Arnimos, John and the Vishashi arrived at a small city out in the desert. It held maybe 1-2000 people and had a short wall surrounding it.

  "Some civilization," John said. "Let's pick up some supplies then continue onwards,"

  "That would be the correct course of action," The Vishashi said.

  "Shouldn't we be on edge?" Arnimos said. "Won't there be more assassins?"

  "Yeah, but this is a big city," The Vishashi said. "It should limit their attacks while we're inside,"

  "Don't get it wrong though," John said. "They will be after us in here,"

  "Then I'll stay on edge," Arnimos said.

  They approached the gates where a handful of guards stood, one raised a hand as they approached.

  "Name and reason for entry?" The guard said.

  "John, passing through," John said.

  "Arnimos," Arnimos said.

  "Vishashi," The Vishashi said.

  "Where ya going?" The guard asked.

  "Paradise," John said.

  "I see," The guard said. "How long are you staying?"

  "Maybe a day," John said. "Not terrible long,"

  The guard gave a motion and the gates pulled open.

  "Cause no trouble," The guard said.

  The three entered the city. It had tight streets packed with people and market stalls.

  "I'll pick up some firewood and food," The Vishashi said. "What will you two do?"

  "We'll try to get some information at the old watering hole," John said. "Let's meet back up at the northern gate in a few hours,"

  "See you then," The Vishashi said.

  As a wind blew in the Vishashi turned into sand and travelled on it, John and Arnimos made their way towards a dinky bar. It was a small dusty place with only a handful of people inside. John and Arnimos approached and took a seat at the bar, John raised a hand.

  "Barkeep," John said. "A whiskey please,"

  The barkeep, a Taniberas man, walked over and poured a small glass of whiskey, John paid over some DE. Just as the barkeep was about to leave John gulped down the whole thing then looked at him.

  "Got some questions for you barkeep," John said. "If you don't mind,"

  "Depends what you're asking about," The barkeep said.

  "You heard anything about a bounty in this region?" John said. "Or any hired guns being in town?"

  "When aren't there?" The barkeep said. "Be more specific,"

  "Anybody hunting an Arbeross looking like me?" John said.

  "Maybe," The barkeep said. "Maybe not,"

  John held out a hand towards the barkeep, the barkeep took it. DE flowed from John into the barkeep.

  "That enough?" John said.

  "Good enough," The barkeep said. "A man arrived a few days ago, said he's hunting some outlaw on behalf of some rich benefactor in Paradise,"

  "Anything about him specifically?" John asked.

  "Yeah, he-" The barkeep said.

  As the barkeep spoke the swinging doors flung open, the whole bar looked over to see who entered. There was a Taniberas man in a black robe with a sword in his hand that looked too perfectly crafted to be natural, his eyes coldly scanning the bar until they settled on John.

  "That's the man," The barkeep said.

  John looked at him then rose from his seat, Arnimos stood up as well.

  "Looking for someone?" John said.

  John's hands hovered over his revolvers.

  "John," The man said. "Will you come willingly?"

  "Depends who's asking?" John said.

  Arnimos placed a hand on his hammer, the Taniberas glanced over at him.

  "Associates," The man said. "I'll have to charge extra,"

  "Why don't you run back to your boss," John said. "And I won't blow a hole in ya,"

  The man looked at them and sighed before crouching slightly and placing a hand on his sword.

  "I am Rulst-Kal," Rulst-Kal said. "And I have never failed to catch a bounty before,"

  The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

  John drew his revolvers and fired a quick shot but a wall suddenly appeared in the way. Arnimos raised his hammer and swung it down, part of the wall crumbled. John drew out his Fear-Made revolver and jumped to the side trying to get a sightline on the man but as he did a box formed around him. Arnimos looked over at the box then back towards the wall as he swung again, this time the wall completely crumbled but it did not appear to be from his hammer.

  Rulst-Kal burst forward once the wall fell and swung his sword upwards, a thin slash appeared on Arnimos's chest. Arnimos stumbled back and grabbed a bar stool with one hand. He then focused his mind inwards and felt his Dichotomies explode to life, fearful images dominated his mind and he tried to drive them away and focus. He focused the DE into muscles which burned with power then he threw the barstool at Rulst-Kal.

  They stumbled back as the bar stool struck into them and shattered from the force he threw it with. Rulst-Kal began to faintly glow with DE as the injuries began to repair themselves. Arnimos turned and swung the hammer at the box that contained John, as the first blow landed it seemed to do little. 'It must be the effect of a powerful Dichotomy,' Arnimos thought, 'This may be beyond what we can fight.'

  Arnimos looked back at Rulst-Kal who stood tall as the last of his injuries closed. He looked at Arnimos with a cold, ruthless expression.

  "Should've surrendered when you had the chance," Rulst-Kal said.

  Rulst-Kal raised a hand towards Arnimos and suddenly he was cast into darkness.

  He couldn't see the world around him for a second as his eyes adjusted and he found himself in a small room. As he tried to orient himself he noticed the walls slowly closing in, he swung his hammer but they took damage. The walls got closer. Arnimos pushed against one of the walls but he couldn't slow it, the room kept closing in. Tighter and tighter the space became as slowly the walls and ceiling closed in first making it so he could barely move around, then barely turn around then the pressure began to crush him.

  The walls pushed on his body slowly trying to compress it, like it was going to turn his body into a fine paste. He tried to push back with what little strength he could muster in such a tight place but it was no use, this place was too strong. As he felt ribs beginning to strain his Dichotomies came to life, the fear of death gripped him. A thousand images flashed in his head as energy surged through his body, his life was flashing before his eyes.

