Well, everyone here chapter 20 and let me tell you this one's gonna be really hot


(Day time) forest next to a stone cliff bottom

As soon as our travelers reach the bottom of the other side of the cliff, everyone got off the golems back of the head with the help of the golems. Cal then took hatter off flipped him upside down said "great job guys you deserve a nap return" then his golem allies we're ingulfed in the sphere way they got out of hatter and went back into him.

As our group walked through the shifting sands the sun was beating down on them it was so hot and you could leave footprints in the sand. Jasmine stopped said "oh look more sand" fili and kree agreed with her barda said "no kidding it's amazing how cooler it was just on their side of those cliffs we climbed". As they were walking loef stopped he heard the buzzing again "there it is again that's strange buzzing" he said.

Jasmine said "really" barda said "lief can you describe any more details" lief said "I told you it's like 1000 bees the weirdest thing is that I feel like I heard it somewhere before". Lief heard while walking then it stopped so did lief "what happened it just stopped" he said jasmine said "what do you mean you've feel like you heard it before can you remember when?".

Lief said "no but it's also familiar and I have no idea why maybe I am just hearing things" everyone was saying either huh or hmm. Then lief realized "wait a minute now I remember the opal show me a vision of my future, and it was here this is it these are the sand dunes". Jasmine said "so what happened to you in this vision" cal added "please tell us lief we want to know".

He answered " I don't know it was like a dream, I was standing alone in the desert and it was really windy I could barely see, I was screaming for all three of you but niether of you would answer me". Barda said "sounds more like a nightmare to me" cal said "Lief were comrades you can't get rid of us that easily".

They continued walking lief said "I don't wanna end up like that it-it was awful" barda said "don't worry we're not going" this caused them to stop and lief turned around to look at them. Barda said "we've beaten the odds before, we can do it again somewhere in the sand lies the fourth gem it will be difficult, but we're gonna find it i'm sure of it".

Lief got a smile to his face, knowing his allies would be with him "you're right Barda" he said jasmine walked ahead of him, said "The thing is this place is so huge how will we know where to start looking". Barda said "the belt gets warm whenever it's near a gem we can divide the shifting sands up into sections and search them one by one as long as we don't give up, we'll find it eventually".

Cal said "basically gem scavenging and the belt is the gem detector" jasmine said " you mean you want us to walk around this desert until lief starts feeling the belt getting warm you've gotta be kidding me that's gonna take forever". Cal said "well do you have a better idea than this" lief said "actually I don't think it'll be too hard" this caused everyone attention and surprise. They looked at lief he said "all the gems have one thing in common they're all protected by an evil guardian I think the guardian of this gem already knows we're here and it's territory".

Jasmine said "what makes you so sure about that?" Lief said "I know it's weird but I feel it as clearly as if the belt were talking to me". This caused everyone to be thinking the Lief turned around said "so it's easy all we have to do is keep moving i'm sure the guardian is a lot closer than we think" cal said "for once the evil guardian will bring the fight to us".

Lief said "we don't have to go and find him it's only a matter of time before he finds us" barda walked to lief "well then all the more reason why we need to hurry, we don't want to keep whatever this thing is waiting so long that he starts to lose patience". Lief replied "yeah" jadmine and cal run to face him jestering "please after you since you two are so brave, you can lead the way" cal added "after all one of you is wearing the belt".

Then they all started walking in the distance, continuing their quest to find the gem then kree flew cawing at them. During their entire walk the boiling sun was still beating down on them, barda said "these dunes seem to go on forever" jasmine said "at least we don't have to worry about getting lost all we have to do is follow our footprints back the way we came".

Barda said "that's true but they're also a clear trail for the gray guards to track us down" cal said "anybody got a broom". Jasmine said "do you think they'd really come after us into this evil desert" barda said "yeah they gotta find us their lives are on the line i'm sure the punishment they get is a far worse alternative".

Jasmime said "i'm glad I wanna meet those two again I got a little score I need to settle with them" cal said "get in line Jasmine I wanna beat them to a pulp to". Lief said "huh what on earth is that" and they all turned where he was looking in the distance we see something strange.

On the spot was some kind of fleshy tarp with four cat n dog size bug creatures that were the color green all over the exoskeleton are eating around it with there jawed mouths. What made these bugs was there body an insectiod with a combination of praying mantis curvy mandibles and tarantula three legs on each side and they have cycloptic eye. Another thing about them is they have red fleshy spheric sacks growing of their chests that look rather similar to grapes. Why these creatures even have antennas that looked L cane shaped and their end is two stinger spikes on top of end and a hidden one at the tip of the bodies end.

