Journey to the East

The journey west from the basin was far from enticing. The dusty sky loomed over as the sun was setting. A prisoner was dragged on his knees behind a Malatak bandit as the camel kicked sand in his face every step of the way. Why was he with him? Perhaps an interrogation was about to take place. His clothes were near rags as they arrived at the temple. There, shown above an unsettling face of an ancient diety, said to have cursed its rightful king with menacing attributes.