Translator: Lonelytree

One could travel through either land or water from Ulthar to the Bnazic Desert. If one decided to go with the former, the journey would take them through the small towns of Hatheg and Mir, an area called the Stony Desert, a city called Meroe before they would arrive at the northern part of the desert. If they hurry, the journey would take about a month, it was longer but relatively safer. If they decided to go by water, they would be heading westward of River Skai, a detour around Mt. Lerion and they would end up at the eastern part of the desert. The fastest this route would take was 10 days but the journey would be filled with unknown danger, especially since they would be passing through the steppes where they’d be exposed to ambushes by the Ossarians.

Due to the time constraint, Gu Jun had decided to travel by water. When he left Ulthar, he still had many unanswered questions. He wished to climb to the summit of Hatheg-Kla to witness that carved seal for himself, he wanted to get to know more about the Dreamlands from Atal or the Elder Zoog, but returning to earth was his main priority. He’d been warned that increased knowledge about the Dreamlands would prevent him from leaving so he had held onto his ignorance.

With regards to the sacred relic, Peacock refused to divulge more information about it, she merely stated, “You’ll see when you reach there.” Sounded like she was trying to trick him there. According to the Elder Zoog, the vines around his legs were a species of plant called Life-draining vines, they had the ability to fuse with flesh and blood. The variant that the Zoogs used were the relatively passive kind, the ones at the eastern land were the more dangerous variant. The vines there had been known to capture hapless travelers, especially human beings. Some were kept conscious during their captive and they could do nothing but watch as they slowly became a part of the plant. This could not have happened biologically speaking but this was the Dreamlands, it had its own rules here.

“These vines are now part of you.” The Elder Zoog said, “Actually you are able to control them, why don’t you give it a try?” Gu Jun did what he was told. He channeled his focus and indeed the vines twisted under his command. The vines were like his extended limbs. This… would prove to be quite useful but he knew these things were consuming and changing his body and mind. Structure determines function, it might determine humanity too. Therefore, he had the Zoogs remove the vines for him. The Elder Zoog had him drink something called ‘Vine-Shedding Wine’. According to the Elder Zoog, a few days after consuming this drink, the vines in the drinker’s body would wilt on their own, there was no need for invasive surgery. Gu Jun adopted the suggestion but he demanded the Elder Zoog come along with them and take the drink for five days on his own first. After the animal experiment, Peacock would be the human experiment. If nothing happened to either of them, then he would take the drink himself.

“Mr. Nightmare Man, it is my honor to be your test subject.” Peacock practically volunteered and she was not shy to let Gu Jun know about her reasoning behind it. “I merely hope that this little contribution of mine will help increase your affection towards our tribe.” She was different from Malachite, the latter still had an edge about him and kept his reticence. Peacock though was the kind who was willing to try everything, even if it demanded her dignity. Gu Jun respected someone like this. To be fair he had no malice towards this pair, if he appeared harsh towards them, it was because he was still cautious around them. For all he knew, this duo could turn out to be some kind of cultists and he was being led to a trap.

The peace at Ulthar was indeed a rarity. The moment they entered the riverway around Mt. Lerion, the surroundings became more dangerous. Thunder and lightning struck the summit of Mt. Lerion practically all day, the storm washed against the untouched forest constantly. They suffered the rain for 7 days before the barge broke through the forest and the group reached the Ossarian Steppes. The wild grass that was taller than human beings blocked their sight and they appeared to be hiding all sorts of threats.

“When we were young, we considered burning down this whole plain so that the Ossarians would die and leave us alone.” Peacock suddenly said, “The adults said that it won’t work, the grass wouldn’t burn but we did not believe them. Look at them, a little ember and the whole grass plains will light up.”

“Hmm.” Gu Jun knew that was true. It was now autumn, the wild grass was turning dry and yellow, thus highly flammable. The plains appeared to not receive any rain during this season either.

“So the few of us…” Peacock shook her head with some chuckles, “Myself, Malachite, Gold, Aquamarine and the rest sneaked out from the tribe and travelled for 3 days to reach the edge of the steppes. We dropped our torch and the fire was glorious… it was literally a sea of fire. When we returned, we were so overjoyed, we could barely sleep.” Then she paused before she continued in a more depressed tone, “But that did not stop the Ossarrian invasion either.” Gu Jun listened quietly. Over the few days of interaction, he could feel the sincerity from his companions…

With regards to the land’s travellers, Gu Jun did ask the Elder Zoog about them in the presence of Peacock and Malachite.

“The land’s travellers are a group of strange people.” The Elder Zoog’s tapping communicated a sense of confusion, “We do not know them that well.”

‘There are people that the Zoogs are unfamiliar with?’ He asked for details to which the Elder Zoog answered, “Their gathering spots are incredibly well-hidden and even if we find it, it is impossible to get close to them.”

“We have always prided ourselves on our security.” Peacock explained, “And forgive me for my directness but no tribe of ours will welcome the sneaking activity of the Zoogs. Or else our defensive tactics will be in the hands of the Ossarian by the next day. We need to have maximum security that even a rat will not be able to sneak in.”

“If you ask me, the security is too tight.” The Elder Zoog sighed. “Since this will be my first time heading to the Bnazic Desert, I suppose I shall see these defensive tactics with my own eyes.”

Gu Jun sided with Peacock on this, if he was the tribe leader, he too would stop at nothing to stop the rodent invasion. On the eighth day, they descended from the barge at the mouth of the river and swapped for a camel carriage. They continued their journey through the windy desert. After 2 more days of travelling, they were getting closer to the nomad’s settlement. Peacock and Malachite were getting conspicuously more excited and nervous, there was this light in their eyes.

Gu Jun was suffering from this complicated feeling. ‘What is the origin of this tribe? The future? Parallel universe?’ After 10 days, he basically confirmed that he was, as Peacock claimed, the same kin as them, so he would help them as much as he could. Furthermore, while he could not glean more information from the Pnakotic Manuscripts, perhaps the professors at the settlement could?

With the setting sun shining, the desert stretching down the horizon, the camels stamping rhythmically on the ground, the carriage was moving forward.

“Mr. Nightmare Man, look, there it is! Our pride, the City of Kindles.” Peacock suddenly yelped out excitedly as something came into her sight, she shouted. “Sugar Gem!” She introduced with a smile, “That little thing over there is Sugar Gem, she’s our tribe sister.”

Peacock leaped down the carriage agilely and ran forward. “Sugar Gem, go and inform the others, we have a valued guest with us! Yes, of course I didn’t forget the present that I’ve promised you. Here, I got this at Dylath-Leen.” She took out a ceramic puppy. “Of course, you can have it, it’s for you.”

“Sugar Gem!” Malachite who was driving the carriage cried out with cheer. “That ceramic dog is worth more than a real one.”

They were so happy with the reunion but inside the carriage, Gu Jun’s heart had sunken to the depth as he looked around…

There was no child that they spoke of, and there was no settlement either. There was not even a ruin, there was only a lake that was close to being drained and a bunch of wild grass. Peacock left go and the little ceramic puppy dropped down noiselessly to the sand. She chuckled and continued, “Don’t you listen to Malachite. The price doesn’t matter as long as you love it.”

“I told you, they’re a strange group of people.” The Elder Zoog inside the carriage added, “We Zoogs can travel anywhere. We’ve been to this settlement of theirs before but we have never succeeded in finding their people.”

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