The looked at her with an uneasy glance, their faces pale in the flickering firelight. Kensu's mind reeled with the implications. "Korvus, as in the sandstorm?" he asked, his voice shaking.
Zhra'gha's gaze locked onto his, her eyes burning with intensity. "Yes," she whispered. "It has coming cause some unknown variable has altered fate." Kensu didn't believe in the concept of fate but he couldn't help but wonder what changed it or who.
She took a deep breath, her voice firm. "I'll distract it. You and your group need to run, now. It's marked you, and it won't stop until it's killed you all."
Without hesitation, Zhra'gha turned to sprint into the darkness. But Kensu's hand shot out, grabbing her arm. "Wait," he said, his voice filled with confusion. "Why are you doing this? You just met us. Why would you risk your life for us?"
Zhra'gha's expression faltered, and for a moment, Kensu saw a glimmer of something else in her eyes. Something that looked almost like... sadness.
Zhra'gha's expression remained stoic, but her eyes seemed to hold a hint of something deeper. "It's not for your survival, but it's what my 'Kismet Shard ordained'," she said, her voice firm.
Kensu's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with questions. What was a Kismet Shard? Was it some kind of magical artifact or a divine mandate? But before he could ask, a pang of sadness struck his heart. If Zhra'gha's actions were dictated by her Kismet Shard, did that mean their time together was forced? Was their connection nothing more than a predetermined fate?
Zhra'gha called out to Snuffles, and the massive creature responded swiftly. She climbed onto its back, and as she settled in, she tossed a beaded bracelet with strange markings at Kensu. "Use that when you're up against an enemy you absolutely cannot win against," she said, her voice serious. "It only has three uses left."
Kensu caught the bracelet, feeling a surge of gratitude mixed with trepidation. Three uses might not be enough in this unforgiving land. Zhra'gha's expression softened, and for a moment, Kensu saw a glimmer of warmth in her eyes. "I enjoyed the little time we had together and don't worry it not my first time distracting it," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kensu's heart skipped a beat as he felt a pang of longing. He wanted to say something, to ask her to stay, but the words caught in his throat. Zhra'gha's gaze locked onto his, and for a moment, they just stared at each other.
Then, she turned to face the darkness, her voice firm. "Go west with your companions. You'll find another ruined structure."
"Isn't it impossible to hide from...it?" Kensu asked, his voice laced with concern. "Is there something special about that place?"
Zhra'gha's expression turned enigmatic. "I don't know, but all I know is that it's the only path that doesn't lead to certain death. What lies ahead, only you will know once you start moving."
With that, Snuffles let out a deafening roar and charged into the darkness, Zhra'gha's figure disappearing into the night. Kensu stood there, frozen, the beaded bracelet clutched in his hand, as he wondered what lay ahead.
As the reality of the situation set in, Kensu turned to his companions, who were watching him with a mix of concern and anger. "She said we should go west," Kensu said, trying to sound calm.
Eva's eyes blazed with fury. "You're just going to take orders from her? After she abandoned us?"
Kensu held up his hands, trying to placate her. "I know it's not ideal, but we don't have many options. We can try to find another way, but Zhra'gha seemed certain that this was our only chance."
Kaid spoke up, his voice practical. "Let's head west. We can't stay here and wait for...it to find us."
Arin's eyes widened in incredulity. "You're not serious, are you? We're just going to follow some cryptic instructions from someone who just left us to die?"
Kaid shrugged. "Do you have a better idea?"
Arin scowled, clearly unhappy with the situation. "No, I don't have a better idea," he admitted gruffly. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it."
Eva's expression was equally grim. "We're putting our lives in the hands of a stranger who just abandoned us," she said. "What if this is some kind of trap?"
Kensu sighed, feeling the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. "I know it's a risk," he said. "But what choice do we have? We can't stay here and wait for...it to find us. We have to keep moving and try to find a way out of this place."
Niamh spoke up, her voice soft but determined. "I think we should trust Zhra'gha," she said. "She seemed to know what she was talking about."
As Niamh glanced at Kensu, her eyes landed on his wrist. "Where did you get that bracelet?" she asked, her brow furrowed in curiosity.
Kensu hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "Zhra'gha gave it to me," he said finally, trying to sound casual.
Eva's eyes narrowed. "What's going on, Kensu? What did Zhra'gha say to you?"
Kensu shrugged, trying to downplay the situation. "Nothing, it's just a trinket. Let's focus on getting out of here."
Kaid nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we can talk about it later. Let's keep moving."
The group fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Kensu nodded. "Alright, let's do it. We'll head west and see where it takes us."
As they left the campsite behind, the darkness seemed to swallow them whole. Kensu glanced around as he adjusted his bag, his senses on high alert, and wondered what dangers lay hidden in the shadows. He felt a faint tug on his wrist, a reminder of the bracelet given to him by his friend, he didn't know its grade but he knew it was quite powerful just by touching it.