Level Up: Voidwalker

Chapter 24: Blasphemy

[Soraya Al-Muharib's POV]

The two moons shone over the Blue Dune Desert as Soraya raced across the Death Field, riding her Sandstrider, which resembled a large horse-like spider gliding along the sands without making noise.

Warriors used this mode of transport most of the time to travel across the dunes. Some walked, but there was a chance the Azure Devourers would ambush them. The monsters looked like Megalania from Earth's ancient history but were colored blue to blend into the desert.

The monsters would hide beneath the sand only to burst out when they sensed something nearby, so Soraya always had to be careful while heading to the Eastern Region to meet with her best friend Zara and the daughter of the Non-Believer leader.

This was after the Great Mother and Rahbar's declared that the three regions of the desert would send a warrior to find the Azhar'Zul. Soraya would represent the western region, while her best friend Zara would represent the southern tribes.

Lastly, a woman named Circe Al-Darkhan, a captain in the Al-Sahraa Guardians, would also represent the East. They were ordered to leave the desert and head north, but first, they had to meet at the eastern capital, Megara.

Soraya shook her head and stopped thinking while admiring the quiet desert, but she knew better; death lay in wait. Suddenly, a Giant Scorpion tried to ambush her. Reacting swiftly, she cast a spell, "Spirit Flames."

Bright red flames burst from her hand, striking the monster and slowing it down, giving her enough time to get past it. Soraya wanted to avoid the fight that would have dragged on, thanks to the Giant Scorpion being Rank D, which she could handle, but it would use much of her mana.

After an hour of riding, she spotted the lake leading to Megara, the capital of the Non-Believers, who occupied the eastern part of the desert. They fought with the Achaemenid Empire and suffered horrifying attacks that involved the razing of dozens of Qaryas to the ground.

They slaughtered innocents but were pushed back by the Al-Sahraa Guardians. Soraya knew of them but hadn't met any due to them not leaving the East. Once at the lake, she jumped off the Sandstrider, which was uneasy.

Soraya was worried when the ground started to shake, causing her to look around to find a safe place, and spotted a rock outcropping not far away. She rushed toward it before casting an Enhancement spell to speed up.

Soon enough, she reached the rock and jumped up on it as something burst through the sand, trying to attack her. Several Azure Devourers appeared their blue forms blending into their surroundings.

Their eery yellow eyes were staring at her with hatefulness. That's when the ground started to shake, forcing Soraya to hide in a small hole as a tentacle burst out of the sand and wrapped around several Devourers before pulling them into the sand.

Soraya's eyes widened in shock as she mumbled, ''A Sand Kraken.''

The sand leviathan grabbed all the Azure Devourers and appeared from the sand, opening a massive maw. Soraya's eyes widened in shock as it dropped the monsters inside before vanishing below the sand.

She could see the sand moving when the Kraken was moving like it was in the water, which always amazed the Saharaelians. However, the desert people feared and hated the monster, as it had attacked many Qaryas.

But the shamans found a way to hide their settlements using ancient magic and totems that scared it away. Soraya stepped out of the cave only to see one of the Devourers standing there, watching her with an evil glint.

'Oh no,' she thought while readying her spells, but then several whistles were heard, attracting Sorayas and the monster's attention. Several figures surrounded them, and one fell from the sky while holding a glowing blue long knife.

The figure fell on top of the Azure Devourer and plunged the knife into the monster's skull, causing it to drop dead. When that happened, silence took over the outcropping until the soldiers started cheering. ''Captain! Captain!''

Soraya was perplexed by the warriors' sudden appearance, having not detected them while scaling the outcropping. She recognized them as Saharaelians, though she couldn't discern their specific tribe until the one drew near.

Clad in Scorched Silk armor that shielded them from Achaemenidian blades, the blazing sun, and the swirling sands, the warriors' clothes blended seamlessly with the desert's shades, rendered in a protective shade of blue.

What caught Soraya's attention most were their eyes—she glimpsed the warrior who had slain the Devourer approaching her, their emerald green gaze brimming with adrenaline as the person closed in.

Soraya watched the warrior remove her scarf, unveiling a young woman with short, vibrant green hair and striking emerald eyes. Her delicate features and smooth, fair skin create a striking and memorable appearance.

'She's from the eastern noble tribes,' Soraya thought. 'They make up the commanders in the Al-Sahraa Guardians.'

The woman stopped before her, smugly grinning. ''You must be Soraya Al-Muharib, granddaughter of the Great Mother and fanatical Dajjal lover.''

Soraya bristled when she heard that and retorted, ''Azhar'Zul isn't a false Messiah! he is our chosen and will lead us to paradise!'' she exclaimed before speaking the prayer all believers expressed when their messiah was brought up. ''The one who points the way.''

