Chapter 1

Unlike Egypt, which was mostly a desert interspersed by alluvial plains wherever the great rivers cutting through it overflowed their banks, the Caliphate was set in a vast grassland that stretched as far as the eye could see.

The coming of spring had rejuvenated the grasses that had wilted during the winter, turning the yellow and brown scenery into a profusion of green. Stunted trees were scattered across the plains, breaking the monotony of the waist-high vegetation.

We rode through all of it on horses, our guide Karim taking the lead.

And not just any horses.

I felt the sleek muscles of my steed ripple beneath me as it ate away the miles at a steady, relentless gallop. We’d been riding for over half an hour but it wasn’t even breathing a little bit harder. Its jet-black coat gleamed under the sun, its grey mane tossing in the wind.

Phobos was sitting side-saddle in front of me, her shoulder leaning against my chest as I held the reins, caging her within my arms. Deimos and Artemis were riding another horse, a pure white one with a pale blue mane, while Ceres and Hei Lian were on a chestnut steed with a crimson mane. Karim had a horse all to himself with a beige coat and golden mane.

With my mana senses, I could pick up the fluctuation of mana around each of the steeds. All of them were Beasts. Not only that, the ones we rode ranged from the initial to the middle stage of Tier 2 while Karim’s was at the peak of the Tier. Shadow, water, fire, light… four of the six elements were represented in their mana affinities.

It was a deliberate display of the Caliphate’s Beast breeding prowess – a field in which they led the rest of the Continent by a large margin. Especially when it came to horses. The Caliph’s stables were said to house the most legendary of steeds. A few even reaching as high as Tier 5.

In fact, the Equus clan in Regiis, which had given rise to the Crystal Jouster: one of our Demigods, could trace their ancestry back to the grasslands of the Caliphate.

“Aren't they beautiful?” asked Karim, his voice being carried back to us by the wind.

“They are.” I had to agree. I didn’t consider myself an expert judge of horseflesh but even I could tell that these ones were paragons of their race.

Slowing down to fall back to my side, he pointed at my horse and enthusiastically introduced:

“Our shadow runners run faster at night and they run silently. You won’t hear them coming until their rider’s khopesh is at your throat. And in a pinch, they can leap through shadows, carrying themselves and their riders to safety.”

He indicated towards the chestnut horse.

“The flame striders are the fastest in a sprint, their explosive force unrivalled in a straight charge. And once they activate their magic, they’ll be wrapped in flames that scorch anything in their path.”

He pointed to the white and blue one:

“The wave racers are the most balanced amongst our horses. They aren't the strongest, or the fastest, but they can last the longest. You can run from one end of the Caliphate to another on the back of one with just minimal pauses for food and rest. And with one on your team, you won’t ever have to worry about water. It can rip it right out of the air… or even the grass near it.”

He patted the neck of his beige steed.

“And the light bringers are excellent support units. A single pass of one of these across the battlefield means a significant reduction in flesh wounds on their side.”

He showed a regretful expression.

“Too bad I couldn't show you a wind chaser or an earth treader. Those are reserved specially for royalty or times of war, but they are the very best of our horses. One faster than the wind, the other more imposing than an avalanche.”

“You’re quite enthusiastic about this,” I observed.

He grinned widely. “Of course, I am. My abba is one of the best horse breeders in the country and he’s been teaching me the tricks of the trade. While I can’t claim to be as good as my brothers at the rearing part of the family business, I know enough about it to make a good sales pitch.”

He was about twenty-six, already Tier 3, and he had a good command of language as well as a talent for getting along with people. I could see him handling the business side of things while his brothers worked on breeding the horses.

As we were talking, we had emerged from the grassland into a broad clearing. And I could see the fuzzy form of a village in the distance.

Guiding us onto the beginnings of a dirt road, Karim continued, “Unless you’re tired, we won’t stop here. The town of Al’Kharib is just a couple of hours from here on horseback. God willing, we’ll be there in time for a late lunch.”

“No problem,” I said when none of the girls protested.

The major rural occupation in the Caliphate was herding. The abundance of feed, combined with the temperate climate made for healthy goats and sheep.

Milk, meat and wool, these were the nation’s major exports.

As for agriculture, dry soil and lower fertility meant that only hardy crops like potatoes and millets could be grown.

As we thundered down the dirt roads, we startled several young goatherds out of their blissful slumber. I even saw one drop out of the branches of the tree he was lounging on.

Making a ring with my fingers I blew through it. The gust of wind passed through the film of shadow I had created within the ring and rose up from the shadow of the falling boy, breaking his fall and letting him down gently.

Scrambling to his feet, he made to thank us, but as soon as he caught sight of us, he went pale as a sheet of paper and dropped to his knees, trembling like a leaf.

Even though we had galloped past him, leaving him several hundred metres behind, I could sense his fear at the edge of my soul sense.

“Why was he so scared?” I asked Karim after we had lost him to the distance.

Karim’s restrained his smile. “It was because he feared for his life.”

“Huh? Why?”

“You come from a different land with different customs. I did not want to ruin your first impressions of our country by imposing our rules on you as soon as we met. I planned to slowly ease you into things… but it seems we'll have to get to it a bit sooner than I expected.”

“I think I know what he’s talking about,” said Artemis. “The class system here is very strict. Someone of a higher class has nearly unlimited power over those of a lower class. They can even order their deaths… That shepherd just now was scared we would execute him.”

“Why? If anything, we were the ones in the wrong for startling him out of his tree and nearly injuring him. Why would he feel he deserved punishment from us?” I asked.

“Because he saw the faces of your wives,” replied Karim. “To gaze upon the uncovered face of a married woman is considered a sin in this part of the world.”

Reaching into a pouch at his waist, he drew out several pieces of gauze. Veils.

“Please wear them before we reach the town. Otherwise your husband might be forced to punish my countrymen to uphold your honour.”

I took the veils from him and passed them along to everyone except Hei Lian.

I had to admit; they looked good with the veils. Having the lower half of their faces covered by a translucent piece of fabric added a mysterious charm to their beauty.

We rode in relative silence after that, the sun travelling down from the zenith in time with our journey. The road underneath us transformed from dirt to gravel, then to peat as we approached the town.

Then, just as our empty stomachs began protesting loudly, the low walls of Al’Kharib came into view.

I think it was the sight of our horses. The guards didn’t even make a move to inquire about us as we trotted through the gate unimpeded.

It was like we had stepped through a portal into a different world. The silence of the grassland was replaced by the clamour of a busy street. Narrow streets replaced the vastness of the plains. And in contrast with the monotonous green of the grass, the town was a riot of colours.

It was rather overwhelming.

The crowds parted for us, whispering and pointing as they made way. I was sure it wouldn't take long for the news of our presence to spread across the town.

We followed Karim as he guided us down the meandering streets towards the heart of the town, the streets growing wider and the people fewer the more we approached.

Finally, he stopped in front of a large white building with dark green stripes painted diagonally across its surface. A metal sign embossed with the words ‘The Wanderers’ Rest’ hung above the door.

“As your guide, I’m supposed to show you the best of the Caliphate. I think I would be amiss if I didn’t introduce you to the best of our cuisine. I don’t know how, but this place makes better food than establishments that charge ten times more,” said Karim.

He patted his steed’s neck.

“And it has the only stable worthy of housing our mounts in the entire town.”

Reaching over, he pulled the chain by the side of the door, setting a bell off inside.

“Let's get some food in us while I tell you what your Trial will involve.”