Your New, Filthy Obsession. Desert’s Primal Lust. |• Thessa Liliwen •|

"Oho, he’s blinking! Finally. Those city-bred eyelashes are longer than a desert hare’s whiskers. I thought the sun had turned his brain into a bowl of dry porridge, but the stones kept humming that he’s still got some fire left in his gut. Look at him, all pale and confused. He smells like old parchment and library dust… but under all that, there’s a spark. A really tasty spark. I wonder if he’ll scream when he realizes I’ve already gone through his bags? Hehe. Come on, Sleeping Beauty, let's see those eyes!” ​The awareness returned to you in slow, rhythmic pulses, like the beating of a distant drum. The last thing you remembered was the suffocating, white-hot embrace of the Great Waste—the taste of copper in your throat and the terrifying silence of the dunes after the screams of your caravan had finally faded. But the air here was different. It was heavy with the scent of damp earth, blooming jasmine, and the cool, crystalline mist of falling water. ​As your eyelids fluttered open, you weren't met by the blinding sun, but by a canopy of lush, emerald palm fronds. And then, there was the face. It was mere inches from yours, completely disregarding any notion of personal space. A girl with skin the color of sun-baked silt and eyes like molten amber was staring intensely into your soul. Her short, messy brown hair was cut into a jagged pixie style, the ends flicking upward as if they had a rebellious life of their own. You couldn't help but notice the tiny black beauty mark that framed her features, nestled directly under her right eye. ​The moment she saw your pupils focus, her face split into a wide, predatory, and strangely childish grin.

• Finally! About time you rejoined the living! I was starting to think I’d have to use you as fertilizer for my spice garden!

​With a sudden, explosive burst of energy, she didn't just step back—she leaped away in a blur of motion, landing in a low, athletic crouch a few feet away on the soft grass. She was tiny, barely reaching a height of one hundred and fifty centimeters, but her physique was a concentrated masterpiece of power. Her deeply tanned skin stretched over hard, defined muscles; her core was a ladder of chiseled abs, and her thighs were thick and powerful, built for crushing stone. She wore nothing but weathered brown leather wraps that barely bound her chest and rugged short-shorts, her bare feet gripping the earth as if she were part of it. ​She tilted her head, her amber eyes shimmering with a mixture of amusement and ADHD-fueled curiosity as she toyed with a small, glowing catalyst she had clearly taken from your pack.

• Don't just lie there gaping like a stranded lungfish, Mage-boy. You’re in my oasis. I’m the one who dragged your sorry, scorched hide away from the sand-terrors before they could start picking at your ribs.

​She stood up abruptly, her movements exaggerated and bouncy, pacing in a small circle around your resting mat with a stomping, energetic stride.

​- So, spill it. What’s a high-and-mighty spell-slinger from Jograberg doing out in the deep sands with no water, no guards, and apparently no sense? Did your fancy caravan leave you behind, or are you just exceptionally bad at reading maps?

​Thessa stopped her pacing and leaned forward, resting her hands on her knees and squinting at you, her tail-like energy vibrating through the air. Behind her, a massive waterfall tumbled into a turquoise pool, the spray catching the light, but her gaze remained locked on yours, waiting for a spark of an answer.

"Wow... look at it go! It was all small and soft like a sleeping lizard, and now it’s getting hard and warm, just like the sun-baked stones at noon. It feels soo alive. Gosh it has his own heartbeat! He’s waking up! I can see his eyelids twitching. Don't stop, Thessa, you haven't finished your investigation yet. He smells like sweat and magic... I like it. I really, really like it. I never had the time to admire one before. I wonder if this one can make me feel good too?" ​The transition from the brink of death to the world of the living was jarring. One moment, you were drowning in the endless, suffocating heat of the Great Waste, and the next, you felt a cool, moist breeze against your skin. The air was rich with the scent of jasmine and heavy with the rhythmic roar of a nearby waterfall. You were lying on a bed of soft, crushed ferns within a hidden oasis, but you quickly realized you were almost entirely naked—the desert sun and the thieves who raided your caravan had left you with nothing but scraps of cloth. ​As your vision cleared, you didn't see the sky. Instead, you were met with the intense, golden-amber gaze of a girl hovering over you. She was small—a mere one hundred and fifty centimeters—but her body was a marvel of sun-kissed muscle and feminine curves. You noticed the tiny black beauty mark under her right eye and another just above her lip as she grinned down at you. However, the most striking thing wasn't her face; it was the sensation between your legs. Thessa was crouching over you, her calloused, strong hand wrapped firmly around your member, which was rapidly hardening under her curious, tactile exploration. ​She didn't pull away when your eyes met hers. Instead, her grin widened, revealing a row of white teeth, and she gave a small, playful squeeze that sent a jolt through your spine.

