Chapter Text
In the Lost Sands, a place far from Bugaria, and in this desert lay deadly dangers, huge poisonous scorpions, primitive wild insects, quicksand and many other dangers.
There, somewhere in the Lost Sands, was a young Cricket, lying on his belly with a long sight in his hand.
He had blue eyes, a very pale blue-gray mouth and a tanned body with brown aspects.
He was looking to the horizon, as if waiting for something.
Beside him was a small hooded cricket also holding a long sight, looking in another direction, also waiting for something.
He had a red hooded cape and the rest was white. He had round bulging eyes, one bright light purple and the other an equally bright yellow, he had a light white mouth and his antennae were also the same color as this, and as for his wings, he had one with a small tip missing, the one on the right.
“Can you see anything, Koba?” Astotheles said to the cricket at his side.
The cricket flinched and quickly picked up his spyglass after almost dropping it.
“N-negative boss, I can't see anything on the horizon!”
“That's weird...they should be here by now. Maybe there's been a setback” said young Cricket in a low voice.
Then he looked a little more carefully and still nothing.
“Maybe they um...just won't come, boss.” Koba said shyly.
Astotheles pounded his fist hard against the sand, an expression of anger and frustration on his face.
“Don't talk nonsense, Koba! They'll come, that's for sure! The information given by our client is reliable!”
Koba gasped at Astotheles' reaction and couldn't help but let out a little scream.
“They'll come...they're just late!” said Astotheles irritably.
“Astotheles...”
The cricket took on a look of concentration and looked again into his long sight.
“They've got to come, it's better for us.”
Koba, seeing how Astotheles looked, couldn't help but feel a little sick, so he didn't say another word either, and he too looked back into his spyglass.
After a while, scanning the horizon, something in the distance could be seen...smoke...
Astotheles concentrated to get a better look at what it was, and was startled when he saw what appeared to be-
“THE CONVOY!” shouted young Cricket energetically.
Koba was startled and looked in the direction Astotheles was looking before pointing his spyglass at the same spot.
This convoy was made up of a few bandit merchants, riding on the backs of giant Snails and pulling the big merchandise.
“Ha ha ha you see Koba I was right! Never forget to always follow your instincts and you won't go wrong like I did, he he.”
Koba got up very quickly and went down the dune to cross the road through which the convoy was going to pass to get to another dune which was opposite.
“Koba! What are you doing?!” shouted Astotheles.
“I can make myself useful boss! You told me I was ready, so I'm just taking the lead!” The determined little cricket replied.
“No wait! Koba come ba- ...Ugh this kid isn't possible..." said Astotheles with a bewildered look on his face.
The other bandits with them, who had been hiding, watched Koba cross the road, looks of doubt on their faces.
“I think Astotheles should be in charge of this, why doesn't he even lift a finger?” said a first bandit.
“Boah he's going to get himself killed anyway, that kid always puts himself in danger for nothing, he's going to screw things up again as usual.” said a second bandit.
“Pffff, I wonder what Astotheles sees in him.” said another bandit.
Once on the other side of the road, Koba climbed up the dune and reached the top, where he unearthed what appeared to be a switch.
This switch was linked to a cable that ran down the dune it was on and reached the path below.
The convoy drew ever closer, and we could see a little more clearly what it was made up of.
In addition to the two merchant bandits riding the Snails, there were others behind, Crickets, some medium-sized and others a little larger.
There were even two Wasps all behind the convoy, both armed with spears.
One had a blue cape, and the other a white one, so you could tell them apart with it, and the one with the red cape had a scar towards her right eye.
“Wasps? What are they doing here?!” said Astotheles, opening his eyes wide in surprise.
Then he concentrated on counting how many there were.
”5,7...8 ! There are eight in total!”
He had no time to think as the convoy drew ever closer.
The Cricket then pointed his long sight in Koba's direction, and he could see that he had the switch in his hand.
“Koba...please don't do anything stupid...” he thought.
The convoy was getting closer and closer, and Koba, holding the switch, was ready.
“Not now...not now...wait a little longer Koba...” the little cricket said to himself.
The convoy was soon within range, and the closer it got, the more Koba's concentration increased.
“Just a little more patience...”
And the moment the convoy was in range, Koba knew it was the right time.
“NOW!” he shouted.
The little cricket flicked the switch and a tiny explosion took place, destroying the two rear wheels of the big wagon.
The explosion was very weak, and was deliberately so, for this bomb had been designed to destroy only a minimum of things - after all, you didn't want to damage the merchandise and blow everything up.
Following the explosion, Astotheles couldn't contain his excitement.
