Lassim followed Bajeel across the rolling dunes, the humanoid-lizard leader of the Jakool Za Za tribe moving with a confident ease through the sand.
As they crested a particularly high dune, Lassim saw the wagon circle of the Jakool Za Za tribe nestled in a shallow valley between dunes below. The wagons were arranged in a protective ring, with tents and small fires scattered around the perimeter.
As they approached, Lassim noticed the unique creatures leashed to the wagons—large, patterned dogs with powerful builds, a large tuft of hair that ran down their spines and a keen, predatory look in their eyes.
Bajeel noticed Lassim’s curiosity and smiled.
"These are our sandhounds," Bajeel explained. "They’re perfect for traveling the sands and are invaluable when it comes to hunting. Their endurance is unmatched, and they can sense sandstorms long before we do. They’re great companions once raised by hand, but the wild ones are nasty; be sure to remember that."
Lassim nodded, impressed by the size of the sandhounds.
They entered the circle, and Lassim could feel the eyes of the Jakool Za Za within focus on him, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and wariness.
Bajeel led him to a wagon near the center of the circle, where he pulled out several different [Hszamak].
"These are the extra [Hszamak] you can buy. They’ll help you survive the desert," Bajeel said, holding up the garments. "They’re enchanted with a cooling sensation that makes the heat more bearable, too."
Lassim chose two and handed Bajeel a few hundred mid-grade ESS for the clothes and knowledge he shared.
Bajeel demonstrated how to wear the [Hszamak], and Lassim followed his instructions. As he donned the garment, he felt the cooling enchantment activate, instantly relieving the heat from the overbearing sun.
"This is incredible," Lassim said, grateful for the comfort.
Bajeel grinned. "It’s a necessity out here. The desert can be unforgiving."
Next, Bajeel pulled out a thick white canvas sheet and poles from the wagon. "You’ll also want this. This is perfect for getting out of the sun during the hottest hours or for hiding out during sandstorms," he explained. "Let me show you how to set it up."
They spent the next few minutes setting up the tent, its material was designed to be thick enough to not let sand through and reduce sun exposure. He also demonstrated some tips to cover the structure in sand to hide from predators or bandits when you wanted to remain more hidden during the day.
"Thank you, Bajeel. This will be really useful when I need to rest," Lassim said, appreciating the practical wisdom of the desert dwellers.
As the sun began to set, Bajeel invited Lassim to join the tribe for their evening meal. The smell of roasting boar filled the air, and the Jakool Za Za gathered around the fires, each with their own tin plates filled with meat as they ate mostly quietly and kept to themselves while Lassim was in the camp.
It seemed the rest of them weren’t as friendly as the leader or possibly there was some other cultural reason for not approaching or speaking with Lassim.
Foll𝑜w current novℯls on ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm.
Lassim was given a portion of the tri-horned boar, seasoned with a blend of spices that added a delightful heat to the tender meat.
"This is delicious," Lassim said, savoring the flavors and attempting to make conversation with the other Jakool Za Za that sat nearby. "I’ve never tasted anything like it. It’s really spicy!"
"Our spices are a closely guarded secret," Bajeel replied in place of the Jakool he tried to initiate conversation with. "We trade them with other tribes and towns, but we never reveal the recipe."
As they ate, Lassim tried speaking more with the others again and again but each time only Bajeel replied. However, at least he was forthcoming about their tribe, learning more about their way of life and the challenges they faced in the Great Dune Sea.
The sun soon dipped below the horizon, and the stars began to shine in the cloudless night sky.
That’s when the wagon circle came alive with movement in unison as the tribe prepared to travel to their next location. They moved the sandhounds to the fronts of the wagons with their harnesses and fed them bits of leftover tri-horn bar meat while stroking the sand off their fur.
"I’m afraid we’re heading in a different direction than you," Bajeel said, pointing to a unique constellation in the sky.
"Follow that constellation that looks like Famthar throwing a lightning bolt. See the tip of his left foot? Follow that star and it will lead you to the Heart of the desert, where the Lightning Sect is located. If you travel only at night, it should take about seventeen days with one of our wagons in the caravan.
But with your speed solo, you can probably halve that time or even less if you travel during the early morning light when the stars are still visible too."
