“The best kind of trap is the kind you let your prey walk into of their own volition. They walk, oblivious and dumb as the snare grown tight.” Sultan Suli I

Yaeno stretched cursing the stiffness in his back. He’d dreamt of harsh desert winds, flaying his skin raw. The feeling of glass upon his skin had followed him out of his nightmare. Yaeno shook the dregs of sleep from his mind. The windows to his rooms showed only darkness, it was still sometime till dawn. Walking out of his room, Yaeno carried a towel draped over his shoulders and a face towel in one hand. Today was a day for the outside baths.

Multiple servants passed by him, Yaeno returned their greetings with some of his own. The baths weren’t far, it only took him a minute of navigating the hallways to find it. These baths were reminiscent of the gardens. They had the same tall date trees, and aloe vera. The floors were of a yellowed tile. A slight sloping allowed the water to trickle down into drains along the walls. A large basin in the middle caught the first golden early morning rays of sunlight. There were benches and smaller basins scattered around.

Yaeno walked to the main basin. The sun was rising, chasing away the shadows and night. A perfect image of the sky was reflected in the clear waters of the basin. Hues of purple, orange and blue were painted along the sky giving a surreal element to it. There was something about early mornings that revitalized Yaeno. A freshness and solitude that settled deep into his bones. As though he was the only one awake in the world. Yaeno savoured the sensation. Taking in a deep breath of crisp morning air, his shoulders popped as he stretched them.

Dunking his face towel into the water, Yaeno was pleased to find it cold. Placing the drenched face towel across the nape of his neck, he dipped his hands into the water, splashing his face. Once, twice, thrice, three times he repeated the action. A content sigh escaped his lips as the water dripped from his dark curls.

Taking off his shirt, he wiped at his bare chest and arms. Enjoying the refreshing sensation of cool water as it dripped from his skin. The sweat and grime from the night was gone. Along with the feeling of glass and sand. Over and over again he passed the cool cloth over his warm skin. Relishing in the feeling of cleanliness. Steam rose in whisps and curls from his muscled arms. Once satisfied, he towelled himself dry. By now the sun in all its flaming glory had chased away any remaining hints of twilight. The sky was alive with burning yellows and crystal blue.

“The waters give and take; they give and take” Yaeno said with a satisfied sigh.

How the waters gave Yaeno a sense of serenity as well as taking away his troubles he would not know. That was for the priests to decipher. Feeling fresh and clean Yaeno dropped by his room and grabbed a fresh change of clothes, Yaeno went straight to the kitchen. There was a pot of chai with his name on it.

The servants always left a small corner in the kitchen for him. For they understood that there were mornings Yaeno preferred to make his own breakfast. It was a ritual of sorts for him. It pleased him that they respected that. He was extra careful not to get in their way.

Getting a large pot Yaeno begun preparing his brew. First went in some dried tea leaves, fresh goats milk, and his homemade masala. Lighting a flame Yaeno left it to steep. The homemade masala was a recipe taught to him by a passing spice merchant. The same man Yaeno still bought all his spices from to this day. The blend consisted of cardamon, cinnamon, dried ginger, and cloves.

This morning Yaeno felt adventurous and plucked some fresh mint from the windowsill. Yaeno made sure to brew a large batch, saving some for the servants as well. They enjoyed his brews as much as he did himself. Frying both egg and potato, Yaeno assembled his hearty breakfast. Filling a pot with chai and grabbing a basket of fried mandazi, Yaeno left the kitchens.

Today he would be eating outside, atop the palace walls. Yaeno passed many of the Sultans palace guards. They wore his colours, sunset yellow and deep orange. They had cutlass’s strapped to their hips. Yaeno offered mandazi to those who looked to have spent the night on watch. By the time he reached his usual spot Yaeno’s basket only had three remaining. A dusty crate and stools were all that made his spot his. There was a lantern next to the crates which he only used at night.

Instead of sitting on one of the stools. Yaeno climbed the rampart and sat atop it. Placing the clay pot down, Yaeno poured himself a steaming cup. The aromas that wafted up were heavenly. The city below came to life. The morning sunlight bringing with it people.

A favourite game of Ramali’s was making up absurd stories based upon those people’s lives. Yaeno’s favourite ongoing story so far. Was the one that claimed that many of the guards were involved in some underground goat fighting ring. Which involved people fighting goats as the name stated. This was cemented by the fact that some of the guards had hoof shaped bruises. Ramali claimed that so far none had been able to defeat the reining champ affectionately named Lomferi. Meaning loser. If the betting ring turned out to be real, Yaeno would wager his savings on Lomferi.

Yaeno watched as a man carrying a bag of groceries passed by the front gates. He stopped to talk to one of the guards before giving each of them a peach and turning to leave. A sibling maybe. A group of kids played a few ways passed the gates. They hollered chasing each other up the streets with sticks.

Yaeno sipped his tea enjoying the delightful mix of spices. He finished his breakfast soon after. Thinking of Lomferi and the fighting ring. The mandazi was delicious, its dough soft and fluffy. Finishing off his pot of chai, Yaeno walked to the gardens.

Maveri, Ramali and Eta were already seated. Next to them was a wrinkled old bat of a woman. Her skin a dark brown and stretched thin over her bones. Her hair was silvery, reaching down to her ears. She hard large copper hoops dangling from her ears. Copper bangles covered her wrists. Yaeno gave a slight incline of the head to Madam Sufri. The lady of crows has returned.

Yaeno greeted them good morning as he took a seat opposite Ramali. Who kicked him from under the table. Yaeno had been reaching for the mandazi’s that just so happened to be there. Eta chuckled while the lady of crows gave him a weathering look. Her green eyes showing displeasure.

“I hope I didn’t keep you waiting?” Yaeno asked. Taking a bite from the mandazi he’d swiped before Ramali gave him another kick.

“It is well. The servants brought us the tea you made. What a masterful blend of flavours.” Maveri answered.

“It could have done without the mint” The lady of crows said.

“Now I am sure there is much to speak about so let us begin. Lady Sufri has since returned to us with news that is…troubling to say the least. We will discuss that at a later date. For now, we must deal with immediate problems. There have been signs of Djinns in the city.”

Two out of the five people in the table froze. The lady of crows was already aware of this given her lack of reaction. As one who trades in secrets and information, she would be well informed. The one who surprised him by showing no outward reaction was Eta. Had father told him beforehand. Or was this his way of schooling his emotions. If it was the latter, then Eta did well. Displaying mannerism fit for a future sultan.

“Baba that’s impossible. No djinn can enter the cities limits without a death occurring. Even if they hadn’t killed anything. Yaeno and I would have sensed them”

The way the Sultan phrased his earlier statement meant something. No words that left the Sultans lips were without meaning. Each was with purpose and intent. Though the man’s body had aged his mind had only grown sharper. Maveri had said ‘There have been signs’. Meaning the kolos had found something. Concrete evidence that djinn had made it into the city.

“What did they find” Yaeno asked.

The lady of the crows looked at him. Her brow rising slightly in what he could only see as a sliver of respect. It couldn’t be surprised for nothing surprised the old wight.

Instead of answering the Sultan handed him an object wrapped in cloth. It was a spine, as long as his middle finger and jet black. It was sharp on both ends. It felt light in his hands. He handed it to Ramali so she could get a better look. There was something wrong with it. The nesha could sense djinn and Yaeno was definitely sensing something. It wasn’t the usual smell of burning sands and rotting palm trees. No there was something inherently wrong with this spine. Yet Yaeno couldn’t place his finger on what it was.

“Where did they find this” Eta asked taking a hold of the spine.

“The Kolos found it in the neck of a goat. Along with thirty more. A herder had lost half of his flock to what he claimed to be shadows. The kolos were able to find the only some of remains. There were tracks surrounding it. Leading from inside the city and out into the open desert. There were maybe three separate tracks. These aren’t minor djinns the tracks were too large.”

“Where did the tracks come from Baba” Ramali asked.

“About a hard day’s ride westwards to the scars of Jekir. The caves there have been dormant. I want you and Yaeno to investigate. If possible, kill every djinn you come across. Lady Sufri had returned with Kafini and Jana. Subiri has returned from Kelofi as well. Take him with you. This will be your first proper assignment without the Ghasan. Be careful. I know you are all feeling the hole her presence has left us. But do not fret after two years away she will finally return home.” The sultan smiled though it was gone in a heartbeat “Akum has made the scars his home. Tread with caution my Nesha.” The Sultan ordered.

“Papa we should reimburse the herder for his lost goats. It would be a sign of good will”.

The conversation moved to other topics. The lady of crows only answering once or twice. Maveri smiled at his son pride evident in his eyes. The lady of crows was the first to excuse herself. Yaeno and Ramali soon followed. Leaving behind father and son in deep conversation.

