Xander turned around, following Claire's finger, and noticed she was pointing at the skull-shaped rock behind him. The elements had corroded a part of its lower half, but it still looked sturdy enough to withstand a storm.
Reaching into his jacket, Xander fished out his Chronica and held it in front of his face. Both its hour and minute hand pointed at the cage behind, but the second hand was pointing at twelve, hinting at the rock.
As Xander approached the rock, a hot gust of air blew black sand in his face, making him squint and turn away. Once the wind died, he continued walking toward the rock.
"You said the key's buried under this rock?" he asked, raising his voice while continuing to examine the rock for any weak spots.
Claire nodded from inside the cage. "Yes, that's right. He buried it...right there. And then magically put this rock on top."
