Austin exhaled sharply, looking shaken. "That was insane."

Austin wiped sweat from his brow. "I hate this place."

Isaiah ran a hand through his damp hair. "The desert is trying to draws us away from what's at hand. We need to move fast."

"Isaiah's right we need to keep moving," I said, glancing toward where the tomb should be. The sooner we get out of here the better.

The sun is relentless, burning my skin, searing my throat. Every breath feels like I'm inhaling fire. My legs are heavy, my feet sinking into the scorching sand with every agonizing step. I don't know how long I've been walking-hours, maybe days. My lips are cracked, my tongue swollen from thirst.

Then, I see it.

At first, I think it's another cruel mirage, just like the ones before. But this time, it doesn't fade. And I want the only one that saw it.

"Water!", Alex yelled.

A cluster of palm trees, their leaves swaying lazily. A pool of water, glistening under the sun like liquid silver. My heart lurches, hope flaring so fiercely it almost hurts.

"Hell yeah!", Austin yelled. We had drunk most of our water and only had a few bottles left.

We all moved forward, Alex even broke into a splurging jog.

Suddenly Austin suddenly cursed.

"What now?" Isaiah asked.

screamed at me to stop,

Austin pointed to the ground. "The sand looks... different."

1 followed his gaze. The texture of the sand ahead was looser, almost like rippling water. My

"Alex, wait-" but before I could warn him, Alex stepped forward.

The moment his foot touched the sand, it collapsed beneath him.

grabbing his arm just as he sank up to

as he thrashed. “Get me out of

his other arm, but the more he struggled, the faster

moving?" Isaiah ordered. "You're making

his chest rising

need something to pull him out," Elijah

lit up with an

13:28 Mon, Apr 28

Chapter 199

He tossed it to Alex. "Hold

by inch, we pulled him free, muscles

last pull, Alex tumbled onto solid ground,

staring at the sky. "I too hate this

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tomb. It was an ancient structure, partially buried beneath the sand, its entrance framed by massive

shard

was different-thick with an unnatural stillness. As we stepped inside, darkness swallowed us, the temperature dropping sharply, the flickering torchlight casting

crossed the

from the walls, taking shape-tall

They moved like smoke, drifting toward us

Elijah tensed. "Guarding spirits."

"Of course

The creatures lunged.

darkness to counter them, but the spirits absorbed his magic, growing

off my shadows!" Isaiah

this," Alex yelled and sent streams of lunar

them, they let out sheiks and dissolved into mist. But

rest of us fought side by side, dodging

an altar at the back of

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