The Great Desert was not just a place; it was a monster made of sand and fire. The sun hung high in the sky, a white eye that stared down at the world without blinking. Heat waves danced above the golden dunes, making the horizon look like moving water. There was no sound except the wind, which whispered secrets across the empty land.
In the middle of this ocean of sand, a small machine moved quickly. It was a Sand-Skiff, a vehicle with a flat bottom and wide sails. It moved over the dunes like a boat on the sea. The wind pushed its white canvas sails, and the engine hummed with a tired sound.
At the steering wheel stood a young woman. Her name was Saira. She was small and slender, with hair the color of sunlight and eyes as blue as the deep sky. She wore practical traveling clothes—a light tunic and sturdy boots—but on her back, hidden under a short cape, were two white wings. She was a Wyndian, a person of the sky, but today she was trapped on the ground.
Behind her, a large man sat on a wooden crate. This was Toran. He was a member of the Woren tribe, tall and muscular, with fur on his arms and a face that looked like a tiger. He wiped sweat from his forehead with a heavy hand.
"Are we there yet?" Toran grumbled. His voice was deep, like stones rolling down a hill. "This heat is cooking me inside my own skin."
Saira sighed but kept her eyes on the path ahead. She gripped the wheel tighter. "Stop complaining, Toran. We are close. The map says the town of Solis is just past those cliffs."
Toran shifted his weight, making the small ship tilt slightly. "We have been 'close' for two days, Saira. I am starting to think this desert has no end. Maybe the Zenoa Empire moved the border just to confuse us."
"We have to keep going," Saira said, her voice soft but firm. "We have to find her. We have to find Liana."
Mentioning the name made the air feel heavier than the heat. Liana. She was Saira's older sister and Toran's fiancée. She had disappeared weeks ago near this desert, a place where the Aethim Federation met the territory of the Zenoa Empire.
Toran looked down at his hands. "I know. We will find her. Even if I have to turn over every grain of sand in this wasteland."
Suddenly, the ground beneath them shook.
BOOM!
A geyser of sand exploded in front of the skiff. Saira screamed and pulled the wheel hard to the left. The ship drifted sideways, spraying sand into the air.
"What was that?" Toran shouted, standing up and reaching for the heavy wooden pole on his back.
"Something is under us!" Saira cried out.
Before she could finish her sentence, a massive shadow rose from the sand. It was a Sand-Worm, a creature as thick as a tree trunk with tough, brown scales. It did not have eyes, only a round mouth filled with rows of sharp, spinning teeth. It let out a screech that hurt their ears.
"Hold on!" Saira yelled.
The monster slammed its body against the side of the Sand-Skiff. The sound of wood cracking was loud and terrible. The impact threw the vehicle into the air. For a second, they were flying without wings. Then, gravity took over. The skiff crashed into the side of a dune, rolling over once before coming to a stop upside down.
Silence returned to the desert. Dust and sand floated in the air like a thick fog.
"Ugh..." A low groan came from beneath a pile of broken wood. Toran pushed a heavy plank aside and sat up. He shook his head, sending sand flying from his hair. "Saira? Saira! Where are you?"
"I am... here," a voice coughed.
Saira crawled out from under the broken sail. Her face was dirty, and there was a small cut on her cheek, but she looked okay. She stood up and looked at their vehicle. It was a disaster. The mast was snapped in two, and the main wheel was bent into a useless shape. Smoke rose from the engine.
"It is broken," Saira whispered. She touched the broken wood gently. "Completely broken."
Toran kicked the side of the ship in anger. "Curse it! This is what we get for buying a cheap skiff from a back-alley merchant. Now we are stranded."
He looked around. The desert was vast and empty. The sun was starting to go down, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple. The heat was fading, but soon the cold of the night would come.
"We cannot stay here," Saira said, looking at her compass. "We need water. We need parts to fix the ship. And we need information about Liana."
"I can carry the supplies," Toran offered, trying to stand up straight, but he winced in pain. He held his leg.
Saira noticed it immediately. "You are hurt."
"It is nothing. Just a bruise," Toran lied, though his face showed pain.
"You cannot walk to Solis on that leg, Toran. You are too heavy, and the sand is deep," Saira said, shaking her head. She adjusted her cape. "You stay here. Guard the wreckage. I will go to Solis alone."
"Alone?" Toran frowned. "No. It is too dangerous. This is the borderland. There are Zenoa soldiers and bandits everywhere. A princess like you walking alone?"
"I am not helpless, Toran. I have magic," Saira said, raising her hand. A small gust of wind swirled around her fingers. "And if things get bad, I can fly. You cannot."
Toran looked at her, then at his injured leg. He knew she was right. He let out a frustrated breath. "Fine. But you must be careful. Do not talk to soldiers. Do not tell anyone who you really are. Just get the parts for the ship and come back."
"I promise," Saira smiled weakly. "I will be back before dawn."
Saira turned and began to walk. Her boots sank slightly into the soft sand with every step. She walked toward the setting sun, leaving Toran and the broken ship behind.
The journey was lonely. The desert changed as the sun went down. The golden sand turned blue and grey under the twilight. The wind became colder. Saira wrapped her arms around herself. She missed the palace in Wyndia. She missed her soft bed. But mostly, she missed Liana.
Where are you, sister? she thought. Are you cold? Are you scared?
She walked for an hour, then two. Just as the stars began to appear, she saw something strange in the sky.
A light.
It was not a star. It was moving too fast. It was a streak of bright light, burning across the dark sky like a scar. It grew bigger and brighter, roaring like thunder.