Closer to noon, after a surprisingly calm morning, Verd expected it to be an omen of an incredibly difficult training session after which he wouldn't even be able to walk. But reality turned out to be different. Verd couldn't believe his ears. He sat on a stone, cleaning his spear, and when Arktia suddenly announced "we're resting today," he just looked up and stared at her. Waiting for her to say: "Just kidding. Now run ten kilometers after me."
-A day off? - he repeated.
-A day off.
-Are you sick?
She looked at him with an impassive grimace that didn't suit her at all.
-If you don't want to rest, just say so.
The girl abruptly turned around and started walking away. Not expecting such a response, Verd reached out to her and almost fell off the stone.
-Wait, are you serious?!
***
The wasteland was empty, dry, scorched, and endless. The sky was blue, clear, and the sun beat down so hard that sweat streamed down his face, but Verd didn't complain. Arktia walked ahead, her back straight, her steps measured, and he watched her and thought she never sweated.
'Soon I'll be just as strong.' - an obvious lie he could console himself with. - 'Fine... A little weaker.'
She walked without looking back. Verd followed her, feeling the sand crunch under his boots, the wind throwing dust in his face, sweat running down his back. There was nothing in the wasteland. Only stones, sand, sky, and her. He didn't know where they were going, but he didn't ask. Afraid that if he asked, she would say "home" and turn around, or get angry and start a training session.
-So where are we going? - he finally asked. - I don't even know what there is to do in this place besides training.
-We're going for a walk.
-A walk?
-Are you deaf? - She didn't turn around, but he heard something like a smirk in her voice. - I told you not to ask such stupid questions.
'A walk' - he repeated to himself. - 'In the wasteland where there's nothing but sand and stones... Well, and monsters too.'
He looked at his feet, at the shadows falling ahead, and thought she was strange. The strangest person he had ever met. But he followed her.
They had already walked quite far when Verd noticed she had slowed down. Not stopped, no - just walked slower, and now they walked side by side. Shoulder to shoulder. He looked at her profile, at her hair tossed by the wind, at her empty hands.
-Have you ever rested? - he asked, kicking a stone.
-Well, before meeting you, I was lounging on the couch at home. And now because of you, I've had to look at sand for days on end.
Verd chuckled and looked away.
'You wouldn't believe she's not obsessed with training.'
Arktia walked as she always did. Fast, steady, without unnecessary movements. Her back was straight, shoulders squared, gaze fixed ahead. She didn't look relaxed. She looked like she was ready to leap into battle at any moment.
'She doesn't know how to rest' - a smile spread across his face.
They walked in silence. The wind blew from the east, dry, hot, throwing dust in their faces, and Verd squinted but didn't fall behind. The ground underfoot was hard, cracked, and every step left a mark that was immediately covered by sand.
-Is it always this empty here? - he asked, looking around.
-Usually there are monsters, - Arktia replied. - But today they seem to have a day off too.
He didn't understand if she was joking or not. After all, if this was really her, then Arktia definitely didn't know how to joke.
After walking a few more meters, the ground under Verd's feet trembled. He stopped and noticed the sand beneath him was moving. Slowly, lazily, as if something was waking up under it.
-Arktia, - he said.
-What? - she asked lazily, not even turning around.
-There's something here.
She turned around, looking at his feet. Then shifted her gaze to the horizon, where there was nothing.
-It's just sand, - she said after a pause, with a slight smile.
'Why are you smiling?!' - flashed through Verd's mind. - 'This is definitely not just sand!
He wanted to step forward, but at that moment the ground gave way beneath him. He didn't have time to scream. Didn't have time to grab onto anything. He just sank into the sand up to his waist, and the sand kept pulling him down, enveloping his legs, hips, stomach.
-Arktia! - he shouted.
She stood at the edge of the pit, arms crossed over her chest, watching him with a very wide smile.
-Will you help? - he asked, feeling the sand rise to his chest.
-You don't consider walking through the desert a rest, - she said. - So rest here.
-This isn't rest! - he shouted. - I'm drowning!
She sat on a stone, took a flask from her ring, and took a sip. He watched her, feeling the sand rise to his neck.
-Arktia!
-Don't shout, - Arktia's voice sounded, and a small stone hit Verd's head. - You'll attract monsters.
-Monsters?! I'm drowning in sand, and you're talking about monsters?!
-You're not drowning, - she repeated. - It's quicksand. It doesn't pull you under completely, it just holds you. If you don't move, it will stop and you'll just freeze.
He wanted to say something else, but the sand reached his lips. He closed his mouth, feeling it press against his cheeks, his nose, his eyes.
'She's going to kill me' - he thought. - 'She's definitely going to kill me.'
Closing his eyes, Verd already imagined himself slowly dying in the sand, but when nothing changed after a few minutes, he realized he had stopped sinking.
'I'm alive.' - he thought.
-See, and you were panicking.
She sat on the stone, drinking from her flask, and in her eyes danced mockery at Verd's condition. He lay in the sand up to his lips, feeling the pressure on his chest, how every breath came with difficulty.
-And how do I get out of here? - he asked.
-I don't know. Is it boring there? - she said casually.
-Of course it's boring here...
Before he could finish, a stone flew past his head.
