-Duskfall-

  As the sun began to set, casting the ndscape in a dull purple hue, Sen jolted awake, his body leaden with exhaustion. The grueling trek had taken its toll, leaving him drained despite the brief rest.

  With a grunt, he pushed himself up, rubbing the grit from his eyes. Jagged rocks loomed in the fading light, their sharp silhouettes cwing at the darkening sky. Beyond them stretched an endless sea of sand, lifeless and unyielding.

  Ignoring the gnawing hunger in his gut, Sen reached for his water skin and took a slow, deliberate gulp. The cool liquid soothed his parched throat, momentarily tricking his body into feeling something close to relief.

  He rummaged through his bag, pulling out the bioluminescent pnts he had gathered earlier. Their soft, pulsing glow bathed his calloused hands in eerie light. Tearing off a leaf, he chewed the squishy flesh, its slightly sweet, bitter taste coating his tongue. Not exactly a feast, but it would keep him moving.

  As he ate, his gaze drifted upward to the sprawling stars. He wondered if other worlds like his existed out there, filled with life or desote like this one. He pushed the thoughts aside. Questions wouldn’t keep him alive.

  With a sigh, Sen rose to his feet. The cold night air gnawed at his skin, stiffening his joints as he stretched his fingers, readying himself for the next slog through this merciless wastend.

  Under the cloak of darkness, he stepped out of his rocky shelter, his movements silent against the fine sand. The night air clung to him like a damp shroud, sending a slow crawl of goosebumps up his arms.

  No time to waste. He had a long way to go.

  Sen gritted his teeth, squared his shoulders, and faced the abyss ahead. The canyon yawned before him, a gaping maw of darkness. His eyes, now accustomed to the gloom, traced the jagged outcroppings and twisting paths, mapping a tentative route forward.

  He took a slow, steady breath and stepped in. Every movement was deliberate, each step a measured effort to avoid a misstep on the treacherous terrain. Shadows slithered across the rocks, distorting his vision, but he pushed through, his focus unshaken.

  Time lost meaning. Footsteps, breath, heartbeat—an endless rhythm drumming through the silence. The canyon swallowed all sound except for the faint crunch of gravel beneath his boots. Still, he pressed on. Stopping wasn’t an option.

  As the sun peeked over the horizon, throwing a ghostly light on the canyon, Sen stood before a massive cliff – the end of the ravine he’d been trekking through.

  He just stared at the steep wall, realizing his route was shot. The weight of his situation smmed into him hard. He’d put in miles, wasted energy and supplies, and all he got was a dead end. It was almost enough to make him feel like giving up, fatigue and disappointment almost freezing him in pce.

  But Sen had no time for feeling sorry for himself. He had to figure something out, find another way. Gritting his teeth, he started scoping out the cliff’s base, looking for a way to climb it or get around it. His life depended on it.

  "There’s gotta be a way to get around this."

  With a firm nod, Sen started ditching everything that weighed him down, kicking off his boots and tossing aside anything else that wasn’t essential for climbing. Stripped down to his ragged prison garb, he felt oddly free, like he’d finally cut the chains of material crap.

  -The Climb-

  He focused on the base of the cliff, sizing up the ground. The rock was jagged, offering plenty of spots to grab and step on for the climb. The real test was going to be keeping his energy and willpower in check to actually make it to the top.

  Taking a deep breath, Sen unched himself at the cliff, his fingers and toes digging into the rock. He climbed with a careful precision, making sure every grip and step was solid enough to keep him from eating dirt.

  As he ascended, his muscles screamed and his limbs felt like lead. But quitting wasn’t an option; he pushed on with sheer stubbornness. He’d come this far, and there was no way he was going to let a mere cliff face beat him.

  Sweat dripped down Sen's face, stinging his eyes as he cwed his way up the cliff, hand over hand. The jagged stone tore at his skin, leaving angry red marks, but he hardly felt it. All he cared about was getting back on solid ground.

  Forty feet... thirty... twenty... The numbers faded as he zeroed in on the climb. His breath came in gasps, each inhale a battle against the fire in his lungs. But he kept going, fueled by a relentless determination to succeed.

  Ten feet... five... two... With one st, desperate push, Sen pulled himself over the edge and colpsed onto the rocky surface, completely spent. For a moment, he y there, chest heaving, staring up at the clear sky. He had done it. Against all odds, he had beaten the cliff.

  Sen finally caught his breath and tried to pull himself together. His eyes wandered to the scraggly pnts on the other side of the pteau. A flicker of hope sparked in him; maybe that patch of green meant there was water nearby. He had to check it out.

  Getting down on all fours, Sen crawled toward the pnts, moving slowly and carefully. He was hyper-aware of everything around him, listening for the soft rustle of leaves that usually meant water was close.

  As he got nearer, the pnts grew thicker, and he noticed the signs of moisture – droplets hanging off the broad, tough leaves. He pushed on, driven by the thought of water, until he finally found a narrow creek bed.

  With a grunt of satisfaction, Sen dropped to his knees next to the little stream and scooped up the cold, clear water with his hands.

  Water poured over Sen's hands as he tilted his head back, letting it run down his face and neck, bringing life back to his dry skin. He gulped it down, enjoying the coolness that wiped away his thirst. It tasted clean, free from the salty residue of his sweaty journey.

  With a satisfied breath, Sen plunged his hands back into the water, spshing it on his face and body. The refreshing feel got rid of the dirt and exhaustion from his struggles, making him feel almost like a person again.

  Sitting there, enjoying the basic joys of drinking and being clean, Sen took a moment to reflect.

