Seven days. That was how long since Ed and Clayton departed on their mission. As days turned into a frustrating wait, Alexia's anxiety and impatience began to brew like a storm within her. She found herself growing increasingly frustrated, not just with the absence of Ed and Clayton but also with her inability to properly care for Emily.

She blamed herself for letting Ed go on that mission. Thoughts of his death crossed her mind but she quickly erased them. Merlin taught her to be strong in situations such as these and she won’t let him down.

One evening, as Emily's mechanical side began to falter, Alexia's anger reached its boiling point. The mechanical components whirred unevenly, and Emily's movements became jerky and erratic. Panicking, Alexia attempted to diagnose and fix the issue, but her frustration got the better of her. She had no experience with maintaining a mechanical body, and it was painfully evident.

Emily, sitting on a nearby chair, watched as Alexia fumbled with tools and wires, her eyes filled with concern. Finally, she couldn't hold back her emotions any longer. "Alexia, you're not doing it right," Emily said, her voice wavering with a mix of vulnerability and frustration.

Alexia slammed down one of the tools in frustration, her anger flaring. "I know that, Emily! I don't understand any of this. I never should have taken you away from Clayton. He's the one who knows how to take care of you properly."

Tears welled up in Emily's eyes as her mechanical side continued to malfunction. "But you promised you'd take care of me. You promised you'd be here for me when he's gone." She sniffled, her voice trembling. "I don't want to be a burden, Alexia."

Her words struck Alexia hard, her anger slowly dissipating as she realized how much she'd let her frustration affect her relationship with the girl she began to care for in the past week.

She knelt beside Emily, gently wiping away her tears. "I'm sorry, Emily. You're not a burden. It's just... I miss them, and I'm worried about them. But that's no excuse for me to neglect my promise to you."

Emily looked into Alexia's eyes, her expression still vulnerable but more forgiving. "I miss them too, but I need you now. We can figure this out together, right?"

Alexia nodded, her determination returning. "Yes, we can. We'll figure out how to make you function perfectly again, and we'll keep waiting for Ed and Clayton. We're in this together, Emily. Come we’ll find an artificer who can fix you, I mean this city is filled with them so how hard can it be"

With the last of her coins, Alexia had led Emily on a journey through the bustling streets of the city in search of an artificer who could repair her mechanical components. Their first stop was at the prestigious shop "Gilded Gears," where the finely crafted clockwork creations gleamed in the windows. But as soon as they mentioned their limited funds, the disdainful gaze of the shopkeeper sent them away.

They continued their quest, entering one artificer's shop after another, only to be met with similar disappointment. Finally, weary and disheartened, they found a quiet corner in a dimly lit alleyway to rest.

Emily's mechanical parts whirred softly as she sat beside Alexia, who was overcome with guilt. "I'm so sorry, Emily," Alexia began, her voice heavy with regret. "I thought I could find someone to fix you, but I failed. I let you down."

Emily reached out and gently placed a hand on Alexia's shoulder, her touch surprisingly warm for a mechanical hand. "Alexia, you haven't let me down. You've done everything you could to help me, and that means the world to me."

Tears welled up in Alexia's eyes as she looked at Emily's reassuring face. "But I promised to take care of you, and I haven't been able to do that properly. You deserve so much better than this."

A soft smile crossed Emily's face, and she spoke with unwavering faith. "You've been here for me, even when things were tough. You've been the best friend I could ever hope for."

Alexia wiped away her tears and leaned in to give Emily a heartfelt hug. "Thank you, Emily. “

Then she saw something, in front of her was a door. On it a sign read “Thaddeus Ironwood, World Renowned Artificer”. Seeing no other options she opened the door.

As Alexia and Emily entered the dimly lit building with its dusty air, they were greeted by a musty odor that seemed to have settled into every corner. Inside, the space was small and cramped, filled with shelves stacked haphazardly with peculiar mechanical devices and half-finished inventions. Gears and cogs lay scattered on the cluttered workbenches. Sunlight struggled to filter through the layers of grime on the windows.

