A few days later, Madrik was lying on his back, watching the stars restlessly wandering above him. One of them appeared to be chasing another. Halfway across the sky they sped before the chaser caught up, and then they both stopped. A few more stars gathered around them. Legend had it that the gods were watching from above. As far as Madrik could tell, they were just as lost as he was.
His ankle was much better already, the swelling having receded. His wounds likewise were healing well. Nothing of note had happened since the old man had awoken him from his foray into Lytette's oasis. Madrik had lain on his back while his succourer had fed him, checked his wounds, and occasionally rambled about city folk needing to stay in city. Madrik cared little for the conversation, but was grateful for the aid. He hadn't even learned the old man's name, though he suspected they had little use for someone living in solitary.
Madrik wasn't too concerned. He would be far from the desert soon enough, and on his way to see Tailfin. The old crime lord would get what was coming to him.
The sun was beginning to brighten the sky, and the stars were settling down for the day. The old man returned from wherever he had wandered off to, producing something resembling a starved rabbit and, after skinning it, hung it over the fire.
Madrik wasn't going to question the source, he ate it happily enough.
"You should get some sleep today," said the old man. "Tonight we leave. We will make for Lexlish Pass."
"Lexlish Pass?"
"Best way through the mountains."
"Why don't we head to the coast and catch a boat round?"
"I don't take boats any more," said the old man. "When I was young, I stole a boat and rowed over to the Renryre Island. Had a few too many in a tavern that night, and followed those up with a few more. Next morning I woke up and the mainland was nowhere to be seen."
Madrik didn't push it. Old people liked to tell stories about the mainland.
"Went searching for it for a while," he continued unprompted. "Years in fact. Made a lot of friends, and lost most of them to the sea. The mainland is gone, and those who spend their lives looking for it die soon enough."
"That's why you are out here?" asked Madrik.
He only shrugged, and pulled the canopy over the camp site.
"Best you get some sleep."
Madrik closed his eyes, hoping he might get a visit from Lytette. He opened his eyes barely a moment later as the evening was drawing the sun low, disappointed that he had spent his long dreams alone. He sat up to find the camp site half packed already, the old man watching him impatiently. Taking the hint he stood up, smiling as he found his ankle felt much stronger.
They set off following the sunset, leaving Madrik to wonder how the old man could navigate the desert at night. By the sound of it he had lived there for a decade or more, he probably knew the landmarks well enough.
They reached the mountains after a few nights' walk. Most of the mountains in the range looked as dry as the desert, save for a single valley which spilt greenery into the sands below it. The way in. The only way, as far as Madrik could tell.
The climb was difficult. He would have struggled even if his ankle had been in perfect condition. The old man never complained. Didn't say much at all, just grunted occasionally. It was not until they reached the top of the pass that he finally spoke.
"I've brought you this far, you can make your way to Helen's Bay from here," he said.
He pointed towards the bay below. Helen's Bay, the only safe haven for fisherman when the weather came in. Overcrowded by far, the smell of fish and sewers mingled to create an almost unbearable stench, only cured when the wind blew. The fishing villages within the bay had grown over the years. They became towns, and before long they had all more or less merged into one large city skirting the inside of the bay, which acquired the name of the bay itself.
"Best of luck with Tailfin."
With that, the old man turned and wandered back the way had come. Madrik barely managed to mumble a meek 'thankyou'.
Lost in thought, Madrik wandered towards the city. It was nice to be able to walk in daylight again. Somehow the sun didn't feel so powerful on that side of the mountain.
His mind roamed the desert. The ancient spirit that attacked him. The adventure with the giant invisible beasts, even if they weren't real. The oasis in the desert. Lytette, her golden skin and scant clothing lingering in his memory. Even after a night of rest in the lower slopes of the mountains, and another day en route to Helen's Bay, he couldn't quite get Lytette out of his mind.
The old man hadn't exactly clarified who or what Lytette was, only that she was more than just a dream. He hadn't even said what his name was, for that matter. But Madrik supposed it was for the best. He couldn't owe someone whose name he didn't know.
He did owe Tailfin, and before he knew it, he had made his way to Tailfin's headquarters. A gambling den. Where grown men went to waste their lives. Where criminals went to make new connections. Where dock workers went to lose their meagre income. Where men like Madrik went when they thought they could outsmart the likes of Tailfin.
