The rumbling beneath our feet grew in strength and intensity, and all the hunters glanced around with obvious fear. They’d lived around the sandworms much longer than I had, but I wondered if they knew the secret to killing them.
“They’re not invincible,” I told the chiefs.
“I want what he smokes,” Chief Wombutu laughed and smacked his rotund stomach.
“I’m telling the truth,” I insisted.
“You kill one and show us,” Chief Takini said with a mischievous smile.
They thought I was crazy. That alone told me all I needed to know.
“I will show you the gods’ secret,” I said in my most godly voice. “The giant sandworms can be destroyed, but one has to be pure of heart in order to face the retribution of the gods.”
The eyes of the chiefs widened to the size of saucers as I talked, but the now constant rumbling beneath our feet added an air
of urgency to my words. I had them in the palm of my hand, but I paused for dramatic effect.
“I will kill a sandworm all by myself,” I declared.
Whispers and sounds of disbelief swept through the hunters, and everyone eyed me with disbelief above their veils. Before I could say anything else, the sandworm suddenly leapt out of the dune to our north, and the warriors all grabbed their weapons instinctively.
“Stop!” I called out with a raised hand to stall them. “Let me.”
My panabas were in my fists an instant later, and I stalked casually toward the giant beast gnashing its razor-sharp teeth blindly in every direction. I could feel the fear of the warriors radiating from behind me, but I put it out of my mind as I homed in on the worm-like creature before me.
I made a new save point before I got within eating range, and I stalked the bobs of the beast’s head for a few moments as I calculated my trajectory.
Then the sandworm swung its massive head in my direction, and I timed my jump perfectly so that I rolled unharmed past the snapping teeth. I slid down the creature’s gullet, and I slammed into the thick membrane protecting its stomach. The sound of the
sandworm’s heartbeat thudded all around me, and the beast roared out in pain as I began to chop through its flesh.
I sliced in a wide arc above my head until I could step through the monster’s flesh and begin to hack away at it from the other side.
The sandworm thrashed and flopped around in the sand, but this only ripped its wounds open even more, and soon it ceased its struggle.
That was when I finally heard the cheering.
The warriors representing every tribe present at the oasis were jumping around and waving their arms like children at a parade, but the sounds of amazement were music to my ears.
“Bash! Bash! Bash!” they chanted as I flicked gore from my blades and crossed the distance to them.
“See?” I smirked and jerked my chin at the sandworm’s corpse. “They can be killed.”
“One must first accept death as his fate,” Chief Takini said in a solemn tone, and he stared at me like I was an apparition for a long moment.
“Nope, you just need to slice them open from the inside first,” I explained with a shrug. “It’s not rocket science.”
Except there were no words for rocket or science in the Kimaku tribe’s dialect, or in the language of the Trahana tribe, so the two chiefs merely stared at my common tongue words in confusion.
“Big shiny birds flying to the stars,” I explained as best I could in the languages of the tribes.
Still the two chiefs exchanged a confused glance before they shrugged their shoulders at me. I had to admit, it sounded pretty fantastical even to my own ears, but I hadn’t spent my entire life in this medieval video game-like world.
“Never mind,” I chuckled as I waved a dismissive hand. “What else can we hunt?”
“We must first clean your kill,” Chief Wombutu said, and he rubbed his belly as he eyed the giant corpse. “I’ve never eaten a sandworm before. How about we try it at the feast?”
“I’m surprised your people haven’t hunted them already,” I said to the leader of the Trahana tribe. “You’re nomads, right? You had to encounter several sandworms along the way.”
“The giant sandworms have not been in Kotar for long,” Chief Wombutu explained. “The warlord hired sorcerers to summon them, or so the story goes.”
“Powerful summoners, huh.” I scratched my jaw as I thought about the things I could learn from people that powerful. “This warlord guy is no joke.”
“Will you stay for our meeting?” Chief Wombutu asked. “Your Sorreyalians are a tribe of the desert in my eyes. You came far on your own, and I hear you lost no souls along the way.”
“The God of Time never suffers casualties,” I said, and I lifted my chin to a proud angle. “I’d be happy to attend the meeting. I was going with an invitation or not, but this is the easier route, so thanks.”
