Navigating the sun-scorched desert without a drop of water turned each step into a battle against the relentless rays. Zeke and his group found themselves engulfed in an unforgiving heat that seemed to challenge their very existence.
The mirages on the horizon taunted him with false promises of relief, making the vast expanse feel like an endless, arid canvas. With every footfall, the dry earth beneath seemed to greedily absorb any lingering moisture, leaving his worn-out soles to grapple with the harsh reality of the terrain.
Zeke tried to swallow. However, his throat had long run out of moisture. Thirst clung to his esophagus like a persistent foe, intensifying with each desperate attempt to swallow. The air, devoid of any mercy, shimmered with the relentless heat, wrapping him in a suffocating embrace.
Despite all that, he didn't slow his steps. None of them did. There was nothing to be gained and everything to be lost from remaining still for too long. Their guide had been experienced enough to avoid any dangerous regions, but Zeke and his companions were not.
They quickly learned that there were bigger threats prowling these sands than the Elementals they had run away from. During the first hours of their journey, Zeke had almost been devoured by a worm the size of a castle. Even with all of them working together, they had not been its match. Running away was all they could do.
Fortunately, it seemed they had finally left the hunting grounds of that terrifying creature. And by the time the sun began to darken, they had put even more distance between them.
"I think this is enough," Zeke said as he came to a halt.
"Are you sure about that, master?" Vulcanos asked. "Shouldn't we use the darkness to our advantage instead? The temperature is far more pleasant than during the day."
Zeke bit his lip. He had to agree. The nights might get chilly, but with Vulcanos Magic, the cold wasn't something they had to fear. It was the sun that proved the bigger threat. However, he still shook his head. "None of the caravans move at night. Do you know why?"
Vulcanos tilted his head.
"It's because the true predators come out at night. And with none of us able to see farther than a few steps, we'll make for easy prey."
Zeke then sat down and closed his eyes. "What's the status, Akasha?"
[Answer]
Reporting progress. We have made it 13.2% of the way back and are ahead of the projection.
Zeke frowned. The reason they had made so much progress today was because they had run for their lives a good bit of the way. Consequently, they were far more exhausted than predicted. "And the other thing?"
[Answer]
A new batch was prepared right after. Host should not worry about that.
A slight smile emerged on his face. At least something was going well. He focused his mind on that distant feeling — closer and closer until he could eventually fully hold onto it. A moment later, the inside of his relay came into view. In addition to the usual gold coins, a different object occupied the middle of the space.
Zeke put his utmost focus on his task, enveloping the container into a thin membrane before pulling it through space. A moment later, the very same object appeared in his hand. Zeke smiled.
It was a carafe of water, cold and clean. The Chimeroi's eyes were fixed on it as well. A dry gulp came from each of their throats the moment it appeared. Zeke understood them well. He had heard the saying that a sip of water was worth more than a mountain of gold to a thirsty man, but hearing about it and experiencing it were two very different things. And right now, he was thirsty — very thirsty.
With a trembling hand, he opened the lid and took a sip. In an instant, a third of the water was gone. Zeke paused. He had consumed his share, but…
His gaze traveled to the Chimeroi, who were looking back at him with pitiful eyes. Zeke sighed and handed the container to Gravitas. What had he been thinking just now? This place really brought out the worst in people.
It didn't even take a moment for the empty carafe to hit the sand. "When is the next one?" Vulcanos asked. It was clear that the amount had been far from enough for the giant.
Zeke checked the state of his Core. This little stunt had consumed quite a bit of Mana. About two-thirds? It would at least take a few hours to recover. "There will be another one in the morning," he said.
Vulcanos nodded, and his sour expression turned into a slight smile. "It could be worse."
Zeke nodded. It could indeed be worse. They had enough water to keep them from dying, and they would easily be able to withstand a couple more days of this. In fact, the Chimeroi endured the heat and strenuous tempo much better than him. Even the delicate-looking Gravitas had a body that was far superior to a human's.
However, the downside of their monstrous strength was that they required far more nourishment. For now, they had enough food, at least. Before leaving the campsite, they had butchered their dead mounts. Even so, Zeke was well aware that it wouldn't last for the full ten days of their journey.
No matter. Something would surely come up. At least, that was what he thought for the first five days of their journey. However, they did not have any luck for this entire time, and their food supplies were soon used up.
On the eighth day, their situation turned grave.
Zeke observed the Chimeroi. It wasn't a pretty sight. Their faces were sunken in, and their once energetic movements had become forced and sluggish. Vulcanos, especially, was barely hanging on. He hardly seemed to have the strength to lift his feet.
For a human, it was possible to survive for weeks without food. However, that wasn't the case for Chimeroi at all. Zeke had underestimated how high their metabolism truly was. Given the state the big guy was in, he might even starve before they could reach the city.
Zeke cursed under his breath. He had not expected to be swimming in food, but at least one or two monsters should have crossed their path. However, the only creatures they met were either too strong, or managed to escape into the night.
Neither he nor Akasha had been able to predict this. They had both assumed that two Grand Mage-level fighters would be enough to deal with anything that might pop up. It was arrogance born from ignorance.
