"I... command... you... to stay."
Those were the final, gasping words Isiah uttered before slipping into absolute unconsciousness, his voice raspy as he desperately pleaded with Jaffar not to abandon him in that terrifying wasteland.
Jaffar was acutely aware that remaining motionless in this environment would drain their precious reserves at a disastrous rate, guaranteeing Isiah's death.
Reaching beneath Isiah's slumped body, Jaffar began feverishly excavating the terrain, clearing away the loose sand beneath him until he could maneuver himself underneath. Securing the unmoving human onto his back, Jaffar rose and began to march.
He refused to leave him behind to perish, not after Isiah had explicitly begged for his protection.
Directing his steps back across the barren path, Jaffar initiated a desperate search for Eijar. He possessed zero knowledge of her current condition or whereabouts, yet he pushed forward regardless.
