Gerhart had been excited to visit Zeinav City, it was a brand new place full of new sights, sounds, and smells that he had never experienced. It would certainly be worlds different than Moonglade for sure. All the enthusiasm dried up along with his throat when he hit the sand and the heat. The armor and padding were doing him no favors.

Quietly in his head he cursed Zarius for bringing him along on this job, but it was a chance for him to learn some of the skills he had seen the tiefling pull off before. It would also likely be easier for him to learn fighting techniques when not potentially fighting for his life against said tiefling.

Early in the morning they met with the halfling benefactor who was hiring them for this job. Gerhart is frustrated with the lack of details about this job, but he understood his role simply enough. Look tough and if anything tries to attack, stop it from doing that.

"So, is this typical work for you? Or is it like a favor to Shaa? Or a favor to this guy? I heard he was some sort of benny-factor, but I thought those kinds of people funded like plays and music. Dad's always talking about appeasing his benny-factors."

Zarius chuckles at the young human. All that enthusiasm was so quick to disappear once the heat hit him. He had warned him of the harsh desert climate, but one never truly knows what to expect until they experience it for themselves. It would be a good lesson for the aspiring fighter. The world was vast and full of different places with strange places, people, and all manner of other things. 

He walks with Gerhart to the back of one of the caravan wagons which would fall under their supervision during the journey from Zeinav City to Thunderhoof. It would be a long trek and the chances of running into some trouble along the way were far from zero. Sand storms, bandits, and roaming creatures could cause some significant delays if they didn't pay attention and react quickly. 

"My works varies wildly these days. This is just a request from the guild which is a small price to pay for continued access to their resources. Consider this a learning experience." He says as he climbs into the back of the wagon. "Zeinav has many bandits roaming about the sands. It is understandable that the guild's sponsor would be concerned for the safety of his wares and want extra security."

He looks forward at the handful of wagons lined up before them, then back at Gerhart. "Just keep your eyes on the horizon and listen to the winds for any approaching trouble. With any luck we can just sit back and enjoy the journey."

"Hey looking out for bandits I can do, that's easy enough." He grinned and puffed his chest out proudly. As much as he whined about the heat, Gerhart would walk for now. They still weren't too far from the city, but at least one of them could react quickly if something did happen. Plus he did actually enjoy walking with how much of it he did.



"Mercenary work is actually how I got started on all this you know. Accidently caught a bunny person lady....I didn't exactly ask what she is, seemed rude." He clasps his hands behind his head as they walk. "But she was nice enough to let me tag a long with her group for a bit protecting some merchant."



It didn't seem like it was that long ago, but he had learned a lot since then now that he thought back to it. The gap between him and Zarius or Shaa was pretty vast still, but progress was being made. As they walk he eventually glances up to Zarius, "So are all tieflings like resistant to heat? Never seemed to bother Dad either, but neither of you wear this much armor. Just curious if it's my fault or if you're cheating." He grins.

Zarius stays in the back of the cart as it trundles out across the sandy road leading away from Zeinav City. He could walk, sure, but he had some other work to get done while they were keeping an eye on the caravan. He scratches away at his notebook with a stick of graphite. He would prefer to write with a quill and ink but the blowing sand and the arid desert air didn't agree with most of his liquid inks.

He listens to Gerhart as they travel across the sands. "A bunny person? That would be a first for me, but there are all kinds in this world." The image he had in his head of this individual was likely not accurate as he simply pictured a bipedal hare that wears clothing.

It was good that Gerhart was getting more experience with adventuring though. He could tell the young man had already grown quite a bit since their tussle in the alley. Gerhart would likely get along with his younger brother. Perhaps he should invite him to Darkveil someday. Not yet though. That city was a good place to get your spirits crushed or simply vanish into thin air. Gerhart would need to be a lot stronger before the tiefling would feel confident in bringing him there. 

He perks up at the question and chuckles a bit. "No, no, not typically. I am about as resistant to heat as anyone else who has lived in this climate for most of their life. The body adjusts over time and you cannot rush it."

"Dad used to juggle fire and said he couldn't be hurt by it....but he's also a magician so..." As he trails off the sudden expression on Gerhart's face is a man realizing he has been lied to. A devestating truth that threatened to crush his spirits. Thankfully before that can really sink in, something perks his ears.



