Draughted Dilemma by Pent Ghelsburg
Disclaimer: All characters in this story are fictional. They are my creation and intellectual property. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely a coincidence. They are not meant to resemble anyone else's characters. This piece contains underaged characters. Some details have been fictionalized for simplicity sakes. You have been warned.
Several days had passed. Miraj had continued to train Samir. The Jerboa was like a sponge….soaking up whatever knowledge the pooka could pass on. The young cub was all too eager to learn. It was something that the rabbit found to be all too refreshing. Even Miraj was learning a few things from the boy. Their order and temple where they served was flourishing and people were all too willing to flock to the Ziggurat of the Standing Sun.
Yet…things were not as as they seemed for the city of Karbad. The arid environment of the desert had been harsh on the land. The farmers of Karbad had been facing a bad time of late. The land's irrigation system had been clogged up because of all the sand storms that ravaged the area. As such the crops were beginning to suffer and the food supply was running short. Prices…were beginning to skyrocket as the supply diminished.
One day, Miraj was going to the market to grab himself some supplies for his week. Like most citizens who could support themselves, he bought stuff for a week at a time. He never took on anything that was hyper-perishable or otherwise. The rabbit headed down the usual alleyways that led toward the bazaar. Every so often he would pass a peddler, holding up some box or other sort of storage item in hopes of getting some form of alms.
The rabbit was used to it by this point in his life. Karbad was not a super wealthy community. It had it's mixture of the rich…and the poor. But no matter how many times he saw them, Miraj couldn't help but feel bad. After all the nature of his role and of his organization had taught him to care for the underprivileged. Though no matter how much he did, no matter how much he tried, he knew that he couldn't reach all of them.
Miraj made his way to the bazaar. The thick of the crowd seemed thinner than usual. The typical buzz of the market was something he'd grown used to. Looking around, there were not just fewer patrons but also fewer vendors. Of course, the usuals were around but the variety of those that rotated in was almost entirely vacant. Even the spot that harbored foreign goods had no one to be seen.
However, the teen knew he needed provisions. He had brought enough money to provide himself for the week. Looking around he contemplated his options. The usual produce stand he bought from was there and so he went over to it. The usual Sulcata Tortoise was there and always took care of the stall. The stalwart man was surly and brash and customers knew he couldn't be haggled with.
The pooka had somewhat of a mixed relationship with the man. Miraj had bought from him more than a few times in the past but he'd also worked out a deal with him regarding charitable giving. So each time the tortoise saw the younger teen, he got a bit wary. Gajan, as he was known, was tending to another patron so he didn't notice the rabbit approach when the pooka came to the table. The teen waited until he was recognized to talk to him so as to not be rude.
Miraj looked around at the table at the various fruits and vegetables that the stand was offering that day. It was far less bountiful than usual. Even typical things like dates and cactus fruits were in short supply. Looking at the price of them, they seemed to be higher than usual. It was nothing that he couldn't afford but it was still surprising all the same. Still…he wasn't entirely sure of the reasoning behind it and began to wonder about it.
The turtle soon turned in his direction and noticed him. "Ah, hello child of the Temple. What brings you today?"
"I have need of provisions for the week. Why do you have so few today, Gajan?" The rabbit very much wanted to know the reasoning behind it.
The older male frowned. "Ah, well you know the typical draught that comes with this time of year has resulted in more sparse crop growth."
"I see. That is unfortunate. Is it expected to end soon?" Miraj couldn't help but hope this was the case.
The man snorted. "I am not sure. I hope so. I cannot keep raising prices like this and hope to keep up sales. Does anything interest you today?"
"I will take some of your produce yeah." The pooka points at the items that interested him.
The tortoise grabbed a hempen sack and collected the items before putting them inside. "That will be 14 shekels, please."
"Here you are." The teen handed over the coinage before thanking the man.
Gajan bowed deeply. "As always, thank you for your patronage."
"See you next time." Miraj hoisted the bag over his shoulder and began to make his way out of the bazaar.
The pooka began to think to himself. Now that he knew the reasoning behind the lack of goods, he wondered if there might be some way he could help. Still, he knew very little about agriculture and ultimately his order relied on donations to contribute to charitable causes. He began ravaging his mind for ideas. After all, he didn't like the idea of people being unable to afford food since it was one of the necessities of life.
