We walked at least a mile before the desert’s heat truly sank its claws into us. The sand shimmered in waves of distortion, and every step sank deeper than the last.

  I glanced sideways and saw Isabella panting like she’d just run a marathon. Sweat clung to her forehead, dripping down her temples, and her breaths came in shallow gasps. She tried to keep pace, but her body was on the verge of buckling.

  "We're not even halfway there." I said, frustration bleeding into my tone. "We won't make it at this rate."

  Sosuke, walking just ahead, wasn’t nearly as ragged—but even he wasn’t immune. Though his face stayed composed, his stride told me he couldn’t keep this up much longer either.

  He turned his head slightly. "What's your plan?"

  I whispered it to myself, "Gravity."

  Before either of them could react, I crouched and curled my arms under Isabella, scooping her up like a princess. She let out a startled yelp but didn’t resist—too tired to fight it. Sosuke, sharp as ever, immediately realized what I was doing. Without hesitation, he swung onto my back, his weight heavy but manageable.

  I focused, pulling at the threads of mana inside me. The world shifted around my body, pressure lifting, gravity lightening. I bent my knees—then leapt.

  We shot forward, bounding through the desert like astronauts on the moon. Each landing sent up plumes of sand, each takeoff felt weightless, unnatural, but efficient. My lungs burned and my mana pulsed faintly with each jump, but it wasn’t draining fast. I could keep this up.

  Thirty minutes later...

  I crested the hill with one last desperate leap, my skin just about to blister. As we cleared the ridge, the world below transformed. A shimmering pool. An oasis.

  My strength finally gave out as we landed, and I dropped both Isabella and Sosuke unceremoniously. My arms throbbed from holding them, my legs screamed, and I couldn’t stop the tumble. We rolled down the slope together, a chaotic mess of limbs and sand, until gravity finally hurled us into the water with a heavy splash.

  The coolness engulfed me instantly. It was shocking, glorious, life-saving. My lips touched the water before I even realized, drinking deep and fast. Isabella and Sosuke did the same, heads bowed, scooping handfuls into their mouths. Every swallow was relief itself, more refreshing than any drink I’d ever had in my life.

  I pulled back, panting, droplets sliding down my face. Oh. Right. The flare.

  I pushed myself upright, knees trembling but steady enough, and raised my arm toward the sky. "Fireball."

  A sphere of flame and magic circle spun into existence, brighter against the blue than the sun itself. It shot upward, streaking higher and higher, until it reached above the hill. There, it exploded in a thunderous crack, a burst of fire and sound echoing across the desert.

  There was no way they didn’t see it.

  Now... all we could do was wait.

  I shaded my eyes with one hand, staring out across the endless dunes. "Hey." I said, my voice low but certain. "You think that was Haruto?"

  Alex followed my gaze, his jaw tightening. He gave a single, confident nod. "No doubt. That was a signal flare if I’ve ever seen one."

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  The corners of my mouth tugged upward, and I cracked my knuckles one by one, the sound sharp against the desert silence. "I think he found water."

  Alex let out a tired sigh, his shoulders sagging under the desert sun. His shirt was streaked with sand, and his arms bore scratches from our last fight. "You’re still tired from fighting those sandworms. Can you make it?"

  I bent low, stretching my legs, letting the grit slide from my palms. "I bet you I can."

  Alex gave me a look—half amused, half exasperated. "Why would I bet against that?" he muttered. Still, he reached into his pack and pulled something out. A sandwich, wrapped in wax paper, simple but miraculous in this barren wasteland. The smell of meat and fresh bread hit my nose, absurdly out of place in the desert. He shoved it into my hands. "Take it. It’ll increase your speed."

  I weighed it for only a second. It looked too good to be real. I tore off a massive bite, chewing fast, the taste exploding on my tongue. My body already felt lighter, more awake, like the food was pumping energy straight into my bloodstream.

  I swallowed hard, clenched my fists, and started marching toward where the fireball had burst.

  One of us finally appeared at the top of the hill, dragging their feet, their body swaying as if every step might be their last. They barely made it over before momentum carried them forward. Like us, they stumbled, then rolled helplessly down the slope until they splashed into the oasis below. The water embraced them with a hiss and ripple.

  It was a woman—I didn’t know her name yet, but the exhaustion written across her face told me enough. She looked like an assassin.

  Then two more appeared. They didn’t even bother trying to walk down the slope. They simply threw themselves forward, rolling down in a heap of sand and laughter, landing with another splash.

  Then another two.

  Then one.

  Then two.

  The hill became a steady procession of collapsing bodies until, at last, all of us had gathered in the water. Some were more drained than others, their movements sluggish, but we were alive. Somehow, despite everything, despite the scorching desert, it felt peaceful.

  The oasis shimmered under the sun like a jewel, the water cool and alive. For the first time in what felt like forever, nobody was running. Nobody was bleeding. Nobody was afraid.

  We began to play in the water.

  I couldn’t help it—I smiled, scooping a handful and splashing Isabella.

  She yelped, then smirked mischievously, throwing the water right back in my face. "This reminds me of when I used to go to the beach with my husband."

  Her eyes softened, wistful, but the smile never left. She kicked water at me with surprising precision, her legs snapping through the pool. "I won every time."

  Before I could reply, Soto stomped into the shallows, grinning ear to ear. He pulled his fist back, then drove an uppercut into the water’s surface with terrifying force. The impact detonated like a bomb, sending a small tsunami barreling outward.

  The wave crashed into all of us, toppling bodies, knocking us onto our backs. Laughter erupted even as we scrambled back up. The sheer strength behind Soto’s playful strike was terrifying—if he’d hit one of us instead of the water, there’d be nothing left but a memory.

  Everyone was having fun. Everyone except Sosuke.

  He had moved to the far end of the oasis, laying against the shallows staring at the sky. His face was unreadable, his eyes distant, as if he were somewhere else entirely—searching for answers no one could give.

  The moment shattered in an instant.

  The ground trembled. A sharp hiss, like pressurized steam escaping from below, split the air. Then, from near the peak of the hill, sand erupted in violent plumes.

  One after another, massive bodies pierced the surface. Sandworms. Their slick, segmented hides glistened under the sun, their mouths ringed with gnashing teeth. They didn’t attack outright—not yet. They slithered down, circling us, their massive bodies creating an arena of living walls.

  Closer. Closer.

  They weren’t long enough to wrap entirely around the oasis, but each one occupied half a circle, hemming us in like predators toying with prey. I counted as my heart raced.

  One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven. Twelve.

  Twelve.

  Twelve sandworms, towering and monstrous, surrounding us.

  We can’t even have a second of rest! No matter where we are, no matter how calm it feels, these floors are hostile.

  Soto cracked his knuckles, water dripping from his fists.

  Sosuke rose slowly, summoning his sword with a flash.

  I spread my arms wide, forcing the power out. My muscles tensed, my chest heaved, and mana roared. "Lightning Bolts."

  Sparks erupted around my body, wrapping me in a crackling aura that hissed against the water. Above me, four magic circles spun, two to my right and two to my left. Their edges pulsed with blinding light.

  If this is how it’s going to be... if this Tower refuses to let us breathe...

  Then I’ll respond in kind.