again in my embrace, not to control his wings, but to ease his fears that if he fell, I would catch him.

Just as the lizards behind him caught up, he suddenly leaped from the branch, brilliant confidence exuding from every feather. His wings opened in a brilliant display, the black feathers dancing with colors of excitement and wonder. Fear immediately shot through the family heart from many lizards, mostly from the adults, but fear soon turned to surprise as he did not fall, but instead stayed up in the air. He glided around this cleared edge of the colony in a few circles, slowly descending. He flapped his wings of a few times which caused outbursts of shock. The winged lizards felt their own wings itch at the familiar 'wing hop' action.

Although not long in the air, he had thoroughly amazed everyone and broken their concept of their own limitations. He landed in the embrace of his largest mother who used her own wings to steady herself from the light impact. No one spoke for a very long time, though colors of emotions were rampant. Soon, no one could contain it any longer and broke into clamor. How did he do that? How did he stay in the air without falling? Did he really go that high in the sky? The questions were endless.

One of the older and most well-respected lizards of the colony came to the young flyer. He was one of those that didn't speak often, for when he did, his words had great impact on those around him. He ignored the noisy discord, and as he came to speak, the roar of sound and color immediately quieted, all eager to see what he had to say.

"Young lizard," he began, "you have shown us today the likes of which we have never seen before. But I have no doubt the future will soon be full of lizards in our vast sky above the trees. Tell me, what would you call what you have accomplished?" Though his scales were old, they were more brilliant and pronounced than any other, and the control he had over the minutest color demonstrated the prowess of his scale singing days.

The Little Flyer thought to himself for several moments, wondering how to put the feeling he felt into words that others could understand. The lizards around him waited in anticipation, eager to see the birth of a new word for their community. Even the wind in the leaves and the animals in the trees seemed to recognize the momentous occasion, and the whole forest quieted.

The young lizard's mind wandered to his memories of the event, especially when he had risen towards the clouds. The view from up on high had almost felt like he was in another world, and suddenly he knew how to describe his deed. It began as a mixture of blues and greens, accompanied by interlacing bright yellows, that then cascaded from his shoulders down to his forearms, with a few strokes fanning out on his chest. It was a combination of several words that together meant, 'to break free from the world'. And that became my lizards' word for 'Flight'.

((Author's Note: Sorry for the length between chapters again, but take solace in the fact that I actually wrote the next two chapters before this one, so they shall each come out in a few days! We're actually now starting to get into all the things I had preplanned leading up to the conclusion of the story. Chapters 30-37 became a new arc I hadn't intended on, the Conflict of Addiction. So now as of Chapter 37.5 we are officially heading into the 4th and final arc. I can't promise releases as speedy as when I first started, as I now take more care to make sure everything lines up accordingly. In particular, there is a character that I have to be very careful when writing, because everything wrong with the writing must be perfectly right to deliver the proper impact (you met them in 37.5!). But I'm fairly certain of more steady releases. This arc will also feature a multitude of interludes, many more than previous arcs (many of which I already have written, or are nearly completed writing). So look forward to 3 chapters this week! Also thank you FBT for bring my proofreader!))

40 - The Last Vestige of Self

Free from the chains that bound nearly all creatures to the world below, a lone lizard floated high in the sky. The supply pack slung across his chest was a bit heavy, but not enough to bring him down from the air. He was part of the Survey team, one of the first from the Little Flyer's colony, and he was currently on a scouting mission. After discovering the advantage of being able to see the world from above, and traveling at a speed unhindered by terrestrial obstacles, the mountain lizards' newly discovered ability to fly was seen as integral to the future of the lizards.

The children of the Little Flyer's generation adapted very quickly to sky travel, the adults much less so. Everyone with wings wanted to fly; however, because mixed lineages were very common, only those with more pure mountain bloodlines were capable. If the wings were too small, or the bones too heavy, they wouldn't be able to get themselves off the ground. This surveyor himself was a couple generations younger than the Little Flyer, and had learned flight from one of his students.

With the founding of the Survey team, they managed to create more accurate maps of the lizards' current colonies and lands, as well as find new areas fit for colonization. This surveyor, however, was going much further than usual. Up until now, they'd mostly flown over their lands and those close by, but the colonies were now feeling the need to discover more. What more was out there, they wondered, beyond the angry mountain that drove their ancestors from their once lost, now reclaimed, homes? The world from the sky was vast, farther than the eye could see, and every time they tried to touch to horizon, it kept extending beyond their reach.

The Surveyor wasn't the fastest flyer, but what he lacked in speed he made up for in stamina, something greatly needed for long flights. He was adept at finding thermals to lessen the burden on his wings, and conserved his

energy efficiently. Never in a rush, the Surveyor always took his time, sometimes to the point of laziness. Despite his carefree and relaxed attitude, he was by far the perfect lizard for the job.

His colony had always seen the great mountain from afar, but as he got nearer to it, he could appreciate just how massive it was. It dwarfed the Riverside Mountains by a huge degree, such that the Surveyor thought it might never end. He took a short reprieve near the top of the caldera, and gazed out over the landscape. From the height of the towering mountain, it was nearly the same view the Surveyor had when flying. He looked back towards his home colony, now so far away. Even on this clear day, he couldn't even see the faded silhouette of the Riverside Mountains. Although his insulated feathers kept him warm, stopping for too long to sightsee began to make him shiver, so he quickly ate some of his dried fruits and meats and resumed his journey.

No longer looking back, but forward, he took in the first sights of the other side of the great mountain. It was a proud moment in their exploration, and although his family was far away, they could still dimly feel his elation through their family heart.

He leisurely dropped down from the top of the mountain. His altitude was fairly low as he followed the mountainside descent, but it didn't detract at all from the splendor of seeing new lands. Once he reached the base, he climbed a bit into the air and let himself feel the wind, trying to find a good place for thermals to form so he could quickly propel himself back into the sky again. He was still fairly high above the tree line, but this low he couldn't get a great view of the landscape just yet.

However, in an instant, everything, absolutely everything, changed. I felt it just before it hit, a slight quiver in the air. Something came flying at high speed out of the brush from below. As fast as I tried to give a flash of warning to the Surveyor, the projectile was faster, and it sank itself deep into the shoulder of his wing.

He dropped fast, spiraling out of the sky, the acute pain blinding him to his surroundings. The world twisted and turned about, and the blue of the sky

began to meld into the green of the forest below. His tail was ripped from the raging winds, and he couldn't get a good enough grip on the air to expand his tail feathers. The left wing hit by the projectile was getting flung around just as much as his tail, further injuring it, but he had little control over it anymore. If he couldn't slow down his landing, he'd perish instantly upon impact.

