"How far do we have to go??? Ugh, why is it so long??"
After walking for almost three hours, the duo had crossed the stretch of trees called the Slumbering Thickets. Now in front of them lay a stretch of steep and ascending peninsula filled with sharp brown rocks that emerged out like thorns. This was the bordering landmass between the Great Desert, which spanned out like an ocean.
The climb was the hardest for the old hunter; he was having a really hard time keeping up with the young princess. "Hurry up! I want to reach the resort before sunset!" Yuna, being a Bunian, had the swiftness and agility of one; she could easily climb up this hardscape, while the hunter, even though a Deerman, was too old for this.
The princess was headed to the Resort Retreat, a popular stop for travellers going from the central lands to the east or vice versa. Zoonya's landmass was uneven, with the central lands being the highest point on the planet and everything else at a lower elevation.
"Dear, oh dear, I'm too old for this!" Ainsley huffed and puffed as he took a break every ten minutes. This was definitely a challenge for him. The rocky slopes strained the limits of Ainsley's aged body. Each boulder stood as tall as his waist, requiring immense effort to scale. His joints ached with every step, and his legs felt like they might give out at any moment. Still, he persevered, determined to fulfil his duty to escort the princess safely through this treacherous terrain.
"Ugh, why can't you move faster? This is so annoying!" All Ainsley could hear along the way were complaints. "By the time we reach the resort, I may not get the princess's welcome anymore. Why can't you hurry up? I am ordering you!" No matter how demanding it was, the old man's pace kept slowing down. Her entitlement only hardened his stoic resolve to aid her quest at any cost.
Ainsley knew the princess was eager to reach the famed resort and enjoy its luxuries, but he also knew they must pace themselves. The desert was unrelenting, and to rush headlong into it invited great risk. Though the princess fussed and whined, he remained steadfast in his careful approach.
As Ainsley struggled onward, focusing on placing one weary foot in front of the other, the princess bounded ahead. Soon she was nearly out of sight, her lithe bunian frame allowing her to scramble up the rocky slopes with ease.
When Ainsley finally reached the top, he found the princess sitting atop a boulder, kicking her feet idly as she waited for him to catch up.
"I can't wait to eat more candid beaned soup!" A drop of drool started falling from Yuna's mouth as she thought about the food she could feast on at this resort.
"It is canned bean sou..shhh! Wow, the view from here sure does look beautiful." After a long, hard climb, the two had reached the peak of the rocky hill, and before them lay a majestic view.
The desert looked like an ocean; the horizons were barely visible, and wherever they looked, all they could see was the infinite sand that lay there. The beauty of the Rom Rog and Roll dessert was well known throughout the entirety of Zoonya. Poets from distant lands on their pilgrimage to the land of the Ools used to write about it in their poems about the crimson ocean of sands that were empty and yet somehow never failed to make anyone's jaw drop wide. The cliffs and rocky brown terrain that surrounded the desert only contrasted the beauty of the desert even more.
The wind was blowing calmingly, as if Tonlin favoured anyone under his blessings. Ainsley breathed deeply, letting the desert air invigorate his tired body. He sat beside the princess, and together they admired the majestic vista spread before them. For a moment, the gruelling journey was forgotten, and there was only tranquil wonder at nature's splendour.
"Welcome princess to the ghost desserts, or as the world calls it, the dessert of rom rog and roll."
"Wow, so are we going to a resort in the desert? I hope they have a pool and a sauna, because I sure am stinking so badly after that hike. I can't wait for a pedicure and a zen massage. I am so excited!!"
The princess chattered on enthusiastically, her expectations of luxury brought back to the forefront by the tantalizing proximity of their destination. Ainsley smiled indulgently, allowing her vision of relaxation and pampering to motivate them for the final leg ahead.
"So where is the resort deerman?"
It is right there Ainsley pointed to a blurry small town that was far away in the foothills. "Oh, so the resort is in that town that looks like junk?"
"No, no, that town is the resort; it is called resort retreat because, for weary travellers after their perilous journey, that is the only town where they can rest up before continuing their journey."
"Umm, so you are saying I walked all this way to some town in the middle of nowhere that is probably infested with lower kins and shady characters?"
The air was quiet all of a sudden, and the duo fell quiet. The princess' excitement deflated abruptly as she realized the humble nature of the lodgings that awaited her. Ainsley studied her crestfallen face, knowing her fanciful dreams of luxury had just been dashed. Still, he knew Resort Retreat was the only option they had for the princess to reach the heart of the world immediately.
"Well, come on now, princess; you can catch the sand strider if we hurry. The next one is probably due tomorrow morning, and let us not spend time here after nightfall as the deserts are more dangerous than the woods at night."
The ferals that the princess encountered were at the very bottom of the food chain; the threat they imposed was nothing compared to the mutated insects, which were called mutapods. These creatures called the rocky terrain their home and would usually come out at night to hunt for their prey. Ainsley knew about the danger; hence, he wanted to reach the clutches of safety before the sun set in the ghost desert.
The descent was drastically different from the climb, as the princess lost all enthusiasm and dragged her tiny feet into her thoughts. This was definitely not the journey she had in mind; she wanted to go to some inn and sleep the rest of the day off now.
Ainsley kept a watchful eye on the sullen princess as they picked their way down the rocky slope. Her childish pouting tried his patience, but he understood her disappointment. The day's exertions had drained her excitement for adventure. Now she likely just wanted a hot meal and a soft bed.
He would make sure she was safely delivered to Resort Retreat before nightfall. Though humble, it would provide the rest and shelter they needed before facing the desert again at dawn. The princess would need to find her resilient spirit once more when they set off across the sands. Ainsley resolved to help her through this challenge; his duty was to guide her on this journey, in spite of her wavering moods.