Ruach: Whisper of Dragons

In a desert under a scorching sun, far from any sign of civilization, the horizon offered little but a bleak, almost despairing view. Endless dunes of sand stretched as far as the eye could see, without a single cloud in the sky to provide even a hint of psychological relief—just an unrelenting blue expanse drenched in the sun's intense glare.

Even so, in this arid, inhospitable, and hostile place, wildlife seemed relatively abundant. Various insects could be seen moving on the sand and beneath it, tirelessly searching for anything edible.

Occasionally, animals like lizards, snakes, and rodents appeared among the dunes, only to flee as soon as they detected any unusual movements in their surroundings. They understood that while they hunted, they could just as easily become prey to larger creatures.

Even larger animals—camels, wolves, giant lizards, and others—moved with caution. In this desert, no living being was safe from becoming someone else's lunch—or, better yet, breakfast.

But contrary to the survival tactics advised for such a place—moving quickly and leaving no trace—three figures walked leisurely among the dunes. Their movements stood out in the landscape, as if they had no intention of hiding or concealing their tracks.

Their footprints, soon erased by the wind, left a clear trail for any hungry predator to follow. On the other hand, their attire offered some measure of protection and camouflage: thick, ivory-colored cloaks that appeared relatively new, covering them almost entirely.

However, their purpose in wearing the cloaks was not to blend in or hide in the desert but rather to shield themselves from the sun and dust. Their faces were partially hidden by makeshift masks fashioned from scarves, as they wandered seemingly aimlessly.

For most people, the oppressive heat would make cheerful conversation almost impossible. Yet for these three, the climate did little to dampen their spirits. On the contrary, they chatted animatedly as they walked in single file, heading in a specific direction.

"She could've waited for us…" said the one in the middle, her voice distinctly feminine, deep, and suited to someone tall, strong, and robust. Yet, her words carried evident complaints.

"Of course! As if she could've postponed her training with the Young Lord even further… Hahaha," replied the last in line, her tone laced with clear sarcasm. Unlike the first, her voice was higher-pitched and softer, matching her petite stature but generous frame.

"Even so, she could've waited so we could fight together. Heading out alone to hunt a level 2 rock scorpion is reckless," the taller woman retorted, stopping briefly to glance back. Though her complaints were less apparent, traces of worry and anxiety were clear.

"I recall that when it was your turn, you hunted an electric crystal bear on your own, and it was also level 2," the smaller woman replied calmly, stopping as well to return the taller woman's gaze.

"…" Embarrassed but unwilling to show it, the taller woman turned back and resumed walking without answering.

"Hehe… We shouldn't worry about her. The Young Lord allowed her to take Windor on the hunt—to transport the carcass and assist in subduing the target if necessary."

"I don't remember the Young Lord explicitly allowing Windor to be used actively in the hunt. He said Windor's help could be used if and when absolutely necessary to facilitate the hunt. Windor is just a cub, barely three years old."

"Yes, yes, of course, Windor is still a cub… He's still in training… Blah, blah, blah… I'm tired of hearing all this nonsense about Windor being a 'poor, weak cub.' That beast is so strong none of us could pluck a single feather from him in combat, even with all our strength."

"Blood-Crested Eagles are considered level 6 Aura Beasts for a reason. Even as a cub, Windor's exceptional genetics place him at level 4 purely due to his potential. We shouldn't feel weak for comparing ourselves to a creature at the top of the food chain," said the woman leading the group. She spoke as though admiring something far ahead of them. Her slender figure, nearly as short as the second woman's, made her appear even more frail. Her voice, soft and lifeless, matched her appearance.

"Besides, the Young Lord is a prodigy in training Aura Beasts. His ability to read and influence emotions in these creatures allows him to train even Glisk, a Glacielum Leopard, with mastery."

"... There's no debate about that; we all agree the Young Lord is exceptional. But why does he keep asking Great Lady Nala to bring more creatures home every year? Last week, Obsidian almost trampled me, and the week before, Pandora put me to sleep in the garden… This is getting out of hand."

The resentment and sense of injustice were palpable in the voice of the woman at the back of the line as she grumbled to her companions.

"Hahaha! That's funny—when you hitched a ride on Typhoon with the Young Lord, you didn't complain. Was the supersonic flight that enjoyable for you?" The tallest woman seized the opportunity to point out her hypocrisy with a sarcastic tone, not even glancing back this time.

"…" Stung by her own contradictions, the woman at the back found herself at a loss for words. She opted to remain silent.

"Anyway, when it was my turn, I had the advantage of terrain, and the bear had just advanced to level 2. The situations were completely different." The tall woman resumed the conversation, her tone noticeably lighter.

"Don't be so arrogant and petulant, you barely managed to walk back home as you were covered in blood from head to toe and covered in serious injuries. Young Lord rushed to ask Lady Abigail to treat you urgently and had to humiliate himself to do so. Do you remember what Lady Abigail demanded in exchange for the treatment?" The woman in front spoke, her tone more serious now.

"... I don't want to talk about it." The tall woman's voice suddenly soured as she recalled something unpleasant and distressing.

"Fine, I don't want to relive it either. The matter has been resolved, and the Young Lord has already reprimanded you for your actions. Let's hurry—I can hear Windor's screeches. They must've already found the target and are fighting. We're close."

With those words, the woman began running at an astonishing speed, leaping effortlessly from one dune to the next. The others followed close behind, matching her surreal pace.

_____________________________________________

In another location, several kilometers away from where the three women were, but still in the scorching desert, a gigantic eagle was flying around an area, hundreds of meters above a large, narrow and deep canyon. Its size was colossal, easily exceeding 6 meters from its tail to its beak and almost 15 meters in wingspan.

Its feathers were a bright hue, demonstrating its good nutrition and health. Its feathers went from black on its back to gray on its back, with occasional white stripes in its down. On its head, a kind of crest with visible black feathers, which bristled to reveal bright red feathers underneath.

Its blue eyes remained fully focused on the canyon below, or rather, on what was hiding down there. Its sharp beak almost reflected the sunlight, so polished and well-kept it was, from which, occasionally, a loud, sharp and frightening screech came out.

*Kyaaaaaahhhhh*

The claws crackled and hissed constantly due to the friction between them, as the eagle opened and closed its claws incessantly, like a fighter warming up for combat. Showing how eager it was to sink them into its prey.

The creature responsible for causing this behavior in the eagle was in the narrow and deep canyon, just below where the Eagle was gliding in the sky like a relentless watchman. A being as great as the eagle that anyone would be terrified just by seeing it.

But despite all this, it was hiding as if the Eagle up there was a being of insurmountable strength, which is indeed true in this case. In the shadow of the tall and narrow walls of the canyon, a black scorpion was trying to seek shelter, but its size made it difficult even to bury itself in the sand.

For this reason, the scorpion was trying to enter a cave too small for its size in search of protection. What he didn't expect was that while he divided his attention between trying to enter the cave and observing the bird in the sky, another risk factor went unnoticed...

"May Aura bless this fight."

Jumping from the top of one of the walls after saying a quick prayer, more than 400 meters high, a figure with a cloak covering most of its body, jumped in free fall. In the fall, the figure of a Tiefling was exposed when the wind lifted the cloak. She launched herself wielding a large spear with a harpoon-shaped blade. With a questionable attitude, she pointed the spear, which had a strange shine on the blade, directly at the scorpion.

As expected, a few seconds later the figure had already hit, with all the speed and weight provided by the fall, the head of the scorpion that was still distracted.