SJ hadn’t slept well, tossing and turning most of the night, to Kibble’s dismay as he was continually disturbed. She had eventually got up even before the first light of morning was visible in the sky and had packed what she believed she would need in her inventory. There were three extra waterskins, full, which would give her and Kibble several days of water at least. Fas had said they would need to get supplies before they ventured into the desert fully, so she did; she didn’t think she would require too much.
The inn doors were still closed when she arrived, and she walked around to the rear and knocked gently on the kitchen door. Floretta didn’t sleep, and SJ knew she would likely already be in the kitchen, knowing how much she had been doing to provide meals to the beings working on the defences.
“Morning,” SJ said as Floretta opened the door.
“Morning. You are early,” Floretta said.
“I didn’t really sleep,” SJ shrugged.
“Kerys won’t be up for a couple of hours yet, at least. Let me make you some coffee and breakfast. Did your friend need feeding as well?”
“Yes, please. I am going to wake him soon.”
“Okay.”
SJ walked through to the bar area, where the shutters were still closed. She walked to a table by the window looking out onto the square, unbolted it, and opened the window. The cool night air crept in, pleasant and teasing. Killic was never cold. She stood, staring out into the night sky, where the thousands of stars twinkled against the moon’s light. She watched as the very first sign of the morning sun appeared as the stars started to fade. The time was nearing for their departure.
The smell of fresh coffee drew her from her daydreaming state as Floretta carried a fresh pot over and placed it down.
“I guess you would like a full breakfast?”
Kibble squeaked before SJ could reply.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Floretta said, heading back to the kitchen.
SJ listened to Floretta humming as she got to work. After drinking a coffee, SJ headed upstairs to wake Fas. As she reached the top step, his door opened, and he walked out.
“I was just coming to wake you. Floretta is cooking breakfast. It won’t be long,” SJ said.
Fas smiled. “That sounds good, and is that coffee I can smell?”
“Yes,” SJ said, heading back down.
They sat quietly drinking coffee until Floretta carried out a large tray overflowing with breakfast delights. Hogling strips, fresh-fried eggs, mushrooms with a hint of butter, and a hint of pepper spice. Thick chunks of fresh bread and a plate of butter.
“Here you go, Kibble. I didn’t forget you,” Floretta said, placing a bowl on the floor.
Kibble squeaked in appreciation as he jumped down from SJ’s shoulder, and his head was soon buried in the sliced hogling strips, with a single-minded focus on devouring them.
“I’ll get a fresh pot,” Floretta said, lifting the nearly empty coffee pot.
They remained quiet as they ate. SJ was unsure of what to say this morning. As Fas wiped up the last morsel of yolk from his plate, he spoke.
“The priority is to get supplies. We will head directly to a town or village. Hopefully, we will be able to procure what we need.”
SJ nodded. “I have filled extra water canteens and placed them in my inventory. I assume you will be doing so as well?”
“I will. However, the amount of fluid you need is substantial. That is why we will need supplies. The desert regions have specific canteens designed for use in the desert regions and tools to tap the cacti. The juice from a cactus can be the difference between life and death, and we don’t know where the gila beasts will be.”
“I was thinking last night. We should be able to discover them quickly enough with our flight ability.”
“Ah. You will see when we arrive that it’s not really an option. Short term, yes, but it’s impossible to fly in the daytime for long periods. Even dragons,” Fas’s eyes flashed the colour of jade, “aren’t immune to the heat of the sun.”
“So, how will we navigate?”
“Dusk and dawn will be the best times. I hope to be able to locate the closest town to the region so that we can settle there for the day and get the supplies we will need.”
“With our speed, flying, can’t we get there sooner? Just fly at height and spot the town?”
“No. It will be okay at times, but the air is harsh, and the winds can be violent. They shift continually. Additionally, the sandstorms for which they are renowned obscure the terrain from the air. It’s nearly impossible to see anything from above. Ideally, we may be able to find a guide or at least a regional map.”
SJ knew the stories of desert travel from Earth and its unpredictability, but Amathera wasn’t Earth.
“Right, we'd better get going,” Fas said, standing and stretching noisily.
