The morning sun over Muriad City blazed mercilessly, its light bouncing off the sandstone walls and gilded rooftops. The city, bustling with caravans and markets, was their last stop before crossing the vast desert that separated them from Raksar Town, a settlement on the edge of Zephyrelle's troubled domain.
In the outer stables of the city, five hulking beasts awaited them. Zurukhuwa—creatures with the thick hides of desert lizards, towering on four muscular legs, each strong enough to carry one rider across dunes where horses would collapse. Their scales shimmered in hues of bronze and emerald, their forked tongues flicking out as they hissed in the heat.
Lior patted the neck of his Zurukhuwa, whispering softly, "You'll have to bear with me, big one. Let's hope you're swifter than you look."
Kael laughed, swinging onto his beast with reckless enthusiasm. "Finally! Something new to ride. Michi, if I beat you to Raksar, you owe me a drink."
Junia rolled her eyes, tugging her hood tighter to shield from the sun. "Kael, this isn't a race. The desert is not merciful."
Tieu, already seated gracefully atop her Zurukhuwa, gave Kael a faint smile. "She's right. A single mistake out there can bury us beneath the sands. Stay sharp."
Michi mounted last, his eyes fixed on the horizon. The desert stretched endlessly, waves of golden dunes shimmering under the heat haze. "Let's move. The sooner we cross, the less chance we'll give the desert to swallow us."
The journey began.
The Zurukhuwas trudged steadily, claws digging into the sand with practiced ease. The heat, however, was relentless. Hours passed, the sun unyielding, as their cloaks grew damp with sweat and their lips cracked from thirst.
Kael groaned loudly, slumping forward. "By the Reverents, even the air wants to kill us."
"Save your strength," Junia snapped, though her voice carried the same exhaustion. "Complaining doesn't make the sun less cruel."
Lior shaded his eyes with one hand, his tone grim. "We underestimated this. Muriad's markets made it look so simple. Out here, it's nothing but emptiness."
Tieu's gaze swept across the dunes. "And emptiness can hide dangers. Keep your guard up."
Michi, silent until now, wiped the sweat from his brow. "The desert tests resolve. If we falter here, how can we face Zephyrelle's chaos?"
Their Zurukhuwas hissed, claws scraping against hidden rocks beneath the sand. Every gust of wind felt like fire, carrying sharp grains that stung their eyes and skin. Still, they pressed forward, step by step, each breath heavier than the last.
By late afternoon, the silence shattered.
Figures emerged from behind the dunes—bandits cloaked in ragged scarves, their Zurukhuwa mounts smaller but quicker, sand-dusted blades gleaming in the light. A harsh cry split the air, and suddenly the desert roared with war.
"They've been waiting for us," Lior muttered, drawing his twin daggers.
Kael grinned despite the heat, drawing his claymore. "Finally, something to take my mind off this damn sun!"
Michi unsheathed his own weapon, the steel flashing. "Defend, but don't lose formation. If they scatter us, we're done."
The bandits charged.
Junia raised her hands swiftly, a surge of flame igniting from her arrow. With a sweeping motion, she hurled a line of fire into the sand, forcing three of the bandits' beasts to rear back. "Stay back, scavengers!"
One lunged at her regardless, blade raised. Before it struck, Tieu intercepted, her crescent magic whistling through the air. She parried the strike with elegance, her eyes cold. "You'll regret crossing us." With a magic spell, she slashed across the rider's chest, toppling him into the sand.
Kael, meanwhile, was in his element. Laughing madly, he swung his massive claymore with raw power. "Come on, desert rats! Let me show you how a real fighter does it!" His blade crashed into two riders at once, splitting their weapons apart and hurling them from their mounts.
Lior ducked low, his daggers flashing like streaks of light. He slid from his Zurukhuwa to the sand, moving with predator-like agility. He stabbed into the legs of a bandit's beast, sending it crashing down, then struck the rider in the gut with ruthless precision. "Too slow," he spat, his voice edged with venom.
Michi faced the leader. A bandit with a scarred face and dual scimitars swung with wild fury. Steel clashed against steel as Michi blocked the blows, his claymore vibrating in his grip. Sweat trickled down his face, but his eyes burned with determination. "You won't stop us."
The leader snarled, "This desert belongs to us—your bones will feed it!"
Michi pushed back, their blades sparking. Then, with a swift twist, he disarmed the bandit, the scimitar flying into the sand. Michi drove the hilt of his weapon into the man's chest, knocking him breathless to the ground. "No," Michi said coldly. "We walk where we must."
The remaining bandits, seeing their leader defeated and comrades scattered, fled into the dunes, their cries fading with the wind.
The desert fell silent again, save for the labored breaths of the companions and the hissing of their Zurukhuwas.
Junia lowered her hands, flames dissipating. "They'll be back. Bandits never stop until they bleed out the desert itself."
Kael leaned on his claymore, grinning through exhaustion. "Well, if they want more, I'll be waiting."
Tieu wiped her blade clean on the sand. "Arrogance makes you sloppy, Kael. We survived because we fought together."
Lior climbed back onto his beast, silent for a moment. Finally, he muttered, "These sands hide more than bandits. Something in this land festers. We should move quickly."
Michi scanned the horizon, his eyes narrowing. The dunes seemed endless, but far away, a faint shimmer marked the outline of structures—Raksar Town. He straightened, voice steady. "There. Our destination. The desert won't break us."
The others followed his gaze, renewed strength pushing them forward. Though the sands burned and the shadows threatened, their bond held. Together, they spurred their Zurukhuwas onward, riding toward Raksar and the trials that awaited.