Yaeno went to his room, leaving a message with the servants to inform the other Nesha to get ready. Yaeno wasn’t in his room for long. He got his armour and weapons from the wall and an armour wrack next to his dresser. It smelt of sweat and leather, there were disks woven into the leather making it light while still protecting his vitals.

A nervous energy bubbled within him. This was the first major mission they would undertake without the Ghasan. What an honour this would be. There had to be reason to that. Yaeno knew why. For years now the Ghasan had been pushing him towards a leadership position. For her eventual surrendering to the sands. Quietly she had been doing this. Allowing him to stay with meetings she had with the Sultan. Introductions to the other Ghasan. As well as private lessons which she claimed to be nothing more but friendly chats.

Yaeno’s blade hissed as he sheathed it. The metal gleaming. Yaeno added a dagger and a set of throwing knives to his arsenal. The weight of his amour and weapons were comforting, they had seen him through many battles. He would not fail the Ghasan, not today.

Yaeno arrived at the stables at the same time as Jana. A warm smile split her lips; her slender fingers moved as she signed hello. Yaeno signed the same words back. They walked side by side entering the stables.

The stable was large and made only of stone. An unnecessary precaution for only Maneh and Dova had the gift of flame. There were deep gorges in the stone, claw marks that either had four or five lines running in parallel. The stable could house dozens of drakes, though only five currently used it. House Maveri had over two Dozen drake riders, divided among the other cities House Maveri ruled.

The inside smelt of hay and slightly of sulphur. The other three Nesha were already here tending to their drakes. Jana’s was sleek the slimmest of them all, her hide was a matt black with hard scales on her shoulders. Her tail was bone tipped and slender. Her eyes were that of a cats, slit and green. She moved to Jana, her tail swinging side to side and playfully nicking Majo as she passed. She was the fastest of all their drakes. Jana had named her Ajali.

Subiri and Kafini had two similar looking drakes the only difference being their colour. Maneh, Subiri’s drake was a deep orange with black stripes, while Dova was the opposite. Black with orange stripes. They were average sized for a drake, stocky with powerful hind legs for jumping. Their chests were larger than most. They both had large flat heads like that of a hammer. Clear blue eyes on either side of their skull. Their teeth were small and needle like.

Subiri and Kafini had placed spiked and bladed helmets on both drakes. Yaeno had seen those helmets pulverize stone with one easy swing. The two drakes had hatched from the same egg, which was a very rare occurrence. It only happened once every few centuries. The fact that they both carried the gift of flame was even rarer. The gift of flame allowed a drake to breath fire for a few moments. Subiri’s drake, let out a puff of sulfureous smoke as Subiri tightened one of the straps on his back.

“Hold still Dova” Subiri chuckled.

Dova was energetic and curios unlike Maneh who was cool. She stood calmly allowing Kafini to finish tying her saddle in place. She gave Yaeno a curious glance before turning back to Kafini.

There were usually more drakes, one squad had been on patrol for a week. The other had been guarding a caravan that was going to a neighbouring city they would be gone for another week or two.

Majo sat idly in the corner her amber eyes watching Yaeno as he approached. She stomped her tail twice as he neared. He took her saddle and rein from the opposite wall. Yaeno clicked his tongue twice urging her to stand so he could tie them on. It only took him five minutes; the others had already left the barn waiting for him on the outside.

“Let’s go”.

He guided her by the reins until they were out of the stable. The Nesha sat on their drakes in formation. The had their gear strapped to the back of their drakes. His own pack had been strapped to the back of Majo, the only thing he had been missing was his rations. He found them propped against the stables wall. It took him only a moment to tie them on.

Once he was done, Yaeno took his position to the left of the formation. Forming an arrow like shape. Jana was leading, she kicked Ajali into motion. They rode at a slow pace until they were out of the city gates. Jana picked up the pace, he could feel Majo’s tense muscles work as she kept up with the other drakes.

They followed the tracks easily, once they were clear of the city the drakes could track them. The drakes were better at smelling djinn than the Nesha making following the trail easy. They rode till the sun set. They made camp starting a small fire and eating their dried goat and cheese. Tomorrow once rested they would begin the journey of Jekirs scars.

***

“The tracks end here” Kafini spat.

The three clawed tracks trailed into a large chasm in the ground, it lay open as though the ground had been wounded. The clay-coloured rock around it was jagged and sharp. Jekirs scar was hundreds of deep angular gorges that led deep underground. Many of the gorges fed sand deep into the desert. The earth around them was hard packed clay that stretched out for miles apart.

Yaeno shaded his eyes and looked out towards the desert all around them. There were hundreds of pits and faults across the hard packed clay. Some circular some oval, others were just slits into the desert. The hard packed clay was cracked and shattered. He grimaced, many of these scars had started appearing out of nowhere a few centuries back. Jekir’s scar was the youngest one appearing only fifty years.

The scars were both a blessing and a curse. Some scars were filled with crystals known as sunstones that held the light of the sun for days. While others were treacherous caverns filled with a deadly gas that could kill without anyone knowing. Some were just empty devoid of anything in them. Jekirs scar was of the latter.

The pathways inside were a maze, greater beasts were known to make their homes in scars such as those. That was the only reason scars rarely became djinn hotspots. It was said that Akum, a hyena the size of a building had made this one his home. Yaeno hopped they would not run into them. Greater beasts were difficult to kill. Akum was a ferocious great beast that haunted the sands of Kamri vera for the past decade. He attacked both djinn and human alike. As well as anything big enough to feed it. Yaeno clicked his tongue as he decided on what to do.

Jana turned to him signing.

[What will we do?]

“We have our orders, we go inside. It might get tight in there and difficult to manoeuvre. Make sure you have a few daggers and short swords along with your usual weapons. Keep an eye out for Akum if we see him we do not fight unless we have to. Agreed?”

There were nods all around. Though they seemed to be barely listening to him. Yaeno stomped down a bit of irritation. Jana held a large cutlass at the ready, Subiri carried both a short spear and a quiver of javelins strapped to his back. Ramali had both her short swords at the ready. Yaeno tossed Kafini a spare machete he stashed on Majo. The nesha snatched it up, strapping it to his side.

“We leave in five minutes”.

Yaeno checked his blades, making sure they were sharp. He stared at his reflection in the blades, his tattoo stood out an intricate black mark on his cheek.

Once they were ready, they each entered the gapping maw, leaving their drakes behind. The cave was dark with a slight slope angling it downwards.

“Rami give us light”.

She snapped her fingers keeping her index finger pointed outwards. A small flame blossomed in front of them, it condensed into the shape of a clawed finger.

A second one appeared then a third, then a fourth and onwards. They formed a trail going deeper into the cave system. As they pressed on the ones behind them disappeared and reappearing at the front of the light trail.

Everyone had their weapons out and inched forward carefully. The cave gently slopped downwards; the walls were cold to the touch. They walked for what felt like half an hour, though it felt longer. The cave grew tighter and more oppressive the deeper they went.

“What do we know about Akum who’s claimed these caves?” Yaeno said breaking the silence.

“What is there to know. He’s a big ugly hyena. Thats only slightly uglier than Eno. No offence Eno.”

Yaeno bit back a retort. Jana’s hands moved and He watched them.

[Horned Akum Great beast of the west. He’s been around for the last thirty years. Came from the north of Kamri vera near the Ashen lands. There have been few sightings of him and even fewer before Akum came to the caves. Seen to have some control over any beasts that have wandered here. Most likely other hyenas. There has been claim that Akum can summon blood demons but that hasn’t been confirmed. They used to call him the horned lord. They gave him a high danger rating, though they gave no reason for it. Akum is one of the least documented great beasts.]

After a moment he turned to the rest of the group. All of them understood the hand signs she used to communicate instead of her words. Though the last part had been signed quickly due to her excitement. Jana found every manner of beasts interesting. If they did end up meeting Akum, Yaeno could see Jana taken notes and making additions to the Libere Bestiri the book of beasts. Yaeno the gentleman he was chose to repeat the last part for everyone.

“The last part was for Rami. She says you’re a uncouth cave dweller whose only good for killing djinn”

“Aw, a woman after my own heart.” Ramali winked.

There laughter was light but warm. Jana chocked back a laugh, signing something Malecious he refused to translate. Time passed as they walked, nothing changing. It until they were hunched over did the cave open into a large cavern. The cavern could fit two dozen people without trouble. Its heights disappeared upwards.

The path they followed split of into three caverns. The trails they had been following split of separating into each entryway. The entry ways were almost a story high, like dark doorways into the underworld. The strongest scent flowed into the leftmost path.