I requested control. A feeling of urgency entered his heart as I begged him to let me help. I felt the small wall that protected the deepest parts of himself open up to me, and I immediately spread myself through him. The pain was terrible. It was so loud, I couldn't choose to ignore it even if I wanted to. But knowing the fate that awaited him, and aligning myself with his own desire to live, together we both steadfastly held onto his injured wing, keeping it in place just before hitting the ground.

However, we weren't able to get horizontal soon enough, and as the ground rushed up, he tried to put out his feet to halt his speeding landing. But the momentum was too much. The ground gripped at his feet, hanging onto them, but the rest of his body continued to plunge forward with enough force to rip those very feet from the ground. He tumbled, wing over foot, trying to come to a stop. His wings instinctively tried to close, but the control over the left was lost amidst the wild rolling over the ground. I both felt and heard the humerus break. The pain that had entered his body was now excruciating. Although he had wounds all over his body, his mind couldn't process anything more than the pain in his wing.

Wild flashes sparked all over his scales as nonsensical screams rolled over his feathers in an array of light. He couldn't even bring any sound out from his throat, the pain was so intense. It eventually grew to be too much, and he completely blacked out.

I released myself from the darkness of his unconscious mind, relieved to be free of the physical pain, but at the same time loathing myself for the moment of jubilation. Instead of continuing to depreciate myself, I took the next moment to look over his injuries. My heart sank. The injury of the wing was one thing, but the crash landing had taken its toll as well. Many cuts and scrapes appeared on flesh made visible from torn scales and

feathers. The inky bluish-pink of his skin that should never be exposed was brought to light.

He needed help, and badly. Out here on his own, he was vulnerable to predators. I began to shift my focus back to the colony to give them the message—then I noticed something. Although broken off now, I could see something sticking out from the Surveyor's wing. The projectile was a thin, but smooth piece of wood, broken on both ends on either side of the wing, no doubt from the terrible tumble. The bushes nearby began to rustle faintly, and instantly my full attention came back to the Surveyor. Normally, I might have thought it was the wind, but it was strangely quiet here. No other animals made any noise, not even the smallest insect. I was on high alert, concentrating on the surroundings. It was only then that I saw a foot begin to exit the brush.

The creature that exited the brush was like none I had ever seen before. It was tall, taller than my lizard, and incredibly stocky. Its entire body appeared to be made of muscle, its bluish-gray skin taut against its torso and arms. What I found truly strange, was that it walked on two legs. So far, only my lizards appeared capable of this feat, but now, here, was another creature that could do the same. Its head appeared small in comparison to its large, muscular body, and the face was very flat, nothing like the long snout of my lizards. The eyes were small, and when it opened its mouth to breathe, its teeth were all misaligned. In addition to the teeth, the overall form appeared…lopsided. Even the most perfect bodies weren't truly symmetrical, but the asymmetry was negligible at best, and hardly noticeable at worst; however, in this massive bluish-gray creature, almost everything seemed to be slightly off compared to its other side. It was a wonder how its body functioned properly considering all the maligned shapes. It was like it had been put together to be purely functional, and aesthetics had been all but forgotten.

Yet, above all that was a deep-seated worry; not for its strange, irregular shape, but for the fact that it had hide strewn across its body, and a large piece of shaved wood in its hand. Clothing. Weapons. Those were the words that came to me. Fear. Curiosity. Those were the feelings that entered my heart. This was not just some creature living out in the woods on the other

side of the volcano. This was a being of intelligence, with culture; just like my lizards.

It was then that I felt it. Upon that realization, I could feel something in the background. Something was with this creature. It was very quiet, but it was there. It watched me, staring at me through the eyes of this creature. I knew that gaze, but it had been a long time since I last felt it.

The Eyes of the Hills.

My mind went blank. I couldn't bring myself to think of anything from the shock. In just that short instant I immediately understood. The presence that had filled me with dread so long ago...it was just like me. And this creature was its creature, just like my lizards were mine. There were others like me out there. That revelation hit me deep in my core. I had never even tried to look for others, the thought hadn't even crossed my mind, not even when I'd first encountered the Eyes of the Hills. The last time, I had reached out of my own accord only to run away, but this time it had come to me.

As I laid in my stupor, the hulking creature came over to the Surveyor and poked at it gently with the club in its hand. This small action was enough to rouse the lizard, though the sudden consciousness was unwelcome. Pain— was at the forefront of his thoughts. He could barely open his eyes, but when he saw that bare bluish-grey foot in front of his face, his adrenaline kicked in, and he sat up quickly—and instantly regretted it. Still, the adrenaline had numbed his pain to an extent, and his heart raced as he tried to make sense of the creature he saw before him, just as I had. He seemed to recognize the clothing it wore, just like me, and was filled with the same curiosity. He then ran a plea for help across his feathers, lighting up his face and wings.

Light. It makes light with its body.

Something invaded my thoughts. It was almost as if I were thinking those words myself, but I knew I wasn't. There was a strange hum in the

background of my consciousness, almost a buzzing noise.

The creature is injured. It is weak.

This One's creature is strong.

More strange words in my own voice entered my mind. I wanted to plug my ears if only I knew how. The foreign contaminate plagued my mind in its droll, lifeless voice of observation.

The New One is confused. It uses many words.

The Other One also uses many words. Is The New One like The Other One?

The New One? The Other One? Many words? Was it talking about me? It seemed absurd, and yet I couldn't completely denounce the idea. But how was it hearing my words?

And then it hit me. I was hearing its words. By that same logic, it must be hearing mine as well. It made sense, but it still felt very strange, almost surreal. I wondered what it was, where it came from.

This One is This One. This One comes from beyond the hills.

The New One has much confusion. It has many questions.

...It answered me. The Eyes of the Hills, calling itself This One, actually answered me. From thought to thought, it understood my mind. I barely even noticed as the buzzing began to grow louder. It was right, I had so many questions. And I wasn't the only one.

The Eyes of the Hills' creature tilted its head to the side at my lizard's

lightshow along his feathered scales. Confusion. It made a noise with its throat and moved its lips as it poked my lizard lightly with its club, seeming to want to understand what he was. The Surveyor also tried to respond with vocalizations, but couldn't quite match the deep thrumming of the tall creature. It was almost comical watching the two go back and forth, trying to match each others' sounds.

I almost laughed, but then a deep rumbling came from within the earth. The world was shaking, crumbling, falling apart. The sky rent asunder, and my entire world seemed to fall into a vast emptiness filled with nothing but noise and agony. My vision was cut off from the world. I could no longer see what the Surveyor was seeing, or hear what he was hearing. Static entered my mind at such a volume I thought my whole being would burst. The onslaught of distortion was like nothing I'd ever experienced before.

