Austin exhaled sharply, looking shaken. “That was insane.”
Austin wiped sweat from his brow. “I hate this place.”
Isaiah ran a hand through his damp hair. “The desert is trying to draws us away from what’s at hand.We need to move fast.”
“Isaiah’s right we need to keep moving,” I said, glancing toward where the tomb should be. The sooner we get out of here the better.
The sun is relentless, burning my skin, searing my throat. Every breath feels like I’m inhaling fire. My legs are heavy, my feet sinking into the scorching sand with every agonizing step. I don’t know how long I’ve been walking–hours, maybe days. My lips are cracked, my tongue swollen from thirst.
Then, I see it.
At first, I think it’s another cruel mirage, just like the ones before. But this time, it doesn’t fade. And I want the only one that saw it.
“Water!“, Alex yelled.
A cluster of palm trees, their leaves swaying lazily. A pool of water, glistening under the sun like liquid silver. My heart lurches, hope flaring so fiercely it almost hurts.
“Hell yeah!“, Austin yelled. We had drunk most of our water and only had a few bottles left.
We all moved forward, Alex even broke into a splurging jog.
Suddenly Austin suddenly cursed.
“What now?” Isaiah asked.
screamed at me to stop,
Austin pointed to the ground. “The sand looks… different.”
1 followed his gaze. The texture of the sand ahead was looser, almost like rippling water. My
“Alex, wait-” but before I could warn him, Alex stepped forward.
The moment his foot touched the sand, it collapsed beneath him.
“Alex” I lunged forward, grabbing his arm just as he sank up to his waist.
Paruc flashed across his face as he thrashed. “Get me out of here,It’s pulling me under!”
Isaiah and Austin rushed forward, gripping his other arm, but the more he struggled, the faster he sank.
“Stop moving?” Isaiah ordered. “You’re making it worse!”
Alex forced himself to go still, his chest rising and falling in quick, shallow breaths.
“We need something to pull him out,” Elijah said, scanning the area
Austin eyes lit up with an idea. “I got this.”
13:28 Mon, Apr 28
Chapter 199
“Here!” He tossed it to Alex. “Hold on tight.”
Alex grabbed the staff, and together, we heaved. Inch by inch, we pulled him free, muscles straining with effort.
Finally, with one last pull, Alex tumbled onto solid ground, panting.
He rolled onto his back, staring at the sky. “I too hate this place.”
7
53%
After what felt like hours, we finally reached the tomb. It was an ancient structure, partially buried beneath the sand, its entrance framed by massive stone pillars.
The second shard was inside.
We approached cautiously. The air here was different–thick with an unnatural stillness. As we stepped inside, darkness swallowed us, the temperature dropping sharply, the flickering torchlight casting long shadows.
The moment we crossed the threshold, something moved.
Shadows detached from the walls, taking shape–tall figures with glowing red eyes. They moved like smoke, drifting toward us with eerie silence.
Elijah tensed. “Guarding spirits.”
Austin groaned. “Of course there are.”
The creatures lunged.
Isaiah reacted first, summoning a wave of darkness to counter them, but the spirits absorbed his magic, growing stronger.
“They’re feeding off my shadows!” Isaiah shouted.
“I’ve got this,” Alex yelled and sent streams of lunar flames incernarating several of them, they let out sheiks and dissolved into mist. But others dodged, circling around.
The rest of us fought side by side, dodging attacks.
Then I saw it–the shard. It rested on an altar at the back of the tomb, glowing softly.
“We need to get to it!” I called out.
Alex pushed forward, covering me as I sprinted toward the altar. The creatures pillar, landed in front of the glowing crystal, and grabbed it.
swarmed,
I
The moment my fingers closed around it, the spirits let out an unearthly wail and
vanished.
The tomb trembled.
“Oh, come on,” Alex groaned.
A door slid open behind the altar. A way out.
This way! I shouted.
We ran just as the tomb collapsed behind us.
was faster. I leaped over a broken
13:29 Mon, Apr 28
Chapter 199
Panting, I clutched the second shard.
Two down.
Two to go.
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