-What are you...
Caught under a barrage of many stones, Verd couldn't even string two words together.
-What are you doing?! - he finally shouted.
-You said you were bored. So I'm entertaining you.
-Arktia!
***
Soon they continued on their way. The sun blazed, the sand crunched, and Verd felt his strength leaving him. He tripped over a stone, fell, got up, tripped again.
-You walk like a drunk, - Arktia said.
-I'm tired, - Verd muttered, not even getting up.
Arktia stopped and looked at him.
-Do you want me to carry you?
'What's gotten into her?'
-Wel...
As soon as he started to speak, she quickly walked past him with the words:
-Change my mind.
Verd lay there, watching her silhouette quickly retreating. In the end, he had to force himself to get up.
'Annoying...'
In the evening, they reached a small canyon, just as the sun began to sink toward the horizon. The shadows grew longer, and the air cooled. Verd looked at the canyon walls, at the rocks hanging overhead, and thought it was nice here.
-Look, - the girl said, pointing her finger. - A desert rat.
He looked. Below, in a crevice, something small and fluffy was moving. He squinted. The little creature was digging in the sand, looking for something, and its tail twitched amusingly.
-Cute.
-Do you want to catch it? We can cook it for dinner.
He looked at the rat. Then at her. Verd's face showed confusion, and a strange pause formed between them.
-I'm not eating a rat...
-You'll have to, if you don't catch something else.
After her words, another minute of silence followed.
-Have you eaten rats?
Arktia didn't answer, just quickly walked away.
Descending into the canyon, the sun had already set. Verd walked, feeling the sand crunch under his boots, the wind dying down, the silence becoming dense, almost tangible.
-It's beautiful here, - he said.
-You haven't seen the most beautiful thing yet. The spirits, - Arktia replied. - Though sometimes, they're very dangerous.
He stopped. Looked at her.
-Spirits? What are they?
-Small annoying creatures. They don't cause harm, but they like to play with travelers. They push, pinch, confuse tracks. Some say they can lead you into a dead end if you anger them.
He looked around. The canyon was empty. Only stones, sand, dry bushes. And silence.
Arktia sat on a stone, took bread from her ring, broke off a piece. Verd warily followed her example and sat down beside her, feeling exhaustion spread through his body.
-Have you ever seen them?
She didn't answer. Looked at the canyon walls, which had turned blue in the moonlight.
-Once. Small spirits only approach those who are weak. They prefer to avoid the strong.
-So it's safe next to you?
She looked at him with bread in her mouth, as if looking at an idiot.
-Did you just figure that out?
The canyon became too dark, so Arktia had to use magic to create a small light. Verd sat, watching the stars appear one by one, and waited. Arktia sat beside him, her face calm, and he didn't know what she was thinking about. Maybe nothing. Maybe something he couldn't understand. After a while, the air trembled. Something flickered at the edge of his vision. He turned his head, but found no one.
-Did you see it? A spirit, - Arktia asked.
Verd didn't answer, but felt the air gradually grow colder, and the sensation that someone was touching him was distinct.
He closed his eyes. Felt something circling around him, the air growing denser, the silence filling with whispers. Not words - just sounds. Rustling. A sigh. Laughter.
-Are they laughing? - he asked.
-Just playing.
He opened his eyes. And finally saw the spirits. They were everywhere. Small, glowing, they swirled in the air like sparks from a fire. Their light was cold, blue, and it illuminated the canyon walls, the stones, the sand.
-Beautiful... - he said.
Arktia watched the spirits, and her face was softer than during the day. He looked at her, at her eyes reflecting the blue light, at her lips slightly parted, and thought she was beautiful. The most beautiful woman he had ever met.
'Where are these thoughts even coming from!' - Verd thought, shaking himself.
They sat in the darkness, watching the spirits circle above the canyon. Their light was quiet, calm, and Verd felt his fatigue fading, his body relaxing, his heart beating steadily.
-I don't even want to leave here.
So they sat, without exchanging a single word. They sat until the spirits began to disappear. One by one they faded, like stars at dawn, and the canyon sank back into darkness.
'It's over already. Good thing at least I got to see them.'
A small, glowing spirit flew closer, paused for a second, and then suddenly darted toward him. Verd felt a push in his back. Not strong - just a childish prank. But he was sitting on the edge of a stone, so he lost his balance, and his body swayed forward. His hand shot up on its own, trying to find support, and landed on something soft. He didn't realize what it was until he saw Arktia's face centimeters from his own. She was looking at him. He was looking at her. His hand rested on her chest, fingers pressing into the fabric, and he felt her heart beating beneath them.
He tried to pull back, but lost his balance again as the spirit pushed him a second time, and his hand didn't move away - instead, it clenched. He felt his fingers sink into the soft fabric.
Then the spirits flew away. The light went out. The canyon plunged into darkness. She looked at him. He looked at her. His hand was still on her chest, fingers still gripping the fabric, and he couldn't move
Afterward, he stepped back a couple of meters, but it was already too late.
-Bastard... - Arktia said quietly.
'Damn spirits...'
What was most frightening was Arktia's calm. She didn't shout, didn't hit him - her voice was icy.
-You do understand what's going to happen to you now?
-Yes, mistress!