The rest of the journey was relatively quiet. That, of course, didn't mean it was safe or lonely, far from it.
They met more than a dozen species of marine animals, from a giant whale-like creature that gulped down an entire school of thousands of fish in mere moments to small flying Needle Fish that launched themselves out of the sea and bashed their head against the armored wood of the merchant's vessel, nearly piercing it in the process.
They had to be scraped off quickly, otherwise, they would attract other marine predators, something the men on board didn't want.
The encounter with the Sea Serpent was the most nerve-racking of them all, though they narrowly avoided many other creatures on their path. For most of them, they barely caught a glance from a distance, both horizontally, and down below.
Gerald even noticed a giant shadow pass beneath them, three times the size of their ship at a first glance, but he just gulped and stayed quiet since nobody else seemed to have noticed it.
Creatures living beneath the waves were already huge on Earth, but here, where they could be enhanced with magic, the sizes they grew to were truly colossus.
Luckily most marine animals seemed to ignore them for the most part as wood and metal weren't exactly tasty. He later learned the ship was also coated with a substance that repelled most predators, giving them an extra layer of protection.
They ended their travels at night, but as Gerald was asleep then, he disembarked the ship in the early morning hours the next day.
The White Dunes port was something completely different from what Gerald was used to. It was hot, dry, and lacked the greenery he was used to.
Oh, there were plants, but they were tough-looking, with hard bark and small leaves to prevent moisture loss. The grass here was rare, at places almost nonexistent, and most of it was dead. The place clearly didn't get much rainfall despite being near the sea.
The architecture there was mainly soil, bricks made of mud and clay, with houses tightly packed together and painted white to reflect the sunlight and throw shade on each other.
Many ships were docked at the port, unloading grain, boxes of cloth and silk, and various goods from the north, while in return they got mainly ingots of metals and colorful rocks. Most likely raw materials for making paint.
From what Gerald could discern, the people here relied on the sea for most of their needs, while the rest came with trade across the big scary puddle.
Further away from the city was some farmland watered by a small river, making the place a green paradise. You could hear all kinds of sounds there, like frogs, small critters, and even small children playing in the water.
However, as you went even further out, you could see how the place got its name. White sandy dunes, as far as the eye could see. Every way you turned, it all looked the same. Except for the sea behind, and a small mountain where the river originated, the rest was a white sandy desert.
It almost looked like mountains of salt.
"Pfft! It is salt!" Gerald spat out after tasting the white sand in curiosity. "Holy shit! How can anything survive here?!"
The plants and people had to be some hardy folk to make a civilization here, in the middle of a massive salt wasteland.
He went to taste the water from the river, and to his relief, it tasted clear. Most likely the salt in the land around it has been washed off long ago, leaving a small green belt across the desert where life could take root.
The people here were mostly dressed in long white robes with head covering, and with only the eyes visible, despite the heat.
Gerald soon came to know why. As soon as the wind picked up, the salty dust came flying from every direction, entering every nook and cranny, especially on the face.
While Gerald struggled to keep his eyes open, the people around him simply pulled down a piece of thin, see-through silk cloth over their eyes, and went on their merry way.
Since he didn't have this luxury, Gerald had to use magic to keep the sand and dust at bay.
"Sandstorms…" he grumbled. "A certain death for a lone tourist in the desert."
He didn't plan to stay long in this place, so he quickly found a remote spot and turned invisible. Then he slowly levitated and gained altitude. He wanted to take a good look from a higher vantage point, but…
"Sand, sea, dust, and more sand…" He came to a disturbing realization. He had no clue where he was! Sure, he had a map of the continent, but whatever he copied was old, with the exception of Myrtana. But what about this place? He had no clue where he should start his search for a Phoenix, and even if he did, the places looked the same to him!
It was all dust, sand, and rocks! In every direction!
"Crap…" He slowly landed back down, nearly losing sight of the White Dunes in the process. The sandstorm was just that blinding.
He had no choice. Waiting out this sandstorm was the only option. Besides, he also had to gather some information about this place, and who knows, maybe someone caught sight of the Phoenix in recent days.
He found what looked like an Inn, and entered. The place was mostly empty as it was still morning, and the atmosphere inside also didn't seem like much. It was a simple rustic room, with a few tables and chairs sparsely placed around the half-circular counter.
Gerald ordered a simple drink and something to eat. He couldn't exactly determine the nature of the food, but it was a warm meal, and that was enough.
"Ah, here it is!" came from the front door as a group of men entered, completely covered in dust and sand. "Cursed sandstorm! That's just what we needed!"
They loudly moved across the room and dragged a few extra chairs around a small table.
"Hey, boss!" One of them slammed on the table and hollered to the man behind the counter, "Get us something to drink, we are thirsty!"
They then took off their cloaks and dusted them off as they entered a heated discussion…