Cultist of Cerebon

Zareth closed his nictitating membranes as a gust of wind sent sand flying into his face, carefully shielding the map in front of him so it didn’t get damaged or sent flying off into the distance.

Once the gust subsided, he let out a huff of annoyance and carefully drank from his waterskin as he returned to studying the map.

It had barely taken a month after the Desharin agreed to help him in finding the lost temple of Meldorath for them to successfully narrow down its location, which was honestly absurd. Considering how large the Qahtani Desert was, it would have taken most people years to accomplish the same task, if they succeeded in doing so at all. The fact that the Desharin had done it in so little time implied to Zareth that they’d already had a good idea where to go looking.

Given how incredibly detailed their map was, Zareth was even more confident that his assumption was correct. Even in a world with magic and System enhanced [Cartographers], most maps in this world were still far worse in quality than the ones back on Earth. Proportions were often inconsistent, landmarks misplaced or omitted entirely, and details became more ambiguous the farther away from Tal’Qamar you looked.

One of the first things that Zareth had done after he stopped being dirt poor was try to acquire a map of the world and its various continents, the results of which had been… disappointing. Most maps agreed that there were five continents in the world, but each of them were different in size, shape, and relative location.

The map provided by the Desharin was no different in that regard, but its depiction of the region around Tal’Qamar was exceptional.

I wonder if they’ll agree to sell this to me once we return to the city…

Their expedition was taking a short break in their journey while the Desharin guide went to search the route ahead as the sun slowly rose over the horizon. Zareth was glad that the guide was so thorough in their duties, as it gave him plenty of time to prepare for the next section of their journey.

Since Zareth was currently surrounded by many people who’d seen far more of the world than he had, namely the Desharin, the Adventurer Group he’d hired, and Rizok, he would be a fool to let this sort of opportunity go. His conversation with Farida had neatly highlighted that Zareth needed to learn more about the world around him if he was going to be involved with politics.

The Qahtani Desert was actually far larger than Zareth had ever known, taking up nearly a third of the continent of Valandor. It stretched from the Sapphire Sea in the south, to the large mountain range known as the Talon of Qahtan in the north. The deadly monsters living in the sea and the impassable mountains meant that the Qahtani Desert neatly separated the eastern and western portions of Valandor, which honestly explained a lot.

“So, the reason that Tal’Qamar is such a valuable trading hub is because we control Qamar’s Gorge?” Zareth asked with fascination as he pointed to the narrow valley that connected the eastern half of Valandor to the Qahtani Desert.

His question was directed to Rizok, who was currently sitting around the firepit and feeding a Radiant Serpent which Zareth had gifted to him; his scaled armor glinting faintly in the firelight. Surprisingly, the stoic lizardkin had been taken with the tiny winged serpent and immediately named her Glitterfang. Rizok had inexplicably loosened up the moment they left Tal’Qamar and could now be seen laughing and smiling often while teasing his new pet.

It was a… strange turn of events, but not one Zareth disliked.

“That’s correct,” said Rizok, chuckling as Glitterfang nipped at his fingers. “Raqasor never sent us on expeditions too far from the valley for that reason. We would usually be protecting Eldamir from northern raiders or some other nonsense. I imagine they’re not doing well now that we’re no longer for hire.”

Zareth’s eyes wandered over to the many nations east of Tal’Qamar. The Eldamir Empire had supposedly been trapped in a constant cycle of collapse and reformation for most of its existence, and was currently on the downswing.

A single look at the map made it obvious how something like this would have a deep impact on Tal’Qamar. The other side of Qamar’s Gorge was quite firmly in Eldamir territory, which meant trade would inevitably plummet if the empire was unstable.

Zareth couldn’t help but wonder how much of this had been responsible for Merchant Lord Raqasor losing power and being killed…

“So then how has High Command kept the city running?” Zareth asked curiously as he looked toward the cities throughout the Qahtani Desert sprinkled around the many oases. “With Eldamir in chaos and the ongoing war with Fal’Ashar, you’d think the merchant caravans would ground to a halt.”

Whether it was to the east or west of Tal’Qamar, the local region was a hotbed of instability. Spicebloom Bazaar was definitely worse off than it had been before the war and Raqasor’s death, but not nearly as much as Zareth would have expected.

“You underestimate the greed and tenacity of [Merchants],” Rizok said with a slight smirk. “Many of them have Skills designed to help them overcome dangerous situations, such as [Pathfinder] or [Camouflage Caravan]. So long as there’s gold to be made, the more highly Leveled of them will continue to find ways to acquire it.”

