Wind whipped up swirling eddies of sand around two men standing in the barren expanse of the desert. The fine grit, carried by relentless gusts, rattled against the lenses of their circular safety glasses. Although the glasses gave protection against the sand, that wasn’t the main reason they wore them. The hope was that the tinted lenses would protect them against what they were about to do.

Before them lay a desiccated corpse, its leathery skin stretched taut over brittle bones. The desert heat had turned what remained of the flesh into a feast for microbes and insects, while larger scavengers had already stripped the juicier parts, leaving behind an array of gaping holes and shredded tissue. The body was unrecognizable, indistinguishable from the countless others that had met similar ends under the unyielding desert sun.

In short, the guy was dead. Really dead. So dead that Thomas couldn’t even tell which one of the mercenaries he was.

A couple of days after the disaster at the mine, Thomas had returned to clean up. The chaos in Blackwater, the shootout that had left the town in shambles, had been enough to keep the sheriff preoccupied, giving Thomas the time he needed to erase any evidence of what had been going on at the mine. It had also become a convenient place to acquire a corpse for testing Mr. Liu’s phoenix shots.

In the weeks since, they had kept a low profile, still cognizant of the threat the sheriff posed to the whole operation. Thomas hadn’t minded the downtime, it gave him a chance to tinker in the kitchen, experimenting with recipes he’d been wanting to try. Mr. Liu, on the other hand, had spent the time crafting an arsenal of inventions that all seemed preposterously dangerous. Although he insisted that they were all commissioned by their boss, Thomas suspected that Mr Liu might have a touch of chaos goblin about him and he might just like dangerous things.

Eventually, Thomas decided the scrutiny had lessened enough to risk their next move. And so, here he found himself. In the desert, with a corpse and a man he now confidently placed in the category of “mad scientist” trying to bring that corpse back to life.

Thomas cast a wary glance at Mr. Liu, who was fussing over his equipment with unbridled excitement. Thomas couldn’t stop his facial expression betraying more than a little unease.

“You worry too much, my friend,” Mr. Liu replied, beaming. “Everything will be fine. But... uh... just to check, you did bring gauntlets, yes?”

Thomas opened his suit jacket, revealing the heavy magic gauntlets strapped to his sides.

“Perhaps you should put on. That way if he comes back as evil zombie you *bop* him on head and everything a-ok.” Mr Liu mimed a punch as he said *bop*. It was a bad punch. They would have to work on that.

The gleaming crystals embedded in each gauntlet caught the sunlight as he slipped them on, securing the fire crystal to his right hand and the force crystal to his left. He clenched his fists, testing the weight, and gave a curt nod.

Thomas wasn’t as exited about the test as Mr Liu. He’d never fought a zombie before. Hell, he wasn’t even sure they were real. Then again, he hadn’t believed in the Mothman either, not until it showed up on his mother’s porch. With a resigned sigh, he took a step back as Mr. Liu retrieved a custom-built pistol from his satchel.

The weapon was absurdly large, its barrel over a foot long and reinforced to withstand the massive .600-caliber phoenix shot. Vents ran along its sides to dissipate magical energy in case of a misfire. Neither feature had been tested, a fact that only deepened Thomas’s apprehension.

“Ho-kay then!” Mr. Liu declared, sliding the cartridge into the break-action chamber and snapping it shut. “Test one of phoenix shot!”

Taking a two-handed grip, he pointed the pistol at the corpse. Thomas instinctively raised his arms to shield himself as the weapon roared to life, spitting fire with enough force to knock Mr. Liu clean off his feet. The shot struck the corpse, creating a blinding flash of light that immediately sucked into the wound.

For several agonizing moments, nothing happened. The two men waited, the tension thick enough to choke on. Then, faint tendrils of golden light began spreading from the bullet hole. The light moved like a living flame, twisting and curling as it consumed the body. It grew brighter and more intense, forcing Thomas to avert his gaze, even with the shaded safety glasses.

The corpse ignited, flames climbing higher and burning with an almost sentient ferocity. Soon the fire was raging with enough size and intensity that Thomas had to take a step back. Then the fire condensed, spiraling into a single point above the remains. When it finally collapsed inward, all that was left of the body was a pile of ash. The condensed flame shrank further, forming a pinprick of brilliant light that emitted a piercing, high-pitched whistle before exploding outward.

Thomas hit the ground, shielding his head. When he looked up, a glowing, flaming figure hovered above the ashes. As the fire receded, the figure descended to the ground, kneeling in the dust. The light faded entirely, revealing a reborn man, naked and trembling.

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The man stared at his hands, his expression one of awe and terror. “Wh... what happened? Where am I? I... I was dead. I remember dying. Am... am I alive?”

Thomas, as usual, said nothing as he got to his feet, his fists raised in case of trouble.

The man’s eyes narrowed. “You. I know you. You’re the one who hired us.”

Again, Thomas stayed silent.

