Just as all seemed lost, Kensu's eyes widened as he spotted a silver ball whistling through the air. It flew above their direction, emitting a supersonic screech that sent shockwaves through the air.
The Sand Wraith and its minions recoiled in agony, covering their ears as the screech caused them immense pain. The group took advantage of the distraction, stumbling backward as they tried to escape the chaos.
"What is that thing?" Eva shouted, her hands clamped over her ears.
"I don't know, but it's saving our lives!" Kensu yelled back, his eyes fixed on the silver ball.
As the screech continued to echo through the desert, the Sand Wraith and its minions turned tail and fled, disappearing into the sand. The group collapsed to the ground, exhausted and disoriented.
As the silence returned, Kensu struggled to his feet, his eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of the silver ball. But it was nowhere to be seen.
"What just happened?" Arin asked, his voice shaking.
Kensu shook his head. "I don't know, but I think we just got bailed out by... something."
As the group caught their breath, they couldn't help but wonder what the silver ball was and where it came from. Kensu's eyes scanned the horizon, hoping to catch another glimpse of the where the mysterious object came which abruptly crumbled.
"Whatever it was, it saved our lives," Eva said, her voice filled with gratitude.
"But who's the one that threw that?" Kaid asked, his brow furrowed in concern. "What ?"
Kensu's eyes narrowed. As he noticed the powerful runic sorcery on its surface before it dissipated and an owl figure on it: The Symbol of the Hiroma Tribe
Kaid nodded. "It's possible. We need to be careful. But this can benefit our mission, it could be a game-changer as the were masters of this desert mabye the could as them to be their guide while looking for ruins"
As the group continued to discuss the implications of the silver ball, Niamh suddenly stood up, her eyes fixed on something in the distance.
Niamh's voice was barely above a whisper. "I think I see something. A figure, walking towards us."
The group turned to look, their hearts racing with anticipation. What was the person's intention approaching them they asked themselves ?
As they watched, the figure grew closer, her features becoming clearer. It was a woman, dressed in a long, flowing cloak that billowed behind her like a dark cloud. Her face was obscured by a hood, making it impossible to read her expression.
"Who is that?" Eva whispered, her hand on the hilt of her dagger.
Kensu shook his head. "Someone from the Hiroma Tribe don't worry about the rumors they are usually not hostile to outsiders."
The woman approached them with a slow, deliberate pace, her eyes fixed on the group. As she drew closer, Kensu could sense a strange energy emanating from her, like the hum of a live wire.
"Be careful," Kaid warned, his eyes narrowing. "We don't know what she's capable of."
The woman stopped in front of them, her hood falling away to reveal a face that was both beautiful and terrifying. Her eyes gleamed with an otherworldly intensity, and her skin seemed to shimmer with a subtle, ethereal light.
But what struck Kensu as odd was that she didn't say a word. She simply regarded them with an unreadable expression, her eyes darting from one person to another.
Kensu tried to speak to her, but didn't . As for some reason she was looking at Kensu with a strange expression.
"Is she... mute?" Eva asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Arin nodded. "It seems that way."
The group exchanged uneasy glances. What did this mysterious woman want from them? And how could they communicateyy with her if she couldn't speak?
Since she save them it was clear. That she did not have hostile intentions to them so he was willing to ask a request from her
Kensu hesitated, feeling uneasy about asking a stranger for a favor. But their situation was dire, and they needed guidance to survive the treacherous desert as the were only in the outer regions of the desert and having trouble with what's considered the low level beast of the land.
And since he was the only one probably who could communicate with her he decided to be the spokesperson.
"Listen," Kensu said, choosing his words carefully. "We're grateful for your help back there. But we're not familiar with this desert, and we could use a guide." Using a strange order of chirping noises confusing the hunters.
The woman's expression remained neutral, but Kensu sensed a flicker of interest.
"We're willing to compensate you for your time," Kensu added, hoping to appeal to her practical side.
The woman nodded, a small, enigmatic smile playing on her lips. She gestured for them to follow her, and turned to lead the way into the desert.
Kensu exchanged a relieved glance with the others, and they fell into step behind their mysterious guide.
As they walked, Kensu couldn't shake the feeling that they were taking a risk by trusting this stranger. But they had no other choice – they needed her expertise to survive.
Kensu's eyes lit up. "I think she's saying she knows where some ruins are," he said, turning to the others.
Eva's eyes narrowed. "How far are they nearest ruins apart from these here?"
The woman responded with a series of low chirps, her hands weaving a complex pattern in the air.
Kensu concentrated, trying to decipher her message. After a moment, he nodded.
"I think she's saying they're a few days' journey from here," he said. "But she's willing to take us there."
The woman nodded, a small smile playing on her lips.
She let out a soft whistle,and, the sand beneath their feet began to tremble. Suddenly, a massive, mole-like creature burst forth from the ground, its demonic eyes glowing red in the sunlight.
The group froze in terror, their hearts racing with fear. But their mysterious guide didn't flinch. Instead, she calmly approached the creature, her hands extended in a soothing gesture.
To their amazement, the creature nuzzled her gently, its eyes softening. The woman climbed onto its back, gesturing for the group to follow.