“The left, it smells like the most used one” Kafini said

Nods of agreement came from all around. The left entry wasn’t as narrow as the one before allowing them to walk side by side. Giving each plenty of breathing room. Thus, Yaeno was surprised to find Jana had drifted close. Interesting. She kept her eyes forwards, though Yaeno found himself drifting closer to her.

They climbed an upward incline. Light was glimpsed from straight ahead. It started as a pin prick before growing into a large shape, the deeper they waked. An exit perhaps. Yaeno could feel the air flow towards its.

Crossing the threshold brought them to a large cave. Even larger than the one before. The ceiling was huge and domelike. Any distinct features were lost in its gloom. Though that wasn’t to say there was darkness. Dozens of circular holes created halos of light from which sands slowly poured from.

These must be a few of those hundreds of holes he’d seen from above. It was beautiful, the sands looked like liquid gold slowly pouring in. The sun glinting off them as though the streams held thousands of tiny gems. Yaeno was cautious of the beauty. For the forge had taught him years ago, any beauty of the desert hid a vicious danger. All it took was a strong gust of wind across the hard packed clay above. To turn that gentle stream of gold into a tsunami of sand. Crushing the Nesha and everything else in the caves.

Still, it all would have been beautiful if not for the smell of rot in the air. Ramali let out a string of curses once she entered the room. Using her scarf to cover her nose. The rest of the group had the same response. Jana going as far as to gag.

Yaeno himself followed suit, gagging against the crook of his elbow. Trying and failing to shield his nose from the smell of death. The air was thick with its sickly-sweet scent.

It wasn’t hard finding the source of the smell. Corpses hidden from view by the mounds of sand littered the floor. Half rotting carcasses of desert animals lay all around. There were meerkats ribs and wild dogs their spotted manes rotted through. There were larger beasts furred camels, desert oxen and even a Genza. A snake larger than any of the drakes. Only half of its body could be found. There were even human corpses in some piles.

“This can’t be the work of the djinns we’re hunting” The words came as a whisper.

“Eno, How can you be sure?” Ramali asked

“The description the herder gave us, he said they were shadows. Quick enough that they easily snatch a goat in the blink of the eyes. He said they were big but not this big. No way one of those could bite a genza in half. No way something that big could waltz around Mogo. Look at its corpse there’s barely any bite marks.”

They all turned to the half corpse finding that apart from half its body missing it was still largely intact. It was then that all the pieces clicked into place. Yipping sounds echoed from one of the exits to the far right.

“Fuck, we’ve been had” Ramali said

They flowed in, a waves of fur and teeth. There were dozens of them, each howling and cackling at the Nesha. Their yips resounding as each took up another’s call. The hyena’s weren’t unusual. Their fur was short and a deep orange, with black spots covering them. In seconds the Nesha were surrounded. This situation would’ve been easy to handle had Akum not graced them with his presence.

The cave shook as a thunderous roar silenced the yips around them. The ground shook as footsteps resounded through the cavern. Akums head was the first to appear from the gloom. Great grey orbs for eyes peered at them. The front left part of its muzzle missing. Exposing sharp yellowed teeth as long as Ramali’s short swords. His snout was dark and short, his ears long and sharp. Though the right one was missing a piece.

As the rest of Akums body came through, Yaeno was surprised with big he was. At least two stories high if not more. Yaeno noted how dull its fur was compared to its lessers. Its coat was muted shades of oranges that faded into black. It had a multitude of scars and wounds. Some looked to be the work of other greater beasts while others only seemed to be the work of blades. The hair running down its spine was long and spiky, its tail short and bushy. Akum was old, you could see it in the way he walked, in the dullness of his coat and the cataracts that formed in his eyes. That didn’t make him any less dangerous. Many died trying to fight him even in his old age.

It strolled into the room, its eyes never leaving them. Breaths were held as greyed eyes studied them. Yaeno’s mind raced as he tried to think of a way out of this without fighting. Akum was fast but not as fast as Yaeno if he gathered some of the sands and surfed them. He could carry them all, while they worked to pick off as many of the hyenas as they could. Hell, they might even injure the great beast if they were smart about it.

“Everyone retrea-”

Yaeno’s eye caught movement at his periphery. Ramali had gone stiff as board, her knuckles were white against the blades she carried. Yaeno would have thought her to be uneasy, if it wasn’t for the wicked grin that split her lips. A reflection of Subiri’s own smile.

“Fuuuuccck” Yaeno cursed.

Subiri launched two javelins in quick succession. Ramali followed close behind flaming pinpricks launching into the waiting hyenas. Clearing her a direct path to Akum. The javelins sunk into Akums hide but he barely seemed to notice. Instead, he let out another loud bark. Another dozen hyenas flowed into the cave. Jana winced, throwing him an apologetic smile before joining Ramali as they charged Akum.

It angered him. The moment their Ghasan was away they all turned into glory hungry dogs. Even Jana the calmest of their group strode forward spikes jutting from the ground and impaling a few hyenas. They died with pained howls as their blood soaked the stakes. No doubt they would all be rushing to have the honour of killing great Akum.

Kafini was the only one who stayed by Yaeno’s side. Though that wasn’t because she believed in his leadership, no. Kafini was the only one who stayed behind due to the hyenas. Yaeno could see the hunger in her eyes. The woman was planning to take a few of the hyena’s pelts as trophies. And was currently trying to figure out how to kill them without damaging their pelts too much.

“Where are his horns!” Someone jeered.

The most likely culprit being Ramali. Yaeno grit his teeth in frustration using his curved blade to lop off a hyena’s head. It had tried circling him. The frustration didn’t last though. Yaeno couldn’t blame his family, they did not act with malice. What was the saying. ‘When the cat is asleep the mice will stomp their feet?’. At least they were genuinely enjoying themselves. Maybe he could salvage the situation. To use as a way to lay the foundation of his leadership.

A whoop resounded as he watched Ramali cling to Akum’s neck her blade hilt deep. Akum shook hard trying to dislodge her. But the stubborn woman held on. Jana was close by attempting to impale Akum who danced between them. Even in his old age Akum was agile. Having no trouble dancing between them. Subiri was surrounded by hyenas, though he seemed unbothered. Already there were corpses at his feet.

A ball of matted fur crashed into his chest. Yaeno rolled with it pining the hyena below him. Yellow teeth snapped at him. Using his forearm Yaeno pinned its neck to the ground. More hyenas came at him sensing opportunity. With a growl Yaeno called the sands to him. Dozens of forms rolled out of the sands. They could have been vipers, but their fangs were too long. Their skulls having one too many eyes. They slithered forth, in between the hyenas before pushing them back.

Letting go of his sword Yaeno pulled free a dagger and drove it into the hyenas chest and twisted. It let out a pained yowl and attempted to buck him of. It was a futile gesture. It was dead by the second thrusting.

Taking a step back Yaeno let the snakes swim over some of the hyenas and choke them. Taking one of the serpent that had latched on to a hyena by the tail. Yaeno swung it, venting his anger. It crashed into a nothing hyena with a satisfying crunch. After that he allowed for the snakes with too many eyes fight for him. Snatching three throwing knives from his set, he let them loose with a flick of the wrist. Three hyenas dropped dead a second later.

He watched as a serpent bigger that the wrest wrap itself around a hyenas and squeeze. The snakes, it was the form his Asi chose to take. He could sense the actions they made and took. Like a bundle of notions at the back of his mind. He knew where each and every serpent was, even without looking. The asi and the form it took varied from nesha to nesha. Some could only call on a single construct, dull and muted. While others could call on beings that seemed to be alive truly alive. Even with their third gates blocked, the ghasan could call on two lionesses made of midnight. They were strong and quick, their teeth able to rip through steel. Some could even see through the eyes of their constrcuts. Some nesha were unusually strong even with their third gate sealed.

Kafini was smiling as she used her asi to kill hyena after hyena. Sharp hooked claws of wind whistled as they buried themselves in hyenas. A pleased smile split her lips. Yaeno could feel the frustration boiling within him again. It was growing to be too much. Playtime was over for the nesha. With a grunt Yaeno had the snakes snap the necks of the hyenas he’d entangled. Those he hadn’t ensnared, Yaeno walked to. Like a whisper on the wind his blade fell taking the life of any hyena fool enough to near him.

He ignored another crash and whoop from Akum and Ramali. Whole swarms of sand serpents gathered at his feet. With a thought Yaeno had them surging forth. Yaeno enjoyed surfing the sand. The irritation robbed him of any joy at the moment.

