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88.46% Scions of Gaea / Chapter 69: Desolate Oasis, Pt 3

Capítulo 69: Desolate Oasis, Pt 3

After a middling amount of rest and an incredibly refreshing water bottle shower , you leave the gas station and continue on your way just before the sun sets. The rest of the journey towards the plateaus in the distance takes you numerous days, most of which are done with a frenzied pace. 

You find yourself practically sprinting towards your destination during the nighttime, eager to cross this stretch of bleak landscape as fast as possible. Of course, you have to empower yourself with low levels of Fortify to do so, then enter your Chakra during the day in order to renew yourself.

By doing it this way you don't get much sleep, but you're fine with that. Simply, you're far too disturbed by the changes in your dream. The vision of that incredibly powerful presence up in the sky flattening the city you're in simply keeps haunting you. 

And given how you're prone to thinking about the same things over and over and over again… well, you're completely unnerved as a result. So, you decide that avoiding sleep is the best thing to do for now.

Besides, the shelters you find during the day practically demand that you use your Chakra. They've been too small or too dilapidated or too open to provide actual shelter from the heat and sun. And so you've been forced to literally manifest an atmospheric bubble to protect yourself 24/7.

You've even had to use your Telekinesis to build a shelter from scrap, wherein its pieces hover up in the air above you to protect you from the sun. You also have had to rest at a dilapidated bus stop, which had only physically protected you for half the daytime.

You also found yourself sleeping in a shipping container on top of a semi trailer truck in the middle of the road. Though it perhaps has been the most comfortable of the three resting spots, it's still far from ideal or serene. 

Despite the setbacks, you're able to make it close to the base of the plateaus just as dawn peeks up from behind you. 

And now that you're much closer to it during the daytime, you can see that they aren't the plateaus you're used to seeing in books and tv and whatnot. They're not the orange-ish kind out near a desert further west - these are more granite-like in appearance, are somewhat smoother, and their cliff sides are more sloped and less vertical.

More critically, these plateaus have lots of greenery around them. Well, they used to anyway. Their tops have brown and tan shrubs which have withered severely from the intense heat - at least the ones you can see hanging off the sides anyway.

There are greener and more lush shrubbery at the base of the plateaus, especially close to the edge of a web-like river flowing between a number of escarpments. But even then, they're thinner than before. You can easily tell as there are numerous dead plants at the outer edges of the shrubs, all brittle and dry and practically leafless.

Whatever plants are living appear to cling to the only source of water, though the river itself is thin and dry. Its former glory as a wild and surging river is clearly long gone, with only its wide, dry banks as proof of its past.

At least there's enough resources down here to water and feed and shelter whatever brush animals are out here, rabbits and foxes and whatever else. And that's always good news, especially since that means you can subsist on hunting again, at least for a while.

You wonder if you should spend an extra few days so that you could smoke some meat for the rest of the journey… If the land is going to be plentiful here, you may as well give it a shot, right?

You decide to leave the road, which circles around the plateaus, and instead follow the thin river leading towards the center of the whole landmass. Not just because you want to stay close to the water, but because it leads towards a rather large lake nestled near the plateaus themselves.

Well, the lake used to be large anyway. It has receded a significant amount after much of it has seemingly evaporated. It's perhaps a meter further down than its usual embankment, though thankfully there's still plenty enough water left in the lake itself.

But even that's not the reason why you leave the road - it's the fact that the lake itself has a number of homes lined up around it. There are tents and makeshift shacks and wooden cabins, all of which are in various sizes and states of repair. 

Most are worn and a bit run-down, though none are to the point of falling over. A scant few still look relatively fresh, or at least recently refreshed. But they also aren't in perfect condition and have seen great use.

What's most impressive about the lakeside community is that each of the homes have what appears to be massive canvas sheets hanging up over them. The sheets are held up by tall poles pounded into the ground at various intervals all around the lake's shore. 

Though they're all at slightly different heights, it allows the sheets to overlap each other to some degree, meaning that the entire shore and every home underneath is protected from the sun. In fact, the coverage looks so great that you could walk all around without ever coming into contact with the sun at all.

What's even better is that the canvas sheets overhang very slightly over the lake itself, and lean down towards it. Basically, the sheets help catch whatever rain falls and directs it into the lake - like a massive funnel.

The very sight of that giant ring of shade fills you with awe.

It's extremely clever of them to do that, though you're unsure if it's actually helping the lake rise again. That said, you suppose it's better than doing nothing at all, or if they only individually collected rain at their homes.

