Sand.

  It was everywhere—in Fii's clothes, grinding between her teeth, burning against her skin. The transition from the muted grays of the slums to this sensory assault left her dizzy. The sun hammered down with unrelenting force, so different from the perpetual drizzle she'd known her entire life.

  She spat, trying to clear the grit from her mouth. The taste of metals and minerals she couldn't name coated her tongue.

  The world swayed, her inner ear still calibrating to whatever the hell had just happened. Her mouth tasted like copper and ozone, as if she'd been chewing on wiring. The sun beat down, harsher and more direct than it ever felt in the slums, even on the clearest days.

  A few meters away, Diamond Ace struggled to his feet, his armor scraped and dulled with a fine coating of sand. The sophisticated tech whirred and clicked as it tried to compensate for whatever spatial distortion had thrown them here. His helmet had retracted, revealing a face flushed with heat and shock.

  "What," he snarled, each word bitten off and spat out, "did you do?"

  Fii's head throbbed, a dull pressure behind her eyes that felt like the aftermath of the strange energy that had coursed through her in the slums. The tingling sensation was gone, replaced by an odd emptiness, as if something inside her had been hollowed out.

  "Nothing," she said, her voice raspy in the dry air. "At least, not on purpose."

  "Bullshit." Diamond Ace took a threatening step forward, his armor emitting a high-pitched whine as systems tried to compensate for whatever damage they'd sustained. "You triggered some kind of... spatial displacement. A teleportation."

  Fii stood her ground. "If I knew how to teleport, don't you think I'd have done it before now? Got myself away from you creeps?"

  A groan drew their attention to where Glimmerstrike lay sprawled on her back, arms flung outward as if she'd been dropped from a height. Her typically immaculate platinum blonde hair was tangled with sand, her iridescent suit smudged and dulled.

  "What hit me?" she mumbled, pushing herself up on her elbows. Her eyes widened as she took in their surroundings. "Where are we?"

  Fii turned in a slow circle, taking in their surroundings. The landscape stretched in every direction, a sea of rust-colored sand broken only by jagged rock formations that jutted up like broken teeth. The horizon wavered in the heat, making it impossible to judge distances. Above them, the sky burned a deeper blue than she'd ever seen, cloudless and vast.

  Something about it tugged at her memory—stories Luku had told during their journey preparations, descriptions from Barathi's lessons among the Kurigali.

  "The Wastes," she said finally. "We're in the Wastes of Kurigali."

  Diamond Ace's expression shifted from anger to disbelief. "That's impossible. The Wastes are hundreds of kilometers from the slums. There's no way..."

  "Look around, tin man," Fii snapped. "Do you see anything that even remotely resembles the Metropolis or the Slums? We're a long way from home."

  Glimmerstrike finally made it to her feet, brushing uselessly at the sand clinging to her suit. "How? I didn't think teleportation was possible. I've never even heard of a Super with that ability, let alone one powerful enough to move this far." Her gaze swung to Fii. "Unless..."

  "Ugh! Like singing to the scrapheap. I said I don't have that power," Fii ground out. "The only thing I can do is gravikinesis, okay? There! Secret's out. Happy?"

  "I knew it!" Glimmerstrike said, pointing an accusing finger. "I thought you were a Telekinetic like Prime, but the way you move, the things you can manipulate... It's gravity."

  "Good for you, Sherlock," Fii bit out. "Figure that out all on your own, did you? Too bad figuring it out doesn't actually fix our problem." She waved a hand at the unending desert. "Care to use that overpriced education to tell us how to get back?"

  Glimmerstrike's triumphant expression dimmed, a crease forming between her brows. "I... don't know."

  Diamond Ace's helmet display flickered to life, projecting data across his visor before shorting out again. He tapped the side of his head in frustration. "Systems are glitchy. Whatever happened during the transition scrambled my suit's diagnostics."

  "Can you still call for help?" Glimmerstrike asked, a hopeful note in her voice.

  "With what? There's no comm relay network out here. No satellites. No infrastructure." He gestured at the empty landscape. "We're beyond the reach of any urban communication grid."

  Fii watched them, the reality of their situation settling into her bones with the weight of the sun overhead. They were stranded—truly stranded—in one of the most hostile environments on Earth, with no provisions, no transportation, and no immediate way to contact help.

  "Your suit," she said, looking at Diamond Ace. "How long will it function without a recharge?"

  He frowned, tapping at the controls on his forearm. "Hard to say with the systems glitching. Maybe 48 hours of active use. Less if I need the enhanced strength or weapons systems."

  "And your powers?" Fii turned to Glimmerstrike. "Any limitations we should know about?"

  Glimmerstrike ran a hand through her sand-filled hair. "My constructs need concentration to maintain. Heat and dehydration will affect that. And they drain my energy over time."

  "Great. So we're on a clock with both of you." The bluntness of Fii's assessment wasn't meant to be cruel—just practical. In the slums, knowing your limitations was the difference between survival and a quick death.