Just as Alexia was about to turn away, a voice rang out from behind one of the cluttered counters. "Ooh, customers!" it exclaimed with excitement. From behind a wall of gears and devices emerged an elderly man, short and stooped with age. He wore tattered clothing, stained with oil and grease, and his scruffy white beard reached down to his chest.

The man's eyes twinkled and his gnarled hands bore the marks of countless hours spent tinkering. His crooked smile revealed several missing teeth as he approached them, the floor creaking beneath his worn boots.

"I'm Thaddeus," he introduced himself with a warm grin, extending a grease-covered hand toward them. "The World’s greatest Artificer, they call me."

Alexia remained skeptical, crossing her arms as she examined Thaddeus. "You don't look like a world-renowned artificer," she remarked bluntly.

Thaddeus chuckled, his raspy laughter echoing in the cluttered workshop. "Appearances can be deceiving, my dear. I assure you, I am excellent at what I do." His eyes then fell upon Emily, and he strode closer to examine her mechanical body. In a matter of moments, he identified the issue.

"It's a malfunction in the auxiliary Galarium conduit, isn't it?" Thaddeus said, looking up with a knowing gleam in his eyes.

Alexia was taken aback, impressed by his quick diagnosis. "Yes, it is. Can you fix it?"

Thaddeus nodded, a wily smile forming on his lips. "I can indeed, but my services come at a price."

Alexia sighed, realizing that even in a rundown place like this, nothing came for free. She reached into her coin pouch, counting out what little money she had left. "Will this be enough?"

Thaddeus shook his head, a sly grin stretching across his face. "Oh, my dear, I'm afraid this amount won't suffice." He seemed determined to squeeze every last coin from Alexia.

If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

Just as Alexia's patience began to wear thin, a voice from behind the cluttered counter chimed in, "Gramps, are you speaking to yourself again?" She appeared to be in her early twenties, her face smudged with grease and her clothes a patchwork of fabric and leather. Her short, unruly chestnut hair framed her freckled face, and her vibrant green eyes sparkled

Spotting Alexia and Emily, she dropped the box she had been carrying, the contents spilling out in her surprise. She hurried over to them, brushing her hands on her apron. "Customers?" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with excitement. "Are you here to buy our services?"

Alexia sighed, glancing at the still-grinning Thaddeus, who had been hoping for a bigger payout. "Well, yes," she replied hesitantly, "but your grandfather said it's too expensive, so we were planning to leave."

The young woman shot her grandfather an exasperated look and then turned back to Alexia with a warm smile. "I'm sorry about that," she said, extending her hand. "I'm Elara, and I assure you, we're not as greedy as he makes us seem. We'll gladly take whatever coins you can offer."

Alexia shook Elara's hand, noting the genuine kindness in her eyes. She couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that they might have found not just an artificer but a compassionate one. "I'm Alexia, and this is Emily. We'd appreciate your help, Elara."

Elara's smile grew wider as she turned her attention to Emily. "Don't worry, Emily. We'll get you fixed up in no time."

Thaddeus muttered a string of colorful curses under his breath, directing his frustration at his granddaughter. He couldn't believe that she had let potential customers slip away without trying to squeeze out more coins from them, even though he was well aware that he had been overzealous with his initial demands.

He was frustrated but for now, he’ll let it go. After all, he was the greatest artificer in Gear Gate and the father of the current Grand Magister. Surely he’ll receive many customers one day and the ship would be filled with people clambering for his expertise.

But for now, he could only hope.

A cloud of Sand fell over them. It was not from nature but from the claws of the Colossal Sandstalker. Despite being so large, its speed was impressive.

“How are we supposed to defeat that thing, it’s massive!”

"We don't have to defeat it, just survive! Keep moving, keep dodging, and we'll think of a plan!" Clayton yelled back

Ed and Clayton zigzagged and darted, just enough to keep them out of reach of the gargantuan creature's jaws and claws. They took cover behind dunes, rocks, and even the wreckage of the Caravan, anything that could shield them from the beast's wrath.

