A portal spell gone wrong sends Rainbow Dash much farther than originally intended, and crashing into the unexplored and endless desert of the Red Sands.
A portal spell gone wrong sends Rainbow Dash much farther than originally intended, and chrashing into the unexplored and seemingly endless desert of the Red Sands.
Rainbow Dash's mind constantly swayed between consciousness and darkness. She remembered Twilight's portal, how it had wavered as she passed through... the force that had tossed her around violently... and the cold air that had hit her face when she exited it.
When she had opened her eyes however, it hadn't been Canterlot that she saw. She remember the endless sea of red beneath her that stretched endlessly as far as she could see, and she remembered falling towards a maze of countless little lights that shone like stars as she plummeted towards it. Then... nothing.
Rainbow Dash awoke with a start, trying to jump to her hooves but failing miserably as pain shot through one of her legs and her left wing. She let out a cry of pain and fell down again, breathing heavily as the pain started to disappear at an agonizingly slow speed.
She looked around herself, trying to make out her surroundings and realizing in dread that she was in what appeared to be a dungeon. Above her, a small lamp gave off a flickering light. Rainbow Dash was positioned on a strangely long makeshift bed, and her front leg and left wing were covered in tight bandages, giving off pain whenever she tried to move them.
She eyed the stone walls of her dimly lit cell with fear, the heavy door on the other side of the room seemed far too large to be made by any ponies. A terrifying thought planted itself in her mind... "Where am I?" she whispered.
---
"My queen..." he bowed on one of his knees, holding his head low and averting his eyes, "You have demanded my presence?"
"Husam al Din..." the queen said with a small smile, "It is good to see that the leader of my Sand Blades is still as punctual as ever."
"I live to serve." he replied while keeping his head low.
"Please, rise... sword of the faith." she talked with a kind voice.
Slowly, he rose to his feet, keeping his head low and his eyes on the floor nonetheless while being careful that the bells on the scimitar at his side didn't give off the slightest sound.
"As always, your modesty puts me to shame... please, raise your head so we may talk face to face."
"Of course, my queen." he raised his head, the turban and the veils around his face only showing his sharp, black eyes.
"You always had the eyes of a hawk..." she said with a sad smile, "Never resting and always vigilant..." her face became serious, "Do you know why I called for you?"
"I presume it is connected to the incident of last night." he replied.
"What have you heard?" she asked.
"My blades have informed me that a strange creature crashed into one of the mosques... by the description they gave me, it seems to be a small and strangely colored pegasus."
"And as always you have your eyes and ears everywhere." she smiled, "Tell me, have the citizens taken notice?"
He shook his head, "My blades were fast enough to remove the creature from the site. The citizens are unaware of what happened."
She sighed, "Good. I wish this to be kept a secret as long as possible. Tell me, what have you found out about our visitor?"
He pondered on her question for a moment, "It seems to be female, and it broke a leg and sprained one of its wings when it crashed. Also..." he paused, "It has been talking in its sleep."
The queen raised an eyebrow in surprise, "So she is intelligent?"
"It..." he corrected himself, "She appears to be. However, we were unable to translate the language yet."
"And where is she now?"
"After I had her injuries seen to, I had her placed in one of our dungeons, to keep her away from prying eyes. Only the Sand Blades and you have access there."
She nodded, "That is well for the time being, but I wish to find out more about our guest and her origin. Go to her, try to communicate with her and find out where she came from."
"And if she refuses?" he asked.
"Do what you must, but I would welcome a diplomatic approach above all should we actually be faced with an unknown species or country."
He bowed, "Of course, my queen."
---
Rainbow Dash tried in vain to move again, but just like before she failed due to the pain in her leg. She was sure by now that it was broken. She looked around herself once more, trying desperately to find something to help her, but aside from a small stool at the far side of the room and a bucket there was nothing.
She froze when she heard a key being turned in the large lock of the door and the sound of a bolt being drawn back echoed through the room. Quickly, she put her head down and tried to look like she was asleep. Maybe, if she was quick enough she could make a jump for the door on three legs.
Rainbow Dash listened as steps so silent she could barely make them out approached her, and she cringed in dismay when she heard the door being pulled shut again. She heard someone pull the stool up to her bed and a sound of something being set down followed it, and then... silence.
For what felt like antagonizing minutes, she kept her eyes shut and waited for something to happen, but nothing did. When her anxiety became unbearable, she finally opened her eyes a crack... and looked at the strangest creature she had ever seen.
Its whole form was covered in black robes, even its head was wrapped in the black cloth that formed a strange sort of bonnet on what she assumed was its head. A sheathed and curved sword was bound to its side, numerous small bells hanging from the hilt motionlessly. How had it entered without those giving off a single sound?
