8

SANDSTORMS AND POISONED ARROWS

"Rides in the whirlwind, and directs the storm"

-Joseph Addison

When we broke camp the next morning, I still didn't know what Mathayus' plan was, but I did notice that he seemed a bit troubled. Why, I did not know, but I could feel that would not be a problem for him.

Later that morning I found myself, astride Hanna, in front of Mathayus, lost in thought. Meanwhile, Arpid trudged alongside us, oddly quiet for the first time in a awhile.

It was then, quite suddenly, Mathayus stopped the camel, and wheeled her around. I turned to look to him, surprised at this sudden move. His dark eyes seemed to be scanning the horizon. Looking intently for something. I noticed that they where suddenly locked onto a dust cloud awhile behind us.

"What are you looking for?" Arpid asked when he saw Mathayus' sudden stop.

The Akkadian didn't answer. But instead reached into a saddlebag and pull out a strange wooden cylinder, and a clear-as-a-water-droplet crystal. He placed the crystal into a small slot and peered into the wooden tube. He turned the crystal slightly to one side, then to the other side. Then he lowered the cylinder, a smile on his face.

"Thorak," He said simply.

The horse thief gave an unhappy groan at this.

"Well, well, what a surprise. I wonder how he could have found us… Oh, yes, you had to leave him that marker," Arpid said sarcastically.

"Yes, I did," Mathayus replied. "And now the fool is walking right into danger."

Danger? I couldn't help but wonder. Nor was I the only one.

"Oh really?" Arpid said in obvious mock curiosity.

"Really."

Arpid looked to Mathayus, as if fearing for his sanity.

"How many men are with him?"

Mathayus lifted up the wooden cylinder and crystal, and peered threw for a short while.

"About a dozen, I'd say."

"A dozen," Arpid repeated stressing those last words as if the Great Teachers army had come instead of Thorak. "A dozen of Memnon's best men against three of us. One a women, one a sniveling coward, and one a barbarian."

"No need to worry now, Horse Thief," Mathayus replied. "The man is riding into a storm."

I couldn't help but study him with curiosity at these words. There was not a cloud in sight, and there weren't any other signs of a sudden weather change.

"A storm?" I repeated, saying it like a question.

Mathayus nodded.

As I was about to ask what he meant, Arpid spoke.

"If you don't mind me saying, Partner. You're no storm, you're just a man. A man among many, I grant you. But just one man."

I could see Mathayus, grin down to the smaller man. Then gaze onto the horizon opposite the one that Thorak and his men where stirring up sand and dust. Meanwhile, Arpid sighed at the Akkadian's response and shook his head.

"This has to be, without a doubt, the worst fix you've gotten me into yet," He muttered.

I glanced at the scruffy thief then to Mathayus. What was he looking at that made him so happy about fighting the unbeatable group of men? I looked onto the horizon that Mathayus stood smiling at. It was then I saw it.

Like a brown shadow on the edge of the horizon, shimmering its way closer and closer to us. What is that? I wondered.

Meanwhile the small thief had noticed the brown shimmering shadow, and said, "I believe I've spoke too soon. Partner, this has to be, without a doubt, the worst fix I've ever been in!"

"The day is young, Thief," Mathayus replied.

I glanced at the two men before me. Then I looked once again onto that strangely shadowed horizon that seemed to creep closer and closer. It was then a gentle wind blew. A wind that carried a strange sound, like a low howl of falling sand and wind. With startling clarity I understood Mathayus' glee.

"Oh Gods save us!" I gasped. "It's a sandstorm!"

"And it's right on time," the Assassin said, proudly.

The loud howl seemed to grow louder and louder. Becoming more and more bone-chilling.

"Oh yes!" The horse thief cried. "Who would not want this? I was just thinking how this would be perfect if a sandstorm came along around now and-."

"If you listen to me Arpid, and stop uttering nonsense then perhaps you may live to yell more," the Akkadian said his voice suddenly deadly serious.

Arpid closed his mouth as the Assassin, nudged Hanna into a kneel, quickly getting off of her. Pulling out some blankets from his saddlebag he turned to me as I climbed off the saddle.

"I must leave you here," He said, his voice steady.

I could feel fear take my heart as I swallowed hard at this, but nodded my understanding. Yet, I could not help but feel strangely struck but this thought.

He turned to Arpid, and I.

"Stay here, and cover up," He told me and Arpid.

As He tossed Arpid the thick blanket, I stepped foreword to ask him what he planned to do. As I did he turned to me, his eyes held mine for a short while. Speaking more than what he told me:

"I'll be fine. Just cover up."

Then he went to Hanna and climbed back onto the saddle, as he did so he pulled a thick leather battle mask over his face. It was then he yawed Hanna in the direction of Thorak and his men.

As soon as Mathayus disappeared over a sand dune the roaring storm had started raging towards at an alarming pace. It was almost upon us now. Quickly, without a word spoken between us, we covered ourselves with the thick blanket, and laid down into the sand, just as the storm roared over us.

How long we laid there in the sand, I cannot say; but it, honestly, seemed like an eternity. An eternity of lashing wind, and holding on tightly to our only cover to keep it from blowing into the wind.

All the while I laid there, I wondered what deadly battle was Mathayus participating in? Was he still swinging his sword in to one of Memnon's men or was a sword being swung into him? Was his still alive, breathing, and being battered by this storm, or was his corpse being batter by the storm before becoming one of the many lost to the Valley of the Dead?

