Down With The Gods

Outside the campsite, the team, along with Anish, is met by a gravel parking lot where three sleek, pod-shaped vehicles rest on hovering bases instead of wheels. Anish explains that these vehicles are self-parking and can autonomously return to designated spots. Each campsite has ten of these pods, and a single catnip deducted by touching the steering wheel activates a thirty-minute timer displayed on the dashboard console. The autopilot mode is voice-activated by stating the destination, or they can select a casual "city stroll" mode, where the vehicle wanders through random city routes.

To demonstrate, Anish spends a catnip, bringing one of the pods to life. Even with autopilot, none of the team feels comfortable taking the driver’s seat due to their lack of driving experience, so Anish takes charge.

“Let’s head to the nearest spot where we can practice on creatures,” Wyn says eagerly from the front seat.

“The closest is the playground,” Anish replies. “But the creatures there might be a bit challenging for beginners. Maybe the nearby park or the museum?”

“Let’s check it out anyway. We’ll decide once we’re there,” Wyn insists, glancing back at Yu and Mira, who nod in agreement. “And don’t worry, we’ll cover the catnip.”

Anish waves it off. “Don’t worry about the catnips. Worry about yourselves first.”

As he manually steers the vehicle, they take in the scenic route lined with vibrantly hued trees, their colors shifting subtly as they pass. The further they go, the sparser the trees become until, within fifteen minutes, they reach the playground.

“This is a sandbox…,” Wyn says.

Anish instructs them to keep the vehicle doors open, explaining that closing them will trigger the pod’s return. Up ahead, a large sandbox playground framed by wooden borders stretches out before them. Two souls are already in the sandbox, precariously balanced on a monkey bar. Suddenly, one soul jumps down and rushes toward the edge, but a sand worm erupts from the ground, piercing him through the head and dragging him down.

The remaining soul, now shrieking in panic, desperately shoots icicles into the sand, which only draws more worms. One worm launches itself in an arch, hooking her with its spiked body and pulling her under.

“We have to help her!” Yu exclaims.

“No, you really don’t want to,” Anish cautions. “You can’t even see where she is now. You’ll just end up like her. Poor girl was too far for me to help.”

The creature, as thick as a drainpipe and extending up to twenty meters, resembles a worm covered in hook-like spikes along its length. With sharp beak-like mouths on both ends, each mouth splits into four jagged pieces when it opens. At the midpoint of its body, the direction of the spikes shifts toward each mouth.

“These are sandstriders. They’re sand creatures that react to vibrations in the sand. Notice how all the playground equipment sits on grass mats? These mats dampen vibrations,” Anish explains.

“Sand?” Wyn asks.

“Yep. It’s the granular specialization of the brown element. It’s not something you’d find in human souls,” Anish shares, recalling what he learned from a campsite cat.

“First encounter and already dealing with an unusual specialization. Lucky us,” Wyn mutters.

While not especially tough, sandstriders make up for it with their impressive speed. A common misconception is that they have eyes; instead, small, hardened black spots under their mouths help them detect vibrations.

“I’m gonna save her,” Yu declares, launching himself onto the top bar of a swing set.

“Yo! Don’t be so reckless! Argh! What the heck,” Wyn shouts.

Anish, sensing the urgency, uses a controlled gust to carry Wyn, Mira, and himself over to Yu’s location by the swings.

“I’ll stay here to help if needed,” Anish says, summoning another gust that delivers the group to the top of a tall slide structure.

Wyn stands on the slide’s roof, Mira crouches inside the house attached to it, and Yu clings to the upper part of the spiral tube.

“We can’t help her, Yu. We can’t possibly dig up the whole sandbox,” Mira says.

Wyn considers their options before an idea strikes him. “Let’s start digging it, then!”

Summoning a rock pillar far from their perch, Wyn attempts to send it sinking into the sand, hoping to disrupt the sandstriders. Instead, the pillar flops into the sand, drawing two sandstriders to burst up around it.

“Maybe a cyclone?” Yu whispers.

“You don’t have to whisper,” Mira whispers back.

Without placing his palm down, Wyn summons an ascending cyclone at the same spot. Sand spirals into the air, making it nearly impossible to see clearly.