The door opened, and a large man with too many muscles studied him with a look that suggested that it didn't matter who was standing there, he would give them that dirty look anyway.
"What you want?" demanded the henchman.
"I'm here to see Tailfin," said Madrik, trying to sound confident.
He hadn't really planned this, he thought to himself. He was unarmed, and in Tailfin's fortress. What exactly was he going to do? What was he going to say?
"He's busy," insisted the henchman. "Go away."
"He's always busy," said Madrik. "He'll make time for me. Tell him Madrik is here to see him."
The henchman looked a little unsure, and then walked off into the back office leaving Madrik standing outside to hastily plan his revenge. His mind wandered shortly behind his eyes, which skimmed over the usual punters and landed on the odd man out, sitting in a quiet corner, with parchments neatly stacked as he tapped quill a thoughtfully on the table.
The henchman opened the door and poked his head through, waiting for Madrik to follow. He entered the office to see Tailfin sitting at his desk, and more brawny guards standing around the room looking as intimidating as they could.
"Madrik?" said Tailfin. "How nice to see you. You look like hell. What happened to you?"
"You threw me in a sack and dropped me off in the desert, after a few complimentary kicks."
"Well, yes, I know that," said Tailfin evenly. "I meant, what happened to you since the last time I saw you."
"I survived," said Madrik. "Made it out of the desert alive."
"With the sole purpose of wasting my time?" he asked impatiently. "What do you want?"
"Revenge!"
"And this was your plan?" said Tailfin. "To ambush me from the front, with my lackeys standing ready?"
Dammit. What was his plan? Tailfin appeared completely unconcerned that Madrik had made it back – perhaps he wasn't the first to survive the desert run. He had expected Tailfin would at least be surprised. Instead, he appeared a little impatient and annoyed. Tailfin would have him escorted out in no time, probably back to the desert.
Madrik laughed out loud.
"Well, of course not," he said. "I was just here to show you that I am alive and well, so that you knew I may be working on a revenge plan. It's not like I am going to jump one of your guards, steal his blade, and throw it at you!"
But that's exactly what he did.
He leapt to the nearest guard, punching him on the nose, and pushing him back as he grabbed a dagger from the brute's belt. He turned quickly, took half a moment to aim, and flung the blade straight at Tailfin just as another lackey tackled him from the side.
The blade hit the wall about a two feet off the mark, while Madrik hit the floor several feet from his.
"Godsdammit," he said as the lackeys pulled him to his feet.
"Indeed," said Tailfin. "That was rash."
He felt a thud on the back of his head, and fell over unconscious.
When he came to, he found he couldn't move. He was wrapped up in some sort of linen. A sack. Another bloody sack.
"Tailfin?" he called out, as if he didn't know what was happening.
"Yes, Madrik?"
"Where am I?"
"I should be more worried about where you are going to be," answered the crime lord.
Another blow to his head cut short the conversation. He was vaguely aware of his intermittent bouts of consciousness, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep track of time. Eventually, he felt himself thrown to ground.
"Congratulations, Madrik," said an unusually cheerful Tailfin. "You are back in the desert."
A kick to the belly was quickly followed by another to the head, a then few more less accurately targeted blows. He could hear the men chuckling as they did it. When they stopped kicking, he groaned a question.
"Why don't you just kill me?"
"I am intrigued to see what your next revenge plan may be, should you survive again. I rather hope it's a little better thought out. You might even consider taking a bath before confronting me, you know, showing a little respect. Besides, I find it boring killing idiots. Good luck to you, Madrik."
Madrik heard the footsteps fade away. He struggled with the sack to pry it open, eventually breaking free. He could still see Tailfin and his men off in the distance. The desert stretched out before him, with the mountains far to the west. It was the same place he had been dropped off the last time.
This time his ankle wasn't hurt. Instead, it was something much worse. Each ankle had an iron shackle locked around it, with a heavy metal ball joined at the end of half a foot of chain.
He took one step forward, the ball dragging through the sand. He could barely move his feet. Wouldn't be able to walk a league in a day. Wouldn't be able to run from anything.
He really should consider not going up against Tailfin again. But that was precisely the opposite of what he was considering at that moment. He would have his revenge, this time. That is, of course, if he could make back alive again. He wondered where the old man of the desert could be. What was his name?
He scanned around him, searching for anything that might help, a possible salvation. He didn't have a clue what to do, or where to go, even if he could move. He was left at the mercy of the desert once again.
Godsdammit.