“Y-You’re welcome,” Chief Wombutu stammered out as he tried to process what I’d said.
“Now,” I said, and I clasped both chiefs on the shoulders.
“What else are we going to hunt?”
The other warriors began the task of cutting meat from the inside of the worm, but I saw the hesitancy in their footsteps as they stepped through the wound. It amazed me how fearful the fierce warriors of the desert were of the giant sandworm, but it made sense if the worms hadn’t been around for very long.
We wrapped the sandworm meat up in hides, and warriors slung the packs onto their shoulders before we carried on, but the
two chiefs and I took the lead.
It wasn’t long before I spotted some weird-looking marks in the sand, but I made a new save point before I pointed them out to the other warriors. They looked almost like little circles wedged into the ground, but they loped swiftly across a dune and out of sight.
“What do those marks mean?” I asked in the Kimaku dialect, but then I repeated myself for the Trahana chief.
“Sand devils,” Chief Takini said. “Very tasty.”
“Sounds good to me,” I said. “Now, I can reset and save valuable time.”
Chime.
The tracks led over the dune and out of sight, but I trotted after them at a brisk pace, and the other warriors had to hurry to keep up with me. I covered the trail down the other side of the sandy rise, and then I spotted a furry, four-legged creature in the distance. It looked like a warthog that had lost most of its hair, and I wondered if it tasted like pork.
I had my obsidian bow notched with an arrow a couple of breaths later, and I put the pig-like creature in my sights before I exhaled and released the string. The projectile zoomed across the
distance between us, and it embedded itself deep in the beast’s neck. The arrowhead poked out the other side of the creature’s throat, and the sand devil tripped over its own front feet as it fell down dead.
“You really are a god,” Chief Wombutu breathed from behind me.
The other warriors stared in silence at my kill for a long moment, and then one of the people representing one of the other tribes lifted my hand in the air and cheered. Everyone began to rush toward me, and they patted me on the back, shook my hand fiercely, and hugged me like family.
“You can always hunt with us,” Chief Takini said as he embraced me. “Sand devils are a dangerous game to hunt.”
“It’s the least I could do,” I chuckled. “It was easy enough.”
We field dressed the sand devil, and then I slung the beast’s corpse across my shoulders. I would have to clean my armor after this, but it would be worth it to try out the meat. I had a feeling it would taste like pork, but I didn’t want to get my hopes up too high.
We stayed out in the desert until several other warriors managed to land kills, but the two chiefs each managed to wrestle a
serpent into submission. It seemed the desert dwellers would eat anything they could get their hands on, but I didn’t blame them since there were only so many things available to them.
Once the sun began to tilt toward the horizon, the chiefs called it a day, and we began to haul our game back to the oasis. Our tracks across the sand had already been wiped clean by the constant breezes sweeping the dunes into neat piles, so it would be easy to get lost out here. I hoped the desert dwellers knew their way around because the trees of the oasis were out of sight. All I could see in every direction was empty desert and an occasional tumbleweed that skittered past.
The warriors headed off in a single-file line, and I fell into step behind them, but I made a new save point just in case I had to take the lead later. I didn’t have anything to worry about, though, and the tree line surrounding the oasis came into view a short while later.
We were heralded with cheers as we stepped into the grotto, and several bonfires were roaring into the night sky. We unloaded our kills as women rushed forward to gather the meat, and then I went to wash up before the feast. I encountered Eva and Zenda along the way, and the two women flashed me brilliant smiles when they spotted me.
“Bash!” Zenda called out between the tents dividing us. “You’re back!”
“How was the hunt?” Eva asked once they’d crossed the distance to me.
“Gory,” I said, and I gestured to the ick coating my dragon scale armor. “I need to get clean.”
“Those are sandworm guts,” Zenda observed, and her eyes widened with concern. “Did you encounter any complications?”
“Nope.” I grinned. “Everything went just as planned. I even showed the tribespeople how to kill the worms themselves. Did you know they were summoned by a sorcerer in the mysterious warlord’s pay?”
“That would explain why the tribes didn’t know how to handle them,” Eva noted.
“My thoughts exactly.” I nodded. “I’ll meet you both at the feast, okay?”
