Reincarnated as the Villainess's Unlucky Bodyguard

Chapter 106 The Desert's Oddities

"shut up and get ready," daena growled as the rumble intensified, her flames crackling in anticipation. she squinted into the distance, expecting yet another oversized monstrosity to emerge from the dunes, all teeth, claws, and bad attitude.

instead, what appeared was... a caravan?

the trembling earth settled into a rhythmic thud, accompanied by the sound of jangling bells and the occasional off-key hum of some ancient tune. cresting a nearby dune, a mismatched procession emerged—two enormous sand beasts, like oversized lizards with humps, pulling a creaky wooden cart. your journey continues at empire

daena blinked. the cart was draped in a riot of mismatched fabrics: vibrant reds, tattered golds, and faded purples. it swayed precariously with every step, and atop it sat a figure clad in what could only be described as the remnants of ten different wardrobes.

"am i hallucinating?" daena muttered, her flames fizzling out.

nyssara, leaning lazily on her staff, raised an elegant brow. "if you are, then i am too. though i must say, this is a far more peculiar sight than the last fifty abominations we fought."

the caravan stopped a few meters away. the figure atop the cart stood, balancing on the edge with outstretched arms like a circus performer.

"welcome, travelers!" the figure bellowed, their voice unnervingly chipper. they leapt down with surprising grace, revealing themselves to be a wiry man with mismatched eyes one green, the other a shocking shade of pink. his wild mane of hair was half braided, half free, and his clothes jingled with every movement from the sheer number of trinkets hanging off them.

daena's lip curled. "oh, great. a lunatic."

the man ignored her disdain, bowing deeply. "i am marvello, purveyor of wonders, dealer in curiosities, and guide through the great, perilous desert!" he straightened with a flourish, his trinkets jingling obnoxiously. "what brings such fine ladies to these forsaken sands?"

nyssara tilted her head, her expression calm but curious. "we're lost."

daena shot her a glare. "don't tell him that!"

marvello gasped theatrically. "lost, you say? how tragic! how dreadful! how... utterly ordinary for these parts."

before daena could retort, a second figure emerged from the cart. this one was hulking and broad, wrapped head to toe in layers of cloth, with only a pair of piercing yellow eyes visible. they carried a staff taller than daena, and the ground seemed to tremble slightly with every step they took.

"and who's your terrifying friend?" daena asked, her hands twitching toward her weapons.

"this is beezle," marvello replied, patting the giant on the arm. "my loyal assistant, bodyguard, and occasional cook."

beezle inclined their head silently.

nyssara's lips twitched. "charming."

marvello clapped his hands. "now, as much as i adore meeting new people, i must ask what are you doing out here? surely you didn't wander into the abyssal rift by accident?"

"that's none of your business," daena snapped.nôv(el)b\\jnn

marvello's mismatched eyes gleamed. "ah, mysterious! i like it. but if you're hoping to leave this place alive, i suggest you make it my business."

daena stepped forward, flames sparking to life in her palms. "listen here, marvello—"

nyssara grabbed her arm, her grip surprisingly firm. "wait."

daena glared at her. "wait for what? for him to start juggling flaming swords?"

marvello, overhearing, grinned. "i could do that, if it would help earn your trust."

nyssara ignored him, her gaze fixed on the caravan. "look closer, daena."

reluctantly, daena followed her gaze. the cart, which at first glance had seemed like a chaotic mess, now appeared... deliberate. the fabrics bore faint runes, some glowing faintly in the shifting light. the sand beasts weren't ordinary creatures either their scales shimmered with an unnatural sheen, and their eyes glowed faintly.

"they're not as simple as they seem," nyssara murmured.

marvello clapped again, this time more softly. "ah, she notices! yes, yes, we're far more than we appear. now, how about we make a deal?"

they walked in relative silence for a while, the oppressive heat of the desert making the air shimmer. despite her annoyance, daena kept her senses sharp, scanning the horizon for any signs of danger. the abyssal rift was notorious for its unpredictability, and the last thing they needed was an ambush.

finally, the caravan crested a dune and halted. below them stretched a field of jagged black rocks, their surfaces gleaming like obsidian. in the center of the field stood a structure a crumbling tower, its silhouette stark against the golden sky.

"that," marvello announced, pointing dramatically, "is where our little trinket resides."

daena crossed her arms. "a tower in the middle of nowhere. how original."

nyssara surveyed the scene with a critical eye. "and the guardian?"

marvello scratched his chin. "ah, yes. the guardian. let's just say it's... not fond of visitors."

daena rolled her eyes. "great. anything else we should know?"

"well," marvello said, grinning nervously, "it might be a teensy bit... cursed."

daena's flames flared. "of course it's cursed. why wouldn't it be?"

nyssara, unfazed, started descending the dune. "let's get this over with."

marvello followed eagerly, his bells jingling. daena lingered for a moment, staring at the tower with a mix of suspicion and irritation.

"this better not be a waste of time," she muttered before trudging after them.

as they approached the obsidian field, the air grew heavier, thick with an almost tangible pressure. the runes on marvello's cart began to glow brighter, casting eerie shadows on the sand.

beezle stopped abruptly, his massive frame tense. he turned to marvello and rumbled something incomprehensible.

marvello frowned. "oh, come now, beezle. it's not that bad."

beezle rumbled again, this time more urgently.

nyssara glanced at them. "what's he saying?"

marvello sighed. "he thinks we're being watched."

daena tensed, her flames igniting instinctively. "watched by what?"

as if in answer, the shadows around the tower began to shift. shapes emerged from the obsidian rocks humanoid figures, their forms flickering like mirages. their eyes glowed faintly, and their movements were unnaturally smooth, as though they weren't entirely tethered to reality.

marvello clapped his hands together. "ah, there they are! the welcoming committee."

daena glared at him. "this is your idea of a welcome?"

marvello shrugged. "could be worse. at least they're not throwing fireballs. yet."

one of the figures stepped forward, its voice a hollow echo. "turn back."

nyssara stepped forward, her posture regal. "we're here for the artifact. stand aside."

the figure's head tilted unnaturally. "turn back, or face the curse."

daena grinned, her flames roaring to life. "i vote for the curse. let's see what you've got."

marvello groaned. "why does it always have to be violence with you people?"

"because it's effective," daena replied, lunging forward.