Chapter Three - Dune

The group sat in silence, still shocked by Sierra’s story, and the people that’d been flying massive half lizard half eagle things. They all stayed under the outcropping, half because they didn’t want to be seen by whatever the hell had flown overhead, and half because the sun had started to creep onto the ledge.

To Caleb’s estimation it’d been around an hour, and no one had said a word, though Sierra had stopped crying. But she looked about as good as someone who’d watched a friend get brutally murdered and had realised they were probably next could.

He probably didn’t look much better either. He was hungry, thirsty, his side was hurting a lot, and the few hard coughs he hadn’t been able to keep down had been enough to draw some blood. That wasn’t a good sign at all.

It was probably just the heat. And the dust. And the bottomless pit of fear in his stomach that had him constantly on edge.

The fear made sense though. He’d been whisked away, and now he was on a planet where there were huge lizard eagles who definitely ate people, people who flew on the lizard eagles in glowing armour and bugs the size of books who could tear through flesh like butter.

He grit his teeth. Knowing where the fear came from didn’t make it any better.

I need to get the hell out of here.

But he couldn’t. He was on a different planet and the trial was supposed to last three months. He bit his lip as he gripped his arms tighter.

At this rate, cancer would be the least of his worries. He probably wouldn’t even make it another day here. He’d probably die here, under this rock.

“We need to do something” Sierra said suddenly. The others all turned to her, and she looked around, before talking again. “We need to find somewhere with water soon”

“How?” Ryan asked.

“I don’t know. I’m just saying. If we don’t then we... we probably won’t make it past tomorrow”

[She’s right] Old man Kenji said. [We can survive without food for maybe three days, but in this heat, without water…] he shook his head.

“But what about the lizard eagles?” Caleb muttered. The others turned to him. “I mean, it definitely ate someone from our world right? I’m pretty sure they don’t have Nike here.”

There was a moment of silence as everyone processed what he was saying.

“Well… it’s a hard decision, but we’ll still die if we stay here, right?” Ryan said.

[He’s right] Kenji said again. [I think we should go, but together. If there are less people the journey will be harder on the mind]

Caleb nodded. He’d been close to giving up a few times when he’d walked through the heat by himself. He didn’t want to do that again.

[So, we just walk? Out there?] Kana said. [I don’t think I can do it]

[You’ll be ok, little Kana. You’re strong]

[Not like that Grandpa. I won’t last an hour out there] Kana replied.

“Then we should go at night” Sierra said.

[Night? It’ll be pitch black] Kana replied.

“Yeah, but no heat, and we won’t be visible” Sierra replied.

“Neither will anything else out there. I don’t want to get eaten alive by a horde of bugs I didn’t see coming” Ryan said, clearly nervous.

Everyone went silent, glancing to Sierra.

“S-shit, sorry” Ryan mumbled, glancing to Sierra.

“It’s fine” she sniffed. It clearly wasn’t. The silence continued for a moment then Kana spoke.

[What about near sunset?] Kana said.

“Won’t that still be hot?” Caleb asked.

[Yeah, but it’ll give us more time in which we can see properly and it’ll be darker so we’re not as visible. Plus people go to sleep near only an hour or two after sunset, so maybe no monsters?]

“But what if we get caught in the middle of nowhere at night?” Caleb asked.

[That’s… a good point]

[We could use flashlights? You have smartphones right] Kenji said.

“Not me” Caleb said.

“I do” Ryan muttered.

[I do too]

“I do as well, but they make us really visible” Sierra mumbled.

[They’re only for if we get caught in the middle of nowhere at night. Having light and being visible is better than being blind. And if we need to, we can always turn them off]

“I mean, it works. I just… don’t like it” Sierra said. “But I don’t like any of our options. If it’s our best option and it helps us find water then I’ll do it”

[Great] Old man Kenji said. [Ryan? Caleb?]

“I’m in” Caleb muttered.

“I’ll do it, but if we’re going to be out there at night, we should probably sleep now” Ryan said, glancing up at the sky.

[Oh, that’s a good idea] Kana responded.

“So, we rest now, then we set out as the suns starts to set.” Caleb asked. “That’s it? That’s the plan?”

The others all nodded in agreement. His stomach shifted uneasily, but he calmed himself by nodding.

Well, I guess we can’t exactly do anything else

“I guess we’re agreed then” Caleb said.

[Wait, who’s going to wake us up?]

“I’ll set a timer” Ryan said.

[Won’t that be pretty loud?] Kana said.

