129 Omen (2/2)

\”Samhain was an ancient fairy king who loved Idunn, but did not want to share her light with other fairies,\” Ashley repeated the lines she'd been taught. \”So he stole her from the sky and kept her imprisoned for seven whole nights. But on the night Samhain planned to wed her, a human visere who worked for him pitied Idunn and set her free which is why she returned to the sky the night after Samhain.\”

\”From then on Samhain would be called the Lord of Darkness, and the time he stole Idunn would be known as a time of ill omens,\” Aura finished.

\”Sounds bleak,\” I said, glancing up at the sky. \”Not fun at all like Halloween is supposed to be.\”

The moonless sky that night didn't seem like a place of omens. In fact, I'd never seen the Fayne's stars shine so brightly as Idunn had always stolen the spotlight. But now they were a canvas of twinkling stars that made my chest beat with wonder.

As I continued to watch the sky on that second night of our journey across the Westersand Desert, not for the first time did I think that the Fayne was a beautiful place full of wonder.

\”Well, let's just hope the omen thing is just part of the fairy tale,\” Luca said.

His comment caused me to shut my eyes in frustration because I knew better than to tempt fate in this godforsaken world.

And as if right on cue, the ground beneath us began to rumble.

I didn't need Qwipps riding to the front of the column to tell me what I already knew was coming—trouble. In what form trouble would appear, well, we'd learn that bit in a minute later.

A short distance away to the left of us, one of the sand dunes began to sink as something very large seemed to be moving underneath it.

\”Please do not be a giant worm,\” I hissed right before I gave out my orders. \”Qwipps, you and Pike take to the air and support us from there. Luca, you're with me. Ashley, I want your unit protecting the caravan, but keep them moving forward. Aura, have your unit support us with buffs.\”

As I pushed Myth Chaser toward to intercept the thing coming our way, I heard Aura begin the chant for Fiery Blessing.

\”Oh spirits of the sacred flame, I call on you to ignite the fire inside these warriors!\” she yelled. \”Lend them your will of fire and send them your Fiery Blessing!\”

With Aura's talent, she could enchant at least four people. Based on the vicinity, these were me, Luca, Qwipps, and Pike.

I felt my body go hot as I rode Myth Chaser forward. So hot, in fact, that the desert's chilly air barely cooled my skin as it passed me.

\”Luca, your Ravagers better be following us!\” I yelled.

\”We're here, Dean!\” he yelled back. \”What do you think it is?\”

He'd asked that question because we were about twenty yards away from it now and whatever it was had disappeared behind the sand dune in front of us. No doubt it would burst out just before we reached it.

Then there came a second and even stronger rumbling than the previous one.

I hated it when I was right.

\”What do you think it is?!\” I yelled at the same time as I drew my falchion from its sheathe strapped to my belt.

Next, I closed my eyes and once more summoned my fairy gift to waking.

\”Whatever it is, I hope it's not an Ashworm,\” Qwipps piped in from above me.

\”Geez, tempt fate more, why don't you!\” I screamed.

With Fool's Insight activated, I opened my eyes again at exactly the same moment as the sand dune ahead of me burst upward, and a long snaking form rose up from out of the chaos.

It was massive. A shell of dark gray scales covering its back while its inner side was like the surface of molten rock. The head was that of a cobra's, with an open mouth that was layered with rows upon rows of shark-like teeth.

\”Yup, it's an Ashworm alright,\” Qwipps noted. \”Muddamit, what rotten luck.\”

What rotten luck indeed. Maybe there was something to this whole omen business.

The ashworm shrieked a mighty roar that made Myth Chaser falter in its steps.

But as if in defiance of the fate that greeted me, I roared back at the creature, \”Prepare for battle!\”