ZETA

“I last saw dark clouds when I witnessed a storm on the Shelf’s coast years ago. To spot them in the middle of the desert is most certainly alarming, no?”

He nor Hera said anything. They tensed and backed away. To Zeta, it was not a matter of agitation, but because he could not see clearly through his dazed, blurry vision. Any kind of conflict would be a chore.

With what he could see, the two strangers were covered from head to toe in padded beige fabric; the only exposed skin was their faces. In their pockets, however, they had a small strip of cloth that they could wrap around their heads to cover their nose and mouth, and a pair of dirt-stained goggles to shield their eyes. Both were removed when they arrived.

They were locals, evident from their darker complexions. The cotton clothing that wasn’t worn to protect against the sun seemed ceremonial. Both of them hid their hair beneath a tight scarf that wrapped around their cheeks and chin. The woman had a small jewel on her right middle finger, a glimmering aqua gem.

The man took note of their hesitation. He opened more of his scarf to give them a clear look of his broad, warm grin. “My friends, there should be nothing to fear if we have no reason to fear you. This rain, it’s unnatural. You are both sigma users, yes?”

“Are you?” Zeta blurted out. Hera shot him a look. Somehow, he missed the notion to shut up.

The man nodded. At his invitation, the woman also revealed more of her expression, showing smooth, young cheeks and riveting brown eyes that sucked one in and soothed their tension. Zeta didn’t remember when his shoulders finally slacked.

“Apparently you’re keen on forgetting introductions,” she said to the man. “My name is Clementine Alibi, and this is my brother, Jerine.”

Even with the greeting, Zeta and Hera refused to speak. With every slight gesture, they gained some distance. However, Jerine would take another step forward, and all their progress would be lost. They didn’t understand why he was so insistent on coming closer.

Go away. Their minds and bodies were too erratic to deal with people.

“Are you two alright?” Jerine finally said of their silence.

“Jerine, don’t be so dense. Can’t you see they don’t look well?”

“Really? Come to think of it, you don’t look like nomads. You’re not dressed for it, and you have no supplies. Who are you?”

“Uh…”

“I am a merchant of Aspic, and he is my bodyguard,” said Hera. “We were fleeing the city when our boat crashed and left us stranded on the Shelf. We’re the only survivors.”

“Ah, I see. Yes, we heard about the Quake of Aspic,” said Jerine. “Very unfortunate.”

Clementine’s hand cupped her mouth. “You poor things. You must be starving. Jerine, go get some food and water for them.”

Their attention returned to the strange, steep dune they arrived in, and as they sorted through its sands, Zeta leaned to Hera’s ear. “Why did you lie?” he whispered.

“Zeta, think things through before you speak. We don’t know these people. We don’t know who they are or who they’re affiliated with.”

“You think they’re enemies? That sounds like paranoia to me.”

“Paranoia? I’m trying to keep our asses from sitting on spikes!” Despite her whispers, there was a lot of bite in her words.

“And I’m trying to get our asses out of the sun and put food in our stomachs.” Zeta looked towards the dune and called out. “Hey! Are you real?”

Jerine gave him a puzzled look. Hera gripped and dug into his arm. “What kind of question was that?”

“You are real, right? You’re not one of those desert illusions?”

Jerine chuckled. “You mean a mirage? No, my friend,” he slapped his skin, the clap echoing across the sands. “We’re quite real.”

Zeta turned to Hera. “You can stay out here if you want, but I want to survive the next few days. Ask them questions if you don’t trust them. You’d be surprised what you can learn.” He smiled. It was, after all, how he met Hera. Now, if only she could realize that.

Zeta approached the base of the dune as Clementine slid down its slope, a nappy, bulging bag in her hand. The last streaks of sand were coming off of its side, which concerned Zeta. He had watched her rummage through the dune itself to retrieve their supplies. Who would store food in sand?

“What about you guys? Where are you from?” Zeta asked, accepting the bag. He made a quick peek inside, but all he saw was orange.