FouNd you. I foundkillyou. Fo~~und y- subMIT yourself to ME

submit submit subjugate submit

The noise was deafening. The worst part was that it seemed to come from my own mind. It was difficult to even think clearly. It invaded, threatening to encompass my entire being. My thoughts no longer felt like my own.

submit

It hurt. I was in pain. I just wanted it to stop. It was almost as if-

SUBMIT YOURsELF

Aaahh! I couldn't even think! Its words were penetrating my every thought!

SuBMi~~Iiidie~it

No! Please make it stop!

Quit ST~ALLing!!1!!!!1!

ANSWER ME

Please...stop!

You cannot win lose Give up. ANSWERanswer ~折させる

No no no no no no

AN~SWEEeEEe~ersubmit

…

……………

…………~~………………

……………………………………………………………help me

4~1 _ MaDness(madness) _submit_ mad~neSS

……………………………………………………………….

light blue

…………………………………..

……………… family heart

I covered myself in light blue

…..~...

…………………..help me..

I shook. I didn't know how I was shaking without a body, but that's the only way I could think to describe it.

My thoughts were in disarray. broken

madness

I felt like a tiny ball surrounded by blue light. I hurt everywhere. I could hear echoes of myself all around.

sobbing

My psyche felt shatteredsubmit. The thing that invaded my mind and threatened to take over had practically broken me. How could I possibly resist that? no no How did I resist that?

I didn't know how this small solitary oasis came to be, but I hid myself away, hoping that thing, that ma~dness, wouldn't find me.

I sought solace in the memories of my lizards. Reliving their lifetimes, resurrecting their stories, being comforted by their small existences that now lived inside me. I felt like some pieces were missing, and strange absences of memories caused the stories to skip. Timelines were disjointed, bleeding into one another. It reflected my own mental state. I couldn't even recall my lizards properly like this.

I was anything but calm, but mostly, I was afraid. The Madness seemed all- consuming. It ripped my world away from me in a single moment. The worst part was that like the Eyes of the Hills, the thoughts seemed to come from myself, although we were different entitiessu~bmit. Even with this small reprieve, its chaotic presence still misaligned my ability to think, causing me to doubt my own self.

When I spoke with the Eyes of the Hills, there was complete silence when it wasn't actively speaking. The faint buzzing in the background, I now realized, belonged to the Madness of the World. The Eyes of the Hills had already been infected…submitted.

Submit...what did that really mean? What was it trying to accomplish by

forcing me under its rule? That was what it was trying to do...right? I knew nothing about it other than a moment of its terrifying presence. If it had its own creatures it watched over, I hadn't even seen a glimpse of them. Was it instead some higher power that ruled over...whatever it was that the Eyes of the Hills and I were? If it was, how could I ever hope to escape it…

Despair set in. When it told me to submit I was so confused. I had no idea what was going on, but some part of me did want to submit—the part of me that was weak, the part that just wanted it to stop.

I remembered that weakness. It happened so long ago, but it shaped me into who I was today. It was the day my lizards had saved me from the abyss of my own self. Without that moment of weakness, I never would have understood the strength of our bond.

…

Something in me changed with that thought. The light blue that surrounded me...it came from them, I knew that now. Their scent emanated from it, calming and soothing as a lullaby. Somehow, they gave me this place of peace.

Once again they were protecting me. My heart cried out to their kindness, to their love for me. How could I sit here in this tiny bubble while my little lizards were out there, dealing with their own hardships? And the Surveyor, with me in here, was truly alone out there, completely at the mercy of the Eyes of the Hills and its subjugator, the Madness of the World. Suddenly, that thought terrified me more than my own fear for myself.

I couldn't stay here. Here was calm, and out there was chaos, but every moment I stayed cooped in here was a moment that passed me by out there. The Madness of the World was like fear itself, but running away from my fears had never done me any good. What I had to do now was face them, and stand up not only for myself, but for those that I loved.

I took in the light that surrounded me and placed it into my heart, just like I did with all my lizards that had left this world. This shield would live inside

me. I couldn't say I wasn't afraid, but knowing their strength was with me gave me power I didn't even realize I had.

The light blue bubble inverted itself, releasing me once again into the throes of the Madness of the World's chaos. But my mind that had been easily engulfed by its endless assault now stood firm; the shield of light from my lizards protected my sense of self.

What did you Dowhere?

SUBMITsubjugate~~

It was so powerful. I felt so small in its presence, like a tiny creature gazing up at the sky for the first time, unable to understand its enormity.

Yes, submit. Gigive yourself to m~e".

I wouldn't be taken over a second time. Although it took everything I had, I knew I would not submit to the Madness of the World.

...

...Defiance? death awaits

You

dare?

You dare how dare you dare how dare you dare! how dare you dare how dare you dare how

dare you dare h~w dare you dare how dare you dare how dare you dare how dare yo~

YOU DARE

DEFY

ME?!?!?!?!?!!?

The screeching was horrible, I could barely-

NOnoNO never you WIll nnn~~~ever never defy m~e~e~e~eE

It tried to drown me out, but I-

RESISTANCEisFUTILE

IT TRIED TO DROWN ME OUT, BUT I WITHSTOOD IT!

…

My mind seemed to calm. The presence that would have consumed me eased away, and I could finally breathe again. It hadn't completely disappeared, but gone were crazed thoughts and ruthless intentions. I could see the world again and bask in its glorious sun-filled embrace.

...That was what I would have liked to do, except I could now see standing before my lizard numerous strange creatures. They gathered between the time the Madness of the World had taken and released me. There were more like the first, but only a few. There were creatures that resembled the massive bluish-gray skinned creature, but they were much smaller, and not nearly so muscular. They had large ears, but shared the same lopsided and uneven appearance as their larger cousins. They were so short by

comparison that they only came up to the legs of the first creature.

But it was the others that frightened me. I knew with one look that these must be the creatures of the Madness of the World. A deadly air exuded from them, and the way they looked down at my lizard with their large, inky-black eyes unnerved the both of us. My lizards and the Eyes of the Hills' creatures resembled the people of my memories—you could see the inspiration behind their current forms—however, that was where it ended. But these creatures, other than a few key differences, looked almost exactly the same! It was unnerving, and although I could not recall my own individual form, seeing them suddenly cleared the vague shapes of my memories. I still couldn't recall the faces, but everything else was there, and that same form was now practically standing in front of my lizard. The ears were longer, the long tail was new, and lastly the foot was elongated to stand on the balls of their feet, but everything else was just as I now clearly remembered it.