She studied its head, and between the black cloth she could make out a set of jet-black eyes that looked incredibly sharp and capturing. What surprised her was that the creature appeared to be kneeling, a small tray with several bowls was placed on the stool it had pulled up to her bed. But even kneeling the creature was still as tall as she was.
For a moment the two just looked at one another, and Rainbow Dash found herself lost as its eyes bore into her own.
Then, with a fluid and slow motion, the creature reached out and picked up a small bow in its left hand. It held out the bow towards her, and she recognized there was water inside.
".الشراب. الماء" it spoke with a masculine voice.
Rainbow Dash simply stared at him in wonder, she had never heard a language like that before, "What?"
He tilted his head, "ألست عطشاناً؟" he held the bowl closer to her, ".الماء" his voice didn't sound threatening and he spoke slowly.
For a moment she hesitated, but then she reached out with her undamaged leg and took the bowl from his hand. When her lips touched the clear liquid, she realized for the first time how thirsty she was and drowned the whole bowl in one go.
He chuckled as he watched her, "لا تركضي، بل امشي على مهلك."
She turned to him as she finished the bowl with a small smile, "Thanks."
He nodded, "لا شكر على الواجب."
Rainbow Dash frowned as she tried in vain to make sense of his words. But then he reached up with his left hand and laid it flat over his chest, "Husam." he pronounced carefully, "Husam al Din." he patted his chest as he repeated the words.
For a moment, she didn't understand but then she realized he was telling her his name, "Hussamalldi?" she tried to repeat his words.
"Husam al Din."
"Husam al Din." she carefully repeated the words, and his nodding told her she had gotten it right.
He pointed his left palm at her, "ما اسمُك؟"
Rainbow Dash pointed her hoof at her own chest, "My name?"
"Mie name?" he tilted his head.
"No." she shook her head. She patted her chest with her hoof, "Rainbow Dash."
"Ranbuu..."
"Rainbow..."
"Rainbow..."
"Dash..."
He seemed to contemplate her words for a moment, "Rainbow Dash."
Husam reached out slowly and took the bowl from her again, placing it on the small tablet and lifting up another bowl in the process. He held it out for her, ".هنا, طعام" he said with a kind voice, ".الكسكسي"
Rainbow Dash eyed the little bowl in conflict, it seemed there was some kind of cooked grains inside and she was hungry, but what if they planned to poison her? What if they had poisoned her already? What if the water had contained some sort of drug? She mentally cursed herself for simply drinking the water without thinking first. Why else would they have put her in this dungeon?
He seemed to sense her conflict. Husam shifted the bowl to his right hand and used the left to reach up to his veiled head. Rainbow Dash watched in wonder as he undid several pieces of string and cloth, the black veil covering his face falling aside to reveal his features.
As alien as his face looked to her, she couldn't help but feel that he was young. His features seemed kind, but there was a long scar that ran up from his chin and across his mouth to end under his nose, a red streak among lightly tanned skin.
He picked up some of the food inside the bowl and placed it is in his mouth, chewing happily before holding the bowl towards her again, ".أكل.أنت في مكان آمن"
She hesitated for a moment, but then her stomach reminded Rainbow Dash of her hunger. Carefully, she reached out, took the bowl from his hand and toke a bite from the food inside. It didn't taste bad... spurred by her hunger she started to eat hastily.
Husam watched her shovel the food down with slight amusement and a small smile. As she continued to eat, he reached up and carefully redid the veils and cloth to cover his face again. He continued to watch her in silence as she ate, amazed by her colorful appearance and wondering about what world could bring forth a being such as her.
When she had emptied the bowl, she looked up at him with a small smile, "Thank you."
Again, he only nodded, "لا شكر على الواجب."
As he retrieved the bowl from her, he eyed her splinted leg with slight worry. He pointed to it with his hand, "كيف حالك؟"
"My leg?" her eyes followed his hand, "Hurts like hell..." she winced as she tried to move it.
He observed her pained face for a moment before reaching out to pick up the last bowl from the tray, and Rainbow Dash could see a green liquid inside.
".الشراب" he said and pointed to her leg, ".لن يؤلم" he held up the bowl again and beckoned for her to take it.
She took the bowel from his hand and eyed it with suspicion, wondering what it was. She didn't really trust the green color, but he hadn't done anything unfriendly yet... she made a decision to trust him for the moment and took a sip from the liquid, regretting it immediately as the bitter taste spread in her mouth.
"Blegh... this tastes horrible!" she made a disgusted face.
