Sand Bandits

The sands stretched endlessly, and even Yuan Chen, situated within them, could only move slowly, constantly vigilant to avoid losing his way.

Starting from the border of Icathia towards Kahri Sai, the first area you will pass through is the mountain range that separates Icathia and Kahri Sai.

A thousand years ago, Icathia relied on its mountains and, like Ixialia across the sea, tried to maintain its independence.

Unfortunately, while Icathia's magical civilization was powerful, it was still somewhat inferior to Shurima, which possessed the extraordinary power of the Ascended... or rather, they couldn't compare to Ixialia.

After all, Ixialia was a close friend who provided immense help during the founding of Shurima, a brotherhood forged in adversity. And what level are you, Icathia? You don't even have a single extraordinary professional; your skills are just rudimentary, yet you dare to learn from Ixialia...

Thinking this, Yuan Chen also glanced at Icathia, who was surrounded by purple aura behind him.

This place, now known as the Lost Lands by the people of Runeterra, is steeped in sorrow and legend. But perhaps the most prominent figure associated with it is Jax. After all, Jax personally killed an Ascended.

Jax never said it... but it didn't matter if he didn't, because Yuan Chen could sense it to some extent... it wasn't pride, but regret.

Jax's killing of the Ascended made the people of Icathia realize that the Ascended were not true gods; they were flesh and blood, capable of being killed, and were merely a group of monsters, or perhaps more powerful mortals.

Therefore, Jax became a symbol, inspiring the people of Icathia to rebel—a significant factor being Shurima's millennia-long policy of discrimination. Because after Icathia's Icathia, no matter what achievements they made, they could not become Ascended.

Constant discrimination, isolation, and alienation from the empire's ruling class, the "Ascended," coupled with witnessing the Ascended's invincible status shattered by their own people... it's no wonder that Icathia launched a rebellion.

Unfortunately, this rebellion brought even greater suffering.

This includes Jax... Jax must be filled with regret right now, right?

After all, if he hadn't killed an Ascended and broken Ascended invincibility... Icathia wouldn't have launched the rebellion.

It would not be called the Lost Lands as it is today.

Shaking his head, Yuan Chen turned and walked towards the endless yellow sand.

Have they left?

An aged but gentle voice came from behind Jax.

Hearing the voice, Jax didn't pay any attention, and didn't even turn around. He simply nodded indifferently and said:

"I've left. I persuaded them to leave as you said... Why not meet them one last time? Just like when I came to see you, meeting them shouldn't have any impact, right?"

"Time, like the human heart, is something that cannot be fooled."

Upon hearing Jax's question, a gaunt old man dressed in a reddish-brown brocade robe, with silver-gray hair and beard, and long eyebrows that were at least thirty centimeters long, which floated in the air like seaweed, and bright, piercing eyes, also came to Jax's side.

Zilean, the Guardian of Time.

"I once traversed every point in time, yearning to pass on my achievements, so that even if I perished in the Void, someone could comprehend the magical truths beyond elements, sorcery, and arcane arts. And I did indeed succeed; I appeared at every major point in time, naively believing that this power would be without any limitations."

"But unfortunately... I was wrong."

"My foolishness angered Time itself, and the timeline erased because of my folly is far greater than what I have experienced... The world's corrective power is unchallengeable, and any attempt to shatter fate will suffer the backlash of fate itself."

As he spoke, Zilean opened his palm. Three gold coins from different eras swirled and disintegrated in the torrent of time, transforming into one huge golden ring after another, presenting landscapes from different timelines.

"Besides... who said I haven't seen them? It's just that they don't remember, or they haven't noticed."

Within that time-traveling panorama, Jax sees Zilean conversing with the decaying old man, witnessing the collapse of the old man's world... then he sees the torrent of time creating waves that prematurely lead the sunken sea serpent to an unknown ocean current, and he sees the magic of time interfering with Ixialia's barrier, until a young man enters this isolated kingdom.

"We must hide very carefully, or the world itself will discover us..."

Zilean put away the gold coins and cast them into the river of time to be erased.

"We've seen the people we needed to see, and said the things we needed to say... More importantly, Jax, let's fix your body first."

Upon hearing Zilean's words, Jax nodded quietly after a moment of silence, then sighed and followed Zilean toward the clock tower at the back.

Whether we move forward or backward, time is the best healer and the best medicine.

As Jax walked toward the clock tower, he failed to notice the deep sorrow hidden beneath Zilean's seemingly relaxed brow. The weariness and pain in his eyes could only be understood by someone who had lived more than one lifetime...

He still hasn't found a way to save Icathia... nor has he found a way to save the world.

In contrast, on the other side...

Amidst the endless yellow sand, it would be impossible for an ordinary person to walk normally. But this was no problem for Yuan Chen —the sand beneath his feet would become incredibly soft and springy whenever he stepped on it.

Just like the rubberized surface of a school playground, it provides cushioning while also increasing grip.

With the exceptional quality of the Monolith's Protection transforming into the Epic Quality of the Unyielding Stone Pact, the vast desert that would otherwise be a deep chasm for a traveler is like walking on flat ground for Yuan Chen... no, it feels like riding a bicycle, and it's all downhill the whole way.

You don't even need to take a step; your body will naturally move forward along with the expansive sand dunes.

As he paddled along, Yuan Chen soon heard a strange sound rapidly approaching from afar.

Looking up into the distance, one could see groups of Shurima, each a dozen or so in number, dressed in loose leather and cloth armor, with slippery shoes made of smooth bone plates on their feet, and wielding Bone Spear.

Their movements were extremely swift; their cloaks billowed behind them, like sails, propelling them swiftly across the sea of sand by the desert winds.

They are Shurima, and they have a special name – the Shakaar.

Also known as: Sand Bandit.