It also brought forth a memory of a word I'd long forgotten that had lain unknown in my mind since my consciousness surfaced: Human.

My lizards and the creatures of the Eyes of the Hills were human-like, I could see that now, but those from the Madness of the World...they were practically identical. I didn't know what to make of it, and I was left stunned by the mere sight of them.

They spoke to one another with audible words while keeping an eye on the Surveyor, and try as he might to communicate, a barrier existed between them: a barrier called language. For all his colorful displays and keening sounds they paid him no mind but kept a careful watch on him. The first creature the Surveyor encountered seemed to try to speak to the creatures of the Madness of the World, but when it did, it was rebuked. Something formless occurred between the first creature and those of the Madness of the World. The creature dropped to its hands and knees, its gigantic and powerful body shaking from some unknown pressure. Its eyes dulled, and eventually the shaking stopped.

This One's creature was weak. It did not obey the strong.

It wanted to speak with the new creature again. It was punished.

The Other One's creatures are strong.

I didn't know what was happening, but the Eyes of the Hills knew. Whatever occurred, the first creature was being punished for trying to speak to my lizard. A new emotion formed in me. The Eyes of the Hills was not to be feared as I initially thought, but pitied. This was the fate of those that submitted. I did not know to what extent the control of the Near-Humans had over the human-like creatures of the Eyes of the Hills, but with just a single look, it had been brought to its knees. An image of a lizard kneeling before them overlaid with the creature and it terrified me. A life of servitude awaited my lizards if I submitted, and perhaps I would become as empty and hollow as the Eyes of the Hills. I could not...I would not ever submit.

Upon that declaration, the voice of madness returned, and rather than an earth-shaking and all-encompassing command, the single strong statement made far more impact than any threat ever could.

PUNISHMENTlizardWILLwillBEdieEXACTED

What? No! You can't do that! Run, I urged the Surveyor, but he had nowhere to go, nor was he in any shape to move beyond lying back down. He was surrounded on all sides by the Near-Humans and bluish-gray creatures. One of the Near-Humans spoke in words I did not understand, and the first creature turned to face the Surveyor. He attempted once more to trill and light his feathers in a plea, but the creature's eyes were very still as it raised...its...club...no

No, stop! Please stop! I beg you, don't let it do this!

His last plea falling upon deaf ears and eyes, the Surveyor had a strange sort

of look on his face. Then, he closed his eyes.

No, no, no. Please don't let them do this! I begged the Eyes of the Hills to stop its creature, but its voice had gone silent.

Please...please…

The club reached the peak of its ascent as the creature towered in front of my lizard, completely enveloped by its great shadow.

Please stop

The choking sobs from my heart went ignored.

A small pulse went through the Surveyor's heart. Sorrow, love, apologies, regrets, acceptance.

Nononononononononononono

The club swiftly descended.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOO~OO

42 - Fault Line

………

……………………

It was quiet in my little world, with only the haunted sounds of sobbing and screams permeating the distance boundary.

I could hardly think at all.

……………………………………

I didn't want to think.

……………………………………………

If I had to think, I would inevitably think about the Surveyor.

……………

I didn't want to think about the Surveyor.

……………………

If I thought about the Surveyor I would remember things I didn't want to

remember.

……………

The family heart was in disarray, but I was in no state to fix it. Rather, it was this way because of me.

It was my fault.

The Surveyor died because of me.

…………………………………………

Your fault! All your fault! Dead because of you! These accusations echoed around my heart if I let myself think.

………………

……………………………

I wanted to curl up and fade away, because every time I was aware I existed I was plagued with guilt.

I had gone through much with my lizards, and many had perished; it was inevitable. I always tried to help them avoid death if I could...but for the first time, I'd led one right into it.

your fault because of you

……………………………

Really, what did I honestly think would happen but that after defying the Madness of the World? The Surveyor was injured, unable to defend himself.

Easy prey.

………~………

More anguish.

Please, something keep me from thinking anymore. I don't want to feel anything anymore.

…………………………………………………………

Far in the distance, the echoes of cries continued. Too far away to make out clearly, but enough to color my lonely little world with sound. It was better than the static that ravaged my mind as the Madness of the World tried to make me submit, but I still wished I could just be left in complete silence.

…………………………………

I was done with feeling. It would have been better to not feel at all. Then maybe I wouldn't have cared. His death haunted me, tormented me.

………

I couldn't forgive myself.

………

I tortured myself, and in some small way I relished in that torment. I knew I deserved it, every bit of it.

The screams in the distance...they came from me. A hundred thousand million tortured voices blaming me, imitating the sounds of all the lizards I once knew. All the parts of my heart I tried to lock away, forced to languish in their invisible prison. Would I eventually lose the ability to hear them? If I emptied myself enough, would I no longer care?

I was tired...so tired. Tired of feeling. So many terrible emotions came from feeling. Wouldn't it be better if I didn't feel at all? If I could look out over the world and not have it move me, not have it crush my heart into little pieces?

Who was I to oversee these creatures? What conceited being was I to think that I could hold all those lives in my hands, lift them up, and not drop a single one? The accusations swarmed me like a hive of raging insects, biting and stinging until I was nothing but pain and screams.

How many lizards had I seen die, yet this single death threw me into so much turmoil? There was a part of me that laughed at the irony, that I would be broken so thoroughly by a single lizard. But it wasn't just because of a single lizard, I knew that much. It was because of what his death represented. That I had just started something I was afraid to finish. That so many more would now die as a consequence of my action. That I hadn't thought about what it meant to defy.

……………………………

A strange feeling formed in my heart, and for all my desire to distance myself from it with the rest of my emotions, it lingered. It smoldered. It started as a tiny spark under the ash of my emotions, and slowly grew until a lick of flame appeared among the desolate wasteland of my heart.

This feeling...I had only felt it once before. ...No, that wasn't right. I had only remembered it once before. It had frightened me then, but now it warmed the darkest part of being. The small flame grew in the absence of other emotions until it began to fill everything, until it began to eat away at everything.

The haunting voices of blame and sadness were soon drowned out by the blaze. After a time, it was nothing short of a raging inferno. It coiled and spat and roared against my being, begging to break through to the light of day, to take everything that was me and consume it to feed the flames ever higher.

And for the first time I truly felt what had only been a long forgotten memory; Hatred.

((Author's Note: Thank you so much everyone! Overseer is officially a year old today! Yay!!

Now I'm going to do two things I've never done before. To commemorate the year of Overseer, I'd like to first ask you, the reader, if you have not already done so, I'd love to get your rating on my story Whatever you feel it's worth, a few stars, a comment, an in-depth review, every little bit is appreciated.