Zareth supposed that made sense. Given the existence of the System, [Merchants] were likely capable of tolerating a much higher threshold for danger in this world than back on Earth.

Still, it was clear to him that High Command’s war on Fal’Ashar was about far more than just the Conclave. If Tal’Qamar managed to expand its territories to the west, then it would eventually be able to threaten the port cities along the Sapphire Sea and freely access trade routes which didn’t depend on the stability of Eldamir.

As a [Cultist], a part of Zareth had grown used to contextualizing everything around the gods and the actions of the Conclave, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Most people didn’t care about the gods, and it was instead gold which made the world turn.

Zareth shared his observation about High Command’s motivations and was surprised when Rizok didn’t hesitate to agree. He’d noticed that the lizardkin usually tried to speak well of High Command and the Great Houses in his presence, never really painting them in a bad light.

“If we manage to take Fal’Ashar, I have no doubt that High Command will find an excuse to continue their conquests until they reach Ankhet,” Rizok said bitterly as he pointed to the largest port city along the Sapphire Sea. “This is why there are growing rumors that a coalition of all the cities in that region is being formed.”

Rumors of a coalition had started to pick up after news came back that General Nasrith had easily overcome the armies of Fal’Ashar in their first major confrontation. The severe difference in Levels and experience between the two armies had supposedly been staggering, sending a ripple of unease through the Qahtani Desert.

“Do you think those rumors are right?” asked Zareth, worried about the risk of the war expanding in scope.

“Absolutely,” Rizok said disinterestedly, turning his attention back to the snake nibbling on his tail. “They would be foolish to do otherwise. The fact that the Conclave will be pushing for a coalition nearly guarantees it as well.”

Zareth very much didn’t like the sound of that, but there was little that he could do about it. He had his own troubles to deal with, so he could only pray that the war would affect his cult as little as possible.

Reaching this conclusion, Zareth decided to turn his attention away from geopolitics to more immediate concerns. The Qahtani Desert was a region littered with various dangers, many of which were between him and his goal.

Since leaving Tal’Qamar, Zareth and his expedition had encountered giant sandworms, swarms of scorpions with mirage-inducing venom, and a cannibalistic [Sand Hag] who’d tried to lure them into her lair by pretending to be a lost traveler.

The Pathfinders, which was the same group of Adventurers he’d been working with since starting his cult, had been pretty pleased since the hag had a high bounty back in the city. From Zareth’s perspective, these constant encounters were just a reminder about why he decided against joining the military or becoming an Adventurer.

Crazy bastards…

However, the worst part of traveling the Qahtani Desert was due to the same reason why many people called it the Land of the Living Sands.

“Ah! Help! Mr. Pebbles crawled into my boot! He’s trying to eat my toes!”

“If you want help, then stop hopping around like a mad hare, lad!”

Zareth tiredly turned his attention to the other side of the camp where the Adventurers had set up their tents. He was greeted to the sight of Tilda, the dwarf [Elemental Mage], chasing their group's human [Scout] as he frantically hopped around their campsite while trying to kick off his boots.

Eventually, Casper managed to remove the offending footwear to reveal the tiny menace that had caused all the commotion. ‘Mr. Pebbles’ was one of the many Sand Elementals which could be found throughout the Qahtani Desert, a small animated mound of sand that was chewing on the man’s foot with a row of crystalline teeth. The Living Sands were the most significant threat to any expedition into the desert, often attacking any person unfortunate enough to enter their territory and slowly shifting the terrain in a way that disrupted trade routes.

Dune collapse in particular was a serious threat, as the Living Sands would sometimes form what appeared to be stable dunes which were actually thin shells over cavernous spaces. Entire caravans had vanished when their path led them atop one such dune, sending them plummeting as the elementals buried them alive in a tomb of sand.

There was a good reason that having someone with [Danger Sense] was mandatory for any caravan traveling through the desert.

The Desharin were experts at appeasing and controlling these creatures, which led Casper to believe he could tame one as a pet. It was a foolish idea, but Zareth had to admit that it was amusing to watch the aftermath.

Tilda immediately unleashed a deluge of water that pried the elemental from the man before hitting it with an [Aqua Orb] that blasted the creature to pieces.

“No! Mr. Pebbles!” Casper wailed as he clutched his bleeding foot, watching the water-soaked remnants of the tiny elemental seep into the ground.

