Worlds Apart

Arrival

"We're almost to the Oasis. Stay sharp." Eadric informs me by the time our fortieth day of travel is just beginning to bloom over the horizon.

I nod, noticeable of the sudden shift in the dry environment.

Eadric returns it before turning back to repeat this notion to his men in Simul.

Over these past few days, the gritty, reddish gold sand gradually cultivated into a less shifty floor of a much duller shade given the moisture still no more prevalent in the ground than beforehand, the dirt more compact in this region. While the dunes in the distance are still as prevalent as ever, the land just before us begins sprouting craggy patches of plant life on occasions that become more often the further we travel. The drop offs reveal small pools of emerald water that glisten wondrously against the unrelenting sun. The heat is softened now, however, through the muggy, but humid air that coats my body in an uncomfortable tackiness. But after these past couple weeks of nothing but bone dry heat and sunburn, I welcome the tolerable feeling with open arms. The horses seem to sense this change in the climate as well, both Alfhild and Eileifr having perked up as soon as this environment afforded them some much needed refreshment, and they continue to ride onward determinedly with Eadric and I over their backs.

The already organized pack binds together even more so, forming rectangularly shaped units that decrease in size towards the back. I take note of Lesedi, her pack of all women taking a portion of the rear of the formation. Her strong gaze is unwavering, the woman around her just the same. I cannot help but bristle as soon as I make eye contact with Iolana, however, though her blatant distaste towards me seems to have calmed some since the other day.

If Eadric's observational instincts take note of this, he says nothing as I feel his eyes flit to me before he finally turns back to face the front of the pack.

"You okay?" I ask by the time the tense silence has drawn on long enough.

"Of course." He responds thoughtlessly. "Why do you ask now?"

"Because you tensed as soon as you saw that." I reveal, motioning to the dirt path we are currently taking that is moments away from transitioning into a bridge of similarly colored stone carved with sturdy but cleanly molded railings. The snaked path seems to bend naturally with the elegant, gradual curves of large rock piles and fallout framing the body of water below it, and from this position at the front of the bridge, it is easy to see that it forms many s shapes and continues on from a staggering distance that may very well extend up to a mile. But the walkway never lets off from a level, cleancut surface, and the path is thick, wide, clearly meant to sustain travel both in and out of the city. I imagine the bridge is likely intended to act as the main way in and out of the desert town, and it is suspended above yet another extensive moat, except this one goes on for quite some time now.

"Because the second we reach the end of this bridge," he continues as soon as our mounts have just stepped over its entrance, "everything changes."

"Everything already has changed." I remind him, swallowing thickly upon finishing the statement. I look down as soon as Eadric's eyes flit to my own.

"You're still mad I'm not sure you can win this, aren't you?" He deducts after a moment, his eyes still watching me closely.

"I'm not." I promise. "But it does add an extra amount of pressure to hear from my most objective acquaintance that I may very well not be prepared for this, afterall."

"That isn't what I said."

"It was implied." I retort, but his keen gaze is already distracted with another matter as his eyes drop from my own slightly. "What is it?" I ask, looking off ahead of him to see a large, towering column topped with a bundle of large leaves at the top.