North Africa's desert glows gold-red at dawn as Team Rebellion's SUV crushes across sand dunes, a spiritual pattern antenna on the roof pulsing deep blue—Sakura's cherry blossom–modified "sandstorm detector," now flickering wildly.
"Abnormal spiritual energy three kilometers ahead," Sakura's fingertips brush the dashboard screen, Sakura Patterns on her hand forming a navigation map. "Coordinates show a deserted oasis, but satellite photos..." Her voice trails. "The sand there flows like it's alive."
Lin Ye grips the wheel, his spiritual pattern core warming slightly. Fused with Su Li's core, it senses energy fluctuations sharper—this isn't an ordinary sandstorm. A sealed power is awakening.
"Stop the car." He jams on the brakes.
The SUV rolls over a weathered stone formation, wheels sinking into sand. They disembark to find a ruined stone pillar at the center, etched with the same spirals as spiritual cores. Its top is inlaid with faded glass sealing a dark yellow light—trapped spiritual energy.
"This is..." Xiaotao crouches, her Starmoon bracelet touching the pillar. Deep blue light resonates with the dark yellow glow. "I've seen similar patterns in league ancient texts! It's a 'Sand Spirit Altar,' used to seal the Desert Tyrant."
"Desert Tyrant?" Ajiu's Shadow Raven circles the pillar. "Sounds like a desert legend—an evil spirit that devoured cities with sand, sealed under an oasis by pattern users."
As she speaks, the ground quakes. Dunes surge like waves, swallowing the SUV. Lin Ye yanks everyone back as the pillar's glass explodes, the dark yellow light burrowing into sand, whipping up an overwhelming sandstorm.
"Close your eyes!" Sakura cries, Sakura Patterns blooming from her fingers, pink petals forming a shield. Sand grains strike the petals with metallic screeches—spiritual energy–hardened "sand armor".
A deep roar rises from the storm, a chorus of voices and grinding sand. Lin Ye's core blazes, golden flames cleaving a path through the storm to reveal its center: a gray-robed man, face veiled in sand, yellow-tinged eyes glowing, his wrist core pulsing with the storm.
"The Sand Spirit User!" Sakura's Patterns dim. "The Desert Tyrant sealed three hundred years ago—his core can manipulate sand, devouring all life!"
The gray-robed man raises a hand, sand condensing into a spear that stabs Lin Ye. Lin Ye meets it with a flaming fist, Burning Heaven Flames evaporating the sand spear with a hiss.
"Interesting," the man's voice is like sandpaper. "Three hundred years, you're the first to block my sand spear head-on."
Ajiu's Shadow Ravens dive, their wings whipping up a hurricane, but the storm swallows it. Xiaotao's bracelet blazes, blue energy forming a net that the sand corrodes to fragments on contact.
"His core is absorbing sand!" Lin Ye's pupils contract. He senses the core expanding, its spirals matching the pillar's—part of the Star Beast's remains, restoring power by devouring sand.
"Team Rebellion, coordinate!" he yells. "Xiaotao, freeze the storm's core with Starmoon; Ajiu, tear a gap with Shadow Ravens; Sakura, disrupt his patterns with Sakura!"
Xiaotao's bracelet glows blue, Starmoon energy flooding the storm to freeze its center into an ice ball. Ajiu's Ravens form a dark purple mist, ripping through sand seams. Sakura's Patterns bloom into a cherry tree, petals falling to crack the man's sand armor.
"Your bond..." the man's voice trembles. "Is more tenacious than the Star Beast's power..."
Lin Ye's core flies out, clashing with the man's. Golden flames wrap pink Sakura, blue Starmoon, and purple Shadow energy, surging into the storm like a dragon. The man screams as sand gushes from him, turning to gold dust on contact with light—purified spiritual energy.
When the storm settles, the man collapses, his core shattered. His face emerges—a youth in his twenties, left eye amber, right eye inlaid with a dark yellow core, patterns matching the Star Beast's scales.
"I am Amir," he rasps, brushing sand from his face. "Three hundred years ago, I guarded the Spiritual Source. To stop the Star Beast from devouring the desert, I fused with its core... and was backlashed."
He raises a hand, his right eye core glowing. "Now, the Star Beast's consciousness wants to reincarnate through me. And you..." His gaze scans Team Rebellion's cores. "Are the only hope to lay it to rest."
Lin Ye crouches, picking up a half-jade pendant at Amir's feet, etched with the same spirals, its back inscribed: "When desert sand resonates with oasis water, the Star Beast shall return to its place."
"The other half of the pendant..."
"Under the oasis." Amir points to the storm-exposed ground, revealing a stone door lintel inscribed with "Oasis Heart." "Three hundred years ago, I sealed the Star Beast's body with it. Now, Rebellion's resonance is needed to open it."
—
Beyond the Oasis Heart door lies an underground palace, a central altar holding seven dark golden spiritual cores—those of the seven guardians from three hundred years ago, one etched with the "Rebellion" totem matching Lin Ye's core.
"This is..."
"Cores of past guardians." Amir chokes up. "I tried to awaken the Star Beast with them, but it devoured more patterns. Now, use Rebellion's resonance to strip the Star Beast's consciousness from the cores."
Lin Ye's core burns hot. Consciousnesses of past guardians flood his mind: "Use your bond, not core power."
"Xiaotao! Ajiu! Sakura!" he yells. "Take my hand!"
Four cores blaze, weaving the "Rebellion" totem over the altar. Golden flames, blue Starmoon, purple Shadow, and pink Sakura energies merge into a golden cocoon enveloping the seven cores.
"By the name of Rebellion," Lin Ye's voice thunders. "By the oath of partners—
"Let the Star Beast return, and spiritual patterns find eternal peace!"
The cocoon explodes. Light from the seven cores merges into the Rebellion core, the Star Beast's consciousness shrieking its last before dissolving into gold dust. Amir's right eye core cracks, dark yellow mist dissipating, his pupil returning to amber.
"It worked..." He collapses. "Thank you, Rebellion."
—
At dawn, the desert sky lightens. Team Rebellion sits by the oasis, watching Amir repair the storm-damaged land with patterns. Sakura holds the half-pendant, merging it with Lin Ye's core to form a whole, spirals now pulsing with life.
"Where to next?" Ajiu munches a date, her Raven preening in her hair.
"The Sahara." Lin Ye looks to the horizon, where camel bells jingle. "They say its sands hold ancient pattern memories."
"I'll prep water bags!" Xiaotao leaps up, her bracelet glowing blue. "Bring enough iced juice—deserts are scorching!"
Sakura smiles, Sakura Patterns blooming as tiny flowers on her fingertips. "I'll shade us with cherry blossoms."
Amir stands, his core warm on his wrist. "As guide, I'll show you the desert's 'living fossils'—millennium-old poplar forests."
Lin Ye gazes at his Rebellion core, sensing global pattern vibrations—like countless heartbeats resonating in the clouds. He touches the core, murmuring: "Pattern meaning lies not in temples or deserts."
"Then where?" Ajiu tilts her head.
Lin Ye looks to the repairing oasis, where children chase butterflies, an elder draws water from a well, and sand glitters gold in the sun.
"In everyone who protects one another."
The SUV starts again, wheels crushing dunes, leaving fading tracks. Team Rebellion's patterns shine in the sun, mirroring the rising dawn—a star trail to the future, unfurling at the desert's edge.