Nen Feaster; Part 2: The Cat's Journey

Chapter 6: Endless Sand

The three woke up early the next morning. Misha got her bedrolls back and stuffed them back into her pack. "That bag seems to be a little bigger than what it looks like." Cheetu said.

"I just know how to pack things well." Misha said.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"If you just stuff everything in the bag together, it'll take up more space than it should."

"Oh, I see." Cheetu said.

"Are you two ready?" Nef asked as she stared out into the desert ahead.

"Yeah, I've got everything together." Misha said.

"Then let's go."

They started walking into the desert, stumbling and tripping over the sand. Their tracks would disappear not long after they made them, the wind blowing a fresh layer of sand over it. "Any idea on what we're looking for?" Cheetu asked Nef.

"I'm not sure, but Amelia said it was some kind of spire, so it shouldn't be hard to find." Nef said.

"A spire, huh? Who do you think built it?" Misha asked.

"Probably the people that placed the curse on Eli's people." Nef said.

"What do you think is in there?" Cheetu asked.

"Probably some kind of hatchery. The Shades are born there then make their way to Eilsar to infect a new-born human." Nef said.

"I guess that makes sense... you think Eli's ability will act as enough of a repellent to keep us safe?" Cheetu asked.

"Hopefully. This whole journey will end really quickly if we lose our nen." Nef said.

They continued moving through the desert. They were trekking through the tall dunes of sand, which stretched up like fragile mountains, for what felt like hours. The sun was bearing down on them all, the heat beginning to deteriorate their endurance. "This sucks." Cheetu said.

"Endure, Cheetu, endure." Nef said.

"Endure!? We've been out here looking through the desert for hours! You can't endure the heat of the sun forever!" Cheetu said.

"I know, but we have to be getting close by now." Nef said.

"I hope so... I really hate having fur right now." Misha said.

The three of them climbed over a dune of sand and found a sight that sent a chill down their spines. They were back in the savannah, like they had moved in a massive circle. "What the hell? How did... but we were... what the hell!?" Cheetu shouted.

"Did we move in a circle?" Misha asked.

"No, I... I could have sworn we were moving in a straight line." Nef said.

"Something weird is going on." Misha said.

"It must be some kind of curse, or ability."

"How do we get around it?"

"I have... no idea."

"Hold on, maybe... maybe we just missed it?" Cheetu theorized.

"I'll check." Nef said. She crouched down and her legs began to swell up. They got twice their original size before she leapt high into the air. She got a full view of the desert. She looked around, but saw nothing but sand. She looked straight ahead, and saw the top of some kind of stone tower. It appeared like it was floating in the air. As Nef fell, the tower began to disappear. There was some sort of "field," around the spire, acting like a mirror that made it look like there was nothing but sand where the spire was. Nef landed back onto the ground next to the others. "That was impressive." Misha said.