He flowed between the hyenas their bodies letting the sand suffocate them as he passed. Yet there was no end to them. Though he could see a few retreat into the caves. Hyenas were a cowardly animal prone to running if the tide of battle changed. Even with Akum leading them. He passed by Jana who had a few hyenas blocking her path. Yaeno swept her up as his sword scythed through two of the hyenas. A small pebble was thrown at him. Showing Jana’s irritation at being taken from her fight. Yaeno ignored it.

“Kafini deal with the hyenas, the rest of us will take down Akum”

He didn’t listen for a reply instead urging the sands to carry them faster. Akum had moved further back into the cave. He was retreating though he barely had any wounds. Ramali had been thrown off and was now struggling to extract herself from a pile of corpses. He swept her out of them. Subiri was next quickly swept up by the sand.

A few feet ahead of Akum. Ramali instead of staying with them and forming up. Rushed back into the fray. She was repeatedly trying to mount him. But Akum had grown clever and thwarted any and every attempt she made. With a flick of his wrist Yaeno used one of the vipers to grasp her ankle and drag her to him. He wasn’t gentle, tossing her before them. She landed in a messy heap. Reeking of rot. Ramali let out a string of curses which he refused to humour.

Akum let out another vicious growl this one different from the first. The air shivered as Akum hacked up a red mist. It was light and though it looked like steam it did not act like it. The mist slithered forward, tendrils of it reaching out before quickly retreating. In a few heartbeats it had reached the hyenas. Those that were retreating now turned back. Some tried to run but the mist was already upon them.

The reaction was instantaneous. The hyenas cried out bucking and threshing about until red foam spilt from their lips and nostrils. Many of them just keeled over and died. Only a two remained standing. Their eyes bled as red veins grew along them. The veins spread until their eyes were completely crimson. The red mist gathered around them swirling about and pooling at their feet.

Change, it started with the left most one. Its muscles twitched, the movement growing more frantic as the moments passed. The muscles swelled growing, its skin rippling and stretching. Red mist now poured from its orifices this one thicker and darker. With a great ripping sound, the skin on its back ripped as bone and muscle protruded. Skin continued to rip and tear as red wet muscle grew until the skin could no longer keep it together. With a wet spattering sound it hide fell to the ground.

Bones jagged and sharp grew along its body in irregular and haphazard pattern. A large bone grew from its left brow. Effectively blinding it in one eye. Its muscle rippled in the light glistening with unshed blood. It looked half formed some of the muscles on it looking half formed. While others looked streamlines.

The one to its right had gone through much of the same transformation. Growing in size. But as Yaeno watched more bones begun to force their way through its skin. The bones grew along it, red with blood. It had grown larger and heavier than the one to the right. A spiked bone armour now covering it. This one too looked odd, one of its arms was completely armoured, the other less so. Its armour was full of gaps and red muscle glistened through was lighter, with gaps around it. The beast looked half formed. Thought its head and jaws looked wicked and fully protected. A large, spiked bone protruded from it left shoulder. The rest of its armour was incomplete it seemed. About three quarters in total was armoured. Unlucky for them that its vitals were protected.

From the corner of his eyes Yaeno saw Jana’s hands move signing one word.

Fuck indeed Yaeno thought.

“I mean, at least there’s less hyenas” Ramali chuckled.

Subiri let out a groan, one that was mirrored by his sister. His quiver of javelins was empty. Akum looked sickly he’d fallen against a pile of sand. Spit dribbling down his chin as his tongue lolled to the side.

The one to the left was first to move, its body making wet ripping noises as it bound towards them. It left behind crimson paw prints as it raced towards them. The armoured one was close behind, its movements sluggish compared to the other. The sound of bone scrapping bone followed it.

Subiri raced towards them breaking their sloppy formation. He jumped up aiming to drive his spear into the bloody hyena. With a swipe of its giant paw, Subiri was swatted to the side. Crashing against a bone pile with a sickening crunch.

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Yaeno watched with dismay, usually they fought so well. There was synergy in their movements, everyone playing their role with precision and skill. So why, why was it when he was put in charge it all melted away into this disorganized mess.

Kafini let out a hoarse cry, looking between her brother and the bloodied hyena that still charged them. Empathy or vengeance, she had to choose. Either ensure that Subiri was fine or act upon the rage that filled her in that moment. Kafini chose vengeance she turned to the bloodied hyena gathering the winds. Four winds claws as tall as Yaeno howled into existed before them.

The hyena saw this and tried to stop. Its bloodied paws found no purchase as it skid towards them. Its claws digging into the earth. The armoured hyena was close behind. Its claws bigger and sharper. Bit into the earth and helped slow its momentum. Deep groves were dug into the earthen clay. The wind claws having condensed and hardened shot out as quick as lighting. Slamming into both hyenas with a wet thunk for the bloodied one and dull thwacks for the armoured one.

They both howled in pain, deep ravines were cut into the bloodied hyena. Rending flesh apart but leaving bone untouched. The reaction from the armoured one was surprising for though the claws left no marks as the slammed against it. The armoured hyena was protected by plate, but the blow had thrown it off balance. It tripped, slamming into a mound of sand. Ramali seeing her chance sent skeletal digits of flame deep into the bloodied hyena. It let out a loud yelp as the digits sunk deep. Cauterizing the wound as soon as they made contact.

Kafini let out shaky breath, she rushed to Subiri’s side. Giving his full attention to the fight ahead Yaeno dove in. The serpents carried him forth. Yaeno sheathed his blade it wouldn’t help him against his current foe.

Yaeno circled the armoured one leaving the bloodied one to Ramali and Jana. The beast watched him matching his movements. Yaeno struck first gathering as much a sand as he could from the piles around him. Serpents dozens of them surge forth to attack the hyena. Which bit and stomped them out. When one fell Yaeno replaced it with three more. The intent wasn’t to hurt it, Yaeno doubted he could. No, his intent was to enrage it. Rage only served to one reckless and Yaeno intended to make this one as reckless as possible.

The hyena grew agitated at serpents danced between its legs. Always slipping out of reach when they could and bitting the small, exposed parts of the hyena. The hyenas armoured jaw did nothing to harm the snakes. The moment they snapped shut, Yaeno let the serpents turn back into sand. They danced like this for a spell.

Letting the armoured hyena grow irritated with each attack. Yaeno himself joined the fray every once in a while. Allowing for a clawed paw pass by an inch before letting the serpents to drag him back. The beast was slow and quick to anger that made it slopy. The moment at last came when Yaeno grabbed a bloated corpse using a serpent he slammed it at the beast. The corpse exploded in a shower of guts as it crashed against the beasts armoured body. Dark viscous blood pouring over it. The hyena turned to him, its crimson eyes focusing solely on him. Pure unadulterated rage boiled in those large crimson orbs. Ignoring all his constructs. With a growl in ran at him. Yaeno let the serpents drag him back as the beast gave chase.

With care Yaeno summoned a serpent that was as large as his fist. He released every other serpent except those he used to keep mobile. It formed from the sand as he poured more asi into it. The sand took on the form a many eyed serpent. More details bled into it as invested more asi. The sand mimicking arrow shaped scales that shone golden in the sunlight. The head a single eye larger that the rest resting atop its crown. Two horns protruding from around it. It looked so alive its scales moving as if it breathed. Its pupils contracting and expanding ever so slightly as it watched him.

He let the thing wrap around his arm. Pouring even more asi into the serpent. Strengthening its scales. The hyena growing closer lunged at him. Teeth the size of his forearms aimed for his throat. Yaeno stopped feeding asi into the serpents dragging him back. Planting his feet together Yaeno swung. Putting everything he had into that swing. Nesha were strong and hardier than most. The forge had gifted them with strength to bend steel. Blood to purge toxins and asi to create and destroy.

A loud crack echoed as his serpent wrapped fist struck an armoured jaw. The beasts head rocked to the side as the armoured plating protecting its teeth and jaw was sent veering off. Burying itself into a pile of sand. Relishing in his strike Yaeno missed the armoured paw coming straight for him. Even as the beast went sailing passed him, the rage within the beast still demanded it strike.

The paw connected with his shoulder sending him spinning into the pile of bones. Yaeno’s concentration snapped and the serpent wrapped around his arm turned to sand. If not for the serpent his shoulder would’ve snapped. With a groan Yaeno flopped to the side. His shoulder ached something fierce. The armoured hyena came to a stop a few ways aways from him. Though it did not get up right away seemingly dazed.

Ramali and Jana seemed to be doing better than him. Though not by much. Their quarry otherwise bleeding from a multitude of wounds seemed no worse for wear. A jagged spike of earth erupted from the ground beneath, but the bloodied hyenas side stepped it. The blow that was meant for its chest, instead tore through its shoulder.