“Haha well done Koba!”
He then took out a horn and blew it, giving the other bandits the signal to get out.
There were about fifteen of them in all, which meant that the bandits had the numerical superiority.
They all rushed the convoy and a battle ensued.
The two merchants on the Snails didn't have time to draw their swords before they were stabbed by several bandits who had approached them, and fell to the ground dead on the spot.
As for the rest, they were fighting a little further back and the battle didn't seem to be going in the bandits' favor.
The other merchants, those wearing black cloaks, were quickly killed as they were rather weak in combat and soon, after being overwhelmed by the 3 other bandits coming from the front and taking stab wounds from either side, the four crickets were all dead.
But for the two Wasps, it was a different story...
They parried every attack the bandits threw at them with disconcerting ease, and then took advantage of the opportunity to lob a spear right at their vital points, killing them instantly.
Although there were around fifteen bandits at the start, the number quickly dropped due to the effectiveness of the two Wasps, both of whom were stuck together side by side.
One of the bandits approached the red-cloaked Wasp and tried to stab him, but the Wasp dodged by taking a quick step to the side.
He then grabbed the arm with which he had attacked and pulled him brutally towards him with disconcerting force, before delivering a powerful knee blow to his stomach, and then everything happened very quickly.
The Wasp then played with his spear, twirling it in the air and spinning it in his hand.
And while he was still holding the bandit's arm with his left hand, he pulled him towards his again and thrust his spear forward with his right hand, easily piercing the poor bandit with the momentum and force he'd put into her blow, killing him instantly.
He then withdrew his spear from the bandit and tossed his body aside, an amused expression displayed on her face.
“Hah, too easy.” said the Wasp with a small smile.
The other bandits didn't dare approach the two Wasps, all too afraid for their lives.
Just as the other Wasp in the blue cape was about to finish off a bandit she had knocked to the ground, someone came at high speed to intervene.
This someone was none other than Astotheles.
He leapt towards the blue-cloaked Wasp and drew his saber, preparing to strike a diagonal blow.
The blue-cloaked Wasp had prodigious reflexes and parried Astotheles' blow with his spear, the two crossing arms, the blue-eyed Cricket remaining aloft for a moment.
“Hmm not bad at all...” he thought.
The Wasp pushed him back with her spear and Astotheles landed on the ground, landing in a controlled manner.
The three of them looked at each other for a moment before Astotheles spoke up.
“You two...what are Wasps doing in the Lost Sands? Are you sent by the Wasp King? Answer me!!!” he said with confidence and authority.
“We don't have to answer you, it's none of your business.” said the Wasp in the blue cape.
“On the other hand I'd like to congratulate you, that was a pretty powerful attack, I can still feel the vibrations of our exchange in my arms.”
“I'm not interested in your compliments, filthy Wasp! Answer my questions instead! Have you been hired? And if so, why are two warriors like you on this kind of mission?”
The blue-cloaked Wasp gave Astotheles a big smile.
“Eh...like I said, it's none of your business, Cricket. And anyway, I don't feel like fighting anymore, so I think we'll be on our way.” he said with an amused tone.
“What?”
Astotheles didn't even have time to comprehend that the two Wasps were already in the sky, moving away from where young Cricket was.
“Wha... HEY! COME BACK COWARDS!!!” he shouted at them.
The blue-cloaked Wasp turned his head towards Astotheles and gave him a mocking look.
“Maybe we'll meet again who knows...little Cricket! I think you'll enjoy the show you're about to see! Ha ha ha ha!”
And just like that, the two Wasps were already far away, under Astotheles' helpless gaze.
“Yeah! Go away, you cowards!" shouted Koba.
Astotheles was silent for a moment before speaking.
“But...why would they abandon such important merchandise?”
The blue-eyed Cricket, who was standing motionless, didn't notice Koba approaching the merchandise.
The little cricket opened one of the baskets of merchandise in the cart to examine it.
“It's empty?!” He exclaimed.
“But how?!”
Astotheles, who was silent and pondering, looked in Koba's direction.
“Wait a second, if they've gone and left everything here...”
Astotheles thought back to what the blue-cloaked Wasp had said to him as he left.
“I think you're going to like the show you're going to have for a few moments...”
“N...no...”
Astotheles opened his eyes wide and looked again in Koba's direction.
“KOBA GET AWAY FROM THE MERCHANDISE!!!
“Huh what?”
As Astotheles uttered these words, a ticking sound could be heard followed by a slight click.
Astotheles charged at Koba and tackled him to the ground.
A powerful explosion followed, carrying Astotheles and Koba into the air.
“ASTOTHELES!!!”