He decided to talk to Samir about it. After all, Samir was technically the Oracle now even if he didn't know everything that there was to do with the role. Yet Miraj knew that the jerboa would need experience more than anything. He figured that this was good as a place as any to start since ultimately Samir had to serve the people of Karbad. The rabbit nodded once he had determined this and began his walk toward the rodent's home.
The back alleys of the black light district were much busier than usual. Furs of various avenues of life lined both sides of the small corridor by the hooka parlor. Miraj was always careful in this part of town. It was by no means the shadiest part of Karbad but he knew there were more backwater deals in this part of town because the authorities seldom came through the streets of the alleys.
Miraj made his way through to Samir's house. The rodent's home was larger than his own. A two-story adobe complex with another family living on the top floor. Communal homes were common in Karbad as residential housing was somewhat limited. Often the available housing was more expensive than people could afford. So more often than not the government of the city subsidized it.
The pooka knocked on the door and waited for an answer. He wasn't sure Samir would be home since it was an off day for the Order of the Standing Sun. After waiting a few moments for an answer, he knocked again and there was no response. Miraj figured the cub would likely have gone to classes today. After all, Samir was still young enough to have to attend school, something that was required in Karbad until 13 years of age.
The rabbit shrugged. It seemed he would have to deal with the problem on his own. It was unfortunate that Samir wouldn't have been able to work on it with him but it wouldn't be the first time that Miraj had to do something alone. He stood there for a moment, thinking about it. How could he solve something like a draught? It wasn't like he could just summon water or conjure spirits to solve the issue.
He decided to visit the local alchemist and see what if they had come up with anything. The rabbit headed to the other side of the town. The part of the town as the Court of Mysteries. The court was a place where few of the locals went unless they worked there. It was the most high-end part of Karbad. The only things found there were shops and services that the average citizen could not afford the things offered there.
Miraj made his way over to the Court. Large plush red plush Persian rugs adorned the place. Servants swept around them to make sure that sand did not collect over them. Despite the furnishings being nothing but for show, they were treated with great care. Some of the servants looked at the rabbit. It wasn't every day they had visitors and he was much younger than any of them were. Yet the pooka did not pay them any attention.
The teen entered into the shop known as the Alchemists Den. Inside he found himself within a dimly lit abode. It smelt thick with incense and the slight odor of aged vellum. It was an odd smell to be sure and one which Miraj wrinkled his nose upon recognizing. A bell sounded the moment he stepped past the front door. Within moments a large snake slithered up to him, standing up to greet him.
"Yessss? What bringsss you to my sss-hop?" The woman's voice was raspy as if she'd damaged her vocal cords.
Miraj looked up at the stalky woman. "Hello, I was wondering. Have you been working at all on the recent draught?"
"Oh, my…yesss….The local farmersss have all come sss-quawking about their cropsss…" Her tongue flipped out each time she spoke.
The pooka smiled. "Any luck with finding something to help the situation?"
"I'm afraid not. I have told them they mussst irrigate but they are sss-tuborn." The snake woman sighed a bit.
The teen scratched his chin. "Is there nothing I can do to help?"
"Well….perhapsss…there isss….a way you can help. I know of an Oasisss nearby that we could use to our benefit." The woman didn't have the strength to go there herself and the farmers hadn't listened to her different suggestions.
Miraj sighed, looking down with a sense of dejection about him. "Well. I am willing to try to help. What needs to be done?
"Well….you are no engineer I take it…sss-o we mussst go about this differently." The serpent rubbed her chin as if thinking about it.
The rabbit's ears perked up a bit as he listened. "So what are you suggesting?"
The woman slithered down on her belly to the back of the room. "Follow me, child."
The pooka followed her as she took him into a back room. The closet was small and was clustered with boxes on the floor with things all over the shelves. There appeared to be no sense of order to it. Things were just placed wherever with dust piling over them, showing no amount of movement or interaction for some time. The snake woman once again stood erect with her
back to the teen.
"So…what are you looking for? Maybe I can help." The pooka just wanted to solve the issue no matter what it took.
The snake hissed. "Sss-ilence…"
Miraj quieted himself as he figured he had annoyed the woman. He looked over at her. She had no hands but she still seemed to be going through the bookshelves as she continued to look for something. Before long she chomped down on a small bag on one of the bottom shelves and turned around to face the younger teen. She looked at him expectantly before spitting it out so she could speak.
"Take it, child. You must bring this ssss-kin to the oasis-ss. It is enchanted with a sss-pell that will allow you to harness-s the water without harming the ecosyssstem." She handed the small leather pouch to him.
