Chapter 6: The Legend of Fang

I watched as night started to close in. This would be the last night we spent by Native Lakes as there would be no coming back. Once the sun rose we would start to make our way to New Venice to alert the Snow Leopards about the incident at my home. A home I had helped destroy by pitying the enemy. By giving the Rethi the benefit of the doubt.

"You can't stay by yourself, Buteo." Nadia said and put a hand on my shoulder. "It is quiet but the danger hasn't passed."

I nodded and turned as she took her hand from my shoulder. She looked embarrassed as I followed her back to the others. She was right that the danger hadn't yet passed. Predators and scavengers would be coming soon to look for food. Though the fact that they hadn't come yet made me think that they wouldn't. But why?

We had divided ourselves into two of the buildings. Hawn and Donta went into one while the rest of us went into another. It had been decided that we couldn't risk sleeping alone. There could always be an extra trap that the Rethi had left. On some level I felt foolish about being this paranoid, but on the other I was the one who let the Rethi in. I was the last one who should talk about security.

Right now everyone was gathered around a small fire and eating dinner. Hawn had made it very clear that starting now we would only eat what we needed. This meant our daily rations were extremely small. If Nidae wasn't known to travel often, I would have bet he would be the first one to complain. However, he was used to small rations and was staring into the fire.

"The Destroyer of Native Lakes." Nidae said and clapped his hands, the lost look in his eyes going away. "We welcome you and ask only for your mercy."

I was silent as I took a seat on the opposite side of the fire with Hawn on my right. Nadia took a seat between Donta and Nidae. I hoped that nickname didn't travel all around Gaia. Though I had earned it no matter how much I wanted to deny the truth.

"And what would you be the destroyer of?" Donta asked Nidae.

"I don't think you're ready to hear the truth yet." He replied and gave her a wink.

I couldn't help but chuckle. Even after Native Lakes had been destroyed and the ancient Rethi had returned, there was still happiness. There were still people to spread joy. If that continued to be true then there would always be hope. My chuckles turned to full out laughter as Nadia and Hawn laughed.

Donta looked angrily at all of us and then she started laughing. Everyone but Hawn stopped laughing. None of us had ever heard her laugh before. Of course I had heard that she laughed but it was as if someone were telling me a story about Fang. Finally the pair stopped laughing.

"So how should we spend this last glorious night?" Nidae asked with a dramatic wave of his hands.

"Maybe we should tell a story." Nadia suggested. "Maybe thinking back to how things were will give us the strength to fight."

Frank would always be on my mind. He was my reason to fight and continue living. Once I had avenged him I would find peace. I blinked as I swore I saw him in the fire. I had to resist jumping up and going in to save him.

"I could tell a few stories." Nidae said with a grin. "Something happened to me recently and I think you should all hear it."

"No." Hawn replied. "I don't want to imagine what you'd find interesting."

There were a few minutes of silence as no one could think of a story. I thought of talking about Frank and all the good times I had had with him. But any story told tonight would need to be something we could all relate to. It couldn't be personal, it had to be universal.

"If no one else has any ideas, I'll tell the Legend of Fang." I said. "I think tonight we should all be asking for his grace and help. The best way to honor him would be to remind ourselves of who he is. He is our beginning and we need his strength if we are to help fight off the Rethi. Even if we aren't on the front lines."

One by one they nodded. Everyone seemed more than happy to hear the legend again. It was a legend I had repeated many times in different ways to my class. I let my mind wander until it found the words that were needed. The words that would help bring us peace and understanding in this time of need. I looked up at the stars that were starting to fill the sky before looking into the flames.

"A long time ago, back when the Rethi inhabited this world, this planet was known as Earth." I said. "This planet started with wide open spaces like we have known, yet over time sprawling cities spread over. In some places it was not common to even see a tree. Pollution littered the air and infected the water. Yet the Rethi loved it."

I held back vomit that wanted to come out as I thought of the images. I had studied the history of Gaia and had seen some unpleasant things. If I had gone somewhere to learn more, I could've. But what knowledge I had gained was more than enough. There were some horrors that should never be known. It was only because the Council didn't want history to be lost that there were still Dreth that learned about our Rethi ancestors.

