Linus Toria

Chapter 21

Mathieu was starting to hate sand. It got in every nook and cranny. Just opening his mouth to give out orders was enough to receive a mouthful. He wished for a scarf like Lina had worn. In hindsight that was a really good idea. He always thought that she only wore it to conceal her face and not for the purpose of crossing a desert.

The sun had set and their surroundings were starting to take shape. Mathieu looked for his scout to find him by Etienne's side. They seemed to be in deep conversation. Taking a look at his watch he decided that Gaspard had had enough time for himself and that he should get to work now. With a loud whistle he snatched his attention and made him come over.

„So, what do you think?", Mathieu inquired.

„It's going to become very hot today", Gaspard answered.

„Wow. Considering we're in a desert, I would never have thought", Mathieu was unimpressed.

„What I meant", Gaspard corrected his statement, „is that today is going to become hotter than usual. We might also encounter a sandstorm. The weather is a little off today. Therefore, we should search for a safe place early on and if possible refill our water reserves"

„You don't have enough anymore?", Mathieu was surprised.

„It will still suffice for the next two or three days but like I said before I'm not sure where we are and maybe we'll reach the end of the desert tomorrow, maybe it'll take us two more weeks", Gaspard shrugged.

„Which direction should we take?"

„Northeast. The air over there has a little more moisture so we might find water over there"

„Could it also be a Fata Morgana?"

„Yes, but it's still our best bet at this moment"

„I see", Mathieu sighed, „then let's do as you suggested"

Mathieu walked up to Etienne who couldn't yet move on his own and assembled his team. Everybody was ready for departure and he briefed them about their next steps. Elodie decided that Etienne no longer needed to lay down and could be carried via a piggyback ride. After disassembling the stretcher they were ready to move out in their usual formation.

Aside from footprints they didn't encounter any animals. Their pace was slow as they took turns carrying Etienne and made sure not to tire themselves out to fast which was no easy feat as every step sank into the sand. After two hours they had barely covered five kilometers.

Suddenly, Gaspard while he was peering over the top of a dune gave the signal for an unknown entity ahead. Mathieu caught up and laid down next to him. Inspecting the other side of the sandy hill he found that it bottomed out into a low valley filled with some palm trees and a small lake.

And at the other side the idyllic scene had been destroyed. The trees had been felled and large scorch marks marred the ground. In the middle of the destruction a huge carcass laid.

„What is that?", Mathieu asked his scout who was searching the scene with his field glasses.

„A water dragon"

„What? In the desert? How could it ever survive here? Don't they need salt water?"

„I also thought so. But what worries me more at the moment is who killed that dragon? Is that creature still around? Because if it is we should take a wide berth around this area. With Etienne injured a fight would be very disadvantageous for us", Gaspard advised.

„Can you see any movement? Or sense anybody down there?" Gaspard replied negatively.

„Then I say we take the risk of going down there. We could definitely use the water", Mathieu declared and turned to his other teammates, „Gaspard and me will go down there to check out the situation and refill out water supplies. Manon and Elodie will wait for our return here while taking care of Etienne. Is that clear?"

„Yes, sir"

Manon additionally wished Mathieu to stay safe and he followed his scout down the hill. They first approached the lake. Gaspard stuck his index finger in the water and sniffed it. „Should be salt water"

„Don't we still have those old filters for water somewhere in our equipment? Can they handle salt water?", Mathieu wondered.

„I think they can. Let's refill our tanks"

After they had botteled enough they continued their round around the lake. The closer they got to the dragon the more prominent a certain rattling noise became.

„It's still breathing", Gaspard whispered. Mathieu wanted to order their retreat immediately but they had already been noticed. The dragon lifted its head and turned towards them with slitted eyes. „Oh, it's you" it relaxed again and its head slumped back down.

Mathieu was confused. „Do you know us?"

„It's our first meeting. But I've been warned that you homunculi would probably find your way here", it explained tiredly.

Mathieu and Gaspard stiffened. Who knew what they were? And why would that information be relayed to that dragon? They were both preparing to take the dragon down to keep their secret.

„Oh, relax", the beast laughed at them, „I'm already dying so there's no need for you to take action. Furthermore there's nobody here besides the three of us and the rest of your comrades waiting behind that dune. I couldn't expose you even if I wanted to"

„You're dying?", Gaspard repeated.

„Yes, four ribs busted my left lung and now I'm slowly suffocating on my own blood"

„Were you fighting something?", Mathieu asked curiously.

„It wasn't really a fight", the dragon lamented.

„Who told you that we would be coming here?", Mathieu remembered the dragons earlier words.

„You're not very smart for a leader, are you?", the dragon belittled him, „of course it was Lina. Who else was in this area at the moment and knew you?"

„Lina was here?", Gaspard perked up, „Where is she now?"

„She left together with Ezekiel"

„Who's that? I thought there was nobody else here?", Gaspard reminded the dragon.

„Ezekiel was an old friend of mine. He owed me and came by earlier. When he left he took Lina with him", the dragon explained and went into a coughing fit.

„We need to rescue her!", Gaspard exclaimed.

„You want to help Lina?", the dragon started laughing hysterically ending in another coughing fit, „She doesn't need rescuing. And she and Ezekiel were pretty friendly with each other. I believe they already knew each other. From where I don't know"