Jerine’s head popped out from the top of the dune. Zeta didn’t realize how tall the dune was until he stood closer. “The only locale worth mentioning in this desert. The oasis of Atman Bolo.”

“I’ve never heard of it.”

“Well, of course you wouldn’t. You don’t know anything about the world,” Hera said, creeping up behind him. She snatched the bag of food away from his hands.

Jerine feigned offense. “What? You’ve never heard of the great Atman Bolo. I’m shocked, horrified!” His sister shook her head at her brother’s antics. Jerine grinned. “Well, my friend, we’ll just have to show you.”

“Come aboard. It will take days to traverse the desert, no matter how fast you try to cross it. The least we can do if help you get along,” Clementine said.

She placed her foot into the side of the dune, and Zeta watched in amazement as the sand parted way and solidified. The power of a sigma. The rest of her climb was as easy as ascending a stairwell. At the top, she reached down with an open hand, and Jerine did likewise, big smiles on their faces.

“It’s called Sand Stepper. In my opinion, it’s one of the necessities of desert life,” Jerine said. “There’s a lot more wonder to see at Atman Bolo. I promise.”

Zeta didn’t hesitate to grab his hand. “Hey! Don’t hurry on without me!” said Hera, grabbing Clementine’s.

At the top, Zeta was surprised to see how firm the sand was. His hands hardly sunk inside; they pushed against yellow earth. Jerine stood up, his weight making no dent into the depths of the dune, and walked to the edge. “I promised wonders, and I shall deliver. Tidal Dune.”

Jerine threw his hands behind him. Just as Hera found her balance on the dune, she lurched backward. Clementine was unaffected, but it took Zeta and Hera a moment to find balance.

At a breezy pace, the dune they sat upon glided smoothly across the sands.

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“We’re grateful for the food, but I have to ask about the excessive amount of citrus,” said Hera as she held up a tangerine from the bag. When they looked inside, there was nothing but round orange fruits of various sizes. A few lemons were piled at the bottom.

Clementine shied away, her cheeks reddening. “I…had not planned on guests.”

Jerine burst out laughing. His focus on the Tidal Dune faltered for a moment as he nearly succumbed to his hysteria. “Oh, do tell me. Did my little sister only stock fruit?”

“You never tell me what you want, so I take matters into my own hands, Jerine!”

“Ha ha ha ha ha ha!”

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Zeta had never seen such a fruit before, but when he bit into it, the succulent, savory, sweet juices poured into his system. All doubts of Jerine and Clementine’s trustworthiness evaporated into thin air.

“Wow, this is great! It has a rough exterior, but the bite within is delightful.”

“You’re supposed to peel it, dumbass.” She demonstrated by digging her fingers into the exterior and tearing off like dead skin.

“Oh, well that would explain a lot.”

Clementine giggled. “You two are funny. I don’t blame you, though. I assume the fruit must be new to you, erm–”

“It’s Zeta,” he said. “And this wonderful lady right here is Hera.”

“I’m the smart one.”

“I’d prefer the term ‘more experience,’”

“Talk to me when you want an actual answer. Zeta can’t tell his left foot from his right.”

“That’s not true. Stop exaggerating.”

“I’m the one who saved your ass from dying in the desert! I have a right to declare what you can and cannot do when my life is also at stake.”

Zeta’s stomach grumbled. “Speaking of steak, I hope you have some in this oasis of yours.”

Clementine’s grin grew wider. “Maybe, but in the meantime help yourself to as much fruit as you like. I’ve got plenty.”

“Is it local?” Hera asked.

“Assuredly.”

“Don’t doubt Clem on matters of citrus. They’re her favorite. She’s an expert.”

“Be quiet and drive the dune, Jerine,” she said. He replied with a quiet chuckle.

