The Woman of the Sands

I stared at Rayji as if he had just killed my cat. The shock of hearing him say 'Ars Goetia' felt like an electric current ran up my back.

"W-What?" Rayji asked, a little shaken up by my sudden outburst.

"N-Nothing, nothing at all-- just forget about it." I said, trying my best to recollect myself. 

Okay, calm down. Just breathe, maybe it's just a coincidence? The fact that there are Demons, twin Suns, and a Demon capital called Ars Goetia... crap. 

This isn't a coincidence! Am I really in the game!?

"Do you know what this world is called?" I blurted out to Tesera who was walking next to me. 

She looked a little confused as she looked up at me and answered.

"Uhm, I dunno... it's just where we live? Have you forgotten about that too, Ignis?" She innocently said.

I shifted my eyes over to Rayji, but he also shrugged his shoulders in response. 

Damn, figures kids wouldn't know; especially if they've been slaves for who knows how long. 

I let out a heavy sigh as I felt this burden make itself at home in the back of my mind.

---

The Suns had set after another hour's worth of walking through the field. The Moon had risen over us, and seeing it for myself further confirmed my theory that I was on Eos; it was the Fractured Moon. 

The Fractured Moon looked like Earth's Moon, other than the fact that it was broken up into hundreds of lunar pieces. Due to its orbit and gravitational field, the pieces of Moon hadn't flown away off into space. That was my theory anyway, having first seen it in the game. But really, it was just made to look cool from the developers; science be damned. 

"That confirms it." I mutter to myself. 

"Did you say something?" Rayji asked.

"Nothing, just talking to myself." I replied.

I stopped for a second from walking and took a peek over the fields, just ahead of us, I saw a distinct lack of Sufolk disappear at its edge. 

"I think we're close to escaping the field, just a little further now!" I tell them. 

"My feet hurt... I want to sleep..." Tesera said in a mopey tone. 

It surprised me to hear her say something so childlike, especially after what they've just been through. 

Wordlessly, I pick her up by the waist and hoist her up onto my shoulders; catching her by surprise. 

"Ah! What're-- Wow!" Tesera looked up at the night sky, admiring the stars above. 

"Must be nice." Rayji chimed in, it was obvious what he wanted.

And just like I had done with his sister, I yoinked him up onto my shoulders as well; each sibling occupying each shoulder now.

"Y-You didn't have to do that." He tried his best to not show his childish glee. 

"You kids should act like kids." I tell them as I pick up my pace through the stalks. 

And in no time, we make it to the edge of the Sufolk. 

With a gallop, I soar out into the new land exiting the Sufolk field. The first thing I feel is a sandy texture as my foot makes contact with the ground below.

"I wasn't expecting that." I said as I got my bearings, it was a bonafide desert; it had a dark blue hue over it from the Fractured Moon.

"I-It's freezing!" Rayji choked out, shivering.

"B-Brother, h-h-h-hug me! I'm so c-c-c-c-old!" Tesera begged as she lunged at Rayji, her elbow constricting my face. 

"Hey I can't see, if you do that we're gonna--" I felt my center of gravity flip as we began to tumble down. 

"Ahhh!" The siblings screamed in unison as they fell down along with me. 

I had faceplanted into the desert floor, catching a mouthful of sand. 

"Are you two okay?" I asked the siblings as I picked sand out of my teeth. 

"Y-Y-Yes, we're just so... so cold..." They respond simultaneously (it's a little creepy to be honest). 

With how malnourished they were and the flimsy rags that they wore, they'd both die within the hour if we didn't find some shelter. I tried embracing them, hoping that I could transfer my body heat-- but in the process I noticed a new characteristic about myself; the cold didn't affect me.

"Am I warm to you two?" I asked them as I held them close. 

They weakly shook their heads 'no'.

Damn, I didn't have body heat either. Maybe I really was a lost spirit with how corpse-like I seem. 

I briefly thought of bringing them back into the Sufolk to help them escape the cold, but I nixed that idea immediately; they've likely haven't eaten anything in days on the run. 

We had to make progress whether we liked it or not-- it was a race against time now before either they freeze or starve to death first. 

Suddenly, I felt something cold and metallic press itself against the nape of my neck; I could feel how sharp it felt, even though it was barely touching my skin. This has been the second time I've felt something metallic touch my back today; I hope it was the last.

"Any sudden moves and I will end your life." A woman's voice spoke from behind me. 

"Woah, woah-- I think you've got the wrong idea." I said, but the blade didn't budge.

From what I could tell from the corner of my eye, I saw the weapon's shadow cast under the moonlight; it had the shape of a long spear.

"C-C-C-Cold..." Tesera spoke with a weak whisper, I felt the spear's tip falter on my neck. 

"A child? Two at that." She spoke, there was a tenderness in her voice as she did. 

"State your business, you are trespassing onto Zepar lands."

"I'm, uh, escorting these two back to their rightful home." I said as I slowly began to get up as I gently put the two back down onto the ground.

As I did, however, I felt her spear dig itself into my neck. 

Unlike the blade of the man from before however, this time it didn't shatter on contact. 

It was odd, I didn't feel pain but I did feel the pressure of the spear as it dug in and tore ever so slightly into my skin. 

"Did I say you can move, outsider?" She hissed, but I ignored her as I got up to my feet. 

"Look, I'm telling the truth. These kids, they're runaway slaves." I calmly explained as I risked a quick peek at the woman behind me. 

As I did, I caught a glimpse of her-- she was dressed in what I could describe as a tribal desert warrior's get-up. Her face was covered by an obscuring veil, and the rest of her body was draped in multiple cloths; she looked warm. 

"They're dying." I bluntly spoke.

I could sense her weight shift behind me, she was probably adjusting herself to see the kids better from her angle. 

"They're likely experiencing Hypothermia due to the desert's low temperature." I explained. 

"Hypow-thurr-meeuh?" The woman sounded out what I had said. Did she not know what Hypothermia was?

"Hypothermia, it means they're freezing to death." 

"I can see that, outsider. I have no need for your strange word to describe the consequences of Lunarsa's unprotected embrace." Finally, she pulled her spear away; I felt it leave the wound in my neck. 

"Quickly, pick them up and follow me." She commanded, I picked them both up and carried them in my arms. 

As I turned around, she pointed her spear back at me again; aiming it right in between my eyes.

"If you dare try to run away, I'll cut you down and save these two myself." She warned. 

"I wouldn't dream of it." I promised, proceeding to follow her quietly behind.