As they trudged through the endless dunes, the group's silence grew thicker, like the darkness that surrounded them. Kensu's thoughts drifted back to Zhra'gha, wondering why she had risked her life to save them, and what lay behind her enigmatic words.
Eva's voice cut through the silence, her tone laced with skepticism. "Do you really think we can trust her, Kensu? She just abandoned us."
Kensu hesitated, unsure of how to respond. He had felt a connection with Zhra'gha, but could he truly trust her? "I don't know," he admitted finally. "But we don't have many options. We need to keep moving."
Kaid nodded in agreement. "We can't stay here and wait for...it to find us. We need to find shelter and regroup."
As they walked, the sand beneath their feet began to shift, the dunes growing steeper and more treacherous. Evan stumbled, her foot sinking into the sand, and Kensu rushed to help her.
The group pressed on, their footsteps echoing through the darkness. The stars above seemed to twinkle like ice chips, cold and unforgiving. Kensu's heart pounded in his chest, his senses on high alert, as he wondered what lay ahead.
Suddenly, Arin stopped, his head cocked to one side. "Do you hear that?" he whispered.
The group froze, their ears straining to pick up the sound. At first, there was nothing, just the wind rustling through the sand. But then, a low rumble began to build, growing louder with each passing moment.
Kensu's heart sank, his eyes locked on the horizon. "It's coming," he whispered.
The group exchanged fearful glances, their faces pale in the moonlight. They knew they had to move, and fast, if they wanted to survive.
As the sky darkened, Kensu's eyes lingered on Eva, concern etched on his face. Her usual determination was faltering, her eyes sunken from exhaustion.
Kaid's silent support was evident, as he discreetly channeled spiritual energy into Eva, bolstering her dwindling strength.
Niamh's shout cut through the tension, her voice carrying across the desert sands. "Guys, look ahead!"
The group's bickering ceased, their attention drawn to the horizon. As they followed Niamh's gaze, their eyes widened in unison.
Before them, rising from the desert floor like a giant sentinel, stood a monolith – a towering, ancient standing stone.
The monolith stood majestically, its towering presence commanding attention. The stone itself was a deep, burnished red, like the color of the desert sand at sunset.
As the group drew closer, they could see that the monolith was covered in intricate carvings, depicting strange symbols and glyphs that seemed to dance across its surface.
A dark presence crept into Kensu's mind, its malevolent voice whispering cruel intentions. The raspy tone sent shivers down his spine as his thoughts began to unravel.
Eva's voice pierced the darkness. "Kensu, what's wrong?"
Kensu's gaze drifted, his eyes unfocused. "I... I don't know," he stammered, fear trembling in his voice.
Eva's grip on his arm tightened. "What's happening to you?" she pressed, concern etched on her face.
Kensu shook his head. He couldn't put his finger on it, but the voice sounded familiar. He tried his best to quiet it, but it lingered, echoing in the depths of his mind.
As the group began to turn back, Arin leaned in close to Kensu's ear. "We're leaving," he whispered, his voice low and urgent.
Kensu nodded, still distracted by the monoliths. "Fine," he muttered.
Arin's expression changed, a smug glint appearing in his eye. "Let me carry the bag for you," he said, his voice dripping with false concern.
Kensu handed over the bag without a second thought, but as he turned to look behind him, he caught sight of Arin's smug expression.
The rest of the group wore grim faces, their eyes fixed on the horizon as they fled from the storm.
Except for Niamh. Her face was impassive, her eyes fixed on some point ahead, her expression unreadable.
Kensu's gaze lingered on her for a moment, wondering what she was thinking, but she didn't meet his eye.
"For the safety of the group, we're leaving you behind," Kaid said, his voice firm and detached.
Kensu's eyes widened in shock as he scanned the faces of the group.He saw Eva's gaze drop, her eyes fixed on the ground. Her expression was one of guilt and regret, and Kensu's heart sank. He had thought she, at least, would stand up for him as she was also the only one who was a non-combatant hunter .
Kensu's eyes widened in shock as he scanned the faces of his companions. He saw Eva's gaze drop, her eyes fixed on the ground. Her expression was one of guilt and regret, and Kensu's heart sank. He had thought she, at least, would stand up for him.
Niamh's face remained impassive, her eyes fixed on some point beyond Kensu's shoulder. Arin's smug grin seemed to grow wider, and Kaid's expression remained cold and unyielding.
The realization hit Kensu like a blow: he was truly alone. His friends, the people he had trusted with his life, were abandoning him to the mercy of the Korvus storm.
As Kaid turned to leave, Kensu's voice stopped him. "Kaid, wait!" he called out, but Kaid didn't turn back.
