Several months had passed, during that time Gabba had built up a strong bond with both Goo and Esta, even making some friends with the village members and a few from the neighboring villages within the seventh ring.

Still, during all that time Gabba never once was able to gather any information on the inner rings, information on that was kept highly confidential and for good reason, rumors has it that the Prisoners Faction of the South has tried may times to infiltrate them.

Though also all attempts are shot down by the elites who govern the top,

"It's beens four months now since I've been here, and all I can truly say is that the Clans of the BlackDesert are true monstrous. Just their physical structure alone would place them above a SliverStar Sentry, which means that almost in every village throughout the Rings must have a least a squad of BlackStar Sentries.... what a terrifying Clan", Gabba thought to himself as he laid under a desert tree,

*Glances*

"Mmmmm. What an ass......, He's new." Gabba thought as this new figure obstructedhis view, from afar a strange individual had existed from the gate which separated the sixth and seventh, immediately upon his arrival the atmosphere changed.

Just like Roama and the other he had a snake like tattoo.

A while back Roama had explained that upon the age of five a child will receive his or her markings from the BlackSnake by drinking a drop of it's venom, afterwards a marking will appear in the from of a snakehead, which causes the appearanceof the ash markings to appear. The ash marking is call Desert Armor, A black thick outer layer of smoothen sand that appears upon their skin, which becomes harder with time, the snake tattoo then grows as the amount of flow one can produce grows, meaning the larger ones tattoo the larger his flow reserves are.

Suddenly appearing before him were all the heads of the Seventh ring, all showing him reverence.

"What the hell? He commands such authority, he came from the sixth ring but the way Breach spoke about them, made it sound as if they were on the same level.

Which means he must be from the Inner rings, yes his Snake head isn't even silver like Goo or Esta either and Roama said that on attaining greater strength, the Snake's head will change color, black to Silver then Silver to Blood Red and from Blood Red to Royal Blue."

While Gabba was wondering as too why someone of such strength was this far out from the Inner rings, The newcomer had already set out along with Goo, Esta, Breach, Roama and five others. All heading out in the direction of the Drak,

"Why would they suddenly be heading there?, I was told that it was against protocol for anyone too hunt there."

Gabba quickly raced over to the village, screahing for Goo's wife to ask her about the situation.

Upon finding her, Gabba quickly asked but she herself didn't know why he left with Ou-bay

"Ou-bay?" Gabba asked,

He was then informed that the person he had seen was one of the four Desert Stroms, one of the highest levels that can be attain among the Seven Rings, this information made Gabba even more curious about why someone of that level would travel all out here, also as too how Goo managed to pull such a babe, no way she was with him for his brains or his average looks.

Gabba now pacing back and forth outside the village wondering if he should follow behind or stay, as he did this he saw children from the neighboring villages all playing together and enjoying their youth but what was most noticeable was the watchful eyes of several alter hunters, all giving off the appearance of just relaxing but why would so much of them be out on the border.

Hours later, Near the Dark

"Never thought we would have to return to this place again", Roama said looking upon a now broken and ruined gate.

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

They enter, beyond the gate lied a deserted and decaying village. The houses where smash, crushed beneath black sand some were bearly standing, all matter of life had been erased and the air stank of rotting flesh.

This was the lost Eighth Ring,

"It's been years since anyone has entered here, we lost quite a bit of innocents last time we came", Breach reminisce while holding his head. Breach whose always cheerful and expressive suddenly became down and quiet,

"Breach, the blood of those innocent has nothing to do with our actions then, we tried.....", Esta commented trying to easy Breach pain,

"Ou-bay, you're certain that the recent scorpion attacks are link to whats happening here in the Eighth?" Roama asked,

Ou-bay paused, among the Desert Stroms he was known for being the most clear cut, meaning he never wavered on making decision best for the Desert, looking at the group he could clearly see that by entering the Eighth again brought about unwanted memories.

*Sigh*

"If you all recall the Eighth Ring had went mad with Blood Scorpion sickness, not only were they harming one another they would have also spread the sickness an harm the remaining clans, so the Seventh was tasked with wiping out the villages within the Eighth.

Yes some innocents died but it had to be done, and this sector of the cave was then denied assess to by all Desert clan members, but its was then later determined that the toxic gas was produce by the Scorpions that still linger around, which was what sent or clansmen mad, it wasnt a sickness.....it was an assault, launched upon the Eighth but an unknown organizations. Well they were unknown untill recently", Ou-bay stated,

"I'm not following", Goo interjected.