Tilda huffed, wiping the sweat off her brow. “That’s what you get for tryin’ to play with the spirits of the desert. Now go get some healin’ and stop bleedin’ all over our camp!”

“You didn’t have to kill him,” Casper grumbled, his voice thick with exaggerated sorrow as he limped over to Zareth. “I’m sure Mr. Pebbles was only a bit curious about my toes. He was just a baby.”

Part of their contract stipulated that Zareth would heal whatever wounds the Pathfinders sustained during the expedition, something they’d been more than happy to make use of. Zareth placed a hand near the Adventurer’s wound and began closing it with [Permanent Flesh Manipulation], making sure to remove the bits of sand in it before doing so.

“I’d recommend you don’t try that again,” Zareth said dryly as he focused on his task. “The Desharin have been interacting with the Living Sands for countless generations. I doubt you’ll be able to tame one anytime soon.”

“But they’re so cool,” Casper protested mulishly. If Zareth hadn’t seen the Adventurer kill a hag with an arrow to the neck just earlier this week, he would have pegged him as nothing more than an overgrown child. “Just little piles of sand with shiny teeth, how could I not want one? I used all of the tricks that Sefirah uses to take care of her pet, but none of it worked.”

“Casper, I’m a [Beast Tamer]. Those things aren’t beasts,” said Sefirah, voice filled with exasperation as the lizardkin began dismantling the campsite now that everyone was awake. “You’d have been better off listening to Tilda.”

Even her pet, a Stormcaller Hawk, seemed to be glaring at Casper with a degree of disdain. The Pathfinder’s shivarath leader merely moved to assist Sefirah, his six arms working efficiently to pack away their supplies as he ignored the ongoing commotion.

Zareth wasn’t all that interested in listening to Casper whine any longer, so he decided to change the topic of conversation. “Did the elemental leave behind a Sunstone? If so, then I’ll need to hand it over to our guide once she returns.”

Tilda nodded and fished out a radiant, golden-hued crystal from the remains of the destroyed elemental.

Sunstones were essentially the heart of the Living Sands, small magical crystals which formed within their sandy bodies and animated them. Sunstones had a wide range of magical applications and were the most valuable commodity found within the Qahtani Desert. However, the Desharin viewed them with a certain degree of reverence, insisting that the Sunstones were meant to be destroyed so that the ‘spirits’ within could be released and returned to the desert.

This difference of perspective was one of the main sources of tension between the Desharin and the upper class in Tal’Qamar, many of whom had built fortunes on the back of the Sunstone trade.

Zareth didn’t know enough about the subject to have a strong opinion, but the fact that Living Sands were known to act more aggressively to caravans transporting the gems implied that the Desharin’s beliefs were more than just superstition.

“I suggest you prepare yourself to continue. Our guide is close to returning,” said Rizok, glancing toward the horizon where the familiar silhouette of the Desharin guide could be seen approaching.

Zareth nodded and started putting on the set of desert garb he’d been provided, ensuring the simple robes covered every inch of his body and that his boots were sealed. He would very much prefer to avoid getting his toes chewed on by angry sand elementals after all. Once that was done, Zareth moved to use [Minor Blessing of Cerebon] on everyone in the camp, providing them with a small boost to their regeneration and physical abilities which would help them on their journey.

The Desharin guide returned back to the camp just as Zareth finished his preparations, her lithe form moving across sands with an almost unnatural grace. Alongside her was the creature which had inspired Casper’s foolishness, an elemental much larger than Mr. Pebbles which protectively swirled around the Desharin like a guardian.

Zareth had been skeptical at first when he’d been told that a single guide would be enough to guide him and the Pathfinders to the temple, but he had come to trust her expertise. The Desharin seemed to possess a Class which offered a connection to the Living Sands in the Qahtani Desert. This allowed the woman to avoid the worst of its dangers and easily navigate its shifting terrain.

Their guide’s name was Leira, a surprisingly young woman dressed in traditional Desharin robes and wearing a veil that hid all of her features aside from her eyes. Despite her young age, she was apparently the most talented in her generation at navigating the Qahtani Desert, and took her duties very seriously.

“The path ahead is relatively clear,” Leira announced once she reached speaking distance, readjusting the hem of her robes as another gust of wind blew sand across the camp. “Although we will need to reevaluate once we near our destination. If the oasis containing the temple is too beset by System Spawn, then I will not join you in continuing any further.”

Zareth could hear a hint of trepidation in the woman’s voice that hadn’t been present the last time they’d spoken.