“Oh…”

“Well you guys were shouting earlier, and nothing showed up except me and Sierra. It should be fine" Caleb said. "Probably”"

“I’ll set it to vibrate only” Ryan said.

“Ok. For when?” Caleb asked.

“Uh… eight hours?” he mumbled. “I don’t know what time it is here”

[Eight hours should be fine] Kenji said, grabbing his jacket as he rolled it up into to form a pillow. [Now come on everyone, let’s get some sleep]

-

Caleb stared out at the pink and purple sky, filled with orange hues. It was beautiful, a picture of magnificence like none he’d ever seen back on Earth.

He didn't understand how the colours could be so much richer than back on earth. It must’ve been something to do with the atmosphere, or the way the twin suns worked, but it just made the sunset look absolutely spectacular. He stepped back from the edge, still smiling and began dusting himself off once again.

He’d woken himself up an hour ago, by a slight fit of coughing, and had decided to watch the sunset rather than go back to sleep. He’d made the right choice. It'd calmed him slightly for the journey ahead.

Well... at least for now.

He heard shifting behind him and quickly glanced back, watching as Sierra pulled herself out from under the outcropping, yawning. She frowned when she saw him, and he gave a small wave. She nodded back and made her way over.

“How long have you been up?” she asked.

“Not long”

“You think it’s time soon? The sun’s pretty low”

“If it doesn’t go off in the next ten minutes we can just wake the others up”

She nodded, then stared out silently at the surroundings.

“Reminds me of Dune” she muttered.

“Hm?”

“Dune. The series”

He stared at her blankly.

“Not familiar?" she asked. "There’re a ton of books, three really good movies. Well-”

“Oh!” he said, suddenly recalling. “I saw a ton of posters for that. The second one I think, but that was recently so I don't know”

“You haven’t watched it?”

“Nope”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. The last time I went to the cinema I was four”

“Well, you should watch it. It’s…” she trailed off, the excitement dying as soon as it reached her eyes.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Right, she’s realising we’re probably going to die before then.

They both went silent, and stared out at the dunes together. She spared a glance to the sky both ways and sighed.

“I’ll wake the others. We might as well get going now”

He nodded and watched her get the others up. The group got ready quickly, an air of nerves in the air as they prepared, then they set off, down the ledge, onto the rocks below. They climbed down slowly, bit by bet as they went from one ledge to another.

Caleb was surprised by how well old man Kenji moved down the rocks. The geezer was more limber than he'd assumed. That'd serve them well, they wouldn't have an old guy they'd have to look out for.

Finally, they reached a flat, the smooth rock of the formation fading practically seamlessly into the endless sand beyond. It was cooler than before, much cooler, but still quite warm; the heat of the sun merely pressing against his skin now.

The group slowed, all glancing to the old man who only looked to the horizon.

[A sunset on another planet with two suns] he mumbled. [It’s wonderful]

“It really is” Caleb mumbled, surprising himself. The old man turned to him, smiling as he nodded, then looked to the others. He seemed to become aware of their gazes, the expectation in them, and nodded again, something shifting in his eyes.

[Let’s go everyone. We’ll head in a straight line that way and adjust course accordingly]

The group started forward at a slow but steady pace, and Caleb was once again reminded of how annoying it was to walk over sand. They moved for a while in silence, before Kenji, Kana and Sierra started talking to each other.

He and Ryan trailed slightly behind them. Ryan slowed as they neared the top of another dune and looked around, at the seemingly endless sand of their surroundings.

“What’d you make of all this, eh?” Ryan asked as Caleb came to stand next to him.

“You mean the planet?” he replied, as they continued on.

“No, well yeah, but the situation in general?”

“It’s… insane really”

“Yeah. I mean one second I was chilling at school then bam, middle of fucking nowhere”

Caleb chuckled.

“Pretty much. I was just about to eat McDonalds”

“Bummer. I’d kill for a Big Mac right now”

“I’m more of just a cheeseburger guy”

“Fair enough” Ryan responded. The taller boy looked around for a second then frowned, shaking his head.

“You looking for the lizard eagles?” Caleb asked.

“Yeah. I don’t know what I’d do but… fucking scary man”

“Yeah” Caleb nodded, shivering as he recalled. “I just hope w-”

Suddenly there was a cry up ahead. The two looked forward, and their eyes widened as they spotted the other three rushing back, followed by about five dog sized scorpions that skittered across the sand. Neither waited to say anything and simply turned, running away.

Caleb’s heart beat hard as he heard a shout of panic behind them, followed by a scream.

