Whoooosh—0

The members of the Ages walked through the searing desert, where orange sandstorms lashed like whips and the blistering heat rose from the cracked earth to sting their skin.0

“Ugh, it’s like walking through a furnace,” Epherene muttered. “I swear, I’m turning into a roast Roahawk out here.”1

It had been a while since Epherene last stepped outside, but today they all came together to gather the ingredients for Yulie’s treatment.0

“Hot, is it? Even under this heat, the desert is no Land of Destruction. People often confuse the two,” Idnik replied, adjusting her turban as she climbed the dune. 0

Then Idnik continued, “And while it may be called the home of the Scarletborn, they are far from its only inhabitants. Of course, the Scarletborn are the majority here, but more than a million people from smaller tribes live on these sands.”0

“Wait—did you say a million?”0

The Empire looked down on the desert as nothing more than the home of the Scarletborn, but in reality, it was home to many ethnic groups—tribes who had broken free from the Capital’s rule to live lives of their own.0

“Yes, that is correct,” Yulie replied. “This desert is home to many tribes—some led by warriors whose convictions are worthy of respect.”0

What perfect timing, Epherene thought.0

“Have you made your decision yet, Knight Yulie?” Epherene asked, turning to Yulie like someone who had been waiting far too long for an answer.0

Yulie shook her head, seeming troubled, and replied, “… You only spoke of this yesterday, and even if that method could save me, if it means losing all my memory—”0

“You wouldn’t lose every memory, Knight Yulie. You’d go back to before things turned bad between you and the Professor,” Epherene interrupted.2

Epherene’s final method to save Yulie was to create a Time Rewind Cylinder, a machine that would rewind only her time while leaving the rest of the world unaffected, but Yulie only stared as if it meant nothing at all.0

“And the resentment...0