The sun beams down upon an empty dessert, no speck of life to be found, a desert of death.

The sand burns, scorching hot, hotter than usual, the normally still sand in a state of motion,

Each grain slowly slipping down into a crater of purple flames, the flames and sand battle relentlessly for supremacy as three figures lay still in heap of rumble,

“What was that explosion?” One says struggling its feet

“Could it be the phantom flame in the throne room!?”

“Sir the rest of our men got crushed by the rubble,” the second beast-like figure states

“The only survivors are you, I and… him,” he scowls at third a figure who remains silent

“It must be those thieves we couldn’t catch earlier” the first figure says as he wipes the dust off his face, his lion-like features begin to show

“We should not have followed them sir” the second one, a lizard like fellow, laments

“We lost good men, for what?

Revenge!?”

The third figure remains silent his empty violet eyes in sullen agreement.

The three make their way through the burnt ruins,

“Is that a body!?” The Lizard beast-man exclaims as they enter the destroyed throne room-

“-Or is it a corpse?” He continues, “this must be what’s left of the thieves, serves them right.”

“Seems like there was a fight here,” the lion beast-man adds,

“There’re stab wounds over this body and its severely burned!”

“What the hell could’ve happened here?”

“A fight among thieves,” the lizard man laughs

“At least we can leave knowing they got what they deserved” the lion beast-man scoffs

Let’s get back home we must report this to the general, what we heard earlier”

Two of the beast-men leave while the third stays behind,

He looks at corpse, its black colored eyes still open, as it stares blankly, emotionless

“Huhhhhhh!” the beast-man lets out a huge sigh

“You need this more than I do” he says taking out an azure crystal.

***

***

Why am I not dead yet?

The scent of my flesh nauseating as it burns slowly, bit by bit

I feel every second of it.

Is this my requiem?

What I get for burning that bastard?

This can’t all be for nothing, I still haven’t got my answers yet

I can’t die…. not yet…….

…..

Urrrgghhhhhh, everything hurts am I still on fire?

I’m still in the throne room, how did I survive that blast?

I notice the silhouette of something animal-like slowly leaving through the rubble

“Who are you!” I call

“…….”

No reply as it continues to leave

Ahh! my legs hurt to lift; I’m still wounded bad, how am I still alive?

The moving figure stops and faces me

“What are you called?” he asks staring at me blankly

Something about its demeanor feels,

Relatable.

“Kage”, I reply

“Your wounds are not healed, if you can fight through the pain, you have enough energy to leave and get treated.” He then turns around and proceeds to leave

I don’t say anything.

Is this another chance for me?

I have to get stronger, no

I have to get smarter