Awakened (Bloodline, #1)

Chapter 11

11: I Bleed in the Desert

Descending the mountains was something I never thought I would get excited for. Seeing the vast sand dunes made my mouth hang open. This was my first time seeing a desert. Despite the nothingness, I was still taken aback by the sheer expanse of it.

The three of them went down with ease while I was still trying to balance myself on the unpaved path. Kei and Irus tried to help me but I insisted on going down alone. I wanted to at least take care of myself when it comes to mundane matters like this.

Hindi pa kami nakakababa nang tuluyan nang huminto silang tatlo. Kei started setting up a camp while Irus collected twigs and boughs to create fire. Moria leaned against a tree trunk and she gestured me to come over.

"Uhh . . . we're not going to cross the desert?" tanong ko nang makaupo ako sa tabi niya.

"Not yet, lady. The day is already breaking," she replied and I realized it was already dawn and the sun might peek through the clouds in a few minutes. "There are no shades in the desert and he will surely die if we start crossing now," he added while looking at Irus pitily.

Ilang minuto pa ang lumipas ay nagtago na si Irus sa ilalim ng cloak. He positioned himself on a well-shaded place so he wouldn't get hit by the sun's rays. Moria also waved his hand and the branches of the tree where Irus was resting raveled with each other as they moved toward his direction, creating a cocoon-like quarter for him.

"He'd be more useful if we travel the desert at night," she commented.

Sumandal naman si Kei sa puno malapit kay Irus. He set up traps around us, and made the fire even larger.

"Are there any Katteris here?" I asked while staring at the four-foot campfire. We didn't necessarily need fire to keep us warm as we were already undead. Kei would only start a fire if there were any potential threats from Katteris.

Kei snickered. "Oh, something worse."

I wasn't sure if he was joking but Moria grumbled upon his comment. But something worse than the Katteris? Don't tell me there are a lot of mages here? But would a fire be enough to keep them at bay?

"I don't want to encounter one. They are gross," she grimaced.

"But it can't be helped," Kei remarked. "The desert is their territory."

"As long as we avoid their lairs, we're good."

Their faces were grim and whatever they were talking about made me nervous. If even those three didn't want to encounter them, how dangerous could they be?

"So . . . what's waiting for us in the desert?" muli kong tanong.

He smiled coyly. "Well, of course, the ghouls, lady."

***

Hearing their stories about ghouls made me the bloodsuckers look cute. They said ghouls are the fastest and have the sharpest claws among the undead creatures. They also travel in packs and can devour a whole human in less than a minute using their powerful jaws and poisonous teeth.

What's worse was they don't have an easy weakness. Sunlight could only slow them down but more so annoy them. They could be killed by fire but it should be hot enough to char their bodies. That meant an ordinary fire like this was useless, and could only slow them down.

Hindi ko na tinanong pa kung ano ang itsura nila dahil parang bumaligtad na ang sikmura ko nang marinig ko ang mga iyon.

It was already bright when Kei decided to sleep. After night-travelling us numerous times these past few days, he must have been drained. Meanwhile, Moria remained silent as she stared into the distance.