Every camel added to Omid’s growing miniature caravan made stopping more of a difficult affair. More camels meant more personalities to clash given any opportunity, which was something Omid was dealing with by wishing that Speaker-to-Camels himself were here to help instead of his indefinite adventure as a glass curio. 

Despite it undoubtedly meaning more walking and hefting, Omid stopped his camel train a good ways back from the bodies as he bit his lip and glanced between camels and the still too fresh bodies of most of their former owners. He settled the indecision by commanding Masel to descend, and with him the line of camels followed with minimal complaining. 

Sareen’s own smaller two camel procession stopped with them, and she gave a nod to Omid as they both dismounted. She inspected and verified that her precious glass jar was secure upon her second camel as Omid addressed his own.

“Alright Masel, keep an eye on them.” He patted the camel’s neck. “Nazer, you help hi- what am I doing?”

Omid groaned and turned away from the beasts to instead face four fresh bodies being baked by the suns. Whatever frown of disappointment in himself he had previously, it shifted into one of resigned horror and eyes trying to not look at the bodies for too long. He kept his eyes to the ground as he walked to his own kill to begin this grim process.

The young woman’s dying expression was locked onto her. Fear and pain stricken eyes as she gasped her last and hands too slick and stained with her own blood to hold onto life. About Omid’s age, lighter brown eyes, and skin to match. She vaguely reminded Omid of the people back home, though her manner of dress did not match. Perhaps she had moved away? Or, considering the clothes of her fellows, this was a sort of makeshift uniform?

“I warned you.” Omid gruffly cut himself off as he chastised her corpse before leaning down to retrieve her belt holding a dozen small pouches and a sheath for the sword laying at her side.

He picked up the sword, inspecting it carefully and noting the tiny knicks in the edge of the otherwise quality blade while carefully running a finger along its edge. No doubt fresh from the recent confrontation, Omid thought to himself.

“Sword and wielder would have quite a few less knicks in them if you had listened to reason.” Omid mumbled while sheathing the sword and looking down to its former owner as he slung the belt and its pouches over his shoulder.

He immediately grimaced in sheer disgust. “This is not at all better than holding a conversation with camels. Even if that was really just me giving commands to a loyal beast, so nothing that unusual.” Omid argued to himself out loud as he gave a cursory search of the young woman for any other valuables.

Finding only a small necklace, he stowed it with the rest of her things on his own belt that he would sort through later. No need to linger here any longer than possible. Omid looked down to the young woman a final time with a wince before shaking his head and walking to the woman stricken by the arrow.

“Did you find anything good so far?” Sareen asked from close behind.

Omid glanced over his shoulder momentarily before continuing on. “A sword. Looks as though I will have at least a few of those now.” He said as he approached the other woman laying face down in the sand with an arrow poking from her back and a stain of blood all around its exit.

He dared not turn her over and instead quickly removed the belt holding several pouches at her own hip. Noticing a bangle resting on her wrist, he moved to retrieve it before stopping to note its details. Polished lapis lazuli inlay and three small gleaming gems. His hand drew back as he realized she had been married, and he leaned back while balancing on his feet as he looked to the two stone displays of power.

High up on the spire, unmoving against a clear blue sky laid a man impaled and leaking blood all over the gray stone. Dangling limp like the fronds of a palm tree was an arm bearing a shape only just visible from this distance. The tiny little gleam on that shape sent Omid’s eyes back to the gleam before him.

His frown vanished and he felt his face go blank as he stared at the bangle. “You hold onto that one.” He told the corpse as he stood and quickly made his way over to the two macabre monoliths.

Blood and other...bits oozed between the fingers of the vast stone fist. Omid caught himself staring as his breath ran a bit hollow. As he looked high up to the spire and the man impaled at the top, he wondered how he would ever hope to reach that. That little glimmer hitting his eye once more made him instantly turn to see Sareen a little less than arm’s reach behind him, still bearing a smile. Though he was less and less surprised with her fast yet silent movements and flagrant disregard for personal space.

“I believe that one would...not have anything salvageable.” Omid said as he pointed to the stone fist. “And that one? Well...I have no way of reaching it.”

