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Chapter 25They reached the Nocean coast of the Central Sea and landed at a small beach with dunes. Lasgol dragged the boat up the beach in case they needed it to go back; he did not want the tide to take it. He looked around. They were alone on a beautiful beach of white sand, with the sea at his back and in front large dunes with some vegetation between them, which foretold what they would likely find beyond.We keep going south, he transmitted to Camu and Ona.Okay.Ona chirped once.They started up the dunes, soon encountering a landscape that was as beautiful as it was desolate. An enormous desert began beyond the first dunes, which still had some vegetation and spread as far as the eye could see. To the southwest they saw the walls and towers of what looked like a large city, the city of Marucose, one of the northernmost cities of the Nocean Empire.Very desert.You can say that again. The worst thing is that the desert spreads for leagues and leagues in every direction.No wate
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Chapter 26The afternoon was warm and the sky was clear, which cheered up everyone before beginning their practice. Nilsa, Egil, Gerd, and Viggo were waiting at the meeting point outside the city toward the south, at the crossing of the Royal Roads. They were beside the wooden sign with the names of the nearest cities. They had left their horses tethered to a pair of ilex oaks east of the road, and they were chatting easily.“What a lovely day,” Nilsa said contentedly, spreading her arms open and turning her face toward the sun for the warm light to bathe her.“A perfect day to be ruined by a war, an attempted regicide, or something of the sort,” Viggo said, chewing on the tip of a blade of grass.“Don’t jinx it,” Gerd chided. “We’re doing well, let’s just enjoy the moment and the beautiful day.”“Raner won’t be long. I’m impatient to know what we’ll learn today.” Egil was rubbing his hands together and had a lively look and smile on his face.“I bet you the lesson will be about helpi
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Chapter 27Ona and Camu jumped up and turned toward the five figures who were watching them calmly from the dune. They were wearing long black and blue robes, which covered their whole bodies except for the face and hands. On the head they wore a scarf, desert style, and they were armed. At their waists they carried knives and scimitars.They’re desert dwellers, Lasgol transmitted to Ona and Camu as he carefully retrieved his bow and quiver from his side.Enemies?I can’t tell. Some are friendly and some are not. No friendly, you see.Yeah, with our luck that would be the case.The desert dwellers continued staring at them without making any movement. Lasgol assumed they were not looking for conflict, although it could also mean that they were taking their time. The truth was that Lasgol had barely any knowledge of the peoples of the desert and their habits. He missed Egil terribly in these kinds of situations…We retreat slowly, he transmitted. It was a defensive maneuver. He wanted
Land of Dragon 86
Chapter 28Lasgol tried to get some more information out of Abudbalis. The desert caravan chief was kind and seemed like a nice person, the kind who helped someone in a tight spot. Being desert dwellers, they were most likely used to encountering people in need of assistance: those lost, thirsty, and scorched by that incessant, unforgiving sun.He managed to find out that there was a mountain range beside the forbidden city of Salansamur. It was called Amsaljibal, and from the explanations of the good man, Lasgol understood they were called the Mountains of the Past, or of Yesterday. Abudbalis also told him it was better not to go to those mountains. It seemed that it was better not to go near anything that was close to Salansamur.He also told him of another oasis south of the Mountains of Yesterday which he called Tanwalha. It was located between the cities of Salansamur and Zenut, west of both. Lasgol was grateful for the information and for the man pointing at everything on the ma
Land of Dragon 87
Chapter 29Astrid, Ingrid, and Molak were waiting for Raner on their horses east of the capital, according to his orders. They were half a league from the Royal Road and were to wait for the First Ranger to join them. Not very far away they could glimpse Beaver Hill, so called because of a rock at the summit that looked very much like the animal.“What do you think the First Ranger has in store for us today?” Molak asked his comrades.“So far, everything he’s had prepared for us has been enlightening and interesting,” Ingrid said in a satisfied tone. “So I hope that whatever he has for us today will be so too.”Astrid stroked her horse’s neck.“I feel the same way. The truth is that training to become Royal Rangers has pleasantly surprised me.”“You weren’t expecting it to be interesting?” Molak asked, surprised.“To be honest, I wasn’t expecting it to be useful and so I thought I’d be bored. But it’s turning out to be the opposite. I think that in the Assassin Specialty at the Shelte
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Chapter 30Lasgol waited a moment and wondered whether his plan might work or if they would be discovered and end up having to confront those monstrous desert creatures. He was not at all sure it was a good idea to follow the scorpions, least of all through the forbidden city. But when there were no other options, it was best to be determined.Watch out. We’re going to follow the scorpions. I don’t think they can see us under Camu’s camouflage, but we must be very careful.Camouflage good. They no see, Camu messaged confidently.There’s more than one way of seeing. They might detect us by sound or by the trail we leave, for instance.Ona moaned once.Oh I understand. I no can help that.That’s why I’m saying we must take extreme precautions. We always careful.Yeah, always… Lasgol was watching with one eye from the corner of the wall. They’ve entered the city. Following them through the streets will be dangerous.City empty, no dangerous.The entrance was also empty and the scorpions
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Chapter 31Ona, Camu, and Lasgol went through the ghost city, following the enormous scorpions that had taken the Silver Pearls. The trail was quite clear since two sets of eight scorpion legs walking on streets partially covered by desert sand were unmistakable. Lasgol was having no trouble following them. Besides, they had carried away the ice jewel so if he lost the trail he could wait for a pulse that would tell him where they were.Lasgol was thinking how lucky they had been that the crocodile had not joined the fray in the middle of the city, since that would have been an additional problem. On the other hand, the croc would have destroyed half the city if entered it, so to a point it was logical it had not come in. Well, as logical as one giant crocodile at the entrance of a city in the desert with colossal scorpions and cobras as guardians was. When he told the tale in Norghana they were not going to believe him.They turned left and then right. They were not in camouflage s
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Chapter 32Nilsa, Viggo, Egil, and Gerd were coming back from doing physical practice with six of the Royal Rangers, among which were Kol and Haines. They were both running at the front with Nilsa and chatting with her. It was painfully obvious that both of them were greatly interested in the friendly redhead. They were not the only ones. Another Royal Ranger joined them on the way down toward the capital, whose lights they could see in the distance. Night was falling and hunger and tiredness were beginning to have their effect, but whoever wants to be in shape must suffer a little. The Royal Rangers knew this better than anyone else. They had to endure whole days on their feet standing by a wall on watch duty. This numbed and softened anyone’s muscles. Therefore, it was important they went out to do physical exercise.Viggo was running in the lead, as fast as lightning. He wanted to arrive as soon as possible and show all the Royal Rangers that he was better than them. Nilsa and Gerd