Bond of the mind - part two - chapter 3

"Have you eaten?" she asked everyone. They nodded. Except for Tragir, of course, who looked like he was planning to eat something, but when he saw the looks Senna and Mirthana were giving him, he just swallowed. 

"In that case, I will show you to your rooms where you can rest," continued Yin, motioning for everyone to follow her. She led them up the stairs to the second floor. They noticed that there were indeed many doors there. The little girl led them only to the first door.

"You can rest here. The dwarf can stay in the room across the hall. If you'd like, and I'm sure you would, put your things down and I'll show you to the bathroom," said Yin. Everyone nodded. After all, they had been traveling for a long time. So she waited for them there. In a moment, everyone came out of their rooms back into the hallway. They were wearing only very simple clothes. They went down the stairs to the first floor. Then Yin led them to the other side of the hallway. There were two doors again.

"Women to the right and men to the left," she said, trying to sound like a receptionist. They began to think she was really enjoying this. Senna, Mirthana, and Spark went through the door on the right, and Tragir went through the door on the left. Behind the doors were spacious changing rooms with towels already laid out. Senna and Mirthana put their things away and wrapped themselves in towels. Spark, of course, also took a towel, which she carried in her mouth. Then they went through another door. Now they were outside. Both were surprised by what they saw. Outside, in the shade of the trees, were natural thermal baths. It was another incomprehensible thing, because there were no mountains in the vicinity. So they tried the water. It was really pleasant. Before they could get in, Spark ran ahead and jumped into the water. This made them both laugh. Then Senna and Mirthana joined them. It was so pleasant that they slowly fell asleep. Suddenly, the door began to open and they both became alert. Yin appeared, also wrapped in a towel.

"I hope you don't mind if I join you," said Yin. They both invited her to join them. After all, they were guests here. So the little girl settled down in the water a short distance away from them. They all rested together. But Senna couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her. Mirthana was resting next to her, and Spark was already lying on the grass, basking in the sun. So she looked at the little girl. She had her eyes glued to Senna. Senna didn't understand why she was watching her so intently. Suddenly, Yin stood up, still watching her, and slowly walked over to the elf and sat down in the water in front of her.

She was really close. The little girl kept staring into her eyes.

"You look almost like her. I guess there aren't many differences between elves," said Yin, still staring at her with her golden eyes.

"Like who?" asked Senna, her curiosity piqued by this statement.

"It was a long time ago. Besides, I never knew her name. It was before I met the stranger. And... she's no longer alive," replied the little girl. But looking at Senna brought back memories of someone she had once admired.

"I'm sorry... but even for us elves, life is not always endless," Senna added with a smile. Silence fell once more. The little girl bowed her head.

"C-can I come between you?" she asked them both. Senna smiled again when she saw Yin's bowed head and began to blush. She really did look like a little girl. Then the elf moved over a little so that the girl could squeeze in between them. She immediately slipped in. But she still had her head bowed. Senna and Mirthana noticed how nervous she was. They could imagine that she usually only spent time in the presence of strangers. Now they looked at each other and nodded. It seemed that they were both thinking the same thing. Each of them took one of the girl's hands under the water. At first, Yin seemed really uncomfortable. She still had her head bowed, but she didn't pull her hands away. They just sat there for a while. Senna soon noticed that the girl's eyes were starting to glisten. Suddenly, she stood up.

"Thank you. I have to go now," said Yin. She ran off and was gone in an instant. Senna and Mirthana smiled at each other. It occurred to Senna that she had never had such contact with anyone before. They stayed there for a while, but they had been there for a long time.

Now they both got up and decided it was time to go. Spark also got up and joined them. Senna helped her dry off in the dressing room because she wasn't completely dry. Of course, she couldn't do it herself. After all, she didn't have the hands for it. Then the three of them headed straight for their room. But Yin stopped them again in front of the stairs.

"Dinner," she said without looking at them, and led them straight to the dining room, where Tragir was already sitting and literally stuffing himself with everything he could reach. She just led them there and then ran off again. At dinner, everyone was finally able to talk normally for the first time in a long time. They felt an unusual calm now that they knew they were safe here. After dinner, everyone went to their rooms. At last, they could all stretch out and rest. Today, Spark lay down on the side of the bed where Senna was lying. Everyone was lying in their beds. The elf decided to stroke Spark's fur for a while. She was still bigger than usual.

