Monolith Oasis

Ch 1: Your name is a drug.

By: Helena F. Lupin

The towns were unnamed, simply because naming them did not matter. The way to anywhere was known by direction and landmarks. One place still bore a name, Eagle’s Head, a eagle head shaped protrusion that once had been a peninsula into deep ocean. Now it was a protrusion into desert, the edges of the land now sharp drop cliffs all around the continent. It had been several generations before Lithium was born that over ninety percent of the water on their world had dried to nothing but dust and sand. Before that time eight expeditions had been sent into space to find other planets to house them before the water was gone forever.

His great, great, great, great, great grandfather had been sent out on the ship, The Saving Grace. Years passed, and for the first two contact remained constant between the ships and their planet of Airreen, the Second Earth. Then one by one, the ships lost touch, and were never heard from again. Eight ships, and all forms of hope were gone with them. More expeditions were planed, but never put into motion. Wars broke out, countries split and fought themselves, and water evaporated to never be seen again. Scientists had been unable to figure it out, and soon Scientists were becoming myths as well as more people died and became that much more dust.

Lithium only knew the world as he saw it now, a wasteland. Two years ago, he had been put on his own with the passing of his parents. His grandparents were unable to take care of him, and they were old not just from age, but from hard lives of work. Even they had never seen a large sum of water. There were still lakes on their planet, and each one was owned by the bastard Dex, one man who’s ancestor had made all the right moves toward power. Dex’s factories now sat on the edge of the ten known lakes. Lithium alone knew of one that the greedy bastard had not gotten his hands on, and it belonged to Lithium.

Lithium smiled as he rode into one of the more south eastern towns of the western continent, using one of the massive creatures that had survived the lack of water on their world. The large creature was called a Behemoth. They were creatures about six times the size of a horse, with long legs, and long necks, their entire bodies covered in a fine, sandy colored hair. Their faces were dog like, but flatter, the snouts shorter and their ears smaller, hidden by the waterfall of shaggy hair. The light hair was good for the heat and sun. Their skin beneath was leathery, but supple. Many people made clothing from them more then used them for transportation. They were not as fast as hovers, but they lasted longer. And he had never really liked those old machines that hovered never more then a dozen feet off the ground at the highest.

The city itself was one of the few built up on it’s own, not off of the remains of what had been left behind after war and famine. The buildings were low, half dug into the ground to keep them cool, the octagon roofs a hard clay material that was not easy to break. Rain was a rare thing now, so no one worried about their homes being flooded. The doors were usually wood, swung outward in the day as mothers baked and children ran in and out playing. Near the center of the town was a market place. Lithium came once a month, and many looked forward to him showing up. He always came loaded down with large Behemoth skinned bottles filled with water. None questioned him where he got it, and no one told outsiders he had it either so that Dex would not come looking for him.

But every person had a price. He had been delivering the water for two years, and within just one Dex knew of him. He had been bribed often, but he never took the money or power offered. Lithium slid off of his Behemoth and smiled, waving to the people who looked his way. He pulled the soft pale cream colored scarf from around his head, letting golden hair curl down just past his shoulders. He did not burn easily, but that week long travel to this, the closest city to his home, was a trail even to his caramel skin. His honey brown eyes were framed in thick lashes. His legs were clad in deep brown leather pants, held together by sturdy lacing, the shirt he wore of a thick pale cotton-like material that laced along the front and along the sleeves, a sash of it thrown around his waist, hiding the few weapons he kept on his person. His gloves were of a thicker leather, and came up to mid forearm. He looked so much like his mother, or so his grandparents assured him. They lived in this very town. He would visit them later.

First, he had work to do. A part of his water he traded for things he needed, the rest he gave to anyone who needed it. He did not care to have luxuries. He did not need them, so they were not important. He was slight, fast, and short. He did not mind it. Being able to move quickly had saved him more then a time or two. He settled the Behemoth beneath the shade of a slightly larger home and set into market to make deals. The Behemoth could guard the water just fine. They had wickedly long, sharp teeth used against people they did not like.

“Lithium.” He glanced up when his name was called, looking toward one of the stands. A small little old man was crouched beside his stall, riffling through a bag. He waved the younger man over, and Lithium was all too happy to come when called for this man. He always had interesting things to show Lithium, and seeing something new was always a pleasure.

