A few hours had finally passed, and the great darkness that had swallowed the entire desert landscape began to recede—abruptly, unnaturally. It was like watching an ocean tide retreat at impossible speed. The way it vanished didn't feel right, and to Kairos, it felt even worse. His breath caught in his throat as his eyes followed the rolling wave of shadow fleeing into the vast, unforgiving expanse of the desert.
The sun returned, fierce and merciless, bringing with it the blistering winds that screamed across the golden dunes like banshees mourning their prey. The air grew dense with heat again, and the sand beneath his feet shimmered like molten gold. The change had come so suddenly—so violently—that it chilled him to his core.
