by Brandon Chen
Hours along in their journey, Darien snapped back to his senses when he heard Ra cry out in excitement. He turned and looked to see where the girl was pointing. The two of them were standing upon a mountain of sand, and she was pointing down to a giant city in the distance filled with tall, glistening, white buildings. Darien’s eyes twinkled with hope and he grinned. Maybe he wasn’t doomed to perish after all!
Darien and Ra broke into a brisk run, eager to reach the city in the distance. They raced across the sands, disregarding how weak they were feeling underneath the burning hot sun. The strong winds whipped sand at their faces, but Darien didn’t falter and continued to dash towards the mysterious oasis. Staggering down the steep hill of sand, Darien ended up tripping and falling down a good portion of it. But he didn’t let his fall crush his hopes and he quickly picked himself up at the bottom of the dune of sand, breaking into a jog towards the entrance of the city. Ra was right beside him.
The prince grinned. He was almost there! Civilization! He could escape this treacherous wasteland! Even if it was only temporary solace, that was better than staying out in the searing sun. Wait, a civilization in the Lost Sands? What—
Suddenly a fissure ripped through the earth, and sand spewed into the air like a geyser as a gigantic creature tore its way from underground to the surface. A massive hand made entirely of sculpted rock smashed down onto the ground, sending sand spurting out in all directions. A giant golem composed of rock had torn its way from the earth. Its body was similar to that of a humanoid, for it had limbs, a torso, and a head. This golem was taller than every building in the city, practically the size of a small mountain. How such a massive being had forced itself from the ground was something that Darien didn’t understand. An enormous chasm that led into a dark abyss lay underneath the monstrosity. Enormous boulders and rocks were clamped together to forge this colossal elemental, whose eyes were two gleaming rubies. The monster opened its mouth, a pitch-black void, and released a bellowing roar that sent tremors through the desert.
Darien’s eyes widened with fear and he staggered backward, his hands jittering.
Ra unsheathed her sword and pulled out her shield, which glowed with the insignia of the sun. She pointed the sharpened tip of her weapon at the gargantuan golem, her face fearless. “Darien, I’ll draw its attention away for a brief moment! In that time, I need you to run for the city. I’ll distract the golem long enough for you to get away.”
Darien stared at Ra with disbelief. She was going to sacrifice herself for him? This person she just met? He remembered how Yuu had sacrificed himself for Tetsu. The prince clenched his jaw. He was sick of losing people that he cared about. Already he had lost everything. And now he was going to lose this girl that had saved him. I’m not going to let you perish.
The golem raised his massive fist and brought it crashing downwards on Ra’s position. The girl didn’t falter; her mind was made up. She raised her shield as if the tiny thing would be enough to block the colossal punch that was about to squash her.
Darien sprinted forward and tackled Ra out of the way, tossing the girl to the sand. The two grunted as they struck the ground roughly. “What are you doing? Get up and run!” Ra shouted as sand rained around them.
The prince mashed his teeth together and grabbed Ra’s sword, prying the weapon from her hands as he turned to face the giant elemental alone. “You run. I’ll buy you some time!”
“Stop this! You’ve got an empire that you have to return to, a life to live so that you can find out who killed your parents!” Ra exclaimed, staring at Darien in shock. “You have to find your friend, Tetsu, and save him! You’ve got a lot to live for, prince. Don’t throw it all away now!”
“It’s already all gone.” Darien grinned as the golem brought its fist upward and swung downwards at the boy. The prince’s gaze was powerful and resolute. His feet were planted into the ground and he squeezed the hilt of Ra’s sword until his knuckles turned white. “Besides … I’m done letting people fight my battles for me.”
Ra smiled.
Darien yelled as he swung his sword upwards at the elemental that was about to crush him. However, the monstrosity stopped his punch and halted his fist several feet away from the prince, who whipped his sword through the open air. The weapon was far too heavy for him, and he yelped as he fell sideways and hit the ground clumsily. Rubbing his aching head, Darien groaned while dragging the sword at his side. He blinked, realizing he wasn’t dead. That was surprising. He looked up and saw that the rock giant had stopped its attack and was now standing tall, letting out a low grumble that sounded somewhat like snickering. “Uh….” Darien was perplexed.
