"What's the matter? You look like you've just seen a ghost."

"...Nothing. Just... a bad dream."

"Hm, it's not like you to have a bad dream."

Slyphia, the empress of the Human Empire, and her hero Kenji, whom she summoned from another world, are now currently setting up camp atop a cliff overlooking the Stygian Desert. For those of you who don't know, Stygian Desert is the infamous desert with numerous quicksands that will swallow anyone standing above it. And you can't differentiate them among the normal sand. So the only way across is to know the path, which is quite a difficult thing to achieve.

Or you can just hover above it, if you are a psychic.

"Man, I sure am glad you are a psychic." Kenji saya cheerfully as his body is being carried by Slyphia's telekinesis across the sand.

"You're not afraid I lose my concentration and accidentally drop you to a quicksand?"

"Of course not! I trust you after all!"

"Sometimes, I wish I can be as easygoing as you are."

The two of them continues their journey across the desert, fighting some occasional sand monsters along the way, though it's less fighting and more Slyphia just throwing them to the quicksands for the giant flies and Slyphia lifting them to the air for sand worms, which Kenji would finish off with his rapier skill.

"Sheesh, wish these guys would get a clue already," Kenji says after finishing yet another sand worm.

"It can't be helped. Those poor creatures have been cursed to become mere monsters. Of course they'll act that way, attacking any adventurers they come across."

"Wait, what is that over there?"

Kenji points towards the sand below. Slyphia looks at the place where he points and sees a bulge on the sand, as if something is buried there. She lifts the sand using her telekinesis to reveal a body buried beneath.

"What in the--"

The body belongs to a little elven girl, a sand elf judging by her pointed ears and brown skin color. She can't be older than eight at most. Her simple brown dress is in tatters, no doubt caused by the fierce sandstorms that often occur in the area.

"I-is she..."

Slyphia moves the body closer to her. Then, she checks her pulse to see that she's still alive, albeit in a really weak state.

"No, she's alive. But she won't be for much longer. I shall treat her at once."

Slyphia puts her right hand on her forehead and her left hand on her chest. Then, she begins chanting some rejuvenation magic, in the hope that she can make her body strong enough to ward off the approaching shinigami that will take her life. Then, she gently gives her some water and food (she chews the bread first for her, of course).

"That is all I can do for now," she declares after she finishes with her spell. "We should bring her to a place where she can rest comfortably, not in the middle of a desert like this."

"How did she end up here anyway?"

"Well, isn't that the question?"

"Did she come from the city, I wonder?"

"I think so. She didn't get really far though."

The city they are referring to is the capital city of the sand elves, Eldrashka. Sand elves are, as you might have guessed, elves that live on the sands. Their cities, well, more like city, since they only have one city, is a giant underground complex hidden beneath the sands. They live mostly isolated with other races, since their desert is already a natural entry barrier for anyone who wants to trade with them.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

The reason why Slyphia decided to go there though? Well...

"This is it! This is the place! A Phantasma ruin must be hidden on this place!" Kenji exclaims.

"Oh? Do tell your reasoning." Slyphia responds skeptically.

"You see, in fantasy worlds like this, ancient ruins must be hidden in places like this!"

Slyphia sighs. "Another one of your knowledge from the other world?"

"Yep!"

In short, it was just a guess.

Though this guess may have just saved a young girl's life.

***

"Oh, there it is. The pyramid."

A few hours later, the two of them, now three, finally arrive at their destination. A sole pyramid standing in the middle of the desert.

Slyphia knows of the existence of this pyramid from the collection of works relating to the Stygian Desert, where it's said it's the entrance to the Sand Elves' underground city, though no one has ever opened the path before.

"Stand back. I'll break open the-- Oh, oh, this is...."

Slyphia's pupils widen as she notices that a big hole has been blown through the walls of the pyramid.

"...Kenji, I want you to stay here and guard the girl with your life."

"E-eh, I'm not coming in?"

"No. Too dangerous for the girl, so be a good hero and stay here with her."

"B-but, how about you? Isn't it dangerous for you to go alone like--"

"You should only try acting cool like that when you can actually beat me in combat, which, I must remind you, you still have never managed to do until this day."

"M-man, how cold! I'm just trying to be nice, you know!"

"I don't need you to be nice. I just need you to--."

"AHAHAHAHAHA, YOU FINALLY CAME AT LAST, YOU LITTLE BRAT."

From the hole comes out a figure too familiar for the both of them. Short flame-like red hair, red dragon wings and tails on her back and behind respectively, and a lingerie-like clothing that leaves little to the imagination. On her hand she wields a halberd made out of flames.

"Oh, it's you." is Slyphia's response.

Of course, such a nonchalant response makes a hot-blooded person like her mad.

"YES! IT'S ME, CLARIA! JUST LIKE I PROMISED, I'M NOW COMING BACK FOR MY REVENGE! NOW YOU WILL TASTE THE HUMILIATION YOU HAVE GIVEN--"

Push

From the palm of Slyphia's hand comes out a massive force that hits the dragon girl, cutting her speech short and sending her flying away from her.

"S-Slyphi--"

She sends another "push" towards Kenji and the girl, this time in a gentler form, signifying the fact that she wants them out of this battle. She would have ordered them to run away, but they couldn't get far by walking, what with all the quicksand lying around.

Then, she does another "push", but this time she focuses the blast on her feet, thus making her fly at a rapid speed towards the direction where she sends the dragon girl to.

And thus, the second battle between the empress and the demon princess begin.