The Planes Walkers

25. His People

The air was dry. It made Jet crave water almost immediately. The sun was bright and scorching. There was no shade to be seen anywhere for miles. Jet had given up struggling after the first hour. The heat and struggling didn't mix well. It exhausted him. It didn't help that the further they went, the day seemed to get longer.

Jet was now across the back of a horse. The general had tied him up and threw him on it not far into the desert from the wall. The wall was out of sight now. The general had taken him away from the traveling pack of Spirit Elementalists. He felt like the general didn't want to show Jet to them for some reason.

"Glad to see you finally calmed down," the general said. Jet wasn't going to reply to him. "Don't know how you managed to escape the caravans, but I'll be sure the Emperor will know to have someone executed for it."

Jet wasn't sure what he thought about that. He decided to remain quiet. He wondered how far the checkpoint was. A part of him wondered if he had the strength to escape into the Spirit Plane. He wasn't sure how long he would have in the plane. The heat continued to make Jet feel exhausted and out of energy.

Eventually, Jet managed to shut everything else out so he didn't focus on the pain of heat searing his skin, or his yearning for water. The time flew by after that. Next thing Jet opened his eyes to, the general was pouring water on him. Jet mumbled and gasp for air as the shock of cold water covered him.

"We're here, boy." The general spoke with little enthusiasm. Jet wiped his eyes and looked around. It was a village. The buildings were all tan and round dome-like huts. They were made of a smooth stone material that Jet had never seen before. Other Spirit Elementalists watched the general pull Jet to his feet. Jet could sense they all had the Element he thought was so unique.

"You'll be here until the next pick up comes through. Don't get lost this time. The Empire needs all the volunteers they can get."

Volunteers? Jet thought the general couldn't be serious. He looked to the others. None of the other Elementalists took the general as a threat. They simply seemed more intrigued with Jet than the Soul Elementalist.

"If you do leave again, be aware that I will find you. I have to get back to commandant the construction site."

Jet wished he could be telling Coria all this. The general began to ride his horse away, not considering the thoughts racing through Jet's head that showed on his face. What was the Emperor building? That's when it struck him. The machine on the night that he and Dustan went to the tower. It was powered by Spirit Element. Could the Emperor be building another one? Perhaps a more massive scale one to require hundreds of Spirit Elementalists. That would mean that the Emperor discovered the flaw in the first design, which overall was a bad sign for any other land.

The Emperor was just after Spirit Elementalists in general, not specifically Jet. It was a bit of relief to know he wasn't being hunted specifically, but only for his Element.

As the thoughts circled Jet's head, another Spirit Elementalist approached him with something in their hand. Jet's train of thought was broken as he watched the desert dweller extend out a waterskin. "You look dehydrated. You'll need this," the girl told him.

Jet examined the waterskin carefully. Dustan had told him they were strange little things that could carry water without dripping or spilling, which were perfect for his desert family. He took the round object. It felt strange to touch, but he was afraid to ask what it might be made out of. Instead, he took a swig of water.

"Thank you," Jet managed to say after gasping for air. He had almost emptied the waterskin of its contents.

"Easy there. There's plenty more water in the well. You don't need to drink it as if it was your last." Her accent was strange. Jet wondered if Dustan had a similar one until the Calbar Empire one took over.