CHAPTER TWENTY NINE: THE SACRED HALL OF RYUUJINN PART VI: THE CONSTELLATION OF RYUUJINN

In various locations across the Academy where the Students of both the Classes of Deviants and Honours were located, they instantly received a message from Ryu. Along with the message was access to a new location. The Students opened their eyes in surprise.

"Ryu wants us to meet him at the Thirteenth Gate" Reis said to the Students who were still in the Class Of Deviants.

The Students who had left to expel the darkness of their homeworlds received the message as well. Ryu's comrades from Kolmnid also received the message.

Meanwhile, Ryu stood before the opened Thirteenth Gate. He slowly stepped into the Hall beyond the Gate. Within the Hall were various channels containing various elements. The Hall itself was overflowing with various elements and wherever the elements flowed, there were various forms of plant life. Ryu didn't walk very far when he ran into a boy with long silver hair. The crown of his head was brown and the edges of his hair were purple. The boy chuckled slightly.

"It's about time you made it here Ryu. I was beginning to wonder for how long you were going to keep me waiting" the boy said.

Ryu laughed.

"I'm glad to see you're safe too Rokkan" Ryu said.

"The moment I heard of the attack on the farms and learnt that one of the attackers had Shekan's semblance, I began to suspect that Tristran was somehow behind this. But we beat Tristran right Ryu?" Rokkan asked.

"Yeah, we did. The Tristran who invaded the Ark must have been an earlier version of himself prior to when he retracted his soul from me and attained his full strength. The proof of that is that he had Shekan's semblance yet we very well know that Shekan is undergoing a journey of self discovery aboard the Ark. This Ark dwells beyond time. The only hurdle to finally overcoming Tristran was to release the power of the Sacred Hall into all the realms. By doing this, we shut off all the infiltration points that not only led into the Ark but also into the Seven Great Realms and trapped Tristran in Kolmnid" Ryu explained.

Rokkan opened his eyes in surprise.

"You can't really mean…?!" Rokkan exclaimed in awe.

Ryu nodded with a smile.

"Yes Rokkan…by expelling Tristran from the Ark here, we've ensured the safety of the Ark for all time. Now when our past selves defeat him on Kolmnid, he'll be vanquished forever" Ryu said.

"It's just like the prophecy preceding the one about the Twin Swords in Hurricane's Domain said;

'When two heroes sharing a common destiny unite,

Revealed will be the way to the Light'"

Rokkan reminded Ryu.

"That prophecy and the one about the Twin Swords are not two different prophecies Rokkan. They are actually one and the same prophecy. However, since they were each written in a different language, we assumed they were separate. The two heroes spoken of in that prophecy are the same as the Twin Swords spoken of in the second prophecy. In other words, they represent all who inherit the path of the Twin Swords" Ryu said.

"I see" Rokkan realized what Ryu was getting at.

"But for one so diligent, it was pretty reckless of you to attempt to protect the Sacred Hall alone especially after entrusting the Sword Of Rai to Tanya. What were you thinking? Don't tell me you intended to battle Tristran without the Sword Of Rai if he made it all the way here" Ryu stared at Rokkan suspiciously.

"Ryu, you and I both know that there's no way Tristran would ever discover the location of the Sacred Hall and even if he did, violence is strictly forbidden aboard the Ark unless invoked through one of the Protocols like your Dragon Battle Protocol. The Academy itself enforces this however if by the slightest chance Tristran did make it here…I had the perfect counter plan in store" Rokkan said.

"Which is?" Ryu asked.

"The only way he could get me to talk was to torture me by getting me to grant him access to a Protocol of like nature so I'd have countered him by talking him to death till you made all the necessary preparations" Rokkan said.

"Surprisingly, that was exactly the sort of plan I employed" Ryu laughed.

"I hope I didn't worry Tanya too much" Rokkan said.

"She should be here any moment. You'd better apologize" Ryu said.

"I will" Rokkan said.

Moments later, the Students of both Class Deviants and Honours appeared before the Thirteenth Gate. Ryu's friends from Kolmnid appeared as well. Tanya noticed Rokkan and Ryu talking.

"Rokkan!" she called and ran towards him.

"T-Tanya!" Rokkan called nervously.

Tanya ran into his arms.

"You fool! The next time you decide to do something like that…!" Tanya yelled.

"It couldn't be helped Tanya. There was no way I could let Tristran discover the Sacred Hall" Rokkan attempted to defend himself.

"…take me with you" Tanya said as she burst into tears.

Rokkan remained silent for a while.

"I hear you Tanya" he said.

Atlanta approached Ryu.

"There are so many complaints I have right now Ryu" Atlanta said.

Ryu laughed nervously.

