Chapter 27
Chapter twenty-seven
“So, we stick together, right?” Bran adjusted his sashira, the lightweight, sand-colored fabric woven from desert fibers to protect Gale Reach Hollow-born from the unforgiving sun.
The three of them ran along the jagged canyon edge, where the desolate landscape opened into the battleground of the Ascension.
“Seems like a solid plan.” Rynna’s eyes scanned the deep, shadowed crevices below for any hidden threats. “But keep your sashira tight.” She swatted the back of his head. “The sun out here will kill you faster than any Hollow-born we’re up against.”
“Still don’t get why they picked Gale Reach for this,” Bran grumbled, pulling his covering tighter. “Would’ve been way more fun at Tide Reach.”
“Idiot,” Taren muttered, pointing toward a narrow strip of shade cast by an overhanging rock formation.
The stone arched over a shallow alcove, offering momentary relief from the blistering heat.
“Managing the environment is part of the battle. You can defeat an enemy just as easily by taking their water in a place like this as with some flashy elemental attack. Out here, patience and planning are worth more than brute strength.”
“Yeah, you’ve got a point,” Bran admitted, pulling his covering back over his face and steering the group toward the patch of shadow.
The air shimmered with heat as they neared the weathered mesa jutting up from the canyon’s edge, its surface cracked and mottled from years of harsh sun and wind.
“Looks like we’re in the clear for now. Let’s rest for a moment. ”
Gradually, the group eased up, their footsteps falling quiet as they neared the shaded rock formation.
Pulling out her water skin, “Just a sip,” she cautioned the others, wiping sweat from her brow with the back of her hand.
“So, let me get this straight,” Bran said, taking a long swig of water before Taren swiped it from his hands and stuffed it into his own pack.
“Hey!” Bran lunged to grab it back, but Taren just shook his head, unfazed.
“Fine, whatever.” Bran sank back onto the rock. “So anyway, to beat someone, all I need to do is snatch this little placard off their vest?” He pointed to the red wooden Ember Reach disc tied securely to the front of his shirt.
“Yes.” Taren nodded, glancing down at his own disc. “Whoever collects the most by dawn wins.”
“And why don’t I just hide mine?” Bran cocked an eyebrow.
“There’s a Source-powered tie.” Taren shook his head.
“Once the tie is broken, it changes color. You're disqualified if your disc isn’t in its original state by the end.” He paused, a small smile tugging at his lips.
“But…it’s not a terrible idea. We could hide the discs we take from other Hollow-born. ”
Rynna nodded. “That way, if one of us is defeated, we wouldn’t lose all the discs they carried. The rest of us could keep them safe.”
“Plus,” Bran added, “we might be underestimated if the enemy thinks we haven’t beaten anyone yet.”
Both Rynna and Taren snapped their heads up, staring at Bran.
“What! People are always underestimating me.” He kicked at a rock, his cheeks flushing slightly.
Taren grinned. “That’s because you look like an easy target.”
“Whatever,” Bran grumbled. “It’s still an advantage.”
Rynna chuckled and, without warning, reached over to ruffle his hair. “Well done,” she teased as Bran squirmed in her grip.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” He wriggled free and brushed her off. “So, what’s the plan?” He looked expectantly between Taren and Rynna.
Rynna glanced up at the clear blue sky, the sun bearing down on them. “Fighting under this sun is a fool's errand. We should find somewhere more secure to wait for nightfall.”
Taren gave a quick nod. “Take and follow formation?”
Rynna adjusted the sashira covering her head and nodded back. “You take the first sweep. Then Bran, then me.”
The group moved efficiently, checking their packs and weapons.
Rynna’s fingers brushed against her second water skin, ensuring it was securely tied.
She flexed her shoulders, loosening the tightness that had built from the long run along the canyon’s edge.
Bran was busy tightening the tie of his belt, his head covering still slightly crooked.
Just as they were about to move, a sharp hiss broke the quiet.
“Ahaaaa!” Bran yelped, jumping nearly four feet into the air, arms flailing. “A snake!”
The small, sand-colored serpent coiled in the dust at their feet, its tongue flicking out as it sized up the intruders. Taren eyed the snake with mild amusement.
“You really need to work on your composure.” He circled around the creature, crouching low in an excellent execution of basic snake style before flicking his hand upward. A controlled whoosh of wind shot forward, lifting the beast off the ground and sending it spiraling out into the desert.
Rynna watched the small creature sail through the air, her heart twinging unexpectedly. She couldn’t say why; it was just a snake. She shook off the feeling and turned back to Bran, resting a hand on his shoulder.
