The year was 15,000 BCE.
Under a brilliant full moon, the desert lay draped in silver. Its silent sands shimmered under the moon's gaze, each gust of wind sending flecks of light gliding like stars across the ground. High above, nestled within the rugged mountains, a small cave held two of the four pillar men—Kars and Esidisi—resting in stillness as Wamuu and Santana ventured out, determined to secure food before their masters awoke.
The pair moved purposefully, heading toward a small mud house they'd spotted earlier. The night was cold and quiet, punctuated only by Santana's hesitant voice.
"Uh, hey, Wamuu...? Shouldn't we have waited for Master Esidisi and Lord Kars to wake up before going after the humans?"
Santana looked up from the stone mask in his hands, catching Wamuu's hardened expression. Wamuu's stride was steady, eyes fixed on their destination, his mood a mystery until he finally spoke.
"I wanted to show our masters that we can handle things on our own," Wamuu said, voice barely above a whisper, as if trying to hide any doubt. But Santana knew his brother well enough to sense the mix of pride and uncertainty beneath the words.
As the two drew nearer, Wamuu suddenly stopped, his gaze sharp. Santana halted beside him, puzzled. Fifty feet away stood a humble mud dwelling, small and square with a roof of rough-hewn wheat. There was no door, only a lone window to the side, faint light spilling through the cracks. Behind the house, a cow lay tied, shifting restlessly as it sensed their approach.
Santana's gaze lingered on the house, but he was jolted back when he saw Wamuu reaching into his bag.
"Wamuu, what are you doing?" Santana asked, eyeing the water pouch in Wamuu's hand with a frown. "Are you really getting tired already? We've walked way farther than this, and—HEY!"
Santana didn't have time to finish before Wamuu splashed him with water, drenching his face.
"Wamuu, what the hell!" Santana sputtered, rubbing the water from his eyes, only to feel dirt smeared across his face.
Wamuu stood over him, grinning mischievously as he patted his own face with sand and water.
"Trust me, Santana. I'll explain later. For now, just follow my lead."
He stepped back, watching Santana's bewildered face transform as understanding dawned. They were preparing, not just for a hunt, but for a performance, a way to present themselves as something greater than what lay within that little house.
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QUEST FOR THE RED STONE (Pillar men AU)
Adventure[UPDATED 10/31/2024] The pillar men are ancient beings that each, had their own kind of unique trait that surpassed that of a humans. But, once they heard that the red stone of Aja got claimbed by human hands somewhere on earth, they went out to go...
