ATEE: Partners in Crime *Me (That Guy) and Alex64*

[Alex64]

"So you wish to obtain these World Rings to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands?" Ellie asked.

 

[That Guy]

"Precisely!" Badr clapped his hands together with glee. "And as I'm sure you can imagine, this palace can make for a highly secure stronghold when it needs to."
"Alright. And how do we find out where we're going or how to get there?"
"That, I was just coming to. Oh, Shahra!~ Would you kindly bring our heroes the items we prepared?"

Presently, the djinn entered the room, carrying three almost staple-looking items typically associated with the "mystical quest adventure" stereotype, and distributed them as Badr introduced them.
"To the mighty echidna, I offer: this simple silver ring-- a humble means of keeping in touch with Shahra, and, by extension, myself, to track your progress. To my handsome mirror-image, I offer: an enchanted map of this world, blessed with the knowledge of where the World Rings are located. And to the charming, fiery princess: this radiant red jewel, inscribed with a charm to transport you and your company to your destination with due haste."

 

[Alex64]

As Raku fitted the ring over his thumb, Ellie inspected the jewel she had been given, asking, "And how does this gem work? Is there a specific method of using it?"

 

[That Guy]

"Simple willpower. Intend to travel somewhere by way of the jewel, and its inscription will make it so."

Midnight unfurled the map, revealing the lay of this world's land, overlaid with seven holographic projections of ornate-looking Rings, in differing colours. The jewel Ellie had been given was also displayed, confirming that, yes, all seven were as good as on separate corners of the world. The yellow one lay in the most remote centre point of the desert; the green, in a dense-looking jungle-biome; the red and the white, in wastelands separated from civilisation by quite a distance, it would seem, in opposing directions; and the purple and the blue on what looked like islands in a surprisingly-vast sea, with the mizu in between.

"...Mizu?"
"Like...light-blue. Aqua. Cyan. Some languages differentiate it as a separate colour from blue, some don't. I'm taking a creative liberty or two, here, okay?"

"Well...I expected more desert, if I'm honest." Midnight inclined his head. "...Which is saying something, considering about half of the map is desert as it is, by the look of it. So...where do we begin?"

 

[Alex64]

"I'm... not sure," Ellie replied, looking over his shoulder at the map. "Maybe we should start with the yellow one?"

 

[That Guy]

"That does seem the most reasonable, all things considered. Everywhere else looks kinda..." He made some sort of rotating gesture with one hand as he thought of the word. "...Gimmicky."
"Do you intend to set off right away?" Badr gave a broad smile; the kind that usually betrayed an ulterior motive, but seemed genuine enough. "You really are heroes. I'd be remiss not to offer you respite here for as long as you may need in preparation."

 

[Alex64]

"I thank you for your offer," Ellie smiled, "but that shouldn't be necessary, should it?" She looked towards her allies for affirmation.

 

[That Guy]

Midnight shrugged.
"...Though, if we're heading into the middle of the desert, shouldn't we take some actual supplies, just in case things take longer than expected?"
"Very wise, very wise! Shahra, the Miah al-Hind, if you would?"

Shahra bowed, and, out of seemingly nowhere, produced a modestly-sized jug of ornate design, stoppered with a simple cork, and attached to a wearable sash, which Midnight accepted.
"An everlasting source of potable water, I presume?"
"Ah, you're too clever by half, my friend. That is precisely what it is."

 

[Alex64]

"Might I ask where you obtained these mystical items?" Ellie questioned Badr.

 

[That Guy]

"A simple question, but a vital one. I applaud your intuition once again!" Badr literally applauded her for all of two seconds. "Shahra, here, is my resident genie. Within reason, she is able to grant anything I may ask of her."
"...But not the World Rings?"
"You may see for yourselves how remote they are from one another. To summon them all using mere magic would be more of a task than just retrieving them in person!"

 

[Alex64]

"Right... Well, if that is all, then I suppose we'll be off," Ellie said as she readorned her veil, clutching the red gem and focusing on their destination.

 

[That Guy]

In a burst of red light and the characters that formed its inscriptions, the jewel, in some magical way, transported the three of them, in accordance to her intentions, to somewhere much hotter and dryer. All of a sudden, it was just sand, as far as one could see, in every direction, with no respite. Midnight inspected the map, and, sure enough, it had updated to indicate that the red jewel was now just south of the yellow Ring on the map.
"...It worked," was all he thought to say in response, a light inflection of mild surprise dancing across the two words.

 

[Alex64]

"That it did," Raku nodded, also looking at the map. "Now, is there a way to tell which direction is north?"

 

[That Guy]

"Would it be too facetious to suggest using the sun?" Midnight glanced upwards. "I mean, I know this world is based on a book, but that book is based on real-world myths and legends and whatever. It just seems like one of those details they'd take so much for granted that it wouldn't occur to them to write it any differently."

 

[Alex64]

"Erm, forgive me for asking..." Ellie said to him, "but could you remind me how one uses the sun to determine directions?"

 

[That Guy]

"It rises in the east, doesn't it?" Her doubt had him doubting himself, at this point. "So...if we know which side of midday it is-- oh, damn it all-- ahem...then the sun's going to be on one side or the other. Then we can work out which way's north from that...right..?"

 

[Alex64]

"Well... I'm not sure we have the time to figure that out..."

 

[That Guy]

"Really? I'd say it's got to be afternoon by now." He pouted. "...Anyway, if we move, the gem-marker-thing on the map moves, too, right? So we can just trial-and-error it, if it comes to that."

 

[Alex64]

"...I suppose you have a point there..."

 

[That Guy]

"...What, so you're just not going to address that random outburst a few lines back?"
He shrugs.
"Nobody questioned it at the time."

Rex stares in exasperation.
"Well, I'm questioning it now."
"You're going to be underwhelmed."
"Tell me something I don't know."
"...The realisation just hit me, in that moment. 'Middy' is one letter off 'midday'. And he's the otherworldly twilight-zone everything's-different counterpart of-- well, you can figure it out from there."

Rex is struck dumb by the observation.
"...Okay. Carry on with the story, then."
"Gladly. Now, where was I..? Ah, right, we had worked out which way we were heading..."

A surprisingly short trek north led the group to what looked distinctly like a smallish oasis, home only to a few trees, and a modest wooden hut, all completely out of place this far into the desert.