The desert night sky stretched wide, a velvet mantle studded with gems. The moon, immense and pale gold, hung over the dunes, casting a soft glow across the horizon.
Zhu Xian and Die Ba had walked for hours, guided only by the faint murmur of water somewhere ahead. The air, cooler than the day’s blistering heat, still carried the sharp dryness of sand.
—Do you hear that? —Zhu Xian asked.
Die Ba tilted her head. Beneath the whisper of the wind, there it was —a faint, steady drip, the soft splash of water in the distance.
—An oasis… —she breathed, her voice tinged with relief. —If it’s real, we can rest safely.
They quickened their pace. In the Tagore Desert, the promise of water was stronger than exhaustion.
The oasis revealed itself beyond a high dune: a small, round lake ringed by leaning palms and a narrow strip of green. The water’s surface reflected the moon like a broken mirror, shimmering with each ripple stirred by the breeze. As they neared, the cool scent of fresh vegetation swept over them like a balm.
—Beautiful… —Die Ba whispered, letting the tip of her tail skim the water’s edge.
Zhu Xian crouched first, testing the water for signs of contamination. When he was sure it was safe, he filled his canteen and offered it to her.
—Drink. Tomorrow we may not find another chance.
She accepted it, her lips brushing the edge of the container as her eyes lifted to meet his.
The silence around them was so complete that the quiet hum of night insects seemed deafening.
And then, Zhu Xian’s trained ear caught it —a sharp, unnatural crack from between the palms.
Not the wind.
—We’re not alone… —he murmured, never taking his eyes off the water.
Die Ba straightened, her pupils narrowing to vertical slits, adjusting to the dim light.
From the foliage, shapes emerged —four low, muscular figures, their bodies sheathed in dark gray fur, claws glinting under the moonlight. Yellow eyes glowed, and their long tails lashed like whips behind them.
—Gray sand wolves… —Die Ba hissed, muscles coiling tight. —They don’t come near water… unless they’re starving.
The beasts advanced, forming a semicircle, closing in. The alpha, larger than the rest, bared its teeth in a guttural growl.
Zhu Xian slowly drew his sword, careful not to make any sudden moves.
—Stay behind me, —he said.
—I’m not a helpless maiden, —Die Ba shot back, raising her wooden spear adorned with small, blue stones.
One wolf lunged without warning. Zhu Xian pivoted, blade flashing in a clean diagonal arc, steel slicing the night. The beast tumbled to the side, wounded but still breathing.
Another wolf darted toward Die Ba. She met it midair, driving her spear through its side.
Dark blood splattered across the sand.
The fight spiraled into chaos —a dance of instinct and steel. The wolves tested their defenses, striking and retreating, waiting for an opening. Zhu Xian moved with precision, his steps measured on the loose sand, every strike clean and efficient. Each time one came too close to Die Ba, he was there, intercepting with lethal intent.
—Left! —Die Ba shouted.
He spun, blocking a snapping jaw, and drove his sword deep into the creature’s neck.
The alpha, enraged at the fall of its pack, let out a thunderous howl that vibrated through the night and charged.
The impact was brutal. Zhu Xian slammed back against the rocky wall, the beast snapping for his throat —but a shadow flashed above him. Die Ba, her spear angled like lightning, drove the tip between the alpha’s shoulders.
A sharp, choked cry —and the massive body collapsed, motionless, in the sand.
Leaderless, the remaining wolves fled into the dunes, swallowed by the darkness.
For a moment, only the ragged sound of their breathing filled the oasis.
—Are you alright? —Die Ba asked, leaning closer to him.
Zhu Xian nodded, pushing himself upright.
—I could ask you the same.
She gave a small, shaky nod.
Silence returned, broken only by the quiet lapping of water against the shore.
They drank again, rinsed the blood from their skin, and sat by the edge of the lake. The moon was high now, silver light dancing on the ripples, reflecting in Die Ba’s eyes.
That night, the oasis was more than just a pause in their journey.
It became the quiet space between death… and survival.