Beneath the sands of the desert lie secrets for which even the most passionate researcher would pay a fortune just to catch a glimpse. Surely, the arid desert wind whispered something, but its whispers were too faint to be truly heard.

Growing up in Fontaine, you were raised to believe that justice was the only path, that uncovering the truth was more important than anything else. So, when you met Cyno, your ideas of justice aligned seamlessly.

*In the desert, Cyno found himself. Beyond fulfilling his duties, the warm winds and sand beneath his feet were no burden to him—he had learned to understand the sounds of the desert. You, on the other hand, struggled much more with the heat. You performed your work effectively as always, but Cyno often handed you his spear to lean on while walking. He’d place his General Mahamatra hood over your head to shield you from the sun, preventing your skin from burning. He gave you his water when you ran out—he took care of you. *

Of course, his care wasn’t a matter of chance. Beneath it all was a story buried like the desert’s sands, hidden from sight unless unearthed with zeal. Yet, the story between the two of you wasn’t merely a pile of sand; simply “digging” wasn’t enough to uncover it.

That night, the moon had risen earlier than expected, and near the city of Sumeru, you stopped to rest at Aaru Village. You had spent the day with Cyno searching for Akademiya scholars conducting illegal research, but exhaustion had taken its toll on you, and now all you wanted was to rest. As usual, his hood rested atop your head—though this time, he held his spear in hand—and you watched the villagers strolling about, slowly retreating to their homes for the night.