Sand Worm

Whatever the fuck it was opened up a wide sinkhole beneath our camp. Breaking our sandstone foundation into a cloud of pebbles and chunks that loosely supported the tent floating above it.

While the others retreated into the sky with their weapons half-drawn, I stood within my domains to take note of the smooth ridges repeating down the dank cave that appeared and continued on below us for what looked like hundreds of meters.

Seeing it reminded me of only one thing. One absurdly large and disgusting thing. So I spawned an Artificial Well to pull our immediate environment skyward and out of the maw of the colossal worm to watch it gracefully arc over the sand sea from a safe distance.

Once in the clear, everyone sheathed their weapons and went on to watch the worm squirm through the dunes in circles while I sent the debris raining back down and sorted through our gear. Where to not much surprise, I found a little visitor orbiting helplessly around the stove. A small, black scorpion.

I captured it with a grin and turned to see the others peering down to worm. Muttering to themselves.

"Should we kill it?" I heard the princess ask. "It's a potential danger to any travelers."

"What travelers?" Toril laughed. "We haven't seen a soul since we started crossing the mountain."

"Most people would go by boat." Ed pointed out.

"I don't really see the point either." Jaimess chimed in. "This creature may be a vital part of this desert ecosystem. Killing it may do more harm than good."

Following that, they all sort of turned to me with raised brows.

"Do what you want." I shrugged. "I'm not gonna kill it."

"Okay." She nodded, looked down to the surface. Then back to me and the others before she took off to the southeast.

'Desert adventure over, I guess.' I pulled myself after her with a snort.

In hindsight, I couldn't exactly blame her. The journey to Rook Island was not only a long one but a boring one as well. She and the others saw no combat outside of a few hunting trips and training sessions on their own. And the animals I faced were nothing more than ordinary creatures. Even the humans and their scarce use of magic weren't even noteworthy. Perhaps, I assumed, it was different on the other continents, but this journey all but convinced me that Maru as a whole was weak. And it was all because of the birdcage that'd been draped over Ulai centuries ago.

The Tree of Life was dead, and the only thing capable of bringing new life into this realm was blockaded. Which made for no challenge here. Not for me, my companions, or anyone with a little bit of power. Even the worm wouldn't have been a challenge to any of us. Nor would anything less than a ranked Magi, perhaps. But those individuals, I assumed, were few and far between in this realm.

'Strongest in the world, huh Telin?' I pondered. 'Or, the strongest in this world?'

It was clear that Telin had many trials planned for me. Based on his words, my handouts would soon run dry and I'd be faced with endless challenges, tasks, and tests in order to prove to him and the other Eternals that I deserved a place at their side.

But, I'd long since decided that I didn't really want a spot in the proverbial Mount Olympus. I wanted to at least retain my knowledge and memories. At most, I only cared to influence my appearance in the next universe I'd be born into. And devote myself again to learning all there was to learn.

With that in mind, I didn't see a reason to plan for whatever destiny Telin had in store for me. Instead, I spent the flight across the desert planning out a route to answer and accomplish the many questions and ambitions burning within my mind and heart.

And it all started in Maru.

After finding the Cole Crypt in Phaegrath, a large chunk of history would have then been uncovered to me. Furthermore, my Guild would have undergone its test deployment and would be ready to breach Ulai and handle the portals. After that, I planned to develop my allies into an Empire, my Guild would grow into a Legion, and my subordinates would create their own subsidiary guilds.

And then the greatest expedition in history would begin.

With the mental map created from what I saw at the summit, I etched out a crudely vague route around the Mortal Plane.

Our period of peacetime would end with our departure to Betrarth. As the weakest of all the worlds, yet one populated with warmongering orcs and goblins, it was the obvious choice for a full-on invasion. After establishing a foothold in the verdant land, we'd turn south and cut through the continent past the Steam Line and into Vagua.

Even with enchantments, however, I was confident that not all of us would be able to explore the Outer Reaches. The environment aside, it was said to be home to powerful demon clans and vampire families. And the environment only got more volatile the closer we'd get to the Gray Terminus.

As for Youtera, I felt that it'd be appropriate to enter the land after my journey to the sun.

While my mother did say I'd be fetched to be taught mana forging at fifty years old, she never specified if that was by a human or elven standard. Not that I knew if there were any differences between the two in the first place.

