—a small cluster of jagged rocks jutting out from the sand, but it provided enough shade to escape the punishing sun. They collapsed under the cool shadow, grateful for the reprieve from the heat.Lily pulled out a water flask and took a small sip, careful to conserve what little they had left. "We can't stay here too long. The desert's a lot bigger than it looks, and I doubt this is the worst it'll throw at us."Alex leaned against the rock, wiping the sweat from his face. "The map shows the temple's still at least a day's journey ahead. We need to rest, but we can't afford to wait until nightfall. This place is more dangerous than it seems."Jack, who had been watching the horizon, suddenly stiffened. "You're right about that."Lily and Alex followed his gaze. In the distance, they saw something shifting in the sand, too large and too fluid to be normal. At first, it seemed like an optical illusion, the heat warping the air, but then it became clear—there was something moving beneath the dunes."Sand serpents," Jack whispered, his hand instinctively going to the hilt of his sword. "I've heard stories about them.""Great," Lily said, standing and checking her daggers. "Because a cursed desert isn't bad enough without giant snakes."The ground beneath them began to tremble slightly, the sand shifting in waves as whatever was under the surface drew closer. The serpentine shapes rippled through the sand, moving with terrifying speed. Their bodies remained hidden beneath the surface, but the undulating motion of the dunes made their presence undeniable."We need to move," Alex said, quickly grabbing his staff. "If they get too close, we won't stand a chance in the open."They began to run, their boots sinking into the sand with every step. The serpents seemed to follow their movement, their trails growing faster and more erratic as they homed in on the trio."Any ideas?" Jack shouted over the howling wind, glancing back at the advancing shapes."The temple!" Alex called back. "If we can get to the temple, we might find protection or a way to slow them down. We just need to keep moving!"The sun blazed down, and the shifting sands made running nearly impossible. The serpents were relentless, drawing closer with each passing second. As they crested a dune, one of the creatures breached the surface—a massive, scaled head with gleaming, black eyes and rows of razor-sharp teeth. Its body, covered in iridescent scales, writhed as it lunged toward them.Jack turned, sword in hand, and slashed at the serpent as it lashed out. His blade connected with the creature's jaw, and it recoiled with a deafening hiss, retreating into the sand."That's one down!" Jack said, his eyes wide with adrenaline."More to go," Lily shouted as another serpent breached in front of them, its body circling around the group, cutting off their path.Alex raised his staff, the Emberstone glowing as he channeled its energy. "I'll distract them! Just get ready to move!"He thrust his staff toward the serpents, sending out a shockwave of magical force that rippled through the sand. The creatures paused, confused by the sudden burst of energy. The momentary distraction gave the trio the chance they needed."Go!" Alex shouted, running ahead.They sprinted across the dunes, the serpents momentarily disoriented by the magical interference. As they crested the next dune, the outline of a structure appeared in the distance—massive stone pillars, half-buried in the sand. The Temple of Solara."There it is!" Lily pointed, her voice filled with hope. "We're close!"The serpents were regaining their senses, their movements growing faster again as they closed in on their prey. The ground beneath their feet rumbled with the force of the creatures' pursuit."We need to make a stand!" Jack shouted, his voice strained with exhaustion. "We won't make it if they catch up!"Alex nodded, turning to face the approaching serpents. "We can't fight them head-on. We need to use the environment."Lily's eyes scanned the surrounding dunes. "There! That ridge—it looks unstable. If we can collapse it, we might be able to slow them down."The trio made for the ridge, the serpents closing in fast. Jack and Lily began to scale the unstable slope, kicking at the loose sand as they went. Alex stayed behind, his staff glowing with power as he readied another spell to keep the creatures at bay.As they reached the top, Jack drove his sword into the ridge, creating a deep fissure in the sand. The entire dune began to tremble, and with one final strike, the slope gave way. A massive wave of sand cascaded down, engulfing the serpents and burying them under tons of shifting dunes.The creatures hissed and screeched, their bodies thrashing beneath the sand, but they were momentarily trapped, giving the trio precious seconds to escape."Let's move!" Alex shouted, rushing toward the temple.They sprinted the last stretch of sand, the serpents' hisses growing fainter behind them. The temple loomed larger with each step, its ancient stone walls rising from the desert like a beacon of hope. As they reached the entrance, they stumbled inside, collapsing against the cool stone pillars, gasping for breath.The inside of the temple was dark and cool, a sharp contrast to the blazing sun and heat outside. The walls were covered in ancient carvings, depicting long-forgotten deities and rituals. At the far end of the room, a massive stone door stood sealed, glowing faintly with arcane symbols."We made it," Lily said, her chest heaving. "But those serpents won't stay trapped for long.""We'll need to find the relic quickly," Alex said, standing up and looking around the temple. "The map says it's hidden deep within, but there's no telling what kind of traps or guardians we'll face."Jack wiped the sweat from his brow, still catching his breath. "Well, at least we're not out in the open anymore. I'll take a temple full of traps over those monsters any day."Lily stood, examining the stone door. "There's definitely magic on this. It's probably guarding the relic