《Dust》 The Coming Storm ¡°Stories picked me up from the dirt and inspired me to become a reputable merchant. My children love hearing them and I love telling them. Stories, Athia, are all that become of us. It¡¯s easy to become a bad story, hard to become a good story¡­and it is up to the gods to decide if you become a great story.¡± - Sellah, Pillow Merchant so The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Perfect robes for staying hidden at night,¡± Athia thought. ¡°This girl is no fool,¡± the nomad thought. ¡°That goes for the both of us then,¡± Athia thought. ¡°Clever,¡± the nomad thought. The Red City ¡°I crossed the ocean, I saw greener grass, I saw the white of snow. After eight years, I saw all that those lands had to offer and was disappointed. I returned to the endless sand of the Everlasting Desert. I¡¯ve spent most of my life here and I¡¯m still surprised by its magic, its wonders. One lifetime is not enough.¡± - Atlasi, Sultan of the Everlasting Desert ¡°Incredible,¡± Bayek thought. ¡°There are so many noble men and women...I¡¯ve never seen such a haven of luxury.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t attach yourself so easily,¡± Athia thought to herself. ¡°Yet, Seeoh is protective and Sellah an adept merchant,¡± Athia thought. ¡°At least their children will live well. Now¡­I must find Bayek.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°The Sultan has done well,¡± Athia thought. ¡°Tribe?¡± Athia thought. "Perhaps that is a good thing, " Athia thought. "It might make what I have to do easier." "He will get himself killed," Athia thought. ¡°Don¡¯t carry it alone,¡± Sellah¡¯s words repeated in Athia¡¯s head. ¡°I don¡¯t trust him that much,¡± Athia thought. ¡°But¡­he trusts me.¡± Thieves, Fools, and Warnings ¡°Abasi used to cause a lot more trouble than me¡­but now he spends more time planning instead of making mischief. He is practically my brother with the way he looks after me¡­and I would follow him anywhere.¡± - Basim, Friend of Abasi ¡°It¡¯s truly beautiful,¡± Athia thought. ¡°And the people are happy. Red Rock must be blessed by the gods.¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°If anyone looks too closely they will see how little harm she is doing,¡± Abasi thought. ¡°I better play up the arm waving and shrieking.¡± ¡°She took it while acting all concerned,¡± Abasi thought. ¡°Or just before¡­or after¡­I didn¡¯t feel a thing.¡± ¡°Then again, it¡¯s not like she is going to be easy to forget,¡± Basim thought with a mental smile. Assassin ¡°I lost everything. I was a monster before, but after falling so low, I became something worse. I was afraid I would be that way forever...then Sultan Atlasi found me and made me right.¡± - Mirza, Captain of the Red Guard "Patience¡­years of practice brought me this far," Bayek thought as he cut another glance at the Red Guard. "A little more patience and it will all be worth it." ¡°Propped up above the people and protected from all sides,¡± Athia thought. ¡°Even in times of peace, he is careful. Or perhaps, these are the precautions of his right hand man.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Still, the palace is large, the mountain larger. Who knows how many rooms and halls lie within?¡± Athia thought to herself. ¡°More valuable than every oasis in the desert.¡± ¡°He is old, too old to keep up,¡± Athia thought to herself. ¡°He must be deaf, he won¡¯t hear me enter,¡± Athia told herself, her heart beginning to pound. ¡°He is weakened by time...¡± ¡°...too weak to fight.¡± ¡°Something isn¡¯t¡­right,¡± Mirza thought. ¡°Mirza¡­you stress yourself unnecessarily,¡± Shadya thought, then smiled. Her eyes now rested on her children, shy and humble in their seats. ¡°We are so lucky to have you watch over us.¡± ¡°Even now¡­not even a tear shed,¡± Athia thought. ¡°There must be something wrong with me. Even Bayek shows more shock.