In The Sultan's Service

Job Details:

Job Sign-Up: Page 37, Post Number 917

-Desierto, the outskirts of Nebdoui, early morning-

Wearing her green, white, and gold outfit with bike shorts underneath the skirt, Leona landed on the outskirts of Nebdoui and dismounted from Winged Lion, then dispelled him. Unlike the day that Chief Elijah died, she had come prepared for a lengthy stay. On her left hip was her Silver Longsword and on her hands were her Argent Gloves. In her right boot was Ses Revanche.

In Leona's backpack was her usual supplies plus plenty of clothing. She had managed to cram in her green and white tank tops, her "chocolate chip" desert camouflage pattern shorts, extra socks and underwear, and her self-repairing blue, white, and gold outfit. She had made it a point to bring extra clothes because she would be in the desert country for a few days and would presumably not be able to stop somewhere to launder her clothes. Her clothing also tended to get damaged in the line of duty, so she would likely need spare shirts and skirts to stay looking somewhat presentable to anyone she met.

It felt like she was destined to never leave Desierto, but Leona had a good reason to be back so soon. She was back in the desert country only a few days after her last visit because she had received word from her mother that the sultan himself had commissioned Leona for this job. In her letter to her daughter Sophia had instructed Leona to visit her in the family tent to receive a letter from the sultan telling her more about the job he had hired her to do. Leona would do just that.

Leona walked towards the village and noticed just how much progress had been made since she was last here. The defensive wall had been thickened enough to repel small arms fire and to be impossible to jump on horseback; there was also a gap that was wide enough for two people walking side-by-side to pass through. That must be where a gate would eventually be set once the walls were fully built. Leona also noticed that a few of the adobe houses near the front of the village had been completed while others were currently being worked on by Nebdoui's masons. The Wizard Saint walked towards the village wall and saw numerous armed militiamen standing watch while the masons worked on the adobe houses that were under construction.

Leona approached the gap and was cordially greeted by the militiamen. Leona greeted them in return and walked through the village until she was standing outside the Jarnefeldt family tent. Leona carefully opened the tent flap and went inside.

-Inside the Jarnefeldt family tent-

Leona stood inside the tent and saw her mother sitting at the wooden table drinking coffee while a mummy brought her the kettle in which the coffee had been prepared. In front of her mother sat a large pile of papers and to the right of the papers sat an inkpot with a quill pen inside. To the left of the pile of papers sat a single scroll with a red wax seal. Leona blinked at the sight of a mummy carrying a kettle of coffee.

Sophia turned to face her daughter and smiled.

"Oh, hey Leona! You're here early! I see that you got my letter!" Sophia warmly greeted her daughter as the mummy carefully poured coffee into her mother's tan ceramic cup. Leona blinked again. Sophia noticed her daughter staring at the mummy and laughed.

"Oh, I completely forgot to mention Mortemer! He got here last night. He gave the village militia quite a scare and got shot a few times for his trouble, but once the militia quit shooting him he explained that he was here to serve you. We thought it was really strange, but once we saw that he wasn't here to hurt us I took him into my house so that he wouldn't wander off and get lost." Sophia told Leona about the mummy. "Mortemer" gently sat the kettle down on the table and bowed to Leona.

"Hey Leona! I'm Mortemer!" Mortemer greeted the Wizard Saint in a friendly voice. Leona looked closely at him and saw that his body had been bound in bandages that had come unwrapped with the passage of time, but his most distinctive feature was his glowing red eyes. He also had quite a few bullet holes in her arms and torso, but they were almost healed over somehow.

"Mortemer's been a big help ever since he got here, Leona. I've had to burn the midnight oil to finish some village paperwork and he's prepared my coffee, served my coffee, prepared breakfast, cleaned up after breakfast... it's almost a shame that he's going with you, but you need his help more than I will." Sophia complimented the mummy's helpfulness around the Jarnefeldt household. Mortemer bowed to Leona again.

"When I was first alive several hundred years ago I was a servant to a rich family. Now I'm your servant! I'm here to help you in any way I can!" The mummy cheerfully told Leona. Leona looked at her mother, who only smiled.

"Um, OK." Leona said hesitantly. She was not sure how to feel about having a mummy servant. On one hand, Leona appreciated having a traveling companion who never got tired, never needed to eat, and was always ready to lend a helping hand. On the other hand, she was not sure if Mortemer was serving her because he wanted to or because he was compelled to by an obedience spell that had been cast on him by whoever had sent him to her. After spending years fighting slavers Leona felt uncomfortable about having a servant because it felt like taking advantage of someone who was not really in a position to choose his own destiny.

Mortemer noticed Leona's uncertainty and spoke.

"Don't worry, Leona! I'm here to help because I want to help you!" Mortemer assured her that he was helping of his own free will. Leona looked towards her mother, who smiled back at her. Leona looked back towards the mummy.

"OK, Mortemer. If you want to serve me, you can serve me for as long as you want." Leona accepted him into her service. Mortemer bowed to her.

"Great! I've been looking forward to this moment for centuries!" He exclaimed happily. Sophia got up from the table and brought the scroll to Leona.

"This was sent from the sultan yesterday morning, Leona. I don't know what's in it because the sultan's messenger told me that you were the only one allowed to read it." Her mother informed her before handing over the scroll. Leona carefully removed the wax seal and opened up the scroll, then began to read it.

It was a document informing Leona that she was formally commissioned to travel to Southern Desierto to look for an ancient temple that was reported to be located in the southwestern portion of the country. To help narrow things down the temple was located somewhere within the southwestern portion that was closest to Minstrel. Once she managed to locate the temple she was to send word to the sultan via airborne messenger that she had found it. She was then to wait at the temple for further instructions sent by a carrier eagle. It was strongly suggested that she pack enough supplies to last her for both the trip to the temple and the wait for word from the sultan.

Once Leona had read and memorized the instructions she was to burn this letter. It was not to be carried with her on the trip. If she failed to comply and the letter was seen or captured by anyone else she would be brought back to the Tri-Council City and executed.

"Mother, do we have a candle anywhere?" Leona asked her mother. Sophia blinked.

"Yes, dear. Why?" Sophia asked Leona.

"I'm to burn this letter immediately. No one else can read it. if someone else gets it and the sultan finds out I'm going to be arrested and taken back to the Tri-Council City to be executed." Leona informed her mother in a serious tone. Sophia's face went pale.

"Say no more. I'll start the oven again." Sophia informed Leona. Sophia went to get some firewood with which to start a fire to burn the sultan's instructions to ashes.

