Chapter 2: Dune’s Teeth

Torv "Ash" Kren dragged the busted sled north, black sand crunching underfoot, Lysa "Ember" Vey stumbling at his side. The Ashen Reach stretched endless, dunes sharp as blades, ember storms flickering red on the horizon. His coat flapped, gray, patched, machete bumped his hip, blood still wet from Krax's hounds. Three hundred miles pulsed in his gut, Ash Runner Sense: Lv. 1, Dune Dash, legs twitched, ready to blur. Lysa clutched the Core Ember, crimson glow seeping through her fingers, scars on her arms glinting like ash veins. Two thousand shards dangled, water, life, but Krax's howls trailed a noose tightening."Keep up," Torv growled, voice bitten, rope biting his shoulder. Sled creaked, two sacks left, shards clinked, three lost to the storm. Lysa coughed ash on her lips, leathers tight under her cloak. "Not dying here," she rasped, green eyes sharp, hand flexing, shard dust graying her knuckles. "Krax's pack, half-day off." Torv squinted, dunes rolled, and the wind carried faint snarls. "Faster then." He yanked, sled jolted, she matched, boots kicking sand. Hours bled, the sky darkened, and ember-glow pulsed overhead. Torv's throat cracked, water pouch flat, Lysa's deal his only drink. "Free Drift, two days," he said, flint eyes scanning. "Your Core better hold." She smirked, weak, "Burns me first, worth it." Core whispered, "Free me," Torv's gut churned, 2,000 or a curse, no middle ground. Sand shifted, dunes loomed, then a glint flashed, metal, high."Down!" Torv shoved Lysa, the machete snapped out, arrow whizzed, and grazed his coat. Raiders, five, crested the dune, sleds rigged with spikes, blades drawn. Lead, tall, pockmarked, grinned, ember-axe glowing dull red. "Krax's bounty, ten thousand, witch and runner." Torv's grip tightened, and Ash Runner Sense hummed, 300 miles. "Run," he snapped, Lysa rolled, second arrow thunked sand. Pockmark charged, sled roared, Torv dashed, sand blurred, Dune Dash kicked, dodged a swing, machete slashed, arm opened, +100 miles. Raider screamed, fell, sled veered, two flanked, blades high. Lysa's hand flared, Core pulsed, fire-dagger flew, burned a chest, raider dropped, Torv spun, hacked a throat, +200 miles, speed surged. Third, swung, axe grazed, Torv ducked, blade sank ribs, +300 miles, breath burned, legs snapped faster. The fourth raider, short, and scarred, leaped from the sled, knife aimed at Lysa. She twisted, fire flared, shard-dagger scorched his face, he shrieked, Torv's machete finished, +400 miles. Pockmark roared, axe swung, Torv dashed, sand flew, dodged, slashed low, leg buckled, +500 miles. Raider hit knees, Torv's blade sank skull, +600 miles, system chimed, Lv. 2: Ash Veil, storm flickered, hid him briefly.Lysa coughed, Core dimmed, and sand streaked her face. "More, Krax's eyes." Torv wiped the blood, the machete dripped, and five corpses sank in dunes. "Two thousand, move." She nodded, weak, Core pulsed, whisper grew, "Claim all." Torv's chest tightened, miles thrummed, lungs rasped, ash creeping in. Sled groaned he hauled, north stretched, dunes trembled. A howl, sharp, sled-dogs, dozen strong, Krax's pack broke the ridge, ember teeth glinting, riders armed. Torv's eyes narrowed, 600 miles, Ash Veil flickered, sand swirled, hid them. Lysa's fire dimmed, and Core burned her grip, "Run," she gasped, Torv yanked, dunes shook, pack closed.