Over the sands of time, until the end of the world

Same slaughterhouse, same meeting point

Walker, will you make a path, or will you take my hand?

Does the answer matter? I don't decide it.

 

A small group of nomads wandered in the middle of nowhere, unaware that this could be their last hunt. Life in the desert is a constant struggle against the challenging and horrible nature that inhabits these places, in which even the most skilled can make fatal mistakes. A slight variation in their usual route and a bad hunting day were more than enough to expose them to mortal danger.

The sandstorm they were passing through was getting stronger and stronger, to the point of hurting what little skin their loose leather and linen garments left exposed. The group of expeditionaries adopted a circular defensive position, in which the youngest remained sheltered in the center of the formation. Death is often very creative in its methods and ways, and they knew this all too well. That strange storm had arisen without warning; and the more experienced ones of the group knew that it meant the beginning of an unequal battle of which they would surely not be able to boast to their families at night.

With axes and spears in hand, they tried to remain calm in the midst of the storm. Not long after, several of them detected the imminent attack of the enemy, thanks to the vibrations they felt in the sand with their acute senses. It was a mysterious and terrible beast: a worm of colossal size, with abominable habits and appetite. A being that gave a glimpse of a certain intelligence superior to mere instinct through its sadism when preying. The only reason desert tribes knew of this species was because of its habit of letting some of its victims escape despite having been able to catch them for sure.

 

In the matter of the blink of an eye, something huge pounced on them at an incredible speed for its size; against which many could not even react. As they opened their eyes, after an inevitable reflex akind of a prey resigned to its fate, they learned of their fortune to be still alive, all due to an invisible phenomenon that had come between them and the horrible jaws of their predator. That monster bounced with incredible force as it crashed into whatever it was, while a distant but powerful shot scattered its blood in all directions, giving color and shape to the mysterious immaterial dome. Such a vision did not last long, as the sand from the storm ended up burying the mysterious barrier that had formed over their heads, leaving the group at the mercy of darkness. Many of them wondered if they would die buried and suffocated in the middle of nowhere.

Far away, a military vehicle was parked on a large dune, while three figures watched the events through binoculars. It was a Torm, a popular all-terrain vehicle manufactured by a mysterious nation called Taured.

—I missed! —exclaimed one person lying on his belly on the roof of the vehicle, as he raised his still smoking rifle. Didn't think that worm was going to bounce so hard off the barrier... it's less dense than it looks at first glance.

—Can we help you with anything else? —asked a young woman standing next to the all-terrain vehicle.

—We mustn't get in his way, if he fired again and we got his attention, we'd all be in danger. Now that our plan A failed, we must trust her.

The huge creature fell to the ground, stunned by the blow and the missed coup de grace shot; while a small silhouette slowly approached it from the heights. But even more striking than this, was the huge rock orbiting around it, like the Earth around the Sun.

—There aren't many big rocks around, and this one is very heavy —thought the extraordinary person—. I'm sorry for the following selfish request, but could you die after my next blow? It is for the good of everyone here.

That worm, who was just recovering from the initial assault, received the impact of that immense rock. After a majestic clash that shook the surroundings and toppled huge dunes, it shattered into small pieces that were thrown everywhere.

 

«A big rock, but fragile... just like my patience» thought that girl with long silver hair, dressed in a makeshift turban, leather boots and parts of an old battle armor.

She was still trying to observe her enemy from above, amidst the pile of dust and debris that her attack had raised. Without warning, a jet of sand thrown at an overwhelming speed hit her body and dented the armor on her legs, as the huge monster headed straight for her. Fortunately for her, this time she was able to dodge it, but the beast went back underground, taking advantage of her lack of vision.

—Enough! —the girl shouted, furious; at the same time she stretched out her arms, and all the sand suspended in the air fell to the ground with the force and speed of hail.

Silence reigned for a few moments, only interrupted by the constant desert breeze.

«Has he thrown sand at me so he can hide behind his real attack? » she thought, as she tried to spot her enemy. «If he has, I will have to take him out of his element by force. »

The young woman raised her arms again, this time with monumental effort, which could be noticed by seeing her rigid posture; contrary to when she lifted that huge boulder. Almost instantly, the creature gave away its position with a large trail of sand that it left behind as it accelerated.

