~Chapter 1~
~Age 988 B~
The sun beat harshly over the sand-port town bordering the great desert. The 11-year old Corri flew over the desert on her bird Rojo, a red sparrow large enough to carry her. Far on the horizon were sand-ships appearing to glide across the sands. Humid air blew through her red hair as she flew over one of the ships.
The ship was manned entirely Mecarne, beings with metal looking flesh and an imperviousness to heat and cold. These ones had tone muscle with a metallic sheen to their skin and a sand colored tint to their bodies.
A few of them donned harnesses tethered with rope to the bow of the ship. They dived headfirst into the sands as if it were water and swam, pulling the ship along. It began to gain acceleration. The Mecarne were known to be outstanding swimmers, even in sand. Propellers at the back of the ship turned rapidly, twirling sand around.
After they picked up sufficient speed the Mecarne's swam back onto the ship as it seemed to glide across the sands, nearly going as fast as Rojo.
Corri shifted atop Rojo and the red sparrow tilted its body towards the sandport. The bird landed atop the roof of the inn where her friends and family were staying. After she dismounted, Rojo flew from the roof to an oasis of water at the center of the town.
Corri went inside the building to their room and found Nout, Ruben, and her brother Aero lounging around. Aero had wrapped his shirt around his head like a turban, and Nout gripped a small paper fan in his trunk and was waving it to cool himself. The Young Phantine wasn't accustomed to the heat. If not for the thin Sirwal garments Corri purchased in town, she would be in the same predicament as him. Ruben however was unaffected, a benefit of its rocky form.
"Why is that ever since Temp joined our group, we've only seemed to travel through blistering hot places like these?" Nout groaned, beating the fan over his face even faster.
"I don't think its that bad," The ever optimistic Aero said while looking out the window of their room.
Corri squinted at her brother, "Of course you would say that. Have Temp and Jirro found a boat yet?"
Ruben stood onto its stone feet, "He was checking out the port."
"Let's go join him."
The four children left the inn to search for them. Temp was a slender and tall Mecarne with a metallic sheen to his purple tinted skin. His sharp eyes always made Corri think he was up to something nefarious.
Temp had been bartering for a better price on one of the ships with on the docks, while his hyena Kelvin patiently waited at his side. Corri's cousin Jirro accompanied him as he looked for one. Temp was crafty and with just the right amount of tact was able to get a sizable discount on a ship.
Humid winds from the desert constantly blew sand across the port. Temp walked the children through the docks. Several other wooden ships were docked along it as well, until they came to a rather small boat
"Here we are," Temp gestured to the boat. It was barely enough to hold all of them.
Corri cocked her head, "It's a little small isn't it?"
Jirro shook his head, "It'll work. Besides, if we're able to get across the desert as fast as Temp said, then we won't be in it for long."
"What about Rojo? There's no room for him to ride with us," Corri pouted, "It's not like he can fly with us the entire way."
Aero pointed towards the sail of the ship, "I think Rojo found a spot."
Corri eyes followed the sail to the top. Her great bird was perched there, and was leisurely picking at its feathers. Corri smiled contently, "That'll work."
Everyone boarded the boat, Temp's hyena Kelvin laid about the stern. Hyenas were typically unruly beasts, but Kelvin seemed rather docile in comparison. Temp made preparations, pitching the sails and getting a feel for steering the boat. He stood at the bow of the ship and donned a harness tethered to it.
Temp pointed at Jirro, "Take the wheel. As I pull us out just keep us heading straight, alright?"
Aero perked up his head, "Can I steer?"
"Not a chance, you'd probably tear the wheel off by accident," Temp urged. He was probably right. Jirro had much more control over his strength than Aero did.
Jirro took a firm grip of the wheel. Temp did a quick stretch before eyeing the sands ahead of him. He dived in with pointed hands and disappeared into them. The ship began to shift forward as Temp swam through sands, and the propeller at the back of the boat began to spin. Corri gripped the starboard rails of the boat to brace herself. In moments they were sailing along the sands of the desert as if it were an ocean.
Once the ship was at a sufficient speed, Temp turned back to the boat. He gripped the rails to the side and pulled himself on.
"Move aside," Temp said to Jirro. The blonde haired boy stepped back and allowed him to take the wheel, "Alright, as long as things go as planned we should be able to reach the sand port around the Saran Plains by tomorrow morning. Platt Mountain won't be far from there."
Jirro smirked, "I'm impressed. I didn't expect us to be able to go this fast on the sand." i
"Where'd you learn how to do this Temp?" Aero asked with his arms hanging over the sides lackadaisically.
Temp kept his eyes fixed on the horizon and answered, "When I was a kid I lived in the desert. I was heavily immersed in this life back then."
Corri thought that odd. When they first met Temp he was a part of Ekor's crew of outlaws, "How come you left?"
Temp hesitated before answering, "...Some bandits came around when I was a little kid and took just about everything. I guess that stuck with me so I ended up becoming a bandit myself later on. Seemed like the better way to live. But I'm done with that now."
Ruben looked nervously over the edge of the boat at the sand streaming past them, "Are you sure this thing is safe?"
Temp chuckled, "With me at the helm, absolutely."
"What if I fall out and sink?" Ruben asked.
Temp laughed aloud, "Its sand, not water Ruben. You won't sink. If you do happen to fall out, which you won't, we'll just circle around and pick you back up."
Ruben nervously gripped its seat. 394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0hH24C7bK7
