Chapter 587: Sand and Forest

Vanna determinedly approached a distant silhouette on the horizon to pursue her initial objective. She felt eerily alone and out of place while navigating this sandstorm.

"I still don't understand why I was sent to this mysterious desert by myself. The vivid tales from Nina and Miss Lucretia spoke of a lush forest, not this desolate stretch," she pondered internally. "The only reference point in this vast sandy expanse is that distant structure, reminiscent of ancient city ruins. So far, it's devoid of life."

Duncan's voice echoed in her mind, advising, "Regardless, stay vigilant. Look out for anomalies or sudden changes. The erosion effect mentioned by Shirley might manifest unexpectedly. Tread carefully while you're alone."

Acknowledging, she whispered, "Understood, Captain," and with a determined glance at the far-off scene, she trudged forward, thinking, "I must keep moving."

...

"This place feels so alien," Rabbi's voice lamented nearby. "Rabbi miss the lively setting of populated places. This dream is so unfamiliar; there's no one around." The plush rabbit trudged through patches of withered flora and tangled weeds, expressing her discontent since arriving in this strange dimension.

But Lucretia tuned out Rabbi's complaints, pausing occasionally to study her surroundings intently.

During this second venture into the dream world, Shireen, the elfin girl who had greeted her before, was nowhere to be found. Additionally, there were no traces of the markers she had left during her last forest visit.

The overwhelming forest, characterized by its massive trees and vast canopies, seemed almost labyrinthine. Lucretia reluctantly realized she was lost amidst the towering timber.

Turning to Rabbi, who was entangled in some shrubs, she inquired, "Rabbi, can you sense any sentient beings nearby?"

Ceasing her murmurs, Rabbi approached with focused intent. Her lengthy cloth ears drooped, their edges slightly worn.

After a moment's pause, Rabbi replied, shaking her head, "I sense no one. It's silent."

With intense determination, Lucretia meticulously examined her environment, seeking a path or clue that might lead her forward in this mysterious place. As she looked around, a sudden, unexpected gleam caught the corner of her eye. Curiosity piqued, she walked closer, only to find that this shimmering light was originating from the base of a majestic, ancient tree. The tree stood tall and imposing amidst a sea of withering plants and leaves, marking its significance in the area.

Suddenly, in a spectacle of vibrant colors and light, Lucretia's physical form began to dissolve, breaking apart into countless multicolored shards. These fragments took on a life of their own, whirling and twirling mid-air in a beautiful dance, only to eventually gravitate back together at the very base of the monumental tree. In just a few heartbeats, Lucretia was reformed, standing complete and unchanged.

Not too far from her, partially buried under a blanket of fallen leaves, was an artifact. This object seemed oddly familiar to her, vibrating with echoes from her past. With a voice filled with surprise and wonder, she whispered, "Could this possibly be...?"

Right there in front of her was an exquisitely designed weapon. It combined the elegance of a spear with the brute force of an axe. The weapon seemed to hum with tales from bygone eras. Its handle was riddled with cracks and fractures, testament to its storied past and the countless battles it had seen. The blade, although sharp, was marred with numerous scars and dark stains, suggesting the blood it had spilled over time.

Given the worn state of the weapon, it was evident that it had been lying dormant for what might have been centuries, perhaps forgotten after some great war or upheaval.

As Lucretia's gaze remained fixed on this ancient armament, the soft, gentle sounds of Rabbi's footsteps could be heard. The endearing plush rabbit came into view and looked up, his innocent eyes filled with curiosity, "Mistress, what ancient relic have you found?"

However, before Lucretia could provide an answer, she felt an inexplicable pull towards the weapon. With cautious yet compelled movements, she stretched out her hand, her fingers inching closer and closer to the cold, time-worn metal. The moment her skin touched the weapon, a wave of intense energy cascaded over her, blurring the lines between reality and the ethereal. But this otherworldly connection was abruptly and violently interrupted!

Suddenly, the serene forest atmosphere was thrust into turmoil. Trees spontaneously burst into raging flames, their fiery tongues licking the skies. The very ground beneath them shook and quaked, and oppressive waves of heat pulsated outward. The heavens above were alight with unpredictable patterns of lights and shadows, painting an eerie tapestry. Amidst this chaos, the heart-wrenching cries of animals, the desperate shouts of humans, and the sorrowful moans of the forest itself merged, creating a nightmarish symphony of destruction and despair.

In an escalating surge of horror, Lucretia witnessed the world around her spiraling into chaos. Mighty trees, which had once proudly reached for the sky, now seemed to be melting away, their sturdy trunks liquefying and flowing like streams of molten metal. Far in the distance, vast ground sections began to float eerily as if pulled upwards by an otherworldly force. The air was filled with the cacophony of splitting ground and bubbling magma, and as she watched, the very contours of the landscape began to warp in ways that defied reason.

