In the heart of the desert, where the only sound was the wind, the Kingdom of Sand had changed drastically.
The palace, once a symbol of power, was now shrouded in darkness. Guards stood silently, and soldiers moved as if afraid even to breathe. The reason wasn't an external enemy… but the new king himself.
An emir, the son of King Zahir, sat upon the throne.
He bore no resemblance to his father.
Zahir was a leader who sought glory, but an emir… sought only one thing: revenge.
Before him, on the ground, lay a man in chains, one of the soldiers who had survived the island expedition. He trembled, unable to lift his head.
"Tell me again… what happened there?" said the emir coldly.
"My lord… the island… is not a treasure… it is—"
Before he could finish, a guard struck him.
The emir gestured for him to stop, then slowly approached and bowed before the man.
"I don't want myths… I want the truth."
Tears began to fall from the man's eyes:
"Salim… he's the reason… he's the one who destroyed everything… he's the one who took the light… and vanished."
The hall fell heavy with silence.
Amir stood up slowly, then looked at the sword lying beside him.
"If he's alive… I'll find him."
"And if he's dead… I'll bring him back… only to kill him myself."
He raised his head, his eyes filled with rage.
"Prepare the army."
"This time… we won't just search for the island… but for the truth."
And at that very moment…
Deep in the sea… the shadow stirred once more.