Twelve hours on the move. Pushing my body through the hot blistering sand as I continued to press forwards. Even as a cold blooded beast the heat was starting to get to me. The sun threatened to bake me alive without any room for respite. Not even a cloud in the sky could be seen for miles. It was a cold hard fact that the longer I would dawdle through the endless sea of sand, the worse it would get for me.

And yet even through all this torment, I house no complaints. Not even the slightest murmur. My mind focused on the task at hand. The task I had been longing to complete for days now! I refuse to falter when I'm closer than I've ever been to accomplishing it.

Another sand encrusted hill stood before me like an elemental guardian of the wasteland. Another obstacle daring to stand in my way. Quite a fair sized one too. It would take five whole minutes just to get to the top I'd wager. Even then, it was still flat enough as to not provide any shade. Even so, I did not even stop to take a look at it. I just continued my journey. At this stage I may as well have been a machine I was so focused. Maybe a little too focused. However that idea washed itself away the moment it entered my head. The was no time for doubt or second thoughts.

As predicted, it had taken roughly five minutes until I had reached the top of the hill. It was a good view. But what made it worthwhile was seeing what was ahead. It was a city. Smaller than Gongmen and looked to be crumbling away. Barely behind it lay a small group of mountains. I was close now. I almost felt like reaching out to grab it and break it into small pieces of rubble. Well, I suppose that's why I have the bombs with me I suppose.

Keep going...

Still, I can't waste any more time admiring the sight. I need to keep moving. I stop now, I may never get going again.

An hour passed by. Then another. And another and another until I finally reached the city gates. Just in time too. Darkness was starting to creep out. So much for travelling a day plus a few hours hm?

The large twenty foot tall gates were, as expected, busted and worn from times assault. One gate had its top hinge broken, yet it had surprisingly not snapped clean off the remaining hinge. The other looked to be worse off as it looked like someone had tried hacking at it with a giant axe. There were huge marks all over it and unlike its twin had fallen onto the ground, frail and forever broken. Having seen enough of the entrance, I stared forwards seeing rotting buildings and dust filled streets. For the first time in a while, I gave a sniff of amusement. The only bodily action I had performed since leaving Gongmen.

"So, this is Talios"? I asked myself. "Charming".

I slithered forwards, almost regretting doing so. Once passing the front gates, the temperature felt like it had rapidly dropped. Where I had felt nearly lifeless moments ago, that feeling was replaced with an eerie sensation. Like I was being watched by a hundred pairs of eyes. What was worse was what I could hear.

Nothing.

It may sound foolish at first, worried over hearing nothing. But it was dead quiet. Back outside the gates, you could hear the wind, the grains of sand passing over each other... the sound of myself moving on the ground. Here, there was none of that. Just the bare sound of me breathing, and even that sounded deathly quiet.

At least it was until I heard it. Something that almost froze me to my core.

You'd be forgiven for not hearing it at first, and damn lucky too it was so faint. But there was no mistaking the sound. The laugh of a child carried on the icy wind echoed through my ear holes. It was enough for me to want to turn back and slither around the city rather than through it.

Keep going...

And yet I couldn't. I felt the need to keep going at the risk of my sanity. Bravely or foolishly I pressed forwards once more. The further into the city I travelled, the more concerned I felt.

Strange whispers could be heard all around. Too low to hear what they were saying. What was even more concerning was my mind was playing tricks on me. At least that's what I so sorely hoped. From the corner of my eyes, I saw something out of focus move at lighting speed, like it was getting out of my way as fast as it could. I sometimes looked at the window to see something standing within it, failing to realise it until I took another look at which point it's not there any more. Even the shadows looked like they were moving briefly.

It continued that way right up until...

BANG

The sound was so sudden and loud that I almost screamed. I looked to where I heard the noise and found that it came from a door, swinging back and forth ever so gently now. It had the image of a pink, and very faded flower on it. It reminded me very much so of Vipers head pieces. The wind picked up again and blew against me, and worse in the direction of the door. It was like someone was gently pushing me forwards. But after the sensation of being around on the streets I doubted my heart could withstand being inside a confined space with the feeling of something jumping out at any moment to claim my soul. However the wind continued to pick up, almost to a point where the dust and sand was beginning to become a hazard, I was forced inside. The moment I did, the wind died down once more.

Inside, it looked like someone's house. Only filled to the brim with dust and spider webs, probably from some non sentient species. To the left was a dining room with a rectangular table and several chairs on either side. There was another door right at the end, closed off. I didn't feel too comfortable going that way. To the right was a flight of stairs leading up to a not so dark second floor. Without thinking, I made my way up.