"I wish May could be here with us..." said Senna. She looked a little downcast again.

"Don't worry. She'll be back someday. After all, Spark is still with us," added Mirthana. Senna knew she was right. As long as Spark was here with them, there was still hope.

Lesoženka soon fell asleep. The elf was still stroking Spark, who now lifted her head and looked into her eyes as if she wanted to say something. Of course, nothing happened. It wasn't long before Senna also fell asleep, her hand still touching Spark. 

When they woke up, it was hard to tell what day it was or what time of day it was. That was because, no matter how time passed, it still looked the same outside. Soon they heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," Senna replied quickly. She had an idea who it was. The door opened and Yin stood there.

"I hope you've had a rest. Breakfast is ready," said the little girl, then turned and left. 

They waited for Tragir and then they all went to have breakfast together. Senna and Mirthana always felt that there was too much food. The dwarf, of course, disagreed. After breakfast, Yin did not show up, so they decided to explore the house on their own. It was really spacious and had many rooms. Apart from the kitchen and pantry on the first floor, they did not find anything interesting. Well, for Tragir, it was quite interesting. It was as if food was the only thing that interested him. Then they continued to the second floor. They began to go through the rooms one by one. They all looked the same as the ones they were staying in. They had the impression that they would never be able to go through everything because there were so many doors. Every time they came to another door, they felt like more had appeared. However, the house wasn't that big after all, and they soon reached the last door. It was the only door marked with a number. This time, Senna opened the door more carefully than usual. At first, the room looked exactly like the others. But there was one difference. Senna noticed that someone was lying in the bed . However, they could only see black hair from the doorway. So they decided to go inside.

Senna felt someone grab her hand. When she looked back, she saw Yin standing behind them.

"You can't be here," said the little girl. She didn't seem angry. Rather, she seemed worried about them.

"If you go near him, even if he's asleep, you'll probably die," she added.

"So this is the stranger?" Senna asked. Yin just nodded.

"Why is he sleeping right now?" Senna continued to ask. Of course, everyone was curious about this.

"Because he's not from this world..." replied the little girl, continuing, "So if you want to live, close the door." After that, they closed it. There was no reason not to believe Yin. The group hadn't expected him to be from another world.

"You'll stay here for today to rest. Then we'll take you to a place where you'll be safe," Yin explained as they walked back down the long corridor. The little girl already had plans for what to do with them today.

The stranger woke up in his bed. It was still early in the morning. He had to go to work again today. He lived alone in a small apartment in one of the big cities. He wasn't exactly a sociable person. He didn't know many people he could call friends, but he always got along well with his colleagues at work. He liked his job because it was something that interested him. He worked for one of the larger companies. For certain reasons, the stranger didn't see his family very often. After work, he always liked to spend his time as he pleased. Sometimes during the day, he would just think about the other world while keeping his mind calm so that his own world on the other side would remain stable. He had breakfast and soon had to leave for the office. He was glad he got this job because he had been going from job to job for a long time and nothing really interested him. Finally, there was something he enjoyed, so he learned to go to work with pleasure.

He always took the tram to work. After all, it wasn't far enough to warrant buying a car. Soon he was at the office, where his work always began with a morning chat with his colleagues. There weren't always many of them in the office, because his job could also be done from home. However, he really enjoyed going to work. He was a loner, but at least this way he had some contact with people. Time flew by for him there. It was always time to go home much earlier than he expected. On his way back to his apartment, he would occasionally stop at a store to buy something to eat. During dinner, he always reflected on the day that was almost over.

"I hope Yin took care of them," he thought as he cleared the dishes after dinner and got ready for bed. Soon he was lying in his bed again, alone in his small apartment. He closed his eyes and soon woke up on the other side.

Yin had shown everyone around the neighborhood today and pointed out everything she found interesting in this world. Some of the animals, insects, and plants were completely unknown to the group. It was as if some things here weren't even from their world. But now they understood why that was. After all, they already knew that the stranger wasn't really from their world, just like May. 

"We have to go back now. The stranger is back, so we'll take you to a safer country where no one will be looking for you," said Yin, leading them back. 

They soon arrived back at the house. First, the little girl led them to the dining room, where they could eat before the journey that now lay ahead of them. They had no idea where they were going, so it was definitely more sensible to fortify themselves and prepare properly. After eating, they went to their rooms, where they still had their belongings.