The very presence of this community draws you in towards it. If they're as clever as they seem, you might learn a thing or two about surviving from them. Hopefully they're friendly enough to allow you in.

As you get closer you realize that many of the makeshift shacks and tents have shop fronts of a sort. Some simply have large mats laid out in front of them with bundles of their goods currently packed away neatly. Others have open extensions to their shacks, with shelves and counters and whatnot. A few of those even still have their goods for show despite the fact that it's clearly unmanned and 'closed'.

Much of what you see is rather colorful and cheerful, even if everything is a bit dusty and worn and slightly faded.

Of course, as the sun rises higher some of the community's inhabitants wander outside to wake. A handful walk on down to the lake's edge closest to their homes to take a drink and wash their faces. One or two set up their lines and begin to fish. Most others simply set up their stalls or shop fronts while sipping on their tumblers or mugs.

It takes you another half hour of travel before you get to the community itself, or rather to the very edge of it. And it's there that you're met with a couple of residents, both armed with short rifles and with badges on their chests.

They both greet you with welcoming enough smiles, though their guns are at the low ready and pointed in your general direction. Clearly, they're welcoming without being too welcoming, which you find a relief. It's certainly better than simply getting shot at without warning, that's for sure.

One of them takes a step forward with her palm up, prompting you to stop in your tracks. You note that she's still under the shade while you're not. The sun bears down on you heavily, though thanks to your atmospheric bubble the heat isn't too much of a problem. Well, not yet anyway.

"Who're you?" she asks authoritatively. "And what do you want here?"

"I don't mean any harm," you reply. "I'm just a traveler trying to make it through in the world."

As you speak, you sweep a corner of your poncho across your body and hang it over the opposite shoulder. This gives the two residents a peek at what's underneath - specifically what's on your belt and in your holster.

They both look over your gun and your knife, but quickly regain eye contact with you.

You raise your hands up a little bit, not as though you're surrendering. You're just trying to show that you aren't up to anything in particular. 

Doing so certainly eases their tension a bit.

"And we're the Peacekeepers here," she answers. "Just two of the many. We're here to make sure you aren't gonna cause any trouble here. We're people that also wanna just make it in the world, and we like things quiet. Mostly anyway."

"I honestly wasn't expecting to find anyone here," you say. "I was going to keep following the road, but decided to come by and say hi. I've got some stuff to trade that some of you might like, maybe?"

The woman eyes you up and down again, this time noting your bulging messenger bag, and your backpack's straps on your shoulders. You sense her ease up even more on seeing them, but she doesn't quite seem fully trusting just yet.

"You don't look like much of a trader," she tells you. "Where's your cart?"

"I only really trade small things," you reply. "I mean, I'm more of a traveler than a trader. So I wanna keep things light. But I really do have stuff to sell, like ammo, seeds, candy."

The woman's eyes brighten, specifically after hearing the word 'candy'. It's then that you sense tendrils of Telepathic energy in the air, and you realize that this community has psions in it. You do a barebones Scan of the area, with which you perceive a handful of them scattered around the shore.

Not only that, but they seem to be connected to each other through a Network, which is partially hardened and secure. You also sense low levels of Telekinesis, Foresight, and ESP woven all throughout, which means they're more than likely studying and judging you as a group.

You kind of do a mental greeting, then withdraw your psionic perception back towards you. No sense and no need in eavesdropping on their conversations. Plus it's just common courtesy.

"Also, I'm a psion," you add. "Which probably the other psions in your community has told you already, but hey, best it comes from my mouth straight, right? In any case, I could maybe help with any problems in that regard, too. For a fee."

The woman Peacekeeper in front of you nods, then leans back for a moment as though she's listening to something. She nods again, then turns back towards you.

"We all appreciate your honesty," she says after a moment. "And because of that we can certainly allow you in - you may certainly rest and replenish yourself at the hostel across the lake, though you're not limited to keeping yourself there. Please keep your sidearm holstered at all times, and observe proper decorum with your psyche.

"You are also welcome to trade and operate as a freelancer during your stay here, though we reserve the right to rescind those privileges at any time. Should you prove untrustworthy for any reason, of course.

"Now you may enter. Welcome to the Oasis, Traveler. Enjoy your stay."


next chapter

Capítulo 70: Desolate Oasis, Pt 4

You rouse up from your Chakra feeling deeply rested and refreshed, more than you have in many weeks of being on the road. It's especially true after the past few days where you've been running roughshod and harried just to make it as far as you have.

You sit up on the simple canvas cot as you rub your eyes a bit, then you roll your head around slowly, easing whatever strains are left in your neck. You finish up your routine by massaging your right shoulder a bit - sitting still for so long has caused it to cramp up slightly.