As he watched the wound knit itself back together. The rest of its wounds following suit. Jana let out a frustrated huff, her palms pressed into the earth. After a further examination Yaeno found that only Ramali attacks were the only one doing lasting damage. More spikes shot out of the ground but even then, the beast was swift dodging many of them. The attacks it happened not to dodge healed in heartbeats. The wounds sealing shut.

Ramali had gathered almost fifty skeletal digits and was firing them at the bloodied hyena. A third of the attack hit their mark, the rest dodged. With a roll Yaeno narrowly missed being crushed by a bone paw. The claws ripped into his shirt, scoring the armour above it. Calling on the sands Yaeno allowed the serpents to drag him to safety.

Subiri and Kafini were back on their feet and were rushing to aid. In that moment Yaeno saw them loosing. It would be a war of attrition. They would fight until their asi was spent and would be easy picking for the beasts. They were getting tired making mistakes. To cement the fact, Yaeno watched as the bloodied Hyena got close swiping at Jana. Who used her forearms to block a blow aimed at her chest.

Ramali charged the bloodied hyena. A dozen floating flames followed her. These he noted were bigger than those before. Ramali chose quality over quantity this time. She sent all of her skeletal digits towards the bloodied Hyena. Like a torrent of flaming rain, the fell upon the bloodied hyena.

Over half of them struck home causing the bloodied hyena to step back. Its red muscle riddled with charred smoking holes. Akum had been watching the whole fight from further away. Akum stilled looked worse for wear but sadly his condition seemed to have stabilized.

Akums coat which had been dull before looked bone white. His fur hung limp upon him, his ribs visible under it. It seems his magics don’t come freely. That was good for them it meant that he probably couldn’t attempt this again. Better yet he might not put up a fight when they finished with these.

They needed a breather, a moment to come together and plan. But they couldn’t with these to lesser beasts attacking them. An idea popped into Yaeno’s mind. He Yaeno sent out two serpents as big as his hands. Yaeno didn’t bother to put much asi into them. The details of them barely visible. They looked more like moving cylinders of sand than serpents. If attacked, they would come apart. Sands it might even come apart long before reaching him.

Akum saw the constructs racing towards him and with an alarmed yip he called back the two Hyenas. They raced back to his side, ignoring Ramali and Jana completely. The quicker of the two reached him first, though it was too late. One his constructs was already collapsing but the other was fast. It slammed into Akum, exploding into a cloud of sand. Akum let out a yip of surprise. The attack did nothing to hurt him though. The armoured hyena finally reaching its master stood in front of Akum. A perfectly loyal shield. Even then Akum still towered over them.

Yaeno sent two more serpents these had more asi invested in them and were as big as him. Exhaustion tugged at Yaeno’s bones. He was nearing his limit. Trudging back to his group Yaeno found them in a worse state. Ramali had dozens of cuts, some large others small. A long one stretched across her nose from cheek to cheek. The bleeding had stopped, a small mercy. Subiri walked with his hand clutching at his left shoulder. It hung lower than what was natural meaning he’d dislocated it. Jana arms still bled but not by much. The Nesha were a hardy bunch. It would take more than that to put them down. Though exhaustion had begun to wear them down.

The serpents circled Akum and his monstrosities. Far enough that if the hyenas needed to attack, they would have to go out of their way to. Yaeno would send them closer every so often, keeping them from straying from Akum’s side.

“Ash have them.” Ramali spat to the side.

She winced, the wound on her face was drawn tight by the action. Crimson beads trailed down the scar looking like a bloodied tear.

[What the are we going to do?] Jana signed.

“Kill them what else could we do” Subiri said.

Yaeno could see the false bravado in the gesture. Subiri looked to their wounds with shame, his brow creased in worry. Subiri was coming to understand that their actions had cost them. Even Ramali was subdued at the idea that their recklessness might cost them.

“If only you’d listen and retreated, we wouldn’t be in this ash thick mess” Yaeno huffed.

That had been a mistake. Subiri reeled as though struck, even Ramali flinched. Kafini looked to him with open contempt and Jana looked saddened. Ashes, pointing fingers won’t help. It’ll only make things worse. How could he salvage this. For once it was Ramali who came to the rescue.

“Look why don’t we come up with a plan”

“Agreed” Was Subiri’s response eager to change the subject from his failing.

“We can only take on one of them at a time. If I were Akum I’d keep the fasted to guard me and the other to attack. That way if he saw and opportunity, he would have someone quick enough to act on it. Meaning the armoured one would come at us first.”

If you guys slow it down I’ll take it out. Ramali you stay back while-“

“You can’t take me ou-“

“Your asi is the only one that affects the bloodied one. Meaning you’re the only one who can defeat it. Once you see an opening use it. Gather as much asi as you can and hold it.”

Ramali nodded.

“You give him too much credit, he’s just a beast” Kafini said.

The irritation within him boiled, coming ever so closer to bubbling over. Already they were questioning him. Did his authority amount to so little with them.

Deep breaths, deep breaths.

“Humour me, if he sends out the crimson one, we plan the plans still holds.”

She nodded though looking unconvinced.

“The rest of us will try to take out the Armoured one. Though our asi is a bad match up. Kafini your attacks seemed to surprise it at least. Keep it on its toes with as many wind packed attacks as you can.”

Grim looks were all he got as a reply. It was a sloppy plan. One that had small margin of error. If even one of them slipped up they were all dead.

“Ashes, let’s be done with this.” Subiri said.

They nodded Ramali helped put Subiri’s shoulder in place with a nauseating pop. There weapons were bloodied but still sharp. The mood was still tense the talk hadn’t helped. Ramali looked jittery, Kafini angry and tired. Jana had wrapped a cloth around her wounds. She looked to him giving him as slight nod.

Like he’d guessed it was the armoured hyena that was sent out. It ran right through his serpents taking down one. Another small blessing. Yaeno let that one stay gone he would need to save as much asi as he could. Together they strode forth their formation sloppy a mockery of what they could do if the ghasan was around. Still it was better than before.

Jana was the first to strike. Stakes shot out from the earth slamming into the hyena. They shattered on impact the bone armour too strong. Still some strikes gave it pause.

Subiri’s was next a serpent bigger than Yaeno’s with a hood appeared. It was made of deep orange flame. Together with Kafini they attacked. The winds fed the flames as the cobra grew. Its fire greedily licking at the winds as it grew. It surged forth its maw open as it attempted to swallow the armoured hyena. Yaeno watched with satisfaction as an earth spike shot out from the ceiling and slammed into the hyena. Flame met bone with an impact the shook the cave. Sand from the roof fell quicker as the smoke cleared. The bone covering the hyena was a blackened mess. Though dazed it still rushed them.

They scattered Jana coming with him. Ramali followed the siblings. Sweat covered her brow as she fed asi to the cavern above. He could feel the huge amounts of asi she worked with. Yaeno would need to act soon lest he run the risk of Ramali burning out. Ramali wasn’t the only one feeding asi into a construct. Yaeno had been using the piles of sand around him. They shivered as they tried to form serpents, but Yaeno didn’t let it. His focus wavered for a moment and the serpent he’d kept with Akum faltered. Chunks of it breaking off.

Yaeno walked to the hyena, he singled for the Nesha to step back. Kafini looked close to arguing but Subiri listened. Kafini followed his lead. The hyena seeing him charged, his claws clacking against cave floor. It lowered its head ready to slam into him with all its might. The spines covering its armour would have impaled him. The force pulverising his organs. That is if he let it.

Using the same trick as before Yaeno gathered the sand to his left arm. Instead of one serpent Yaeno used two. The sands flowed as though it was alive, slithering up his legs and back and gathering into the serpents upon his arm. The sand felt warm and coarse, its grains scrapping against him. The hyena was growing close.

Fourteen feet, the sand surge up his back.

Ten feet, the serpents formed their scales golden.

Seven feet Yaeno could see the cracks that had formed along the hyena’s armour. Jana’s attacks most likely.

Four feet the muscles in his legs, arm and back grew taunt.

Two feet the spines along the hyenas came within an inch of his throat.

Yaeno was yanked to the side by serpents. The was no elegance no fluidity, only a quick jerking motion. His feet were dragged long the floor but stayed planted. Yaeno’s fist whipped out the muscles straining. Yaeno smiled as his blow struck the same place as before. A webwork of cracks and fractures spread along the remainder the armour along its jaw. Yaeno’s fists sunk in shuttering teeth. Muscle and skin tore as bone fragments cut through it. Some was his, the rest was the hyenas. The bone in his fist and wrist shuttered under the weight. They were both dragged forward by the momentum.

