46. Golden Badge and the Thief’s Tale

Sambh's eyes narrowed as he posed the question, "Who is this Sage Sandh?"

Ruchi, with a thoughtful expression, replied, "After we left the divine land, chaos reigned. So many fought among themselves that the divine land intervened. They sent three of their finest warriors to guide and sustain life here.

That trio was none other than Sage Sandh, Sam, and me. We led them out of those dark ages—teaching them about technology, creation, the vast void, and enlightening them with knowledge to help them reach the divine land.

Over time, many creatures and humans joined the divine army, while others became law enforcers. Every year, one of the finest warriors was sent back to the divine land."

Ruchi continued, "We divided the land among us. The golden city was ruled by me, Sam took charge of the unending forests, deserts, and mountains, and Sage Sandh governed Golden Golf—a city blessed by divine artifacts and advanced technology. Among all of us, Sam was the strongest, followed by Sage Sandh, though he was the favored one."

At that moment, Sage Sandh's voice echoed from a memory. "How did you defeat him in the golden city?" he had once demanded.

Ruchi had replied, "It was because he lost most of his power while breaking the barrier of the golden city." Their voices mingled with the memories as the trio emerged from the portal, their past glories still vivid in their minds.

Stepping out into a world where nature had reclaimed its place, Sambh marveled at the vibrant trees and blooming flowers. People moved gently among them, watering plants and plucking withered leaves. Yet, Sambh's thoughts were troubled.

"Didn't you say that we were going to visit Prison Island?" he asked, glancing around with curiosity.

Ruchi smiled enigmatically. "This is Prison Island, and everyone here is, in a way, a prisoner," she said softly.

Determined to learn more, Sambh approached a lady carefully tending to the flowers and asked, "Excuse me, could you tell me if this truly is Prison Island?"

The woman replied with a nod, "Yes, it is."

Returning to where Ruchi waited in a quiet corner, Sambh inquired, "How are we going to search for Sayera here?"

Ruchi's eyes sparkled with confidence as she reassured him, "You don't need to worry about that. I know exactly where we will find him."

Together, they passed down a long corridor until they reached a lonely, gnarled tree. Standing in its shadow, Sambh frowned.

"Why can't I see Sayera anywhere?" he wondered aloud.

At that moment, Ruchi raised her finger toward the tree's crown. Then, a voice rang out, "Boss, you're really here to pick me up!"

Sambh looked upward, and to his astonishment, Bdoll leapt gracefully from the tree and landed before him. Bdoll circled around him with a mixture of excitement and mischief.

Sambh, still puzzled by the appearance of this unexpected ally, asked, "Do you know who killed me from inside on that fateful day?"

Bdoll paused and then replied, "No, I have no idea."

He continued, "What I do know is that I attempted to hack one of the systems inside and discovered an order—issued by your dad—to kill you as soon as you passed through the gate. I tried to alert you, but in the chaos, I transferred my data to some other technology and ended up here. I still managed to send a warning, but it was too late."

Sambh sighed in disappointment, "It's okay." He glanced back at Ruchi, who listened intently.

"There seems to be a connection between the technology I hacked and Sage Sandh," she observed quietly.

Sambh added, "Bdoll mentioned that he was interrupted during the hack. It must mean that the technology is intertwined with something—or someone—more complex."

Bdoll nodded, "It's possible. His data might be stored within a human brain, programmed to override other memories."

Ruchi's eyes lit with determination. "If that's true, then you need to hack his brain and try to extract his data once we reach Golden Golf and are within his sight."

Bdoll replied, "That was almost impossible back then. But today, with the advancements of divine land technology, he has grown even more powerful, enriched by its knowledge."

Ruchi pressed on, "Have you managed to hack into the technology of the divine land at all?"

"Yes, it has helped me a great deal," Bdoll answered confidently.

Sambh, absorbing every word, said, "We can only trust you, Bdoll. Your knowledge is our best lead right now."

Ruchi smiled and declared, "Let's move on." With a graceful gesture, she opened a shimmering portal, and in an instant, the trio found themselves aboard a sleek, futuristic ship.

As the ship sailed through the starlit void, Sambh's mind raced with questions. The conversation with Bdoll had deepened the mystery of his own past, the hidden orders of his father, and the shadowy figure of Sage Sandh.

"Sambh," Ruchi said softly as she observed the cosmos streaking by outside the ship's viewport.

Sambh stared into the dark expanse of space, contemplating her words. "Sometimes, I think our destiny was never about power or control—it was about remembering who we once were. The divine land, the warriors we once were… We must reclaim that lost purpose."

Their conversation was interrupted by Bdoll, who, with a hint of urgency, said, "I've detected an anomaly. It appears that our path to Golden Golf may not be as clear as we hoped."

Sambh leaned forward, eyes alert. "What do you mean?"

Bdoll replied, "There's interference in the system—someone or something is trying to block our approach. It might be connected to the same technology that altered my data, or even to Sage Sandh's hidden directives."

Ruchi's expression grew serious. "That sounds like the work of our unseen enemy—the one who may have orchestrated your father's order."

Sambh's voice hardened with resolve. "We need to get to Golden Golf. Once we uncover the truth behind Sage Sandh and those orders, we might finally understand why I was targeted that day and what our destiny truly holds."

As the ship drifted toward its destination, the tension among the trio was palpable. Each of them carried the weight of unanswered questions and the hope that, at last, the secrets of their past would illuminate the path to their future.

The ship's engines hummed softly as it accelerated, and the portal to Golden Golf beckoned in the distance—a shimmering promise of revelation and peril.

Before they could prepare for what lay ahead, Bdoll's sensors pinged again, this time with a dire warning.

"Boss," he said urgently, "I detect an incoming signal—a message, perhaps—from an unknown source. It could be our enemy making their move."

Sambh exchanged a determined glance with Ruchi.

"Then we must be ready," he declared, gripping his sword tightly.

"Our journey is far from over. The truth lies in Golden Golf, and with it, our destiny—and the fate of all who dared to time travel."

As the ship's lights dimmed and the vast universe unfurled before them.