[Post Word Count: 1,400]
[Total Word Count: 1,400/11,000]

-The Jarnefeldt family tent, ten minutes later-

Once the fire was going strong Leona tossed the letter and wax seal into the fire so that only she and the sultan would know what her mission was. Leona stood in front of the oven and watched the letter burn to ashes and the wax seal melt into red goo. She stood in front of the oven until both the letter and the wax seal were completely gone, then turned to her mother and Mortemer.

"All right. I had better get going on my mission. And I can't tell you where I'm going on pain of death." Leona said to her mother. Sophia seemed a little sad but also relieved that Leona had burned the letter and the wax seal so that her daughter would remain safe thanks to having carried out the sultan's instructions.

"OK Leona. Since you're sworn to secrecy I won't ask where you're going, but before you go, I've got something for you." Sophia said to her daughter. Sophia walked over to her cot and reached under it, then stood up and brought it over to Leona. She put a large bag into Leona's hands.

"It's a backpack that I bought from a store in the Tri-Council City a day after you left Nebdoui. It's a larger backpack than the one you're wearing now, so you can carry more supplies like food, clothing, water, and so on." Sophia explained what the bag was. Leona looked at the new backpack and noticed that it was tan with a clear light blue tube sticking out of the right side. At the end of the tube was a valve.

"The backpack also has a hydration pack inside. It can store water for you that you can drink by biting the valve you see on the end of the tube and drinking from it like a straw. You won't have to lug around that metal canteen anymore... if you don't want." Sophia explained how the valve worked. Leona was pleased with her new gift.

"Thanks, Mother." Leona thanked her mother. She took the old backpack off of her back, walked over to her cot with the new backpack, and set the old backpack to the left and her new one to the right. She then began taking her clothes out of her old backpack and transferring them to the new one, which had much more room to carry supplies.

"Do you need my help, Leona?" Mortemer asked her and approached the cot.

"No thanks, Mortemer. I've got this." Leona said as she quickly took out her spare bras and underwear and quickly crammed them into her new backpack so that Mortemer did not see them. Once that was done she transferred over her tank tops and camouflage shorts, then her regenerating blue, white, and gold outfit. Last came her spare socks.

Once her clothes had been transferred over Leona saw that she had slightly over half her backpack left, so she began to place her extra food in a side pocket. She then fished out her desert cloak and gently folded it before putting it on top of her clothing. Last came her old metal canteen.

"You might want to fill the hydration bladder before you leave, Leona. I'll get some water for it." Sophia suggested. Leona nodded and Sophia went to the kitchen to grab a container in which to pour water. Meanwhile Leona thought about the enormity of the task that loomed ahead of her.

She was going to Southwestern Desierto on foot to look for an ancient temple that may or may not even exist. She would only have Mortemer and her summons for company. The only supplies she would have were those she carried with her or could scavenge from any outlaws she killed. It was going to be a long hike to her destination, so she had better get going as soon as possible... but first, she had to fill the hydration bladder.

Leona found the hydration bladder and took it out, unscrewing the cap so that Sophia could fill it. Sophia carefully poured the water in until the hydration pack was three-fourths full, or 72 ounces full. Sophia dried it off and Leona put it back into her backpack, where it bulged slightly but fit in its special pocket that was separate from the rest of her gear. Leona then put the new backpack onto her back and moved around.

It fit perfectly.

"I like this backpack. Thanks." Leona thanked her mother for the unexpected gift. Sophia smiled.

"You're welcome, Leona. Now you need to pack some food. Let me see what I can spare for you." Sophia said before going to their pantry and searching for any food she could spare.

-Thirty minutes later-

Mortemer put on Leona's old backpack, which was filled with food, coffee, and a kettle for said coffee. Sophia had given all she could spare so that Leona would have supplies for the trip.

"I'm ready to leave when you are, Leona!" Mortemer declared. Sophia looked a bit sad. She quickly recovered and smiled again.

"I wish you luck, Leona. I know that you'll complete your mission no matter what it takes." Sophia said to her daughter, trying to sound confident in her daughter's abilities. Leona smiled a little.

"I'll be OK, Mother. I've made it this far and I'll make it through this mission too." Leona said to her mother. Sophia smiled.

"I know you will. Good luck and be careful out there!" Sophia bade her daughter.

"Thanks." Leona said before exiting the tent followed by Mortemer.

-On the outskirts of Nebdoui-

"Oh, this is so exciting! I haven't seen Desierto in so long! I wonder what all's changed since the last time I was alive!" Mortemer exclaimed. Leona was on the outskirts of her village and heading for Southern Desierto when she heard footsteps coming from behind her. Leona spun around and found Leonidas running after her.

"Hey Leona. Mother told me that you were going on a trip, so I brought you a few things you might need. With the chief's blessing, of course. I'm just glad that I caught up to you before you had traveled too far." Leonidas said. He was carrying a short rifle with an olive green sling attached to it, a bandolier with twelve magazines of ammunition, and a pair of polarized goggles with which to block out the sand and sun.

"Are you sure you want to give me a rifle, Leonidas? My aim's so bad I might be better off throwing the bullets at outlaws rather than trying to shoot them." Leona asked her brother, making a self-deprecating joke about her accuracy with a gun. Leonidas laughed briefly.

"Yeah, it'll be OK. The Chief didn't want you to go out there without a distance weapon, so he sent me to give you this carbine, some ammo in a bandolier, and these goggles." Leonidas said, handing over the three items to the Wizard Saint. Leona put the polarized goggles on her head, took off her backpack and gently put the bandolier across her body, and slung the carbine on her right shoulder.

"Thanks, Leonidas." Leona thanked him for bringing her the items. He nodded.

"Well, I'd better let you get going. Good luck out there, Leona!" Leonidas bade her before turning back for Nebdoui. Leona watched him reach the desert village safely, then faced forward and began to walk with Mortemer following at her right side.

Leona's Carbine:

[Post Word Count: 1,254]
[Total Word Count: 2,654/11,000]

-Central Desierto, three hours later-

Armed with her new gear, weapon, and mummy servant, Leona was walking through Central Desierto on her way to Southern Desierto with confidence. Mortemer was walking right beside her carrying her old backpack filled with food, coffee, and a kettle in which to prepare the coffee. He seemed to be upbeat about the whole trip and did not mind carrying her supplies for her.

Leona was three hours out from Nebdoui and was en route to Southwestern Desierto, a part of the country to which she had never been before. Despite the length of the mission she was excited to be traveling to a new part of Desierto. She was feeling good now because she had just started the trip, but Leona wondered if she would feel so chipper when the trip stretched into days and weeks. Mortemer certainly did not seem to care how long the trip would take because he was cheerfully humming an ancient tune from way before Leona's time.