Huge chunks of sandy ground flew through the air at high speed. But the huge creature was too fast within its habitat, so it was able to dodge all attempts to blow it into the air and try to overpower it. It’s almost supernatural ability to detect small vibrations in the ground, a product of millions of years of evolution, allowed it to dodge all those attacks one after another and, at the same time, get closer to its prey. It lunged again at the young woman, who blocked its attack with another of her defensive barriers. Being in front of the maw of that filthy creature brought her out of her wits, which made her struggle against it with all her strength until she had momentum in her favor, which she used to push the barrier against the beast's head and give it an accurate kick.

«Why... won't it give up? » thought the girl, while trying to catch her breath.

By this time, the beast had gone back into hiding, showing no apparent damage beyond a few seconds of stun. Its body was too tough, and such characteristic did not make less of its agility and speed.

—She really is amazing —commented one of the figures watching the battle from afar— but seeing her fight like that and not being able to help her makes me feel bad.

—Do you think she has the situation under control?

—Don't worry too soon. If something were to happen, we would go right away, and she would become our priority.

Far away, that primal dance was still going on. The beast had upped the bet. It kept attacking and hiding again and again from every angle, making it extremely unpredictable. Once inside the sand, its body divided into segments and full of slight protrusions gave away its secret: it was able to flow and spin endlessly like a giant screw, which also allowed it to form those strong and damaging storms at will. Its speed did not seem to decrease and the confusion generated by the sand suspended in the air dulled more and more the reflexes and breathing of the silver-haired young woman. It was only a matter of time before she made a mistake that would cost her life.

In the midst of the chaos of combat, the sharp tail of that huge worm appeared out of nowhere behind the girl's back, impaling her body completely and leaving her at its mercy. In the end, a small but precise trick of that beast was enough to change the course of the battle in a decisive way. The segments of its body could not only rotate on themselves up to a certain limit, but in doing so, they also allowed it to lengthen or reduce a little the total length of its body in a matter of seconds. Moments and meters enough to be able to attack by surprise and ensure his total supremacy in the food chain of those lands. It closed its enormous jaws with incredible force, devouring its own tail in the process. Whether that being could regenerate parts of its body, or whether it acted that way out of mere desperation in the face of a threat that had pushed it to its limits, may well remain a mystery forever.

Those who watcher from afar and promised to help her were stunned for a moment. However, they soon grabbed their weapons and hurried to start the engine of their vehicle, ready to head into a battle from which they could not even escape alive. Without a doubt, battles against predators can be arduous and unpredictable, but if there is anything in this world that can surpass them, it is the confrontations to the death between two evolutionary cusps. It is on these strange occasions that the dark instinct that pushes living beings towards the impossible in order to continue existing the stronger their connection with the primordial chaos: the spark we call life, comes to the surface in its purest form.

«I hate, when I'm pushed to these extremes» That was the last congruent thought of the unfortunate young woman, who smiled in a disturbing and inhuman way; while her wounded and bruised body began to be attacked by the corrosive saliva of that cruel monster. A few moments later, that immense and proud beast began to writhe among dismal roars. Each one of the segments of its body seemed to be deformed one by one in a horrible way, being impaled from the inside by different geometric shapes, some of which tore and exposed its purple viscera. It crawled a few meters trying to return into the sand, only to end up face up, facing the sun that saw him born and which he had disowned during all his existence submerged in darkness. One of the many living nightmares that plagued the desert of Ameniz had been defeated.

The group of nomads remained inside the invisible dome, attentive to the rumblings from outside, while others filled the atmosphere with prayers and chants of help to their gods. When they least expected it, that invisible prison began to disappear, causing a large amount of sand to fall on them and bury them almost up to their waists. After that slight scare, they began to try to break through and rescue the others.

—Help each other out of the sand and get the children out! —exclaimed an older man with a dark complexion, olive green eyes and a long gray beard.

They began to get out of the sand and pull out the little ones, who were almost up to their necks and had not stopped crying since the barrier protected them and they were in the dark. When they all managed to get out and get to safety, they could not help but observe the corpse of the beast in the distance and for a moment they wondered what kind of monster could have stood against such an aberration. Not long after, the maw of the worm began to twitch and lift. The terrified nomads again drew their weapons and got into fighting stance, and some even started to run, foreseeing the worst. All in vain, for out of there emerged only a pale young woman with silver hair and faint sky-colored eyes; like the albinos her ancestors used to hunt, considering them to be bearers of bad fortune. Her armor was dented, and some of her clothing was in tatters. She looked at them with a warm smile and her eyes filled with tears.

