"Why do you think I am only at Level twenty two after spending more than a month on this floor?" Tahlia asked.
She leaned forward slightly, her gaze fixed on Thoren’s deep blue eyes.
Her expression was calm, but there was sothing heavy beneath it.
anwhile, Thoren was stunned once again.
Level 22.
The number echoed in his mind.
Why had her level not reset?
He frowned inwardly.
Was he the only one whose level had been reset upon entering the second floor?
Several thoughts crossed his mind in rapid succession.
Each possibility seed plausible. Yet none felt certain.
He could not reach a clear conclusion. Rather than dwell on it, he chose to focus on the more pressing matter.
"I would not know unless you explain it," Thoren replied.
His voice remained calm.
Tahlia smirked slightly.
"Buy another drink, and I will tell you," she said as she leaned back.
She did not expect him to take her words seriously.
It was rely a casual remark. A way to ease the tension.
Yet...
"Alright, I will," Thoren responded without hesitation.
Tahlia blinked in surprise. For a mont, she did not know what to say.
She opened her mouth, then closed it again and a soft sigh escaped her lips.
"Fine," she muttered.
A new drink soon arrived, and she took a slow sip before continuing.
"Now listen carefully," she said, her tone turning serious. "I will tell you why everyone here is afraid."
Her voice dropped slightly.
"Terrified of going out to hunt."
"Terrified of trying to grow stronger."
She paused for a mont, letting her words settle.
"You have already seen the desert."
"You have seen the beasts."
Her voice grew lower.
Quieter.
Almost cautious.
As though speaking too loudly might draw unwanted attention. As though the very topic itself carried danger.
Thoren leaned forward slightly. His interest deepened. He had believed that the desert and the beasts were the primary threats of this place.
Now he realized, he had been mistaken.
"But you have not seen the worst yet," Tahlia continued.
Her voice was now barely above a whisper.
Her eyes t his, and the grim expression on her face spoke volus.
"There are things out there that make the Sand Hounds seem harmless."
"They do not hunt with teeth and claws."
"They are not mindless creatures."
A heavy silence followed.
The air seed to grow denser.
More oppressive.
"They are the beastn," Tahlia said slowly.
She enunciated each word carefully.
As if ensuring he understood.
"Dune Scavengers."
"The Jackal Beastn."
Thoren stiffened slightly. He could not hide the flicker of shock in his eyes.
Dune Scavengers.
Jackal Beastn.
The nas alone carried weight.
Yet Tahlia had not finished.
"The Jackal Beastn are the natives of this world," she continued.
Her voice regained so steadiness.
"They are favored by the Bleeding Desert."
"While humans are devoured, the desert nurtures them like its own children."
Her gaze hardened. "They recover faster."
"They grow stronger within this environnt."
She paused briefly.
"And most importantly..."
Her voice trailed off again and Thoren frowned slightly.
His patience thinned.
"Dammit! say it," he exclaid in his mind.
Tahlia glanced at him before continuing. "The more they kill for the desert, the stronger they beco."
The words settled heavily between them. Thoren’s expression turned serious.
So that was the truth.
The Jackal Beastn were not simply hunters.
They were part of the ecosystem.
They hunted for the desert.
Fed it.
And in return, they were rewarded with strength. But Tahlia was not finished.
"The Jackal Beastn have the heads of jackals and bodies similar to humans," she explained.
"They are intelligent."
"They use weapons."
"They fight like us."
Her voice grew colder. "And they can control the Sand Hounds."
Thoren’s eyes narrowed slightly.
That explained everything.
"They use the beasts to track and hunt their prey," she continued.
"That is why there is one rule everyone follows here."
Her tone turned firm.
"When you encounter a Dune Scavenger, you either kill it..."
"Or it kills you."
"There is no third option." She leaned forward again.
"Running away will only make things worse." Her voice sharpened.
"They never lose their prey."
"No matter how far you run."
"No matter where you hide."
"They will find you." Her words carried absolute certainty.
"That is why every awakener fights to the death when they encounter one," she added.
"Do you understand now?" Her voice rose slightly.
"Every ti you leave the camp, you must pray you do not encounter them."
"They never travel alone."
"They move in groups."
"And if you are unlucky enough to et them..."
She did not finish the sentence. She did not need to.
Thoren already understood and he couldn’t help but exhaled slowly.
"So that is the real danger," he thought.
Yet before he could fully process everything, Tahlia continued.
"There is another threat," she said.
Her tone shifted again.
"This one is just as deadly."
She picked up her mug and finished the remaining drink in one go.
"Getting lost."
Her gaze sharpened.
"This is the most important rule of survival."
Thoren frowned slightly.
"Why do you think we live in tents?" she asked.
"Because we cannot build anything permanent," she answered before he could respond.
"The desert will devour it."
"Buildings, structures, anything fixed to the ground."
"All swallowed."
"No exceptions."
She let out a soft breath.
"Even tents are not truly safe."
Thoren’s eyes narrowed slightly.
"In two days, this entire camp will move," she said.
"Why?" he asked.
"For protection," she replied.
Her tone grew serious again.
"For a camp to exist, every mber must contribute a portion of their Hemal Shards."
"The shards are buried beneath the camp."
"They create a protective cover" She paused.
"But that protection only lasts for one week." Her gaze hardened.
"After that, it fades."
"And when it fades..."
She did not need to finish, Thoren already knew the answer.
"Anyone still here will be devoured," she said quietly.
Silence.
The reality of this place beca clearer.
Harsher.
More unforgiving.
"This is why every awakener carries a map," Tahlia added.
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