“This is Amon, the Guardian of the Forgotten Oasis, Zerzura. He is also the Guardian of a god named Ares.” Ra explained, standing up, grinning. “And you, my friend, are worthy.”
“Worthy?” Darien frowned. “Worthy of what? Ra, what’s going on?”
“Come with me,” Ra said, walking forward past Darien and the gigantic golem.
Completely puzzled by the situation, Darien followed her. Amon gave a slight nod, making Darien feel a little uneasy for some reason. The prince stumbled through the front entrance of the white city and noticed that there was no one in sight. In fact, these buildings didn’t even have any doors. The city looked like it was a setup created for a stage play. “Where are we?”
“I told you already. This is the Forgotten Oasis known as Zerzura. Surely you’ve heard the tales,” Ra said.
“Zerzura was a lost civilization in the desert that had wealth beyond imagining. Its treasures supposedly were limitless, which was why the Lost Sands concealed it from those who greedily sought its fortunes.” Darien looked around, looking at the blank white buildings and the numerous torches that lit a path for them. It was sunny; there was no need for this extra light. “But all that I see is nothing. No civilization, no treasures, and these buildings aren’t even real buildings. Is all of this a hallucination? Have I gone insane?”
“Perhaps,” Ra spoke, pointing down the pathway that led through the city. It eventually led to a giant pool of glistening, clear water that shone with ethereal beauty. The water was calm and unmoving, glowing from the reflection of the dazzling sunlight. Behind the pool was a towering statue of a warrior, a muscular man wielding a spear and shield. He seemed courageous and wore a determined expression upon his frozen face. “I suppose it depends on your definition of fortune and treasure.”
Darien walked to the pool, stopping right before its edge. He stared into the stagnant waters, seeing his own reflection with clarity. It was as if he were looking right into a mirror. “This is what the legendary lost city has to offer? Water?” He smiled. “I guess I am pretty lucky for this oasis offers me life, more time to live on this blasted earth.”
“Do you not want to drink from the waters?”
“If I drink I would save myself from dehydration temporarily, so that I could suffer in this perilous desert for a few days longer before I starve,” Darien said and a weary smile cracked across his face. “But I’d rather try and live than just accept a meaningless death.” He leaned down and cupped his hands together, lifting the water to his lips and sipped. His eyes widened. It was unlike any fluid he had drunk before. The purity of the water gave it a sweet taste, different from ordinary water. His thirst forced him to lean forward and drink larger sips from the pool, enjoying the treasure of the oasis.
Ra grinned as she watched him. “You answered correctly, Darien. However, you were wrong about one thing. The treasure of this oasis is not life. While this water does quench your thirst and gives you more time on this earth, that isn’t its purpose.”
Darien drew his head back, his face drenched with the pure waters of the oasis. He glanced over his shoulder at the girl and frowned. “Then what is its purpose?”
“To grant you immeasurable power,” Ra said, and the prince stared at her with surprise. “This pure water that you see is the blood of the god, Ares. It was place
d in this oasis to give those who are worthy a chance to claim Zerzura’s treasure, becoming a new god. The Lost Sands torments every human that enters the forbidden wasteland. However, it tests each individual and chooses one person to be the one to find Zerzura. And that was you.
“The hallucinations that you had when you had given up were there to grant you hope. Their purpose was to prove that you had fortitude and were willing to persevere through any pain if you had a powerful enough resolve. The rock golem, Amon, was meant to test your courage. Your journey to this city displayed kindness, determination, bravery, persistence, and selflessness. And now by drinking this water, you will become a god amongst the human world and Amon will become your Guardian. Congratulations on claiming Zerzura’s legendary treasure.”