—I'm so glad... i made it in time this time around.

The surprised nomads did not understand what she was saying, but they could sense it all. When she was able to catch her breath and realize it, she let out a loud whistle in the direction of the dune where her companions were. The small team soon headed towards the group, running and sliding along the dune, but not before sending up a flare of white smoke as a sign of friendship and waiting for a favorable response.

He was a slim young man hiding his face behind a mask, carrying a long, large-caliber rifle. He was accompanied by another pair of green-eyed young men, one tall, tanned and burly; dressed in militia clothes, suspenders and leather boots and a girl with long hair, scarf around her neck, shorts full of knives, some cylinders and other strange objects. The three young men lined up and greeted the tribe in a solemn manner, while their shy companion was received and tried to communicate with some nomads who stayed to succor her. The leader of the tribe - the elder who organized the group as soon as the barrier disappeared - came forward with two children, in response to the greeting, as did the rest.

—I don't have enough words to thank you —he said, his voice cracking as he clasped his hands together in greeting—. I hope that having helped us is not going to cause you any trouble.

The young man in the mask proceeded to speak. He was the one who knew their language best, and could help as a translator.

—Not at all —he replied— we decided our fate now, and this was just the outcome we were hoping for.

—I am glad and honored to hear that —the old leader replied—. In that case, how about spending the night in our caravan? Now we have even more reasons to celebrate and thank the gods in this coming cycle. Daughter of the moon seems to be very much at ease with her new friends.

—Daughter of the moon? —asked the masked man.

—We use names of animals and symbolic objects with the people we respect and are important to us. Mine is Eternal Oasis, and these are my two children, Little Dawn Deer and Sun Agate.

—They are very colorful, I like them. This is Zoe, this big guy is Jano, my name is Lawrence and our best warrior also goes by the name of Celina. It is a pleasure to meet you and we accept your invitation, Mr. Oasis. Would you like to travel in our vehicle?

—Of course! —exclaimed the old man, with joy in his eyes—. Life is too short to stop too long to think about things! We'll be ready soon; we just need to make a few preparations.

—I'm glad to hear that —Lawrence told him, as he pulled back his mask politely—. In doing so, he revealed his dull honey-colored eyes and short blond hair.

The vehicle turned out to be spacious enough to transport them all: a total of twelve people. Zoe and Celina rode on the roof of the Torm, along with the two children and their caregiver. Lawrence piloted it, accompanied by Oasis, while Jano was holding on to one of the rails, keeping an eye on the surroundings with his binoculars. Not long after they had departed, they were able to observe a pair of huge wandering butterflies. This is a beautiful and almost harmless species known for its showy metallic colors, its rarity and its somewhat toxic innards. The children watched them with extreme excitement, almost mesmerized. Suddenly, they began to float away, leaving the hatch of the Torm's roof behind.

—What's happening? —the children exclaimed in astonishment, somewhat frightened.

—What are you going to do? —asked Zoe to Celina.

She —who was lying on the roof of the vehicle with the others— smiled, while making a worldly gesture of silence.

—Not to worry, fun. Secret is, please— Zoe commented in her limited language to the one in charge of the little ones, to reassure her.

Both children flew away, straight towards the butterflies. Fear and nervous giggles soon turned to laughter of joy and fascination; an experience they would never forget. Later they would both tell Celina that these creatures were not as beautiful when seen up close, but their colors were still incredible. The sun was beginning to set in that dreamlike spot of golden sands, with its lights and shadows slowly drawn on the horizon.

—What will they use the pieces of that monster for? —Lawrence asked Oasis.

—For the beliefs of my people. Because of our mere existence, that creature's life was taken. As a way to honor its memory and sacrifice we never waste any meat and its parts, we keep them.

—I see —he replied, with a smile—. Your people live with this sentiment all the time, so let us carry that burden for you this time, even if only in a symbolic way.

Oasis let out a joyous and festive laugh.

—It is very much our people's virtue to share, so, on behalf of all of us, I accept your kind proposal.

The sun was about to set, slowly enveloping the crew with its cold darkness. In the distance they could make out a huge rocky framework, within which there was a towering arch of sandstone.

