“Do you two want to help us? In exchange for a carmel?”

“Yeah, let us in on it,” Zander replied eagerly.

"I’d love to get this camel," Leo added, his eyes lighting up at the thought. "I’ve grown tired of walking for miles."

"Yeah, me too," Zander agreed with a grin. "My feet were starting to hurt." He pictured himself riding through the desert sand, with a powerful carmel to ride him anywhere.

“Very well, you two are.,” Havasu said, nodding. “But before you head out, you’ll need to blend in with the guards. Here, take these armors.” He handed them a set of light, flexible armor reinforced with iron for protection, along with a heavy suit clad with large pieces of metal.

“Make sure it fits well. We need you both to look the part if we're going to catch this killer.”

“All right, I needed some new clothes anyway. My monk attire was getting dirty and unwashed,” Zander remarked, inspecting the armor.

“This is perfect armor for a warrior like me,” Leo said, flexing his muscles in the shiny gear. “I feel like I could take on a whole army!”

A woman in white robes darted across the rooftops, her movements swift and graceful. She finally descended into the shadows of an underground passage within the city.

“Oh, you’ve finally returned, my disciple,” a voice called out from the darkness.

“The job is done,” she replied, her breath steady despite her exertion.

“Good. Follow me; your next task awaits.”

She followed the voice deeper into the shadows.

“Were you followed back?”

“No one followed me,” the woman replied, her breath steadying. “I was detected, but I managed to lose them. The city is under heavy lockdown now.”

“There's no need to worry about that,” the voice reassured her, confidence ringing in their tone. “You're sneaky enough to evade capture. We just need to be cautious and plan our next move carefully.”

“What’s the next step?”

“The next step,” the voice replied coolly, “is to assassinate the ruler, Havasu.”

The woman hesitated. “And the reason for this?”

“To seize control of the city and secure those special fragments he holds,” the voice explained, a glint of ambition in their eyes. “With them, we’ll have everything we need to complete my pl-our plan.”

“Why did I need to assassinate the commander?” the woman questioned. “It seemed… pointless.”

The voice chuckled darkly. “It was to spread fear. Without their commander, they’re unsettled and vulnerable. Next, I want you to eliminate Leon, Sage of the Oasis. That will strike a true blow to the city, shaking their very foundation.”

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"I... You know why I'm doing this, right? For my wish—you promised it would be granted. I don’t kill people for nothing," the woman insisted, a hint of reluctance in her voice.

"Yes, yes, I know," the voice replied with a smooth calm. "But it needs to be done. If you want your wish, you’ll follow orders. Now, take your leave."

She narrowed her eyes, glancing back. "Fine. But you could at least show your face to me."

A slight laugh echoed from the shadows. "Oh, you know I can’t do that."

Without another word, the woman in white robes slipped away, her footsteps fading into silence as she exited the dark passage.

In the quiet that followed, the voice muttered under its breath, a wicked satisfaction lacing every word. "My plan is progressing perfectly. Soon, I’ll prove once and for all why I am the superior god."

“All right, come along, new recruits,” said Leon, gesturing for Zander and Leo to follow. They trailed behind him as he led them through the city streets, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings. “The ruler has ordered me to show you around, so stick to my instructions.”

“Yes, sir!” replied Zander..

Leo muttered under his breath, “What are we even doing? We’re just strolling around. If it were up to me, this killer would’ve been caught already.”

“Patience, Tiger Leo, is it?” Leon replied, glancing back. “We have to approach this slowly and steadily. We’ll check every corner, every street—leave no inch of this city unchecked. That’s how we’ll find our target.”

"All right, stop here. Look up there," said Leon, the Sage of the Oasis, pointed toward a watchtower looming above them.

"Let’s head up and see if we can spot the killer from a better vantage point," said Leon as he began scaling the watchtower, moving swiftly like a monkey climbing a tree. Zander took off and soared up alongside the tower, keeping pace effortlessly.

Leo glanced over, shaking his head in wonder. "I still don’t understand how you manage to fly," he said, joining the climb up the tower.

"I learned it from my master," Zander replied.

"Your master?" Leo echoed.

"Yes," Zander said. "He taught me many things, and flying was the very first lesson."

"Must've been some kind of teacher to start with and flying lesson first.," Leo remarked, impressed.

"He was," Zander agreed, his gaze softening. "He taught me how to fight, showed me new techniques, and gave me wisdom I’ll carry forever. I’ll always be grateful to him."

Zander reached the top of the tower, closely followed by Leo.

“Hey, Zander,” Leo suggested, gazing out over the landscape. “Maybe you could use your techniques to help catch the killer. And afterward, we could spar so I can see those techniques in action.”

“Sure thing, Leo. Why not?” Zander replied with a grin.

“Hey, you two, check it out!” Leon called, pointing into the distance. A massive dust devil spiraled upward.

“What is that?” Zander asked, squinting at the phenomenon.

“A dust devil,” Leon explained. “It happens when very hot and dry air near the ground becomes unstable, creating those things.”

“Are they dangerous?” Zander inquired, intrigued.

“Not exactly; they’re pretty harmless. But that one is really huge. It could be a special occasion with Mother Nature,” Leon said, watching it with fascination.

Zander pulled out his journal and began sketching the swirling dust. But as they continued to observe, the dust devil seemed to grow closer and larger.

“Hey, buddy, is it supposed to be that big?” Leo asked, his voice tinged with concern.

No, it’s way too large,” Leon replied, his brow furrowing. “And it’s coming toward the city. It could cause massive damage.”

“But you said they were harmless,” Leo protested, his eyes wide with worry.

“Yes, but they can still cause damage if they grow large enough,” Leon clarified, urgency creeping into his voice.

“What do we do?” Zander asked, glancing back at the swirling mass, fear evident in his expression.

Within the swirling storm of the dust devil, a massive figure began to take shape. Its shadow loomed ominously over the landscape.

“Heh, I will get my revenge,” it sneered, its voice echoing like thunder, sending chills through the air.