The scorching desert sun beat down upon them, adding to their fatigue, but they dared not slow down. They knew that in the face of such overwhelming power, their only chance was to outmaneuver and outlast the colossal Sandstalker.

“Come on think of something, think Clayton think” Clayton's mind raced as he tried to come up with a plan, any plan, that could turn the tide of this deadly pursuit. The colossal Sandstalker seemed to grow more frustrated and aggressive.

Clayton tossed a small vial to Ed, who caught it with trembling hands. "Drink this, it's a stamina potion," Clayton urged.

Ed hesitated for a moment, eyeing the murky liquid inside the vial. With no other choice, he uncorked it and took a deep gulp. The taste was foul, like a mixture of bitter herbs and something far worse, but the effects were immediate. He could feel a sudden surge of energy coursing through his veins, revitalizing his weary muscles.

Gasping for breath and trying to steady his racing heart, Ed managed a grateful nod. "Thanks," he muttered.

Clayton, his face etched with worry and determination, raised his vial and drank the potion in one swift motion. Just as he lowered the empty vial, a colossal swipe from the Sandstalker obliterated the Caravan they had been hiding beneath, showering them with debris.

"Time to move!" Clayton shouted, his voice tinged with urgency, and they darted away from the collapsing wreckage sliding down a dune.

As they slid down the dune, gasping for breath, they stumbled upon Aric, who lay battered but alive. Their eyes met, and Ed and Clayton helped him up.

"Are you okay?" Ed asked

Aric nodded weakly. "Thanks to you two, I'm still in one piece. However, my riches are gone and that thing is going to kill us all”

Clayton's mind was already whirring with ideas, and he turned to Ed. "Is your spear still enchanted to come back to you when you call it?"

Ed nodded. "Yes, it should work."

Clayton reached into his bag and pulled out a small orb pulsing with a mesmerizing blue light. He held it up for them to see. "This is a prototype bomb I made. It's powerful, and we can use it to defeat the Sandstalker. Follow my plan and we will be able to kill that thing"

Just as Clayton finished explaining, the monstrous Sandstalker appeared over the dune, casting a looming shadow over them, its massive frame threatening to crush them beneath its bulk. With no time to waste, they hurriedly began enacting his plan of action

Ed, Clayton, and Aric sprang into action, splitting into three directions as they had planned.

Aric, though trembling with fear, managed to steady his voice as he drew the Sandstalker's attention. "Hey, you overgrown lizard! Come get a taste of this!"

His voice quivered but rang out clearly. It was as if he was a beacon calling to the sandstalker. He dashed away, leading the massive creature toward a distant dune, he was not cut out to be a decoy. A merchant like him degraded to doing something like this for survival, it was outrageous.

Clayton clutched the prototype bomb tightly, trying to figure out the mechanics and timing required to make it work effectively. He regretted only getting the prototype instead of the real thing.

The Sandstalker, its colossal form dwarfing the dunes around it, lunged forward with a vicious swipe of its massive claw. Aric, trembling and desperate, managed to evade the deadly blow by a hair's breadth. The searing winds of the desert seemed to echo with his racing heartbeat as he dodged the attack.

However, the real turn of fortune came as the Sandstalker, driven by the intensity of its pursuit, charged straight ahead, heedless of the landscape ahead. It crashed headlong into a towering dune, its titanic body disappearing into the mound of sand in a cataclysmic collision.

Sand erupted into the air, enveloping the beast and leaving only its tail and lower body visible, thrashing wildly. It seemed momentarily disoriented by the abrupt stop, giving Aric a precious opportunity to distance himself further.

Sensing his opportunity, Ed enacted his part of the plan. He ran up behind the stuck Standstalker and began climbing.

Ed's ascent up the colossal Sandstalker was nothing short of harrowing. Its rough, textured scales provided a treacherous surface that offered little in the way of a secure grip. Each movement required an immense effort as he dug his fingers into the sandy, scaly ridges. The creature's relentless thrashing made the task even more daunting.