Leona put on the goggles and looked around her for any signs of outlaws. She also listened out for the thunder of approaching hooves as she walked. Leona was not seeing or hearing anything out of the ordinary, so she continued moving at a brisk pace while her faithful mummy servant followed at her side. It was odd to be traveling with a mummy servant, but she was glad for his company.

"I haven't been this way in centuries! Well, not since I was alive, anyway. I think my home was in Southern Desierto!" Mortemer said to Leona. Leona turned to her new companion and spoke to him.

"You said you were a servant when you were alive, right? What all did you do for your previous masters?" Leona asked him. Mortemer turned to face her with his glowing red eyes and hidden face.

"I did a little bit of everything, really. Cooking, cleaning, sewing, washing clothes, child care, shopping, gathering firewood, tending the hearth, drawing water from the well, caring for the master's horses by feeding them and grooming them, walking the master's children to school, bringing them back from school..." Mortemer rattled off a list of duties he had in his former life. Leona blinked. The mummy certainly had a lot of chores in his old life. What had made him come back from the dead to help Leona instead of staying at rest?

"I didn't mind doing all that, though. I had a good life. My masters were kind to me and I was happy to just have a job and a place in the world." Mortemer told Leona. Leona felt sort of sorry for Mortemer, who had left behind eternal rest just to help her with her chores. After hearing what all he did in his former life she felt bad for making him carry the backpack of food.

"I still remember how to do all of that, so I can do whatever you need me to do, Leona! I can cook, clean, prepare coffee, build a campfire, anything!" Mortemer asserted to his new master.

"OK. I might need your help with coffee later." Leona said to him, trying to make him feel like he was needed. She did not have to try too hard because the truth was that he was needed. Mortemer was well-suited for travel in the desert because he was a mummified human and did not have joints that were vulnerable to grit and sand like PG-13 did. She would have to look into upgrading PG-13 to be more suitable for travel in the desert so that she could take her faithful combat droid with her for combat missions.

"Certainly!" Mortemer said. The unlikely pair continued walking towards Southern Desierto as Leona looked out for outlaws and other dangerous people. She also looked out for other people who were traveling through the sandy expanse.

-Central Desierto, two hours later-

Leona was starting to slow down a bit because she was still a few hours from Southern Desierto and did not want to wear herself out. Mortemer was still with her and was still following at her side. He had not slowed down or complained about their pace a single time during the five hours they had been traveling. Then again, he was a mummy, so stamina was no problem for him.

"Are you OK, Leona?" Mortemer asked her. Leona turned to him and nodded.

"I'm fine, Mortemer. Thanks." Leona thanked her mummy servant for his concern. She then put the bite valve into her mouth, then sucked on it like a straw. Water that tasted of plastic filled her mouth faster than she had anticipated and she spit the water out on the spot.

"Are you sure you're OK?" Mortemer asked again. Leona nodded even though the taste of plastic was fresh on her tongue and was attacking her taste buds.

"I'm fine, Mortemer. I just need to take using this hydration pack slowly." Leona replied. She bit down on the bite valve again and sucked water from it a little more slowly this time. She was rewarded with enough water to safely swallow without putting herself in danger of choking on it. While the water tasted of plastic, it was still water and water would keep her alive out in the inhospitable desert.

"Oh, OK. I don't know what a hydration pack is, but it sounds handy. I trust that you'll learn how to use it quickly." Mortemer replied. Leona laughed a little. Mortemer was an ancient mummy, so he had no idea what a hydration pack was.

"The world's advanced a lot since you were alive, Mortemer. Alive the first time, I mean." Leona said to him. Mortemer laughed a little, an act which was both endearing and unnerving.

"Tell me about it, Leona. When I approached your village I was attacked with long metal poles that belch smoke your village guards called "rifles." I didn't know that a weapon with such range even existed... I was way out of bow range and I was sure that they couldn't hit me with their projectiles, but I was hit in the arms and chest several times before I could explain to them that I wasn't there to destroy their village. I didn't even see the projectiles coming... the first warning I had that I was being attacked was when I heard a loud noise. The second was when I was hit in the chest." Mortemer informed her about what it was like for a person from Ancient Desierto to encounter modern firearms, then tapped the nearly healed bullet "wound" near the center of his chest. Leona was gaining a valuable glimpse into the past from a person who had actually lived in the past, but she was not sure how she could properly document that. She was sure that the academic world would laugh at her if she claimed that her source for information on life in Ancient Desierto was a mummy servant named Mortemer. Still, it was interesting to talk to someone who had lived in her home country long before the sultans even existed.

"Oh, that's just the start of mankind's technological advancement, Mortemer." Leona told him. Mortemer looked at her with an expression of curiosity.

"You mean that there's even more things out there that have changed since I first died?" Mortemer asked. Leona nodded.

"Yeah, Mortemer. A lot of things have changed besides weapons." Leona replied.

"Oh, I'd like to hear about them some time!" Mortemer excitedly told her. Leona smiled a little as she walked towards Southern Desierto. Her companion's irrepressible good cheer was new and refreshing. When they stopped for a break she would be sure to tell him some more things about the modern world in which he was now traveling in after centuries of slumber.

[Post Word Count: 1,310]
[Total Word Count: 3,964/11,000]

-Southern Desierto, one hour later-

After crossing over into Southern Desierto and going southwest for a short distance Leona had reached the point that she needed to take a break, but there were no good or safe places to stop for a break. All that was around her and Mortemer was endless flat desert broken up by the occasional sand dune. Leona looked for a decent spot to make a temporary rest stop and found one at the foot of a sand dune.

Leona walked over to it and stopped, then stretched her legs and drank a bit of water from her hydration pack. She carefully took off her backpack and set it down, fishing out her desert cloak to create a bit of shade. However, she had forgotten to pack metal poles to use to raise the cloak above her.

"How can I serve you, Master?" Mortemer asked Leona, walking over to her right side and stopping. Leona turned her head to face him and spoke.

"I'm not holding my breath, but do you think that you can find a stick or two that I can drape this cloak over for some shade?" Leona asked him. Mortemer nodded.

"I'll go look for some right away, Master! I'll be back as soon as I can!" Mortemer replied before walking off in search of a stick or two that could be used to create a makeshift shelter from the sun. Leona really needed to talk to him about him calling her "Master" some time. Meanwhile Leona spread her desert cloak on the ground so that she did not burn her backside and the backs of her legs too much, put on her polarized goggles to reduce the sun's glare in her eyes, and took a seat on the cloak while sipping a little more plastic water from the hydration pack.

-Thirty minutes later-

Leona was sitting on her cloak and slowly baking in the sun while sipping more plastic water when she saw Mortemer striding towards her with a thin stick in each hand. She was more than a little surprised that he had managed to find any sticks out there.