Husam, however urged her to keep drinking, ".ستشعر بتحسن إذا شربت هذا الدواء. الشراب" he made a gesture with his hand.
Rainbow Dash shuddered, but continued to drink, grimacing as the bitter drink went down her throat.
"There..." she showed him the empty bowl, "That was disgusting! What was..." she stalled as she felt the pain in her leg start to subside. She eyed her leg in disbelief, "It's not hurting anymore? Was it some kind of magic potion?" she was about to try and get up but Husam quickly intervened.
"!لا تفعل ذلك" he said with an urgent voice, ".تفضل بالجلوس" he made a lowering motion with his hand.
She heard his concern and shook her head, "No magic, huh?"
He shook his head, "No." he tried to repeat her words.
Rainbow Dash sighed, "Well, at least the pain has stopped." she looked at him with an expectant look, "So... what now?"
He took the bowl from her and placed it onto the tray again before standing up slowly, showing her his open palms and making an unmistakable motion.
Rainbow Dash wasn't sure what to think of this, but it would give her a chance to get out of this room.
---
Being carried around wasn't that bad, Rainbow Dash decided after a few minutes, not at all. He was holding her in his arms, careful not to apply pressure to her leg or wings... it was almost comfy. The view though, was a bit disappointing. Nothing but long corridors of stone with guards, stairs and more corridors with more guards.
The guards standing in the corridors were interesting at first, they carried the same clothes as him, and they too carried the curved swords Husam was carrying, albeit with considerably less bells. Most of them only wore a single one or none at all. But after while, the repetition became boring... not to mention that she couldn't strike a conversation with him.
When he stepped out of another staircase though, she found herself at a complete loss for what she was seeing. A corridor stretched out before them, but the left side was an open balcony giving her a view of a city unlike any she had seen before.
Towers of a deep-blue color with golden roofs raised into the sky like spears, countless colorful houses and little buildings could be seen standing close to one another. At the end of the maze made from tight alleys and amazing buildings, she saw a wall bigger than any house surround the city, and beyond... a sea of red stretched under an endless, blue sky as far as she could see.
Rainbow Dash watched the city in wonder, trying to imagine how something so big could exist in a desert like this. She craned her neck over his arm to look over the balcony, and below she saw a garden of green, countless flowers spreading out along walls and pillars of stone. It was beautiful, and it was a mystery to her how they had managed to grow anything here.
She took a deep breath, and let out a happy sigh as the warm air beckoned her to take flight. The sun was still low on the horizon, and it was basked in a crimson red as it rose. Even this early in the morning, the air was already starting to heat up considerably.
One detail she noticed made her slightly worried though, the guards in black were everywhere... standing motionless and at the ready, not sparing them even a glance as they passed.
Their presence was a grim reminder to Rainbow Dash that she was no longer home.
"Hoca. Are you here?" Husam called out as he stepped into the library, the pegasus in his arms looking around herself in wonder at the sheer number of old books.
"Husam? Is that you? One moment, I'll be with you right away."
There was the sound of rustling paper and books being closed. Shortly after, an old man with a white beard appeared from behind a shelf, hunched over a gnarled walking stick.
"What brings an old man like me the joy of the presence of the Sword of the Faith himself?" he chuckled as he stepped up, "Surely, you're not here to..." he froze as he saw the pegasus cradled in Husam's arm, "By the lords name..." he whispered.
"Hoca, this is Rainbow Dash." Husam pointed to the pegasus before nodding towards the old man, "Hoca."
"Hosha?" the pegasus replied with raised eyebrow, obviously having trouble with the pronunciation.
"Hoca." Husam repeated the word patiently.
"Astounding!" Hoca cried out with joy, making the pegasus flinch, "To think that I have the honor of witnessing such a fabled being in reality!" he walked up to the pegasus, "How beautiful!" he started to reach out with his hand, but the pegasus flinched back from his touch and further in Husam's arms.
Hoca held up an apologizing hand, "I am deeply sorry, I did not mean to scare you." he bowed.
"I am afraid she does not understand our language." Husam replied with a sigh, "Tell me, Hoca. You have traveled a lot in your past. Have you ever heard of a race such as this?"
The old man scratched his beard in thought, "I am afraid I have not... but I have collected many maps of distant lands during my journeys... maybe there is one she recognizes?"
Husam nodded, "It is worth a try. The queen wishes for me to find out where she came from... please show us all maps you have, Hoca."
Rainbow Dash watched in wonder as the old man suddenly sprang to life and started to bustle through countless shelves and drawers, collecting numerous scrolls and parchments in the process with obvious joy. Looking at him reminded her of... Twilight. She hung her head at the memory, she missed her friends.
