Chapter 9 - Close Call!

Of all times to have a near miss with the Halyconian civilization, this wasn't the greatest time. Not only that, but someone altered the original schematics of Survival to the Purgatory Waystation? This was way too coincidental for Colton's liking.

As he sifted through everything he had to use for survival, Colton had a bad taste in his mouth. That was until he espied the culture his background came from. Now, this was positive for him. He'd become immersed in the author's notes about the civilization. Now he was able to live it?

Incredible, this was the best news that Colton had received yet. "Hmm, interesting," he noted with mild bemusement. "So, I'm from the Noctu-Shydon background and culture." He tapped his fingers on his thigh.

Colton looked around their surroundings. "We'll reach some new land masses. We're headed in the right direction if you see one resembling an eagle's wing."

Kellen was caught in his earlier remark. "So, you know about the Noctu-Shydon civilization and culture?" He heaved a sigh of relief. "Please tell me more about what you know." Kellen requested.

"Hmm, they're known for being gifted in the arts, music, dance, and other similar graces." Colton was more than willing to do what he asked. "They are thought to be descended from the muses of the Hellenistic pantheon."

Kellen slanted Colton a dubious stare. "Hmm, I find that suspect."

Colton shrugged. "Creative liberty?" It was something that authors did all the time.

Kellen nodded. "Okay, so what else can you tell me?"

"In this version, the males are based on idol types and have wings that'll emerge when the time comes." Colton shrugged. "Since I'm in my twenties and an Omega, I should be able to manifest them."

Kellen glanced at him, alarmed. "Please don't do that while we're on this raft." He looked uneasy.

"Oh, I won't do that." Colton shook his head. "That is only something we do when in times of danger." He found it quite odd when he thought about it. "That reminds me." Colton grimaced because now was the tricky part to explain. "Although we're known for having psychic gifts, we're not going to be pushed into evil or divine roles."

He shrugged when Kellen regarded him with confusion. "So, you're saying people would force them into either role." He repeated incredulously. "Doing that to psychics is cruel and unnatural."

Now came the reason for why they'd been enemies when much younger. "However, that was done to me when I was much younger." Colton shrugged because he wasn't sure what else to say.

Kellen frowned. "So, it was something I, or my folks, must've done, eh?" That didn't surprise him much. "Now that does make sense." He grunted in disgust. "Yet, I don't think this was in the original storyline?"

"Yes, that's why I'm wondering how much of this was meant to be incorporated." Colton nodded with a sigh. "Hence the reasons why we were childhood enemies up to a certain point."

Kellen snorted in disgust. "Well, I'm glad that the misunderstanding was resolved." When Colton eyed him strangely. "It should be in your history within the status window." Kellen shrugged. "I'm sure we're both having some new facts added as we speak." He didn't find it too onerous to assemble the facts to form something somewhat logical about this whole mess.

He hadn't even scratched the surface of what the Noctu-Shydon people could do. That should wait for another time. Colton shook his head. "I think that there is room for improvement." He sighed as he contemplated what he remembered. "The strange thing is that although the author wrote an entire guidebook around the Noctu-Shydon, their species, and about the civilization." He'd found that could have been clearer. "They played a tiny part in the whole story."

Kellen grunted. "Yet, they are pivotal at some point?" He tilted his head. "There has to be a reason why you became one of them, right?"

Colton wasn't entirely sure how to make sense of what he heard. "Yes, they're considered gatekeepers for certain storyline parts." Now, he was still determining if he'd be a good character for this scenario.

Colton hesitated to mention what didn't make sense to him. "That's going to play a crucial role in the future of this storyline." He cleared his throat and mentioned what worried him about the discrepancies he'd noticed. "Providing we actually are in Survival to the Purgatory Waystation."

Kellen blinked when he heard that last comment. He shook his head and grunted. "Oh, believe me, we are." He shrugged with a sigh. "I know because I'm friends with the writer." A scowl crossed his face. "I think he must've based some of this information on what I told him of certain incidents in my past."

Wow, that was a bit to consider. Colton sighed in frustration. "So, where are you from?"

"Hmm?" Kellen glanced at him. "Oh right, the creatures I come from, or species?" He clarified when Colton grunted in agreement. "I'm part of the Serpentina Regalas culture."

Colton immediately supplied information for Kellen, who gave him an expectant look. "Serpents that can shapeshift," he murmured with appreciation. "They have two to three, sometimes four types of forms they can assume," Colton listed with precision: "the snake, snake person, completely human, or can turn into spiders." He sighed. "I'm almost jealous of you for having that particular genus of human and indigenous species combination."

Kellen didn't even bother to sigh. "Why were those two cultures so hostile toward each other?" He wanted to know.

Colton frowned. "I don't know, to be honest. That was not something the author delved into." He was sure that he'd asked questions only to be frigidly ignored. He hadn't been the only one, either, who'd gotten the frozen shoulder.

Right then, Colton noticed highly unusual activity. "Err, what're those things?" He gestured with his left hand. "I don't believe I've seen them before, even in the past life." How odd that he'd recognize something that was not of their world already.