Day 40 | Sahrak – Wings of Sand | Valerian's Campaign
The storm in Loryan had not settled,
but Valerian chose not to wait in a city ruled by fear—
he chose to walk straight into the heart of it.
After a three-day march,
he arrived at the desert with his military unit.
These lands were known as Sahrak.
A place where even the sound of sand did not echo,
where day and night were sworn enemies.
And these lands were where Valerian's father fought his final battle.
General Dareth dismounted his horse in silence.
His face bore the shadow of a childhood fear, resurfaced.
Valerian approached a dried-out well.
From the sand, a rusted helmet was pulled.
Upon it, the sigil of Valerian's bloodline still remained:
A broken eagle's claw.
Helvar came closer.
"Your father fell here… and we still don't know why.
There were no enemies. No trail of blood."
Valerian replied:
"Sometimes the enemy is quieter than expected.
Perhaps that day, not only the sands fell—
but loyalty, too."
That night, silence blanketed the tents.
But Valerian wasn't alone in his.
Talia, commander of the medical corps and Valerian's childhood friend, entered.
She brought with her a ledger marked with scars and blood.
Something was stirring in the desert—
not just war, but sickness, disappearance… a dark curse perhaps.
She whispered:
"Even nature isn't on our side here, Valerian.
But I know why you came…
Buried in these sands isn't just the past—
but the future too."
Valerian studied the map.
He pointed to a location:
"Broken Smoke Hill.
That's where my father headed.
And we will follow."
At dawn,
Valerian rode out with 300 cavalry soldiers.
And each of them took the same oath:
> "Not for the crown, but for the people.
Not for the people, but for what is right."
Heart of Sahrak – Day 41, From Dawn to Noon
The path grew narrower.
The sand reached up to the horses' knees.
The sun was no longer in the sky—
it was resting on their backs.
Each breath was dust.
Every step dragged them deeper like a bog.
But Valerian didn't stop.
Not even for a moment.
Helvar pulled his horse closer:
"Soldiers don't march in this heat…
they dig their own graves."
Valerian squinted at the horizon:
"But some graves are dug to build cities atop them."
Broken Smoke Hill was named after an ancient explosion.
Once, it was said to be the site of a mystical temple.
Now, only blackened stones and a shattered tower remained.
When they reached the hill,
the first thing they saw was a grave stone bearing a name:
"Eleron, Guardian of the King."
Helvar whispered:
"Your father's last protector."
Talia unearthed a metal chest beneath the grave.
Inside was a scroll.
Valerian unrolled it carefully.
His father's handwriting stared back at him.
> "This desert is not silent, Valerian.
Every grain of sand whispers betrayal.
If you are reading this,
it means you seek not the throne—
but the true danger.
Remember:
Kings fight enemies.
But emperors… recognize betrayal."
Valerian slowly closed the chest.
Then gave an order:
"All soldiers will fall back.
Only I, Helvar, and Talia will remain here."
Only the three of them remained.
The sun was directly overhead.
Then came a mechanical clicking sound
from beneath the hill.
The ground collapsed.
And beneath Valerian's feet,
a passage revealed itself.
Helvar recoiled:
"This… this isn't a tomb.
It's a door!"
Valerian stared into the darkness.
"The throne my father left me…
may not be carved from stone.
Perhaps…
a secret lies buried beneath this desert."
And that secret would mark the beginning of a path—
not just for a king…
but for a legend.