Qing's Quest book 2, Chapter 3: The Banished

Inspiration for the first part is this photo I took in the Sahara desert in May 2023 at 6:20am during sunrise.

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“Wow,” Qing said as he grasped the reins, steadying himself atop Smokey.

“What is it?” Knut asked from his normal sized camel, having yet to look across the dune.

But Qing couldn’t find words as he stared at the sunrise. The golden sun appeared across the dune, painting the landscape in shades of black and yellow, the clean lines of desert dunes creating a visage no painter could ever recreate, nor any photo capture.

Qing stared at it.

This is spectacular. I’d never see this if I hadn’t been portaled into this world. Maybe meimei is watching me and gets to see this too.

But then he felt sick in the stomach.

No. There is no way fucking way this Quaxinor’ay is going to Stockholm syndrome me. I’m going to find Rufus and get my ass home.

Qing tugged on the rains, setting Smokey into motion.

“Come on,” he said to the others, breaking them out of their stares. “We’re wasting daylight.”

***

“When were you here last?” Morgana asked as they rode, rocking across the dunes.

“Ten years ago,” Knut said.

“Why?”

“We used to trade here. The court at the Gilded Hall used to be our top customer.”

“Of what?” Morgana asked.

“What was it you called it, Qing?” Knut asked. “Boner pills?”

Qing nodded.

Morgana chuckled. “Really. So what happened? If it used to be your biggest customer, I mean?”

“He fucked the queen,” Jenny said, pointing a thumb at Knut.

“What?” Qing said. “In Shadowgrove, didn’t you just tell me you insulted her?”

“No,” Knut said, waving a hand. “It was the King who felt insulted.”

“What were you thinking?”

“That he has a harem, so why shouldn’t she?”

“Well…” Qing said. “Can’t really argue with that.”

“Exactly. But it turns out King Sharyar didn’t agree with me, so he banished us.”

“Ten years ago now,” Jenny said. “We used to make so much money there...”

“You still want us to come?” Knut asked.

“Not much choice now, is there?” Qing said and shrugged, waving at the desert. “I don’t even know where I’m going.” Then he grew serious. “Besides. That danger is nothing compared to our current quest.”

“What about you, Morgana?” Jenny asked. “Have you been to Zylphadia before?”

At first, she didn’t answer, and when Qing turned to look at her, she squirmed in her saddle.

“Answer the question,” he said.

She sighed. “Yes, I have. But the memories are unpleasant and I would rather not dredge them up for nothing.”

“Oh, do share,” Knut said. “We love a good tale, don’t we, Jenny?”

“Leave it, Knut,” Jenny said with a grunt. “If she doesn’t want to say, then she doesn’t have to.”

“Yeah, but what if...”

Qing held up a hand, and they all went quiet and halted. They knew he always kept the mini map up as they rode, looking for threats and animals as they rode between the sandy dunes, following a track that could only be seen due to its high concentration of camel dung. But now, dozens of dots appeared at the edge of the map, as if a column of soldiers two wide marched towards them.

“We’ve got company,” he said.

Knut clicked his tongue and led them right, heading off the path and around behind a large dune. They rode single file, hoping whoever approached would pass them by.

More and more dots appeared.

“There have to be over sixty, maybe even a hundred of them,” Qing said in a whisper.

Qing tensed as he watched the column pass them by on the map, but suddenly it stopped.

“Shit. They’ve spotted us,” Qing said. “Knut, you go up behind in case we need covering—”

“It’s too late,” Knut said, pointing.

He was right. The dots were spreading out around them at speed, and he looked towards the top of the dune just in time to see a line of armored camel riders appearing over the top, weapons in hand. Half wielded shields and lances, the others held bows, arrows nocked.

“Oh shit,” Knut said. “It’s the Zylphadian army.”

“Back to back!” Qing said, about to hop off Smokey, but as if the animal understood his verbal commands, it turned and stepped backwards, facing the enemy. Qing stayed on top, and reached behind him, pulling on the rope that raised the metal plate that sat fixed around the third hump. Like James Bond’s cars, the plate protected him against arrows and strikes from the rear. As the riders started down the dune towards them, Qing could have sworn Smokey growled, and what did he know about camels, so maybe that was normal?