It was completely quiet when they made camp that night. Zeke handed out the usual portions of water, and they all drank their share in silence. It had been days since anybody had spoken. A somber stillness had replaced the jovial mood of the first day.
Just when Zeke was about to fall asleep, he heard a faint voice. Somebody seemed to be whispering. It sounded like an apology, but he didn't pay it any further attention. His mind and body were so very tired, and in his half-asleep state, he didn't even fully process the words. However, when he awoke the next morning, he immediately realized that something was wrong.
The sun was already up, meaning that nobody had woken him for his guard shift. Zeke quickly scanned the area for danger. Fortunately, nothing bad seemed to have happened despite their lack of vigilance. Even so, this had been a major mistake that could have cost them their lives.
[Notice]
Calm down, Host. I was keeping watch.
Despite Akasha's assurance, Zeke was livid. He was determined to hold somebody responsible for this. However, his resolve crumbled when he stood over the sleeping forms of his two companions. Their shrunken bodies looked like they had been left for dead a while ago. Their haggard faces and sunken eyes made them appear like corpses rather than living beings. He barely recognized them anymore.
"Get up," Zeke commanded. However, nobody moved. "GET UP!"
Finally, Gravitas stirred. Zeke passed her the water as he turned his attention to Vulcanos. However, no matter how much he called, the big guy wasn't moving. It was then that Zeke realized that something was wrong. He began to shake his shoulders, but the Chimeroi wasn't waking up.
Gravitas' hollow eyes were focused on their companion as well. Her usually expressionless face was even harder to read in this state. She remained silent as she watched Zeke attempt anything he could to get the big guy to wake up.
"…master," she croaked eventually. "You should leave him."
Zeke's head snapped around. "What?!"
"You should leave him," she repeated. "He will not be able to go on."
Zeke stared at her in utter disbelief. However, Gravitas wasn't phased at all. "Soon, you will have to leave me too. I'll go on for as long as I can… but… it won't be long now."
Zeke averted his eyes. "Akasha?"
[Answer]
Reporting progress. We have made it 73.5% of the way. We are a day behind schedule.
"What about Vulcanos?"
[Answer] The individual named Vulcanos is severely malnourished and has entered a state of unconsciousness. The probability of maintaining bodily functions without medical intervention is highly unlikely. It is recommended to consider leaving this individual behind.
"Then what about Gravitas?"
[Answer]
The condition of this individual is nearly the same, and it is noteworthy that she even remains conscious. The likelihood of her maintaining functionality beyond today is close to 0%.
Zeke dropped to his knees. However, this wasn't a sign of surrender. Neither was he accepting his fate. Instead, he grabbed the sleeping giant by the arm and awkwardly draped him over his shoulder.
After he had somewhat stabilized his hold on the Chimeroi, he turned to Gravitas and smiled. "This is pretty hard with a single arm."
The woman was staring back at him with an expressionless face. "Why?"
Zeke shrugged and then immediately cursed. The gesture had almost destabilized his hold on Vulcanos. "He would do the same for me," he said after finding his balance.
"That's not the same. He has no choice," Gravitas said.
Zeke smiled at her before starting to walk. "Nevertheless…"
***
Gravitas had been right. She didn't make it through the day.
Without Akasha's warning, Zeke would have even missed the moment when she stopped following him. The Chimeroi woman collapsed soundlessly under the midday sun.
No scream, no cry for help, no nothing.
So far, Zeke hadn't been overly bothered by his missing arm. However, that all changed now. Carrying two people on a single shoulder was more than just a little cumbersome. It was to the point where he had to use his [Telekinesis] constantly just to retain balance. Consequently, his core was almost fully drained by the time evening came.
Zeke sighed. He would not be able to summon any water today.
[Notice]
This course of action is highly illogical. Without water, neither the Chimeroi nor Host will survive the journey.
Zeke looked up at the stars, deep in thought. It didn't even seem as if he had heard Akasha's warning. However, after a while, he got to his feet and stood over the limp bodies of his two companions in silence. He looked at Vulcanos and observed the shallow rise and fall of his chest. The Chimeroi was getting weaker with every passing moment.
A flash of determination could be seen flickering through his eyes as he retrieved a small dagger from inside his tattered robes. With a quick flicker of steel, blood was drawn.
[Notice]
Host, this…
"I have plenty…"
Zeke held his bleeding wrist over Vulcanos' open mouth, forcing the sanguine trickle down the man's parched throat. Next, he did the same to Gravitas before taking a few gulps himself.
This time, Akasha remained silent. She undoubtedly had an opinion about his decision but knew him well enough to remain quiet. To dissuade a man who had already made up his mind wasn't kindness but cruelty.
***
The next two days passed in an agonizingly slow fashion.
Zeke, who had still looked strong and healthy when his companions collapsed, was now in an even worse condition than the limp bodies resting on his shoulder. It had been days since he had drunk anything but his own blood and over a week since he had eaten.
He didn't talk anymore, not to Akasha nor the Dragon. All he did was put one foot in front of the other while keeping his eyes on the horizon.
Then, on the eve of the second day, Zeke's feet suddenly came to a halt. He turned his head toward the way he came. After a moment of silence, he furrowed his brows.
"That looks like trouble."