Before the sun rose, Branton woke up to find the Ra-Dimar still sitting in the same position. He looked like he was deep in thought and didn't want to be interrupted. When he told the sand neytive he wanted to explore the mountains for the dial, he didn't receive a response. It wasn't until he finished dismantling his shelter that the other candidate prepared himself. His pack over his shoulders and fresh linen wrapped around his hands.

He hasn't found a way to connect with the Ra-Dimar neytive yet. He's been debating over what to say after their fight on the beach. It's not going to be like his conversations with the abrimaries. It could end in one of two ways. A long intentional silence or another punch to the face.

When they get closer to the shore, the view of the mountains becomes clear. Branton thought the tallest land structure would've been the land bridge, but he was wrong. The mountain range varies in size, from small hills to unseen peaks. Overgrown trees surround the foothills and a thick fog blankets the side of one mountain.

He looks back to the continent he resided on and notices the white clouds turn dark. The wind is blowing toward the mountains and appears to be picking up. If the weather changes into a storm, they'll have to find shelter soon.

At the end of the bridge, their trek leads them along a shoreline. One with very little sand and a pile of boulders from the mountain.

Branton thinks now is the perfect opportunity to strike up a conversation with the Ra-Dimar. If Trevet and Samire were able to approach him, surely it could work on the sand neytive. "When we were on Auroris, Lynette, the Hydradon, told us about the shift in gravity.

"Novennéa is stable enough to be habitable, yet there was something involving electromagnetism and other things. She could explain it better than I can. The short version I got from her is that traveling here feels faster than it does on Myalón. We walked across the land bridge in just half a dial. It does not feel possible. Right?"

He can't tell if the Ra-Dimar is ignoring him since he's walking further away.

Branton speeds up and stands in front of him. He's lucky his throat wasn't slashed by sharp claws.

"Wait," he makes sure to put some distance between them. There's one thing that's been bothering him since he woke up, and that's not knowing the Ra-Dimar's name. He never got his name when they met in the Integration Room. If he kept calling him Ra-Dimar, it would come off as an insult. "It would be easier if you told me your name. If you are still not comfortable around me, would it be okay if I made up a name for you?"

The Ra-Dimar holds his stare, but doesn't reject the idea.

Branton thinks of something quick with what he already knows about the Ra-Dimar. He's mute, relies on his abilities to talk, covers his body with linen, and probably still wants to kill him.

Random words float in his mind. "Tell me which one you prefer. Umm... Sand... Mesa... Oasis..."

The sand neytive rolls his eyes at the words he suggested and walks away.

Maybe it was a bad idea to choose desert related terms. He gives it one last shot. "How about Dune."

This earns him the Ra-Dimar's attention.

"Dune." Branton feels a smile show beneath his expressionless face. "I will call you Dune for now."

The sand neytive shrugs his shoulders in response.

Their conversation is off to a great start, but that soon changes when Dune's expression changes from annoyance to concern. He raises one of his wrapped fingers and points at something behind him.

Branton turns around to see the dark clouds getting closer. Lightning comes out from hiding and heavy rainfall cuts off access to the land bridge. They have to find shelter before the storm reaches them.

He places a hand on Dune's shoulder. "We will go to the mountains and find a cave."

Dune shrugs his hand off and starts running.

Branton realizes his mistake. Dune isn't comfortable with physical contact. Trevet and Samire's influence is beginning to rub off on him. It's not a bad thing since it got him to interact with Dune a little. He'll have to thank them once he finds them.

Branton catches up with Dune, so they can beat the approaching storm together.

They're halfway up the mountain with the storm clouds brewing behind them.

Branton isn't afraid to get wet, but to be caught in a severe storm isn't something to be calm about. He's experienced storms before, back on Myalón during the monsoon division. Novennéa is an extreme improvement to the planet they came from, and that improvement includes the weather. The winds increase in speed and the downpour looks like it will last the rest of the dial.

As they hike through the forest, they avoid falling into ditches and tripping over roots. Branton wishes he could take this time to enjoy the scenery, but he doesn't want to be struck by lightning.

Dune follows right behind him, but comes to an abrupt stop.

Branton has to look back. "What is wrong?"

Dune's eyebrows furrow. He's looking in the direction down the mountain.

