New Life

  He too often found Sarah, in a disheveled state, rocking herself on the bed, her hands resting on her swollen belly.  Aesar had very little free time, but he figured he could stand to lose a few hours of sleep, and he began the arduous task of building a pair of rockers.  One for her, and one for him, so that they could sit beside each other on quiet evenings, and maybe even hold hands.

  He spent the next countless nights staying awake until the wee hours of the morning, pushing through the coughs that racked his body, cutting the wood, forming and shaping it, sanding it, and painstakingly putting it all together.  Some nights his muscles groaned with anguish, and his eyes burned from lack of sleep, but he kept on.  The joy in her eyes when she saw them finished, made all his sacrifice worthwhile.

  It gave him great gladness to see her downstairs more often, rocking in the chair he made her, rather than her staying in their bed all day, sleeping.  She still dozed off and on, but she took more interest in what he was doing, as he came inside to wash up and prepare them something to eat.  He hoped it was a sign that she was going to get better, the alternative didn't bear thinking about. 

 

 
  Aesar knew the long winter months were just ahead of them, and his plants would soon lie dormant.  He also knew he didn't have enough food set aside to survive, so he took some cuttings of his plants, and started growing a few of them indoors.  It wasn't much, for his home didn't have much space to spare indoors, but he hoped it was just enough to tide them over until the Spring.

  He hummed to himself as he worked, pausing only for a moment whenever weakness threatened to drop him on his face, and then he continued on with his work.  He was determined to check each plant to make sure it stayed healthy and free of bugs.  The survival of his family depended on it, he simply had to ignore the fatigue that pulled at him.

  He added mulched dirt to each pot, to give his plants a little extra help.  They would be starved of natural sunlight soon; they would need all the help they could get.

  A few days later he felt like weeping, but he didn't have the strength for it.  The frosts had come overnight, and even though he had expected them, it was still devastating to see his precious plants encased in ice.

 

    It wasn't long after the first frost, that he woke to the sound of the howling winter wind, and a quick glance outside showed the snow falling thick and heavy.  He sighed wearily, now he would find out if his preparations were enough to insure their survival.  He prayed so.

  The nights were long, and the days short, but he had stored plenty of candles.  He would light a few, and read out loud while Sarah quietly rocked nearby.   She said very little, but would smile at him whenever he would glance up and catch her watching him.  He would smile back at her, and then return to whatever book he was reading.

  His body still hurt, and his stomach still waged war against him whenever he ate, but the forced rest seemed to be slowly helping him.  Each day he felt slightly better, and he was steadily gaining his strength back.

 

  He started to feel listless with all the inactivity he was forced to endure, for there was not much for him to do inside as the storms raged on outside.  He tended his indoor plants, made sure Sarah was as comfortable as he could make her, and he cooked.  There was only the two of them, and they left very little mess, so he had very little housecleaning to do.

  Just when he began to think he could not take another day of it, Sarah went into labor.  It was an even longer two nights, when his daughter was finally bought forth into the world.

  He marveled at her tiny little hand that clutched his finger so trustingly.  He swore then he would do all he could to protect her and keep her safe.   His daughter might have been born small, but her lungs were not, and she cried all hours of the day.

  Sarah would walk her, infinite miles around the living and dining room.  He tried to help, but whenever he reached out for his daughter, Sarah would shoo him away.  He didn't push her, but he felt helpless.  How would Sarah ever get any better if she never rested?

  They resumed their copulating at night, a physical release he both craved and abhorred.  Unlike their earlier copulations, he felt used, as if the only thing she sought from his body was another child, for she never spoke to him, or let him anywhere near her in the daylight.

  When the sun finally came out, and the snows melted, Aesar was glad for it.  At least outside, he had a purpose, and he spent more and more time outdoors.

 

   He had not heard from the Traveler in so long, he feared that something must have happened to him, and that he could no longer rely on his help.  Their supplies were dwindling rapidly; Aesar needed more candles, more firewood, and more meat. 

  He decided it was time to risk leaving his home, and see if he could procure more supplies.  He didn't know who lived, and who had died, or what their state of mind might be if he ran into anyone, so he proceeded cautiously, sticking to the trees when he could.  He carried no weapon, he wouldn't have known how to use one even if he owned one, the best he could do was keep his low profile.

