Zalaria slumped against the cold stone, her eyes fluttering open and closed. Her limbs felt numb and heavy, each step harder than the last. She hadn't eaten in days, and the harsh suns above beat down relentlessly. Exhaustion overtook her, and she drifted into a fitful sleep. In her dreams, she saw the ship descend from the sky again, black metal glinting under twin suns. A lone figure stepped out, clad in a strange white skin, gazing at her with eyes peering out from behind a mask. And then the stars faded. She jerked awake with a gasp. A vision, a warning - but who would listen to a heretic?
The village priests had called her dreams blasphemy and condemned her to wander until the gods saw fit to end her life. But Zalaria knew the truth in her bones. Change was coming, borne from a distant world on a ship of metal and fire. She pushed herself up with shaking arms, squinting into the distance. Somewhere ahead lay her destiny, if only she could reach it before her strength gave out.
Zalaria blinked against the suns and rubbed her eyes, unsure if she was dreaming again. A bright light streaked across the sky, a roaring sound following in its wake as an immense metal object descended to the ground. She staggered to her feet and stumbled toward it. It couldn't be. And yet, there amidst a massive cloud of dust, stood the ship from her dreams. She had never seen anything so strange and terrifying. It was bigger than ten huts, with odd wings and mysterious symbols along its side.
Her heart raced as the bottom of the craft slid open with a hiss, and a figure emerged. Zalaria skidded to a stop, staring up at the strange creature. It was covered head to toe in white fabric, with two arms and two legs like her own, but wearing a spherical helmet that reflected the twin suns and hid its features. Her throat tightened in terror and wonder. Had the gods sent an emissary from the sky? Or perhaps a demon to torment her? She clutched her arm, torn between fleeing and falling to her knees in supplication.
Zalaria swallowed hard, her mouth dry as dust.
"W-what are you?"
she whispered.