"The Sun Disc really has risen again?"
The faces of Taliyah's people were full of disbelief. To them, it sounded impossible.
It was not as if there had never been stories like that, but for ages, people had treated them as fairy tales told to children.
After all, daily life was already consumed by the struggle to find enough to eat and keep the tribe alive.
The more glorious the old Shuriman Empire had once been, the more destitute its people had become now.
After Shurima fell, the whole land was plunged into the chaos of the Darkin War.
The suffering people of Shurima had not never thought about sending someone to awaken the Sun Disc.
Unfortunately, no one had ever succeeded.
And just like that, thousands of years passed.
The prophecy of Azir's return turned into nothing more than a bedtime story for children.
Only that way could children still play without worry, instead of spending every day afraid of whether there would be food tomorrow.
They did not have to think about the brutal environment, either, or the thieves lurking everywhere.
"There's an Ascended right in the back. Go take a look for yourselves."
Caleb could not be bothered explaining further, so he just let them go inspect Renekton.
Ever since Yaanogel stabbed him with that spear, his temper had gotten a lot better anyway.
And besides, letting Taliyah's people admire him for a while was not like it would cost him a chunk of flesh.
The tribe gathered around Renekton. Some of the braver children had already started touching his scaled leg.
"It's real! The scales even move!"
"You little brat, why are you actually touching him?"
"Move, move, move! I can't see!"
While the tribe was busy buzzing excitedly around Renekton, Caleb slipped over to Taliyah's side.
Sivir and Kai'Sa followed after him.
"Hi, Taliyah." Caleb gave her a slight nod.
"Hi. Is something wrong?"
Taliyah gave him a bright smile. Just as Caleb had guessed, she was an extremely outgoing person.
"Would it be possible for your people to head toward the Sun Disc? As for Zuretta, I'm hoping you'll come fight with us."
Caleb did not bother circling around the subject. He got straight to the point.
After all, both Kai'Sa and Taliyah had faced the Void head-on before, and Taliyah's stone-shaping magic was powerful too.
One more person meant one more layer of insurance.
"That's not really a problem. I'm just worried about my people's safety..."
Taliyah was just as direct as ever, answering almost immediately.
"If you can help us travel faster, we can lend your people the Skallashi."
The reason Caleb's group had been riding the Skallashi was not because they lacked endurance.
Quite the opposite. Out in the desert, not only could the three of them keep up with a Skallashi, if they teamed up, taking one down would not be much of a problem either.
The only reason they were using mounts was because they needed to arrive at Zuretta in peak condition.
Taliyah, meanwhile, could ride great slabs of stone over the dunes as transportation.
And now that they were nearing the edge of Zuretta, slowing down a little would not matter much.
Besides, the Skallashi were deeply respected across Shurima. Caleb really did not want to get one of them killed out here.
"That would be amazing!"
Taliyah looked delighted. This guy was actually pretty decent.
In Shurima, owning a Skallashi was a symbol of a tribe's prosperity and strength.
It was not just that only a prosperous and powerful tribe could afford to have one, it was that a Skallashi could bring prosperity to a tribe.
Its incredible carrying capacity, endurance, and even combat ability greatly enhanced a tribe's strength.
Taliyah's parents had been a shepherd and a weaver. But during her coming-of-age rite, a dance under the full moon, she revealed the power to weave stone itself.
The tribe she led now was made up mostly of people with nowhere else to go, so naturally they had never enjoyed the protection of a Skallashi.
"As for food, I can spare you some from our side."
Caleb took food and water out of his system inventory.
There were no real settlements nearby, and even if there were, resources would have been pitifully scarce.
"Use it carefully. It should be enough to get you to the Sun Disc."
Caleb did not give them too much. In Shurima, food and water were vital resources in the desert.
If bandits got their eyes on it, that was a guaranteed tragedy.
Even with the Skallashi protecting these people, Caleb did not want any unnecessary casualties.
In truth, as long as they got close enough to see the Sun Disc, Azir would definitely see them too.
That place counted as a nearly perfect place to settle.
"Listen up."
Taliyah's voice drew the attention of the tribe gathered around Renekton.
Though there were still some who did not dare approach him too closely.
"Our guests from afar have generously lent us a Skallashi, and they've also gifted us a considerable amount of food and water!"
Taliyah puffed out her chest proudly, with Caleb's supplies right beside her.
"Thank you for your generosity, sir!"
"We can't thank you enough!"
"Big brother, the gods of the desert are going to bless you!"
The tribe's praise rose one after another without end, and Caleb could not help smiling.
Kai'Sa, on the other hand, looked slightly unhappy as she watched all this.
"You really are the kind who goes all the way with the good-guy act..."
She muttered under her breath.
"Hm? What was that?" Yuumi asked, unhelpfully floating over.
"Nothing!" Kai'Sa grabbed Yuumi and pulled her into her arms, squeezing a little harder than necessary.
"Cough, cough, cough... I'm dying, I can't breathe, meow..."
Yuumi flailed weakly in Kai'Sa's grasp.
"Then you should all head for the Sun Disc. The Skallashi will obey you," Renekton reminded them from the side.
"All right, everyone, let's move!"
The tribe's second-in-command was clearly the type to act first and think later, and the whole group immediately started getting ready.
Originally, they had planned to stay here for two more days before deciding where to go next.
But now they had heard that the Sun Disc had risen again, so why the hell would they stay?
They had to hurry over and see if it was real.
And on top of that, these people had given them food and water.
That girl in the purple armor had saved the tribe not long ago, too.
If they still did not leave now, then what were they waiting for?
The speed at which they packed up left even Caleb staring in shock.
In less than twenty minutes, they were ready to set out.
"You've got to be kidding me."
What kind of life did people have to live to get this good at packing up and moving out?
"They're always like this."
Taliyah's smile was still as bright as ever, and under the starlight, she looked especially beautiful.
She really is a daughter of the desert, Caleb thought to himself.
It was honestly rare. In an environment this harsh, she still managed to stay this positive.
"Caleb."
The call snapped him out of his thoughts.
Kai'Sa stood there in front of him, holding a limp, nearly lifeless-looking Yuumi in her arms, smiling.
"Yeah?" Caleb glanced over, noticed Kai'Sa did not seem ready to actually say anything, and looked away again.
"That's all I get, just 'yeah'?" Kai'Sa complained, lightly shaking the Yuumi in her arms.
"You should probably let Yuumi go. At this rate, she might die before she ever finds her master..." Sivir said awkwardly from the side.
Those two really were something else.
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