  He was skirting by a house that was close to the center of town, when he heard the screams, the angry shouting, and the jeering.  He ducked behind some bushes before the large group of elves could spot him.  He could just barely make out their words, and their chants curdled his blood.  "Die!  Die!  Die!"

  Each carried a torch, and he watched in horror as they set the house on fire, the pounding screams of the elves trapped inside the inferno reverberated in his head.  He wanted to stop the mob, and rescue the poor souls trapped inside, but he knew that if he revealed himself, he would only die alongside them.  And then what would happen to his family without him there to protect or provide for them?

 

 
  "Die all you filthy plague filled pigs!"  The elf who appeared to be the leader of the mob shouted.  "We will stop this doom in its tracks!  No more shall we fall retchedly ill!  We will survive!"

  The elves that were with him chanted along with their leader.  "We will survive!  We will survive!"

  Aesar slipped away, and carefully stole into the merchant's shop.  Not much remained, he grabbed what he could use, and left a few coins on the counter.  This time he did not leave a note, he did not want anyone to know that he still lived. 

  He ran all the way home, keeping a wary eye behind him, he needed to be sure that no one followed him.   The horrors of the fire, the screams, and the mobs stayed with him as he ran.  He didn't want to bring that nightmare to his own doorstep.  He was never more thankful than now that he lived so far from town. 

  When he got home, he dropped his pack by the front door and sought out Sarah and his daughter, he needed to be sure that they were unharmed.  He found Sarah in the living room, and he skidded to a stop when he saw her rubbing her stomach.

 

 
  His eyes met hers.  "Another one?" he croaked.  She nodded happily, and began to hum an elvish lullaby under her breath.  Aesar sank down onto the chair, his hands covered his face.  Another child to protect and provide for?  However would he manage it?  His workload already threatened to overwhelm him, and Sarah was unable to be of much help.

  He had thought with the passing of winter, that the danger had passed as well.  Turned out, he had been incorrect in his assumptions on that.  The dangers had only grown.  There was a mob of elves that were burning down the houses and murdering other elves if they had the sickness.  Aesar looked over at Sarah, who had sat down and was rocking in her chair.  What would they do to them if they were discovered?

  He knew the answer to that, knew it meant their death if ever they were discovered.  He would have to keep a constant vigil up, only the fact that they remained hidden up here, on a far hill, away from town, kept them safe.  They could be found at any moment though, so he would need to be prepared.

  He got up and fetched his pack.  He pulled out the crossbow and arrows that he had picked up earlier.  He would practice with them, until he had perfected his aim.  The arrows would help him bring home meat, to feed his family, and they would kill intruders if necessary, to protect them from harm.

  ____________________________________________

Notes: Did I mention Vector is mean? lol  There's a disease called Burning Sim (which is deadly), where the Sims can spontaneously burst into flames.  The camera jerked me over to this house---said there was a fire on my lot.  Wasn't my lot---but some poor slobs'.  The house was filled with fire, and sims were on fire running around yelling.  I said, yikes!  Harsh!

  I about had a party when I got this notice:

 

  He is finally out of the woods.  Sarah, on the other hand, is still really sick.  The germy moodlet bounces between 8 days and 12 days, it never goes below 8 days.  I also discovered that she has more than one disease---as this attests to:

 

  I was surprised to learn that she had Llama Pox, lol  I know she has the Munchies disease (which can be deadly too---they can starve to death if you're not vigilant enough); because that crazy tapeworm keeps her feeling teddy bear cuddly. (yuck!)

  This would explain why it is so hard to keep up with her needs!  The absent-mindedness symptom is driving me batty---she is constantly stopping whatever she is doing and just staring.  She only sleeps for an hour at a time, and then gets up.  The rocking chair is the only thing saving my sanity with her right now.  She can nap in that chair without getting interrupted.

  She is of no use other than as a breeder right now, because her motives will tank at any moment.  So Aesar really does everything.  He tends the garden, cooks, cleans, fixes the plumbing stuff, and takes care of the baby.  He's like wonder elf right now, except the poor guy is always on the verge of passing out, lol

  So far both Aesar and Sarah are passing the rolls---so they keep living.  Aesar is in the clear right now, he is not sick at all, but Sarah---I don't think she's ever going to get well.  So I figure it is a matter of time/roll before she dies.