Floretta watched as they left through the kitchen entrance. She didn’t offer any words; there was no need for them.
The streets were empty; it was this early, so no one was up yet. They walked through town until they reached the southern edge. The construction from the previous day’s activities on the defences left as they were, and the tools rested on carts. Stakes were partly sharpened, and others were now embedded at angles, sticking into the air towards the forest edge. It was an impressive start in such a short space of time, but the area they needed to cover was vast when considering the size of the lizards and their manoeuvrability.
SJ hadn’t spoken to Cristy before she left; she hadn’t wanted to worry her or get her to try to talk her out of it, which she knew she would have. It filled her with guilt not to do so, but she knew Cristy would have enough to keep her busy without adding to her burdens. Instead, she would inform her once she had left and not before. Kibble hopped from SJ’s shoulder and darted towards the ground as he chased something unseen across the upturned earth.
The forest’s shadows drew near as the sun’s light peeked over the mountain tops, casting long shadows across the earth. The forest brought darkness again under its canopy, and SJ led the way, knowing the route to the plateau where she had fought the rock gobbler and the cliff edge that dropped down into the desert region. They had walked some distance before they reached a clearing large enough for Fas to change form, and he quickly transformed into his dragon form. SJ shrank and climbed on Kibble, and they then took off flying above the canopy. Fas hardly seemed to beat his wings as he cruised slowly. Kibble, with his size comparison, didn’t struggle to keep up, but SJ knew that if Fas wished, he could disappear in an instant.
The clearing of the rock gobbler appeared, and as they flew over, SJ noticed the large hole it had broken through from, now overgrown and looming like a dark scar. The last time she had been here, she had ended up over the cliff edge, and the thought made her shudder, remembering the battle with the creature and how ineffectual she had been. That was some time ago now, and since then she has grown and levelled far.
“Be warned, the transition to a desert region can be harsh,” Fas said as they neared the cliff edge.
Kibble squeaked stoically as lightning crackled at his mouth. SJ smiled, holding onto her companion’s collar as he soared through the air. The ground below changed abruptly as the border neared. The greenery of the trees was vanishing as SJ looked out over a vast, open sight of desert. Dunes rolled across as far as the horizon, and she could see no sign of life below.
The instant they crossed the border, SJ felt it. The air changed, and Kibble stuttered slightly, taking a double beat to steady himself. The air went from the moist freshness of a summer’s day above the forest to dry and acrid in an instant. The sudden increase in heat reminded SJ of walking into a sauna without the moisture. Even though the sun had only just risen, its rays were unbroken. Every inch of the land was visible already by the sun. There was nothing SJ could see that could be used as a navigational mark. She opened her map on her display as they flew. Slowly, she watched the greyed fog of war clear as they did.
“Maybe we should head towards the tunnel entrance. I believe there is a path marked from there that should lead to a town,” SJ said.
Fas nodded in agreement as they banked, turning and flying west along the desert’s border. It didn’t take long before they reached the tunnel’s mouth. It was massive on this side of the mountain; SJ had never seen it before. The opening is almost inviting, with a pleasant darkness that contrasts with the bright sun.
“There,” Fas said, as he swooped lower.
Just visible against the bleak landscape was a marker. It shone with a metallic shine, reflecting the light. SJ supposed it made sense to use something metallic. A tattered piece of cloth hung from its top, perfectly still with no hint of wind. They turned south and started to follow the markers. They were spaced a substantial distance apart. Some were clearly visible, others almost buried. SJ wondered how tall they actually were, but couldn’t tell looking down.
After about half an hour of travel, they lost sight of any more markers. SJ could see from her map that they had been moving in a south-easterly direction, cutting across the desert region. She knew the territory was vast, much larger than where Killic lay.
A gust of wind struck them, the air gritty. SJ could feel the sand on her exposed face, so she closed her eyes. She had already adjusted her dress, thinning the material and ensuring it covered her arms. The usual cowl she had was now acting as a scarf, pulled tightly around her face. Kibble squeaked at the sudden jolt, his wings fluttering as he leaned against it. Fas didn’t seem affected, but he turned to check on them.
“Are you okay?” Fas asked.
“Kibble says he is fine at the moment,” Dave said.
