Saal of Galindred
It was hot. Too hot, thought Saal. The desolation of the sprawling desert was matched only by the determination of the beating sun, pounding on his already weathered armour. It threatened to make the metal molten again, and send it running down his body to pool at his feet.
What an idiot I must be, he thought, to be sweating under fifty pounds of metal, in this heat. But what was the alternative? Take it off and leave it behind? Carry it in his arms? Neither of those options were appealing.
He stopped and gazed across the undulating sand dunes. There was a beauty to the visage, but it was stark, isolated.
As he looked down at his feet, he saw a beetle scurrying about his business. It had a sheen, and an iridescence, that was quite mesmerising. Almost as though it sensed Saal’s gaze, and feared an impending attack from a predator, it stopped in its tracks.
As he watched, initially with awe and, later, with a sense of foreboding, the sand around its feet began to darken, until it appeared moist. Within a few moments, the moisture had coalesced into a thin film of water, and it began to form a puddle in front of his eyes.
Saal stared at what, he considered, must surely be a mirage, as the sand began to fall away under the beetle, creating a crater into which the rising water could be contained.
Without being aware of it, he had started to back away from the impossible desert feature that was forming in front of him. Only when the beetle began to change its own appearance, did he realise what he might be witnessing. This has to be magic, he decided.
Within moments, the beetle had transformed into a radiantly beautiful woman. Within that time, the impromptu oasis around her feet had finalised its own creation, and was managing to look as inviting as any body of water he had ever seen.
The freshly birthed woman spoke.
“Saal of Galindred, you have been judged worthy to receive this gift. Come and nourish yourself in the water.”
That was all the encouragement he needed. In one swift movement, he removed his armour and tossed it into the water, and threw himself toward the woman’s feet. There was an audible hiss from the metal, as it hit the surface of the oasis, and the heat stored within was released as steam.
Not knowing whether to drench his body or satisfy his thirst, he did both, and it was not long before he was laughing and choking, with equal measure.
Only after he had cooled significantly and regained some composure, did he speak to the woman.
“Who are you and how did you do that?” he asked, gazing at her incredible beauty.
Despite himself, as he noticed how scantily she was dressed, and the sumptuous curves of her body, he felt an unexpected arousal stirring from deep within himself.
“My name is Kareen. I was sent to find you and deliver this gift to you. I am what you would call a Djinn.”
Of course, he thought: how else could she have transformed the desert and herself in this way. If this is true, though, then there may be more available to him. He decided to chance his luck.
“Are you here to grant me wishes, oh great Kareen?”
“No, I am not. Although, you are most welcome to enjoy what you see before you.” With that, she winked and swayed her hips in a way that told him there was more on offer here than just liquid refreshment.
He had been alone too long not to take up the offer. He wasted no time in stripping off his garb and reached her in two quick strides. Saal took her in his arms and kissed her with more passion than he realised he had. She responded immediately by writhing against him and her hands moved wantonly over his body.
When he touched her, he was sure there was more sorcery at work; her skin felt more silken than any he had ever touched before. Her sensuous curves flowed effortlessly under his hands, as he moved them to every part of her that was within his reach.
It was not long before they were in the water together. Her lustrous clothing seemed to dissolve and their bodies entwined so completely that it felt as though they had become liquid and blended together. He moved inside her and the sensation was pure and beautiful.
After many delicious moments of pleasure, he shuddered, as did she, and he felt his seed passing into her body. With that exquisite sensation, he drifted into a dreamless sleep.
When he awoke, she was gone and it was night. As he sat up he realised he was no longer in the desert. It seemed he was now in a dense forest — given the late hour, it was dark and foreboding, and the hairs on his neck told him he was not alone. He quickly rolled into a crouch, ready to move if necessary.
He spotted a house not far away, which had smoke rising from the chimney. That looks inviting, he thought, and safer than being out here. As he moved quickly towards the cottage, he realised that his muscle aches and pains from earlier had vanished. Whether it was the soothing water of the miraculous oasis or the healing touch and exquisite lovemaking with the Djinn, he did not know — in any event, he was grateful to get his previous speed and limberness back.
Suddenly, he sensed movement to his right. His instincts told him to move into, rather than away from, his potential attacker. Saal had the beast in his arms, and was about to finish him, when he realised it was covered in soft wool, and bleating with fear. A sheep. As he looked up from his would be assailant, he saw there was a flock of them, regarding him with fear and alarm. He released his captive, who showed his gratitude by nudging against his leg.
He moved quickly to the door of the house and knocked quietly. A wizened old man opened it, holding a flaming torch.
“Ah, you must be another sent by Kareen. Come in, come in — we have much to discuss.”
With that, he stood aside so Saal could enter. The inside of the cottage was warm and inviting. The man had clearly been at work with a decorative abacus at the solid oak table. Saal could smell the aroma of beef and mead, and realised instantly that he was famished and ready for a drink.
“Sit,” said the man, as he closed the door. “Tell me, what were you doing before the Djinn brought you to the forest? Would you like something to eat and drink?”
Saal nodded and took a seat at the table.
The man returned from the fireplace with a bowl of steaming stew and poured mead into a wooden goblet.
“Here, take this. You will need all the strength you can muster for the battle we all have ahead of us,” said the man, as he seated himself.
“Battle? What battle?” asked Saal, tucking into the delicious food as though he had never eaten in his life.
“Ah,” said the old man. “Like the others, you thought the Djinn’s favours were for free, didn’t you?”
Saal looked up from his meal. He began to realise he may have been tricked into yet another adventure he hadn’t asked for.
