Chapter 24 - Roaming in the Sandstorms
Strong winds swept across the wasteland, lifting waves of dust that blanketed the land in a gritty haze. The heat was brutal, scorching everything it touched.
A magic circle slowly etched itself onto the cracked desert floor, barely visible through the thick, swirling dust. Then it pulsed, and from within it emerged a floating platform, gliding just above the sand. Several figures stood atop it, all clad in white robes trimmed with blue patterns.
Atlas and his subordinates had landed in the middle of this harsh, desolate landscape, right into the worst conditions imaginable. Blistering winds whipped up sand into swirling clouds, making it nearly impossible to see more than a few paces ahead.
Thankfully, each of them wore a specially crafted robe, durable enough to shield against the sandstorm. And the Flaming Collars they’d equipped from their previous hunts made the searing heat more manageable.
Atlas sat comfortably on his throne, with Morganna balanced on the armrest beside him, as usual. Karian stood behind them, gripping his greatsword with steady hands. Up front, Edrik sat beside Lyrassa, while Mira remained back at Gacha Haven, watching over their home base.
They had landed directly beneath their floating island, but looking up to find it was useless. The island was too small, too high, and now completely hidden by the sandstorm.
With the storm raging like this, even seeing straight ahead was a challenge, let alone trying to spot something above them.
Atlas already knew their destination, so he wasted no time. He gave the order, and the floating throne responded instantly.
The platform surged forward, cutting through the desert air with surprising speed. Atlas couldn’t gauge exactly how fast they were moving, but in an environment like this, the pace felt more than sufficient.
Without the barrier shielding them from the worst of the storm, this journey would’ve been far more punishing.
Their destination for the day was the nearest city, roughly a two-hour journey, according to the System’s estimate.