-268- Father

Falling.

He was falling.

Kassadin felt his body continuously plummeting, like a stone sinking into the depths of the sea, gradually descending.

And during this descent, bubbles appeared before Kassadin's eyes, and in these bubbles, he saw many things.

He saw himself as a child abandoned by his parents, becoming an abandoned infant.

This dirty abandoned infant found refuge with a caravan and was sent to a small village in the Great Desert, but that was it.

There was no one in this small village willing to adopt this lowly abandoned infant because they couldn't even feed themselves, let alone afford to raise this abandoned infant. But fortunately, many people in this village were kind-hearted. If there was any extra food or unwanted food, they would give it to this lowly abandoned infant. This is the cruel reality....

And he was very tenacious too. Even though he ate what others didn't want, things without nutrition, he stubbornly survived, growing up day by day.

Time seemed to pass little by little, but Kassadin didn't know what environment he was in.

He tried to struggle to get up, but apart from the weightlessness of falling, the only thing Kassadin could feel now was seeing a child rolling in the sand, growing up constantly.

He saw himself picking up things others didn't want to eat.

He saw himself trying to steal for the first time but giving up in the end.

He saw himself being robbed of food when he was a teenager but was weak and helpless.

He saw himself becoming employed by a caravan, becoming a bait to protect their important goods, and becoming a predator lure.

Kassadin fell, but there was a trace of emotion in his turbid eyes.

How did he survive at that time? Even if an adult were to do this, it would be almost impossible to survive, but Kassadin grasped that slim chance every time. It was because of this that Kassadin went from being bait to a guide, as if he were born to do this job.

Kassadin looked quietly at him, at himself.

He grew taller and taller, no longer a skinny boy, he became a strong man, a golden signboard in the alleys and markets of Bel'zhun. Many foreign merchants knew that to traverse the dangerous desert, Kassadin was the best local guide.

Gradually, people began to entrust Kassadin to find treasures for them, and Kassadin accepted them one by one.

A man covered in sand holding a half-broken cup, clearly broken and shabby, but this cup earned Kassadin a reward of three gold coins, and his employer also made a fortune because of this.

"It's this one."

"That's the first treasure I excavated."

The reminiscence in Kassadin's eyes intensified as he looked at all this.

Until....

A woman walked up to the young Kassadin, and as Kassadin watched this scene, he swallowed and made a choking sound.

"My dearest treasure."

In the southernmost part of Shurima, in Zerima, Kassadin, who helped countless employers find their treasures, found his own treasure here—a woman, and here, Kassadin fell in love with a woman from a desert tribe in Zerima.

They knew each other and loved each other, spent a period of happiness together, and then, also gave birth to the fruit of love.

Watching himself interacting with the baby in swaddling clothes, Kassadin beside him couldn't help it anymore.

The feeling of weightlessness had diminished considerably now, Kassadin struggled, trying to crawl forward, he had almost forgotten what his dear Kaisa looked like.

It had been over ten years since that incident, time... had passed too long.

He wanted to see his Kaisa.

And then, Kassadin succeeded.

He was closer to his Kaisa.

Kassadin stood beside another himself, looking down and watching the swaddled girl together.

"Haha, my daughter looks so ugly."

The young Kassadin held the baby, extending a finger, cautiously reaching towards the baby's face.

Yeah, this small, skinny, wrinkled baby, like a little monkey, looked really ugly.

But a happy smile appeared on Kassadin's face.

"Wah!"

But suddenly, the baby started crying loudly.

Another person appeared in front of him, his wife, she immediately took the baby from the young Kassadin's hands and started soothing her in a low voice.

Kassadin watched her, watched her and Kaisa, and then watched himself at a loss on the side, and then, he also walked over, the two adults started trying every means to comfort the little baby.

Slowly, Kaisa grew up.

Kassadin didn't struggle anymore, allowing the feeling of weightlessness to carry him downward.

But he could see more and more things.