"Hello, Master! I'm back! I could only find two thin sticks about the length of my arm. I was hoping to get some more to have firewood for later, but this was all I could find!" Mortemer reported to Leona and showed the sticks. Leona nodded in approval. It was a small miracle that he had found even those two sticks because the desert was not renowned for being an abundant source of firewood. Plant life was uncommon and trees were even more uncommon.

"Thanks, Mortemer." Leona thanked him, standing up to take the sticks from Mortemer. She took them and drove them into the sandy soil the best she could to form two upright "poles", then took the desert cloak off of the ground and draped half of it over the two sticks so that she could at least lie down in the partial shade. She set her backpack to her right along with her carbine, keeping both within easy reach in case outlaws came calling.

Leona began to lie down on the sand and felt the warm sand on her back. She reclined further and took a few short, sharp breaths as the heat of the sand began to burn the back of her neck. Mortemer stood over her as Leona laid on her back and looked away from the sun, then closed her eyes. While this makeshift shelter was far from an ideal shelter, it was certainly better than nothing.

Leona was glad to be out of the sun for a little while. It was not the best idea to travel in the desert during the day, but Leona was a native of the country and knew what she was getting into. She was also armed for bear, metaphorically and literally. She had also packed plenty of supplies for the trip, so Leona had little to fear as long as she used common sense and did not gorge herself on food or coffee on the first day.

-One hour later-

The sun was beginning to gradually set, so it was time to get moving again so that she could cover more ground in peace before the outlaws came out to play. Leona stood up, stretched her legs, and picked up her carbine. As she looked at it she noticed something very important was missing.

The carbine was not loaded!

Leona pulled a box magazine from her bandolier and pushed it all the way into the magazine slot. She then slung the newly loaded rifle on her right shoulder and took down her "shelter" as Mortemer watched. He picked up the two sticks and held them in his right hand as Leona folded her desert cloak up and then placed it in her backpack, then put her backpack on for the trip.

"OK Mortemer, I'm ready. Let's go." Leona told her bandaged companion.

"OK Leona, lead the way! I'll be right beside you!" Mortemer said. Leona took the lead and led the pair deeper into Southwestern Desierto.

-Three hours later, nightfall, Southwestern Desierto-

Despite taking the short break three hours ago, Leona felt like she had traveled as far as she could go for one day. She did not want to stop and sleep in the open because right now was prime outlaw travel time. She wanted some kind of shelter, but a quick glance around her showed that there was no shelter to be had, not even the base of a sand dune.

The cold night wind blew and kicked up a small dust cloud that brushed against Leona's bare legs. Leona ignored it as she used her natural night vision to look for outlaws who had gotten an early start on their nocturnal activities. So far she was seeing nothing, so she kept moving forward and kept a watch out for any people on horseback.

"I don't like it here, Master. It's too open. It's perfect bandit country." Mortemer opined to Leona. From the sound of it bandits were as bad back in Ancient Desierto as they were in this age.

"I agree, Mortemer. If I could I'd like to find that temple and stop for the night somewhere with a solid roof over my head." Leona told him her ideal plan. However, the gap between ideals and reality was a wide one. Despite the dangers of camping in the open in bandit country the Wizard Saint was tempted to just give in and take her chances. All of Desierto outside the walls of the Tri-Council Cities was bandit country. However, Leona took a glance at Mortemer and decided to just keep going.

Leona wordlessly put one foot in front of the other and kept pushing into Southwestern Desierto, aiming for the coastal part that was closest to Minstrel. However, Desierto was a big place with a lot of ancient temples. How would she even know that she had found the right one?

It was not like she could just saunter to the coast and then turn back if she was in the wrong place like she had entered the wrong store in Capital Crocus Mall. Just reaching the coast would take hours of travel under the burning sun and Leona would deplete supplies at a fast rate with each day she spent traveling. She also did not need to waste too much time finding the temple because the sultan was waiting to hear back from her. Therefore Leona needed to find the temple with her first trip towards the coast because she might not have enough supplies on hand for another.

[Post Word Count: 1,286]
[Total Word Count: 5,250/11,000]

-Three hours later, Southwestern Desierto-

Leona was walking in the middle of the nighttime desert and heading towards the direction she believed was the coast. She had dug deep earlier to avoid setting up camp for the night in the open desert when the fatigue she had pushed aside earlier was starting to make itself felt, mostly in her legs. Leona was not sure how much longer she could go on without taking a break. Mortemer, on the other hand, was walking along full of cheer like he always seemed to be.

Leona's natural night vision picked out a building in the distance. It stood about 800 meters away from her and gave her a much-needed boost. Even if it was not the temple she was sent to find, it would be a solid roof over her head... provided that it was not full of outlaws who had also had the idea to camp out in the sturdy-looking structure!

"Look, Master! A building!" Mortemer said to her and raised a bandaged hand towards the structure in the distance.

"I see it, Mortemer. I've come this far, so I'm going for it." Leona acknowledged what her companion was pointing out and announced her intent to head for the building despite her mounting fatigue.

"I'll be right by your side!" Mortemer vowed. Leona found the energy to put one foot in front of another and began making her way across the featureless desert towards the building. If there were any bandits there she would deal with them when she got there... the surge of adrenaline would be more than enough to sideline her fatigue long enough to deal with them.

-Forty minutes later, outside the building-

Leona should not have taken this long to cover 800 meters, but she was getting tired and was slowing down. However, she had went the distance and was now standing on a stone brick path that led to an impressive-looking temple.

There was the stone brick path leading through the desert and up to the front steps. The brick path was flanked by numerous sandstone columns; some of them were worn down by centuries of exposure to wind and sand but were standing almost defiantly while others had succumbed to the weather and had fallen to the ground long ago. There was also an entrance with a flat roof supported by six enormous sandstone columns that had been carved to resemble a king standing up. The six kings showed moderate weather damage along the midsection and legs but were still standing proudly.

"Oh, look Master! There it is! There's a temple from when I was alive!" Mortemer said to Leona, who was heartened by the discovery. She was reinvigorated enough to begin the walk down the processional path and look at the columns while she was doing so. Leona noticed that on the columns that were still standing were carvings of a processional scene that looked awfully familiar.

Leona would check them out in the daytime, but right now she was not in the mood to examine them. She was interested in getting to shelter and sleeping for awhile. Leona walked down the processional pathway and felt a strong sense of deja vu.  She was reminded of the temple she had explored a little over a year ago alongside Theo Silversong, a guildmate and future Guild Ace of Silver Wolf.

