Ruchi's gaze shifted as she looked back over her shoulder, raising her hand into the air with a fluid motion. Her fingers clasped tightly around a piece of paper that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere.
Bdoll, perched on her shoulder, spoke up with a grin, "It seems like a letter from the Divine Land."
Ruchi's eyes focused on the letter, but as she looked closer, it vanished just as suddenly as it had materialized. A slight frown creased her brow, and she turned her gaze to Sambh.
"Sambh," she said quietly, her voice tinged with an unspoken worry, "you must take care of yourself from now on. There's someone from the Divine Land in Golden City, and I need to return to the palace."
She paused for a moment, as if weighing her words, before adding, "You are truly special here." With that, she turned and stepped into a portal, disappearing without another word.
Sambh stood frozen for a moment, unsure of what to say. The weight of Ruchi's words settled heavily in his chest. He didn't fully understand what was going on, but he knew one thing for sure—something was coming, and it had the potential to change everything.
As he processed this, a group of soldiers appeared behind him, led by a familiar face. They were the same soldiers who had escorted him to the Golden City's registration hall not long ago. They approached with purpose, their steps heavy as they neared Weismier, who was sitting in his wheelchair.
Weismier turned to Sambh and spoke with a hint of pride. "This is Yon, one of my most trusted employees. He works closely with me."
Sambh recognized Yon immediately, and a wave of recollection hit him.
"It was them," he muttered, more to himself than to Weismier.
"They were the ones who picked me up for the jury in the new registration hall."
Weismier nodded. "Since you're familiar with them, we'll be leaving now. The ship is about to depart." He looked at Yon and his colleagues, signaling that it was time to go.
As Weismier and Yon left for the ship, Sambh couldn't help but watch them as the ship slowly began to pull away from the port, its sails billowing in the wind. The water churned around the ship as it sailed farther into the horizon, and Sambh was left standing there, his mind racing with questions he wasn't sure how to answer.
Back in her palace, Ruchi arrived with a stormy look on her face. Her steps were hurried, the sound of her footsteps echoing through the grand halls. Jigartala, ever the dutiful servant, appeared before her and greeted her with a formal bow.
"Greetings, Your Highness," he said respectfully, but Ruchi didn't pause or acknowledge him. Her mind was elsewhere.
Without a word, she continued toward the heart of the palace, but Jigartala hurried after her, his voice soft yet urgent. "Your Highness, the Lord from the Divine Land has arrived."
Ruchi stopped in her tracks, her eyes narrowing as she turned to face Jigartala. "You look pleased with his presence," she said coldly, the sharpness of her tone catching him off guard.
Jigartala dropped to his knees, his voice trembling. "I dare not speak so, Your Highness."
Ruchi's expression softened slightly, though her eyes remained focused on him. "Take these," she said, pulling three diamonds from her hand and passing them to him. "Take them to the three towers and replace the old ones. Make sure the barrier is strong again."
She gave him a pointed look. "Also, check the authenticity of those diamonds. I want to know which one is fake." Without waiting for a response, she continued, "I will go and meet the divine messenger."
With that, she walked deeper into the palace, her presence commanding the room as she made her way to the guest quarters.
Upon entering the guest room, Ruchi saw the figure of a large man in golden robes and a crown. His posture was regal, but his demeanor was far from welcoming. He looked at her with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Welcome back, Ruchi," he said.
"I didn't expect you to be in such a hurry to meet me."
Ruchi's gaze hardened as she met his smile with a steely one of her own.
"This is the first time I've had a messenger from the Divine Land," she said.
"You could have just sent a message, but instead, you come here in person."
The man's smile faltered, but he quickly regained his composure. "It was urgent," he explained.
"We've received word of a threat from Golden City."
Ruchi's temper flared.
"How dare you?" she hissed, the room around them flickering with a brilliant light. The divine messenger, sensing her anger, summoned his own aura, and in an instant, the room grew cold as ice formed along the edges of the walls.
Ruchi smiled darkly, her eyes glowing with a controlled power. "I didn't expect you to have grown so strong," she said, her voice laced with amusement and challenge.
"Now tell me, what brings you here today?"
The messenger's expression turned serious. "We received a message from Golden City about a time traveler," he said, his voice low.
"We came here to subdue him."
Ruchi's brow furrowed in disbelief. "By the looks of your army, it doesn't seem like you're prepared to subdue anyone," she retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
The messenger didn't flinch. "I've heard that the ruler of Golden City is a woman of great power. She is known by her name."
Ruchi nodded, her expression grim. "You are correct. The time traveler has awakened the ancient sword, and his power during the registration at the hall was unlike anything we've seen. His presence has been detected as that of a time traveler, and I've been ordered to kill him. Every one of us has been ordered to help in this task."
Ruchi's eyes narrowed dangerously. "He is just a time traveler who got lost on his way to meet his father. There is no threat from him."
The messenger's eyes hardened. "You may believe that, but I have been ordered to ensure his end."
A cold silence filled the room, both of them unwilling to back down.