Dawn's light spilled from the edge of the sky onto He Ao's face.
He Ao reached up and touched the wound on his cheek. The bloody gash from last night was now covered by a dark red scab. He peeled it away, raised his head, and looked ahead.
Beneath the bright light, a magnificent city loomed in the distance.
"Mr. Bode, you're awake." Mark, who was piloting the aircraft, glanced up at He Ao. "We've arrived. Teron is just ahead."
He sounded pleased. "We crossed the Great Gobi yesterday without a single flying Exotic Beast attacking us. That's strange. Did we discover a new route?"
He Ao's gaze settled on the city ahead. Its buildings looked much like those in other Federation cities. The only difference was the yellowish sand coating its high walls.
He Ao lifted his gaze past the city.
An endless yellow desert filled his vision in an instant.
The desert was vast and majestic, stretching to the horizon, where it met the clear blue sky.
It was the Nisk Desert, the largest desert in the Federation.
Teron stood on a narrow strip of oasis between the Gobi and the desert. It was the only city nearby.
Some caravans traveling from the southwest to the east took the route through Teron, making it a prosperous trading city.
But from Keskaine, there seemed to be no reason to make a special trip through Teron, no matter the destination.
Travelers from Keskaine had to go around the Great Gobi to reach Teron. Once they left, those heading east could continue straight on, but anyone going south or west had to circle the great desert.
Keskaine had better trade routes in every direction. In fact, its location was better than Teron's.
"Mr. Bode, should we submit an entry request to