Niri's legs felt like lead, each step through the shifting dunes a small, stubborn victory. The worm's trail had vanished long ago beneath the relentless sun, and yet the memory of its slithering form lingered, unsettling and vivid. The dry heat wrapped around her like a stifling blanket, baking her skin and draining her strength with merciless persistence.
Her satchel felt heavier than usual, despite carrying little more than her basic gear and the mysterious glowing object she'd discovered. Its soft, rhythmic glow seeped through the worn fabric, a subtle yet comforting pulse of azure that seemed to beat gently against her weary muscles.
She had long since stopped questioning why she had picked it up. Survival in this wasteland was all about instinct, and something deep within had whispered that this orb was different—important. Even now, exhausted and parched, she felt oddly reassured by its presence, as if it carried a whisper of promise through the desolation around her.
By the time her makeshift home appeared on the horizon, Niri's vision was blurred, her throat painfully dry. Home wasn't much—a rusting tower of twisted metal, half-submerged in the shifting sands, leaning like a wounded tree. It was nothing more than a derelict relic of a forgotten age, but it offered the only shade and shelter within endless miles. It was hers, and that was enough.
Niri stumbled inside, collapsing to her knees the moment she passed through the doorway, gasping for air. She took several slow, deliberate breaths, each one tasting of dust and rusted metal. After regaining her strength, she carefully opened her satchel and lifted the orb from within. Its cool surface felt strange yet soothing, the object humming faintly against her fingertips.
"Let's see what you really are," she muttered, placing it gently atop an old metal crate that served as her makeshift table.
Instantly, the orb rose a few inches above the crate's surface, hovering silently. Niri stared, too fascinated to move, watching the soft blue glow ripple across the cracked walls, illuminating worn wires and broken panels in a hypnotic dance.
She extended a cautious finger, poking the orb lightly. It bobbed gently, undisturbed, its hum unwavering.
"At least you haven't exploded," she sighed, allowing herself a dry smile. "Guess that counts as luck around here."
Outside, the wind howled suddenly, whipping sand against the tower's walls. Niri instinctively checked the shelter's seal, tugging on the metal flap until it was tightly secured, shielding her sanctuary from the storm's fury.
She sat down, legs folded beneath her, and took stock of her scant possessions. Her eyes scanned the few items scattered near her bedding—a cracked comb, a broken lens from some unknown device, a spool of wire nearly spent, and her water bladders, alarmingly close to empty. With careful discipline, she allowed herself a small sip, savoring the precious moisture as it wet her cracked lips.
She leaned back, exhaustion pressing heavy against her bones. The orb's gentle humming filled the small space, its glow casting shifting patterns across the ceiling. Niri stared upwards, hypnotized, her thoughts drifting.
"Still no idea what you are," she murmured softly. "Maybe I never will. But you glow, and out here, that's good enough."
The orb's hum deepened for a brief instant, vibrating through the air, resonating with something deep within her chest. Niri flinched slightly, startled.
"That wasn't unsettling at all," she mumbled sarcastically, pulling a ragged cloth over her face to block out the distracting blue light. Sleep tugged insistently at the edges of her consciousness, but her mind was still restless.
When sleep finally overtook her, the dreams came swiftly, intense and strange. Flashes of distant stars filled her vision, glittering in the dark. Voices whispered unintelligibly around her, their words carried on silent winds. Laughter echoed softly, devoid of warmth, rippling through the endless black void surrounding her.
She woke abruptly, gasping slightly. The orb hovered exactly as she'd left it, its hum unchanged. For a moment, she simply stared, heart racing.
"Definitely doing something weird," she muttered accusingly.
But the orb remained silent, glowing gently. She reached out slowly, almost instinctively, placing her palm flat against its cool surface. The hum intensified subtly beneath her touch, sending faint vibrations through her fingers.
She withdrew her hand quickly, eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"You're really pushing it, orb," she warned quietly, but the corners of her mouth twitched upward in reluctant amusement. She wasn't used to companions—even strange, glowing ones.
Settling down once more, she tried to sleep again, comforted despite her earlier misgivings by the orb's persistent glow. Her breathing slowed gradually, and soon, the warmth and silence of her shelter lulled her back into restfulness.
Again, dreams enveloped her consciousness. Vivid, relentless, and filled with mystery. This time, she saw flashes of towering structures, ancient ruins bathed in eerie twilight, and figures moving silently among shadows. A voice emerged clearly this time—soft yet commanding, echoing with an authority she instinctively respected.
"You've been lost for too long," it whispered. "It's time to wake up."
She jolted awake once more, breathing ragged, her pulse hammering in her ears. Niri glanced around nervously. The orb hummed serenely, its blue glow unchanged.
"What are you trying to tell me?" she whispered, uncertain and afraid.
Only silence answered.
Eventually, exhaustion reclaimed her, pulling her back into restless sleep. The orb watched over her, its glow unwavering, as if patiently waiting.
By morning, the storm had passed, leaving silence and clear skies behind. Niri opened her eyes slowly, stiff from sleeping awkwardly. The orb greeted her silently, humming gently. She felt different—still exhausted, yet oddly renewed.
Maybe, just maybe, this strange glowing object had already changed things.
She rose slowly, stretching painfully. Today would be another struggle—searching for food, water, anything to sustain her. But as she prepared to leave, she realized the orb was no longer simply an object.
It was a companion. A mystery, yes—but also a friend, perhaps. A strange thought, yet oddly comforting.
"Guess we're in this together now," she sighed, securing her gear and stepping out into the morning sunlight, orb humming softly behind her.