I Only Tame Dragons

Chapter 119 The Desert of Desolation

A wave of energy surged through them, and in an instant, they felt themselves being pulled away, their surroundings blurring as the monolith's magic transported them to the next region.

Just as the last of the team disappeared into the monolith, Seraphina caught sight of them from the corner of her eye. A small smile played at the edges of her lips. They'd made it—her mission was complete.

Now, it was her turn.

With a final glance at the Eldergrove, she took a deep breath, then sprinted toward the monolith, her heart pounding in her chest.

The guardian roared, sensing her intention, and lashed out, but Seraphina was too fast. She leapt over a vine that attempted to ensnare her, her gaze fixed solely on the monolith.

Reaching out, she touched its surface just as the guardian's massive hand swiped inches from her back.

A flash of light engulfed her, and in the next instant, she was gone, leaving the guardian alone, its fury echoing through the now-empty forest.

As Seraphina's vision cleared, she found herself reunited with her team in the new region, a harsh desert stretching out before them.

The relief in their eyes was evident, and for a brief, precious moment, they shared a laugh of victory.

"We did it!"

"We made it out!"

"I can't believe we actually survived that thing."

Fiora looked over her shoulder, the echoes of the fight still fresh in her mind. "Probably thanks to that stranger back there. If he hadn't touched the monolith, we wouldn't have figured out how to get here."

It was only then that the group took a moment to reflect on the stranger—Horizon—and his sudden appearance.

"That guy definitely used us as bait," Aria snapped, her brows knitted in irritation. "The nerve of him. Doesn't he know who he's dealing with?"

Nyx, shifting uncomfortably, peered into the distance. "Maybe there's magic at work here. Some kind of enchantment keeping us from seeing what we're looking for."

"You can't sense it?" Horizon asked.

Nyx scoffed. "And you can? I don't have my full power remember? I only have like an ounce of power of what I originally have."

Horizon rubbed the back of his neck, frowning. "Maybe this place is meant to trap players—leaving them lost with no food, no water, no hope."

Nyx let out a dark chuckle. "If that's true, that would be a twisted way to die. Oh, definitely twisted. The perfect trap if you want to weed out the weak."

She tilted her head, her ears twitching as she glanced to the right. "But look! Over there—I see movement."

Horizon squinted, following Nyx's gaze, and sure enough, there was a group of figures off in the distance, blurred by the heat haze.

"Players," he confirmed, a hint of relief coloring his voice. "Let's head over; and see if they find something."

The group changed course, making their way toward the distant figures, keeping a wary eye on the desert around them.

The sun was relentless, beating down on them as they trudged forward, and every step felt like it took twice as much energy as it should.

As they drew closer, the figures in the distance sharpened into view—a group of players, clustered together.

At first, Horizon felt a flicker of relief at the sight of others in this bleak wasteland. But that hope twisted into unease as the details became clearer.

These weren't living, breathing players—they were dried, desiccated corpses, frozen in twisted poses, their skin cracked and bleached by the relentless sun.

The bodies looked eerily preserved, as though they'd been flash-dried by some unholy force. Their armor and weapons had faded, but hints of a shared insignia were barely visible on their cloaks, marking them as members of the same guild.

"What happened here?"