At the age of one, Kai'Sa couldn't speak yet, she just cried loudly, but Kassadin felt that his baby daughter was very clever. When she was hungry, she would crawl towards her mother and then cry loudly by her side. But in front of him, she never looked for food, as if she knew that this useless man couldn't give her food.

Two-year-old Kai'Sa can already run around. Every time Kassadin, who works outside, completes a task and receives his reward, he will immediately send a letter and then rush back to Little Rock Village.

At this time, his wife will appear at the village entrance with their daughter, waiting for Kassadin to return. Kassadin watched as a man covered in bandages and sand ran up to little Kaisa, squatting down in front of her.

The result was that little Kaisa was frightened and started crying loudly, then ran behind her mother, hiding behind her legs. But when he took off the bandages covering his head, little Kaisa would be stunned, stop crying, recognize Kassadin, and then excitedly run to him.

At the age of three, Kai'Sa became very mischievous. She was the most mischievous child in Little Rock Village. Kassadin would bring her countless toys, but Kai'Sa couldn't play with each toy for long.

Kassadin thought Kai'Sa was a generous child because she would give the toys to other children, but his wife thought it was wasteful behavior. It's dangerous for her husband to earn money, so they should save wherever they can! Kassadin watched from afar as he was scolded by his wife and then punished together with the crying little Kaisa. At that time, he had a big smile on his face, with one hand still on the crying child's head after being scolded. Seeing this scene, Kassadin's face suddenly showed a sad expression.

At the age of five, Kai'Sa became sensible. She understood that her father's work was dangerous and stopped demanding that Kassadin come back early. Instead, she asked Kassadin to be more careful outside.

And in that year, was it himself at twenty-nine? Kassadin watched as he heard his daughter say such words for the first time, then hid from his daughter's view, crying with his wife in his arms. His little treasure was worried about his safety.

At seven, Kai'Sa learned to write and read. Now, she began to be curious about the world outside Little Rock Village. The survival environment in the southern desert was harsh, but Kai'Sa was well protected by her parents.

Every time Kassadin returned, even though she had grown into a big child, she would still run to Kassadin, then the dirty girl would sweetly reach out her hand to ask Kassadin to hold her. Then, she would hug Kassadin's neck and ask her father for interesting stories.

At eight, Kassadin gave Kai'Sa a dagger. Watching his daughter cover her mouth in surprise, hold up the dagger with both hands, and start running around the dining table, Kassadin in his middle-aged period laughed heartily, but on the side, his wife wore a displeased expression and crossed her arms unhappily.

Of course, women of Shurima should know how to use weapons, but Kai'Sa was only eight years old. Giving such a dangerous weapon at the age of eight was too much! But looking at Kai'Sa's happy appearance, as well as her husband teaching Kai'Sa how to use the weapon, she shook her head, and finally chuckled while covering her mouth, not saying anything.

At nine, Kassadin received another good deal. This year, he was going to Piltover to deliver an ancient relic to a nobleman in Piltover.

"No, no, no!"

"Don't go, don't go!"

Kassadin watched himself standing in front of his wife, smiling and making a promise to Kai'Sa, he roare on the side.

"Don't, don't, I beg you, Kas-sai-a-dyn, don't go!"

His body struggled violently, and Kassadin swung the Nether Blade wildly, chopping towards the scene in front of him.

But he couldn't do anything.

The Nether Blade passed through, but the scene still existed, and the old him had already left Little Rock Village with luggage.

Kassadin couldn't stop himself from leaving.

"I beg you. I beg you....please don't leave them, please....."

The scene turned again.

Kassadin suddenly sat on the ground in a daze, his right hand's Nether Blade detached from his wrist.

He watched himself, digging through the ruins like a madman.

The quicksand and rubble pierced his hands, but the other him paid no attention, digging on the ruins with blood flowing from his hands.

He kept crying out his wife and daughter's names but received no response. Several days later, his companions caught up with Kassadin. Kassadin held his head, with his old friend in front of the other him, and they both looked at the man who had already collapsed, mentally absent, and empty-eyed, shedding tears of blood under the scorching sun.

