From 60196d90ed9eed92b6ecbf58a9723d03a008a55f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Xe Iaso Date: Fri, 3 Jun 2022 21:58:45 -0400 Subject: [PATCH] the oasis Signed-off-by: Xe Iaso --- blog/the-oasis.markdown | 344 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 344 insertions(+) create mode 100644 blog/the-oasis.markdown diff --git a/blog/the-oasis.markdown b/blog/the-oasis.markdown new file mode 100644 index 0000000..086d62e --- /dev/null +++ b/blog/the-oasis.markdown @@ -0,0 +1,344 @@ +--- +title: The Oasis +date: 2022-06-03 +series: malto +tags: + - furry +--- + +Tosen did a final check of his backpack. It was a very hot day in Tashei, but +the river radiated an aura of cool air that protected everyone from the heat of +the harsh sun. He had his backup cloak, a hydroflask and some fish jerkey, not +to mention the package for the client. *Not exactly the best equipment but this +will work. Riltash is a half day away at worst,* Tosen thought to himself. He +squatted down and fit his arms into the pack's straps. The pack easily weighed a +quarter of what he did, but as he regained his catlike balance he secured the +waistband and got ready to head out. + +The oracle predicted that there would be a sandstorm late in the evening, but it +wasn't even noon yet. He pulled out his compass, let it settle and then set out +to the southeast. + +Walking in the desert always has its own unique rhythm to it. With the +unrelenting heat of the sun pounding down on the sand, the ground itself can +feel like a million angry daggers with every step. Tosen thought ahead of this +issue. He got himself a pair of sandshoes from the fancy magic item store. The +only downside was that his main connection to the earth was significantly +weakened. Chee paws are some of the most finely tuned sensory organs on Malto +(second only to Snep paws), and they were his main warning about sandstorms. +*The oracle isn't wrong most of the time. I'm fine, I'm fine. I can't feel the +desert but I'm fine.* + +He kept walking past all different kinds of cacti. His favorite ones were the +ones that were made up of a bunch of spiky ovals built on top of eachother. He'd +never want to get stung by one and risk the wrath of the serrated needles, but +he'd always thought that they had such a unique look. *If I had a house of my +own, I'd grow one of them.* + +As he continued walking he started to focus on the patterns of walking. Every +step was taken one after the other. With every step, his foot slid to the side +ever so slightly. The sand wrapped around his shoes and warmed his feet. The +worst part of the sandshoes was when sand trickled into the back of them. This +required him to stop every so often to purge the sand out of his shoes, because +otherwise it would hurt a lot. + +This continued for what felt like hours. He checked his compass every so often +and made sure he was on the right path. It started to move a bit weird compared +to normal. It was taking longer to find north. Normally this would be concerning +to him, but the desert had entranced him. Left, right, left, right, left, right. +Each step bringing him closer to his destination. + +Then the sky changed color. The brilliant blue started to get stained with a +light brown that worked its way across what Tosen could see. Tosen instantly +noticed this change and pulled over his face veil. The sandstorm had started +early. The oracle was wrong. + +Tosen looked around for some kind of shelter but all he could see was the +remains of a broken wagon that looked like its better days had seen better days. +It was barely enough protection. With his spare robe to patch over the biggest +holes just enough to ride out the storm. He took the leap and hunkered down. +*It's only a level 2 storm. It'll be over in an hour. I'll make it to Riltash +today. Everything will work out.* + +As he sat down he reached for his compass and couldn't find it. He reached into +the pocket that his compass normally lives in and felt it conspicuously empty. +He looked up towards the path he walked in on and saw a golden glint in the +sand. It was so close. If he could get to it, he'd know where to go. He'd find +his way to Riltash. + +But the sandstorm started to kick up. The sky started fading towards darker and +darker shades of brown and he could feel the sand beat against his makeshift +shelter. The hot sand was whipped up and he could hear it pitter and patter the +wooden and cloth walls. + +After an hour, the sandstorm started showing signs of slowing down. *This is +nothing close to a level 2*, Tosen thought to himself. His spare robe was +totally ruined, but he survived. As things died down, he remembered his compass +and tore down