May 31st, 3030
The twin suns of Novus Prime blazed mercilessly in the sky, casting a harsh light over the barren landscape. Itus trudged through the endless sea of sand, his backpack weighing heavily on his shoulders. Exhaustion and disorientation clouded his mind as he struggled to maintain his bearings in the vast desert.
"How long have I been walking?" Itus muttered to himself, his voice hoarse from thirst. "Is this day two? Or is it three? I can't remember anymore."
He paused, reaching for his water bottle. As he took a swig, the realization that it was nearly empty sent a jolt of panic through him. This isn't good, Itus thought, a knot forming in his stomach. I need to find water soon, or I'm in real trouble.
Itus scanned the horizon, hoping for any sign of life or civilization. No sign of the Heralds. No sign of anyone, he observed grimly. Just endless sand and rocks.
Squinting against the glare, Itus pulled out the makeshift map Zara had given him. He looked from the crude drawing to his surroundings, confusion etching deeper lines on his sunburned face.
"This can't be right," he muttered, frustration evident in his voice. "I should have reached the mountains by now."
Turning in a circle, Itus was struck by how identical the landscape looked in every direction. A sinking feeling settled in his stomach as a troubling thought occurred to him.
"Am I going in circles?"
No, no, no, Itus berated himself internally. I can't be lost. I can't fail now, not when I've come so far.
Determined to gain a better vantage point, Itus clambered to the top of a large rock formation. Shielding his eyes from the glare of the twin suns, he scanned the horizon once more, desperation fueling his search.
"Come on," he pleaded with the empty landscape. "There has to be something. Anything."
But there was nothing. Nothing but more desert stretching as far as the eye could see. Itus slumped down, defeat washing over him like a wave.
"Maybe Zara was wrong," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the whistling wind. "Maybe there's nothing here. Maybe... maybe I've been chasing ghosts all along."
What if this whole journey has been for nothing? The thought hit Itus like a physical blow. All the sacrifices, all the hardships... for what? To die alone in this godforsaken desert?
Taking another sip of his dwindling water supply, Itus frowned at how little remained. With a heavy heart, he continued his journey, each step becoming more unsteady than the last. Sweat poured down his face, his labored breathing a stark reminder of the toll the unforgiving environment was taking on his body.
As the heat became increasingly unbearable, Itus stumbled, barely catching himself before falling face-first into the scorching sand. He blinked rapidly, trying to clear his blurring vision.
"No... not now," he whispered weakly. "I can't..."
I can't give up, Itus thought fiercely, even as his body screamed for rest. Too much depends on this. I have to keep going.
Suddenly, something on the horizon caught his attention – a shimmering structure that hadn't been there moments before. Hope surged through Itus, giving him a second wind.
"The Heralds?" he asked, his voice rising with anticipation. "Is that...?"
Ignoring his body's protests, Itus quickened his pace, moving towards the mysterious structure. But with each step, the mirage-like building seemed to shift and waver, taunting him with its elusive presence.
"No, please..." Itus begged, reaching out towards the illusion. "Don't disappear..."
I'm so close, he thought desperately. I can't lose it now. Just a little further...
As his fingertips grasped at empty air, Itus's legs finally gave way beneath him. He collapsed to the ground, the sand searing his skin on contact.
"The Heralds..." he mumbled, consciousness slipping away. "I have to... find..."
I'm sorry, Itus thought as darkness began to envelop him. I tried. I really tried...
Darkness enveloped Itus as his eyes fluttered closed. The vast, uncaring desert swallowed his lone figure, the mirage shimmering once more before vanishing completely. The twin suns continued their relentless assault on the barren landscape as a hot wind began to cover Itus's unconscious form with sand, threatening to erase all trace of his presence.