“Alright,” Zenda sighed.
“We’ll miss you!” Eva called at my departing back.
I was overwhelmed with the urge to sweep them into my arms, but I didn’t want to get them covered in sandworm gore, so I hurried
to the washbasin outside our dwelling. The campsite was a bustle of activity as my people began to prepare their contributions to the feast, and I worried about our supply levels as I looked at the bounty being laid out. I could handle whatever issues arose, and it was necessary for us to show our support of the feast, but I made a mental note to check in on the supplies later.
I peeled off my sweaty armor, cleaned it off with a damp rag, and then doused myself in water. Once I was all scrubbed and dried, I pulled on some of my nicer clothes and put my dragon scale boots back on. Then I finished the look with daggers strapped to my waist, but I left my panabas behind. Finally, I wet my hands and slicked back my hair. It was growing longer, and it would soon reach my chin, but it was still long enough to maintain the shape I shoved it into.
Once I was ready for the feast, I ducked out of the structure and returned to the grotto, but Eva, Zenda, and Mahini were waiting for me at the edge of the Kimaku tribe’s campsite.
“Feast time,” I announced as I kissed them each in greeting.
Torches were lit throughout the trees, and the forest around the oasis glowed with a warm orange light. Laughter and scrambled languages filled the air, and I took a deep breath as I soaked in the
atmosphere. Colorful tapestries and rugs had been spread out, and everywhere I looked were pillows to sit on. People lounged around, and the smell of roasting pork made my mouth water.
I smacked my suddenly moist lips, and I followed the aroma until I came to the largest bonfire of the group. Mahini laughed when she realized what had drawn me to this location, and my women went about making us some plates. Once I had the delicious meat before me, nothing else mattered. I inhaled greedily before I ripped a chunk off with my teeth, but the rich, white meat tore easily. They’d cooked it well.
“What have you learned of the local customs?” Zenda asked me in the common tongue of Sorreyal. The intelligent historian was as quick of a study as I was, and she managed to learn without spamming respawns.
“The Hunt was a ritual designed to trade a soul for a soul,” I said. “We offered up the soul of the sandworm in exchange for Mahini’s life.”
“Fascinating,” Zenda breathed, and her sapphire eyes burned with curiosity. “Is this something every tribe participates in? The leaders were the ones who went, so I would imagine it was a regional thing.”
“It would appear that way, wouldn’t it,” I chuckled with a knowing air, and the Zaborian nudged me with her elbow. “Besides, we have ample opportunity to learn about our hosts right here at the feast. Let’s split up and compare notes later.”
“Deal.” Zenda’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “It will give me a chance to practice the local tongues.”
“No one can learn them all,” Mahini warned.
“Bash could,” Eva said with utter confidence in her voice.
“Bash can do anything.”
“I must first have exposure to the language,” I admitted slowly.
“Once more tribes arrive, I’ll be able to learn every tongue easily, but I’m surprised a common dialect doesn’t already exist.”
“Some have tried.” Mahini shrugged. “My people do not change our ways easily. Generations have passed with the same methods used.”
It was adorable how much more accented her voice had become now that she was surrounded by people speaking her native tongue, and I listened eagerly to every word my wife said, but then I cleared my throat.
“By the way, when are you going to tell your mom you’re pregnant with my baby?” I swallowed hard as I waited for the answer, but then I found even more words flowing out of me. “It’s not like it’s going to be easy to explain how you’re pregnant after just rising from the dead, but maybe we could just say it was part of the magic?”
“That makes sense,” Mahini allowed, but she bit her bottom lip.
“I am anxious to get her back to our home.”
The desert goddess rubbed her growing belly absentmindedly, and I was surprised the midwife hadn’t already spotted the infant developing within my wife’s womb. It just went to show how bulky and draping the robes of the desert dwellers were.
“I want to eat everything,” I said in an effort to clear the air of tension, and I wrapped my arms around both of my wives’ shoulders to steer them toward the next fire. “Have you ever eaten sandworm before?”
“No.” Eva made a sour face.
“They weren’t around when I was a kid,” Mahini explained with a shake of her head.
“I killed one today,” I said. “And the other warriors on the hunt wanted to bring back its meat to try it. I’m willing if you are.”