Gerhart turns to look to the surrounding area like a dog looking for its prey. Suddenly he catches the movement of something in the distance, just below the sand. For the moment it is not immediately upon them, but it was going to be soon. "Hey Za, there uh.....there aren't like any kind of big worm monsters in the desert are there? Because I think there's some sort of giant worm monster coming our way."



He draws his knives and gets ready, seeing if maybe it will turn off and go a different direction. If it continued and attacked from below they would be screwed.

Zarius looks up at Gerhart as he trails off. From the way Gerhart was reacting it seemed that his relationship with his father was a complicated one. "Well, magic can do all sorts of wonders." He says, trying not to sound salty.

He really disliked how many mages believed they were superior because they could snap their fingers and make something move without putting any sweat into it. So much of it was all talk and show but no actual substance.

The tiefling gets to his feet as Gerhart mentions seeing something approaching the caravan. He looks out across the sands and squints at the rapidly approaching line of dust traveling across the dunes. 

"Big worm is a good guess. It is definitely under the surface." He turns to the drivers. "Stop the wagons! We need to be still!"

The drivers all pull the horses to a halt in confusion and worry at the sight of the approaching thing. Zarius hops off the wagon and arms himself as well just in case. "If it isn't using sight to follow us then it can likely feel vibrations in the ground. There's no cover to take out here, so listen closely and keep your eyes open."

As they all wait in tense anticipation, the thing nears then slows about a hundred or so feet away from the caravan. The sand becomes still and it is unclear if it has stopped or has just dug deeper. 

"You're pretty light on your feet....think we can get out there a bit and at least draw it out of the sand away from the caravan? I'm not exactly a fan of the waiting game and with how nervous the horses are getting I imagine it's getting close."



Gerhart's grip on his knives tightened as they waited a bit longer. He was ready for a fight, but he would rather take the fight away from the caravan itself. Having to fight off a monster and defend merchants at the same time was going to be a pain in the ass, especially if this thing came from below and scattered everyone.



For the moment he stands ready to attack, but waits for Zarius thoughts if he had time to share them. It wasn't really discussed who was in charge, but at least for now Gerhart didn't mind defaulting to Zarius given his familiarity with the environment and how much more he knew about fighting.



"When this thing does arrive though, let me handle it. I can occupy it while you slip around and find a better spot to hit it from."

Zarius looks at Gerhart with a bit of surprise. His plan was actually a good one. Seems that Gerhart has picked up a thing or two since the last time they met. He was still too honest for his own good but it was charming in a way.

The tiefling nods. "Certainly. Do not die."

He steps out across the sand, being as quiet as possible.^[1] Stopping about twenty-five feet away from where they last saw the thing, he glances back at Gerhart, gives a thumbs up, then jumps up and down on the sand. 

Bursting from the sand rises a purple tinged worm with rows of sharp teeth. It lets out an ear piercing shriek and surges towards the tiefling who quickly dodges to the side and starts sprinting as fast as he can in a wide circle until Gerhart gets into position. Once the human is ready, a veil of invisibility obscures Zarius' form and he slows to quietly try and loop around the worm.^[2]

The worm porpoises through the sand and sweeps its head from side to side trying to figure out where the nearest target is. It clearly does not rely on sight or smell. 

---

[1] Silent Step
[2] Invisibility

"Did you already forget Za? I'm too dumb to die." Gerhart watched Zarius head off to put the first step of the plan into place. Waiting was always the hardest part, being so green to adventuring he could feel the twitch in his legs to surge forward and confront the beast first no matter what it was.



Thankfully, he is able to quell that urge and patiently waits for Zarius. In the instant it surfaces and Gerhart sees how massive it is, there is the briefest moment of awe that the young adventurer has to overcome. "Stick with the carts."



With his dashing dagger out, Gerhart rushes the worm now that its here. He drags his knife along the side of the beast leaving what would normally be a massive gouge, but ends up being an annoying scratch on something of its size. Gerhart quickly pulls back to avoid gnashing teeth. For a good few strikes and attempts he's able to avoid the worm and harry it with a few strikes, getting in some good stabs and slashes. In the toussling, the worm does end up slamming its body into Gerhart sending him skipping across the sand like a rock along a lake. "Ow...ok that was a good one, I'll give you that."