“Is there something about the oasis that’s worrying you?” asked Zareth, eager to know if he should expect any dangers ahead. “Were you able to verify whether or not this place is the one we’re looking for?”

The Desharin had been fairly confident that the lost temple of Meldorath would be in this particular oasis, but they hadn’t been willing to give him any guarantees. However, the description they had given him of a secluded oasis filled with System Spawn and faintly emanating divine energy had matched the description given to him by Cerebon, so Zareth had decided to proceed based on that.

In truth, the oasis was most likely just an illusion conjured by the System Spawn to attract less intelligent creatures wandering through the desert, but there was no way to know for certain. After all, approaching such a large group of System Spawn was something only crazy Adventurers and [Cultists] carrying out orders from their god would consider.

Even if it somehow happened to be a different System Spawn infested temple, there was still bound to be valuables that wouldn’t make the trip a waste. Still, he’d prefer to know if they were actually headed to the right place.

Zareth was very surprised when the reply didn’t come from Leira, but her elemental instead. Its voice was a dissonant chorus, the vibrations of each grain of sand coming together to form echoing words. “Death… Flesh… Decaying magic… Place of old power… Danger.”

After its short bout of speech, the elemental went silent, its swirling mass continuing to revolve around Leira protectively.

Well, I suppose that answers that.

There was little else to say after receiving such an ominous message. Zareth could tell from their wary expressions the Pathfinders would be very thoroughly examining the oasis for dangers once they arrived. After taking a few minutes to finish packing up the camp, everyone started off with a brisk pace that seemed to be partly fueled by nervous energy.

Leira went on ahead of the group while the Pathfinders took a defensive formation and kept an eye out, all hints of their previous levity and humor gone as they readied themselves for any potential threats. As Adventurers who had stared death in the eyes more times than Zareth could imagine, they knew when and where it was appropriate to relax.

As the least combat capable person in their expedition, and also the one who was paying for it, Zareth stayed firmly in the middle of the formation with Rizok by his side. Despite this, Zareth’s contribution to their safety was probably second only to Leira’s, as his third eye had proven just as capable of detecting dangers as Cerebon had claimed. Many of the monsters in the Qahtani Desert relied on creating mirages to fool their prey, few of which could fool Zareth.

This, combined with Rizok’s [Aura of Endurance], meant that the group was able to move through the desert with a speed and consistency that surprised even Leira.

Not enjoying the tense quiet that had fallen over their group, Zareth decided to start up a conversation with his bodyguard. It would likely take them a few hours to reach their destination, and Rizok’s good mood since leaving Tal’Qamar seemed like a good opportunity for him to learn more about the normally reticent lizardkin.

Unfortunately, not knowing much about Rizok meant that he wasn’t quite sure where to start.

“[Aura Blade] seems like an amazing Class,” Zareth began, deciding to ask a question that he’d been curious about for a while. “Why haven’t I heard about it before? It seems like the perfect Class for the military to use.”

Zareth could easily imagine a squad of soldiers empowered by Rizok causing havoc on a battlefield. He’d already experienced the power of his aura first hand when it allowed him to survive the Conclave’s [Assassin], and that perception had only been reinforced over the course of their expedition. Such an exceptionally useful Class seemed like something that the military would push hard for, until they had hundreds of [Aura Blades] to spread across an entire battlefield.

But not only had Zareth never heard of [Aura Blade] before meeting Rizok, but he’d never heard of any Classes even remotely similar. Something about that didn’t add up, and he really didn’t enjoy being so ignorant.

Zareth was quite surprised when he noticed the distant sounds of the swirling wind suddenly disappear, a sure indication that Rizok had activated his [Aura of Silence] Skill. Several of the Adventurers glanced towards them, but quickly refocused on their surroundings, understanding that some conversations were best kept private.

“Simple. The requirements to acquire [Aura Blade] are exceedingly restrictive,” Rizok replied, absentmindedly petting the colorful serpent wrapped around his neck as he turned to face Zareth. “Aside from requiring unusual talent for swordsmanship and a degree of mental discipline which most people find difficult to achieve. Even if you were to meet those requirements, there is another which I cannot legally share without the permission of House Vhelan.”

Zareth raised a brow in intrigue. His conversation with Farida had brought to focus how seriously powerful organizations treated secret knowledge regarding the System, so he couldn’t help but feel curious about this issue.

“Really? That sounds really difficult,” said Zareth, his voice light. “Then if it’s so special, why did House Vhelan choose to sponsor you in particular to gain that Class? Are you really that amazing?”