Sareen stepped up right next to him and gave a light hum as the ground beneath Omid solidified and the pair began to rise on a stone pillar. Omid’s eyes shot wide only for a moment while catching his balance, still not used to this method of transportation but the quick settling into a resigned face of neutrality hiding a frown was becoming the standard as he got more used to Sareen’s actions. No sooner than Omid had shaken off the disgust, he was eye level with the corpse. The Suns had slowed down the leaking of blood down the stone, and even dried some of it. It still took a moment for Omid to give a hard swallow before leaning over from his ascended platform to try and remove anything of value.

“You uh, could have brought him down to us.” Omid said while loosing the pouch belt from the man, careful to not let his own sword slip from the sheath. At all costs he avoided looking at the stone spike protruding from his chest, which also helped him avoid looking further up to give a face to the man.

Sareen reached over and retrieved the bangle from the man’s wrist. “I quite prefer it this way.”

Omid hid a grimace as he saw this out of the corner of his eye, before having to turn his head even further away to hide a frown as he saw Sareen had retrieved the bangle’s companion piece from the woman. “May I...inquire as to why?” Omid chanced a question to distract himself while hurrying through the grim task of corpse looting.

“You may.” She said while stifling a giggle. 

Omid closed his eyes mid-corpse looting to reconsider every choice he had ever made in life over the course of two seconds before opening them again and facing Sareen. “Alright. Why did you leave this poor man up here?”

“Not a poor man, a camel thief.” Sareen curtly corrected. “Do you see that over there?” She asked as she held an arm out to point to a stone feature on the horizon.

Closer inspection as Omid’s eyes squinted at the feature led him to recognize the Lapis Lazuli and gem encrusted rock Sareen had conjured forth from the sands. “You made that, yes.”

“They could have settled for that and lived rich lives. Instead, they wanted more. And when confronted over the fact that they were stealing someone’s camels they chose violence.” Sareen tilted her head slightly as she looked to the large stone spire adorned with a camel thief. “So we answered appropriately.”

The word ‘we’ stuck out to Omid. He opened his mouth to object but all form of protest caught in his throat as he cast his eyes down. She was not wrong. “So a warning to others then?”

“I also like the aesthetic, don’t you?” Sareen asked.

Omid looked to the display for a split second before wincing and looking away. “It is quite bold, and I appreciate the creative use of...blood.”

“Your appreciation is appreciated.” She said with a toothy smile.

“A woman of your power could have no doubt laid them all low in one fell swoop if you so pleased. My assistance wouldn’t even be needed.” Omid looked off from her intense indigo gaze, finding enough difficulty in this talk without direct eye contact. 

“Oh good, you’re paying attention.” Sareen said with clear interest. “And what might that mean? If it were true?”

Omid mulled it over for a moment or several, struggling against exhaustion to put together a thought before recalling Sareen’s own apt metaphor. “I suppose one must also display what happens to pests they find in their garden?”

Sareen simply smiled and looked back to the stone spike, looking quite pleased. Omid frowned slightly as his suspicions were confirmed. This was another warning of sorts. Of what she could effortlessly do as an amusing display. “Well, I believe we’re done here.”

As soon as he said that the stone platform rapidly descended into the ground once more as Omid felt his stomach rise up into his throat before coming crashing down somewhere into what felt like his feet while he stumbled over onto his knees while all the loot weighed heavy on his shoulders. Sareen looked down to him in amusement as he pulled himself together.

“Aren’t you forgetting one?” She asked, not bothering to hold back delight in her voice.

“He-” Omid gestured to the stone fist while pushing up off of his knee to finally stand. “-and everything on him is currently a liquid. And the one in the sand is...in the sand. Pretty sure that makes all of his things yours now. Still plenty of things to sort through once we settle down for the night. I would hate to keep us from our destination any longer.”

He didn’t wait for a response and instead started walking back to the camels. As Omid passed by the two slain women he heard a few sung notes from Sareen as they turned to sand. His steps faltered for just a moment as memories flooded back into his mind and he looked over to  Nazer still waiting and riderless. Omid closed his eyes and readjusted the loot he was hefting as he resumed walking to the camels.

Sareen wasn’t far behind, and was soon ascending on her own camel while Omid secured the new cargo. One final sigh and he commanded his own camels to follow. The rocky lands at the foot of the mountains looked to be even closer now, and he focused on that in the hope that the scenery would bring some form of welcomed change as they rode onward.

