Chapter 124: Guardians of the Treasure

  The morning sun clawed its way over the horizon, bringing a fresh wave of brutal, shimmering heat to the desert. But for Raito and Bob, the rising temperature was the least of their worries. The heat radiating from the ground paled compared to the pressure coming from the four women standing over them.

  Raito and Bob were kneeling in the sand in the traditional proper sitting position—knees together, back straight, hands on thighs. It was a posture of penitence, made infinitely more uncomfortable by the warm grains digging into their skin.

  "So..." Yukari began, her voice dangerously calm. She stood with her arms crossed, her foot tapping a steady, ominous rhythm against a flat stone. "Talk. What, who, why, when, where, and how are you guys here right now?"

  Beside her stood the tribunal: Mila, looking exasperated; Zhu Lihua, whose expression was an unreadable mask of martial disappointment; and Queen Aleena, who raised a single, elegant eyebrow.

  "Uh, so..." Raito fidgeted, his eyes darting around for an escape route that didn't exist. "Where should I start?"

  "Start with you.” Yukari pointed a finger at his nose. "You, who were asked—ordered, really—to stay put back in Kah-Kamun. And yet, here you are. With Bob. In a cactus patch."

  "Okay, yeah, I can do that. Yeah," Raito nodded rapidly. He opened his mouth to spin a tale of heroism and necessity.

  He froze. His mind returned nothing but static.

  "Okay, I got nothing," Raito slumped, giving up immediately.

  He looked up at her, his eyes honest. "I was just concerned about you. So... I decided it would be best to follow you."

  Yukari’s eyes narrowed. "Oh? You don't think I can take care of myself? Is that it?"

  "No! No no no!" Raito waved his hands frantically. "It's not like that! I know you are strong! Stronger than me, even! Ten times stronger!"

  He scratched the back of his head, looking down at the sand. "Just... you know. Kinda... had a bad feeling, I guess? I just didn't want you to be out here, in this hot, dangerous desert alone. I guess."

  Yukari stared at him for a long moment. "So you're lonely?"

  "A little bit," Raito admitted quietly. "But mostly concerned."

  Yukari’s face softened. The ice in her eyes melted for a split second. "Awww. Look who misses his wife."

  Then, the glare snapped back into place like a steel trap. "But you are still in the wrong."

  "Yes, I understand," Raito slumped further, defeated by facts.

  Queen Aleena stepped forward, turning her gaze to the massive man kneeling beside the boy.

  "And you?" she asked, her voice regal and piercing. "Last time I checked, you were supposed to watch over young Raito and help my husband manage the city. Bob?"

  Bob laughed, a nervous, booming sound that cracked halfway through. "Technically, I am watching over him, Aleena! Hohoho... see? He is right here! Within arm's reach!"

  Mila sighed, shaking her head. "Master, you bringing Raito here is not what I would consider 'watching over him'. This is enabling."

  She looked between them. "Did he force you to do this?"

  "Yes!" Raito shouted instantly.

  "No!" Bob shouted at the exact same time.

  The two stared at each other, realizing their coordination was terrible.

  "It's not Bob's fault!" Raito pivoted, trying to take the fall. "I forced him to do this! I threatened to walk alone!"

  "No, Raito is lying!" Bob interjected, shielding the boy with a massive arm. "I couldn't bear seeing him fidgeting so much, so I volunteered to bring him here! It was my idea! Blame the merchant!"

  They looked at the women, breathing hard, united in their mutual attempt to save the other.

  Yukari, Mila, Zhu, and the Queen exchanged glances.

  The women sighed in unison, a sound of collective resignation that seemed to be snatched away instantly by the dry, relentless desert wind.

  "We can't really force them to go back on their own at this point," Zhu reasoned, crossing her arms. The silk of her qipao rustled softly, a stark contrast to the gritty whisper of sand shifting around their boots.

  "Kah-Kamun is already a two-day trip back," Mila added, squinting against the glare of the sun reflecting off the dunes. She did the mental math, wiping a bead of sweat from her temple. "And knowing them, they would certainly just follow us again from a distance, we know how stubborn they are."

  "What should we do, Your Majesty?" Yukari asked, turning to Queen Aleena, her voice tight with a mix of annoyance and relief.

