Mists of the Desert

As Nico pushed open the rusted hatch, a sudden flood of sunlight blinded him. He stumbled forward, shielding his face as a wave of dry heat washed over him. For a moment, he couldn’t see a thing—only the scorching sensation of hot sand under his feet. When his vision cleared, the sight that greeted him left him speechless.

A desert.

"What the hell happened here? I never imagined I’d see a desert in the middle of Japan!" he muttered, squinting across the endless dunes.

Looking around, he saw nothing but sand stretching in all directions. No trees, no buildings—just rolling hills of golden heat. But Nico knew exactly where he was. The map he’d seen on the underground computer confirmed it.

"I need to head north. If the sun’s directly above, I can use my shadow to find the direction... this way."

Just as he was about to start walking, he paused.

"Ugh, I want to get the hell out of here, but this heat is unbearable. Maybe I should just head back into the lab and wait for the sun to pass."

He turned to reopen the hatch, but it wouldn’t budge.

"Damn it! It’s locked from the inside? Who designs a hatch like this?!"

Nico let out a frustrated sigh and gave up on the idea.

 "Fine. Guess I don’t have a choice. Time to move."

Using his hand to shield his eyes, Nico began marching northward through the blistering desert, the sun beating down relentlessly. The sand burned his bare feet and sweat poured from his brow. He had to find shelter—and soon.

One Hour Later

He didn’t stop. Even as dizziness set in from the heat and thirst, Nico forced himself forward. Still, no sign of civilization. Just more dunes.

Then, finally, he spotted something. A shadow—far in the distance. His heart surged with hope, but his legs gave out. He tumbled down the slope of a dune and collapsed at the bottom, unable to move. Just before passing out, he saw a figure approaching.

When Nico came to, he was lying in the shade of a small sled being pulled across the sands. In front of the sled was a massive dog-like creature, and behind him, a figure cloaked entirely in black robes.

Startled, Nico sat up too fast and tumbled off the sled. As he staggered to his feet, the cloaked figure stopped and stepped down.

The figure’s voice was disappointed, almost annoyed. 

"Still alive, huh? Would’ve been easier if you’d died."

Nico stiffened, trying to stay calm. 

"Who are you? What do you want? Are you human?"

The figure laughed mockingly. 

"You—an exiled trash—are asking me if I’m human?"

With that, the figure threw off the cloak, revealing a slender girl with wine-colored twin buns, one side of her bangs covering her right eye. She wore a sleeveless yellow tank top, blue shorts, and rugged boots.

Nico, flustered and surprised, stammered, 

"Y-You're... human—"

Before he could finish, a whip cracked through the air. He barely dodged to the side.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

The girl lashed the whip again, trying to snare him. 

"Come on, you exiled ones were already sentenced to death just by being dumped here. Let me do my job! There are plenty of clients who’d pay good money for you."

Nico kept dodging and protesting. 

"Exiled?! What are you even talking about? I just woke up from a six-year coma—I don’t know anything about this!"

One strike finally caught his leg. The whip curled unnaturally, refusing to let go.

"Agh!"

The girl yanked him forward with a smirk. 

"Doesn’t look like you get it. This whip’s made from the tentacles of a Lily Octopus. Even if it’s cut from a monter, it still can move according to my will. You’ll earn me a solid profit, so I might as well educate you."

As Nico was dragged across the sand, he cried out one last time. 

"Please! I swear, I just woke up underground a few hours ago. I’m not who you think I am!"

The girl paused, studying his face. Then she sighed. 

"If you're not one of them, then that would be... problematic. Can you prove it?"

"Yes! Look at me—I'm wearing a hospital gown! And I can take you to the underground lab I came from."

Without another word, the girl hurled him back onto the sled, still bound. 

"Fine. Show me."

They returned to the underground lab's entrance. The girl examined the sealed hatch while Nico pleaded his case.

"It’s locked again, see? We can’t get in, but this should prove I’m telling the truth."

She looked at him skeptically, then suddenly grabbed his chin and slammed him to the ground.

"Ow! What the hell?!"

Without answering, she shoved her fingers into his mouth, then pulled them back out.

Nico coughed, furious. 

"W-What was that for?!"

"Relax. Four weeks ago, there was an incident here that caused everyone nearby to lose a molar. Yours are perfectly intact. Seems you’re telling the truth."

Nico sighed in relief. 

"Thank god. So... what’s a 'banished' one anyway?"

The girl sneered. 

"They’re people who had... relations with monsters. Either by offering sacrifices or defending them. When it’s discovered, they’re tossed into this desert. Their monster masters never come for them. They die here—slowly and painfully."

"That’s... horrible."

She crossed her arms. 

"Some buyers want them for other reasons. I track them down and deliver them."

That answer made Nico uneasy. Still, he nodded. 

"Got it."

She turned to him again. 

"Name’s Eimi Hatabe. Yours? What are you planning to do next?"

"Nico Asano. My plan’s to head north, find my mom, and reach the Hokkaido portal to escape this world."

"Portal? Hokkaido? What are you talking about?"

Nico explained the Project Messenger broadcast, the Crimson Worm, and the portals still open to the monsters’ world.

Eimi grew quiet, thinking. 

"So... if that’s true, then there’s no other choice."

She turned to him with sudden resolve. 

"Alright. I’m coming with you. You don’t know anything about this world, and I need someone who knows where that portal is we will help each other. But first—"

Eimi shielded her eyes, scanning the horizon. 

"We need to get off the surface. There’s an underground town nearby. We’ll rest there tonight and head out at sunrise."

They arrived just before dusk. The desert winds howled as they approached a reinforced cave at the base of a rocky dune. Rusted metal, sandbags, and torches surrounded the entrance. It looked unassuming, but Nico could tell it was well protected.

"Where are we?" he asked, eyes wide.

"This is East Star. A hidden town for those who’ve escaped the desert’s wrath. It’s not fancy, but it’s safe."

Inside, a spiraling tunnel led deep underground, walls glowing with phosphorescent stones. The deeper they went, the cooler it became.

At the end, the tunnel opened into a vibrant underground town. Crystals hung from the ceiling, casting blue and green light. Cobblestone paths snaked through buildings, shops, and homes, all humming with quiet life.

Eimi led Nico to an old inn. A grizzled man with one eye and a machine-gun arm greeted them with a grin.

"Welcome to the coziest dump in East Star—as long as you’ve got coin."

They got a room, and once inside, Nico collapsed onto the bed. Eimi stood by the window, gazing at the quiet market below.

"You’ve been here before?"

"A few times. Everyone stops here to rest before heading deeper into the wastes."

Nico closed his eyes. 

"I feel... safe for the first time today."

Eimi smiled faintly. 

"Sleep. We head out at dawn. Morning’s the only time you’ll survive the desert."

As the town settled into silence, Eimi gave Nico one last glance before drifting off. The crystals above dimmed.

When dawn came, Nico awoke refreshed—ready to continue the journey to a world beyond the end.