Jin trudged forward, every step a grind through the Martian sand. The red dust clung to his boots, and the dry wind bit at his face. Slumped on his back was Arden, barely conscious, his weight like a sack of bricks fused to Jin's spine.
Two days without water. The heat was unrelenting. Arden's breathing was shallow, his skin cracked and pale like parched earth.
Jin(gritting his teeth):
"Damn it... Ain't no way you're dying from thirst on me, man."
Arden didn't answer. His head lolled over Jin's shoulder, motionless.
Jin:
"You should just give up. Let the device teleport you back before you really kick it."
There was a long pause. Jin thought he was talking to a corpse.
Then…
Arden(barely a whisper):
"No."
Jin:
"What? Is this really that deep? Just let the system take you out, bro. It's not worth it."
Arden(croaking):
"It is that deep… and I'm not gonna give up."
Jin clicked his tongue, annoyed but impressed. He readjusted his grip.
Jin:
"Well, if I don't find you water soon, your device is gonna auto-teleport you out before you croak anyway."
Arden:
"Then find me water… goddammit."
Jin scanned the desert. Nothing but heatwaves and despair. But then—a shape.A dark silhouette on the horizon, half-buried in sand. Not natural.
Jin: (squinting)
"That looks... interesting."
Arden(groaning faintly):
"What looks interesting?"
Jin:
"Hold on. You'll see."
Without hesitation, Jin broke into a run. Every step jarred Arden's limp frame, but he didn't stop. The structure loomed closer—stone arches, ancient carvings, alien architecture. A ruined outpost, maybe even a temple.
Jin burst through the entryway, lungs burning.
But instead of water...
He saw people.
Armed. Alert. Hostile.
They rose from the shadows like wraiths, eyes cold, weapons raised.
One stepped forward—a tall figure with a scarf wrapped tight around their face, voice cutting like glass.
Stranger:
"You've got guts walking into our territory."
Jin's eyes darted to exits. Traps? No. Just corners and bodies.
He shifted Arden's weight, facing them squarely.
Jin:
"I don't want trouble. Just need water. For my friend."
The group didn't move. They exchanged glances. The kind of look that meant they weren't interested in kindness.
The air tensed. Even Arden's labored breathing felt like it echoed.
Stranger:
"Water doesn't come cheap around here."
Jin's stance changed—low, ready, calculating.
His mind was already running scenarios.
If they charge, I dodge left. If they draw, I bluff. If they attack…
He didn't have time to play diplomat.
Arden was dying.