Solar Knight: Shifting Sands (book 6)

chapter 26: the sand swallowed village

With the help of the villagers, our cargo and camels were taken to a nearby stable and hitched up. We would then be ushered inside of one of the larger buildings of the village, then two strong looking anubian men would slam the door shut as the storm hit outside, making the door rattle, with another strong looking anubian male slamming a long slab of wood in the hooks on the sides if the wall as the two men at the door ducked as he did. After all was said and done, the doors were steadfast and remained shut.

Inside where we were, there were several villagers taking shelter from the storm. Men, women, children, and babies weren't exactly too afraid of what's going on outside, as one would expect, but were instead, calm and matter of fact about the storm raging outside, that is with a hint of depression lingering in the atmosphere.

"You fools! Show some respect! We have royalty in our presence!" Said, what i assumed to be the chief elder of the village.

The villagers would take note of the royals and generals in our group and immediately got on one knee.

"There's no need for that." Said anu.

"No no, please be at ease. We're taking shelter just like you!" Aya said.

The villagers would sigh in relief as they got comfortable again.

"I am the chief elder of this village, Muharib Alrimal, last living member of the Alrimal family sadly. You may call me Muharib." The old man said.

He wore anubian clothes, but these were rather raggedy looking and resembled more of a cloak and hood, without exposing skin. He might have a skin condition that makes it sensitive to the sun and heat, either that or it's old age. He had a long, unkempt white beard as well as bushy white eye brows that obscured his eyes. He walked with a long wooden staff as well, made from, what i assumed, was the local trees around the village.

"Your name translates to sand warrior, is there a reason for that?" Asked pallas.

"Pallas! That's rude! And since when do you know egyptian language?" Said vestas.

"Well, when the lobby tv was stuck on a history channel, pallas gave up changing it and watched it. It was pretty neat!" She said with a dopey smile.

The other two of the quartet was stunned. I'm guessing pallas is deemed the dumb one of the group. I wonder which one is the dumb one of my group? I'm guessing Sven.

"Yes, there is merit to my name. I was born from the loins of a soldier and a woman that was a humble seamstress. As i got older, i fought in many campaigns against villainous bandit tribes, as my father once did. As i got older, people saw me as a war hero of sorts and made me their leader, even if i didn't ask for it." Muharib said.

I looked around the place and noticed the windows were all expertly boarded up and sealed, as well as the walls reinforced with planks at an angle, even though the structure was made of, what i assumed to be clay and sand. I'm jo architecture of Egyptian, or in this case anubian, building.

"This sand storm seemed to have come out of nowhere.....are they natural around here?" Asked akira.

Mom was leaned against the wall, as well as everyone else getting comfortable and seated.

"No.....they're not natural. We feel like some evil spirits keep attacking our hunble village. Spirits that work for an old bandit gang or something that i have fought before." Muharib explained.

"Evil spirits?" Mom said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes and we have a name for the little vermin too. The Rabisu, they attack in swarms, causing sand storms just for spite and havoc! They've killed our flocks, our crops, and have buried well over a third of our village! And we're helpless to stop them!" He said on the verge of crying.