Thwack!

Ava halted her movement as a small dagger embedded itself on a random stone not far from her. She glanced around and saw the culprit, a middle-aged man caked with sand. Her cover was blown! The dusty, bearded man locked his eyes with her and was prepared to throw yet another dagger at her.

As if it was a divine intervention or a fluke, a male voice stopped the bearded man in his steps. “Brother Farhan, what are you doing?”

“Shhs. Be quiet Salaman.” The bearded man had drawn another dagger from his waist and waved it dismissively at said voice owner.

“Brother Farhan, something’s wrong?” The man with name of Salaman inched closer to Farhan. He also caught sight of Ava, “Oh? That’s just maluska snake, Brother. Look closely. It has different scales than the real Thunder Viper.”

“Really?” Farhan gave a puzzled look to his brown-eyed friend. “Maluska? At this place?”

“Yeah Brother. If it’s the real thing, we’ll all be dead by now.” Salaman shrugged his shoulders in response.

Farhan withdrew his copper-coloured dagger and didn’t press the issue. “Ha-ah. Sorry, Brother. We’re been in this trek for too long.”

“Let’s get a good rest here, Brother Farhan. The pay won’t disappoint you.” Salaman gave Ava’s snake form one last look and ignored her for there were many works pending. Next, he looked at his left side. “Sorry, Abbas.”

“It’s but a small matter! Now, can you tell me about Kazar? Why is Kazar City Lord furious, Brother?” The owner of the voice was another middle-aged man with spirited eyes. He ignored Ava completely and barked orders to the rest of his men with gruff voice.

“Long story short, someone went missing, Brother.” Salaman explained in a few words. His statement invoked much incredulity to Abbas and his cautious friend Farhan.

The rotund Abbas opened his turban and dusted it off. Handfuls of sand fell from it. “Missing? People went missing all the time in these badlands, Brother.”

“Brother Abbas is right, Salaman.” Farhan chimed in as he procured a small wooden stool from one of their camels.

At this point Ava had slithered out of their collective sights and hid herself among one of many water palm trees dotting the oasis. She kept her senses on them and heard Salaman continuing with his story, “There’s no denying that but apparently this someone is someone special.”

Abbas rubbed his belly in disbelief, “What else could it be, Brother? His son or something? I know the Sheikh have a harem but he doesn’t have any sons until now.”

“Could it be from a foreign sect? Or a caliphate?” Farhan took back his thrown dagger and had knotted eyebrows. Where’s that maluska snake went? Is it…just a maluska?

“Almost correct, Brother.” Salaman chuckled at his friend’s guess. He proceeded to open his shoes and emptied the lodged sands. “I heard from my good brother in Kazar that it’s someone from Al-Najmad Jihad. Possibly a commander or a sheikh.”

After a short silence, Abbas spoke. “That Jihad? Isn’t it a failure, Brother? Even Khanassat Sultanate admitted it!”

“There’s no mistake. The token shown by my good friend is genuine, Brother Abbas.” Salaman replied while hinting his source of information was truthful.

Farhan excused himself at the two men sitting near the oasis’s water edge. “Sorry Brothers. I feel like I have more use to help your men set up camp.”

“That’s fine, Brother. Rest well.” The fat Abbas didn’t take offense and simply nodded at the bearded man. He twirled his mustache and faced Salaman again. “Why would Kazar’s Sheikh be angry about that?”

“Some of Kazar’s finest men joined the Jihad.” Salaman gestured with his hand. “Elites. When this person went to the City and presented Najmad’s token, that means a part of the Jihad survived. Yet this person disappeared afterwards.”

“I see, Brother. The Sheikh lost the only clue he had. No wonder he’s furious.” Abbas nodded at his reasonable argument. His face frowned a little. “Wait…does the Sultanate knows about this? And of other powers?”

“A matter of time, Brother Abbas. I’m not sure if we traders can make through it.” There were traces of worry and fear in Salaman’s tone.

The fat man was grim at the prospect as well. “The treaty is still valid, right?”

“I’m not sure about that either. This case can easily blow up. You know how things are in Kazar.” Salaman muttered with unsteady voice. He sighed, “That’s…one thing. Then there’s Silver Shaitan and Djinn Wails.”

“Oh, I heard about that.” Abbas nodded at one of his men and beckoned Salaman to follow him. “The winds said if we encounter any, we’re good as damned!”

Ava slithered out of the tree as their voices became faint. Salaman answered the fat man with a shudder. “That’s right, Brother. Both will eat people. Not even bones will be left!”

