He kept his eyes scanning the horizons on either side and behind them, watching for the telltale sand cloud of an approaching party of Koquas. Geryon noticed it had been a scouting party they had killed—small but fierce; he wondered what an actual troop looked like but also hoped he wouldn't find out.

Fortunately, his chest guard had stopped the bullet from piercing his heart. With its position, and if he hadn't been wearing armor, the shot would've killed him. He had been through so many close calls; he had long forgotten the count. But the bullet would only leave a bruise—one he felt swelling and painfully pressing against the indentation of his armor. He gritted his teeth against the ache. Zelenia had helped relieve the pain, but it still hurt like hell.

Aeris turned back to check behind them and he hoped to check on him. The air separating them warmed with sizzling energy, but not adding to the oppressive heat of the desert. She hadn't had as so much as looked at him since Heela died; he missed having her attention on him. But instead of being drawn into her mesmerizing silver eyes, he hated seeing the fear making them stormy.

He nodded to her and after her eyes checked behind him one more time, turned back forward.

Aside from watching for sand clouds, Geryon tracked the fall of the sun—it was steadily dipping lower for the evening. He prayed Ibi wasn't too much further, for he didn't want to find out what horrors nightfall brought with it, or even if the Koquas would allow them to experience it.

He glanced behind them for his routine check and cursed when he saw a sand cloud, much bigger and thicker than the last one—a lot more Koquas were pursuing them this time.

He turned back forward. "Go faster."

Zelenia and Aeris glanced behind them to see for themselves, but no one questioned his order by spurring the already tired camels to go faster.

"No. No," Pica muttered. "Ibi's supposed to be close. We have to reach it!"

"Aeris, is Air with you?" he asked.

She looked back at him, then to the looming cloud. "Yes."

"Just in case," he said as he gestured at his side and glancing back to see how close the Koquas were.

She pulled back to join him in the rear as she pulled one of her thin swords out of the air.

"There! There it is! Just as I saw!" Pica exclaimed.

Geryon looked back to see where she was pointing. Ibi was exactly as Pica had described it: an enormous temple reaching high into the sky; shining brightly, as if the sun was directly above it instead of weakening; many bronze pipes weaving in and out of the ancient temple; huge wind turbines drawing in energy. Being so tightly compacted, Geryon couldn't tell the difference in the metals of a pipe or a wall.

Even though the temple appeared alive with constant movement of pistons shooting up and down, steam rising from pipes, and the wind turbines steadily rotating, it looked abandoned. They wouldn't be receiving aid from there, but maybe they could find shelter.

They raced toward the temple, beckoning them like a beacon; even the camels seemed to sense the need for safety and felt the danger behind them by increasing their speed. Geryon glanced behind them again to check on the pursuers to find seven hovercrafts soaring down a sand dune, constantly being added in number by another hovercraft.

They were almost at the temple when he looked at Aeris; the line of flame he made hardened into his blade. "Ready?"

She nodded, and with both of them straining and sweeping their blades together in the space between their camels, sent a blazing whirlwind streaking toward the Koquas. Yells of alarm could be heard as the roaring tornado traveled further away from them. They saw hovercrafts dart out of the way of its path, but others didn't move as quick and were engulfed, sucked into the burning inferno to be tossed carelessly aside or crash into others and explode when the elemental abnormality reached them. Screams added to the noise of destruction as men burned alive.

Nearing the enormous bronze doors of the temple, they jumped off their camels even before they skidded to a stop. Pica raced toward the door as everyone else turned to face the Koquas with their weapons out. The fire tornado had disrupted their formations, but it was quickly dying out, leaving four blackened skeletons of still burning hovercrafts. Those that had escaped and weren't disabled sped toward them, almost as if absolute rage drove them faster.

Something metallic sliding into a slot clicked behind them, followed by a deep unlocking and metal beams sliding out of their locks. A slow and heavy groan like a door being pulled open brought them to turn around to see the doors opening inwardly; cool and fresh air rushed out at them.

"It's opening! It's opening! Come on!" Pica exclaimed.

They never hesitated as they tugged the stubborn camels into the torch-lit antechamber. Sand covering the floor deadened the camels' hooves and their booted feet. Once all had piled into the large foyer, Geryon and Tegen turned to shove the doors back closed, but the doors had already begun shutting on their own.

"Wait! The medallion!" Pica cried as she ran back to the doors; she pulled out the golden medallion in a slot and hurriedly jumped back. The doors shut out the Emeri Desert and bloodthirsty Koquas with a loud and echoing thud; they saw the large locks sliding into place. With a finalizing click, the last lock slid into place.

The harsh breathing of the Sun, Moon, Elementals, and camels provided the only noise. They couldn't hear a single sound outside: no ricocheting of bullets; no angry yells; no loud banging on the doors.

"Do you think that's strong enough to keep them out?" Pica asked, voice shaking in fear.

Geryon looked it over, admiring its sturdiness. "It looks like it should."

"It definitely sounded like it could," Renuo added.

"I don't think we should hang around to see, though," Helian suggested. "We should head further in; I think it'll be safer."

They all agreed and began looking about them to see where they could store the camels while keeping a wary eye on the door.