And so, together with his parental companion, Icaros and Milton began their search for the legendary wish granter. Hoping to bring back that which the both of them had lost, they left the forests surrounding Greece's territory, following the coastal lands along Europe in efforts to reach their first destination. The land of sand, Egypt.
Along the arduous journey, they acquired horses to speed them along their way as they traveled the landscape for months. Eventually making their way through Turkey, then Saudi Arabia. Stopping on the border of the Red Sea to prepare to enter Egypt. The horses were spent, and they were forced to swap out for camels. By now, there was no doubt their pursuers had long-since given up the chase. It was just the trek, now.
Many tried to join them on their adventure, but seeing as they were wanted and searching for a relic of great value, they declined every request. Better to be safe than sorry, they agreed.
After a week of rest, they made out for the crossing. The thin line connecting Alexandria with Saudi Arabia one of the only reliable crossings through the massive line of ocean that connected to the ocean. Foot traffic picked up quickly as they approached the city, but they made it to and through the gates. Their first job was to find a guide, and so they asked around about the area.
The book and legend must've been an unknown, because only one person recognized it. And ironically, it was their only choice of a guide. It was a mysterious woman who went by the name of Sharkot Abbatress. She was dressed like a bandit, but seemed rather informative. Her price being gold, should we stumble across any. Given that we'd be exploring an ancient tomb, that was easy enough.
Making our way by camel out into the heat of the desert again, Sharkot, Icaros and Milton traveled as a group. The three made their way through the dunes of dry sand. Numerous bandit camps and creatures of various types dotted the landscape, so it was fortuitous to have Sharkot, no matter how sketchy her presence might've seemed, for she guided them through the dangers.
After a time, they'd reached the area of sands in which the tomb was supposedly hidden in. It was barren for miles, and Sharkot turned to us both. She was of mid-height. Nowhere near as tall as Milton, but a foot above Icaros. She spoke to us with finality, like things were going to get rather difficult once we decided to press onward, "These lands are most mysterious. Many dangers lie ahead ... the creatures of many foolish wishes granted wander this tomb. Their loyalties forever bound to the urn now that they've lost their original Masters. If you seek to make a wish, or wishes, be sure to word them carefully. Lest you only add to the growing number of challenges." Those eyes fixated on Icaros. An intense gaze assaulting him as he was probed by Sharkot's curiosity, "What do you want, boy?"
Icaros stares into the bandit-woman's eyes carefully, trying to get a measure of her intentions. She seemed to be much more than some mere guide. Certainly not just a mercenary, "I want to change this world, or at least ensure another will come along to do so."
Sharkot appeared to ponder this carefully, asking a second question as she gazed at Icaros through a fog of thought, "And how do you wish to change it?" She asked. Was that sympathy? Such a strange mercenary. Icaros pointed to the ocean on the clear distance. Unable to see it, but knowing that far across it lie his homeland. Burning, thanks to the new war that would soon touch every inch of Europe, "I'm sure you understand."
Milton intervened with a question, curious about Icaros's intentions, "I thought you might've wanted to bring back your father, son?" This got Sharkot's attention, but the boy just turned to Milton and shook his head, "I've had plenty of time to think on that, and while it might bring me great joy to see my father again, it would be unnatural. If I can do some measure of good for our world, let that be my first wish." Sharkot seemed to approve, and so did Milton, though he laughed heartily all the same, "Well, that was a quick change of heart, Boy! I certainly wouldn't have thought of it that way at your age. Well, if we're going to go, it looks like we should hurry. I think we've been spotted ... "
Milton pointed to something that had been wandering the outskirts of the tomb. It looked like a corpse, without flesh. It rattled and clunked in a collection of rusty armor draped over it. Clanking about, it chattered it's teeth and began to waddle over to us in an awkward charge as we stood on the sandy hill in a group, Sharkot unsheathes two scimitars that had seen little use. Twirling them in a slow circle to get the grip right as the creature approached in its frenzy, "Undead!"
Before leaving the city of Alexandria, Sharkot had persuaded us both to buy a weapon of choice. Milton drew a mace that carried quite a bit of heft to it, and I myself carried on my person another scimitar. The light sword a good fit my my thinner frame. Gripping the leather tights, I waited. Sweat dripping down my brow as the walking corpse charged straight into Sharkot. Bringing it's rusted blade down to bear on her iron. The sound of metal reverberated through the air as the she-warrior disengaged and swung around to slash through the rib cage of the undead.
It clattered in her face with its exposed bone teeth, but when the blade struck its ribs, it cut clean through. The skeleton clattered apart, falling to pieces. Not dead, just immobile. Unable to stand as it lie in a heap of bone in the sands. The undead clicked and clattered it's teeth aggressively, but Sharkot stomped on it. Attempting to crush its skull to powder. Icaros held his blade along, staring at the brutal mercenary's skillful execution. Not denying he was a bit envious of her capability, "Was that the only one?" The boy asked. Sharkot seemed furious for some reason. She spit on the corpse and nodded, "Foolish wishes from foolish men. Yes, it seemed to be wandering. Let us press onward. Keep your weapons about you, you two. There's certain to be more~"
We followed the dunes down, making our way to the market on the map. It was still barren. At least, until Sharkot stepped up and began to speak in a completely foreign dialect. Thankfully, Milton seemed just as lost as I was, expressing his confusion in a question, "What language is that, Sharkot?"