"I wonder where they'll send us. I've never been to any other kingdom," said Mirthana.

"Me neither, except for Naarkhu, where I was born," replied Senna. But the world was vast, so it was difficult to guess where they would actually be sent. Naarkhu, the kingdom of the elves, lay in the middle of the world. But on every side there were many different countries and kingdoms. All they could do was wait and let themselves be surprised.

Soon everyone was ready and set off. The stranger was already waiting for them with Yin. They led them through the forest for a long time before they reached a clearing.

"It is time for you to set out once again to meet your destiny," said the stranger, stopping in his tracks. A dark gate began to form in front of him, and when it was complete, it slowly opened. 

"It will be an unknown land for you, but you should be safe there. It is still a land untouched by the orders," added the stranger. Then he stepped aside. 

Everyone looked at each other, then Tragir and Mirthana passed through the gate. Senna and Spark remained behind.

"Will we see each other again... May?" Senna asked with her head bowed, staring at the ground.

"You really care about her... considering that this place belongs to me, as long as you stay, your thoughts are inside me. If you succeed... then maybe," said the stranger, a smile visible under his hood. But that wasn't enough for Senna. She wanted a clear answer. Before she could say anything, Yin was already pulling her by the hand.

"Quick, before the gate closes," said the little girl, pulling Senna through the gate. Spark was still staring at the stranger.

"I see it's not time yet," he said, bending down to scratch the female dog behind her ears. Then she too jumped through the gate, which closed behind her.

All around them were sand dunes and mountains so high that it was impossible to see their tops. They couldn't see any trees or water. As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but endless sand. 

"Why didn't you let me talk to him?!" Senna scolded Yin, who was still there with them.

"He wouldn't have told you anything more. I've known him for a while. He never says more than is necessary," replied the little girl. But the elf couldn't just accept that. Now, however, there was nothing she could do about it. So she tried to calm her emotions a little.

"Why are you here with us?" Senna asked in a calmer tone.

"Um... I thought it would be fun to join you for a while," Yin replied, continuing, "Besides, I'm supposed to keep an eye on you for a few days. I've been here before, after all."

"So, can you tell us something about this place?" Mirthana asked her. After that, Yin began to explain.

The land where they currently found themselves did not belong to any kingdom. It was a neutral land inhabited only by small clans of people who had adapted to the local conditions and managed to survive. However, most of this land was uninhabitable. This was one of the reasons why others began to call this land the Dead Sands. There was hardly any life far and wide, and those who tried to cross this land usually died soon after, either from dehydration or being swallowed by the shifting sands. Hearing this did not exactly improve their mood.

"No water, no food, and in the desert," said Tragir, rolling his eyes. He was the least enthusiastic of them all. After all, food was at the top of his list.

"If what you say is true, why do you assume we can handle this?" asked Mirthana.

"Don't worry. That's why I'm here with you. I'll help you get to the nearest desert settlement, then I'll leave you. After all... the people who live here are a little strange," Yin replied to her question. But this only raised more questions. The little girl noticed the questioning looks on their faces. So she continued, "How else could people live here and resist the Darkness when there are no rules or anything else, right?" she finished and smiled. There was something strange about what she said. Usually, there was something everywhere that protected ordinary people from the forces of Darkness. According to what she said, there was nothing like that here, and people had to take care of themselves. 

The group set off under Yin's leadership, who strode forward confidently. A few hours passed and the group was still trudging through the desert. They noticed that no matter how far they walked, everything around them looked the same. It was as if their journey through the desert was literally endless. It was clear that the group needed a rest. After all, traveling in the heat of the sun was really exhausting. But Yin wouldn't allow it. They still needed to keep going. Tragir began to mutter something under his breath, but she ignored him. Soon they managed to approach one of the mountains. From the side they had come from, there was a small crack, but it was spacious enough for everyone to fit inside. 

"We'll rest and spend the night here," said Yin. 

"Why spend the night? Wouldn't it be better to continue in the evening without the sun overhead?" asked Mirthana, puzzled. 

"If you want to die, sure," Yin replied with a smirk. Again, none of them understood what she was talking about. So they all settled down inside the mountain. Soon they noticed that it was already getting dark outside. Everything outside suddenly began to change. The temperature dropped sharply, and it was as if the sand was now covered with ice from the frost. None of them had expected this. 

"If you want, you can try to continue," Yin remarked. 

"You could have just told us," said Mirthana.