You're up early, Noir transmits to you via Telepathy. It's still early afternoon right now.

You watch as she stretches herself out on the ground in the middle of your tent, then sits attentively before giving herself a quick tongue bath. 

"Figured I'd go say hi to the people of Oasis before night fell again," you reply audibly. Then you realize where you are and switch to talking to Noir Telepathically instead.

Just wanna be polite and not be seen as some kind of nighttime weirdo, you finish.

You are a nighttime weirdo, Noir replies. We both are.

True, true. Anyway, didja find anything interesting here while I was napping?

Oh yeah! There's a tomcat at the other end of the lake that keeps mewling in my direction. I think I might go check on that later.

I'd really rather not know the details on that, thanks. Anything else?

Hm? I dunno. People are gathered up in one spot, being all happy. Don't know what that's about. I'm off to find a hot date. Wish me luck.

You decide to heighten your ESP out of curiosity as to what Noir's talking about, even as she picks herself up and saunters out of the tent. And you immediately hear sounds of numerous community residents nearby, outside of your hostel.

There are sounds of them chattering, cheering, laughing, cajoling. As well as eating and drinking and munching and slurping and gulping. 

A quick Scan reveals about half of the people in Oasis are gathered in one spot - probably about a dozen and a half in total. They're also relatively close, roughly a building or two away from where you're staying. The other half of the population is scattered around the lake itself, probably in their homes or shops or patrolling or whatever it is they do.

There are also various animal thoughts and emotions scattered around as well, probably a couple dozen in total. They seem like dogs or cats or other domesticated pets to you, rather than livestock or captured wild critters.

You do also sense a handful of actual livestock creatures - perhaps cows and chickens and goats. But they're scattered around at the different homes as well. You can only guess that the people who own them raise them for their milk and eggs.

Once you're satisfied with what you've observed, you pick yourself up off the cot and stretch a bit, then you lower all of your powers down to a minimum. No sense in keeping them up in a town like this, plus it's kind of nice to lower your guard for once. There are other psions here helping keep everyone safe.

Though you leave your hat and poncho in the tent, you slip your hiking pack and messenger bag over your shoulders. If all goes well, you can do a bit of trading before the sun sets.

You then step out of your plain canvas tent, which has been set up inside of a relatively large open floor log cabin. Lined up all along the walls are a handful of simple tents set up next to each other. Doing so gives each of you a modicum of privacy, though not much. You suppose it's like any other hostel you've ever been to, and it works just fine.

While most of the tents are empty, there are two others in here besides you. Both seem to be traders, and they have a plethora of goods they've brought in with them. Not only that, but they both have carts filled with various goods parked just outside.

The two of them chat with each other, no doubt exchanging stories about their travels. You all greet each other pleasantly before you step out of the hostel and out into Oasis itself.

As you do, a mild breeze sweeps through you, cooling you down a little bit. You find that the heavy canvas shade above the town works incredibly well to shelter you from the heat. Combined with the light breeze and proximity to the lake, the temperature here is quite bearable.

Almost pleasant, in fact.

Certainly far better than outside the community - out there you can see the heat warping the air all around. The sun and its relentless rays are practically burning the world all around you with unabated fervor.

Despite how well everyone seems to be thriving here, you note that there aren't that many in total to begin with. Perhaps about as many people who accompanied Frank and Nance northwards, and certainly no more than 40 adults in total. There are about a dozen kids in town, though they're all relatively young - perhaps no older than eight or nine at the most.

Besides the people, there's definitely plenty of land for them to work, though much of it is dry and unfarmable. In fact, you're sure that you haven't seen a single farm thus far. The fact that you've sensed very few farm animals here certainly cements the fact that this is not a farming community.

Considering how little water they have access to, that's probably a good thing. From what you've read through your travels, farming is incredibly water intensive. All a farm would do here is drain their lake faster than it could refill.

Which makes sense that they're big into trading, and why so many of the houses here have storefronts. Trade is the only way they can truly subsist out here. Perhaps they do a little hunting and a little foraging, but from what you've been able to Scan, there isn't much nearby. There certainly isn't enough wildlife in the area to support the food needs of everyone here.

You look over to where you sensed the large gathering to find a kind of open-air restaurant / bar sort of thing. The floor itself is simply a raised platform made with wooden planks, though it has been stained and sealed rather attractively.

On top of that are four moderately sized picnic tables - the kind with the benches attached to them via curved steel pipes. 

