The small plane cut across the vast Sahara, following the shifting trail projected by the Bracelet of Anubis.
The journey took them past the first ancient waypoint — the ruined Temple of Anubis — its shattered pillars stretching across the sand like the ribs of a long-dead beast.
From there, the map led them over the Valley of the Kings, the tombs of pharaohs lying silent beneath the cliffs. The bracelet's glow pulsed brighter the closer they got, guiding them like a living compass.
Soon the desert opened into a massive scar in the earth — the Scorpion-shaped ravine. Its winding, jagged path matched the projection perfectly, marking it as the next point toward Ahm Shere.
The plane dipped lower, following the narrow canyon as the sun cast long shadows over its spine-like ridges.
Beyond the ravine, the desert shifted again. The dunes seemed to rearrange themselves into spirals only visible from above.
The plane rode the shimmering currents of heat, following the pattern as it stretched endlessly across the horizon.
Finally, the last marker appeared. A wall of towering cliffs rose from the desert, harsh and ancient, hiding whatever lay beyond. According to the bracelet, the Oasis of Ahm Shere waited just past those mountains — the final destination.
As they crossed over the last cliff ridge, the hidden world of Ahm Shere revealed itself — a vast oasis sealed by towering canyon walls, and at its very center, the Golden Pyramid shining like a beacon in the desert sun.
Jonathan's jaw dropped.
"Wow… is that really made of gold?"
The pyramid gleamed so intensely that it almost hurt to look at it.
Daniel narrowed his eyes. "Well, we arrived… but there's a problem."
"What is that?"
"There's no landing space," Daniel said flatly. "The cliffs are too tight, the forest is too dense. We can't land inside the oasis. We'll have to touch down out in the desert."
Jonathan stared down at the thick, wild jungle. "So we walk through… that?"
"Exactly," Daniel said as he angled the vehicle toward open sand. "It's already the sixth day, but we've got until tomorrow morning. If we land outside, cross the cliffs, and push through the forest, we can reach the pyramid before the deadline."
Jonathan made a weak noise of despair.
"Is there no other way?" he asked.
"Yeah," Daniel said casually. "You can jump out. Fastest way."
Jonathan instantly sat straighter. "Nope. Walking is fine."
The plane dipped lower, wheels scraping the sand as Daniel prepared for landing.
"Alright… hold onto something. The landing is going to suck."
Ardeth tightened his grip. Evelyn steadied herself. Jonathan clutched the seat with both his hands.
Daniel angled the plane down toward the sand.
"Why does that sound like a threat?!" Jonathan yelped.
The wheels hit the desert floor—
THUMP—BOUNCE—SKID—SHAKE—SHAKE—SHAKE—
The entire plane rattled so violently it felt like the screws were trying to escape.
Jonathan screamed, "WE'RE GONNA DIE! WE'RE GONNA DIE—MY BONES ARE VIBRATING!"
Evelyn held onto the seat, hair flying everywhere. "Daniel, slow down!"
"I am slowing down!" Daniel shouted over the rattling. "The sand just hates us!"
The plane bounced one last brutal time before finally grinding to a halt, half-buried in a small dune.
Silence.
Daniel unbuckled with a long sigh. "See? Smooth landing. And just so we're clear—if anyone puked on my backseat, you are cleaning it. So? Anyone want to confess?"
They climbed out of the plane one by one.
Daniel dusted sand off his jacket, tapped the side of the aircraft, and with a flash of crimson mist — stored it back into his inventory.
Jonathan stared. "I will never get used to that."
Through the narrow gap between two cliffs, they followed a rocky path until the desert suddenly gave way to a massive oasis — a sprawling, dense forest stretching out beneath towering stone walls.
Evelyn stepped closer, eyes widening. "This… this is incredible. A hidden ecosystem untouched for thousands of years."
Jonathan gulped. "Yeah, untouched… and probably full of things that want to eat us."
Daniel slung his own weapon over his shoulder and handed Evelyn a rifle.
"Alright, everyone gear up. Once we step inside that forest, we're gonna run into… weird things."
Jonathan narrowed his eyes. "Define weird. Animal-weird? Curse-weird? or the usual mummy-type weird?"
Daniel held his hand about knee-height. "About this big."
Jonathan frowned. "That's… not too ba—"
Daniel raised his hand to his full height. "And cause problems like this."
Jonathan paled instantly. "Okay never mind that's terrible."
Evelyn adjusted her grip on the rifle. "What exactly are they? Some kind of animals?"
Daniel shook his head. "Nope. Think of them as… natives. Fast, smart, nasty, and extremely unfriendly to outsiders."