Chapter 23: Desert of Scorpions and Regret
Chapter 23: Desert of Scorpions and Regret
The first thing Oliver noticed was the sun. It was red—unnaturally red—and hung high in the sky like a bloodshot eye watching his every move. The heat pressed against his skin like a punishment. His lips were dry, cracking at the edges. Sweat rolled down his temple, only to evaporate before reaching his chin. It was that hot.
He blinked slowly, adjusting to the harsh light. The world around him was a wasteland. Sand stretched endlessly in every direction—some patches flat, others littered with steep, jagged hills. But it all looked the same. No civilization. No shelter. Just dunes... and strange, bloated desert carcasses—plants, maybe? They looked half-dead, with blue bulbous growths hanging off them like tumors. He instinctively knew not to touch them.
And then, in the sky—hovering high above like a warning from the gods—symbols began to form. Blood-red letters, dripping like fresh ink, assembled themselves into twisted glyphs only he could read.
> [Night Trial: Phase One – Initiated]
Duration: 72 Hours (Nightmare Time) / 8 Hours (Real Time)
>
Oliver squinted. "Seventy-two hours?"
Before he could finish that thought, the air shimmered. And then, a red floating skull drifted into view across the dunes like a balloon from hell. A familiar one. Even though this was the first time he was seeing his bloodline will in this form, he just knew this was it.
"Rise and grind, blood boy!" it cackled. "What's the delay? Waiting for the scorpions to tuck you in?"
Oliver flinched. "What... scorpions?"