The desert wind howled softly, carrying the cold bite of the night as it swept across the endless dunes. The horizon was still painted in deep shades of violet and indigo, but the first golden rays of the sun were breaking over a distant sandhill, stretching long fingers of light across the rippling desert. It was beautiful, almost serene, if not for the fact that the wind made every step an uphill battle against the shifting sands.

  Standing at the entrance to the city, two figures lingered beneath the massive structure carved into the shape of a giant serpent’s head. The city's grand gates rested within its open maw, as if they were walking straight into the belly of a beast.

  Milo, clad in his usual green guard uniform, shifted his feet and looked around. His expression was as casual as ever. "Huh," he muttered, hands on his hips. "Pretty sandy."

  Regulus, standing beside him in gleaming silver armor, his signature phoenix feather tucked into his helmet, went rigid. His eye twitched. Slowly, he turned to Milo, his hands curling into trembling fists of rage.

  "No shit, Milo." His voice started low, a deep growl, before exploding into pure fury. "WE ARE IN A DESERT!"

  Milo didn’t even flinch. He barely acknowledged the outburst, nodding to himself as if he had just made a valuable observation. "Yeah, but like... there's a lot of sand."

  Regulus' breath hitched like he was about to have an aneurysm. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to compose himself. "You— you absolute—" He inhaled sharply. "Why are you like this?"

  Milo shrugged. "Just observing my surroundings."

  Regulus closed his eyes and muttered something about patience being a virtue before exhaling all his anger into the void. He was not going to let Milo ruin his morning. Milo, unbothered as always, looked around again. "Hey, where are your guards, anyway?"

  Regulus opened his eyes, the last traces of rage fading into mild amusement. "You really think I need protection?"

  Milo squinted at him, then sighed. "Yeah… honestly, I can’t think of many people who could even keep up with you, let alone protect you."

  Regulus laughed, the sound deep and full of pride. "Exactly!" He spread his arms wide as if presenting himself. "But they’re stationed here at Lady Celestine’s request. She wanted a stronger presence at this city’s entrance, and I figured they’d be useful while I finish some things in the capital."

  Milo nodded along. "So, you’re coming with Kaiser?"

  Regulus smirked. "Of course. Got a lot of free time these days." He leaned casually against the stone of the serpent’s head. "My skills are needed maybe once a year, and my services are so expensive that barely anyone in the Liberatorium can afford me."

  Milo whistled. "Must be nice."

  Regulus grinned. "Oh, it is. But hey, I have stretch my legs every now and then, right?"

  Milo adjusted his stance, watching the sunrise paint the desert in gold. “So, you sticking with Kaiser after you reach the capital?”

  Regulus scoffed. “Not a chance. I’ll travel with them to the capital, but after that, I’ve got my own path to follow.”

  Milo nodded at that. “Figures. Once I see you off, I’ll be heading straight back to Arkhold. Now that the Right Fist has been robbed of its most valuable merchandise, they’ll go into a frenzy. Probably desperate enough to start snatching random people off the streets again and robbing anything that even looks expensive.” He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “My help’s gonna be needed as soon as possible.”

  Regulus patted him on the back, the metallic clink of his gauntlet ringing against Milo’s shoulder. “You need a hand?”

  “No,” Milo shook his head. “I already got Iris Avalon over there helping out. She’ll be my guest for a couple of weeks, at least until the Right Fist calms down… or until we wipe out the last of those bastards.”

  Regulus let out a low whistle. “Damn. Can’t lie, having someone like her around must be a relief.”

  “Yeah,” Milo chuckled. “It’s great having powerful friends. But don’t forget that you’re my friend too.” He shot Regulus a knowing look. “So if I ever need some extra muscle, I know who to call.”

  Regulus leaned back, smirking. “Of course. Just say the word.”

  Milo’s eye twitched. “I did call you tho, for two bloody months. Nonstop.”

  Regulus froze, his smirk faltering. “Uh—”

  “For. Two. Months.” Milo repeated, stepping closer, voice dangerously calm.

  Sweat beaded on Regulus’ forehead. He nodded rapidly, his whole body stiff. “I—I was doing some seriously important missions.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Milo folded his arms, unimpressed. “For two months straight?” Regulus nodded again, faster this time.

  Milo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Doesn’t matter. Everything worked out in the end.” His gaze drifted to the horizon, watching as the sun rose higher, casting long shadows over the dunes.

  Regulus followed his gaze, arms crossed. “Yeah. Everything’s as it should be.”

  A peaceful silence settled between them. The wind whistled through the desert, the golden light stretching over the rippling sand. It was a rare moment of quiet understanding between two warriors—

  “…You know,” Milo murmured, shifting his foot slightly. “It’s really sandy today.”

  Regulus tensed.

  Milo wiggled his boot, frowning. “Think I got some sand in there—”

  Regulus grabbed his helmet in both hands, shaking it violently like he was trying to crush his own skull. “MILO!” he roared, his voice echoing off the dunes.

  Milo, completely unbothered, lazily shifted his weight from one foot to the other. “What?”

  Regulus stomped towards him, eyes wild. “I swear, if you state one more painfully obvious fact—”

  Milo tilted his head, pretending to think. “…I think it’s getting warmer.”

  Regulus physically recoiled, like Milo had just smacked him across the face. His entire body trembled with barely contained rage. “Oh, REALLY, MILO?! YOU THINK IT’S GETTING WARMER? IN THE DESERT? AS THE SUN RISES?!”