Rizok gave a dry chuckle, his reptilian eyes narrowing slightly. “Something like that.”

Zareth waited for Rizok to continue speaking, but it soon became clear that wasn’t going to happen. Letting out a huff of frustration, Zareth decided that patience and subtlety were overrated.

“You know, it's really difficult to trust you when you refuse to share anything about yourself,” said Zareth, not bothering to hide the annoyance in his voice. “I keep getting these hints from you that there’s something you’re not telling me, but it never actually goes anywhere. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how much more relaxed you are since leaving Tal’Qamar. What is going on?”

Rizok stared at Zareth for a few moments, his expression inscrutable. Then he sighed, releasing a tension that he hadn’t even realized was there. The lizardkin’s fingers drummed against the hilt of his sword for a few seconds before he spoke again.

“How far are you from your first Class Evolution? How high is your Willpower Stat?” Rizok asked, his tone surprisingly soft.

Zareth was more than a little taken aback by the sudden non-sequitur, but decided to answer anyway. “I’m three Levels away from a Class Evolution according to the grimoire, and my Willpower is 24. Why?”

“Among the people I work with, 35 Willpower is considered to be the minimum threshold required before they can at least notice their mind being read by the most commonly used artifacts,” Rizok immediately explained, his words sending a shiver down Zareth’s spine. “Likewise, most mind protecting Skills are only offered by the System after the first Class Evolution. You could compensate for this with an enchanted item, but those are difficult to find. Until you meet one of these requirements, it would be best for both of us if you do not pursue this topic, sir.”

Zareth swallowed nervously at the implication, deciding then and there that he would read up on mind-reading Skills and artifacts once he returned to the city. “Are you saying that people regularly go around reading each other’s minds?”

“Such magic is rare, but it does exist. Tal’Qamar has many powerful factions, some of which you are unaware of, and they are all hungry for information,” Rizok warned, his voice more solemn than he had ever heard. “You’re protected now because you’re almost certainly too weak for anyone to care about your secrets. But I’ve been watching you for several months now, and it is clear to me that will not always be the case.”

Zareth took a few moments to digest the information before responding. “Didn’t you say that you’ve been away from the city for most of your life? How would you even know about its inner workings?”

“I suggest you learn how to protect your own secrets before attempting to uncover my own,” said Rizok, his mouth twisting into a smug smile as he took in Zareth’s affronted expression. “For now, just know that I genuinely intend to do everything I can to keep you safe. Of the many issues you have to be concerned about, I am not one of them.”

Zareth had no way to know how true that was, but there wasn’t anything he could do to change the lizardkin’s mind. Besides, if Rizok wanted him dead then he’d already had ample opportunity to make that happen over the past six months.

“Fine, but don’t expect me to accept being followed around by someone with unknown motivations forever,” Zareth warned, letting out a stressed sigh. “Once I’m able to protect my mind, you and I are going to have a long conversation and you better have some answers for me. Otherwise, you’re going to have to come up with an excuse when High Command asks why I’m requesting to replace you.”

Zareth was grateful to Rizok for having saved his life from the Conclave, but that didn’t mean he’d be willing to remain in the dark forever.

“That is perfectly reasonable,” said Rizok, visible relief momentarily flashing across his reptilian features.

“Good. So long as you’re not secretly evil and plotting my untimely demise, I think we’ll get along just fine,” Zareth replied, trying to inject some levity back into the conversation.

“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind,” Rizok said before taking a deep breath and turning a fond smile back to Glitterfang. “For now, let’s just enjoy this little adventure of ours away from Tal’Qamar. I have the strangest feeling that once we return to the city, we’ll be too busy to leave for quite some time.”

With that ominous warning delivered, Rizok deactivated his [Aura of Silence] and the two of them made much lighter conversation as they trekked through the Qahtani Desert.

The desert, while harsh, unrelenting, and filled with an unreasonable amount of dangers, held a sort of serene beauty that Zareth couldn’t help but appreciate. The golden sands stretched out in all directions, its dunes shifting and forming patterns as the elementals moved underneath. Every now and then, patches of colorful flora or strange creatures would catch Zareth’s attention, arousing the curiosity of his inner veterinarian.

After several hours of travel, their expedition found themselves standing on top of a dune overlooking an expansive oasis. The waters shimmered under the midday sun, and dense clusters of date palms, acadia trees, and desert flora lined its edges. The heart of the oasis was dotted with deep blue lagoons, and to the unwary eye, it seemed like a slice of paradise amidst the brutal desert.