“Can’t see shit!” Wyn exclaims, trying to peer through the sandy whirlwind.

Suddenly, he loses his footing but quickly recovers, only to spot a sandstrider hurled his way. The worm, coiling and uncoiling to lunge with more power, barrels toward him. Wyn launches himself off the slide, landing away from the structure just as the worm’s spikes catch on the roof. It thrashes, struggling to free itself, while Mira and Yu make a swift escape down the slide, landing safely on the grass mat with Anish’s gust whisking them back to the swings.

“BOOK IT!” Wyn yells with all his might.

Anish swiftly carries Yu, Mira, and himself out of the sandbox, while Wyn lands outside the sandbox on his back.

“I told you guys to go somewhere else,” Anish says, seemingly upset.

“Let’s not give up. Maybe there’s still time,” Yu insists, undeterred.

After collecting himself, Wyn has a new idea. He asks Anish to bring the team over to the nearest dome-shaped climber. With Mira and Anish ready for any incoming worms, Wyn and Yu fuse their powers, creating watery cyclones around the climber that soak deep into the sand. Worms lurking below are pushed deeper, while any that attempt to attack are forced back down, with some meeting their end in the powerful whirlpools. But no matter how long Wyn holds his focus, he can’t seem to reach the bottom of the sandbox. Any worms that make it through the cyclones are swiftly taken out by Mira’s whip or Anish’s shiny green-and-golden javelin. Using his wind abilities, Anish controls his javelin effortlessly, guiding it through the air as if by telekinesis.

As Wyn’s energy wanes, he finally stops the cyclones. Mira and Anish then ignite windy fire pillars in the sand. While Anish’s wind isn’t strong enough to send the worms or sand flying, it helps in disrupting the worms’ momentum by lifting them up when hit by Mira’s fire pillars. Wyn follows up with vertical cyclones to hurl the airborne sandstriders out of the sandbox, and Yu flings his water-boosted blade at any worms within reach. Worms tossed outside the sandbox writhe helplessly, like “worms out of sand” rather than “fish out of water.” The group alternates between Wyn and Yu’s attacks whenever Mira and Anish need a break, and soon, all goes quiet.

“Did we get them all?” Yu asks.

“Unlikely. There’s probably more further out,” Anish says.

“Look! Some of them are tangled in their own hooks. Good riddance,” Mira says.

“But we couldn’t save that soul,” Yu says.

Thanks to Anish, they gather all the essence, both within and outside the sandbox, and agree to split it evenly with him. Oddly, the creature’s name has been changed to “sand noodle.” The description reads, “More like udon, but ‘noodle’ is more internationally recognizable.” Anish is just as baffled as the others. Each sand noodle yields twenty essence.

“Is that a catnip pouch?” Yu asks, spotting a small pouch on the sand.

“Yep! Let me gust it over to you.”

“What are you waiting for? Collect it with your band,” Wyn prompts.

“I’m thinking…I want a guitar, right? And your tent is our meeting place, and I want to sing for all of you. So, you collect it.”

“I don’t get it,” Mira says.

Yu hands Wyn the pouch, who deposits it to gain two catnips.

“Let’s make it our goal to get a guitar first,” Wyn says.

Back by the smart vehicle, the team chats excitedly over their victory. Wyn pulls Anish aside for a private chat.

“Be honest with me here, did you pitch your tent next to Mira’s because of the tent color?”

“Yes, sir! I’m guilty and I’m sorry.”

“I’m starting to believe others didn’t want you around because of your, ummm, behavior…Well, at least you didn’t touch her inappropriately when you guys were fusing. That said, as of now, your tent will be next to Yu’s or mine.”

“Got it! So, does that mean I’m part of the team?”

“Sorry, not yet. It has to be a unanimous team decision. Are you okay with that?”

“Yes! I’m just grateful to be allowed to follow you guys.”

“I also have a task for you. Teach me how to control my cyclones.”

“Why would you think an air type works like a cyclone type?”

“The master mentioned it.”

“I think he meant, like, if you need a decent support soul, look for an air type.”

“Dang it! Welp, you’re still welcome to follow us.”

The vehicle’s timer shows twelve minutes remaining, which Anish says is enough time for their next stop – the museum.