“I will eat this meat,” Mahini said, and she gave me a curt nod.
“Nameless will certainly like it, I think,” Eva mused.
Our eyes all turned skyward, but it was impossible to spot the iridescent dragon in the night sky. I was confident he was twirling through the air somewhere directly above my head since he hadn’t wandered off after we’d encountered the Trahana tribe. The little guy was probably watching me at that very moment.
We made it to the fire cooking the sandworm meat, and women working the blaze handed us bowls full of the slimy flesh. I slurped it down without prompting, but Eva and Mahini both inspected their meals before they would put it in their mouths.
It tasted like oysters.
I shrugged, and I emptied my bowl before the other girls could even get through half of theirs. Once they were done, I gathered up our dishes and returned them to the women. I flashed the flame workers a grateful smile, but I didn’t know what tribe they belonged to, so I didn’t know what language to speak.
Before we could reach the next bonfire, several of the warriors who’d been on the Hunt trotted toward us with eager smiles on their unveiled faces. It seemed the occasion warranted a little liberties with the usual rules, but once they got close enough, I could smell the alcohol on their breaths. They grinned and grabbed hold of my elbows, and Eva and Mahini trailed in our wake with curious expressions on their faces.
“Bash, Bash,” the warrior named Kiniki said as he practically dragged me between the tents. “You have to meet my wife, Davini.”
“Then you must kiss my newborn babe,” a warrior named Bustifi requested..
I was inundated with similar requests by all the warriors around me, and I laughed as I tried to placate all of them. There were a few who spoke in a tongue I didn’t know, so it was time to work my godly charms.
I made a new save point as the warriors dragged me through the line of dwellings, but as soon as we arrived at the first warrior’s tent, a woman emerged to embrace him. She wore the veil and headdress of a warrior as well, and I gave her a respectful nod when her eyes fell on me.
“Y-Y-You’ve brought the God of Time to our home?” the woman stammered in a low voice. “I am not ready.”
“What is your name?” I asked as I reached for the woman’s hand.
“Davini,” the woman said, and she melted as I kissed her knuckles. “At your command, Great One.”
“Please,” I said in my most charming voice. “Call me Bash.”
Then I reset to my save point with a wave of my will, and I grabbed Kiniki around his shoulders.
“You’ll have to send a runner ahead to alert Davini,” I said with a knowing smirk. “She’ll be mad at you if you don’t let her know you’re going to bring me to your house.”
“Good idea, Great One,” Kiniki said, and he motioned for one of the other warriors to run ahead of us.
After I met Davini again, and amazed her with my knowledge of the Kimaku tribe, we carried on to fulfill the other warriors’
requests. I kissed more hands and foreheads than I could count, and I lost track of how many times someone tugged on my shirt sleeves.
I was like a good luck charm, and everyone wanted a piece of the God of Time.
I started to get bored of spamming respawns to meet the tribespeople, though, and I decided to focus on learning the different languages better. I knew two tribes’ dialects, but there were plenty of other tribal fragments who’d joined with Chief Wombutu after the warlord had attacked their villages.
Once all the warriors’ were satisfied with their wishes, I announced that I wanted to hear some folk stories about the tribes’
ancestors. I took a seat on a pile of cushions, and I waited for the volunteers to come forward. I didn’t have to wait very long, though, and soon a crowd had gathered around to listen.
Each volunteer spoke in their own language, and I made a new save point before each speaker. Then I would reset, and I would ask them to translate it to the best of their ability. Bit by bit, I learned one language after another, and my head was soon spinning from all the new information.
My brain was already attempting to blur the dialects together into one common tongue, but Mahini didn’t think her people would be capable of learning something like that.
Maybe I could prove her wrong.
I was the God of Time, after all. I made the impossible happen all the time.
I also learned a lot about the cultures of the different tribes in the process, and I was fascinated by the similarities and contrasts between the different groups. Some were solely warriors, and they lived, breathed, and died by the sword. Others were nomadic hunters while others were actually farmers who went from oasis to oasis, but they always made each place more fruitful than when they found it.