Looking at it, Miraj thought it looked like any other water skin. A treated leather pouch with a reservoir inside of it for collection. Yet returning his gaze to the woman before him, she had no look of malice about her. She seemed earnest in her attention. The rabbit suspected no foul play in this. He nodded to her.
"I understand. Is there anything special I need to do when I collect the water?" The pooka felt certain there had to be a trick involved.
The snake shook her head. "No. When you return, place the water sss-kin into the well and the magic will take care of the rest."
"Alright. Thanks for your help." Miraj bowed deeply in deference to the woman
She smirked at him. "Make hassste, child. The oasis isss to the north-eassst."
The rabbit nodded and immediately made his way out of the Alchemist's Den. The sudden shift in brightness of the light caused him to squint slightly. Miraj picked up pace as he made his way across the Court of Mysteries and back into the main square of Karbad. Miraj was not entirely sure where the oasis was at. The simple directions of the northeast were enough to give him a place to start but it was always not that simple to find an oasis in the desert.
The city of Karbad was laid out in such a way that the center of town had a placard with the cardinal directions on it. It was designed to be helpful for travelers who did not know their way around the desert. Miraj had traveled a fair amount in his life through the Arabian Desert but even still he did not know enough to consider himself as knowledgeable as the local Sand Rats were. So he decided to take a trip to the Underbelly.
The underbelly was a place he'd never been before. A dark shallow sewer that was home to some of the more questionable dealings of the city of Karbad. A place home not only to the black market but a whole network of agents and spies to make sure the underbelly remained in check. Miraj made his way to the Underbelly, taking a deep breath as he stood at the entrance of it. He knew he had little other choice as the whole situation was dire and time was of the essence.
Miraj headed under the tunnel leading into the Underbelly. Dark and worn bricks lined around him as it became darker and darker. The ever-present dripping of water could be heard echoing through the chamber. Whispers of in-comprehensible conversations bellowed through the poor acoustics of the hall. The rabbit kept his head low, telling himself that if he didn't meet eyes with anyone no one would bother him.
The rabbit entered into the area known as the Dungeon. A gated-in area that was blocked off from the rest of it. In front of the guards.
"What do ye' want, kid?" The burly rat who was much larger than Miraj himself blocked his entry.
The rabbit turned his gaze up to meet the grizzled rodent's. "I need to talk to the Sand Rats. I need information."
"Do ye' have coin?" Each time the man spoke the sickly odor of alcohol slipped from his lips.
Miraj hesitated to answer. "Perhaps."
"Do ye' have coin or not? Ye' not getting in without 'er." The rat puffed out his chest as if to intimate the teen.
The rabbit didn't want to start a fight so he pulled out a single shekel before giving it to him.
"Thank ye'. Ye' me' enter." The rodent moved out of the way.
The teen pushed his way past the guards, making sure he had no physical contact with them to avoid any misunderstands. Miraj made his way to the back of the underbelly. A wooden log cabin is set within. It was dimly lit with its windows shattered out. From within the boy could hear the sound of a scuffle. The stench of alcohol was ever thicker, the closer he got to the building. Overtop it, a sign hinged on a single rope reading "Tankard Trove."
Miraj made his way into the bar. Inside he could see several tables, flipped on their top side. Two men over in a corner fought with a woman looking on, delight filling her eyes as she continued to manipulate them against each other. The barkeep noticed his entry and called him over. A tall sand pig woman stood there, wiping a dirty dish with an equally dirty rag. She chewed on something with thick spittle dripping from her snout.
"What will you have, acolyte?" The woman knew the teen from seeing him at the temple.
The rabbit stood in front of her and did not attempt to make himself comfortable. "I am not here for a drink. I have come looking for the Sand Rats."
"What do you fancy their company for? Them's a bunch of rabble-rousers if you ask me." The pig eyed him warily as if this was some sort of joke.
The teen sighed. "I don't want to involve myself with them but I need to know if they are familiar with the oasis to the northeast of town."
"I see. Them's can be found on the top floor of the tavern behind closed doors. Mind yourself, acolyte them sand rats don't follow house rules…" The woman whistled and a larger woman approached from Miraj's side.
Miraj looked up at the boar who approached the tavern bar. "Who is this?"
"She's a good person. She will make sure no funny business when you're up there with thems. Ms. Canar, please take the boy to the dealings room." The pig nodded to her.
