I hefted the large shoulder-bag of fruit tree seedlings. "Wish me luck."

"Best of luck," Grant replied absently as he helped porters, gatherers, and hunters organize themselves into their assigned groups and collect whatever supplies or weapons they needed for their location today.

I touched the crystal and murmured, "Fern Hills."

Light shimmered through my veins, and my head was turning back and forth before my vision cleared. The playful breeze made the branches sway and rustled the leaves in fitful bursts. I gripped the strap on the shoulder-bag tightly as I stepped away from the crystal.

This forest wasn't as dense as some I had been in, but there were more shrubs around than I liked. The wind bothered me. I took a deep breath. The sooner I finished, the sooner I could leave.

I inched forward, skittering to the side whenever a large gust of wind made the trees creak and groan as they swayed. How could those huge trunks possibly bend that much without breaking? It seemed surreal and impossible.

My nerves were frayed before I found a larger gap between the trees and planted the first seedling. I dribbled some water from my waterskin on it as a farewell gift and slipped through the undergrowth in search of other clearings or larger gaps between the trees.

An apple seedling here, a pear by a fallen tree, a plum beside an ant hill; all types that should enjoy this climate. I didn't stray too far from the crystal—closer would be better for the gatherers in the future—but I had to spread them out. Out of the fifty-some seedlings, only a handful would survive the local wildlife and other challenges. Some trees, like apples, also needed to be grafted, which reduced the survival rate.

Deep rumbling shook the forest and made me freeze. Thunder. I hated thunderstorms. They were loud, and their unpredictable flashes of lightning created thundering booms that muffled one's hearing. And the rain. Cold drops that chilled to the core and could kill without a single wound if we didn't retreat to the desert heat to warm up.

I checked my shoulder-bag; five seedlings were left. I glanced nervously at the canopy and saw dark clouds towering in the distance. The big thunderstorm—thankfully not a mega storm— was approaching fast, but I had enough time to find a place for the remaining fruit trees.

My feet sped up, searching for any places without too many trees competing for the light. Five... Four... Three... Two... One! I was done! The deep groaning of dozens of trees made me pause and glance back uneasily.

Like an approaching wave, trees bent as they were hit with some unseen force. I dropped to my knees as a huge gust of wind tore through the forest, making the tree trunks groan and crackle. Leaves were ripped from their branches and tossed through the air. A tree snapped in half while I watched, and I felt the muffled thuds of several other forest giants hitting the ground.

It disappeared as quickly as it had come, leaving unnerving silence and terrified bird calls in its wake. Then the wind returned, playfully rustling the leaves overhead as if nothing had happened. I'd heard of storm fronts before, but this was a bit much!

I leapt to my feet and ran, too unnerved by the thunderstorm's new trick to linger. One of the fallen trees blocked the trail. With the dense thorny shrubs on either side, it would be easier to climb over it.

The crystal glinted ahead, reflecting light onto the nearby greenery as if unperturbed by the approaching storm. I pushed my way through the dense tree branches and scrambled over the trunk with my eyes focused on the crystalline spires ahead.

Something snagged my ankle, making me trip and crash to the ground, knocking the wind out of me. My arms and face stung from numerous scrapes left by the branches. I lay there for a few moments as I tried to fill my lungs with air.

I could see the crystal through the leafy branches. My mind reached for the safety it presented even though it was fifty paces away. The bluish-green spires beckoned me on, so close I could almost feel the shimmering in my veins. With a slight cough to try and get my lungs working again, I pushed myself up on my elbows.

The grasp around my ankle tightened slightly. Belatedly realizing that something was very wrong, I pushed against the branches as I twisted around. I froze, momentarily too shocked to react to the dark green reptilian face staring at me with narrowed eyes.

Was—was the Saursune pinned under the tree branches? The warmth from its hand and prick of the sharp claws snapped me out of my daze, sending my adrenaline into overdrive.

With a desperate cry, I began kicking and thrashing in an attempt to get loose. The branches blocked most of my ill-aimed kicks, and the few that did get through didn't have any effect. My arms burned from how hard I pulled on the branches to drag myself away.

The claws dug in a bit more, yet didn't slash through my flesh like I knew they could. My gaze ripped away from the Saursune to look at the crystal one last time. The sunlight flickered along the spires a mere fifty paces away. I had been so close to freedom!

