The Belran Desert
Icehaven surprisingly had much more in common with Central Town than anyone was willing to admit. Amber had contemplated the idea about changing her mind about leaving so quickly, but the lack of distinguishing differences outside of the weather was enough to convince her to move on. The only major differences that set Icehaven apart from Central Town for Amber was the slightly larger number of merchants and the obvious Guardians milling about.
By mid-morning she was quite eager to leave. Her biggest problem was finding a means of transportation to Crossroad.
"So is there any caravan going to Crossroad?" she exasperated.
"None here currently. They might have something in their schedules down the line but nothing immediate. There is the Adamant Trade Camp however," an otter merchant said.
"And where's that?" Amber pulled out the holomap and turned it on.
"Huh, haven't seen one of those in a long while. It's in the Belran Desert which you would have to cross anyway so heading there would be a good place to start. Want me to put it in for you?"
"Go right ahead."
"Let's see. That's Central Town there...the trade route...argh that's too far north… How outdated is this thing? Unless I'm misreading this, these are the borders for the Broken Lord Kingdoms eighty years ago."
Amber grimaced and looked away. The holomap had been invaluable back in Central Town, one of the most important pieces of equipment a drifter could carry. It was no secret Central Town was isolated but to be blind to the rest of the world to the point of not knowing territorial boundaries was embarrassing.
"I can add a few things but do yourself a favor and get this map updated when you reach Crossroad. Never been there myself but if there's any place in the world that will have what you need, it's there," the merchant said before inputting a few changes.
"Thank you," Amber examined the updated map.
"There is a caravan heading there this afternoon. You don't happen to have currency do you?"
"No but I have this," the data tablet was placed on the counter.
"This ain't Central Town girl. Out here technology and ancient data belong to the intellectuals. Considering you want to make a break for Crossroad, you're going to need money," the merchant said with a bored expression.
"Well hell I might as well go there on my own then," Amber scowled and her posture deflated.
"That's suicide, even for drifters. And let's say you make it there, unless you find a way to market yourself you'll be wandering the streets."
"So what do I do? I'm not going back and I know no one is going to give me charity," Amber snapped.
The merchant sighed, "You're right and the reasons why I'm not charging you for any of this is because you're trying to get a fresh start and you're young. Look...you appear to be skilled despite your age and I'd assume anyone to earn the title of drifter has seen their fair share of action. Caravans always need guards and very few are going to say no to someone armed with energy weapons. It might not get you any money but it can secure a passage to Crossroad if you're lucky."
"And if I'm not?" she asked miserably.
"Well… I don't think you want to know about the...other option you could employ… Unless you don't mind that kind of work…"
The embarrassed look and fact they turned their gaze away from her told her enough, "Oh hell no! I'm not doing that, no!"
It took a lot of convincing but she had managed to get a caravan to take her aboard as a guard as far as the Adamant Trade Camp. After her...awkward farewell from the otter merchant she made sure to put up her bandana and hug her duster tighter. As the caravan left Icehaven, one of the merchants asked her if she needed another jacket to which she politely, if embarrassingly, declined. None of the merchants could figure out why their new guard was so embarrassed for the first few hours of the trip.
Three days later Amber knew she would be sweating and shedding her fur off for the foreseeable future. The Belran Desert was not necessarily the hottest region in the world, but it was the hottest region Amber has ever visited. At first she thought the drier climate and subtle shift while crossing the mountains on the second day would be tolerable. Now she was missing the biting cold of Salvan.
"Adamant is roughly two hours ahead. We should be arriving in the early afternoon," the caravan leader, George, said.
"Thank whatever higher beings exist," Amber panted, taking a swig of the canteen she was provided.
"Easy there, you'll make yourself sick at the rate you're going."
Amber rolled her eyes and regretted it. Not even when she had over used her implants did her head this much. The heat, the glaring light, the dryness...how the hell did anyone survive this? She had taken off her duster and loosened her bandana and still felt like she was melting.
"Not even the Barren Hills are this bad," she muttered.
"Heard some nasty stories about that place. Any of them true?" George asked, seemingly unfazed by the heat.
