11 Heart Ache

Alyx was in a joyful mood for a long time after Neo has left. He started dreaming of swimming in CP.

*Don't think it is going to be so easy.*

His dreams were short lived as he was splashed with a bucket of cold water by Ax.

'You're becoming mean day by day. I should not have given access to my memories to you.' Alyx was starting to miss the obedient Ax. After getting access to Alyx memories Ax personality changed into that of a pessimist.

'I can't understand how you became so mean and pessimistic after having access to my memories. I was always cheerful and optimistic'

*Stop your delusions if you were such an optimist you wouldn't be such a bum in life. You used up all your optimism when you proposed to Kristen. You know that I can even read your thoughts behind those memories right?*

Even with such an outcome Alyx did not feel any discomfort instead he felt very comfortable having such a companion. So he did not try to change Ax in any way and let it take its own course.

'Hey now I'm a changed man. I have a goal to reach. Maybe I'm a pessimist in the past but now I'm the new Alyx. You should concentrate and learn more from the new me.'

*Sorry my earlier judgment is wrong you are also dumb*

Alyx was stunned for a second and did not know what to say. He can only grit his teeth at Ax's retort.

'Let's see who is dumb. Let us each come up with a plan to get the most CP out of this mission' Alyx was angry at Ax that it called him dumb he wanted show it the power of human creativity and let it know it's place.

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After a few days Alyx was still unable to come up with any good solution, he did not have any experience in conflict resolution and he never studied about it.

'Hahaha hey Ax I have finished coming up with a plan.' In desperation he started bluffing.

*Really I think you are just bluffing* Ax attacked directly without any nonsense. Alyx felt like puking blood for coming up with this competition.

'Huh don't underestimate me why don't you tell me your plan first I will see whether it is possible or not. I don't want you stealing my ingenious idea.'

*You should stop bluffing it's not going to work on me. First step of my plan is we should go undercover into both territories and gain more information first hand. Then ...…*

'Hahaha same as me. Looks like you are learning well from my memories. Hahaha. Let's get going then.' Alyx knew he was no expert in this field so he went ahead with Ax's plan as it felt feasible.

*You should start accepting your failures and shortcomings if you want to move ahead in your life*

'Hey I don't need any motivational speeches, you'll get to know my greatness in the course of our time together.' Alyx can only roll his eyes at Ax trying to give him motivational speeches.

*sigh*

'Hey don't you sigh at me'

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Blag reached his home. His house had a small lake behind it. It was an artificially built lake. However, this was by design, and not by some external force. Blag approached the house, splashing loudly as he went. As he came close, a playful cry came from within. Perhaps its occupant had scented something. A serpentine head poked out of lake. It was a turtle with deep brown scales and amber eyes. When it spotted Blag, it stretched its neck out and coiled playfully around him.

"That's a good boy."

Blag caressed the turtles's body in a familiar way. The turtle seemed to find it very comfortable, and closed its eyes. Blag too enjoyed the feeling of the scales under his fingers. This creature was Blag's pet, Shuaan. He had raised Shuaan from a young age, so it seemed as though it was actually carrying on a conversation with its owner.

"Shuaan, I've brought food for you. Eat it slowly."

Blag tossed the fish into the lake and Shuaan happily enjoyed it.

"I wanted to play with you, but I have to go meet the tribe head." Perhaps the Turtle understood what its owner was saying, but it reluctantly nuzzled against Blag's body several times before returning to the lake. Soon, the sound of tearing flesh and vigorous chewing reached him. The way Shuaan ripped into his food suggested that he was in good shape, and so Blag was relieved as he left the little house behind him.

Shuaan was a mutated turtle and was rescued by Blag on one of his expeditions it had a tenacious fighting spirit. He found it near death in critical condition due to all the injuries it sustained while trying to escape from the inner lake. Even in such a situation Blag was able to see the fighting spirit in its eyes and rescued it instead of killing it. Over the course of time they grew attached to each other. He did not know that it was a mutant when he saved it but he noticed its extraordinary strength and rate of growth.

After that, Blag's destination was the main underground lake some distance from his house. Blag's tribe was just one among the many tribes which migrated to Q10. His tribe was neither the most powerful nor the weakest. Blag was trying to keep his tribe from going to the war as it's going to be brutal and many are going to die unnecessarily. Now that the food problem was solved with huge harvest of fishes there was no need to continue this age old grudge. Blag wanted to reach a settlement with dragons. Although the dragons were very powerful and prideful but their population can't compare to those of Lizardmen. He is confident that they would agree to a settlement. As every loss to them is a huge loss.

Blag reached his destination, the house of the tribe leader. It was extravagant compared to other houses with dragon bones used as decoration. These dragon bones are from the time when conflict between both species was at its highest. It is put on a display to show the strength of the tribe to others. With great determination he entered the house to change the Tribe leaders mind.