That elthean was large enough to hide a good portion of the upper part of the dome but not enough to cover it completely. Instantly, small clusters of light were born from his hand, scattering around the oasis to illuminate the creature that had intentions of ruining their night, even if the spell did not last long. They did distinguish that it was a large armour with extendable arms, whose golden edges shone brightly at that time of night, making the white around it even secondary. Its head, wholly covered by a helmet of the same colours as the rest of the body, only let them see the symbol of a snake, with a pair of red eyes that watched them without wasting time.

However, as terrifying and creepy as that monster was, one detail did not escape them. It had two arms and legs that must have been extendable, as that was what allowed it to stand at such a height. An incredible sight to go to sleep, isn’t it?

“You said no evil can enter, right?” Blanche expressed, without taking off the look of that elthean. “Why does the opposite always happen every time you open your mouth?”

“I don’t know, maybe you bring us bad luck,” Finnian mumbled, making the other Signer look at him.

That would have consequences, and what difference did it make? So much searching for an enemy eventually attracted them wherever they went. Their new opponent could not get through the barrier; that was an irrefutable fact. However, that didn’t stop him from hitting it with his head. Even when their surroundings showed no signs of resenting those impacts, their heart kept pace with the pounding as that thing tried to make its way toward them. Who was the mysterious elthean, and why was he attacking them there? Did he have no common sense?

“The barrier should hold up, right?” Finnian said, glancing at his friends.

“No one we know of has managed to break the sanctuary’s protections, though...,” Ead began to say.

Would they find out? They were in a world where the rules of before were useless, or that was the impression the last few days had given him. And while Ariel didn’t even try to attack them in the other sanctuary, he doubted that elthean had the power to do so.

“Even without it, it’s already a threat,” Rune said.

“Anyone could detect that there are problems around here,” Leith said.

“Can you imagine who would be eager to find out where we are?” Nero added.

Although he doubted they were the only ones interested in his whereabouts, two names crossed his mind. Whether they liked it or not, staying hidden was the worst solution they could take in those circumstances. What Finnian would have given for a good night’s sleep without interruptions! Was he asking too much?

“Better not to find out,” Aer nodded.

“Now is your time. Would you join us?”

Finnian held out his hand to Blanche, a gesture he expected her to respond in kind. Her gaze danced between the two, then opened her mouth without making a sound.

“No more excuses, no more fears,” Finnian said, standing in front of her. “I’m not here to be your bodyguard. You should start behaving like a Signer because I doubt someone wants to protect you.”

His patience had been exhausted in different aspects, and although it was never pleasant to say or hear words like that, he could not continue to make an effort for her to stand idly by. Without wasting more time for her answer, the glow born from his partner’s evolution illuminated the night.

“How do we fight against someone so... huge?” Ead asked, still standing beside him.

“Unbalance him,” Nero said.

An idea crossed his mind, one that developed in a matter of seconds. He used his head to attack, leaving the rest of his limbs as the only support for such a robust body. Besides, the sand must not have been too solid for such a feat. Then, Aer suggested a magic move, making him quickly understand what he intended.

“Just follow me and do what I do, okay?” Aer said, giving him a thumbs-up as he winked reassuringly.

Not that he could refuse either, could he? Approaching the spring, angel and human traced a circle with their arms as they ran and then raised them, bending the water to turn it into a controlled stream that went straight to one of the bandit’s limbs. It was an advanced exercise of what Lunaluz had taught him, and although he lacked the skill for something like that, his partner was the one who carried the burden of that magical act. The water’s speed increased, at which point Rune and Leith took flight. Their water attack was frozen, hitting one of the limbs as soon as it left the barrier, just as their friends did the same with two others. The change in that elthean was instantaneous, making it disappear from their sight and noticing how the ground shuddered as he crashed into it.

“We’ll take care of it. Defend the fort,” he said to Blanche, though they both knew the sanctuary was protected single-handedly.

Jumping on Nero’s back, he took off with Ead flying at his side, leaving the Signers under the relative protection of the oasis behind. Already outside, the fight was taking place not too far away, but the sand was becoming a real problem. The wolf had some difficulty taking advantage of all its speed, although they could do something.

“Are you serious?” Nero said.

“I never joke about these things,” Finnian replied.

“Do you think it will work?”

And though he was perplexed, even Nero couldn’t hide the excitement of trying something new. Using his strength as momentum, he solidified some of the sand under his paws, allowing him to glide across the desert-like skates, leaving a trail behind them with quite a flutter. It wasn’t a usual or comfortable way to move around, but it allowed him to move forward more safely as they went against the bandit.