  The Vishashi took off from the market towards the outpouring of DE he felt, he had not expected another attack so soon in the city. He maneuvered through the tight streets until he reached a rundown bar and burst in. He saw a Taniberas standing there with 2 boxes about the size of people near him, the man turned to look at the Vishashi as he entered.

  "You friends of these two?" The Taniberas said.

  "And what if I am?" The Vishashi said.

  "Gonna fight to get them back?" The Taniberas said.

  The Vishashi's hand fell to his side and the thin layer of sand in the bar began to dance. The Taniberas sighed.

  "Always more fools," The Taniberas said.

  "It is you who is the fool here," The Vishashi said.

  The Vishashi raised a hand and the sand around the bar coalesced into spikes, he clasped his hand shut and the spikes all shot inwards towards the Taniberas. As they came in a few small what seemed like walls appeared that took the impact, a skilled use of Dichotomy. He must have had much experience, now the Vishashi just had to find out what his fear was.

  The Vishashi turned to sand and dashed back as the man pointed at where he once stood, a box appeared there. It must be how he captured Arnimos and John, what fear had created it though? The Taniberas glanced over at him as he then raised a hand and the spikes of sand unformed and flew to his side. They flowed into his hand and formed a knife.

  The Vishashi then pushed against the ground and dashed forward, it took only a few paces till he was in the man's face. He brought the knife up but the man ducked back and swung a fist in response, it connected with his face. He gritted his teeth and thrust the knife forward but the man sidestepped it then grabbed his arm and pulled him into a punch straight to the stomach. This man was experienced fighting Arbeross if he knew to charge his attack with this much DE to avoid him just becoming something he couldn't hit. The Vishashi let go of the sand knife then shot it towards the man's chest, it sank into his shoulder as he tried to dodge.

  The Vishashi tore his arm from the Taniberas's grasp then delivered a swift punch to the chest, the Taniberas slid back a few inches from the force. The Vishashi called the sand back to him. The Taniberas put a hand on his wound then looked at the Vishashi as it began to close.

  "You're quite experienced," The Taniberas said. "But not enough to beat me,"

  The man was right, the Vishashi wasn't sure if he could beat him in his current state. If he wanted to win he needed to use one of his Ultimate's but the environment wasn't right for the one he needed, he needed to get Arnimos and John and get out of here. It was likely Arnimos was preparing to break out himself with his Dichotomy and the Vishashi just needed to weaken the Taniberas enough for them to escape. The issue is, he didn't want to reveal their hand just yet about what Arnimos could do.

  The Vishashi put a hand out and channeled his Dichotomies inward, he focused on them and felt them mold and change. He couldn't beat the man with this but if he distracted the man enough that he'd be forced to dispel the boxes holding John and Arnimos. He felt his Arbeross Dichotomy flaring to life as it shifted and reached a version of its full potential. 'Ultimate,' The Vishashi thought, 'Avatar Of The Desert'.

  His form shifted into an endless whipping mass of sand as his consciousness expanded to every little grain of sand in the room, he had truly Become the Desert. It was not the strongest Ultimate, not by a long shot, but its utility was beyond comparison.

  As the sand formed a vaguely humanoid figure the man raised a hand and part of the sand was put into a box. Inside the box he could see the walls closing in and trying to crush it, a hint upon his Dichotomy, but most of him remained outside. His sandy form unwound into thin tendrils of sand that whipped towards the Taniberas at high-speed. The Taniberas dodged a few but summoned walls to tank most of the hits; he could see the boxes beginning to have small cracks in them.

  The Taniberas drew the blade up in a line and the Vishashi felt a burning on his body, the Fear-Made weapon could still harm him. He drew in much of the sand then crafted it into a thin beam which he shot out at high-speed, a wall appeared in its path but it was quickly wearing through it. The boxes kept cracking. He channeled more and more into the thin beam of sand, more walls appeared and the boxes cracked more.

  He felt more burning on his soul, the Taniberas was still attacking him. He formed two tendrils to strike around the edges of the wall but two more walls appeared to block it. The boxes seemed near breaking. Another burning sensation and his mind began to strain, he couldn't hold this form much longer. The tendrils whipped against the wall trying to get through as the beam quickly wore through another wall. He felt more injuries piling up, the end was coming. As his attacks continued to lash the walls he saw as the boxes shook then shattered and John and Arnimos came out.

  Arnimos was burning with DE, likely he was about to use his Luxicon Skill, and John looked pissed. They looked at the Vishashi then at the three walls he was attacking.

  "GO... QUICKLY..." The Vishashi said. "NOT... MUCH... LONGER..."

  They complied quickly and dashed out of the bar, once they were out and safely ducking through alleyways the Vishashi relented his assault and followed with as much haste as he could, he needed to get the most out of this.

  Rulst-Kal stood looking at the bar patrons who still sat staring at him, he dispelled the walls and stepped outside. As he did he felt a vibration in his pocket, he drew out the strange Fear-Made communicator and focused on it.

  "Well?" His boss said. "Do you have him?"

  "Complications occurred," Rulst-Kal said. "Don't worry however, I have more information now,"

  "Well, good," His boss said. "But capture them quickly, I don't want them reaching Paradise!"

  "No need to worry," Rulst-Kal said. "Next time, they won't get away,"

  "They better not," His boss said. "Or you're not getting paid,"

  "Heard it a thousand times," Rulst-Kal said. "Now I've gotta prep some stuff, talk to you once I got them,"

  "Hey, wait-" His boss said.

  Rulst-Kal stopped focusing on the communicator. 'Scribe of Desert, Unknown, and Arbeross of the Depths,' He thought, 'Appears the unknown has something but not sure yet, I'll have to try and force his hand.' Rulst-Kal then refocused on the communicator, he had some people to call.