One of those bug creatures looked at them, made a screeching noise which caused fili to hide behind Jasmine's neck and look at the direction of them. Then kree came and cawed at Jasmine "something has fili and kree scared" she said and lief went back to look at those insectiod creatures again and a wind blew past them.

Suddenly they heard "on the double" they looked back and saw where that came from It was a gray guard that said it. Meanwhile we see the two gray guards had brought two more during that entire time they were running in the direction our group was traveling. Gray guard said "they can't be too far from here" other said "I think you're right thers footprints are still fresh" one of the gray guards had a triton javelin said "we've got to find them or we're done for" one of them said move.

Our group hunched down on the sand dune to hide themselves barda said "I knew they find us sooner or later" jasmine said "yeah and it looks like they brought their friends with them". Lief said "you're right I'm pretty sure I heard some more voices just then" cal said "finally looks and sounds like they decided to put up more of a fight" jasmine said "so what do you wanna do?".

Barda said "well we got two choices we either run or we fight" lief said "wait I got another idea just do what I do and follow me I'll show you". His idea was walk backwards on their footprints "this is a great idea lief" barda said "I have to admit this is pretty smart" cal said "well done lief".

Then Lief stopped said "let's hide in that ravine down there come on" then he jumped down in the ravine. Jasmine,barda and cal followed him as soon as the gray guards showed up lief wrapped himself and everyone in his cloak and it turned invisible. Grey guard said "why don't we see them yet" the guards kept moving forward "just keep following the footprints they're gonna pay for this" said another "right" says one more.

Our group is hiding "huh hey whats going on their trail just disappeared" guard said they were surprised the footprint had just ended. Guard said "maybe they flew away" guard said "that's impossible" guard said "then how do you explain it" guard said "it's simple they were eaten you know by the desert".

Gray guard said "I told you there was no point in following him here" guard said "this isn't a joke you fool, we've lost us two champions and two finalist" guard said "that's true but the ticks might not be all the sands wanna eat". All gray guards look behind them and around worried , they might get eaten themselves "lets get out of here" guard said "why you know as well as I do if we come back empty-handed they might still be out here maybe they buried themselves enough talk find them" and he drew his sword.

Two gray guards who had swords for weapons, started poking the sand to find them one held his triton javelin the forest didn't have any weapon drawn and just looked around. Gaurd said "this is useless they could be anywhere" guard said "stop complaining and just dig" meanwhile our heroes are still hiding under the cloak.

Jasmine said "we're not safe here even if they don't know what they're heading right for us" barda said "get ready to fight, then at least we have the element of surprise" lief and cal nodded in agreement. The great guard still kept poking their weapons in the sands, trying to find our group and they were getting close.

Fili was frightened and something caught his attention on the ground it was a smaller insectisoid creature poking out of the sand it looked in his direction and screech tiny at him. This realy scared him and he kept bouncing around inside the cloak "hey calm down fili" jasmine said and then he ended up deactivating the cloak.

Jasmine said while reaching up and grabbing fili, who shoot up like a slingshot "what are you doing get back here" she breathed a sigh. But that was very temporary since she realized fili blew their cover she turned to her right and saw the gray guards three of them had swords for weapons one had a trident javelin ready for battle.

Since the time for hiding was over, it was now the time for a battling jasmine,lief and barda hadtheir hands on the hilt of their weapons while Cal placed his hand on the right side dial of his belt. Lief said "you guys looking for us" there was a stalemate neither opponents were moving then one of the grey guards right hand holding a sword started to shake in fear.

This caught everyone's attention gray guard said "come on guys it's not worth it let's just leave them" and he started to turn to his left. Guard said "I think he's right" guard said "that settles it" guard said "now run" and they all dropped their weapons and started running in the direction our group were facing.

This surprised everyone except Cal "am i missing something" barda said cal replied his instinct senses were going off looked behind them said "it's not us they're running from it's what's behind us". Behind them was a bigger deadwood white version of the insectsoid creatures they saw the size of a large dinosaur and the others look behind just like cal.

To their horror lief,barda,cal and jasmine look up to see a Terreocti these feared sand beasts have poor eyesight but are highly sensitive to movement lashing out at the slightest vibration with deadly accuracy. Jasmine said "uh guysI think we're in trouble" cal said "yeah really big trouble" meanwhile, the gray guards kept running away.