"There!" Hoca put down a huge collection of parchment onto a table, "These are all the maps I have in my collection. Though I have to admit, some of them may not be as accurate as the ones your used to, Husam al Din."
Husam walked over to the desk, looking over the maps as Hoca started to open them, "That's quite a collection..." he pointed to the maps with a finger before talking to Rainbow Dash, "Do you recognize any of these?"
Rainbow Dash squinted her eyes as she observed the first set of maps, much to her dismay, none of them reminded her of anything she had seen before. None of the countries had a shape that reminded her of Equestria, and the language written on them was just as foreign to her.
She shook her head, "No luck?" Husam commented, "Let's see the next then."
---
Two hours later they still had not made any progress. No matter how many maps the old man pulled out, Rainbow Dash failed to recognize any of them. When the last map had been taken away, she simply hung her head in sadness.
"This is getting us nowhere, I am afraid." Husam sighed, "I had hoped that there would be at least something she'd recognize..."
Hoca nodded gravely, "It is a tragedy, but surely..." he froze, "Wait! Could it be?"
"What is it?"
Hoca's eyes lit up, "There may be one last thing... How did I not remember this?" the old man quickly rushed off to a large chest, opening the lid and starting to rummage through it frantically, "Where is it?" he mumbled, "There!" he fished out a crumpled and stained piece of paper.
"A long time ago, when I was still young..." Hoca carefully started to unfold the paper, "I bought this from a traveling merchant. He said it showed the world beyond the great seas of the east..."
Husam huffed, "Beyond the great seas? I thought the world ended beyond them..."
"That is our belief, but simply because no one ever dared to cross them and returned." he opened the map and carefully turned it towards Rainbow Dash, "I always thought it was nothing but a mere fairy tale too... but maybe..."
Rainbow Dash's eyes grew wide as she looked over the map. There were no countries, no words... only pictures of dragons and other mystical beasts, but the shape... the shape was unmistakable. She pointed to the map with a frantic hoof, "Equestria!" she cried out with happiness.
"Equestria?" Husam repeated the word, he had never heard of such a country before.
"Equestria!" she repeated the word with clear excitement.
Hoca's eyes sparkled with joy, "So there really is a world beyond the great seas! To think, what uncountable tales and mysteries await us there!" he looked at Rainbow Dash, "And what unimaginable races..."
Husam frowned, these were interesting news indeed. The known world was believed to end beyond the great seas... but if there really was a whole world waiting there...
"Hoca... I must inform the queen of this at once." he looked at the excited pegasus in his arms, "Can I leave her under your surveillance for a moment?"
"Of course!" Hoca nodded, "I shall take good care of her in your absence... Maybe I can even find out more about our visitor in the time."
"Good." he carefully put Rainbow Dash down on a big pillow and pointed to the ground, "Wait here."
Rainbow Dash looked at his hand, at the ground, then back at Husam before nodding, "Εντάξει, θα μείνω."
Husam nodded, assured that she had understood before heading towards the doors, "There will be two of my blades standing on guard outside. If there is any problem, call out for them. Do not allow anyone else to enter but them or me. I will be back as soon as possible."
Hoca scratched his head as he gave Rainbow Dash a pondering look, "What a strange language..." he turned around in his library, thinking about what to do next. He turned towards Rainbow Dash with a small smile, "Would you like some tea and biscuits perhaps? They always help me think." he chuckled.
Rainbow Dash raised an eyebrow and tilted her head, "τι?" she didn't understand a single word he had said, but he seemed friendly.
Putting aside that she still had no idea where she was, Rainbow Dash now felt for the first time since her stay in this place that there was a chance for her to return home.
The old man shook his head with a small laugh, "Tea and biscuits it is. Then we can try to figure out that language of yours." Hoca silently hoped that the queen did not have any immediate plans for the small pegasus. As far as he was concerned, this could be the discovery of a lifetime.
"My queen..." Husam bowed low, his eyes fixed on the floor.
"Husam, always modest." the queen smiled kindly, "You know you do not have to bow before me."
Of course he didn't have to, he knew. But it wasn't an act of protocol, it was an act of respect if nothing else. He had sworn to protect and respect the queen and those that carried her blood at all costs. And it was a well-known fact what the Sand Blades did with those that failed to show the necessary respect.
"Rise, my dear Husam. Please, stand at ease."
Husam rose from his position without a sound, raising his eyes slowly but remaining a respectful pose nonetheless, "My queen, I have come with news concerning our guest."
The queen smiled, "As always, you never fail to make progress. Tell me, what have you found out?"
