A trader wanders in the desert. He arrives at a small village, and, tying up his llamas at the inn, strolls in with his hood covering his face.

"Welcome to the Sandstream Inn!" Calls the owner to the mysterious newcomer. "Are you booking, coming to claim a room, or returning to room and board, my friend?"

"I am looking to sleep here this eve'." The man said.

"Wonderful." The owner says, turning to shuffle the keys.

"By any chance, do you have a child?"

The owner eyes him. "Yes."

"I can tell her a story and pay double the nightly fare." The trader offers.

"Go on." The owner says. "Dahlia's in her room."

The trader enters. "Hello, child." He says. "I have a tale for you."

----

Pixl stood on the sand dune, watching for his sister, Kelsie. As he surveyed, he leaned down to his brother Kelpie. "Clear." He hissed down.

The pair raced from the hiding place towards the house. As they did, Kelsi leapt out of the bush and tackled her siblings. "Got you!"

As the triplets rolled across the sand dunes, Pixl spotted his mother with their father and the caravans. . They were heading out. Pixl raced for the fence. As his siblings tussled on the ground, Pixl watched as his parents stood up from the llamas' packs, slid on, and rode off into the midday sun.

He frowned and gazed after his disappearing parents. As his heart lay heavily in his chest, he trooped back to his brother and sister.

It was true, at long last. He had waited for many years, knowing that they would eventually drop him and his triplet siblings off in a random village.

He was an orphan.

----

Pixl followed his sister inside the house. "Kelsie, are you sure we can trust them?" He said nervously.

"Lighten up, Pixl." Kelpie, his brother, smacked his shoulder. Pixl glared at him.

"Kelpie's right, Pix." Kelsie said. "No one's going to abandon us like mom and dad did. Besides, they're a nice couple." She gazed at him pleadingly. "Give them a chance?"

Pixl glared at his sister. "No! Just because you trust everyone doesn't mean I have to." Tears pooled in his eyes. "They left me, and in doing that, they broke me." He spun around. "I'm going for a walk."

He stormed away. As his sibling's called out to him, he sped up, his feet pounding on the sandstone paths. Once he reached the edge of town, he broke into tears.

Sitting atop a sand dune, letting out his tears, he felt the sand shift as someone sat beside him. "Hey. Who are you?"

He kept his head down, facing away from the newcomer, his shoulders shaking. "I'm Pixl. Pixl Riffs." He sniffed.

"I'm Halo." Said the newcomer.

"Nice to meet you." Pixl wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, snuffling again.

The boy, Halo, put his hand on Pixl's shoulder. "You aren't a native Alexidrite, are you?" He said curiously. Pixl shook his head.

"Well, allow me to show you around." Halo said, grabbing his arm and leading him down the street. "I'll show you why Alexidra is the best city in the whole Seerdune Desert. And you're a traveller's child; you've seen more than me!"

----

As the pair finally reached Pixl's siblings, they had bonded very much. "PIXL!" Screamed Kelsie when she spotted them. "Who is THAT?" She demanded.

"Kelpie, Kelsie, this is Halo. Halo, these are my twin siblings, Kelpie and Kelsie." Pixl said.

"Nice to meet you. Why are you at Skeppy's house?" Asked Halo.

"Who?" They all asked.

Halo laughed nervously. "Skeppy. He's my best friend."

"We were going to move in with them." Kelsie informed him.

Halo turned red. "Um, he won't like that." He whispered. "Skeppy is kind of territorial, and he doesn't enjoy people encroaching on his space." He sighed. "I suppose that's why I can never get close to him right now."

Pixl patted Halo's shoulder. "How about we go talk to him?"

----

Pixl leapt over the pile of copper, racing Halo and Skeppy along the riverbank. "Can't catch me!" He yelled, his heart pounding. Halo made a grab for him, laughing.

"Oh yes we can!" Yelled Skeppy, lunging. As he did so, he tripped over his feet and flailed his arms out, grabbing onto Halo and dragging him down. The pair collapsed on the sand in a heap, giggling.