Of course, that was far from the case for their expedition.

“Ugh. I can’t look at this,” Casper groaned, covering his eyes with his hands. “It’d be really nice if this place was real. What I wouldn’t give for a bath.”

“You never know, it could be,” Sefirah said optimistically, though it was clear that even she didn’t fully believe her words.

“I suppose it’s a good thing that we have an easy way to check, isn’t it,” said Zareth as he opened his third eye and focused on the oasis.

Immediately, the scene before him began to melt away to be replaced by one much less enticing.

The shimmering water turned into a dark, bubbling mire that seemed to throb and pulse, like the heart of a great beast. The once golden sands around the illusionary oasis were now alive with crawling, writhing, fleshy entities that melded and meshed with one another in grotesque amalgamations. The smaller System Spawn, most of them looking like small maws with too many teeth encased in a varying amount of tentacles and eyes, were being absorbed by the larger ones in a twisted parody of the food chain in motion.

In the center, where the lagoon had been, was the heart of this twisted mirage. An enormous, pulsating mound of flesh that looked sickeningly gelatinous. Every few moments, the mound would convulse and new smaller abominations would be birthed from its surface, immediately joining the throngs of System Spawn that formed the outer layer of the illusion.

The mound of flesh was wrapped around what seemed to be an ancient stone tower that was protruding from the sands, upon which was carved a circle bisected with a vertical line, the symbol of Meldorath.

The rest of the temple must be buried beneath the sands…

Zareth closed his third eye and took a deep breath, trying to push away the revulsion he felt. When he turned back to the oasis, the picture-perfect scene was back in place, though he knew all too well the horrors that lay beneath the facade.

“It's worse than we thought,” Zareth said grimly, before relaying what he had seen to the rest of the expedition.

“Uh, no offense, but something like that is a bit more than what you paid us to handle,” Casper pointed out, his voice filled with apprehension.

“I agree,” said Kajal, speaking up for the rest of the group as their leader. “What you describe is a threat worthy of several gold-ranked teams, not just us. I will not allow my team to face a foe we are so hopelessly unlikely to overcome.”

One glance at Rizok was enough to tell him that the lizardkin firmly agreed with the team of Adventurers. Zareth wanted desperately to argue, but even he couldn’t deny the evidence in front of him. Pushing forward without proper preparation would be suicidal.

Still, Zareth was loath to return to Tal’Qamar with his tail tucked between his legs. Quite frankly, he couldn’t afford to hire multiple gold-ranked teams, and he really didn’t want to indebt himself to House Vhelan in return for their assistance.

In the months leading up the expedition, the Conclave’s operatives had conducted several more terrorist attacks on the garrison and attempted to poison Zareth and his colleagues on multiple occasions. Somehow, either due to some unique artifact or through assistance from sympathizers, they’d shown themselves able to operate in Tal’Qamar with near impunity.

Cerebon’s favor, along with whatever treasures he could find in the temple, would go a long way to ensuring his safety as Tal’Qamar grew more dangerous. That meant that finding the lost tome of Meldorath was a priority he couldn’t afford to ignore.

Zareth began to pace as he struggled to come up with a solution for this predicament. His mind conjured up details of the small System Spawn which he’d been studying, hoping to find a weakness which he could exploit. Unfortunately, the abominations were well known for their adaptability and resilience, so that was easier said than done.

After several minutes of contemplation, Zareth settled on a plan that just might work.

“Leira, are there any large groups of Living Sands anywhere near our location?” Zareth asked, turning his attention to their Desharin guide.

Leira hesitated before entering into silent communication with the sand elemental by her side.

“The sand spirits reside everywhere in these lands, but the closest group large enough to defeat such a powerful group of System Spawns is fifteen minutes to the north,” Leira responded after a few moments. “I assume that is your plan, correct? It will not work. The spirits will not travel so far beyond their territory and the System Spawn will devour us far before we can reach them.”

Zareth ignored her warning before turning to face Tilda. “How far away are you able to conjure winds?”

Tilda raised an eyebrow in skepticism, but answered him anyway. “I’ll be needin’ to give up a fair bit of power and finesse, but my [Wind Gale] can go a good distance. Why?”

Perfect

“While I wasn’t able to learn much from that System Spawn which I paid you all to acquire, I did manage to learn one thing of note,” Zareth explained, trying to infuse his voice with as much confidence as possible. “Although the System Spawns all vary wildly in biology, there is a particular pheromone which all of them respond to.”

