The Desert Thief part #1

The Desert Thief

Once upon a time there was a village near the riverbanks of Sandsea River in the desert not far from Artralous, the royal kingdom of Jabaha. In the village, thieves, merchants, traders, and nomads live peacefully. Crow Bazelard and Canary Crystaline are the children of ‘The Shadow’, the great thief of the desert.

Crow is on training for becoming of what he dreams of, to be the shadow like his father. Canary had always been supporting ever since their mother died 5 years ago in a devastating war of the empire. The war took place in the Sandsea deserts, the neutral area between the two Empires. it is called ‘Sandsea’ because of the sand. The sand flows and drifts just like the sea, it is caused by the great Sandfish Zerbalkha. The sandfish itself is really just a rumor, but the people believe that it really exists somewhere roaming under the desert sands. The devastating war is the war of the Jabahan Empire against the Valkyrian Empire. It is the most soulreapping war at that time. 1 million men died in the sands including Zeviah, the Valkyrian king. Year’s passes by, the Valkyrian king’s successor, King Zalbach commences peace for the two Empires, although hatred and the will for vengeance may still lurk inside his heart.

During these peaceful days, Crow trains day and night at the banks of Sandsea. His daily routine, delivering stuffs from the village to Artralous made him a strong young man. Crossing the harsh desert with only a pair of leather sandals and a small dagger, carrying heavy loads on his back must be hell for someone at his age. But Crow never complains about his job, he always has a smile on his face no matter how hard his life becomes.

One day, on his way home from Artralous, he met a man that changed his life forever. It’s not the man that he was inspired by; it was his bravery and sense of justice.
Crow saw a beggar being harassed by the city guards; the beggar was so weak that he could not fight back. Then came a man, not handsome nor rich, not even a strong looking one. He whacks the guards with a stick and said “You’re just lucky you didn’t end up like that beggar, living in poverty on the streets, so don’t press your luck!”
The guards went furious and captured the brave man, just before he was captured; he smiled at me as if he knows that I was moved by his act of justice. It was as if his smile spoke to me, “Don’t be afraid, justice will always win.”Since that day, I decided to do justice.

To be Continued

By Pandu Wicaksono