Sira wiped the sweat from his brow, the scorching sun above relentless as he trudged through the endless expanse of sand. The tracks of his explorer team had long disappeared beneath shifting dunes, leaving him utterly alone. His canteen was nearly empty, the heat oppressive, and the silence unnervingly vast.

As he squinted into the shimmering horizon, a flicker of movement caught his eye—something fast, darting between the dunes. His heart skipped a beat. He whipped his head around, scanning the area, but all he could see was golden sand stretching endlessly in every direction.

“Hello?” he called out, his voice hoarse and breaking against the heavy air. Nothing answered, only the faint whisper of the wind carrying grains of sand.

Was it an animal? A shadow? Or maybe the sun playing tricks on his tired mind? Sira stood frozen, torn between relief at not being entirely alone and unease at what—or who—might be out here with him.