His vision was blurry. His head bounced rhythmically, as if he was walking with borrowed feet. The horizon's angle shifted with every step. His eyes opened wide as he tried to raise his benumbed hands. It was impossible. He was tied up.

"Oi, the boy has woken up!" a voice coming from in front of him shouted. Katsuo stopped moving and stuck his eyes to the ground.

After some brief moments he felt the straps that held him loosen up and his body was let loose to fall in the hands of the two men.

"Hey, can you stand up?" one of them asked. Katsuo observed him without saying a word. The man was dressed in a white thobe that covered his whole body, having a wide cut in the neck. His face was scarred from the wrinkles that ended near his eyes, which where hidden behind a set of round metal goggles. He had a small triangular beard and his mustache twirled up in a weird fashion. He was about forty years old. The other man stood behind him. He had an especially large build and was dressed in a large khaki trench coat. On the inside, with the help of the soft breeze, someone could notice a vest and deeper a white shirt tied with a black tie. His white pants led to two brown boots. His hands where covered by a set of red leather gloves. His head was completely shaved, except a line of hair that were lifted, like pointy red spikes, towards the sky. He was younger than the first by, at least, a decade. Katsuo pushed himself to stand up.

"You need to take it slow. Your wounds were serious" said the one with the goggles "I'm Jokku, by the way, and he's Kugi." What's your name?"

"Katsuo" said the kid as he supported his body using both his hands. Then he touched his chest, trying to locate the Stone. It wasn't there. The image of the white armor flooded his mind's eye.

"You lookin' for this?" asked Jokku as he pulled the glowing stone from his side's pocket. Katsuo nodded, looking at the soft light. The man came close to him and left it in his palm with a carefree gesture: "It's a fine stone. Where did you get it?"

"Someone gave it to me." said the young man wearing the amulet around his neck.. The blue glow at the horizon reappeared, completely aligned with their course. "I see...: said Jokku with a big smile as he walked towards the camels that snorted next to them. Kugi didn't move an inch. He stood still across Katsuo, piercing him with his serious look.

"So, are you able to stand up straight now? We need to get going. Amber City is still far away." said Jokku.

The young man tried to raise his body, but his weakened powers only allowed him to support his back on a stone behind him.  

"I'm sorry." he said looking down.

"It's okay, it's okay." said Jokku as he smilingly brought him some water "Do your wounds hurt you?"

"No." Katsuo answered, taking a greedy sip "They don't hurt at all."

"Hm, I see...Here, eat this." said and offered some wide green leaves.. The young man took them and examined them troubled. "It's okay, they will help you recover."

Katsuo brought them in front of his mouth and took a hesitant bite. His eyes opened wide from the surprise:

"It tastes like meat! No, better than meat!". Jokku burst into laughter:

"Exactly, exactly. Those are the leafs of Xikixi tree. It's a small carnivorous tree that can be found in the East Jungles of this country. Its leaves taste like the animal the tree last ate and are very nutritious. But they are also very rare, since the Xikixi tree can be as dangerous as a furious tiger when it senses it's in danger..."

"Then I shouldn't be eating something so hard to get" said the young man and offered the leaves back, even though his stomach was grumbling.

"No, please continue, we happen to have quite a lot on our stash." Jokku responded "So, what brings you on this part of the Desert?"

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Katsuo became serious.

"I need to go to Amber City."Jokku smiled.

"We know that much. What we don't know is how you've end up lying in the desert, unconscious, in a pool of blood."

"Hmm, the the last thing I remember is this metallic suit."

"A metallic suit?"

Katsuo told his story from the start, with the events that  took place at the Graveyard, followed by Kapitan Izaz and leading to him falling unconscious in front of the shiny metallic armor. He didn't feel threatened by the two men, so he didn't hide anything. As he finished his narration he added:

"...and so, I ended up here, with you guys. I can't begin to thank you, for your kind treatment."

"Oi oi, it's nothing really." Jokku responded and immediately looked at the sky  thoughtfully "But it troubles me. The city you said you encountered those bandits, is supposed to be at least 120 km from where we've found you. You definitely didn't cover this distance by yourself. Maybe someone carried you there? Well, it's no time for such thoughts, we should proceed. The sun is falling and this time of day is the best for traveling. Can you get up now?"

The boy retried and it now was much easier. His hands have found their lost strength, as well as his legs. The difference was impressionable.

"Heh, Xikixi leaves..." said Jokku turning to his camel and tidying some of the bags strapped on its side.

"So, what do you guys do here?" Katsuo asked, mounting a camel with a single jump.  Kugi also mounted his, which was at the back, and Jokku did the same at the one at the front. "Right now, we are travelers." Jokku responded.

"Travelers? That means you 've got stories to tell." said Katsuo carelessly, as he arranged his possessions at the back of his camel. The man looked slightly surprised and then turned to the young boy. "I guess so..." he said.

"So tell me, how was it at the jungles you spoke about previously?"

"The East Jungles... Well I guess you can say it was an interesting place..."

Jokku continued to talk for hours, recounting amazing adventures and unexpected incidents that took place on his travels. Travels so often associated with the goal of finding an ancient treasure, an extremely rare plant or an ancient mythical beast.  Kugi silently listened, possibly with an expression of slight  distress from the unending babbling of his comrade. Katsuo slowly dozed off in a sweet sleep.

Big white clouds covered the sky filling the desert's sand with playful shadows.

" We're here" came Kugi's voice from behind Katsuo's back. The boy was so surprised o hear the mans hoarse voice that he turned around to see him, with his sleepy eyes.  He had managed to sleep on top of the camel and thus felt a little rested. The last thing he remembered was Jokku recounting an adventure, in which he was forced to fight some crocodiles. Then he had surrendered once again to sleep. The last day's travel and tension was exhausting. Kugi was as cold and unmoved as ever, when his eyes met the boy's. Katsuo turned and Jokku nodded affirmatively.

"Where...Where are we?" said the boy in between tow scary yawns "Damn, I need more sleep. I can't function without sleep..."

"Well, look..." Jokku responded.

Th blur in his eyes withdrew and he was able to distinguish a large volume in front of them. The clouds moved a little, allowing some of sun's rays to fall on top of the large stone gate. Walls stretched on the left and right side of the gate, as long as the eye could see.

"...Amber City?" Katsuo stuttered.

"Yes. Let's not stop though, since we are so close."

Katsuo nodded affirmatively and followed Jokku, as their camels descended the small sand dune.