"But I've always known that you had duties not only to me but also to the Ryu and the Seven Great Realms. As Queen Of The New Fiery Ryu, I understand that kind of responsibility…so I won't complain" Atlanta said as she hugged Ryu. "But as your wife, I'm absolutely furious that you'd put yourself in danger that way" Atlanta said.

"I understand" Ryu said.

"So why did you summon us all Ryu?" Reis asked.

"Yeah, you said you'd explain certain things to us about the Academy like for instance how the Academy can be alive?" Zan asked.

Ryu laughed.

"Sure thing" he said.

"Follow me. Today, I'll show you the Academy's true form" Ryu said as he led the Students deeper into the Hall.

At the heart of the Hall was a great throne that glowed with all the colours of the Rainbow. Surrounding this throne were seven other thrones each made from a different element. The first throne which was to the North of the Great Throne was made of Crystal. The second was made of Fire. The third was made of Water. The fourth was made of Earth. The fifth was made of Wind. From the sixth came the sound of a melody and the Seventh was made of Ice.

"Atlanta, Michael, Rokkan, Ken, Tanya, Nadia, let's assume our positions" Ryu said.

Atlanta sat on the throne made of Crystal. There was a brilliant flash of light and Crystal, the Dragon Saint Of The Crystal Ryu appeared above the throne, stretching her wings protectively over Atlanta. Ryu sat on the throne made of Fire. In a brilliant flash of Fire, Molten, the Fire Dragon and Dragon Saint Of The Fire Ryu appeared above him spreading his wings protectively over him. Michael sat on the throne made of Water and Hurricane, the Water Dragon and Dragon Saint Of The Water Ryu appeared above him spreading his wings protectively over him. Rokkan sat on the throne made of Earth and Terranica, the Earth Dragon and Dragon Saint Of The Earth Ryu appeared spreading his wings over him. Ken sat on the throne made of Wind and Tornado the Wind Dragon and Dragon Saint Of The Wind Ryu appeared over him stretching his wings protectively over him. Tanya sat on the throne from which the melody issued forth and Melody, the Sound Dragon and Saint of the Hidden Sound Ryu appeared above her stretching her wings protectively over her. Nadia sat on the throne made of Ice and Torpedo, the Ice Dragon, and Dragon Saint Of The Hidden Snowstorm Ryu appeared over her stretching his wings protectively over her.

Surrounding the Seven Thrones were Twelve Thrones. Six of these thrones were as bright as the Day and the other six were as navy as the Night. Michael and Atlanta appeared on two of the bright thrones and Ryu and Nadia appeared on two of the navy thrones.

"From these Thrones, the power flowing from the heart of the Academy can enter the Seven Great Realms. The bright thrones represent the Students Of The Class Of Honours and the navy thrones represent the Students Of The Class Of Deviants. In the Sacred Hall, both Classes are considered as one" Ryu explained.

The Students of both Classes sat on the Thrones assigned to them. As they watched, the other Ryu, the one who had confronted Tristran walked into the Hall, amidst the Students and the Thrones and took his position on the Great Throne which was at the centre of the other Thrones. Immediately he took his seat, Seven Elements flowed from the Great Throne into the Seven Thrones surrounding it. Each element matched the element of the Throne it flowed into. The Elements Of Generation, Water, Wind, Earth, Light and Crystal flowed from the Seven Thrones into the bright thrones and the elements of Destruction, Fire, Lightning, Dark and Crystal flowed into the navy thrones.

When the Elements reached the Twelve Thrones, more channels appeared extending out of the Hall and eventually flowing into the Twelve Gates and into the Seven Great Realms. As this happened, the entire Academy began to tremble.

"What's happening?!" Andrea asked in worry.

"The Academy…it's awakening!" Ryu exclaimed.

Images flowed into the minds of the Students, images every member of the Academy saw. Of a Great Rainbow Dragon resting within a Circle Of Elements. The Dragon appeared to be awakening from slumber. Within this Dragon was every member of the Academy, each constituting a part of this Dragon. Within this Dragon also were the Seven Great Realms.

"What's that?!" Rai exclaimed in awe.

"That's the Academy. The Academy is the Eighth and Final Saint…in other words…it's all of us…and at the same time, it is also Ryuujinn, the Dragon Saint Of All Creation and the Dragon Zone" Ryu explained.

In the Seven Great Realms, a great constellation appeared. A constellation of a Great Rainbow Dragon and within this Great Rainbow Dragon, every inhabitant of the Seven Great Realms saw a reflection of themselves. It filled them with awe.

"Onwards! Benedict's Ark!" the Ryu who sat on the Great Throne called out and the Academy began a great voyage across the vastness of space carrying within it, the entire universe.

THE END.