In Search Of Rangera

The Sand Vipers came to these Sand Hills in search of Rangera at the behest of their leader, Onyx.

Rangera…Rangera….

Those Sand Vipers are looking for me. Their army is very large. They are coming towards me in huge vehicles. It has been seven days since I left their fort. Onyx and his hordes of Sand Vipers are brutal. They destroyed the lives of many nearby villagers. Looting huts, torturing women, burning children alive. I thought I couldn’t be with them any longer. So I ran away from them.

I knew that I would not be able to sustain myself among these sandhills for long. I won’t have enough water and food here for long. There he is waiting for me in the east. I thought I should go to him soon. But before I leave here with my backpack, I need to clear all traces of the co-op I stayed with last night.

– – – – –

The Sand Vipers galloped their horse eastward, searching for Rangera.

Sand Viper-1: I didn’t expect Onyx to have such affection for his daughter. He has killed so many lives along with us.

Sand Viper-2: Even if one kills a thousand lives, no one can accept it if something bad happens to one of his blood relatives. It has been seven days since today. We must speed up our search.

– – – – –

Since the day Rangera disappeared, Onyx’s mind had been very drained. He did not expect that such a situation would come to him. Even Onyx’s wife had never seen him like this before. Onyx didn’t want to delay any longer. He no longer trusts his army. He decided to go down himself and find his daughter and bring her to the fort.

– – – – – 

The Sand Vipers, who had been looking for me for seven days, got a clue for the first time. It was because I was careless. I have come back from the place where I stayed last night without properly extinguishing the fire I made.

Sand Viper-1: Do you think this is proof of Rangera’s stay?

Sand Viper-2: Absolutely! Apart from her, who else will live among these sand hills?

Sand Viper-1: Did you hear about the witch girl who kills children and absorbs their spirits? It seems to me that this is her work. Look a little closer, there is even a piece of bone in that fire.

– – – – – 

The Sand Vipers approached the place where I was lying down… Onyx also chased me on his horse and came to the east… Somehow, I reached the east. He has been waiting here for me for so many days.

Before I could smile with joy at him, something happened to make me sad. Yes, Onyx and his army of Sand Vipers have spotted us. They forcibly grabbed my backpack.

“What’s in it?”

“Nothing, give it to me.”

One of the veterans bought my backpack and opened it and was shocked. Onyx and the Sand Vipers stood stunned, not knowing what caused his shock.

Onyx quickly grabbed the backpack and looked at it. Onyx’s eyes widened. Hands were shaking. What would it be like to see a majestic monstrosity shuddering and howling and perishing? It was the skeletons of his daughter Rangera who had gone missing from the fort. .

Unexpectedly, the Sand Vipers stood stunned. I and my father, who had been waiting for me in the East for a long time, were waiting to see this scene where Onyx saw his daughter as a mere skeleton and screamed. This is the reason why I have been living in that castle in the guise of a witch for so long.

Because, in the same way, when they took our village, my mother and my sister, we too would have cried for them.