(CHAPTER 9: DESERT)

They take their time at the cozy little temporary base they've created. With the sea serpent dead, they can take their time and stay whenever they wanted until Brine has completely heal her wounds. Hero uses the clay that is available at some area of the riverbed to create a small clay pot where he cook food for her until she recover. The algae and wool bandage seems to work a lot as she gets better and better each day. During the day, Hero would go out to gather resources and food while Brine stays back to rest. She would create bracelet and necklace out of the shiny scale of the sea serpent and some string he created with the leftover vines. At night when Hero return he would get the food cookin, before sitting down and have dinner. Day passes and soon weeks. And that's on the morning of the second week that she has recovered fully, and they have to keep going.

The night before leaving they pack up some essentials. Hero crafted some items while Brine prepared the food and water they needed for the journey. And on the next day, they are ready to go. As they set foot on land, things has really started to change, He didn't expected such a huge climate change on the other side of the river to another.

Instead of the mushy mud, they got soft fragile sand.

Instead of the damp, rotting smelling air, they got the dry, sandy desert wind.

Instead of the tall trees that the leaves cover the horizon, they got sandy dunes so tall that it reaches the sky line and the sand that stretches infinitely.

Welcome, to the desert biome.

"What's up your sleeve this time, Mike."

"A lot, Notch, a lot of cards."

"Well." He let out a chuckle. "Let's see how they are able to cope with THAT."

"Well, now what shall we do."

"We head west, continue our journey as planned." Hero reply as he try to figure out the map in his hand. "We shall walk out of here after a few days, hope the next biome ain't that sandy."

"Yeah." Brine nodded. And with that, they started walking towards the west, the direction where the sun sets. The temperature at the desert is extremely high as there were no cloud on the sky, they are often forced to create a temporary shack in order to stay away from the blazing sun ray. They also become much thirstier than before, the urge of drinking has increased as the temperature sky rocketed. As day passes their water canteen get thinner and thinner and now it is almost empty.

But when night comes, the temperature dropped so low that they had to set up a campfire to keep things comfy. They didn't bring much coal for the trip, and there isn't any caves or trees at the desert, just sand, sand and more sand. As day passes, they get more and more worn out and their resources were getting more and more scarce, especially water. They started to get hallucination as they walk on the desert land that never seems to end. They've saw plains, water source and even oasis filled with various life forms. And all of them disappear in front of their sight the moment the approached. As if their mind were playing games on them, slowing them down and making them much frustrated and anger as day passes.

Until one day.

The day was the same as ever, Hero was in front leading with a map in his hand while Brine stays was behind. They did not say a single word as the sun blazes, their lips were burned and everytime they bite their lips, they could felt a metallic taste that dissolves on their mouth. Their skin were sizzling under the hot sun as they could fell their mind throbbing every step they take. Hero keep his eye peered for sign, the high temperature has causes everything in sight to be twisted and curled up. He felt nauseous but just as he was about to set up a shack to cool down a bit, he saw something right in front of them.

"Hey, Brine." He pointed the structure. "You saw that thing far away?"

"Yeah, what is that."

"I suggest we find out. It is right in our direction, so it won't be a hustle."

She nodded as they continue to walk towards the structure right in front of them. As they approaches, they found a mini, pyramid shaped structure, four blocks tall and a square shaped base. Right in the middle of the structure was what they couldn't imagine.

Clear distilled water!

There was a sign on top of the structure, covered in sand and dust. As hero wipe away all the filth, the name of the structure was shown.

"A Desert Well." He said "How odd."

"Not odd if it gave us water and keep us living." Brine exclaimed as she fill up their water canteen with a bucket carefully.

Hero ignore her words as he inspect the structure carefully. He've read about the desert well before, normally build closely towards civilization to make the process of getting water much easier. As he thought he look around, there is no other structure, sign of civilization or even sign of life. This is way too bizarre.

"Water." Brine say as he threw the fully filled water canteen to Hero. Hero catch it with one arm before popping open the cap and take a gulp. As water roll down his throat, he felt something is off. The water, it's cursed.

He spit out the water as he kneel to the ground. He felt a strange tingling feeling, as if thousands of ants crawl onto his skin. Her throat feels even drier and he could felt his heartbeat rate increases. He let out a roar before falling down, as the pain sets, he stood up.

"Hey, are you okay." Brine rush toward.

"Don't drink the water." Hero said as he struggle to stand up. "It's cursed."

"What?" The water canteen fell from her grasp? "The water?"

"You haven't drink the water, do you."

"No." She shake her head.

"Great, cause if you did, things are going to get real nasty."

Hero stood up as he tries to inspect the water well even more. Just as he was about to, he felt a spiking pain at his arm, as if thousands of needle struck the exact same spot at the same time. He let out a groan, and the pain forces him to kneel back.

"Hey, hey, hey." Brine came closer as she tries to help him regain balance from stumbling. "Are you alright? I mean we can stop for a rest. There is no hurry."

"We are." Hero said as he pull out the sleeve of his shirt. There was a huge purple mark on it. The mark resembles a man with its arm cross, one wield a weird "S" shape staff while another a dagger, his head resembles a dog while dark snake like marks started to spread across his skin at an alarming rate.

"I'm cursed."