“Come on, where did they go?” I grunted. I was blindly cutting through the thick winds of the sandstorm, trotting in the direction where I last saw the panther's footprints on the sand before they vanished. Unprepared, lost, and short on time, I pressed onwards unwilling to let Ahuizotl escape. The world was at stake and my reputation was on the line. Not once in my entire career had I let Ahuizotl even come near to accomplishing his villainous plots, and I wasn't going to start. Ahuizotl escaping from me is a deadly nightmare that may come true and without any real details of his true plan. I knew that if Ahuizotl managed to escape he'll try execute his plan as fast as possible, without leaving a trail, and once completed no one will be able to stop him.
Even though the sun wasn’t visible anymore, I could still feel it’s overwhelming heat slowly draining me away with every step I took, but that was no excuse to turn back. Even if I did I wouldn't be able to find my way out of this sandstorm, so I kept moving.
I continued to wander aimlessly for several minutes, perhaps hour searching for any clues that Ahuizotl may have left behind. All the while the sun’s overwhelming heat sapped me of energy.
“Stupid sandstorm. Stupid sun. Stupid lying thief," I scolded as I started to slow down, "I can’t... lose … Ahuizotl.” I gasped, finally collapsing in exhaustion. It was impossible to breath any clean air with the sandstorm picking up so much dust, but I didn't have a choice. I could've easily flown above and stayed ahead of the storm, and maybe even caught Ahuizotl by surprise, but thanks to that damn thief for breaking my wing I'm going to die here. I laid on the ground staring up into the sand covered skies, regarding for ever venturing out here in the first place and not heeding the Doc’s warning.
“I’m sorry, Doc! I’m sorry world for letting you down! I’m sorry!” I yelled in frustration, as I started to feel light headed. I couldn’t comprehend that I was starting to suffer badly from dehydration, when I began to see silhouettes whisk left and right, followed by the unworldly whistling of the wind and a faint voice saying “Daring.”
“HUH! Who’s there?” I called out as the shadows disappeared and reappeared closer to me, blurring out of sight every time I looked for them, and hearing the voice grew louder. Fearing that it was Ahuizotl’s ponies that had found me, or something far worse. I laid on the ground and kept silent, hoping that whatever it was would leave me alone. But my surroundings were getting the best of me as my eyelids grew heavy and began to close. I could feel my life slipping away with every heavy breath I took. Truly, this couldn’t be the end for me.
"No! I'm going to die here."
“Daring!” The faint voice had grown into a shout, creeping ever closer towards me. All I could do was close my eyes and lay there, hoping that whatever it was would just pass me by. I was too weak and tried to even get up and fight back or run away.
I laid there in a moment of paralyzing fear, as I heard someone or something walk towards me.
“Found you.” I dared to look up, and even in the blistering heat, I could feel my blood freeze in fear. A shadowy figure towered over me and stared back down. Slowly reaching out to grab me with five massive claws and a huge palm. I could only assume that it was Ahuizotl, taking my weak body away for all sorts of punishing torture as a form of vengeance. I could barely stay awake as I was being dragged away to my impending doom, fighting to stay conscious for a minute longer.
“No...” I murmured as I finally fainted in exhaustion, with my final thought being, What's going to happen to me
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I stared at Daring's unconscious body, as the Doc kept talking to her hoping that she would soon wake up, secretly so did I. I didn't want my efforts rescuing Daring from the sandstorm to amount to nothing, also because I hate to see anypony lose a family member. Plus, if she died I won't be able to be set free by the General, without her saying so.
"Oh, Daring. Please wake up." Doc pleaded while holding her hoof. As if answering his prayer, Daring slowly fluttered her eyes open and was greeted with the Doc's familiar smile.
"Where am I?" Daring said, as she tried to sit up straight. Doc tried to keep her resting for her own good, but she insisted on sitting up.
"You're back in the encampment." said the Doc, as he pointed outside. Daring gazed around and saw that she was inside a tent, with a bundle of medical supplies scattered on the floor and some medics treating other patients. She was able to get a peek outside the tent, through the tent’s flaps. Indeed, she was back at the campsite only this time it was flooded with soldiers, guards, and medics, looking left and right for clues under every torn tent, toppled pillar, and burned piles of tarp, trying to figure out what happen here.
“Daring, good to see that you're well,” said the General, as he walked in to check up with Daring and Doc. "I hope that your are well rested."