There were still cities on Gaia, but they were very rare. Most Dreth did not even dream of visiting one. I would live a long happy life if I didn't have to be in a constraining city. Sadly New Venice, the place we had to go to, was a city. I held back a shiver.

"The Rethi lived in their cities and loathed nature." I continued. "One day they decided to leave for the stars."

I looked up and spread my arms to indicate the night sky. Somewhere out there the Rethi would hear the pleas of their fallen and come back. From the stars they would come to rain down terror on Gaia. To destroy everything good as was their way. But if myself and others could find a way, we would stop them. We would kill every last Rethi with Fang guiding us.

"The Rethi that left were the best of their kind." I said with hatred in my voice. "No, not the best. They took with them those that they valued the most. With their pompous egos, they left the rest of their kind behind. They left behind those that would have to fight a war for survival."

I allowed awhile for us all to steel ourselves for the next part of the tale. This was a part we all needed to remember. This was the part where the Dreth were born. As with all births, it was not easy nor pretty. It was painful and yet necessary. Sometimes pain was needed to continue and evolve.

"Sometime after the Rethi left Earth, a great virus swept the planet." I continued as my voice nearly broke with each word. "Many died before anything could be done. Death and destruction ravaged the planet. Those that survived were the strongest of the Rethi and those that helped paved the way for the Drethiveal."

"Let us say our thanks to them." Nadia said and we all bowed our heads. "Thank you, ancestors. Thank you, the forgotten. Thank you, all those who suffered so we could live here now. There is nothing we can give you now but our lives. Nothing to give you now but to help our species to continue surviving."

We turned our heads up to the sky and yelled. We yelled until we could yell no more. Then we looked at each other. Tears were in our eyes as all of us imagined what our ancestors must have gone through. All except Nidae who had a thoughtful expression on his face. I guess he handled his fear and sadness differently. Maybe he didn't want to appear weak. I could understand that.

"It was then that Gaia sent us a savior." I said. "It was then we were saved. Fang in his genius was able to find a cure. He was able to figure out a way to save us. He found that we could not stay as Rethi but had to evolve to survive. We had to become something greater than any Rethi to survive in this harsh new world."

I had often wondered how Fang had felt. I had often wondered what had lead him to his discovery. It could have been an accident when he was too exhausted to think. There had been many times that a great discovery had been a mere mistake. He might not have known, not at first, what his discovery truly meant for the Dreth.

Or it could have been that Fang had known what he was doing. The exact history of the legend was not known and had been lost through time. Somehow he had been able to save us. That must mean he had been a smart Dreth. An extremely smart one with training. I would've liked to meet him so that I could ask him all these questions I had burning inside of me.

"Fang created the cure." I continued. "A cure for survival and change. His cure created the process of Avealing and changed the world he knew. Earth became Gaia and the ruling species that survived was called Drethiveal! He is the father of our kind! The father of Drethiveal!"

At that announcement everyone started cheering. Nadia smiled a happy smile as she clapped. Donta looked savage as she clapped which reassured me. I never wanted to see her smile like before ever again. Hawn looked regal as he clapped and I could see why he was a warrior. I was silent as I liked just basking in the happiness going on around me. The only one not happy was Nidae.

"Is anything wrong, Nidae?" I asked and he looked up at me.

"No, nothing." Nidae replied and I could sense the lie in his voice. "No, that's not true. I guess I'm just worried that this is the end for us. That there will be no Fang. Gaia is already divided between the Council of Ant and the Descendents. We are at war amongst ourselves and you think there is any hope that we can survive?"

I could tell that that wasn't Nidae's entire reason. I could tell this as I was a teacher and was used to my students lying from time to time. It was my job to make sure people were paying attention and learning the material. I also could tell that nothing I said or did now would make him reveal the truth. I knew this as some students kept secrets very well and sometimes you never found out the truth.

"Of course we'll win." Donta said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "They are just Rethi. No matter how powerful their weapons are, we will win."

"We also know this planet." Hawn agreed. "I think the Descendants will ally with us once they realize what happens if they don't. I loathe them, but I don't think that the humers want to see the destruction of Drethiveal kind."

Nidae nodded. He didn't seem convinced but there was nothing I could do about that now. It would be up to Hawn to reassure him, not me. I couldn't think of anything to say to him. This story was supposed to give everyone hope, I had no other weapon against the growing despair.

