False Gods

Book IV: Of Princesses and Peons

Chapter XXXII

     "What do you mean they're gone?!" Gabriel said in shock.

     "I mean they are on a ship that's already halfway across Alrest, they're flying over a large desert, but not the same one as the Ardainian desert," Azami answered.

     "How does Azami know this?" Rafi questioned.

     "Every rare blade has a special ability and special skill. I have the ability to see anywhere I want to look. I simple gazed upon my lovely driver and I knew exactly where he was," she giggled as she pointed to the mechanical socket she had on her face in place of her left eye.

     "What about Poppi?!" Rafi asked.

     "Poppi agreed to stay with Juliani, she is safe here in Mor Ardain," Azami answered.

     "She... agreed?"

     "Rafi won't stand it! Poppi can't be with Juliani!" Rafi yelled. "Friends must save her!"

     "Look Raf, If Poppi's safe for now then we need to go after Silas and Acacia, we can worry about her later," Gabriel said.

     "Poppi will be fine, she's a tough girlie!" Kassandra said empathetically.

      Rafi seemed annoyed, but he silently agreed.

     "Well, shall we?" Malos asked, appearing out of nowhere.

     "And where the hell have you been?" Gabriel interrogated.

     "Exploring, but it seems I'm out of time, let's move," he replied, getting on the ship.

     "C'mon Gabe, let's go," Kassandra said, tugging at his wrist.

     "Right, right, c'mon Kassy," Gabriel said before getting on board. "They should be somewhere in the Scorpox Desert to the East if Azami is correct. Hold on Silas, we're coming."

...................................

     We had been wandering the desert for what seemed like days, but it had honestly only been for a few hours. The scorching sun and the burning sand did not make traversing this place easy. I also had no water, and finding some was becoming much more of a necessity. It also didn't help that we were occasionally being attacked by scorpoxes, giant, Great Dane-sized scorpions with claws that could easily pop your limbs off and armed with a deadly neurotoxin. Sheba constantly refused to fight or aid me in fighting so it was left to me to defend her and myself. Why I thought I should help her, I didn't know, but I kept doing it. And with her being a water blade, she was doing much better than I was in this environment. She was much more worried about the sun's affect on her skin than me trying not to die.

     An average-sized scorpox jumped out from the sand and went to sting Sheba. I jumped between them and used my ether shield to block it as I thrusted my sword into its skull, killing it.

     "You let him get to close to us, peon. Do better next time," she said.

     It was at this point that I completely snapped.

     "Alright I have had enough!" I yelled. "You want to get back to wherever the hell you want to go, that's fine by me. But how about you either help me out or shut the hell up? You've betrayed people who are willing to stand with you and help you out, so how about a little less whining out of that traitorous mouth of yours?!"

     She seemed taken aback, as if she didn't know what I was talking about. "Well it's not my fault you never once tried to help us fit in with you. This is obviously your fault."