Discovering that had been a complete fluke on his part. Zareth had been studying the creature’s utterly bizarre reproductive system when his [Veterinary Knowledge] brought his attention to one of the chemicals being excreted by the System Spawn. When he attempted to recreate it, the creature suddenly woke up from its alchemically induced sleep and started chasing him across his lab.

If Rizok hadn’t burst in and cut the thing in half, the situation could have been much worse. Zareth couldn’t think of any use for the pheromone at the time, but now it might just be the key to their current predicament.

As an [Elemental Mage], Tilda would be able to use her winds to carry the pheromones to the nest of abominations from a safe distance, allowing them to lead them straight to their death.

Once Zareth explained his plan to the team of Adventurers, they immediately fell into heated debate over its viability. While some of them pointed out the dangers and potential holes in the strategy, others argued that it was the best chance they had given the circumstances.

Sefirah, one of the few Adventurers who already knew what a pheromone was, asked him how sure he was about his plan given that he’d only been able to study a single System Spawn.

While the biologies of System Spawn varied more than what was natural and he’d only been able to examine one, the creatures had shown a rudimentary ability to communicate and recognize each other. Chemical signals were one of the most common methods for unintelligent swarming creatures to accomplish this, so he was willing to bet that it was the same with System Spawn.

After all, what would be the point of a chemical signaling mechanism that didn’t reliably work on other members of the species? And even if he was wrong and the plan didn’t work, the worst consequence would be them losing thirty minutes of their time.

That seemed to be enough to satisfy the Pathfinders, and the discussion finally reached a conclusion after nearly twenty minutes of arguments.

“We’re willing to give your plan a shot,” Kajal finally said, expression solemn. “It is a clever plan, and just might work. But if things start to go wrong, we’re retreating. Understood?”

Zareth nodded, relieved by their decision. “Agreed. Let’s move out and set the trap.”

With Leira leading the way, the expedition swiftly made their way north until they reached the territory of the Living Sands, an abnormally large dune which periodically shifted and rumbled as if alive. The expedition gave a wide berth to the sand elementals, fully aware that they would be immediately buried alive if they approached the volatile creatures.

The Pathfinders found a defensible position and began to prepare several traps in case any System Spawn ignored the elementals to attack them. Once they were done, Kajal gave the signal to Zareth for him to begin.

Having already formed the pheromone glands within his body necessary to carry out his plan, Zareth took a deep breath before blowing out a large cloud of pheromones into the air. The pheromones were several magnitudes more potent than the one he’d created in his lab.

With practiced ease, Tilda murmured beneath her breath and conjured a gust of wind that began blowing the pheromones down south. The nest of System Spawns was a decent distance away, so Zareth and Tilda continued to work in tandem for several minutes, ensuring a constant stream was flowing south to lure in the abominations.

Eventually, the first sights of their plan working emerged as an unsettling churning noise that could be heard coming from the direction of the illusionary oasis. It didn't take long before a frenzy of motion appeared in the distance, sand rising up in huge plumes as the horde of abominations moved with terrifying speed toward their location.

Immediately, Zareth ceased producing the pheromones and made his way behind the rest of the expedition. The System Spawn’s path would collide directly with the elementals before reaching their position, but there was still a risk that a few of them would make it through.

Zareth felt his heart rate increase as the mass of writhing horrors grew closer with each passing moment. He knew that he had several powerful Adventurers and a whole group of elementals in between him and the creatures, but it was honestly the most terrifying sight he’d ever seen.

Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long before the first of the System Spawns reached the territory of the elementals and he saw first hand why the Qahtani Desert was considered one of the deadliest regions on the continent.

The very earth itself seemed to shift and convulse as massive elementals rose from the dunes, their forms shifting and forming monstrous jaws that snapped and crushed the approaching abominations. Walls of compacted sand sprouted from the ground, cutting off paths and directing the creatures straight into deadly ambushes. Sinkholes opened beneath the Spawn, swallowing them whole before collapsing in on themselves, leaving no trace of their former prey.

The System Spawn fought back ferociously. Much like the elementals, they displayed a degree of cunning as they reached into the Living Sands with fleshy tendrils before destroying the Sunstones which sustained them. However, they were clearly outmatched as their many jaws and tentacles proved ill-suited for killing elementals.

“Incoming!”

