the sun burns (5)

If Solis had left anything behind—a relic, a weapon, a shred of knowledge—she would find it. She had to. The cities she’d left behind were dying, their rivers choked with dust, their crops withered to brittle stalks.

The sun was no longer just a tyrant; it was an executioner. She rested for a while, rationing her water and chewing on a piece of dried fruit. The shade moved with the sun, forcing her to shift positions every few minutes.

It was a temporary reprieve, but even temporary relief felt like a blessing. As the day wore on, she began to explore the ruins, her footsteps echoing in the hollow silence.