The Eyes of Fire

Trekking in the Heat

The man they had found in the tunnels had told them the truth, even so it took them a couple hours to find the correct mining shaft that led them to an exit. In which time, the sky had darkened and the air was cold.

Adameus learnt many things about his new friends in that time, thankfully. Adameus found that Ket didn't prefer to speak, when he was a young soldier, he had almost met his end in a brutal battle. His opponent had slashed a dagger past his neck, leaving him scarred and with constant itch in his neck, making it painful to speak. Ket spoke with some difficulty, usually only in softer tones and never for very long.
Alice, however, loved to talk, and would chatter on for hours. They were both part of a small mercenary company that had sworn themselves to a wealthy human lord, or rather had been hired for large sums of money, to do whatever the lord wanted them to, without drawing attention to the their employer. Each one of their members had a blue star tattoo, all slightly  different located on each one of their wrists.

The mine tunnels, finally headed outside  to the surface, through a narrow crevice, the sun still warmed the sands outside, the light of the sun was quickly disappearing.

Reaching the exit, Alice and Ket climbed through the crevice, Adameus clambering up after them. Upon exiting the crevice, Ket was already trudging up the steep sand dune that stretched in front of the exit, at a pace that was extraordinary. Alice was skirting around it with her hands and knees, at an shorter angle of elevation, up the dune. Adameus followed Alice's path, sand sinking past him as he attempted the climb upwards.

Approaching Alice closely behind, Alice spoke softly over her shoulder.

"I know what you are, and I wish you to know your secret is safe with me. I wish you and your kind no ill. My employer will certainly wish to speak to you."

Adameus didn't answer, if what she said was true, then he might've found an uneasy ally, with her and Ket and possibly her "employer".

Cresting the top of the dune, Alice raced after Ket, as he already had began walking between the tops of the dunes, a sea of sand stretching forward for as far as Adameus could see.

"Today is going to be a long night." Adameus whispered to himself aloud.
He ran after Alice, not even bothering brush the sand that already clung to him.

The temperature of the day began its decline, and the suns rays hardly lit the world, scarcely an hour after Ket, Alice and Adameus had escaped from Kaln.

"We'll make camp over there under those rocks!" Ket declared, pointing his arm toward what seemed to a huge boulder, a few hundred yards in front of them.

Adameus kept up with Ket this time, deciding it not to be left behind again.
Alice still kept her distance, staying a few yards away.

"What am I supposed to call you?" Ket asked suddenly, as they hiked up another sand dune.

"Adameus, its Adameus. "

"Adameus? That sounds almost like the name of a rich man. Your mother must've had some wild thoughts about your life. Hah!! Let's call you Adam, it'll draw less attention. "

That seemed to make sense, if anyone suspected that he was of noble blood, much less a Arkanin, then it would likely draw some unwanted attention.

"Okay, my name is Adam from now on."
Adameus, No. Adam replied enthusiastically.

"Good, now let's keep moving."

Ket increased his pace, his longer legs throwing him up the dune. Alice drew up beside Adam, keeping pace with him and she stared at him intently for less than a second, another question on her lips. Just when it seemed she would say something, she shook her head and shrugged. Alice also passed him, her pace increasing.
Adam pumped his legs, up the dune kicking sand up as he trudged through it. Casting his eyes upwards, he spotted the large boulder less than fifty feet in front of him, Ket had just reached it, resting his hand on the rock, that was much bigger than Adam had originally anticipated it to be. Perhaps twenty feet tall and half that in its width.