"If toxic gas is what sent them mad then how are we just fine?" Goo asked,

"Every year now for the past five years we drink to the Desert Snake, showing our love and loyalty, and a special brand of wine is sent into all Seven Rings and each village from their ring partakes in this celebration." Ou-bay states,

'You mean 'the drinking of vemon'?" Esta asked being worried by how it all sounds,

"Yes, and what your actual drinking is the Desert Snake's vemon...."

*weird pause*

"Yeah, our doctors realized that because of the Snake head marking and the fact that our ancestors did use to drink the Desert Snake's vemon to combat the scorpions toxins, and because we would have only drank the Desert Snake's vemon once at the age five, that its properties would weaken over time", Ou-bay conformed.

but his words were more than shocking as for the group had all began to either vomit or drag their tongues in the sand,

"How the hell do you Inner Rings get off at giving us that shit too drink!!?" One of five shouted,

'My Goddddd!!!, I always thought it was funny they called it Snake vemon but I never thought it actually was", Breach cried as he beat his fist against the ground,

"YOU FEEL THIS ISSA GAME!!! SHIT!!", Esta shout as he paced rapidly up and down,

While the group continued to over react, Ou-bay changed his tone slightly, enough he calmly said with a fierceness behind it,

Without a second breath the entire group had calm themselves,

"Better, now. Recently individual that have broken the rules of the Desert Clan have been using the Eighth as a base of operations, calling themselves the Desert Plague.

Intel says that they have been collaborating with the Prisoners Faction,

I've been sent to clear out anyone or thing within the Eighth, so are we clear." Ou-bay asked,

"Yes", they all responded as the ash burnt markings begin to cover them completely.

Further within the Eighth

"Well.....it seems that we have company.....

Send word out too bring the Scorchers and whatever Scorpions we have at our disposal", order the masked man.

"So a Desert Strom and Nine Sand Reapers...Nine? Well if they feel they can just enter the Eighth..... ill be sure to correct them", another masked individual stated.

Three days later

"Aaauuhh....they weren't suppose too be this many *Breathing heavy* they even had two Scorchers", Ou-bay thought as himself along with Breach, Roama, Esta and the five other village heads were all surrounded by members of the Desert Plague and several species of Blood Scorpions.

"Three days of constant fighting and their numbers haven't seem to dwindle at all, this makes no sense, it was a surprise raid", Esta reckon, breathing heavily holding his shattered arm,

"Using the Scorpions as their main assault unit, forcing us to focus more on them rather then the Plague members themselves, this seem too strategic", Roama stated, who was on one knee with blood flowing from his head as he applied pressure upon his shoulder, which had a gapping hole,

"Sooo that's their strategy, tire us with the Scorpions in hopes we burn out. *smirks* clever, three days. Wave after wave, making it impossible for us to retreat", Breach commented, he continued to smile even when both his arm and leg were heavily damaged with piercings,

"Where the hell is Goo?" Ou-bay paused and asked,

*glances around*

"we weren't properly prepared nor infromed, not only do they have more numbers than estimated, they're even equip with Blood Scorpions, was I too confident in my abilities?

No there's no way they could've been this prepared for surprise assault", Ou-bay figured

"Goo headed back, he said something was off during the attack but he wasn't able to inform you since yall were swarmed by the enemy forces", explain one of the five other village heads,

Out number, exhausted and severely injured Ou-bay and the others were now struggling to evaded immediate death.

"Desert vortex" said Ou-bay, encircling the group while expelling havoc by firing black sand projectiles into the surrounding enemies,

"Head back and prepare the Seventh to engage, also gather all forces form the sixth and fourth rings, send word for the remaining three Desert Stroms to act as well", Ou-bay stated,

"Ou-bay, shouldn't the Desert King or the Sand God be infromed as well?", Roama asked,

"It won't matter, both the Desert King and Sand God are at the both ends of our borders, they along with the Inner rings controls the surface, keeping all invaders out and escorting our merchants back and forth. Not to mention they also guard the Desert Snake Snake", Esta elaborated,

"The Desert Snake has being growing weaker, which is why the Scorpions have been so bold lately, plus most of the Inner rings elite are task with caring for the Desert Snake's off spring", Breach added,

'They're right, plus who knows when the Clans from the Red Desert will come back again, so enough beaching, once the vortex cease.... *intense glare* Go". Ou-bay sternly order.

Suddenly the Desert Vortex exploded causing a sand strom to emerge blinding the enemy momentarily.

*Everyone halts*

"Sisssssiss.... AAAAAAAAAHHH!!!! FEAR THE DESERT STROM!!" Ou-bay roared, towering over the Scorchers which were the second largest of the Blood scorpions.

"Ssiisssssiss... hissssss.. Dance of the Desert, COURSING SERPENT!!!!"