"She's a persistent one!" Ramona said, looking back over her shoulder.

Lavina was hot on the thief's tail. She urged her horse forward with everything she knew how to do. But it seemed the halfling's pony was somehow staying ahead.

"I'll never catch her at this rate, darnit." Lavina muttered.

The desert terrain was changing around them. The dunes gave way to flat land, and the mountains to the north were coming into view.

Lavina didn't know the Desert of Star well, but she thought back to the maps she'd studied. If she remembered correctly, two mountains formed high walls that guarded the Sencian fields. Between those mountains was a pass, and who knew what if any dangers lay in wait.

The farther they rode from Lavina's friends, she felt more jittery, and worried.

Lavina held up her rod and pointed it at the halfling, the last thing she wanted to do was hurt the poor horse.

"Firebolt!" Lavina shouted.

The red beam of fire blasted out, and soared past Ramona's face. She turned her head back again, jaw hanging open. The mage meant business, and Ramona didn't like business.

Ramona stared at the mountain pass ahead. It was too far ahead to make an escape. She had two options—Let the mage girl run out of spells, or turn and fight.

"I detest fighting." Ramona whispered as another firebolt flew past, singeing her hair.

Back on the other horse, Lavina was racking her brain trying to think of a way to knock the thief off the horse. She'd already used up her lightning ball spell. Firebolts were near unlimited if cast with concentration, but she could hardly do so atop a galloping horse.

Then it came to her.

Lavina touched the rod to the horse's side and whispered a spell of speed. The horse lurched forward, nearly tripping over its own legs. But Lavina had the reigns again, bringing the horse under control.

The half-elf and her horse sped through the desert, and they were gaining on the thief.

Ramona dared to look back once the spell slinging had stopped. Her eyes flew wide when she saw the speed at which her pursuer's horse was travelling.

"Oh I hate mages!" Ramona cried.

She let go of the reigns, and stood atop the rushing pony. Balancing her feet on each side of the saddle, she turned fully around, holding her arms out to the side.

"So you want a fight, do you?" Ramona cried, staring down Lavina.

The half-elf's mouth dropped at seeing the amazing balance the thief had. A moment later, the halfling leaped from the top of her pony and landed on the horse, facing Lavina.

With only inches between them, the pair began to struggle.

"Stop running away!" Lavina shouted, holding one wrist of the thief.

Ramona held the half-elf's other wrist, and shouted back, "Stop chasing me!"

Lavina let go of the halfling's hand and thrust the rod against her stomach.

Ramona looked down at the magical implement then back up at the half-elf.

"You wouldn't!" She said.

"Try me!" Lavina bluffed; the halfling was right—She wouldn't blow a hole straight through her, if she could avoid it."

After a few seconds of hesitation, Ramona grinned, knowing she had been right. Feeling more than confident, she pushed the half-elf's chest, and nearly knocked her from the horse.

"Oh no you don't!" Lavina shouted, and pushed Ramona, who almost slipped off, herself.

The horse jumped a large rock, and Ramona fell into the reigns, got tangled up, and fell right off.

Lavina dove forward, trying to catch her, but her own hand got caught in the reign, and she too fell off. They both hung their, slamming against the horse's muscled side with each stride.

"Look what you got us into!" Ramona snapped.

"Me? You!" Lavina snapped back.

"Oh enough of this!" Ramona said. She grabbed a dagger from her belt and cut the reigns.

Both girls immediately hit the dirt, and rolled, bouncing and crying out in unison.

The horse took off ahead of the tumbleweed duo, and before long they came to a stop, laying flat on their backs.

"Oh I'm gonna hurl." Ramona whimpered, rolling to her side. She tried to stand, but vomited, splashing the dirt around her.

"That's gross." Lavina cried, covering her ears.

"Oh so what?" Ramona said, trying to untangle her ankle from the reigns.

Lavina sat up, grabbing head swaying head. The world spun and felt like an anchor trying to pull her back down.

Out of nowhere, came a long howl. Both Ramona and Lavina's ears perked, causing the girls to stand up fast.

"What was that?" Ramona whispered.

"It sounded like an animal, or a monster maybe." Lavina whispered back.

"What kind?" Ramona asked.

"Not sure." Lavina replied.

Another howl rolled across the land, and chills ran up and down the girls' spines. Goosebumps rose on their arms and legs.

"You stay and find out." Ramona whispered and made a break for it.

Lavina growled and stomped her foot. The ground rumbled, and Lavina's eyes went wide. Ramona, who was still running, stopped and turned to look back at the half-elf. Lavina shrugged, knowing she hadn't created the quaking.

From the dirt around them, cones began to arise. They closed in on Ramona, who screeched and ran back to Lavina'a side.

"Monsters!" Ramona said. "Do something about them!"

"I'm almost out of spells!" Lavina shot back.

The dirt poured off the shoulders of more than a dozen humanoid figures. Ramona drew a dagger, and Lavina brought up her metal rod. With sand still pouring from them, the figures moved in.

***

"Lower your weapons!" The mustached captain ordered. "And we may just grant you a trial!"