“We are good for now,” SJ said. “Should we keep going in the same direction as the markers had led us?”
“We have little choice but to follow it for now. If we find no more, we can always turn back and try a different route.”
It was as they continued that the sun started to take its effect. Its heat was ever-increasing as it rose in the sky. SJ could feel the heat building in Kibble’s scales, the mithril collar shining brightly now, feeling hot to the touch. SJ wrapped some of the dress material in her hands to hold it in place. Worried that it may be burning him.
The thought triggered a response from Dave. “He is fine. He says his scales are just as hot, though he is starting to struggle.”
The pearlescence of his scales reflected the sun, and she could feel its intensity from that alone.
“The temperature is rising quickly now,” Fas said. “I hoped to find the town before we stopped, but we may have no choice but to stop before that happens.”
Kibble shook his head, squeaking raspily, his wings faltering mid-beat.
“I think we may need to stop sooner still. Kibble is starting to struggle.”
Fas turned his massive head and looked at the miniature wyvern. He watched for several moments before he said. “Follow me. I spotted some rocks just to the west. We can land there and take on fluid.”
SJ hadn’t realised how parched she already felt, and they hadn’t even been in the region long enough. “How on Amathera do beings even survive here?” SJ said.
“With difficulty,” Fas said as they lowered towards the rocky area he had seen.
Kibble let Fas land first, his wings casting clouds of swirling sand as he did.
SJ climbed from Kibble as soon as he touched down. The miniature wyvern had been slowly increasing in temperature as they had flown over the desert, and SJ squinted at the glare coming from his scales. Fas was not much better; the heat reflected off his scales made her feel like she was standing in a furnace. As she grew, Fas transformed into his elven form. Fas moved over the rocks away from the sun’s direction and started to climb down the pitted surface of the sandstone. SJ followed, the almost instantaneous relief from the scorching heat making her shiver. The descent was brief, the rocky outcrop standing only about twenty feet above the ever-changing dunes that surrounded it.
“Here,” Fas called as SJ noticed him disappear from view.
Kibble had taken off again and swooped down to where Fas was now sitting in a small concave shelter. The stone was smooth inside; the shifting waves of sand must have worn it down over the ages. Fas immediately removed a waterskin and drank heavily. SJ did the same, pulling a bowl from her inventory and filling it for Kibble to drink. He dived into it, submerging his head. SJ was sure that the water sizzled from the heat he gave off. He came back up for air, a relieved look on his tiny face, as he drank.
“I understand what you mean now,” SJ said, panting. She hadn’t realised how poor her breathing had become, panting like a dog on a hot summer’s day. The air was so dry that her skin felt parched, not just her throat, and the relief from the shelter they had found was indescribable. They hadn’t even been in the region for a long time. Only a few hours, and if they were feeling like this already, what was to come?
“I would advise taking some of the spice,” Dave said.
SJ had forgotten about Floretta’s gift and took the pouch from her inventory. She took a pinch as suggested and placed it under her tongue, holding it there. She then offered some to Fas, who thanked her, and he did the same.
The spice wasn’t unpleasant, but it wasn’t pleasant either. There was a heat to the mixture, and SJ thought she could taste various herbs that she knew. The relief also wasn’t instantaneous, but as they sat there quietly out of the sun, she felt a strange sensation, as though her skin was cooling.
‘I’m not sure if it will work for you, Kibble, but you can try,’ SJ thought. ‘Open your mouth.’
Kibble did as SJ asked, now that he had finished drinking, and SJ sprinkled a tiny amount under his tongue. As she did, he sneezed. A small bolt of electricity flared from his nostrils and caught her arm.
SJ yelped in surprise; it didn’t damage her, but she hadn’t been expecting to get zapped by him. She coughed as the spice she had been holding under her tongue got caught in her throat. Fas couldn’t help but chuckle as she rubbed her arm where it had struck her. Kibble looked sheepish.
Once SJ finished coughing, she drank some more water to rinse her mouth and spoke. “Next time I feed you from the side,” she sulked.
Kibble let out a muffled squeak, not wanting to disturb the spice that he held in his mouth.
