Chapter 35:
Threads of Change
The Conqueror
Chapter 35 – Threads of Change
Shinra's ghostly form began to flicker, fading like smoke scattered by the wind.
The vision was too much for him to handle.
His chest heaved, his body trembled with exhaustion, and his mind spun under the weight of what he had seen.
He could not bear it any longer.
With a low gasp, Shinra collapsed into the void.
The darkness swallowed him whole.
---
The Void
There, in that endless black, a voice echoed. It was deep, ancient, and heavy with power—its presence pressing into Shinra's very bones.
"Tired already, boy? Can't even endure a fragment of the past?"
Shinra's fists clenched weakly at his sides. His body screamed to give up, to rest, yet somewhere deep inside burned the stubborn fire of defiance.
Slowly, trembling, he forced himself to stand. His knees wobbled, his breath came in ragged gasps, but he rose to his feet.
"I… want more," he rasped. The words came soft, but carried determination.
The void rumbled with low amusement.
"Hah… stubborn little spark. Rage, exhaustion, hunger—they're all the same fuel. I like you.
But remember—this will be the last glimpse. After this, even you might not survive. Still… you will want to see it."
As the words faded, something stirred in his pocket.
The ring he had taken from the skeleton in the dungeon began to glow faintly, pulsing with a pale, otherworldly light.
The glow spread gently, wrapping around Shinra's weakened body like a shield, protecting him from being torn apart completely.
His vision blurred. His strength gave out.
The voice gave one last low laugh.
"So… the relic chooses to keep you alive. Interesting."
And with that, Shinra collapsed once more into unconsciousness.
---
Time Passed
To Shinra, it felt as if only an hour had gone by.
But in the real world, an entire month had already passed.
---
Maura – A Hollow Victory
In the east, the country of Maura lay scarred beyond recognition.
The guilds had won the war, but it was a victory no one celebrated.
The cost had been catastrophic. Seventy percent of the country lay in ruins—villages erased, towns scorched, cities reduced to ash.
The survivors staggered among the wreckage, broken in body and spirit.
And the enemy?
They withdrew. As if the destruction had been nothing but a warning, a demonstration of power.
They surrendered nothing, leaving behind only devastation and a silent message: We can crush you whenever we choose.
The taste of victory was bitter ash.
Among the broken harbors, two figures prepared to leave.
Alex, body wrapped in bandages, leaned heavily against the ship's railing. His eyes were weary, shadowed by loss.
Ryken stood beside him, his cloak fluttering in the sea breeze. His wounds had healed, but the weight he carried was far heavier than scars.
"Victory," Alex muttered, his voice low, bitter. "If this is victory… I'd rather call it defeat."
Ryken didn't answer. He only stared out at the vast, endless sea. Ahead lay home. Yet both knew—they were sailing toward an uncertain future.
---
Draquessa – The Rebellion
Far across the continent, in Draquessa, a new storm erupted.
For years, the king had ruled through cruelty—his greed bleeding the people dry, his soldiers enforcing his will with iron fists.
But even iron shatters when pressed too far.
The people rose.
Farmers took up pitchforks, smiths wielded hammers, merchants sharpened hidden blades.
Ordinary men and women, driven past the edge of despair, rebelled against the throne.
A civil war began to rage. And its flames promised to spread far beyond Draquessa's borders.
---
Elyasia – Calm Before the Storm
Meanwhile, in Elyasia, the sun shone bright as ever.
The capital bustled with life—markets crowded with merchants, guild messengers hurrying along cobblestones, smithies ringing with the hammering of steel.
Yet inside the Guild Court, the atmosphere was heavy with unease.
Marcus, Andreas, and Luke sat in grim discussion.
The war in Maura hung over them like a shadow.
Marcus leaned forward, voice like iron. "Seventy percent of a country destroyed, yet they withdrew as if it were nothing. That isn't war—it's a warning."
Andreas slammed his fist lightly against the table, his expression hard. "A show of power. They want us to know we can't protect what we swore to defend."
Luke's eyes narrowed. "No… it's more than that. If they truly meant to erase Maura, they would have.
This was restraint. A calculated move. Which means something larger is at play."
The room fell silent.
Each of them knew the truth: the fight between guilds and governors was no longer about borders, battles, or even kingdoms.
A deeper force was moving in the shadows.
And though Elyasia's streets still bustled with life, they all understood—the calm would not last.
---
Shinra still slept, lost in the void, the ring faintly glowing at his side.
Unaware that a month had already passed.
Unaware that the world outside was shifting rapidly around him.
Unaware that when he awoke, fate would drag him deeper into the storm than ever before.
