Patchwork Earth Book 1: Chapters 9 & 10 (Patreon)

Chapter 9

The trio set out, keeping the cliffside to their left. Having a landmark made navigation simpler, but Goto was shocked at just how far the heights of the Blessed Oasis stretched ahead of them. He sweltered as they went up one sand dune and down the next, and it was disconcerting how they still never seemed to make progress.

He couldn’t decide if the second trip into the desert was more or less difficult than the first. On the one hand, he was well fed and watered in advance this time. On the other, he’d been dropped in without a choice the first time. It had taken an act of will to make himself step out into the wasteland, knowing the trees around the gharial pool were the last bit of shade he’d get besides his straw hat. 

He didn’t share his thoughts, naturally, because he remembered Bose’s admonition to not waste water with unnecessary words. He also admitted that he didn’t want to show weakness. If the cowboy wasn’t about to complain about having to venture out without water, well, he wouldn’t either. 

“By the Creator, the legends don’t do the Outlands justice!” Shame that Bose hadn’t shared the advice with Klai first. 

Somebody would have to take the unenviable task of putting the delphen in her place. Goto accepted the responsibility. Grudgingly, of course. “Klai, you will want to save your words. It will dry you out faster.”

She angled her reed hat to try and block the light reflecting off the sand, but she couldn’t seem to find a comfortable angle. “How can I stay quiet when I’m burning alive?”

Bose flashed her a friendly grin. “We understand, ma’am. It just won’t do us any good to bellyache, and it can only slow us down.” The cowboy, being without his hat, had doused his formerly white bandana and tied it around his head before leaving. It was bone dry by then, of course.

“Bellyache?” Klai picked up a handful of the increasingly dry berries from Bose’s hat-turned-bucket and winced as she bit down on them. “These things will give me a stomachache if I keep eating them. Still, it’s better than nothing.”

Goto studied his grey-skinned companion, noting that her skin on her exposed hands and forearms was beginning to redden, particularly where the flexible fins connected around her elbow. It seemed that the delphen really was as ill-suited to the desert as she had claimed. At least Bose hadn’t given up his hat for nothing. 

“Shoot, this’ll be over before we know it. This is a friendly stroll among friends! The Israelites spent forty years wandering the desert before they were allowed in the promised land.”

“The who?” Goto and Klai were in near unison, which seemed to annoy her for some reason. 

“Keep forgettin’ I’m among heathens,” said Bose. Goto noticed that the tone was playful, which is what kept the samurai from taking offense. “Y’know, God’s chosen people. It was after Moses got them out of slavery in Egypt and across the Red Sea. I was always partial to that story, myself.”

Klai let out a confused squeal. “The Creator’s chosen people? But the delphens are the chosen people. He gave us the waters, until the Romish drove us here.”

Bose frowned. It was brief, but it was there. “Either way, if you are the chosen people ‘round these parts, I’m sure you’ll be fine for a day or two. Forty years is still the record.”

“Not one I’d want to break,” replied Klai.

Goto let out an annoyed grunt as he made his way up a sand dune. “Regardless, we can have this discussion once we are back in civilization. Or, barring that, shade.”

“Amen, brother,” said Bose. 

They travelled in silence for a long while. After an hour, Klai surrendered the red-speckled hat back to Bose. “Thank you for lending that to me, Bose.”

“Always a pleasure to help, ma’am.” The cowboy’s eyes watered a little as he saw what had become of his hat. He didn’t say a word as he placed it over his bandana, though. 

Goto cocked an eyebrow at the delphen. “I thought that would last longer. We are barely a quarter of the way there.”

“If that far,” said Bose.

Klai let out an apologetic squeak. “I felt like I was dying. I already want to go for my canteen.”

“Don’t,” said Bose, his normal good humor gone. “I ain’t playing. You keep that water in reserve until you think you’re about to collapse, and then you keep goin’. There won’t be more.”

“I’d hoped we might find another river,” admitted Goto.

“No. There is another on the opposite side of the Blessed Oasis, but that won’t help. The only water here comes from the Holy Spring at the center of the highlands.”

