Evening was falling across his continent, Chandrar. He gazed into the distance where the greatest desert in the world lay, and he had seen it. He had seen the buried city to the south, glimpsed peaks of every nation on the land upon which he stood.
“Really? They are a quite common food across Chandrar, the desert continent, you know. Some people consider them as plebian as potatoes, but I find them delightfully good in any number of dishes. Spicy, too. Ah, here we are.”
“Not Izril, Baleros, Chandrar, Terandria—well, maybe the Kingdom of Keys or somewhere new like…? Taimaguros? But she would know [Knights]. Wistram’s rare children know magic, and no one would be allowed to run around barefoot in Drath, the likeliest option, because of how rude that would be. Nor on Rhir for safety. And Izril? I am stumped.”
In the south of the world lies a continent called Chandrar. The largest desert in the world fills the center of that landmass, and no one lives there; all the countries and kingdoms surround that death zone, fighting for moisture and land in the livable spaces.
Chandrar has more dead nations than any other continent. Poverty is ever-present there too, but the nations still fight over what’s left like starving dogs. They used to be unified, but the kingdom which united another continent collapsed and now everyone’s worse off. A classic story.
“Chandrar is not entirely desert, but my adopted homeland borders a vast desert, yes. Hence my familiarity with what this young [Necromancer] has done. But even Khelt’s King would call it extraordinary. If he did not behead that one for the deed.”
“I’ll tell you two from the beginning so we’re not making mistakes in the future. Right. Sostrom, do you know about the desert continent south or maybe south-west of here? Chandrar?”
The Drake was portly, had a skullcap with holes for his neck-spines, and had ocre-red scales. He grunted sourly as he flapped the reins, and his horse plodded forwards, towing a large wagon. He dealt in spices, often imported from Chandrar and through the City of Waves, Zeres, which he brought to the rest of the continent for fine prices.
“Your King never fought our tribes, and we would not have given up our lands to him like Chandrar. I am not looking for a battle, now, or to seek glory, Gazi Pathseeker. But I hear from my Chieftain’s sister that you take an interest in the same girl we seek. A dangerous one. I would not like to come to blows with you.”
Most people I’ve seen around here had light skin. This place is probably close to Europe, which might be why. Geographically, it made sense. The sun isn’t too harsh here, so probably only the two continents of Baleros and Chandrar would have people with darker skins.
“More than that, Erin. He conquered nearly all of Chandrar and his armies were crossing the sea and landing on our southern shores before he vanished.”
“Well, he’s so far away. What would we do? All the kingdoms and lands he conquered don’t obey him anymore. Chandrar will probably join together to fight him, so we don’t have to do anything.”
Ceria tried to imagine it. She remembered the King of Destruction’s first rampage, hearing of nations falling and cities sieged. She’d never been to Chandrar, but war had been speeding across the vast ocean when the King of Destruction had suddenly called an end to his grand ambitions.
