The journey westward was a stark contrast to the verdant mountains. The landscape gradually transformed into arid plains, the air growing hotter and drier with each passing mile. Soon, the horizon was dominated by the undulating dunes of the Whispering Desert, a vast expanse of sand stretching as far as the eye could see.
Lumi consulted Elara's maps frequently, her brow furrowed against the glare. "The ruins of Eldoria are said to lie deep within the shifting sands, near a landmark called the 'Singing Pillars'," she explained, pointing to a faint marking on the parchment. "But the desert is treacherous. Sandstorms can appear without warning, and the dunes themselves are constantly moving."
Xylos, despite the oppressive heat, found a strange resonance with the vast emptiness. It reminded him, in a way, of the boundless expanse of his former oceanic domain, albeit a barren, lifeless version. His senses, now more attuned, could detect faint traces of ancient magic lingering beneath the sands, echoes of the once-great city of Eldoria.
The "System" registered their entry into the desert:
[Entering the Whispering Desert]
[Environmental Adaptation: Minor Heat Resistance (Developing)]
[Environmental Hazard: Sandstorms (Potential)]
[Environmental Hazard: Desert Wildlife (Potential)]
They encountered strange desert creatures – swift, insect-like predators with razor-sharp mandibles, and hulking sand drakes that burrowed beneath the dunes, their leathery hides blending seamlessly with the landscape. Lumi's enchanted herbs proved effective in deterring most of these threats, their pungent scent warding off the more aggressive beasts.
Days blurred into a relentless cycle of scorching sun, shifting sands, and the constant search for landmarks. Water was a precious commodity, carefully rationed. Xylos, surprisingly, seemed to tolerate the heat better than his frail frame suggested, perhaps a residual effect of his divine essence.
One evening, as they camped beneath a sky ablaze with stars, a low, mournful hum echoed across the dunes.
"The Singing Pillars," Lumi murmured, pointing towards a distant rock formation silhouetted against the twilight. "We're getting closer to Eldoria."
As they approached the Pillars the next day, they were revealed to be towering spires of sandstone, sculpted by the wind into bizarre and beautiful shapes. The wind whistling through natural tunnels within the rock created the eerie, resonant humming sound that gave them their name.
Navigating the maze of pillars, they finally stumbled upon the ruins of Eldoria. Half-buried in the sand, crumbling walls and toppled columns hinted at a once magnificent city. Hieroglyphs, weathered by centuries of wind and sand, adorned the remaining structures.
As Xylos examined the glyphs, a flicker of recognition sparked within him. They bore a stylistic similarity to the symbols he had seen in the cave in the Serpent's Tooth Mountains, suggesting a possible connection between the forgotten civilization and the Blight.
[Analysis of Eldorian Hieroglyphs]
[Potential Connection: Eldorian Civilization and Abyssal Blight]
[Memory Resonance Triggered: Ancient Warnings (Fragmented)]
"These… these symbols," Xylos said to Lumi, tracing a spiral carved into a fallen lintel. "They speak of a darkness… a creeping void that consumed their city."
The ruins of Eldoria were not just a place to find a relic; they were a testament to the Blight's destructive power, a chilling reminder of what could befall Aethel. The search for the Sunstone had become more urgent, the whispers of the past echoing a dire warning for the future.