Under the relentless sun of the desert, a boy and a woman clung to each other tightly, their arms wrapped around one another as they knelt before a simple tombstone they had just finished erecting.
Tears streaked the boy's dust-covered face, his voice trembling as he called out weakly, "Dad…" The grief in his cry cut through the suffocating silence of the barren wasteland.
The woman, her face etched with pain and exhaustion, pulled the child closer, her arms protective as she whispered, "We have to keep moving. This place isn't safe." Her voice was steady, but her eyes betrayed her fear.
Together, they rose, their shadows long and wavering under the merciless glare of the sun.
The heat was oppressive, the air shimmered with mirages that promised water in the distance but delivered nothing.
Step by step, they trudged through the endless expanse of golden sand, the boy's small hand clutching tightly to the woman's.
They had no destination in sight—only the hope of finding shelter, salvation, or a miracle.
When thirst gnawed at their throats, they sipped sparingly from the weathered cloth-wrapped bottles they carried.
The woman would glance at the boy every so often, concern shadowing her face, but she said nothing.
When his small legs faltered, and his eyes drooped with exhaustion, she knelt down and hoisted him onto her back, her own body trembling under the strain.
Day turned into night, the sun giving way to a cold, moonlit sky and the temperature plummeted.
She pressed onward, her resolve unbroken even as the desert seemed endless.
The vast emptiness seemed to stretch forever, the silence broken only by the crunch of sand under their feet.
Minutes stretched into hours, hours into days. Their movements grew slower, their breaths more labored.
The desert was a cruel and unyielding adversary.
Finally, as dawn began to break on yet another day, the woman stumbled, her knees giving out as she collapsed onto the sand.
The boy, startled, tumbled off her back.
His wide eyes filled with panic as he scrambled to her side, shaking her shoulders frantically.
"Mom! Wake up!" His small voice cracked with desperation.
"Mom!" He screamed louder, his cries echoing into the vast, indifferent desert.
Tears streamed down his face as he clutched at her lifeless form, his heart pounding with fear.
"Someone, please help us!" he shouted into the emptiness, his voice hoarse. But the only response was the cold whisper of the wind and the shifting of sand beneath his knees.
The desert, vast and merciless, offered no solace, no comfort.
Then, it happened.
From the distance, a lone figure emerged from the desert haze, their tattered robes whipping in the dry wind. The robes concealed their face, the hood casting a deep shadow, but their presence was commanding.
They leaned heavily on a giant staff, using it as both a walking aid and a symbol of authority. The boy's tear-streaked face lit up with a flicker of hope.
"Please! Help us!" the boy cried out, his voice raw and desperate.
The robed figure paused, their hidden gaze shifting to the boy and then to the unconscious woman sprawled on the sand. Slowly, they extended a hand, palm outward.
Whoosh!
Crack!
A crack of wind and a flash of lightning erupted from the outstretched palm. The air around them shifted, charged with an unseen power.
The boy recoiled instinctively, fear flashing in his wide eyes.
His young mind conjured images of stories he'd heard—the people to be revered and feared.
His voice trembled as he whispered, "S-sorcerer…"
The robed figure didn't react to the boy's words.
The wind grazed the woman's body, and in that instant, the robed figure seemed to gather information, as if the elements themselves were speaking to him about the woman's condition.
They turned away, their staff sinking slightly into the sand with each deliberate step.
The boy's heart sank. He scrambled to his knees, his voice breaking with desperation. "I'm sorry, Sorcerer! I didn't mean to disrespect you!" Tears streamed down his face as he pressed his forehead to the scorching sand. "Please... Please save her!"
The figure continued walking, their steps silent against the vast emptiness.
Just as the boy's hope began to fade completely, the robed figure stopped. Slowly, they raised their staff high above their head. Intricate, deliberate motions followed, their movements slicing through the air.
Suddenly, the desert itself seemed to come alive.
Crack!
Roar!
The heat of the desert dissipated in an instant, replaced by an eerie stillness.
The wind howled, carrying a chill that prickled the boy's skin.
The air shimmered, and out of nowhere, a massive silver dome materialized around the boy and the woman, encasing them both.
The boy's breath caught in his throat as he saw the glowing dome.
With a wave of the sorcerer's hand, the air seemed to hum, and the boy blinked in confusion.
Whoosh.
To his astonishment, the world around the boy began to distort.
Shapes blurred, colors swirled, and everything seemed to melt into an incomprehensible haze.
For a fleeting moment, the boy felt as though they were no longer in the desert but floating in the vast expanse of space as stars stretched infinitely.
The boy's eyes widened as a massive, blue, spherical object appeared before him, slowly revolving in the emptiness. The sight was both beautiful and terrifying.
His heart raced.
It looked like Earth itself—majestic and impossibly large.