The words rolled out of the she-warrior tongue slowly, in slurs. It was almost as if she were a snake. Singing to the desert sands. It was beautiful, in an ominous sort of way. The beauty of the snakes song was quickly disrupted though as the sands began to part. To flow into the earth as a doorway opened to swallow it up.
Icaros blinked, trying to be sure what he was seeing was real. There were only dunes before, but now In it's place, a grand tomb cellar opened up. Obelisk arcs standing proudly all around the entrance of the hole that led into seemingly infinite darkness. Sharkot turned to us, still rather glum-looking. As if this was all normal for her, and had become a burden of unimaginable proportions, "Follow me." ... Sharkot turned, but Milton stood dumbfounded as he gawked at the tomb that had appeared out of the ground. He spoke softly as I began to follow the priestly bandit, "So wonders do exist ... " Icaros snapped his fingers at the pub owner, trying to get his attention, "Milton! She's going to leave us behind!"
Milton snapped to attention at the realization and shook his head, bounding after her ahead of Icaros. The man was even more taken aback than the boywas about all this, "R-right! We'd better get moving, Boy!" Icaros sighed, following them inside as the door sealed us inside.
There were stairs that led down into the darkness. While Sharkot seemed to know where to go, Milton and Icaros did not. Thankfully, the tombs creators had thought of that. The moment the entrance sealed shut, red torches flares to life. Lighting the tunnel that led downward before us. The illumination was enough so that we had little trouble finding our way downward. Sharkot had made it quite the ways in as we begun to catch up to her, the warrior was no mere bandit. Icaros was positive of that now.
As the three of them reached the bottom of the tunnel, they came upon a doorway. Sharkot slowly turned to us as she took a torch from its pedestal, "Once we go in, there will be no leaving until you have passed the trials and a wish has been granted. Do you accept this?"
Milton looked unsure as soon as he heard 'Trials', but Icaros simply nodded at Sharkot. The fire in the boys eyes spoke enough of his determination without necessary words, so the she-warrior turned. Another line of that peculiar snake-like dialect falling from her lips as the door before us responded.
It opened into a massive grand room full of torches and a hall of circular pillars. A long faded blue rug trailed into the center of everything as if to lead the way through the darkness, and three phantasmic entities appeared at the end of the chamber.
Sharkot took steps toward them as they welcomed us three into their sanctuary. Following the she-warrior, Milton looked a little nervous. Like something might jump out of the walls and swallow us all. Icaros kept his vision fixed straight ahead towards the phantom figures as we walked up to them. The walk had been short, despite the size of the grand hallway. Sharkot introduced us in our native tongue to the ghosts as we stood behind her, "Two wish to bargain with the urn. One is pure, the other undetermined."
The ghostly phantoms nodded in acknowledgement as they spoke in unison, "Let them drink, and we will see. " the group parted to allow us passage to a peculiar fountain built into the wall. It spewed a dark liquid from the mouth of a sculpted Genie into a pool surrounded by old stone. They spoke, their eyes finding us at once, "Drink, and you will be permitted passage forward."
- with little hesitation on Icaros's part, and a shakier confidence as Milton followed him in, they both made their way passed the phantasms up to the pooling fountain. Milton spoke, not sounding as nervous as he looked, "Boy, I know this was my idea, but if I turn into a cursed scorpion I want you to kill me. I'd rather not live my life as a crawler." The depressing situation made it hard laugh, but a smile creased Icaros's face as he responded to Milton as they reached the pool, "Milton, you're like seven feet tall, full muscle. Are you really afraid of a fountain?"
He slapped my shoulder, not appreciating the humor at all, "It isn't just the water! This whole place gives me the creeps." Icaros nodded in agreement, sharing the sentiment as his eyes found the mysterious liquid almost entrancing. It seemed to whisper to him, "I know what you mean, but this was what we came all the way for. So ... down the hatch~" Milton watched the boy scoop up a handful of the liquid and gulp it down slowly, following him into do the same. It tasted like ordinary water, and it had no odor, but the color was strange.
It resembled watered down oil. Almost the purest black. As the water went down, both of their eyes dilated and they lost consciousness for a what seemed like nothing more than a second. The two transported into an unknown world of the same oil-like liquid. It surrounded them, pooling up to their ankles in every direction as far as the eye could see. They could not speak, and Icaros began to panick until a figure started to take form before them.
Growing to incredible heights for a humanoid as it towered above them, the liquid swirling around like a vortex as it took shape. With no legs, it seemed to be connected to the waters as it opened its eyes and crossed its arms impatiently. A bright yellow luminescence filling its vision as it observed us,speaking in a deep tone, "You have taken to drink of the waters of Lo'grahfi. That which has been guarded in the tomb of the keeper for as long as man has walked this land. Speak, wish seekers. Let your desires be known. For I may grant any wish should your hearts not bear ill intent ... "