—We are close to the place. I'll make some light signals, and we'll wait for a response to avoid surprising them.

—Okay —Lawrence replied to his co-driver, as he slowed the vehicle.

The man took out a curious gadget from one of his pockets. It was a spell-like object similar to an old oil lantern, but it used a mechanism of porous stones that, when activated, created a spark, whose slight light was amplified by a crystal of some strange kind of quartz. In this way, it managed to generate a brief but powerful flash, ideal for communicating at a distance during clear nights. Oasis noticed that the driver's attention was drawn to the stone of the artifact.

—These crystals are extracted from some very ancient ruins nine days away, just north of this rock arch. They are quite useful for some uses. However, we generally avoid the place and take no more than necessary. We don't fear the past or the dead, in case you're wondering, but we give them the respect they deserve.

—I understand what you say. It sounds like a very interesting place to visit and explore a bit —Lawrence replied with an honest smile. For us to be able to understand the past is the greatest expression of respect for it, even though things are not always as simple as arriving, investigating and leaving.

A few seconds later, they received the confirmation they were waiting for to continue. They continued on their way, until they could make out the caravan in the distance. It consisted of a huge sort of illuminated tent made of leather and wood, which rested on what appeared to be a large platform of petrified bark that acted as a sled for the entire structure. Near the tent and its surroundings, two huge, hairless creatures with very long necks and tails were dozing. So much so, that one of them almost managed to wrap the area of the caravan with the ends of its body.

As soon as the vehicle slowed down, both children quickly got out to meet the person who flashed back at them. It was their mother, who had been waiting all afternoon and evening for their return.

—Welcome to our home —Oasis said to them—. This is your home now, and we are your family.

The children had come forward to the woman, who welcomed them with open arms.

—Thank you so much for bringing them to safety. I thank you with all my heart.

Tears kept flowing from her eyes as she said those words.

—This is Cristal, my wife —Oasis told them as he helped her to her feet.

—The night is going to be cold —said the woman, with a relieved smile— come on in and make yourselves comfortable.

Entering that huge tent, it was as if an entire universe expanded before his eyes. Inside was a crowd of people of all ages talking, laughing and dancing to exotic melodies. To the left, a large number of peculiar tables and chairs; to the right, several rooms with walls of beautiful and colorful hand-embroidered fabrics. At the back of the place was the kitchen, full of workers, its walls covered with a multitude of spices and portions of dried meat. The amount of incredible smells emitted by those large pots was countless.

—Listen, everybody! —Oasis exclaimed, as he tried to grab the group of youths by the shoulders and embraced them, even if it was with the tips of his fingers— these young men have saved our lives today. I ask you, please, to give them a warm welcome befitting of the heroes they are.

As if suddenly the boundaries between the possible and the impossible were torn down, the atmosphere of the place became even more lively. Celina was invited to dance by some children who were playing around. The cooks quickened their pace, amid warm but catchy melodies played on curious stringed and percussion instruments. Jano and Zoe were invited to a table, where they were greeted with a large number of fruits and meats of various kinds, each more distinct and unique than the last. Undoubtedly, they knew how to eat very well, in the midst of the adversities of traveling all the time. They also received a kind of sweet drink with a strong floral flavor; which eased their consciences a little.

Meanwhile, Lawrence was in a separate room with Oasis. His host was looking for a suitable drink among the large number of bottles he possessed on a large wooden cabinet.

—I see your friends know how to have fun —he said, with a smile— you should join them.

—Give me something not too strong, please.

—I notice you tend to stay out of it —he replied, mixing some liquors of various colors and a smell of wood. I used to be very similar, however, as the years went by I understood something important but subtle, like the sweet liquor that I am preparing right now: what my people most admired about me was not the image I projected to others, but my character and good judgment in times of crisis. From then on, I made it a point to be more of a friend than an authority figure. I don't say this because I don't think you're for them, but because when your people and everyone else are watching you without the disguises of a ringleader, it's easier to get along with the majority. You're already a great leader with them and I'm confident this advice will make you an even better one.

Lawrence just nodded his head, smiling.

—Now tell me, young man, you're looking for answers, aren't you? To the great questions that have afflicted all of us since the dawn of time. That sparkle in your eyes is typical of a sage, even if your methods are a bit more "Forceful".

—I'm glad to hear we're similar, that makes things a lot easier— Lawrence replied, as he accepted the drink and his host took a seat—. Tell me, please, about your concept of freedom.

