53. The Return of Vall-eran

Sambh rose into the sky, his presence casting a shadow over the battlefield. Seeing this, Ruchi narrowed her eyes.

"I will help you meet your doom today."

She raised her wand, its energy surging with divine power. Sambh smirked, unfazed. As he flew closer to her chariot, she hurled a blast of energy at him.

But Sambh deflected her attack effortlessly, striking her wand downward with his own. In that instant, he summoned Trimura—the massive, three-headed serpent. With a flick of his wrist, the monstrous snake lunged toward Ruchi.

She barely managed to push herself back, dodging its lethal fangs. But in doing so, she momentarily lost control of her wand. Sambh seized the opportunity. With a wicked grin, he merged her wand with the Seven-Colored Spear, imbuing it with devastating power.

Ruchi's eyes widened as he hurled the fused weapon at her. The spear struck with immense force, piercing her and her chariot in one blow.

Pain shot through her body, but she clenched her teeth and hissed, "If I die… I'll take you with me."

Summoning the last of her strength, she unleashed an explosion from the Seven-Colored Spear. The sky ignited in flames, engulfing her entirely. The sheer magnitude of power consumed everything in its path, burning away the heavens.

Sambh let out a cry of agony as the inferno swallowed him. Sam and his armies vanished with him, disappearing into the raging storm of destruction. Trikanth stood in stunned silence, his face pale.

"He is Vall-Eran…"

His voice was barely a whisper. "We must inform the Divine Land about his resurrection."

Without another word, he turned and disappeared. Sage Sandh remained frozen in place, his heart pounding. He looked around—the once-glorious city lay in ruin. The air was thick with smoke and despair.

The cries of the wounded echoed through the charred remains of buildings. His fists clenched as sorrow filled his eyes.

Bdoll and Yon wasted no time. They immediately headed toward the Golden City, their expressions grim. But as they approached, they saw horror unfolding before them.

The people of Golden Gulf were being hunted. Dark creatures, grotesque and relentless, surged through the streets. From the ocean, monstrous beasts crawled onto land, devouring everything in their path.

A feral jackal lunged at them. Yon reacted swiftly, slashing it in half. But to his horror, the severed body parts wriggled and reformed. The creature only multiplied, its two halves now attacking with renewed fury.

"These things don't die!" Yon shouted.

Bdoll's mechanical eye whirred as he analyzed the creatures. "Don't kill them! Just teleport them away!"

Yon gritted his teeth but followed Bdoll's orders. He activated his teleportation device, warping the beasts away one by one.

"Hurry!" Bdoll urged. "We need to reach the ship!"

They ran through the carnage, dodging swipes and lunges, until they finally boarded their vessel. The ship's captain slammed his fist onto the control panel, activating the barrier just in time.

Outside, the creatures swarmed like hungry wolves, clawing at the glowing shield. Their eyes burned with insatiable hunger, their numbers growing with each passing second.

"Their numbers keep increasing!" the captain shouted.

"We need a plan!" Yon snapped.

The ship rocked violently as the creatures piled onto its hull, their weight straining the barrier's limits.

"We can't see anything ahead!" one of the crewmen yelled.

"They're blocking our entire field of vision!"

Yon turned to the captain. "Use the compass to navigate! Full speed ahead!"

The engines roared as the ship plowed forward through the infested waters. But the creatures weren't giving up. They clung to the sides, screeching, their grotesque limbs reaching for any crack in the barrier.

As they approached Golden City, Bdoll activated the teleportation device once more. In an instant, they vanished from the ship and reappeared inside the city's protective walls.

Outside the barrier, the creatures continued to gather, their snarls vibrating through the air. Yon exhaled sharply. "That was too close."

Bdoll didn't respond. His mind was racing. They hurried through the city's streets, reaching the House of Weismier.

Inside, the air was thick with tension. The aged ruler, Weismier, sat in his wheelchair, his hands trembling as he turned the pages of a newspaper. On the front page, the bold headlines sent chills down their spines.

"THE GHOSTS HAVE REVIVED… THEY ARE COMING."

On the next page, another headline froze them in place.

"THE RULER OF THE GOLDEN CITY IS DEAD."

The weight of those words crushed the last remnants of hope in the room. The city was in chaos. People were terrified, whispering among themselves, desperate for answers, for safety.

Weismier's gaze lifted, his old, cloudy eyes scanning the room as if searching for something. Then, he spoke in a quiet but urgent tone.

"Where is Sambh?"

Yon exchanged a troubled glance with Bdoll. Then, with a heavy heart, he answered, "He has been possessed." Weismier's eyes widened.

"What?"

His voice turned sharp. "Come here. Tell me everything—now."

Yon and Bdoll stepped closer, recounting every harrowing detail. They spoke of Ruchi's battle, Sambh's transformation, and the resurrection of Vall-Eran.

Weismier listened, his expression growing graver with each word. When they finished, he remained silent for a long moment. Then, his voice dropped to a whisper.

"How did he become possessed by the dark aura?" His fingers curled into a fist. "There must be something we overlooked."

Bdoll hesitated, then spoke carefully. "I overheard something… Sambh carried the Mirror of Fate with him."

Weismier's breath hitched. "The Mirror of Fate…?" His voice trembled.

Yon nodded. "Yes. And that's what awakened the Ghost King, Vall-Eran."

Weismier slumped back in his chair, closing his eyes as the weight of realization settled in.

"And Ruchi…?" he finally asked.

The room fell silent. No one spoke. Weismier exhaled, his voice barely audible. "How could Her Highness die…?"

Silence stretched between them, thick with sorrow. But there was no time to grieve.

"We must go to the palace," Weismier declared, his voice regaining strength. "The royal advisor must be informed. If there is even a single way to save Sambh… we must find it."