[Azrath Desert — Eastern Trade Route — The Same Afternoon]
The dessert burned by the time the Veyrath procession reached the eastern trade route. Beyond the last imperial watchtower stretched the Azrath Desert, an endless expanse of golden dunes and weathered black stone. Ancient pillars, half-buried beneath the sand, marked the remnants of a forgotten road once used by merchants and royal messengers.
The desert was unusually quiet.
Vaerun rode at the head of the procession, his silver eyes fixed on the distant horizon. Behind him, black-armored knights followed in disciplined formation, their horses leaving a long trail of hoofprints across the sand.
Captain Kharzen approached his side.
"Azram, the Imperial Guard’s camp is ahead. Captain Nareza Veyr should be waiting for us."
Vaerun gave a brief nod.
Because Captain Nareza Veyr, she was said to be an accomplished commander who had risen through the Imperial Guard by merit rather than noble connections. More importantly, she had been the first to discover the remains of the latest caravan.
If she had seen something the other scouts had missed, he wanted to hear it directly.
They continued toward the watchtower.
A crimson banner bearing the Malik’s golden sun hung above its entrance. Several imperial soldiers stood guard outside, their expressions tense. The moment Vaerun approached, they straightened and struck their fists against their chests in salute.
"Azram Vaerun Veyrath!"
Vaerun dismounted without acknowledging the greeting beyond a slight inclination of his head. "Where is your captain?"
"Inside, Azram."
Before Kharzen could speak, a woman emerged from the watchtower.
She wore the dark bronze armor of the Imperial Guard, with a crimson cloak fastened across one shoulder. Her black hair had been braided tightly away from her face, and a curved sword rested at her hip. A thin scar crossed her left cheek, but it did little to diminish the sharpness of her features.
She stopped before Vaerun and bowed.
"Azram Veyrath. I am Captain Nareza Veyr, commander of the eastern patrol. I thank you for answering Malik’s summons."
"Save your gratitude," Vaerun replied. "Tell me what you found."
Nareza straightened; she seemed neither offended by his abruptness nor surprised by it.
"Three days ago, my patrol discovered a merchant caravan approximately two leagues east of the trade road. The wagons had been overturned, the horses were missing, and every merchant we found was dead."
"And the two missing members?"
"We have not found them."
"Did you search for signs of abduction?"
"Yes. There were drag marks near the largest wagon, but they ended abruptly. No footprints continued beyond them."
Vaerun’s gaze sharpened.
"Ended?"
Nareza nodded. "The sand was undisturbed beyond that point. We searched the surrounding area and found nothing."
"Perhaps the creature carried them."
"That was our first assumption. However, the tracks we discovered were too large for any known desert predator. They appeared beside the caravan and continued toward the rocky basin. There was no sign of a struggle along the trail."
Kharzen frowned. "And no one saw the creature?"
"No one who survived long enough to tell us."
The watchtower courtyard fell silent.
Vaerun turned toward the desert. The rocky basin lay beyond a distant ridge, where the wind had carved deep channels between ancient formations. He could already sense the faint movement of air sweeping across the dunes, but there was nothing unusual in it.
Nothing that explained the disappearance of an entire caravan.
"Take me to the site," he ordered.
Nareza bowed. "As you command."
The caravan had been discovered near the remains of an ancient stone road. Its broken wagons still lay where the soldiers had found them, their wooden frames scorched and splintered. Torn pieces of cloth fluttered from the axles, and a few clay storage jars had shattered across the sand.
Vaerun dismounted and approached the nearest wagon.
He studied the damage without touching it.
The wooden side had been crushed inward, as though something immensely heavy had struck it. Yet the surrounding ground showed no signs of a collision. The wheels remained intact, and the sand beneath the wagon had not shifted enough to suggest that it had overturned under its own weight.
"Show me the tracks," he said.
Nareza led him toward the rocky basin.
The impressions were still visible despite the wind. Each was deep and wide, with several long grooves pressed into the sand. Whatever had made them possessed enormous claws, but the spacing between the prints was irregular.
Vaerun crouched beside one.
"Did the tracks begin here?"
"No. They emerged from the rocky basin and circled the caravan."
"Circled it?"
"Yes, Azram. Several times."
Vaerun studied the impressions in silence.
The creature had not approached the caravan directly. It had moved around it, repeatedly, as though examining its prey before attacking.
"Did the merchants attempt to flee?"
"We found two swords several paces away from the wagons. One was broken in half; the other had been driven into the sand."
"Were they facing the creature?"
"We cannot be certain."
Vaerun rose and turned towards the rocky basin.