The Tidal Dune drifted steadily. As the terrain flattened and rose, it picked up and released sand from its base, ensuring the passengers never shifted in elevation if they didn’t have to. Zeta’s eyes sparkled as he watched. Indeed, sigmas were a gift from God, even if Hera and the rest of the world claimed such a being didn’t exist. He wanted more. He wanted to perform the same great miracles.

“Hera, I believe I’m owed two more standard sigmas if I’m not mistaken. One for defeating Gust and the other for Rex. Those count as earnings, right? I’ve earned a right to those sigmas.”

“Earnings?” Clementine raised an eyebrow.

“Ugh. Zeta is insistent that any new sigma he gains must be earned from defeating his enemies. He’s so stubborn he won’t even accept the full standard set yet.” She opened her Pocket Inventory, a tiny rift in space, and retrieved two gray-cored sigmas. The luster on the crystals had worn off.

“A sigma user without the standard set,” Jerine commented. “Friend, I know street beggars with a higher score than you.”

Zeta took the two sigmas from Hera’s hands and employed them. Read Score and Display Sigma. One would give him great information on his opponents by telling him of their score. The other would allow him to boast by creating a holographic image of any sigma he possessed in his hand, any other user who Read that image would know of the sigma and its properties. The sigmas’ solid matrices crushed into glittering specks of dust. “I welcome the challenge,” Zeta said.

“Well, we can find an Angel of Valeri at…at–” Hera trailed off.

Zeta opened his eyes and emerged from Prayer, feeling absolutely fulfilled. It was if he could now feel the Divinity coursing through his veins, although he swore only a sigma could allow him to do that. Must be my imagination.

Both Hera and Clementine were staring at him perplexed. Their eyes glowed gray, indications that they were Reading him. “Is something wrong?”

“Zeta, you’re score–”

“It instantly filled your Divinity! How did you do that?”

“Hmm? I thought that happened automatically or whatever. With Excess or something.”

“You didn’t have any Excess,” said Hera. “I watched your bar. Your Divinity accumulated almost immediately. It happened on the beach too, with Falling Rain.”

Zeta searched his pockets, patting himself down for that wretched abomination. “Maybe I have an Ora Charm on me, somewhere. God, those things are disgusting.”

“Ora Charm?”

“It’s a new device spreading worldwide,” said Hera. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the small yellow bead. “It accumulates Divinity even faster than Prayer. Ten times as fast, to be exact. Although, even Zeta’s accumulation was far too quick. Besides, Zeta, you threw yours away.” She reached into a different pocket and retrieved a second Ora Charm, a glimmering golden menace.

“Well, I did start praying–”

“Praying wouldn’t be that fast! And you need a statue of Valeri, like the one I used to have. Natural Divinity accumulation is possible, but it is such a dismal gain per day that it’s far from worthwhile.” Her focus narrowed. “Zeta, there’s something you’re not telling me. Spill it.”

“Hera, you said it yourself. You’re the expert, you tell me.”

“Well, they are tiny scores, after all. Maybe Zeta had gained a little Excess while you were wandering the desert,” said Clementine. Her hands were positioned to separate them in case the hostilities continued to brew.

“Perhaps his attunement to God is just that strong,” Jerine joked. “Friends, let’s not kill each other before we arrive at Atman Bolo, okay?”

Several heavy breaths later, and Hera finally leaned away. He remembered their promise to each other, to answer everything about themselves ‘in due time.’ Zeta vowed to keep that promise; he’d tell her what was happening to him. However, he needed to figure that out himself first.

After a moment of silent tension, Jerine’s head perked up. “I know how to cheer you up, friends. Let me tell you the story about how my sister became a Liquid focus.”

“Jerine, don’t.”

“It all started when we found–”

“JERINE!”

“Okay, alright, I won’t,” he said. Muttering beneath his breath, he added, “Oil Baroness.”

----------------------------------------

The steady breeze rushing past his ears led Zeta into a sleepy, meditative state, but the crush of sigma next to him broke that tranquility.

