Published at 17th of September 2024 7:39 pm

Chapter 106 The Queen’s Path: 14 The Final Descent

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The glow of the Ryuumyaku intensified with each passing night, casting an eerie blue hue over the city of Rōran. Every corner of the kingdom seemed touched by the ancient energy that had once fueled their civilization—and nearly destroyed it. Sāra watched the glow from her chamber window, her face reflecting the deep unease that settled over her heart. She knew they were running out of time.

In the days since the pulsing energy first emerged from the ground, the people of Rōran had become restless. Some were panicked, fearing that the calamity of the Ryuumyaku was set to repeat itself. Others were hopeful, believing that its power could somehow be harnessed once again to restore their city to its former glory.

But Sāra knew the truth. The Ryuumyaku wasn’t a gift—it was a curse. And its resurgence was a sign that the darkness Mukade had once sought to unleash had not been vanquished. It had only been lying dormant, waiting for the right moment to rise again.

The message they had sent to the Hidden Leaf Village still had no reply. Sāra knew it was unlikely Naruto could come in time, if he even could at all. The Hokage had his own village to protect, and Rōran’s troubles were distant from the battles of the shinobi world.

“I can’t wait any longer,” Sāra murmured to herself, her decision firm in her mind.

There was a knock at her chamber door, and Ryū stepped inside. His face was as grim as hers, his expression betraying the same fear that had plagued her since the Ryuumyaku began its resurgence.

“It’s getting stronger,” Ryū said, his voice low. “The energy is spreading. We can feel it even in the outskirts of the city now.”

Sāra turned to face him, her heart heavy but resolved. “Then we need to act. We’re going back into the tunnels tonight.”

Ryū didn’t argue. He had known this was coming, just as she had. “I’ve gathered the best of our fighters. We’ll be ready by sunset.”

“Thank you,” Sāra said softly, though she knew no words would be enough to express her gratitude. “This time, we go all the way. Whatever is causing the Ryuumyaku to reawaken, we’re going to stop it.”

Ryū nodded, his eyes filled with determination. “We’ll stop it. Together.”

_______________________________________________________________

By the time the sun set, a small but skilled group stood ready at the entrance to the ruins. Sāra, Ryū, Hana, and a few others who had braved the tunnels before now faced their greatest challenge yet. The collapsed entrance had been reopened, revealing the dark, twisting paths that led deep beneath the city.

“Are you sure about this?” Hana asked, her voice barely audible over the faint hum of the Ryuumyaku’s energy.

Sāra nodded. “This is the only way. If we leave it any longer, Rōran might not survive what’s coming.”

With that, they descended into the tunnels once again, the flickering light of their torches casting long shadows on the damp stone walls. The air was thick with the same sense of foreboding they had felt before, but this time, it was worse. The deeper they went, the stronger the pull of the Ryuumyaku became. It was as though the very walls were vibrating with its power, whispering dark promises in a language only Sāra could hear.

The whispers grew louder the further they traveled, and Sāra found herself gripping her torch tightly, fighting the overwhelming sense of dread that crept into her mind.

Ryuumyaku… it cannot be destroyed… only controlled…

The voices swirled around her, indistinct but persistent. They were calling to her, urging her to give in to the power that had been the lifeblood of her ancestors. She shook her head, trying to block them out, but the pull was strong—so strong it nearly drowned out her own thoughts.

“Stay focused,” Ryū said from ahead, his voice grounding her. “We’re almost there.”

They emerged once more into the large cavern where the Ryuumyaku’s fragments had been found before. The eerie glow of the crystals lined the walls, pulsating with energy that seemed to flow like blood through the veins of the earth itself.

But this time, there was something different. In the center of the cavern, where the largest crystal had once stood, a dark figure loomed. Its outline was barely visible, but Sāra recognized the oppressive aura it exuded. It was the same shadow she had seen in her vision—an echo of Mukade’s malevolent presence.

Ryū’s hand tightened around the hilt of his sword as the rest of the team spread out, weapons ready.

Sāra took a step forward, her voice steady despite the fear that gripped her. “Who are you? What do you want?”

The figure didn’t move, but the air around it crackled with energy. Then, in a voice that sent chills down Sāra’s spine, it spoke.

“The Ryuumyaku is eternal. It will rise again. You cannot stop what has already begun.”

Sāra’s heart raced as the figure stepped forward into the light, revealing a ghostly, transparent form that resembled Mukade—but not quite him. This was no mere shadow. This was something more. An essence of the Ryuumyaku, twisted and corrupted by the power it had once contained.

“You are not Mukade,” Sāra said, her voice trembling. “He is gone.”

The figure smiled, its grin as cold and lifeless as the energy that surrounded it. “Mukade is a vessel, just as you are. The Ryuumyaku is the true power, and it will consume all who stand in its way.”

Ryū stepped in front of Sāra, sword drawn. “We won’t let that happen.”

The figure raised a hand, and with a flick of its fingers, the ground trembled. The crystalline structures around the cavern began to pulse violently, and the energy in the air grew thicker, suffocating. The Ryuumyaku was awakening in full force, and it was ready to reclaim what had once been lost.

Sāra felt the pull of the energy again, stronger this time. It was as if the Ryuumyaku was calling to her, urging her to join it, to give in to its power. She stumbled backward, her vision blurring as the voices in her head grew louder.

You cannot destroy me… you are a part of me…

“No!” Sāra screamed, clutching her head. “I am not like you!”

Ryū grabbed her arm, pulling her back. “Sāra, don’t listen to it! You’re stronger than this!”

Sāra struggled to focus, her mind a battlefield of conflicting thoughts. But Ryū’s voice cut through the chaos, anchoring her to reality. She shook her head, forcing the voices back, and looked up at the figure with renewed determination.

“I will not be controlled,” she said, her voice steady now. “The Ryuumyaku has no hold over me.”

The figure’s smile faded, its eyes narrowing. “You are a fool. The Ryuumyaku’s power cannot be denied.”

“Maybe not,” Sāra replied, stepping forward with renewed resolve. “But I can make sure it never falls into the wrong hands again.”

With that, Sāra raised her hands and concentrated all her energy on the pulsing crystals around the room. She could feel the Ryuumyaku’s power coursing through her veins, but instead of letting it consume her, she channeled it, directing it toward the source of the corruption.

The cavern shook violently as the energy gathered, swirling around the figure like a vortex. Ryū and the others braced themselves as the ground cracked beneath their feet, but Sāra remained focused, her will unyielding.

“You cannot control the Ryuumyaku,” the figure hissed, its form beginning to waver. “It will destroy you.”

But Sāra didn’t waver. With one final surge of energy, she unleashed the full force of the Ryuumyaku’s power, directing it toward the dark figure.

There was a blinding flash of light, and the figure let out a scream, its form dissolving into nothingness as the energy consumed it. The crystals shattered, their glow fading as the Ryuumyaku’s power was finally quelled.

When the light faded, the cavern was silent. The oppressive energy was gone, and the Ryuumyaku’s hold on the city had been broken.

Ryū lowered his sword, his breathing heavy. “Did we do it?”

Sāra nodded, her body trembling with exhaustion. “It’s over.”

As they made their way back to the surface, the weight of what they had just accomplished began to sink in. The Ryuumyaku had been stopped, and Rōran was finally free from its curse.

But as Sāra looked back at the ruins, she knew that the cost had been great. The Ryuumyaku’s power was too dangerous to ever be harnessed again.

And as they emerged into the light of the setting sun, Sāra whispered quietly to herself, “This is the end.”

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