The Lost City of the Desert

The sun was setting over the desert as Amir rode his camel towards the small oasis in the distance. He had been travelling for days, crossing the hot and dry expanse of sand with nothing but his camel and a few supplies. But now, he was close to his destination.

As he approached the oasis, Amir could see a few small tents and a group of people gathered around a fire. He slowed his camel down and called out to them.

"Assalamu alaikum," he said, using the traditional Arabic greeting.

The people looked up, surprised to see a stranger riding towards them. They replied with a hesitant "wa alaikum assalam."

Amir dismounted from his camel and approached the group. They were Bedouins, nomadic people who lived in the desert and survived by raising camels and trading goods. They eyed Amir warily, but he could tell that they were curious about him.

"I'm looking for someone," Amir said, trying to sound as friendly as possible. "His name is Ahmed. I was told he might be here."

The Bedouins exchanged glances, then one of them spoke up.

"Ahmed? Yes, he is here. He is our guest."

"May I speak with him?" Amir asked.

The Bedouins hesitated, but after a moment, one of them gestured towards a tent.

"He is in there. You may speak with him, but be careful. Ahmed is not like us. He is... different."

Amir nodded and approached the tent. He pushed aside the flap and stepped inside. It was dark, but he could make out a figure sitting in the corner.

"Ahmed?" he said softly.

The figure looked up, and Amir could see that it was indeed Ahmed. He was a thin, wiry man with a wild look in his eyes. He was wearing ragged clothes and had a long, scraggly beard.

"Who are you?" Ahmed asked, his voice raspy.

"My name is Amir. I was told that you might be able to help me."

"Help you? With what?"

"I need to find something. Something important. And I was told that you know the desert better than anyone."

Ahmed leaned forward, his eyes narrowing.

"What is it that you seek?"

"A lost city. A city that was hidden in the desert long ago. It is said to contain treasures beyond measure."

Ahmed chuckled, a bitter sound.

"Many have sought that city. None have found it."

"But I was told that you know the desert better than anyone. That you have a gift for finding things that are lost."

Ahmed studied Amir for a moment, then nodded.

"Very well. I will help you. But you must understand that the desert is a dangerous place. Many have died trying to find that city. Are you willing to risk everything for a chance at riches?"

Amir nodded without hesitation.

"I am."

Over the next few weeks, Amir and Ahmed travelled deep into the desert. They rode their camels through sandstorms and across blistering dunes, stopping only to rest and resupply. Amir grew to respect Ahmed, despite his rough exterior. He was a skilled navigator and knew the desert like the back of his hand.

One night, as they were camped out under the stars, Ahmed told Amir a story.

"There was once a man who sought the lost city. He travelled far and wide, but he could not find it. One day, he came across a group of Bedouins, just like these," Ahmed gestured towards their camels. "They told him that they knew the way to the city, but that they would not reveal it unless he gave them all of his riches."

"And did he?

The sun was setting over the desert as Amir rode his camel towards the small oasis in the distance. He had been travelling for days, crossing the hot and dry expanse of sand with nothing but his camel and a few supplies. But now, he was close to his destination.

As he approached the oasis, Amir could see a few small tents and a group of people gathered around a fire. He slowed his camel down and called out to them.

"Assalamu alaikum," he said, using the traditional Arabic greeting.

The people looked up, surprised to see a stranger riding towards them. They replied with a hesitant "wa alaikum assalam."

Amir dismounted from his camel and approached the group. They were Bedouins, nomadic people who lived in the desert and survived by raising camels and trading goods. They eyed Amir warily, but he could tell that they were curious about him.

"I'm looking for someone," Amir said, trying to sound as friendly as possible. "His name is Ahmed. I was told he might be here."

The Bedouins exchanged glances, then one of them spoke up.

"Ahmed? Yes, he is here. He is our guest."

"May I speak with him?" Amir asked.

The Bedouins hesitated, but after a moment, one of them gestured towards a tent.

"He is in there. You may speak with him, but be careful. Ahmed is not like us. He is... different."

Amir nodded and approached the tent. He pushed aside the flap and stepped inside. It was dark, but he could make out a figure sitting in the corner.

"Ahmed?" he said softly.

The figure looked up, and Amir could see that it was indeed Ahmed. He was a thin, wiry man with a wild look in his eyes. He was wearing ragged clothes and had a long, scraggly beard.

"Who are you?" Ahmed asked, his voice raspy.

"My name is Amir. I was told that you might be able to help me."

"Help you? With what?"

"I need to find something. Something important. And I was told that you know the desert better than anyone."

Ahmed leaned forward, his eyes narrowing.

"What is it that you seek?"

"A lost city. A city that was hidden in the desert long ago. It is said to contain treasures beyond measure."

Ahmed chuckled, a bitter sound.

"Many have sought that city. None have found it."

"But I was told that you know the desert better than anyone. That you have a gift for finding things that are lost."

Ahmed studied Amir for a moment, then nodded.

"Very well. I will help you. But you must understand that the desert is a dangerous place. Many have died trying to find that city. Are you willing to risk everything for a chance at riches?"

Amir nodded without hesitation.

"I am."

Over the next few weeks, Amir and Ahmed travelled deep into the desert. They rode their camels through sandstorms and across blistering dunes, stopping only to rest and resupply. Amir grew to respect Ahmed, despite his rough exterior. He was a skilled navigator and knew the desert like the back of his hand.

One night, as they were camped out under the stars, Ahmed told Amir a story.

"There was once a man who sought the lost city. He travelled far and wide, but he could not find it. One day, he came across a group of Bedouins, just like these," Ahmed gestured towards their camels. "They told him that they knew the way to the city, but that they would not reveal it unless he gave them all of his riches."

"And did he?