The burly boar nodded and pointed to the stairs as if to guide the rabbit to where he needed to go. Miraj made his way over to the stairs leading upward. With each step he took up it creaked with the age of wood as he put his weight upon it. Stepping up to the top of it, Miraj saw a small hallway leading to a few doors on the left side overlooking a balcony. Canar soon stepped in front of the teen as if to lead him to the correct door.
They proceeded to the last door at the end of the hall. A small flickering lantern was the only thing illuminating the area so it was a bit darker than the rest of the tavern. A single man stood in front of the door, holding a knife in his hand and sharpening a large stick. Canar approached the rat, who was much smaller than himself. The man didn't even so much as hesitate to move out of the way. He knew full well that they were there under the privilege of the tavern keepers.
The large boar stood in front of the rat and motioned for Miraj to enter. The rabbit felt glad he had a protector at this moment. He entered the room, and the door shut behind him before long with the boar remaining there just in case there were fisticuffs. The teen approached a small table where someone sat in a rotating chair with their back facing him. On the table in front of it, a small map with a dagger through it.
"What're ya here for?" A raspy voice beckoned from the chair.
Miraj made a few steps forward as the floorboards creaked under him. "I was wondering if you know of…"
"Make no step further if ya know what's good for ya. Get to the point, boy." The older male rat rotated around in his chair to face his suitor.
The pooka felt a bit nervous as tension grew thick in the air. "The oasis to the northeast…do you know where it is?"
"I do? What's it worth to ya?" The man's eye glinted as he wrinkled his nose in the interest of possible profit.
The teen reached into his pocket and pulled out a few coins. "I am but of humble calling. I can offer 10 shekels as payment."
"Yer joking right? 10 shekels is nothing ya cheapskate." The rodent bit down on the knife in his paw.
Miraj huffed before he reached into his pockets again. "All I have left is 35 shekels…so take it or leave it."
"Hand 'er over and you have an accord, boy." The rat's eyes glistened at the thought of more money.
The rabbit handed over the last of his money, glad he hadn't brought anymore with him. "Here… let's get this over with."
"Here's a map fer ya'. It'll take ya right to the oasis." The older male reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper before giving it to the pooka.
Miraj looked at it. The paper looked like a piece of garbage and nothing more. "This isn't a joke. I'm trying to solve the town's draught problem."
"Such a selfless act…and why do ya think I care?" The rat counted his coin.
The large boar woman approached him with a look of malice intent in her eyes. "Give the boy what he came for or else."
"Fine…fine…" The man reached behind him a pulled out a much finer scroll of velum.
He handed it over to Miraj. The rabbit bowed to the woman and then looked at it. The map showed Karbad near the center, with the town marked in Arabic script. Around it showed the desert with all of the significant landmarks. Each of them had a name associated with it. Things like the Cave of Wonders were evident, but Miraj was interested in none of them. Sure enough, there was the oasis was there to the northeast of town.
The teen stashed the map in his pocket, making sure to fold it so no one snatched it from him. The boar woman gestured for him to follow her. The kind stalwart woman led him straight out of the Underbelly. The sudden shift from the dark lighted undercroft to the bright sunlight of Karbad itself. He thanked the woman before getting on his way, feeling a bit sad he didn't have anything to give her. Miraj decided he'd make it up to her later.
The rabbit began to make his way out
of town. The usual trek through Karbad proved to have less traffic than usual. While furs of all sorts were still around, it was far less than usual. The stench of indigence hung about the place. It was evident suffering was all about from the withered bodies and pale faces. Miraj knew he had to act as quickly as possible so that the problem could be solved sooner rather than later.
Miraj began his way out of the town. Taking the map from his pocket and unfolding it, he looked at it a moment. The marked Oasis to the northeast wasn't a direct line from the two. It was beyond the Scar of the Desert. A desolate area is known as one of the most unforgiving in all of the Arabic desert. The rabbit decided to head back to his home to grab his mace and shield. He didn't normally carry a weapon but he wanted to be safe. The teen grabbed his equipment from his home before making his way back to the outskirts of town.
He looked to the horizon towards the northeast of town. He began his trek into the desert and towards the Scar of the Desert. The trek out of the town was far from perilous. The pecks of sand floating about made it so that Miraj continued to need to cover his face with his scarf. It wasn't something that required the full coverage of his turban and for that he was grateful. The burning sun sauntered onto the sand below which made the heat rise to an even more sweltering temperature. However, the pooka knew he had to grin and bear it for the good of Karbad.