Come nightfall, and the benefits of leaving a sand sea were already presenting themselves around a meager campfire Omid had constructed from the scrub brush that had started to populate the landscape. Only a slow burn and a small one at that, it was a welcomed change from huddling around a single lantern or the star lights of Sareen’s ‘guest house’. It was still enough of a fire to stare at and get lost in.

Omid fought off drowsiness as he returned to looking over the goods he acquired from the thieves, spread out over a cloth. Gold coins and jewelry were somehow at the bottom of his priority list as there was a likelihood that such currency would be of little use for the foreseeable future. More rations and water meant he could go even longer without getting desperate enough to ask Sareen for aid. A compass and various other tools would likely prove useful, and they immediately found themselves residing in whatever pouches Omid could fit on his belt in the event that he was thrust into another of Sareen’s surprise trials.

It was all, however, absolutely nothing compared to the greatest prize of all. The mere scent of which had nearly made Omid fall over when he first unsealed it from its small tin. That he prioritized keeping on him at all times for safety even in the face of having to leave other possibly useful things behind.

Coffee.

Just enough to make one kettle’s worth, and only a pinch of sugar to sweeten the entire batch, but it would still be coffee. Omid pat the carefully secured tin in the pocket on his hip, as he had every so often since the initial discovery. Still there, still close by, still safe. Ready for when he would need it most.

But not now, he reminded himself. Not now, for he would need to try and sleep soon and such wonderful nectar would be wasted at time when sleep was the goal. Nor would it likely be tomorrow morning, which according to Sareen would not be the morning they made it to their destination. No his precious coffee beans would become that bitter juice of life on the day they were to arrive at…

“Where are we going again?” Omid asked aloud as the thought came to him and he looked up to the fire from his daze.

“A very important meeting.” Sareen said from her seat less than arm’s length from him.

“Important people there?”

“If we are lucky, yes!”

“What...kinds of people?”

“Most likely a variety.”

“And some of those varieties would be….?”

“Important.” Omid gave Sareen a tired look as she responded with a smile brighter than the suns spreading all the way to her eyes which he would swear were sparkling at the moment.

“And some of those other varieties would be…?” He leaned towards her slightly.

“Very important.” She kept her smile as Omid slouched over in defeat, pawing at his tin of coffee to remind himself of something good still existing in this world.

“Glad I can be of service in my existence as an unending source of humor.” He said in muffled tones while holding his face in his hands.

Omid pondered for a moment as he looked out from between his fingers at the fire, struggling against exhaustion to gather his thoughts into full ideas.

“Will there be any Zallans?” He asked with a sigh.

“Not at that meeting, but at the gathering that this is leading up to, yes.” Sareen stated plainly.

This afforded Omid a momentary burst of clarity as he processed what all that meant before he chanced another question. “And how might they, and the...persons of varying...great importance of the first meeting...how might I be on my best behavior with them?”

Sareen just looked at Omid for a moment, looking off only once in a moment of thought before she gave her answer. “Keep doing what you’ve been doing, mostly.”

“Mostly?”

“Be polite, but don’t…” She gestured with her hand as she looked off. “Well don’t have it not make sense.”

“What would an example of something not making sense be?”

“Oh you know that...thing where you’re very clearly trying to trick someone but pretending you’re not.” She looked off again and seemed...annoyed. Which confused Omid as normally that would mean he should be dead right now, unless…

“I assure you I have not tried to trick you.” He said with a raised brow.

“Yes that.” She pointed to him with a frown. “Don’t do that and you shall be fine.” She said in a hurried tone ending in a pleased look.

Omid blinked, thinking back to an earlier theory. “Knowledge should be repaid with knowledge.” Her smile turned to a frown and he continued with some satisfaction. “See, the campfire actually helps me sleep. Back home we would gather driftwood and have bonfires regularly. I would always sleep well after that. A nice warm fire on cool nights, talking with friends and or family, a good hot meal. Ah that’s what we’re missing.”

He quickly pulled out a bit of dried meat, courtesy of a slain thief, and placed it at the end of a long metal skewer before poking it into the flames. Pointedly ignoring the glare Sareen was giving him the entire time, waiting only a short while until the already dried meat was ever so slightly roasted for flavor. Retrieving it, he broke off a piece and offered it to Sareen. She seemed to be stuck on trying to repay some form of debt, and so long as he kept her from doing so he appeared to have the tiniest bit of leverage over her.