enough of his shelter to be able to find it. It wasn't where it +was before. *Okay, it's made of gold, it can't have gone that far*. He grabbed +his pack, almost fell over from the sudden weight and started to scan around him +in 360 degrees. He saw the familiar glint of its knob and walked over to its +resting site. The looking glass was cracked. Rotating it did nothing. The +compass was broken. + +He was lost. + +It took every ounce of strength Tosen had to avoid shouting out in anger. He +needed to conserve the water. Miau was huge. He needs to extend his supplies to +last as long as possible. + +He couldn't resist the urge. He shouted out in anger for an instant before +realizing what he did and covering his mouth. + +It took a while for Tosen to regain his senses. The shock of the event wasn't +sitting well with him. His mother's compass was destroyed. His rendezvous time +with the client was surely shot. At least it wasn't the solar apex anymore. +*Okay, I can deal with this. I should stay put until sunset. The sun sets to the +east. I can go diagonally into the sunset to get to Riltash*. + +He more confidently went back to his makeshift shelter. It was in worse +condition after the storm, but at least it would give him shade. The sun was on +its way down, but it was still a deadly laser that he needed to worry about. +*It's just me and you, buddy.* + +Some time passed and the sun very visibly was in the eastern portion of the sky. +Tosen grabbed for his hydroflask and took a sip. *It was still cold. At least +that oracle was good for SOMETHING.* He stood up and grabbed his pack. He left a +bit of red cloth as a flag on the southeast side of his makeshift shelter to +tell anyone looking for him where he went. + +Then it was back to the rhythms of the desert. The desert felt confusing without +the comforting pulse of nature under his paws. But, he continued taking steps +and continued walking forwards. + +Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Things felt more deliberate this time. +There was a frustration to his walking. He was so frustrated at the whole +situation. As he walked, he felt his emotions fuming over this whole debacle. + +He walked and walked. The sunset had started to peek out its head and show Tosen +a display of fantastic colors as he continued to walk. *This isn't right. I +should have reached Riltash by now. It's only a few miles from Tashei.* He took +another swig of his hydroflask and felt it notably lighter than it should be. He +was low on water. This was especially dangerous out here. *This is going to be a +long night, isn't it.* + +The sunset continued and the colors gradually started to fade to the black night +sky. Starts started to peek out without the sun to hide them. Tosen scanned over +the constellations and found the North Star. From there he worked out that he +was going to the southeast like he thought he was. He looked around and found a +few miserable bushes to use for firewood, but they were in a sea of thorns. He +had talents in fire magick, but he didn't trust using it with so many dry thorns +nearby. *You know what, what's the worst that can happen? I get warm? It's going +to be so cold soon, I need to do something.* + +He held out his hand and mentally started to trace out the triangles like he +learned from school. Each triangle stacked on top of each other and then built +up into a viable casting circle glowing a brilliant orange in front of his hand. +The area around him was illuminated from the magickal force, the thorns casting +long evil shadows against cacti and other miserable little bushes. + +"Toor sha!" + +A weak puff of flame came out of his hand and tickled one of the thorny vines. +There wasn't much of a response and it looked like the fire was going to go out +so he cast a fireball in its place. The triangles shifted into squares and a +baseball sized orb of energy started to form in his hand. + +"Toor shaltel!" + +The fireball formed around his fingers and he chucked it right into the pit of +thorns. They were all set on fire simultaneously. After a brilliant blaze, the +fire petered out into nothing as fast as it started. He looked over to see if +the firewood was still there, his spell circle was still active as a flashlight +but that kindling was nowhere to be seen. It was incinerated with everything +else. + +He had to resist shouting out in anger again. *Okay, okay, calm down. I set off +a massive signal fire. That should alert someone. I can't keep this spell circle +up, I'll mind down and then I'll be in worse trouble.