“Let’s save all that ‘til we get there, ma’am. Do you have pockets on that robe? You’re lookin’ awful burned.” 

Klai looked down at her now bright pink hands and quickly shoved them in her pockets. “I-I’ll be fine.” 

Bose nodded. “You go ahead, I need to have a quick confab with my partner.”

She nodded, giving Bose a weak smile before tackling the next dune. The cowboy and samurai followed, but at a slower pace.

“You don’t think she’ll make it,” said Goto. 

“She’s in rough shape,” Bose admitted. “I thought she might’ve been exaggerating earlier. She really ain’t cut out for this.”

“She is brave for trying, but I am also worried for her. Do you have a plan if she were to…” 

Bose shook his head. “I been thinkin’ on it. A sword that can cut through anything and unlimited bullets can’t do much to fight thirst.”

Goto stroked his chin. “Bose, I have a thought. Did you notice that our clothes kept us warm last night?”

Bose shook his head. “Can’t rightly say I did. I’m used to sleeping under the stars without a blanket.”

“My jacket helped her quite a bit last night, and I was nearly frozen without it.”

Bose couldn’t help but crack a grin. “I wondered how she came to wear your clothes last night. Here I thought you might’ve been having in a little squeal and holler with her, until the deathwing interrupted.”

Goto’s face went redder, an impressive feat in the sweltering heat. “I, no, I would never…” The samurai coughed into his fist. “It was necessary. She’s such a fragile creature.”

Bose chuckled to himself, though his eyes went steely. “Alright, enough joshin’. Do you think that our clothes are magic, too?”

“These robes are not made for the coldest weather, but I felt fine in them. That is all I can say.”

Bose smirked at the shorter man. “Y’know, I seem to recall you wanting to keep our special tricks a secret.”

Goto shrugged. “I was simply doing my duty as a gentleman. Discovering a special power of our gear was simply a bonus.”

“Fair enough.” Bose gave Goto a onceover. “You ain’t exactly cut out for the sun either. You’re turnin’ red as a boiled lobster.”

“I am?”

“It’ll hurt come mornin’. So, you keep your clothes.” Bose cupped his mouth. “Klai, wait! I need to get you outta them clothes!”

The delphen had been descending from the top of the next dune, but nearly slipped. “What?”

“You did that on purpose,” said Goto, his voice dripping with disapproval. “We don’t have time for fun and games.”

Bose barked a harsh laugh. “You gotta make fun where you can, Goto. Especially when things are rough.”

Chapter 10 

Bose felt mighty silly strolling through the desert in nothing but his boots, hat and underclothes. With some trial and error, they’d determined that his red plaid shirt gave Klai magical protection when paired with his black pants. They’d had to roll up the cuffs on the pant legs so she wasn’t walking on them, but she immediately looked in better shape. 

Bose had to wipe a trail of sweat from his forehead. He hadn’t realized just how much his clothes were saving him from the effects of the heat. He’d thought they were in something like the deserts in Arizona or Texas, but he realized the weather was more like tales he’d heard of Death Valley. 

Still, complaining wouldn’t do him any good. He’d just have to tough it out. 

“Thank you so much, Bose,” said Klai. “It’s still sweltering, but I feel so much better now. I thought I would die!”

He especially wouldn’t complain in front of a lady. Wasn’t seemly. “Always glad to help, ma’am. How far do you reckon we are now?”

Klai pointed ahead. “Do you see over there, where the cliff is starting to curve? That’s the direction you must have come from. It’ll slope uphill for a while, and then we’ll be back in the jungle.”

“I’d pay a hundred dollars for that muddy water about now,” said Goto. Apparently Mrs. Matsukada hadn’t drilled the same lessons about complaining into the samurai. 

Bose kept his mouth shut. He didn’t have a fight in him just then. He was so blasted hot that he could barely think. It was all he could do to keep one foot going… in front… of the…

A closed palm smacked into Bose’s cheek, rousing him. “Wake up! This is not the time to be a deep sleeper!”

“Goto?” Bose’s voice barely croaked out. 

Klai’s webbed fingers wrapped around Bose’s left hand. “Goto, give him the water.”

