Ultimate Note: The Calling

The Desert Red Wave

Zhang Qiling

The sound grows closer from all sides and even though Qiling was ready to fight, he had a bad feeling about the way it sounded so light and strange. He expected more lizards from the sandstorm, but now he had doubts about it and a quick glance at Shades made it clear that he was confused too.

"You can't tell either?" Xiazi asked Qiling and, having received verbal confirmation, Zhang Qiling simply jumped up the wall around two meters and a half high, to get a better view of what was coming towards them. Once above, he almost cursed at the impressive sight, because that was the kind of thing he hated the most about the plagues of the desert. From what he could see, the sand was covered in moving red and still looming on them, like a wave over the golden sand.

It was a rare occurrence, even near underground tombs, but again, trials were always the hardest to overcome and the most unpredictable. Still, his heart clenched in concern as he watched in some disbelief, the wave of huge red ants marching through the desert, and each of the hundreds of them was the size of half an index finger. In such numbers, they could gnaw a man to the bones in less than an hour. Worst of all, none of his many abilities were useful in dealing with the deadly wave that was coming. Now they were in really deep danger, so he did the only thing he could.

"Climb the wall now! Wu Xie, give me your hand!" He screamed as he flattened himself against the top and reached out for him to grab it.

"What's out there?" Wu Xie couldn't help asking curiously.

"A wave of marching red ants from the desert! Come on, we can't fight them with weapons!" Qiling urged him on and instantly Wu Xie jumped up to grab Qiling's hand and felt his center of gravity go to hell at Qilin's strong pull to put him over the top. Xiazi grabbed Xiao Hua's hand once more and after giving a few steps of impulse, he jumped the wall with Xiao Hua hanging from his arm and as soon as he leaned over the narrow space, he pull Xiao Hua up to stand sat on the wall, like him.

Xiao Hua was surprised that Hei Xiazi had the same kind of strength that Zhang Qiling had previously displayed. All tomb raiders knew that Qiling was almost inhuman in many ways, but he never expected the same from his friend. He was always joking or teasing, so he hardly took him seriously during their years of friendship, but now... after what he had just witness, he might have underestimated him all along.

"Climb! Climb! Climb!" Xiazi urged the rest of the group as he stared at the red wave in horror. Qiling was right, there wasn't much they could do to fight insects, even if they were larger than normal, other than the fire and Qilin's blood only two of them have, but that was their secret and they had unwanted grave robbers among them. However, Xiazi was sure that Zhang Qiling was not going to risk Wu Xie's life for nothing, as he was his test, so if Qiling acted to save a life so he would.

Pangzi took out from his pack a small bottle of oil they used for torches and spread it down, once everyone was up and all those who carry oil did the same and just in time, as the first wave was under their wall.

"Go to hell!" Pangzi yelled, throwing an ignited a lighter down, which set fire the long line of oil they created, incinerating ants and creating a protection bellow them.

"This will not last long, we need to keep moving!" Ning yelled.

"That's easier said than done! Be my guest and lead the way, but if you fall, its death sentence for sure. Those ants will eat you alive like piranhas on fresh water!" Pangzi shouted back.

Qiling knew also that the fire will not keep the hundreds of ants away for too long, so he looked back at Wu Xie, who was looking down anxiously and make his choice. Using his sword he cut his hand and throw the rushing blood ahead and grabbed Wu Xie's hand with his non bleeding one and pull him behind him as he started to move over the wall.