Level Up: Voidwalker

''Oh god,'' Circe commented while rolling her eyes. ''Must you pray over everything, Soraya?''

''Can't you see the signs, Circe? An Azhar Tiger spoke of Azhar'Zul,'' The redheaded elf passionately replied after she finished praying. ''This is a clear sign from the Mother Goddess. Our Shahanshah-e Ilahi will lead us to paradise.''

''Enough of paradise, enough of Azhar'Zul; we need to get to Megara, where Zara is waiting for us,'' Circe declared while getting ready to jump to the desert below, once checking that it was clear.

Soraya nodded before joining Circe by the edge of the outcropping. The green-haired woman instructed her, ''Run for the lake and swim as fast as possible. The Devourers won't be able to reach us once we cross the shieldwall.''

After that, they leaped off the edge and hit the sand below, which caused the monsters to lunge out of the sand. The two girls rushed toward the water and dived in, but soon, she heard several splashes coming from behind them.

Soraya swam faster as the Devourers were getting close, but then they hit the Megara Shieldwall that blocked the creature's chase. The two of them continued to swim until she spotted light in the distance.

It took them a few seconds to reach it, and when Soraya breached the surface, the bright sun hit her eyes. She quickly covered them before swimming toward the shore and saw Circe's hand there.

She took it, allowing the green-haired elf to pull her up while speaking, ''You Westerners hate that entrance, but moving here was the only thing Father could do to stop the Achaemenidian attacks on the Eastern Cities.''

Soraya nodded in understanding as she knew the Eastern Tribes had to construct their cities in a valley surrounded by high mountains that protected them from the outside world and most of the desert titans and other monsters.

A group of warriors rushed toward Circe, but she waved them off while Soraya admired the landscape. Rolling dunes stretched out until they stopped at the large blue mountains that pierced the clouds.

Karsts dotted the landscape, rising from the sands. Soraya had always loved the Blue Dune Desert, but the prospect of exploring the outside world excited her even more. However, the thing she missed when leaving the capital was that her Nonna had never explained how they would find Azhar'Zul.

"Come on, Soraya!" Circe shouted. "The council is ready to welcome us."

When she heard this, she turned around and spotted several Sandstriders. Soraya jumped on one as the creatures started dashing across the sand, and Giant Scorpions, Sand Hyenas, and other monsters tried chasing them.

It took the group half an hour to reach Megara, which was built into a lone mountain in the middle of the valley. The Al-Sahraa Guardians patrolled the outside and guarded several entrances.

The Sandstriders slowed as they reached the bottom of the mountain, but something exploded from the sand, taking out one of the warriors in front of Circe. She skidded to a stop before jumping off and landing on the newcomer's body, shouting, "Sandsnakes! Warriors, prepare for battle!"

Soraya watched as Circe drove her Azarakhsh Blade into the serpent's skull as it flung its head around. When she saw this new monster, she knew exactly what it was. The creature was fifteen feet long with scales the color of sun-bleached sand.

Its yellow snake eyes glowed with malice as it devoured the fallen warrior, trying to dislodge Circe, but the wood elf girl held on, inflicting even more damage. Soraya witnessed the Guardians leaping from the mountain as more Sandsnakes attacked.

One of the giant sand serpents lunged toward her, but she cast, ''Flamewall.''

The red fire appeared before her just as the Sandsnakes closed in; when the monster touched the wall, it caused its insides to cook, but Soraya wouldn't leave it like and cast another spell, ''Spirit Flames.''

Bright red flames rushed out of her hand and washed over the monster, causing it to roar in pain and thrash around. After watching it die, Soraya looked for Circe and soon found her fighting one of the worm monsters.

Soraya watched the green-haired elf raise her sword as mana rushed toward the blade and was absorbed into it. Then, she swung down and sent a mana slash that cut the Sandsnake in half. However, she was attacked by more monsters.

She rushed in while dodging the serpent's attacks and charging her spirit magic. This caused red flames to blaze around her fists before she punched the monsters, which sent them flying.

While doing this, Soraya noticed some injured Guardians and pointed her left hand at them as she used Flamewall to defend herself. Once safe, she cast a healing spell on the warriors, ''Spirit Healing.''

