As she reached the mouth of the cave, the returning sunlight stung Bianka's eyes for a moment. Just as she was about to raise a hand to shield them, a soft meow came from beside her.
"Meow~"
Bianka froze, then quickly looked down at their feet and cried out in pleasant surprise, "Stan!"
It was Stan, right there at her feet! She didn't know how he had gotten here, but at least he was okay! For Bianka, that was the best news she could ask for!
She quickly bent down to scoop Stan up, immediately noticing that one of his paws was slightly curled. A closer look revealed that half of his paw pad seemed to be injured.
Siegfried stood to the side, watching Bianka interact with the suddenly-appeared white cat, his own mind racing.
Something feels off...
But then again, nothing seems out of place...
It was just a cat, not some bizarre creature that could grow, shrink, and turn into a monster at will. And Bianka wasn't talking to Stan, just muttering to herself like any normal cat owner.
Siegfried's brow furrowed into a knot. His brain spun like a washing machine for a few cycles, but he couldn't pinpoint what was wrong.
Yet, the feeling of wrongness persisted.
Before he could start pondering questions like "How did this cat appear so quickly?", "What's the connection between the meow I hallucinated and this cat?", and "How did this cat survive that massive sandstorm?", Siegfried gave up thinking.
Because he had already spotted several sand bikes and the distinctive exhaust trails of the sand bandits in the distance.
"Boss!!" A haunting voice carried on the wind. The soul-summoning tone made Siegfried shudder.
"Where are you!!"
Siegfried sighed, glanced at Bianka who had once again zoned out, and then raised a hand, shouting in the direction of the exhaust trails.
"We're over here!"
At his call, the rising plumes of exhaust quickly changed direction and sped toward them.
Oh no!
This time, Bianka snapped out of it. A panicked expression crossed her face, and clutching Stan, she prepared to turn and run.
For the third time, Siegfried's hand landed on her shoulder just as she lifted her foot—and once again, it was his injured hand.
Bianka wanted to cry. She really, really wanted to cry.
In all her life... for as long as she could remember, she had never been in such a helpless situation! She was bursting with power, yet completely unable to use it because of one injured hand!
Siegfried looked at Bianka's frantic face and gave a wicked grin.
Did she think he couldn't see that she was trying to escape? He was already on guard!
Whether it was because of the mysteries surrounding her or simply for the safety of a little girl, Siegfried had no intention of letting her leave.
The sand bikes were fast. Seeing the exhaust trails getting closer and closer, Bianka's expression finally went numb.
Instead of trying to break free and run, she decided it was more important to check on the state of that cowering, violent little persona inside her, just to make sure she could tell if she needed to force her way out.
Surprisingly, the violent persona was being quite docile. A quick glance was all Bianka needed to see why.
It was the Star of Judgment in Siegfried's hand. Even though it was an inanimate object, Bianka could feel a faint sense of pressure emanating from it.
So, if I stay close to the Star of Judgment, I can suppress that violent impulse?
With that thought, Bianka, still holding Stan, numbly shuffled a little closer to Siegfried.
The sand bikes screeched to a halt in a flashy drift in front of them. A disheveled Akman leaped gracefully from his bike, ran up to Siegfried, and bent his knees, about to kneel.
"Boss—!!" He wailed, his voice three parts sorrow and seven parts soul-crushing anguish. Not even the most devout fanatic could produce such a repentant tone. It sent a wave of goosebumps up Siegfried's arms.
"Alright, I'm not dead. Why are you wailing like I've been rotting for seven days?" Siegfried waved a hand in disgust, yanking the kneeling Akman upright in the nick of time. "Stand straight! You can kneel to anyone, but not me!"
Akman's legs snapped ramrod straight, but his face remained a mask of grief.
"I'm sorry, boss. The wind blew me and my bike away. I couldn't follow your signal right away!" Akman wiped away a tear. He had indeed seen Siegfried's "Judgment" shot that lit up the sky and had set out immediately to find him.
But the sudden storm had swept him away. He'd flown a long way and was completely lost when he landed. Luckily, he'd held on tight to his handlebars and had landed with his bike.
Using the convoy's signals to get his bearings, Akman had first returned to the group, reoriented himself, and then raced back with his sand bandit brothers without stopping.
Looking at Akman's shredded shirt, which was now just a few strips of cloth, and his beloved sand bike, now smoking, sparking, and severely deformed, Siegfried suddenly felt his own arm hurt a little less.
Indeed, happiness is built on the suffering of others. Siegfried felt he was wicked enough to go straight to hell.
Seeing the burly man on the verge of tears, Siegfried quickly cleared his throat twice, willing Akman to hold it in.
"The Desert Emperor might still be nearby. It could come back at any moment. We're continuing the escort mission. Let's pick up the pace and get to the [Sighing Gate]. I'm injured, I can't afford to go slow."
Akman froze, then immediately dropped his mournful act and nodded seriously. "Right, boss. Get on, we'll head back to the convoy first."
It was only then that Akman noticed the girl next to Siegfried. His eyes went wide, and he stared at Bianka, speechless.
Bianka silently shifted a little behind Siegfried, putting herself closer to the Star of Judgment.
Siegfried noticed Akman's gaze and smiled. "This is my..." He paused. Thinking of all the mysteries surrounding Bianka, and her connection to the Kaslanas, he decided it was best to keep her under his watch.
"She's a younger member of my family, here specifically to find me." He lied without batting an eye, his skill in deception making Bianka's head snap up.
"Huh?"
"What?!"
The two sounds came out almost simultaneously. Siegfried just rubbed his nose, puffed out his chest, and gave Bianka a little wink.
"Ah..." After a full second of her brain rebooting, Bianka looked down guiltily, drawing circles in the sand with the tip of her shoe as she let out a tiny response.
"...Mhm..."