Before sunrise, the expedition stirred, rising early to break camp and press onward towards the Rock Barren.
From a distance, the Gorleans watched as the last stretch of beach sand gave way to the endless expanse of the desert. Stepping forward felt like crossing into a furnace, the heat rolling over them in oppressive waves. The scorching winds clawed at their throats, stealing their breath and focus.
Yet, for the Iksharis – their hosts – the trek was effortless. They moved with practiced ease, unfazed by the relentless sun and shifting sands, as though this brutal landscape were little more than a familiar stroll.
Meanwhile, the acolytes of the college cursed under their breath, struggling as their feet sank into the dunes with every step. More than a few cast jealous glances at the Iksharis, resentful of their effortless grace.
'Look at them,' Elred grumbled. 'They don't even sink. Are they using some special kind of boots?'
'I doubt it's that simple,' Riniock mused. 'I'll find out.'
Elred shot him a sceptical look. 'And how exactly do you plan on doing that?'
Riniock smirked, giving him a friendly pat on the shoulder – before suddenly using him as leverage, pushing him down into the sand.
'Ehh – bastard!' Elred sputtered, struggling to get back out.
The rock barren stretched endlessly before them, a vast, unforgiving biome, likely even larger than the crimson glades. Unlike the dense glades, however, this land was mostly open plains of sand, interrupted only by towering rock formations and scattered dunes. If the world itself were curved just a little less, one might have been able to see clear from one end of the barren to the other.
The company trudged through the relentless heat for hours before finally stopping for a brief respite.
'There's no water in this damned place,' Riniock overheard someone grumbling behind him.
'If I'd known, I would've packed more than what I brought…'
'Those Ikshari pricks could've at least warned us. They're not even helping us navigate.'
'Screw them. I've got a few choice words for their headmaster.'
Riniock had been observing the Iksharis closely throughout the journey. Not only did they move across the shifting sands with remarkable ease, but they also seemed to require far less water than their Gorlean counterparts. Whilst the Gorleans drained their flasks to quench their thirst, the Iksharis sipped sparingly, needing only a fraction of what the others consumed.
That advantage would serve them well, considering what Riniock knew about their true intentions.
'So, what's the deal with you and Niann?'
Riniock took a measured sip from his waterskin. 'What do you mean?'
'Oh, don't give me that crap,' Elred scoffed, punching him in retaliation for his earlier stunt. 'Anyone with half a brain can tell you two had a fight.'
Riniock glanced to the left, where Niann sat perched on a large rock, sipping water in silence.
'Let's just say he has…reservations about something I did. Not really my fault.'
Elred smacked the back of Riniock's neck.
'The fuck was that for?'
'For having the lamest fight I've ever heard of,' Elred said flatly. 'If you don't patch things up soon, expect more of those.'
Rubbing his neck, Riniock shot Elred a glare before shifting his attention elsewhere.
Ahead of the group, Siegmun stood watch alongside Noidron, one of the more prominent staff members. Unlike them, the Iksharis appeared far too relaxed in their vigilance.
Though Noidron was older and more experienced, leadership of the expedition had been entrusted to Siegmun. Noidron respected the chain of command and conducted himself accordingly.
'Nervous?' Noidron asked.
'A bit,' Siegmun admitted. 'Our hosts aren't exactly the most cautious bunch.'
Noidron followed his gaze towards the Ikshari delegation. Their master, Fladd, lounged comfortably, as if he owned the entire desert.
'Well, you're handling things remarkably well,' Noidron said approvingly. 'I'll be sure to inform the arch-maegi of your merits once we return.'
Siegmun allowed himself a small smile. 'I appreciate it.'
'Not at all. It's good for a fresh mind to gain experience early on. It'll serve you well to learn from –'
Noidron abruptly cut himself off, his expression shifting. His ears twitched as he turned his head sharply, scanning their surroundings with sudden urgency.
