The sun hung low in the sky, its cruel light heating over the endless sea of golden dunes. A large group moved silently through the desolate desert, their once-vibrant spirits beaten down by the unforgiving terrain.
Aran Lam, the heir of the Lam family, led the way, his half-map to the Shrine of Eternal Sands clenched tightly in his hands. Beside him walked Roni, the rich lady with an imperious demeanor and a sharp tongue that lashed out at those who fell behind.
"Move it, you useless fools!" Roni's voice cracked through the silence like a whip. "Do you want to die here in the sand? Faster!"
The weary men didn't dare respond, their cracked lips and hollow eyes betraying their exhaustion. None wanted to be the next target of Roni's insults, nor risk the wrath of Aran, whose sharp look cut through the crowd like a blade.