"Uh, okay." Budge said, and started to lower his battle-axe.

"No, you idiot!" Gonzeelda snapped. "It's a ploy. If we disarm we're doomed for sure."

"Uh, okay." Budge said, and lifted his weapon back before him.

"That was your one and only chance." The captain said. "For the murder of more than a dozen guards, I sentence you to death!"

The guards that remained on the walls held their fire, and waited for the moment to shoot. The captain lifted his hand into the air, and with all his might, brought it down.

An explosion tore open the east wall and the unfortunate guards who had been standing above, were sent flying.

Gonzeelda, turned, her spine freezing solid. A dust cloud swirled about just where the wall had been, and inside of it, stood a nine foot tall orc with dark green skin, and long, shaggy black hair. It was none other than Gus, the Walking God.

"Fetter." Gonzeelda whispered.

"I know him!" Weiggs pointed. "He was there when I helped Budge escape!"

"More likely you allowed him to follow you right to me!" Gonzeelda groaned.

"Guards!" The captain shouted. "Take aim at the attacker, and fire!"

The remaining guards fired dozens of arrows, one after the other, they unloaded until their quivers were empty.

"Is it... dead?" The captain whispered.

The dust cloud blew away, and standing there was Gus, in platemale, and holding a gigantic double-bladed axe. All around him, arrows stuck into the ground, but not a single one had touched him, or left any mark on his armor.

"T-that isn't possible!" The captain cried. "Men! Use your spears, and swords! Subdue this intruder!"

A small group of guards still stood around the other three, much less threatening orcs. Gonzeelda quickly glanced at each guard, analyzing their stances; who was the weak link in the chain?

Just feet away, every other last guard rushed at Gus, spears extended.

The first guard who made it to the Walking God, was the unluckiest. Gus swung out his arm and smacked the guard into the wall so hard, blood splattered, and the body fell limb, not-so-much looking like a living creature any longer.

The next to guards stabbed in at the monster, but the heads of their spears both broke upon striking his armor. They gasped, but quickly drew their swords. Each slashed in, as the others still tried to stab at any cracks in his armor—But they could find none.

Gus grabbed another guard, a hand on his head, and on his groin, and brought the guard down spine-first into his knee. A loud crack rang out, and the orc dropped the dead man.

"This is annoying." Gus murmured, his eyes locked on Gonzeelda's. And inside, the orcess felt fear like she had never known before. Terror filled her, and as she searched for words.

Budge and Weiggs stared at Gus, too stupid to be afraid. Instead they stared in awe. Their mouths hung open, at the sight of the mighty, invincible Gus.

"Forget them!" The captain yelled at the guards surrounding the orc trio, "Get that big orc!"

The guards charged at Gus without a second thought. The first wave of soldiers, tired from swinging their swords, stepped back to allow their allies to pass. Gonzeelda snapped out of her stupor.

"Let's go, boys!" Gonzeelda shouted.

She dodged past the guards and ran straight for the stairs. Gus was blocking the only way out on the ground level, but if they were smart, they could make their way down from the walls and escape.

"Mommy!" A young girl's voice cried.

Gonzeelda froze, and looked back over her shoulder, past Budge and Weiggs, and even past Gus. Tiny Tricia stood behind the giant orc, with a compass stone in her hands. The blue light shined right into Gonzeelda's chest; inside, her heart thundered. Tricia was in the way! Gus would surely kill her!

Gus took one hand, and swatted all of the guards away. They flew back, smashing through archery targets, sword stands, and barrels. The unlucky ones bones shattered against the walls; the luckiest, were merely unconscious.

The mighty orc turned around to face the child. "This... is your child?"

Budge and Weiggs, always slow to catch on, looked to each other.

"If that mistress child..." Budge said.

"Then that must mean...." Weiggs continued.

Both sets of eyes flew wide, and the orc duo cried out. "Then we're daddies!"

Gonzeelda ignored the idiots, and stepped past them.

"I'm her mother, yes." Gonzeelda said. "So please, do whatever you want with me. Just don't hurt her!"

Gus reached down, and snatched Tricia off the ground. Instead of screaming in terror, the girl giggled.

"I do not want your life." Gus said to the girl, and then looked to Gonzeelda. "But I have been sent with orders—Specific ones."

"I know..." Gonzeelda said. "To kill me."

"No." Gus shook his head. "I only have to claim the weapon, 'Soul Rupture'. Once I have it, I will leave you be."

Gonzeelda's mouth fell agape. The Walking God was offering mercy in exchange for her 'Beauty'. There was no way she would've given it up, could she have.

"I don't have it any longer." Gonzeelda said.

"You lie?" Gus narrowed his eyes, his nostrils flaring.

"No!" Gonzeelda replied. "I don't have the weapon, but I know who does."

A wicked grin flashed across her face as she pictured Gus rolling the halfling into a ball and crushing her like a pastry.

"Lead me to the weapon, and I will let you three, and the child live."

Gonzeelda gave a slight bow. "With pleasure."