Above her, immense and foreboding shapes emerged, radiating with a blinding intensity. Together, they painted a catastrophic scene, as if the boundaries between the cosmos and the ground had blurred.

As Lucretia tried to comprehend the scene, a chilling, dark-red radiance burst forth, cutting through the sky. It painted the clouds with streaks that looked eerily like freshly shed blood. This ominous light quickly consumed the entirety of the heavens, bathing everything in its wicked glow. The red light danced on the trees and seemed to stretch infinitely, even causing the horizons to react and shift. The land affected by this baleful illumination began to crack open, and from those crevices emerged horrifying figures.

These entities first looked like the very animals who had recently scattered in terror from forest fires. However, within mere seconds, they mutated into terrifying specters with gnarled faces and lethal appendages. Boulders took on demonic shapes, woodlands contorted in disturbing patterns, and the very world around her began to assume terrifying, dreamlike configurations. From every direction, hordes of these monstrous entities swarmed, and the air was filled with the sounds of their violent confrontations, each abomination turning on the other.

Frozen in terror by the apocalyptic scene playing out before her, Lucretia quickly snapped back to reality, preparing herself for whatever might come next. But just as quickly as it had started, the dreadful vision disappeared as if a curtain had been drawn. She instinctively looked down, expecting to see the shattered handle of the axe she had been holding, but instead found only a pile of ordinary leaves and twigs.

Lost in her thoughts, she tried to process the terrifying images that had just played out in her mind. But her contemplation was abruptly interrupted by a faint rustling sound.

Her head snapped up, and there, seemingly having appeared out of nowhere, stood a young elf maiden known as "Shireen." She wore beautifully crafted armor decorated with intricate designs and symbols, and in her hand was a battle axe that looked strikingly familiar.

Lucretia's gaze shifted to Rabbi, her plush rabbit companion. The rabbit met her eyes, and though it was just a toy, she could sense a mix of surprise and remorse emanating from her. It was clear that even the observant Rabbi had been caught off guard by Shireen's sudden arrival.

Collecting herself, Lucretia gestured to Rabbi, silently telling her to stay calm. With a mixture of curiosity and caution in her voice, she asked, "Shireen?"

The young elven lady named Shireen greeted Lucretia with a subdued yet warm smile, emanating an aura of serenity. When their gazes intertwined, there was an immediate and indescribable connection between them. It felt like eons had passed with changing eras and civilizations, but their bond seemed to have stood the test of time, ever potent and undying.

As a mark of respect, Shireen tipped her head slightly towards Lucretia, her voice gentle and deliberate, "It seems we've given ourselves quite the break. We must proceed now. Our destination, the Silent Wall, is still quite far from here."

Shireen's captivating emerald eyes then moved to Rabbi, a plush toy rabbit resting close by. Rabbi seemed to be in patient expectation of what was to come next.

Surprisingly, Shireen's face revealed no hint of bewilderment upon seeing such an unusual companion. Her tone held a playful note as she said, "Is this your chosen companion? Let's have her join our journey. Together, we'll move forward as a trio."

...

For Vanna, the duration of her voyage across the vast, dry desert seemed immeasurable. The infinite horizon of ever-shifting sand dunes, combined with persistent gusts that threw up grains of sand, played with her senses, making her lose grasp of the passage of time. On occasions, she felt as though she had been trapped in this desolate landscape forever, maybe even since the dawn of existence itself.

But she knew that such thoughts were just illusions, born from her fatigued mind. The desert's harsh environment constantly tested her limits and willpower.

However, her unwavering faith in the goddess gave her strength and kept her going, while regular communications with the captain gave her comfort and kept her grounded.

In addition, the icy greatsword she created from the air exuded a comforting coldness. Its cooling aura not only shielded her but also provided a much-needed relief from the unyielding desert sun.

Suddenly, a gust laden with sand approached, indicating a change in the wind's direction. Acting on instinct, Vanna lifted her greatsword to protect her face, trying to avoid the gritty wind.

But in that moment, a peculiar feeling surged through her, causing her to halt her actions.

Almost instantly, Vanna, with her battle-honed senses, got into a defensive position, wielding her greatsword, her concentration fixed on a particular spot in the midst of the swirling sands.

Reacting to her preparedness, the fierce winds mysteriously eased off. As the sand slowly settled, revealing what lay beyond, a towering figure became clearer.

In front of Vanna stood an immense being... a mighty giant.