I had underestimated the boredom of unending sand. I had been wandering through the desert for a few days now, and I was beginning to wonder if I could ever find anything. I sighed, disappointed at the lack of everything in the desert. My previous confidence in myself was beginning to fade as yet more sand stretched out before me. The only landmark that I had was the wreckage, so I began to return to them.

The sound of yelling caught my attention as I returned to the remains of the caravan. As I approached, I could make out a few skiffs nearing the wreckage, and a few people looking around. As I closed the distance, I could begin to understand what they were saying.

"Oi, cap'n, the stuff 's all gone, not even a weapon to be found. Looks like scavengers got 'ere before us." One of the people said. I could see the insignia of the Mercenaries Guild on the skiffs and their sleeves now, so I knew they had been looking for my caravan. Glancing around, it appeared that they hadn't noticed me yet. I recognized Captain Eroe standing at the prow of his skiff. This is my chance! I thought. I used [Shifting Sands] to teleport into the middle of them in a rush of wind. Gotta make an entrance, you know? From the shouting and sound of steps on sand, they had scattered at my appearance. As I turned my head to look at them, I could see that they were forming a ring around me, cutlasses drawn and a few mages readying spells. One of them began preparing to release a fireball at me, but the whip crack of a voice stopped them.

"STOP YOU FOOLS! It's an arid spirit, you can't hurt it but it can very much hurt you. As long as you don't attack it, it shouldn't attack us." Captain Eroe stepped between his men, gaze never leaving me. I nodded to him in agreement and, from the look on his face, he was not prepared for that. A startled expression crossed his features before they hardened back into an emotionless mask.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Are you one of the members of this trade caravan?" He asked me. I nodded in response, unable to speak. He glanced around before continuing, noting the unnerved people around him.

"Do you know what happened?" I nodded again. Looking down, I began using [Sand Manipulation] to write on the ground. The captain looked down and stepped back as the sand shifted and flowed. My [Sand Manipulation] was quite handy. A thought occurred to me. What if I could form a body from the sand? I would try later.

Greetings, Captain Eroe. It was a sand wyrm attack. Our skiffs broke down, and it found us before repairs could be made. I was the caravan master, though I have no name now. The captain read it as the words appeared, etched into the sand in front of him. I simply waited until he finished, and as he looked back to me, Eroe asked, "So you were the master, eh? Wait… Solis?! Is that you?! Oh gods, your father is going to kill me." I nodded sadly. My father was the baron of Kren, and I was on my way home when the attack happened. He was probably going mad with worry right now, and when he hears of my death(?) he was probably going to go absolutely ballistic with grief. I cleared the ground before writing again.

Tell him I will meet with him once I regain a more human body. I have some ideas as to how I can. After reading my message and promising to pass it on, Captain Eroe bid me farewell and gathered his crew of skiffers. As they faded into the distance in a cloud of dust, the echoes of machinery silent once more. I sighed. That was much harder than I thought it would be. I guess I should have told them that I was the one to take the gear, but it slipped my mind. I really needed to gain some levels so I could perhaps evolve, but to do so I needed to find some monsters, and I had yet to see a single one. Once more I wandered, searching the wastes for anything, anything at all, until I did. A towering cliff appeared on the horizon, and excitement filled me as I saw the holes dotting its surface.

Time for some carnage.