Miraj made his way into the expanse of the desert. Looking forward, the only thing he could see was sand and dunes as far as his eyes took him. Some ripples of steam wavered off the seas of earthen soil. With each step he took, his feet caused the sand to pool just a bit around his shoes. Moments later only to fill once again after he made his move. Every time he reached a larger mound of dirt, he had to kick his feet into it so that the sand didn't cave under him and collapse.
The pooka continued onward in the direction that the map continued to take him. An airy sense of aimlessness hung about him. Part of him didn't believe that such a waterskin could just solve the town's draught problem. Sure, magic was normal enough but the thing was small and the situation was far more lofty than that. Still, he knew he had to try as he had no other solution to the problem other than the one he was offered.
The teen continued over the scalloped waves of sand into a plateau'd set of dunes. The flat landscape was a much less tedious trek than the rough path he had just traveled. Yet, it continued for a while and he began to think he was wandering. He stopped to look at the map for a moment. The red dotted line that had been drawn on it showed a definite path through the sunken sands. Yet, he had seen no dip in the elevation just yet.
He looked around, searching for any signs of the sunken sands, or the scar for that matter. As far as the eye could see was the same sea of sand he had just walked into. Miraj began to believe that he'd been misled. That he'd been given a ruse for his payment and that this whole endeavor was but a waste. The rabbit decided this was a waste of time and determined to head back to town.
Miraj made it back the way he came. Occasionally looking over to both sides in hopes of catching a glimpse of something…of anything. Still…the only thing he could see was sand. He began to think that maybe he was lost. Going in the desert alone was not something the people of Karbad…or any denizen of the desert would recommend. He knew he had to figure out either a way to the scar or a way back down.
The teen sat down a moment, pondering his options. He knew he didn't have long before the sun began to set. That was when things got dicey in the desert. He wanted nothing more to solve the town's draught problem but he also knew the longer he just wandered about, the less likely he was to find something. Miraj was beginning to think that going back to Karbad might be a better solution than just looking for an oasis that could be anywhere.
He picked himself up and decided he would go back to town. Heading back the way he came in hopes of retracing his steps. He began walking back, what he believed was the same path in which he came out here. There were no signs of his footsteps. The constant movement of sand against the wind had washed away all signs of them. He looked into the distance and saw no silhouette of the town on the horizon.
Miraj wondered how long he'd been gone. It didn't feel like a lengthy period but he knew that often travelers lost their sense of time when in the desert. Soon he began to overhear the faint sound of a galloping horse. The constant clip-clopping of the hooves resonated in the boy's ears as he looked around to see if he could see who it was. Gazing towards his left he spotted a small single-horse caravan.
A woman wearing bright blue robes could be seen riding a pitch white horse with equally ornate red bardings. Looking at it further, the thing seemed to be carrying a box-style wagon with but two wheels. Lanterns hung on either side of it, though neither of them were lit. The sound grew louder with each passing second as it seemed like the wagon was coming the teen's way. Hope renewed inside of him as he stood there, glad that he'd been discovered.
Miraj waved towards it in hopes of gaining the rider's attention. It took a while before the caravan to make it over to his way. It was standard practice for the people of the desert to help stranded folks out in the open. The rabbit couldn't help but be glad that whoever it was noticed him. After a few moments, he got within distance to see who it was. It appeared to be the same vendor from the other day.
The red dragon soon approached him. The lanky man had an unkempt beard that was littered with the sand of his travels. His silken garments covered his otherwise scaly demeanor. The man looked at him with a curious glint in his eyes. The dragon looked him up and down as if gauging the purpose of the teen's travels out here in the desolate landscape. The man began to speak in a language that the pooka didn't understand.
Miraj looked at him confused. The language barrier was all too apparent between them.
"Can you take me to Karbad?" The rabbit hoped it would be simple enough to understand.
The man curled his beard against his claws. The only word of it he understood was the town's name. He touched the seat next to him as if asking the pooka to join him. The rabbit smiled, glad to finally have a bit of luck after what he perceived to be a bad day. Miraj joined him up on the cushioned wooden chair overlooking the horse. The dragon snapped the reins, causing the horse to gallop forward.
The teen looked into the distance. The light breeze on the rabbit's face was a welcome addition to the trip. The heat from the beating down of the sun was much less bothersome now. Miraj felt much better about his situation now, even if he hadn't done what he had come here to do. Neither of them said much to each other. After all, it wasn't like they could understand each other.
