The tortoise chewed on the grass, peace incarnated. How could such a beast move at all? But as it awoke, so did its brethren. More scaly heads emerged from the sand, awoken from their slumber. They searched the sky, finding no foe.
The ground they stood on shifted as a dozen tortoises all climbed out of the sand. And with them, other beasts dared to poke their heads out. The mice from before jumped around, taking their share of the grass. Their hind legs were large and thin, perfect for leaping forward. Their ears were the size of their heads. The mice could move them with absolute control, using them to scan the area for any predator.
Alongside the mice, groups with strange rats appeared, too. They stood on their hind legs like humans, looking around before rushing forward. They collected all the grass they wanted and fled back into their layers. The rats reached up to Liron's hip, having an appeal to them. Emma loved them at first sight.
"Harras, they are cute," she said in a high-pitched voice.
"These are meerkats," Zonis said. "They live in larger colonies. Be careful. Their spit burns and stinks. You will smell for days, marking you as a predator for all animals."
"So, not much of a difference to Em," Liron said, earning himself a punch on the shoulder. "Say, Zonis, what's that?"
Liron pointed at a few beasts appearing from behind a dune. They looked like deer, but their horns didn't diverge into smaller ones like a tree. They carried two twisting spears on their heads and knew how to use them.
"These are called antelopes. Incredibly fast. We sometimes ask them to ride on their backs should the need arise, but they are extremely shy. And should they feel cornered, they can move their horns, pointing them directly at you. They are sturdy, and if the antelope can build up speed, they can pierce any armor they want."
More and more animals appeared, responding to nature's call. But as they did, so did their predators.
A dash in the corner of Liron's vision, he only glimpsed the fox. Its fur allowed it to disappear in the terrain. Only as a nearby meerkat dropped its guard did it strike. Emma gasped as its jaw snapped shut on the meerkat's neck. It cried out, but the fox broke its neck with one twist. Similar to the mice, it had pronounced ears, twisting them like a set of extra limbs. The fox noticed them, startled at the sound Emma had made. Zonis danced his mouth into a fox's snout, calming it with an odd low howl. Eyes of pure focus stared into them, and the fox stepped backward, vanishing with its prey in front of their eyes. The other meerkats spat after the fox, but the predator dodged them all, disappearing.
A squeak caught Liron's attention. As he turned his head, his skin crawled, and he wished he hadn't looked. A mouse had stepped on a trap, and eight legs had shot upwards, grabbing it. A spider had lain waiting, buried underneath the sand. The mouse fought with all it had, but it was in vain. The spider's fangs bit into its prey, poisoning it. As its motion slowed down, the spider dragged the mouse underground into its lair. Several more mice fell victim to the same fate, carried to their doom.
But there was some retribution. A slender cat stalked through the bushes, seeing a mouse attacked by a spider. Before they could vanish, the car dashed forward, tearing the spider mouse out of the sand. It killed both with its fangs. The feline appeared more like a ghost as it devoured its spoils. But it couldn't eat in peace. It heard something, dashing away with its meal. Seconds later, a snake covered in thorns slithered its way through the grass, searching for any foolish creature it could claim.
Shadows encircled the patches of green from above. Soaring high above their heads, birds waited for their opportunity to strike. Liron frowned. There was no spot without some animal moving around. All birds of prey he knew had eyes as sharp as Harras'. Why didn't they descend?
Zonis noticed the question carved into Liron's features. "They are no hawks, Liron. These are vultures. They do not hunt themselves. They are scavengers. Whatever larger predators don't eat, they will feast upon. I think they were hoping something would come to kill a tortoise or two. As soon as they notice nothing will happen, they will leave for another spot."
"Speakin' of larger hunters, where are they?" Emma asked.
"After easier prey," Zonis said. "A tortoise is a challenge for even the greatest of predators. No, they follow easier targets. This here is nothing compared to what takes place at a smaller oasis or river."
"Oa… what?" Emma asked.
Watching Zonis explain, Liron knew where Angin had inherited his euphoria for educating. "An oasis is a natural fountain. Offering water in the desert. They are surrounded by an abundance of life even the gardens of Janloo couldn't replicate. But this beauty attracts all. The Qyroal, the Empire, and all greater animals. Every oasis or river, however small they may be, is a battleground. The surrounding sand has turned crimson from all the blood spread there."
Zonis looked down, sunken in thought. "A shame we can't simply cherish the gifts Solia offers us. No, we have to fight over them. We need to own them like slaves, ensuring no one but us holds the chains. But in our fighting, we drown what we desire in our blood."
Liron and Emma stared at Zonis, rattled by his sudden words. He glimpsed, coughing a laugh. "Don't listen to me, children. Just the rambles of an old Whisperer. Come on, let's continue."
Zonis' words haunted them like a dark cloud, a storm brewing inside. But they outpaced it, Zonis' gentle smile dispelling it. Emma soon asked him all that crossed her mind. About Ekon, Harras, the Resistance, and the Qilesh. Liron was reminded of his days in the forest, traveling with Angin. Back then, the Alchemist appeared like a figure who jumped out of a fairy tale. An eccentric character meant to guide him. But now that he had glimpsed the man behind the act, he feared he had lost his master for good. If he were with them now, would he answer Liron's question as Zonis did? Or would he entertain him for a brief while until he would have lost patience?
Zonis raised his arm, making a fist. They all went down, crouching. An Empire army marched through the desert. Liron's mouth hung open. Thousands of men in perfect units drilled under the watchful eye of their leading Warpriest. The sheer size of it slammed into Liron's face like a fist.
"Is… is this the army of a Divine General?" Liron asked. He and Emma exchanged looks, fearing their journey had come to an untimely end.
Zonis shook his head, his mouth shifting in bemusement, carrying a sad edge. "Solia, no. We would be dead if one of the four were here. This is a smaller army."
"Small?" both Liron and Emma spat out.
"You have seen Kupferrang. Kupferrang was considered a smaller city, too. The scale of this war is so much grander than you two can expect. Millions of souls have lost their lives on both sides. This conflict is one of annihilation. The Empire and Qyroal both fight to eradicate the other. They don't take prisoners, and they never show mercy.
"I wish I could spare you what is to come. I have once witnessed and participated in a larger fight between the Empire and the Qyroal. I thought Ekon would end. The destruction was so immense, my head still spins when I remember it. What happened in Kupferrang was nothing. Should two larger armies meet, Ekon itself cries for the devastation that gets unleashed. Seeing it makes you lose hope in a better future."
Zonis stretched his arm out, his hand hanging over the marching troops. "We are Resistance. We steer the flames of war. We drive our enemies into each other's arms and make them butcher each other. Once they are both weakened, we take our price. That is what we do. I know you two may have some idea of us, but we are the heralds of destruction. Our goal is to make this war worse to end it.
"We hide in their shadows and run away from any confrontation. The only reason the Resistance has survived up until now is because we understand Sannara like no one else. We know how to hide and how to take advantage of the harsh conditions. We do what's necessary to bring peace to Ekon, but this doesn't allow for many of us to become heroes."
Zonis patted both of them on their heads. "I like the two of you. You are good children. So, I don't want you to have any false idea of what the Resistance is. By becoming part of us, you will be forced to do things that will stain your soul. It has mine. But always hold onto the vision we all share."
He pointed at the army, disappearing behind the horizon. "One, where this desert will forget what these trembling boots feel like. One, where no child has to pick up a weapon and learn how to kill before they are of age. It breaks my heart that you two have not been raised in such a world. But you can help to create it. For the ones that come after."