"Then we are wasting time guessing. Prepare a forward camp. I want every trail examined before sunset. No one enters the basin alone, and no one follows a track beyond the point where it can be observed safely."
Kharzen bowed. "Understood."
Nareza hesitated.
"There is something else, Azram."
Vaerun looked at her.
"The soldiers who recovered the bodies reported a smell near the caravan. It was not merely the smell of blood or decay. Several of them became ill after entering the area."
"What sort of smell?"
Nareza’s expression tightened.
"Like something that had been buried for a very long time."
"Stay alert," Vaerun ordered at last. His voice remained calm, but every knight within hearing distance straightened. "We may encounter the beast, or something far less natural, at any moment."
Everyone nodded and immediately became alert.
Vaerun turned his gaze toward the basin once more. His hand rested near the hilt of his sword as the wind curled around his boots.
Whatever waited beyond those ancient stones, he intended to find it before it claimed another life and return back to his daughter.
***
[The Imperial Palace — Eshkaran Empire — Evening]
Seyra swung her little legs beneath the carriage seat, humming happily as the imperial palace drew closer. She wore a deep violet gown embroidered with delicate golden patterns, its neckline decorated with tiny lapis lazuli beads. A golden ornament shaped like a crescent moon rested against her dark hair, while a small cloak bearing the silver emblem of House Veyrath rested neatly over her shoulders.
She looked every bit like a young noblewoman of Azram House.
Unfortunately, her expression suggested that she was on her way to a festival rather than an imperial dinner.
Across from her, Ravian had spent most of the journey worrying about the reason behind Malik’s summons. Beside him, Captain Ishtar remained composed, though her hand occasionally drifted toward the curved sword at her waist.
Neither of them understood why the emperor had summoned their young lady while her father was away, and neither liked the possibilities.
As the carriage finally came to a halt, Ravian turned toward Seyra.
"My lady..."
Seyra looked up at him. "Hmm?"
"Whatever happens tonight, you must not let Malik’s words upset you. If anything makes you feel threatened, remain beside Captain Ishtar and allow her to handle it. Do you understand?"
Seyra nodded obediently.
"I understand."
Ishtar leaned forward slightly, her expression firm. "I shall protect you, my lady, but you must remember that you belong to House Veyrath. We bow to the Malik because he is the sovereign of Eshkaran, but we do not surrender our dignity to anyone."
Seyra blinked.
"Will there be someone else?"
Ravian and Ishtar exchanged a glance.
Neither had an answer. The imperial summons had named only Seyra, and they had no idea who else might be attending the dinner.
"We are merely reminding you to be careful, my lady," Ravian explained. "This is the Imperial Palace. You may encounter nobles who are unfamiliar to you."
Seyra considered this for a moment before smiling brightly.
"Don’t worry, Raviel. Malik isn’t a bad person."
Ravian stared at her. Ishtar stared at her, and neither expression inspired confidence.
They eventually managed polite smiles, though Ravian suspected that his young lady’s understanding of the Emperor came from a source he would rather not investigate.
"After you, my lady," he said, opening the carriage door.
Seyra nodded and waited for the knight standing outside to offer his hand. To Ravian’s immense relief, she did not leap out of the carriage as she had done at House Veyrath. Instead, she carefully stepped down, holding the knight’s hand until her little feet reached the paved courtyard.
Ravian adjusted her cloak, ensuring that the silver emblem of House Veyrath was clearly visible.
"Shall we proceed?"
"Yes!"
Seyra gazed around with excitement.
With Ravian on one side and Ishtar on the other, Seyra stepped through the palace entrance. The imperial guards struck their fists against their chests in greeting, their bronze armor catching the light of the braziers.
They had barely crossed the entrance hall when a woman’s voice rang out behind them.
"Oh? Is this the rumored daughter of House Veyrath?"
Ravian stopped, his expression changed so quickly that Seyra immediately looked up at him.
Ishtar’s posture stiffened, and her hand settled near her sword.
They turned toward the voice.
A young noblewoman stood beneath a carved sandstone archway, dressed in an elaborate gown adorned with gold ornaments. Her lips curved into a smirk as her sharp gaze settled upon Seyra, examining the little girl from head to toe as though she were an unexpected curiosity brought into the palace for entertainment.
Ravian recognized her immediately, his shoulders stiffened.
"Out of all people..." he muttered under his breath. "Why her?"
Seyra didn’t know who this lady was, but judging by Ravian’s expression, they were not about to have a pleasant conversation.
Still, Seyra smiled, after all, she had come to meet her favourite villain. Surely one slightly unpleasant noblewoman couldn’t ruin her evening.
She had no idea how wrong she was.