6: CHAPTER 5: The Secret Of The Rings: Part 01.
6: CHAPTER 5: The Secret Of The Rings: Part 01.
Chapter 5 “Not every treasure is measured by its worth.
Some treasures are measured by the destiny they awaken.” The streets of the Imperial City gradually became quieter as night descended upon Kaazar.
Lanterns illuminated the roads.
The noisy marketplace slowly emptied.
Inside a modest hotel…
Two masked figures entered through the wooden doors.
The receptionist immediately stood up.
“Welcome, honored guests.” Shadow stepped forward.
“Do you have a room with two beds?” The receptionist politely bowed.
“Yes, sir.” “I’ll prepare one immediately.” Several moments later…
The twins entered their room.
The room was simple.
Two beds.
A wooden table.
Two chairs.
A single window overlooking the bustling streets below.
Neither KING nor Shadow paid attention to the scenery.
After locking the door…
Both quietly sat upon their respective beds.
Cross-legged.
Facing one another.
Silence filled the room.
Finally…
Shadow spoke.
“We should inspect our rings.” “There may be something useful inside.” KING nodded once.
“Agreed.” Without another word…
The twins raised their left hands simultaneously.
KING looked toward his ring.
“Ray.” The silver ring emitted a faint blue light.
“Yes, Master KING.” “Show me everything stored inside you.” At the same time…
Shadow looked toward his own ring.
“Rin.” A gentle female voice answered.
“Yes, Master Shadow.” “I wish to see everything within you.” “As you wish.” The room suddenly became silent.
A brilliant white light engulfed both brothers.
Their consciousness drifted away…
…
Their bodies remained seated upon the beds.
Breathing normally.
Eyes closed.
Completely motionless.
Only a fragment of their souls had entered the rings.
“The body remained behind…
…but the soul stepped into another world.” KING slowly opened his eyes.
Silence.
There was no wind.
No sky.
No sound.
Only endless light.
He slowly looked ahead.
His footsteps came to a halt.
Before him…
Towered mountains.
Not mountains of stone…
But mountains of gold.
Countless golden coins stretched beyond the horizon.
Each mountain was taller than the last.
Golden rivers flowed between them.
Every direction…
Every horizon…
Every distant point…
Contained nothing but gold.
There was no beginning.
There was no end.
Only infinity.
For the first time since Warzo’s destruction…
KING found himself genuinely surprised.
“…Interesting.” “So Father wasn’t exaggerating.” “There really are limitless gold coins.” He looked toward the endless horizon.
“I imagine…” “…Shadow is seeing the same thing.” Meanwhile…
Inside another endless world…
Shadow quietly stood before another ocean of gold.
Towering mountains of shimmering coins reflected an endless golden light.
The sight surpassed imagination.
“I expected a vast amount of treasure…” “…but not this.” His calm gaze swept across the endless landscape.
“It truly has no end.” Despite the unbelievable sight…
Neither brother smiled.
Neither celebrated.
Gold meant little to those who had lost an entire world.
After observing their surroundings…
Both reached the same conclusion.
Only part of their souls had entered these mysterious spaces.
Their physical bodies remained outside.
Deep in meditation.
Sleeping peacefully within the hotel room.
They also noticed something else.
KING could no longer sense Ray’s presence.
Shadow could no longer hear Rin’s voice.
The rings had become completely silent.
Since each occupied a different inner realm…
Neither brother could speak to the other.
Yet…
Their unique bond remained.
Though separated by different spaces…
Each could still faintly sense the other’s emotions.
Not words.
Not thoughts.
Only feelings.
That alone…
Was enough.
Without discussing it…
The twins reached the exact same decision.
Search.
If the rings contained limitless gold…
There had to be something else hidden within them.
And so…
Their journey through the endless golden world began.
“Greed searches for treasure.
Wisdom searches for purpose.” Days passed.
Weeks.
Months.
Years.
The golden landscape never changed.
Every mountain looked identical.
Every valley contained the same endless sea of coins.
There were no stars.
No sun.
No moon.
No life.
Only silence.
Only gold.
Whenever KING attempted to leave…
Nothing happened.
Whenever Shadow searched for an exit…
Nothing appeared.
Ray remained silent.
Rin remained silent.
No answers came.
No escape existed.
Time continued flowing.
One year.
Then another.
Two full years passed inside the mysterious realms.
Outside…
Not even a single night had passed.
Inside the rings…
Hope slowly faded.
The twins finally stopped walking.
For the first time in two years…
They sat down upon separate mountains of gold.
Their surroundings remained endlessly silent.
And then…
Something changed.
Far in the distance…
A single white portal slowly appeared.
Both brothers opened their eyes at the exact same moment.
Although separated…
They shared the very same thought.
“…Finally.” “I can leave.” Without hesitation…
Both stood.
And walked toward the glowing gateway.
…
To be continued.