  The Queen looked at the at the kneeling duo—the massive merchant sweating in his heavy coat and the stubborn boy whose eyes held a defiant spark. She sighed, inhaling the scent of ozone and heated stone, but her eyes held a glimmer of amusement.

  "We have no choice then," Queen Aleena declared with absolute authority, her voice cutting through the shimmering heat haze. "We shall let them join our expedition."

  She pointed a finger at Yukari. "Yukari, you shall ride with them. Make sure they don't add extra baggage or cause unnecessary trouble."

  Yukari nodded sharply. "Right. Thank you, Your Majesty. Will do."

  "Gahaha!"

  A dry, raspy laughter, sounding like parchment crinkling in a fire, came from behind Bob. It was Tanvir, who had wandered over from the main caravan, his small frame unbothered by the baking temperature.

  "Getting into trouble, eh, Bob?" Tanvir chuckled, adjusting his collar with precise, jerky movements. "This is not like you."

  "Tanvir, old pal!" Bob started to stand up, his knees cracking audibly. Dust cascaded off his coat as he moved, relieved to see a friendly face. "Just delivering a package." He pointed a thick, calloused finger to Raito.

  "Trust me, that boy is not worth it," Tanvir said, eyeing Raito with a gaze that felt colder than the surrounding air.

  "I think you are wrong this time," Bob grinned, wiping grime from his cheek.

  "Wanna bet?" Tanvir asked, raising an eyebrow behind imaginary glasses.

  "Master!" Mila scolded, her hand resting heavily on her sword hilt, the metal glinting dangerously. "We are not done here!" She pointed firmly at the scorching sand. "Sit back down."

  "Right, sorry," Bob muttered, slumping back into his kneeling position with a heavy thud that puffed up a small cloud of dust.

  Varessh, the Guildmaster, walked up and tapped Tanvir on the shoulder. His shadow, vast and cooling, engulfed the small Lord entirely. The smell of worn leather, beast musk, and hot iron accompanied him.

  "Sir Tanvir, if I may?" he asked, his voice a deep rumble that vibrated in the chests of those nearby, like a distant tremor.

  "Go ahead, what is it?" Tanvir asked, looking up, squinting against the sun blocking Varessh's face.

  "Are those two actually joining us?" Varessh asked, eyeing Raito skeptically. His heavy breath huffed out like a steam engine.

  "Looks like it," Tanvir sighed, the sound heavy with fatigue.

  "I know of Mr. Bob's experience traveling the dunes," Varessh said, his boots stomping the ground impatiently. "But what about the boy? He looks like he would be blown away by a nearby sandstorm. He smells of... softness."

  "Oh, Varessh," Tanvir shook his head, a grimace tightening his jaw. "That boy is the biggest problem we have right now."

  "Then I am correct," Varessh nodded sagely, his golden horn rings clinking softly. "We should force them to return—"

  "No, Varessh," Tanvir cut him off, his voice dropping to a whisper that barely carried over the wind. "The problem is not that the boy cannot handle himself. It's that the boy himself may become our source of danger."

  "What do you mean, Sir Tanvir?" Varessh asked, genuinely confused. He looked at Raito—a kid currently being scolded by his wife, picking at a loose thread on his trousers. He looked harmless. Fragile, even.

  Tanvir watched Raito, his ancient eyes dark with a worry that seemed to stretch back centuries.

  "I just hope I am wrong," Tanvir added softly, the words disappearing into the vast, uncaring silence of the desert.

  Moments later, Tanvir stood perched atop the royal carriage, silhouetted against the blinding sun like a gargoyle in a suit.

  "Alright, everyone!" he shouted, his amplified voice reverberating across the dunes, interrupting the adventurers polishing their armor and the scholars debating sand density.

  "Attention, attention! A little update to our plan."

  He gestured vaguely toward the duo. "Bob and that kid over there will be joining us as extras. Please pay no mind to them. Our plan mostly stays the same. That is all."

  The news was met with a wave of confusion from the main expedition group. Scholars blinked, wondering why a merchant and a boy were relevant. The Raging Bull adventurers grunted, indifferent.

  But then, a roar erupted from the rear guard.