As he climbed, the relentless desert wind howled in his ears, stinging his face with grains of sand. His muscles screamed in protest, and beads of sweat mingled with the desert dust on his forehead. With each upward scramble, he was acutely aware of the enormous creature's power beneath him, and the sensation of vertigo threatened to overtake him.

“I survived countless assassins, a burning forest, and a winged bear,” he thought as he gripped the scales tightly. “I won’t let an overgrown lizard get in my way”

The beast's sand-covered scales were rough and abrasive beneath his fingertips, making it difficult to maintain his precarious grip. As he scrambled for stability, his hand brushed against a vulnerable spot in the Sandstalker's plated hide. It was a momentary stroke of luck, a tiny chink in the formidable armor that protected the beast. Without hesitation, Ed thrust his spear into the gap, driving it deep into the creature's flesh.

A guttural roar erupted from the Sandstalker's maw, echoing through the desert as it convulsed in pain. Ed's grip faltered, and he was sent tumbling from the creature's back, landing hard in the sand as the beast thrashed and writhed, its struggles to free itself intensifying.

The sands around him swirled in a chaotic dance, obscuring his vision of the colossal creature. Despite the pain from his fall and the turmoil surrounding him, Ed knew that he had inflicted significant damage on the Sandstalker. But whether it would be enough to subdue the monstrous desert predator remained uncertain.

Clayton sprinted up the sandy dune, adrenaline in his veins. He had to time this perfectly, or their audacious plan would fail. Figuring the bomb out was not easy but they gave him enough time to figure it out.

As the colossal Sandstalker thrashed and roared, he could feel the vibrations through the sand beneath his boots.

Summoning all his strength, he launched himself into the air, propelled by a combination of fear and sheer determination. His fingers brushed the air as he sailed toward the towering creature, and for a terrifying moment, it seemed as though he might miss his mark. But then, with a desperate lunge, Clayton managed to grasp the hilt of the spear embedded in the Sandstalker's back.

Pain shot through his arms as he clung to the weapon, his entire body swinging precariously above the maw of the voracious desert beast. He vaulted himself up clinging onto the Sandstalkers back. The Spear disappeared and reappeared in Ed’s hand.

Ed had summoned his spear back to him, the weapon hurtling through the air with unerring accuracy. He remembered something in the martial arts tome he bought, it was a technique used by the Navali people of the Rakadian Jungles in order to hunt for wild beasts. The spear pierced into it’s eye blinding it. The creature's agonized shriek echoed across the desert as it reared back, its enormous jaws gaping wide.

Clayton knew that this was their moment. With grim determination, he activated the prototype bomb he had created, the pulsing light stopping replaced with a constant band of blue. Time seemed to slow as he hurled the bomb into the Sandstalker's gaping maw, the creature's hot, fetid breath washing over him.

With the explosive device now inside the Sandstalker's belly, Clayton knew he had to get away. He released his hold, dropped to the ground, and rolled away just as the colossal creature's entire body convulsed. A deafening explosion rocked the desert, sending a plume of sand and debris into the sky.

The Sandstalker's roar turned into a guttural, horrifying scream as its body was torn apart from the inside. Sand and scales rained down upon the desert, creating a dust cloud that swallowed the remains of the colossal beast.

Blood, gore, and dismembered chunks of the colossal creature were propelled into the air in a gruesome, macabre display. The sky above them was painted with dark, viscous fluids that sprayed out in every direction.

Clayton and Ed, lying on the sand just beyond the blast radius, were helpless as the rain of gore descended upon them. The crimson raindrops splattered upon their faces, mingling with the fine layer of desert dust, creating a gruesome mask that obscured their features. Thick tendrils of dark blood clung to their clothes, staining the fabric a gruesome shade of red.

Ed shook a piece of meat off him. He felt great, he felt alive. The great beast of the desert obliterated with his help. He felt like the greatest adventurer in the world. Then he examined his surroundings.

There was only Sand in the depraved wastes. Sand and blood