Hera brushed off her hands as the faint residue of sigma employment sprinkled into her lap. “There goes a year’s worth of Excess.”

“What did you do?”

“I had been saving forever for a Magnum grade Mind sigma, but that dream went into the sewer ever since you know who showed up in Aspic.”

“Oh, you mean Vagos?”

She nodded. Her hand cupped into a claw, and electricity crackled between her five fingers. “I employed a copy of the Charge Shots we took from the Lilick Brothers, so at least I’ll have something more practical to fight with.”

“What are you talking about? You were fine! Neural Fighter was sufficient. You could have saved up and stolen from Lena instead.”

The Tidal Dune lurched to a halt, Clementine gasped, and suddenly Zeta felt a hand grip and close his mouth shut.

Jerine whirled around with a red glare in his eye. “Who will you be stealing from?”

“Zeta, you goddamn idiot!” Hera whispered.

Did I say something? He thought, but his voice emptied into a muffled hand.

Clementine shuffled away from them as Jerine grew closer, the Tidal Dune slowly disintegrating with them aboard. His fist was slightly raised, not quite ready to strike, but prepared to jab them if necessary.

“Jerine, it was a slip of the tongue!” Hera pleaded. “As I said, he’s a moron. He hears names and repeats them without thinking.”

“Your lie is futile, Hera. Lena Kurova is a name not spoken of as a ‘slip of the tongue,’” he said. “I’m going to ask again, who are you people and what do you want with her?”

“Jerine, please! We’ll leave. Just leave us here, and we won’t bother you or your oasis. You’ve given us enough to cross the desert by ourselves. Just, do–”

Zeta gripped Hera’s hand and pried it away. “Lena Kurova. Supposedly one of the Pillars of some so-called Pentagon. I hate the Pentagon. I hate her. What’s it to ya?” One of Zeta’s hands reached for his sword.

Zeta and Jerine’s eyes met for a minute. Neither of them staggered their gaze. After that period, Jerine slouched and reformed the Tidal Dune beneath them. He continued driving with a warm smile.

They blinked with confusion, but then Clementine’s soft hand rested on Hera’s shoulder. “You guys aren’t really a merchant and a bodyguard, are you?”

“It’s partially true.”

She giggled. “We were more worried if you were Pentagon Operatives. They’re trouble. We don’t want trouble in Atman Bolo.”

“Our oasis has done everything it can to stay away from the sorrows of the world. To be its own isolated kingdom,” said Jerine.

“I sense they’re a story behind your hatred of the Pentagon,” said Clementine. “I’d love to hear it someday.”

“Be honest, Clementine, everyone has a reason to hate the Pentagon. Well, except the rich. Their story can’t be that original, no offense.”

Clementine smiled. “Well, Jerine, maybe I just want to know them as people. Did you consider that?”

He scoffed. “Not everyone in the world can be your friend, Clementine.” He grinned to Hera and Zeta. “But I think these two are all right.”

He peeled his eyes forward, and slowly the Tidal Dune steadied to halt. An actual stop, far from the harsh ejection Jerine had given them earlier. The Tidal Dune disintegrated, leaving its passengers and cargo sitting gently in the sand.

“We’re here, welcome to the Atman Bolo oasis.”

Tidal Dune - Sand: User can raise and move a massive dune of sand as if it were a fast-moving caravan. (1050).

* (A) To create the Tidal Dune, push into the air. The dune will form beneath the user.

* To drive, the user throws hands behind themselves. The rotation of their hands can steer and slow the Dune.

* Requires a great deal of practice to master.

* Tidal Dune will remain until the user creates another Tidal Dune, then the sand will fall apart.

* Users and passengers can leave and return to Tidal Dune as they please.

* Items and luggage can be stored in the sand and will be safe and secure. However, they will be deposited freely if Tidal Dune is replaced or user dies.

* The sand on the Tidal Dune is solid enough to hold people and things, although it is not completely rigid.