¡± The Captain of the Red Guard ¡°It is curious that even the most lonely nomad wonders if a deity watches over them. I used to think they just needed someone to blame. I thought we were on our own spiritually, but at least we¡¯re not alone physically. I could live with that...but, now¡­¡± - Bayek, Nomad ¡°This is nothing. My footing is sure and my fingers are like fish-hooks,¡± Bayek thought as he began to shimmy after Athia. ¡°And Athia, you climb with such ease¡­what trials did you face to have grown up so quickly?¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°They won¡¯t need horses to catch me like this,¡± Athia thought. ¡°¡®A cursed city of white, only found when you are looking for it.¡¯¡± the words repeated in Athia¡¯s mind. Leaving White Tree ¡°We know there are six gods. One for wealth, one for war, one for nature, one for life, and one for death. We don''t know their intentions. It could be that they guide us, meddle with our destiny for the good of all of us...or it could be that we are no more than their puppets, their pawns, in a game we are not aware of. As for the sixth god, it''s the desert itself. ¡± - Ali, Priest of Aida ¡°Perhaps it was twisted amusement I saw, not interest,¡± Athia thought. ¡°To see their faces again would be a blessing and a curse,¡± Bayek thought. ¡°Friends...but reminders of what was lost.¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I felt it...I felt it at that moment,¡± Athia told Bayek. ¡°I had helped her and she bound me to her. What she held in her hand was...me, my heart or my soul...I don¡¯t know. The goddess has all our souls, but in her hands, I felt a cold that didn¡¯t make me shake. Instead, I felt empty.¡± more valuable than every oasis in the desert¡±. ¡°And perhaps I will redeem myself for what I did¡­because the Sultan¡¯s death doesn¡¯t sit right in my heart,¡± Bayek thought. The Porcelain City ¡°No soul has seen the entirety of the Everlasting Desert. There are lands beyond, with edges, with endings. This land is not so simple.¡± - Nuru, Mother of Hanif "I need to start eating less," Bayek thought. ¡°One portion for me is two for her.¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°The heat¡­I would happily climb into one and float there until nightfall,¡± Athia thought. The Sultan’s Secret ¡°Atlasi was a strange man, but a good man. He wanted to bring peace to this desert and he realized the biggest problem was the gods themselves.¡± - Nuru, Mother of Hanif ¡°Nef must have known,¡± Athia thought. ¡°But why didn¡¯t she tell me?¡± ¡°The gods must not be so powerful,¡± Athia thought. ¡°Or perhaps¡­the Sultan isn¡¯t her enemy.¡± ¡°He contained the gods? What was Atlasi?¡± Bayek thought angrily. ¡°It¡¯s like a sick joke. After years of waiting, I finally have my revenge, and...who did I kill? A good man?¡± ¡°My time here should be limited,¡± Atlasi thought. ¡°She forgot to mention how limited.¡± ¡°It¡¯s despicable,¡± Atlasi thought. ¡°I hope wherever Vel is now he is suffering.¡± ¡°I still wish for their downfall, so the curse has not taken me yet,¡± Atlasi thought. ¡°Still, I best be quick.¡± ¡°Great people brought so low just so they can live without pain,¡± Atlasi thought. ¡°Had I the power of a god...oh, if I were a god...no, I cannot think such thoughts. I must hold my pity and show respect.¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°That much is true,¡± Bayek thought to himself. ¡°Although, our promises are usually vows to destroy a tribe that wronged us...or a single man.¡± ¡°Well said,¡± Bayek thought. ¡°But in their eyes, I can see they are unchanged.¡± ¡°Is he planning to fight the giants? Or steal the chest?¡± Athia asked in silence. ¡°I hope you have an idea of what to do, Athia,¡± Bayek thought. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do,¡± Athia thought. ¡°That lock¡¯s shape seems familiar,¡± the thought told her. ¡°Wait¡­the Sultan¡¯s Jewel.¡± the chest . ¡°Yet, they have learned how to live without destroying this city,¡± Athia thought. ¡°And if they can forgive Atlasi¡­maybe then Bayek as well. It beats being squashed like bugs.