The terreocti's antenna started to move and as soon as the eye was lifted up to the gray guards changed from green to red and the creature roared barda said "get ready". But to their surprise the bug jumped over them, and landed on the ground behind them and started chasing the grey guards. Gaurd said "oh no, it's following us" other said "it was supposed to eat them ahh".

They kept screaming then as soon as the bug reached them, it started eating them alive, this repulsed everyone except cal he seemed to not be bothered by it a lot. You could hear the agonizing screams as the grey guards were being devoured "its slowly devouring all them" barda said "jasmine said "thats horrible".

The terreocti kept eating you could hear the last of the gray guard gurgle and groaning as he was slowly being eaten alive the beast kept its head up the entire time. A gray guard mask fell of along with a bag of blisters jasmine said "anyone else wanna get going?" Lief said "no it's better not to move" this made Jasmine wonder why he'd say that "why" she asked.

Lief said "it went after the gray guards who we're running for their lives, but it totally ignored us, even though we were closer my guess it's able to sense movement somehow". Barda said "that's right it felt the vibrations in the sands made by the gray guards boots when they ran" jasmine said "so what do you think we should do".

Lief said "I don't know, but right now I don't think we should move" cal said "I agree I don't plan on becoming that things second course". Next a gray guards arm was going down the big bug's mouth and the guard let out a grown as soon as the bug was finished eating. Then the bug turned around faceing them one of its fleshy globs began to swell up "what are those?" Jasmine said.

Barda said "it looks like it stores food in them" jasmine said "stores food" barda said "that's right they started to swell after it finished with the gray guards". Cal said "that explains how they can survive in this desert" then as soon as one of those flesh sacks swelled up, it fell off the terreocti and landed in the sand. Then the terreocti walked over it stood up taller and put the end of its hidden stinger into the sack "what's it doing now?" Lief said.

Jasmine said "it's probably laying an egg" lief said "you think" she replied "yeah then when it hatches the baby will have something to feed on while it's still small". Lief said "that's gross" cal said "that's nature" lief then said "but it makes sense that's probably what we saw before the remains of an egg that had already been hatched".

As soon as the terreocti was done laying its eggs in the flesh sack the stinger was removed freaked the group except cal then it walked away and dug into the sand till you couldn't see it anymore. Then sun still kept beating down and our group stood still what seemed like for hours to them barda said "well I think we've probably waited enough" lief and cal hummed in agreement. Then jasmine and cal collapsed on the ground she landed on her bum while he landed on his shins and they both sigh.

When jasmine sat down fili followed behind and kree flew next to her and cawwed barda said "I can't believe we escaped grey guards and a monster". Cal said, "yeah that sure was daring speaking of which baggy, ala the grey guards three swords and trident javelin" and baggy shot out four rainbow tentacles grab the targets pulled them back and they shrunk down and went inside her.

Lief walked a little bit and noticed something in the sand they were circular prints, the exact same size of coins "look at those marks" lief said. Lief said "i'm pretty sure they weren't there a minute ago" he saw more of them looking like a trail barda "theymust be the footprint of some other creature". While they were walking to them cal said "we don't know any creature with footprints that small" jasmine said "not likely if there was another animal that close we would've seen it".

Our group stood there barda said "I wouldn't be surprised if the shifting sand would be home to all sorts of beasts that burrow bellow out of the scorching sun". Lief looked down bellow while Barda was talking lifted up his foot and saw one of the small coin pouches they had one from the game he picked it up. He said "look at this thing" barda said "it's one of the bags of coin from the rithmere games" jasmine said "that's right the grey guards probably took it when they captured us".

Barda said "but it's empty so where are the coins" jasmine said "how should I know either they spent them all when we were unconscience or worse their lost in one of those eggs". Cal said "i'm definitely sure they didn't just get up and walk by themselves" lief said "wait a minute don't those marks look a lot like the coins?".

They all said huh look down and saw that the prince had the same symbol as the coins, both a hammer and a tong "you're right they do". Barda said "but how could the coins make these marks and just disappear?" Lief said "i'm not sure but i've got a really bad feeling about this".

Lief said "this sands strange it's somehow moves on its own" cal said "well they don't call it the shifting sands for nothing" jasmine said "wait are you saying that the sand is alive?". He said "it's possible I guess" while the sun was still shining suddenly lief could hear the buzzing again.