The Post Human traveled perpendicularly and stopped in place to take a wider look; there were seven makeshift tents that surrounded a crackling fire pit. Abbas and his friends were merry, drinking some sweet-smelling beverages and eating roasted fishes. Their mounts on the other hand were grazing.

She peered around and counted there were ten people. Abbas’s pot belly indicated he was a successful caravan merchant. Salaman on his side had intelligent eyes and golden tongue. Farhan was a man of few words and, alert. As for the rest, she didn’t know their names but they looked like men of labour.

Ava kept her distance as the middle-aged man with daggers seemed troublesome. She considered to kill Farhan but decided not to as she wanted to know more about the caravan. Her powers were also lacking, not enough to fully silence them. Perhaps these mortals can be later turned into her proxies?

Her musings were interrupted when she caught word of the caravan next destination. Merchant Abbas wasn’t going to either Kafaz or Sujk but instead Najaj, some tens of lis from two former towns. Ava knew little of such town except that it had large souks of silk judging by their discussion and wares.

The Post Human paused her emulation of a snake and became completely devoid of any signs of biological life. With that done, she moved closer to the caravan’s beasts to verify her thoughts. There were three Sand Komodos curling on the ground and seven camels doing the same a distance away.

It seemed that Ava needs to further hone her senses! This snake avatar was inconvenient and can only exhibit a silver of her previous abilities. She advanced forward, taking care to not startle the beasts as Sand Komodos were particularly sensitive to hidden dangers. She was now a few zhangs from them.

Crick!

Ava immediately halted. Someone was coming and thus she laid low on the ground. From the motions of this new person, she guessed it to be Farhan. What is he doing here? The bearded man glanced at the beasts for a moment and then turned back to his tent. Even until now, he was unnaturally vigilant.

The Post Human recalled something when she observed him from afar. Her line of thought was stopped as second part of her, the monolith in Alkharm Wadi contacted her; her mining operation had encountered an odd situation. Few hundred lis below the earth, a cave half-filled with lava was found.

Such pockets weren’t unusual if not a bit rare but the intriguing part was curious energy fluctuations from the lava pool. Suddenly, a fish-like being jumped out and landed back in the pool with a splash. The few zhangs-long creature was clad in crimson fire and unlike any other life forms known to her.

Another anomaly spotted by her other half was several deep purple pillars jutting out on the left side of said pool. Out of five, three were intact if not missing their capitals. For some reason, the fiery lifeforms weren’t willing to come close to them. Ava didn’t know why but felt the pillars can aid her.

She communed with her other half and modified her plans; the mining equipment etcetera were shifted in proximity of the half-submerged columns. Investigating the fiery organisms can be saved for later as building her foundation came first. She concluded the connection and focused in her vicinity.

Slash!

A twig in front of her was sliced into two. A man voice was heard afterwards, “There’s nothing? Hmm...”

“Brother Farhan! What are you doing out here late?” Another voice from the side.

From her enclosed position, Ava stared at the bearded man. He twirled his dagger back to its holster and spoke in hushed tone. “Oh Brother Salaman! I felt there’s a presence just now.”

“What else could it be, Brother?” Salaman’s reflection was clear on the oasis’s lake thanks to the full moon. He wore a confused expression. “Perhaps the desert winds toiled upon you, Farhan?”

“You might be right, Brother.” Farhan sighed and joined his friend. His voice became faint with distance. “A little caution goes a long way.”

“I agree. However, rest at ease as we depart in the first crack of dawn.” Salaman patted Farhan’s back as he led the way back to their camp.

Ava’s snake avatar was bereft from life yet Farhan almost discovered her again. She found it puzzling and amusing given he didn’t exhibit peculiarities of so-called immortal cultivators. The Post Human had heard rumours of such super-beings in her trek before Kazar and was looking for one ever since.

The brown-eyed middle-aged man was evidently not one, yet his unusually sharp perception piqued her interest. Was he a cultivator in disguise or a well-trained mortal? It could go either way as Ava was short in information. As such, she decided to observe this man and delay her plans regarding Husan.

Whatever the case with the four-armed old man, Ava was confident that he was alive for the time being as dead men tell no tales. There was also the enraged Kazarian Sheikh that undoubtedly amped their presence to scour nearby lands. She could always rush to Husan as Najaj wasn’t far from Sujk.

However, there was always a possibility that Husan wasn’t in any of towns around Kazar. If that was the case, Ava had little choice than to abandon old man. The devices she made for him were irrelevant in the bigger picture. Even if the kidnappers took it by force, they wouldn’t be able to use it for long.

