Elder Sage stared down at the ground that flew by beneath him, his expression unreadable. He had once known this place, had come here often on his way to visit the vault. . . But the bright, golden sands and crystal clear waters that he had come to know were gone, replaced now by a dark, barren wasteland. 

"Bring us down, Suri." he whispered, pressing the palm of his hand against his manta's golden head. 

The manta flicked its long white tail in acknowledgement and slowly turned in midair, gliding gently towards the ground. It touched down and flapped its massive wings sending a shower of sickly green sand spraying up into the cool night air.

Sage paused for a moment, then climbed out of the manta's saddle, sliding down to the ground below. The dark sand shifted under his feet and slid down to pool near the bottom of the dune. The elder slowly knelt down to scoop up a handful of the dark grains in his hand. They sliced into his skin, less like sand and more like shattered pieces of glass. He opened his hand and let the sand fall away.

"How could this have happened. . .?" he whispered, and looked up at the dark clouds that hung overhead. His words were drowned out by the chilling howl of the wind.

Suri let out a soft cry that echoed through the empty desert, bouncing off half buried boats and ruined buildings.

After a long moment of silence, Elder Sage stood, placing the palm of his hand gently against the manta's forehead. "Stay here, Suri." he whispered and bowed his head. "Do not follow me. If I don't return, go back to the Valley of Triumph, and warn the twins." he slowly took his hand away from the creatures' head and turned to look out over the ruin that had once been the Golden Valley. "Something terrible has happened to these lands. . . Something that hasn't been seen in hundreds of years. . ."

Suri gave a worried whine and bumped her head against the elder's outstretched hand. 

Elder Sage gave her a small, sad smile, though it went unnoticed behind his long white beard. "I'm sorry, old friend." he said softly, and turned away to look out over the ruined valley. "This place is not what it once was. . . I would not want you getting injured."

The elder took a step forward and dug his staff into the dusty ground. The dark sand shifted under his feet as he slowly made his way down the side of the sloping dune, using the green-tinted glow of the moon to light his way. A chilling breeze swept through the valley, picking up grains of sand, and whisking them up into a small whirlwind, stinging the elder's exposed hands and eyes. He winced and glanced back over his shoulder, but Suri was already out of sight, replaced by a dark, yawning emptiness. A sharp pang of loneliness stabbed at Sage's heart, and he closed his eyes. At least the manta would be safe. . .

"Thunk!"

The elder's eyes fluttered open, and he glanced around, lifting his staff up and out of the sand. "Is there someone there?" he asked, warily scanning the deserted landscape for movement.

After a moment, a young, frightened voice replied. "Maybe. . .?" a second later, a small blue head bobbed out from behind a broken stone column, wide eyes watching the elder curiously.

Elder Sage chuckled and shook his head, lowering his staff back down to the ground. It was only a child.

"What're you doing out here, sir?" the young spirit asked, sliding out from behind his cover and looking around nervously. "No one's meant to come out here. . ."

Sage tilted his head slightly and gave the child a kind smile. "No one? Then, may I ask what you are doing out here?"

The spirit boy winced and glanced up at the dark sky. "I-I saw a manta. . ." he said slowly, pointing a small finger back the way Sage had come. "A big manta! Somewhere over there. . . Mamma told me to stay inside, but. . ." he trailed off, fidgeting nervously.

Elder Sage leaned forward and gave the child a gentle pat on the head. "You should listen to your mother, young one. This is no place for a child."

The spirit boy nodded, shuffling his feet in the sand. "Sorry, sir. . ."

Elder Sage nodded and stood up straight, offering the child a hand. "Your mother must be worried." he said softly. "Where is your home, child?"

The boy paused for a moment, then reached out and took the elders outstretched hand. "Over this way!" he said, pointing out into the darkness with his free hand. "All the spirits live over there, near the ruined gates!" he said and started walking, Elder Sage following not far behind. "We used to live all around the Golden Valley." the child explained, eager for someone to talk to. "But ever since it happened. . ." he trailed off, once again glancing around nervously. "Well, no one really wants to live alone now. . . You know, they've started calling this place the Golden Wasteland, now. . . At least, that's what I've heard from the grown-ups."

Sage's head snapped over to watch the spirit. "The Golden Wasteland. . . Is that right. . ."

"Yeah. . ." the child whispered, lowering his voice and hunching down a little as he walked. "They say that we're never going to be able to leave this place. . . That we'll be stuck here forever!"

The elder turned his head away, trying to hide the worry that had begun to creep across his features. He stared out over the docks that used to be alive with boats and spirits. Now, only a few broken ships sloshed about in the dark, murky water. He adverted his gaze, and dropped his head to watch the green sand go by.

"I don't think we'll be stuck here, though!" the child continued, oblivious to the elder's worry.

"Oh?" Sage asked and turned to give the child a sad smile. "And why is that?"

The young spirit turned as they reached the top of a rise that looked out over a small, ragged campsite, his eyes bright beneath his mask. "The elders will save us!" he said cheerfully, and gently tugged on Sage's sleeve, pulling him down the side of the dune towards the encampment. "I know they will!"

Sage turned his face upwards to the giant gates looming just beyond the camp, their doors opened wide to reveal only darkness within. "Yes. . ." he whispered softly, his voice lost to the sound of the wind. "I hope you're right."