Zarius watches Gerhart try to slice into the worm's toughened skin. It doesn't appear to do much initially so Zarius starts closing the distance as the young blademaster cuts into it a few times before getting tossed across the sand. The invisibility on Zarius breaks as he gets in melee with the thrashing worm and slams his fist into its underside.^[1,2]

The worm flails back and lands on the sand, kicking up a cloud of dust into the air around it. The worm's muscles spasm and tighten, locking up its body momentarily. Seeing it wasn't going anywhere for a moment, Zarius uses the time to run over to Gerhart as the veil of invisibility falls over him once more. He reaches down and pulls Gerhart back up onto his feet before dusting the young fighter off a bit. 

"Keep on your toes. If it eats you then you are dead. Anyways, you should have an easier time carving it up now." He says with a smug smirk, though Gerhart can't only hear the smugness. "But if you are not up for it, maybe you should stay with the wagons while I handle this."

---

[1] Dashing
[2] Stunning Blows

"Don't let the giant worm eat me, great advice, I'll take it to heart." He rolls away from the worm as it does slam down and try to eat him, just in time to grab Zarius hand and get to his feet. There's a slight grumble at having to get the assist once again. "You're cheating by being old and having more practice."



There was a small grin and laugh, just based off a quick glance they probably weren't too far apart in age, but Zarius certainly was more practiced. As the thing writhes and wriggles in its moment of paralyzation Gerhart takes the time to climb up the side. "You handle things down here, I'm gonna make my way up, I have a plan."



He wobbles slightly as it starts to come back up again, rearing back on its serpentie body. Gerhart nearly falls off, but manages to hang on by stabbing a knife between one of the segmented plates. After a sigh of relief he starts to climb the beast, using his knives as makeshift climbing gear. Each puncture only serves to enrage the beast further, so his stupid idea would only have one shot. "HOLD IT STILL A MOMENT."

Hold it still? Easier said than done. The worm was at least ten feet in diameter and it had no limbs to grab onto. If he grappled it, it would just be like giving a tree a hug. He wasn't Shaa. He didn't weigh enough to out wrestle the worm. The stun had at least worked for the time being, but the worm would recover soon and start thrashing about again. He decides his best bet is to just keep its attention on him while Gerhart climbs up to its head. 

He circles around its body, making sure his footsteps are heavy across the sand. The worm twists and follows his movement and tries to lunge at him only for him to dart forward and stick it in the side with his knuckle knives.^[1] The worm screeches and keeps trying, coming pretty close to grazing him a few times. 

This gives Gerhart enough time to scale the creature and reach its head. The tiefling glances up when he spots the young fighter getting close to its head and darts in close to strike the worm in the underbelly a second time. The worm rears back and threatens to dive down on Zarius to swallow him whole. 

---

[1] Dashing

It was a struggle to get to the top of the worm, but Gerhart was full of just enough stupid determination to get it done. As the worm reared back and threatened Zarius, Gerhart drove his knife into the center of where he hoped the brain as. The roar of pain rippled across the sand, but before it could thrash and continue the young adventurer stomped down on the handle of his blade to drive it deeper.



The whole thing seemed to ripple and recoil, still coming down and crashing into the sand closer to the tiefling than he would likely prefer. When the body went limp and started to fall, it moved faster than Gerhart could manage. Seconds after it slumped into the sand, he would impact the sand beside it. With a big stupid grin he looked up to the sky, spitting sand out of his mouth before taking a breath.



"Heh....was that...cool? Shaa's first rule is to look cool.....or was that rule 3? I feel pretty far, I may have knocked something outta my brain."

Zarius glances down at the young human fighter on the ground next to him. He puts his hands on his hips and chuckles with a head shake. “That was pretty cool. Good job.”

He reaches down and pulls Gerhart up onto his feet. The tiefling dusts the sand off of him before they head back to rejoin the caravan.

The next few weeks of travel across the scorching sands with the caravan go on uneventful, other than a small incident wherein one of the drives nearly set his foot on fire while starting a campfire for the evening. They manage to get out of Zeinav, past Kings Valley and exchange the sleds for a number of bog sleds pulled by giant salamanders for the remainder of the trek through the Marsh Flats.

Halfway to Eclipse City, but the bog before them was notorious for trapping lost souls in its murky waters. What's more, it seemed that trouble was brewing once again, as each time they passed through a town, wandering eyes seemed to linger on their transported goods. Zarius had a creeping feeling that they were being tailed, but by who and for what purpose still remained unknown. Perhaps this next leg of their journey would reveal just what exactly is going on.