As a result of the impact, the elthean had pulled out two extra arms from inside its armour, making its appearance more menacing and bizarre. It even carried two scimitars! That colossal-sized creature did not need to move quickly, nor did the sand make it difficult for it to do so. If he did not use his inner arms to strike his companions, he used them to plunge them into the desert, extend them and reach where his blades could not.

Two of his arms snaked toward Rune, but Aer stepped in with a golden shield, blocking both blows that knocked him back. Leith struck the bandit with her fiery breath, but the flames were extinguished so quickly that he didn’t even get a scratch.

“He’s strong. Will he be up to Master’s level?” Finnian mumbled, observing everything from a distance.

“Does it matter? What does your instinct tell you?” Nero replied.

“That he’s as scary as others of his rank.”

“Mine that he doesn’t show its full power. Whatever you see or feel, don’t let that intimidate you,” Nero said.

“He has a weakness. Think, Finnian!” Ead urged him.

Would they know the answer? Had they told him already? He connected with the others, trying to find it as he watched through their eyes, looking for those little details that could mean everything in a fight like this. Aer’s blocks were accurate, but he played defence almost as much as Leith, attacking little and dodging a lot. On the other hand, Rune was looking for an opening to use to her advantage, but the bandit’s erratic movements made her hesitate. Were they as afraid as he was?

He searched their hearts, tried to reach out to them beyond seeing through their eyes or the telepathy they shared. Then a low, calm voice whispered:

“They feared something was happening to you. When they captured you, they said it was the second time they sensed your fear and didn’t want it to happen again,” Nero thought.

But not to the point of being paralyzed and not giving everything they could. The scimitars threw furious slashes, creating swift circles that mirrored Leith’s flare. However, such ferocity made one thing very clear to him. He was barely moving from where he stood!

“We have to destabilize him again,” Finnian said. “If he has no firm ground to stand on, he can’t attack us.”

“How?” Aer thought, though his voice reached Finnian’s head as loudly as if he were standing next to him.

“By doing something he can’t dodge and with a good distraction.”

With their confidence renewed, Nero launched himself at full speed to join the battle but kept a safe distance. That he was the only one unable to fly did not put him at a disadvantage, for he could do something that the rest of the eltheans would not be able to do. Rushing around him, he began to mould the sand to do something similar to what the worm had done in his time. Create a whirlpool!

It may not have been similar to Nero’s strength, but he was not alone in such a task. Though Finnian only concentrated on keeping hold and yielding his energy to him, he soon felt his new partner melt into the earth, moving so fast that even the bandit wasn’t paying attention to them. The movement continued to generate a wave, causing the ground where he had positioned himself to stop being so firm and his attacks to begin to miss. Focusing so much on Aer, Rune and Leith was a mistake, if that elthean was thinking like everyone else.

Flapping wildly, Rune had positioned herself above the bandit, letting loose feathers that shimmered ruby hues in the night. Some of them were sharp and sought to graze his armour, though most of them ended up disappearing as soon as their enemy’s blades danced. That was the instant they decided to take advantage of.

Both Aer and Leith launched their attacks, a golden beam fused with a flare, impacting the armour’s torso. They stood their ground, using more force than they had in previous fights, squeezing out everything Finnian had to offer as he and Nero continued to run. With his legs sunk, though not wholly, by the sand, Rune generated energy rings that trapped the bandit, preventing his body and limbs from moving and seizing him, just as the angel and the dragon interrupted their attack, leaving a visible mark on the elthean’s body.

Watching the Desert Bandit roll on the ground, they retreated a considerable distance, but not enough to take their eyes off him. A fleeting vision crossed their minds that was also experienced by the others on this occasion.

“There will be no one to stop the five of us together. And even if distance separates us...” Finnian hesitated, “Our bond won’t be broken. Ariel didn’t make it, nor will anyone else. I am with you one hundred per cent.”

Whether by air, water or land, he would be together with his companions living adventures. He was discovering and growing more there than in his world, and it was all thanks to them. However, his victory was short-lived. The bandit broke free of the light rings, giving off more extraordinary brutality than the initial one they had seen. With his armour damaged and his weapons on the ground, where once there was gold rose red, emanating the power he hid within.

“We’re in this together, no matter what that elthean pretends,” Aer said.

“Why do we always meet the grumpy ones?” Rune complained.

“It’s because we have a target on our backs. Haven’t you heard?” Leith said.

“Whatever it is, here it comes!” Nero said, preparing to attack.

Even with his protection shattered, the bandit pushed toward them more eagerly. And they would give it to him!