'What? What is it?' Siegmun mimicked his movements, searching for whatever had caught his attention.
Noidron raised a hand, signalling for silence as he strained to listen.
The two men stood perfectly still. Then, just barely over the sound of the wind – a faint scrape in the sand.
Noidron's eyes widened in horror. His voice rang out in a frantic cry, drawing all attention.
'ENEMY INCOMING!'
From seemingly nowhere, a massive beast lunged out of the sand, seizing a college acolyte by the ankle and dragging her across the dunes.
A fellow acolyte reacted instantly, summoning a spell between her palms. The moment it was ready, she hurled it at the creature, striking it square in the face.
The attack barely registered though.
Unbothered, the beast halted just long enough to sink its teeth into its captive's neck, tearing through her carotid artery in a single vicious bite. The acolyte's body went limp, her life snuffed out in an instant.
'RAINA!' the nearby girl screamed.
A bolt of lightning ripped through the air, striking the creature in the chest. It let out a strangled cry and collapsed, its limbs convulsing from the electric surge.
Noidron was alerted by her cry, his fingers sparking with white-blue lightning.
'Don't just stand there!' Siegmun barked, taking command. 'Form up and cover each other! Keep your backs guarded!'
Niann sprinted to the fallen beast, crouching beside its corpse for a better observation point.
It had the appearance of a massive, hairless feline – its sleek yet grotesque frame giving off an eerie presence. Wrinkled, leathery skin stretched over a body both slender and deceptively powerful. Its blunt snout was out of place compared to its massive hunter's paws, tipped with cruel talons. Despite its feline nature, there was something unnervingly reptilian about it.
Before Niann could further examine it, more creatures began emerging, stepping through the wavering heat like spectres dissolving from a mirage.
His breath caught in his throat. 'I know what these are…' he muttered, mind racing to piece together their nature. 'Elantreas! They use the desert's heat to bend light around them, turning invisible.'
The pack moved in with unnerving precision, encircling the group with coordinated, almost tactical intent.
Noidron, observing their unnatural behaviour, turned sharply to Niann. 'Are they intelligent?'
'Not like this…' Niann's brow furrowed. 'Something's wrong with them.'
There were too many – far more than Noidron and the few elite maegis could handle alone.
One moment, dozens of Elantreas loomed around them. The next, they vanished without a trace.
Panic swept through the acolytes as their eyes darted wildly, searching the empty air for their attackers.
'Do not fear! Stay calm!' Siegmun's voice rang out. 'Focus – trace the odh signatures in the air!'
He turned towards an unseen presence and cast his spell.
Jagged stone spikes erupted from the ground, impaling something invisible. A pained gurgle followed, and then, with a spray of crimson, the creature's lifeless body became visible once more.
Its blank eyes stared ahead, maw unhinged, tongue lolling out.
This approach proved effective for several acolytes, including some from the Ikshari delegation. By concentrating on the subtle disturbances in the air, the more perceptive amongst them managed to detect the shifting odh signatures.
With swift precision, these maegis unleashed their spells, either slaying or forcing their targets into the open.
In one instance, an elantrea was wrenched from its invisibility, only to go berserk upon being exposed. However, something was off – the creature targeted only the Gorlean acolytes, blatantly ignoring an Ikshari who stood just a step away.
It even paused, nostrils flaring as if assessing him, before dismissing him entirely. Instead, it lunged at another Gorlean several paces away, bypassing multiple Ikshari in the process.
Riniock took note of this as he fended off a creature exhibiting the same peculiar behaviour. When he spotted an elantrea creeping behind Linry, he braced for impact – only for the beast to ignore her completely, leaping over her to strike one of his own peers instead.
Gathering wind in his palms, he blasted the creature away from its intended target. The moment it hit the ground, a barrage of spells from the surrounding maegis finished it off.
Riniock's brow furrowed.
Why are they only attacking us? His fingers tightened into fists. This must be another one of their ploys…