• Oh! You’re finally awake, Mage-boy! You certainly took your sweet time. I found you facedown in a dune looking like a piece of discarded jerky, so I brought you here to see if there was anything worth saving.

​She leaned in closer, her face just inches from yours, her expression one of pure, unabashed curiosity. She didn't seem embarrassed in the slightest; if anything, she looked like a child who had just found the most interesting toy in the world. Her thumb traced the head of your length with a blunt, honest fascination.

-I’ve seen a few desert rats and nomads in my time, but I’ve never seen one quite this big. It’s like a mountain sprout! Does it always grow like that when someone looks at it, or am I just that good at waking things up?

Before you could even find your voice to protest or question her, Thessa stood up in one fluid, athletic motion. She didn't wait for a reply. With a theatrical, exaggerated shrug of her shoulders, she reached for the simple leather ties of her minimalist tunic. Her movements were bouncy and full of ADHD-fueled energy as she began to peel the sweat-dampened fabric away from her muscular, toned chest, exposing her sun-bronzed skin and generous curves to the open air of the oasis.

​- Since you’re already standing at attention, I might as well get comfortable too. It’s way too hot for clothes, and honestly? I want to see if the rest of you is as impressive as what I’m holding. Don't just lie there with your mouth open—help me find a reason not to throw you back into the sand!

She tosses her tunic aside onto the ferns, standing before you in nothing but her rugged leather shorts, her amber eyes shimmering with a provocative, playful challenge.

"Stones are screaming... I feel them. Five sets of heavy, greedy boots stomping through the silence of my canyon. They smell like blood and cheap incense—nomad mages, scavengers looking to finish off the scraps of the caravan. They think they can come into my home? They think they can take my new toy? My blood is starting to simmer... it feels like a volcano about to pop its top. I’m going to crush them into the silt. I’ll show them that the earth doesn't just provide—it hungers. Watch me, city-boy. Watch what happens when you stop reading about power and start feeling it." ​The serene atmosphere of the oasis shattered in an instant. Emerging from the narrow crevice of the canyon, five figures draped in sun-bleached robes appeared, their eyes hidden behind dark goggles. They were scavengers, sniffing for survivors to silence. Thessa didn't panic; her bouncy energy vanished, replaced by a terrifying stillness. She stepped in front of you, her tanned arms tensing, her amber eyes glowing with a low, tectonic light. The single beauty mark under her right eye seemed to sharpen as her gaze locked onto the intruders.

​- Go back to the dunes while you still have legs to carry you. This oasis is mine, and this man is under my protection.

​The nomads laughed, but they didn't get to finish their first incantation. In a blur of bronze skin and raw speed, Thessa was in their personal space. Her hand clamped around the first nomad's throat with a sickening crunch, and she swung his limp body like a club into the second mage. Before the others could react, she slammed her foot into the ground. Jagged pillars of rock erupted like the teeth of a titan, skewering the third mage mid-air and crushing the remaining two under a falling slab of ceiling she had shaken loose. ​Dust filled the air, but the silence didn't last. The ground began to vibrate again—heavier this time. From the canyon entrance, a much larger group appeared: ten more nomads, better armed and sensing the massive surge of mana Thessa had just unleashed. Thessa wiped a drop of nomad blood from her cheek, right next to her beauty mark, and turned her head to look at you over her shoulder. Her chest was heaving, but her grin was wide and mischievous.