  I am not looking ahead at what comes next in the Challenge, but doing each day as it comes.  So what happens next is always a surprise to me too! 


  Comments/Questions are always welcome.  Thanks for reading!

The Long Wait

  When the metal square chirped, it startled Aesar.  He poked at it and this time it spoke, with the Traveler's voice.  Aesar marveled over it, and really wasn't paying attention to the words that the Traveler said, but the Traveler must have anticipated that, for he repeated his words.

  "At exactly 4 pm, you must hurry to the merchant and stock up on some seeds.  You will need to grow your own garden, for the community gardens are now inaccessible."

  His beloved garden inaccessible?  The thought sent shudders down his spine, but the Traveler wasn't finished.  "Then you must go to the your local bookstore, and pick out some books to read.  You have several long days and nights ahead of you, you might want something new to read.  You must be back home before 6:30 pm, and do not leave until I tell you, or evil will befall you."

  Aesar didn't like the sound of anything that the Traveler had said, but he knew his race depended on his actions.  So he did as he was told.

  The store was empty of eleves, even Ridas, the owner, was gone.  Aesar felt uncomfortable with the thought of breaking in, but the Traveler had told him that he must get more seeds.  Aesar fingered the coins in his pocket, he would buy only what he had coins for.  Ridas usually let him get things on credit, but without Ridas here to actually talk to about it, Aesar just couldn't leave an IOU.

  He grabbed as many seeds as he could, and placed them in a pack.  He counted out the coins and placed them on the counter with a note.

  The sun was beginning to set by the time he made it to the bookstore.  His time was running short, he had spent too much time dithering over what seeds to get.

  Again eerie silence greeted him, and Aesar actually began to wish that he could hear even one voice.  The quiet was starting to get to him.  Him, who prized silence!

 

   Mindful that he had very little time, he grabbed some books without really considering the titles.  He needed to get home, he didn't like the sound of evil befalling him, and it was nearly the six o clock hour.  He would have to run home to make the deadline.

  He threw some coins on the counter, and hastily scrawled a note.  He grunted a little when he picked up his pack.  Books weighed more than seeds.

  Thankfully he was in good shape, and he made it home with a few minutes to spare.  He put the books on his table, and set the pack that still held the seeds, down onto the floor.  He would plant them in the morning.

  He fixed himself something to eat, and began to peruse the titles he had grabbed.  Perhaps he should have paid more attention to what he had picked out.  Some of them were children's books, and didn't hold much value to him.  He found the alchemy one, and opened it and began to read.

  He was up bright and early the next morning, planting the seeds he had picked out the day before.

 

   It took him several hours, but he didn't mind the work.  It was soothing even, the feel of the cool dirt between his fingers, the smell of life around him.  Even if it was plant life, it was still alive, and he found it reassuring.

  Just as he was finishing up, the metal square chirped again, and he poked at it.  "I left you a small gift in your living quarters.  It'll keep you company for the long days ahead."

  Aesar frowned.  He didn't remember seeing any gifts in his living quarters.  He dusted the dirt off his hands and headed indoors.  He saw immediately what the Traveler was speaking of, but he could have sworn it was not there earlier in the day.  Had the Traveler paid him a visit and he had been unaware of it?

  The thing squawked and hissed, and beat its tiny wings.  It looked like a miniature fire breather, but weren't they dead?  He cautiously grabbed it around it's stomach, mindful of the jaws that twisted around and tried to bite him.  Some company this thing would be!

  He set it on the ground outside, and watched as it sniffed the air.  It shifted its attention to him, and beat its wings again.  He looked up at the horizon, and sighed heavily.  What was he going to do with this thing?

 

    The metal box chirped, and Aesar pulled it out of his pocket.  "It's not a fire breather."  The Traveler's voice said.  "It's similar, but a totally different species, and is of no danger to you.  It'll make a good friend, and welcome company, I promise.  It will stay small as well, so need to worry on that account.  Stay safe, and I will be contact again soon."

  Before Aesar could say one word in return, the box went silent.  "Well, if I am to be stuck with you, I suppose you deserve a name."  He thought about it for a few minutes before deciding, "Pachua.  Your name is Pachua."