Pixl raced back to them, and when he saw them, his hand flew to his mouth to smother a laugh. Halo and Skeppy were lying in the sand, and they were curled against each other. Pixl smiled slightly behind his hand.

As Halo and Skeppy, both their faces flushed like red flowers, stood up, Pixl suddenly paused. There was a loud alarm ringing. "What is that?" He asked.

Halo looked worried and Skeppy put a hand on his. "That means that the Traitors are here."

"Traders?" My parents?" Queried Pix.

"No, not traders, Traitors." Halo said. "The Traitors are known worldwide by their other name: Pillagers. They're made up of a band of former villagers gone rogue and criminals. They're really dangerous."

Pixl hurried back. "Let's go!" He cried. "We have to help."

Halo was hesitant, by Skeppy dragged him along. "We can do this!"

----

Pixl, Skeppy, Halo and his siblings raced out of the armory. They had bumped into Kelsie and Kelpie on their way over. Each of them were now geared up with armor, had bows and full quivers, and an assortment of different weapons. As Pixl ran out, he paused. He was stood on a balcony near the border of the grounds, his eyes souring the dunes. 'Nothing, nothing, still nothing.... THERE!' He raised his bow up, aiming at the mob of Pillagers. The one with the banner was the one his eyes were trained on. As he drew the bowstring back, he felt the fletching brush his cheek. When it did, he let go instantly, reloading and crouching behind a large plant pot. A loud yell came from the group.

"Pillagers! ATTACK!" Yelled a Pillager. There was a great war cry and they surged forward. Pixl gave a quiet scream and dashed downstairs. He twirled around. "Everyone, pair up!" He raced out, his bow drawn. He leapt into a stairwell and ended up on a villager's roof. He spotted the guardian, the town Iron Golem(Skeppy's dad), heading towards the Pillagers.

He trained his bow on one, firing three arrows in quick succession. Two found their mark, one smacking into a banner. As he reached to draw another few arrows, he spotted something out of the corner of his eye. He spun, grabbed the incoming arrow out of the air, flipping it, and firring it back the way it came. A loud cry and thud satisfied him. As the battle continued, a loud scream filled the air.

Skeppy.

He ran forward, lunging at the head Pillager, waving his sword. "GET OUT OF HERE AND LEAVE," He swung, "ME," and slashed, "ALONE!" He brought the sword down hard. Pixl raced over to Skeppy as the lead Pillager fell. Skeppy had blood, tears, and sweat running down his face. He was shaking.

As the others came over, the Pillagers moving off and away, Skeppy collapsed into the sand, his weapons falling from his hands. Halo screamed and crouched down, picking Skeppy up, holding him. "Is he-?"

"He'll be fine." Pixl said. "He's just tired."

----

Pixl stood across the room from Skeppy and Halo. Kelsie and Kelpie were outside helping rebuild some of the destroyed houses. As he watched, Halo put his arms around Skeppy, who was crying. "Skeppy, it's okay." He said.

"He's gone, and I don't want to lead the town!"

"I can do it." Pixl said. The pair turned to look at him. "I mean, I'd have to learn some stuff, but I'd like to."

Skeppy smiled through his tears. "Thank you Pixl."

----

Seven years later....

Pixl passed through his house, waving to his council members(His siblings and Halo and Skeppy). As he wandered past the vigil, he spotted a caravan arriving in town. He frowned when he saw the insignia on the side. He raised his communicator. "Kel, Kelp, come to the caravan that just arrived."

"Why?" Asked Kelpie.

"It's mom and dad."

----

The trader finished his story.

"What happened next?" Asked the girl, Dahlia curiously.

"That's a story for another day." The trader said. "Now, what's the lesson here?"

"That you can never trust your closest?"

"No."

"Then what?"

"That your life can change in the blink of an eye." 

————

Sorry about the lack of updates everyone! I've been busy with school, writing, report cards and a new roleplay! It's by A_Fanfic_Queen, so go check it out! I have her permission to write it from my character's perspective and it will be going up sometime later this week! 

Again, sorry about the lack of updates, I'm trying to finish the final chapter soon so that I can update a bit more. Have a good week!