The stairs creaked from my weight and I felt unnerved. Once I had made it to the top after what felt like longer than I would have liked, three rooms waited in silence. Only one caught my eyes. The door on the right. It had the flower on it like the one outside. Again, swayed by it like a siren would do a ship of sailors, I was almost drawn to it. I wrapped my tail around the handle, feeling the years worth of dust that had gathered on it. I pushed it open.

Inside, it was a small room. One half of it covered by a bed. On the pillow of the bed rested something white and circular. I had the horrifying feeling that I did not want to turn it over. Thankfully there was something else that grabbed my attention. A small book right at the foot of the bed. I can't explain why but I suddenly had the overwhelming urge to open it up and look inside of it. I did so at once, picking it up and opening the book. The pages inside fell both left and right before landing on a random page. I lowered my head to get a better look at the hard to read writing. Most likely it was written by a child. This made me feel no better remembering what was up on the bed mere feet away.

5th February Year of the Dragon
Dear Diary. Mommy said that I needed to help out with the chores today. It was soooo boring! Sometimes I think I should be in charge of the house. It would be so much better, wouldn't you agree? No more icky vegetables would be a great start.
Daddy is working late again. His boss must be so mean for making him work so late. I wish he would quit so that he could spend more time with me and mommy.

That was all that was written down. The next entry was three days later.

8th February Year of the Dragon
Dear Diary. New year is a little over a week away now. I can't wait! Why couldn't it be one week later now? Stupid time. I think I feel better celebrating it here at home rather than out with others like we usually do. I've been hearing people talk about other people missing and that they are scared that someone among them is doing it.

Do you think Mommy and Daddy would mind if I asked if we could spend new years here? If we do I think I'd try to fall asleep on the couch again. Up here has been cold the last few days even though my window is closed. Welp, that's all I have for today Diary. Goodbye.

10th February Year of the Dragon
Dear Diary. Today I met a new friend. I can't tell you her name because I don't think I can spell it. But she's really nice. She said she wanted me to come with her to the mountains to help her with something important. All the others she asked to help her did not do so good and she had to send them back home. She said that in return I could have whatever I wanted. Is she a genie? She can fly and when I try to tell mommy and daddy about her, they say they can't see her. Maybe they're too old and boring for genies.

11th February Year of the Dragon
Dear Diary. I don't think my new friend likes Emperor Bàojūn very much. I said his name and she got mad and left for a few minutes. She came back but said we would need to go to the mountains on the day before new year. I kind of want to know what she wants to go to the mountains for. Do you think she has some amazing fireworks and she's waiting to use them for new years night?

15th February Year of the Dragon
Dear diary. My friend had to wake me up super early today and take me to the mountains. I want to go back to sleep but she says it will be worth it. I'm wasting time just talking to you. I'm so excited! I just hope mommy and daddy don't get angry when they find out. When I get back later today, I can't wait to tell you about what's at the mountain. Goodbye for now diary.

The next diary entry was five days later. What's more it was hastily scribbled down, making the icy feeling that had been growing in my stomach sink deeper.

20th February Year of the Snake
Diary! She's mad at me! There were no fireworks at the mountains! I don't know what I did wrong but she says I'm going to pay for whatever I did even though I said I was sorry! Her eyes turned into fire and her skin began to melt! I made it back home but I've been busy trying to warn mommy and daddy about her! They think I'm messing around! I don't know what to do! It's starting to get cold in here! She's -

The entry stopped right there and I placed it back on the floor. My mind began to focus on my surroundings once more.

And that's when I felt it. Something cold brushing against the side of my face every couple of seconds very softly. Then I noticed a sound just as soft. Coming and going. I slowly turned my head to see what was causing it. Before I laid my eyes on the source, my mind clicked as I recognised the noise. It was the sound of someone breathing.

I screamed so loud. The white circular object was exactly what I thought it was. The skull of a child, dirty and broken. But that wasn't the worst part. The worst part was that it was now staring directly at me.

I didn't look back as I barged out of the room and down the stairs, wanting nothing more than to get out of the house before I joined the numbers of the dead. I successfully made it out in one piece. But not before hearing the sound of a child's laughter loud and clear one final time.

That was the last incident I experienced in that city. I made it to the other end without seeing or hearing another of what may have been souls of the damned. With that nightmare over with, I found the strength to block what I could from my mind as my task came back to light. The mountains, compared to the journey so far was but a stones throw away. The memory of the city and its long dead citizens were another burning reminder of why I'm about to do what I must, no matter how hard I tried to bury it.

/./././././././

This one was a little dark, wasn't it? Guess it's just the inspiration of the month. Thanks for reading guys. Cheerio!