Together they crashed against a pile of sand. The armoured hyena atop him. Yaeno groaned his breath escaping through his clenched teeth. It was fine Yaeno was exactly where he needed to be. The sand beneath him surged the asi he invested in it answering his call. The sand flowed up and over his arm and into the hyena’s jaw. Serpents formed slithering over him, racing to get into the opening he gave them. The armoured hyena reared its head back as its tried to get back.

“None of that” Yaeno said his voice growing strained.

More serpents exploded from the sand, wrapping themselves around its neck. His nose bled and his head throbbed something fierce. His vision grew bloody as he drew on more asi to feed into the sands. The hyena bucked and fought as sand was forced down its throat. There wasn’t enough room, the serpents fought to slithered passed his arm. Yaeno’s constructs grew weak, his concentration wavering. A serpent that was wrapped around its shoulders came apart. Another that held its feet soon followed.

Sands it isn’t going to be enough.

There wasn’t enough room in the wound he created. Soon enough the beast would break free and that would be it. He was pushed passed his limit. He couldn’t move his arm out of the way.

The winds howled as a claw the size of his body slammed against the hyena back. Pressing it against the sand. Stone stakes shot out from either side of the armoured hyena. Forming an x shape that held him in place. Subiri rushed in, with a yell he grabbed the armoured hyenas jaw and pulled hard. The veins along his pulsing as his muscles strain. There was a desperation in his eyes, fervent and burning hot. For ten passing heartbeats nothing happened. Then ever so slightly its jaws opened. Bit by bit it opened. Giving him the extra room he needed.

“Sand forget you beast” He growled

With that room Yaeno was able to pull his hand free. The beasts’ teeth racked across his already ruined flesh, but Yaeno did not care he had his opening. Like a mass exodus of snakes, they slithered over him, half himself. They slithered through every opening now available to them. Into its mouth through the beasts’ teeth and into its lungs. Snake after snake the pilled in, filling every available space they could find.

Packing as much sand as he could. Yaeno roared and with a muted pop its lungs exploded. Its eyes rolled back and the beast crashed atop him. Yaeno faltered his remaining construct returning to the sand. The armoured beast twitched one, twice, thrice and it was dead. Its blood leaked into the sand turning it crimson. The Nesha around him collapsed into the sand exhausted. Jana leaned against the beast’s neck, her breathing ragged. Subiri lay atop the beast’s head, sucking in as much air as he could.

A low roar sounded echoed around the cave and Yaeno heart sunk. It wasn’t over. Franticly he tried to extract himself from beneath the beast. Jana wearily got to her feet, though she had to lean on the corpse for support. Subiri exhausted as he was still had the strength to summon one last serpent. The air shivered as it started to take form. Sands it wouldn’t form soon enough, the beast had already covered half the distance in the time it took them to get up. Yaeno tried to call the asi to him, but he was denied. Each time he tried to draw upon it, it was as though a nail was being driven into his skull. His fingernails bled as failed to even summon as single serpent too him. Just as the beast was a mere foot away, a flaming digit as tall as Yaeno shot through one of the opening above.

Like a flaming spear of Vekni’s wrath it shot down. Slamming right through the crimson hyena’s body. The flaming digit slammed into the earth a few feet ahead of him and exploded. Flames blew over him as Yaeno covered his face with his good arm. Carried by the momentum the bloodied Yaeno came to rest a next to him. The smell of burnt flesh filled the air, as smoke wafted through it mouth. And from the gaping hole in its chest. Yaeno watched holding his breath but the flaming hole did not heal. The beast was dead.

Yaeno lay there staring up into the sky. They sat in silence until the Nesha got the strength to lift the armoured hyena head and pull him free from beneath it. They all looked rugged, Jana’s ears bled. The whites of Ramali eyes were too soaked in crimson to be called bloodshot. Subiri’s fingers bled from where the creatures’ teeth tore into them. Kafini came limping toward them, before stopping and throwing up blood. They were wasted to say the least.

Though it seems their troubles were far from over. The crimson hyena’s chest swelled as though taking a breath. The crimson mist from before flowed out. The same happened to the armoured hyena. The mist swirled together before returning to Akum. Who inhaled deeply from it.

For fucks sake.

Akum growled his voice carrying. Yips from all around answered his call. The red mist started to heal Akum. His coats grew thick, the colour returning to them. They went from an ashen grey to a deep midnight black. His body grew and wicked spines grew from back down to his tail. With a flick of his tail the grown behind Akum shuttered. Three bloody horns grew from his skull. Eight hyenas raced from the other caverns running head long into the mist. The change soon overcame them.

The state of the Nesha hadn’t improved, the only one who’d be able to do anything was Subiri. But he looked on dismay written across his features. He wasn’t even gathering any asi. They wouldn’t survive another round of this. Especially when they couldn’t guess the type of beasts they would fight. Would all the hyenas take to the mist becoming either armour brutes or crimson blades. With a sigh Yaeno unsheathed his throwing knife. With his good hand he held it high. At least they would die fighting. The sands were kind enough to gift them with that honour.

The Nesha grim acceptance in his eyes and steeled themselves. Accepting their fate. Yaeno raised his blade, placing the flat of it over his heart. The rest mirrored his salute. Even Subiri seemed sobered by the fact. He had lost his spear, and his quiver was empty. From his thigh he unstrapped the machete Yaeno gave him. The air shivered into two distinct places, that was good they would all go down hard. He felt shame at failing the sultan. This would be a serious blow to his standing and power within her empress’s court. Worse yet he would be losing his daughter.

The answer to their plight came in the form of a dishevelled body falling from one of the openings in the roof. She landed in one the sands heaps. Coughing and sputtering as she rolled down it. She came to a stop only a few feet from Akum, his dark crimson eyes looking absolutely dumbfounded.

The woman wore brown baggy pants in the eastern style. She wore a grey top that showed her midriff. A long cloth wrapped around her arms and shoulders bellowed in the wind behinds. Her brown skin was covered in markings and tattoos. A brass bangle lay on a left wrist. Her dark was tied back in a ponytail. It might have looked good once but was now messy and greasy. She turned her spectacled face to Akum, the green eyes behind them sparkling as she looked to their demise with a hunger.

Standing up, the stranger dusted herself off. Akum seeing an easy kill rushed to kill her. The spindly woman looked amused. She turned to them winking before raising a slender arm to Akum. For the rest of his Yaeno would never forget the events that unfolded. A purplish crystal barely as big as his thumbnail shot out. It was slow, even Akum dismissed it. The crystal sailed, imbedding itself in his shoulder. The moment crystal met fur it grew. Engulfing Akums whole shoulder in a single heartbeat. It did not stop growing. Slower than before but still fast enough to see.

Akum came crushing down at the sudden weight. By now the crystal grew had engulfed his whole leg and was still spreading. Akum tried to scratch at it but did zero damage. While his eyes had been on Akum the woman hadn’t had stopped. More purplish crystals were being shot into the hyenas that were still changing.

Some hyenas grew bone armour while others bled and muscle grew. A few though they looked different. The bones that grew around them were more symmetrical and streamlined. They looked more organised and grew with a purpose. They looked sharper, denser, better. Less likely to get in the way. The crystals struck them completely freezing them.

Yaeno saw that she didn’t crystalise all of them. Those she didn’t, Yaeno moved to dispatching one though he fell over soon after. A flaming serpent got the rest, engulfing them whole and leaving charred corpses. None moved. Of the eight seven had changed. Five of those looked dangerous and symmetrical. Yaeno almost felt fear for the first time in years. What would it have been like fighting these.

Looking back to the lady from before he watched as she threw one last crystal completely encasing Akum. As though this was a regular occurrence, she pulled out a notebook and begun jutting notes down.

All the strength left his body and he fell flat on his ass. He took deep, slow breaths. Sweat, dirt and blood covered his skin. Yaeno avoided looking at his arm. Though he caught a glimpse of his ring finger. It looked mangled as hell. His arm throbbed with pain in cadence with his heartbeat. The others sat around him in loose circle just as exhausted. Ramali crashed next to him. She closed her eyes, resting her head against his shoulder. It was while before anyone spoke each of them taking.

“We screwed up, big time” Ramali said to no one in particular. “We almost-“

The last word died on her lips. Though they all knew what she meant. They would each take time to unpack that later. In their own ways. Yaeno opened his eyes. They were all looking at him. None blamed him for what happened, well none except Kafini. It still felt like his failure either way. If only his leadership hadn’t been so lacking.

“Lets worry about that later. We’ve all got wounds that need tending to.”

[Good idea my arms hurt] Jana signed.

Kafini after treating Jana’s wounds. Together they went around treating wounds and handing out elixirs. Yaeno took one of the vials she offered. While Kafini cleaned his wounds, before handing him a wineskin to wash the taste of blood from his mouth. He handed it to Ramali soon after as Jana looked to her wounds. Once cleaned Kafini bandaged his arm. And she was rougher than usual he ignored. She made a splint for his wrist. He was lucky an artery hadn’t ripped.