"But then it wouldn't be interesting to watch," replied the little girl with a smile. 

The group had no choice but to spend the night in hiding. Soon, everyone was getting ready for bed. Tragir was the first to fall into a deep sleep. Senna and Mirthana lay down next to each other, and Spark immediately squeezed herself in between them. The warmth of her body was pleasant. Yin remained sitting at the edge of the cave entrance, watching everything change outside.

"Aren't you going to sleep?" Senna asked her when Mirthana fell asleep. 

"We, the children of Darkness, don't need sleep," Yin replied, then continued, "It's true that I like to rest sometimes, but I can't really fall asleep and dream about anything." The little girl looked a little disappointed. 

"It's both good and bad. Maybe you can't dream about all kinds of things. But when you're not feeling well, even nice things leave you in your dreams and turn into nightmares," said Senna, trying to cheer Yin up a little.

"By the way... how come the sun doesn't burn you?" Senna asked her. This question had been on her mind for a long time. 

"Um... that's because there's one big difference between me and the heyens. They were consumed by her evil qualities and joined the Darkness of their own free will. I, on the other hand, was forced to do so," Yin replied, but she wasn't too sure of her answer. This led Senna to ponder.

"So the sunlight won't hurt May either, if she didn't join the Darkness willingly?" Senna continued with her questions. The little girl seemed to pause for a moment, but then nodded. She turned her head back and watched the scene in front of her. 

"Good night, Yin, and thank you for being with us," she heard behind her. But when she looked back, Senna was already asleep. She smiled to herself.

Early in the morning, everyone began to wake up. Yin was still sitting at the edge of the rock entrance, looking out. 

"Thank you for keeping watch last night," Senna thanked her when she woke up. The little girl just nodded. Outside, the sun's rays were already visible. It was clear to everyone that it was time to continue their journey. So they set off through the sand dunes. Mountains stretched out on both sides, divided in places. The road seemed endless again. Yin kept looking around. In the distance, she could see some trees. They must have been oases, which were often found in deserts. But now Yin stopped completely. She looked at the mountains around them and then looked at the group.

"I can't go any further with you. They already know I'm here. From now on, it's up to you," she announced. Everyone had been prepared for this since she told them she wouldn't be with them the whole time.

"Thank you for everything," Senna thanked her. Yin just smiled and then disappeared as usual with a snap of her fingers. They knew they were alone. At least, that's what they thought. The group set off toward the trees they could see in the distance. It wasn't long before they spotted a figure standing in the middle of the desert, staring in their direction. As they got closer, they noticed that the figure was completely covered except for their eyes, which were visible through the fabric. They approached even closer.

"Stop. This is the territory of the desert people. Who are you to enter?" said the voice of the person who spoke to them. Senna looked her up and down. The person was definitely smaller than her. 

"We come in peace. We are hunters from another kingdom," Mirthana replied. 

"Since when do hunters, as you call yourselves, associate with the children of Darkness?" asked the person. None of them could answer. This was not something they could explain. Tragir stepped forward.

"I don't have time for this, and I'm hungry," said the dwarf. Before they could stop him, he was already close to the person, who was preparing to fight with his bare hands. 

"A few sticks won't stop me," said the dwarf. As soon as he finished speaking, the person leaped towards him with a few quick steps. Then he touched him on the chest with his palm. Soon the dwarf was flying toward the other members of the group. He rolled around in the sand for a while before stopping in front of them. He began to get up, his mouth full of sand. This amused Senna and Mirthana. 

"We are not a threat to you. The little girl was just helping us get across the desert. We are looking for shelter," said Senna. 

"Why should I believe you?" continued the person in front of them. It was another difficult question. It wasn't easy to figure out how to convince this person to trust someone they had never seen before. So Senna could only think of one thing to do. She took off her quiver and bow and placed them in the sand in front of her. The person then started walking toward them. Soon they were close enough to get a good look at each other. They weren't sure what the person would decide to do. The person was still looking at them.

"We'll see what you're really like. For now, come with me. I'll take you to our village," said the person, who then turned and headed back to where they had been standing. The group followed, as they had no choice. 

It took some time before they were able to approach the oasis they saw in the distance. Mountains full of holes surrounded the oasis in front of them. Under the trees, they could see many tents connected to each other, providing shade for the people moving around beneath them. Everyone was dressed similarly to the person who was leading them, but even from a distance, they could see that their faces were uncovered. The group slowly made their way to the tents. There, several men with weapons were waiting. 