"Some of them. Only went once to see if I could scavenge the surface. Was a waste of time and I wasn't crazy enough to investigate any further."
The caravan continued with a slow but steady pace. Amber could see for miles that there was nothing but rocky soil, scrubs, and sand. It reminded her of the Barren Hills: dry and seemingly dead. She was fairly sure she was half delirious to even think about the Barren Hills. Even with the surface being perfectly safe, that region was the purest definition of armageddon and the lair of evil. Only the most experienced and well equipped drifters dared to explore the facility beneath the surface and they never stayed long if they could help it, priceless technology be damned.
Shaking her head, she cleared the thoughts from her mind and sweat away from her eyes. She still had a job to do and she would need to focus in order to get it done. Besides, what could sneak up on the caravan when the heat made the shade barely tolerable? The rocks were hot enough to scald and the few shrubs were too small to hide anything. It would be easy to-
"Hey look, some jackrabbits," one of the caravan drivers called out, "Should we bag some for dinner tonight?"
How did she miss them?!
By the time the caravan arrived at the trade camp, Amber was drenched in sweat and exhausted. Her clothes were sticking uncomfortably to her, her throat felt like the rocky sand she was walking on, and her head hurt. She barely even gave the oversized building on the side of the camp a second look.
"Well, this is where we part ways. Good luck getting to Crossroad," George said as he handed her half forgotten duster and pack.
"Huh? Oh yeah...thanks," she mumbled, accepting her belongings.
George left and she was standing in the middle of a dusty street. Taking off her hat for what seemed the hundredth time to wipe her brow, she glanced again at the large building. The heat was causing the shape to simmer, but she could swear it looked more akin to a giant insect shell with buildings strapped to it than a singular building. Unable to put much thought into it and more interested in finding some shade, she walked towards it.
"Exotic spices, straight from the Narsen Forest!"
"Beads, exotic clothes, fine jewelry! You won't find any better quality!"
"Fresh meat and ale!"
"The finest blades you could ask for!"
It had taken much longer than expected for Amber to reach the base of the building. Even with her sense of time distorted, the camp was deceptively large with hundreds of merchants and it got even more lively the closer she got to the building. All around her, merchants were hawking their wares and shouting for attention. It was far too noisy for her as the world both blurred and swirled in her vision. Spying what looked like an enclosed tent building with an open doorway, she ran inside.
"Welcome to the Saltfire Bazaar. How may I help you?" a voice asked her.
"Huh?" Amber blinked and realized a woman was standing next to her.
"Wait...you're a drifter," the woman's eyes widened in recognition.
"Do you have some water?" Amber asked, feeling dizzy and unable to stand steadily.
"Oh! Right this way. Please, relax."
Amber was half dragged to a rug with some pillows. Without hesitation, she collapsed and laid on her back, trying hard to ease the splitting headache. Off to the side, she heard some kind of argument.
"Hey! Hey hey hey hey hey! There's no need for that kind of language. I'm just looking for a crime novel, all right?" a male voice said.
"And I told you I don't deal with that shit. You want to waste your money then get out of the Bazaar!" a different voice snarled.
"I paid for a meal here and bought some ammo. Look, all I was asking for was if there's a place to buy a novel."
Amber brought her head up to see a figure standing next to a wooden stand. While should barely make out the features, she recognized the figure to be wearing a heavy jacket and carrying a rifle. The rest of the argument and her vision quickly blurred as the figure started to leave.
"How the hell are you still alive?" she groaned.
"Eh? Who said tha-oh. Uh...you all right there?" the man asked.
"Do I look like it? And stop talking so loudly."
"You're dehydrated, I'm not talking loudly."
"Here you are dear," the woman returned with a mug of water, "Drink slowly."
Amber barely had the strength to sit up. With some help from one of the individuals she managed to gulp down some water. A quick gulp resulted in her violently coughing.
"Slowly, smaller sips this time," the woman said gently.
"Here, I've got your back," the man said.
Amber felt a second pair of hands help her sit up better. She slowly managed to drink the mug without coughing out its contents. While her head hurt and she still felt drained, her vision cleared enough to view the world.
