Marshenek rubbed at his eyes. It didn't matter wether they were opened or close, what he looked at, they still flashed. They said it was a sign of the sickness. He didn't feel that sick though. He had just slept badly. Yeah, that's why he felt so tired. The Camels had been getting feisty lately, and it was taking more work. Everything would be fine.

They said it would take away your vision. They lied. Sure, he could only see a narrow spot of what was in front of him. But his eyes had been opened to the spirits. He could See. Mirages, all around. Visions of what had happened, and what yet might happen. It was not a curse, it was a blessing.

Marshenek looked at his hands. Why did the blood keep swirling? It was dried, the old Shadi well dead. Was it a message? The Shadi had been weak, and the sickness took him heavily. He wasn't fit to rule anymore. Thats why he needed to die. He wouldn't have been taught the path to fight to the stars if they didn't want him to use it, right? Yeah, that was it. The Shadi had been asking to be killed, and Only Marshenek had the strength.

Nezmet and Teken had been plotting to backstab him. To spill his blood like he had done to the Shadi before him. They had been smart about it, never letting a word slip, or give any indication as to what they were planning. The very perfect model of a dutiful Keliit. But he KNEW they had been about to do it. Atleast the blood didn't swirl this time.

He needed to go West. Too many of the animals were dying, too many people near the mountain. Every one of them hated him, he knew. Hated him for being strong enough to take what he deserved. They were probably in league with he Mezhed, the thrice damned farmers. They travelled past the great salt flats, pausing when an animal needed to be butchered, or a keliit let slip to the stars. It was so hard to look at the stars now, with how little he saw of reality. Swirling lights of spirits flooded his vision. But they needed to keep going. Only enemies lay behind.

He was at the last oasis now. The last one known, atleast. There was another small tribe here, camped out as they attempted to weather the plague. Marshenek could crush them easily, but there would not be enough water for his larger tribe. And any move he made, they would probably poison the oasis, foul it so he could not drink. They could still be traded with, he just needed to check teeth twice.

Most of his tribe, he left behind. He took some Keliit from the other, those who were young and strong, those who could ride a camel. They needed to go further West, he knew that for sure. Thats what the visions had showed him. The rest of his tribe had been planning to strange him in his sleep. They deserved to be left behind. They were a burden that would slow him down. Now he needed to move fast and light, find those glimpses of water he kept seeing. He could have spent longer to prepare, but there was no point in waiting. Destiny awaited.

There was water here, more water than he had ever seen. A massive oasis, and a river, a full river flowing out of it. Never before in his life had he seen a river flowing during the dry season. But there were people here, darker of skin and they spoke in strange tongues. Though they had camels, they farmed a strange grass for most of their food. They had welcomed in Marshenek and his wearing travelers, given them food and water. He was beginning to think they might be to only good people. This is what his visions had been trying to show him, right?

They are Savages. Savages who do not even know of their own damnation. They have no Shadi, no leader of any kind. None is above the rest. They do not know how to fight to the stars. They are doomed, each and every one of them. He will save them. It's the only way to repay their kindness.

He should let them die their doomed existence, for trying to fight back. Did they not see the truth? Some bowed readily enough, those he welcomed with his tribe. But others fought even after they were beaten, dared to try and spit at him. They deserved to just die, Marshenek decided, but he had promised himself to show mercy on these pour souls. And so he forced them to their knees. He held a knife to their throat, to make them say the words. And once the last word was uttered, he pulled it across. He would save every one of their souls.

Expansion to the territory with the peep of river showing.