"I have found out that her name is Rainbow Dash, and using the maps Hoca was able to supply, it seems that she comes from a land that lies across the great seas of the east. If I have understood her correctly, she calls it... Equestria."
"A land beyond the great seas?" the queen replied with wonder, "That is interesting indeed... tell me, Husam, what does Hoca think of this? Can he understand her language?"
"I am afraid he has not heard a language such as hers before... As for the idea of a world beyond the great seas, it seems he thinks it possible."
"And what do you think, Husam?"
Husam paused, but only for a moment, "I think it is possible, but I am also wary of Hoca's enthusiasm. We have yet to determine what the discovery of a new world could mean for us. I advise caution."
"I agree." the queen replied, "But if there is truly a new world waiting beyond the horizon, we should go forth and find it." the queen remained silent for a second, "Blade of Faith, hear my decision. I will send Hoca on a diplomatic mission to the world beyond the great seas, along with the pegasus as a sign of our good will. But the journey is long and I do not wish for them to go alone, so I wish for you to accompany them on their travels."
Husam bowed, "Of course my queen. I shall prepare everything right away."
"There is one more thing." the queen interrupted him, "I wish for Bahir to accompany you as well."
Husam frowned, "My brother? He has returned from his mission?"
The queen nodded, "He has... and he has explained his joy at the prospect of working with you. I am, of course aware that the two of you have not always pursued the same goals..."
"He is an assassin." Husam commented with a sour voice.
"And still, his contacts will help your progress considerably. Rest assured, he will be under your command and he has assured me that his guild's resources will be at your disposal as well. I am sure you will perform this task as always."
Husam nodded, "Of course, my queen."
Even as he left to make his preparations, he couldn't help but wonder if there was more to Bahir's presence than the queen would tell him. His brother was talented, and reliable in any situation, there was no doubt about it. But still, his line of work was not something that Husam did not agree with. He was loyal to the queen, at least that Husam was certain of.
Husam wondered how long it had been since the two of them had last met, but as he walked around a corner and into another corridor, he met Bahir, leader of the Hidden Knifes.
The moment he saw him, Husam could see a broad smile appear behind Bahir's veil and saw him raise his hand in a greeting, "Brother! It has been far too long! How is my favorite sand digger these days?"
Husam could already tell this would be a long journey indeed.
---
Rainbow Dash wasn't sure what to make of these last days. She and Hoca had been having a strangely strong sort of tea and sweet biscuits, when Husam had returned to the library in the company of another.
Bahir, as Husam had introduced him, was... amusingly different from Husam. The moment he met her he had been as joyful as a foal, constantly dancing around her with an excited voice, talking to her without end. He was a lively character, and when he moved it almost looked like he was dancing.
Like Husam, Bahir was wearing a long robe and his face was wrapped in the same, black tunic. Unlike Husam though, his robes where shorter and open at the front, showing more of his figure and letting the cloth fly in all directions as he jumped around joyfully.
What caught Rainbow Dash's attention though, was that unlike Husam, Bahir did not carry a long, curved sword. Instead, there were countless daggers and knifes of varying sizes and shapes strapped to his chest and legs. She only caught glimpses of them when his movements caused his robes to move, but the shapes and hilts were unmistakable. It made her feel slightly at unease... for what reason did he need so many of them?
In personalities, Husam and Bahir seemed like complete opposites. While Husam was calm and never wasted any movements or unneeded words, Bahir was almost constantly talking to everyone around him, seemingly not even caring if he didn't get a response. He had even surprised her by juggling a set of Hoca's teacups before her, much to the dismay of Hoca and earning several angered words from Husam.
Most importantly though, the four of them had left the city as the sun started to travel towards the horizon, her hidden from sight under countless sheets of cloth and traveling on the backs of strange animals loaded with supplies. When Rainbow Dash had tried to ask Husam where they were going, he had simply replied, "Equestria."
Now, after three days of travel, Rainbow Dash realized for the first time just how vast the desert around her was. No matter where she looked, there was only sand in all directions. They traveled under the searing sun of the day, the heat so intense that she thanked the stars that she didn't have to walk herself. How the others went through the heat seemingly unaffected was a mystery in itself.
And when night came, the cold came as well. The first night had been cold enough to make her teeth clatter in spite of the countless blankets, and the little fire that Hoca had lit barely helped to spread any warmth. The first night also held a small surprise in store for her... they ate meat as well.
It was dried meat, but she knew that it was meat the moment they took it out. She knew that there were races that ate meat, of course she did, Gilda was a griffon after all. And still, she couldn't help feeling a bit sad for the poor critters that now served as their meal. At least they had brought enough dried fruits, bread and grains for her, though she always felt a bit queasy when eating with them.