Most of the tribes shared a hard-edged worldview, and from their perspective, things were always a little bleak, but I had a feeling I could change all that. I could bring hope and joy back to the south, even if that meant I had to unite all the disbanded tribes.
It was a job fit for a god.
Once I had every language mastered, I could move around the feast and talk to anyone present with ease. I soon became a translator between the tribes, and I was hounded by requests to help solve disputes for the next few hours.
Then I made another round of the food, but this time I focused on the sweets. I was amazed at what the desert dwellers could do
with their food, and considering the lack of resources available, they were nothing short of miracle workers. There was honey flatbread drizzled with oil, jellied berries, and vegetables soaked in a salty brine. There was something for every craving, and I tasted it all.
Then the music started as a dull isolated drumbeat echoed through the trees, but everyone fell silent at the sound of the mallet striking hide. The drum sounded again, and all the tribespeople stomped their feet. This continued as the drumbeat grew steadily louder and closer, but by the time the line of musicians came into view, the aisles between the tents were full of people performing complicated footwork.
It was some kind of traditional dance, and I could sense Mahini’s urge to move along with her people as she stood motionless beside me.
I made yet another new save point to finalize all the progress I’d made so far, and I bumped my elbow against my wife’s shoulder.
“Care to show me the ropes?” I asked. “It looks like fun.”
“You’re sure you want to?” Mahini smirked and flashed me a sideways look.
“Of course,” I laughed, and I took her hand to pull her into the pathway. “Show me what to do.”
“Alright,” the desert goddess allowed, and she tilted her head back to release the most beautiful-sounding laugh I’d ever heard come from her lips. “It goes like this.”
Then Mahini began to show me the steps to the foot-heavy dance, and we stomped along with the crowd for what felt like hours.
The moon started to rise above the trees, and the full orb illuminated the grotto in silver light. It was a magical feeling, and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had so much fun.
Then Chief Takini approached with a long-stemmed pipe held in his hands.
“Smoke of the desert flower,” he urged me. “You will see through new eyes.”
Great, a hallucinogenic smokable herb.
Just what a god needed to have a good time at a tribal party.
I inhaled slowly, but then I held the smoke in my lungs for a long moment as I passed the pipe back to the chief. At long last, I exhaled, and I was seized by a coughing fit that made my eyes water.
“Phew,” I sighed as I finally caught my breath. “That’s some good stuff.”
“Yes,” Chief Takini chuckled. “Good stuff.”
We passed the pipe back and forth for a while, and I watched with sudden fascination as the cherry bloomed bright orange before fading to a smolder once more. The sounds of nature grew louder in my ears, and the echoes of laughter rippled almost visibly through the trees. I had a feeling the hallucinogenic properties of the herb were beginning to kick in, but I was having the time of my life.
I waved my hands through the air in front of my face, and I chuckled as mirages trailed behind the movements. Chief Takini laughed at my antics and shoved the pipe into my hands once more, so I took one more hit.
Mahini, Eva, and Zenda suddenly surrounded me out of nowhere, and they’d never looked so beautiful in my eyes as they did in that moment. Mahini’s ice-blue eyes were as bright in the moonlight as Zenda’s sapphire gaze was dark, but the amused smile on Eva’s juicy lips had me licking my own hungrily. I opened my arms for all three women to fall into, and we embraced for a long moment as I inhaled their floral, spicy, and ocean scents. Every sensation
was heightened, and I could feel their bodies beneath their clothes as though they stood naked beneath the trees.
I had to get my hands on some of this herb before we returned to Bastianville.
“Will you come with us to speak with my mother?” Mahini asked, and she bit her bottom lip in an anxious manner. “I want to ask her to come home with us.”
“You’re going to tell her you’re pregnant?” I pressed, and I furrowed my brow as I tried to focus on my wife’s swirling face.
“Yes.” Mahini took a deep breath and nodded. “With you by my side, I will have the courage to tell her everything.”
“Good.” I grinned. “Let’s do it.”
“We’ll be with you the entire time,” Eva added as she squeezed the desert goddess’ hand. “You can count on us to help.”
“I am learning much of the tribal language,” Zenda said as we walked between the tent structures. “It is intricate and complex, but there are similarities in the different dialects.”
“I’ve mastered them all,” I snickered.
