World of Rules

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In the endless desert, where sand dunes stretched beyond sight and the wind carried the scorching heat, there was only deadly silence. Yet, from above, a slow-moving line could be seen crawling steadily forward, refusing to succumb to the harshness of nature.

It was a caravan.

Dozens of reinforced wooden carts, covered with thick fabric to shield against the blazing sun, rolled over the sand, pulled by massive creatures resembling lizards. These desert lizards had tough, scaled bodies and wide feet, preventing them from sinking into the fine sand. In this unforgiving land, they were the only viable means of transportation—camels and mules simply couldn’t endure the heat or the scarcity of water.

Inside the caravan, people of various shapes and backgrounds traveled together—merchants, adventurers, armed guards, and weary travelers who had joined the journey for protection against desert beasts and bandits.

The sound of shuffling feet and creaking wheels blended with the soft whisper of the wind, while scattered conversations filled the void left by the desert’s oppressive silence.

"We shouldn’t be far from the Radiant Sand City," one man said, shielding his eyes from the sun with his hand. His face was wrapped in a cloth, but his voice carried a tone of relief and anticipation.

"If we're lucky, we’ll arrive before sunset," another replied, patting the weapon at his waist while keeping a wary eye on the horizon.

In this desert, reaching your destination was never guaranteed.

The journey was long, and the dangers were many—sand beasts, bandits, and even strange, unexplained phenomena that occurred from time to time.

Yet, despite everything, the caravan pressed on.

Its destination—the Radiant Sand City, the only glimmer of life in this vast, lifeless sea of sand.

…

A short distance from the caravan, hidden among shifting dunes, Di watched in silence, unseen by anyone.

He was concealed with practiced ease, his figure blending into the deep shadows of a sand hill. His dark eyes were fixed on the caravan as it slowly moved across the desert.

There was no urgency in his posture, no hesitation in his thoughts.

Muttering under his breath, he asked himself,

"Should I sneak into the caravan? Or do this another way?"

Di had been wandering this desert for days and had found nothing of interest. The endless dunes, the mirages dancing on the horizon—nothing held value.

As for his supplies… they were limited.

The resources in his storage pouch would last him only two more weeks. He had to act wisely.

His gaze lingered on the caravan, studying it carefully.

Then, he whispered,

"I’ll wait a little longer… and follow them."

But his decision wasn’t just about supplies.

There was something… off.

An unshakable discomfort, an unease he couldn’t pinpoint.

Was the danger coming from the caravan?

Or was something else lurking in this desolate wasteland?

Di wasn’t someone who ignored such feelings.

So instead of acting rashly, he chose to wait in silence… observing.

…

Another day passed without incident.

Di trailed the caravan from a safe distance, his movements silent on the soft sand.

Yet, his sense of danger hadn’t faded.

It had grown stronger.

This wasn’t paranoia.

It was an instinct honed by experience—an awareness sharpened by countless battles and brushes with death.

Di had killed many.

He had witnessed countless massacres.

And he had faced more dangers than he could count.

And now… his instincts screamed at him—something was coming.

Then, suddenly, it happened.

A deafening explosion erupted from the front!

A storm of sand and wind burst forth, twisting the air like a massive wave.

The caravan trembled, shouts of alarm filled the air, and the guards rushed to their weapons.

Something enormous blocked their path.

As the dust settled, the creature was revealed—

A Sand Worm.

It was massive, a living mountain of flesh.

Its body was covered in thick, scale-like armor the color of the desert, with deep black markings running across its length like old scars.

Its mouth was a gaping abyss, lined with rows of rotating teeth, grinding together like an unstoppable force of destruction.

Its eyes—two soulless black dots—held no emotion, yet an eerie intelligence lurked within them.

The ground trembled as it moved, and though it made no sound, a crushing pressure filled the air.

Di stood still, watching the beast.

The sense of danger… was now clearer than ever.

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