"Did you see something?" Branton tries to see what he sees through rattling trees.

He places his hand over his ear and points at a path. Dune heard something and it's making him wary.

A dozen thoughts run through Branton's mind. It could be nothing. It could be another candidate, like one of the abrimaries. It could be a neytive who would attack them.

He wishes he could find out for himself, but Dune is on edge.

Branton remembers how worn out he was when he used up all his vena. He wonders if he fully recovered after their fight. For now, he doesn't want anything to set off Dune's aggression. Last phase, Branton's presence proved that he is holding back his emotions. He wants Dune to stay calm and recover his strength.

"We should keep moving," Branton does his best to reassure him. "We will not go down that path after the storm."

Dune agrees and walks up beside him.

The storm hovers right above their heads, but they manage to find the mouth of a cave. It's a narrow oval shaped tunnel that descends into the mountain. The darkness inside doesn't matter to Branton in the slightest. It's the same as a volcano, only without the magma.

When he's ready to venture in, Dune shows hesitation to step foot inside. He's surprised to see him show fear, but it shocks him more to see it within a short time.

"Do not worry," Branton looks down to his hand and summons a ball of fire. "We will still have light."

Dune's nervousness disappears as they enter the cave before the rain drenches them.

The descent isn't hard with his fire guiding the way. They have to watch out for passageways they might have to crawl through or any tunnels that are submerged in water. So far, nothing like that has blocked their path.

Out of nowhere, Branton feels a tug on his jacket. Dune is clenching onto the fabric like it's the only thing keeping him sane. He figures out that he may be afraid of confined spaces and the dark.

"Are you okay?" he asks while holding the fire between them.

Dune responds with a nod, but still looks at the ground.

Branton applies more heat to his hand and expands the fire outward.

They find themselves in a huge chamber with hundreds of formations. Stalagmites and stalactites sprout from everywhere, making a maze-like structure. There's a faint sound of water running alongside the walls.

Branton turns his attention back to the formations. Something felt off and it peaked his interest. He takes a step closer to the stalagmite, while the fire in his hand reduces to a small flame.

When he touches the rock, a strong source of heat spreads throughout his hand. Bringing the fire closer to the rocks, his mind stops for a moment. The formations weren't rocks.

They're crystals. Dark red crystals protruding from the floor and hanging from the ceiling. Branton can feel a foreign heat radiating from deep within the stone. "This planet is amazing... Dune?"

He should've known that there wasn't a hand grasping his jacket. Dune isn't behind him anymore.

Branton hears the faint sound of heavy breathing and runs through the chamber. He has to navigate through the maze a bit to find the Ra-Dimar. He's leaning against the wall, losing control of his breathing.

Reaching out, Branton checks his pulse. It's rising and his body is trembling. The linen covering his mouth is pushed down, as if he's about to puke.

"Dune, hold on," Branton produces a large flame and looks at the sand neytive. He braces Dune against the wall and makes sure there's enough light. "Okay, okay. You heard the water when we came in here, right? Just listen to that and only that. Close your eyes if you need to."

Dune reaches out for something to grab and ends up holding Branton's hand. He listens to the water trickling down the walls and shuts his eyes. His panic slips away because of the natural sound. His breathing returns to normal after a while.

"Do you feel better?" Branton watches Dune open his eyes and hold his breath. He nods the best he can. "Good."

The moment of silence is interrupted by another sound. Something small drops between them with a thunk. It starts flashing an orange light.

A dreadful feeling erupts inside of Branton. He realizes what it is. He knows what it will do.

"Get up!" he shouts when the object blinks faster. He drags Dune behind a rock and covers his body with his own.

A large explosion engulfs them.

The whole chamber shakes and several stalactites fall from the ceiling.

Branton screams at the impact once it hits him. He can feel the intense heat penetrating his skin.

When the blast dissipates, Branton stands up and tosses fire in random directions. If his theory is correct, then it will help them. The crystals absorb his fire and the entire chamber lights up, revealing the maze and its damages.

Dune lies on the ground next to him, unconscious. A stalactite is punctured through his forearm, pinning him down and pouring blood on the ground.

Branton stays alert, but remains close to Dune. He prepares himself for the next solar orb.