  Diamond Ace's face hardened. "And what about you? Your powers just ripped a hole in reality and dumped us here. Can you get us back the same way?"

  Fii flexed her fingers experimentally. The familiar pull of gravity responded, but it felt normal now—controlled, predictable, nothing like the wild distortions that had preceded their displacement. "I don't think so. Not right now, anyway."

  "Wonderful," Glimmerstrike muttered. "Stuck in the middle of nowhere with no way home."

  "Not nowhere," Fii corrected. "The Wastes of Kurigali. And our first priority needs to be shelter and water, or we won't last long enough to worry about getting home."

  The two Metropolis heroes exchanged glances. Despite their powers and tech, this wasn't their territory. In the Wastes, Fii's Kurigali training might be the only advantage they had.

  Diamond Ace regarded her with a mix of suspicion and grudging acceptance. "Right. So how do we do that?"

  Fii scanned the horizon again, this time with a more critical eye. The Kurigali teachings filtered through her memory—find the path of least resistance, where water might gather during the rare rains. Look for signs of life, no matter how small.

  "This way," she decided, pointing toward a cluster of rock formations jutting up from the sand about a three kilometers away. "Those formations will provide shade. If there's any water to be found, it'll be near rocks like those."

  Diamond Ace looked skeptical but nodded. "Lead on, then."

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  They set off across the sand, each step a small struggle against the shifting ground. Fii adjusted her body's gravitational field almost unconsciously, making herself lighter to avoid sinking into the looser patches. Behind her, Diamond Ace's armored boots left deep imprints, while Glimmerstrike repeatedly created small hard-light platforms to step on when the terrain became too unstable.

  The sun climbed higher as they walked, its heat intensifying to an almost physical presence. Sweat beaded on Fii's forehead only to evaporate instantly, leaving a crust of salt behind. Her lips cracked, and her eyes burned from the glare despite her attempt to shield them.

  "How much further?" Glimmerstrike called, her voice strained.

  "We've barely gone halfway," Fii replied without turning around. "Pace yourself."

  A harsh laugh from Diamond Ace. "Easy for you to say. You're not wearing metal armor in this heat."

  Fii glanced back to see him struggling more than she'd realized. His face was flushed red, sweat pouring down his temples. The armor, designed for combat efficiency rather than desert conditions, had become a mobile oven.

  "Can't you take it off?" she asked.

  He shook his head, the movement slow and deliberate. "No. Only the helmet and gloves are detachable." Another pained smile. "Not really built with extended survival in mind."

  "Isn't your suit air-conditioned? I read that the newer models are." Glimmerstrike said, her usual crisp tone replaced by worry. It surprised Fii, that hint of actual concern.

  "Yes, it is. Was," he said. "The A/C unit is malfunctioning. Most of my onboard systems are. Must have been damaged during the displacement. They're working to repair themselves, but it's slow going."

  Great. A liability right from the start.

  Fii frowned. "Will you make it to the rocks?"

  Diamond Ace straightened, drawing on reserves of determination. "I'll make it."

  "We need to move faster then," Fii decided. She reached out with her power, creating a gravitational field around Diamond Ace that lightened his effective weight. "This should help. You too, Sparkles."

  "Don't call me that," Glimmerstrike snapped, but she didn't object to the gravitational assist. The relief was immediate—their pace nearly doubled as they crossed the remaining distance to the rock formation.

  As they drew closer, the rock towers loomed larger—massive pillars of rust-red stone weathered into fantastic shapes by millennia of wind and rare but violent rainstorms. They jutted thirty meters or more into the sky, creating deep shadows between them.

  "There," Fii pointed to a narrow gap between two of the largest formations. "That'll give us shelter from the sun and wind."

  Diamond Ace activated his helmet's scanner again, which sputtered to life long enough to sweep the area before dying with an electronic whine. "No immediate threats detected, but the range is limited."

  They squeezed through the gap into a natural alcove formed by the surrounding rock walls. The temperature dropped noticeably in the shade, and Fii caught the faintest scent of moisture—not enough to form a pool or stream, but perhaps sufficient to sustain the sparse, tough vegetation clinging to cracks in the stone.

  Glimmerstrike collapsed onto a flat rock, her usual grace abandoned. "I can't believe this is happening. We were supposed to be having a diplomatic meeting, and now we're stranded in the middle of a desert wasteland."

  "The Wastes aren't just a wasteland," Fii corrected, already examining the rock walls for signs of water. "They're one of the oldest inhabited regions on the continent. The Kurigali lived here for centuries before being pushed out."

  Diamond Ace removed his helmet completely, setting it aside with uncharacteristic carelessness. "Spare us the history lesson. What we need is a plan."

  Fii bit back a retort. He wasn't wrong, even if his delivery left much to be desired. "First priority is water. Second is better shelter for the night. Then we can worry about getting back."

  Glimmerstrike shifted uncomfortably on her rock seat. "Do you really think we can find water out here?"

  Fii's mouth quirked. "There's always water, if you know where to look."