"These ones were moving in the desert," said the unknown person, then left. The armed men immediately approached the group. 

"Now you will come with us," they said, and then led the group to one of the holes in the mountains. As soon as they entered, a huge city hidden inside the mountain appeared before them. What they had seen outside was clearly just a cover hiding the real life that existed here. The men led them further into the city until they reached a huge hall. Before them sat an older man who looked different from most of the people here. He was really huge, and his clothes and the valuables he was literally covered with suggested that he was definitely a man of high rank. He sat on a throne carved out of rock, and all around the room were various precious objects. Inside were several other men who were armed to the teeth, as well as scantily clad women who were conversing with the men. The armed men brought the group before the man on the throne.

"What are you doing in our country?" asked the man sitting on the throne. 

"We have come from far away and are looking for shelter and refuge," Senna replied after bowing. It took a moment before the man spoke again, as he did not seem to be paying much attention to them. 

"I have never seen a group consisting of an elf, a dwarf, a human, and a dog," the man continued without looking at them. 

"She's a female dog," Mirthana muttered, but it was so quiet that the man clearly didn't hear her.

"We are hunters from the hunters' guild," Senna replied.

"We don't know anything about that, so it means nothing to us," said the man, then continued, "In any case, even we desert people know hospitality. You can stay as long as you need. Just expect to be watched." Then he waved to the person who had brought them here. She came up to the man. He said something to her, but it was out of earshot of the group, so they didn't know what they were talking about. The person then returned to the group. Her face was still covered. 

"Follow me. I'll show you where you can stay for now," said the stranger, leading them out of the room. They passed several houses before coming to one that was smaller than the others.

"This is my home. You will be staying here for now. I will be your guide and supervisor," the person announced and led them inside the dwelling. 

"Thank you for not saying anything about who brought us here," Senna said immediately. The cloaked person just nodded and then showed them around the house. There were only a few rooms. Now they could all finally relax a little. Then they were given something to eat, and the cloaked person disappeared again. 

"It doesn't look very friendly here yet," said Mirthana. 

"What can we expect here in this dump?" added Tragir. 

"There must be a reason why we're here," said Senna, who hadn't lost hope. 

The person soon returned. She was carrying clothes similar to what she was wearing and gave one to each of them. After all, it was better outside when you could hide in these things. 

"I have a message for you from our leader. Since you said you are from the hunters' guild, he has a task for you, which you can use to pay for your hospitality and food here," said the person. Everyone exchanged surprised glances, but had nothing to add. After all, they had no choice. Besides, it was almost impossible to leave unnoticed, and outside, only an endless desert awaited them. 

"We're leaving tomorrow morning, so get some rest," the person added and turned to leave.

"Wait. If you're coming with us and we're going to work together, at least tell us your name," Senna blurted out. The person looked at her.

"You can call me Li." Then he disappeared outside. The group stayed for a while to discuss, but there wasn't much to talk about. Tomorrow was inevitable, so they soon dispersed to get some rest.

Early in the morning, Li was already waiting for them. They all got dressed in the clothes he had brought them earlier.

"Will you tell us what the task is before we leave?" Senna asked. After all, they needed to know what they were getting into.

"Of course. To the south of us lies another desert, which is the only possible route to other people living in this country. Recently, however, the route has become impassable because a snake has appeared on the road, guarding the way and killing anyone who tries to pass. Our task will be to deal with it," Li described their mission. 

"Are we talking about an ordinary snake?" asked Mirthana, who knew that this was not the case. But everyone knew why she was asking.

"It's a giant desert snake. Despite their size, they are very agile. However, these snakes have no eyesight, so they move according to the vibrations of the ground," Li replied. But they could hardly be satisfied with this answer. Snakes were always unpredictable. But there was no choice. After a light breakfast, the group soon set off.

They headed south through the scorching desert. Li walked in front, leading the group. He was shrouded as usual. Something seemed off about him, but everyone had to admit that they felt much more comfortable outside in the clothes they had been given. The only one who didn't notice the difference was Spark. Nothing protected her from the sun and high temperatures. They soon reached a mountain, which was the only one in sight on the way south. There, Li stopped for a moment in the shade of the mountain. It was the last rest before their task really began. Everyone drank from the leather bags they had been given. Soon they would enter the territory where this snake was known to roam. The group therefore continued on beyond the mountain. Now, as far as they could see, there were only sand dunes.

