THE WAY TO THE OASIS

The sun was rising when I returned with the katana to where I'd been, and there I found the Sand Demons were waiting for me with a camel. I thought it was odd, seeing creatures made of sand standing with one that had blood running through it.

I was quick to ask Maia where they found one as my curiosity was riled up.

“The Sand Demons are lords of the desert. There is scarcely anything here that they do not know of, as they have roamed here for thousands of years, killing any desert traveller who they come across and who has not killed them.”

Once again, I thought of killing the two Sand Demons to raise my points so that I would reach the bronze coins I need. Certainly, I had the stone heart, and they would let me kill them, since I had no reason to feel pity for them myself. They seem to be evil beings to travellers, after all.

“Can they allow me to kill them if I have the stone heart?” I asked, slowly convincing myself to do the deed. “You said they'll let me do anything, right?”

“Yes, they would. However, I would not advise it.”

“Why?”

“They would let you kill them, truly, but you would be overreaching to do that. You should know that the Sand Demons are quite violent creatures, and will kill you without a thought when they think that you are doing too much.”

I shook my head as if to dispel the thoughts. I wasn't even in favour of killing them in the first place.

The Sand Demon bowed before me as I mounted the camel, and it started to lead me in a direction I would never have believed could lie the source of my nourishment. After all, deserts barely had landmarks, and everywhere looked the same — sands upon sands upon sands and dryness.

The journey dragged on until the sun started to burn, and I covered myself with the hood, while the two Sand Demons walked before me and the camel. We continued for the rest of the day, and I was forced to ask Maia a few questions to keep myself engaged.

“The Sand Demon told me that I was the first to kill one of them since Alexandros. Tell me about this.”

“Sure. Alexandros, your forefather, was a descendant of Zeus. He was once leading his army through these plains as he moved past Pella, his birthplace, when he encountered the Sand Demons. They killed a number of his men, until he took them one on one and tried to fight them. He pulled out his sword, and very much like in your case, he could not get through them until Zeus stepped in, made the sword into a blade of water, and even told him where to cut and to hold the heart up. So in a way, Zeus was instrumental to Alexandros’ victory. Else, they would have killed him.”

I mulled over the story in silence before recalling one important detail.

“So we are going to Pella, my forefather's birthplace to find the sword?”

“Indeed. The Sword of Pella is Alexandros’ sword, the one which he used to defeat the Sand Demon with Zeus's aid.”

I said nothing after, and continued to think of the story until I slept off in the camel's saddle. I had had a busy night after all, running from, fighting, and killing Sand Demons, and had not slept a wink since my System Alert's rude awakening.

I was flattered to wake up to the Sand Demon carrying me in its arms off the camel, and for the first time since I left the small box that I had gotten my metallic body in, my eyes settled on a green landscape — palm trees, grass on the floor, and a running spring with water that was so clear.

However, it did not escape my notice that we were still a short distance away from the greens.

“Maia?” I called, needing an explanation. “Please help me ask why the Sand Demon has only put us a distance away from the oasis.”

I felt my system dashboard buzz with a new notification.

*1. New Notification Alert.*

Intelligence: 4/10 : - 3 for not figuring out why Sand Demon did not reach the Oasis.

My mouth hung open, disappointed on seeing that my intelligence had returned to the level on which it had been when I set out from the box. I wanted to ask why, but the penalty of having my intelligence level go even lower than it was stopped me in my tracks.

“Do you know why your intelligence points dropped?” Maia asked.

“Because I asked a dumb question.”

“Correct. Now can you give yourself an answer? Why the Sand Demon didn't reach the Oasis?”

“Because the water in the oasis could kill it. The water vapours from the sun, and possible rains and water splashes too.”

“Good.” Maia answered, and my system dashboard buzzed again.

*1. New Notification Alert.*

Intelligence: 7/10 : +3 for figuring out why Sand Demon did not reach the Oasis.

I was happy to have the level go back to what it was, and was careful to not ask any questions I thought Maia would deem stupid after that.