Scavengers

The desert sun beat down mercilessly, reflecting off the sand in blinding flashes. Ye Yang, his skin already parched, pressed on.

 

He'd managed to collect a few fire beast cores, but the hunt was proving to be more arduous than he anticipated. The creatures were cunning, their movements swift and unpredictable.

 

He spotted a cluster of volcanic rocks in the distance, a plume of smoke curling upwards. With a surge of adrenaline, he quickened his pace, his senses on high alert.

 

As he approached, he saw it – a grotesque creature, resembling a scorpion with the head of a dragon, perched atop a jagged rock.

The creature, sensing his presence, let out a deafening roar and lunged. Ye Yang, agile despite the heat, rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding its venomous tail.