Ren didn't remember getting back on his feet, special thanks to the adrenaline.
One moment, he heard a bang behind him, and the world tipped sideways. The next, he was dragging himself across the cracked earth, clutching the stolen map so hard that he could have torn it into bits.
He was running again. This time it wasn't from a rock that made his entire body tremble, or from an army of bounty hunters. It was from one man with the accuracy of an assassin.
A high pitched ring pierced his ears, his breath burned and every muscle felt like they were tearing away. His head was pounding with every heartbeat. The plains stretched endlessly before him and the sun spared him not. But he had to keep going.
He raised the map to his view. It fluttered in his trembling hands. The ink was faded, but he made out the rough spirals marking a spot labeled the Oasis. It was somewhere north-east, past a rough zig zag line shaped like crooked fangs.
He lifted his head up. In the distance, crooked rocks stood like large teeth jutting from the earth.
"Good," Ren murmured. His throat was too dry to even give a clear voice.
He forced himself forwards, dragging one trembling foot after the other. His vision was blurring with every step he made. Sweat dripped from his hair and face. A line of sweat dripped down to his cracked lips. He winced as the droplet of sweat settled on his lips. It stung like pepper over a wound.
He turned when he heard a faint crunch. He didn't want to look back, not when he knew the Gunman was still out there.
Hours must've passed, there was no telling how many, but the sun slowly descended into the horizon. Ren staggered toward the rocks, shielding his eyes from the glare of the sunset. A faint breeze passed and his skin stung.
As Ren drew closer to the jagged rocks, he saw a silhouette slip between the stones.
Ren froze, reaching instinctively for a weapon that he didn't have.
"Who's there?" Ren said, weakly, picking up a rock.
A small figure crouched beside one of the crooked rocks. It stood up as Ren approached. It was a young girl draped in rough cloth and a tattered shawl. Her eyes were bright, too bright for this hopeless wasteland. She held a curved staff made of twisted root wood.
"Don't hurt me, please," she said, sniffling.
Ren appeared at the side of the rock.
She tilted her head at him. "Oh no. You're dying."
Ren almost laughed, tossing the rock away.
"Thanks… for the update."
"You shouldn't be here alone." She walked toward him cautiously, like she was approaching an injured animal.
"What about you?" Ren asked, panting.
The girl looked away, sadness filled her eyes.
"I've always been alone since the Golden Seat killed my parents. I'm used to this place."
Ren blinked hard, trying to hold his vision.
"Do you know where I can get water?"
She stepped close and offered her arm.
"Oasis. I can guide you there."
Ren hesitated. He never trusted anyone except Mace. And since he was a wanted criminal, he couldn't give himself to just anyone.
His legs gave out, and he stumbled forward. She caught him with surprising strength.
"Let me help you, please. The Oasis is very close."
She led Ren past the rocks to the other side.
"Were the Golden Seat after you too?"
"Yes," Ren coughed.
"I hate those people. They take whoever they like for their selfish reason."
"Sounds like people I know. Did your parents do something wrong?"
"No..."
She forced a smiled, "But you don't look like someone who is evil."
Ren couldn't find the strength to reply to her. Or he just couldn't find the right reply for a child. He was drifting away from life.
"We are there!" She pointed at the horizon where some other rocks opened into a wider valley. There was a touch of green at the feet of the rocks and down the valley.
The girl and Ren staggered faster.
"Hey! Stop right there."
A bang echoed and the shot chipped off a part of the rock ahead of them. The girl flinched. Ren twisted around too fast and fell to one knee.
The Gunman limped into view, half-slumped against a boulder and breathing heavily. His face was pale. His right shoulder looked limp and his entire cloth was soaked with dark, crusted blood. The gun was clutched in his trembling left hand.
"Boy…" he said, panting like a dying beast. "You…"
He tried to raise the gun higher but he couldn't.
The girl stepped in front of Ren, blocking him from the weak aim.
"He only needs water. Please don't hurt him."
The Gunman laughed.
"I also want the water from the Oasis to heal. Then when I'm done… I'll drag him by his hair to the Golden Seat myself. I'll get more money if you come with him."
Ren clenched his fists. The thought of being dragged back in chains and being owned made him angry.
His breath shook violently.
"I'm not going..."
"You don't have a choice," the Gunman spat. "Your bounty is worth more than your damn life. And... I won't fail."
He took one step towards them, but collapsed to one knee, swaying. He struggled to his feet again.
Ren looked at the girl. "You should leave."
She frowned. "Why?"
"Because I don't want you to get hurt."
Her expression hardened. "I'm not leaving you."
"Where is the Oasis, young lass?"
"There," she pointed at the green valley.
The girl grabbed Ren's arm and helped him up. She led Ren towards the valley. The Gunman dragged himself upright, bracing on a rock. With a heave, he pushed himself away from it and staggering behind them, pointing his gun at them.
The air in the valley was fresh, a direct contrast to the air they had been breathing on their way. It was cooler down there. Ren sighed when the soles of his feet touched the wet grasses.
"Where is the water?" The Gunman asked.
"Just ahead."
They reached the entrance of a cave. Inside the cave, water fell from the roof of the cave down to the floor. The Gunman pushed them away and limped into the waterfall. He kneeled in it, dropping his gun beside him. He trapped some water and gulped it down.
'Fool. I thought your pride won't let you drop your gun.'
Ren glared at him as the girl leaned him against the wall of the cave. She picked a clay pot from the corner and filled it with the water.
She passed the pot to him. He reduced its contents to half in a few gulps.
"Thank you."
The girl smiled. Ren hauled the water pot at the Gunman's head. He didn't know where the strength came from, but he didn't miss. The gunman crashed into a pool in front of him.
Ren scrambled to where he had knelt. He grabbed the gun in a flash.
The Courteous Gunman struggled in the pool.
"Help! I can't swim!" He cried. The fear in his eyes made Ren chuckle.
"Help me, you ingrate!"
Ren aimed at his head and fired. The gun recoiled, flying off his hand and slamming his face.
"Ow!" Ren cried, holding his face.
The man fell back, causing a splash. A crimson colouration spread across the surface of the water from the spot he floated in.
Ren looked up, shocked.
'I got him?'
He let out a loud, maniacal laugh as he fell to his knees. The girl stepped back, gripping her staff in fear.
He closed his eyes and a stream of tears rolled down his eyes.
"Get me out of here!" He yelled at the roof of the cave.
"I just wanted to be healed. When does this end? Do I have to die first?"
A light hand rested on his shoulder.
"Only the Pool of Rebirth can heal you."
"How did you..."
Before he could finish his sentence, he was tossed into the bloody pool.