To be continued…
Shinra's ghostly form began to flicker, fading like smoke scattered by the wind.
The vision was too much for him to handle.
His chest heaved, his body trembled with exhaustion, and his mind spun under the weight of what he had seen.
He could not bear it any longer.
With a low gasp, Shinra collapsed into the void.
The darkness swallowed him whole.
---
The Void
There, in that endless black, a voice echoed. It was deep, ancient, and heavy with power—its presence pressing into Shinra's very bones.
"Tired already, boy? Can't even endure a fragment of the past?"
Shinra's fists clenched weakly at his sides. His body screamed to give up, to rest, yet somewhere deep inside burned the stubborn fire of defiance.
Slowly, trembling, he forced himself to stand. His knees wobbled, his breath came in ragged gasps, but he rose to his feet.
"I… want more," he rasped. The words came soft, but carried determination.
The void rumbled with low amusement.
"Hah… stubborn little spark. Rage, exhaustion, hunger—they're all the same fuel. I like you.
But remember—this will be the last glimpse. After this, even you might not survive. Still… you will want to see it."
As the words faded, something stirred in his pocket.
The ring he had taken from the skeleton in the dungeon began to glow faintly, pulsing with a pale, otherworldly light.
The glow spread gently, wrapping around Shinra's weakened body like a shield, protecting him from being torn apart completely.
His vision blurred. His strength gave out.
The voice gave one last low laugh.
"So… the relic chooses to keep you alive. Interesting."
And with that, Shinra collapsed once more into unconsciousness.
---
Time Passed
To Shinra, it felt as if only an hour had gone by.
But in the real world, an entire month had already passed.
---
Maura – A Hollow Victory
In the east, the country of Maura lay scarred beyond recognition.
The guilds had won the war, but it was a victory no one celebrated.
The cost had been catastrophic. Seventy percent of the country lay in ruins—villages erased, towns scorched, cities reduced to ash.
The survivors staggered among the wreckage, broken in body and spirit.
And the enemy?
They withdrew. As if the destruction had been nothing but a warning, a demonstration of power.
They surrendered nothing, leaving behind only devastation and a silent message: We can crush you whenever we choose.
The taste of victory was bitter ash.
Among the broken harbors, two figures prepared to leave.
Alex, body wrapped in bandages, leaned heavily against the ship's railing. His eyes were weary, shadowed by loss.
Ryken stood beside him, his cloak fluttering in the sea breeze. His wounds had healed, but the weight he carried was far heavier than scars.
"Victory," Alex muttered, his voice low, bitter. "If this is victory… I'd rather call it defeat."
Ryken didn't answer. He only stared out at the vast, endless sea. Ahead lay home. Yet both knew—they were sailing toward an uncertain future.
---
Draquessa – The Rebellion
Far across the continent, in Draquessa, a new storm erupted.
For years, the king had ruled through cruelty—his greed bleeding the people dry, his soldiers enforcing his will with iron fists.
But even iron shatters when pressed too far.
The people rose.
Farmers took up pitchforks, smiths wielded hammers, merchants sharpened hidden blades.
Ordinary men and women, driven past the edge of despair, rebelled against the throne.
A civil war began to rage. And its flames promised to spread far beyond Draquessa's borders.
---
Elyasia – Calm Before the Storm
Meanwhile, in Elyasia, the sun shone bright as ever.
The capital bustled with life—markets crowded with merchants, guild messengers hurrying along cobblestones, smithies ringing with the hammering of steel.
Yet inside the Guild Court, the atmosphere was heavy with unease.
Marcus, Andreas, and Luke sat in grim discussion.
The war in Maura hung over them like a shadow.
Marcus leaned forward, voice like iron. "Seventy percent of a country destroyed, yet they withdrew as if it were nothing. That isn't war—it's a warning."
Andreas slammed his fist lightly against the table, his expression hard. "A show of power. They want us to know we can't protect what we swore to defend."
Luke's eyes narrowed. "No… it's more than that. If they truly meant to erase Maura, they would have.
This was restraint. A calculated move. Which means something larger is at play."
The room fell silent.
Each of them knew the truth: the fight between guilds and governors was no longer about borders, battles, or even kingdoms.
A deeper force was moving in the shadows.
And though Elyasia's streets still bustled with life, they all understood—the calm would not last.
---
Shinra still slept, lost in the void, the ring faintly glowing at his side.
Unaware that a month had already passed.
Unaware that the world outside was shifting rapidly around him.
Unaware that when he awoke, fate would drag him deeper into the storm than ever before.
To be continued…
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