  In truth, her confidence was mostly a facade. Though Luku and the others had taught her many survival skills, she'd never needed to put them to use outside the training environment. Now, she'd have to call on those lessons to keep them all alive.

  "Stay here," she told the others. "Rest while you can. I'll scout."

  "Alone?" Diamond Ace's brows raised. "Not likely. You're not the only one who knows basic survival tactics."

  "And what does your armor think about this?"

  He scowled, but relented. "Fine. Just don't do anything... reckless."

  Fii suppressed a laugh. "Reckless? That's practically my middle name." Before he could offer another warning, she stepped back into the sunlight and scaled the nearest rock face.

  The climb was easy, at least compared to some of the structures she navigated in the slums. She pulled herself up onto a flat ledge about ten meters above the ground, scanning the terrain from her elevated perch.

  The Wastes stretched to the horizon in every direction, an endless vista of sand dunes and heat-shimmering air. The rock formations clustered around them formed the only break in the monotony.

  "There has to be something," Fii murmured, squinting against the glare. She closed her eyes for a moment, remembering the lessons Luku and the others had drilled into her.

  Always find the lay of the land. Look for the path of least resistance, where water might gather.

  Water follows the path carved for it. A valley can be a vein, a hill the beating heart.

  Even in a desert, water cannot hide forever.

  She dropped back down and turned her attention back to the rock wall, running her fingers along the rough surface. The stone was cooler than it should have been given the external temperature, which suggested—

  There. A hairline crack with the faintest hint of moisture. Fii pressed her ear to the stone and listened. The softest trickle of water moving through the rock, perhaps a pocket trapped from the last rainfall, or even a small underground stream.

  "I need something to dig with," she said, turning back to the others.

  Diamond Ace looked at her like she'd lost her mind. "Dig? With what? In case you hadn't noticed, we don't exactly have shovels."

  Fii pointed at his gauntleted hand. "That'll do."

  Understanding dawned on his face, followed by reluctance. "These aren't designed for—"

  "Either we find water, or we start the long, uncomfortable process of dying from dehydration," Fii cut him off. "Your choice."

  With a grimace, Diamond Ace approached the wall. "Where?"

  Fii pointed to the hairline crack. "Here. Careful, though. We want to widen the crack, not collapse it."

  He worked methodically, using the reinforced fingers of his gauntlet to chip away at the stone around the crack. Small fragments fell to the ground, revealing a widening fissure in the rock. After several minutes of work, a trickle of water began to seep out—muddy at first, then clearer.

  "It worked," Glimmerstrike breathed, suddenly at Fii's side.

  "Don't sound so surprised," Fii said, but there was no real bite to her words. The sight of water, even this paltry amount, sparked something like hope in her chest.

  Diamond Ace continued to enlarge the opening until the trickle became a steady, if thin, stream. The water pooled in a natural depression at the base of the wall.

  "Is it safe to drink?" Glimmerstrike asked, eyeing the water dubiously.

  Fii knelt and dipped her finger into the pool, bringing a drop to her lips. The mineral taste was strong but not unpleasant. "Should be. The rock filters it naturally."

  She cupped her hands beneath the trickle, letting them fill before raising them to her mouth. The first sip was heaven—cool and alive, so different from the recycled, chemically-treated water of the slums. She drank slowly, careful not to shock her system.

  Diamond Ace and Glimmerstrike followed her example, their initial hesitation giving way to thirsty gulps until Fii warned them to pace themselves.

  "Small sips," she advised. "Too much too fast and you'll make yourselves sick."

  Diamond Ace wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "You seem to know a lot about survival out here."

  "The Kurigali taught me," Fii replied simply. "Before all this, we were preparing for a journey through the Wastes. They made sure I knew the basics."

  Glimmerstrike blinked in surprise. "Wait, you're Kurigali?"

  "Yeah. I sorta found out about a month ago, so..."

  "Wow. I thought the Kurigali were wiped out. Or fled to the far north."

  "Hundreds are living in the slum's largest park, and you guys never noticed?"

  Glimmerstrike flushed, stammering, "I didn't—That's not what I meant. I—"

  "The Metropolis knows about them," Diamond Ace said, sitting back down on a nearby rock. "But so far, the Kurigali have declined all diplomatic attempts and offers of immigration. They stick to their borders and make no trouble, so there's been no reason to push the issue."

  "I see," Fii said, turning her gaze away.

  There was an awkward silence, broken only by the soft trickle of water as the small pool slowly expanded. Above them, the sun crept toward the zenith, its rays painting the landscape in molten white.

  "So... what now?" Glimmerstrike finally asked.

  Fii shifted, brushing sand from her clothes. "Now we need food. I'm guessing you two haven't eaten since before our little adventure."

  Both of them shook their heads.

  "Then food it is." Fii rose to her feet, moving back to the edge of their rocky haven. "Shouldn't be too hard to track down something with six or eight legs. Or the odd snake, if we're lucky."

  "And if we're not?" Diamond Ace asked.

  "Then I guess we'll just have to find a bigger rock to throw."