"Thank you, Bajeel," Lassim said, feeling a sense of gratitude despite the oddness of the tribe.
"The town of Dunesreach is just a night’s travel from here," Bajeel added. "You can resupply there and get a quick bath before continuing your journey."
They parted ways, and Lassim activated [Tempest Steps], moving swiftly through the night with the star at the tip of an imaginary boot as his guide.
The desert was eerily quiet, the only sounds were his own cackling of lightning, the whispering of the wind and the crunch of sand beneath his feet.
He followed the constellation Bajeel had pointed out, its bright star guiding him through the darkness.
As dawn approached, Lassim saw the walls of Dunesreach rising in the distance through his spirit sense. He maintained his speed as he rushed towards it, only slowing down once the gates were within his sights.
The town, if you could even call it that, was built around a lush oasis, the sight of greenery and water a welcome relief to Mari after the barren desert.
He debated whether to stop at the town or continue for the rest of the night , but the possibility of finding a Lightning Sect representative or gaining more information about the Sect within the region won out in the end and convinced him to enter.
The guards at the gate eyed him suspiciously as he approached. "State your business," one of them demanded.
"I seek rest for the day and a nice breakfast would be good." Lassim replied, keeping his tone respectful. "Oh, and I’m looking for information about the Lightning Sect."
The guards exchanged glances. "Entry fee, 25 mid-grade ESS," one of them said, holding out his hand.
Lassim sighed inwardly at the continued cold reception from the locals, but didn’t want to cause a scene. He handed over a few ESS, and the guards stepped aside, allowing him to pass.
The oasis was bustling with activity, despite the small size. The marketplace had small and organized stalls made out of thin wooden planks with canvas roofs, similar to the tent material he obtained.
The merchants sold a variety of goods, but it seemed like a majority of them were selling unique looking gems in varieties and colors he’d never seen before. Some of them even vibrated with intense mana energy as they caught his eye for a brief moment when passing by.
Again, the various merchants didn’t seem too interested in Lassim as he walked by, though unsure of the reason why.
Approaching a merchant selling some exotic spices, he asked, "Excuse me, do you know anything about the Lightning Sect?"
The merchant looked up, his eyes narrowing. "The Lightning Sect, eh? Not many ask about that place. It’s deep in the desert, southwest from here. But, why do you seek them out?"
"I have important business there," Lassim replied, keeping his purpose vague.
The merchant nodded slowly with suspicion, but then Lassim tossed a handful of ESS towards him, remembering Bajeel’s words on the bribes helping.
"Very well. If you head southwest through the sands, you will eventually reach the Singing Dunes, a large stretch of desert known for the musical sounds the wind makes as it passes through the sand. Each grain of sand has been electrically charged from the intense storms that are booming year round.
From there, it’s just a bit further and you’ll see the barren land where rock and glass replace the sand. The sect is hidden in the center. Hope you don’t mind getting wet or a little shocked. The rain and lightning fall randomly."
"That won’t be a problem, Thank you," Lassim said as his eyes flickered with lightning energy a bit more intensely than usual. The mini lightning bolts jutted out a bit further than they normally did as he stared at the merchant.
Walking away, he doubted he would find a representative office of the sect or some sort of sect disciple in this place based on the interaction with the merchant.
Shortly after, he found what looked to be like an inn between some palm trees near the center of the oasis, and secured a room for the day. Again, the reception of the innkeeper was a bit cold.
Pondering out loud as he held the room key in his hand after paying, "Bajeel was correct. They sure are wary of outsiders." Lassim wondered what about him really stood out that made them so weary of him for now.
He decided he would try and correct this in the future as the stares and suspicion in their eyes was a bit unnerving to him.
With the information he needed, Lassim went down the hall to the room he rented to rest for the day. He didn’t really feel like he needed a nap, but he took the chance to bathe off the dried salt from the seawater and sweat before he decided to sleep anyway since he paid for the bed too.
As night fell, he lay on his bed, contemplating the journey ahead. The Singing Dunes were an easy landmark to go by to signal how close he was, so he was thankful for that extra detail.
Getting up, he decided it was cool enough to set out, following Bajeel’s and the merchant’s directions.