“It's just a snake, man. Calm down.”
Bran shivered, staring after the airborne reptile. “I hate snakes.”
Taren remained silent, his eyes narrowed slightly as he gazed out toward where he’d sent the reptile flying.
Rynna squeezed Bran’s shoulder one more time, giving him a light pat before pulling her hand away. “Let’s move.”
Without another word, the three of them fell into formation, slipping back into the rhythm of the mission.
They ran for over an hour, their soft-soled boots barely stirring the fine, sunbaked sand beneath their feet.
Sparse patches of brittle scrub clung to the rocky outcrops, their dry branches crackling as the wind swept through the barren landscape.
The desert stretched endlessly before them.
It was sun, sand, and rock as far as the eye could see.
Every now and then, a flash of light flickered in the distance, followed by the bangs of Hollow-born clashing.
Elemental blasts cracked the air, but they kept their distance, carefully avoiding any potential skirmishes.
Rynna’s eyes narrowed, scanning the endless expanse of desert.
The longer they ran, the more her worry gnawed at her.
They needed cover, somewhere to rest before the sun drained them completely.
Then, just as she was about to signal for them to slow, a sharp, rising whistle echoed from ahead. Bran’s signal.
Rynna halted mid-stride, exchanging a quick glance with Taren before taking a wide, cautious route around to where Bran should be. She slipped between towering rock formations, her feet barely touching the ground as she looped through the maze of stone, ensuring they weren’t being watched.
“Hurry!” Bran yelled as he lay sprawled on his belly, half his body dangling over the edge of the canyon.
“Don’t let go! Please don’t let go!” a panicked voice cried from somewhere below, echoing off the canyon walls.
Rynna stepped forward, but Taren’s hand reached out, gripping her shirt before she could get any closer. “Wait!” he hissed. “It could be a trap.”
“It’s not!” Bran twisted to look over his shoulder, his face pale with strain. “Half his leg is gone, and he’s losing blood by the bucket! Get over here and help me!”
Rynna exchanged a quick glance with Taren, and they both rushed forward, closing the gap in seconds. Rynna dropped to her knees beside Bran, peering over the edge.
It wasn’t a trap.
Below, a boy wearing a medallion from Tide Reach clung desperately to Bran’s arm, his wide eyes frantic. The torn remains of his leg dangled lifelessly below him, a shredded mess of blood and muscle.
“Pull him up!” Taren threw himself down beside them and grabbed the boy’s other arm.
“I can’t!” Bran grunted through gritted teeth. “Something’s got him! Source ropes or something. He’s stuck!”
“Please,” the boy whimpered, his face ghostly pale. “Please, I don’t want to die.”
Rynna squinted, her gaze sweeping over the boy’s body until she spotted a faint glow along his waist. Source bindings, barely visible.
“There!” She unsheathed her swords and, without hesitation, stepped lightly over the canyon’s edge, pressing her body against the rough rock wall. Clinging to the stone, her boots scraped the surface as she inched closer to the glowing threads.
In a single motion, she slashed a hand, and the Source ropes snapped, flickering out of existence.
“Got it!” Rynna called, swinging herself back up.
Freed from the restraints, the boy jerked forward, and with Bran and Taren straining, they heaved him over the edge. His body hit the ground with a heavy thud just as a deep, guttural roar echoed from the shadows below.
The canyon quaked, rocks dislodging and falling into the darkness.
“What the hell is that?” Bran’s voice was tight with fear as he shook the boy’s shoulders.
Rynna pulled a towel from her pack and tossed it to Taren. “Bind him! Like Calli showed us, or he’ll die!”
Taren tore at the fabric, tying it tightly around the stump of the boy’s leg, his fingers moving quickly as the roar from below grew louder, a rumbling tremor shaking the earth beneath them.
“A snake!” the boy cried, scrambling backward, his eyes wide with terror. “A giant snake! It took Renji and…and…it ate Sora!”
“Another snake?!” Bran’s voice cracked as the rumbling grew louder, vibrating through the canyon walls.
Rynna whipped her head back over the edge, eyes widening.
From the depths of the canyon, an enormous, obsidian-scaled serpent began to rise, its sleek body stretching nearly forty feet long.
Its head, dark as night, emerged over the cliff’s edge, fangs as long as a man dripping venom into the darkness below.
Its unblinking eyes gleamed like cold, polished onyx.
“Holy fuck.” Rynna stepped back, her heart thundering.
Positioning herself between the boys and the beast, she held her swords out before her, though every instinct screamed at her to run.