“Hello, Michael.” He murmured as he crouched on the balls of his feet beside the elder. The man’s hair was snow white, and he kept it short, the same for his beard. His skin was weathered, a dark deep bronze from the sun, which made the white hair seem out of place. But that was just another part of Michael. He wore robe like dark green clothes, most of the elders did. It helped keep away sunburns fairly well, and honestly the clothes were often cool because they were made of a lighter, more airy material.

“Look.” He held up something in his aged palm for Lithium to see. A pair of little golden hoops lay against his skin, with small delicate teardrop shaped rubies hanging from them.

Lithium blinked. “What are they?”

“Why, they are earrings, child.” Michael explained. “Long ago, when people had time for such frivolous things, before the water began to leave, women and men often wore them. But when the wars began, and those things called industries fell, they did not make them anymore, not having the time. But in the factory villages they sometimes wear them now. I found these pair on one of my journeys not too long ago.”

“You went into a factory village.” Lithium gasped. Michael hushed him before anyone else could overhear.

“Child, I’m an old man. When you get to my age you don’t much care what can happen to you, all that matters is the time you’re wasting worrying about things.” He took Lithium’s hand and pushed the earrings into it. “There, you like things like this. Keep them, I’ve no use for them. Who knows, you may wear them some day.” He joked, tapping the end of the other’s nose. “Now, off with you, so I can go about my own business.”

Lithium smiled and stood, moving away once more. The tucked the earrings into his sash and kept walking, intent on the food stalls. Him, wearing earrings? No, he would never wear anything that they did in the factory villages. For one, he did not have any sort of power, nor did he want any. And he certainly had no interest in fine things. Still, they were lovely. It was the craftsmanship that drew him in. He had never seen cut and polished rubies before. There were mining areas none too far from where he was now, but he had never seen the refined thing.

The sun was high in the sky when he began to head back toward his Behemoth to fetch the water and get his end of the bargains he had made. He rounded the corner of the house and froze. He had seen the top of the Behemoth above the roof, but not the men on the other side of the Behemoth. A dozen in all, and only one with a drawn up hood was up next to the Behemoth, mostly because he was the only one that the creature was not snapping at. He was not making a reach for the water, so Lithium turned his attention on the one face there he new.

Bitter anger touched Lithium’s delicate features as he strode straight toward the man. “Cors.” He greeted sharply as he looked up at the mid-forties man before him. His skin was not weathered, which would have been normal for his age. He was used to being inside where it was cooler and letting others do the real work. His hair was dark brunette, shot through with the beginnings of gray, not to mention going baled up on top of his head. His eyes were small, dark, rat-like. Lithium had seen few rats, but he believed this man was a subspecies of them at the least. His clothing was cleaner then the dusty wear of those who lived in barren little towns, well cut and comfortable with dark colors. It must not have breathed though, because the man had a fine sheen of sweat on his face. Good, Lithium hoped he got heat stroke.

“Lithium North.” Cors said with a sickeningly slick voice. It always sent an uncomfortable shock like shiver down his spine. He was no fool, looking at this man’s eyes, he knew just what Cors was thinking whenever he looked him over. He drew up closer, trying to tower and not doing a good job of it. The man was only a handful of inches taller then Lithium at five foot six. “And how are you this fine day?” He tried to purr, but it just made Lithium want to reach his hands up and make sure his ears were not bleeding.

“It was a fine day.” Lithium muttered as a hand caught his wrist. “Let go, Cors.” He said in a low, deadly tone, taking half a step back, angling his body away so that the other could not see his hand reach up behind to the small of his back where a switch blade was hidden in his sash. He gave a pained sound when a second hand caught the wayward hand near his back. Cors did let go of his first hand at least. Lithium turned quickly, intent on hitting the man who had dared to catch him. A second powerful hand now had both of his wrists. He looked up into a dark hood now. Far up. This man had to be a good six foot five. Now he was intimidating.

“You have a weapon there, don’t you?” A low, deep, naturally husky voice asked of him. Lithium shook his head to the negative, not wanting to give up his knife. “Liar.” The man jerked him in against his body and let go of one hand to reach around, pulling the blade free. Lithium struggled, shouting to be let go. People in the market were stopping, watching. All were too afraid to help though, and Lithium did not blame them.