Each one has a handful of people seated in them, all talking and drinking and eating amongst themselves. Though their conversations occasionally reach outward and involve the other tables at times. Altogether, their mood seems quite jovial and lighthearted and easygoing.

An older woman seems to be attending to all their needs, while her husband (presumably) stands behind the bar at the far end of the open floor. There, he serves the two patrons seated at the bar itself. Looks like glass mugs with warm beer from what you can tell.

In the corner near the bar are a grill, stone oven, and prep table, all of which are being handled by a young adult woman - most likely the husband and wife's daughter. She seems to take to her duties rather well, and is happily cooking and grilling food for the patrons.

In fact all of them look rather content and happy with what they're doing. Clearly, they love being here and doing this. 

Seeing them work the restaurant together makes you think that the place is basically a family business. Which would track given where you are - there seems to be a number of families living out here, and so it would make sense that they own and operate their shops as well.

You greet everyone around you as you walk towards the bar, with which you're met with hellos and grunts and nods by the patrons. And when you pull up to a stool and sit down, the bartender immediately asks you, "What're you having?"

"Ah, well, I don't really know what you've all got," you begin. "But I am a bit hungry and a bit thirsty, so I'll take whatever you've got to offer."

"We've got what'cha need," he replies. Then he turns to the girl working the grill and orders a 'daily'. She responds happily then gets right to work putting your meal together. While she does so, he grabs a corked bottle from under the counter and places it in front of you.

"Mead," he says. "Made right here in Oasis."

"Never had that before," you reply. "Not really a fan of alcohol."

"Give it a shot. You never know if you'll like it."

The bottle itself is about the size of a beer bottle, though it's completely clear. Inside, the mead itself is a darkish amber and somewhat cloudy. When you take a sip, your tongue is hit with all kinds of sweet fruity flavors, as well as a slight bitter hint that somehow binds all the flavors together.

Though you're unsure how you feel about it at first, you grow to like it more over the next few sips. The spreading warmth inside you as well as your slight intoxication helps that sentiment along as well.

"That's pretty good," you say eventually.

"Good to hear," the tender replies.

"By the way, what do I owe ya for drinks and dinner?"

"Nothing. Meals here belong to the community. Everyone gets one free daily, if they want it. Or they can give theirs to someone else."

"Really? How do you make money?"

"Wealth isn't about a single person, or a single family out here - we all gotta work together to make it. We've got our own internal system worked out to make sure everyone's got what they need. And sometimes, that includes traders and travelers like you."

You sit in stunned awe at what you're hearing. Of course it makes much more sense this way - with resources tight, it's much easier for the whole community to thrive if they share what they've got with each other.

So when they buy and sell, they do it for the whole community's needs rather than just their individual selves.

You find this utterly fascinating, and wonder if something like this could scale up to a population much, much greater. You can't help but wonder how long a city with a system like this could run for in this apocalyptic mess.

Of course, a part of you thinks it would be impossible - someone would ruin things for everyone else. Their individual greed would likely override the needs of the many. And the more people there are, the higher chances of having those greedy people around. It's just the nature of human life.

As you take another sip of your mead, the couple sitting near you turn towards you with inviting smiles. In front of them are bottles of mead just like yours, though you're certain they've had much more than you. The alcohol is thick in their breaths, though their minds still seem sharp despite that.

"Hey, it's the Traveler," says the one closer to you. "Heard you came in early this morning. How're you liking our Oasis?"

"You all seem really nice, and it's a great spot to live," you tell him. "I definitely don't have a single complaint."

"Oasis has got its ups and down like everywhere else, but I'd rather live here than anywhere else. It's nice and quiet… mostly. Anyway, I'm Jonesy and this is Tad, my partner."

Jonesy leans back, allowing you to get a better look at Tad, who waves to you genially. 

"Pleased to meet you," he says.

"Likewise."

"We hear that you might have some goods for sale," continues Jonesy. "Guns and ammo to be specific. Tad and I operate the armory near here, and would love to take a look at your wares."

"Aren't you off work?" you ask. "I mean, you're here having a drink and cooling down for the day instead of in your shop or wherever. Wouldn't you rather do business in the morning or something? I mean, no offense. Just curious."

Jonesy chuckles a bit, then nods.

"Well sorta off work, if that's really such a thing around here," he says. "Thing is there really isn't any off-time out here. If we don't scramble as best we can whenever we can, sometimes we end up with less than we want. And that means some people miss out on dinner 'coz there isn't enough to go around.

"Not that it's much of a problem in recent days, but it's best to work ahead of it than try to catch up, know what I mean?"


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