Published at 17th of September 2024 6:23 pm

Chapter 94 The Queen’s Path: 2 Gathering the Winds

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The following morning, as the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, Sāra stood at the edge of the camp, watching the sun rise. Its warm glow seemed almost at odds with the chill in her bones, the ominous feeling that had lingered from the night before.

The survivors of Rōran were beginning to stir. Their camp was modest—simple tents and makeshift shelters formed from scavenged materials, but it was more than a shelter. It was a symbol of survival, of resilience. They had lost their home, but they hadn’t lost their spirit. Sāra admired that about them.

As she waited for Ryū and the others to gather, she took a moment to reflect on what they had built over the years since the fall of Rōran. It hadn’t been easy, but her people had adapted to this new life, far from the grandeur they once knew. They had become nomads, moving from place to place, searching for safety and security in a world that seemed determined to forget them.

The children were the hardest part, Sāra thought. They had never known the city’s splendor, only the stories that their elders told them. Tales of a time when the great tower of Rōran rose high into the sky, when the streets were alive with music and laughter, when Sāra herself was a Queen. Now, she was just Sāra—a leader, yes, but not a ruler. She had long since cast off the title of Queen, believing that the age of monarchs had passed with Rōran.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Ryū approached, his long strides kicking up dust in his wake. Behind him, a group of familiar faces followed—men and women who had once been her royal guard, now her trusted allies in this new life. Though their armor had long been abandoned, there was still a sense of duty that bound them to Sāra, a loyalty forged through hardship and loss.

Ryū nodded to her as he reached her side. "They’re ready."

Sāra glanced over the small group—there were fewer of them than she remembered. Time had taken its toll. Some had left to forge new paths, others had been lost to the dangers of the desert. But those who remained were strong, and she knew they would follow her anywhere, even back to the place that haunted them all.

"Thank you," Sāra said softly, her voice carrying the weight of her gratitude. "I know this isn’t easy for any of us. Going back to Rōran… it won’t be the same."

One of the older guards, Hana, stepped forward. Her face was lined with age and wear, but her eyes were as sharp as ever. "We’ve all lived with the shadow of Rōran, Your Highness—" she caught herself, correcting with a wry smile, "Sāra. Whatever awaits us there, we face it together. We owe that much to our people."

The rest of the group murmured their agreement. Sāra could see the determination in their eyes, and for a brief moment, the weight on her shoulders felt lighter.

Ryū stepped forward, his expression serious. "We need to be cautious. If the Ryuumyaku is really stirring, there’s no telling what we’ll find. And if someone is trying to unseal it, we could be walking into a trap."

Sāra nodded. "We move carefully. But we need answers. If the Ryuumyaku is waking, we have to know why. We can’t let history repeat itself."

Ryū looked out over the desert, his gaze distant. "Do you think it’s Mukade? Could he have found a way to return?"

Sāra shuddered at the mention of the name. Mukade, the man who had nearly destroyed Rōran, had been consumed by his lust for the power of the Ryuumyaku. His betrayal had cost them everything. But Naruto had defeated him, sealed him away. Could it be possible that Mukade’s evil lingered, waiting for the right moment to rise again?

"I don’t know," Sāra said, her voice low. "But if it is Mukade… we’ll stop him. Just like before."

The group fell silent, each member lost in their own thoughts. The journey ahead would not be easy, and the specter of Mukade was a shadow that hung over them all. But there was no turning back now. The path forward was clear, even if it led to danger.

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The journey back to the ruins of Rōran was long and arduous, the desert sun beating down on them mercilessly as they traveled. Though the remnants of the city were not far from their current camp, the land between was treacherous. Shifting sands and jagged rock formations made the path difficult to navigate, and there was always the danger of bandits or worse, roaming the wastelands.

As they neared the ruins, Sāra felt her heart begin to race. The last time she had been here, she had sealed the Ryuumyaku with Naruto’s help, cutting off the source of the city’s power to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. It had been the only way to save her people, but it had cost them everything.

Now, as the towering remains of Rōran came into view, Sāra felt a strange mix of emotions—fear, sorrow, and something else. Hope, perhaps? The hope that she could finally lay the past to rest.

Ryū stopped at her side, scanning the horizon with narrowed eyes. "It’s quiet. Too quiet."

Sāra nodded. The ruins of Rōran had always been eerily silent since the fall, but today there was something different in the air. The wind felt heavier, the light dimmer. It was as if the very land was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

"Stay alert," Sāra warned the others. "We don’t know what we’re walking into."

They moved cautiously through the ruins, the once grand streets now buried beneath layers of sand and debris. The tall spires that had once pierced the sky were now jagged and broken, casting long shadows over the desolate landscape.

As they approached the central tower, where the Ryuumyaku had once been housed, Sāra felt a strange sensation in the air. It was faint, but unmistakable—a hum, like the distant vibration of energy beneath the surface.

She exchanged a glance with Ryū, who nodded grimly. "You feel it too?"

Sāra swallowed hard. "Yes. It’s weak, but it’s there. The Ryuumyaku is still alive."

The group reached the base of the tower, where the entrance to the sealed chamber lay hidden beneath layers of stone and rubble. Sāra knelt down, placing her hand against the cold stone. She could feel the faint pulse of energy beneath her fingertips, like a heartbeat buried deep underground.

"We need to find a way inside," Ryū said, his voice tense. "If someone’s trying to access the Ryuumyaku, we have to stop them before they succeed."

Sāra nodded, her mind racing. Whoever was behind this had to be powerful, skilled in manipulating chakra on a level she had only seen once before—with Mukade. But if it wasn’t him, who could it be?

As they began to search for an entrance, a sudden noise echoed through the ruins—the sound of stone grinding against stone, followed by a deep, ominous rumble. Sāra’s heart leapt into her throat as the ground beneath them began to tremble.

"Get back!" Ryū shouted, grabbing Sāra’s arm and pulling her away from the tower.

Before they could react, the ground beneath them cracked open, and a blinding light erupted from the fissure. The energy of the Ryuumyaku, once dormant, now surged with terrifying intensity, its raw power coursing through the ruins like a tidal wave.

Sāra staggered back, shielding her eyes from the light. The air around them crackled with energy, and she could feel the power of the Ryuumyaku pulling at her, as if it recognized her, called to her.

And then, from the heart of the light, a figure emerged—cloaked in shadow, with eyes that burned like fire.

"Who dares to awaken the Ryuumyaku?" the voice boomed, its tone dripping with malice.

Sāra’s blood ran cold. She had heard that voice before.

Mukade.

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