"Get ready. As soon as we enter, he will know about us. So try to tread as carefully as possible," Li warned everyone. They all nodded. They stepped forward. The sand seemed really soft. In the distance, they could already see strange movements in the sand. It looked more like a yellow sea in front of them, the way the sand was rippling. Everyone tried to tread as carefully as possible. But it was hardest for Tragir, who, despite his best efforts, was still the heaviest of them all. It wasn't long before the waves began to approach them. 

"Get ready. It'll be here soon," Li warned everyone. The snake, which was still not visible, was indeed approaching them. The encounter was inevitable. Now everyone stopped and remained standing in their places. The sand beneath them seemed to ripple under the pressure of something enormous. A few meters in front of them, the sand began to swirl in a circle and sink into the center. It looked just like a whirlpool in water, but now it was happening before their eyes in the sandy desert. Soon, a large head appeared in the center and shot upward. Now the snake stood straight in front of them, trying to perceive the movements of everything around it. It was clear that it had no eyes at all. No one in the group moved. They stood there as if trying not to breathe. The snake was several meters high in this position, but they couldn't guess its actual size because the end of its body was still underground. Senna, who had her bow ready long ago, slowly began to pull an arrow from her quiver. Although the snake was still in the same position in front of them, the sand began to ripple again, but in smaller waves. Soon, snakes of normal size emerged from under the sand. They rushed toward the group. Now they realized why the snake didn't need eyes. These were its eyes, which forced its victims to move. 

The snakes were almost upon them. Li didn't hesitate and ran towards the snake. He jumped over the small ones and now he and the snake were approaching each other. He was incredibly agile and attacked it with a quick movement of his body. However, Li managed to stop the snake's blow with only his palm, and the blow only pushed him a few steps to the side. The group wasn't sure if he was really that strong that he could almost completely block the attack, or if the snake was just that weak, even though it looked really scary. But the ordinary snakes were still heading towards the group and lunged at them. Tragir didn't hesitate and swung his hammer. Li noticed what he was doing. 

"No!" he cried. But it was too late. The hammer crushed the snakes and there was a rumbling sound of sand. For a moment, there was complete silence. It wasn't long before more huge sand waves could be seen in the distance, moving in their direction. Senna finally released her arrow while the snake's mouth was open, and it flew right through it. The snake thrashed on the ground for a moment before it stopped moving completely. Spark helped Tragir deal with the smaller snakes, of which there were many, while Mirthana stood behind them, ready to protect them if necessary. The sand waves continued to approach and were soon upon Liho, who was standing further away from the rest of the group. This time, the giant snakes immediately attacked him. He managed to raise his arms quickly, as if preparing to defend himself in boxing. The snakes rammed into him from both sides and leaned their entire bodies against his arms. This time, he stood firm and did not back down an inch.

Senna managed to take advantage of the situation and one of the snakes fell to the ground again. She managed to shoot at the second one, but the arrow bounced off its skin. It was clear that their mouths were their only weakness. However, more and more snakes were approaching them and the influx of smaller ones was endless. It looked like an endless battle. It was difficult to tell how long the snakes had been in the desert, so it was impossible to estimate how many there might be.

The snakes had no intention of retreating. Four of them attacked him from all directions. He managed to stop the ones on the right and left with his palms. Another one came from the front. Li kicked the snake directly in the head with his foot, and it immediately fell to the ground right in front of him. The last one was approaching from behind, but it was already upon him and there was no time to dodge. The snake snapped its jaws shut. Li managed to quickly tilt his head back, and only the part of his clothing covering his head remained in the snake's jaws. The others didn't look, but Senna noticed it right away. She saw the long black hair that was no longer hidden under the fabric. She had suspected it for a long time, but now she was sure. Li wasn't "him" at all.

"We have to retreat, we'll never make it at this rate!" Senna called out to the others. Tragir nodded immediately and, together with Spark, they moved closer to Mirthana. More and more snakes emerged from the sand around Li, who stood there without looking back. The elf knew she couldn't just leave her there, or rather, she didn't want to.

"Run to the mountain and find some shelter quickly," Senna said, giving them a very serious look. The black-haired girl was clearly losing strength. After all, she was standing there alone, fighting off all those snakes. They had managed to injure her despite all their attacks. Blood was running down both her arms, but she still stood there and fought. Senna tried to help her from a distance as best she could, but the snakes kept coming, no matter how many had already fallen.

