The Raven Thief
Born of the wastelands, Spheris Arnadel, a young skilled thief, finds himself subject to a twist of fate when he steals a powerful relic and becomes a Bearer — humans gifted with powers from the Gods. As a punishment for his theft, he is cast into an otherworldly realm alongside other Bearers, where he faces off against monstrous beasts and powerful enemies. Yet, in his determination to return to the Continent and save his dying mother, Spheris is hell-bent on surviving the abyssal world. Even if it means giving his body to the Dark God whose powers he had stolen... even if it means losing all of his humanity.
• Third Calamity: Drought
For minutes on end, as long as they could still hear the sounds of battle and roars behind them, even when they couldn't any longer, the team continued to run.
They did not care to look back.
Until their legs burned and their lungs screamed for air, they ran, pushing forward with every ounce of strength they had. As Bearers, they had a lot. For Linne who got exhausted faster than the others, she was being carried by one of Spheris's Shadow Clones.
Now, the sounds of the monstrous fight had completely faded into the distance and the still silence of the dry plains returned. Finally, they reduced their pace, transitioning from a desperate sprint to a steady walk, exhaustion present in each heavy step.
The dry plains stretched out right before them. Neverending, like the Calamities itself. An expanse of barrenness, flat, brown earth, filled with dust and apart from the sparse skeleton trees, devoid of life.