World of Natura

Gold Trailer: Gold in the Sand

The desert is very unforgiving, only the strong can truly survive in such a harsh environment. Without the right equipment, a person can only last for an hour within the blistering sun. And that isn't even throwing the variety of deadly phobos that prowl the sandy dunes, just waiting for the opportunity to sink their teeth and claws into a human. The bulk of the population lives within the large oasis surrounding the singular great lake of the realm of Harena.
Though the days are hot enough to kill the strongest of men, the nights can almost feel like winter. Its harsh winds can chill a traveller right to the bone. Then there are the sandstorms, great clouds of wind and sand that not only can kill people on their own, but can also hide swarms of phobos within. The phobos truly strike fear into the hearts of people, especially those who don't have the protections and resources of the oasis. Nomad groups that can be wiped out almost within the blink of an eye.
In a clear night, with the full moon high in the sky, almost acting like a dim sun. Its light shining down upon the desert bellow, as screams echo across the landscape. A swarm of people running across the sand, rolling down the dunes as they are rushing to get away from something. As one of them tries to jump down a dune a tendril shoots out of the sand and spear right through his torso, bursting out his chest. Their blood splattered across the sand before the tendril shot them beneath the surface.
"Run run run!" One of the travelers call out as the tendrils spears one victim after another. "We're almost there!" Lupins leap from behind some dunes, tackling victims to the ground before mauling them mercilessly, no matter the gender or age. The neverending assault from seemingly all directions was taking its tole, making the remaining travelers drop like flies.
"No! Stay away!" A fallen mother holding her child cried out as several lupins close in on her. "Someone please! Save my daughter!" Almost as if the gods themselves had heard her plea, several glowing rings strike the lupins down.
"You lot truly makes a lot of racket." A young woman with long blonde hair and red eyes stand atop a dune, looking down upon the scene. "Get to the city. Now!" She calls out as four red glowing rings fly through the air, killing any and all phobos with a single slash. The sudden unexpected support, gave the remaining survivors flee to the walls of the nearby city.
"Let's see, is there anyone else?" The woman asks herself before looking at a ring floating next to her, showing several green dots before they disappear. "I see, there's still one phobos out here. Where is it?" Her ring changes to that of a screen, showing a strange humanoid phobos dragging a screaming survivor with what looks like its hair. The image makes the woman growl a bit before she starts to make her way in their direction.
The phobos was known as a Saeta, it mostly looked like a human woman but without their arms. This twisted looking phobos uses their unusually long hair as their limbs, capable of creating a variety of weapons and clawed hands. For the hair can fuse together to become really strong and sharp. Though these kinds of phobos would gladly wipe out entire groups, they always seem to save at least one to torment.
"No please! Not like this! Someone! Help me!" The survivor cries out, trying to crawl away but the phobos had a strong grip upon their leg as it towered over them. It's eyes twitched and rolled about in their sockets, a demented smile spread across its face as it seemed to enjoy the moment. Several groups of hair became tendrils with sharp hands that it used to pick its victim up, pinning their arms to their torso. They screamed as it seemed to unhinge its jaw, opening wide as it threatened to swallow its target whole.
"Oh no you don't." The blond woman said as two of her rings slice off the hands the phobos used to hold the victim up. "Run. Now!" She ordered as eight of her rings create a barrier between the phobos and the victim.
"Thank you!" They start to flee as the phobos tries to stab through the barrier. The woman waited for them to be out of range before dropping the barrier, making the phobos scream at her in anger.
"Oh piss off freak." She called back before it started to rush her, thrusting two of its blade-like spikes towards her. This makes her cross her arms over her chest as four of her rings, make its attack riciche back and stab it right in the chest. Its scream making her wince from how loud it was being.
"I think we're done here." She calls her rings back to her arms before rushing to just in front of the phobos. While using one ring like a knucklebracer, she punches the phobos with enough force to send it flying into the air. As it started to come back down she used four of them connected to create a sort of chain fire whip to cut the saeta completely in half. With the ashes falling like black snow, the woman scoffs, disappointed that it wasn't more of a challenge for her.
"Are you finished Gilda?" A female voice sounded from her chestplate which she used the hologram function to show an image of an older woman. "It's about time you finally picked up." This answer made Gilda roll her eyes as her boots leave small prints in the sand.
"Yes mother, I'm on my way back to the city now." She responded with an annoyed tone in her voice. "What is it you want mother?"
"Good. Because what you did was extremely risky and completely irresponsible." Her face was filled with disappointment as Gilda just had an unphased expression on her face. "Do you even understand what could've happened?"
"Yeah yeah yeah, I could have died. But we both know that it'll take more than a couple weak phobos to take me down."
"That's the problem Gilda. It may have been phobos that you could handle by yourself now, but that doesn't mean it'll always be that way."
"Sigh you keep saying that and yet everytime I face off against those weaklings they fall before me."
"It doesn't matter how many phobos you can kill on your own, sooner or later you will face something you simply can't handle by yourself. You are the future of this realm and its people."
"What do you want me to do mother? Give up being a sentinel?"
"You aren't a sentinel, not yet anyway. You need to go to one of the academies. Not only will you get properly trained and get stronger but you will also get a team that can watch your back."
"They would just slow me down. Do I need to remind you about my last partner?"
"Sigh let me put it this way, if you want to keep fighting then you must go to one of the academies. If you refuse then I will lock away those rings of yours. Have I made myself clear?"
"You wouldn't dare."
"Oh I'm sorry, please remind me who is queen of the realm?"
"Fine, I guess I can go to the academy in Babylonia."
"No because you are the heiress to the throne, you wouldn't get the best sort of education within our academy. Instead you will be going to the one in Lympha."
"Are. You. Serious?!"
"Completely. Besides you are in need of seeing the rest of the world."
"But out of all of the five realms, you chose the one best known for fish?" There was a clear tone of disapproval within Gilda's voice as she glares at her mother through the hologram.
"Gilda the sooner you accept what is going to happen, the easier the change will be. You will come to thank me."
"I find that really hard to believe."
"Believe what you want dear, I did the exact same thing at your age and because of it I was able to become a powerful queen and protector for her people."
"Including the people who died tonight?"
"You know that the nomads choose to live a harder life and rebel against our family. I can't protect those who don't want it."
"I did."
"Tonight is the rare kind of exception. Enough with the arguing. Get back to the palace. You will be leaving for Lympha tomorrow morning and you need your rest for the trip."
"Sigh yes mother." She hangs up, making the hologram disappear into her chestplate. As Gilda pops her neck still pissed about being shipped off to some lesser realm to supposedly learn how to become a true sentinel. With powerful punchs to the ground beneath her, the force of some of her rings shooting out, sends her flying up towards the city, its lights filling her eyes as she flies into the night.