A Desert Called Peace

The harsh environment seems to mirror the brutal conflicts. I'm curious if the setting was chosen for symbolic reasons or for practical storytelling purposes.

Some characters seemed morally gray, which made me question who the real heroes are. Did others find their allegiances clear or deliberately ambiguous?

The pacing felt intense but also thoughtful at times. I'm wondering if this was a conscious choice to deepen the world-building or if it evolved during writing.