Arin's eyes glinted with malice as he turned to Kensu. "You're on your own now, Kensu," he sneered, before turning to follow the others.
Kensu watched in stunned silence as his friends disappeared into the darkness, leaving him to face the storm alone. The wind howled around him, the sand stinging his eyes, and Kensu knew he had to move.
With a heavy heart, he turned to face the monolith, the only landmark in sight. He stumbled towards it, the storm raging around him, and collapsed against its base, exhausted and alone.
As the storm raged on, Kensu's thoughts turned to Zhra'gha, and the mysterious bond they shared. He wondered if she had known this would happen, if she had planned for him to be left behind.
The questions swirled in his mind, but Kensu knew he had to focus on survival. He huddled against the monolith, waiting for the storm to pass, and wondering what lay ahead
Niamh's face remained impassive, her eyes fixed on some point beyond Kensu's shoulder. Arin's smug grin seemed to grow wider, and Kaid's expression remained cold and unyielding.
The realization hit Kensu like a blow: he was truly alone. His friends, the people he had trusted with his life, were abandoning him to the mercy of the Korvus storm.
As Kaid turned to leave, Kensu's voice stopped him. "Kaid, wait!" he called out, but Kaid didn't turn back.
Arin's eyes glinted with malice as he turned to Kensu. "You're on your own now, Kensu," he sneered, before turning to follow the others.
Kensu watched in stunned silence as his friends disappeared into the darkness, leaving him to face the storm alone. The wind howled around him, the sand stinging his eyes, and Kensu knew he had to move.
With a heavy heart, he turned to face the monolith, the only landmark in sight. He stumbled towards it, the storm raging around him, and collapsed against its base, exhausted and alone.
As the storm raged on, Kensu's thoughts turned to Zhra'gha, and the mysterious bond they shared. He wondered if she had known this would happen, if she had planned for him to be left behind.
The questions swirled in his mind, but Kensu knew he had to focus on survival. He huddled against the monolith, waiting for the storm to pass, and wondering what lay ahead.
As Kensu sat at the base of the monolith, he gazed out into the distance, his eyes fixed on the approaching Korvus sandstorm. Even from afar, the storm's fury was awe-inspiring, its towering clouds of sand and dust stretching high into the air like a churning, malevolent entity.
As he watched, a sense of dread began to creep over Kensu, seeping into his bones like a cold, dark mist. He rubbed his head, feeling a growing sense of unease, as if something was stirring within him.
And then, the insidious whispers returned, their presence bursting forth in his mind like a dam breaking. The voices were louder, more urgent, and more persuasive than before, tempting Kensu with promises of power and destruction.
Kensu tried to push the voices away, to silence them with sheer willpower, but they would not be denied. They grew louder, more insistent, until the pain was blinding, threatening to consume him whole.
In desperation, Kensu banged his head against the monolith, the impact sending shockwaves through his skull. But even the physical pain could not drown out the whispers, which continued to echo through his mind, tempting and corrupting him.
As the whispers finally began to recede, Kensu slumped against the monolith, exhausted and shaken. He gingerly touched his forehead, wincing as his fingers made contact with the tender skin. Blood trickled down his face, and he carefully cleaned it away with his sleeve.
But as he looked down at the monolith, he noticed something strange. The blood from his forehead seemed to be seeping into the stone, as if it were being absorbed. Kensu's eyes widened in amazement as he watched the blood disappear into the monolith's surface.
A shiver ran down his spine as he realized that the monolith was not just a simple stone structure. It was something more, something alive. And it was drawing energy from him, energy in the form of his own blood.
Kensu's mind reeled with the implications. What was this monolith, really? And what did it want from him? He felt a sense of trepidation as he gazed up at the monolith, wondering what other secrets it held.
Kensu hesitated for a moment, his eyes fixed on the monolith's surface. He had felt something strange when he touched it before, a faint sensation of space undulations. Despite his reservations, he reached out to touch the monolith again.
As soon as his skin made contact with the stone, the sensation returned, stronger this time. Kensu felt a shiver run down his spine as he realized that the monolith was not just a simple stone structure. It was a gateway, a portal to somewhere else.
"Is this what Zhra'gha meant?" Kensu whispered to himself, a sense of wonder and trepidation building in his chest.
Without thinking, Kensu pulled out his dagger and cut his hand, wincing as the blade bit deep. He pressed his bleeding hand against the monolith's black surface.
The burning sensation that had been building in his hand began to cool, replaced by a strange, tingling feeling. Kensu's eyes widened in amazement as his hand began to pass through the monolith's surface.
It was as if the stone was liquid, or perhaps it was Kensu's hand that was becoming insubstantial. Whatever the explanation, Kensu felt a sense of wonder and trepidation as he realized that he was being drawn into the monolith.