Next, I'd like to open up the opportunity for you to create a lizard to appear in the story. In a reply to this thread, feel free to tell me as much or as little about a lizard you'd like to appear in the story. As a general disclaimer, please keep in mind that I may change some details to fit the story better, and that should the story ever become published, I will hold copyright to the character in the story (so don't enter your 'baby' or 'OC', but rather an idea you'd like to see made flesh). It can be anything like just a name, a few keywords and some traits, an idea for a family, or even a long biography. I can't promise that everyones idea will make it into the story, but those that spark my creativity will definitely see the light of day for a chapter or two

Also, thank you Xant for the Chapter title for Chapter 40. I would have added an author's note on the chapter but didn't want to interrupt the feels train. Happy 2016! Here's to hoping I can wrap the story up before another year passes!))

43.1 - The Path of Hatred (1)

Hate. Hate!

HATE!

It boiled and burned in my essence.

I despised the Madness of the World. The desire to crush it and erase it roiled inside me. It had laid its dirty hands on me, infected me...violated me. All the terrible things it did to me made me want to do terrible things. I wanted to hurt it just as much as it had hurt me...no, I wanted it to hurt more, to suffer, to regret ever laying a hand on me or my lizard. The pain I felt would be payed back 10 fold, and then some.

Hatred was the culmination of many feelings: lashing out in anger, plotting in wickedness, bliss in the pain of others. Such terrible things I desired. And these desires would infiltrate the family heart, infecting all the lizards in its darkness.

The darkness spoke to me, 'Let it come. Let it wash over you. Let it release your darkest desires. Let your pain be known, and let all others know that you will not stand for it. Let it in.' Such sweet, delicious, poisonous words.

All I had to do was give myself to the hatred, let it fill the hole in my heart. It would give me purpose, it would give me revenge.

…

……

………[

It is the course of nature. When something is out of balance, the world will right itself. If the world becomes too hot, then it will freeze itself. And so, when a hole is left in a heart, it will seek something to fill it to maintain balance, even if that something is the opposite of what was there before.

The hatred filled my heart. It felt relieving to feel again, to have purpose. Even though it burned, it made me wonder why I wanted to feel nothing at all before. This was so much better. I could still feel without thinking as my emotions moved my hand.

And then it spread. I could feel it as it coursed along the threads that connected me to every one of my lizards. They had never encountered our enemy, but they would know it when they saw it; the heart would tell them. And they would hate it. The creatures controlled by the others would be the subject of their ire, while the other Overseers would be mine.

I urged them on: craft armor, build armaments, create weapons; protect, fortify, destroy. As the hatred ripped memories still forgotten from my unconsciousness, I imparted upon them all the primitive designs within their capacity to recreate. Then would come strategy and tactics, and in their dreams I would show them battlefields and war. The emotion I once stifled in them now fueled their every action. They worked with a vigor the likes of which I had never seen before.

Before the Surveyor had been shot down, the lizards had not yet created bows and arrows; thrown javelins were their long-range weapon of choice. But I knew the bow was needed, and when the time came for the conflict to begin, it would not be the near-humans who loosed the first arrow in anger, but a lizard. This was the first of many weapons I gave them.

Swords and shields, followed by leather and plate armors, all the way to catapults and ballistae. Technology surged in the colonies as they prepared for their first true war. War engendered technology at a haste unrivaled by peace. Battles with predators could never prepare them for the frontlines,

but I could. The dreams I gave them at night, the directions in which I guided their hands, all were leading toward that fateful day. I would not fail them a second time, I would not let them be caught unprepared.

Day turned to night, and night into day, over and over. The hammer of blacksmiths, and sounds of effort echoed over the forests. The colonies under the waves, with their strong and agile bodies, spent their time rehearsing shoreline ambushes. Those from the mountains put their wings to use and kept communication strong between each colony. Every day was spent becoming ever more prepared.

Bright days filled with life and laugher clouded over as the mood changed to one of anxiety. Tension was raised, and all scales stood on end as they prepared to meet their enemy. Those that were weak were put to work to help the strong, and children were now raised with battle in mind, being cultivated into fierce warriors. Nevermind that the arts suffered, pay no heed to those that did not listen to the hatred of the heart. War was coming, and they would be ready. They had to be.

((Author's Note: First in a 3 part series. I apologize for how long it took to come out with a new chapter. There have been a series of not fun life events going on, but mostly, I wasn't happy with the chapter as it lacked the impact I desired. Then, I had the brilliant idea to split it into 3 parts so I could better tell this part of the story and it opened up many new opportunities for me, and the creative juices began flowing again. Enjoy!))

43.2 - The Path of Hatred (2)

In the distance, the danger drew ever closer. Anxiety mixed with anticipation. It took time for the Madness of the World and its legions to make it to my lizards. They did not rush in, but waited deep in the forests, assembling their armies and scouting their opponent. But they were not the only ones spying on their enemy, and we had one significant advantage our foe did not: flight.

Flying scouts brought back news of bases and supply routes being established all along their path. Maps were created marking all the areas taken by the enemy, and they began to strategize where to hit them hardest to disrupt the chain of supply. Always seeking new information, the flying lizards learned very quickly to color their black scales with a mixture of white, blue, and gray to camouflage themselves against the sky. It only took several sacrifices shot down during the scouting missions to realize that. The fewer deaths the better. The road to victory would be paved with blood, and I could only hope it was more our enemy's than ours.

After months of preparation, assembling brigades, battalions, and troops, and planning formations, attacks, and contingencies, the day finally came. And for those that now faced their once faceless adversary for the first time, the thoughts were unanimous.

Ugly. Stupid. Vile. Hate.

Just seeing the visage of their foe incited rage into their hearts, rage that I perpetuated. Thoughts of formations and strategy were lost as they rushed in a great deluge towards the enemy, a flood of lizards bent on bringing the opposing army to their knees in blood. They were like warmongering barbarians, their attacks in disarray… and yet, despite their lack of plans and their haphazard attack, they still coordinated beautifully.

The family heart, once a refuge for thoughts and feelings, now acted as a sixth sense. Through the sensations of their fellows, the placements of allies and enemies were all wordlessly relayed through the heart. If a lizard saw another about to be blindsided, that rush of adrenaline sped through the heart, alerting the other of the danger. It was not perfect, and knowing of danger could not always route it, but it was a significant advantage, one I did not know we had until it blossomed on the battlefield.

