The Zero Hour | #Wattys2016

Chapter 12 - Da Bez Town (Part 2)

Rei, leading the group bounded seamlessly from tree to tree as Amadeus struggled to catch up with him on foot. Izumi stayed at the rear, annoyed with Amadeus' slow pace as she was forced to remain grounded behind him.

It was the standard Izenth scout squad formation - the leader in the front to lead the way, and the second in command at the back to guard the rear. The second in command was obliged to stay behind the entire group at all times to ensure everyone was accounted for. Speed is relative – to another commoner Amadeus looked like he was moving quickly, but to an Izenth, he was moving as quickly as a snail.

Amadeus' didn't think he was moving slowly at all. He bounded forward eagerly and only started slow when they started the hike uphill towards the exit of the valley. While his leg was feeling much better after getting treatment in Ichi; climbing uphill strained his legs more than usual. Izumi stayed behind him the entire hike, urging him on. After what seemed like an eternity, Rei suddenly plunged from the tree tops and landed gracefully in front of Amadeus. He took a few steps and paused behind huge leafy branch which was blocking their path.

"Do you know why they call it the Crystal Plains, Amadeus?"

"Because it's a pretty name?" Amadeus replied with a shrug.

"No," Rei shook his head, "It's because the entire plains looks like it's made of crystal."

"Crystals for everybody, we'll be rich!" Amadeus exclaimed, making Izumi laugh.

"No," Rei corrected him again. "I said the plains look like it's made of crystal. It's actually covered in sand."

"How could sand be made to look like crystal? You're not making sense."

"Let me show you," Rei grinned as pulled back the huge leafy branch, letting a bright burst of sunlight shine into the valley. The three of them emerged from the valley into the bright sunlight. Amadeus used his hand to shield his eyes from the bright sunlight. He was shocked at the sudden change of environment. The temperature rose instantly and the air felt hot and dry.

He squinted behind his hand and tried to peek through his fingers to get a good look at his surroundings. It took his eyes a moment to adjust to the change in light intensity. The entire ground was barren except for clusters of dried up foliage. There was no shade for miles ahead. He now understood what Rei had tried to explain to him earlier. The sunlight reflected off the sandy ground of the plains in angles that made the entire plains shimmer and sparkle. It was truly a sight to behold.

"Is it too late to turn back?" Amadeus asked half-jokingly.

"This is the only way to the Jagged Peaks. You sure you want to go through this?"

Amadeus nodded hesitantly. Rei gestured for them to follow him and started walking. Amadeus wasn't sure how Rei knew which direction to walk towards; there were no landmarks, and only long stretches of sand as far as the eye could see.

They walked for hours in silence, and Amadeus started to grow tired. His weary panting became increasingly audible with each step he took. The sand made it difficult to move forward as the ground seemed to shift around, making it hard to move forward. Even Rei was moving at a slower pace in contrast to his usual traverse across the treetops.

"Are we there yet?"

"No yet. Trust me, I'll get us there. I've made this journey many times for reconnaissance." Rei assured him.

"Have you ever made this journey, Izumi?" Amadeus looked behind and saw that Izumi was drenched in sweat. She looked as exhausted as he was, and was trying very hard not to show that she was tired.

"No, only veteran scouts go beyond line of sight of the Lost Valley. The rest of us only go as far as the nearby surroundings of the Lost Valley. We keep the Lost Valley always in sight to avoid getting lost."

Amadeus peered behind and saw that the Lost Valley had disappeared over the horizon. There is no going back now. Izumi wiped beads of sweat which formed on her brow.

"This heat is unbearable," she said as she took a small sip from her waterskin.

Amadeus nodded in agreement and uncorked his own waterskin and drained what was left of it. He shook it, trying to get the last few drops of water out. He hadn't noticed how much water he had been drinking throughout the journey. The air was dry and hostile; the surroundings appeared distorted from the waves of heat rising from the heated sand. He felt like he was in one of the huge ovens of the White Harrow bakery.

"I told you you'd need that," Rei reminded him.

"How long more before we reach the Jagged Peaks?" Amadeus wheezed.

"We're halfway there," Rei replied softly. His breathing was paced, and his every movement controlled. He didn't appear to even break a sweat and it looked as if to glide effortlessly across the sandy dunes.

Another hour ticked by. It appeared to be midday as the sun stood proudly in the middle of the sky, bearing down upon them relentlessly. They plodded on in silence, trying to conserve energy and water. Amadeus could taste the dust in his mouth. He tried to spit out the dust but his mouth was parched dry. He found it increasingly difficult to breathe.

"Are we there yet?" he asked.

"That must be the hundredth time you've asked that same question."

Amadeus wasn't keeping count. It didn't matter; Rei must have been exaggerating. He could only remember asking that question about fifty times.

"Is there someplace we can refill our bottles and rest awhile? I think a may start hallucinating soon from all the heat." Amadeus was a good sprinter from years of running away from trouble and escaping bullies; however, he seldom had to run long distances. The drawn-out trek was starting to exhaust him.

"Sometimes, trading caravans may pass by this way. We could stop them to purchase some water. Otherwise, we'll have to just rough it out until we reach the Jagged Peaks."

A brown outline of a settlement shifted through the blurry lines of heat into focus. "What about that?" Amadeus asked pointing into the distance. There was no mistaking it. There was a colony in the distance with furls of smoke rising from it, indicating life within it. It stood alone in the middle of the Crystal Plains, surrounded only by towering brown dusty walls.

"That's Rokuth territory, not a good idea."

"Why not? I'm dying of thirst here."

"Well, for one – they hate Izenth. We won't be welcome there."

"Do I look like an Izenth? Just let me go, it can't hurt to try," insisted Amadeus adamantly. He started off towards the town.

Rei shrugged and followed Amadeus. He didn't see a point in arguing further.

The closer they drew to the colony, the larger the architecture seemed to be. The enormous gates towered over them and two burly guards with large chiseled muscles stood at each side of the gate. Each guard had a huge boulder tied to his back and wore only a single loin cloth around his waist. Their exposed skin had a rock-like appearance and shone as the sun's rays reflected off their torsos. Years of training kicked in, as Rei and Izumi circled the gate; cautiously surveying for hazards. Amadeus on the other hand strode eagerly towards the gates without a care in the world.