“General, what's going on and when did you get here?” Daring asked, as she climbed out of her bed with the Doc’s aid.
“We arrived at the same time you were being drag back here. I must say it was pretty bold of you to venture out into a sandstorm, but stupid nonetheless.” he said. I chuckled at the General's insult and thought of how humiliating it must be to be scolded at like a little foal getting in trouble for mischief.
"Yeah. I admitted too. But what did you mean by 'dragged back?’ I was pretty sure that Ahuizotl caught me..."
"Not, Ahuizotl. Him." Daring tilted her head in confusion as he pointed to me, finally acknowledging that I was in the same tent with her, getting my gashes cleaned and bandaged. I put on my duster and shemagh, once the medics finished, but before I could grabbed my gauntlet the General cuffed my hoof to the bed where I was sitting on.
“WHAT THE!! What this for!?” I asked as I frantically jerked the cuff trying to break free. The General just stood there and shushed me like an unruly colt.
“You?!” Daring shouted in disbelief, thinking that the General was playing some cruel prank, "Why?"
“So you'll tell the General to set me free, that's why!” I replied on instinct flashing her the cuff, but I didn’t want to admit the true reason why.
“As if. Because of you I lost Ahuizotl and have no true intel on his plan."
I couldn't believe that even after I selflessly gave up my freedom and loot, saved the the Doc's life, told her all I knew about Ahuizotl, and fought by her side, she was still being an ungrateful pegasus that thought I was a good-for-nothing lying thief. And now I'm going to be sent to jail all thanks to her.
“That's not completely true, Daring. See, when I was held captive by Ahuizotl I manage to hear some of Ahuizotl's evil scheme.”
"Really!?" Daring said excitedly.
"Indeed. But I didn't get away unscathed." He said, rubbing a bandaged cut on his leg.
"So tell us, Doc," the General asked, "I'll like to know what happened to my guards."
"Right."
The Doc explained that Ahuizotl ambushed the camp last night, looking for Daring and a scroll that contained a fraction of the details showing how to reach one of the temples. Ahuizotl apparently captured all of the General's guards and took them elsewhere, saying that he had need of them later, but the Doc never did hear for what exactly or where they were being taken to. Doc mention that Ahuizotl had some of his hench ponies trying to open the coffin inside the tomb, but they failed. The Doc said it was still unclear why they were trying to open it, but he knew was that whatever was inside, Ahuizotl wanted it badly. Immediately, the General sent a crew into the tomb to see if they could open the sarcophagus. Doc finished his explanation, "But before I was punished for listening. I heard Ahuizotl say, 'Staff of Souls'. Which I assume is the staff mentioned on the tomb's hieroglyphics." After hearing all of this I couldn't help myself but be interested on the conversation and just like Daring, Doc, and the General also question, What on earth is Ahuizotl planning?
"Well that gives us a lot of information, but none of it helps us get any closer to Ahuizotl." the General mused as he trotted back and forth. "Doc, by any chance do you remember the details on how to reach the temple you mentioned?"
"Yeah, that'll give us at least a place where to start looking," Daring agreed.
"Of course I do." Doc replied.
"Let see. How did it go... Ohh right! 'Follow the path towards the rising star and let it shed its light. Between a valley in the sleeping sands, it lays. Hidden from sight, only to shine and guide in morning's time. Inside the temple you will find that which grants you desert's life'. "
"Why do they always write it in riddles? Was that like their way of having fun while building tombs?" Daring questioned. I asked myself the same thing.
"Very well. Towards the rising star... Rising star? They must be talking about the sun and ‘Follow the path towards it’, means... Go east from here. Sleeping sands and a valley?" the General pondered, “I think we’ll need a map for that.” The General pulled out a map from one of the bags thrown on the floor and started to search for such a place that fit such a description. I couldn’t stop thinking that I’ve been to such a place before, but I couldn’t remember, my memory was hazy.
"Did you find any place that's east from here that fits the description?" Daring asked, as she scanned another map helping the General with his search.
"No. I-"
"General," a guard barged in sweating and panting heavily, looking like he was about to pass out, holding a small piece of torn scroll, "We... Found...".
"Breathe! Soldier! Breathe! Catch your breath and speak clearly," the soldier huffed and puffed until finally he caught his breath, "What is it, soldier?"
