Into the Forbidden Place

9. Storm

The third oasis was empty, so Tim only stopped long enough for the camel to rest and drink, and then they were on their way again. Mara was still asleep. If they continued north, they would reach the gate, so he turned left, hoping to find the gatekeepers in the other oasis.

Indeed, they were there, and he knew they would be amazed to see him, but they weren't just amazed; they were stunned. Tim, too, stumbled when he entered the oasis; it felt like he had stepped into another world. The sky, clear and blue in the desert, had turned into a veiled, grayish shade in the oasis. He heard the murmur of a sandstorm behind him, and looking back, he saw that the expansive dunes of the desert had lost their solidity, and the dark wings of the storm spread.

The vegetation trembled in the wind; the palm leaves swayed vigorously, and the smooth surface of the oasis water stirred and formed tiny ripples. Guldar, Morin, and Emorah hurried towards Tim, who was still scanning the desert, not understanding how the previously calm had suddenly turned into a storm. A blackish-purple mist hung over the distant dunes as the sand clouds churned, towering over the desert like a wild beast. The sunlight struggled against the darkness of the sandstorm, shrouding the entire landscape in mysterious shades. It was as if, by entering the oasis, the light had extinguished, but the sandstorm's rampage seemed a particular point of stability. The wind carried the grains of sand, and as if time stood still, they danced around the oasis, whirling with an ear-piercing noise, hissing, buzzing, and encircling the oasis like a dangerous waltz.

Morin approached them first and examined Mara. "How did you cross the storm? And what are you looking for here?"

Tim looked at her with a question in his eyes: "There was no storm when we came; everything was perfectly calm; luckily, we arrived here before it started."

The brown-haired girl looked at him incredulously, and while helping with Mara's descent, she continued: "We've been stuck here for over a day; we can't move forward because of the storm. It wasn't here before you came; you crossed it."

Meanwhile, Judith also emerged. Hearing the conversation, she watched the events with her hands on her hips. "Who is this girl, Timothy?"

Tim had time to think about what to say, so, like a well-rehearsed monologue, he presented the story, omitting what he deemed awkward: "The girl is a treasure hunter; unfortunately, she came through the gate when I was on guard and knocked me out. Noir sent me to report this, but I met her on the way and found her in one of the oases; she wasn't in her right mind. I didn't want to leave her to die, and now we're here. The camel is very hungry; can you give her something and some water?"

In the meantime, all the gatekeepers gathered around them, and Judith ordered: "Lenny, tend to the camel; Morin, check on the girl, try to wake her. Tie her up in case you see signs of her coming, too. Tim, let's talk."

She gestured for Guldar to come too, and Tim wasn't surprised; Guldar was the oldest gatekeeper.

The wind persistently blew, and along the path, Tim saw tents. They went into a larger one, which they probably used as a meeting place because it had no bedding, only blankets on the ground, and water bottles and various packages on the side.

They sat in the middle, and Judith removed the scarf covering her face from the wind. "Now we can talk calmly because I didn't fully understand why Noir sent you..."

"On the first day, this girl knocked me out and came through the gate. I'm here to take her back. However, while looking for you, I met someone who distributes maps to treasure hunters and directs everyone to Death Pass..."