“Well, I can see why you left,” Esther said as another gust of super-heated desert air tore at her robes and hair. “Ow!” The desert winds also brought stinging sand and grit, causing Esther to shrug deeper into her hood.
The girl and the Lamakai were sheltering by the edge of ruined gray stone walls, with what looked like miles of orange sand all around them. In the far distance rose the dark triangles of mountains under the blazing, almost white sun.
“It wasn’t the weather that made me leave, girl,” Sesuuk hissed from behind her as he appeared to be inspecting the ruins around them. Esther frowned, casting an eye at the snake-man, tall and thin, wearing the long white-and-gold robes of his position, with a curving scimitar at his hip. He scratched his taloned feet along the ground several times.
“What are you looking for?” she asked.
The ruins were little more than three remaining walls that might have once been a tower, with another series of lower, interconnected walls snaking around it. The perimeter walls marginally stopped the great gusts of sand washing up against the tower itself, so they looked more like sunken avenues.
“It should be here somewhere, curse it! I know this place. It was once a great temple, of sorts,” Sesuuk said.
“Is that where this prism thing of yours is?” she asked dryly.
“No, it should be where we can find water and other supplies. This was once an outpost of my Trine—what we call our groupings. When I was last here, I left a supply of weapons and materials I knew I would need if I were ever to come back,” the snake-person said, before loudly exclaiming as his foot caught the edge of something. He stooped down to reveal a round slab of stone with an iron ring in its center.
“Found it!” the reptilian hissed jubilantly.
“What materials?” Esther asked, a little bored. She was already tired and a little weary. They had arrived in Sesuuk’s home realm some hours before, in another shrine, and they had immediately set off at a punishing pace across the desert. If it weren’t for the potion he kept supplying her, she was sure she would have collapsed already.
“Some weapons, some supplies, some specific items that I require…” Sesuuk grabbed the iron ring and pulled. There was a grinding noise, and Esther was sure that the thin snake-man wasn’t going to be strong enough, but she saw the muscles knot along his arms and his neck. The stone pulled away, revealing narrow steps.
Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
…which were occupied.
Shapes burst out from the tunnel, too many for Esther to count. She saw the flash of scales and gray, soiled rags about their bodies.
>
>
> You have been struck by the Level 16 Undead Lamakai for 65 points of damage.
>
>
Esther screamed and stumbled back as one of the undead snake-men slashed at her with a rusty dagger. Their scales were patchy with yellowing bone showing through in places, but that didn’t stop the creature. Sesuuk snarled in surprise, and the undead Lamakai took another swing at Esther. She jumped back just in time, but her boots slid in the sand, and she stumbled into the wall.
Sesuuk was already surrounded by three of the creatures, and Esther barely had any time at all to bring up her quarterstaff before her attacker swiped at her with their blade. A jolt of pain ran down her arms. The undead grabbed the staff with their free hand and pulled. The creature slowly but surely was pulling it from her.
“I thought the undead were supposed to be slow and dumb!” Esther exclaimed.
She couldn’t hold on. The staff was being dragged out of her hands, and the monster was pulling the blade in their other hand back for another strike.
No!
Esther felt a kick of something in her belly, like an uncoiling serpent. Uncontrolled power raced through her as she released the staff and slapped the undead Lamakai’s face.
>
>
> [CELESTIAL ENGINE ERROR!]
>
> You have struck the Level 16 Undead Lamakai for 400 points of damage.
>
>
There was an explosion of green light from under Esther’s hand, and the snake-man was instantly obliterated.
>
>
> You have slain the Level 16 Undead Lamakai. Experience awarded.
>
>
Esther had no idea how she did it, she didn’t even realize what she had done, but it was the same power she’d had ever since escaping the Qlippothic Realm.
This time was different, though. Esther didn’t feel exhausted or in pain afterward, like she had before. She felt in control. If anything, she felt energized.
There were flashes of brilliant white, red, and blue light as Sesuuk spun and slashed with his scimitar. His first blow took the head off one of the undead, then his second split another in two. The third now had the advantage, however. They swung their serrated blade straight at Sesuuk’s turning back.
Then, abruptly, the last undead wasn’t there. Something like a short spear but with a longer blade had flown through the air, slammed into the creature’s head, and drove it to the floor. The undead creature was now truly dead.
Esther gasped, then turned to see that they were not alone with their enemies.
Standing atop one of the low walls and arrayed in a long line had to be almost two dozen Lamakai warriors, each holding scimitars or throwing spears. They all stood rigidly.
“Sesuuk of the Third Trine! What a pleasant surprise. You are under arrest for disloyalty to the prophet-king, your father!” the largest and meanest Lamakai hissed.