It was on one of these nights that she noticed something strange. While she and Hoca always stayed close to the fire, facing the little warmth it gave, Husam and Bahir never did. Instead, they always sat a good distance from them, on a higher dune, eyes averted from the fire and back to back... as if waiting for something. It worried her.
"This is the third week... We're getting close now." Husam's voice broke the silence as he and his brother sat atop of the dune.
"You think the Dusam will cause a problem?" Bahir replied behind him, "We'll leave their territory within the next day."
"They have been on our trail since we entered it." Husam commented.
"Not that they've made much of an effort to disguise it though. I always thought the nomads were more talented." Bahir chuckled as he played with one of his knives, "We could have just avoided this path if it troubles you so much."
"No." Husam shook his head, "That would have meant we'd have to go through three different cities on the way, and I'd rather not stop considering what we are transporting."
Bahir turned his head to look to where Rainbow Dash and Hoca were sitting, "Those two get along nicely though, don't they? I think Hoca has even managed to teach her some words... how is she, by the way?"
Husam sighed, "Hoca says that her wounds are getting better each day and that she'll be able to walk soon. Though I worry what will happen when she regains her ability to fly."
"You're worried she'll take off on her own and leave us behind? We could just tie her down..."
"No, that would be wrong..." Husam sighed, "She is a creature of the wind, and just like a bird she is likely to feel the drive to take off and fly. I doubt that she would leave us, this country is unknown to her after all... but if she were to fly it would risk her being discovered." he turned slightly to Bahir, "And you know the queen does not wish that."
Bahir laughed, "Always loyal to the queen. If you were of noble blood she'd probably marry you in an instant."
"Watch your tongue." Husam's voice carried a threat.
"Of course, of course..." Bahir chuckled, "But seriously, what are we going to do if the Dusam come any closer?"
"Must you really ask?" Husam replied with a low voice. On his scimitar, one of his bells gave off short sound as he shifted.
"Heh..." Husam could hear his brother grin, "This brings back memories, doesn't it? Just the two of us, preparing for bloodshed before it has even started... Are you still as talented with your scimitar as you were back then? How many bells are you up to by now? Three? Four?"
"Seven." Husam replied with an impassive voice.
Bahir let out a whistle of surprise, "Seven already? I'm going to enjoy seeing that dance of yours again..."
Husam let out a humph, "And you? Are you still as good with those knives of yours as you were back then?"
Bahir laughed, "I got even better..."
"Let us hope you did." Husam spoke, "Because we're likely going to need them when we try to leave the Dusam territory."
Behind him, Bahir flipped one of his knives into the air, not even watching the blade's path as it spun above him and catching it by its tip as it descended again. With a flick of his fingers, the blade started to dance over his hand, spinning in every direction as it whirled around his hand and wrist soundlessly, "Can't wait for it." he chuckled, "I just hope our little pegasus won't be too shocked when she sees your dance, sand blade."
Husam did not respond, but only readjusted the position of his scimitar for a quick draw. The Dusam were nomads, true enough... but they were also known as raiders, and he doubted they would simply let them leave their territory.
---
Rainbow Dash was worried. This morning, Husam had muttered a short string of words to Hoca, and the old man's face had paled considerably at his words. She had tried to use the few new words she had learned to find out what was going on, but Hoca's reply only gave her scarce information. Apparently, there was some sort of danger... and she was supposed to hide beneath her blankets at all costs. Something that made the incredible heat even more excruciating.
They continued their journey, her hidden under the cover of her blankets, peeking out of from the cover to gaze at the world around her. Nothing had changed though, it was still just red sand and blue sky in all directions. It constantly called to her, what she wouldn't give for a brief moment of flight... but her wing still hadn't fully recovered yet. At least her leg was getting better and better. She figured it would be a matter of a few days until she could walk on her own... if they let her, of course.
At least the view wasn't that bad. She could see all of them from her place, and she was even able to pick up on some of their conversations... even though Bahir and Hoca seemed to be the ones doing most of the talking. Husam raised his voice only on few occasions, sometimes to answer a question and other times to tell them to set up camp.
There was something strange about the way he moved and talked... something that she had never seen before. His whole demeanor seemed different from the others, purposely even. But to what purpose? She contemplated what she knew about her companions. Hoca was obviously a scholar of some sort, maybe even a teacher considering how many words he had managed to teach her. Bahir for all she could tell, was something of a clown or an entertainer... the way he moved always reminded her of a dancer.
But Husam... she couldn't quite put the pieces together on him. What was his special talent? Was it related to that strange sword he carried? How none of the little bells ever gave off a sound as he moved? She had heard Hoca call him Sword of Belief or something similar... Faith, perhaps? Somewhere inside her heart she hoped she had misunderstood the words.
