Bryce grabbed Gregory's arm, pulling him sideways just as a massive pillar crashed down where he had been standing moments before. They leapt over piles of rubble, the exit seeming impossibly far away.
With a final burst of speed, they hurled themselves through the doorway just as the ceiling caved in behind them. They tumbled down a short slope, coming to rest on hot, gritty sand.
Panting and covered in dust, Gregory pushed himself up and looked around. They were in the middle of a vast desert, dunes stretching as far as the eye could see under a merciless sun.
"What... what just happened?" he gasped.
Bryce shook his head, equally bewildered. "I don't know, but we're lucky to be alive."
They turned to look back at the citadel, expecting to see a pile of rubble. Instead, the massive structure stood intact, looking exactly as it had when they first approached it. The only difference was the door, now firmly closed.
Gregory and Bryce exchanged stunned looks. They looked around, unsure where they were. Suddenly, Bryce pointed at a giant mountain in the distance. "I recognize that."
Gregory squinted at the mountain Bryce had pointed out, shielding his eyes from the harsh desert sun. The craggy peak jutted into the sky, its snow-capped summit a stark contrast to the endless sea of sand surrounding them.
"You're sure you recognize it?" Gregory asked, doubt creeping into his voice.
Bryce nodded confidently. "It's part of the Dulmat range. I've seen it from a distance many times, but never this close. It's... much more imposing up close."
Gregory frowned, trying to piece together their location. "If that's the Dulmat range, then we must be..."
"Far to the west of where we started," Bryce finished grimly. "Much farther than I thought possible with my teleportation spell."
Gregory felt a pit forming in his stomach as he realized the implications. "So to get back to civilization, we need to head..."
"East," Bryce confirmed. "Across this desert."
They both fell silent, the enormity of their situation sinking in. The desert stretched endlessly before them, a sea of golden dunes shimmering in the oppressive heat. Gregory's throat already felt parched, and he knew they had no supplies to speak of.
"We should start moving," Bryce said after a moment, his voice tight with worry. "The longer we stand here, the more dehydrated we'll become."
Gregory nodded in agreement, and they set off towards the east. The going was difficult from the start. Their feet sank into the loose sand with every step, and the relentless sun beat down on them mercilessly.
As they trudged onward, Gregory's mind raced. How long could they survive out here without water? A day? Maybe two? And even if they did manage to find an oasis or some other source of water, how long would it take them to cross this vast expanse of desert?
He glanced at Bryce, noting the prince's grim determination. Gregory knew they were both thinking the same thing, though neither wanted to voice it aloud: their chances of survival were slim at best.
As the hours wore on, the heat became increasingly oppressive. Gregory's mouth felt like it was full of cotton, his lips cracked and bleeding. His steps became more unsteady, and he could see Bryce was struggling as well.
"We need to find shelter," Gregory croaked, his voice barely above a whisper. "If we don't get out of this sun soon..."
Bryce nodded weakly, too exhausted to speak. They scanned the horizon, desperate for any sign of relief. That's when Gregory spotted it – a dark smudge in the distance, standing out against the endless golden sand.
"Look!" he exclaimed, pointing. "Is that... could it be an oasis?"
Bryce squinted in the direction Gregory was pointing. "I... I think it might be," he said, hope creeping into his voice. "It's our only chance. We have to try to reach it."
With renewed determination, they altered their course slightly and pressed on towards the distant patch of darkness. But as they drew closer, Gregory began to have doubts. Something about the shape seemed... off. It didn't look quite like the lush greenery he'd expect from an oasis.
As they finally neared their destination, Gregory's heart sank. It wasn't an oasis at all, but the ruins of some ancient structure, half-buried in the sand. Still, it offered the promise of shade, and at this point, that was all they could hope for.
They stumbled into the shadow of a crumbling wall, collapsing onto the slightly cooler sand. Gregory leaned back against the rough stone, closing his eyes as a wave of despair washed over him.
"What now?" he asked, not really expecting an answer.
Bryce was silent for a long moment before responding. "We rest," he said finally. "We regain what strength we can. And then... then we keep moving. It's all we can do."
Gregory nodded, knowing Bryce was right. But as he sat there, feeling the last of his energy ebbing away, he couldn't help but wonder if they had simply postponed the inevitable. The desert stretched on as far as the eye could see, and they were two men alone against its merciless expanse.
As the sun began to dip toward the horizon, Gregory found himself staring at the ancient wasteland, wondering if they would make it out of there alive.