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Oh, no... am I a ghost? Cursed to wander this scorched plain for eternity? Envious of the living. Being unable to partake in the joys of life. Unable to even partake in the sorrows. Oh what is joy without sorrow? What is this cursed existence without pain to contrast the joy. What I would give for the sweet agony of heart break. What I wo-”

“You must forgive my friend,” Mr. Liu interjected, interrupting the man's monologue as he brushed dirt off his coat and stood back up. “He does not talk much. You were dead, but now you are alive. Simple. You may need time to comprehend this””

“I... I’m alive?” The man touched his face, realization dawning. “But how? What did you do?”

Mr. Liu waved a hand dismissively. “Shot you with phoenix fox fur and crystal. Allowed rebirth. Very simple, really.”

“So... I can’t die?” said the man in wonder

“No, no, you definitely can—”

“Wow! I can’t die!” The man’s voice rose in awe, cutting Mr. Liu off as he marveled at his hands.

“This will end poorly,” Mr. Liu muttered, glancing at Thomas. “We should collect data before he dies again.”

Thomas nodded in agreement, a silent understanding passing between him and Mr. Liu. Without a word, he grabbed the reborn man by the arm, pulling him upright and steadying him as Mr. Liu leaned in for a quick, albeit thorough, medical check.

“Pulse... normal,” Mr. Liu began, his tone clinical as he pressed two fingers against the man’s neck.

He shifted to check blood pressure with a compact magical device, its faint hum indicating functionality. “Blood pressure... normal.”

Placing a hand gently under the man’s jaw, he tilted his head back and peered into his mouth. “Airways... clear.”

A brief squeeze of the man’s fingertip followed. “Capillary refill... normal.”

Mr. Liu crouched slightly, reflecting light into the man’s eyes from a small mirror. “Pupillary response... normal.”

Stepping back, Mr. Liu clapped his hands together, evidently pleased. “His health is stable. Unlikely to spontaneously die,” he declared, as though the man were a particularly well-constructed piece of machinery.

“That’s... that’s real great to hear and all,” the man stammered, clearly overwhelmed, “but, uh, quick question... are you guys responsible for that as well?”

He raised a trembling hand to point at something in the distance.

Thomas and Mr. Liu turned to follow his gaze. For a moment, they saw nothing out of the ordinary, just the rugged horizon, a jagged outline of mountains under the blazing desert sun. Then, the mountain moved.

At first, it was subtle, almost imperceptible, like a mirage shimmering in the heat. Then it began to turn. The unmistakable flow of molten lava spilling down its sides, glowing rivers that split the rocky terrain in their path provided references points for the movement of the mountain. Two massive eyes, burning like twin suns, came into focus, staring unblinking, turned and focused on them. Not at the horizon behind them, but at them. The creature’s movements were deliberate, its massive form radiating power as it took a step in their direction.

Between the colossal beast and their current position lay Blackwater, the town had already endured more than its fair share of hardship.

“That…is not one of mine,” Mr. Liu murmured, his voice tinged with awe. He leaned forward, his gaze locked on the monstrous figure. “But I think I must study it.”

Thomas shot him a sharp look, immediately recognizing the dangerous glint in his friend's eyes. Before Mr. Liu could take a step toward the towering creature, Thomas grabbed his shoulder, gripping it firmly.

Snapping his fingers in front of Mr. Liu’s face, Thomas brought him back to reality. When Liu’s attention returned, Thomas gestured with a decisive jab of his thumb back toward the farm.

Mr. Liu blinked, visibly shaking off his trance. “Uh, yes... yes, you are right,” he stammered. “We should get back. We may need to prepare.”

By the time Mr. Liu had gathered his wits, Thomas was already moving. He worked swiftly, loading their gear onto the horses with practiced efficiency. He tossed a poncho to the naked man, who fumbled to put it on before climbing awkwardly into the saddle. Mr. Liu required a bit more convincing, his attention still half-drawn to the titanic beast in the distance, but Thomas wasn’t in the mood to argue. With a firm tug on Liu’s coat, he practically dragged the man to his horse.

Within moments, the three of them were riding hard toward Maggie’s farm, the thunder of hooves kicking up clouds of dust behind them.

As the desert flew by, Thomas’s thoughts churned. Worry settled in his chest like a stone, heavy and unyielding. If that thing reached Blackwater, the town wouldn’t stand a chance. Buildings would crumble like sandcastles in a storm, lives snuffed out in an instant. And if Blackwater fell, Maggie’s farm would be next.

Thomas gritted his teeth, his hands tightening on the reins. There wouldn’t even be a fight. No defense, no last stand. Evacuation was the only option, the only way to save lives. But convincing his mother to leave... that would be another battle entirely.

Maggie’s farm wasn’t just land. It was a sanctuary, a refuge carved out of the chaos of her life. After all the tragedy she had endured, that farm was her peace, her anchor. Asking her to abandon it felt cruel, like taking away the one thing that had kept her standing.

But Thomas couldn’t let her stay, not this time. He had to make her understand.

He had to save her.