Chapter 32: More Of Them

He tightened his grip on the scythe, his cloak billowing behind him as he broke into a full sprint, the howls growing louder with every step.

Kael sprinted across the shifting sands, his cloak whipping behind him like a shadow struggling to keep up.

The pack of rotten wolves was relentless, their decayed forms moving with unnatural speed. Their howls filled the cold desert air, a macabre chorus of hunger and fury. Teeth snapped just inches from his skeletal limbs as he dodged, the beasts' glowing eyes piercing the night like sinister lanterns.

The moon hung low in the sky, casting a pale light over the desolate landscape. The dunes glimmered faintly, their curves etched in silver, but the illumination was more a curse than a blessing it revealed the growing number of wolves trailing him, their rotting bodies surging across the sands like a tide of death.

Kael's empty sockets scanned ahead, and his gaze locked onto a massive rock formation towering above the desert floor. Without hesitation, he veered toward it, sand scattering beneath his feet as he pushed his skeletal frame to its limit.

Reaching the base, Kael leapt onto the rock, his bony fingers scraping against its rough surface as he began to climb.

The jagged edges dug into his hands, but he climbed with grim determination, his cloak catching on outcroppings as he pulled himself higher.

Below, the wolves gathered, circling like vultures. Their growls reverberated off the stone, a menacing symphony that echoed in the still night.

Reaching the top, Kael hoisted himself up with the last vestiges of his strength, his form briefly silhouetted against the moonlight.

He knelt, his scythe resting beside him, as he caught his nonexistent breath. Peering over the edge, he saw the wolves snapping at the air, their decayed jaws gnashing in frustration.

"Damn, you guys sure are fast" Kael muttered, his voice a low rasp.

From his vantage point, the endless stretch of desert unfurled before him like a vast, unforgiving sea. The dunes rolled on into the horizon, their peaks and valleys casting long, distorted shadows. Above, the sky was a tapestry of stars, their cold light mocking his predicament.

Kael scanned the terrain, but no safe haven revealed itself. The desert offered no mercy, only emptiness and danger. The wolves' howls rose again, a chilling reminder of the peril below, as their glowing eyes remained fixed on him.

Perched atop the rock, Kael couldn't shake the unease creeping up his spine or what remained of it. He knew the safety of elevation was an illusion. Up here, he was just as vulnerable, if not more so. Flying predators could easily spot him, their shadowy forms hidden among the stars until it was too late.

"I wonder," Kael muttered, narrowing his sockets as he stared into the distance, "if that damn raven is actually searching for anything… or if it's just laughing at me right now."