* He killed off the spell +with a flick of the wrist and the darkness crept in. He was alone. I need to +keep walking. So he started walking, not realizing that he changed direction +after the incident with the thorns. + +Left! Right! Left! Right! Left! Right! Each step felt angry and defiant. Tosen +started to feel legitimate anger at the desert. It was normally his home, he +grew up in the sands of Miau, but tonight it was his enemy. He defiantly marched +towards where he thought Riltash was, but got no closer. + +It was a very long night walking towards town. It was a desperate, angry march. +He stopped a few times to take a bite of jerkey and swig it down with the bare +minimum of water he could get away with. He thought it would be colder, but it +turns out all that fur ended up going towards something. + +The night continued and was broken by the inklings of a sunrise. Tosen looked up +in dismay. He had walked all night and he was nowhere closer to his destination. +An overwhelming feeling of sadness blanketed him and he broke down to start +crying. + +He looked forward and saw something different. He saw what looked like the faint +outline of Riltash's signal statue. His sadness was instantly transmuted to a +mixture of relief and joy and his second wind started to hit. He trudged forward +towards that statue. Towards his salvation. Towards his client. Towards his +paycheck. Towards the next step to move out to Zhalram with his friends. Towards +his future. + +He kept up his pace and got closer. The statue looked wrong. Riltash has the +visage of one of the water goddesses in the region. This looked different, +almost like a Chee. He wasn't aware of any local Chee deities. He looked down +and saw shimmers. It almost looked like a mirage, but then he remembered +something. There were rumors of an oasis south of Riltash. Could this be that? +Could there be water? + +His second wind became a third and then a fourth wind. He got close enough to +take a better look at everything and it was that oasis! + +*Water!* + +His walk became a sprint and the sand started to be diluted with grass. As he +walked on the grass he suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of calm. It was as if +all of the anger, all the vitriol, all the hatred towards the desert vanished in +an instant. He paused for a moment but then continued on. The promise of fresh +water was too great. He was so thirsty. + +He put his pack down, took off his shoes and tested the water with a paw. It was +cool to the touch, about 10 degrees celsius. It was the real deal. It was water. +He took off his robe, folded it haphazardly next to his pack and grabbed his +hydroflask. He opened it and shoved it under so it could be filled. Once he was +satisfied that it was full, he bent over and started to lap up the water +greedily. + +A figure vaguely resembling the statue was watching from a nearby house. The +figure chuckled to themselves. They decided they should intervene. They donned a +white robe and walked out to the weary traveler. + +Tosen was enamoured by the water. His exhaustion had finally caught up to him. +He looked back at his pack and saw a figure walking towards him from some kind +of house. He instantly jumped to alertness, but didn't feel the fear that +generally came with being startled like that. The figure felt familiar yet alien +somehow. + +The figure looked at his pack and his visibly broken compass. They looked right +into Tosen's eyes. "Rough day?" + +Tosen stammered a few times and eventually managed to come up with a reply: +"Y...yeah. I was caught in that sandstorm yesterday. I hid from it in a broken +wagon." + +The figure reached out a hand to him. "Come with me. You need a rest. I'll come +back to take care of your things. I have a spare bed for travelers like you." + +Tosen didn't have enough energy to argue with the stranger's offer of +hospitality and followed them into their house. They guided Tosen to the guest +room and sat on one of the chairs. Tosen collapsed on the most comfortable bed +he had ever felt in his life. All he could get out was a weak "thank....youuuu" +before his lost sleep caught up and he was out like a light. The figure pulled a +blanket over him and closed the shades to make the room nice and dark. + +Tosen was asleep until the late afternoon. The figure had moved his stuff +inside, done his laundry, mended a hole in the pack and was lounging in a chair +for a nap of their own. + +Tosen woke up, stretched out and yawned loudly. He looked up at the ceiling and +realized how unfamiliar it was. That angel in his dream was real. Had he +actually walked through the night? The figure knocked at the door. "Hey, come +and have a meal. You must be starving." He was. Tosen stood up and opened the +door. The figure was wearing a white robe and a golden necklace. They looked +like the archetypal vision of Chee beauty. Tosen noted that he was unable to +refer to that figure with any pronoun but "they". *That's weird...