Chapter 267: Downed
“Jamus!”
At Tarny’s cry, Jamus looked up to see the man haphazardly sliding toward him down the side of a dune. The Beacon’s brown hair looked almost singed in the ruddy light of the sunset, their passage east and sudden descent having hastened its arrival.
Returning the other man’s wave, Jamus returned his attention to his hastily stuffed pack, less stuffed now with half the contents spread around him on the sand. He’d already gone through it all and was in the process of repacking it with some semblance of order. He’d only been down for five, maybe ten minutes, and already, sweat beaded his forehead. The oppressive heat only worsened as Tarny drew within thirteen meters, Summer’s effect settling over him like a downy blanket.
“Did you see the others land?” Tarny asked, cursing as he struggled through the loose sand.
“I was the first down,” Jamus said, gesturing to the shredded remains of his harness. “I had a little trouble with my equipment. Had to cut my chute and do the landing the terrifying way. A pity no one saw it, as I cannot claim the points I earned for style by catching my hat.”
“Wish I had a hat,” Tarny said, puffing as he came to a stop. “Even going down, this sun is brutal. Do you think I can still get a sunburn with a thousand health?”
“I do not know,” Jamus said. “Speaking of health, are you using Summer for a reason, or have you just not bothered to change it?”
“Rolled my ankle on the landing, fell hard, and now I’ve got sand in my everywhere. Joint feels fine after the ring trick, but I’ve got a few hundred points to build back. How about you? You hurt?”
“Bruised, but not badly enough to spend health fixing it,” Jamus said, gesturing to his earring. “With boosted Recovery, I should be fine soon enough, and I would prefer to buffer any additional damage I might receive in the meantime.” He stopped short of mentioning the fact that he was missing more health than Tarny had to begin with.