Reborn as the Last van Ambrose

Lin led the group through the passages that connected the West Sea to the central cavern, but the familiar routes had changed. Walls that had been covered in mist, were now covered with dark purple veins.

"The corruption is spreading faster," General Huoyan observed as they walked past a section where the tunnel walls had begun to crack. Through the fissures, they saw dark energy pulsing like a diseased heartbeat.

"The corruption is growing stronger," Captain Zhen replied, his sword drawn despite the lack of immediate threats. "The closer Jiaolong gets to breaking the seal, the more power Mo Xuan can channel into the realms."

Commander Yuehua walked slightly behind the group, her expression troubled. The revelation about Mo Xuan’s manipulation had shaken her more than she wanted to admit. For months, she had believed she was serving Jiaolong’s vision of a unified South Sea. Now she understood she had been nothing more than another pawn.

"Commander," Lin called softly. "Are you alright?"

"I keep thinking about all the decisions I made," Commander Yuehua replied. "All the intelligence I passed to Jiaolong, all the operations I helped plan. How much of it was really my choice, and how much was Mo Xuan’s influence working through me?"

Grim, overhearing the conversation, slowed his pace to join them. "Does it matter now? You’re here, fighting against him."

"Is it though?" Commander Yuehua’s voice carried bitter humor. "How do we know this isn’t part of his plan too? Maybe he wanted me to betray Jiaolong, wanted me to guide you to exactly where he needs you to be."

The possibility sent a chill through the group. The idea that their current course might also be orchestrated was deeply unsettling.

"We can’t think like that," General Huoyan said firmly. "If we start questioning every decision, we’ll be paralyzed. We have to trust our own judgment and move forward."

They reached the central chamber where the passages from all four realms converged. The space looked much as they had left it, but something felt different.

"There," Captain Zhen pointed to a section of the wall that hadn’t been there before. Where once there had been solid stone, now there was an opening—not carved or blasted, but as if the rock had simply moved aside to reveal what lay beyond.

"The passage to the tomb," Lin realized. "Jiaolong’s keys must have activated it."

The opening was larger than any of the other passages they had used, easily wide enough for multiple dragons to swim through side by side. But the water flowing from it carried a different quality.

"We can still catch him," General Huoyan said, studying the passage entrance. "His forces may be ahead of us, but they’ll have to deal with whatever defenses the tomb contains."

Grim approached the opening cautiously. The water flowing from the cave wasn’t just old. It felt heavier like it would be a burden just to swim through the cave.

"The dragon burial grounds," Ao Run said. "Before there was a Dragon Emperor, before there were separate realms, dragons were buried in sacred grounds."

Lin studied the carvings around the passage entrance more carefully. The symbols here were different from the rest of the chamber. "These aren’t just directions or warnings. They’re... invitations."

"To whom?" Grim asked.

"To those worthy of walking among the honored dead," General Huoyan said. "At least what I can make from these symbols."

Commander Yuehua’s expression grew grim. "And what about those who don’t meet those criteria?"

"They die," Lin said simply, reading the next set of symbols. "The burial grounds don’t just honor the dead—they protect them from the unworthy living."

Grim felt something stir in his blood as he approached the passage entrance. The dragon heritage that Ao Run had recognized, that Mo Xuan seemed to know about, was reacting to the ancient magic flowing from within.

"I can feel it," he said quietly.

"There’s only one way to find out," General Huoyan declared, moving toward the passage entrance. "We can’t let Jiaolong complete whatever Mo Xuan has planned."

As they prepared to enter the passage, Commander Yuehua drew her weapons and checked them one final time. "If this is where we make our final stand," she said, "then we make it count."

"It’s not our final stand," Lin corrected. "It’s our chance to stop this before it goes any further."

But as they swam into the passage leading to the dragon burial grounds, none of them could shake the feeling that they were crossing a threshold from which there might be no return. The water around them grew colder and heavier with each stroke, and the walls began to show signs of incredible age.

"Stay together," Grim called out as the passage began to slope downward into depths that seemed to have no bottom.

Behind them, the central chamber grew dark as they left the familiar territory of the sea realms behind. Ahead lay the burial grounds of dragons who had died before recorded history began, and somewhere beyond that, the tomb where the Dragon Emperor slept.

Moving through those ancient passages ahead of them, Jiaolong pressed forward with his corrupted forces, unaware that Mo Xuan’s true plans required his eventual destruction just as much as they required his current service.

As they swam deeper into the passage, the last traces of light from the central chamber faded behind them, leaving them with only the cold, heavy, dark water they were in.

"The corruption can’t reach here. Look at an untouched tunnel." Lin observed with relief. "Whatever protects these burial grounds is keeping Mo Xuan’s influence out."

"For now," Grim replied, though he felt the weight lifting from his shoulders as they moved through water that felt pure rather than tainted.

The passage continued to descend, leading them through stone corridors. Ancient symbols covered every surface, telling stories of dragons whose names had been forgotten by history but whose power still lingered in the very walls around them.

"This path will take us directly to the burial grounds," General Huoyan said, consulting the map Ao Run had given them.

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Standing in the central chamber, Ao Run pulled a communication crystal out of his pocket.

"Brothers," he spoke into the crystal, his voice carrying across vast distances to reach the other Dragon Kings. "It’s time. Gather your strength and come to the central chamber. It’s time to say hello to an old friend."

The crystal glowed red, blue, white, and after a long moment green.

"Very well brother. I will end it." A voice from the crystal announced as the green light faded.