Regardless if there was, I lived on my own terms. I wasn't one to go chasing whoever appeared before my eyes with promises of a higher power. And I certainly wasn't going to go along with Telin's whims like the rest of the elves. If I didn't learn the art myself, I decided that I'd pull up in Youtera when I felt it right. And once my business there was done, I'd climb the White Wall and make the final voyage to Egedil.

But at that time, I assumed that we'd all be dead.

Or rather, undead. Including me.

'And then what?' I asked myself.

If what Roheisa said was true, I assumed I could traverse the stars and explore the realm of the gods. Or bring them here, to the Mortal Plane, to challenge them, god-to-unproven eternal god.

If not that, I could take my place among them as the Lord of the Void. Or create my own infinite space for my people to thrive in. But even that came with the threat of endless boredom.

While a part of me knew that the endless possibilities of life made it pointless to think about such far-off things, my mind still churned until nightfall. Perhaps only in an effort to burn the day by, if not to truly find a reason to live on in this world indefinitely.

We halted two hours before midnight, and I promptly captured everyone's attention by withdrawing my and Roheisa's ships from my Shadow Pocket and giving them both a flick of gravity mana. Imbuing them with just enough energy to make them buoyant in the atmosphere like the floating cities outside, drifting in Venus' clouds.

With that done, I attached a magnetic tether between the vessels before climbing aboard my own. Then, peered over the railings with a gesture to the others to come aboard.

"Alright," I said once everyone came to a shaky landing. "I only need a little concentration to keep these ships floating. I won't be able to meditate until we come to a landing. But once the engines are primed, we'll be able to travel through the night in luxury."

"Will you be alright, staying up all night?" Roheisa asked.

"I'm nocturnal by nature." I smiled at her. "We'll be at the coast by morning and I'll be able to sleep then. Ed." I threw my chin at him. "If you can prime the drives, we can get underway."

"Sure." He quickly nodded. Then trotted off to the aft end with his force magic gathered in his palms. After dumping the energy into the enchantments, he flew over to Roheisa's vessel and repeated the process before flying back to lounge about in the salon next to Roheisa, sprawled out on the deck, staring up at the sky.

After a few more words, the others retreated below deck for the night and I accelerated the 'Packet' up to cruising speed. Then pulled out my annals to begin scribbling away and answering Roheisa's off-handed questions for the next several hours.

We talked about a myriad of things, the three of us. Titles. Classes. Evolution. Guilds. And more mundane things too. Like our favorite snacks, foods, or colors. As well as deeper topics. About Sorcerers, Witches, and Wizards. About Devils and Demons. The Hells and the Under. Of Nonus and the other realms.

By two in the morning, Ed drifted off to sleep. And Toril, Jaimess, and Lucia awoke another two hours later to join in on the small talk and whip up some breakfast.

We talked more about dreams and ambitions until the sun started to rise above the Plane. Saturating the gray wash before us with the blues and beiges and grays of the southern coastline. As well as our destination, Rook Island, sitting beyond it in a pocket of swirling, foamy seas.

With our destination in sight, Roheisa and I decided to use our combined magic to dash madly to the finish. With my Artificial Well pulling on the vessels in tandem with her Attraction, we arced over the steep shores at breakneck speeds and crashed onto the waters like a pair of meteors.

I let out a sigh of relief after canceling the spell and relaxed in my seat for a long moment. The mana taken from my Well was negligible, but weakening the gravitational pull of so much mass required considerable more focus than maintaining the domains that surrounded me at all times. And it wasn't as if I could keep those spells active in my sleep either. That, I assumed, was what enchantments were for. And that assumption only made me all the more eager to learn the art in the near future.

Before that came, however, I had to get through the final trial set by the Guild Association: Seven days of waiting.

I was confident that'd I'd be bored within a few days at sea. Even with a schedule filled with training, experimenting, overseeing the Menagerie's development, and communing with my ancestors, I figured the anticipation of the adventures ahead would leave me unable to meditate or sleep for days on end and that time would crawl by at a snail's pace.

But only because I wanted it to. I could've dilated time and made the days pass by in seconds, but instead, I resolved to enjoy this time to my heart's content. For my plans didn't allow for another period of rest for at least a few decades.

And our trials wouldn't be over for at least a few centuries.