They looked the same but had no augmentations. They just looked like you’d expect from a non augmented version of them. They also started seeing some weird but adorable looking beasts, they were similar to baby porcupines.
However the main difference was that they were actually made of actual sand, floating around a small red gem. Desert Elementals. Pretty much harmless and surprisingly rare as they had met only five, walking in a small line heading toward the desert.
“Can we keep one?!”
[PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!]
“No. Leave them in their natural habitats.”
“And why are you insisting, Syllena? You saw their status didn’t you?”
[But they are so adorable…]
“But they look adorable!”
Sadly for Sofya and Scyllena, Akhenamen had already been trained during his past life as David to resist begging from his children to adopt a pet. And most importantly, the reason why Akhenamen was refusing this wasn’t just because he was against keeping a pet. It was for a very very different reason.
[Analyze]
“Sofya… do you not have the [Analyze] skill?”
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“No… It’s a very rare skill, it’s actually exclusive to constructs and augmented beings.”
“I didn’t know that. Well let me tell you this then. Do you see anyone targeting those seemingly weak and defenseless little elementals?”
“No…”
“Do you see any wyverns or Rocuie close to us?”
“No. They are… staying clear from us. Must be because of you.”
“It didn’t stop them attacking us a few hours ago. It is not me, Sofya. It’s those little ones. There’s only a few reasons why those “weak” little ones would be left alone. They are either very poisonous, taste disgusting, have very scary parents or are very powerful despite their appearance.”
“I.. well the way you frame that question… They are very powerful and have very scary parents?”
“Correct. They are Ancestors Sofya, yet they are still childrens, their parent is at the very least a Throne or maybe even an Authority.”
Sofya stared at those little sand elementals and nodded in understanding even if Akhenamen could see how much she wanted to keep one. Making him shake his head softly.
“Let’s get going then.”
A massive shadow was cast above them, an enormous mountain range which seemed to pierce the clouds, loud and powerful roars of unknown beasts being heard from the top, maybe some higher tiered form of wyverns.
Those mountains looked very dangerous to scale but luckily no one would need to as a mountain had been split in two, allowing easy access. And Akhenamen had the suspicions that either the Childrens or Ulgatoth itself had made this for easier access to the Outback.
The small troupe of two plus five elementals walked through the passage, the children looked more excited, their forms shifting around in a show of happiness while Sofya looked at them with stars in her eyes.
As for Akhenamen he was fucking terrified right now.
[You’ve been targeted by Magical Analysis]
[Failed to Resist]
[Ulgatoth had noticed you.]
“You’re okay, Sir Akhenamen, you look… stiff.”
He looked at Sofya.
“Mommy is watching us.”
Sofya instantly went pale and gulped a bit. Taking a few steps back from the children, staying as close to Akhenamen as possible.
“Did the System not warn you we’ve been targeted by a Magical Analysis?”
“No, I’m too weak to notice that, I think.”
As they both came out of the passage, the children suddenly stopped and their sand heads looked up, sitting down, the sun was slowly going down. It was the end of the fourth day of travel.
The ground started to shake, tremble, like an earthquake happening but instead, a massive amount of sand exploded in the air a few kilometers away from them, the explosion so huge even a normal human could see it.
Not just one, but many explosions, one after the other, massive shapes started to rise from the sand. Then a powerful gust of wind that almost sent Sofya flying if not for Akhenamen’s hand keeping her steady.
The wind blew away the sand as an immense manta ray rose from the sand, glowing a soft red and orange color, the sun’s last rays of sunlight reaching them. Their bodies are covered in thick rock like scales.
Each one the size of Kork itself, every flap of their wings creating sandstorms that could shred a normal human to bits.
They had long tails which seemed to be almost five times their bodies length, flying for what had to be a dozen kilometers in a single jump and slamming back down into the sea of sand below them with such speed and grace it seemed as if they had never even been there. This spectacle kept going for ten minutes.
It was amongst the most eerie sight he had ever seen and yet one of the most beautiful.
Their size was so impressive, the fact that such powerful and massive beings were simply having fun jumping around in the sand, playing with their fellow mantas, trying to make the most impressive figure as they twirled in the air, the sand spewing from their gills leaving chemtrails of sands in the air.
They were fully silent, only the sound of their wings, or tails lashing in the sand could be heard. Akhenamen hadn’t even noticed that the glaive he had once held in his hand was standing only because of a strange tentacle of hardened sand keeping it upright.
Ten minutes that gave out such wonders that Akhenamen didn’t even notice his System’s notification, this spectacle that could wipe out half a country. The mantas' size was simply so out of this world that even Akhenamen’s mind struggled to understand how beasts this size could exist.
The spectacle only stopped when the mantas fell back down into the sea of sand below one after the other, leaving the desert’s dunes completely changed. Nothing could be seen below the sand as if those mantas didn’t exist. Akhenamen had not even thought to use [Analyze] and yet… he didn’t really care.
Why bother ruining the mystique of such creatures? Some things were just better left unknown.
As his hand reached for the glaive, the tentacle fell back down, collapsing into the sand.
Only now did he notice the update.
[One Last Farewell] : A tragic past which ended in a tragic death brought you here. You have decided that you would use this second chance to keep old promises made to those you cared the most for.
[Objectives] :
- [Discover ten wondrous panoramas that would have amazed your son] 1/10
[Discover ten secrets of this world.] 2/10
- [Make 10 real friends to keep your promise to your daughter] 0/10
- [Successfully create the most beautiful of all flowers to give to your wife] 0/1
[Reward] : To see them one last time.
He closed his Quest Journal and looked at Sofya who was covered in sand and had her mouth opened slightly, her eyes wide. She had just been shown a sight that must have completely changed her perspective of this world. Akhenamen put his hand on her shoulder, gently.
“Let’s go Sofya.”
“W..what were they..?”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“I don’t know everything, Sofya. And take this as advice but… knowing everything. It can be boring, you know? It’s true I could find those beings again, Analyze them and know all there is to know. But why do that?”
“Why leave no room for wonder or amazement?”
Sofya stared at him with eyes that seemed to sparkle with understanding as she nodded silently. Akhenamen then started to move forward toward the direction of Cygislax. The seemingly infinite desert would be the real journey.
“Let’s go Sofya, we must try and find a place for you to rest before the sun is fully down.”
***
Deep under Cygislax, in a seemingly empty cavern full of sand, the size of this cavern being great enough to contain Cygislax itself. A deep yet soft rustling in the sand could be seen, the grains shifting.
A huge glowing red core big enough that someone could easily build a small village on top it was letting out a gentle glow and a soft hum. Awakened after dozens of years of sleep by the return of some of its children and the arrival of an old yet welcomed face in its territory.
“A Cygitek? How long has it been since Cygislax was emptied of its true glory… ? I’m glad to see the betrayers plot was not fully successful.”
A long drawn out sigh rumbled through the whole cavern. Like a sigh of relief more than of annoyance.
“Welcome home, my old friends. I hope you will soon come to greet me once again.”
The glowing orb started to dim before the presence that had filled up the entire cavern with its aura fully disappeared.