(A/N):
Drop a meme here that you find funny. Or reflects your mood.
-------------------------------------------------
The words hadn't even settled in the air when the first blast shook the ground.
BOOM!
A plume of fire and dust erupted from the eastern ridge, rattling the tents and sending startled others and wildlife into a frenzy.
The camp's lanterns swayed violently, ropes snapping free as the ground itself seemed to roar.
Rajendra's head snapped toward the blast, his knuckles white.
"They're already here."
Before anyone could respond, the horizon lit up in all directions.
From the south, a volley of fiery streaks cut across the fading orange sky, crashing into the tree line where watchtowers stood.
Screams followed, sharp and chaotic.
From the west, armored vehicles rumbled, their engines howling like beasts, headlights piercing the dusk.
And from the north, shadows poured out of the forest—
Dev's men, hundreds of them, swarming forward like a black tide.
Anish Shetty barked into his comms, his voice sharp.
"All units to defensive positions! Form lines! Do not let them break through!"
Amirtha rushed forward, her eyes blazing with fury, already calling on her water to reinforce the collapsing barricades.
Mohan's hands trembled as he pulled out his enchanted rifle, muttering a quick calculation under his breath as runes lit across the weapon's barrel.
His Vanar Astra(Monkey-based divine weapon) was hummed in his ankle telling him it was ready for the battle.
while his black pupil hummed gold indicating divine energy was coursing through him from the Astra.
Guru Arvind, calm yet resolute, placed a firm hand on Rajendra's shoulder.
"This is your moment. Control your anger—lead with it, don't let it consume you."
But Rajendra's eyes were fixed on the horizon,
"____"
where Dev's men's were charging at them but his eyes where searching three peoples those three traitorous elder's who is responsible for his father's death.
His father's death replayed in his mind, the helplessness, the rage.
The flames reflected in his eyes as his lips parted.
"They came to us…"
His voice was low, trembling with fury.
"Then let them choke on their mistake."
Another explosion rocked the earth as the first wave of Dev's forces slammed into their outer defenses, astra's clashing, fire roaring, weapons clashing.
The battle had begun.
Guru Arvind's gaze lingered on Rajendra.
He didn't need to peer into his mind—
The young man's eyes burned bright enough to scorch the evening air.
His fury wasn't just anger;
It was raw, sharpened, and dangerous.
The Shima Astra(Lion-Based divine astra) on his arm pulsed with that rage,
Its glow flaring brighter with every heartbeat.
Guru Arvind could almost feel its intent—
Rajendra's pride had been wounded, and the Astra itself demanded to wash that wound clean with the blood of traitors.
"Control it,"
Arvind whispered under his breath, though he knew Rajendra could barely hear him over the chaos.
"Let it guide you, not consume you."
All around, the forest shook under the clash of steel and bursts of magic.
Yet despite the suddenness of Dev's assault, their side wasn't unprepared.
Day's of scouting and planning had gone into weaving traps into this very terrain.
Hidden trenches collapsed under the boots of charging soldiers, spikes sprung from under leaves,
and explosive seals carved into trees ignited to scatter advancing units.
Even as waves of Dev's men swarmed, they struggled.
Numbers were on Dev's side, but the land itself seemed to resist them.
From the ridges, Rajendra's squad of Bramansh rained arrows and bullets.
From the thickets, ambushers struck and vanished like ghosts.
Every choke point, every bend of the forest path had been bent to their favor.
Yet—
something was wrong.
Guru Arvind narrowed his eyes at the front lines.
The swarm of enemy soldiers kept pressing,
But there was no sign of Dev himself.
No commanding presence, no terrifying aura, no movement among the traitor elders who should have been leading.
They stayed hidden.
He frowned deeply.
'Why delay? Why hide?'
Beside him, Mohan adjusted his enchanted scope, scanning through the smoke and treetops.
His voice came tight.
"They're pushing hard—but this isn't their full strength. Dev hasn't shown his hand yet."
Rajendra's jaw clenched, the Astra's crimson light reflecting off his face like a second sun.
"____"
His pride screamed for him to dive straight into the heart of the enemy, to carve a path of vengeance through the traitors.
But the strategist in him—
the Bramansh trained under Arvind—
Recognized the truth.
Screech!
The eagle's piercing cry split the sky, its echo rolling across the battlefield like a war-drum.
"____"
"____"
"____"
All heads turned upward as a crimson projection of a colossal eagle spread its wings across the burning orange heavens.
Its feathers shimmered like flames, its talons glinting as though dipped in blood.
It was none other than Pawan Astra(Eagle-based divine Astra.)
Beneath its looming shadow, four figures stood calmly upon a ridge that overlooked the forest battlefield—
Dev at the forefront, with Maria, Surya Vardan, and Maitreya slightly behind,
Their expressions composed yet chilling, like executioners awaiting the word.
Dev's presence was suffocating.
The ground itself seemed to recognize his will, vibrating faintly under the weight of his corrupted aura.
His gaze moved past the chaotic clash of warriors below, past the smoke and cries of men, until it locked onto the cluster where Guru Arvind, Mohan Bhargav, Anish Shetty, and Amirtha stood.
For a moment, there was no sound but the rustling leaves and the distant cries of birds fleeing the treeline.
"____"
"____"
"____"
Dev's eyes softened—
Not with kindness, but with a cruel, mocking nostalgia.
His lips curled into a thin sneer as he regarded Arvind.