  "Master Bob is joining us!"

  Bob's men—the drivers, the caravanners, the logistical backbone of the caravan—cheered, tossing their caps into the air. The presence of their legendary boss was a shot of pure morale, turning their grim determination into eager excitement.

  Bob beamed, waddling over to give high-fives to his grinning employees.

  "At least some of our members gained a second wind," Queen Aleena observed, watching the scene from the shaded window of her carriage.

  She leaned out slightly, waving a gloved hand. "Malik!"

  Malik, who was currently deep in conversation with a scout from the Raging Bull Guild about wind patterns, jumped.

  "Yes? Coming, Your Majesty!"

  He dropped his scroll, fumbled to pick it up, and practically jogged over to the royal carriage. "Did you call me?"

  "Malik, dear," the Queen asked, her voice calm amidst the bustle. "How far are we from our destination?"

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Malik adjusted his glasses, looking at the sun's position. "Uh, based on the scouting report and our current location... we should arrive at our target by sundown. That is, as long as everything go smoothly, the sand doesn't shift unexpectedly, or there are no beasts waiting for us."

  The Queen nodded, satisfied. "Alright. Thank you, Malik."

  Malik bowed nervously and scurried back to his post.

  Queen Aleena gave a subtle signal to Tanvir.

  "Alright, everyone!" Tanvir barked from his perch. "If you are done with whatever you are doing, it's time to pack up! We start moving again in ten minutes!"

  He looked down at Bob, who was climbing into his reinforced carriage.

  "Can you keep up?" Tanvir asked, a challenge in his voice.

  Bob grinned, slapping the reins against his palm. "With Tama on the harness? I will leave this group in the dust!"

  He winked. "Don't worry, old pal. Those two kids got me covered."

  "Alright, alright," Tanvir rolled his eyes, though a smile tugged at his lips. "go take care of your Tama then. We leave shortly.”

  The carriage lurched forward, the wooden wheels groaning against the shifting sand as Tama began her steady, rhythmic plod. Inside the reinforced cabin, the air was warm but shaded, a small respite from the sun's tyranny.

  Raito and Yukari nestled into the cramped space in the back, surrounded by crates of supplies and the smell of dry hay.

  "Welcome," Raito grinned, patting the empty spot beside him on the bench.

  Yukari sat down, on the opposite side, but she didn't smile back. She crossed her arms, turning her head to stare resolutely at a sack of grain. Her lower lip jutted out in a distinct pout.

  "I am still mad," she announced to the sack.

  "Why?" Raito asked, genuinely confused. He tilted his head, trying to catch her eye. "We're together now. Isn't that good?"

  "Because you promised you would sit still and wait for me," Yukari snapped, finally turning to glare at him. Her silver eyes flashed. "But you ignored that. Blatantly, I might add. And getting Bob caught up in this too? This is reckless, Raito. I can't believe you."

  She let out a large, heavy sigh that seemed to deflate the small space.

  Raito was taken aback. He opened his mouth to argue, then closed it. He completely understood where Yukari was coming from. He had broken his word. He had endangered a friend.

  But...

  At the same time, a nagging feeling pulled at his gut. Her anger felt... defensive. Like a shield. He felt she wasn't telling him the whole reason.

  The carriage swayed, rocking them gently side to side. Dust motes danced in the shafts of light cutting through the shutter slats.

  "Okay," Raito spoke finally, his voice soft. "I am reckless. I am sorry. That I will admit."

  He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "But... can you please tell me if the reason you don't want me here is only because you think that? Or is there something more?"

  Yukari stiffened. She held his gaze for a long moment, the silence stretching thin.

  Then, she sighed, her shoulders dropping. "Something more," she admitted blatantly.

  She pointed a finger at his chest. "Mostly, about your Black Flame."

  "You mean the thing that everyone keeps talking about?" Raito looked down at himself. "The thing I myself don't understand?"

  "Yes. Precisely that," Yukari nodded. "That is mostly why Mother wanted you benched. It's dangerous."

  She studied his face. "Do you… really not know what the Black Flame is? Or how you act under its influence?"

  Raito shook his head. "No, not really. I still feel like myself, to be honest. Nothing out of the ordinary for me."

