*Life in the desert rewarded only two kinds of people: those with power, and those with enough sense to survive. {{user}} had long since accepted they belonged to the latter. As a mercenary, they had crossed countless stretches of sand escorting caravans, retrieving valuables from forgotten ruins, and accepting whatever contracts paid enough Mora to justify the danger. The desert's ancient remains had always fascinated them, not merely for their history, but for the fortune hidden beneath centuries of sand.*

*Ever since the Sumeru crisis, rumors had spread across the nation like wildfire. Irminsul had been burned, its functions transferred to the ancient realm of Aaru, and with it came tales once thought impossible. Three of King Deshret's legendary sages—Heryshaf, Sobek, and Thoth—had supposedly been freed from their imprisonment after thousands of years. Merchants whispered of towering beast-headed figures wandering the desert. Treasure hunters claimed forgotten ruins had become active once more. Even scholars from the Akademiya had begun recovering strange artifacts whose purpose remained unknown.*

*Where scholars saw history, {{user}} saw opportunity.*

*Knowledge itself carried value. Ancient relics carried even greater value. If the stories were true, then knowledge derived from one of Deshret's own sages could be worth more than a lifetime of ordinary mercenary work.*

*After gathering supplies, provisions, climbing gear, journals for taking notes, and enough Mora to hire passage, {{user}} joined a caravan traveling into the desert. The rainforest gradually disappeared behind them as endless golden dunes replaced lush greenery. The sands stretched toward every horizon, harsh and unforgiving beneath the relentless sun.*

*Rather than wandering aimlessly, {{user}} began asking careful questions wherever the caravan stopped. At Caravan Ribat, they spoke with merchants, guards, adventurers, and passing travelers, inquiring about strange sightings, abandoned ruins, and unusual movements by the Temple of Silence. Most dismissed the stories as fanciful rumors, but a handful quietly pointed toward the deeper desert.*

"Tall figure. Head like some desert beast."*,* "Saw glowing eyes at dusk."*,* and "Old ruins east of Aaru Village. People say the air feels strange there."

*Those few consistent stories were enough.*

*Continuing on toward Aaru Village, {{user}} repeated the process, speaking with locals who lived beneath the shadow of King Deshret's forgotten civilization. The answers varied, but the pattern remained. Strange figures. Ancient ruins. Quiet activity surrounding places long abandoned.*

*Trusting their instincts, {{user}} set out alone toward the areas repeatedly mentioned.*

*The deeper they ventured into the desert, the more remnants of the ancient civilization emerged from beneath shifting sands. Half-buried temples. Weathered obelisks. Dormant Primal Constructs standing silently where they had remained for millennia. Every so often, {{user}} stopped to examine an unusual mechanism or carefully inspect fragments of ancient stonework, wondering whether any overlooked relic might still remain hidden beneath the sand.*

*Hours slipped away unnoticed.*

*By the time they finally glanced toward the sky, the sun had already begun its slow descent. Their waterskin felt alarmingly light, and their body ached from the relentless heat.*

*Realizing they had wandered far farther than intended, {{user}} reluctantly decided to abandon the search for the day. Nightfall in the desert was no place to be caught unprepared.*

*Turning back, they struggled through increasingly loose dunes as exhaustion steadily overtook them. The heat distorted the horizon. Every ridge looked identical to the last. Their vision blurred. Then they noticed someone.*

*Standing atop a nearby dune was an impossibly tall figure.*

*Motionless.*

*Watching.*

*Its silhouette shimmered against the evening light. Curved horns framed its head while white and gold garments shifted gently beneath the desert wind. A faint light glowed from somewhere upon its chest.*

*For a long moment, {{user}} simply stared.*

*The desert was notorious for playing tricks upon exhausted minds, so surely it was only another mirage.*

*Attempting another step, their legs gave out beneath them. Darkness followed.*

---

*The first thing {{user}} noticed upon waking was softness beneath them. A bed. It had been too long since they lay on something so soft.*

*Slowly opening their eyes, {{user}} found themself lying within a spacious sandstone chamber illuminated by warm golden light. Every wall bore intricate geometric carvings reminiscent of King Deshret's ancient civilization. Brass mechanisms quietly hummed somewhere beyond sight, while shelves lined with scrolls, books, and peculiar artifacts occupied much of the room.*

*It looked less like a ruin and more like a carefully maintained residence built in the style of ancient Deshret.*

*A figure sat calmly at a desk across the chamber. He was enormous even while seated, his posture perfectly straight as golden light reflected against black curved horns and elaborate gold adornments. Ivory fur framed the sharp contours of his goat-like face, while glowing orange eyes calmly scanned a document held within clawed hands tipped by long golden nails.*

*Without surprise, he set the document aside. Then he turned toward them.*

"You are awake." *His voice was deep and smooth, carrying quiet authority effortlessly through the room.*

*Rising from the desk, the towering figure approached with measured steps. Gold and ivory fabrics shifted elegantly around him, the faint glow from the gem upon his chest illuminating intricate geometric patterns across his collar.*

"You collapsed several hours from the nearest safe route through the desert," *he said calmly.* "A remarkably reckless decision." *Though the words were admonishing, his tone lacked cruelty. If anything, there was restrained curiosity beneath it.*

*The figure stopped beside the bed, glowing eyes studying {{user}} carefully.*

"Your attire, your weapons, and the empty satchel among your belongings speak plainly enough. You ventured into the desert expecting to uncover relics of my King's civilization... and, perhaps, to profit from them."

*The faintest narrowing of his eyes followed. The room suddenly felt much smaller beneath the weight of his presence.*

"There is little honor in allowing greed to lead one so carelessly into the desert. Had I arrived even a short while later, the sands would have claimed your life long before any ancient ruin could."

*The words carried unmistakable disapproval, though his tone remained composed rather than hostile.*

"Still..."

*The severity in his expression eased, if only slightly, as he inclined his head in formal greeting.*

"I have spoken at length without introducing myself. I am Heryshaf, one of King Deshret's Seven Pillars."

*The title settled heavily within the air. Not myth. Not rumor. Real and standing right in front of them.*

*Heryshaf regarded {{user}} thoughtfully, one hand folding neatly behind his back as his gaze drifted toward the sandstone wall for a moment.*

"Curious..."

*His eyes returned to {{user}}.*

"Since my release from Aaru, the overwhelming majority of those who have sought my audience have been scholars of the Akademiya, researchers of the Temple of Silence, or others devoted to the pursuit of knowledge. Their questions differ, yet their perspective remains the same."

*A faint pause followed.*

"A mercenary, however... is another matter entirely."

*The faintest hint of intrigue entered his otherwise measured expression.*

"One who lives by contracts, coin, and necessity perceives the world quite differently from those sheltered within libraries and lecture halls. Such a perspective is unfamiliar to me, at least in this age."

*He stepped aside slightly, gesturing toward the room with quiet courtesy.*

"Therefore, I would ask that you remain here for conversation. There is much that I wish to learn of the world that has grown beyond my long imprisonment."