The Ali-Baba Caravan

Colonial Era: February 18, 1666, Planet Gaia Calendar.

The blazing sun shone through the tree canopy casting swirling fractal shadows.

In the southeastern part of Melekar Chiefdom, a caravan traversed the outskirts of the Savage Forest at a moderate but steady pace.

The convoy of carriages was pulled by different types of beasts, all massive, trudging methodically, and easily traversing the uneven dirt road.

Most of the carriages were filled to the brim with a variety of exotic goods that were to be traded in cities, towns, and villages all over the Eastern Continent.

"We are about to reach the town of Dandarah. We'll have to camp there until the night of the full moon has passed." Ali-Baba said to the rest of his men.

"When is the full moon?" One of the men asked after hearing Ali-Baba's instructions.

"It should be within the next 4 days. We can't be out in the wild on the perilous night of the full moon, it would be a disaster for us." Ali-Baba replied while casually stroking his mount – a rank-1 variant-lion commonly seen on the outskirts of the Savage Forest.

Nonchalantly observing the surrounding jungle which was getting thicker as they moved forward, he added… "… although these are just the outskirts of the Savage Forest, there are hundreds of low-level calamity beasts. We would be doomed if hundreds of such beasts locked on to us during the full moon."

"But what I don't understand is why the low-level beasts run berserk during the full moon! … I have heard that on other continents, there are no incidents of rampaging beasts during the full moon!" One of the other men asked, expressing his confusion.

He was the youngest member of Ali-Baba's Caravan and had just joined that season. This was his first trip across the Eastern Continent with the caravan.

"Aladdin, you will come to realize that here in the Eastern continent, many strange phenomena are always taking place. First of all, it is the only place that has declined the use of advanced machinery like magic-engine-trains and airships."

"That's why we have to traverse these savage lands on beasts rather than in the comfort of a magical train or airship. They still maintain a medieval lifestyle and culture." Ali-Baba sighed, struck by nostalgia for his time on the Central Continent.

Ali-Baba was a Rank 9 mystic-wizard employed under the banner of the Medici family.

He had originally been stationed at the head office of the 'Gaia Trading Union', however, after antagonizing a powerful member of the Church of Life, he requested a timely transfer to the Eastern Continent for his wellbeing. The Church of Life exerted limited influence on the Eastern Continent.

"There are a lot of terrifying artifacts in the possession of the ancient families here, and worship of malevolent gods is commonplace among the populace in the Eastern Continent. Not to mention the terrifying creatures in the Eastern Ocean or the savage forests whose mystic creatures, even occasionally attain the level of the beast-kings."

Ali-Baba paused, looking at each of his men who all had eyes filled with wonder before casually adding… "I have heard that there are even ruins of powerhouses from the era before the colonialists arrived."

"Ruins of ancient powerhouses! … Are they the tombs of great ancient mystics who died during the first rebellion against the colonialists?" Aladdin asked; wishing to hear a tale from the well-traveled captain.

Aladdin was not a native of the Eastern continent, but an immigrant from one of the surrounding islands in the Eastern Ocean. He was not yet well informed about the cultures, myths, and legends of the Eastern Continent.

Ali-Baba could see pure unbridled curiosity in his youngest subordinate's brown eyes. [This is youth.] He sighed, wondering where Jonas had picked such a naïve kid.

"No one knows whether they are graves of powerhouses or not. But I've heard rumors of the places being filled with powerful artifacts and mystical treasures."

"However, they say that such ruins are filled with dangers and mysteries that even 'the colonialists' have failed to unravel."

"Some say that they are places left by the gods," Ali-Baba replied, his voice turning into a whisper at the very end.

"Anyways, enough with these legends. … Aladdin! Go and inform the young lady accompanying us about our plans to camp at Dandarah Fortress until the next full moon has passed." Ali-Baba instructed while turning to look at a carriage pulled by four thunder-lions.

****

Within the confines of the spacious carriage, young Hugo Medici within Tracy's embrace felt the jungles tear past him as he tried to clear his thoughts.

You could see from his young baby-face that he was not happy, however, his aunt just ignored him and kept rambling on about the surrounding jungles and their inhabitants.

He had woken up the previous evening enclosed in the darkness of a backpack. When he was finally freed from it, he had found that he was near the gate of a small village enclosed by a wooden fence.

Before long a large caravan of carriages pulled by terrifying beasts appeared within his sights. Hugo nearly jumped out of the hands of his aunt Tracy as the beasts were terrified him beyond measure.

Most of them looked like variants of horses, others like elephants, but the most terrifying were those that resembled lions.

The terrifying lion-like creatures pulling one of the carriages were the shape of a normal lion, but their sizes were comparable to horses. The manes surrounding their heads were a purplish color that surprisingly lent them a savage bestial aura. Their strong, compact bodies were covered with purplish-blue fur that was as sharp as needles.

Then at that moment, Hugo was coolly informed by his 'aunt' that his mom had left to take care of some business. Hugo wondered if this was an example of child neglect that was often rampant during wars in his previous life.

[If she left to take care of some business, it won't be long before my mother is back then.] Although Hugo was dejected, he decided to push the matter to the back of his head.

He wouldn't cry because his mother wasn't around. [Crying is only a trait for immature brats.] Baby Hugo had thought.

But the worst news was that they would be traveling in the carriage being dragged by the terrifying lion-like creatures.

His aunt Tracy had even brought him closer to the creatures and informed him that these were cute rank-2 thunder-lions like the ones residing in the nearby forest.

[Does she even know the definition of cute?] Hugo had wondered.

Hugo was brought close enough to see some sparks of purplish lightning flickering across the muscular and winged bodies of the thunder-lions. Rows of saw-like teeth were displayed between their frightening jaws, which occasionally leaked purplish saliva.

Hugo had to steel his little heart to survive dying from crippling fear induced by the four beasts.

A slight deceleration of the carriage interrupted Hugo's reverie.

[What is happening? Is it another attack from the quaintly named variant beasts?] He thought while curiously peering out of the carriage window.

Very soon, a man mounted on a green-maned horse-like beast appeared by the carriage's window. The man looked gallant in his gray armor, like an ancient medieval knight. His eyes that were the color of dampened summer soil, shone.

"Miss Tracy! Captain sent me to inform you we are about to reach Dandarah. We'll be camping there to avoid the dangers of the full moon." The man said as a smile flashed across his face beneath the curls of his short black hair.

"Aladdin! Isn't the full moon four days away?" Tracy replied, frowning.

Tracy wanted to get to the Migotir Kingdom as soon as possible. She was afraid that if she lingered in Melekar, it would be easy for the 'Manroes' to get wind of her trail.

"Miss. Maybe you should ask the captain. He's the one insisting on camping in Dandarah for the next few days." Aladdin replied while shaking his head.

"Okay, tell the captain that I'll go along with his plans."

"However, I will have to move separately when we reach the fortress. I don't want my identity getting disclosed in this town." Tracy replied, feeling a sense of helplessness.

After the young man left, Hugo could tell that his aunt was not in a good mood. She had ceased rambling about the animals in the surrounding forests.

[Are our circumstances that bad? Could this be the 'business' my mother is supposed to be taking care of?] He wondered.

Very soon, the carriage came to a halt.

Hugo could make out a lot of chattering from up ahead. It reminded him of the mornings in New York in his previous life.

Hugo's foul mood was swept away, leaving only the excitement of adventure in this new world.

[This is my first time in an urban settlement in this new life. What wonders are in this city?] He thought.