For the second time in as many days, Damian found himself trudging through the barren wastes his people knew as the Desolation. He had never dreamt that such a thing would come to pass, let alone that he would be doing so with two orcs. Feng and Durzak seemed to have no problem dealing with the intense heat and the constant irritation of sand, but Damian was relieved that he was at least fairing better than Maquille and Gerome.

“I don’t think I could live in a place like this,” Damian said to Feng.

“Our people have been living in this desert for hundreds of years,” Feng responded. “You learn to live with it after a while, but I am sure you can see why we wish to return to the land you call Mythalia. This is no place to call home.”

“I can see that now. I never thought of it that way before.”

“Instead, you saw my people as thieves who desire nothing more than to take your land.”

Damian was silent for a while. Then he reluctantly nodded. “Yes. I guess I owe you an apology.”

Feng chuckled. “Do not worry. That is all some of the tribes are today.”

Ahead of the pair, Durzak and Maquille came to a halt. Durzak was holding up a hand in warning. For a second, nothing happened. Then everything happened. Durzak flung himself sideways at Maquille, moments before something erupted where the two had been standing. A massive rock seemed to fly up into the air. “Wohran! Sand worm!” Feng roared, drawing his axe and charging towards it.

Only a portion of the worm was above the ground, but even this was enough to dwarf the five travellers. It was the same brown colour as the rocks, but this lumbering appearance belied its speed. It had already reached its apex and its head was coming back down, bringing a shower of sand with it. Feng dived sideways as the worm came crashing back into the sand. It burrowed back beneath the earth as though the sand were water.

Out of the corner of his eyes, Damian saw something flash towards him. He threw himself to the ground as the tail flew over him, flailed about and then followed the rest of the worm underground.

When Damian picked himself up again, he saw Feng rising up into the air. He was clinging desperately to the sand worm’s head and beating at it with his axe. An arrow crumbled ineffectively against the worm’s side and Damian heard Gerome cursing behind him.

As the worm headed back towards the ground, Feng threw himself off, rolling to a stop on the ground. Damian rushed over to help the orc leader up.

This time the worm did not come up as quickly. Everyone watched as the sand rippled, giving away the giant worm’s position. The rippling sand moved towards Gerome and circled around him. Gerome eyed the moving sand fearfully, but it moved away. “Coward!” Gerome shouted and waved his bow at the retreating beast.

“Aye, Gerome the mighty beast slayer,” Damian laughed at his companion, but he knew that it was Feng who had saved them. He turned to examine the orc, who by now was talking animatedly with Durzak. The latter was examining the leader’s arm.

“How can you trust them so much?” Gerome asked softly from beside him.

“I don’t,” Damian replied, “but we have to see where this road takes us. At least they don’t want us dead. Perhaps that is enough for now.”

Feng waved them over and they joined Maquille and the orcs. “I hope you are enjoying your stay with us?” the orc asked happily.

“No. There aren’t any women,” Gerome complained. “Otherwise it is quite delightful.”

“There are if you know where to look for them,” Feng corrected. “Some of the tribes have human slaves.”

“How awful,” Maquille interjected. “But if you don’t mind my asking, how much further to this Oracle of yours?”

Feng looked around, considering their position. “Over this ridge and the next,” he informed them. “We should be there soon.”

The group soon made it to the top of the ridge. Durzak was again leading. He motioned for them to get down and they were forced to crawl the last section to the top of the ridge. They peered over. In front of them, they saw another orc camp. This one flew a black flag with a red sword and dagger crossed in the centre. Damian turned to Feng for a verdict and Feng spat on the ground, telling him all he needed to know.

“The Red Tigers,” he informed Damian. “Your friend will be able to find many women here if he doesn’t get killed first. We’d best head around them.”