—Freedom... that sweet, elusive nectar that so many would do anything for. One of our sages once said long ago: May your closeness to the cycle of creation speak for you about your freedom. From that moment on, the majority of my people accepted their condition as eternal wanderers far from modernity. Those words opened our minds to a reality we had been ignoring for generations.

Oasis took a long, pronounced sip of his drink.

—We thought that our current condition was a penance for the past, but it ended up being an opportunity to find peace and meaning in the midst of the chaos of this world. In the end we learned a valuable lesson the hard way, while the people protected by the sage of the dunes shut themselves up, drowning in their own hatred of us.

The older man began to play with his drink, swinging it back and forth into the glass.

—It's not easy to get used to death, even though we're chased by your people and scourged by nature. But it's the way we've decided to live, so we're prepared to face consequences that we may not deserve, but we can understand...

Oasis tried to appear serene and happy, but inside it was a sea of emotions.

—... However, until the day comes for us to return to the cycle of all, we will fight tooth and nail for our place in this world. What kind of creation beings would we be if we didn't? I just hope that your people up there can understand it too, and we can all laugh together one day.

—You're a good man, Oasis. You deserve to see that future with your own eyes. I feel that our freedom still has no direction, that is why we find ourselves in a constant search for visions.

—And I'm happy to be able to contribute my grain of sand to whatever your convictions end up being.

Oasis filled his drink glass again to the top, and began to exclaim with joy:

—Here's to your search and success. May this age and world be able to grant you the fulfillment you long for.

—Thank you for that —Lawrence responded, somewhat embarrassed by such wishes— and here’s to the hopes and good future of your people.

They continued talking for a while longer, until they decided to return with the rest. When they reached the main room, they saw that one of the enormous pack animals that guarded the caravan had stuck its big head out of a window that overlooked the table where Jano and Zoe were eating.

—Ballat, that is very rude of you! —Oasis said to the animal—. She can't resist fresh vegetables —he commented to Lawrence, somewhat embarrassed.

All the attention of Celina, who until recently had been dancing, was turned towards that animal.

—Come here, beautiful creature... —she tried to tell her, while she approached at a slow pace to avoid scaring her.

The beast saw her again after a deep snort, and almost instantly she threw a powerful spit that left her lying on the ground.

—She…spit on me…! —She exclaimed, unmotivated.

—How strange —Oasis commented, surprised— she had never seen her behave like that with other guests. They usually do this with small predators or when another large animal enters their territory and threatens their food.

Jano and Zoe looked at each other in silence for a moment. Their faces said to the four winds «She had every reason to attack her. »

—Are you okay, Celina? —Lawrence asked, somewhat worried.

—Yes, I am— she replied, embarrassed.

—I'm sorry you don't have much luck with animals... I'll ask them if they have a place where you can clean yourself.

—Our little Ballat was rescued by my great-grandfather's father, according to the stories he wrote while he was alive —Oasis told them—. He says that when he found her, she was almost the same size as he is now. He and a group of expedition members saved her from the attack of a swarm of parasitic wasps. Some time later she met his companion Tenjo, and both have accompanied our people ever since.

—How is it possible that they live so long? —Lawrence asked him surprised.

—It seems that their species is very long-lived —his host replied—. Those that eat well and manage to survive the forces of nature and hunting become enormous. Besides that, it's not like our lives are very long here in the desert either!

—«Was that... an attempt at a joke? » thought Lawrence in surprise, reflecting on whether the drink the man drank had been too potent for him.

Noticing the young man's shock due to his words, Oasis laughed loudly.

—Tell your friend that behind the kitchen there is a place where she can bathe, but warn her that the water is somewhat hot.

The rest of the night passed between food, music, cheers and fun. Celina found a large barrel, which took advantage of part of the heat generated by the kitchen, to create a great hot bath experience under a beautiful starry sky. Everyone ended up exhausted, asleep in the guest room. The next day, it was time to leave. Most of them were busy with their morning chores, but they were still able to say goodbye to them.

—We would have loved for you to stay longer —Oasis told them, with a broad smile— but I understand your reasons. If one day your bodies or minds can't take it anymore, remember that you will always have a place to return and rest. And please, I implore you to have good judgment to keep doom away from your paths.

