Dododex

ARK: Survival Evolved & Ascended Companion

Legends of Pandora

Chapter 5 ~ Hector ~

“So, which one of you is the destroyer of Pandora? Or were you working together…” the Sea Serpent Elder asked threateningly, his trident still poised at Salizar’s chest. Ceasar looked at Salizar, whose face said, ‘please, you need me’ “neither of us, that was a different Mesopithicus, we both worked with Seascale.” Caesar said. The elder’s eyes narrowed. “I’m Caesar, and this is Hector.” Caesar said. ‘HECTOR?!’ Salizar mouthed. The elder shot a glance at Salizar. “Yes I am.. Hector.” Salizar said. “Fine, I have no reason not to believe you, don’t give me one…” the elder said threateningly, “I am Shoreline, and this is Mariana.” He said gesturing to the girl who found them awake. “Nice to meet you.” Salizar said, lying. “I have business to attend to, Mariana can show you around the village.” Shoreline said, leaving shortly after. “So, if you will follow me I will give you the tour.” Mariana said exiting the tent with the two following behind. They walked out into the dusk lit delta where the village was situated, the sun was beyond the horizon but close enough to illuminate the sky in a deep navy blue glow, making the surroundings appear purply. The village itself was a bunched up group of tents set atop muddy islets with shallow water pooling around them, the serpents made dock-like pathways out of logs as a sort of road through the village. Reeds and cattails were dense in the marshy plain. The village was clearly a fishing settlement, barrels of fish and stacks of fish in equipment lay all around, meganeuras flew around the area, and other swamp creatures could be seen interacting with the serpents. But the most obvious thing they both noticed were the gargantuan towers distantly looming around them. Salizar leaned in towards Caesar’s ear so Mariana couldn’t hear them. “We both know what those are. If we can see the control towers that can only mean one thing.” He whispered. “The skybox is down, so that means.. we’re on earth?” Caesar guessed. Salizar walked forward a bit to catch up to Mariana who was droning on about boring village stuff, “I have a question, what are those towers in the distance and when did they appear?” He asked. “Good question Hector, I don’t quite know what they are but they appeared about three months ago when the sky peeled away to reveal yet another sky, the surface is quite interesting isn’t it?” Mariana said. Salizar grunted agreement and whispered to Caesar again. “These idiots don’t even know where we are, they’ve been underwater so long they must think this is some natural occurrence! We must get out of this backwater town.. I sent them here for a reason.” He said. “What do you mean “sent them here” the Overseer suggested this place.” Caesar said. Salizar was about to reply when Mariana turned around, she was about fifteen feet away now, “you two coming?” She asked. They rushed to meet her. She pointed at the rainforest across the delta, “that’s where the Rockdrakes settled.” She said. Caesar looked at Salizar, “Rockdrakes! They can help us.” Caesar said. “Help us? I think not, these snakes may not recognize me but the Drakes certainly will, I can’t go there.” Salizar said. “Right.. so what’s your plan then?” Caesar asked. “My plan is to get out of here and regroup, we need more information before we proceed.” Salizar said. “Where are we going to get information?” Caesar asked. “There.” Salizar said. He pointed up to the sky, the starlit sanctuary. “How are we possibly going to get up there?” Caesar asked. “Do you see that?” Salizar asked. “See what?” Caesar asked. “THAT!” Salizar pointed down from the tower, at a small islet, the reeds were moving as if something was walking through them, then they saw a pink glow on the ground. “Mariana, do shadowmanes happen to be native to lush?” Salizar asked. “Oh no.. EVERYONE THEY’RE HERE! GET SHORELINE!” Mariana yelled frantically. “Whose here?!” Caesar asked. The village erupted into panic, serpents rushing to get their tridents and armor, or to hide the children. All around the village shadowmanes began to become visible, calmly watching the Serpents. Caesar chased down Mariana and grabbed her by the arm to stop her from running, “What’s going on!” He asked urgently. “They’re here! Rykers gang!” She said terrified. “Who’s Ryker?!” Caesar asked, but she just shrieked and ran away. The shadowmanes began to stalk towards the village, then they saw warrior serpents surrounding the town in a protective wall of tridents. Caesar and Salizar rushed to the serpents to get a closer look. “What do you want!” Shoreline yelled out the the shadowmanes. A voice from behind him answered, “you are harboring fugitives. Give them up and we will let your little town go.” The voice said. The soldiers turned their heads around to see him, Killion perched atop Shoreline’s tent, which was in the center of the village. The stood atop it like a lion on a large rock. “We don’t know what you are talking about!” Shoreline said. Caesar and Salizar hid out of Killion’s view. “Oh really? The. Why did my scouts report seeing two mesopithicus arrive by portal and get taken here by your people?” Killion asked. “What do you want with them?” Shoreline asked. “Merely confirming a suspicion..” Killion said, “Saalizaaar, is that you out there old friend?” Killion asked creepily. “How does this guy know you?” Caesar asked in a whisper. “It’s a long story.. here help me.” Salizar said. “Help you what?” Caesar asked. “Saaaaalizaaaar, come out and play…” Killion said again. Salizar held up some red dye the Serpents used for bobbers. Ceasar nodded. “Come out or I burn this village tent by tent… not that you’d care, you love a good fire as much as I do.” Killion said with a chuckle. “Wait! We'll come out just don’t destroy the village.” Caesar said stepping into Killion’s view. “You aren’t Salizar.. where’s the second mesopithicus…” Killion asked. Salizar stepped out into the open, he was now a reddish brown color. “Hmm, speak.” Killion said. Salizar seemed familiar to him but he didn’t have his scar anymore and his fur was completely different, Caesar had even cut some of it to make him look ragged. “The names Hector.” Salizar said in a believable southern accent. “Killion leapt off of the tent and stalked closer. “Hmmm..” he said looking into Salizar’s eyes. Salizar was sweating under his fur and his heart raced. “It’s not you, Salizar wasn’t afraid of me, you’re weak.” Killion said, he turned and began walking away. Caesar could see Salizar was getting irritated, and it showed in his face. He smacked Salizar, Killion turned around confused, Caesar showed his hand, still covered in red-dye, “mosquito? Heh.” He said. Killion raised an eyebrow, “Salizar definitely wouldn’t let someone smack him.” He said. Salizar smiled awkwardly. “Come on, it was a false alarm..” Killion shouted to his shadowmanes. Some of them sighed, a bit disappointed they had to leave without a fight. When they had left, Shoreline walked up to the two, “well, you obviously aren’t “Hector” otherwise you wouldn’t have had to do, this..” he said gesturing at his reddish matted fur, “but, if you are an enemy of Killion and his master, you are a friend of us, we will do what we can to help you.” Shoreline said. “We need to get there.” Caesar said, pointing at the control room, “from there we may be able to find Seascale.” Caesar said. “Well, I don’t know exactly how to get inside there or what you would do when inside. But I can have our hunters give you safe directions and we will provide supplies for your journey.” Shoreline said. “Thank you.” Caesar said. “And good luck, I hope you can find the general.” Shoreline said. “I do too.” Caesar said.