  Lost in contemption, Sen pondered his circumstances. He reflected on the resources he'd sacrificed at the canyon bottom – valuable rations, glowing pnts, his makeshift pack.

  Sen pushed aside his frustration and focused on the present. Dwelling on what he'd lost at the canyon bottom—his rations, glowing pnts, and makeshift pack wouldn’t get him anywhere.

  What mattered now was the creek. If he could trace it to its source, it might lead to something better—a richer biome, edible pnts, game, or even signs of civilization. It was the only real lead he had.

  With renewed purpose, he rose, careful not to slip on the slick rocks.

  A quick assessment of his situation confirmed the obvious—he had nothing left but the tattered remains of his clothing and his own endurance.

  That would have to be enough.

  As the day dragged on and the sun hit its brutal high, Sen was hustling to keep up with the winding creek. What used to be a lifesaver was now a danger in the blistering heat.

  Dust flew with every step, and the dry, crunchy pnts along the banks crumbled underfoot like old bones. Sweat dripped down his face, stinging his eyes and blurring his sight. He blinked hard, trying to clear the fog and keep moving.

  Up ahead, the creek vanished behind a mess of tangled brush and low-hanging branches, offering a chance to escape the relentless sun. With a burst of urgency, Sen broke into a clumsy run, his steps uneven on the loose ground. His heart raced like crazy, and his breathing turned ragged as he pushed to reach the shade before he completely wore out.

  At st, Sen staggered into the shade under the trees and dropped onto the soft ground, gasping for air. The thick leaves above kept the sun's harsh light at bay, creating patchy shadows on the creek bed. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to give his worn-out body a bit of a break.

  After a few minutes of trying to catch his breath, Sen slowly lifted his head, his tired eyes scanning the area. The clearing past the bushes revealed a tempting view of the ndscape – rolling hills and far-off mountains that suggested tougher ground y ahead.

  As the brutal heat of the day started to ease up, Sen's eyelids felt like lead, heavy from the sleepless night and the relentless sun. The cool shade of the trees called to him, and the gentle sound of the creek made him want to zone out.

  With a deep breath, Sen let himself slip into a light nap, still half-aware of any dangers while his mind drifted off. The steady flow of the water and the rustling leaves created a soothing tune that slowly pulled him under, making him give in to the need for rest.

  As the sun zily sank toward the horizon, spshing the sky with bright oranges and pinks, Sen kept sleeping, completely unaware of the stunning view above. His tired body needed to bounce back fast because the tough times ahead were sure to be just as rough as what he’d already dealt with.

  Suddenly a searing pain tore through Sen’s ribs, ripping him out of sleep. His eyes snapped open, his instincts kicking in before his mind caught up. A crushing force had him pinned—his body lifted off the ground.

  He twisted his neck, locking onto the bastard gripping him. A massive avian creature, mottled bck and gray, its talons sunk deep into his side. Its wings fpped in heavy, controlled beats, hauling him upward.

  Sen didn’t waste a second screaming or thrashing like an idiot. His fingers went straight for the bird’s leg, locking onto the scales near its talons.

  (If it takes me up, I am dead.)

  Gritting his teeth, he drove his thumb deep under a scale, pressing into the tender flesh beneath. The bird jerked, but its grip didn’t loosen. Fine. He bit down hard on its damn leg, sinking his teeth in and grinding his jaw.

  The taste of iron flooded his mouth. The bird screeched, shuddering mid-flight. Not enough.

  With its wings stabilizing, Sen ripped his head back, tearing off a chunk of flesh. Blood sprayed onto his face. The bird's grip faltered, talons shifting just enough—

  Now.

  Sen smmed his elbow against the bird’s knee joint, again and again, until he felt something pop. The leg spasmed. Its grip loosened—not fully, but enough.

  Sen wasn’t free yet. The other talon was still locked on, and the bastard was trying to regain altitude.

  (Break the wings. Kill the flight.)

  Shifting his weight, Sen reached up and drove his fingers into the wing joint, cwing for the tendons. He yanked, twisted—something snapped under his grip. The bird let out a bone-rattling screech, its wing suddenly useless.

  Gravity took over.

  They plummeted.

  Sen braced, twisting his body mid-air so the bird nded first—and when they crashed, he made damn sure his elbow caved in its throat.

  The thing thrashed violently, gasping, cws still weakly trying to rip him open.

  Sen didn’t let up. He mounted its chest and drove his fist straight into its skull—once, twice, five times—until he felt bone colpse under his knuckles.

  The creature spasmed beneath him before going still.

  Sen sat there, panting, his fists drenched in blood and feathers sticking to his skin. His ribs screamed with every breath, his side throbbing from the deep punctures. He’d need to stop the bleeding soon.

  His head tilted back, sucking in ragged gulps of air. He spat out a mouthful of blood and some of the bird’s flesh.

  “Next time… wake me up like a normal animal,” he muttered, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

  Then Sen turned to the carcass. There was work to be done. He dismembered the bird with practiced efficiency, carving out meat for sustenance and collecting feathers and bone for future use.

  Under the star-filled sky, Sen roasted the meat, the rich aroma teasing his senses. The first bite was bliss – rare, tender flesh, smothered in the sweetness of sap from a nearby tree. It was a feast in this barren wilderness, a reward for surviving another fight.

  As the adrenaline faded and his heart slowed, Sen’s mind drifted back to his narrow escape. The fight had been hard-won, but it proved something to him: resilience could carve a way forward.

  With his stomach full and his spirits lifted, he leaned back against a boulder, staring up at the stars.

  The vast sky above, the promise of resources and life, sparked something in him. Could this be a sign of something better ahead? A new zone, teeming with life? The thought flickered in his mind, offering a glimmer of hope in the darkness.