Kensu hesitated, unsure if he should trust this demonic beast. But the woman's calm demeanor reassured him, and he cautiously climbed onto the creature's back. She says something and Kensu translates, she says he won't bite and it's name is Snuffles.
Eva, Arin, Kaid, and Niamh followed, their faces pale with fear except for Kaid. But as they settled onto the creature's back, they felt a strange sense of calm wash over them.
The woman let out a soft whistle, and the creature began to move, its massive body gliding effortlessly across the sand.
Kensu leaned forward, his voice barely above a whisper. "What's your name?" he asked the woman.
The woman turned to him, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. She let out a series of soft clicks and chirps, her tongue darting in and out of her mouth.
Kensu's eyes widened as he tried to decipher her response. After a moment, he nodded.
"Zhra?" he repeated, trying to pronounce it.
The woman smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. She nodded, and Kensu felt a sense of wonder at the strange, musical sound of her name.
Arin's frustration boiled over, his face reddening clearly not enjoying Kensu being in the spotlight . "This is ridiculous," he exclaimed. "We can't even communicate with her." Feeling the emotion in his words
Zhra' expression turned cold, her eyes flashing with annoyance. She let out a series of sharp clicks, her tone biting.
Kensu translated, his voice hesitant. "She says we should have just left you to the storm."
Arin's eyes widened, his face paling.
Kaid intervened, his voice calm. "Wait, Zhra'gha, the storm is on the other side of the desert, isn't it? The wind flow would—"
Zhra'gha raised a finger to her lips, her eyes glinting with a knowing light. She removed her finger, raised it to the air, and sniffed, as if checking for something.
Kensu's eyes narrowed. "What's she doing?"
Zhra'gha's expression turned grave. She let out a low, rumbling growl, her words unintelligible.
Kensu translated, his voice barely above a whisper. "She says the storm is close by. It messes with your senses, and people from the outside... die because of it."
The group exchanged uneasy glances, the air thickening with tension.
After several days of traversing the desert, the group finally arrived at the first set of ruins. Zhra'gha guided them through the crumbling structures, her eyes scanning the sand-covered stones.
The group dispersed, searching for any signs of artifacts or clues. But as the sun began to set, they reconvened, empty-handed.
Arin shrugged. "Nothing but sand and rocks."
Eva nodded. "Maybe the next site will yield something."
But Kensu lingered, his eyes wandering over the ancient stones. He knelt, running his hand over the intricate carvings.
"This is incredible," he whispered. "A remnant of a civilization that's been consumed by the desert sands."
Zhra'gha watched him, a small smile on her lips. She seemed to understand Kensu's fascination.
Here's the continuation:
As night fell, the group settled in, the hunters building a campfire that crackled and spat. The others gathered around, swapping stories and laughter.
But Kensu remained at the boundary of the camp, sitting cross-legged on the sand. Zhra'gha huddled next to him, her eyes gleaming in the firelight
As he was eating his portion of the rations, normally enlightened did not to eat regular cause the absorb spirit energy from environment but it was thin here plus the strange chaotic energy was affecting their bodies slowing down their rate of recovery
But he couldn't help but here someone stomach grumble as he was eating his food, he couldn't help but stare at the drooling figure in front of him, He asked,"Do you want some of my meat," to him it was just a simple piece of beef with seasoning but he figured such was scarce here or not here at all, without hesitation she accepted and started gobbling t
The piece as if someone will take it from her but an expression of bliss could be seen from each bite and after she was done she thanked Kensu and looked behind him and so his travel companions.
"Why are you not with the others?" she asked, her chirp barely above a whisper.
Kensu gazed into the darkness, his expression introspective. he said slowly. "Cause the consider me not apart of them cause I'm weak and truth be told in the enlightened world weakness is a sin and is what all mortals have to bear."
Zhra'gha's expression turned enigmatic, her eyes glinting in the firelight. "Of course, that's life for you," she said, her chirps dripping with a hint of disdain. "And I hate weak people."
Kensu felt a pang of pain from her words, but Zhra'gha continued, her tone softening. "My father used to tell me this when I was young: 'Weakness is not a sin, but deciding to remain weak is.'"
Her gaze locked onto Kensu's, her eyes burning with intensity. "Before I approached your group, I was monitoring you from afar. I was astonished to see a mortal man here, risking his life against monsters with a power gap that's almost insurmountable. And that, Kensu, is true strength and that's a virtue."
Zhra'gha's gaze seemed to bore into Kensu's very soul. "You have a fire within you, one that refuses to be extinguished. So, I ask you, Kensu: will you continue to let your weakness define you, or will you rise above it?"
Kensu felt his heart pounding in his chest, his mind reeling with the weight of Zhra'gha's words. No one had ever spoken to him like this before, with such blunt honesty and piercing insight.
For a moment, he simply stared at Zhra'gha, unsure of how to respond. But as he looked into her eyes, he felt a sense of resolve growing within him he felt something spark within him.
But at that moment Zhra felt something was terribly wrong a change that was not supposed to happen yet it occurred.
Zhra'gha's expression was grim, her eyes darting towards the stars. "Korvus," she whispered, her chirps urgent. "It's coming. I can feel it."i