On the eve of that day though, something happened. At first she didn't know what was going on, Husam simply raised his hand and told them to stop as he and Bahir descended from their mounts... camels, Hoca had called them. Funny animals with strange lumps on their backs that made even stranger noises.
For what seemed like minutes, Husam and Bahir just stood there... as if waiting for something. Just as Rainbow Dash was about to poke her head out from beneath her covers though, several figures appeared from behind one of the dunes. One look was enough to tell her that they were the same as their companions, though unlike Husam and Bahir, they did not cover their faces. From what she saw, there were eight of them.
The moment they appeared, she could feel the mood shift and an uneasy feeling spread over her.
The figures approached, clad in blue robes and seated upon camels. She could see several spears and more curved swords. As they drew near, five of the strangers got down from their rides while the others remained seated with spears held firmly in their hands.
The five walked towards Husam and Bahir with quick steps. As they drew closer, two of them detached themselves and walked up to the two brothers while the others watched in silence.
Rainbow Dash strained her ears to listen to the conversation at the front, but from what she could hear they were talking a language entirely different from the one Hoca had taught her. She could hear one of the strangers talk in an agitated voice, gesturing furiously as Husam and Bahir listened. Husam gave an answer with a calm voice, but it only seemed to anger the other one even more.
A string of harsh words escaped him, and Rainbow Dash watched in shock as the stranger reached for his sword... it never left its scabbard.
For a short moment, the sound of a bell could be heard ringing through the air softly... a flash of light blinded her as Husam's scimitar shot of its sheath. A scream cut through the silence and something could be heard whirling through the air, followed by several thumps. When Rainbow Dash had regained her eyesight, she was shocked by what she saw.
Four of the five in the front were lying on the ground, unmoving as their blood seeped into the sand from long cuts. Behind them, those that had stayed on their camels had fallen down from their mounds, clutching at daggers stuck in their throats even as they died. As Bahir collected his daggers from the bodies with a playful motion and whistled a happy tune to himself, Rainbow Dash's eyes traveled to Husam.
Husam was standing in front of the fifth stranger, watching him in silence as he held the stump of his arm where Husam's blade had cut off his hand. Her eyes followed Husam's scimitar, it looked sharp, terribly sharp... With a movement so fast she could barely see it and without a sound, the scimitar traveled through the air a final time before returning to its sheath. The stranger before him collapsed to the ground unmoving, his head rolling down the dune with a soft thud.
Rainbow Dash felt her stomach turn as she watched the head roll on... she now knew what Husam's special talent was, and why he was called Sword of the Faith.
---
At the front, Bahir gave off a laugh as he watched Rainbow Dash puke her guts out, "Ha! I told you she'd freak out. Nice slice, by the way. I could hardly see it!"
"Show some sympathy for the poor thing!" Hoca called out with a shaky voice, "Was that really necessary?!"
Bahir chuckled, "Remember that they went for their swords first..." he gave one of the bodies a nudge with his foot, "You can try and argue with them about it, but I fear they won't be very talkative now, won't they dear brother?"
"Collect your daggers." Husam replied quietly, "We will move on immediately." his gaze traveled over the bodies, "What a senseless waste of water..."
Rainbow Dash had seen many weather phenomena, even with her young age. Of course she had, she had been on weather duty often enough. She had seen snow storms, thunder storms, whirl storms and even hail storms... but a sand storm? No, she decided after a quick check of her memories. That was something she had not known about... and the experience of getting to be in one definitely was not something she cared to repeat anytime soon.
Husam had told them it was coming before she could see it... she wasn't sure how he did it, but she could feel it in the air as well. A tiny shift in the pressure, the slightest change of pace in the wind... But when she finally did see it, Dash couldn't believe her eyes.
It was a wall... a swirling wall of sand that reached hundreds of feet into the air as it spread over the desert and towards them... and it hissed. How it was possible she did not know, but even from far away she could hear the red storm hiss as it reached out towards them.
Even more worryingly, Husam was heading straight towards it. She gave Hoca a worried look, but to her surprise he seemed absolutely calm.
When the storm had almost reached them, the scenery changed. Slowly, she could start to make out rocks which constantly grew larger until they were surrounded by a maze of cliffs and even as the sand started to block out the sky and the sun, they continued on further into the maze.
The sand in the air was terrible, it tore at her lungs and eyes, making breathing an incredibly hard task. She was slowly starting to understand why they veiled their faces.