—Don't hesitate —Lawrence told him, giving him a firm handshake—. We'll be back with great stories to tell, so stay safe until then.

—Take good care of yourselves, and try not to take too many risks when you go hunting —Zoe told them, with a smile.

—Thank you all for hosting us. We hope to see you again soon —Jano and Celina told them.

The children of Oasis approached him and whispered something in his ear.

—These little mischief-makers were practicing all night with some of the things we collected. I think they did an impeccable job with a material as hard as the shell of that worm.

Lawrence blushed so much that he put his mask back on. Regardless of whether it was the initiative of Oasis or his children who heard their conversation in the vehicle, they had taken the burden of that monster's death literally. The two children forged a beautiful ring for Lawrence, a pair of sparkling earrings for Celina, a knife encrusted with polished quartz for Zoe, and a sharp bayonet for Jano's rifle. Upon seeing them, Celina burst out with tenderness with a huge smile, while she took the presents.

—They are beautiful! We will always carry them with us, they will be our good luck charms.

The children smiled delighted with her words, and even more so, because on this occasion they could understand what she tried to tell them. Celina ran inside the vehicle, and she took out some tools that could surely be useful in their daily lives. She discarded the idea of ​​giving them food, since her bland rations were nothing on par with the delicacies of the previous night.

Oasis gave the children a task with the intention of distracting them, so they finished saying goodbye to the group and then ran out smiling and ran into the caravan.

—I have one more thing to tell you, young people —Oasis told them—. Something very important is happening to the west. I've heard rumors, and I can feel it in the air. As we speak there are incredible people risking their lives against something terrible on the edge of the known world. Maybe these are not the right words, but I think that our language does not have better ones to describe it: “Something that hinders and corrodes the limits between the cycle and the world” could be a more appropriate but equally ambiguous description.

The four young people were perplexed by those sudden words.

—We are traveling there —Lawrence told him—. We feel that there is something crucial we must do somewhere, and that we will find it if we continue in that direction.

Zoe and Jano were looking for their diary inside the vehicle. They had decided to document any useful information they heard during their journeys.

—What else do you know about that, Oasis? —Lawrence asked, excitedly.

Jano was finally able to find a notebook, and gave it to Zoe so that she could start writing down any useful information that was difficult to remember.

—What date is it today, Lawrence?

—Let me see... Today is January 4, year 85, if I'm not mistaken.

The young blond man looked at Oasis again, but he was pale and completely motionless, as if he were a marble statue; while a smell of gunpowder and burnt flesh flooded the nostrils of everyone present. The sky and all the surroundings had turned a dull gray color. Meanwhile, the caravan and the landscape were beginning to fade irretrievably in the midst of a dark and omniscient storm of mute black lightning, along with the inert silhouette of this kind man and the companions who were beside him.

When the group of youths became conscious of themselves again, the four young men fell to the ground disoriented, writhing in pain. Their bodies were completely cold, in the midst of the infernal morning heat of the desert. When they looked up to look around, they wished they had covered their eyes, got into their vehicle, and sped off without looking back; because before them stood primitive tombstones, great numbers of bones of unmistakable size, and huge pieces of petrified wood embedded in the sand everywhere.

—Why... Are we always late!? Celina shouted to the sky, furious and desperate.

The others were still lying on the ground in front of this disastrous scene. Nearby lay an immense circular formation of vitrified sand, which appeared to have been a huge, ancient crater. They climbed into the vehicle without another word, their now tired faces drenched in tears. Lawrence put the pedal to the metal, furious, careless; all he wanted was to forget everything. Zoe put her gift in a small drawer, and began writing in her journal, with her arms still cold and shaking.

 

January 4, Year 885: Survival Guide #24:

"Phenomenon of unknown nature and range of action. If you find populations in remote areas of the Ameniz Desert, do not ask for or mention times or dates. Otherwise, verifiable unpredictable and harmful effects on travelers can occur. Known consequences: considerable emotional sequelae, risk of hypothermia, and temporary feeling of disconnection from reality. Potentially deadly."

 

The day those four young friends fled their country to save themselves and seek purpose... It would never have crossed their minds, not even in their wildest nightmares, that, though they were just blooming, the world and time were already withered.

If you liked the story, don't forget to vote and leave a small review or comment. That would motivate me a lot to continue improving and so the novel could reach more users <3

English translation by Xerasoul.