His tears had dried up.

"Why.... Why did you make me remember?"

"Why!"

"Why did you make me experience it again!"

His friends dragged Kassadin to the nearby city, intending to take Kassadin away from there, but Kassadin refused to leave.

His heart was already dead, dead with his wife and daughter in Little Rock Village.

Kassadin closed his eyes, but those scenes kept appearing.

Like a nightmare, like a curse.

Why do I remember these?

I don't intend to forget them, but all I want now is revenge.

Why do you make me experience it again?

Did I do something wrong?

I... Why am I here?

Suddenly, Kassadin slowly raised his head.

I entered Icathia, fought against the Void, and then I survived. I met Gutal and some old friends. I plan to say goodbye to them thoroughly, facing the Void alone.

So, what am I doing now?

Yes, Kassadin lifted his head, looking ahead.

Those bubbles had disappeared.

"I encountered a Void creature, and I fought it."

"No, that's not a Void creature." Kassadin slowly stood up.

His body no longer sank, as if he remembered everything.

Everything, Kassadin remembered it all.

He met... a woman in Nashramae.

A woman who looked very similar to his wife, with the same black hair as himself.

Kassadin picked up the fallen gauntlet, put it on, and started using Rift Walk, shuttling upward.

Bit by bit, bit by bit.

Until Kassadin's hand touched the limit.

"Boom!"

The Nether Blade pierced through the limit, and the entire world shattered like glass. Kassadin reached out his left hand.

"Kaisa!!!"

"Crackle."

In the pitch-black desert, a strong man suddenly sat up by a burning bonfire, raising his left hand and shouting loudly.

His eyes suddenly lit up, it's the bonfire.

Kassadin anxiously looked at the figure next to the bonfire, a woman who was stuffing a cooked scorpion into her mouth.

She was very beautiful, with beautiful black hair, her tempting red lips and the black scorpion meat contrasting sharply. Her cheeks were bulging, chewing and looking at him, and she was still holding two sticks in her hand, skewering small sand lizards that had been cooked.

With a vacant stare, struggling to swallow the food in her mouth, she immediately wiped her mouth, her eyes dodging a bit, looking at Kassadin and stammered, "You..... I mistook you for a Void creature, I'm sorry, I....."

"You're Kaisa.... You're Kaisa? Right?"

But Kassadin had already crawled to her side.

His injuries were all healed, but his body was a bit weak, limp, a symptom of hunger.

But Kassadin didn't feel hungry at all at the moment. His soul was trembling, looking at the woman in front of him.

Reaching out, he firmly pressed his hands on Kai'Sa's arms, trembling, Kassadin asked loudly, "You are Kaisa. Right? Do you still remember this name?"

"..."

"Kaisa. What a nostalgic name."

Kai'Sa's eyes flashed with memories, a bitter smile appearing on her lips.

She had forgotten so many things. During those years in the underground world, assimilated by this skin, Kai'Sa even forgot what Kassadin looked like.

But... this name, she still remembered it firmly.

"Yes, I am Kaisa."

Kai'Sa lowered her head, looking at the man kneeling in front of her with joy in his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, but his head tilted, and suddenly he fainted at Kai'Sa's feet.

Kassadin, after getting confirmation, completely relaxed his tension.

His mastery of Void power was not as proficient as Kai'Sa's. The reason he woke up now was because Kassadin forcibly suppressed the instinct of the Void.

But after getting confirmation, Kassadin's tightly controlled spirit broke.

And Kai'Sa, with her head down, looked at the man who buried his head in the sand, her eyes showing confusion.

Father..... this was really an unexpected word.

Kai'Sa reached out her hand, cautiously touching Kassadin's head.

In her mind, some memories appeared.

In the underground world, memories were the only motivation that supported Kai'Sa to persist.

And in those memories, she remembered some things that she had abandoned.

"Father....."