  Milo nodded sagely. “Yeah.”

  Regulus let out a strangled, unintelligible noise of fury. His fingers twitched, as if he was seconds away from strangling the man in front of him.

  Milo, still unfazed, looked at the sky thoughtfully. “You know, I think the wind’s dying down too.”

  Regulus let out an inhuman shriek and lunged. Milo, now finally aware of the danger, yelped and jumped back, laughing. “Whoa, whoa, relax! You need to calm down before you overheat. It’s getting warmer, you know.”

  Regulus nearly ripped off his own helmet just to throw it at him.

  The heavy creak of the gates behind them made Regulus pause mid-threat, his hands still twitching like he was restraining himself from committing a crime against Milo’s existence. Both men turned to see the approaching group.

  Aria practically skipped forward, her eyes wide with childlike wonder. Kaiser walked beside her, looking relaxed, hands in his pockets.

  And then there were Mia and Ivan.

  They dragged their feet like condemned prisoners, arms trembling like twigs in a storm. Their dead, lifeless fish eyes stared ahead, hollow and soulless, as if they had already ascended to the afterlife but were cruelly tethered back to reality.

  Milo and Regulus exchanged a look. A very specific look. The same look they had when they watched Kaiser drag both twins out of the bar by their ears after their told him they lost Aria. Neither of them said a word. Best not to get involved.

  “It’s beautiful,” Aria sighed dreamily, stretching her arms as she gazed at the endless dunes.

  Kaiser, however, frowned slightly, scanning the horizon. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a desert this barren before.”

  Milo, arms crossed, nodded sagely. “Yeah… also, it’s really big.”

  Regulus’ eye twitched so hard he nearly gave himself a concussion. He exhaled through his nose, willing himself to stay calm. ‘He is your colleague. He is your friend. Do not commit a crime before breakfast Regulus.’

  Milo, completely oblivious to the sheer rage radiating from Regulus, lifted his foot and gave his boot a little shake. "And I think I got some sand in my boot. Damn, this desert is really something."

  Regulus clenched his jaw so hard he nearly bit through his own teeth. "NO. SHIT."

  Milo blinked. "I mean, you say that, but—"

  Regulus grabbed him by the collar, shaking him like a damn maraca. "WE. ARE. IN. A. DESERT!"

  Milo, completely unfazed, raised a finger. "Technically, we’re in a city inside a desert."

  Regulus released him with a shove, turning away and taking deep breaths. ‘Not worth it. Not worth it.’

  Meanwhile, Kaiser and Aria finally noticed the two men’s antics, slowing their steps. "You speak, Milo, and suddenly, the mysteries of the world remain just as they were."

  Aria giggled. "I like it. It’s like a narrator for life. Very immersive."

  Regulus dragged a hand down his face. "Don’t encourage him."

  “To hell with you all,” Milo scoffed, throwing up his hands. “I didn’t have to come see you off, you know. Could’ve just stayed in bed. I regret ever dragging my ass out here.”

  Before he could turn away, a pair of weak, trembling hands latched onto his sleeve. He looked down to see Mia, eyes wide and desperate. “Save us,” she whispered, clinging to him like a lifeline. “Please, Milo. Take us with you. Far away. Anywhere. I can’t— I can’t do it again.”

  Before Milo could respond, a shadow loomed over her. Kaiser, smiling oh so sweetly, leaned in close and whispered, “An extra thirty minutes of paper training for you both.”

  A shiver ran down Mia’s spine like a blade of ice. She snapped her mouth shut, immediately letting go of Milo’s sleeve like she had just grabbed a red-hot iron. Ivan, still looking half-dead, only made a hollow choking sound, as if his soul had finally accepted its fate.

  Milo blinked. “Alright, what the hell is this ‘paper training’ thing? What kind of torture did leave the two of you looking like that?”

  Kaiser smirked. “It’s exactly what it sounds like. Hold a piece of paper. For an hour.”

  Milo stared. “That’s it?”

  “That’s it.”

  Milo snorted, crossing his arms. “Oh, come on. A damn piece of paper? That’s the best you could come up with? Kaiser, I thought you were supposed to be scary.”

  Ivan groaned. “Don’t— don’t say that—”

  Mia, still shaking, muttered, “He doesn’t understand…”

  Kaiser just chuckled, shaking his head. “Milo, I could train Ivan for a year, and he’d be strong enough to beat you.”

  Milo’s laugh exploded like thunder across the desert. He clutched his stomach, doubling over. “Y-You think— Pfft— you think this wimpy kid is gonna beat me? Me? Kaiser, I know you’ve taken a few hits to the head, but this is a new level of delusion!” He straightened up, grinning, and jabbed a finger into Kaiser’s chest. “Hell, you can’t beat me. How the hell is your wimpy little student gonna do any better?”

  Kaiser’s smile dropped and his fingers twitched. Regulus, who had been watching this unfold like a man witnessing divine intervention, suddenly perked up. He practically vibrated with excitement.

  Kaiser turned, his voice sharp. “Regulus.”

  Regulus grinned. “Already ahead of you.” With a dramatic flourish, he reached behind him and pulled out two wooden swords, holding them up like they were the greatest treasure in the world. “Been waiting since the bar for this.”

  Milo’s grin widened. “Oh, now you’re talking.”

  Kaiser cracked his neck. “Let’s see how soft my training is.”

  Mia and Ivan, still barely holding themselves up, exchanged a look. Despite their suffering, despite their exhaustion, neither of them could deny… That this was about to be fun as hell.

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