Randor Redcloak traversed wearily across the desert sands. His legs flung dirt and sand into the air wildly as his legs pattered along. Sweat soaked through his cloak and trousers. He saw the three figures in the distance, moving slowly. They were small dots from where he was, but he could see the two of them walking and a third body flung over the shoulder of the bigger man, presumably Blade. After a time, he finally caught up, panting and shouting as he approached to alert the men of his arrival.

"We must keep moving, there is bad news. It's worse than I thought." Randor's words jumbled out of his mouth so fast that Egalo tilted his head and shared a confused look with Blade. Baradorn was completely out of it, his face white as a sheet.

His breathing had slowed a bit, so his words came out a little more clearly, "Those things, those men. The deranged men came out of nowhere and attacked Dagnar's men. They had huge numbers and it was dreadful to gaze upon them. Some of them rode these mutilated creatures, others had the flayed faces. I'm lucky I got out of there."

Egalo spoke up, "How do we know we can trust you, anyways? I don't think you've quite earned my trust yet. You're an outlaw as far as I know. You served Dagnar."

"There are many things you do not understand boy. For now, I recommend putting as much distance between us and this desert as possible. Those men will soon have control of the Carnakanes in its entirety and everything in it."

"Where do those deranged people come from? I need a lot of explaining." Blade spoke with some attitude, and Randor just gave him a glaring look. Egalo noted the animosity between the two.

Egalo spoke, "Well I don't know what you guys planned on, but I'm ready to go towards home. It's been a long journey for me, and I'm sick of this sand. Suit yourselves, I suggest you find your homes as well."

"No, no, no, I don't think it works like that young boy. You were summoned by the Magi Order in the first place. You must fulfill that calling. You are my apprentice from this point onwards."

"For one, you are not even a Magi yourself, as I understand it. And two, what even is the Magi Order? I don't want any part of it if you are anything to go by. You can't just fake your death and then show up to save the day, and think somehow, I owe you my services. I think I can do fine for myself."

Randor puffed his cheeks and gave a slight nod of the head, chuckling. Sand began to rise from the ground and slowly gravitate to his fingertips. The sand began taking form of an object that fit perfectly in the grasp of Randor's fist. The sand coagulated to form an iron blade with razor-sharp spikes dotted along the blade's tip.

Beside him, sand also rose up and formed the outline of a man, a sand-sculpture of sorts. Randor looked at Egalo, "You have no idea what a Magi Knight is capable of." His sword went through the sand model of a man and the sand turned to flesh and the body of a man Egalo knew all too well took form and he almost fainted. The Worm stood facing Egalo, worms crawling out from the hole of his mouth as he stood in shock at the newly formed sword that had penetrated his back and came out his chest. Egalo could not tell what was real and what was not. He looked at his hand and suddenly it faded to sand and disintegrated to the ground with the rest of the sand. Randor's eyes locked onto Egalo and suddenly he was aware of a screaming in his ears that was unbearable. Egalo screamed as he felt his body begin to disintegrate away and everything went black. A moment later he came to again and everything was back to normal as he lay on his back on the ground. Blade looked over him with an unconscious Baradorn still on his back.

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Randor approached, no longer with that dreadful blade in his hand. "Get up. We best get moving now." The realization began to dawn on Egalo, this man may well have been the Magi I was destined to find after all.

The four men continued onwards, away from the Carnakanes. It was a long trip to escape the desert wasteland. They were headed north, away from Mestrane and towards Raideth, the nearest civilization.

Hours soon became days since the events that lead to their escape from lord Dagnar's imprisonment. Egalo's head hung low as he began his shift of carrying a moaning Baradorn on his back. Randor and Egalo had not spoken since Randor had made the sand under their feet obey his will. The men had come across terrain that was beginning to become more solid rock than just sand. The men were thankful for a surface that wasn't so soft, Egalo's calves had become weary.

"Randor, where are we going? My body needs a rest." Egalo tried not to sound whiny.

"We are just a few miles outside of the Raideth border. We are looking for two men, they will help us on our journey."

"Can we just get some rest now and continue tomorrow?" Egalo eased himself down to the ground and laid Baradorn beside him who let out a small squeal of pain as his punctured arm rested upon a large rock. Randor gave in and sat down. Blade took a seat on a large, black rock. Cold winds began sweeping through, and there were no trees to stop the howling winds. Small gusts of sand would be mixed in occasionally from the nearby sand dunes, and the men pulled their cowls up over their faces.

"We need to put as much distance between us and the Deranged Men as we can. Get some small rest now, but we can't stay for long." Randor removed his tattered red cloak for the first time that Egalo had ever seen.

"Randor, who leads the Deranged Men? Why are they called that?" Egalo's voice was soft spoken now.

"They are led by King Steed. His men were under a curse that crippled them into dormancy. This curse was meant to last until the last of our days, but it has been undone. As for the name they are called, you will have to see for yourself."

Blade was uncharacteristically quiet. Baradorn continued muttering and moaning.

"Is he going to make it?" asked Egalo.

"Boy, you must stop asking so many questions. Shut your eyes."

"Don't brush it aside like he's not dying Randor. We must find help for him."

"In the morning perhaps, but we must rest now. You just begged for us to have a rest, so let us have a rest."

"No, we go now. He doesn't have much left in him. We need to find a healer. Someone with herbs and spices."

Randor studied Egalo's face long and hard. "You have a lot of grit for a boy. Do you see a lot of places around here where we can find a healer? Civilization is not for many miles inside Raideth."

"Where are we even going Randor? The Deranged Men are supposedly closing on us, but you tell me that we are headed towards Raideth, for what? Do you know men in Raideth?"

Randor lost his cool, the rocks underneath them shook violently and a boulder to their left cracked in half and crumbled down the ravine a few yards away with a loud smash. Egalo arched his brow and Blade muttered a curse.

It was Blade who spook, "Do not anger a Magi Knight, Egalo. If you want to test him again let me take my leave first."

Randor gritted his teeth and spoke, "Follow me then. We are going to find a healer and a friend of the Order."

And with that, Blade flung Baradorn back over his massive shoulders and Egalo rose up and followed briskly after them. There would be no rest, but instead their journey to Raideth continued, where a revitalized army awaited their arrival in the cover of the dark.