The cavern spat them out into a desolate expanse. The air was heavy with ash and sulfur, and the horizon shimmered with heat, a stark contrast to the oppressive darkness they had just escaped. The ground was jagged, cracked, and pockmarked with the remains of colossal beasts, their bones blackened and half-melted. Skeletal wings jutted skyward like twisted monuments, and shattered horns the size of spires lay scattered across the barren plain.
James stood frozen, his chest tightening. The air here wasn’t just hot—it was charged. Every breath felt like it carried the weight of something ancient, watching, waiting.
"What the hell happened here?" Kael’s voice broke the silence, low and sharp. His claws flexed instinctively as his amber eyes darted from carcass to carcass.
Thrain knelt beside a shattered ribcage, running a calloused hand over the melted surface. "These weren’t just killed," he muttered. "They were unmade. Whatever did this tore through them like a forge hammer through glass."
Sylvia’s wings shimmered faintly in the dim light, her gaze sweeping across the devastation. "This isn’t natural. This… this is wrong."
James adjusted the scanner strapped to his wrist. The faint hum it emitted seemed louder in the oppressive stillness. "Whatever we’re chasing is beyond anything we’ve prepared for. This destruction… it’s on a scale I can’t even comprehend."
Kael snorted. "Great pep talk, gadget-man. Really builds confidence."
James shot him a glare but said nothing. His eyes lingered on a massive claw mark etched deep into the ground. It was easily twice Kael’s size, the edges still faintly glowing as if the wound in the earth refused to heal.
+
The oppressive heat gnawed at their energy, and even the most resistant among them began to falter. Thrain, ever pragmatic, took charge. "We need food and water, or we’ll drop dead before we find whatever did this, especially since those pesky attacks from that fucking knife-ears took out our shit."
"Out here? Good luck," Kael grumbled, but he followed as Thrain began examining the terrain. The dwarf crouched low, his fingers brushing over the blackened soil.
"This kind of heat… it burns everything but the stubborn. If we’re lucky, there’s something buried deep." Thrain slammed his hammer into the ground, sending ripples through the earth. Cracks formed, revealing gnarled roots twisting beneath the surface. "There," he said with a grunt, ripping one free. "Bitter as sin, but it’ll keep you standing."
Kael sniffed at the root Thrain handed him, his nose wrinkling. "Smells like charred feet."
"Eat it or starve. Your choice," Thrain replied, already chewing on another root.
Kael hesitated, then took a cautious bite. He grimaced but swallowed. "Not bad," he admitted begrudgingly. "You’re handy to have around, stone-head."
Thrain smirked. "Stick with me, mutt. You might learn a thing or two."
James sat a short distance away, sorting through his satchel. He pulled out a small vial of water, sipping it sparingly as he watched the interaction. For a moment, he felt a flicker of camaraderie among the group. But it was fleeting.
Sylvia sat apart from the others, her wings dimmed and her eyes distant. She hadn’t touched the roots. Instead, she held her Communication Runestone in her hands, turning it over as if the motion might will it back to life.
"You’re wasting energy," Kael said, leaning back on his haunches. "That thing’s useless. Whatever’s blocking it isn’t going away."
Sylvia’s gaze snapped to him, her tone icy. "It’s not useless. It’s our only link to the Avatars. To home."
"And home isn’t helping us right now," Kael shot back. "We’re on our own."
"That doesn’t mean we give up trying," Sylvia retorted, her voice rising.
"Enough," James cut in, his tone sharper than usual. He didn’t look up from his satchel as he spoke. "Fighting each other isn’t going to fix anything. We’re here, we’re alive, and we’re following the trail. That’s all we can do."
Sylvia opened her mouth to argue, but something in James’s tone stopped her. She sighed, setting the Runestone aside. "Fine. But we should consider turning back. This mission… it feels wrong. Like we’re being led into something we’re not ready for."
Kael scoffed. "Coward."
Her wings flared slightly, the light shimmering ominously. "Say that again."
"Enough!" Thrain barked, his voice booming. He pointed his hammer at both of them. "You want to fight? Do it after we survive this hellhole."
The tension crackled like the heat around them, but the group fell silent. James took a deep breath, the knot in his chest loosening slightly. For now, they were holding together.
+
The silence didn’t last.
A sudden wave of energy rolled over the wasteland, invisible but tangible, like a pressure squeezing their very souls. James froze, his head snapping up as the seismic scanner on his wrist went wild. The readings were incomprehensible, the device emitting a high-pitched whine.
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Then the whispering began.
Low, unintelligible murmurs filled the air, slithering into their ears like phantom snakes. The sound wasn’t external—it was inside their heads, invasive and relentless.
Kael clutched his temples, his claws digging into his scalp. "What… what is this?"
Thrain stumbled, his hammer slipping from his grip. "Voices… too many voices…"
Sylvia’s wings flared, her light flickering erratically as she fought to maintain control. "Stay together! Don’t let it take hold!"
James collapsed to his knees, his hands clutching his head as a single, deafening voice drowned out the whispers. It was deep, guttural, and incomprehensible, but its sheer force threatened to tear him apart. Images flashed through his mind—molten eyes, massive wings, a shadow blotting out the sky. The world around him dissolved into fire and ash as the voice grew louder, demanding his attention.
Then, just as abruptly as it began, the wave receded. The whispers ceased, leaving only the heavy silence of the wasteland.
James gasped for air, his body trembling. His heart raced as the images faded, but the fear lingered. He looked up at the others, his voice shaking. "Did… did anyone else hear it?"
Kael’s face was pale, his usual bravado absent. "What the hell was that?"
Sylvia’s gaze was fixed on the horizon, her expression unreadable. "Something ancient. Something… watching us."
Thrain picked up his hammer, his knuckles white. "If that’s what we’re chasing, we’re in over our heads."
James nodded slowly, his mind still reeling. Whatever was out there, it wasn’t just powerful—it was beyond comprehension. And it was waiting for them.