Eclipsed

Chapter 24

Chapter 24: The Final Confrontation

Ren had been here before. The stone walls. The dark corridors. The faint echoes of footsteps reverberating through the halls. But this time, everything felt different. This time, Ren wasn’t a prisoner—he wasn’t an inexperienced, vulnerable boy. No. He had come to take what was owed to him. He had come to end this, to finish what Ozythar had started.

His previous attempt to kill Ozythar had been rushed, reckless. He had underestimated the base's defenses, had been blinded by his rage, and made mistakes he couldn’t afford to make again. But this time, he was smarter. More prepared. He wasn’t going to make the same mistakes again.

Ren crouched low behind a pillar, his eyes scanning the perimeter. His muscles were tense, and his breath steady, as he observed the movements of the guards. He had memorized the layout of the base, studied the patrols from afar over the last few days, and now, everything was in place. This would be a methodical and calculated strike—one where failure wasn’t an option.

He knew that entering through the main entrance was foolish. The guards stationed there would be expecting someone—someone like him. He moved to a side entrance, slipping through the shadows like a ghost. He had done this many times, creeping through the darkness, making his way undetected. It wasn’t the most glamorous of entrances, but it was effective.

Ren was in.

The Plan

He had one goal now: to find Ozythar and kill him. Simple. Direct. No room for mistakes. But Ren knew that things rarely went according to plan. The last time he had been here, everything had fallen apart. But now, he was no longer the same man. He had gained strength. He had learned. He had become a weapon.

Ren worked quickly, moving through the base, silently taking out guards as he went. His katana moved in perfect harmony with his actions—efficient, precise. He had become a master of stealth, moving through the compound like a shadow. There was no room for noise, no room for hesitation. He couldn’t afford to be detected.

He didn’t care about the other people in the base. He didn’t care about the innocent soldiers or the faceless minions. His focus was solely on Ozythar. That was the reason he was here. That was the reason he was still alive.

He passed through the hallways, finding his way to the throne room. He had been here before, but it felt like a lifetime ago. He had been naive, out of his depth. He had been unprepared, and it had cost him. But this time, he would not be caught off guard. He would take Ozythar down and leave nothing behind.

Deja Vu

As Ren reached the throne room, a strange feeling washed over him. The memories of his first failed attempt flooded back—the bitterness of his defeat, the feeling of helplessness as Ozythar mocked him from his throne. He remembered how his body had been broken, how the sense of powerlessness had consumed him. But this time, it would be different. This time, he was the one with the advantage.

Ren crouched in the corner of the room, just outside of view. The throne room was eerily quiet, the only sound the soft rustle of Ozythar’s robes as he spoke to a guard. Ren’s ears perked up as he listened to the conversation. He could hear Ozythar’s deep, mocking voice.

"Ren," Ozythar said with a chuckle, a cruel glint in his eyes. "He reminds me of Yoruzen. That boy, so full of anger, so eager to fight. Just like his father... like the village he grew up in. Haruka Valley..." Ozythar’s voice trailed off, and he leaned back in his chair. "I did it for the thrill of it. I wanted to see him burn. I wanted to see everything he cared about reduced to ash. It’s almost too easy."

Ren’s chest tightened as he heard Ozythar’s words. The memory of his family, his village, Haruka Valley, came rushing back. The flames, the destruction, the screams. Ozythar had destroyed everything that had once been his. His family had died in the fire, his friends had perished, and his world had turned to dust.