Eyes of the Dragon

Chapter 11

Traveling at night thought the desert was treacherous and slow going, but it brought a release from the relentless heat of the day. Tian's eyes were keen and his footing sure, so he had less trouble than some other might. However he did find himself leading the camel as much as riding it, just to be certain on some of the more difficult dunes. It was while leading the camel over one of the dunes that his eyes caught something strange.

If it had not been perfectly highlighted by the nearly full moon then it might have escaped Tian's notice. As it was he saw what appeared to be a figure laying down in the desert after the dune. He cautiously approached, not sure if it was friend or foe. Leaving the camel behind, he sneaked up quietly on the person.

Only as he was right upon the figure did Tian realize that he need not have bothered, it was merely the remains of an unfortunate traveler and a camel. Standing over the figures in silence, he said a short prayer for their spirits. Then he searched the man and his camel. Though he found the idea repugnant, the desert was harsh and he could not afford to pass up valuable supplies for his quest.

His search yielded two full waterskins, a small pouch of gold and gems, and a finely crafted scimitar. Tian took the first two items, and then more closely inspected the third. During his training at the temple he had learned to use many different weapons, and the sword was his favorite, but not this type of sword. The scimitar was most similar to the single-edged broadsword he had learned to use, but it was the double-edged straight sword that Tian preferred.

Preference or not, it was a fine weapon, if somewhat gaudy. The previous owner had encrusted the hilt and sheath in semi-precious gems. Tian decided to take it, many enemies were more difficult to defeat unarmed, and it would match his disguise as a desert nomad for when he arrived at the camp. He slapped the blade back into the sheath and strapped it to his back when the young monk was startled by the sound of a high-pitched scream from nearby.

Lightly he sprinted across the treacherous sands and crested the nearest dune to see a flash of something jet black in the night. Lunging at a figure on camel back was a scorpion easily the size of a horse. Its claws clicked open and closed as its segmented tail curled back like a serpent ready to strike.

Again the mounted figure screamed, it resolved itself into a man's voice. When he caught sight of Tian he shouted, "Need some help over here!"

His voice was familiar, but the sound of his words prompted the creature to strike. The man leapt free of his mount when the scorpion latched pincers onto the camel's front legs. While the man landed safely and rolled away, the camel let out a strange sound and struggled to get free. At least until the scorpion's stinger plunged itself into the mount's neck. There was a spurt of something dark that sprayed across the sand. Then the camel bucked and fell onto the ground.

Tian was still in shock from seeing the strange giant insect. Then he came to his senses and ripped the scimitar from its sheath on his back and charged ahead. His charge was silent in the night air, and when he reached the scorpion's side the young monk brought his blade down on one of the rear legs. It was a clean cut and sheared completely through the black carapace. The rear leg fell free and thick ichor spurted from the wound.

With an insectile scream, the scorpion spun around to bear on Tian, its stinger hovering threateningly overhead. He readied his sword and held perfectly still. The scorpion had the advantage of size and limbs, so Tian knew he had to lure it into a failed attack before he could close. Otherwise the pincers could trap him long enough for the poisonous stinger to finish the battle for good.

Out of the corner of his eye, Tian caught sight of the stranger drawing a weapon that shone in the moonlight and edging around behind the scorpion. The man moved well enough, but Tian knew that he had to hold the creature's attention or it would likely be fatal for the would-be assistant. Large black eyes gazed at Tian as the scorpion moved closer, the moonlight illuminated his reflection as it moved to attack.

Just as he had seen with the attack on the camel, the scorpion's pincers shot out to grab Tian so that the stinger could finish the job. What the scorpion could not expect was the young monk's lightning fast reaction. Instead of dodging left or right, he leapt over the clacking pincers and onto the head. From there he ran forward along the scorpion's back and directly toward its tail.

Reflexively the scorpion tried to stab at him with its tail, but Tian was ready. A mighty swing of  his sword clipped the stinger from the tail as it dove towards him. It went spiraling away amidst another spray of ichor. With a screech the scorpion bucked and tried to throw him off of its back, spinning left and right like a wild horse. The creature's wild thrashing distracted it from the threat of the other man who sneaked up unseen and waited for his opportunity.

As it spun wildly to the right, finally throwing Tian from its back, the man lunged forward burying his rapier deep into the monster's eye. Violently it recoiled from the terrible attack, and the man retreated. On the other side of the scorpion, Tian sprang to his feet and used the opening to bring his sword down on its head. It did not sever the head completely, but cut through the chitinous shell and deep into the flesh beneath. The sword rose and fell two more times and then the front of the creature's body fell into a oozing mass on the desert floor.

Both men took a moment to catch their breath where they stood, before Tian turned to regard the person he had saved. The man wore desert clothing, which was little surprise, but when he threw back his head coverings Tian recognized him instantly, "Chase! What are you doing here?"

"I followed you, my friend," he grinned in the moonlight, "surely you didn't think I would pass up solving the mystery you presented to me. Little did I know that you would save me before I could catch up. What a battle!"

Chase walked over to his fallen camel. When he saw what had happened to it he shook his head and started pulling his supplies off the creature. Tian walked over to join him, unsure what to say to the persistent man.

"Now this is bad luck. I liked that camel, too. I even named it," Chase continued talking as he worked, "Called it Narandias, he was an old tutor of mine. They even looked alike. It's a shame, a real shame."

"You cannot follow me," Tian finally interrupted, "I am going somewhere that is very, very dangerous."

"Ah, you mean I might get attacked by giant scorpions if I go there?"

"Yes, the desert can be dangerous, but my destination is dangerous."

Chase tied most of his supplies into a large pack and threw it over his shoulder, "Right, right, I've heard people talking about the mountains."

"I am not talking about legends," Tian said, "there is a warlord camped there with a small army, and they are only the mundane threats. I also know that a great evil resides there, and this warlord is on the verge of releasing it."

"Ah, so that's where Kharzon was going."

"You know of him," Tian was shocked, "How?"

"I'm a minstrel, I talk to everybody. I was in Balik for a while before I set out," he gave an immodest grin and continued, "I'm safer going there with you than staying out here alone. I'll get lost, or eaten, or worse. At least there I can blend in. If you win the day, hey I'll have a great story, if you fail then I claim you took me hostage and join them to help entertain the soldiers. No need to worry about me. So, where did you leave your camel?"

Tian was astonished by the man, but knew that he could not leave him in the desert alone. So he made a decision, "I will allow you to travel with me. However I have a few requests. The first is that you do not betray me until I am already captured or dead, alright?"

Chuckling, Chase motioned for him to continue.

"The second is that you assist me, if you are coming along then you should be useful. Last, you must follow my instructions, particularly when we reach the camp. There are strange, magical elements involved in this quest and you could get us both killed if you act rashly," Tian locked his eyes on the man, "my quest must be successful."

"I knew I was right to follow you. You've got a deal," Chase smiled, "so really, where's your camel?"