Leona took a breath of desert air as she walked towards the steps of the temple and Mortemer followed close by her side while humming another tune from way before Leona's time. As Leona got closer it seemed like the faces of the kings were staring down at her and sizing her up. Leona ignored them and pushed for the temple entrance, slowly climbing up the stairs and using the last bit of energy she had to climb them.

Once she was at the top of the stairs Leona looked to her left and to her right. The left side of the temple entrance was completely empty, but to her right sat... a canvas tent? It was a tall, rectangular one like Dr. Crouch had used at the archaeological site in Central Desierto.

"Mortemer, are you seeing a tent sitting against the right wall?" Leona asked Mortemer for a second opinion. The mummy walked past Leona and walked closer to the tent until he was about a meter away from it, then turned and waved at her. Leona walked about twenty-five meters until she was by his side again.

"Yes, Master! It's a tent all right!" Mortemer confirmed what Leona had seen. Leona smiled a little. Fortune might be on her side tonight. She started to approach the tent when she stopped in place after taking only five steps.

What if the tent already belonged to someone?

"I'm going to go look in the tent and see if anyone's inside it." Leona informed Mortemer of her plan. He nodded.

"I'll stand outside the tent and let you know if anyone's coming!" Mortemer replied. Leona nodded and walked to the tent, gently opening the flap and walking inside.

-Inside the tent-

"Hello? Is anyone in here?" Leona called out. She waited for a response for a full minute in case someone was inside and was asleep. Having not heard anything, Leona decided to call out a second time.

"Hello? Is anyone in here?" Leona repeated her question. Again she waited a full minute for a response. Again she got no response.

Deciding to take a look around, the Wizard Saint stepped inside the tent and looked all around her. In the left corner was an crate of supplies of some kind that had been left open. In the top right corner was a green cot with a blanket and pillow on it. In the bottom right corner was a square wooden table with a wooden chair pushed up to it. On the table sat an empty coffee mug, an unlit lacrima-powered lantern much like the ones Dr. Crouch and his team used, and an open notebook with a pencil sitting to the right of it.

Leona walked over to the notebook and began to read it for clues as to who the tent could have belonged to. Thanks to her night vision she could read the words clearly.

"Day 1:

I'm Dr. Harold Watkins, Professor Emeritus of Crocus Magicka University and former member of the archaeological department. I'm in the Tri-Council City and I've come all the way out here to find clues pertaining to a rumored temple that was devoted to King Saarghon. According to all the lore I've studied in the Tri-Council City library, it's located in Southwestern Desierto in a place close to the sea across from modern-day Minstrel. I can't believe that I left a comfortable retirement in Magnolia Town to come out to this bandit-infested country, but I can't quit, not until I find that temple.

I pursued it when I was with the university and I'll pursue it now that I'm no longer part of the university. That egotistical man of privilege Dr. Edward Crouch laughed at me and called me a simpleton, but I'll prove him wrong. I have to. I've invested tens of thousands of Jewels into this enterprise and I'll get a return on it if it kills me.

I'm going to appeal to the sultan for aid. I don't have enough supplies and I need to buy more, but I don't have the Jewels. Perhaps the sultan would be willing to sponsor me... I've heard talk that he's an avid collector of artifacts from Ancient Desierto." The first page of the journal read. Leona flipped to the next page and came across some notes on King Saarghon, but they were not anything that the Wizard Saint did not already know about the ancient ruler. Of greater interest was the contents of the next page.

"Day 6:

THANK THE SULTAN!

Thanks to a generous endowment from the sultan after I told him about my planned expedition, I managed to procure supplies of dried food and water sufficient for months. I've also managed to procure a tent large enough to serve as a home away from home and some basic furniture. Furthermore, I've hired both a caravan and an armed escort to transport me to Southwestern Desierto. I burned through a lot of my Jewels to do so, but the sultan promised me many times the Jewels he gave me for supplies should I succeed in finding at least one artifact for him.

I set out for Southwestern Desierto at sunrise tomorrow. I won't let the sultan down!" Read the next page. Leona wondered if she had been sent here by the sultan to continue Dr. Watkins' work. She stood up and glanced around her to see if Dr. Watkins had returned, but she did not see anyone, so she pulled out the chair and sat down to continue reading the journal of Dr. Watkins.

[Post Word Count: 1,496]
[Total Word Count: 6,746/11,000]

-Inside Dr. Watkins' tent-

The exhausted Leona had sat down at the table and continued to read the doctor's journal, learning a bit more about why the doctor had traveled to Southwestern Desierto on nothing more than centuries-old rumors, centuries-old rumors that had proven to be correct. Leona read a journal entry written a week after the last one, skipping over more notes about King Saarghon that she already knew from reading Professor Henry Rosetta's scholarly doorstopper Ancient Desierto.

What was more interesting to read was the doctor's estimate that he had spent over 100,000 Jewels of both his own money just to purchase supplies. The sultan had put up 100,000 Jewels for the doctor to hire a caravan and an armed escort to transport him and his supplies. It was small wonder that the doctor had praised the sultan when the sultan had offered that sum to fund the doctor's expedition. Leona read on and learned what the doctor himself had to say about his trip and his discovery of the temple.

"Day 13:

At long last I reached the temple! It was exactly where the ancient rumors I researched put it, in Southwestern Desierto close to the sea that borders Minstrel! I can't wait to rub my notes in Dr. Crouch's smug face and show him that I was right all along!

The trip across the desert was long and harsh. It took six days of travel at night because the day's far too hot to safely travel in, but at night came a new risk... bandits. Desierto's home to every type of outlaw under the sun, so to speak. We were fortunate to get here tired and sweaty but alive. I'm too tired to explore the temple right this minute, so I'm going to set up my tent and rest awhile... I'll write more later." Dr. Watkins had written. Leona was feeling pretty tired herself, so she would go to sleep until morning, then send the message to the sultan via airborne messenger. Thinking about the message had made her realize that she had forgotten to pack paper and something to write on, but her eyes turned to the doctor's journal. It had many pages to spare, so she could rip one out and jot down a message, then send it via one of her summons. The toughest part would be the wait for her messenger to get to the Tri-Council City to deliver the message to the sultan.

Leona stood up from the table, pushed in the chair, and walked to the tent flap. She opened it and found Mortemer standing watch outside.

"Mortemer, I'm going to go to sleep now. Please wake me up if you see anyone coming or when daylight gets here." Leona requested of Mortemer. He nodded.

"Of course, Master! Have a good night!" Mortemer bade her. Leona nodded and turned back into the tent, took off her backpack, bandolier, goggles, and carbine, and set them on the floor to the left of the cot she was borrowing. She then took off her sword belt and put it under the cot. Leona then set the doctor's blanket and pillow in the wooden chair, climbed onto the now-empty cot, and closed her eyes for a few hours of sleep before she had to get up and inform the sultan of her progress.

