The transition from the murky swamp to the expansive desert was abrupt. One moment, Kael and Aryn were wading through ankle-deep water, the damp air clinging to their skin. The next, they stood in a vast expanse of golden dunes stretching endlessly in every direction. The air here was dry, the sun above blinding despite the Veil's ethereal glow.
Aryn shielded her eyes with her hand. "This is worse than the swamp. At least the muck was cool. This place feels like it's trying to cook us alive."
Kael squinted at the horizon, clutching the journal tightly. "The runes brought us here for a reason. There has to be another shard somewhere in this desert."
"Sure," Aryn said, brushing sand off her cloak. "But couldn't the Veil have made it a bit easier? Like a nice, shady oasis?"
Kael chuckled softly. "If it were easy, it wouldn't be worth doing."
Aryn groaned. "You're starting to sound like an old scholar. Let's just get moving before we turn into dust ourselves."
As they trudged through the shifting sands, the journal began to glow faintly, the runes within shifting to form a map.
Kael traced the lines with his finger. "It looks like we need to head northwest. There's some kind of structure marked here."
"Great," Aryn said. "Just a quick jaunt across this endless wasteland. Easy."
The heat was relentless, and their progress was slow. The sand seemed to resist their every step, and the landscape offered no landmarks to guide them, save for the glowing map in Kael's hands.
After hours of walking, they reached the top of a particularly high dune. Kael paused, staring ahead in awe.
Aryn followed his gaze. "What is it?"
Nestled between two towering dunes was a sprawling ruin. The remnants of stone buildings jutted from the sand, their surfaces etched with intricate carvings. In the center stood a massive obelisk, its tip shimmering with a faint blue light.
"That must be it," Kael said, pointing at the obelisk.
Aryn frowned. "It's never just a simple grab-and-go, is it?"
Kael smiled faintly. "Not in the Veil."
The ruins were eerily quiet as they approached. The only sound was the whisper of the wind carrying grains of sand across the stone.
"This place feels... wrong," Aryn said, her voice low.
Kael nodded. "The corruption is strong here. Be ready."
As they stepped into the ruins, the journal glowed brighter, the runes shifting to form a warning: Beware the Guardians of the Sands.
"Guardians?" Aryn asked, reading over Kael's shoulder.
Before Kael could answer, the ground beneath their feet trembled. From the sand around them emerged massive figures, their bodies made entirely of shimmering, golden grains. They stood at least ten feet tall, their hollow eyes glowing with a fierce light.
"Guess that answers that," Kael muttered, drawing his staff.
Aryn spun her daggers in her hands, her stance shifting into a fighting pose. "Any advice from the journal?"
Kael quickly flipped through the pages, searching for anything that could help. "It says their cores are their weakness. We need to find a way to expose them."
"Expose them? Sure, why not? Sounds easy," Aryn said, dodging as one of the guardians swung a massive arm at her.
The battle was chaotic. The guardians moved with surprising speed, their attacks sending sprays of sand in every direction. Aryn darted around one of the creatures, her daggers flashing as she slashed at its limbs.
"It's not working!" she called out. "They just reform!"
Kael traced a rune in the air, sending a wave of light toward one of the guardians. The creature staggered, and for a moment, a glowing orb appeared in its chest.
"There!" Kael shouted. "That's its core!"
Aryn didn't hesitate. She leapt toward the staggered guardian, driving both daggers into the glowing orb. The creature let out a deep, rumbling sound before collapsing into a pile of inert sand.
"One down!" she yelled, turning to face the next one.
Kael focused on the journal, tracing another rune. This time, chains of light erupted from the ground, wrapping around another guardian and holding it in place. "Now, Aryn!"
Aryn sprinted toward the immobilized creature, her blades striking its core with precision. The guardian dissolved, leaving only one remaining.
The final guardian roared, its body shifting and growing larger. It slammed a massive fist into the ground, sending shockwaves that knocked both Kael and Aryn off their feet.
Kael struggled to his knees, flipping through the journal. "This one's different. It's drawing power from the obelisk!"
"Well, stop it!" Aryn shouted, rolling out of the way as the guardian's fist crashed down where she'd been moments before.
Kael focused on the obelisk, tracing an intricate rune. Light shot from his staff, striking the obelisk and severing the connection between it and the guardian. The creature staggered, its form flickering.
"Now!" Kael yelled.
Aryn didn't waste a second. She climbed onto the guardian's back, plunging her dagger into its core. The creature let out a final roar before disintegrating.
With the guardians defeated, the ruins fell silent once more. The blue light at the top of the obelisk intensified, and a shard appeared, floating gently down toward Kael.
He caught it, feeling its warmth in his hands. "That's four," he said, placing it carefully in the satchel.
Aryn collapsed onto a nearby stone, breathing heavily. "You'd think these shards would come with less drama. Are we sure they're worth it?"
Kael smiled. "They're the key to saving the Veil. They have to be."
Aryn sighed, wiping sweat from her brow. "Fine. But I'm hoping the next one doesn't involve fighting sand monsters."
Kael chuckled. "No promises."
As they prepared to leave the ruins, the journal glowed again, new runes forming on its pages.
"What now?" Aryn asked, leaning over his shoulder.
Kael read the runes aloud. "The darkness grows restless. The path ahead will test not only your strength but your resolve. Trust in each other, or the Veil will consume you."
Aryn frowned. "That's... ominous."
Kael closed the journal, his expression serious. "The corruption knows we're making progress. It's going to fight harder to stop us."
"Then we'll fight harder," Aryn said firmly.
Kael nodded, his resolve matching hers. Together, they turned away from the ruins, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. The Veil's secrets were slowly unraveling, but the cost of uncovering them was growing with every step.