* + +The figure started to speak: "I am Shal'tash. I saw you hurting and I decided to +intervene and help you. Come, I have some food almost ready." Shal'tash started +to walk towards the kitchen and Tosen followed. He made his way to a rather +ordinary looking wooden table and took a seat. His stuff was near the table and +he was grateful for his host's gratuity. + +They were making pancakes. The batter was being poured into a metal pan in +little groups. Tosen noticed that the stove seemed to be powered by its own +magic circle, a non-organic magic emitter was being used to create the fire +needed for cooking. It was a weak burner, but it was enough for Shal'tash to +cook with. + +Tosen was befuddled. He had never seen such a thing in action. He got up and +looked at it closely. Shal'tash looked back and smiled, "Never seen a stove +burner before?" + +"Not like that no, it looks like it's casting a weak fire spell, but +constantly." + +"This is a lot more efficient than the coal burning stoves you have. This lets +you use the energy equivalent of a fireball to get a half hour of cooking heat, +or an hour or two of torchlight. I'm surprised you didn't know about this." + +Tosen looked confused. "You mean you can use the square level spell to +supercharge the triangle level spell? No, they never taught us this. But how is +the burner even working?" + +Shal'tash laughed. "It's nothing special. I just rooted the circle under the pan +instead of on my hand. Here, you try it." They flicked their wrist and banished +the magic circle. "Now cast a fireball but focus on the pan instead of your +hand, let it simmer a bit, and then kick off create fire." + +Tosen was confused but nodded and tried to comply. After a moment Shal'tash +piped in: "no, don't think about where the pan is relative to your hand. Think +about where the pan is relative to the pan. You're so close. I know you can do +it." + +Tosen nodded and started over. The circle started to be inscribed below the pan +and Shal'tash's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Toor sha!" + +The burner was lit. The fire was continuously burning and Tosen didn't feel the +sting of a continuous cast. "Perfect. See how easy this is? Spend the mana on +the fireball, then use it for the weaker spell. No need to waste any." + +Tosen was astounded. It normally took him ages to learn magical skills, but here +he was on the second try with this person and their vague instruction and he did +two things he thought was impossible. It was like magic was all new all over +again. Can I use this to make a bunch of fireballs when casting a firestorm? How +far does this go? + +"Be careful with this, you could really hurt someone if you do displacement +foolishly. They must have stopped teaching it for a reason." Shal'tash finished +the stack of pancakes and put the plate in the middle of the table. "Now let's +eat!" + +They shared a meal. It was just what Tosen needed. + +The meal was finished. Shal'tash looked over to Tosen. "So where are you headed? +I can point you in the right direction." + +"Riltash, I have a delivery that I'm incredibly late for by now." + +Shal'tash chuckled and pointed towards the statue. "The statue points towards +Riltash. Just go straight north and you'll get there in 20 minutes." + +Tosen looked incredulous. "I was really that close?" + +"Yeah, though it looked like you needed to get lost. It can be good for you." + +He didn't understand what they meant by that, but he didn't think he needed to. + +Shal'tash walked with Tosen to the north side of the oasis. Tosen looked towards +his saviour and was suddenly overcome with emotion. "Thank you so much. You +saved me." + +"You are welcome. I saved you because I was in a situation worse than yours when +I found this oasis. I don't want anyone to experience the pain that I have felt, +so I saved you before it could get that bad." + +"What can I do to repay you?" + +"You don't need to do anything right now. Just save someone else when you can. +If you want, come back here and give me a visit. It'd be fun to catch up, +Tosen." + +"Thanks again! I'll be back!" + +Tosen walked off towards his payday. He looked back every so often and the oasis +became more distant and then faded completely from sight into the rest of the +sands. He was alone again, but not in spirit. + +He never noticed that they knew his name without him telling them his name. + +Shal'tash walked back towards their house and stood by their cactus. They +watched as Tosen faded into the sands and then headed inside. Their job was +complete.