A Charge of Valor by Morgan Rice Page B

exchanged a worried look, and she gulped at the thought. But she had no choice. It was that, or death.
    As the soldiers’ footsteps grew ever louder, the two of them hurried inside and began the long, hard crawl towards freedom.

     

CHAPTER ELEVEN
     
     
     
    Thor opened his eyes and felt a sense of content and peace that he hadn’t known in a long time. He felt rested, rejuvenated, and he lay on his back in soft luxurious grass, cool breezes caressing his face. He sat up and looked all around, wondering if this were all a dream.
    The early morning light spread over the desert, illuminating the oasis in which Thor lay. Slowly, it all came back to him. His dream, his mother, seeing Argon, then awakening to find that man, the desert dweller, who had led them here. He had been in and out of consciousness, and he immediately looked around, making sure the others were with him.
    He breathed a sigh of relief to see that they were. They all lay comfortably on the grass, by the edge of the lake, sleeping contentedly and looking better than he had seen them in a long time. All around them were palm trees, laden with fruits, swaying slightly in the cool morning breezes.
    They had been saved by these desert dwellers, Thor realized, and he turned and looked for them, to thank them. He spotted the group of them, seated beside the waters, holding out their palms, eyes closed, chanting in some sort of ritual. Their image reflected off the still waters, and it was a beautiful sight. The soft sound of their chanting lifted and carried on the air, making the place feel even more surreal.
    Beyond the perimeter of the oasis, in every direction, there was desert. Yellow, baked desert, sprawling endlessly, cruelly, to the edges of the horizon. It was too early in the day for the heat to be rippling, but Thor knew it would be soon enough.
    “ You have awakened,” came a voice.
    Thor turned and saw one of the desert dwellers, the one who had saved him, standing over him, looking down with kind, compassionate eyes.
    “ You slept a long and fitful sleep.”
    Thor wracked his brain, trying to remember. Thor looked around and saw his brothers rousing.
    “ I owe you a great debt,” Thor said. “We all do. You saved our lives.”
    The man shook his head.
    “ You owe us nothing,” he said. “The debt is ours.”
    Thor looked back, confused.
    “ You see,” the man said, “our legend tells of you. It tells of this day. The day when you would pass through here. We have been waiting for you for generations, waiting for this moment to help you on your journey. Your quest is not just for you—it is one that will free us all, even here in the Empire.”
    “ Waiting for me?” Thor asked, confused. “I don’t understand. You must have me mixed up with someone else.”
    But they shook their heads.
    The others crowded around, and Thor felt Krohn rubbing against his leg, and reached down and stroked his head.
    “ Where are we?” O’Connor asked
    “ You are deep in the Great Desert,” the man answered, as his people finally rose and joined them. “Right in the center. No human being has ever made it this far. Those of us who live here know this oasis. The desert is an unforgiving place. You are lucky to be alive.”
    “ I warned them,” Indra said, shaking her head.
    “ We are on a quest,” Reece responded.
    “ For the stolen Sword,” O’Connor chimed in.
    “ We were told it is being taken to Neversink,” Elden added.
    The desert dwellers turned and looked at each other, eyes wide in surprise.
    “ It is just as the prophecies foretold,” said their leader, turning and looking at Thor.
    “ Can you lead us there?” Thor asked.
    “ Of course,” the leader responded. “We must. It is our duty. Follow us closely. And grab as many fruits as you can carry,” he said, as they all lowered their hoods, raised their staffs and began hiking, “it will be your only source of life.”
    Thor and the others turned and examined the thick