My hand futilely reached for it, but the grip on my ankle tightened a fraction, pulling me closer. My panic redoubled as I tried to kick it, hitting the branches between us instead. I struggled to breathe, my lungs still recovering from my fall. A lucky kick got between the branches, and I finally landed a solid strike on its shoulder! It blinked and stared intently at me, unbothered by my struggles.

My heart sank as I realized its head was pulled just far enough back that my flailing foot couldn't reach it. A perfect pose to snap its neck forward for a powerful bite. I grabbed at the branches, desperately trying to pull myself away before it could free its pinned arm or legs.

The crystal sat peacefully among the ferns, a stark contrast to the predator pinned beneath the branches. Death behind me, safety before me. I could almost feel the light shimmering through my veins, but even though my mind called, the Saursune and fallen tree held me firm.

Black dots danced across my vision. I shook my head, trying to force my lungs to draw a proper breath. My arms barely had enough strength to prop me up on my elbows. My trapped leg dropped onto the forest floor, and the warmth around my ankle faded. It took me several seconds to realize I wasn't hallucinating. It had released my leg.

I scrabbled breathlessly through the branches to get out of its reach, too winded to stand just yet. Faint patterns of glowing light danced across the Saursune's hide as it braced itself and simply stood up, shrugging off the tree with as little effort as tossing off a blanket. After a brief shake, it stood on its hind legs. Its gaze turned to me.

My throat went dry. The rare power-up move had only been documented a handful of times, possibly because witnesses rarely survived. But various villages spoke of older accounts, and how it boosted the Saursune's strength and speed for a short time. It was how so many of the lizards had fought their way out of human ambushes, even when wildly outnumbered and unarmed.

The predator was free. I had to get away! Pulling in a huge lungful of air was nearly impossible after my crash landing, but my chest was finally loosening up. As I staggered to my feet, my head spun and the black spots returned.

I stumbled toward the crystal, unable to run and knowing I had no chance of escaping the Saursune, but I needed to try. My heartbeat thundered in my ears as I strained to catch any sound of pursuit.

The crystal was just ahead. If only I could reach it in time.

My feet swooshed through the dozens of newly fallen leaves, making the silence behind me even more unnerving. I finally risked a glance back. The Saursune was still where it was before, watching me with a rather calculating expression.

I wasn't about to trust my head start—not when I'd seen this race drop to all fours and charge with terrifying speeds. Several times, I'd been a distant observer who'd been forced to take bad news back to families.

I stumbled over a root, nearly falling, and forced myself to focus on where I was putting my feet. The crystal was only about twenty paces away—so close, yet so far. The crystal refracted the light like an ethereal enchantment, beckoning me on. Thunder rolled through the sky and shook the forest yet again. My pace picked up in my desperation. I was almost there!

The rapid pattering of four feet blasted through the foliage to the left. It was trying to cut me off—but I had reached my destination. I lunged for the crystal with the last of my strength. The slap of my sweaty hands connecting with the smooth, hard stone rang in my ears as I envisioned the abandoned desert village I had fled to so many times before.

Nothing happened.

My heart sank, and I desperately whispered, "Sunrise Village."

Finally, the light danced through my veins, though strangely muted. The Saursune emerged from the foliage in front of me as the forest hazed over. The forest wind and thunder were replaced with a solid wall of heat and the faint whisper of sand blowing over the dunes.

I barely confirmed no one was around before my legs gave out. I rolled onto my back, gasping for breath and reassuring myself that I was, in fact, alive. It took more than a few minutes to find the strength to sit up.

I was exhausted.

But I was alive.

Removing my pants and shirt, I checked them for trackers, but found none. A red mark and five pinpricks lingered on my ankle. I'd have to go to the Guard Station in case it had stuck a tracker on me.

I couldn't risk the possibility of leading the aliens to our village. Why else would it have let me go? This wouldn't be the first time they let a porter think they escaped, only to show up at any location the tracker had traveled to.

But I needed a rest first. Getting to my feet was harder than it had ever been, and my legs shook as I staggered to a nearby house. The stone wall slabs had fallen sideways, and I dropped to my knees to crawl inside the low opening. The sand had been picked free of sharp debris during my occasional trips to this resting spot. Turning around, I wedged a chunk of stone into the opening.

I flopped back onto the soft sand. I was safe enough. This place was too remote for any animals, and even if the aliens were tracking me, they never showed up until a day or two later. I was one of three porters who used this village as a bounce location, and the other two rarely came here.

I closed my eyes, fighting exhaustion and still trying to catch my breath, too tired to wonder about what had just happened.