Episode 18: The Secret of the Sand Keepers

The night wind slipped through the tent’s seams, carrying the scent of ancient bones long forgotten.

Lu Chen watched as Old Dao pulled a waxed cloth bundle from his chest pocket, unfolding it layer by layer to reveal three tarnished bronze rings and a half-length bone flute—the very piece left behind by the Sand Whisperer. The rings were simple in design: one engraved with a chain pattern, another inset with a jade stone of blue-green hue, and the last the oddest of all, its surface smooth save for a small, nail-sized indentation, as if forcibly carved out.

“This is the lifeblood of the Sand Guardians,” Old Dao’s voice carried a weary weight. He picked up the chain-engraved ring and held it toward the campfire. Beneath the patina of rust, intricate totems shimmered to life. “Three rings and one flute.”

Lu Chen’s gaze settled on the jade ring. Suddenly, the jade amulet around his neck grew hot, resonating mysteriously with the stone embedded in the ring—like two magnets irresistibly drawn to one another.

“The chain ring suppresses the bone core’s energy,” Old Dao explained, handling each ring with the slow reverence of ritual. “The jade ring purifies the corrupted sand. The smooth ring…” He hesitated, then continued, “is used to ‘communicate’ with the bone core. They say it can understand its desires.” He raised the half bone flute; grains of sand within its holes sparkled in the firelight. “This flute is called ‘Soul’s Requiem.’ It soothes the spirits trapped within the sand, preventing them from being lured by the bone core into becoming sand-scarab beasts.”

Chen Yu squatted nearby, eyes wide with excitement. “Isn’t this a divine artifact? With this, why fear the Scorpion Totem?”

Old Dao suddenly laughed, a sound tinged with indescribable sorrow. “A divine artifact? Only if the set is complete.” He laid the three rings side by side on the sand, leaving a clear gap between the smooth and jade rings. “The set is missing two rings. The jade and smooth rings were lost fifty years ago. Some say the S Tribe stole them; others claim they were buried deep beneath the temple. No one knows their whereabouts.”

He picked up the half bone flute again, tracing the broken edge with a fingertip. “The Soul’s Requiem flute is broken too. My grandfather used it to quell a sandstorm long ago, but the flute shattered into two pieces. The other half… likely became nourishment for the sand.”

Suddenly, Lu Chen recalled the holographic image Alicia had sent. Beside a glass container atop a stone pedestal in the temple, there was an inconspicuous bronze box. He had paid little mind before, but now, the shape of that box perfectly matched the size that could hold a ring.

“The jade and smooth rings might be in the S Tribe’s temple,” Lu Chen said gravely. The amulet’s heat intensified, as if affirming his suspicion. “Alicia’s images hold a clue.”

Old Dao shot up, eyes flickering with hope before dimming again. “Even if we find them, what then?” He grasped his bone blade; the notch on its edge gleamed sharply in the firelight. “This blade looks fierce but is forged from the finger bones of the first Sand Guardian priest. It contains some suppressive power, enough against ordinary sand-scarab beasts. But if we face a fully awakened bone core…” His voice trailed off, the meaning clear enough—it wouldn’t be enough.

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Chen Yu suddenly pointed toward a distant sand dune. “What’s that?”

All three turned just in time to see the northwest dune collapse—not from natural settling, but as if hollowed out from beneath. A dull rumble echoed as a half-exposed, blue-gray stone pillar emerged, its top obscured by sand. Dense, intricate totems carved into its surface shimmered coldly under the moonlight.

“That’s a foundation pillar of the temple!” Old Dao’s breath quickened. He gripped his bone blade, ready to charge, but Lu Chen held him back.

“Wait,” Lu Chen’s expression darkened. “The sand around that pillar isn’t right.”

Sure enough, the sand did not scatter as expected. Instead, invisible threads seemed to pull the grains, swirling them into a massive vortex around the pillar. At its center, the sand coalesced into the shape of a scorpion’s tail, its stinger pointed defiantly at the night sky—identical to the S Tribe’s totem.

“The scorpion is summoning it,” Old Dao’s voice trembled, the characters “Bone Listener” on his blade glowing a fierce purple. “There must be something hidden inside that pillar. Otherwise, the scorpion wouldn’t be this agitated.”

Lu Chen fixed his gaze on the stone pillar, the amulet’s heat nearly unbearable. His mind flashed to the smooth ring’s indentation—it was remarkably similar in size and shape to a protrusion revealed atop the pillar.

“The smooth ring from the set…” Lu Chen’s voice quivered with disbelief, “might be embedded right there on top of that pillar.”

Old Dao’s eyes lit up instantly. “Then what are we waiting for? We have to seize it! With the smooth ring, at least we can understand what the bone core desires!”

“It’s not that simple,” Lu Chen shook his head, pointing to the scorpion-shaped vortex. “The scorpion has already set a trap. If we get too close, we’ll be dragged into its energy field. Then forget about taking the ring—surviving might not even be guaranteed.”

Chen Yu suddenly gasped, holding up his binoculars. The lens reflected the totems on the pillar. “Look at those patterns. Don’t they resemble those on Uncle Dao’s bone blade?”

Old Dao took the binoculars, gasping sharply. “It’s the sealing spell of the first priest! This pillar isn’t just a foundation—it’s one of the array’s keystones sealing the bone core!” Realization dawned, draining the color from his face. “The scorpion isn’t after the ring—it wants to destroy this pillar! If the keystone breaks, the bone core’s energy will spiral out of control. Then the entire desert…”

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Before he could finish, the vortex around the pillar suddenly accelerated. The scorpion-shaped sand thrust its stinger violently toward the pillar’s top!

“Danger!” Lu Chen grabbed Old Dao, sprinting toward the off-road vehicle. “It’s attacking!”

The roar of the engine shattered the night as the vehicle sped toward the pillar. Lu Chen watched the rearview mirror as the sand stinger collided with the pillar, unleashing a blinding blue light. The entire pillar trembled violently; the totems on its surface seemed to come alive, flowing and emitting a deep, mournful hum—like a cry of pain.

Worse yet, the ground cracked in intricate patterns radiating outward. Wherever the fissures spread, sand grains sprang to life, forming countless miniature sand scorpions, all poised with stingers raised, as if awaiting a signal.

“It’s awakening all the sealed sand scorpion powers!” Old Dao roared, his bone blade shaking violently. “If the smooth ring is destroyed, we won’t stand a chance!”

Lu Chen pressed the accelerator to the floor, weaving the vehicle through the cracks with deadly precision. As he neared the pillar—the symbol of hope yet fraught with peril—he suddenly realized this might not be a trap.

Perhaps, this was the Sand Guardians’ final chance.

The blue light atop the pillar brightened, revealing the flickering outline of the smooth ring, desperately sending a silent plea. Deep within the glow, a shadow took shape—humanoid but with a scorpion’s tail and pincers—staring intently through the pillar at the speeding vehicle.

A battle for the rings was about to erupt atop the collapsing sand dune.