The disorganized attack of raging lizards put false morale into the hearts of the near-humans and lumbering beasts of the Eyes of the Hills. How could the blumbering attacks of barbarians be effective against their war-seasoned selves? But when the lizards drew upon them, their height almost as tall as the blue musclebound, misshapen creatures, and the war displays on their scales, their opponents could not help the fear that grew in their hearts. And if the swing of a weapon didn't smash their skulls, then the whip of a powerful tail would crush their sides, or powerful feet with great claws would rip them to shreds. The hulking creatures only had their strength, and the near-humans only had their agility, but my lizards had many powerful natural weapons. They lived many ages relying on both them and the weapons in their hands. Although they were not created for war, they were very suited for it.

Blood and bodies littered the field, lizards and enemies alike. No longer did black dominate the rocky ground, but the stain of red. Red was not a color often seen in the lizard's forests, but when it was, it was usually the sign of something bad, something to be wary of, something poisonous. The field was like a poison, it infected me through the eyes of my heart, filling my heart with red, the need of red, the desire of red. I wanted more, I wanted the blood of our enemies to rain down the hill sides, to cover the mountain, for nothing soothed my craving for hate like that of blood. I saw the looks upon the faces of the creatures as they were assaulted by the very ones they had come to defeat. My formless essence twisted into a grin, one filled with glee at the prospect of others' misfortune—misfortune they deserved.

My bliss transmitted through the heart, and my lizards felt a surge of ecstasy every time they let the blood of their foe. It was not unlike the peak

of an orgasm, and soon, my lizards came to crave the same release as I did. Killing the enemy was no longer enough, and the lizards turned savage as they hacked into flesh, spraying blood as far as it would go, bathing in it. Mutilation, torture, suffering, pain… all felt long before the sweet release of death.

I could feel my essence surge, and as my lizards continued to push forward despite their dwindling numbers, I pushed with them until I clashed into the Madness of the World. Our essences pushed against each other like opposing tidal waves. We were like oil and water, never quite mixing despite how entwined we were. I would not be soft, and I was no longer the weak, cowering innocent I once had been. The Eyes of the Hills provided no help, its already broken self could not hope to provide aid as our emotions went wild, each seeking to dominate the other.

This was how the battles continued, countless skirmishes waged. We won as many as we lost, and yet our morale did not drop despite our losses. We were too enraged to see beyond the next battle. When the near-humans retreated to the beaches, and their open backs faced the water, the shore colonies took them by surprise, slaughtering every last one, staining the pristine black beach in ever more red. And when they tried to hide in the forests, with the aid of flyers, my forest-dwellers got the drop on them, just like the great snakes of old.

I became Valhalla, a respite for fallen warriors who fell in war to protect their home and their kin. I gave praise to their memory, to their valiance. And soon the lizards began capturing enemies, and offering their blood in a ritual of sorts that not only raised their morale, but pleased me as well. I took joy in every life taken to honor me, the precious lifeblood dripping away as the light slowly left their eyes fulfilled every dirty desire I ever dared dream. Serves you right, I thought. /i]Suffer more. Let your despair teach your Overseer, the Madness of the World, what happens when you hurt mine. We will bleed you dry until you are left with /i]nothing! Vile, delightful, barbaric thoughts.

The season of blood had only just begun, and it would take much more until

I was truly satisfied. So much more.

hate

Announcement: [Redacted]

43.3 - The Path of Hatred (3)

The day I long anticipated soon drew near. Each time I clashed with the Madness of the World, whereas I was invigorated by the death and blood, it slowly lost control. Its madness could not overcome my hatred. And the moment it began to feel fear, it created an opening. I seized it in that instant, not wasting a second. The Madness of the World writhed beneath me, attempting to throw me off, but the fear was already there. I bared my fangs, and in my gaping maw it could see all I desired: agony, destruction, vengeance, misery, suffering, and death. The Madness of the World was the subject of all these great and powerful emotions. Just as it had me, I drowned it in my hate, flooded it with my pain and my desire until it suffocated.

I gripped the fine threads that linked it to its creatures, the near-humans, and twisted them into a distorted, unrecognizable shape. Despite the battle going on between our creatures, the near-humans dropped to the ground, their souls being ripped out of their chests. My lizards felt no remorse for them, and continued their assault on the helpless enemy, determined to wipe them out once and for all.

Soon, I found the connection to the subjugated Eyes of the Hills. Hatred had long consumed the pity I once felt for the being, and I was just as ruthless as with the Madness of the World. I became a spear and dove into its heart, blaming its pain on its own weakness and inability to protect its creatures. The lumbering brutes experienced just as much pain as the near-humans, even if they did not understand it.

Each time they struggled I giggled, and every attempt to dislodge me was met with maddening laughter. Did they really think they could escape me now that I had taken them? Were they foolish enough to believe they could fight back? Once I sunk my claws into them, could they even hold a

modicum of hope that I would release them? No. A thousands times no. A hundred thousand million times no! This would be their end, and I would not let go until they had taken their last futile breath. Damnation be upon them. They would live in the personal hell of pain and torture I designed for them until they could live no longer. It was the Madness that turned me into the devil, and my hate-filled heart relished every moment of it.

Meanwhile, my lizards continued to slaughter the disabled creatures of the foreign overseers. Just as I wished, the hills, forest, and mountain were covered in their blood. With the loss of every creature, their essences became smaller and dimmer. At last, victory was ours when the last enemy bled. The overseers simply disappeared in my grasp. With nothing left to keep them here, they simply vanished.

Celebration spread throughout the colonies. Peace could once again return to the land, now rid of its oppressor.

…But hatred was only a temporary solution; it was not an answer.

With hatred in their hearts, and no enemy to aim it towards, the lizards became agitated. They no longer had the sweet release that bloodletting gave them. Their addiction to the blood forced them to take it from other sources, and in my rapturous delirium, I encouraged them. Take all the blood they can. Lives that used to be so precious had become things to throw away for the sake of the war, for the sake of their Blood God.

That was the new name they had given me. The God that desires the blood of their enemies above all else. And blood they gave, huge amounts of it, and I relished every ounce spilt. So used to the bath of blood was I, that I did not even care about its source. Not until it was too late.

With no other creatures to become enemies, the hate turned inwards to their brothers, to their sisters, to their parents, to their children, to their lovers, to their friends, to all their kin. They gave me the blood I desired—the blood of their fellows, for the hate-filled family heart could only be appeased with blood. It was the only thing that brought it joy in this mad, mad world.

Lizard turned against lizard, hate fueling their actions. One by one they fell, and the land once stained with the blood of enemies now became stained with the blood of their families. The worst of it, I still relished in all the blood. Even though it was theirs, once I had the taste for it, I craved it like nothing else in this world. It was more important than myself, more important than my lizards, more important than the family heart.

The family heart was dead.

Now, there was only the Blood God filled with hatred.

