The desert seemed to mock me with every step. The hot breeze stirred small whirlwinds of sand—just enough to get into my eyes, not enough to cool anything down. The sun beat so hard the ground seemed to crack, like old bones under too much weight.
And there, in the middle of that miserable heat, stood Varkis's little shop. Again.
Warped wood, rusted metal… and a smell of oxidized iron that always reminded me of poorly cared-for weapons.
Varkis was sitting the way he always did—lazy, far too comfortable for someone living in a dangerous desert. He didn't get up. His eyes merely narrowed when he saw us.
— I knew you'd come back — he said. No emotion, no surprise. — The guards warned me. And for the record, I don't like Ulzors. Or fighting. Fighting doesn't turn a profit. So I thought about imploding the cave.
I blinked.
— Imploding?
— Yeah. But it's too dangerous for me to do alone.
I—who always had opinions too quickly—smirked.
— Oud will go. He doesn't mind.
Oud stopped. Slowly. I'd even say dramatically.
— Why me?
— Because you're strong. And you've already proven it — I replied.
Oud ignored my justification and looked at Varkis, head tilted, expression neutral.
— Varkis… why are you fat?
Varkis didn't blink.
— Why are you strange?
I laughed. I shouldn't have, but I did.
We went around the back of the shop, entering a narrow alley of sand and stone. No one spoke, and the more silence there was, the more the desert seemed to listen.
— Why do we have to do this again? — Oud asked.
— The city's short on psychic elements — Varkis explained. — This route is important for stone trade. If we do nothing… it'll get worse.
— Of course — I muttered. — Sending others is always easier, right?
— You've got an incredible nose for finding people with no options — Varkis said, laughing.
We finally reached the cave.
The ceiling rose far too high, with wide cracks letting in faint light from the sky outside—as if the cave were a half-buried canyon. The entrance was an elevated platform, almost a second floor; you could see the main hall sunk below, full of those pulsating monsters.
The underground hall was enormous…
But the entrance wasn't.
We had to squeeze through—the ceiling was so low I hit my head on the very first step.
TUNK.
— Agh! — I growled, clutching my forehead.
Varkis laughed.
And, because the universe loves poetic justice… he hit his head too.
TUNK.
— AAH! — he yelped.
I took a deep breath.
— Yeah. What goes around, comes around — I commented, slipping past him.
Once we were fully inside, the space finally opened up: a vast chamber full of Ulzors. Dark-blue creatures, with one arm far too large and a pulsating lump on their backs. The environment seemed to breathe along with them.
Varkis pulled a greenish bomb from his bag.
— If you draw them all to the center, this bomb takes care of everything. But you've got to run fast. If you don't… you know — he said, carefully setting the bomb on the ground.
Oud, on the other hand, wasn't looking at the Ulzors.
Nor at the bomb.
He was staring at the low ceiling near the entrance, as if assessing some secret route.
— What's he doing? — Varkis asked.
— Thinking nonsense — I replied.
Then Oud said, casually:
— I want to reach the top of the cave.
I glanced at the ceiling—so close that if I stood too straight, I'd hit it again.
— Oud… what top?
But he didn't answer.
And the next instant… he vanished. As if he'd turned to smoke.
Varkis looked at the ground.
— The bomb's gone.
By the way his jaw tightened, I could feel—truly—that he was about to lose it.
I answered before he exploded along with the cave.
— Oud took it — I said quickly. — Yeah… that's his way.
A few seconds later, Oud's voice echoed from outside the cave:
— When Ark gathers them all in the center, let me know. I'll trigger the bomb.
Varkis confirmed. And then it was my turn.
I clenched my fists.
Varkis was already up there, near the exit—perfect position for him.
Me? Of course, I had to stay at the back of the cave, in the worst possible spot.
Dark energy surged like electric pain—my Corrupted Chi, always unstable.
The Mantle of Space tore open around me—ragged.
I ran.
— Varkis! Stay alert!
— I'll try — Varkis replied.
Of course. Try, as if it were hard.
The place smelled like something that definitely wasn't on anyone's menu.
A horrible heat poured down from the rocks, as if someone had turned on a giant oven.
And then came the sound of the Ulzors' pulsating lumps: ploc… ploc… ploc.
It sounded like my sanity saying goodbye.
Oh, mediocre life. Chaotic energy. Ulzors everywhere.
The perfect setup for making stupid decisions.
On impulse, I dashed between rocks and natural columns, dodging pits, dust, claws, and everything else that place wanted to throw at me. The Ulzors roared at every turn, following me as if I were the main course of the day.
One leapt toward me.
I dodged. Easy.
Another came from the side with that gigantic arm.
THUMP.
— Agh! Damn it! — I felt the blow tear through my shoulder. — If I'm not careful and take down ONE of them, everything explodes… brilliant, Ark.
Sent Oud off and stayed here killing yourself alone. Congratulations, genius.
I breathed deeply—or tried to—running while every monster behind me breathed as if it had ten lungs.
— I need to be smarter… gather them without destroying any… without dying… details, right?