"Sir, we were finally able to open the tomb.There wasn’t a body inside the tomb, but only this piece of paper." Well at least now I know it was a waste to come here in the first place.
"Good job, soldier. You and the rest take a break for your effort." the General said. The soldier hoofed over the paper and left with a smile, eager to tell the rest the good news.
"What is it?" Daring asked, as the General inspected the piece. The General tilted the paper in various angles, before giving up on it.
"It seems to be some sort of writing." the General hoofed the torn script to Daring and Doc.
Doc and Daring inspected the piece of torn scroll for awhile, trying to decipher the writing, while the General continued his search on the maps, but their efforts were in vain.
"I'm ashamed to say, but I can't translate the writing. Not without my reference books." Doc said.
"What happen to them?" Daring asked.
"Ahuizotl stolen them."
"Maybe I can help," I spoke up,"I can decipher it for you. If you're willing to help me out too."
"Really?" The Doc said, intrigued at my offer.
"Don't listen to him, Doc. He's full of it. He probably doesn't know anything." Daring scolded.
"Hold on, Daring. In my many years of being a guard I came to learn that all thieves share something in common with one another. And that is that they cannot lie while in custody because of some silly old curse, or so I’ve heard. Am I correct?" the General explained.
"Yes. It’s called the ‘Raider’s Curse’." I answered honestly, proving his point.
"So tell me, can you decipher it?" the General asked.
"Yes, I can. Pass it here, but I expect something return." I said gesturing to the cuff.
"If you decipher it. I might consider it." the General said hoofing over the old torn paper.
"Let's see... thats an 'E'. That one there is a 'W'." I wrote down the letters on the sheet of the bed to keep track of which symbols I had already deciphered.
"It's says, Devil's Maw." I replied.
"DEVIL'S MAW? What does that mean?" Everypony questioned.
"The Devil's Maw. It’s where the temple is located." I replied, remembering why those drawings looked familiar.
"That’s where the temple is located?" Daring exclaimed, "I'll look for it on the map."
"You won't find it in any of your maps." I told them, before they wasted their time searching.
"Why is that?" the General asked.
"Because you’d need a map that is at least one-thousand years old."
"Do you have one?" The General asked, wisely using The Raider's Curse to his advantage.
"Yeah. But I left it behind in the supply cart I snuck in. The map alone won't do you any good either. You need somepony that has already been there to guide you or else you’ll fall to your death." I explained giving out more information than I wanted too, but being bound to the Raider’s Curse, I must answer with absolute honesty or suffer the worst.
"So tell me: have you been to that temple before and do you know how to get there?" Doc asked.
"Yes. I remember finding it by accident, but I still know where it is." I answered having a flashback as I did.
I was running down a desert plain, where there was no wind, clouds, or hills at all. The plains were barren and dull, as if all life just suddenly died off or never even existed. The most strange and unsettling part yet was how the sand would fall straight down when you tossed it into the air, even when one could feel an eerie breeze running through their mane. It was unnatural, unnerving and down right frightening, as if some looming evil was nearby... stalking you. But then you remembered you’re all alone, which only makes it more disturbing. When I finished explaining to them, the General seemed unphased, Doc was quivering in fright and holding onto Daring’s hoof, but intrigued and fascinated nonetheless, and as for Daring, she wore an eager grin of excitement just on the thought of going into this haunted lands. Undeterred by what I just said, she was ready to run into those sands head first. Blind and completely oblivious to the dangers of journeying into them unprepared.
“Suddenly, I fell down a hidden valley and landed on giant pile of sand and when I looked up there it was. That exact same temple.” I finished trying to remember more about what happened afterwards, but I just couldn't. I shook it off and began to shake my cuff, "So what are you waiting for? Set me free. A promise is a promise."
"I said 'I might consider it', but if you help us reach the temple and Ahuizotl. I'll set you free for good."
"That wasn't the part of the deal," I proclaimed refusing to hear another word, "I deciphered the paper for you and you would consider letting me go. I told you more than enough information to make up for my previous lies. So there! Now set me free."
"You don't understand. You have to help us." I was starting to get irritated by the General’s constant persuasion.
"I don't have to help you at all! In fact, I should've already been set free by now for saving their lives! This whole 'we-gotta-stop-Ahuizotl' is your problem! Not mine!" I ranted.
