5028

Tanahen: The Broken Miles

Galactic Date 00:08:479 5028

The Broken Miles. An empty swath of desert stretching from the western coast of the continent of Schelach to its mountain ranges far in the east. Almost a two-day trip by foot. We could have made it in minutes, if not seconds, in the Sparrow. At least then I wouldn't have to be watching for venomous bugs every few steps. On Draenica nothing survived in the Ashlands anyway, but here?

The sun beat down on you minute after minute without respite. Mere hours in, and I was already a sopping mess of sweat and sand. The wind had picked up, carrying with it the grime of the ground all around us. It stuck to your skin, mixing like a paste across your face. At least, that's how it was for me. Rex and the Ikui seemed completely unbothered. Then again, I wasn't entirely sure they even did sweat under all that carapace. Either way, I had to agree with Luccia. I hated deserts.

I raised my hand to wipe away the sweat from my brow, a thin layer of grime rolling off onto my arm. My shoulder and back were aching from carrying the supplies, and my legs were growing sore from the hours of trudging through cracked ground and spiny brush. I was half certain my legs were shredded from the thorns, but that I was just too numb down there to feel it. Iravek looked at me, the two of us having been at the lead of the group, his head cocking as he looked me up and down.

"I have seen very few of your kind. You do not seem well equipped for this." He said.

"Ah, I'm... I'm fine." I heaved. I adjusted the supplies on my shoulder, trudging forward. Ahead was nothing but blue skies and more empty land. There was nary a cloud in sight, even. Staring at that expanse for so long, I felt like I was going insane. The only comfort was the sight of mountains slowly rising from the horizon. Iravek nodded, turning his attention ahead of us again.

"I see." He said. I could tell he was attempting to contain some amount of amusement. As we walked forward in silence, he turned to me again.

"You are a caster of sorts, correct?" He asked.

"Yeah. You could definitely say that." I responded. "I'm a bit new to the whole thing." He nodded.

"I can tell. The World Spirit is strong in our home." He began. I cocked an eyebrow, letting him continue. "In you, however, it struggles to flow properly. You hold a tempest of power within you, but struggle to draw from the world around you."

"I'm not sure I exactly follow.".

"In our tribe," he explained, "we learn that, to cast spells, one must find a balance. To draw from your magic is important, but mastery over control of the World Spirit is just as important to our growth." I furrowed my brow.

"I know how to bend and shift the World Spirit." I said. Iravek put up a hand.

"Ah, this is not entirely what I mean." He thought a moment, staring off into space, before looking back to me. "I wish to teach you. As payment for your guidance." I shook my head and hand.

"Oh, there's really no need! You don't owe me a thing! We're here doing this 'cause you needed help." Iravek walked in a stunned silence. It was as if he hadn't expected being turned down. Still, he cleared his throat, put a hand over his chest, and bowed his head.

"You are truly kind. However, I insist. You are helping me and my people. If I can assist on your journey and growth, I would be honored." If he was so insistent, I wouldn't be one to turn him down. Gods knew I could use the help. I smiled, bowing my head back to him.

"I appreciate it, greatly. If you're certain, I would be happy for you to teach me what you know." He did that attempted smile at me again. It wasn't exactly unsettling. You could see the smile in his eyes, but it was almost comedic how much his face contorted. I chuckled, looking forward again. "Say, what exactly is so important about these Chieftains, anyway?"