Worry plagued me as I lay there in the sand, hoping, praying to the gods above that, somehow, he would be as alive and well as the last time I saw him.

After a long time of waiting and worrying, the whipping wind suddenly stopped, as did the roaring sand. Roughly, the horse thief pulled our now sand covered blanket down, blinding sunlight seemingly blazed above as if nothing had happened even though it felt as if we hadn't seen it in days.

As Arpid pulled down the blanket, sand in dust stirred, as soon as its grittiness entered my mouth I started to cough. Arpid helped pulled me to my feet, and as soon as I was steady I turned to the dune that, moments before, Mathayus had crossed with Hanna, leaving us to wait for him.

"The Akkadian."

Without saying a word, Arpid and I ran up the dune. We crossed several other sand dunes when we say it. Bodies laying in the sand, partially covered by the storm. Even though the dust covered their turbans I could still see the familiar blazing red and Memnon's royal crest. But there seemed to be no sign of Mathayus.

"It's like the storm carried him to some distant place," Arpid breathed.

"We must look for him." I insisted. "We must search."

Arpid nodded, worry for our missing companion and leader written on his face.

We called Mathayus's name, hoping he would hear. Nothing happened. We called again, still nothing.

Suddenly an nearby mound of sand shifted! Then another, and suddenly with sand pouring off them two of the surviving horses from Memnon's once unbeatable guard papered.

"We'll have mounts at least," Arpid remarked at the sight of the horses.

I nodded, but continued on my search for Mathayus. .

He's still alive, he just has to be.

Then there was a familiar snort then another sand mound rose.

Hanna.

Arpid walked up to the camel, patting her muzzle.

"No sign of her master," I noted, searching the sand.

"He has to be here, at least his body does," Arpid replied.

It's odd how those simple words had an effect on me. I could almost feel something in me twist at the thought of Mathayus dead. Quickly I used my power, scanning the desert, searching the once terrible, battleground.

"I don't sense him dead," I said once I was done with my search. "He's still alive, and has to be here, somewhere."

The Horse Thief turned to the camel.

"Where is he, girl?" He asked her. "Where's Mathayus?"

Hanna seemed to take these words into consideration. She turned to a mound of sand next to her and snorted at it. Suddenly the sand shifted.

Then a figure emerged, like Asar rising from the dead. Sand and dust pouring off him, as he got to his feet. His hand went to his dusty, sand covered battle mask, and peeled it off. My heart seemingly swelled at the sight of him.

Mathayus.

At that moment another sand covered figure reveled himself as well. His demon-like dark eyes wide in death. Thorak.

"For an ugly bastard, he sure does make a pretty sight," Arpid remarked at the sight of the body.

Mathayus went to me, his dark eyes filled with so much concern it struck me.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt? Did they-?" He asked.

"No," I said, shaking my head. "I'm untouched."

He then breathed a sigh of relief.

It was then I wondered, why did he partake in such a fierce battle? For gaining an upper hand on the Great Teacher? To avenge his brother's death?

Or simply to save me from the man who had destroyed my family and had me prisoner?

Perhaps it was all of this, his cause to be a soldier in this battle was known to him, and him alone.

"I'm fine, thanks," Arpid said when he noticed that Mathayus had not asked him. "I really appreciate your concern, by the way."

Mathayus turned to the thief and rolled his eyes, I let a sliver of a smile creep on my face.

Knowing that he was alive had left a warm feeling in my heart, yet… I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of foreboding in my chest.

"Are you alright?" I asked him instinctively.

"I'm fine," He said turning to me.

It was then I saw it, an arrow shaft embedded in his leg. At once my dark sense spread like a drop of blood in water.

"You need help," I gasped when I saw it.

Mathayus bent over, and grabbed a hold of the arrow's shaft. He yanked at it in hopes of pulling it out. I could feel my heart twist at the sound of the arrowhead as Mathayus pulled it out of his flesh. Then in a sickening, fleshy ripping noise, Mathayus pulled the arrow and its head out of his leg.

He gave a groan of pain, but threw the arrow to the sand. The Akkadian turned to Thorak, knelt down, and tore the amulet that bore Memnon's insignia from his cold throat.

"Help me find his horse," Mathayus said.

"It's over there," Arpid said, pointing to a great brown horse.

Mathayus walked to the horse and inspected the saddle, Arpid and I not far behind.

"Another survivor," he said proudly.

Mathayus turned to us, displaying what he had found. Perched on his hand, looking slightly wind ruffled was a brown, white, and gray falcon. A cowl was attached to its leg. Mathayus unfolded the cowl, and put Thorak's necklace onto the leather folds.

"What are you doing?" I asked gently, putting a hand on his arm.

"Sending the Great Teacher a message," Mathayus replied.

It was odd, but he seemed to look at bit unsteady, his dark eyes losing focus. Never the less, he folded the small leather package, and sent the flacon winging it's way to Gomorrah.

Mathayus watched it fly, hands on his hips, and gave a hearty laugh. A laugh that suddenly turned into a cough. A cough with blood in it.

"Mathayus!" I cried, running to his side.

He was doubling over, as if he had received a sudden blow to the stomach. He looked as if he was barely conscious.

"What's wrong?" I asked, my voice quivering, filled with fear, my shaking hand onhis shoulder.

"Poi… poison," He managed to make out.

Then I felt my heart almost rip from my chest as he fell to his knees, and pitch forward into the sand.


Author's Note- The God, Asar,inwhich Cassandra is talking about is the Egyptian name for the god Osiris, the god of the underworld.