At the front, Husam made a stop and turned to the right... leading them into an opening in one of the cliffs impossible to make out in the storm of sand. She wondered if he had been here before... Once inside, she realized it was a cave.
---
The storm was still lasting, even after what felt like hours the sand was still hissing and racing over the cliffs outside. Rainbow Dash let out a tired cough and shook her mane to rid herself of the sand that had collected in it. The air inside the cave was dry and heated... but it was certainly better than being outside right now.
She observed her travel companions in silence. Hoca was indulged in another idle chat with Bahir and as always, the subject was women. It seemed that Bahir always had a little story to share.
Traveling with them and listening to their conversation she had been able to learn quite a lot... of course, Hoca's tireless nature helped. By now, she could actually understand most of what Hoca said, she even chuckled from time to time when she understood one of his countless little jokes.
Rainbow Dash let her gaze travel further... and onto Husam. Like always, he was seated away from them, staring out the opening of the cave with seemingly never-resting eyes... and sharpening his scimitar while he continued to observe the storm in silence. She swallowed down a lump in her throat as she remembered the scene from a couple of days ago... How he and Bahir had seemingly without any hesitation killed members of their own race. She wondered what could have warranted such a terrifying act of violence.
"Does he scare you?"
Rainbow Dash's head whirled around and she found herself staring at Bahir. He had pulled down his veil... and there was a strangely somber expression on his otherwise joyous face.
"What?" she asked, unsure if she had understood him correctly.
"Husam..." he repeated with a sigh and sat down next to her, "Does he scare you?"
"I..." Rainbow Dash tried to search her thoughts, "I don't know..."
"So he does..." Bahir chuckled softly as she saw her ashamed look, "You don't have to apologize about it. He gets that reaction a lot."
"Hoca... when we were traveling he called Husam... the sword of belief?" she frowned as she mouthed the words in their language, "What does it mean?"
"سيف الدين... The sword of the faith..." Bahir corrected her with a small smile, "You really are getting better with our language, I'm impressed." he chuckled, "I should teach you some swear words just to be sure..."
"سيف الدين" Rainbow Dash repeated the word to make sure she wouldn't forget it, "What does it mean?"
Bahir frowned, "It is a title. He is one of the five leaders of the sand blades." he saw Rainbow Dash frown, "The sand blades..."
"Bahir..." Husam suddenly spoke up from the cave entrance without turning, "من يا ترى سيكشف أسرار المحيط؟"
Bahir looked up and at his brother with a small frown, "Really?" Husam did not respond, "Huh..."
Rainbow Dash tried to translate Husam's words, when spoken fluent the sentences became a long, single word to an untrained ear, "The sea... Who shall ever... the mysteries of the..." she frowned.
"Who shall ever unravel the mysteries of the sea?" Hoca commented with a sad face.
"What is that supposed to mean?" she titled her head in confusion.
"It is a phrase and an old fable of our people." Bahir replied before sighing, "What my brother means to say, is that I would do best not to speak of things that should not be known by strangers."
Rainbow Dash made a shocked expression. Had Husam just threatened his own sibling?
"Don't make such a surprised face..." Bahir laughed softly before turning serious, "You have to understand that those that carry duties also carry an obligation to carry secrets as well." he shook his head with a chuckle, "But returning to my question..." he continued in a whisper so that his brother wouldn't hear him, "Does he scare you?"
"A bit..." Rainbow Dash managed to mumble in reply.
"Was it the event with the Dusam a few days ago?"
"Is that what they are called?" Bahir nodded to her question, "Why did you... I mean, was it really necessary?"
"Well..." Bahir made a playful expression, "Necessary is a long word..."
"Bahir, don't scare the poor thing!" Hoca warned him.
"Oh, come now, Hoca. I'm sure she'd like to hear what..."
"Rainbow Dash." Husam surprised them by raising his voice again, "Can you walk?"
It took her a moment to catch herself from her surprise, "Yeah... a bit."
Husam put the scimitar across his lap and made a motion with his hand to a spot next to him, "Please, come over here. I need to talk with you."
Unwillingly, Rainbow Dash felt her eyes travel over the sharp blade in his lap... and nervously swallowed down another lump. Next to her, both Bahir and Hoca had grown deadly silent and were watching Husam's back with something she couldn't help but interpret as worry.
"Please..." Husam repeated his words, "Sit with me. We need to discuss something."
Even as Rainbow Dash carefully got up and hobbled over to where he was sitting, she couldn't help but notice how dry her mouth had suddenly gotten. The smiling Husam that had held her in his arms back in the city of blue towers suddenly seemed far away and distant.
She wasn't sure if she was going to enjoy this conversation... Unknown to her, Husam already knew that she wouldn't.
