Prelude to a disaster

The bitter and short-tempered sovereign, Adawat, soared past a snowy peak, astride an enormous coatyl dragon. It was composed of thin translucent grey skin that had layers of black and jade fire moving underneath it, dimly illuminating it from within.

Its immense, serpentine body slithered behind for hundreds of meters like a monstrous snake and its terrible looking maw was deformed, slashed deeply, revealing lithe bone structure beneath. 

This corrupted abomination had three menacing eyes set ablaze in deep jade and black fire, and a massive wound scaled from under the chin to the back of its long abdomen, revealing bones beneath.

Shrieking, it abruptly veered in the air, scaling an exceptionally tall peak before settling down and lowering its head. Adaawat descended alongside.

the weather was exceptionally bitter cold ontop of the peak, huge chunks of flying snow were further devouring the already covered mountain. The veil of the night was about to be cast aswell.

Adawat reached an opening in the rock, it was small cave with jagged edges that bent inwards, it looked like a maw of some ancient abomination, turned to stone over time. 

He walked in and stopped before huge steps leading to a malevolent looking shrine and right in the middle of it, a statue of a creature that resembled a cat was placed, sculpted meticulously with ice and stone. It had a black shawl draped over its shoulders and a beautiful crown of white snowdrop like flowers over its head.

Adawat climbed up, his rot following behind him, turning the already weathered stone black and crumbling with each step, and stopped before the statue, then placed his deformed hand over it and after a few seconds, the statue's eyes lit up with the same jade and black fire.

************

Looking past the oddities and corruption, Sehray-e-shomaal was a completely breathtaking and enchanting place to be in. The team had flown over few more of the dwelling socities before reaching the place called Khandaq. It was at the outermost edge of their said civilization, just before the waterlands, which were considered empty and devoid of any life.

Khandaq was a grand city hosting a breathtaking citadel in its middle, but unlike the usual citadels that protruded outwards in shapes of castles and towers, The castle of Khandaq instead descended downwards into the earth like an enormous depression. 

The landscape was encircled by peaks arranged in a circular pattern, forming a natural fortress.

"We will descend before the foothill and then walk on foot, #212 change to your bee form after you're on the ground" #212 nodded and then switched as they landed.

Amawas then looked at the girls who were wearing exquisite shiny armors and easily standing out, them being humans was enough of a controversy and attracting point already. So she had to do something about their attire.

Sighing, she raised her arm, as thick fabrics of darkness rose up from the shadows of the foothill, coiling around the girls and after she finished, the girls were dressed up in torn and rough, deep red and black thobes with extra large hoodies covering up their entire faces, Amawas then commanded the darkness to obfuscate their faces.

She then went over the top and gave both of them some unique features just in case, acting like a total detail fanatic.

Isra got two small black horns on her head and Khadija got webbed hands with long claws. Since species that looked like humans already existed, this level of camouflage was sufficient. 

Next were Amawas and Aatish, they both needed to suppress themselves to the most minute degree, so that they could bypass the registration filter of Khandaq.

Khandaq held a power degree registration system of creatures, it was completely owned and controlled by the sovereign, Adaawat, and he had a habit of knowing the utmost details of whatever goes on in it. 

For that sole purpose, he also had deployed a whole armada of creatures designed for sniffing out the intruders who would remotely think of challenging the sovereign directly, he was highly insecure about his power.

They were called siyah-seekers. 

Siyah-seekers were brutal and would often kill those who they'd suspect to be a challenge, on sight, without empathy.

But Amawas had come prepared. 

She looked at Aatish who understood her glance and then she concentrated, as the crevices of her body started shrinking, smoldering the flowing fire inbetween, until all that was left was a small tiny pebble, then the pebble broke into a tail and two tiny arms and grew two ears. 

Aatish looked extremely cute, she had become a micro sized cat, she then flew to Isra and coiled around her palm like a tiny bracelet, then took her own tail in her mouth to forming a chain. 

Next was Amawas, she did the same, reluctantly tying herself to Khadija's thobe, acting like a tiny black brooch.

The brooch's voice echoed

"Listen well everyone, after this, Khadija and Isra will not talk to us in anyway, until its extremely crucial, if asked where they've come from, they will say, they're from the Clan of Zaakhi, here in the khandaq on merchant purposes. You two will cross the first and the second checkpoints, remember your objective and dont lose your temper nomatter what happens, keep your eyes down, stay in line and act as battered as you can, when you reach the third checkpoint, simply walk, dont stutter, dont look back, put your trust in me. After you enter the Khandaq, find a safe spot which should be easy enough. We'll plan our next move from there." 

#212 had been ladden with duffel-bags of supplies for the journey, they were currently placed on the ground near the team.

Amawas had insisted on making extra preparations in case the burrow worm failed so she had the bees and gimpi pack various supplies, kept seperate from the journey ration. A deep instinct had told her that she would end up needing to use these.

And she had been right. 

#212 hid himself in the cuffs of Isra's thobe as she pulled and swung a duffel bag around her shoulder, Khadija did the same.

The team was finally ready to infiltrate Khandaq.