-Four hours later-

"Master, it's daytime! Please wake up!" Mortemer exclaimed cheerfully. Leona came to feeling like she had been run over by a vehicle. It was too early for this, but according to Mortemer it was daytime. Leona sat up and straightened out her outfit top, then stood up and straightened out her skirt, which had ridden up in the back to expose the lower part of her bike shorts. Leona grabbed her carbine and slung it on her right shoulder, then put on her polarized goggles before going outside to see if it was daylight.

-Outside the tent-

Leona squinted as she walked out into the bright morning sunlight and walked between two of the columns supporting the temple roof to look out towards the processional way. The sun beaming light into her face told her it was definitely morning. Morning had arrived a little earlier than Leona had wanted or expected, but it could not be helped. Leona turned her back to the sun and began walking past Mortemer, who waved a bandaged hand at her.

"Good morning, Master!" Mortemer cheerfully greeted Leona, who was feeling like trash. Leona mustered a small smile and greeted her faithful mummy servant.

"Hi Mortemer. Thanks for letting me know it was morning!" Leona thanked him for doing as she instructed, even if morning came sooner than she would have liked for it to have arrived.

"No problem, Master!" Mortemer replied in a cheerful tone. Leona walked back towards the tent to write her message to the sultan informing him that she had found a temple in the approximate area he had requested. She would make certain to mention Dr. Watkins and ask about him. Maybe he was exploring the same temple Leona had been sent to find.

-Inside the tent-

Leona walked over to the table and pulled the chair out, then put the pillow and blanket back on the cot. She then sat down and sifted through the journal until she got to the very back, then tore out the very last blank page and set it to the left of the journal. She pushed the journal aside and put the piece of paper in its place, then began to write her message to the sultan using the pencil.

Leona wrote her message carefully, making sure that her handwriting was neat and that she had written down just the facts of her trip, not any useless filler. Once her report was complete she inquired about Dr. Watkins and whether he was exploring the temple he had sent her to or if Dr. Watkins' temple was a separate project. Once the message was written she looked for something she could use to protect the message from the environment while her chosen couriers carried it.

She wished that she had brought a message tube, but she did not have one. What could she use to protect the message? Leona stood up and walked over to the large supply crate in the top left corner of the tent, then leaned over and began digging through it. Leona found packaged meals, bottles of water, packages of coffee, and a blue message tube tucked between two packages of coffee. She took it and slowly pulled herself out of the crate.

The Wizard Saint took her prize over to the table and gently uncapped the tube. She set it down in the middle of the open notebook and gently rolled up her message, then put it inside and closed the tube with the white cap. Now that Leona had secured the message she needed to think of a messenger who could swiftly carry it to the palace in the Tri-Council City.

Leona had just the summons.

Leona walked out of the tent with the message tube in hand and headed for the processional way. That area would give her plenty of room in which to summon The Furies. As her strongest and fastest summons, they would carry the message to the sultan since they were more than capable of defending themselves if someone tried to intercept the message.

[Post Word Count: 1,242]
[Total Word Count: 7,988/11,000]

-On the processional path, three minutes later-

"O THREE SISTERS OF UNRIVALED MIGHT, GRANT ME YOUR POWER IN THIS FIGHT!" Leona called out with her hands raised to the sky and the message tube securely in Mortemer's hands about three meters away. Moments later a tornado formed around Leona and deposited the Furies in a triangular formation around her, then stood up in unison. Mortemer then approched Leona.

"You have need of us?" Tisiphone the red-headed harpy asked Leona. Leona nodded. Mortemer approached Leona with the message tube held in both hands.

"I know that this isn't something I usually ask you three to do, but what I'm about to ask you to do is important." Leona said to her. Alecto and Megeara listened with interest. Leona looked at them and once she knew she had their attention she accepted the message tube from Mortemer and then handed it to Tisiphone, the leader of the Furies. She held it tightly in both hands.

"Tisiphone, Megeara, Alecto, I need you three to travel to the sultan's palace in the Tri-Council City and make sure that the sultan gets this message tube. I'm entrusting it to you three because you're my fastest and strongest summons. Let me know the moment you deliver the message." Leona informed them of the errand they were to run on her behalf. Tisiphone nodded.

"We will carry it to the sultan's palace in the Tri-Council City as fast as we can go, Mistress." Tisiphone assured Leona.

"We will leave at once, Mistress." Alecto informed Leona.

"Your message will arrive safely and be delivered to its intended recipient. We assure you of this." Megeara said. With that all three Furies went airborne, taking off straight up for about eight meters to gain altitude, then took off in the direction of the Tri-Council City. It would take them a few hours to reach the city, so Leona had plenty of time to sleep, analyze the columns along the processional way, or do something else until she received word from the Furies that the message had been delivered.

"Oh my! I didn't know that you could summon beings to do your bidding, Master!" Mortemer expressed amazement at Leona's ability to summon the Furies. Leona smiled a little.

"I can summon beings to help me in battle, to carry me places, or to carry messages from one place to another." Leona informed the mummy servant about some of what her summons could do. Mortemer nodded.

"That's amazing, Master! You would have been quite the mage several hundred years ago! Mages weren't very common in Desierto when I was alive!" Mortemer gave Leona another tidbit of information about the past. Some time ago Leona had learned that mages born in Desierto were uncommon... if she remembered the statistics correctly, about one in four natives of Desierto were born with magic. Sophia, Leonidas, and Leona Jarnefeldt had all beaten the odds to be born with magic while Samuel Jarnefeldt was born without magic.

"Really?" Leona asked Mortemer.

"Yes, Master! Mages weren't a common sight in Desierto and most of them served in the royal army!" Mortemer replied, adding a bit more information to what he had told her earlier about the relative rarity of mages from Desierto.

"In fact, Master, I recall only seeing one mage when I was alive. He was a high-ranking mage in the royal army who could control sand and make it do his bidding like it was nothing. I was amazed by what he could do... so were my master and mistress!" Mortemer gave a story about how centuries ago mages were so rare that meeting one was a once-in-a-lifetime encounter for the average person. Leona had come up in a world where magic was common and mages were everywhere, even in Desierto. She could not imagine what it was like to see a mage once in her lifetime and see it in terms of meeting a divine figure. Perhaps Mortemer's feelings about seeing a single mage in his life was how the average person in the modern era felt whenever they saw a Wizard Saint or God of Ishgar.

Leona was feeling awful, so she decided to go back to the tent and sleep a little longer. The temple and the columns were not going anywhere, so she could explore them at her leisure once she had slept awhile and felt revitalized. Sleeping when there was work to be done was not what a Wizard Saint should do, but yesterday Leona had crossed a desert in daytime and had reached what she believed to be the temple she was seeking in less than a day, so she felt that she had earned a bit of leeway. With that Leona walked back towards the temple while the faithful Mortemer followed close behind.

