The transition from the frozen Frost-Lands to the Great Desert was like stepping into a furnace. The cool blue light of Elara's second crystal seemed to dim under the oppressive, golden glare of the desert sun. For three days, they had traveled across shifting dunes that stretched like an endless ocean of fire. Every breath felt like inhaling hot ash, and the water in their flasks had long since turned lukewarm.
Kaelen wiped the sweat from his forehead, his dark cloak now covered in a fine layer of yellow dust. "The Sun-City lies beyond the Scorpion's Tail dunes," he said, pointing toward a shimmering mirage on the horizon. "But the desert is alive, Elara. The Council has placed ancient guardians beneath these sands to ensure no one reaches the third shard."
Suddenly, the ground beneath them began to ripple. A low, rhythmic thrumming vibrated through Elara's boots. The Great Crystal in her palm flared with a warning heat. "Something is coming," she whispered, her voice parched. From beneath the sand, a massive creature made of hardened glass and molten rock emerged—a Sand-Leviathan. Its roar was like the sound of grinding stones, and its eyes glowed with the same orange light she had seen on her map.