Lief looked behind him "do you hear it again?" Jasmine said "yeah but this time it seems like it's a lot closer" lief said. They all looked around but only lief could still hear the buzzing he walked "it sounds like it's almost coming right towards us" lief said. Meanwhile barda,cal and jasmine we're together looking around she said, "I still don't hear it what about you barda?". Barda said "no not at all can you hear it cal" he replied "i'm sorry everyone, but I can't hear any buzzing then suddenly the sands vibrate fast.

Lief suddenly put his hands on his head and got down on his knees this caught everyone's attention jasmine said "lief" cal replied "what's wrong what's happening to you?". He was in pain lief said "my head's going to explode cut it out" the sound was driving him nuts to a point it ain't where he tossed and turned in the sand. Everyone rushed to him while barda said "calm down lief" they arrived at him "you're gonna attract that thing again" jasmine said "we shouldn't press our luck twice" cal said.

Suddenly the sand started to go up into the air which caught the attention of everyone except lief and the sand started to head right for them. The sandy win blew away lief jasmine shouted "lief come back here" and kree got blown away too. As soon as lief was alone a yellowish brown eye that was moving said "give me the belt" the voice sounded deep and many.

Lief got up, but still sat down, the voice said "give me the belt" lief said "how do you know I have the belt?". The eye said "you must give me the belt offer the belt to the hive and and you will survive" lief looked at eye while it said "offer it offer it". Lief said "there's no way" he stood on his feet "i'll never give it to you no matter what happens" then the eye disappeared in the sand storm.

Suddenly the sandstorm had cease and the sun went back to shining on them lier was stunned "lief" jasmine said and he looked forward. Barda,cal and jasmine ran to him while barda said "you had us worried where'd you go" jasmine said "what happened are you ok" cal said "what did you see during the storm". Lief said "yeah but I don't know what just happened I heard that buzzing sound again but this time it was a lot louder it got so loud that it felt like my head was gonna crack open".

This caused concern with everyone "something's going on that was no ordinary, sandstorm and what's even weird that monster never even showed even though you were jumping around like crazy" jasmine said. Barda said "that's true which makes me wonder if you weren't right lief, that the sand itself is actually some kind of liveing being" cal said "don't you all think it's a bit odd that only lief got separated from us by the sand". Lief said to him self "with mindless will" jasmine said "huh hey my knife's gone noway" she moved a few feet away to look for it "oh,how could I drop it That blade really means a lot to me".

Everybody was searching for her blade, lief said "look over there" and they all saw the shape of Jasmine's blade in the sand. They all gathered around on the spot "what's goin on?" Jasmine said "does that look like your knife" barda said "yeah" she replied. Lief said "I know this is going to sound crazy but I wonder whatever it was that caused the sandstorm took it as some sort of offering" cal said "yeah this is just like with the coins the entity who causes the storm took Jasmine's knife, just like the coins".

Jasmine said "what do you mean offering?" Lief said "my guess is that you're knife somehow calmed it as if it were satisfied with the payment and earlier it was because it took the gold coins that's why we saw those imprints in the sand". She said "what are you saying leif" he replied "I think the guardian of the shifting sands collects money, jewelry or other valuables from its prey" jasmime says "I don't think so".

Jasmine said "i'm having a hard enough time believing that the sands is alive an attacked us" cal said "come on Jasmine then how else do you explain your knife and the coins disappearing" barda. Barda said "me too but it seems that lief has some sort of connection with this place" lief said "I keep thinking of the last line carved on that stone the end lies within its rocky walls where all are one, one will rules all below the dead, the living strive with mindless will to survive".

Then lief continued to speak "one will rules all, a mindless will a thing of mindless will rules the shifting sands and it gathers and hoards anything of value that's brought into it's sandy territory so of course it's not gonna make sense to us". Barda said "if that's what's on the stone" jasmine then realized "lief do you still have the belt on you" lier said "don't worry I still got it,its right here" cal said "of course you do remember never take off the belt". Lief tried to grab the belt he hesitate "whats wrong" barda said "I know it's kind of dumb but I'm actually scared to touch the opal again because of what it showed me last time".

This made everyone concern there was a moment of silent then lief spoke "but we've gotta keep going" then he clenched his extending right hand into a fist. Lief said "the belt still feels cold which unfortunately means we're not even close to where the gem is hidden in this desert" then everyone smiled and hummed. Jasmine said " right well what are we waiting for then lets find that gem and get out of here as quick as we possibly can i'm sick of this place " cal said "I agree completely what you say Jasmine onward".