It took a little over an hour before he saw the familiar silhouette of Karbad in the distance. Miraj immediately felt a sense of relief as he took a deep sigh. Never in his mind had he felt so stupid before. That he fell for the sand rat trick was nothing short of foolhardy. He wanted to resolve this issue but he knew that the real problem at hand still had not been solved. Now he was coming home to the same thing he had left to figure out.
The caravan soon arrived back in Karbad itself. The canvas awnings overhead blocked out some of the sun, which was now beginning to set to the east. It was apparent that he spent more time out than he anticipated. The wagon came to a stop under one of the archways leading into the town. Miraj smiled at the dragon before hopping out and thanking him. The Asian caravan soon pushed on its way once again, making its way through the town.
Miraj looked around to gauge his next step. He could hear some people arguing nearby about the situation. He sheathed his shield and mace before making his way over to the ruckus. The pooka was careful to not make himself obvious as he tried to hear in. He peered around the corner and watched them continue to argue among themselves. Two sets of four of them seemed to be squaring off.
On one side the garments they wore were humble and torn, dirtied by the dirt of ages long past as if they had not seen washing in some time. To the pooka, they looked like they were local agrarian folk. On the other…the clothes they wore were much more ornate, looking more like official garb. Each of them had different insignia around their necks as if to represent the very office they were in charge of.
"This draught has no end in sight. I don't know why you can't just listen to the core of engineers and let us build the aqueduct." One of the officials spoke brashly.
The most distraught farmer responded. "What difference would that make if there is no water to transport?"
"We must get to the water so that the people can benefit from it. Your farms are between us and the oasis where we must obtain it." The woman showed the blueprints to the farmers as if to better illustrate their purpose.
The four farmers looked at the design but the thing may as well have been ancient texts for all they knew. None of them were educated enough to understand it.
"So what are we supposed to get from this?" The same farmer spoke again.
The official sighed. "Just trust us and let us do our job."
"The last time we did that, you took advantage of us. How do we know you won't do it again?" She said back sternly.
Miraj watched as they went back and forth. It took some time and some monetary incentive before the officials finally managed to break in the agrarian folk. They finally signed
the agreement. The deal was sealed. A huge sense of relief washed over the young teen as he watched it unfold. It seemed like nothing would need to be done on his part. All that was left was to see if building the aqueduct would do as the officials hoped.
The rabbit debated going back to the Underbelly to solve his little dispute with the Sand Rats. He hadn't lost a lot of money but he still felt taken advantage of. Still, it wasn't a place that he liked to visit since it wasn't the safest place in town. So he decided to let it go and just go home for the day. It had been a while since he'd eaten and his stomach was already starkly reminding him of that.
Miraj retired home for the rest of the day. The Core of Engineers would get to work the very next morning. It would take some time for them to build the aqueduct. In the meanwhile, the Sultan and Vizier worked to ration water, even going far as to siphon it from the temple itself. In a matter of days, the formerly lush gardens of the Temple of the Standing Sun would grow stagnant, though the Order and its members understood why this was necessary.
The rabbit would return to his duties along with Samir. The two would go about life as normal. Over time the aqueduct would be built from the oasis to the town, bringing in a new supply of water. Filling the central wells of Karbad anew with a fresh supply of the much-needed essentials of life. It took some time for things to get back to the way they were. Slowly the town recovered and the wells of life were returned to the way they were before the draught had taken place.
Karbad would recover. The people of the town would rejoice and no longer be as destitute. People would forget all about the crisis as if it never happened. Though for the leadership of the city, they knew things had to be kept an eye on to make sure it didn't happen again. It would be a lesson learned that even the agrarian folk had taken a hint from as they needed it just as much as any other member of the community.
As for Miraj and Samir, water would soon be returned to the temple itself. Life would begin to renew once they replanted the plant life that had wilted away. It was a good lesson to learn for the younger boy who did not yet fully understand the cycle of life. It was the first stepping stone of many for the young adept who still had much to learn. One which he took to willingly, becoming ever more earnest to take on his role more seriously.
This change was one that Miraj was all too glad to welcome. Until now he felt like his mentorship had fallen flat. For the first time in his young life, he felt of use. Even if he had not solved the draught himself, he could still act as a guide for the younger boy. Samir had been warming up to him and Miraj had even been ascended to the higher rank within the order. It would only be a matter of time before the younger boy could ascend to be even more, or so Miraj told himself.