“Are you sure, Klai? You were already short on water.”

She shook her head firmly. “He needs it right now. I took his magic raiment, and it nearly killed him! I’ll figure something out.”

“Wait, you can’t-” Bose was shut off as the spout of the leather waterskin was shoved into his mouth. It looked a bit like the skin of the gharials they’d hunted before. It was rough, but the water revitalized him. He couldn’t stop from drinking some of it, but he forced himself not to drain the whole thing. Klai needed it more, no matter how brave she tried to sound. Her voice was too gravelly for that. 

“Bose, you should take these back,” said Klai as she began to undo the buttons. She sighed. “These damn things! How do you Romish wear these every day?”

“Now, ma’am, let’s not give me a peep show. I can take it. Honest. ‘Sides, you look nicer in them than I do.”

“This is hardly the time to flirt,” grunted Goto as he hauled Bose back to his feet.

“Takes my mind off the heat.” He was worried, though. He still felt faint, and they had a mile to go before they rounded the bend. His knees felt shaky. 

Wait, that wasn’t his knees. The sand around them trembled, sending grains of sand rolling down the dunes. “What in Sam Hill?”

Goto caught sight of something behind Bose and drew his sword in a flash. The cowboy pivoted and drew his revolver. 

Shame he couldn’t get off a clean shot. The samurai was already slashing at a creature that looked like if the Devil himself had created an armadillo. It had leathery scales all along its back, interspersed with needle-like spikes as long as Bose’s fingers, and a thrashing tail as long as the rest of its body put together. It had a pair of tusks jutting from its lower jaws, and it pitched its broad head this way and that, trying to gore Goto.

“Get him, Goto,” shouted Klai. “Don’t let him disgrace a sam-yu-rye!”

“It’s samurai! It isn’t as easy as that, I was trained to fight men, not…” The loose sand gave way under Goto’s slipper, and he landed on his hindquarters with a surprised grunt. 

Slavering jaws nearly grabbed Goto’s ankle, but he rolled out of the way without a moment to spare. The creature’s catlike eyes narrowed to slits as it crouched down, ready to pounce. 

Bose fired, knowing he wouldn’t get another chance before they closed again. With a pathetic whimper, the creature crumpled to the ground. 

They all breathed a sigh of relief as the creature breathed its last. “Klai, what is that thing?”

She came close and cautiously prodded its unmoving body with a sandaled toe. “I have no idea. We don’t have these in the Blessed Oasis.”

Goto was brushing himself off. “It was a wily foe.” Bose thought he was being a little too defensive, but he’d let the samurai keep his dignity. “The bigger question is, where did it come from? We can see miles in all directions, but it simply appeared from nowhere.”

Bose pointed over to a disturbed patch of sand. “I think it swam through there.”

Goto let out a harrumph. “You promised us that the Outlands were lifeless, Ms. Meina.”

Klai put a hand on her hips. “Except the deathwings, like you yourself pointed out. I guess they must eat some thing besides stolen carcasses.”

“At least this one respects the power of a good Colt revolver,” replied Bose as he finished reloading his weapon. “Not like that stubborn shoveltusker. I guess we can call this a sandswimmer, ‘til we know better.”

“Works for me,” said Klai. “Are you both alright?”

“Right as rain, Klai,” replied Bose. 

“Don’t make me think of water,” said Goto.

“I see your point, Mr. Matsukata,” said Bose. “We should get… Aw, shoot!” The ground trembled again, but much more insistently. 

The sandswimmer that emerged from the dune behind them dwarfed the one Bose had shot. So did the second, and the third. Bose gulped; their jaws were as long as his arm, with tusks twice as long as the dead sandswimmer. “Shoot, that was a baby!” 

“I noticed,” barked Goto. 

The largest of the trio, distinguished by a broken right tusk, sniffed at the corpse, then gave the evil eye to Klai. The poor delphen was the nearest to the monster, and she was frozen in place by fight. 

Goto had never suffered from such hesitation. With a war cry, the samurai launched himself at a creature nearly as large as the shoveltusker. The adult wasn’t quite so nimble as the youngster, and Goto’s enchanted sword went straight into its eye. It reared up on its hind legs, ripping the katana from the samurai’s grip. 

