The students stepped into the vast, barren desert, instantly feeling the shift in atmosphere. The heat hit them like a wall, the air thick with dryness and the sun beating down relentlessly from above. The ground beneath their feet was cracked and parched, stretching endlessly in every direction with no sign of life. There were no trees, no water, only miles of endless sand dunes rising and falling like the waves of a frozen ocean. The air shimmered with heat, distorting the horizon, making it impossible to tell where the desert began and the sky ended. Each group started to move, their footsteps leaving faint imprints in the sand, but the journey was far from easy. The wind picked up, sending gusts of fine sand flying into their eyes, making every step a challenge.
Five minutes into the challenge, an announcement echoed across the desert:
[Calamity: Sandstorm's]
"Shit, everyone, cover!" George yelled, his voice barely audible over the rising wind. A nearby cave, partially buried in sand, became their only refuge. Shin and the group quickly rushed into it, shielding themselves from the storm. Shin's mind raced, knowing this would be no ordinary sandstorm.
"It will be hard to continue if these sandstorms are stronger than normal sands," Shin muttered under his breath. He swiftly removed his frostcloak and draped it over his head, allowing his eyes to see through the harsh environment.
"Everyone, use your frostcloak to cover your face!" Shin yelled, and the group nodded in agreement. They wrapped themselves tightly in their cloaks, creating makeshift shields against the storm.
Desiree, the mage, hesitated, but Shin approached her. "You could use your cloak to cover your face too," he said kindly.
"O-okay," Desiree stuttered, pulling her cloak around her face. The group remained huddled together, bracing against the storm. The winds howled outside the cave, the sand scratching at their skin like a thousand tiny needles.
After a few tense minutes, the storm began to settle. The group decided to move on, determined to push through the harsh desert. The relentless heat and the endless stretch of sand wore on them. Their bodies were drenched in sweat, and their breaths grew heavier with each step.
"Ugh, it's so hot out here," Jack groaned, wiping sweat from his brow.
"We should've grabbed some meat and water before we left," Lloyd complained, his voice heavy with exhaustion.
"Hey, Ms. Mage, are you forbidden from using your magic?" George asked, his voice laced with curiosity.
"Y-yes, I-I'm not allowed," Desiree stuttered, glancing down.
"I see..." George said, a look of disappointment crossing his face. "We should just hurry. Maybe there are rewards hidden in this desert."
"Yeah, maybe," Jack replied skeptically, but they continued on, the sand shifting beneath their feet with each step.
Gorrath, ever the strategist, pondered the idea of hidden rewards. "A reward hidden around here... Rayden's not wrong. They used to hide artifacts in challenges like this," Gorrath mused, his hand gently touching the pendant of a mana crystal on his necklace. "Just like this..."
He glanced at Lix, who was walking quietly alongside them. A thought sparked in Gorrath's mind.
"Hm... isn't Lix a prodigy of magic? Maybe he has an elemental magic that could help us," Gorrath said, his voice low but hopeful.
Rayden's eyes widened as the idea clicked. "Wow, why didn't I think of that before?"
Lix hesitated, a slight frown crossing his face. "Well... I can only use support magic like buffs. I'm still learning elemental magic. My mentor said I should focus on it... but..." He trailed off, his voice tinged with disappointment.
"I see," Gorrath nodded, unfazed. "Well, just buff us when we face something. That's helpful enough."
"Don't worry, Lix, you're still awesome!" George encouraged, clapping him on the back.
"Yeah, that's a great magic!" Shin added, his tone genuine.
The group cheered, and despite the harsh conditions, a sense of camaraderie kept them moving forward. Gorrath, taking the lead, called out, "Hey, let's go. It's pretty hot out here!"
And so, they pressed on through the unrelenting desert, each step carrying them closer to the unknown challenges that awaited them. The desert stretched on, a cruel and unforgiving landscape, but they were determined to endure.
After a long and exhausting walk through the relentless desert, the group stumbled upon a structure, half-buried in sand. Its walls, made of weathered brick, stood eerily against the vastness of the surrounding dunes, with the other half consumed by the ever-shifting sands. As they approached, they noticed a wooden sign, barely visible and covered in dust. George wiped away the sand, revealing the name carved into the wood:
"The Oasis Bastion"
"Hm, should we enter?" George asked, a note of hesitation in his voice.
Before he could think further, Gorrath, ever the impulsive one, charged forward. "Hey, what are you doing!?" George yelled after him.
"Isn't it obvious?" Gorrath called back, not breaking stride. "I'm not wasting time. This place is obviously part of the challenge. Remember what Rayden said earlier."
"I see..." George murmured, catching on. "Rayden said earlier?... Ah, a reward."
"Everyone get ready! We're going inside!" George yelled, rallying the group. They all nodded, their determination renewed as they entered the ominous structure.
The air inside was heavy, the darkness oppressive. It felt unnatural. The group hesitated for a moment, but Lix, the quiet mage, stepped forward.
"Let me handle it," he said, his voice calm but focused. He raised his hands and crossed them, creating a small gap in the air. Seconds later, a soft energy pulsed from his hands. Slowly, Lix worked, the energy growing in intensity until it became a glowing orb of light. It illuminated the dark passage, casting long shadows on the walls.
"Here~" Lix said with a small smile, flexing his hands as the light brightened.
The group stood in awe. Shin, Lloyd, and Jack couldn't help but shout, "WOW, THAT'S SO COOL, LIX!" Their voices echoed in the silence, followed by Rayden's enthusiastic applause.
Desiree, observing the display, murmured to herself, "T-that's impressive for his age. He's really Madam Belldia's disciple..." Her admiration for Lix's skill was clear.
With the floating energy as their guide, the group moved deeper into the bastion. The eerie feeling intensified with every step, and the atmosphere grew colder, more oppressive.
As they walked further, an unsettling sensation crept over them. It was as if the very air had grown heavier, pressing against their lungs.
"What the hell is this feeling?" George thought, his mind racing with unease. "Surely, this isn't just my negative feelings, right?"
Shin's thoughts spiraled as panic began to set in. "This... this is bad. Something's not right."
"Hm, eerie," Gorrath mused nonchalantly, his face unreadable as he led the way forward.
Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream pierced the silence. "GAH!!!!!!!!!" The shrill cry echoed through the bastion's stone walls.
The group whipped around, their eyes widening in fear. Their weapons slipped from their hands, their hearts pounding in their chests as they stared at the source of the scream. Something or someone had just entered the shadows behind them, and they all felt the weight of danger closing in.