“Let go of me, bastard!” Lithium demanded and with that one free hand, struck out, fist slamming into a solid jaw. The man’s head snapped back, hood falling. Everyone stopped breathing, even the men from the factory villages. Lithium had the feeling he had just done something very stupid. Slowly, the man brought his head back to look down at him. Dark auburn hair glinting with coppery strands curled around his face, his skin tanned, not pale like factory villagers. His face was both harsh and handsome, a fine stubble across his strong jaw, his lower lip a little fuller to draw the eye. His eyes were the best part of him though, a deep royal blue, fleck with palest baby blue. Like a star filled night.

“Sir...” Cors began.

“Shut up, Cors. You are useless, I should have let him cut you.” The man snapped, his eyes remaining locked to Lithium’s. He reached down and soon held up one of those little earrings. He had seen just a bare edge of it glinting at the top of the other’s sash. “Where did you get this?” From the stubborn set of Lithium’s pretty little face he knew he would not be told. With a flick of his fingers, he gently brushed the other’s hair back over his left shoulder and held the earring up to the other’s ear, examining it against Lithium’s skin.

“You would look lovely with these.” His eyes darted down to where Lithium’s pulse thundered under his smooth skin. “Did you know that lithium was a drug long ago?” He asked absently, leaning close so that his lips were brushing just below the other’s ear, next to the earring. “Are you a drug?” He murmured. “Are you addictive?” Lithium’s eyes were wide, staring off at his Behemoth as he tried to process what was going on. He shook his head and shoved at the other’s chest.

“Let go of me, right now!” Lithium hissed and shoved again, finding himself on his backside when the other released him so suddenly.

“I’m not like Cors.” The man said as he looked down at Lithium. “I’m only going to be nice this one time. Take the offer of money that Dex has given you, move somewhere better or I’ll take what he wants and have you put down instead.” Lithium sat up and spat at the other like a vicious little viper. A smile touched his lips. “Very well, the next time you come is your last chance to give it to us, then I’ll find a way to wherever you are hiding it and take it. We’re leaving.” He said sharply to the men.

Lithium remained where he sat, watching them all load into two different hovers and then take off into the desert to go back toward most likely the closest factory village. He glared, hard, hoping that this new man would feel it. Dex must have been getting serious about wanting that water. Cors had never been much of a threat, but this new man was, especially if Cors had to obey him too. Cors enjoyed his power, having it taken in any small measure would piss him off. Lithium jerked when hands touched his arm, but he calmed when he saw it was Michael who was helping him up.

“Child, maybe it would be best if you told them...”

“No.” Lithium said quickly. “No, I can handle them.” He assured as he moved toward the Behemoth. He could not give up the location of his water source. Dex charged greatly for the water he gave out, not all could afford it. The water Lithium gave here worked out to other villages. He was a threat to Dex, but he did not care what it brought his way. People needed water, it was not right, nor fair, to make them pay to keep their families alive. He could handle them, even this new man.

Vincentas studied the earring in his hand, remembering that it had indeed looked beautiful against Lithium’s caramel golden skin. The child was lovely, and would have done well in a factory village. It would be hard to tell him no. But he was obviously too proud to take such gifts of power. It made Vincentas like him just a little, maybe a touch of respect was thrown in there too.

But be that as it may, he had a job to do. He knew the boy was not going to give up the prize without a full out battle. Maybe he would not have to kill him, perhaps kidnaping him would be better. It would be such a wasteful shame to kill the boy. He tucked the earring away into a pocket and tipped his head back against the seat, watching the blue, unending sky above.

Lithium. Oh, he as a drug, Vincentas was sure of it. The child had smelt sweet, like flowers, that lingered on his skin. He wanted to taste, to see if his skin tasted as good as it smelt. Maybe he would not have to kill or kidnap the boy. Perhaps seducing him would work. But thinking back on those blazing eyes, he knew that that would take more time then he had. He had a job to do, and only so much time allowed to do it before Dex became angry with him for his failure. He would take down the boy quickly, keep him for himself if he felt like it, and return home. But then, forming an obsession over the boy might not be a good idea. He might be more trouble then he was worth. And yet, having that body beneath his, seeing that beautiful face caught in pleasure and passion, might just be worth all the water left on the world. He shook his head to clear it. Work came first. So sorry, Lithium, but I’m afraid you are no longer going to be allowed to play your games.