Suddenly, a tremendous hissing sound echoed across the desert. As far as the eye could see, the sand began to move and swirl in a spiral. It was as if the whole earth was spinning with it. At this, the other snakes immediately retreated and disappeared into the sand. All three stood next to Senna.

"Don't think we're going to run away," said Tragir, gripping his hammer tightly. 

"We're in this together, so we'll finish it together," added Mirthana. Spark rubbed against Senna's legs to show her agreement. Everyone staggered as the sand began to move beneath them. At that moment, the forest woman stabbed her staff into the sand, and it soon stopped moving beneath them. The rose on her staff began to bloom again. 

"This should keep us in place, at least for now," said Mirthana, and after a moment she continued, "I'll try to get as much solid ground under our feet as possible, but I'll have to concentrate hard." She sat down in front of her staff, closed her eyes, and placed her hands in the sand. Li was still standing far away from them. It was clear to everyone that something big was coming. It was a real test for them after a long time. Meanwhile, the sands continued to accelerate in their rotation. It looked more like they were in the middle of a yellow ocean, and in the middle of it all, a vortex began to form. Li was being pulled faster and faster toward the center. Senna knew they couldn't reach her like this. If they stepped out of the safe zone, they would immediately be sucked in. 

"Hang in there. We'll try to think of something and get to you," the elf's voice could be heard. Li looked back. She knew they couldn't help her. She was running out of time. She looked at her hands, which were now covered in blood. 

"It looks like I have no other choice," she said to herself. Li bit her thumb on her right hand. At that moment, she began to slowly disintegrate into sand. It started with her hands and continued throughout her body.

"No!" was Senna's last cry. Li smiled to herself before her face disappeared into the ocean of sand. It continued to spin faster and faster. Suddenly, there was another hissing sound, but this time it was much louder than before. At that moment, the sand stopped moving and silence fell. There was no sound or wind. The group couldn't even hear their own breathing. There was a deathly silence. Then a huge head shot up from the center of the desert.

If the previous snakes had seemed large, now they were both surprised and terrified. The snake reared up and spread its neck collar. It was almost as tall as the mountain they had passed on their way here. It was a truly terrifying creature. None of them could utter a sound. It was as if they had all been struck dumb. 

The giant reptile stood there for a moment, sticking out its tongue. But now it turned its entire body toward the group. Senna was the first to recover. This was also thanks to Spark, who was still rubbing against her legs. She wasn't afraid of the snake at all. Mirthana probably didn't even notice what was happening because she was still sitting on the ground in the same position. Senna slowly began to pull the arrow out of her quiver, her hands shaking terribly. Tragir finally came to his senses and stood in a fighting stance, ready for battle.

There was a long, loud hiss. The snake opened its mouth, revealing two enormous teeth, sharp and pointed, that could have bitten through anything. 

The snake headed toward them. At that moment, Spark began to bark aggressively. This slowed the reptile down, but it continued to advance toward them. It was almost upon them. Senna kept her gun pointed at it. Her hands were still shaking, and she couldn't find a place to aim and fire. The snake, with its mouth open, was only a few meters away from Senna and was preparing to strike. Sand swirled in front of Senna so that everyone had to cover their eyes. Elf blindly jumped back a few steps. She looked ahead. The snake stopped just in front of where she had been standing. Li was standing in front of the lower part of the reptile's jaws. She didn't understand where she had come from. She looked a little bigger, but that was mainly because of the sand that was now all over her body. The only thing she could recognize was her hair. 

"I can't hold him... forever," Li said with difficulty. That was the signal for everyone to act quickly. 

"Tragir," cried the elf, looking at the dwarf. He knew immediately what to do. He ran towards the snake. The elf did the same. Spark ran alongside her. Senna looked at her and saw her determined expression and her shining eyes. 

"I hope you're not wrong about this," Senna whispered. Soon they were both in front of the snake's mouth. It sensed that something was wrong and tried to close its mouth, but Tragir swung hard and hit the snake in the upper part of its mouth in front of its teeth, stopping it for a moment. Senna and Spark jumped inside, and the mouth closed behind them. The snake suddenly realized it couldn't move. It had been in this position for a long time, and roots had sprouted from the sand and wrapped themselves around its body.