He pushed forward harder, but the sand pushed back against him. He was running up an incline now, already on the other side of the next dune he’d started from.

His lungs burned, his lungs struggling desperately for more air that just wouldn’t come. His mind grew further away from his own body as a stitched stabbed into his side and stars shot across his vision. It felt like no time had passed, but his mouth was already dry, his legs tired and his body slow. Clumsy.

Too clumsy. He stumbled, then fell, rolling back down the side of the dune as sand tumbled over and around him. He managed to stop himself through sheer force of effort but heard the sound of panicked voices and footsteps rush past him. He looked up to see the scorpions only a few feet away.

Oh shit.

He scrambled in sheer desperation to stand, flinging sand out of his path as he practically pulled himself up the side of the dune. He flew up it with an incredible speed, his feet pounding hard against the sand as if it were stone.

Then he was over the other side, rushing down it as he cried out, the sound of the skittering still loud behind him.

He looked out ahead as he rushed down the dune, spotting Ryan, already clambering over the top of the other dune, Sierra having almost caught up to him, and the grandpa granddaughter pair not that far ahead of him, Kana desperately pulling her grandfather forwards.

He continued rushing forwards, running desperately as he struggled for breath, the cancer within him fighting his lungs every step of the way. It was a painful and desperate struggle, but one he was unwilling to lose.

So he kept running, kept pushing, until he realised he couldn’t hear the skittering anymore. He glanced behind him, no sight of the scorpions anywhere. He slowed as he reached the top of the dune, and put his hands to his knees, his vision almost white with stars. He could taste iron in his mouth, and everything felt heavy, most of all his chest.

Caleb collapsed to the floor, struggling for air as he wheezed, his lungs on fire. He coughed hard a couple of times before rolling over and vomiting everywhere. He struggled for breath, his wheezing desperate as he clawed at the sand and slammed a fist into his chest, struggling for air.

Eventually the panic started to fade, and he realised he was breathing properly again, even though his body still burned.

He pulled himself up, looking away from his vomit and down at the others. Ryan and Sierra had climbed back up to the top of the dune across from him, and Kana and Old man Kenji sat on the floor of the basin between them, Kana supporting her grandfather as they both breathed heavily.

“Are they gone?!” Ryan called out to him. Caleb gave him a weak thumbs up, then coughed hard. “You ok?!” the Aussie shouted next.

He gave another weak thumbs up, before stifling another cough. Caleb slumped back to the floor, a euphoric feeling of relief flooding through him, enough to stifle the pain. He took a few more breaths before stretching out and forcing himself back to his feet.

Holy shit. I almost died.

He shook his head, quickly dismissing the notion and the fear that came with it, before starting down the dune toward the grandpa and granddaughter. Sierra and Ryan followed suit on the other side, and the group met in the basin between the two dunes.

“What the fuck was that?!” Ryan said breathing heavily as he ran a hand through his hair.

[Scorpions] Kana wheezed.

“I know it was scorpions but… Jesus” he mumbled, brushing his hand through his hair again.

[It’s ok. We managed to escape] Old man Kenji said. The way he wheezed the words out wasn’t very reassuring, but the sentiment was there.

“Sorry” Sierra mumbled, staring at the ground as she bunched her shoulders tightly. Caleb looked to her confused and realised she was on the verge of tears. “I… I didn’t mean to leave you behind”

[I-it’s ok Sierra. Really] Kana said.

“No” she said, struggling to stop the tears. “I left Andre and I- I- I just… I’m sorry”

She turned away.

[Sierra it’s-] Kenji started. He stopped suddenly, eyes wide as he stared out at empty space in front of himself.

[Grandpa?!] Kana said worried.

He reached out for his granddaughter, but before he could say anything, a small portal opened up beside him, and reality warped as he was pulled through it, before it vanished. The others all stared at it in shocked silence.

“Uh… what the fuck?” Ryan said.

A portal. Caleb thought still dumbfounded. I guess that’s what the teleportation looks like to an outsider.

Before anyone could respond a deep rumbling echoed out from around them. It grew louder by the second, like a roaring wind that buffeted in your ears. Caleb’s heart dropped and he turned looking up at the sky behind them.

They were distant, but the three specks of white that zoomed toward them in the light of the sunset were unmistakable.

“Shit” Sierra cursed. “Oh fuck. Oh shit”

[Run!] Kana shouted. The words were enough to kick the group into action. They turned and ran, all bolting forwards as quickly as they could muster. But Caleb didn’t have anything to muster. He’d barely managed to catch his breath, his lungs still burned and his body still ached from the effort.

