Chapter 37: Desert Trials and Mirage Truths

The pitch-black Nightmare continued its relentless gallop, undeterred by the shifting terrain.

It sped across cracked, arid earth, then plunged into a vast expanse of soft sand, where its hooves sank deeply into the dunes.

Under the pale moonlight and shimmering starlight that cascaded like a flowing river onto the white sands, I gazed up at the sky.

After witnessing the colossal bird known as the Thunderbird not once, but twice, I could no longer dismiss the legend as mere fiction.

Why had it revealed itself to me twice? Even lifelong residents of Hyland, who had spent their entire lives under this sky, had never seen it.

Yet, like a fleeting dream, the Thunderbird appeared and disappeared, leaving no trace behind.

The clouds and the energy of the lightning were gone, and the heavens offered no answers.

“Could it be… you’re my destined one?” I murmured with a soft chuckle as I leaned closer to Nightmare.

Nightmare remained silent, his hooves pounding rhythmically on the endless expanse of sand, his focus fixed on the distant ridgeline.

The cool desert wind swept over me as I tilted my head back to take in the night sky.

The dark heavens were a tapestry of stars, flowing like a celestial river.

It looked like a herd of galloping horses traversing a vast plain or a school of salmon swimming against the current of a great waterfall.

We had reached the desert known as the “Haven of Stars.”

But night cannot last forever.

As the moon began to set, a soft glow emerged from beyond the ridgeline.

The rising sun bathed the world in light, its rays transforming the pale desert sand into a dazzling platinum sea.

The stars lost their luster as the darkness in the sky receded, and just as they disappeared, we arrived at a small town nestled by an oasis.

“What brings you here?”

A guard stationed at the town’s gate questioned us. His deeply bronzed skin glistened in the morning sun.

“I’m looking for a blacksmith who can forge starlight. Does one live in this town?”

“Forge starlight, you say…?” The guard chuckled softly at my words before responding.

“I’ve heard plenty of legends about starlight, but a blacksmith who can forge it? That’s a new one.”

“Surely there’s a skilled blacksmith here?”

“If you’re seeking a truly skilled blacksmith, you’d have better luck heading to the city of Burning Road,” he replied.

His words prompted a small sigh to escape my lips. It seemed my journey across this vast desert was far from over.

“You’re not thinking of crossing the desert like that, are you?” the guard asked, his tone tinged with concern.

“Why not?”

“You’ll collapse from heatstroke before long. I recommend a turban to shield your head and a robe to cover your entire body,” he suggested.

I nodded in understanding and guided Nightmare further into the town.

The faithful beast followed my lead, trotting obediently past the gate and into the bustling heart of the desert oasis.

The butcher tossed the piece of meat to Nightmare.

Without missing a beat, the horse snapped it out of the air, his quick reflexes eliciting a satisfied chuckle from the butcher.

I glanced up at the sky.

The sun had climbed high, and the heat was becoming unbearable.

The air shimmered above the scorching sand, promising sunburn for anyone braving this environment unprotected.

The locals seemed well-prepared for the heat, draped in robes to cover their bodies and turbans to shield their heads from the blazing sun.

Following their example, I guided Nightmare through the market, purchasing a suitable robe and turban for myself.

“What do you think?” I asked Nightmare after donning the new attire.

He peered down at me with his crimson eyes, snorted loudly, and exhaled a puff of air right into my face.

“Not impressed, huh?” I muttered.

Truthfully, I didn’t need the robe or turban.

With Kalbine’s mana coursing through my body, the penetrating heat was easily blocked.

However, blending in with the locals was my priority—standing out too much often invited trouble.

“Even if you don’t like it, you’ll have to deal with it. People instinctively distrust what they don’t understand,” I explained.

Nightmare snorted again, this time softer, and began to plod forward begrudgingly.

We wandered through the small town, visiting every blacksmith we could find, hoping to hear of one who could work with starlight.

Unfortunately, none of them had any knowledge of such a craft.

In the end, it seemed I would have to head to the city of Burning Road, as the guard had suggested.

Without wasting more time, I led Nightmare out of the nameless town.

Our stay had been brief—less than two hours in total.

The midday desert was a fiery inferno.

Nightmare, who had once sprinted tirelessly across the sands, now dragged his hooves sluggishly, tongue hanging out as he panted heavily.

The platinum-hued sand, heated by the relentless sun, radiated waves of heat, making it feel as though we were walking on a griddle.

“Shall we take a break?” I asked, noticing his exhaustion.

It had been about two hours since we left the town.

Even Nightmare, usually resilient and enduring, gave a weary nod of agreement, his spirit clearly dampened by the oppressive heat.

The vast expanse of platinum-hued desert stretched endlessly around us, offering no shade or shelter.

The horizon wavered in the heat, as if the sky and sand were melting together.

With no oasis or refuge in sight, I sighed and uncapped the water flask hanging at my waist.

“Let’s cool this down a bit,” I murmured.

The mana circle embedded in my chest began to spin rapidly.

As the cold, starlight-infused mana coursed through my body, the breath I exhaled chilled the flask’s contents.

A thin layer of frost formed over the water’s surface, turning it into ice-cold refreshment.

“Here, drink this,” I said, offering the flask to Nightmare.

He gulped down the chilled water in an instant, then turned to me with his tongue flicking, clearly hoping for more.

“Nope,” I said firmly, placing my hands on my hips and shaking my head.

Water was a precious commodity in this unforgiving desert, essential for survival.

We couldn’t afford to waste it, no matter how thirsty he was.

Nightmare clacked his teeth in frustration but eventually trudged on, his movements weary and sluggish.

We hadn’t walked much farther when, off in the distance, the shimmering outline of an oasis appeared.

“Finally!” I exclaimed, tugging on Nightmare’s reins eagerly. “Look! There’s an oasis ahead!”

However, Nightmare didn’t share my enthusiasm.

Instead of heading toward the mirage-like sight, he stubbornly began walking in the opposite direction.

“What’s wrong? Didn’t you want to rest?” I asked, patting his neck in confusion.

He snorted dismissively and kept pulling away, his obstinate nature making it impossible to change his course.

No matter how hard I tugged on the reins, he refused to budge from his chosen path.

It wasn’t until I sighed and let him have his way that the illusion of the oasis suddenly vanished, dissolving into the heat waves.

“A mirage…” I muttered, finally piecing it together. Then, turning to Nightmare, I asked, “Did you figure that out before I did?”

He huffed, puffing a small stream of air, his expression smug as though gloating about his keen instincts.

As the day wore on and the sun began its slow descent, another oasis came into view.

At first, I suspected it might be another mirage, narrowing my eyes in skepticism.

But before I could examine it further, Nightmare bolted forward.

This time, his gallop was confident and unrelenting, as if he were certain the oasis was real.

The closer we got, the clearer the sight became.

Palms swayed gently under the fading sun, and the shimmer of water was unmistakable.

This one wasn’t a mirage—it was genuine.

When we reached the oasis, we weren’t alone.

A group of five travelers had already made camp there.

The moment they noticed us, they reached for their weapons, their wary eyes fixed on me.

Their stance was defensive, but there was no hostility, only caution.

“Hello,” I greeted them with a warm smile, my voice calm and non-threatening.

My greeting seemed to dissolve their apprehension almost instantly.

Their hands eased away from their weapons, and the tension in the air faded.