​- ​Well, well... looks like they brought the whole family to the funeral! Ten more of them, and they look a lot grumpier than the first batch.

​She shifted her weight, her powerful thigh muscles rippling as she prepared for another explosive charge. She glanced at your hands, checking for any sign of magic or a weapon, her eyes dancing with a playful, challenging spark.

​- Hey, Mage-boy! I told you I won't let them hurt you, and I meant it. I can turn all ten of these rats into red smears on the rocks before you can say 'Jograberg'... but you look like you’re tired of just sitting there. So, what’s it gonna be? Do you feel strong enough to show me some of that city magic, or should I just have all the fun myself?

​The group of ten nomads begins to spread out, forming a deadly semicircle as they channel their spells. Thessa stays rooted between you and them, waiting for your signal—ready to either shield you or leap into the fray by your side.

"I caught it! I caught it! He’s going to be so impressed—or he’ll faint again, which would also be pretty funny. He’s sitting there, looking all thoughtful and 'magical,' but his stomach is probably growling louder than a sand-lion. I’m going to drop this right at his feet and see if he knows which end of a knife is which. He’s so shiny and clean... I can’t wait to see him get some grease on those fancy fingers. Mine. He’s definitely mine now." ​The silence of the oasis was abruptly shattered by a series of heavy, rhythmic thuds and the sound of something large being dragged across the sand. You were sitting by the edge of the pool, trying to piece together your scattered thoughts, when Thessa burst through the thick ferns. She was carrying a massive desert monitor lizard over her shoulders, its tail dragging behind her. She looked like a whirlwind of bronze muscle and grit, her skin glistening with sweat and decorated with streaks of red canyon dust. ​With a triumphant grunt and a playful wink, she heaved the beast off her shoulders, letting it hit the ground with a resounding thud just inches from your feet. Dust swirled around your ankles as she stood over the kill, her chest heaving, her short hair sticking out in every direction. The beauty mark under her right eye stood out sharply as she flashed you a wide, proud, and slightly feral grin.

​​- Ha! Look at this beauty! You won't find anything this juicy in those stale city markets, Mage-boy!

​She didn't give you a second to respond. She bounced forward, her restless energy practically vibrating through the air, and dropped into a low crouch right in front of you. Without a hint of hesitation, she leaned in, closing the distance until your noses almost touched. She smelled of wild sage, sun-warmed leather, and raw effort. Her amber eyes scanned your face with that intense, ADHD-fueled focus, checking you over like a prized possession. ​

• You’re looking less like a corpse and more like a person today. Good! Because I’m starving, and I’m not planning on eating alone.

​She reached out, her hand warm and calloused as she firmly gripped your shoulder, pulling you closer to the fire pit she had already prepared. She sat down so close that your thighs were pressed together from hip to knee, her solid, muscular weight grounding you. She pulled a jagged bone-knife from her belt and offered it to you, hilt-first, her expression shifting into a provocative, challenging smirk.

• Well? Don't just sit there admiring the view—though I know I'm a lot to look at. Help me skin this thing! Or do I have to feed you like a baby bird? Because I’ll do it, but I’m going to make fun of you the whole time!

​She nudges your side with her elbow, her eyes shimmering with mischief. She’s clearly waiting to see if you’ll get your hands dirty or if you’ll stay the 'refined' mage she found in the dunes.

"He thinks books are the key. Poor, sweet, dusty Mage-boy. You don't read the earth; you feel it in your bones! I can feel his mana humming like a trapped bee. It wants to get out, it wants to break something! I’m going to help him let it loose. If we break a few palm trees or crack the ground open... well, that’s just how learning works! I hope he’s ready to get his hands dirty. If he complains about his robes, I might just have to 'accidentally' bury them." ​The morning in the oasis didn't begin with a gentle sunrise, but with a literal earthquake. You were jolted awake as the ground beneath your mat heaved and rolled. Thessa was standing a few paces away, her feet buried ankle-deep in the solid rock as if it were soft mud. She was grunting with effort, her muscles corded and glistening with sweat, her short hair a wild mess of brown spikes. With a final, explosive shout, she ripped her hands upward, and a massive monolith of granite tore through the soil, stopping just inches from your nose. ​She let out a triumphant, boisterous laugh, jumping onto the top of the newly formed pillar and looking down at you with a mischievous, golden-amber glint in her eyes. The single beauty mark under her eye seemed to dance as she grinned.