“Damn it!” Goto dove out of the way to avoid its slashing claws. 

Bose fanned his hammer, and two shots rang out in quick succession. One went high as the beast returned to all fours, but the other drilled into its soft underbelly. “Awful nice of it to give me a big target like that.” 

The sandswimmer let out a rumbling death rattle that shook the sand dunes around them. It seemed to finally shock Klai to her senses, as she scrambled back to where Bose stood. 

The other two monsters followed the movement and they dashed right at them. Bose knew he wouldn’t be able to fell them both, or get out to the way in time. Goto was desperately trying to pull his sword from the eye socket of the downed beast, but he wouldn’t make it either. 

“Well, if that’s the way it’s gotta be,” he said to himself. He leveled at the closest of the sandswimmers and pulled the trigger. 

The resulting explosion had Bose’s ears ringing and he was blinded momentarily. “Did I have a misfire?” He spoke the words, felt his tongue moving, but he couldn’t hear a damn thing. 

When the world came back into focus, one of the sandswimmers was back on its haunches, hissing in confusion and glancing every which way. Bose couldn’t see the other. Or, more accurately, it wasn’t in one piece any longer. There were bits of charred shell scattered around the sand dunes, but no other evidence it had ever existed. 

“-in the Blessed Oasis!” Klai’s high voice came back into focus as she shook Bose’s arm. “It’s those explosions again!”

With a strained grunt, Goto extricated the sword and prepared to charge at the sandswimmer. 

The creature looked up behind Bose’s back, let out a startled yelp and, with a flurry of claws, vanished from sight. It left a ripple in the sand as it passed through the nearest dune, and then out of sight. 

“Ahoy!” The voice came from above, which confused Bose. Craning his neck, he didn’t stop being confused either. It looked like a sailing ship, but it was floating a good twenty feet over their heads, supported by nothing but a faint, blue glow that it rested on as a normal boat sat upon the water. He didn’t miss the smoking cannon jutting out from its side, either. 

Klai grabbed tighter onto Bose’s arm, and Goto came up alongside them. The samurai didn’t look surprised so much as annoyed. “What manner of nonsense is this?”

“Search me,” said Bose. “Klai, you’re the local.”

“Romish,” she said. “It’s got to be them. We need to get out of here. Now.”

As the tension left Bose’s limbs, his body reminded him that he’d been struggling with heatstroke before. He felt like he weighed a ton, and he found himself being supported by Klai. The delphen squeaked and struggled under his bulk.

Goto took the cowboy by the other arm to steady him. “Bose, are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” he lied. 

Klai’s dark eyes narrowed. “Bose, you can-”

She was cut off by a loud whistle from above. Bose squinted, but he couldn’t see the source of it from his angle. “I said ahoy! It is rude to talk like somebody is not there, you know!” There was a quality to the voice that Bose couldn’t quite wrap his mind around. It was getting harder to focus. He thanked God out loud as the ship shifted down, casting them in its shadow, finally giving him son relief from the oppressive heat. A rope ladder was unfurled from the unseen deck above, the lowest rung coming up to Bose’s waist. “You are formally invited aboard La Récompense Éternel, the finest airship this side of the capitol.”

“We refuse, you Romish hyenas,” shouted Klai as she shook her webbed fist. “If you want to take us as slaves, we’d rather die!”

“Romish? Hah!” A feminine face surrounded by a mane of black hair peeked over the side. “Oh, a delphen? How delightful! We do not usually see your kind outside the Oasis. Now I must insist you be my guests! Besides, your swarthy friend there looks like he could use a drink.”

“What do you think, Bose,” whispered Goto.

“Klai, I think we might want to take her offer. We wouldn’t want to be unneighborly. Besides, I ain’t gonna last long we have to hoof it, and even with my clothes, I don’t think you’ll make it either.” Left unsaid was that he had finally pieced together the woman’s accent, and he was very curious what a Frenchwoman was doing in this godforsaken land. 

They had always been a weakness of his. He hoped he hadn’t forgotten too much of the lingo.

**********

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