''Look, boys and girls, this is what blind worship does to a person,'' the woman mocked while pointing at Soraya. ''It's tainted our Western brothers and sister's minds. They refuse to believe that the Azhar'Zul is a Saharaelian and not an outsider like these fanatics believe.''

When Soraya heard this, she grew angry, ''Blasphemy! You Easterners know nothing of the prophecy. Our emperor predicated Azhar'Zul's coming days before he sacrificed himself for us!''

She looked around at the warriors, listening before continuing, ''The heavens showed us his arrival when the stars crossed the desert, and the Great Council has ordered three of us to find him! Once we do, he will lead the Great War to reclaim what's rightfully ours!''

The woman chuckled softly as she approached, "What you say might be true, but the southern and eastern tribes won't accept an outsider as the Azhar'Zul; it has to be one of our own.''

''A foreigner couldn't understand our struggles or suffering! Please tell me how this messiah will lead us if we have to babysit him, fanatic?'' the woman mocked as the other warriors laughed.

Soraya declared confidently, gazing into the woman's green eyes, ''He is one with the Al-firaagh, blessed by Zahidul and Azadul and favored by the Mother Goddess. The Azhar'Zul will guide our people to paradise as our leader.''

The warriors standing on the outcropping saw Soraya's eyes, which showed pure fanaticism as she continued, ''You will witness the prophecy unfold when he forms a bond with the Desert Shayatin and defeats the Great Blue Devil that terrorizes our people.''

When Soraya said that name, the warriors around them shivered and backed away with wide eyes. The woman shook her head, ''There's no point in arguing with a fanatic,'' she stated before introducing herself. ''I'm Circe Al-Darkhan.''

Soraya's eyes widened. ''They sent a Non-Believer to find Azhar'Zul. Why?'' she said in disbelief.

Circe laughed before speaking to the other warriors, ''Head back to Megara City. I want to talk to the fanatic.''

The warriors jumped down the outcropping before rushing toward the lake and diving inside, leaving them alone. Soraya turned to Circe, ''I don't expect you to believe in the prophecy, but give it a chance, and make your judgment when you witness his greatness.''

''Stop with this religious stuff, Soraya,'' Circe barked, ignoring the redhead's words. ''I will join you on your journey only to experience the outside world, but when we find the Dajjal, don't expect me to worship him like you do.''

'Blasphemy! Azhar'Zul will show her the way,' Soraya thought before answering. ''I won't force the Path on you, but do not slander my religion; if you can agree, then we can work together?''

Soraya watched Circe's green eyes flicker before she nodded, ''Agreed, we have enough Azharite Priests in the east and a growing population of believers who are survivors of the Achaemenidian raids for the Blue Stone and other desert treasures.''

''I heard the Asadani have raided several Achaemenidian and Nubian Sandcrawlers, as well as their Desert Camps,'' Soraya commented. ''Rumors speak of an invasion in the coming months.''

Circe laughed, ''The Asadani know how to hide and fight; any army that invades will be lost in a sandstorm and picked clean by the many monsters that roam the land.''

Soraya nodded, but then the two heard a noise behind them, causing them to spin around and ready their magic, but it was useless. The stuff of nightmares appeared, 'Shayatin! An Azhar Desert Tiger,' she thought to herself.

A massive tiger was standing above the duo. It was eyeing them with a neutral gaze before he jumped to their level and towered above them. Soraya was stuck to the spot in fear as the Monarch Aura bore down.

Circe was just as nervous, but soon, the aura vanished, allowing the two to admire the horrifying monster. It stood eight feet on all fours and had beautiful black fur with violet stripes all over its body.

The monster looked like a Siberian Tiger from Earth but twice the size and even more fearsome. As Soraya looked into its eyes, she prayed. ''Not the time to pray, fanatic,'' Circe snapped but was cut off.

''He has come, has he not? Azhar'Zul has arrived in our world, little birds. A melodic sound rang out on the outcropping.

Both girls were shocked as the exotic accent came from the Azhar Tiger relaxing in front of them. Soraya stepped forward and said nervously, ''Great Shayatin, are you a believer in the prophecy?''

The tiger's head tilted, ''Yes, little bird, but we're not fanatical over the boy like you Westerners are,'' it said. ''And stop calling me Shayatin; I'm not a desert devil! It's bad enough those mouse hunters call me that, and now the others are at it.''

Circe couldn't help but point out, ''Shayatin, you hunt and eat us? So you cannot blame us for naming you such a thing.''

''Shut up, green bird, or I'll eat you,'' the Azhar Tiger retorted before standing up. ''When Azhar'Zul arrives in the desert, bring him to Dead Man's Cliffs; if you don't, I will butcher every Saharaelian I find until meeting the boy.''