  The next few weeks crept past slowly.  Aesar did his best to keep busy, at least with Pachua by his side, the interminable silence was broken.  There still wasn't any signs of his people, the streets remained barren.

  He was glad for the books, he even read the children's ones, out of sheer desperation.  At least they had pretty pictures to look at, whoever the artist had been, they had been talented.  He spent most of his hours puttering around in his garden, and he was just starting to see the fruits of his labors.

  As the days slipped into weeks, and the weeks slipped into months, Aesar began to wonder if he would ever hear another voice besides his own.  He could hardly believe it, but he was actually starting to feel lonely.

  He'd had no idea how meaningful those few short conversations with his fellow elves had been.  He would even take a snub from Catiriona right now, for it would show that he was not the only one alive.


 

    Catiriona was not the only one to snub him.  He had been snubbed by many of his kind because of his deformed ears, which he was now careful to keep them hidden under his hair.  An elf's pride was his ears, but for Aesar, his ears were his curse.

  It was why he had chosen horticulture.  Plants did not judge him as the Elves did.

  Just when he had given up all hope, the metal box chirped again.  Aesar eagerly poked it, anxious to hear a voice other than his own.  The Traveler's voice was hushed though, and Aesar had to strain to make out his words.  "I am sorry for my long absence, but things are getting really ugly around here."  The Traveler whispered.  "I must be even more careful now, for there are eyes everywhere!"

  Was that why the being did not have eyes of his own?  Aesar tried to picture eyes being everywhere, but found that he could not.  The Traveler continued, "Tonight at 6 o'clock, you must go to the Park.  You will find one of your kind there.  You must speak with her, and convince her to go with you back to your home.  She is in grave danger, and may not even live long enough to be of help to us.  But I have thought of nothing else for months now, and I am convinced she is our best chance."

  "Best chance for what?"

  "Propagating your race."

  Aesar was stunned.  The Traveler had used a term that was very familiar to him, did he mean...  Aesar gulped.  He was not very good at socializing with males, but he was even worse with females!  How would he..."Just go!"  The Traveler commanded him, and so Aesar obeyed.

 

 
  The female was beautiful, and Aesar stammered and stuttered all over himself.  His cursed tongue refused to speak even one intelligible word, and Aesar was convinced that she would think him a mad elf.

  She did not seem to notice though, and her eyes had a far away look in them.  When Aesar finally managed to get a question out, he asked her if everything was well with her.  "No."  She said sadly.  "I buried my husband and unborn child five months ago.  I am all alone now."

  Aesar knew that feeling quite well.  In halting terms, and a few more stumbles, he managed to ask her if she would return with him, they could keep each other company.  Be mates.  Propagate their race.  He cringed as the words came out of his mouth.  Who was he to ask one such as her to come and keep him company?  He was deformed, and unworthy of her.  She was perfection, and must have been married to one of high stature.

  She surprised him though, when she murmured her agreement, but he didn't wait for her to change her mind.  He led her back to his home, and gave her a tour of his cozy little house.

  Once the tour was complete, he stared at her for several minutes, she didn't seem to be all there.  He worried that she didn't fully understand what she had agreed to.  "Are you sure?"  He waved his hand to indicate his home, and then pointed at himself.  "About everything?"

 

   "Yes, I'm sure." She said softly.  "I am tired of being all alone."

  Aesar could understand that, even he had been feeling the walls close in on him.  "Okay, then."  He nervously rubbed his palms down the front of his pants.  "Who is cooking dinner tonight?  You?  Or me?"

  Her eyes lit up.  "I do enjoy cooking."

  "Thank goodness one of us does!"  Aesar laughed.

  Over the next few weeks they got to know each other, and became not just lovers, but also friends. 

  He began to notice though, that she seemed to be constantly hungry, yet she never gained any weight.  Instead her arms grew thinner and thinner, and he could begin to see her bones protruding through her pale skin.  He worried about her constantly, as she spent more and more time just sleeping.  If she was awake, she was eating.

   He felt like she was slowly slipping away from him, and if she did?  He would be all alone once more.  He hadn't heard from the Traveler in months, but he remembered every word that had been spoken.  The words she may not live long enough haunted him.