“Impossible,” Zenda gasped, but then she quickly schooled her shocked expression back into one of demure observation. “That is to
say, it is impossible for a mortal man to accomplish such a task. I have faith in your abilities to learn anything in a day.”
“It’s just part of being a god,” I laughed. “I told you I’m full of surprises.”
“You did, indeed.” Zenda’s lips twitched into an amused smile.
We ducked inside Aranini’s dwelling, and the older woman greeted us with smiling eyes above her veil. Even with the casual air of the feast, the midwife still observed tradition. The air of her tent smelled of spices and herbs, and steam clouded the space above our heads. Then a pot began to whistle above the fire, and Aranini gestured toward the sitting area as she turned toward the flames.
Once we were all comfortable with tea in hand, the conversation began. Aranini asked about our exploits during the feast, and Mahini told her mother about my tour of the warriors’
tents.
“You spend a lot of time with him,” Aranini noted in that knowing voice only a mother could master. “The God of Time is important to you because he is the one who brought you back to life?”
Mahini sputtered into her tea, but she quickly regained her composure and cleared her throat as she set the mug down.
“Mother, Bash and I are married.” The desert goddess looked her mother straight in the eyes, and they held each other’s gazes for a long, silent moment. “I am carrying his child in my womb.”
Aranini’s eyes widened as her gaze flicked to Mahini’s abdomen, and the desert goddess pressed down on her robes to show the curve of her growing belly.
“Y-Y-You are with child!” Aranini leapt to her feet. “And so far along!”
“Sit down, Mother,” Mahini urged. “Let’s talk about this.”
“How could this happen so fast?” Aranini shook her head as though she could shake some sense into herself.
I opened my mouth to spin some yarn about my magic making my wife pregnant, but Mahini beat me to it.
“I’ve been alive this whole time,” Mahini admitted to my surprise. “I faked my death to throw off the foreigners intent on hurting us. They wouldn’t have left while I remained in the village.”
“You could always draw unwanted attention to yourself,”
Aranini allowed with a mournful sigh, but then her expression grew
sharp as she narrowed her eyes at us. “What does this mean? The magic was not real?”
“No, it was real,” Mahini insisted, but the other women and I exchanged a look behind her back.
This was getting into dangerous territory.
“Bash makes me feel alive, Mama,” Mahini continued. “He gave me a new life, and a family, but I miss you. I need you to come home with me to help me with this baby. I do not know what to do, and I’m scared, Mama.”
The desert goddess’ accent grew thicker with each word, but her mother continued to pace and shake her head in disbelief.
Finally, Aranini halted her movements and turned to stare at her daughter with a shocked expression in her matching eyes.
“I will find a way to wrap my head around this strange magic,”
Aranini said at long last. “But I cannot leave Kotar. Our people need me, and there is a war brewing. Healers will soon be in short supply.”
“You cannot stay here because there is a war brewing!” Mahini shook her head. “No, you need to come back to Bastianville where you will be safe.”
“No!” Aranini insisted, and she slashed her hand through the air to emphasize her words. “I will not abandon my people. I cannot fake my death and run away.”
“Mama!” Mahini’s voice cracked with emotion.
“Hold on, hold on,” I said as I stepped up to stand between the two women, but I fixed Aranini with a hard stare. “Your daughter needs you. You haven’t been able to be there for her for years, and she had to grow up into a woman all alone. You cannot fault her for wanting you to be there for her now, with a baby on the way.”
“The war is coming,” Aranini said with a solemn shake of her head. “I would dishonor our tribe if I chose this moment to run.
Kimaku are warriors born and bred. Even I can hold a spear and shield.”
I let out a deep exhale, and I could see the tears building in my wife’s ice-blue eyes, so I knew I had to do something fast.
“What if I take care of the war?” I asked.
Silence followed my words, and my women all tensed. They knew what that entailed, and they knew I always followed through on my promises. Aranini was the only one who did not know me well, and doubt was visible in her gaze.
“I’m serious,” I said. “I could kill this warlord asshole, unite the tribes peacefully, and set up trade routes with the north to assist in times of need.”
“You would do that for my people?” Aranini stared at me in disbelief. “We are nothing to you. No kin.”