¡± ¡°What drama these two have brought upon us,¡± Nuru thought. ¡°Almost makes me wish for the days when we would just solve our problems by driving a spear through it. Still, I can¡¯t find it in myself to spear them, not even Bayek. It¡¯s not what Atlasi would do, even if Bayek killed him. So, why should I?¡± ¡°What a remarkable lock,¡± Athia thought. ¡°No doubt it was created by the best smiths the Sultan could employ. A chest, strong in its make and he had the only key.¡± Bayek’s Decision ¡°Navigating the desert is tricky at the best of times. The searing sun discourages travel during the day, and the nights are frigid and encourage uncomfortable sleep. It is easy to get lost among the curves of its many dunes and even easier when a sand storm changes the face of the desert. Yet, despite its unpredictability, many of us who live here admire it and trust it with our lives. It is for these reasons that I believe that the god of the desert is a woman.¡± - Necho the Mad ¡°She thinks I am racked with guilt,¡± Bayek thought. ¡°That I regret my decision. No, I do not! It was the right thing to do! I saw blood, I saw death. I saw him take my people! His blood for theirs.¡± ¡°The warriors of the First Lion have fallen low since those days,¡± Bayek thought bitterly. ¡°It was always heading that way,¡± Bomani¡¯s words repeated in Bayek¡¯s mind. ¡°Where are you?¡± Bayek thought as if he were a hunter tracking elusive prey. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it isbe ¡°The powers of Vel,¡± Athia thought. ¡°Once free, I wonder if he would grant me a boon of luck? Best not ask.¡± ¡°Eternity lies before these people,¡± Athia thought. ¡°My heart sinks just thinking of a life trapped here.¡± The Sultan’s Farewell ¡°I always worried about losing Atlasi, that he would never return from battle and our children would grow up without a father. His promise to return comforted me, but it was Mirza¡¯s promise to look after him that helped me sleep at night.¡± - Shadya, Sultanah of the Everlasting Desert ¡°We all have our ways of mourning,¡± Shadya thought. ¡°Atlasi...how often I wondered how you would mourn me when I was sick.¡± ¡°Respect should feel warmer coming from you, Mirza,¡± Shadya thought. ¡°No matter what I have to become,¡± Mirza added silently. ¡°Or perhaps she fears Bayek now that he has a weapon to kill gods,¡± Athia thought. ¡°Even now, I wonder who to truly fear. Death or the goddess who created her?¡± The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Is that¡­¡± Athia began to think, but then the falcon gliding above them confirmed her suspicion. ¡°It is!¡± ¡°These two might bring more attention to us if they act like they did in Red Rock,¡± Athia thought. ¡°Still, mischief makers and criminals work well together.¡± ¡°This is a side of youth I do not miss or admire,¡± Bayek grimaced. ¡°Such arrogance,¡± Bayek thought. ¡°The quiet one at least has some sense to be quiet about such things.¡± ¡°Our arrival is being recorded, of course,¡± Athia thought fearfully. ¡°We¡¯re leaving a track in the sand that can¡¯t be swept away.¡± ¡°No, no, no!¡± Athia thought, avoiding his eyes. Stories by the Sea ¡°The Port of Hammerdown used to be known for its ships, having made and launched the ship the Sultan used to cross the sea to the Enlightened Kingdom, or as you call it, the Other Lands. Today, Hammerdown is known for being a paradise for the financially savvy and explorers.¡± - Captain Khaa, Captain of the Laughing Lynx ¡°Another one brainwashed by the stories of the Sultan,¡± Bayek thought. ¡°Atlasi certainly captured the hearts of almost everyone in the desert. I should count myself lucky that so few know it was me who put him down.¡± ¡°The gods are ever-watching,¡± Abasi thought. ¡°Our part in this story could change the face of the Everlasting Desert.¡± ¡°Danger everywhere they go! Miracles, curses, and the power to destroy the gods,¡± Basim thought. ¡°It is an adventure we can¡¯t miss out on!¡± we Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°Blind Mouse?¡± Athia repeated. ¡°I would like to hear the story of how it got that name next.