  He spent as much time with her as he could, cuddling with her on the bed while buried under layers of blankets; as she shivered uncontrollably and her teeth chattered. 

  Some days it seemed the fever would leave her, and she would throw off all the blankets, and her clothes.  In those times her lips would seek his, and they would copulate, almost in desperation, as if trying to assure themselves that they both still lived.  That they weren't alone.  He was ashamed to admit it, but he loved those times most, though they were few and far between.

  He labored long hours in his garden, tending to the plants that would be their food supply through the long winter months.  He used to enjoy it, but now he hated that it was time spent away from her. It was a necessary evil, they would die if they had no food.

 

  In his most hopeless moments, he was almost sure that they would die anyway.  His mission and the Traveler seemed so long ago.  He longed to give up, especially when the chills started to take over his body, and his muscles ached so much he could barely move.

  Yet something inside him wouldn't let him quit, wouldn't let him rest, but forced him to continue on. 

  Forced him to continue working long hours in the garden. 

  Forced him to make some type of food for both he and Sarah; that, while it might have tasted plain, was at least filling and nutritious.

  Forced him to continue living. 

  Moment by painful moment.

  Then one day, everything suddenly changed, yet nothing changed.  They were still battling for their very lives, but they were also battling for one more life.

  He had pollinated Sarah.

 

 
   The idea that their copulating could result in offspring had never really occurred to Aesar.  Now that it was a reality, it rejuvenated him, and renewed his will to live.  To survive.

 It had the same effect on Sarah.

  In the darkness of that night, as they shared their body's heat, they spoke of their hopes, their dreams, their fears.  "I never thought I would have another child."  Sarah whispered to him.

  He pulled her thin, bony body closer to him.  "I never thought I would have one at all."  He whispered back.

  "I am so sorry, to drag you through all of this, but I had no where else to go."

  "Hush now Sarah, it's okay, you have brought me more joy than my corn plant."

  She laughed softly.  "Coming from you, I'll take that as compliment."

  In response, he nuzzled her, and they fell asleep, wrapped in each other.


________________________________________________________________________

Notes: Oh my goodness you guys!  I had forgotten how HARD Vector is!  There is a reason I don't enable it very often.

  When Sarah moved in--she had this:

 

  
  

 She was already infected!  Gah!  It was too late though, she was already a part of the household.  She had 2 points Athletic (how had I looked past that little detail in the challenge notes?  That the higher the Athletic skill, the better?)  So 10 was the number to beat, to see if she lived through it.  She did, so I was glad about that.  Would have hated to see her die right off the bat!

  I figured she must have contracted the Munchies virus:

LOL!  That's a little disturbing Twallan!

  Within minutes, Aesar became germy.  Dang it!  So I had to roll for him, and I was really anxious about it, haha!  Luckily he beat it, so he got to live.

  Except, Vector is Vector.  There is no cure, so my poor sims are doomed to be miserable ALL the time!  Sarah, especially.  Her hunger tanks, her social tanks, she gets a ton of bad moodlets associated with the disease, which tanks her mood.  The germy moodlet keeps changing between 5 and 7 days, so she gets no relief, because she hasn't built an immunity to it yet.

  Aesar is a little better off, I think he has a less severe illness.  His germy moodlet switches between 2 and 3 days, and he feels bananas a lot.  Which makes me think he contracted the Laugh Riot Virus.  It hasn't been quite as harsh on him, but his motives drop quicker now than they used to.

  Day 48 is quickly approaching (they are at day 51), and with it, a new strain.  Which means, if they are still sick, then the virus they had has mutated, and I will need to reroll again and see if they live or not.  I am trying to get at least one kid out of the pair before one of them dies!  Bummer thing is--- the kid can contract the viruses from the parents---which makes keeping a baby/toddler happy very difficult.

  So---we shall see what happens!  I really have no idea either, whether they will live or die!

  One final note--I used the words propagate, copulate, pollinate, etc., cause that is how Aesar thinks, more scientific like than romantic like, lol

  Thanks for reading! =)

Impending Doom...