With all the bows trained at them, what he wouldn’t have given for a spell shield like the sorcerer had used. There had to be fifty bows ready to loose. The camel riders collapsed on them from all sides, lances lowered.

“Wait for them to get close,” Qing said. “But if any of them loose, we attack, straight forward and out. I’ll hold them off.”

The warriors wore chain mail, covering them from ankles to the top of their heads, where their helmets sprouted a tall spike, making them appear larger. It would have been scary, but Qing hadn’t defeated the Butchers and Wildheart to be intimidated by a regular human. He stared them down, knowing that their number were dangerous, but confident in his ability to defeat any single one of them.

“What do you want?” he said, calling out to them.

“Justice,” one rider said as he unhooked the veil of chains from his face, letting it fall to the side. The middle-aged man had eyes as hard as any marine Qing had seen on TV.

“Put down your weapons then,” Qing said, “and tell me of the justice you seek.”

“You travel in ill company,” the man said, pointing a curved sabre at Knut. “Two of your companions have been banished from this land, and the third is a wanted criminal.”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake!” Qing said. “Lower your weapons. We are on a quest to save the world. Let me tell you the story and you may make your judgement.”

The cavalry surrounded them, standing so close Qing could have reached out and touched the lances pointed at his chest.

The riders laughed, and one said, “No wonder he travels in such company. He’s insane.”

“Enough, Abdul,” Knut said. “You know as well as I do that the banishment was bullshit, and done only to save face for a king with no legs to stand on.”

The archers pulled back their arrows, and the cavalry tensed to strike, but Abdul raised his hand. “Hold,” he commanded. “Do not kill them. Not yet. Knut. Your tongue has always been rogue, yet even you should know better than to speak ill of the king in front of us.”

“Sure,” Knut said with a shrug. “But there are a lot of things I should know better than. What I’d like to know is, what under the yellow sun is the head of the royal guard doing all the way out here in the desert with a company of shock cavalry? I doubt you’ve come for us. We’ve barely met anyone on our journey.”

“The royal guard?” Qing asked.

“Yep,” Jenny said. “Abdul here is the head of the Gilded Hold’s royal guard, and has been for 20 years.”

The man shifted in his saddle.

“Excellent,” Qing said, forcing a smile. “Then I’m glad we met you. We are chasing a fugitive, a rogue necromancer named Rufus who has kidnapped a young girl called Cleo, and plans to release the devil upon your world. When last we saw him, he fled through a portal to your city. We go to your king’s court to ask for support in tracking him down.”

Abdul shook his head. “You’re telling me you are chasing a guy who’s made a deal with the devil and kidnapped a girl? Do you have any idea how that sounds?”

“Yes, but it’s true, nonetheless. Will you take us to your king?”

“No,” Abdul said. “I will not. You will leave this realm. Jenny, out of my respect for you as the previous champion, I give you a chance to leave with your life. Ten of my men will to escort you out of Zylphadia, given a promise you will never return.”

Before Qing could object, the man held up his hand to forestall objections. “Take my offer, or I will sentence your comrades to death here and now. Then you may continue alone.”

“I would like to see you try,” Qing said, opening himself to the elemental charge. He held out his hand and equipped Paulhandler’s Keg-smasher, the axe appearing out of thin air.

“Wait, wait, wait!” Knut said, raising his arms. “Don’t be an idiot, Abdul. Tell us why you are out here!”

“I swear, what Qing says is true,” Morgana said, voice cutting through the air. “He is from a mystical land far away, and has come on a quest to save our world from some really fucked-up people. Please, take us to the court. You won’t regret it.”

“And if the king wants,” Jenny added. “We’ll take trial by combat. Too much is at stake.”

“I’m afraid I cannot do that,” Abdul said, taking a deep breath. “We’re hunting a dangerous group of bandits led by a sorcerer named—”

“Masheer el-Farah?” Qing asked. “Would that be the sorcerer you’re looking for?”

“How could you possibly know that?” Abdul asked.

“Because we already killed him.” Qing said, voice flat. “You are welcome.”

Abdul’s eyebrows nearly disappeared underneath his helmet. “You killed Masheer the sorcerer? I…I don’t believe it. Our sources tell us he had ten men with him.”