Zareth’s attention was pulled away from the awe-inspiring scene as a group of System Spawn splintered off from the rest and charged their position. The Pathfinders immediately leaped into action, unleashing torrents of flame from Tilda, absurdly precise arrows from Casper, and arcs of lightning from Sefirah and her Stormcaller Hawk. The ones that made it through that were greeted by a flurry of blades from Kajal, his many arms cutting into the abominations with expert precision. Even Leira was dancing between System Spawn while stabbing them with a spear of hardened sand, her personal sand elemental fighting alongside her by intercepting any that tried to flank her.

Their natural skill, along with an empowerment provided by Rizok, allowed them to absolutely tear through the wave of System Spawns. Zareth couldn’t help but feel impressed, realizing for the first time just how powerful a group of Adventurers close to being gold-ranked actually were.

However, the System Spawn were both great in number and absurdly tenacious.

“Zareth, be careful,” said Rizok, blade casually flashing through the air and instantly bisecting three System Spawn leaping toward them. “They’re still being drawn to your pheromones.”

You don’t have to tell me twice…

Still, Zareth didn’t feel comfortable sitting back like a coward when other people were risking their lives to protect him. Especially when he was far more difficult to kill than any of them likely realized.

When the next System Spawn broke through the defenses, he steeled his nerves and stepped forward. As the abomination charged him, Zareth simultaneously unleashed a barrage of razor sharp quills into the creature while also attacking it with the many retractable fleshy tendrils hidden along his body.

With his third eye open, Zareth could see in perfect detail as his quills and tendrils pierced through the monster’s flesh, tearing into its vital organs and delivering lethal venom straight into its system. Wrapping several of his tendrils around the flailing abomination, Zareth quickly used his [Corrode Flesh] and winced as the System Spawn let out an unearthly scream once its flesh began slowly rotting.

Zareth’s [Corrode Flesh] wouldn’t normally be strong enough to overcome a System Spawn's absurd regeneration, but the combination of venom and constant damage from the tendrils was enough to kill it.

Zareth retracted his tendrils, feeling a mix of revulsion and pride. He’d designed his body to be as deadly as possible, but this was the first time he’d seen a portion of its true potential. It was exhilarating, yet terrifying at the same time.

From the corner of his eyes, he noticed Rizok giving him a nod of approval while the Pathfinders shared surprised glances.

The battle went on for some time and Zareth soon found himself lost in the frenzy of battle. Fortunately, his enhancements and the training that he’d done with Rizok meant he was more than able to protect himself.

Eventually, the abominations ceased their attempts to attack their expedition and focused entirely on the Living Sands as their numbers were gradually whittled down.

After a few moments of observation, it soon became clear that the elementals would be the ultimate victors of that battle. The very largest of the System Spawn was tearing through many Living Sands, but was sinking further and further beneath the sands with every movement. It was good news for them, but it did mean that they needed to make themselves scarce.

“We should leave this place,” Leira said urgently, huffing tiredly as she tried to catch her breath. “It would be unwise for us to still be here when their battle concludes. The spirits have been agitated, and will react to our presence once they are no longer distracted.”

With remarkable speed and efficiency, the expedition retrieved their belongings and fled back toward the illusionary oasis. After what they had just experienced, none of them were interested in fighting any more than necessary. The group made good time as they hustled to put distance between them and the battlefield, and it wasn’t long before they reached their destination.

“Ugh. That’s just nasty,” said Casper, grimacing at the scene in front of them.

Although the nest of System Spawn was now empty of the abominations, the grisly aftermath remained and the rest of the expedition was now able to see past the illusion. Once Zareth scanned over the area with his third eye and confirmed that only a few tiny System Spawn remained, the expedition began making their way forward.

As the Pathfinders set about dispatching any of the remaining stragglers, Zareth approached the stone tower sticking out of the ground and began searching for a way into the temple. It soon became clear to him that his initial assumption was correct and that the majority of the structure must be buried underground since there were no visible doors anywhere around the tower.

I guess we’ll just have to climb and enter in from the top, Zareth mused as he ran his eyes over the tower until he suddenly noticed something quite strange about the glyphs carved its surface. Wait a minute. I can read this? No… they only make sense when I look at them with my third eye. How strange…

Unfortunately, the glyphs were too damaged for him to get anything useful out of them. Zareth wasn’t exactly sure why his eye allowed him to understand the glyphs, but he made a note to himself to look out for any more while exploring the temple.

He had a feeling that he may learn something important.

His curiosity sated, Zareth turned away from the tower to help the Pathfinders secure the area. There was no telling what dangers they would encounter in the temple, so they would have to find somewhere less disgusting to set up camp and get some rest before continuing their adventure.

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