Sands it hurts.

The blue green liquid sloshed around as he uncorked it. The elixir was vile, slimy and bitter. It took effect after a few passing heartbeats. The pain slowly fading. If Yaeno looked under the bandage, he would find the wounds scabbed over. It wouldn’t last the elixirs were meant to starve of the wounds until not heal them. The would need to return soon.

They all looked better. Ramali but she was watching the stranger. Her hackles raised.

“She’s a rogue Nesha. A hound with no leash. A Nesha’anan” she spat out the last word.

Nesha’anan were rare. There wasn’t shame in not picking a master. Though there were those who would disagree. Many nesha’anan were looked down upon. Most like Ramali would only see exactly as she said, ‘a rabid hound with no leash’. This one was different she was unusually strong, was her third gate still sealed? If it wasn’t by law of forge any with anything passed their third gate unlocked were to be executed on the spot. Still rare were those with strength like that. If a fight was to break out. Yaeno wasn’t sure if he could beat her.

“Someone should speak with her” Kafini said.

“Not it.” Ramali called out.

The others voiced their discontent at having to speak with her. Meaning the responsibility fell upon Yaeno. Of course. Yaeno rested a bit longer, allowing for more of his strength to return. The asi would return but the use of serpents wouldn’t. Not for a while more.

Careful to sheath his weapon, Yaeno walked up to the stranger. She was chewing on the end of a quill. Her fingers were covered in ink and copper rings. It reminded him of Eta, the ink. She didn’t seem to hear them even as Yaeno made sure two scuff his boots at least twice as he approached her.

She was lost in thought. Yaeno took this as the opportunity it was and took a good look at her. Her face was pleasing to the eye. Hawkish, her nose sharp and hooked like the beak of a talon. Her lips though cracked looked gentle and slender. She had a dusting of beauty spots across her face. Yaeno cleared his throat. He had to do it thrice more before he got her attention.

“Hmm? Oh forgive me. I was entranced by this specimen. She is quiet the catch. It was thrilling to say the least. Seeing the strength of the old power still strong within her. Do you see shoulders. See how the mist strengthened it, look at her jaw and her paws. It’s all strengthened yet she has no armour apart from her tail and spine. Does she have selective control over her mutations. Or would these mutations happen gradually. Fascinating isn’t it. Look at the others. Look how sy-”

The words tumbled out of a in quick succession as a small smile danced upon her lips. Her eyes were still on the encased Akum. Yet Yaeno knew if he looked at them, He would still see the fire from before. She spoke, gesturing animatedly with the hand holding the quill. Yaeno found himself leaning towards her as she spoke almost entranced by her words. It was her voice he found himself drawn to. She spoke deeply energized with her findings.

“Wait, did you just say Akum was a she?”

“Why yes, can’t you see with the shape of her-Oh for sands sake please don’t tell me you’ve been reading the Libere Bestiri. The man who wrote that book was a quack with little to no fieldwork under his name to back up his claims. I can recommend a few works that are better suited for you and more informative.” She squinted in irritation as she spoke.

There was more to this than she let on. Yaeno could see how her lips twisted in disgust, how her eyes glassed over as a memory resurfaced. Another thing to add to ‘do this late’ list. Now how was Yaeno to approach this situation with care, lest he dishonour his sultan.

“Thank you for saving us back there. I wasn’t sure how many more of those abominations we could handle by ourselves.”

She wasn’t looking at him as she answered her eyes still on the crystalised Akum and his beasts.

“Hmm oh, I wasn’t saving you. I was catching a prime specimen. The fact that you were saved wasn’t my intention only a consequence of my actions. Though I don’t regret it…darling.” A smile played on her lips as he answered.

Heat rushed to Yaeno cheeks. He hid his pleasure behind a frown. Yaeno thought turning over her words. She said this as though it was a matter of fact. There was no underlying tone hidden in her meaning, no bite. She truly believed that them being saved was only a consequence of her wanting a specimen.

“Still I would like to thank you”

She smiled at him, her smile deep and dazzling. For a moment Yaeno felt like a hare, his foot within a snare. He’d let his guard down and she knew it. He froze feeling as those any move would further entangle him in her trap.

“Quite the generous one are you. I wouldn’t dare refuse such a kind offer.” She turned back to her specimen her smile turning wolfish “Well you could deliver these form me”

“Where to?”

In that moment, as sure as the sands are unending. Yaeno felt the trap grown taunt. Ensnaring him completely.

“To your sultans palace of course, Darling” She smiled her dazzling smile.

Sands she was good. Just like that she had gotten herself an audience with the sultan using his authority. Ashes have her. With Honeyed words and a charming smile she’d utterly and completely disarmed him.

“Will you ride with us?”

“Of course.”

She looked a touch sad as she smiled. With a nod Yaeno left her to her notes. He’d caught a few of the notes she made. He barely understood her messy, sprawling handwriting. It was the handwriting of a person who tried to cram as much as they could into every inch of their book.

Trudging back to the Nesha. Yaeno’s irritation evaporated. The colour had returned to most of them. Ramali stood straighter and Subiri no longer favoured him shoulder.

[How did it go?]

“She’s…interesting but we’ve come to an agreement. As a show of thanks, I’ll arrange for the beasts to be transported on her behalf.”

“Where to?”

“To the Sultans palace” Yaeno said with a sigh.

***

“So these are the so called shadows?” Kafini’s asked kicking the creature over.

It was long and sleek almost the same size as Ajali. Its body lacking fat, the beast was made of only sinew. Spines stuck out of its back and shoulder as well as in its tail. It hard two jet black eyes on either side of its head, that starred at them lifelessly. When it was alive it must’ve had marking than burned along its body like most djinn. Like burning coals but were now white and lifeless. Its throat had been ripped out. A small blessing since they were still too exhausted to fight.

“I think we found our culprits” he said.

A shadow moved behind Kafini. Subiri’s lips moved, a warning on them. He’d seen the same thing as Yaeno. It was too late. A hissing sound cut through the silence as Kafini was peppered with black spines. What had they done to anger the sands to deserve this.

Ramali shot flames at the djinn that was lurking in the shadows. The flames were weak some dying before reaching their target. The shadow was nibble and easily dodged the attack. Its claws bit into the walls allowing it to hang and move around unhindered. It arms were long, skinny and made of sinew. It had three claw tipped fingers.

Another crawled out of the darkness, but Yaeno was ready. His sword curved out, scoring the djinn across its face. A throwing knife glinted in the cavelight, before burying itself hilt deep in the djinns rightmost eye. His last blade. The djinn let out a wounded whine as it crawled away into the darkness leaving a trail of red glowing ichor.

Subiri rushed to his sibling’s side, many of the spines had struck her arm and chest. One had even imbedded itself within her cheek. He picked up one of the fallen spines. They didn’t seem to be releasing any poison and when he broke one it was hollow. These were the same beasts that had entered the city.

Kafini let out a wheezing breath and Yaeno cursed. The spines had passed right through her armour and into her chest. Puncturing a lung. A wave of spines shot out from the cave the djinn had retreated to. Using the sand from before Yaeno created a wall of barely formed snakes. Yaeno groaned as his head throbbed. Yaeno wasn’t fast enough. He felt dull taps against his rights arm and shoulder. Sands be kind, at least it wasn’t his injured arm.

It was too soon to use his asi this way. The wall collapsed, the sand dead. Giving his arm and shoulder a quick glance he saw three spines sticking from it. Yaeno would deal with that later.

The djinns jumped out from the darkness. Making a beeline for Kafini. Yaeno and the Nesha surrounded her giving them no quarter. The rogue Nesha, Nimue was her name was next to him watching with a morbid fascination. She had no weapons expect the spine she absently twirled in her palm. The tip was bloody. When did she…Yaeno looked down to his shoulder once more finding one of the spines missing.

They were still exhausted, Ramali gave up on using asi instead she held her short swords at the ready. Subiri was yet to release his vipers, though he held his machete close to him. His knuckles white as he gripped it. Yaeno and Jana worked hard to keep the two djinn at bay. Her cutlass and his blade drawing blood where they could. But the djinns were too fast, none of their blades bit deep.

“She’s dying we need to go Yaeno!” Subiri yelled over the fight.

“I know! I know…just give me a second let me think of something” Yaeno said “Minue can you do anything?”

Another volley of spines shot out, Yaeno dodged the ones he could. Shielding Kafini as best as he could. His injures flared. Yaeno bit back a moan as fire trailed up his shuttered wrist. Jana was doing better than him her weapon scoring one of the djinn. Taking a clawed digit.