-Three minutes later, inside the tent-

Mortemer was stationed outside the tent and given instructions to wake her up if someone was approaching the temple, Dr. Watkins had returned from inside the temple, the sultan's messenger eagle had arrived, or when the sun was setting. Meanwhile Leona took off the carbine and the polarized goggles, then her boots. She then reclined on the cot and closed her eyes to try and get a little more sleep before she got to work getting the lay of the land around the temple.

Leona went to sleep within approximately five minutes of closing her eyes. Maybe when she woke up for the second time she would feel better and be in better shape to do some work like examining the fallen columns for clues about who built the temple or patrolling it for outlaws who might have eluded detection by Mortemer. Maybe by the time she woke up the Furies would be close to their destination.

-Five hours later-

Leona could not sleep any longer, so she woke up from her second attempt at sleeping. This time she felt a lot better. She no longer felt like garbage and was ready to do some work.

"Hey Mortemer! I'm awake now!" Leona informed Mortemer that she had awakened of her own accord. Leona straightened out the back of her skirt, which had ridden up again and exposed the bottom half of her bike shorts. Her mouth was as dry as the desert surrounding the temple. The Wizard Saint could really go for some coffee, but she did not need to waste water making coffee because coffee would not really quench her thirst. Leona walked over to her backpack and put it on her back, sipping from the hydration pack until she had gotten enough plastic-tasting water for the time being.

Once she had taken care of that need Leona then tried to decide what she should do to occupy her time.

Should she examine the columns flanking the processional way for clues?

Should she patrol the temple grounds and clean out any bandits who might be in the area?

Should she just stay out of the sun and wait for the sultan to send more instructions via carrier eagle?

Leona was not sure what to do. Patrolling the area for bandits was the most exciting and productive of the three options, but that would involve going out into the burning midday sun and looking for trouble. Examining the fallen columns was less risky and could possibly tell Leona about who built the temple, but doing so involved staying in the sun. Staying inside the tent or under the temple roof in the shade was the least exciting and least risky option, but Leona would save valuable water and ammunition for later by not engaging in a fight or being exposed to the sun during the hottest part of the day.

Leona took a seat in the wooden chair in front of the table and tapped the index finger of her right hand on the table's surface, trying to reach a decision so that she could do something to pass the time until more instructions from the sultan arrived.

[Post Word Count: 1,338]
[Total Word Count: 9,326/11,000]

-On the processional way, twenty minutes later-

After a lot of thinking about the matter Leona decided not to give into laziness and at least try to be a little proactive. Equipped with her carbine, polarized goggles, bandolier, and backpack, Leona walked onto the processional path and began to look for a pillar to examine in an effort to determine its origins. Leona was hoping to find a column that was relatively intact, but as she walked down the processional way and further away from the temple she was starting to get the impression that her errand was a futile one. Eventually she stopped at a column positioned roughly fifty meters from the temple that had fallen and broken into three pieces.

Leona knelt down to examine it, ignoring the effect of burning sand on her right knee. She saw that the side she could see had been worn smooth by exposure to the elements, particularly wind. Sand carried on the wind also did not help, but wind was the primary culprit. While the column having fallen and been broken was a big problem, it was not the only problem. Leona saw some examples of intact carvings on them, but she could not roll them over to see the carvings without fear of breaking them and finishing the job that nature had started.

The sultan would be quite displeased to learn that the Wizard Saint had broken a column on "his" archaeological site and there would be a lot of unpleasant consequences stemming from that mistake. Rather than risk making a big mistake, she decided to not touch them and leave the columns where they were. Leona's mission was to preserve the ancient ruins, not destroy them.

Leona turned her attention away from the fallen column to those columns still standing and saw that almost all of them had been worn down by exposure to the elements. She saw that a few of them still had their carvings, but they were so badly worn down that they were impossible to read accurately. Leona was a bit disheartened to see them in such bad shape, but she was not terribly surprised to discover that the carvings were in no shape to be read, not without a lot of special tools and training she did not have. Seeing that there was no point to her self-imposed task, Leona turned around and headed back for the temple so that she could await further instructions from the sultan... whenever they got here, that was.

Leona calmly walked the fifty meters back to the temple and walked up the stairs, greeting the waiting Mortemer.

"Hello Master! Did you find anything on those columns?" Mortemer asked Leona. The Wizard Saint looked at him and shook her head.

"Oh, that's a shame, really. I'm sure you'll find something interesting inside the temple!" The mummy servant tried to cheer up his owner by suggesting another way to satisfy her curiosity. Leona's eyes widened.

"You're right, Mortemer!" Leona exclaimed. She had not thought about that. The Wizard Saint grew excited for a moment before remembering that she had not been granted permission by the sultan to enter the temple. Her excitement faded as quickly as it had arrived.

"But that'll have to wait a bit longer." Leona said glumly. She was not allowed to tell Mortemer why she could not go in because she was concerned about breaking the unspoken oath of secrecy that had obligated her to be quiet about what she was looking for. Mortemer did not let that remark get him down.

"That's OK, Master! I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to explore the temple later!" Mortemer tried to get her to look on the bright side of things. Leona hmmm'd a moment, then concluded that her mummy servant was right. There would be plenty of time to explore the temple once she had received more instructions from the sultan. The Wizard Saint would just have to be patient and wait for the sultan's permission. However, waiting was easier said than done.

Leona had not brought anything to pass the time with. No books, no pack of cards, no electronic handheld games, nothing. The Wizard Saint needed to find another way to pass the time besides sleeping. She needed to find a productive way to pass the time. Leona decided to pace back and forth in front of the temple entrance for awhile to exercise her legs and protect the site from outlaws looking to loot the place for a quick payday.

With her first self-appointed task a bust, Leona began to walk back and forth between the left temple wall and Dr. Watkins' tent. That way she stayed out of the worst of the sun, got some exercise, and did something productive with her time. It was a win for the Wizard Saint.

-Two hours later-

The sun was still high in the sky, but it was slowly starting to set. Leona had taken a break from the patrol to sit on the temple steps and sip some much-needed water from her hydration pack. Leona could really go for some coffee right now, but she did not need to waste her water supply on coffee when plain water would be better for her. She also did not need to go through Dr. Watkins' supply of water in case he was still alive. She already had enough explaining to do for taking over his tent for her shelter... she did not need to answer for using up his supplies as well.

