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Chapter 12: Shadows in the Wastes
The cold wind howled across the Ashen Wastes, carrying with it the scent of dry earth and forgotten ruins. The landscape stretched endlessly—rolling dunes, jagged rock formations, and remnants of crumbling structures long lost to time.
Aeron, Sylva, and Hobbles trudged forward, the heat of the sun burning overhead. Their rations were low, their water supply limited, and an uneasy silence followed them.
"This place sucks," Hobbles muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow. "No food, no taverns, and worst of all—no pretty girls."
Aeron smirked. "You really have your priorities straight, don't you?"
Sylva ignored them, her gaze locked onto the horizon. She had been unusually quiet since last night.
Aeron walked up beside her. "You still thinking about what you said? About the ruins being a mistake?"
She hesitated, then nodded. "I can't explain it, but something about this doesn't feel right."
Hobbles groaned. "You mean, besides the fact that we're walking straight into what is very likely a death trap?"
Sylva shot him a look. "Yes. Besides that."
Aeron exhaled. The weight of the journey pressed on his shoulders. If this was tied to his hidden class and the mystery of the sealed world boss, then he had no choice but to see it through.
"Then we'll deal with whatever we find," he said. "That's what we do, right?"
Sylva didn't respond, but the look in her eyes told him she wasn't convinced.
---
Encounter in the Sands
By midday, the trio had made it halfway across the Ashen Wastes. The terrain had begun to shift—the dunes gave way to rocky outcrops, and the ground beneath them became uneven.
Then, Aeron heard it.
A faint shuffling sound.
He froze. "Wait."
Sylva and Hobbles stopped instantly.
Aeron narrowed his eyes, scanning the landscape. Something was off.
Then—
The ground exploded beneath them.
Aeron barely had time to react as a massive, serpent-like creature lunged from beneath the sand. Its scaled body shimmered in the sun, and its eyes gleamed with predatory hunger.
"Sand Ravager!" Sylva shouted, drawing her dagger.
Hobbles fumbled for his crossbow. "Why is it always monsters?!"
The beast lunged at Aeron, its jaws snapping shut inches from his face. He rolled to the side, drawing his weapon in one smooth motion.
A prompt flashed before his eyes:
—[Hidden Class Ability: Phantom Edge Activated]—
His blade shimmered with energy as he slashed upward, cutting through the monster's scales.
The Sand Ravager hissed in pain, but it wasn't done yet. It circled them, its body coiling as it prepared to strike again.
Aeron tightened his grip. This fight was far from over.
---
Do you want me to continue straight into the fight, or should I add more tension and strategy before they engage the monster again?
The cold wind howled across the Ashen Wastes, carrying with it the scent of dry earth and forgotten ruins. The landscape stretched endlessly—rolling dunes, jagged rock formations, and remnants of crumbling structures long lost to time.
Aeron, Sylva, and Hobbles trudged forward, the heat of the sun burning overhead. Their rations were low, their water supply limited, and an uneasy silence followed them.
"This place sucks," Hobbles muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow. "No food, no taverns, and worst of all—no pretty girls."
Aeron smirked. "You really have your priorities straight, don't you?"
Sylva ignored them, her gaze locked onto the horizon. She had been unusually quiet since last night.
Aeron walked up beside her. "You still thinking about what you said? About the ruins being a mistake?"
She hesitated, then nodded. "I can't explain it, but something about this doesn't feel right."
Hobbles groaned. "You mean, besides the fact that we're walking straight into what is very likely a death trap?"
Sylva shot him a look. "Yes. Besides that."
Aeron exhaled. The weight of the journey pressed on his shoulders. If this was tied to his hidden class and the mystery of the sealed world boss, then he had no choice but to see it through.
"Then we'll deal with whatever we find," he said. "That's what we do, right?"
Sylva didn't respond, but the look in her eyes told him she wasn't convinced.
---
Encounter in the Sands
By midday, the trio had made it halfway across the Ashen Wastes. The terrain had begun to shift—the dunes gave way to rocky outcrops, and the ground beneath them became uneven.
Then, Aeron heard it.
A faint shuffling sound.
He froze. "Wait."
Sylva and Hobbles stopped instantly.
Aeron narrowed his eyes, scanning the landscape. Something was off.
Then—
The ground exploded beneath them.
Aeron barely had time to react as a massive, serpent-like creature lunged from beneath the sand. Its scaled body shimmered in the sun, and its eyes gleamed with predatory hunger.
"Sand Ravager!" Sylva shouted, drawing her dagger.
Hobbles fumbled for his crossbow. "Why is it always monsters?!"
The beast lunged at Aeron, its jaws snapping shut inches from his face. He rolled to the side, drawing his weapon in one smooth motion.
A prompt flashed before his eyes:
—[Hidden Class Ability: Phantom Edge Activated]—
His blade shimmered with energy as he slashed upward, cutting through the monster's scales.
The Sand Ravager hissed in pain, but it wasn't done yet. It circled them, its body coiling as it prepared to strike again.
Aeron tightened his grip. This fight was far from over.
---