The silence stretched across the wasteland like a held breath. Where moments before sand wraiths had circled beneath the surface, now only empty dunes remained. Ilwoo scanned the horizon.
"They're gone," Hayeon whispered, lowering her spear fraction by fraction.
"No." Ilwoo shook his head. "They will come soon."
The group moved forward, boots crunching against the hardpan beneath the sand. Each stepped carefully. Minji stumbled, catching herself against Jinhyuk's shoulder.
"I can walk," she said before anyone could ask.
"Nobody doubts that," Ilwoo replied. "But save your strength. We'll need it."
The spiral structure dominated the skyline now, its bone-white surface gleaming under the crimson sky.
"I don't like that," Donghyun said, hefting his axe eyes on the
"Great. So it knows our weaknesses before we do," Hayeon muttered, spiraling at the distance.
