High Commander Diah's Resistance

Like A Wayward Teen... Thy Name Is Lagos

A/N: the above pic was the closest I could find to give an idea of the 'lagoon'

The inner sanctum that was the center of the Bundt Mountain was sadly disappointing after the amazing bioluminescent pathway. It looked well, like what I imagine tropical resort would look like if it was actually a full time village. Still very picturesque and all, but not nearly as cool as bioluminescence. There was even a sizable tropical blue water lagoon near the center, which made no sense to me. How was that even possible? There was a white sand beach and everything. I looked around, fully expecting to see Bo Derek frolicking by, beaded braids flying. What the actual flying squirrel was going one here?! This place looked like a paradise, not a den of iniquity.

"How is there a lagoon in the center of a mountain?" I asked Aldar-Batoor with what was no doubt a very baffled tone. He made a 'hmm?' sound as he looked from me to said lagoon and back before really seeming to notice how confused I was. "Is such not possible on your world?" I gave his reply some thought before saying,

"Actually... I don't really know for sure? Probably, but I doubt it would be possible in quite this manner. This is like an entire ecosystem enclosed around this lagoon. Is there an underground cave system that leads to the ocean... one that feeds water to this lagoon?" I have been looking around as though I could see through the ground to locate said theoretical cave system. Once I realize I have been doing so, I stop and look back at Aldar-Batoor, pretty sure I am blushing I feel so silly.

But he isn't looking at me, he's looking at the water and nodding. "Very good, yes... the lagoon as you say, is indeed fed via an underground tunnel and cave system that does in fact lead to the ocean. It's how we come to have fish and other edible water dwelling creatures within its depths." He turns to me with a proud smile after he finished speaking. I raised a brow at this, to which he continues, "Your observations have given us one less objective to cover in our lessons." I groan in annoyance.

"I am a grown woman you do realize? I am going to find this whole 'lesson' thing tedious at best... why should I even have to comply with any of this? I still don't get why I was even grabbed to start with. And every time I try to ask why? I get sidelined, or half answers. Dradion-Tooru will only go so far as to say he wants me mated too quickly to be snatched back... but not why I'm such a hot commodity in the first place." I cross my arms and huff in a manner that I'm well aware is petulant, but I simply don't care at this point. The soft laugh from my companion has me glaring at him, to which he puts his hands up in a placating manner.

"Come..." He motions for me to join him in walking again as he begins speaking again. I grumble but comply as I listen, "I can answer all your queries once we reach my home... there is much to discuss and much for you to learn. Best to wait until we are safely enclosed within the quiet and security of its walls, yes?" I look sharply to his face at the emphasis he has placed on 'quiet and security', and see the intensity in his eyes as he stares into my own. Ah and so begins the intrigue.

I nod slightly to indicate my understanding, and we proceed to make our way around the lagoon, Adlar-Batoor pointing out that what seemed to be low tech huts are actually cleverly painted and designed to appear that way. But as we got closer to each of the different tradesmen 'huts', I could see the buildings were extremely well built and would withstand the test of both time and nature. When passing a few that happened to have open doors, I could see they not only had power, but the tech within was on par with anything I had seen inside the Amber Aerie. It was annoyingly cool, and just got worse, or better depending on how you looked at it, as we walked on.

I realized then, that the outside world had many misconceptions about these 'savages'. And thought back on what Tav had told me was supposed to be common knowledge of them... 'They are a primitive people's Lana. They keep to the old ways. They refuse to use technology that they cannot make with their own hands'... clearly this intel was bogus. It made me wonder if any of the rest of it was truly accurate...