Sareen stared at the charred meat, unmoving as she spoke. “As I said, you are up to something.” She said, regarding the offering as a trick.

“I am up to companionship.” Omid said with a smile, not technically lying. The companionship just happened to act as a shield.

Ever so slowly she reached out before quickly grabbing it away and staring at it. “You are aware that you are my guest are you not?”

“Oh of course, but I would hate to be an inconsiderate guest.”

She stared at the piece of charred meat for a moment before taking a bite, to which Omid joined her in eating and suppressing a grimace as he tasted the culinary abomination of roasting already dried meat over burning scrub brush filled with oils.

They sat for a time, chewing on meat with all the flavor of wood. Sareen was the first to break the silence.

“You gave me a great gift, now it’s time for another lesson.” She said after choking down what may have been sand strider at some point before drying and burning. Omid’s hand reached for the tin of coffee at the mention of another trial. “Power given willingly endures. Power that is taken diminishes. And power was given to you, which you gave to me.”

Omid sat unblinking as his eyes wandered about, his mind was making a futile effort to put together the puzzle pieces and having a hard time through the exhaustion.

“You weren’t aware of that were you? Only propping yourself up with things you don’t understand? No matter, you shall be an even greater asset once properly trained.” She stated.

Omid hesitated. “Towards what end?”

“I have my rivals. All of which would underestimate you...as I first did. Do not be mistaken, you still have a long way to go. But instead of an amusement you shall be an asset. A proper mage. You would like that for more than the magic, wouldn’t you?” Sareen’s signature smile returned, and Omid regarded it with utmost care. He wasn’t the only one who had been paying attention.

He swallowed the last bit of burnt flesh and kept eye contact with her. “Knowledge for knowledge. If I were to go back right now, I would have camels and coin. Just enough to start some small business venture, and I would be a fool to turn down the security of that. Perhaps as hired muscle for having defeated so many thieves with my companion who obviously didn’t make it in the confrontation.” Omid gave a mock flex of his thin arm and a mocking grin.

“Perhaps as a caravan guard where I can watch others go find their fortunes while I ensure things stay as boring as possible for all who travel with me. Maybe I could even go back to being a librarian and reading about others having a much more interesting life. So many options to do nothing and not matter. Because no one would believe what really happened.” He failed to hide a frown and disdain at this point.

“Take me with you, teach me, and let’s help each other.” Omid pleaded to Sareen, who sat there carefully listening to every word. Whatever she was planning, he needed the tiniest bit of openness between them if he hoped to free Taljir and join Sareen in the supernatural side of the world. Taljir would almost certainly join them, but first Omid had to make this work. And to make it work he needed to know what he was working with.

Sareen’s face of intense concentration broke as she gave a short laugh, causing Omid’s heart to sink. “I already said I would do the first two, but you agreeing to them does make things more interesting.”

“Do you...do you do this often enough for dragging them kicking and screaming along with you to be the norm?” Omid asked before biting at his tongue in worry.

“Yes.” She stated, unphased.

“I’m going to worry about that later or never. Now...do we...shake hands or sign something or-”

“I have your word, which I will hold you to, and you have my word, which is law.”

“Alright.” Omid had been in the middle of extending his hand to shake, but quickly curled it back into a fist to rest in his lap as he looked away. “Well, a toast usually goes with something like this. It’s not necessary but it’s fairly traditional nonetheless. I don’t have any alcohol on me so instead we’ll have to use...hmm.”

Omid put a hand to his chin, running through the mental list he had made of his newly expanded supplies and arrived at the one option left that wasn’t the sacred nectar of life that would give him the strength to not be tired through an extremely important day and also turn lead to gold and make all his dreams come true.

“Water. I have water.” Omid said completely deadpan, grabbing two small cups from the loot pile and pouring a serving of water for him and Sareen. He passed a cup to her, noting how she was carefully studying his actions with an incredulous yet almost confused look.

She stared at the cup before taking it from him, then waited for his lead as she looked back up into his dark eyes which were screaming ever so slightly less than usual.

“To mutual cooperation!” Omid triumphantly declared, raising his glass.

Sareen’s confused look slipped into a smile. “To none being able to stand against us!”

“Yes that!” Omid quickly replied and downed his cup of water before he could think too much on that thought.