I had been following the path for several hours already, my footsteps leaving traces in the hot, dry dust that covered the ground. An oppressive heat, typical of a merciless summer, weighed on my shoulders. The acrid scent of scorched earth mingled with the wilted vegetation. The dry air created an unreal, almost suffocating atmosphere. The wind blew hard, but it was warm, like a burning breath sweeping across the arid fields, carrying with it the dust of the plains.
My gaze was fixed far ahead, where the path barely took shape beneath an endless horizon.
A group, still distant, slowly emerged through the heat-blurred air.
I hadn't hesitated.
The instinct for survival had resurfaced, and without wasting a second, I activated my stealth skill.
I merged instantly with the air, the wind surrounding me and adopting me like a fleeting shadow. Without a sound, my movements became lighter, my steps almost invisible, as if I were fading before the relentless nature surrounding me.
