Chapter 3: The Vampire
Samir: Riyadh!!!
Riyadh: Hah, I haven't seen you in a long time, master!
Imran and Nazek (shocked): Master?!
Samir: Riyadh was one of my students. I trained him in combat and magic.
He's not great at magic… but a fearless fighter.
Riyadh: Did you really have to mention that?
Samir (smiling): Good to see you again, Riyadh.
Absi, with tears in his eyes, approaches them and says:
"You guys! How are we even going to make it to Basra if our journey is already this chaotic?!"
Imran: Calm down, Absi. At least you'll lose some weight.
(Absi is extremely overweight.)
They sit on the ground for a bit to catch their breath and recover—
Suddenly, the sand beneath one of the dead Dark Warriors starts to tremble.
A hand bursts out from beneath the sand.
Everyone freezes in fear.
Samir and Riyadh draw their weapons, terrified.
The wind picks up. Sand whirls in the air.
A corpse rises from the earth—his body intact, his eyes piercing.
He looks at them with disgust and points:
"Who are you?"
No one responds. Shocked. Speechless.
How is his body untouched? How did he come out of the ground like that?
The stranger notices Samir's sword and says:
"Ha… the Tribe of Banu Malik, then?
Are you a commander in your tribe's army to be holding such a precious sword?"
Samir prepares to launch his "Rebound Magic", but the man speaks:
"Stop. I don't think I'm your enemy.
I once fought alongside you."
Imran: Fought with us…?
Stranger: I am Elyas. One of the ten sorcerers who caused the Great War.
Absi: The Ten-Day War?!
Elyas: Yes.
Riyadh: What's your magical ability, then?
And why should we trust you?
Elyas: Try to kill me if you want.
But my power isn't bound to me—
It's bound to my sword. And I have no idea where it is.
Samir (tense): Then how did you rise from the sand?
Elyas: Do you truly not know?
I live on blood.
I don't remember how I ended up here exactly…
But if I don't absorb the blood of my victims regularly—especially after using magic—
I die.
Silence.
Tension rises.
Only Elyas seems calm.
Then he yells:
"Have you all lost the ability to speak?!"
Elyas: Where are you headed?
Samir: Why do you care?
Elyas: I'll come with you.
I don't think I can survive out here alone, not without my sword.
I'm tired. Hungry.
Maybe the girl will care for me.
Imran: Watch your words.
(Imran draws his sword, ready to strike)
Elyas: Whoa! I was joking, idiot!
(Nazek grabs Imran's hand and calms him down.)
Samir: How can we trust you?
Elyas: I have no way to prove myself.
But maybe the fact that I didn't kill you all is proof enough?
Samir: I could still kill you right here and now.
Elyas: Try, and let's see who's stronger.
But remember—
Without my sword, my magic is sealed.
Heh… I really do need to find it.
Samir: If you're coming with us, we'll tie your hands.
(Elyas frowns, but agrees and extends his hands)
They continue their journey toward Basra.
Night falls. Everyone lays down to sleep…
But no one truly sleeps—
The tension in the air is thick with fear of Elyas.
Morning comes.
They're in a shaded grove, sitting under the trees, eating quietly.
Imran:
"Elyas… where are the other nine sorcerers?"
(Elyas looks up, surprised by the question.)
[End of Chapter]