And once all the lizards were gone, that hole in my heart that had filled itself with hate was now empty once again.

And this time, I was truly alone.

]...

……

…

This was the future I envisioned.

This was where the path of hatred would lead.

Hatred was but a mere temporary solution, and would only avoid the problem. It would not fix it. It was not a problem that could be fixed.

The problem was loss, self-loathing. I could direct my loathing elsewhere, but with no one left, I was again the only one to loathe. The hate was not really for my enemy. It was for myself.

I hated that I was weak. I hated that I could not save the Surveyor. I hated that my choice caused his death. I hated that he accepted his fate and did not try to fight against it, that he accepted my decision. And I hated that I had to retreat to a world of fantasy to imagine myself strong.

My heart wept. It wept for the Surveyor, myself, and for the lizards. I knew war was imminent and they needed to protect themselves. And I would have to protect them. Even in war, they must not lose their compassion, they must not lose their sense of family, they must not lose their heart. If I lost myself to hatred, it would be just as bad, if not worse, than losing myself to madness.

The true path of weakness was hatred. And now, more than ever, I had to be strong. I had to protect my lizards from their enemy, and I had to protect them from me.

The fires inside must not be allowed to rage freely and burn everything in their path. A great fire brings death and destruction, but a small fire is needed to temper metal. I would not forget the hatred, but neither would I let it consume me. I must become stronger than the hatred. I must be strong, not for myself, but for them.

((Author's Note: For those that feel this was pulled out of left field, there was a tiny sign that something was amiss, the open bracket in 43.1 , the beginning of the dream, and the ] signifying the end. I congratulate the few of you who noticed the shift in personality and pacing during part 2.))

Final Announcement-Moving

My apologies to you, the readers, for the radio silence the last couple weeks. Overseer has been updating regularly, just not on RRL.

Due to personal feelings regarding directions RRL has chosen to pursue, I no longer feel comfortable posting my story here.

Thus, Overseer is now moving to the site of my good friend, Alyschu's MoonBunnyCafe, after courting me for many months to put it on there. You might know her from her group's translations of Against the Gods as well as multiple Manga/Manhua/Manhwa translation projects.

I am proud to say that Overseer is the first original English language serial to be invited to MBC's curated novel site, that has up to now been only translations of Asian works! I hope you'll follow it to its new home, but will understand if you prefer to stay on RRL./overseer

Overseer will not be updating here again. Hopefully I'll see you all on MBC! Have a great day./overseer

The Ending of Overseer-and an author's ramblings

Thank you for reading Overseer. The comments and reviews I received during its active times always filled me with great joy, and helped keep me writing long past the initial chapters that seemed to only be a passing thought at the time of writing them.

But as time went on, the time I was able to write got shorter, and the passion with which I wrote dimmed. When I did have time, I didn't have passion, and when I did have passion, I didn't have time. I tried to force myself to write, but when I did I was never happy with it, and even when I released forced-written chapters, I felt a sense of incompleteness as I struggled to come up with the words to finish the story the way I wanted to. I reached out to a couple upstarts, hoping to give myself a jumpstart in urgency to write, or get an editor to help me go back and rewrite the story the way I wanted it. But one went under, and the other never began.

With my avenues reaching a deadend, I slipped back into translating, what I had been doing before I got into writing. I hoped that with time the passion would return, but it only seems to have faded as time has gone by. I'll always love my lizards and their Overseer, but I think the time to write their story has come and gone. All that said, I feel it unfair to you all to leave the story unfinished, so today I shall share with you my notes of the path to the ending, as well as some unreleased future (and unfinished) chapters that I had prewritten as I had the passion for them ahead of the current timeline.

For those that wish to hope (along with myself) that one day the end will be written in proper prose, you may choose to end your reading here, as the entire ending will be spoiled from here on out.

For those that did not continue to read the story on after I stopped posting them on RRL, I encourage you to read those chapters first before continuing (they are linked in the previous chapter).

And without futher ado, my notes on the ending:

Conflict of Others arc:

After losing their main fighting forces due to the volcano disaster the Chirabrels take time to recoup. After returning, they attempt to invade the lizards' territory. Seeing the Lizards that could freely move through water, the Chirabrel Overseer seeks to dominate the Overseer so they can finally capture the Underwater Overseer.

The Lizard Overseer desires to teach its lizards of war, but the concept is lost on them. They don't understand the pain they will go through once the Chirabels reach them. Very few desire to prepare, mostly those from hunting parties. They gather around the Warmaker, the one the Overseer was able to teach, and he begins to teach his war recruits. Eventually, the Goblinoids, at the command of the Chirabrels, ransack the lizard colonies. The more the lizards retreat, the more they are pursued, and attempts at communications fail as the language barrier and some strange force prevents them from getting their feelings across. The Chirabels are also at a loss, as their mind control does not work on the lizards. The lizards finally make the decisions to join their Overseer and fight back for their families and prepare for war. But they are so late to prepare, they're at a huge disadvantage. Then, the Lizard Overseer finally locates the Underwater Overseer, its hands finally reaching back to watch the war. The lizard Overseer sends out envoys to contact the Underwater Overseer and plead for its help.

During the battle, the Overseer notices something watching from the water, much like the Eyes of the Hills, and urges Lizards to make a connection. The Lizards meet the intelligent waterbound creatures, and thus the Overseer meets their Overseer, The Dark of the Depths. It refuses an alliance, preferring to remain in its depths, but decides to aid the Lizards with its ability to see over great distances.

The Chirabrel Overseer attempts to subjugate the lizards with mind control, but fails. The lizards are immune to mind control.

The Overseer realizes, even with aid from the Dark of the Depths, they are outpowered by the enemy. It is then that the Lizards' once great enemy, becomes a great ally. The Giant Snakes (none as large as their major enemies though) are connected in much the same way as the Quick Springs, albeit much more dangerous. Through observation, the Lizard overseer realizes they can unleash a powerful weapon: fire.

While searching for the great snakes, the lizards look for a common sign of snake passage, 'grease spits'. The Snake's body does not process certain fats, and instead of releasing it through the anus, it is spat out as a glob of viscous fluid. This fluid is also used to mark a female snake's territory, and can be spat on scales to cure itching. As the lizards begin to tame the snakes, the Overseer realizes something, the discarded bile is flammable. With the power of the snake's electricity generated in the roofs of their mouth, they can spit and ignite balls of oil, creating a medium-distance flaming weapon. Although the amount of tamed snakes are few, they become a valuable war resource.