  "Not even..." Yukari gulped, her voice dropping to a whisper. "What you did to Kaden?"

  "He deserved it," Raito said instantly.

  His lips curled into a cold, lifeless grin. His eyes went dead, void of all warmth.

  Then, in a fraction of a second—snap.

  "Nope," Raito said, his face relaxing back into his usual, warm, goofy smile. He blinked, as if the previous second hadn't happened.

  Yukari recoiled, pressing her back against the wooden wall. "See! See?! That! There it is again!"

  She pointed a trembling finger at him. "What is happening to you?"

  Raito froze. He looked at her fear, then looked away, staring at his hands. His mind felt fuzzy, unable to process what she had just pointed out. He felt... fine. Why was she looking at him like he was a monster?

  "I... I am not sure," he whispered.

  Yukari watched him. She saw the confusion; the boy she loved struggling against something unseen.

  She moved, sliding across the bench until her thigh pressed against his.

  "Hey," she asked softly. "Do you remember your promise?"

  Raito looked up, flustered by the sudden proximity. "Which one? There are many."

  "List them all," Yukari demanded, her voice brooking no argument.

  Raito sighed, a small smile touching his lips as he recited the words that had become his compass.

  "To always be there for you," he began, counting on his fingers. "To stand beside you. To enjoy life as best as we can. To never let you go. To make sure no harm ever come for you. And to never leave you alone. Every one of my promise to you, including the ones I added since our journey started."

  “Good, you remembered. Still the same as mine.” Yukari replied with a quiet chuckle.

  He reached out, gently patting the top of her head. "How could I forget? Those are pretty much my mantra, ever since we ran away together."

  Yukari leaned into his touch, closing her eyes.

  "Then, as long as our mantra are the same... I'll keep believing in you. I want to keep trusting that you are always going to be you. And that you will never change."

  Bob smiled from the driver's seat. He didn't turn around, keeping his eyes on the shifting dunes ahead, but his shoulders relaxed. He had overheard the quiet conversation, the reaffirmation of vows in the back of his dusty carriage. It warmed his heart more than the desert sun ever could.

  "Why do you lie?"

  The voice was a whisper, but it didn't come from outside. It felt like it was birthed directly inside Raito's ear canal, slithering down into his brain like liquid ice. It was sinister, cold, and dripping with malice.

  Raito perked up, his head snapping to the side as if stung.

  "I know you remember more than you let on," the voice hissed again, echoing in the hollows of his skull.

  Raito looked around frantically. Left. Right. At the sacks of grain. At the wooden slats. At Yukari. There was no one else there.

  "What's wrong?" Yukari asked, her eyes snapping open, instantly noticing his sudden agitation. Her hand hovered near his knee.

  Raito blinked, the echo of the voice fading into the rattle of the carriage wheels. He wiped a sudden bead of cold sweat from his forehead, his heart hammering against his ribs.

  "No... nothing," Raito stammered, offering a weak, brittle smile. "Must be the heat. Getting to me."

  He reached for his flask, his fingers fumbling with the cork. "Let me get some water."

  He took a long, desperate drink, avoiding her gaze.

  Yukari didn't say anything. She just watched him, her silver eyes reflecting a depth of worry that words couldn't fix.

  The journey continued, settling into a rhythm of safe normalcy that felt almost deceptive after the morning's drama. There were a few beasts here and there—scorpions the size of dogs and aggressive dune lizards—that tried to challenge the caravan's security, but they were nothing that the Raging Bull adventurers couldn't handle with practiced ease. Varessh's men moved like a well-oiled machine, clearing the path before the royal carriages even felt a bump.

  As they pushed deeper into the desert, the terrain became harsher. The golden sand turned coarser, mixed with jagged rocks, and the dunes grew steeper, like frozen waves of a violently churning sea. The heat intensified, baking the air until it felt thick enough to chew.

  Yet, Bob's men proved their worth a hundred times over. With reins gripped in steady, calloused hands, they steered the heavy carriages over treacherous ridges and through shifting valleys with an expertise born of a lifetime on the road. The caravan didn't falter.

  Just like that, time seemed to blur.