Nimue looked to him as though remembering where she was. She stopped twirling the spine she held.

“My apologies darling, but I used most of my asi earlier. Though I don’t look it, anymore and I run risk of collapsing. I’m sure you don’t require another body to lug around.”

“I’d take the risk. We’ll all die if we can’t help us.”

A frown broke her lean face. Even then she was beautiful. She looked deep in thought, weighing her options. Was she that willing to abandon them.

With a sigh she knelt. Yaeno followed suit. He could feel the Asi she gathered in her hands. She collapsed against her draw too deep. Her eyes fluttered struggling to stay awake. Yaeno lay her down, opening her palm to find a small purple crystal in the shape of a turtle’s beak.

“It is as you say darling. Here have this.”

With a flourish she handed him the purple gem its hue lighter than the rest.

“The minute it comes into contact with the djinn it will entrap it fully. The second it happens; it will take a great deal of my asi. Rendering me useless. I will be in your care darling.” She .

Blood trailed down her nose. Her eyes were turning blood shot. What she said had been true, the last had taken much from her. Grasping it Yaeno turned back to the fight. The Djinn had come closer.

“Rami switch with me, I’ll draw their attention.” Her answer was a curt nod. “Subiri, when I give the signal use everything thing you have left. Hold it and you may make it out of this.”

There was no answer from him, he was rushing forward. For this plan to work someone needed to fall. To break, to die. It would be him. Sands it had to be had to be him. He was the one who failed them, he was the one who betrayed them. At least now they listened to him. The djinn, the one he’d scored across the face saw him. Its remaining green eyes on him. He only had one chance at salvaging this situation.

With a groan Yaeno poured the little asi he recovered into a single construct. A serpent as thick as his arm formed from the sands. Placing the gem within the folds of his shirt. Yaeno ran past the djinn. A clawed hand and spikes shot out ready to cut through him. Yaeno twisted away, the claw reaping through what little remained of his armour and the tail nicking his temple.

Yaeno ran refusing to look back. He would trust in them with his life. Always he would. With the growls and hisses he heard, he knew the djinn followed close behind. He had the tell telltale signs of spines being shot, Yaeno dodged to side. Spines whistled passed. Yaeno had reached the spot he’d been aiming for. The cavern wall stood before him. The serpent uncoiled from his hand and slithered up the wall dragging with it.

The scarred djinn as if sensing his plan. Jumped upon the wall raced up to meet him. The serpent yanked him up. His arm jolting painfully. Like a war hounded smelling blood the djinn raced to cut him off from the reaching the top. Thinking he wanted to escape maybe.

Two birds one stone.

That was the sum of his plan. He would find a way to get rid of both djinns. He snaked up the coarse walls, the serpent unceremoniously dragging him upwards. At the speed he was going at the djinns would cut him off, no doubt. Yaeno was out of throwing knives. As a djinn reached for a hand hold, a spike shot out. Tearing through both shoulder and side.

For a precious few seconds, it stalled. Buying him the time he needed. Yaeno looked to Jana, her face pale and blooded. She nodded to him her face grim. If he survived this there was a eastern cider with her name on it. Sadly, the wound hadn’t been deep enough. The djinn returned to its chase with a hiss.

The earth beckoned to him. He’d been dragged up to a dizzying height. Like a cord being snapped, Yaeno construct finally failed.

For a moment Yaeno was weightless, his body suspended mid-air. The scarred djinn sensing its opportunity leaped off towards him, the other bello followed suit. They planned to meet him in the middle as he fell. All of it seemed to be happening in slow- mo. The two djinn sailing towards him from opposite sides.

He could see all play out in his minds eye. The scarred djinn would crash into him, its teeth sinking into his exposed throat. The other would crash into his midriff cutting him in half. Ending whatever half-baked plan he had. That is if he was a lesser man. Tento would’ve failed in that moment. Not Yaeno of house Maveri. Not him. Time returned to normal as a bone tipped tail buried itself deep into his shoulder. They fell, the Djinn jaws going for his throat. They fell together, the wind rustling passed his ears as gravity made its rule known.

With a smile Yaeno said.

“Now! Subiri!”

Flames blossomed beneath him. The heat rising to scorch him. The djinn face him, face to face turned to flames by a fraction. Giving him the opening he needed, a serpent smaller than any he’d made before slithered from his tattered clothes Carrying a purple crystal.

Before the jaws could snapped shut. The snake slammed into the djinn, crystal meeting flesh. It was instantaneous. The moment crystal touched djinn it grew. Quickly spreading out and covering a quarter of its body. Yaeno grabbed its tail, ripping it free with a groan and using the last of his strength to swing the djinn downwards. The flaming viper had reached them, engulfing all three of them in sizzling flame. The crystallised djinn took the brunt of the attack, even then the flames still licked at him. Singeing his hair and clothes.

Engulfed in flame and chocking on soot, they came crashing down with a wet splat. The impact alone stole Yaeno’s breath from him. He struggled, chocking on nothing. The cave had gone silent. The only sounds being his quiet chocking. He swallowed mouthful after mouthful of air yet none reaching his lungs. His heartbeat, which had started out fast was slowing. His vision swimming.

Even as his suffocated, Yaeno looked upwards. His mind turning to the deserts above. Dunes still formed, the sands still flowed, and winds still blew. In that moment Yaeno came into a crisp and clear understanding. It shattered his very perception of the world. In those quiet heartbeats, Yaeno came to understand that even if he died today. Even if his last breath was drawn. The world would keep dredging on. Nothing would have changed, the sands would still be the sands, the Nesha still the Nesha and the sultan still the sultan. What was his life in the grand scheme of things.

With each slowing heartbeat the world grew dark. There were voice’s but he couldn’t their owners. A fist struck his chest, then another and another. Each blow growing more frantic, with each iteration. It was too late. Closing his eyes, Yaeno slipped into the cold sands of Aetr.

***

The man that was not a man watched as the Nesha dragged the half dead nesha away. There were still kisa, in the surrounding cave system. He could use them to kill all the nesha but he thought against it. The experiment was pointless now. He had gathered what he needed. The dozens of kisa he left hidden in the caves stirred. He called them home. He ordered them to bring back two of the samples exquisite variations Akum had created.

Cutting the connection, he had through the crystal ball he stood. The man turned to his lab, jars full of viscous fluid, carrying limbs and organs twinkled in the sunstones light. Many were human, others…others were abominations of his own making. He ignored them looking to the body that floated in a large vat in the centre of the colossus room. Hundreds of tubes each carrying a different concoction ran into it. The pale body he starred at floated in amber, pipes and needles connecting to it body. Copper bars impaled its body at regular intervals. The eldritch symbols etched into them glowed with an light before going dim. They would repeat that pattern of glowing and diming at a steady rhythm. Like that of a heartbeat.

Its eyes were shut, even if the opened it would mean nothing. For hundreds of years, he tried to create true life. And for hundreds of years, he failed. The things he created acted on instincts he stole from a thousand different animals. That wasn’t life, they were mere puppets. Slaves to the habits he put in them. If not for him they wouldn’t breathe, they wouldn’t eat, they wouldn’t sleep. They would just be. They were lifeless husks. They disgusted him.

All of them were failures, even the one that floated in the amber tank. It too lacked the breath of life, the fire of promethi. It was a lifeless doll. But the man who was not a man could sense it. He could feel it. This doll was the cumulations of centuries of work. It would be his magnus opus. All it needed was the fire. And the non-man, like promethi would steal that fire from the gods. All he had to do was wait, wait for the gods to return to the lands. When they did he would take from them what was rightfully his.

Closing the ancient doors to his labs the man walked out. Through flights of stairs long hidden and forgotten. Through tunnels and pathways that had gathered generations of dust. The man walked through them all. Opening the sole exit and entrance the man that was not a man, entered a different lab. This one was messy, notes, charts, pictures and specimens lay everywhere. The room lacked much of his true equipment. Plants and herbs lined the walls, inks and needles filled his table, lesser philtres and potions filled his shelves. The man who was now a man ruffled his hair, smeared ink across his cheeks.

Opening the door the man found a single guard asleep. Passing him as quiet as he could be the man that was now a man walked to the gardens. Here he could overlook the city. A sprawling mass of life each with a fire inside them that let them truly live. Spires reaching almost to the sky littered the city. Colossus domes and hundreds of street crisscrossing between them. Canals and streams littered the city of gold. The city was spectacular, the homes grand and the people happy. Four prestigious island floated nearby, chained to the city limits by great chains hammered into the earth. Two of them poured a flood of water from them. Feeding the very canals of the city with their lifeblood.

What was another ten, maybe even a thousand years to him. He would find that fire however long it took.