Chapter 48: Desire
This was day three of their survival and the twenty-seven remained out of original one—hundred squad members.
The squad walked slowly across the huge, empty desert. Sand stretched around them with no end in sight. Their clothes were dirty and heavy, and their boots sank into the soft ground with every step.
The sun was beginning to fall, but the heat still clawed at their backs. One knight kicked at the sand in frustration, sending dry grains scattering.
"We don’t have any water," he said angrily,
The mage with storage magic died from the chaos in the forest. They had relied on him. His magic kept their supplies cool and hidden, protected from desert beasts and heat.
Gabby had given the squad his last supply of food and water, but it wasn’t enough for all twenty-seven of them. Hunger gnawed at their stomachs, and the heat only made it worse.
Von glanced down at the worn map in his hands and said, "The waterfall should be nearby."
One of the knights suddenly shouted, pointing ahead. "Look! There’s a lake!"
A loud cheer broke across the squad as they saw the lake glimmering ahead, like a miracle tucked between sunburnt hills. Feet that had dragged for hours now moved faster, some knights even broke into a run, laughing hoarsely.
"It’s real!" one shouted, nearly tripping in the sand.
Tharos knelt at the edge of the lake, cupping both hands together and dipping them into the water. His eyes sparkled with hope, a small smile forming as the cool surface touched his skin.
But before he could raise it to his lips, Von’s hand shot out, gripping his shoulder firmly.