“Mahini is my wife, and her child will be half Kimaku tribe and half me.” I shrugged. “This makes the Kimaku tribe all my kinfolk, and I will do whatever I can to protect them. Plus, as the God of Time, it’s basically my job to stop wars.”
The midwife continued to ponder what I’d said for a long moment, but I gave her time to think it over and returned to my seat on the cushions. Mahini squeezed my hand warmly, and I could tell from the seductive gleam in her pale-blue eyes that I’d be reaping rewards very soon.
“If Kotar is at peace, I will leave the desert and go to this Bastianville,” Aranini said at long last. “I will have Pashini take over my people.”
“You have a deal.” I nodded. “Peace in the Kotar Desert before the baby comes.”
Aranini gave me a look like she still thought I was crazy, but I would prove to her I meant what I said. I’d have all the tribes united into a vast army in no time, and then we’d square off with this wannabe warlord once and for all. Once the desert was under my command, I could set up new ways of governing that would prevent uprisings from happening in the future.
I always loved a new challenge, and this was right up my alley.
But I had work to do.
I needed to learn everything I could about my enemy and figure out his location. I’d have the entire desert mapped out for the first time in history when this was all over, plus a whole slew of new allies from the south. I’d question the chiefs about the warlord as soon as I was sober, but for the moment, I needed to pick Aranini’s brain. The midwife was obviously respected by the chief, so there was a chance she’d know a great deal of the information I needed.
It was worth a shot.
I made a new save point before I questioned my wife’s mother about the warlord while the midwife was serving us all another round of tea, so the timing was perfect. Then Aranini took a seat, and I flashed her a curious smile.
“What do you know about the coming war?” I asked in a casual tone.
Aranini sipped on her tea without responding, but then she set her mug down gently. Zenda, Eva, and Mahini all leaned in, and they were obviously just as eager as I was to learn more about the situation in the desert.
“I know of three tribes, powerful tribes of strong warriors, who have joined beneath the single banner.” Aranini shrugged. “I know that together they have ravaged many villages and left few survivors.
Those who did not agree to join their cause were tortured. Trahana tribe fought back, but Chief Wombutu believes he has a target on his head now.”
“So, we’re hiding out?” I asked. “Won’t it draw attention if multiple tribes gather at this oasis?”
“The Chunga Oasis is usually reserved for important ceremonies,” Aranini explained, but then she jerked her chin at her daughter. “Hini, tell him from your lessons. You must remember?”
“Yes, Mama,” Mahini chuckled. “The Chunga Oasis is a place of peace and refuge. It is guarded by a benevolent tree spirit, and life flows freely here. It is a place several tribes share to perform
weddings, funerals, and coming-of-age ceremonies. We must always leave it in pristine, holy condition.”
“So, why let all the tribes gather here to hide out?” I asked.
“Won’t they damage the forest?”
“We all must take it upon ourselves to respect our surroundings,” Mahini’s mother said in the voice of one accustomed to teaching. “You are just as responsible as I am for the condition of the oasis.”
“Alright, I’ll make sure I pick up after myself,” I said.
I still had my doubts that this many people could gather and set up tents without damaging the environment, but I would do my part to make sure my people didn’t do unnecessary harm. We would be sparing with our firewood and keep to the dead wood that had fallen to the ground.
I continued to question Aranini until her answers grew terse and her voice sounded weary, so I decided to reset to my save point to talk of nicer things before we left for the night.
Chime.
We sipped on our tea and talked more about the feast and the coming gathering of tribes, but my promise to fix the situation still
hung in the air. Before long, Mahini flashed me a sideways smile that spoke volumes, and my cock instantly hardened against the fabric of my pants.
“I think it’s time to call it a night,” I said.
The smile on Mahini’s lips told me I’d read her cue correctly, and we quickly said our goodbyes before we returned to our own campsite. Eva and Zenda seemed to pick up on the romantic tension between Mahini and me, and they muttered something about listening to the musicians before they disappeared into the shadows of the trees.
Then Mahini took my hand, and she held me locked in her ice-blue eyes as she pulled me slowly into our tent.
And I didn’t have to be a god to guess I was about to get a nice reward.