Ancient carvings danced upon the stone walls, the air around them pulsing faintly, sending strange shadows out onto the sand.
Each rune seemed to live and move with their eyes upon them. Jasper knelt near one of the carvings, his fingers tracing along the rough surface.
"Can you read it?" he asked, turning to Alaric, who stood not far off, his eyes narrowed in an expression of deep concentration.
I can try," Alaric said, in a low voice. "These runes are old-older than most recorded languages. They were used by those who first mastered the arcane arts, long before Malachar's time."
"Great," Finn muttered, taking a seat on a nearby rock. "Ancient language, ancient traps, and skeletons that nearly killed us. This day just keeps getting better.
Lyra ignored him and stepped closer to Alaric, her staff glowing faintly as she examined the runes.
"It's not just a language-it's layered with magic. The carvings are more than words. They're. instructions?"
Alaric nodded. "Exactly. They're meant to guide those worthy enough to follow. But they don't just give answers. They test you."
Raylan frowned, standing with his sword resting on his shoulder. "Tests? We've already fought off a horde of undead. What else could they possibly throw at us?"
Alaric began tracing patterns in the air above the carvings, murmuring an incantation under his breath.
The runes responded, their glow intensifying and shifting into new shapes. Slowly, a map began to form, floating in the air before them.
"That's Aldareth," Alaric said, pointing to a cluster of symbols near the center of the map. "The ruins lie there, buried beneath the sands."
Lyra squinted at the map, her brow furrowed. "But look here," she said, pointing to a smaller cluster of symbols near the edge of the map. "This marking feels wrong. Like it's out of place."
Alaric's face darkened. "That is a warning. The sands near Aldareth are cursed. Those who stray too far from the path are lost forever."
Jasper straightened, determination in his eyes. "Then we don't stray. We stay on the path and reach Aldareth as quickly as possible."
"Easier said than done," Raylan said skeptically. "This desert hasn't exactly been forgiving so far.
"Which is why we need to prepare," Alaric replied. "These runes are our guide, but they're also a test of will. The closer we get to Aldareth, the stronger the magic will become. It will try to deceive us, to lead us astray."
As the group poured over the map, a strange sensation washed over Jasper. The air around him seemed to shift, and the voices of his companions faded into the background. He blinked, and suddenly he was no longer in the desert.
He stood in a thickly overgrown forest, and birds sang in accompaniment to one another. Sunlight pierced through the trees, blotching the ground with uneven patterns. And in the distance, he heard the sound of laughter-familiar laughter.
"Jasper!"
He turned and saw his little sister, Elira, running up to him with a wide grin. She looked just as she had before Malachar's forces destroyed their village, her golden locks shining in the sun.
"Elira?" Jasper's voice was barely a whisper, his heart pounding in his chest. "But. you're—"
"Come on!" she interrupted, grabbing his hand. "You have to see this!"
She pulled him through the forest, her laughter ringing in his ears. For a moment, Jasper forgot everything.
The desert, the journey, the danger. He was just a brother running with his sister, basking in a moment of pure joy.
But as they burst into the clearing, the scene changed around them: the forest darkening, trees withering and distorting in grotesque form.
The laughter of Elira turned into a scream, and shadowy tendrils tore her from his grasp.
"Jasper!" she cried out in pure terror.
Jasper sought to race toward her; however, his legs now felt as lead. It was getting darker around him, with shadows closing in; then one deep, echoing voice spoke.
"You can't save her. You can't save anyone."
"Jasper!"
The sound of Lyra's voice snapped him back to reality. He was on his knees in the sand, his sword laying discarded beside him. The rest of the group stood around him, concern etched on their faces.
"What happened?" Lyra asked, helping him to his feet.
"I. I saw her," Jasper said, his voice shaking. "Elira. She was alive. And then she was gone."
Alaric stepped forward, his face grim. "The desert tests the mind as much as the body. It preys on your memories, your regrets, your fears. You mustn't give in to it."
Jasper clenched his fists, the rise of anger and determination mingling in his chest. "It won't happen again. Let's move."
The group continued on their journey, the desert becoming increasingly treacherous with every step. Sand seemed to shift beneath them, pulling them off balance.
They made camp for the night at the site of a cluster of rocks that would provide some shelter. The others slept, while Jasper stood watch, scanning the horizon for any sign. He could not get Elira's vision out of his mind.
Suddenly, a light appeared far away, dancing like a will-o'-the-wisp. Jasper's hand went immediately to the hilt of his sword, but before he could cry out to the rest, the light moved closer until it took on the form of a shadowy figure.
He stopped a few paces from them, his voice low and chilling. "You think you can defeat him? You think you can defy Malachar?"
Jasper stepped forward, his sword drawn. "Who are you?
The figure laughed-a sound that sent a shiver down Jasper's spine. "I am a servant of the inevitable. You cannot change your fate, boy. The desert will consume you, as it has so many before."
Before Jasper could utter a word in response, the figure had vanished, leaving only a faint echo of its laughter behind.
The next morning, Jasper recounted his experience to the rest.
It's just another trick," Raylan said, his tone dismissive, "the desert trying to scare us off."
"Maybe," Jasper replied, his jaw set. "But I won't let it win. Whatever this place throws at us, we keep going."
Alaric nodded, a slight smile on his lips. "Good. That determination is what will see you through.
They struck camp in an upbeat mood and proceeded towards Aldareth with a fresh sense of purpose.
It would not be easy; the challenges they were yet to face would be greater than those they had already surmounted. But they were more determined than ever to overcome them.
For Jasper, the vision of Elira and the encounter with the shadowy figure had only steel-ed his resolve: he would not be broken by this desert or Malachar.
He would fight for his sister, his friends, and the world depending on them.