The Chirabrel Overseer attempts to block out the Lizard Overseer again, though this time at full force, using the power of most of its Chirabels. The Overseer goes dark. Unlike before when feelings and thoughts could still penetrate the darkness, this time nothing gets through. The lizards band together, tying their hearts together as one, surrounding the family heart and cutting off the darkness' power. The Chirabel Overseer finally sees they are connected to all their entities and are unable to be controlled.

Side story, a love transcending species. Gravely injured and running from the battlefield, a female Chirabrel meets with a large male Lizard. Unable to defend herself, she prepares for death, but the Lizard surprisingly treats her wounds, and attempts to communicate with her. The Lizard still believes the species can come to an understanding if they can just communicate, and attempts to do so with this lone female. The female becomes curious of the Lizard, confused as to why it is not fighting back, as all tales passed down through her people have told her all enemies are to be subjugated or destroyed, but finds her curiosity (outside of the watchful eye of her

Overseer who is too busy trying to subjugate the Lizard's Overseer) reaching new heights.

The male Lizard continues to care for the female as the battles escalate, teaching her of his people, keeping her hidden from his people, and defending her when she is discovered. When the Chirabrel Overseer finally realizes what has been occurring, it commands the female to destroy the Lizard. She cannot refuse and attacks him, but the Lizard can feel her heart, which has slowly been opening to him, cut off and sealed. At the height of their battle, the Lizard's Overseer merges with the male, and just like with the Thrill Seeker, and attempts to connect with the female whose heart desires no more conflict. This infuriates the Chirabrel Overseer, who then uses its full force of power to seal off the Overseer from all other connections.

The Lizards Overseer realizes that they and the other Overseers are all parts of the same entity, and that the Chirabrel Overseer is what they would have become had their Lizards not saved them from loneliness. However the Overseer is unable to see the Chirabel Overseer's heart. A lizard that came to earn the trust of an injured Chirabel, and love, opens her heart to the lizard, thus opening it to the Overseer. She accepts the heart of the Overseer, which opens the door to the Chirabel Overseer's consciousness. The Overseer then shares their connection with the Chirabrel Overseer, teaching them again about family, quelling their raging heart. The Chirabrel Overseer seeks release, and decides to reunite with the Overseer, giving them the connection to its children, and leaving them to guide the Goblinoid Overseer.

In the epilogue,

After the battle and the merging of Overseers, in the epilogue, communications are reopened, the underwater Overseer seeing that good may indeed be found by communicating with the other species.

the Overseer begins to teach the Goblinoid Overseer. The Lizards help to teach the Chirabrelsnow that anger and rage no longer control their hearts, about their newfound connection to their Overseer, now shared with the Lizards, and what the family heart really means. And as a last great act of

power, the Overseer ensures the birth of a hybrid Lizard-Chirabrel from the couple that came to love off the battlefield.

Who were the other Overseers? It's never revealed in the story how the overseers came to be, only the realization that they are all fragments of the same person, with varying levels of their memories and emotions in tact from their previous life.

The Madness of the World (the great one)- Aggressive Chirabrel Overseer (Full Memories, full emotions) [various=Control

The Eyes of the Hills (the empty servant)- Goblinoid Overseer - subjugated by Chirabel overseer (No memories, no emotions) [the strong/the fast=Acception

(the lost existence)- Subjugated Overseer (No memories, full emotions)=Passion

The Dark of the Depths- Cephlapod Overseer (Some memories, no emotions) [my children=Observation

(the incomprehensible conqueror)- Lizard Overseer (Some memories and some emotions) [my lizards=Connection

Bold name=Lizard overseer's name for the Others

(parentheses)=Cephalopod Overseer's name for the Others

[brackets=Each Overseer's name for the species they oversee

I invite you to take a look at my google drive to see my notes, as well as the 6 unreleased chapters (3 of which are unfinished) that were written out of order as I felt the inspiration to tackle them. These are actually some of my favorite chapters as they finally delve into the background of the other Overseers, something I'd been waiting forever to share with you all.

https/drive./drive/folders/1ASG3XjiYhantTpfjyrHtB041yQqf mhua?usp=sharing

And that's all I have to give you. For those of you seeking closure, you now have it. It's not a proper ending, and certainly not the way I wanted to present it to you, but I suppose it's better than just leaving you all hanging for an eternity. At least I'm able to provide just a little more prose I'd hidden away all these years.

Thank you once again for reading. I had so much fun writing this story (most of the time anyway), and pulled in a lot of my loves in the gaming world, namely the god sim genre. It was definitely a challenge writing an interesting story about an entity with no physical body or way to directly communicate with anyone, but I consider it a moderate success (mostly thanks to the inbetween chapters where we got to see things from the lizards point of view!).

Any questions you have in the comments, I will answer as I have time. I've known the ending of this story since the end of the first arc, and anything left unanswered in the notes, I'll be more than happy to reveal to you.

I hope that you all read much more fiction and enjoy your time reading. And if you are a writer, I pray you always have passion and time to finish your works.

Goodbye my lizards, I loved raising you.

https/drive./drive/folders/1ASG3XjiYhantTpfjyrHtB041yQqfmhua?usp=sharing

Information

01 - The Little Leader

02 - A Far Bigger World

03 - The Role of an Overseer

04 - Family

05 - What Lies at the End

06 - Starlight

07 - The Life of a Lizard

08 - Waiting

09 - Retrogression

10 - A Hundred Thousand Million Stars

10.5 - Interlude - A Resounding Echo

11 - A Time for Rest

12 - The Hidden Signal

13 - To Protect

14 - A Ripple in a Pool

15 - The Age of Fire

16 - Calamity

17 - Mourning

-Overseer Q and discussion- (a brief history)

18 - Dawn Onward

19 - Where We Go From Here

20 - Water Games

21 - The Last Endeavor

22 - Strength from Weakness

23 - Proto Wings

23.5 - Interlude - The One-eyed, Four-armed Lizard

24 - Lifeblood

25 - The Riverside Mountains (map)

26 - Evacuation 26.5 - Interlude - The Eyes of the Hills

27 - The Long Road

28 - Eruption

29 - An Old Foe

30 - A Blossom in the Heart

31 - The Coming of the Age of Metal

32 - Addiction

33 - The Collector

34 - Pieces of Separation

35 - The Ring

36 - It Has To Stop

37 - A New Answer

37.5 - Interlude - The Madness Moves

38 - Fly

39 - A Word for Flight

40 - The Last Vestige of Self

4~1 _ MaDness(madness) _submit_ mad~neSS

42 - Fault Line

43.1 - The Path of Hatred (1)

43.2 - The Path of Hatred (2)

43.3 - The Path of Hatred (3)

Final Announcement-Moving

The Ending of Overseer-and an author's ramblings