"Fang took on the form of a wolf." I said as I could think of nothing else to do but continue the story. "This is why wolves are sacred. They are the messengers of Fang, his presence on Gaia. To kill a wolf or Aveal into one is to dishonor him. This is why the Descendents are humming awful."

It took a moment for me to gather myself. I kept on seeing Descendents mocking Fang. If they saw the Rethi then they would have to admit they were wrong. They would stop Avealing into wolves and help stop the true enemy. The enemy that had plagued the planet before our savior had set us free. The Council of Ant would have to provide the right punishment, though. I did not like to think of myself as a violent person and yet...yet I wanted to murder every last Descendent right now. I wanted to spill their blood and maybe, just maybe, that would make my own pain go away. It would make Frank happy enough to leave me alone.

"The Rethi did return." I said as I continued the legend. "They tried to retake the planet they had given up but to no avail. Fang lead our ancestors to many victories. He helped drive out the Rethi plague from our planet. He helped earn us our freedom. If not for him we would not be here today. We wouldn't have a chance to get vengeance for the destruction of Native Lakes."

We all sat in silence as I had concluded the Legend of Fang. A legend that could be told many different ways with the same truth. Some added more spiritual elements while others took a more objective approach. In any case we all honored Fang. How could we not honor who was essentially the father of our species? Though the Council of Ant had told us not to use that phrasing while teaching.

"That's the story." Nidae said and leaned back. "Glad the Rethi will decide to go away because Fang is so great."

"Maybe the Rethi that landed went off course." Nadia said. "They might have attacked Native Lakes because they feared us. We don't know what was sent on that signal. They might have told the other Rethi to stay away and count them as dead."

My mind went back to the dead Rethi. Something had seemed off about them and yet I couldn't figure out what. At the time the anguish of losing Frank and my home was overpowering. Now I could think a little more clearly about that day but I still couldn't figure out that mystery. Did it really matter? The other Rethi would come and Gaia would be the center of yet another war.

"I doubt it." Donta said. "You've heard the stories about them. They will devour everything. Just because the Rethi that Buteo rescued seemed kind, doesn't mean they actually were. They will devour Gaia and reclaim it unless we stop them."

"Why attack now?" Nidae asked. "Maybe they do fear and respect Fang. Maybe they do fear us. Maybe they believe we can actually win against them. Maybe they decided to take their time so their army will be strong enough to fight against us."

"Or maybe they think we're so weak that they could take their time. It is a large galaxy out there and we're not the only problems they'll have. They most likely devoured countless planets before they came back for us."

I shivered at the thought. The chaos that happened at Native Lakes had been horrible. That same chaos had occurred on many worlds until the planets fell to them. What I had experienced would occur all over Gaia until we were defeated. No, if the Rethi could be driven off once they could be made to flee again. Maybe we could even destroy them completely this time.

Hawn stood up and walked to the very edge of the fire. The flames lit his features like Fang himself. Hawn was very much the leader and the one I would follow until the Rethi were gone. Until I could grant Frank vengeance. I looked at Hawn's face and saw sorrow and fear. For this moment in time he was being himself.

"The Rethi could've been keeping track of us." Nidae said, making another guess. "They could think that Gaia is split enough now to take over. Those that crashed must have come too close and gotten hit by our defenses."

"And what message did they send out?" I asked.

"Probably just that they knew they were going to die so they destroyed Native Lakes. They wanted to have one small victory before they perished."

"Why is it so quiet?" Nadia asked.

Yes, why. The Rethi coming had been strange as had the silence before them. It was one of the things we would need to learn about when we went to New Venice. Our old enemies might have a new weapon and had decided to test it out. Maybe the Rethi that crashed had gotten too close because of testing out their new weapon. If that was the case, we would have to figure out how to counter it.

"It's quiet because Gaia is distraught over the Rethi returning." Hawn replied. "It's quiet because those who don't honor Fang are coming back. It is a time of mourning for all of us. As this was the place the Rethi crashed it will be the most silent place on Gaia. We will win this fight and kill our enemies for good this time."

Hatred was in his voice as was conviction. Leaders were supposed to be stronger than those that followed them. I wondered how much of his strength was feigned. At the same time I didn't want to think he was lying as I needed to be strong. I needed to be strong for myself, my fellow Dreth, and for Frank.

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