SJ added another pinch under her tongue, allowing the spices’ effect to take hold slowly once again.
They sat silently, neither talking nor moving, just waiting. Eventually, the spice slowly dissolved, leaving their mouths feeling cool. Not just their mouths but their skin. SJ could see the relief on Kibble’s face, and Fas, who hadn’t appeared to be badly affected in comparison, still seemed more relaxed.
“That’s an impressive mix,” Fas said. “I will have to thank Floretta when we return.”
“It is,” SJ said as she moved to the edge of the shelter, looking up. The sun was now reaching its zenith. The heat haze filled her vision, floating across the vast sandy ocean. There was nothing visible out there apart from emptiness. A gust of wind passed over the rocky enclave, and SJ watched as sand devils swirled under its strength. It was only a gust, nothing more, but the sand reacted as though it lived. Chasing and spinning in spirals. If a gust could cause such a reaction, she dreaded to think what a sandstorm could be like.
“I think we will have to wait for the sun to start going down before we leave here,” SJ said.
“I agree. There’s no way I could fly in this current heat,” Fas said.
SJ sipped at her canteen and refilled Kibble’s bowl. He lapped away eagerly, and she reached out, touching his body. The spice had worked along with being in the shade, and his scales had returned to their usual temperature.
“Glad you’re feeling better now, Kibble,” SJ said.
He squeaked happily before turning in a circle a few times and settling down. He knew they were now playing the waiting game. SJ was frustrated; she wanted to get out and search, but knew it would be deadly to try now. She had to resign herself to the hostility the environment brought.
“What was that?” Dave said.
‘What?’ SJ thought.
“Didn’t you see the sand shift? Thirty feet to the left.”
SJ’s vision advantage was obscured due to her position. ‘I didn’t see anything.’ As she stared in the area Dave had suggested.
Then she noticed it. It was a trace only, but there was something out there, the surface of the sand moving ever so slightly.
“There is something out there,” SJ said, pointing as Fas turned to look.
Fas stared for several moments. “Possibly a sand snake. It should be nothing to worry about, since we are on a rock. They are unlikely to leave the sand itself.”
The thought of a snake swimming under the surface of the sand so close made SJ shudder. She watched with uncertainty until she noticed the movement slowly moving away from the rock and not towards it. The sense of relief was palpable; she hadn’t realised how tense she had become watching it. Then she saw it, a shifting movement as the sand seemed to come alive. Swirling patterns like ripples on a lake’s surface swam from a central point almost a hundred feet from their haven.
“It looks like something else is moving,” Fas said.
Some hundred feet away from the outcrop, its head burst through the surface, casting a shower of sand into the air. The size of the beast that appeared was enormous. As they watched, SJ saw an ochre mottled body appear. It reminded SJ of a giant grub crossed with a millipede. It had no eyes that she could see, but had hundreds of pairs of stubby, almost pointless-looking limbs, which it used to move. As it emerged from the depths of the sand, SJ could see several of what appeared to be snakes attached to its body like leeches. It must have been over a hundred feet in length once it emerged fully, looking plump and fat, as though filled with water. Its skin had a translucence to it, and SJ could see its organs. Or what must have been its organs. It appeared to be covered in bite marks, its putrid body letting off a foul odour of rot and death.
SJ gagged at the smell, like over-ripened fruit left to go off in the sun, sickly sweet and vomit-inducing.
“How does something like that survive here?” SJ asked, aghast.
Fas shrugged. “They are known as dust drifters. They are the staple diet of most desert predators; you can see the bites, and the younger sand snakes attached to it like leeches. The young feed on them until they reach maturity, at which point they will drop off and hunt for themselves. I have no idea how they survive, but they roam the desert like mobile platters for the dwellers. They are the primary source of food for most beasts.”
“They have a unique digestive system. They feed on the sand, where they gain all the nutrients they need. I’m unable to explain how it works, and there are no details in the Legionnarius either. Sorry,” Dave added.
Its limbs were bristling with hairs, and the appendages appeared webbed, as if it were using them as shovels.
“What else lives in the sand?” SJ said—more to herself than an actual question.
SJ couldn’t imagine having to walk across the placid-looking surface if there was so much going on below it.
