Chapter 116: The Sands of Lino: A Dangerous Gamble!

Chapter 116: "The Sands of Lino: A Dangerous Gamble"

---

After surviving the deadly scorpion assault, Ashley, Ikehara, and the group of Rhemonic warriors resumed their ascent up the steep, treacherous mountain.

Every step was harder, weighed down not just by fatigue but by the haunting memories of their recent battle. Despite their exhaustion, there was one unspoken truth lingering in everyone's mind—Adrian.

Ashley and Ikehara broke their silence, abandoning their unpronounced marching protocol and moving toward him. The cloak of restoration was supposed to be returned, yet Adrian still held it, almost defiantly. He had used it to heal everyone in their group after the fight, but his reluctance to give it back stirred unease among them.

Adrian gripped the cloak tightly, his mind racing. If I could just touch Tessa's body with this cloak, maybe… maybe it could bring her back. Maybe it could rid me of Ashley's parasitic presence and annoying voice once and for all. But doubt gnawed at him. Tessa wasn't injured or dying; her condition was far more complex than any physical wound. Would the cloak even work on something so deep, so intangible as the soul?

Just as he weighed the risk of this gamble, Ikehara's voice cut through his thoughts.

"The cloak, give it here!" Ikehara demanded, his outstretched hand trembling slightly despite his attempt at bravado.

Adrian locked eyes with him. A tense moment passed, every breath in the group held, waiting. Reluctantly, Adrian placed the cloak in Ikehara's hand. Nyala and Nymff released the breaths they didn't realize they were holding. Even Ikehara's face betrayed relief as sweat trickled down his brow. Everyone knew that if Adrian had chosen to fight for it, not even Ikehara would have survived.

Ashley said nothing during the exchange, but her eyes never left Adrian. Though no words were spoken, it was clear that neither wanted to push him any further.

Before witnessing Adrian's terrifying displays against the vultures and scorpions, she might have been less cautious around him. But after seeing the raw power he unleashed, she understood that he was far more dangerous than any foe she'd ever faced. That realization settled deep within her, shifting the way she approached him—no longer with arrogance, but with the wariness of someone who knew they were walking a fine line between survival and destruction.

--

The rest of the ascent was eerily smooth. They approached the peak, where two massive skeletal horns stood like sentinels, framing the air like jagged blades, ready to impale any who dared approach. Floating above these ancient remains, serene and undisturbed by the chaos below, was the legendary Sands of Lino. Their white grains shimmered like stars, untouched by time or conflict.

Ashley, moving cautiously, approached the Sands and held out a small container. Just as the first grain entered, an invisible force gripped her mind. Her eyes widened in terror as she felt the Sands pulling at her very consciousness. It knows... It knows I don't belong in Tessa's body! In a desperate move, she dropped the container and stepped back, panting.

Ikehara rushed forward, timely as ever, and took over. If Ashley had lingered even a moment longer, the Sands would have ripped her consciousness from Tessa's body, obliterating her existence entirely.

Adrian, witnessing the event, saw an opportunity. He leaned in and whispered to Nyala.

"We need to get some of that sand."

"Why?" Nyala looked at him, confused.

"Just trust me. Create a distraction, and I'll get the sand."

Nyala hesitated, then nodded. "Alright, I hope you know what you're doing."

Adrian smirked—a smirk so familiar yet absent these past weeks. It was the godlike confidence that once defined him.

Nyala stormed toward Ikehara, her voice rising, "I'm sick of your crap! First you take us north, then west, then to the east and now to the south. What are we, some kind of walking compass?"

Her outburst caught everyone off guard. Ecdy, sensing the ridiculousness of their journey, laughed. "We really are like a compass, aren't we? North, south, east, and west!"

Abdel, standing next to him, doubled over in laughter. "Never thought of it that way!"

Ikehara's face reddened, but before he could retort, Ashley moved closer to Nyala, her tone dripping with menace. "Are you rebelling now? Is that it?" Her voice was low, dangerous, and everyone felt the dark shift in the air. Ashley was ready to kill—any excuse would do. She just needed to step out of line.

Nyala glanced at Adrian, who signaled that he had what he needed. Without hesitation, she backed down.

"That's what I thought," Ashley murmured, disappointed. She had been ready to tear Nyala apart.

Ikehara, satisfied with the amount of sand collected, signaled the group to move on. As they descended the mountain, the air was thick with tension, but not a single word was spoken. Everyone knew how close they had come to another deadly encounter.

When they reached the city below, murmurs and whispers echoed around them.

"How are they still alive?"

"They look completely unscathed, not even a limb missing..."

"They look totally fine, could they be even more scary than those things, the man eating vultures , the scorpions of Lino mountain, the powerful scavenger ants... Those strange creatures...just how...did they survive..."

The merchants at the outskirts were equally dumbfounded.

"These guys should've been nothing but bones by now..."

"I can't believe they survived the land of the forgotten."

As the gossip spread, Adrian kept his distance, speaking only to Nyala.

"Did you get the sand?" she asked.

Adrian pulled out a small vial, shaking it so the white grains floated within. Nyala's eyes widened in curiosity.

"What do you need it for?" she asked.

Adrian's voice dropped to a whisper. "The Sands tried to pull Ashley's consciousness from Tessa's body. The Sands of Lino can repair soul injuries, which means…"

Nyala's eyes lit up with realization. "So you're going to use it against the crazy witch of the west, when the time comes."

"Exactly."

They shared a silent, victorious glance as they continued their journey. Unbeknownst to the others, Adrian now held the key to saving Tessa—and destroying Ashley—when the time was right.

But for now, all they could do was press forward, deeper into the unknown.