Synopsis: Fire Within the Sand
Set right after his departure with Kal'tsit, Fire Within the Sand elaborates the growth of a small tribe under the leadership of Elliot the "Sand Soldier" and Old Isin in the district of Ibut, Sargon, for the past twenty-two years. Collaborating with a liaison from the "Sunvalley Industries", a mysterious Manticore assassin, and a treasure hunter, Elliot's tribe will eventually find their future path in this cruel environment plagued with sandstorms and the local Ameers' armies, either for the best or for the worst.
From the Sand Brings Life
Once upon a time, there was a Sargonian desert tribe that lost their homeland to a Catastrophe. They tried to seek a new homeland in the golden sand, but banditry and hunger plagued the tribe. They aimlessly wandered around the desert.
Eventually, the tribe reached an oasis, hoping to start a new life there. There, they encountered a mysterious male Cautus introduced himself as the "Liaison" from the Sunvalley Industries of Rim Billiton. Not only was he willing to sell his goods to the tribe at a reasonable price with countless discounts, but also he advised them to seek a backing for their tribe from further harassment. So, he introduced to them Elliot Glover, the rising "Sand Soldier" in the Sargonian black market.
The tribesmen took up his advice and approached Elliot at the black market in Reefstep. But first, they meet Old Isin who was acting as his advisor. Isin warned them of the grave future through his prophecy, yet the tribe was willing to take the risk. Now formally introducing himself, Elliot promised them both shelter and protection from the armies of other Ameers. He led them to settle in Ibut where they pioneered the desert oases and cleaved the rocks. Elliot governed the tribe behind the scene by providing intel and daily goods to the tribal chief after obtaining them from the Liaison.
Later on, the tribe took in two new members. One was a female Manticore assassin who was long abandoned by her master. The tribesmen showed their kindness to her, but she kept on hiding away from them out of her cautiousness. Yet, the tribe warmly comforted her and brought her in. Another one was a female Zalak archeologist from Columbia who was here to excavate a lost treasure from a legendary Ameer. Even though the map she provided seemed outdated, she firmly believed that the treasure was hidden somewhere where the tribe stood.
Humility to Greed
The once small tribe gradually expanded, and, beyond Elliot's expectation, it became some of the most powerful ones in Ibut. However, their rising status soon attracted the Lord Ameer of Ibut who intended to impose heavy tax collection onto the tribe. The tribesmen stubbornly refused, so the Ameer immediately dispatched his armies to forcefully subjugate them. It was up to the tribesmen to decide whether to fight against them or surrender themselves to the Ameer.
All three endings are canon which happens chronologically.
Ending 1
The tribesmen successfully expelled the armies of Ibut, which surprised the Liaison, Isin, and Elliot. The Liaison praised them for their efforts, but Isin and Elliot gave a different answer. While Isin could foresee the tribe's bright future, he also warned them to be humble, or pride will devour them. As to Elliot, he commented that the tribe was not his desirable pawn, but still congratulated them with a bitter smile.
That night, the tribesmen celebrated their victory around the campfire. There, they sang joyfully and had a great feast. They wished that such peace could be maintained for a long time...
Ending 2
Through the map of the Columbian treasure hunters, the tribesmen pinpointed the location where the ancient treasure lay. Upon excavating the site, they were in awe of the amount of the treasure. Gold coins piled up like seas of mountains; antique vessels and chests were buried in those mountains. Once plagued by hunger and poverty, the tribe now no longer had to worry about their money through the treasures they found.
However, wealth slowly corroded the tribe's spirit. The tribesmen were getting lazy; they spent their money recklessly. Nevertheless, they thought this treasure was a reward for them after years of struggle.
Ending 3
All of a sudden, the once humble tribe became hungry over political power. Limiting themselves in a mere village was insufficient to support them. Worst of all, Elliot had been quietly inciting them to rebel against their oppressive lord. So, in the name of seeking vengeance from the Ameer, the tribesmen raided the cities, set it on fire, and violently overthrew the Ameer by murdering him. But the tribe's wrath did not end with the Ameer's death. They turned their attention to the his wealth. Everyone violently scrambled it, which led to even more bloodshed.
Now, there was a political vacuum in Ibut, and the tribe replaced the Ameer as the rulers of Ibut. Sadly, peace was no longer with them. Not only the son of the Ameer dispatched his armies to quell them while solidifying his position as the next Ameer, but also, the tribe immediately fell into a civil conflict. The only grim future that lied ahead of them was its eventual fragmentation.
In the meantime, those who once supported or even loved the tribe left in disappointment. The Liaison no longer made contact with them, but he earned a huge amount of profits throughout the war by selling weapons and accessories to them. The Manticore assassin quietly departed after leaving a farewell letter to them. Elliot gave a cold look to the tribal conflict, but he had fulfilled his greatest lifetime goal — seeking vengeance from the Lord Ameer of Ibut who mercilessly murdered his beloved professor twenty-two years ago. The tribe was nothing more than a manipulative, disposable pawn for his vindication, and all he sought was a late funeral.