Chapter 2: Preparation

"Are you familiar with magic?" Luna asked, brushing some dust off her clothes. She had been trying to size up Isaiah ever since they met.

Isaiah puffed out his chest proudly. "I know the incantations for the five basic elements: fire, water, wind, earth, and thunder. But that's about it."

Luna let out a breath of relief. Thank goodness I don't need to go through the pain of explaining the basics. Memorizing incantations is such a pain in the bud. She crossed her arms, her tone suddenly more confident. "Good. Then let me explain a bit more. There are three main types of magic: attack, healing, and summoning. Attack magic is divided into the five basic elements you mentioned. Healing magic is further split into three: treatment for injuries, detox for poisons or diseases, and protection to bolster defenses or create barriers. Then there's summoning, which is a bit different—it can't be cast with just an incantation. You need a magic circle for that." She waved her hands as if drawing a circle in the air, her voice carrying a practiced authority.

Isaiah nodded eagerly, hanging on her every word. "Got it! So, shall we try something now?"

"Are you ready?" Luna asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Yeah!" Isaiah practically jumped in place.

He took a deep breath, planted his feet firmly in the sand, and began chanting with an exaggerated flair. "By rivers deep and oceans wide, I call upon the water's tide, with liquid power, clear and blue, grant me now what I pursue! Water Ball!!"

Luna watched as a giant ball of water materialized in the air. Her jaw dropped. "What the… THIS AMOUNT OF MANA?!"

The water ball hovered above them, massive and gleaming in the sun. It was easily twice the size of any spell she had ever seen, even bigger than the ones Master Yatsu had shown her. Before she could process her shock, Isaiah launched it with all his might.

"Ahhhh!" Isaiah screamed excitedly as the water ball shot through the air like a cannonball, disappearing into the horizon.

Luna stared, slack-jawed, as Isaiah began jumping around like a kid on Christmas morning. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he turned back to her. "Master, how did I do?!"

Master? When did I become his master?! Luna thought, her mind scrambling for a response. "Uh… you did great, my pupil." She managed to force a smile.

Isaiah grinned from ear to ear. "Alright, Master! Now it's your turn to learn something!"

They stood on top of a massive sand dune, the wind whipping around them. Luna's face had gone pale. Her voice trembled as she eyed Isaiah nervously. "Please don't tell me we're about to do what I think we're about to do…"

Isaiah's grin widened. "Yup! Time for you to ride a Sand Snake!"

Her whole body shook, her legs barely holding her up. Nope. Nope. Nope. This is a nightmare. Snakes? Big ones? That move fast? With horns?! Who in their right mind rides those?! "Isaiah, I… I don't know how!" she shrieked, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

Isaiah tossed her a rope in the shape of a lasso, ignoring her panic. "It's easy! Just throw the rope around the horns and pull the side of the rope in the direction you want to go! You've got this!"

He blew on his flute.

The ground beneath them rumbled. A massive Sand Snake, easily the size of a small building, slithered toward Luna. Her face drained of all color. "THIS IS NOT EASY!" she screamed.

The snake's diamond-like scales glittered in the sunlight as it approached, its massive horns gleaming like polished silver. Summoning every ounce of courage she could muster, Luna used her wind magic to leap into the air. The lasso sailed from her hand, looping perfectly around the creature's horns. She landed on its back, gripping the rope for dear life as the snake bucked beneath her.

Luna's heart pounded in her chest. I'm going to die. This is how I die. She glanced down at the snake's shimmering scales. An idea struck her. Using her crystal magic, she created retaining straps around her feet to keep herself anchored. If I'm going down, I'm going down strapped to this stupid snake.

Isaiah whooped from the top of the dune. "You're doing great, Luna! Look at you go!"

For a brief moment, Luna felt a twinge of pride. She pulled the rope with her right hand, and the snake turned to the right, obedient to her command. "Ha! Take that, you oversized worm!" she yelled.

But her confidence was short-lived. Turning back to Isaiah to wave, she let go of the rope. The snake bucked wildly, and she nearly toppled off. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. I'm going to fall. I'm going to— Her retaining straps held firm, saving her from a gruesome fate.

Then she realized something… her face filled with worries and fears. 

"Hey, Isaiah!" she shouted, her voice cracking. "HOW DO I GET OFF THIS THING?!"

Isaiah was still happily waving at Luna and had no idea of the clumsy situation Luna found herself in. 

He could hear Luna's rambling but Isaiah was caught up in his own thoughts. What am I a good teacher. This took me two whole years to do it. His face had an overly satisfying smile.

Luna was coming straight to Isaiah and Luna continued to ramble. But he couldn't hear her clearly. 

She is coming oddly close. Isn't she? Isaiah thought. Finally starting to evaluate the situation. Is she trying to say something? I can't hear it. 

"Ahhh h.. help!!" He heard.

Wait is she asking for help?

Isaiah cupped his hands around his mouth. "Just jump!"

"JUST JUMP?! ARE YOU INSANE?!" Luna screamed back. Luna's mind couldn't process how you could just jump off

"Trust me!" Isaiah called out. "I'll catch you!"

Luna hesitated, fear gripping her heart. But Isaiah's reassuring grin broke through her panic. He's done this before. He survived. He knows what he's doing… right? Taking a deep breath, she released the retaining straps, gripped the rope one last time, and leaped.

