Rustam the herder

The morning light filtered through the yurt as the group slowly woke up. Rufus was the first to rise, and as he stepped outside, he saw Rustam perched atop his beast, watching over his flock of birds. The majestic mountain that housed the city of secrets loomed in the distance, its slopes dotted with lush pastures and forests.

As Rufus got closer, Rustam rode with his beast to catch a sheep. The birds were puffy with heavy layers of feathers. The puffiest ones, with a thick layer of feathers, didn't fly high, enabling Rustam to use a rope to catch one and bring it down.

"Ah, you are up? Mind helping me hold this guy down?" Rustam asked Rufus.

Rufus went to hold down the birds as Rustam started to tie its legs. Rustam took out scissors and started to shear the bird for its extra feathers.

As Rustam was shearing the bird, Rufus couldn't help but notice the skill and precision with which Rustam handled the animal. Rustam worked quickly and efficiently, taking care not to hurt the bird in any way.

"You have a lot of experience with this," Rufus commented.

"Yes, I've been herding for many years," Rustam replied. "It's a way of life for me. I've been following the city of secrets for gaining simplicity, and the djinns have always been kind to me."

After the excess feathers were collected, Rustam let the bird go, which was now more easily fly blissfully back to its flock. Rustam's beast calmly waited for its master, making sure no one would try to steal its master's property.

"What is your beast called? Is it a divine beast?" Rufus asked.

Rustam smiled and patted the beast on the head. "His name is Rakhsh and no, he's not a divine beast. He's just a regular animal called a kevah. An animal that has been brought here from the world of Sassan. He's been with me for many years and has become like a member of my family. He's a great companion and a great help when it comes to herding sheep. The sassans ride these magnificent beasts and the most skillful riders are the descendants of the scethian culture."

Rufus got closer to Rakhsh and offered his hand. It gently nuzzled closer and let Rufus pat him on the head.

"You have experience with animals?" Rustam asked.

"I have ridden similar beasts. A black yak. Once you started to ride fast with him, you couldn't stop him no matter what," Rufus explained.

"Sounds like a stubborn beast," Rustam said with a smile.

"Yes, he was quite stubborn, but we had a great bond. He was a magnificent steed for many years until he passed away," Rufus said, a hint of sadness in his voice.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Rustam said, placing a comforting hand on Rufus's shoulder.

Rufus nodded, feeling grateful for Rustam's understanding. "Thank you. But it is also my loss as I wasn't even present when he passed away. I was a bit selfish during those years. Reluctant to be with any other people."

"I am sure he forgave you. That is the great thing about animals and beasts. They forgive more easily, something us beings with intelligence should learn to do more," Rustam said.

~~

During the day, the group pondered a way into the city of secrets.

"Gadaric, you could try and sneak in. Rufus could fly you atop the walls and sneak in," Amala suggested.

"And what, be obliterated by the god of the djinns for trespassing after we go and ask for some help?" Joan said.

"Well, it is better than doing nothing!" Amala shot back.

"ENOUGH!" Rufus yelled, trying to stop them from quarreling.

"I think we should seriously consider leaving," Doreen said, voicing what was on everyone's mind.

"I agree. There is no reason to be here as we obviously will not be able to enter the city. And even if we do, how would we be able to gain an audience with a literal god?" Joan added.

"It is a shame that you had to come this far for nothing. It is still pretty amazing you were able to find this place. How were you able to find it anyway?" Rustam asked.

"We bumped into a scouting force of Seljuk riders a few days back. They said they had been looking for some possible fanatics from the western continent," Rufus explained.

"Fanatics? Has something happened on the western continent?" Rustam asked.

"The entire Qajar shahdom has been thrown into the midst of a civil war as fanatics who still worship Cyrus the Great have risen and are causing turmoil," Rufus explained.

"The entire Qajar shahdom has been thrown into the midst of a civil war as fanatics who still worship Cyrus have risen," Joan said.

Rustam clenched his fist. "Did the selquks mention anything else?" he asked.

"Well they boasted how they were not tainted by fanatics," Joan muttered.

"The selquks are more cynical and unforgiving than their Essyrian brethren. But they also are as easily seduced by the temptations of a dead god. Temptations told by a skillful preacher. These fanatics are not a new thing on Isra, as they have been operating for years now. They wait in the shadows and blend in with the populace waiting for an opportune time to strike."

~~

In the meantime, the same selquk scouts were riding through the desert. "You think those outsiders found the city of secrets?" one of the selquk sassans asked.

"Depends how great was the resolve of that djinn. She seemed like she had lived comfortably in the cities of the Qajar shahdom. Even the city djinns are weak," the leader yelled back.

They saw a silhouette in the distance, of a large gathering of people. It must have been the zealots. Before they could charge, they saw that the people stopped.

A large figure, towering at least four meters tall with massive wings came flying down to greet them. As it fell, its wings created a menacing howl.

"A night screamer," the leader whispered to his men.

They couldn't see clearly, as the continuous sandstorm obscured their sight, but it was clear some kind of monster was aiding them. A monster they couldn't defeat.

The selquk sassans had not yet been spotted, and they wished to keep it so.

"We need to ride away and alert the djinns. They are in danger if the zealots are being aided by a night screamer," the scout leader whispered to his men.

They started slowly and quietly riding away, but then.

"MESSENGER FROM CYRUS! THERE ARE SPIES HERE!"

One of the Seljuk riders started to yell and rode off in the direction of the zealots and this large monster. The leader of the selquk riders quickly silenced this scout by shooting into its back three arrows. But it was too late. He couldn't anymore spot the silhouette of the night screamer.

"RIDE EVERYONE!" the leader yelled and started to flee.

The rest of the Seljuk scouts followed behind their leader, but they could hear the howling of the night screamer getting closer and closer. They knew that the monster would catch up to them soon, and they had to find a way to evade it.

In the sandstorm, the riders couldn't see the monster, but it could see them. It swooped down, slicing down one rider after another, each time creating a hellish scream as it attacked. One by one the selquk riders were dying, though they tried their best in trying to shoot at this mysterious monster.

The leader of the Seljuk scouts, realizing that they couldn't defeat the night screamer, ordered his men to split up and ride in different directions. "We will meet at the city of the djinns," he shouted. "We must warn them of the danger that the zealots pose with the aid of this monster."

The Seljuk riders scattered, each one trying to outrun the night screamer and reach the city of the djinns. The leader rode on his horse, pushing it to its limit as the howling of the night screamer grew louder and louder. He could feel the sandstorm whipping against his face and the heat of the desert burning his skin.

Just as he thought he had lost the monster, it suddenly appeared out of nowhere and swooped down, its massive wings creating a deafening howl. The leader's horse reared up in terror, throwing him off. He landed hard on the ground, the wind knocked out of him.

As he lay there, helpless, the night screamer descended upon him. The monster had razor-sharp claws that dug deep inside the chest of the selquk sassan. It carried a spear in its hand, that had sassan skulls hanging from it. Its wings were black, with almost no feathers at all, but made from pieces of ripped leather. Its body was scrawny, but it had a massive bird-like head. With no eyes.

The selquk rider looked around and saw that his men had not been so lucky. The sand was littered with the bodies of his fallen comrades, their kevahs lying motionless beside them. The leader felt a pang of guilt and sorrow wash over him. He had led his men to their deaths.

The night screamer plunged its spear into the selquk rider and killed him. It then ripped off its head and as he held it in his hand, he blew black winds, that ripped the feathers and flesh off. As only the skull remained, the monster added it to its spear, hanging it with the rest of the skulls.