With new plans in mind, Ava waited for dawn. She made her way to one of camels owned by Abbas and entered its side bag. Sometimes, the most dangerous spot was also the safest! Farhan had keen senses and thus trailing them from behind wasn’t feasible. However, he wouldn’t look at their beasts.

Dawn approached with a shout from the fat merchant Abbas, “Men! To the desert!”

“Yes, master!” His working men gave loud roars, startling some nesting Gale Sparrows.

The caravan left the oasis in its earnest after the first morning dew dropped to the ground. Salaman was in the front, followed by Abbas, the men of labour and finally Farhan. All of Abbas’s working men either walked or rode their camels. The fat merchant, Salaman and Farhan rode their Sand Komodos.

After some time, Salaman spoke some words to Abbas and then joined Farhan in the back of the caravan. “Brother, what ills you? Did you not get enough rest or this travel wears you?”

“Oh.” The middle-aged man was absent-mindedly flipping one of his daggers. It took a short pause for him to answer the scholarly-alike Salaman. “I am sorry to worry you, Brother Salaman. I feel a premonition.”

“Premonition, Farhan?” Salaman furrowed his brows as he glanced left and right. After noticing no one else was within earshot, he continued. “Of current or of past, Brother?”

“Of current. I feel like we shouldn’t enter Najaj or left the oasis.” The middle-aged man stowed his dagger away as he faced Salaman.

Salaman put up a thinking expression as he mulled over the statement. “Did you receive an omen, Brother?”

“Apart from the maluska, I afraid I have to disappoint you, my good friend.” This time Farhan wore a frown as he brushed his beard. He sighed next. “Words are, maluska is a mysterious omen.”

“That’s just hearsay, Brother. How do heavens deal with the likes of us? We are but mortals, ants to them.” Salaman arched his eyebrows.

Their conversation was interrupted by the rotund merchant. “Brothers, is there something wrong? Why are you huddling together at the back?”

“Our brother Farhan have a foreboding feeling, Brother Abbas.” Salaman answered in place of Farhan.

Farhan quipped him as Abbas became suspicious. “It is as he said, Brother. I feel at ill ease as if I cannot see things ahead.”

“Is that so?” Abbas contemplated for a moment. Contrary to the middle-aged man’s expectation, the fat merchant didn’t pry any further. “Which reward do not come with risk? We shall advance.”

Salaman had a wry smile. “It is as you say, Brother.” He then turned to Farhan. “Worry not, my friend. If it comes, let it be. We have good men! Even bandits would steer away from us!”

Ava agreed with his assessment. From the men’s physique alone, they were no slouch and could hold their own against common bandits. Farhan himself was sharp, precluding any ambushes. Abbas might have a dao weapon while Salaman looked like a tactician. What trouble could plague Farhan’s mind?

The journey went with little fanfare as the Sun marched in the cloudless sky. There were some desert winds but they were minor. Farhan alternated between worry and relief in their current journey. The Post Human became more and more interested toward this man. What did he sense? What was it?

She calculated in her mind; there were only tens of lis left before Najaj! The sharp-eyed Farhan however raised his hand, stopping the entire caravan in place. His line of sight was followed by the rest of the men. Far off in the distance, there were several dust devils tearing through the sandy dunes.

Abbas was first to speak albeit in a slow tone. “Brothers, what do you make of it?”

“This isn’t the time or place for them.” Salaman had a grave tone. He glanced at Farhan to his side. “What do you think, Brother Farhan?”

“I afraid it isn’t good news, Brothers.” The brown-eyed Farhan had a pensive face. He talked with measured intonations. “Nothing good will come out of it. We should either hide or detour.”

“We will detour, Brother Farhan. There’s little to hide in, out here.” Abbas finally came to a decision. While he wasn’t superstitious, he felt some dread from the dust devils and wished nothing more to escape from this place.

Salaman gave the dust devils another gaze, a fearful one at that. “What evils lurk in them, Brother Farhan?”

“We shall talk none of it, Brother. Let us depart quickly and, silently.” Farhan shook his head, signifying his refusal.

There was an eerie silence enveloping the caravan as they wordlessly took opposite direction to the twirling dust columns. Harrowing noises could be seldom heard as the twisters moved around. Ava became alert as she detected some kind of fluctuations behind them. The dust devils had caught up!

A raspy, unknown gender voice came to stop the caravan in their tracks. “Hehehe! Why are you turning back, my friiiiennnds?!”