For a brief moment, Luna felt weightless and forgot all about her problems. The golden desert stretched out before her, bathed in the light of a pink and orange sunset. The sight was so beautiful, so serene, she almost forgot she was hurtling toward the ground. Wait… I'm falling!

She closed her eye tightly, bracing for the inevitable crash. But instead of hitting the hard ground, she landed in something warm and solid. Opening her eye, she found herself cradled in Isaiah's arms, held like a princess rescued from peril.

"Argh…" she groaned, still shaken.

Isaiah grinned down at her. "Wow, you're heavy."

Luna's face turned beet red. "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!"

Isaiah's grin vanished. "Oh no! I didn't mean it like that!"

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" she screamed, chasing him across the sand like a woman possessed.

Luna noticed how hard the ground was. 

"Hey! Isaiah!" She screamed.

"No! Please don't kill me… what?" 

Luna knocked on the ground and spoke.

"Did the San froze or something?"

Isaiah looked worried. "Oh no is it already this late? We need to get back quickly!" 

Luna didn't understand why. 

"So the sand really froze?" She asked. 

"The night here gets so cold that if you stay out here at night you will freeze to death." Isaiah explained. 

"Even with clothes on?" Luna questioned.

"I have seen people froze to death even with clothes that were infected with a spell that keeps the cloth worm." Isaiah said.

"Then how do you survive out at night? How did I survive the night?" She asked.

Isaiah got something out of his cloak. It appeared to be a glowing stone.

"This," he explained, holding up the object, "is designed to adapt to the temperature of the person it touches. When it comes into contact with their skin, it automatically adjusts itself to match their body temperature. That way, the person's temperature will never fall below their own natural warmth." 

"When we are back at the village I will get one for you."

Back in the village, they sat inside a small, carved-out rock house. A man about Isaiah's height approached Luna and placed a hand on her head. She froze, unsure of how to react. But the gesture was oddly comforting, like a parent welcoming their child home.

"This is how we Wastelanders say hello," Isaiah explained.

The man smiled warmly before sitting at the table. Isaiah leaned forward. "My parents don't speak Deity. I think I'm the only one in the village who can. I speak a little Gaia too, but that's it. I plan to study abroad at the University of Deity."

Luna's eyes lit up. She jumped out of her seat, leaning so close to Isaiah that their noses almost touched. "I'll go with you!" she exclaimed.

Isaiah blinked in surprise, his face turning pink. "Really?"

The old man looked shocked and was frozen in place.

It is not that I want to go to school, I can already read, write and do basic math. The only thing I can't do is speak a foreign language; master Yastu thought me all of that.

Luna returned to her seat, her face softening. "I need to get back home. I live in Aluria, on the eastern continent. The University of Deity is on the way. If you're going, I could travel with you."

Isaiah's grin returned. "I was going to ask if you wanted to come along anyway."

Luna felt a weight lift off her shoulders. "Thank you, Isaiah." She wrapped her pinky around his. "Pinky promise."

They were standing on top of a big dune looking at the rising sun. 

Isaiah lowered the flute, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

"How long will it take before we reach the nearest city?" luna asked. 

"Well if you would be walking it would take about half a year to reach the city of Gaia but with our good friends it will be about a week." Isaiah answered, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

Good friends? Luna thought with a shiver. You mean the monstrous Sand Snakes that could swallow us whole if we made one wrong move? 

The city of Gaia our first destination is located in the country of Terrovia. 

A familiar whirling storm of sand began to form in the distance. The ground beneath their feet trembled slightly, a sure sign of its approach.

"Speak of the devil," Isaiah said, smirking as the shape of the enormous Sand Snake emerged from the swirling sands. Its scales glinted faintly in the sunlight, and its horned head rose menacingly above the dunes. Isaiah turned to her, his expression far too casual for her liking. "Do you want to ride?"

"Not in a million years!" Luna shot back, taking a step away from the snake. She could already feel her stomach twisting at the thought of riding the thing.

Isaiah raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "Okay, but just so you know, this is probably the last time you'll ever come here in your life." He leaned closer, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Think of it as a once-in-a-lifetime adventure!"

"More like a once-is-too-much experience," Luna muttered under her breath.

I hope I will never come back to this place. Who would ever want to come back?

Isaiah shrugged, clearly unbothered by her reluctance. "Okay, as you wish." He moved swiftly, pulling a hook from his belt and securing it between the two of them. "Just in case," he said with a wink. "The last thing you want is to get separated out here."

Luna bit her lip but didn't protest. He was right, after all. Getting stranded in the middle of the wasteland vast desert was a death sentence.

The two of them jumped together, landing on the Sand Snake's back with a jarring thud. The beast let out a low rumble, shifting slightly beneath them as if annoyed by their presence. Luna's heart raced as Isaiah expertly threw a rope around the creature's horns, steadying their position.

"Here, make some retaining straps," Isaiah instructed, tossing her a length of rope. Luna's hands trembled slightly as she secured the straps around their feet. She didn't dare show her fear, but the way her stomach lurched told her exactly how much she hated this.

"Hold on tight," Isaiah said over his shoulder, his voice unusually serious.

Luna hesitated for a moment before wrapping her arms around his waist. "If we die, I'm haunting you," she muttered darkly.

Isaiah just laughed, the sound bright and carefree. "Let's go!!!" he yelled, pulling hard on the ropes.