Chapter 41: Journey to the Desert

The old man and the wizard set out at dawn, leaving behind the city still recovering from the battle. With few supplies and an old map that barely showed the way, they began their journey towards the desert, a land known for being as hostile as it was mysterious. The heat was already stifling, even in the early hours of the day, and they knew that the situation would only get worse as they advanced.

As they walked, the old man could not help but let his mind wander back to the past. The desert was not unknown to him. Years before, he had crossed these arid lands in search of answers, of a form of peace that he had never found. Returning now, so many years later, seemed like a cruel whim of fate. But he knew he could not help it; there was something in the desert that needed to be faced, and this time, he was not alone.

The wizard, on the other hand, was focused. His eyes scanned the horizon, looking for signs of anything out of the ordinary. He could sense a presence, something dark and powerful, that seemed to watch every step they took. But there were no visible signs of danger—not yet.

On the second day of their journey, the desert began to show its most unforgiving side. The heat was almost unbearable, and the water they carried was running low. But they were both seasoned men, accustomed to facing adversity, and they kept going, even when each step seemed heavier than the last.

During one of the pauses, the wizard broke the silence that had dominated the journey. "There is something strange about this land," he said, his voice low and worried. "The energies here are not natural. I feel as if the desert itself is… alive, somehow."

The old man looked out at the undulating horizon. "There have always been stories about the desert," he replied thoughtfully. "They say it is cursed, that ancient gods sleep beneath its sands. But I have never encountered anything but heat and solitude."

"Whatever is here now, it is not just a legend," the wizard replied. "We must be prepared to face something far more dangerous than we imagine."

Dusk was falling when they finally saw the ruins of an ancient city, half buried in the sand dunes. The stones, worn by time and relentless winds, still retained the grandeur of a bygone era. But there was something sinister in the air, as if the ruins themselves whispered stories of forgotten tragedies.

The old man and the wizard approached cautiously, their senses heightened for any sign of danger. But the silence that reigned there was oppressive, and nothing seemed to move. They entered the ruins, walking through the ancient streets, now covered in sand, while the last rays of sunlight illuminated the stones with a reddish glow.

Suddenly, a shadow moved between the broken columns. They both stopped, their hearts beating faster, as they tried to identify what had caused the movement. The old man placed his hand on his sword, ready for anything, while the wizard began to murmur words of protection.

But before they could react, a figure emerged from the shadows. It was a man, or at least it seemed to be. His skin was a pale gray, and his eyes, empty and lifeless, reflected the emptiness of the desert. He wore torn, ancient clothes, and his presence exuded a dark power that made the air around him seem thicker.

"What are you doing in my land?" the figure asked, his voice echoing as if it came from another time.

The old man and the wizard exchanged a quick glance before answering. "We came looking for answers," the old man said, trying to keep his voice steady. "There is something here, something that threatens our lands, and we need to know what it is."

The gray man stared at them for a long moment before answering. "The answers you seek may be more terrible than the questions you have. This desert holds secrets that should remain buried."

Before they could answer, the figure began to dissolve, as if it were made of sand, scattering with the wind until it disappeared completely. The old man and the wizard stood there in silence, aware that they had just encountered the first true sign of what awaited them.

"We need to keep going," the old man said, breaking the silence. "Whatever's here, we won't find answers by standing still."

The mage nodded, but the worry in his eyes was clear. They were approaching something dangerous, something that could change the course of not just the war, but the entire region. And the desert, with all its secrets, wouldn't yield those answers easily.