There was something about the desert that Suzume didn't particularly care for. It might have been the blistering heat. Could have something to do with the complete lack of any shade for many miles on either side of the horizon. There even was the possibility that it was all of the annoying sand that shifted around under her feet, and yet still managed to worm its way into every nook and cranny. It was all of those, do some degree, but in truth it was the boredom that really made the experience miserable. She had been for hours to the west towards a nomadic village that was reportedly camped out a few dozen miles from the village, and she could already feel her mind fraying from the effort.
It wasn't just that, however. There was something draining about being away from the village, but she couldn't place her finger on it. She was dressed for the occasion, with a veil over her face and protection from the sun and wind, but still she felt as if her strength was being sapped with every step. Pausing for a moment, she pulled out her water skin and took a long drink, but even that provided no relief from the sensation. Perhaps she just needed to rest for a while, she was not used to these long journeys and she had been relatively sedentary since she had begun working at the hospital, at least by shinobi standards.
She didn't have any umbrella or anything to do but sit down in the middle of the sand, so she decided to press on just over the next horizon, hoping she would find an oasis or some rocky outcroppings that she could use as a temporary shelter while she got her bearings and let the swimming sensation in her head settle itself. It took a few minutes of trudging uphill through a steep bank of sand, but once she crested its top, she was rewarded by a very pleasant sight. The structure was familiar, but not immediately so. A thought passed through her mind, something about some radioactive area that she was supposed to avoid, but the thought was dismissed as quickly as it came. She would know it if she was wandering near anything dangerous.
With a renewed vigor, she hopped up over the lip of the sandy wave and jogged her way down towards the old run down building. There was something that prickled at the back of her mind about it, but the lure of some cool shelter out of the sun was too alluring for anything as mundane as common sense to prevail. Shelter didn't just grow on trees after all, not that the country had many trees to even grow them.
It wasn't just that, however. There was something draining about being away from the village, but she couldn't place her finger on it. She was dressed for the occasion, with a veil over her face and protection from the sun and wind, but still she felt as if her strength was being sapped with every step. Pausing for a moment, she pulled out her water skin and took a long drink, but even that provided no relief from the sensation. Perhaps she just needed to rest for a while, she was not used to these long journeys and she had been relatively sedentary since she had begun working at the hospital, at least by shinobi standards.
She didn't have any umbrella or anything to do but sit down in the middle of the sand, so she decided to press on just over the next horizon, hoping she would find an oasis or some rocky outcroppings that she could use as a temporary shelter while she got her bearings and let the swimming sensation in her head settle itself. It took a few minutes of trudging uphill through a steep bank of sand, but once she crested its top, she was rewarded by a very pleasant sight. The structure was familiar, but not immediately so. A thought passed through her mind, something about some radioactive area that she was supposed to avoid, but the thought was dismissed as quickly as it came. She would know it if she was wandering near anything dangerous.
With a renewed vigor, she hopped up over the lip of the sandy wave and jogged her way down towards the old run down building. There was something that prickled at the back of her mind about it, but the lure of some cool shelter out of the sun was too alluring for anything as mundane as common sense to prevail. Shelter didn't just grow on trees after all, not that the country had many trees to even grow them.
The raging soul within that once burned like fire was slowly fading into a frigid numbness as Kaen succumbed to his wounds. His breathing slowed, ragged and shallow. Darkness was taking over his eyes as his vision dulled away, his own heartbeat ringing in his hears drowning everything out. His once astonishing healing abilities had left his body mysteriously, perhaps something broke or disrupted his power during his last fight, sustained damage greater than anticipated. He would need to heal the old fashioned way, at least this time. Kaen has suffered worse before, he would survive just as he'd done so many times in the past.