39. The lost Ruler

They bowed in submission as a group of fierce cannibals forced Sambh and Ruchi to follow them. Ruchi lifted her head slightly, her eyes straining in the dim light, when a small, trembling voice escaped her lips.

"Sam…"

In that moment, she hoped to catch a glimpse of someone she once knew. But as the figure came into view, he regarded her with cool indifference, failing to recognize her plea.

Instead, he barked an order for everyone to assemble in the worship chamber for the forthcoming sacrifice—and then he vanished without another word.

The cannibals marched the pair through a massive, rowdy crowd. Their faces were twisted in savage grins, and many bared their teeth in anticipation as they passed a colossal stone.

Standing atop this stone was a man—Sam—who knelt in silent adoration before a nearby tree. The tree's gnarled limbs were partially shrouded in a thick, inky black substance, its leaves dappled with the same mysterious darkness. It was an eerie scene, a macabre tableau of ritual and decay.

Sam, the leader of this bloodthirsty congregation, was in the midst of a grim ceremony. He sacrificed creatures one after another, hurling their still-warm forms into the throng of cheering cannibals.

Some among the crowd ambled about, drinking wine and laughing, lost in the fervor of the celebration. With rough hands, they dragged Sambh and Ruchi toward the stone. In a soft, desperate murmur, Ruchi called out.

"Sam, maybe our fate has brought us here together."

For a long, agonizing moment, Sam's eyes locked onto Ruchi. Then, with a burst of mocking laughter—"Haa haa haaa haaa"—he ridiculed her in front of the jeering crowd.

"Look!" he proclaimed, his voice echoing off the ancient stone.

"We have brought the leader of the Golden City here!"

The entire assembly fell silent, all eyes turning in unison toward Ruchi. Desperation etched on her face, she struggled against the ropes that bound her, but they held fast.

"You have forgotten," Sam sneered, his tone laced with contempt, "that it was you who decreed only the leader may decide the fate of this land."

With a roar that shook the very air, he continued, "I am the ruler of this land, and you are bound by my wand!"

His words sent a chill through the onlookers, and as a sudden gust of wind swept through, the atmosphere grew even more foreboding.

In one swift, unexpected motion, Sam appeared before them and, with a forceful gesture, hurled Sambh and Ruchi toward a nearby pond. The cool water engulfed them instantly.

As they struggled in the pond's depths, an uncanny sight unfolded. The same fish that had once roamed the ocean's vast expanse now surged toward them as if galloping through the water, their sharp teeth snapping mercilessly.

Sambh fought desperately to free himself. He thrashed wildly, trying to send the biting fish scattering. Yet one particularly vicious creature sank its teeth into his hand, drawing blood that dripped steadily into the murky water.

Just when it seemed that there was no escape from the onslaught, an extraordinary phenomenon occurred—a sword, radiant and gleaming, emerged from the depths of the pond. Its blade flashed with brilliant lightning as it struck the school of fish, reducing them instantly to a cloud of dust.

In that electrifying moment, the sword broke its silence and freed Sambh's ensnared hand. Almost as if guided by destiny, the weapon glided toward him and came to rest in his grasp.

With newfound strength, he vaulted out of the water and rushed to Ruchi's side. She lay unconscious, her eyes closed as if in a deep, troubled sleep. Gently, he unclasped her trembling hand and pleaded, "Ruchi, wake up!"

No sooner had he uttered those words than chaos erupted anew. The entire cannibal army surged forward in a frenzied attack. Sam, refusing to yield, raised his sword and charged into the melee, his blade cutting a path through the clashing warriors.

Despite his fierce display, his defenses faltered under the overwhelming force of the mob, and he was forced to retreat, leaving a trail of discord in his wake.

Undeterred by the tumult, Sambh repeated his desperate cry, "Ruchi, wake up!"

His voice rang out above the clamor, a beacon of hope amidst the darkness. Suddenly, with an explosive burst of energy, Sam reappeared. He swept aside the attackers around him with a powerful strike that sent them scattering, and he landed squarely in front of Sambh and Ruchi.

A cruel smile twisted his features as he sneered, "I never expected the sword to recognize you as its owner."

In a show of defiance, Sam raised his wand, unleashing a surge of dark magic. But the sword, now glowing with an ethereal light, intercepted the spell with a dazzling flash of lightning.

Sambh, overwhelmed by conflicting sensations, admitted in a trembling voice," This sword is not under my command—it is controlling me."

Driven by a surge of raw emotion and guided by forces he barely understood, Sambh lifted his hand to the heavens. In response, a massive bolt of lightning erupted from the sword, striking Sam with unyielding force.

The blast radiated outward, obliterating everything in its path and turning every nearby creature to dust. In the chaos, Sam's wand disintegrated into nothingness, and as if swallowed by the night, Sam himself vanished without a trace.

Silence descended upon the scene. Sambh, still holding the sword, stood amid the swirling remnants of shattered bodies and broken dreams. Ruchi, now stirring faintly from her stupor, began to regain consciousness as he knelt beside her.

The taste of blood mingled with the metallic scent of rain in the air, and the dark waters lapped quietly at the pond's edge.

Yet even as calm returned, the mystery of the evening deepened. What ancient decree had once bound her to this cursed land? And most haunting of all, what power did the sword wield that now seemed to guide Sambh against his will?

As the wind whispered secrets through the gnarled branches of the blackened tree, Sambh's eyes swept across the ruined crowd. A foreboding chill crept over him, as if the very fabric of destiny was unraveling before his eyes.

In that instant, the night grew darker still, and Sambh knew that the battle for control of fate was far from over. With the sword pulsating in his hand and Ruchi by his side, he

was surely bound to go in any instinct.

The remnants of the cannibals' ritual faded into the cold night.