Published at 17th of September 2024 7:38 pm

Chapter 102 The Queen’s Path: 10 The Seeds of Tomorrow

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

The morning air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of sand and the echoes of the wind as it swept across the ruins of Rōran. It had been a week since the battle, and the camp was slowly transforming into something more permanent. Makeshift tents were being replaced by sturdier structures, and the streets, once filled with rubble, were gradually being cleared.

Sāra stood at the edge of the central square, watching as groups of people worked together to rebuild. There was a steady hum of activity—soldiers patrolling the outskirts, builders collecting materials from the ruins, and children playing in the few open spaces that had been cleared. It was far from the city’s former glory, but it was a beginning. A new Rōran was rising from the ashes, and Sāra could feel the optimism in the air.

Ryū approached her, his arms full of wooden beams that were being used to fortify some of the newer structures. His usual stoic expression was softened by a small smile as he glanced at the people hard at work. “We’re making progress.”

Sāra nodded, her heart lifting at the sight of her people coming together. “Yes. Every day, it feels like we’re getting closer to something stable. I didn’t think it would happen this quickly.”

Ryū set down the beams and stretched his arms, the weight of the past week’s labor evident in the stiffness of his movements. “It helps that everyone’s committed. After everything that happened, people want something to hold on to. Rebuilding the city gives them purpose.”

“I just hope we’re building something that can last this time,” Sāra said quietly, her eyes scanning the horizon where the old spires of Rōran had once stood tall. “The Ryuumyaku’s gone, but without it, we’re relying on each other—and on resources we don’t have.”

Ryū gave a thoughtful nod, his gaze lingering on the distant ruins. “It’s true. But we’ve got something better now. We’re not tied to the power of the Ryuumyaku anymore. What we build will be because of our own hands, our own efforts. That makes it stronger.”

Sāra smiled softly at his words. He had a way of cutting through the doubts that gnawed at her, always seeing the heart of things clearly. It was one of the reasons she valued him so much—not just as a warrior, but as a friend.

“I suppose you’re right,” she said, feeling a little lighter. “But we’ll need to think about more than just survival soon. If Rōran is going to thrive, we’ll need to trade, gather supplies, form alliances…”

“I’ve already sent out scouts to neighboring regions,” Ryū interjected, folding his arms as he stood beside her. “We need to establish relationships with the other villages if we want to avoid isolation. But it’s not just about trade—there’s still the matter of Mukade’s remnants. We can’t assume the rest of the world will leave us alone now that the Ryuumyaku is gone.”

Sāra frowned at the mention of Mukade. His defeat had been a hard-won victory, but his influence stretched farther than any of them had realized. The puppets, the machines—there were still forces loyal to him, and there was no guarantee that his ambition had died with him.

“We need to stay vigilant,” Sāra agreed. “There are always others who will seek power. And without the Ryuumyaku, they might come for us, thinking we’re vulnerable.”

Ryū’s gaze hardened, his protective instincts flaring. “Let them come. We’ve faced worse.”

Before Sāra could respond, a young soldier hurried toward them, breathless and clearly flustered. “Lady Sāra! Ryū! You need to come to the southern outpost—now!”

The urgency in the soldier’s voice sent a chill through Sāra. “What’s happened?”

“We found something,” the soldier stammered, glancing nervously between them. “It’s… it’s better if you see for yourselves.”

Without hesitation, Sāra and Ryū followed the soldier toward the southern outskirts of the camp. The tension in the air was palpable as they approached the outpost—a small, hastily built tower that overlooked the desert. Several guards were gathered around a pit that had been dug into the ground, their expressions grim.

As they reached the pit, Sāra’s heart sank. Inside were the remnants of several puppets—Mukade’s creations. Their broken bodies were strewn across the sand, but it wasn’t their presence that alarmed her. It was what they had been protecting.

Deep within the pit, embedded in the earth, was a strange, crystalline structure. It pulsed faintly with a dark, ominous energy.

“The scouts found it while clearing debris,” one of the guards explained, his voice tight with unease. “We thought it was just more rubble at first, but then we realized… it’s connected to the Ryuumyaku.”

Sāra’s blood ran cold. “The Ryuumyaku is gone. I destroyed it.”

Ryū crouched at the edge of the pit, examining the structure carefully. “It’s not the same as the main source. But it looks like some kind of fragment—a piece of the energy that might have been left behind.”

Sāra’s mind raced as she stared at the glowing crystal. Even though she had sealed and destroyed the Ryuumyaku’s core, there were still remnants of its power scattered throughout the city. If this fragment had been uncovered, there could be others, hidden beneath the ruins, waiting to be found.

“If Mukade’s followers find this…” Sāra whispered, fear gripping her. “They could use it to start everything again.”

Ryū stood, his face set in determination. “We need to destroy it. Now.”

Sāra hesitated. The fragment was small, but the power it held was still formidable. Destroying it might not be as simple as breaking a stone—it could have dangerous repercussions, especially if it was still connected to the lingering energies of the Ryuumyaku.

“Be careful,” she warned, stepping forward. “We don’t know how unstable it is.”

Ryū nodded, unsheathing his sword as he approached the pit. The other soldiers stepped back, watching nervously as he raised the blade above the crystal. With one swift motion, he brought it down, shattering the structure into pieces.

For a moment, everything was still.

Then, without warning, a burst of energy exploded from the fragment, knocking Ryū back and sending a shockwave through the ground. The soldiers scrambled to avoid the blast, but Sāra stood her ground, her eyes locked on the glowing shards as they flickered and dimmed, the power within them finally dissipating.

Ryū staggered to his feet, shaking off the force of the explosion. “That was… stronger than I expected.”

Sāra rushed to his side, helping him steady himself. “Are you alright?”

He nodded, though he looked shaken. “Yeah. Just wasn’t expecting that much energy left in such a small fragment.”

Sāra stared at the remains of the crystal, her heart pounding. If there were more fragments like this hidden beneath Rōran, the danger wasn’t over. Even without Mukade, the Ryuumyaku’s power could still threaten everything they were trying to build.

“We need to search the city,” Sāra said, her voice firm. “There could be more of these fragments. If we don’t find them, someone else will.”

Ryū wiped the sweat from his brow, nodding in agreement. “I’ll organize patrols. We’ll comb the ruins and clear out any remnants of the Ryuumyaku we find.”

Sāra turned to the soldier who had brought them here. “Tell the others to be on high alert. If anyone finds anything unusual, they need to report it immediately.”

The soldier saluted and rushed off to relay the message, leaving Sāra and Ryū standing at the edge of the pit, the air around them heavy with the weight of this new threat.

As they walked back toward the camp, Sāra couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that had settled over her. The battle with Mukade had been the most difficult challenge she had ever faced, but now she realized that the true fight wasn’t over. The Ryuumyaku’s shadow still loomed over Rōran, and it was up to her to ensure that it never rose again.

“We’ll get through this,” Ryū said quietly as they walked, sensing her unease.

Sāra nodded, though her mind was filled with doubts. “We have to. For Rōran’s future.”

But as she looked out at the ruins of the city, she knew that the road ahead would be even more dangerous than she had imagined.

Share