  Aesar Durithil carefully stretched as he stood up.  Tending plants may be his passion, but it wasn't easy on his back.  He sighed happily as he surveyed his day's efforts, the daisies were healthy and the blooms were big, bright yellow, and cheery.  He smiled, satisfied; he wasn't the Master of Gardens for nothing.

  Being Master of the Gardens was an honor that he took very seriously.  He was in charge of every plant, tree and fauna in all of Dragon Valley, which included the community gardens that helped keep everyone fed throughout the year. Some would find his job lonely, but Aesar didn't.  He preferred the company of himself and his plants over his fellow Elves.

  At one time, the Elves had been known as a peaceful race, until the Faction Uprising, that had pitted elf against elf, and resulted in the Blood Wars that still raged on across the lands, even to this day.  Dragon Valley, thankfully, did not see the deadly cost of the Blood War, nestled as it was among the white birch trees and gentle slopes.  Aesar could only that they remained that way, undiscovered.

  Suddenly Aesar became aware of a heavy stillness in the air, like the weight of a heavy rain that had not yet fallen from the sky.  The eerie silence was unnerving; not even the sparrows were chirping, all was dead quiet.  He frowned, something was dreadfully wrong.

  He looked around, but the streets were empty, an unusual occurrence for this time of day. What was going on?
 

  It was times like these that he wished he was on the High Council, then he would be able to get some answers straight away, instead of waiting on a formal announcement that would eventually be posted in the town's square.  Eventually being the key word, for the High Council was not known for its speed in letting the townspeople know what was going on.

  There had even been rumors of corruption for years, that was one reason why Aesar had distanced himself from all the Council members; the other reason being that he couldn't stand any of the pompous jacka*ses that served as council members.

  His musings were interrupted by a strange light, and the sudden appearance of a large object with four prongs that stretched out like fingers.  He walked around the strange object, and wondered what it was, and what it was made of.  He had never seen anything like it.

  At first he poked at it with a stick, but once he was assured that it seemed harmless, he reached out with his hand and touched the strange cold metal.  He ran his hand down the smooth metal arm, searching for some sort of clue that might tell him what this thing was.  He found nothing, and let his hand fall away, and after some time of scratching his head, he resorted to kicking the thing.

  It reacted with smoke, that pooled around his feet, but he didn't feel afraid, only curious.

 

  He heard a loud whirling sound, and he took a slight step back, his brows knitted.  The sound grew louder, and louder; and as it did, so did Aesar's alarm.  Had he inadvertently triggered something?  Was the thing going to explode?

  A bright white light seemed to glow from the object, and it grew brighter and brighter.  Aesar was squinting against the light, but still he didn't move, whether he was frozen in fear or fascination, he couldn't say.

  He heard a slight humming sound, and something that sounded like gears clanking away, and he forced his eyes open, despite the bluish white glare, he needed to know what the sound was.  Could it be the Fae?  He had heard rumors that they could travel in ways not known by the Elves, perhaps this was their traveling contraption?

  If so, he would need to alert the High Council, and quickly; nothing good could come out of anything that was associated with the Fae. They lived by a code all of their own, and any fool dumb enough to deal with them, deserved whatever they got.

 

  Inside the light, he saw what looked like a door, only it didn't.  His mind scrambled for words to explain to himself what he was seeing, only there were no words.  A door opened in the Lightness, and a being with blue hair and no eyes stepped out.

  Aesar's jaw dropped, what black magic was this?  That a door could be created out of the light?  That a strange being could appear, one that did not have eyes, but some sort of metal band around its head instead?  The band glowed blue, and Aesar was startled when the being began to speak---in Elvish.

  "Greetings!  Be not afraid, I am not here to harm you Aesar Durithil."

  So many questions pressed on Aesar's mind, but the first one that came out was, "How do you know my name?"

  "I am from the future, I know many things."

  The future?  Could it be possible?  How...why?  The blue haired being answered Aesar's unspoken questions, almost as if he could read his mind.  "I'm from the far future, beyond what you could even think of.  There is trouble though, " he said sadly,  "great trouble, and this is where it all begins, and where our future ends."


 

 
  Aesar was confused by the being's words, what did it all mean?  "I don't understand."

  The being nodded.  "I know you don't, but you do not have to, you need only follow my direction.  If you do not follow it exactly, then your race and mine, indeed, all races, are doomed, and yet even then, the outcome is not for sure."