  Maybe it was the heat haze, or maybe it was the few grains of sand dust that found their way into Raito’s eyes as he peered outside, but the hours melted away.

  Before they knew it, the lead scout signaled a halt.

  The air changed.

  Not in temperature—but in pressure, as if the desert itself were holding its breath.

  They had arrived.

  With plenty of sunlight left to spare, the group crested a final, massive dune.

  There it was.

  The massive silver metallic structure dominated the field of vision. It was half-buried in the sand, just as the photograph had shown, but the picture failed to capture the sheer, alien scale of it. It gleamed under the sun, not with a blinding reflection, but with a dull, matte sheen that seemed to swallow the light rather than reflect it.

  It sat there, silent, unmoving, imposing—a tomb of metal waiting to be opened.

  "We are here!" Tanvir barked from his lookout position.

  Getting closer, the carriages one by one skidded to a halt, the wheels churning up clouds of dust.

  "Men! Establish security perimeter!" Varessh barked orders to his guild, his voice booming over the wind. "No beast shall enter our formation!"

  "Men! We also should not fall behind!" Bob roared, jumping down from his own carriage. "Prepare the camps! Secure the water!"

  Meanwhile, Malik and his scholar colleagues were already moving closer to the structure, their fatigue forgotten in the face of discovery. They moved like ants toward sugar, establishing their own stands, setting up examination desks, and preparing sample jars.

  Each part of the expedition moved swiftly, securing their spot while the sun was still up.

  The Queen stepped down from her carriage, her boots sinking slightly into the sand. Zhu and Mila flanked her instantly.

  "Tanvir!" she called out.

  Tanvir jumped down from the top of the royal carriage, landing deftly despite the height.

  "Yes, Your Majesty?" He knelt in the sand.

  "I will be joining Malik," Queen Aleena said, adjusting her desert veil. "I assume you got everything here under control?"

  "Yes, Your Majesty," Tanvir said, rising.

  With that, the Queen nods, moving with Mila toward the scholar group, her boots crunching the sands below.

  Zhu watched them go, then turned to Tanvir. Her face was etched with a rare uncertainty.

  "I hope this place really has what we are looking for," Zhu said quietly.

  "Hoping is all we can do," Tanvir replied, watching the alien metal structure. "Let's just trust Malik and the Queen."

  Zhu nodded.

  On the side, Raito and Yukari stood watching the hive of activity.

  "So..." Raito asked, shifting his weight. "What should we do to help?"

  Yukari shrugged, adjusting her Lady Huanli-style belt. "Don't look at me. I'm here as the Queensguard. You are the one who forced yourself here."

  Raito opened his mouth to joke—then stopped.

  For once, he wasn’t sure humor was safe.

  "Malik, status," Queen Aleena asked, her voice shedding the velvet softness of the court and taking on the sharp, clipped authority of an invigorated ex-scholar.

  "Um... um..." Malik looked at the Queen, his arms overflowing with sample jars, rolled parchment scrolls, and a loose feather pen that was tickling his nose. "Basically, still the same as when I left it, Your Majesty."

  "So no change even with time," the Queen murmured, tapping her chin with a gloved finger. She stared at the matte silver surface. "Any way to enter? Or is it even possible to open?"

  "Not that we know of so far," Malik admitted, shifting the heavy load in his arms.

  "Alright," the Queen nodded decisively. "Good job, Malik. Go back to what you are doing. I will be here to help with the translation of the exterior runes."

  "What?" Malik stumbled, nearly dropping a jar of sand. "I can't let you do that!"

  "And why not?" the Queen asked, raising an eyebrow.

  "Because you are the Queen!" Malik squeaked.

  Queen Aleena threw her head back and laughed, a bright, clear sound in the desert air. "Nonsense! Status don't mean a thing here in the field. Let your mother-in-law do what she can, alright?"

  She tapped Malik briskly on the shoulder and moved past him to support the other scholars, immediately pointing out a pattern deviation on the metal wall.

  "Is that even allowed?" Malik whispered, turning to Mila.

  Mila smirked, adjusting her grip on her greatsword. "Queen Aleena is not as weak as you think she is. There is more about your mother-in-law that you still don't know." She also tapped Malik on the shoulder, harder this time, before following her charge.