Cave dust scratched my throat. For a second, I thought about the last time I'd breathed fresh air.
As I ran, dodging Ulzors and cursing my own existence, I heard a voice from above—echoing from some hole in the ceiling.
It was too clear. Too calm.
It was Oud.
— Ark, you left one Ulzor. That one there — he warned, pointing lazily.
My eye nearly popped out of its socket.
— Oud, do you really have this audacity!?
— Well… why? — he asked, genuinely confused.
— And audacity implies intent. I merely observed a tactical error.
— Because you should be down HERE with me! — I shouted, leaping over an Ulzor that nearly split me in half.
Oud paused for a long moment.
— …And why?
— Because you deal with Ulzors easily!
Another pause.
— Oh no, Ark.
Varkis gave us the bomb…
And I'm lazy.
And you're already there.
— LAZY!?
— But you're doing well. You just need to bring together that group over there — Oud said, pointing to the largest cluster as if it were a minor detail.
I kept running… but with a sincere desire to climb up there and punch Oud.
Then he spoke again:
— Calm down, blue one. The Ulzor ahead looks dangerous.
But I dodged with precision, sliding across the ground.
Oud opened his mouth again.
— There. Nice escape.
That was it. I snapped.
— Oud, STOP commenting and get back to your position!
He replied, calm as ever:
— But there's still the group I mentioned on the right. Just finish that.
I nearly tripped in rage.
— Ark! — Oud called from above.
— WHAT?! — I shouted, at the edge of my patience.
— Why is Varkis laughing?
I glanced over. Varkis really did seem to be enjoying the situation.
— Oud, you are not helping! — I snarled.
When I looked back toward the hole in the ceiling…
Oud was no longer there.
I kept dodging, jumping, cursing internally, until—
— VARKIS! NOW!
Varkis shouted:
— OUD! ACTIVATE!
Oud's voice came down calm, almost offended by the rush:
— Wait. It's very calm up here. The day looks normal.
Silence.
As I ran, something shimmered up above.
It wasn't light—it was Oud.
At the top of the ravine, he was simply… standing there.
Looking at the sky as if admiring the weather.
Varkis nearly choked up above.
He leaned farther into the opening, almost sticking half his head through the hole in the ceiling.
— HE'S JUST STANDING THERE STARING AT NOTHING!!!
I would've replied with something clever…
If I weren't fleeing a drooling monster right behind me.
I exploded:
— OUD!!! NOW!
— Activated — I heard Oud's calm voice.
— RUN! — Varkis yelled.
Varkis ran.
I ran.
Inside the cave, Ulzors blocked my path.
I stepped on Ulzors, dodged, stumbled—
The air vibrated behind me, and my lungs decided to go on strike.
"Please wait until I'm out," I thought, running like a lunatic. "If I don't die blown up, I'll die suffocated."
But I made it. I got out.
When I reached the light at the entrance, I turned my face by instinct—first backward, then upward.
— What…? — I murmured.
Oud… was walking.
Slowly.
As if he had time to spare.
As if he weren't at the top of a cave about to explode.
I blinked, unsure whether that was real or just a mirage of desperation.
The green explosion consumed everything.
Half the ceiling collapsed.
The entire ground shook.
And then came the rest.
The Ulzors began to explode in sequence—one crack after another—
a macabre spectacle, lit by green flashes.
Between those flares, I saw only a red blur being hurled away:
Oud, flying like a sack of flour—a sack of flour wrapped in red cloth.
With a sigh that felt more like collapse, I dropped to my knees.
— Damn… I survived.
When the dust settled, I saw Oud outside.
— Are you okay? — I asked.
Oud was looking at his arm, where a faint green stain remained.
— I'm not tired — he said.
— Of course you're not… — I murmured.
— ARK! — Varkis called.
— I'm fine! — I replied.
Oud raised an eyebrow.
— I think he found us.
I looked down at my clothes and was covered in dust, scratches, and indignation.
Varkis came staggering over, with the face of someone who had just seen his own soul leave his body.
Then he took a deep breath… and started laughing.
— HAHAHA— cough cough — I swear I'll never make a plan with you two again!
But he kept laughing. Fear and profit work miracles.
When I saw Varkis approach Oud, I couldn't hold it in.
— Why do I feel like I was the wronged one here?
— About what? — Oud asked.
— I fought and gathered the Ulzors! You pressed a button and left! Actually, Varkis just watched, and you only pressed a button, Oud.
Oud shrugged.
— I explained my plan. No one disagreed.
Varkis laughed.
— That's life. What goes around, comes around.
I held my breath.
— Let's go. We need to talk to the guards.
We started climbing the trail back up.
Oud stopped, measured the mountain with his eyes, then looked at me.
— Climbing all that again is tiring.
— Said the guy who pressed a button.
— Imagine for me — Varkis grumbled. — You two are better off.
My chest tightened with nerves and hope.
— We're finally getting in — I murmured. — I want to meet Cindi… and find out what's so special about this city that it demands three miracles and a near-collapse just to let someone pass.
Varkis and Oud agreed in silence.
And we went on.