"Thank you," she said hoarsely.
"Just sit and rest dear. Let me know if you need anything," the woman said kindly before leaving.
Amber nodded weakly before looking at the man. With some strain, she realized he was carrying the jacket over his shoulder and the rifle on the other. How his head was not boiling under the helmet he was wearing was a mystery though.
"You feeling better?" he asked, eyeing her with caution and concern.
"Yeah. How are you not cooking in that?" she asked.
"I am, I just have looser clothing than you by the looks of things. You look like you're trying to suffocate yourself in that."
"All I asked was if you felt the heat or not. I didn't insult your choice of clothing," she groaned, falling back onto the pillow.
"Ah that's my bad. Still somewhat frustrated from earlier."
Amber gave out another groan and frowned. The splitting pain in her head was slowly fading and she could think more clearly.
"So...where are you from?" he asked.
"Seriously?" she muttered.
"What? You think I'm supposed to know where you're from based on looks alone?"
"Central Town."
"Uh-huh. Heard about it. Somewhat tempted to see the place for myself."
Do you ever stop? "And where are you from, huh? The depths of hell to annoy strangers?"
"The one time I actually try… Fine be that way," he got up and her ears managed to pick up his fading words, "This is why being cynical results in more pleasant surprises and less disappointment Ed."
Some time later, Amber had awakened from unexpectedly falling asleep. While her vision was still fuzzy, her head still hurt, and her throat was sore, the time out of the sun had helped tremendously. The commotion outside had quieted down and the light shining through the doorway was dim.
"So...you're the one Illegra took under her wing," a voice startled her.
Amber snapped her head to see a man wearing loose clothing sitting next to her nursing a drink. She could clearly tell he was a guard based on his armor and the bow on his back. His tanned expression was serious but not unkind, simply observing her. The only reason why she did not snap her hand to her pistol on reflex was due to her exhaustion.
"Wha? How long have I been...asleep?" she yawned, realizing she was not in danger.
"All afternoon. Be thankful my friend is accommodating enough to let strangers rest in her establishment. So tell me young one, what brings a drifter to the Karsha Clan?" the man took a gulp from his drink.
"I'm...looking to get to Crossroad," Amber felt anxious, like the man was interrogating her.
"Crossroad...how fortunate you are to have stumbled upon us because we are going there once we have concluded our business in this camp. But I assume you are fresh from Central Town and have no means of pay."
"How-?"
"Did I know? You're not the first drifter to seek that city without finances or a clue of the outside world when they blindly walk into us. If I were to guess your story as to how you got here; you came from Icehaven, found a way to the Camp through an arrangement, and then stumbled in here looking for an escape from heat exhaustion if what Illegra told me is true… Is it?"
"I didn't do anything wrong," Amber cringed under his gaze.
"I'm not saying you have. However, you do present me with a problem. You have a debt to pay my friend and a desire to travel with no means of supplying the funds for either. If you don't pay for the services currently provided and the necessary ones to reach Crossroad I'm afraid you would have done something wrong. Luckily, you are in a clan of merchants and I happen to be the captain of the guard. There are plenty of means to pay off debts and it helps to have the acquaintance of one who maintains the laws of the Clan."
So that is why he's making me nervous, "I'm willing to trade and work...though I'm not sure I can handle the heat very well...or know much about helping a clan of merchants outside of guard duty."
The man laughed, "The naivety and honesty of youth. You young one have much to learn but much potential. Come, you are still tired and I believe your tale would best be told by yourself over a meal. The Clan is not leaving anytime soon and we can find you a means of solving your financial problems after dinner with my friends. And before you decline, think of it as part of your repayment. We do not get many visitors from Central Town and I have always been curious about the region."
The mention of food caused her stomach to growl. She remembered the last thing she ate was an early breakfast before sunrise.
"Thank you. I promise I'll pay you back for your generosity," she said as she got up.
"My name is Jasah. May I know the name of my friend's esteemed guest?" he asked kindly, rising to his feet.
"Amber," she replied as she grabbed her hat and put it on, "My name is Amber."