The endless desert stretched out before the traveler and his last companion. Leonardo, a man with a troubled past and constantly on the run from those who wish to destroy him, crossed the wastelands of Anhai with Bolder, a dunebrak, an animal built for long distances and in harsh conditions, but without food or water for several days both began to think about the end.

As they continued on, Leo spots a few disheveled and rune down homes taken over by the sands of the waste, Leo sees this a chance to sit under some shade for a bit.

“We might be able to rest a while Bolder…maybe luck is starting to find us.” Leo says patting the large animal as he walks beside it. Bolder was a large thick skinned four legged elephant like animal, Leo would usually ride on it’s back but due to the conditions the animal was in, Leo decided not to.

The two made it to the old and forgotten town, Leo finds a small opening in one of the home buried in sand, crawling inside the shade giving Leo some sort of relief from the unforgiving sun. Unfortunately for Bolder, he would have to remain outside.

Inside, the rotted and broken wood groaned under Leo’s heavy boots. Sitting against one of the walls of the house, Leo breathes heavily taking the cloth covering his face down. Taking deep breaths he takes out the canister that used to hold water and out of habit tries to drink from it, only to be reminded of the dry empty bottom of the pouch. Leo hangs his head before resting it on the wall behind him and as if in unison, Bolder outside plops down onto the sand with a heavy thud and a long deep sigh. The two drifted off into a much needed sleep, though only one would be waking up.

During Leo’s rest, he dreams of a paradise and a girl of his dreams…though they were only dreams they are what kept him going.

A couple hours later, Leo awakens not really knowing how much time had passed but seeing as the sun was in the same spot as before, he concluded that he had been asleep for a whole day or close to it. He leaves the house pulling his hood over his dark, dry and unruly hair, he spots his friend still lying in the sand…though…not moving as much Leo would’ve liked.

“Bolder, time to go buddy.” Leo approaches. Seeing how the dunebrak lies there motionless, Leo’s breath becomes labored not ready to let his companion go, he didn’t want to be alone out here.

“No…not you too…” Leo says bending down to the animal’s large head, petting and holding back tears.

He needed to keep moving, there was an end to this wasteland…Leo knew it…he just needed to push forward, and not let the harshness of the world take him down, not man, not the earth, no one would stop him from surviving.

Leo grabs a few things from his pouch on the saddle of Bolder. Before leaving the animal he wishes it farewell, thanking it for everything.

“Farewell friend.” Leo turns and leaves the old town, continuing his journey through the wastelands alone, tired, thirsty, starving…and unbelievably hot.