Lassim and the team set off from the sect, the air still cool from the ever darkened sky filled with thunder clouds. Their destination lay deep in the southern desert.
Lassim’s speed was the fastest amongst the bunch, but it seemed that each individual on the team had their own movement techniques that sped up the travel quite a bit.
None of them seemed to be as good or as fast as Lassim’s [Tempest Steps], but part of that was possibly the fact that his cultivation level was exceedingly higher than even the group’s leader.
As they moved beyond the reach of the perpetual storm that enveloped the heart of the desert where the Lightning Sect’s headquarters resided, the familiar landscape of dark, cloud-covered skies gave way to the blazing sun and endless sand dunes of the southern side.
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The familiar singing dunes were apparently present on the southern side of the desert as well, right along the border to the heart of the desert. Their millions and billions of grains of sand chirping like a chorus of birds rang in Lassim’s ears. Though, they quickly passed by them and continued on.
The journey was long and continued nonstop for the next few days, but the team pressed on with determination and took very few breaks to make it in time to their ambush location.
The sun hung high in the sky, beating down on them relentlessly. However, unlike the northern side where Lassim had initially journeyed, the southern desert was dotted with numerous oasis spots, each a shimmering pool of water surrounded by lush vegetation.
Lassim took in the surroundings, noting the distinct change in terrain and increased frequency of oasis spots as they traveled.
"Why are there so many oases here?" he asked aloud, wiping sweat from his brow as to why passed another grouping of trees surrounding a clear pond. "The northern side didn’t have nearly as many when I traveled through."
One of the other Initiate Rank disciples, a young man named Rylan, explained from beside him. "That’s because we’re approaching the southern side of this continent," Rylan explained. "This area is unique. It’s said that there are underground nodes of Elemental Spirit Stones beneath the sand, which create these oases."
Lassim raised an eyebrow. "Elemental Spirit Stones create water sources too?"
Rylan nodded. "Yes and no. They help the plant life grow and stay healthy, but there’s more to it. There’s an ancient tale about a magical water source deep underground. According to history books, it’s a wellspring of pure elemental water that feeds into the desert, creating these oases.
It’s said there used to be an entire ocean covering this side from a hidden water elemental dimension that leaked out. The ESS nodes act as conduits channeling the water from deep underground, or the hidden dimension, if you believe the tale about the elemental plane that is, to the surface."
Lassim looked around, his curiosity piqued. "A magical water source elemental plane underground? Sounds interesting."
Rylan chuckled. "Perhaps, but it’s a tale passed down through generations. We mainly just use it to spread the knowledge about the oases so that people don’t go and dig up the ESS. If everyone knows that the ESS is the reason why they have water available in the middle of the desert, the easier it is to enforce protection to make sure no one messes with it.
We all need water, especially the weaker cultivators and merchants traveling through. My family is from the south, where we’re headed and I actually took one of the caravans that we’ll be protecting when I first came to the sect. Everyone from there has heard the story many times while growing up."
The group moved swiftly, Darian leading the way with confidence. Lassim observed his surroundings, taking in the vast expanse of sand dunes and the occasional rocky outcrop or oasis that broke the monotony.
The desert was eerily silent though, the only sound the crunch of their footsteps on the sand and the occasional gust of wind. Lassim hadn’t spotted signs of other travelers or even beasts since they left the sect.
Regardless, they made good time, their pace steady and unbroken.
As they arrived at another oasis, Darian called for a halt. "We’ll rest here for a moment before we continue. Make sure to hydrate and meditate if you need to replenish your reserves. I want everyone fully prepared for battle in case we run into the bandits," he instructed.
Lassim took a seat on a nearby rock, pulling out his water flask and taking a long drink. He glanced around at his teammates, noting their focused expressions as some took the time to sit cross legged and meditate. Thankfully Lassim was constantly absorbing and converting divine mana through his progenitor marks, so he was constantly at his peak.
"How much further?" Lassim asked, wiping sweat from his brow before summoning a wave of water elemental mana from the nearby pool to refresh his bottle and cool down his head.
"Not far," Darian replied. "We should reach the ambush point by nightfall. We’ll set up camp and scout out the best ambush point to prepare for the bandits’ arrival."
The team resumed their journey and soon nightfall came. The temperature dropped rapidly, the heat of the day giving way to the chill of the night.
After the sun finally set, they reached their destination just thirty minutes later. That’s when Darian called the group to a halt near a rocky outcrop that provided a good vantage point over the surrounding area.
"This is it," Darian said, surveying the area. "We’ll set up camp here first. Keep your eyes peeled for any signs of the bandits. Once we’re set up, we’ll split into groups of two for some preliminary scouting of the nearby terrain. I’ll assign a rotation so that two people will guard the camp while we conduct our search."
The team quickly got to work, setting up their sand proof tents and laying out their supplies.
They then split into pairs where Lassim and Rylan were paired up for the first watch of the camp while the other two pairs went off to search, his senses alert for any movement in the darkness.
The night passed uneventfully, the silence of the desert only broken by the occasional rustle of the wind blowing the sand against the rocks.
The next day, Darian returned with good news that he believes that he found something. They packed up their camp before they moved to the area he suspected and began scouting the area for signs of the bandits. It didn’t take long for them to find traces—footprints in the sand, remnants of campfires, and discarded items a few kilometers from where they camped last night.
The evidence was clear: the bandits had been here recently and were likely still in the area.
"They’re close, which means our previous spot should be great for the ambush," Darian said, examining a set of footprints. "Let’s retrace our steps and prepare. Lassim, your spirit senses should extend further than the rest of ours, so keep it out at all times and let us know if you spot them. We need to stay sharp."
They spent the rest of the day preparing for the ambush, setting up and positioning themselves strategically around the outcrop from the previous night. As night fell once more, they settled in to wait, their eyes trained on the horizon. Lassim focused fully on seeing if any of the bandits would appear.
The following morning, they spotted movement in the distance. A group of figures was making their way toward the ambush point, their movements cautious and deliberate. It was definitely the bandits, covered in hooded robes, preparing for the arrival of the caravan.
"I’ve got visual on the targets," Lassim whispered, signaling for the team to get into position. "They’ve just entered my spirit sense range and they’re headed our way. I think they have the same idea for this spot as us."
~~~
Earlier that morning before Lassim’s group had disassembled their camp, Korrin, the leader of the bandits, moved through the desert with a practiced ease, his sharp eyes scanning the area.
He was a tall, imposing figure with a weathered face and a scar running down his cheek—a token of victory he chose not to heal fully as it reminded him of a time he survived an attack from a desert lion during his first academy mission in his youth. He was able to end its life, but unfortunately not before his teammates from his academy had died in the attack by the Lion and its mates.
Today, his band of outlaws followed closely behind, each one looking hardened and deeply tanned by the harsh life of the desert if you peeked underneath their hoods.
"Stay sharp," Korrin ordered, his voice low and commanding. "The caravan should be arriving soon. We need to first confirm the direction the caravan is heading from and then get ahead of them to arrive at the ambush site. They shouldn’t be too far from us, so let’s scout them out."
As one of the team members later got sight of the caravan, Korrin pulled out a small communication device from his pouch. The device was sleek and metallic, a gift from their mysterious benefactor. He activated it, and a voice crackled through the static.
"Are you in position?" the voice asked, cold and distant.