"That may be true, but listen. If-"
"No! You listen me! You owe me... No! I deserve to be set free! Now!" I demanded not even letting him explain.
I kept shouting over the General’s explanation, preventing from being able to finish a single sentence, until finally he couldn't take it and snapped.
"Would you shut up! You're annoying, ignorant brat! I'm trying to help you here, but you keep acting like a witty foal throwing a tantrum! If you would just listen I would've warned you that it wouldn't matter if I let you go! Because if you don't help us, you and the world will probably be dead by tomorrow morning!" the General shouted at the top of his lungs. Not a single noise was heard throughout the whole camp as the General's rampage echoed. We were all left in shock and stared at the General, truly surprised, for none of us would ever expect such an outburst from him.
"I apologize for that." he finally spoke up, clearing his throat, trying to be the adult of the situation and pretend that nothing had happened.
"What do you mean, 'it wouldn't matter’?" I asked in a shaky voice, playing along, and letting this incident be a by gone.
"Ahuizotl will probably take over the world by tomorrow morning if you don’t help us," He began to explain in a calm and collect tone. "Since you already interfered with his plans by saving them both," He said pointing at Daring and Doc, "He will not hesitate to kill you and anypony that you know. Do you understand what will be the consequences if you don't help us?" He finished, honestly I didn't know how to respond.
Once again, I found myself going back and forth in my mind battle, thinking of the ups and downs of helping them. Half of me believed that if I helped them out they might let me go and I'll return home with my loot. Leaving this whole problem behind me and maybe even getting some sort of reward for helping out. But the other half wasn't agreeing. I just couldn't hoof over my trust to them and not expect for him to backstab me. He might represent justice and honesty, but I had my doubts.
"Now you have the choice of leaving here, taking your bag of loot, pretending none of this ever happened, and enjoying the last few hours you got,” He said as he unlocking the cuff and hoofed over my gauntlet to me, “Or help us stop this and finally in your life become somepony. A hero! Like that little colt mentioned at the city. Remember?" Nibs!? "There's a reason he called you a 'hero'. Truly, I don't why, but he might have been right about you. Don't you want to prove him right?"
I lowered my head in disappointment, because for a moment I had forgotten about him and everypony else I know. Even after seeing me in a cage shackled, beaten, told that I was a thief, a monster, and a low-life. He still stood up for me and believed better of me by saying that I was his 'hero' and probably everypony else in the orphanage thought so too. I also remembered the night I spent with Sapphire, who confessed to me that I was her hero too. Even after I told her myself that I was no hero she still stood strong to her belief. Now that I had a chance to become one, how could I say no? And if I did, I wouldn't live long enough to see my horrible mistake and neither would they. Making my mind up and remembering what I truly stood for and believed in, I looked up at the General and confidently said, "I'll help you."
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At The Devil's Maw
"Master Ahuizotl, we lost two of your sand sliders, four of our ponies, the twelve soldiers we brought as slaves, and two days worth of supplies." One of the minions reported to Ahuizotl, as they both walked up to the wreckage of his two sand sliders that had fallen to the bottom of the valley and several carcasses that scattered the area.
"Idiotas!! No sirven para nada!!" Ahuizotl ranted in his native language, truly outraged.
"Pardon, master?"
"Nothing! Lead the rest of my sliders down through the valley's entrance and have some ponies scavenge anything useful from the remains of the others." Ahuizotl commanded.
"Yes, master. Right way, but what about the bodies?"
"Leave them to buzzards. I have no sympathy for idiots. And lets hurry up! Get some dynamite and blow open this temple door! Hurry! We need to get every Soul artifact before Daring finds us!" Ahuizotl ordered, rushing his hench ponies to get working.
"But, master. I'm pretty sure we lost her back in the sandstorm." His minion assured.
"For the meantime we have. But don't be fooled, I know that she will eventually find us. Of that I'm certain. So get working. I'll be in my tent." Ahuizotl told his minion.
Ahuizotl retreated to his tent, sat on his fine leather chair and spread out a large burned map across his desk, with a mark on the Scorpio Sea.
"I can't believe that I almost burned such a beautiful map," He said as he began to circle his desk to examine the whole map.
"You and your new partner may have survived my brilliant trap, but mark my words, this the last time I underestimate you, Daring Do.Trust me that once I get my hands on the three Soul Artifacts. Nothing in the world will stop me! Not even you! MWAHHH!"
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