Barda said "yeah so am I, of all the evil places we've been to so far I like this one, the least of all" cal said "we visited a silenced forest, a lake that held people prisoner and a city full of rats the shifting sands are worse than those three". They started to walk while they were talking lief stood said "wait one last thing" walks to them "but i feel kind of weird asking this" jasmine said "oh come on just spit it out".

Lief lookde down said "I think from now on we should be tied together so we can't be separated again we can use the rope we bought at mother brightly's". This surprised everyone lief spoke "after we were captured when we were in those bags on the gray guards cart I was so glad to hear you three waking up next to me". Lief continued "I know it sounds cheesy and I'm sure you would've come to rescue me just like I would've if either of you were captured but it was reassuring to me to know that the four of us were still together".

Jasmine said "stop it you're making me blush it's a good idea" this surprised lief "I know I said it before but you guys would totally be lost without me". Barda said "she might be joking, but its true none of us could complete this quest alone" cal said "we fought three evil guardians together our bond is very strong as comrades". Lief said "thanks" then they got the rope out put it on the sand and started tying the rope together.

(Afternoon time) shifting sands

Our group now tied together, literally with rope, continued walking through the shifting sands we have leaf in front after him jasmine then barda and lastly cal. While this was happening fili was bouncing up and down the rope right between lief and jasmine then kree flew next to him.

(Night time) shifting sands

The moon was out and about our heroes continue to walk "it's getting cold" jasmine said that she was now wearing barda's cloak around her, exposing her face. Barda said "you're not kidding during my training I learned that the temperature drops drastically in a desert at night I never would've thought it got this cold" jasmine said to lief "do you think we could stop and take a break sometime soon?". Lief said "I don't know the belt isn't even warm yet I think we should keep going" jasmine got to his side said "but that's even more of a reason we should take a break now cause when it gets warm, we're not gonna have any time to rest".

Cal said "besides it's nice and cold out here and I'm pretty sure that all the critters are in bed by now" lief said "those are all good points". Barda said "let's take turns keeping guard one will keep watch while the other three sleep" jasmine said "sure that works for me" cal said "me too". Barda said "why don't you guys go ahead I'll take the first shift" the kids were all wrapped up with the cloaks cal just slept without one with hatter and baggy on top of his chest and head.

Lief said "thanks I could really use some rest" jasmine said "wake me up for the second shift kay barda" cal said "i'll get the shift after jasmine". All three of them that lief went to sleep already "I guess he was pretty beat" barda said "i'm worried about him he's been seeing and hearing things that we haven't it's almost as if he's in a whole different world then we are right now" jasmine said.

Cal said "can you blame him he's wearing the belt so the evil guardian is targeting him he needs all the energy he can get". Barda walked over to lief untied the rope while saying "let's just undo this for a while hes gotta be uncomfortable" jasmine said "yeah he should be fine I mean we are sleeping right next to him after all".

Next we see fili and kree next to each other all curled up and perched kree is yawning and fili is snoring right next to jasmine. Barda said " heh heh those two seem like they're pretty exhausted to why don't you all get some rest" jasmine said "thanks barda and don't forget to wake me up OK". Cal said "much obliged, barda time to catch some Zzz's" both cal and jasmine went right to bed.

Suddenly the sandstorm was back and this waked everyone up barda had gotten up and cawed. The sandstorm was surrounding them just like last time cal, lief and jasmine got up she said "it's happening again" cal said "only cowards attack someone when they're sleeping".

Then the sandstorm charged at them with barda kneeling with his sword in front everyone close their eyes bracing with the sand against them. Lief began to lift away "no lief" jasmine said he was about to go away, but barda and cal grabbed lief's right hand with their left hands. Lief shouted "hold onto me" but he was starting to slip out of their grip as they were grunting.

Suddenly lief heard the voice "give it to me" lief gasped the voice spoke "give me the belt you must offer it to the hive". Lief shouted "I told you before i'll never do that so forget about it" while he said that the voice said "give it to me offer it to the hive". The voice shouted "offer the belt" lief shouted "never" and then he slipped out of cal and bardas grip.

Lief was pulled away by whoever caused the sandstorm "lief we'll find you" jasmine shouted as he was carried away by the sandstorm.


And that the end of this chapter what the buzz is going on