Chapter 1: The Glowing RubyThe crescent moon hung low over the desert city of Zafira, its pale light painting silver edges on domed rooftops and the worn bricks of the bazaar. The day’s noise had faded, leaving only the whispers of wind that danced through empty streets, stirring dust and forgotten prayers.In the hush of night, a shadow moved with purpose.Lina, a girl of fifteen with sand-brown skin and coal-black eyes, slipped between abandoned spice stalls like a breeze. Her bare feet made no sound. Her cloak, once crimson but now faded to rust, billowed lightly behind her as she