  A short time later, while Malik was furiously scribbling notes, a shadow fell over his desk.

  "Malik!" Raito called out, with Yukari standing by his side.

  "Oh, Raito," Malik sighed, putting aside his scrolls. "Glad you can join us. What's up?"

  "Anything I can do to help?" Raito asked, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

  "You?" Malik looked at the delicate instruments and the fragile ancient dust. "Absolutely not."

  Raito pouted, his shoulders dropping.

  "Really nothing, Malik?" Yukari pleaded, gesturing to her husband. "At least let this idiot hold some scrolls or something. His fidgeting stresses me out. He's vibrating."

  "Sorry, but no," Malik said firmly, adjusting his glasses. "This is an important discovery, not a room needed to be cleaned. Everything here is sensitive material. One sneeze could set us back decades."

  "You heard him," Yukari said, crossing her arms.

  Raito slumped against a crate.

  "Sorry," Malik softened his tone slightly. "But unless..."

  Raito and Yukari perked up instantly. "Unless?"

  "Unless there is some mind-bending danger that appears out of nowhere and requires a meat shield..." Malik mused sarcastically. "Which is highly unli—"

  "Umph!"

  Two hands—one calloused, one soft—slammed over Malik’s mouth simultaneously.

  "Do not say those stuff!" Yukari and Raito hissed in unison, their eyes wide with panic.

  But as they stopped the scholar from finishing the sentence, a sound vibrated through the air.

  GRIND-CLANK-ROAR.

  It was a loud, rhythmic roaring of grinding gears and hissing steam. It wasn't coming from the ground. It seemed to come from directly above them.

  Raito and Yukari slowly let go of Malik's mouth.

  "Too late," Raito whispered, his hand going to Koenka.

  "He jinxed us," Yukari groaned.

  The two grabbed Malik and ran from the scholar's booth, dragging him out into the open sand.

  Outside, the desert was still bathed in sunlight, but the spot they were standing on was suddenly swallowed by a deep, unnatural darkness. It wasn't a cloud. It was a shadow.

  "What are we dealing with here?" Raito shouted to the sky, his thumb clicking Koenka loose from its scabbard.

  It answered him. Or rather, two of it answered him.

  BOOM. BOOM.

  Two massive shapes slammed into the sand, kicking up a tidal wave of dust. The impact shook the dunes like a localized earthquake.

  When the dust settled, the camp froze in horror.

  Two giant mechanical beasts stood before them. They possessed the muscular bodies and terrifying manes of lions, but their tails were long, segmented chains ending in snapping snake heads. Massive wings, constructed of overlapping brass feathers, extended from their backs.

  They were unmistakably made of metal—brass, steel, and iron—with gears whirring visibly inside their open ribcages.

  "What is that?!" Bob shouted, retreating behind his carriage.

  "Mila! Guard the Queen!" Zhu barked her orders instantly, her body glowing with crimson energy.

  "Raging Bull! I want all of you to guard the rest of the caravans!" Tanvir shouted from atop the royal carriage, his voice cutting through the panic.

  "What is that, Sir Tanvir?!" Varessh roared, swinging his axe to the ready. "A golem?"

  Tanvir didn't answer the adventurer. He turned to Zhu, his face pale.

  "IT’s creation," Zhu murmured, her eyes locked on the gears.

  "Unmistakably," Tanvir said, his voice grim. "They reek of IT's signature."

  "You think they are here for us? Or maybe the boy?" Zhu asked, stepping forward.

  "That would be the best, honestly," Tanvir said. "But..."

  The mechanical beasts didn't even look at the group of armed humans below them. Their glass-lens eyes ignored Raito, ignored the Lords, ignored the Queen.

  Instead, they looked directly at the metallic structure half-buried in the sand.

  SKREEEEEONK!

  They roared once more—a sound of metal tearing against metal.

  "Of course," Tanvir sighed. "The worst will always be the choice."

  "I'm guessing whatever is in there," Zhu said, "is the treasure we are looking for."

  “Unfortunately,” Tanvir said, elemental energy flaring, “we hit the jackpot.”

  As if responding to the beasts' presence, the metallic structure began to hum—a deep, resonant, quiet vibration.