Suddenly, he heard Wang saying, “Albert. There’s something I must tell you.”
Albert turned to find Wang walking towards him. Wang stared at the staff, still glowing a
faint red from the explosion.
Wang frowned and said, “Red…We better get under some shade. Quick.”
Confused, Albert stared at him. “Why? What did you want to say?” Albert asked.
“Don’t ask questions. Just go!”
A few hours later, they reached a Sauxal forest just as the temperature grew to an unbearable
heat. Albert stared at Wang, an eyebrow raised in an act of inquisition.
Wang then replied to his thoughts. “The staff is like a weather forecaster. Striking the tip of
it against something makes it glow either red or white. If it’s red, it’s going to be hot. If it’s white,
cold. The weather in the Gobi Desert changes rapidly, you know. The staff can also severely
damage mythical entities like what you saw with the olgoi-khorkhoi.”
“Awesome.”Albert said, astounded.
“Another thing, “Wang said turning to Albert, “Your parents? Not dead. The Sand-Man’s got
them. It’s definitely a trap.”
“Wait. Who’s the Sand-Man?” Albert asked.
“The Sand-Man is a very powerful being, not being in any mythology because of his
elusiveness. He is the Gobi Desert himself.
“Whoa.”
“Yes. I-” Wang’s sentence was cut off by two large hands made of sand that dragged him
down, under the sand.
A playful voice suddenly boomed across the desert saying, “I grow impatient, Albert… COME
AND GET ME.”
Furiously, Albert jumped down into the hole that the two hands had made in the sand. The
tunnel was long and rough. When he finally landed inside a giant sand castle, coughing and
sputtering, a man made of sand stood in front of him.
“Good. You were stupid enough to come and fight me,” the Sand-Man said, pacing the floors.
Albert jumped to his feet and threw his staff at the Sand-Man. A giant sand baseball catcher’s mitt
appeared out of nowhere and grabbed the staff, crushing it. Shocked, Albert sunk back to the floor.
“Give… Give me my parents,” Albert croaked.
“Sure!” the Sand-Man replied, smiling, “as soon as you give me what is rightfully mine!”
“What?”
“The Gift of the Gobi. The one that grants power over all deserts. Give it to me!” The Sand-
Man demanded.
“Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
The Sand-Man frowned and said, “Wait… According to your memory banks… You… Really
don’t know…” Furiously, he smashed a nearby table. In an instant, he cheered up and said, “Wait…
I still sense it on you… That must mean… YOU’RE the gift!”
He lunged at Albert, but Albert had regained his composure and leapt out of the way. When
Albert punched him, a giant fist of sand appeared around his own and smashed into the Sand-
Man. The Sand-Man collapsed and dissolved into the ground. Suddenly, the Sand-Man’s voice
echoed through the room.
“You thought you could defeat me?” He asked, “I am the Gobi itself. Watch as your parents die
in my hands.”