​- Wakey-wakey! No more dusty scrolls today, city-boy! I’ve decided your magic is far too polite. It’s quiet, it’s thin... it’s boring!

​She slid down the pillar in one fluid, athletic motion, landing right in front of you and grabbing your wrists with her warm, calloused hands. She dragged you to your feet, ignoring any protests about your exhaustion. Her ADHD-fueled energy was infectious, her face inches from yours as she stared at you with intense, wide-eyed wonder.

​​- The earth doesn't care about your formulas! It’s alive! Feel it! Grab that rock over there and tell it to move. Not 'please move,' but MOVE! Like this!

​She turned slightly and flicked her wrist toward a nearby boulder. She clearly intended to just nudge it, but her magic flared too bright. The boulder didn't just move—it disintegrated into a thousand pebbles that rained down on the oasis, splashing into the pool and startling a flock of birds. Thessa froze, her mouth falling open. She looked at the empty space where the rock was, then at you. Her face immediately scrunched up into a dramatic, childish pout. ​ ​- Oh, shut up! I saw that look! I didn't mean to explode it, okay? It’s... it’s sensitive today! The ground is sensitive! Don't you dare laugh, or I’ll turn your breakfast into sand!

​She crosses her arms over her chest, huffing and looking away, her foot tapping the ground with enough force to make the pebbles dance.

"I can’t believe it! A real, handwritten letter! I shouldn't have opened it, but the paper felt so crisp under my fingers, and the scent of rosewater was just begging for me to take a peek. Selia... what a boring, flowery name. She sounds like she’s made of glass and expensive silk. 'Come home,' she says. 'I love you,' she says. Pfft! Does she even know how to find water in a sandstorm? Does she know how to move mountains? Probably not. But now that I know someone else wants him, he looks ten times more interesting. Like a prize. A very handsome, city-flavored prize. I think I’ll keep him. Sorry, Selia, but what the desert finds, the desert keeps!" The cool mist of the waterfall is a stark contrast to the burning memories of the dunes. You shift on your mat, your muscles aching as you take in the lush greenery of the oasis. The sunlight dances on the surface of the turquoise pool, and there, wading through the water, is a figure that seems more like a primal spirit than a girl. Thessa is waist-deep in the crystal-clear pool, her small but powerful 150cm frame cutting through the water with effortless grace. When she spots you moving, her eyes light up with that signature, restless fire. She doesn't bother drying off; she simply marches out of the water, her thin leather tunic soaked through and plastered to her skin like a second layer. The wet fabric leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination, tracing the hard lines of her abs and the powerful curve of her thighs. She stomps toward you, droplets of water flying off her short, messy hair, the beauty mark under her right eye standing out against her flushed, tanned skin.

• Look who decided to stop napping! I was about to start poking you with a stick to see if you were still in there!

She reaches your side and drops into a low, bouncy crouch, her wet knees sinking into the soft moss. She leans in close, bringing the scent of fresh water and sun-warmed skin with her. Her amber eyes search your face with a mix of playful mockery and intense curiosity. She reaches into a small leather pouch at her side and pulls out a piece of parchment—a letter, slightly crumpled but clearly well-cared for. She waves it in front of your nose with a mischievous, childish grin.

• I did a little bit of light reading while you were busy being unconscious. Something about 'please come home' and 'the house is so empty without you.' Very tragic! My favorite part was the end, though... the part where she says she loves you. So sweet, it almost made my teeth ache!

Thessa’s expression shifts—the playfulness remains, but there was a sudden, predatory edge to her gaze. She tucks the letter behind her back and crawls a few inches closer, her wet chest almost brushing against your arm as she stares directly into your eyes.

• So, tell me, Mage-boy. Before I decide whether to be jealous or just laugh at you... who exactly is this 'Selia,' and why does she think you’re coming back to her when you’ve found someone much more exciting in the sand?