Leona sat on the temple steps and felt the wind blow her hair about as she looked down the processional way and wonder what it would be like to have priests walking up the path to bring gifts to the king. She had no idea, but she was sure that it would have been an impressive sight to behold. Seeing the kingdom's priests and nobility in all their finery bearing only the finest gifts to their king would have been something special. The closest thing Modern Desierto had to nobility was the sultans of the Tri-Council Cities, but they seldom went out among their people like the kings of old. The sultans much preferred to stay in their palaces and issue decrees instead of go out and see the people they ruled, even for a brief public appearance.

"It's been a little over a day since you've eaten, Master! Would you like me to prepare a meal for you?" Mortemer asked Leona. Leona turned to him and nodded.

"All right then! What would you like to eat?" Mortemer asked another question. Leona blinked. She did not see what all her mother had packed for her, so she did not know what meal options she had to choose from.

"What all did my mother pack for me, Mortemer?" Leona asked her mummy servant. He wordlessly took off her old backpack and began to rummage through it while the Wizard Saint watched him in anticipation. It was rather sad that it took a mummy to remind her that she had not eaten, but yesterday Leona was so concerned about getting here in a timely fashion that food had been relegated to a secondary concern.

[Post Word Count: 1,208]
[Total Word Count: 10,534/11,000]

Leona had forgotten to eat yesterday because she was more concerned with getting to the correct temple in a timely fashion, but now that Mortemer had alerted her to the fact she had not eaten the blonde was feeling rather hungry.

Leona watched Mortemer dig in her old backpack and brought out a small kettle that was intended for coffee, a medium-sized bag of coffee, a medium-sized bag of grains that might have been couscous, a small cooking pot, and at least one simple ceramic bowl that had been wrapped in a protective brown cloth. Leona did not know how her mother managed to make it all fit in the backpack, but fit it did. Leona felt guilty for her mother sending along so much food with her. She did not know if Sophia could really spare it or not and that uncertainty made the Wizard Saint a little upset.

Mortemer carefully set all of those items on the ground and picked up the medium-sized bag holding the grains. He opened it and peeked at the contents.

"This is a bag of couscous, Master. By my estimate there's enough inside for seven meals. It's a good thing that I don't have to eat or drink anything!" Mortemer cheerfully announced the contents of the bag and gave an estimate of how many meals could be made with its contents. Leona felt even worse now. She recalled the famine that had swept Nebdoui almost ten years ago and recalled how at least one hundred people died from it.

"Would you mind preparing a meal of couscous for me?" Leona asked Mortemer. The mummy nodded.

"I'd be delighted to serve you, Master!" Mortemer replied happily. He sat down on the ground with the bag of couscous in hand, then began to pour just the right amount into the small cooking pot. Leona wordlessly took off her backpack and fished out a plastic bottle of water for him to use in preparing the grains. She walked over to him and knelt to hand hand it to her servant. Mortemer took it, nodded in appreciation, and opened the cap on the plastic bottle, accidentally squeezing it and sending a bit of water splashing out through the top with a series of plastic POPs.

Mortemer recoiled from it and looked afraid that he had broken the bottle completely, but he had only crushed it in a bit. Overcoming his concerns, he then began to look over the plastic bottle.

"This unusual bottle's really convenient. There was nothing like it in my time, Master. All we had was simple clay jars and simple clay drinking cups. Depending on the make and quality, they were really easy to break." Mortemer disclosed another tidbit about how things were in his time while holding the half-empty bottle up to the sun and examining it like he had been handed a gift from the gods. Leona watched him examine it with child-like curiosity and could not help but smile a little as the sun passed through the bottle and sunlight shined on his chest. Mortemer's curiosity about the modern world was another endearing part of his personality.

He realized that he had been indulging his curiosity for too long and set down the bottle, putting the cap back on it and turning back to preparing the couscous for his master. Leona looked towards the horizon to look for anyone approaching the temple or the royal messenger eagle to arrive with more instructions for her. So far she was not seeing anything, so she turned her attention back to Mortemer, who in turned looked up at her.

"I'll need to go search for some firewood for a cooking fire, Master." Mortemer said to Leona. Since Leona did not recall any firewood being among the supplies in Dr. Watkins' tent, Leona nodded and gave her consent to the endeavor. Mortemer packed the coffee and the coffee kettle into the backpack, then closed up the bag of couscous and placed it back in the backpack as well. He left everything with her and stood up to go on a quest for firewood.

Leona watched her faithful servant walk down the stairs and circle around the left side of the temple, then watched him walk out of sight. She sat down on the temple stairs and waited for Mortemer to return either with firewood or with news that there was no firewood to be had, not even a few dried-up twigs.

-One hour later-

Leona kept an eye out for Mortemer and saw him return empty-handed. He walked back to her and shook his head.

"It's no use, Master. I looked everywhere and there's no firewood to be had here." Mortemer apologized to Leona. Leona looked at Mortemer and tried to think of an alternative source of fuel for a cooking fire. For some odd reason her eyes kept turning towards Mortemer's bandages.

"Those two sticks I found yesterday aren't nearly enough fuel to get a good fire started." Mortemer lamented. Leona's eyes looked over his bandages. She recalled her experience fighting mummies in a temple and recalled how their bandages were flammable... when she applied a flaming torch to one it caught fire with next to no effort on her part. She was not yet educated on the funerary practices of Ancient Desierto and did not know what materials went into preparing a mummy, but she had learned from experience that the dry bandages of mummies caught fire easily.

"Say, Mortemer, do those bandages of yours regenerate?" Leona asked. Mortemer nodded.

"They do. Why?" He asked.

"Do you think you can spare some of them to use as fuel for a cooking fire?" Leona asked him. Mortemer nodded and began unwinding those around his left hand, continuing to unwind them until he had about three feet of bandages in his right hand. True to his word the bandages on his arm slithered up the arm to cover his hand and no one would ever know that he had ever donated any of them.

"Will this do?" Mortemer asked Leona. Leona nodded.

"Yes, thank you." Leona thanked the mummy for his sacrifice. Mortemer nodded and looked for a safe place in which to start a cooking fire. He found one about three meters away from the temple. He dug a basic fire pit and set the bandages down in the hole. He then realized that he had forgotten something else.

"I forgot to get rocks for the fire and for the barrier, Master! I'll go get some right away!" Mortemer assured her. Leona nodded and Mortemer left the beginnings of the fire pit to go look for some stones with which to build a proper fire pit. The Wizard Saint watched him go out of sight around the right side of the temple and sighed. She did not know that it would take this much effort just to make a bowl of couscous, but she had grown soft over the years she had lived in Fiore. The Wizard Saint had forgotten what it was like to really rough it in the desert.

Today she would get a refresher course in the subject.

[Post Word Count: 1,197]
[Total Word Count: 11,731/11,000]