“What? A god?” Darien exclaimed. “How could I become….” He glanced down at his hands and suddenly saw that they were covered in red blood. He shook furiously, his eyes widening with disbelief as he realized that the pool he had drunk from was filled with the crimson-red liquid of a god. The once-pure well of glistening water was gone. The statue was replaced with a corpse, the same heroic figure with blood spewing from a wound in his chest into the pool. The mirage of an oasis had faded. It was replaced with the grotesque reality.
Blood? I drank … blood? His mouth gaped open with shock and he felt a raging surge of agonizing pain ripping through his chest and pulsing through the rest of his body, creating seven seconds of absolute hell. He grabbed at his breast, feeling his heart exploding against his chest as scorching heat spread through every inch of his body, making him feel like a burning sun. Toppling to his knees, Darien bit down hard on his lower lip and gasped, his irises transforming into a beastly dark-red color. A fog of blackness arose around the corners of his vision, blurring his sight. The mist of darkness in his vision expanded until he saw nothing but black. This … this can’t be happening! And then he collapsed.
Newly Born God
Darien opened his eyes and blinked, finding himself in the middle of nowhere once again. He was still stuck in the Lost Sands. Sitting on a flat plain of sweltering hot sand, the boy looked around him and saw that he was no longer in Zerzura. And the girl, Ra, was gone. He exhaled. A dream, so that was what that was. What a relief. None of that made any sense anyway.
He felt the ground rumble and turned to his right to find that Amon, the humungous rock golem, had plopped himself in a sitting position right next to Darien. The two stared at each other for a moment and Darien blinked rapidly, unsure of whether or not he should be surprised, shocked, or terrified.
“S-So, it wasn’t a dream?” Darien whispered, gaping at Amon. He remembered that Ra had explained that this golem was to become his Guardian. What was that supposed to mean? Did that mean this giant monster was just going to follow him around everywhere? It didn’t seem to mean any harm; otherwise Darien would probably be crushed into little bits already. The boy sighed, scratching his head as he reluctantly waved to the elemental. “Uh, h-hey there, Amon. My name is Darien.”
Amon cocked his head to the side and grumbled. Your name is Ares.
Darien frowned, realizing that the golem hadn’t actually talked. But the words that the creature had meant to speak had just formed in his head somehow. What a unique form of communication. Was it magic? “Uh, no. My name is Darien.”
Amon grunted. Your new name is Ares. You are a god now. Gods cannot have human names.
“A god?” Darien frowned. “I don’t feel like a god. I mean, aren’t gods supposed to be like able to fly around and stuff? Don’t they get supernatural powers and watch over the humans from the heavens? And how can a mortal get transformed from a human to a god just by sipping some water from a random oasis?” He hoped that the blood was a mirage.
Amon reached up and tapped his giant chest with his rock-hand. You were chosen.
“Oh, lucky me. So you’re going to follow me around then and make sure that I don’t die in this blasted place?” Darien smirked.
The elemental nodded. I am your Guardian and will protect you from any harm. I will also teach you how to survive in the Lost Sands. Finding water and food is easy if you know how to do it. I’ll also oversee your developing control over your new powers.
“New powers?” Darien exclaimed. “So what, I can shoot fire from my mouth or fly?”
Amon snorted with amusement, releasing a gust of hot air from two holes in his face that were supposed to be his nostrils. Something like that.
The prince scowled, disbelieving the words that the golem echoed in his head. He folded his arms and looked away. “I don’t believe in gods!”
The golem grunted. You didn’t believe in magic either until Persia’s Magus used it to knock you unconscious. Just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist. You are a very small boy in a very large world, Ares. There is much that you don’t know or understand yet.
“Fine! Show it to me then! How do I demonstrate my powers so that I can see that I actually am a god? Prove to me that this isn’t just some crazy dream or a hallucination,” Darien said.
The golem nodded. As you wish. Amon swung his rock arm at full force and smashed it into Darien, which should’ve easily splattered his body into slush. Instead, the boy went flipping wildly through the air, spinning uncontrollably into the sky.
