Dark Sun pt-1

(A little bit of a teaser for an upcoming Idea. If you like what you see so far, I might expand.)

The plains burned under the heat of the Second Sunrise. Kaiden pulled his shawl closer around his face to keep the sand out. He glared out through the thin hole covered in darkened glass.

This area of the dunes had been pounded hard by many feet traveling to and from the cities. Kaiden himself was traveling to Cailium. The extra layers over his mouth were beginning to fail, and the air he was breathing began to take on the dusty smell of sand. The sand was not dangerous in itself, but its slow grinding of the airways could make a man miserable, and lead to worse problems.

Kaiden had to get to Cailium before Second Sunfall or he would find himself shut out of the City for the whole of No Sun. 48 hours of starlit darkness, when the wastes finally cooled, but became chilled and remained waterless. Kaiden would die if he failed to arrive in time.

A sharp a shrill Clicking and whistling to his side indicated to him that his companion had noticed something.

T'kah was a full head and shoulders taller than Kaiden, and was one of the Thri-Kreen. The Desert Children, or Mantis-Folk. The upper right of his four clawed arms twiched irritably as he stared into the dunes.

"What do you see, T'kah?" Kaiden asked, not slowing.

T'Kah turned his ebony eyes to Kaiden and sighed. "Mirage. Even Thri-Kreen long for water after so long in the desert."

"You can go ahead to fetch some if you would like, T'kah. I can take care of myself."

"No, Kaiden. I will stay with my friend on his trail of hardship."

"You wouldn't have to go forever, just long enough to get some water and bring it back."

"Ah, but it would detract from the test, would it not?"

Kaiden sighed. It was going to be a long walk.