“It was sixteen,” Qing said. “And he kind of summoned a demon. But, we got him.” Qing pulled out the looted circlet and held it up above his head, turning around so every warrior could see it. “And we saved all six of the True Moon Tribe’s children he held captive.”

The soldiers started whispering among themselves, and Abdul asked, “How could you do that?”

“He’s from Chicago,” Morgana said.

“Chicago?” Abdul said, waving a hand, and the warriors lowered their weapons.

“Yes,” she said, and blinked at Qing. Or maybe it was a wink. It was hard to tell with the eyepatch.

“That is amazing news. I owe you a debt of gratitude,” Abdul said and bowed from the saddle. “It is not widely known, but my brother is a member of the tribe. If you speak true, you have saved my niece.”

“You’re welcome,” Morgana said and smiled, lifting her eye patch to knuckle her eye.

“That also explains why you are riding Smoky,” Abdul said, nodding at the massive camel. “I thought you might have raided the tribe and stolen him, but…I couldn’t fathom how he would let you ride him.”

“Why?” Qing asked, leaning forward to scratch Smokey behind his left ear, and the camel angled its head so he could better reach. “He’s such a good boy!”

Abdul barked a laugh. “Smokey? A good boy?” He tugged off his gloves and held up his four-fingered hand. “The worst injury I ever received was by his teeth.” He smiled wistfully. “I tried to ride him once. I was young and dumb.”

“Wow,” Qing said, sitting upright. “Anything else I should know?”

Am I riding a death machine?

“I do not know,” Abdul replied. “I’ve only ever seen Kamil ride him. But if he trusts you, he should treat you well.”

“Excellent,” Qing said. “Well, with all of this sorted out, let us be on our way. The sooner we get to the king, the better. I will take the responsibility and the risk.”

Abdul grew quiet.

“What is it?” Knut asked, shifting to look around at the gathered riders, none of which would meet their eyes.

“I…haven’t been honest with you," Abdul said with a sigh. “I have also been banished.”

“Shit,” Knut said.

“These men refused to serve the new commander, and rightly so. I’m afraid there will be no help for you in the king's court. He has grown paranoid, and a darkness has settled over Zylphadia these last ten years.”

“I don’t care about the politics,” Qing said. “I just need you to get us there and in front of the king.”

“I cannot. Anyone seen with me is to be killed, and helping me is a death sentence by itself.”

“Then why are you here hunting bandits?” Jenny asked.

He shrugged. “There’s nowhere else for us to go.”

“Well, actually, I think there is,” Qing said, an idea springing to mind. He took out Mercer’s hammer and tossed it to Abdul. “Take this and head towards the kingdom of Thulenore. In the Whispering Woods you will find the village of Shadowgrove. Give this to Erik Eriksson or Aria and tell them I sent you. There you will receive shelter, food, and water.”

“What? They would take in a hundred men?” Abdul asked.

“Yes. The kingdom was attacked, and many fell. But we defeated the shadow and cleansed the land. They need strong men for rebuilding, and you will find a warm welcome, meaningful days, and good company. In return, I would have you protect the village.” Qing stood in the saddle and spoke loud for all to hear. “That is an offer open to any and all of you. A fresh start!”

A cheer went up from the warriors, and Abdul bowed. “It seems again I am in your debt.”

“Think nothing of it. I’m happy to have made a friend, not an enemy.”

Next, Qing asked about Rufus, but they had not seen or heard of anyone matching his description or that of Cleo.

“But maybe Ti-ei can help you,” Abdul said. “Find him in the king’s court. Tell him you hunt Kandisha with a moon-bound blade. He’ll understand I sent you, and that your honor is vouched for.”

“What of the Queen?” Knut asked. “Will she help us?”

Abdul paused. “No. You will find no help from her. The green dragon has captured her.”

Knut and Jenny cursed.

“Green dragon?” Qing asked.

“I’ll tell you later,” Morgana said in a whisper.

When they parted ways, the royal guard headed towards Shadowgrove, while Qing and his party continued towards the Gilded Hold.

“Are you sure we should continue?” Morgana asked. “They haven’t seen Rufus, and the court sounds about as helpful as a punch in the belly when pregnant.”

Qing turned in the saddle and met her gaze. “This is the way.”