"Shit!" Kael exclaimed as the buzzing grew louder, "It's an actual sandstorm. If this hit us, where dead."
"This is not good," Cristina said, her voice raised over the wind. "We can't stay here."
"Agreed," Elara said, her eyes fixed on the storm. "We need to find a way to bypass it."
"But how?" Sheila asked, her eyes fixed on Kael's shield. "We can't just walk through it."
"We might have to," Kael said, his eyes fixed on the storm. "As long as my shield is up, we'll be safe."
"Are you sure?" Cristina asked, her eyes skeptical. After all, she still remembered what Councilor Kaida said about the sand, about how toxic it was, and even strong enough to rip and shred human skin and armor alike. "The storm looks intense."
Kael nodded. "I'm positive. My shield can withstand this storm, as long as my inner energy doesn't finish. We just need to stay close and move quickly."
The team hesitated, weighing their options. But as the storm raged on, they knew that they had to act. They couldn't stay stuck in one place, waiting for the storm to pass. They had to keep moving.
"Okay, let's do it," Sheila said finally, the rest nodding in agreement.
"Stay close!" Kael yelled, his shield of flames flaring brighter.
Together, they stepped into the storm, Kael's shield protecting them from the wind and the sand that threatened to tear them apart if exposed to it. The storm raged around them, its fury Unrelenting. But Kael's shield held strong, for now.
But as the storm raged on, Kael's flames struggled to maintain the shield. The sandstorm's fury intensified, threatening to consume them.
"Hold on, team!" Kael gritted his teeth, his flames burning brighter. "This is getting worst."
Sheila's eyes fixed on the shield, her voice laced with concern. "Kael, how long can you keep this up?"
"As long as I need to!" Kael replied, his jaw clenched in determination.
But the storm showed no signs of relenting. The team's visibility was reduced to almost zero, and the howling wind made communication impossible. They could only reply on their body's warmth and the light generated from Kael's flames to keep pushing forward.
Just when it seemed like all hope was lost, Elara's sharp eyes spotted something in the distance. "There! A structure, maybe a bunker?"
Cristina's gaze followed Elara's pointing finger. "I see it! Let's move, team!"
With Kael's shield leading the way, they battled through the storm, their footsteps heavy in the sand. The bunker's entrance loomed ahead, a dark rectangle in the swirling sand. It looked ominous, as if hiding something utterly terrifying deep within.
As they reached the entrance, the storm intensified, threatening to rip them from the door. Kael's flames roared, pushing back the sand. The team dove into the bunker, the door slamming shut behind them, leaving them in utter darkness, only able to see little due to the dim lights that emanated from countless holes, scattered all around the bunker. They collapsed against the walls, panting, their body suits and skin covered in sand.
"Damn! I am beginning to develop a hate for sand," Sheila said, brushing out the sand from her hair, her face carrying hints of annoyance. The rest of them could only watch her rant to herself with awkward smiles while they cleaned up.
After catching there breadths, and cleaning themselves, Kael lit a small flame on hi palm, lighting the area around them. They began to explore the bunker. The air was stale, heavy with scent of decay. Dust covered equipment lined the walls, all of them rusted and broken. Ancient technology that seemed to belong to a different era.
Sheila's eyes widened as she examined a strange device. "Guys, look at this! It's some kind of energy generator, seemingly broken and burnt in different areas. "Guys, look at this! It's some kind of energy generator."
"That's not all! We've also detected ancient runes etched into the walls" Elara said, her eyes narrowed and fixed on the strange symbols. "They seem to be a language, but I can't decipher their meaning."
"These runes are unlike anything I've ever seen before," Sheila said, her brow furrowed in concentration as she walked towards were the rest were standing. "They appear to be a mix of ancient languages, but with a unique twist."
"I sense a strange energy emanating from them," Cristina said, her voice barely a whisper. "It's as if they're trying to convey a message, but in a language we can't understand."
"The ancient people who lived in the Aether wastes during the Ancient Era were said to possess knowledge and power beyond our understanding," Kael said, his eyes fixed on the runes as they glowed a bright orange color. "Their civilization was said to be built on a source of energy that was both powerful and dangerous."
The three girls looked at Kael with their mouths agape. Their eyes were wide in shock, looking at him in a different light, after all their friend had just read an ancient language, just like that.
"Kael! I…I didn't know you could read runes." Elara said, her voice shaking with shock.
"Well! I didn't know either, it just happened!" Kael said as the light in his eyes dimmed, scratching his head with a light chuckle.
"Just like that, huh! Weirdo" Sheila whispered to herself.
"You know I can hear you perfectly, right?" Kael said with his eyebrows raised, Sheila's eyes widened, she forgot how close their proximity was.
"Okay, okay! That's enough, what was the source of that energy, Kael?" Elara asked, her expression turning serious, and her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Kael's expression turned cryptic once more. "That's a mystery that has been lost to the sands of time. But I have a feeling that these runes are trying to tell us something about it, the only problem is that I can't read them like I just did a while back."
"Yep! I am not taking my words back, you're a total weirdo." Said Sheila as she looked at Kael weirdly. "Why I bet if Aria where here, he would be thinking the same thing!" she ended, nodding her head like a professor after lecturing her student.
"That's..." Kael was at a loss for words, not because of her calling him a weirdo, but because he knew what she said was true. If Aria were here, he knew he would've already insulted Kael countless times already.
As they continued to study the runes, they couldn't shake off the feeling that they were being led down a dangerous path, one that could reveal secrets that were meant to remain hidden. The energy emanating from the runes seemed to grow stronger, as if urging them to uncover the truth. But they knew they had to tread carefully.
Suddenly, the bunker's already dim lights flickered, and a low hum filled the air. The team exchanged nervous glances.
"What's happening?" Cristina asked, her hand tightening on her sword hilt.
…