Chapter 61 - Scorching Desert
POV: Rudeus Greyrat
Rudeus woke up with a burning sensation on his skin, the scorching desert heat almost making him lose consciousness again. A deep pain coursed through his entire body, as if he were being crushed by a giant boulder. His muscles were tense, and he could barely move. He blinked, trying to focus, and that was when he saw Sylphy, unconscious by his side. Her hair, once greenish, was now whitish, almost silver.
With difficulty, he tried to move, which only intensified the pain, but he managed to get closer to Sylphy. He looked at her, her face still pale and marked with burns, and a small crater surrounded them, formed by something—perhaps their fall. He decided to wake her up. Sylphy couldn't stay like this, unconscious, in the middle of this hell.
"Sylphy..." he murmured, almost without strength, as he ran his hand through her hair, feeling the rough texture of the sand.
She stirred slightly but didn't wake up. Rudeus tried again, now with more urgency, shaking her shoulders a little. "Sylphy, wake up!"
Finally, she slowly opened her eyes, gasping, as if waking from a nightmare. She brought a hand to her head, confused, and when she saw Rudeus, she embraced him tightly, her breathing heavy and her eyes welling with tears.
"Rudy... where are we? What happened?" She was visibly frightened, her body sweaty, her skin irritated by the scorching heat, with subtle burns scattered across her face.
Rudeus hugged her back for a moment, trying to comfort her, but a feeling of despair began to rise within him, mixing with the pain and unbearable heat. He pulled away, trying to look around, trying to understand their situation. The sight before him was an endless desert, dunes stretching as far as the eye could see, with no signs of life, no shade to take refuge in.
"I... I'm not sure," he answered in a hoarse voice. "But if I'm right, we're in a very dangerous place. A place full of monsters that... that we can't even dream of facing."
Sylphy looked around, her eyes wide with surprise and fear. "But... what about everyone in Buena Village? What happened to them?"
Rudeus closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. "I don't know, Sylphy. They could be anywhere now. You have to trust me—I'll get us back home. I swear I will."