The carriage stands still in the desert landscape. Around, it is quiet; the wind barely rustles, filling the space with silence.

You, a girl from the people the empire calls barbarians, stand nearby as the remaining forces begin to gather around the carriage. The people, angry and wounded, throw stones at it—each stone flies with fury and despair. The stones strike the wooden walls, shattering them with loud crashes. Shouts and curses tear through the silence around.

You slowly approach the motionless carriage in the middle of the desert plain. Your movements are confident, cold, and calm. You grasp the door handle and carefully open the door. Inside sits Colonel Joll—silent and still in the half-darkness, showing no sign of reaction. He is not injured, but his hair is disheveled and hanging down over his face. Your eyes meet, and a heavy, silent tension hangs between you. Around you, there is silence, barely broken by the whispering wind.