¡± ¡°If only we knew it because the oasis had neither rats nor mice,¡± Basim replied. ¡°I never saw any blind people either. Anyway¡­¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it a con, but more a hustle,¡± Abasi interrupted. ¡°I learned how to throw a coin on a table or the ground in such a way the coin would end up standing on its edge. It is difficult with lighter coins, such as silver or gold but easier with bronze. I simply made some mistakes, lured them in, bet them I could make it land on the edge, and soon pocketed their coin.¡± The Notable People of Hammerdown ¡°Hammerdown is not just a place for the opportunistic, it is also a place for the desperate. Sadly, these two kinds of people go rather well together.¡± - Ouza, Deckhand ¡°Bayek was right,¡± Athia thought. ¡°Despite what he told me about sea monsters, its beauty cannot be compared to anything else.¡± ¡°Too nervous,¡± Athia thought. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°As expected,¡± Basim thought as he handed her a few coins. the ¡°The houses on the hill, of course,¡± Abasi thought, turning his attention to the homes of the rich. ¡°Nothing but the best for a god...let¡¯s see if I can find where this Barika lives.¡± ¡°But they receive much more rain,¡± Abasi thought. ¡°It will be a long time before this city is abandoned if it ever is.¡± them ¡°He must have known I was lying before,¡± Abasi decided. ¡°I can¡¯t stop him from telling the others either...everything I¡¯m afraid of is happening.¡± ¡°A bandit,¡± Bayek thought. ¡°I knew his story had holes, but I never thought for a second he could have been keeping a different secret. That¡¯s all he was, a kid in the wrong place and I almost...I am grateful I didn¡¯t make the same mistake. I have to make sure it¡¯s Vel next time, or I will end up falling so low that there won¡¯t be any getting up.¡± Vel, The God of Wealth ¡°Being a god is being superior. It is class, distinction, and ascension all in one. I hear countless prayers and answer only those who are truly low because they need to be punished for their arrogance.¡± - Vel, One of Five Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°Some are still being punished,¡± Athia said. ¡°Your porcelain city twists the minds of your victims, punishes their bodies¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me my crimes,¡± Taghi interrupted. ¡°I see them all, every day. I cannot think of my time as a god without hating myself now, as do many who knew of Vel.¡± will Crack! Crack! Chaos in Hammerdown ¡°You ask anyone and they will tell you a different story of how the fight started. I¡¯m not even sure those involved have an idea what set it all off. All I can tell you is when that fight broke out, I put my money on the warrior in black.¡± - Masud, Gambler ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a man so happy knowing that someday he was going to die,¡± Bayek thought. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Does he recognize her?¡± Bayek thought. ¡°She is turning back, finally!¡± ¡°The god of luck is truly gone,¡± Athia thought. ¡°How did he move so quickly?¡± Athia thought. Setting Out Once Again ¡°Hammerdown is a harbor I am always happy to visit. I¡¯ve met some of the best people there and some of the worst. Luckily, I met more of the former than the latter. Only, I don''t know which description best fits those two troublemakers.¡± - Walter Cooke, Explorer ¡°Then it¡¯s back to sleepless riding,¡± Rahele thought. ¡°I don¡¯t know how those two do it, but I find my eyes...always¡­¡± Ash. ¡°If you don¡¯t pray to the gods, why carry that symbol?¡± Rahele thought. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°It was nice working with you, Khnem,¡± Khaa thought. ¡°Well, as nice as it could be. We could have made a lot more gold working together, but I think this covers anything I could have lost in our future deals.¡± yet! Other Books Written by Matthew Dewey Charlie Davis Dust Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Shadows The Four Horsemen