  "Doomed?"  Aesar echoed.

  "It is not known in this time, but it is known in mine; that your Blood Wars woke up an ancient menace, one that devastates all the lands, but not in a way that was expected.  No, you all thought that with the death of the last fire breather, the threat was gone, but it was not.  The first fell ill within a week of the fire breather's death, but no one was alarmed, not until later, not until it was too late."

  "Too late?"  Aesar felt like a parrot, but he couldn't help himself.  Fire breathers?  The last one had been slain just a few days ago, at least according to Laren, the Bard, who had sung about it for his supper that night.  Did the being mean that the fire breathers still lived?

  "Yes, too late.  The blood of the fire breather is infected, and Oros, who had slain it, was infected, he in turn infected others, who infected others, and so on, until there was nothing left of your kind.  It turns out, that in the future, your kind is very important."

  Aesar automatically took an object that the being handed him.  It was the size of a book, but it was made of the same strange metal as the metal prongs on the object the being had come through.

 
  "Take this, and I will help you as I am able.  There are some who live in my time that do not agree with me that the survival of your race, means the survival of ours, so I must be cautious, but I will do what I can.  I will send you important messages on that tablet, do your best to follow what I say, and if luck is with us, we may yet be able to save your people, and in doing so, save mine."

  Aesar's head was swimming with all the information that the being had given him.  The Elves did not live in the being's time?  How could that be?  While they tended to argue and fight amongst themselves and anyone else they came across; they were a strong people.  What kind of ill magic was this illness that it could wipe out an entire race?

  "Be strong Aesar, and courageous.  Times will be dark indeed, and all hope may seem gone, but while one of your blood still lives, hope will live also."  The being turned and faced the light, ready to go back to his time.

  "Wait!"  Aesar called out, and the being paused.  "What is your name?"

  "Simply call me the Traveler." he said with a smile, and then he disappeared into the light, and the object disappeared with him.

  Aesar rubbed his chin thoughtfully.  Had that been a waking dream, or a vision of some kind?

 

  Maybe it had been a hallucination?  He hadn't been sleeping well these past nights, perhaps he was overtired?

  He looked at the object in his hand, it felt real enough.  He poked at it with his finger, but it didn't do anything.  He shook it, and it remained a dead weight in his hands.  How exactly was the Traveler going to send him messages on that thing?  It seemed broken.

  Maybe if he kicked it?  That had seemed to work with the other object.  He placed it on the ground and kicked it with his foot.  Nothing.  Not even a hint of smoke or light.  He picked the object up again.  What was he going to do with it?

  He looked up, and froze when he noticed the burnt patch of grass on his land.

 

  He could have cried.  His poor grass!  That thing had killed it!  Aesar knew then, that it must have been real, and the grass bore the burden of proof.  He couldn't say why he believed the burnt grass over the strange metal object in his hand, but he did.  Maybe it was because he felt so connected to plants, whatever the reason, he felt the weight of responsibility fall on him.

  Somehow it was up to him to save his race, and he had no idea how.  At least the Traveler had not come to one of the High Council members, they would have done nothing, but Aesar, he was going to do something.  He was going to survive!


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Notes:  Story one million and two, lol   Or was that challenge?  No, no, I think it's both of them, haha! :P

  I've wanted to try out the Doomsday Colony challenge for a while, and when I finally sat down to start it---I discovered there was more than one part to it!  So this is part one, Countdown to Doomsday.  Hopefully Aesar doesn't get infected and die, that would end this challenge story pretty quickly, lol :P  I'm also using the Vector mod, I've had it installed for eons, but only use it for special occasions, I think this qualifies as a special occasion!

  Day one, or 60 as the challenge writes it---he's allowed to go to the grocery and book store and spend an alloted amount of money.

 

  The tricky part was waiting until 4 pm and not forgetting that he needed to do that, and be home by 6:30, but we managed.  Now he's hanging out at his house, waiting until he can leave again, he's starting to feel a little stir crazy...

  One final note---Aesar was made for me by the lovely and talented Nellas (thank you!!) over at TFM's Sims Asylum.  You can check out more of her stuff here: Nellas Nuthouse


  Thanks for reading, and comments/questions are always welcomed. =)