Darien screamed in absolute terror as he found himself thousands of feet above the surface, practically flying. He crashed down into the ground, slapping across the sandy plains like a skipping stone. He finally landed a mile away with his face buried deep in the hot sand. He groaned, pulling his head from the earth. Shaking grains off his face, the prince turned to find that Amon was storming in his direction, leaping across the desert with ease. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? You could’ve killed me!” Darien barked, his face red after such a terrifying experience.
But the fact that you’re alive proves that something has changed, no? Amon halted before Darien and plopped down in front of the boy. An ordinary human would be in tiny pieces right now.
Darien stared at the golem. He looked down at his hands, which trembled before his shocked face. A small smile spread across his lips when he realized that he had somehow become superhuman. “Pinch me, I must be dreaming…!”
Amon flicked him in the face instead, sending him sliding onto his back. The flick was equivalent to a direct strike from a battering ram. I flicked you instead.
“It’s just an expression!” the boy yelped, leaning forward, rubbing his nose. There was pain, though miniscule. That meant that this wasn’t a dream. His body was somehow hardened to withstand stronger blows. He wasn’t bleeding and there were no signs of bruises. Darien leaned forward, eying the golem curiously. “What else can I do?”
Amon cracked a tiny smile, opening his gigantic mouth. Run and find out.
The prince raised an eyebrow and pushed himself to his feet. Fine, I’ll do it. He looked at the stretching sands that extended for as far as he could see. He broke into a sprint and the sides of his mouth curved into an excited grin as he propelled forward, faster than any horse could ever travel. He flashed across the desert sands in an instant, the pounding wind rushing against his face. He hooted as he jumped, flying hundreds of feet into the air, pumped with energy and excitement.
Every physical aspect of himself had been enhanced drastically, turning him into a powerful superhuman. He beamed. He wasn’t powerless anymore! With this newfound strength, he could become more than just an ordinary human. More than just a banished prince. He was a god. And with this power he could change anything he wanted.
Descending back to earth, the boy smashed into the ground, sending sand spraying into the air. He arose, running a hand through his blonde hair. He had created a crater in the sand with his landing, proof of his tremendous power. The prince turned to Amon, who lagged behind him slightly. Is that proof enough, Ares?
“Yes,” Ares replied.
Thief
Tetsu wandered
the Lost Sands for his third day in this hell. He had hydrated himself from the juices of a cactus, which had made him hallucinate for several hours. But it had kept him alive and that was enough. In terms of food, he regained his strength by crushing scorpions and eating their meat. He knew that he couldn’t just survive on hallucinogenic fluid and tiny scorpion carcasses, though. He had to find a way out of this desert.
But everywhere that he looked, the endless plains of sand appeared to stretch beyond the horizon. The boy squinted his eyes, spotting something in the far-off distance. There was a cave in the middle of nowhere, just carving deep into a rock. It was rather ominous, but Tetsu knew that he had no other leads. There was really nowhere else to go but there. If it didn’t provide any resources, at least Tetsu could shield himself from the punishing sun for a bit.
It took an hour to arrive at the cave, and he raised an eyebrow when he saw that the inside was actually filled with mountains of glittering gold and flashy jewels. All sorts of treasures filled the stone walls and climbed up to the cave ceiling. A clear pathway led straight through the sea of treasures and Tetsu reluctantly walked in. This looked too good to be true for any adventurers who happened to stumble across this cave. Then again, it could potentially be a trap. Tetsu had heard rumors of tricks that the Lost Sands had set up to deceive adventurers. It was as if the desert were alive, dooming any intruders that journeyed into its land.
Tetsu continued forward slowly and cautiously. His eyes flickered everywhere, making sure to take in his surroundings meticulously. He inched down the pathway silently and suddenly locked his eyes onto a single treasure that gleamed even brighter than anything he saw in the mountains of gold around him. It was an hourglass made of diamonds. But it wasn’t the diamond part that interested him. The sand itself that trickled from the upper-half of the hourglass to the bottom was gold. However, the sand wasn’t tinted, it was naturally gold. He had never seen anything like it before. Such a luxurious color made Tetsu’s eyes twinkle and he inched towards the hourglass, mesmerized by its beauty.