After casting that, she dropped the wall and rushed forward, punching any worm that came close; her fire-powered punch blew holes in the creature's body. Soraya took out many serpents.

She stopped to catch her breath but soon noticed Circe and three other warriors fighting a bigger Tha'ban, which shocked her at the monster's size. It was three times the size of the regular ones and looked much more potent.

Soraya got ready to cast a powerful spell and started concentrating before shouting to Circe and the warriors, ''Get back!''

The green-haired girl and her companions scrambled out of harm's way as she unleashed a "Spirit Blast."

A crimson beam surged from her outstretched hands, tearing through the air before striking the colossal monster's torso with so much force that it caused a shockwave, causing it to collapse lifeless.

Soraya grinned, feeling the rush of energy coursing through her, 'That must have been Rank A or B. I'm glad Circe weakened it beforehand, or it wouldn't have perished,' she mused before turning her attention to the wounded warriors and healing them.

After that, Circe gave her a strange look before it disappeared. She then guided the group to the city after they had retrieved the Monster Cores from the Sandworms.

***

[The Blue Dune Desert - South]

A group of Asadani warriors sat atop a dune, watching a Sandcrawler pass by them. At first glance, it appears as a stronghold on wheels, armored with mithril plates that shimmer with mana and reflect the shades of the desert sunset.

Runes decorate its surface to protect it from desert monsters. Massive treads, imbued with even more runes that hum softly with latent power, churn the sand beneath them, leaving behind a trail of disturbed sand.

Each track was made from a sturdy material that could take a beating. From its flanks, great arms of articulated metal are tipped with drills that pulse with magical energy. These appendages delve deep into the earth, excavating precious gems and ores hidden beneath the desert's surface.

Drills emit sparks of arcane energy as they work tirelessly, channeling the earth's bounty into the waiting maw of the Sandcrawler. Rising above the armored shell, a series of domed structures house the crew and machinery.

Through tinted glass, glimpses of figures moving with purpose can be seen, their silhouettes shadowed against the glow of magical instruments and control panels. A girl was crouched down with her arms on her knees while watching the machine.

She was covered in the same blue Scorched Silk armor as the other Saharaelian warriors, which helped camouflage them from the lookouts and Mana Airships that flew over. The only difference was the mouse ears that poked out from the scarf.

The girl's yellow eyes gleamed with determination as someone's voice brought her back to the present, "Farida, when do we strike? The Sandcrawler is almost upon us."

"Not yet, sister. A patrolling Mana Airship will pass overhead in a few minutes," she replied, her gaze fixed on the approaching Sandcrawler. "I can hear them approaching."

As Farida spoke, her adorable mouse ears twitched. "One minute!" she exclaimed.

The warriors prepared their Azarakhsh Blades, which glowed with a gentle blue hue thanks to the Blue Core Stones from which they were crafted. A buzzing was heard seconds later as an aircraft passed over the Sandcrawler while patrolling the desert.

Once the airship vanished into the distance, Farida raised her hand with a smile before signaling the attack. The Asadani warriors rushed down the dune just as the Sandcrawler approached them.

Farida looked to the left and ordered, "Jenna's group! Attack the treads with the Blue Shards so it stops moving, and then take out the soldiers on the crawler."

''Yes Yuvaragni,'' the warrior saluted. ''It will be done.''

Jenna and her group hurled tennis ball-sized blue orbs at the Sandcrawler's treads as they descended, triggering a massive explosion. Farida shielded her eyes from the blinding flash.

The desert trembled, prompting Farida to shout, "Go!"

She glanced at her older sister and added before rushing off, "You take out the guards; my warriors will target the storage, and the rest know their roles."

Following that, the warriors rushed toward the massive machine, which got peppered with more blue shards. Farida got close and spotted several guards rushing toward her, and in the closet, one swung his sword.

She raised her blade to block the attack, and when the sparks flew out, she moved quicker than the man could see and counter-attacked by stabbed the guard in his throat before moving on to the next enemy.

Soon enough, more warriors joined the fray, allowing the Asadani people to loot the Sandcrawler's haul after butchering all the Achaemenidians on board before vanishing into the desert as a Sand Kraken appeared and tore it apart.