He lagged behind quickly. Meanwhile, Ryan left the group behind with his speed, and Caleb couldn’t blame him. Sierra however, who’d been Ryan’s equal if not faster, ran next to him and Kana. He could see the desperation in her face as she held herself back, willing them to move forward faster. He felt guilty and angry at the same time.

“Don’t wait for us!” Caleb wheezed. “Don’t die because we held you back!”

She looked to him wide eyed, then to Kana.

[Go!] she shouted. Sierra nodded, her eyes wet then took off, gapping the two of them.

As death neared, Caleb watched Ryan and Sierra leave him and Kana behind. He wanted to think it was their shoes, and their lack of cancer, but Sierra moved with a practiced grace and Ryan was simply just fast. They would’ve gapped him even if he’d been healthy. That probably said a lot about how athletic he thought he was compared to reality.

But now wasn’t the time to think about any of that. He was about to die.

As he continued forwards, struggling more and more for breath, he started to slow. His legs became weak and his mind numb as he ran up the incline of another dune, Kana leaving him behind now.

He glanced behind him again, the lizard eagles and their riders clearer now. In the light of the sunset, they’d been tinted somewhat purple. It gaze their scales and the armour a beautiful gradient that faded almost seamlessly into the wings of the beasts, making them all the more beautiful.

It was funny. They’d be on him in a few seconds, and he was appreciating their aesthetic appeal.

His eyes widened as one of the riders pulled hard at the reins of his mount, then leant forwards. It swooped down from above, cutting through the air as it shrieked, the sound filled with bass and yet freakishly high. Caleb dived from the top of the dune, throwing himself forward as far he could.

He felt the air rush past him, the smell of stagnant rotting flesh and iron wafting past as the clack of its teeth sounded behind him. Then it was gone, past him and he was falling. He cried out before hitting the sand and rolling forward again. He tumbled hard then crashed into Kana and they continued down the as the dune together, the screech echoing loudly all around them.

They came to a stop near the bottom, and both quickly picked themselves up, looking to the sky. The beasts had slowed, and the three circled now, the pitch of the roar fluctuating between them, almost like laughter.

“Shit” he heard Sierra shout from further away.

She and Ryan had come to a stop halfway up the next incline, clearly realising there was no escape from this. They looked up at the three lizard eagles, the hope draining from their hearts. Then One of the riders dived with its beast, shooting downwards toward them. Caleb’s heart pounded hard as he stared up into the sky, his death imminent.

I just hope it comes for me first, he thought. It’s a bit selfish, but I don’t want to watch it pick off the others. Plus, I’m going to die anyway. Maybe the others get away if it gets me. I doubt it though.

Then the system notification appeared within his vision.

[Z1-E94-C GENERAL ACCOUNCEMENT]

[Due to an error in assignment, 20 million people were selected for your trial rather than 2 million]

[The necessary steps have been taken, and we have returned all humans not previously intended for trial participation to established safe zones on your homeworld]

[Those who were injured or lost loved ones will be compensated adequately by the planet’s host system as soon as possible]

[All trial participants will also be fairly compensated at the start of the first phase]

[As a result of this error, we were unable to start the tutorial as scheduled. The tutorial for the trial will officially begin after successful relocation for all participants.]

A flash of heat shot through Caleb and he gasped, along with the others, a new presence appeared within his mind. Before any of them could do anything else, a massive portal opened up beneath them and they all fell through.

A sudden wave of air rushed past him as his surroundings warped, an endless sea of darkness blotted with sparks of golden yellow. This time he could hear the screams of the others, feel their presence in a way beyond sight.

Then light appeared and he hit the ground with a thud. He fell to his knees, groaning for a second when a new message appeared.

[Welcome to the Tutorial]

[Objective: survive for 38 hours]

[Reward: access to your record. Progression to the first phase]

[Prior survival difficultly and achievements will be taken into account for first phase tiering]

[We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused]

[Thank you for your patience]

Caleb stared at the messages confused, then looked around, the screens fading from view. The others all lay around him, groaning too as they picked themselves up off the floor. The group lay in the middle of the desert, but it was different. The sand was flatter here, the incline and decline of dunes barely noticeable.

Above them the sky was mostly dark, the suns gone. In their place a vast array of stars, bright enough to illuminate the sand and the faces of the group. Further ahead, in the distant sands, glowing yellow lights of what looked like a village were visible.

Caleb stood along with the others as they all looked to the stars, to village in the distance, then to each other.

“What in the world just happened?” he mumbled to himself.