"Arvind…"
He said, his voice carrying unnaturally far, as if the very wind obeyed him.
"The man once admired me… and perhaps even respected. How strange to see you here, old and worn, still clinging to ideals that should have died with the rest of our generation."
Guru Arvind stood firm, his face a mask of iron.
"____"
The small knife in his pocket, etched with runes that glowed faintly in the dusk.
His eyes bore into Dev—
Not with hatred, but with the steady judgment of a man who had already weighed Dev's sins.
"You mistake age for weakness, Dev,"
Guru Arvind said, his voice calm but edged with steel.
"And respect for obedience. You betrayed everything we once stood for… every life we swore to protect. Whatever admiration you think remains—died with the innocents you slaughtered."
Dev's sneer twisted wider,
But before he could respond, his gaze shifted.
He found Amirtha, standing slightly behind, her hand clenched around her pendant, her eyes locked on him with venomous hatred.
Unlike Arvind, her expression was raw—
No mask, no restraint.
For the briefest second, something flickered in Dev's eyes.
Recognition.
Memory. Regret,
Perhaps—
Or maybe just the faintest echo of the bond they once shared.
But it vanished in the next breath, replaced by a mocking smirk.
Smirk~
"Still young, Amirtha,"
Dev said, tilting his head.
"Time has been kinder to you than to him. Yet your hatred… ah, it burns hotter than even that guy's rage."
He chuckled darkly.
Chuckle~
While pointed at Rajandra who was on the verge of loosing control.
"Tell me, do you truly think your anger can bring me down? Or will it only consume you like it has so many others who dared to stand before me?"
The crimson eagle projection above screeched again, louder, as if echoing his contempt.
Screeech!
Guru Arvind's grip on his knife tightened.
Around him, Mohan, Anish, and Amirtha exchanged sharp looks.
The battlefield below roared with clashing steel and bursts of Astra power,
But here—
At the ridge and beneath the eagle's shadow—
A different war was about to begin.
Dev's sneer fell away.
Sneer!
His eyes narrowed.
"Come then,"
He said, his voice dropping to a low growl.
Grr!
"Let me show you what admiration amounts to… when crushed beneath inevitability."
Rajandra's roar echoed across the forest as the three traitorous elders—
Maria, Surya Vardan, and Maitreya—
Looked down with sneers.
"Your father, Acharya Vedan, died a fool's death,"
Surya Vardan taunted, his words dripping venom.
The insult was the final spark.
Rajandra's face twisted, rage burning in his eyes.
His fists clenched as his Shima Astra pulsed violently, thirsting for vengeance and his eyes transformed into a beast.
"COWARDS!"
He bellowed, his voice shaking the battlefield.
"If you have even a drop of courage left, come down and face me like warriors! Or hide behind your wings like the vermin you've become!"
Surya Vardan smirked, tilting his head.
Kuku~
"A brainless lion roaring for his own death… fitting."
The massive crimson eagle above let out a shrill, piercing cry.
Its wings beat once—
Hard—
And a storm of razor-sharp feathers launched downward like volleys of arrows.
Each feather shimmered with destructive energy, primed to explode on contact.
The defenders braced.
But before the feathers struck, the ground trembled—
And a towering column of yellow fire erupted between Guru Arvind's group and Dev's forces.
The flames roared skyward,
Intercepting the projectiles in a violent chain of explosions that shook the forest.
The traitorous elders froze mid-laugh.
Dev, arms crossed, arched an eyebrow.
His fire burned red, molten and furious—
But this blaze was different.
Bright, searing yellow, radiant yet controlled.
Slowly, the curtain of fire parted.
From its heart stepped Shiva, his eyes glowing with determination.
At his side were Anvi, Meena who was holding a lighter, and Tejas,
Each carrying the hardened resolve of warriors who had walked through fire and returned stronger.
The battlefield stilled as the two figures—
Dev and Shiva—
Locked eyes across the sea of fire and smoke.
In that single glance, an unspoken recognition passed between them.
Two forces of nature.
Two men carrying the weight of destiny on their shoulders.
"____"
"____"
A connection sparked—
Silent but undeniable.
They didn't need words.
Each understood the other instantly who is the one who was before them.
Dev's lips curled into a thin smile, half intrigue, half challenge.
The battlefield crackled with the lingering heat of the yellow pillar of fire, its embers swirling into the blood–red sky.
Dev's gaze lingered not on Shiva,
But on the small lighter still flickering in Meena's trembling hand.
A sneer curved his lips.
"So…"
Dev's deep voice carried across the clearing, heavy and mocking.
"You still need a catalyst to awaken what is yours? An external flame to spark the Agni Astra(Fire-Based Divine Astra)? How pathetic. My fire roars on its own—hotter, redder, alive. But you…"
His burning eyes flicked to Shiva, then back to the lighter.
"You lean on a toy to call your power."
The three traitorous elders chuckled darkly, their contempt echoing like knives on steel.
Chuckles~
Dev took a step forward, his aura swelling like a furnace ready to consume the forest.
"Shiva, right?"
He said, almost gently, though venom dripped from his tone.
"You feel it, don't you? That bond? That pull? You and I are not enemies. You are my other half—born from me. My blood. My fire."
He stretched out a hand, palm open, the flames around him curling in invitation.
"Why fight what you are? Shouldn't a son follow his father?"
The words struck like thunder, drawing silence across the battlefield.
"____"
Even the wind seemed to hold its breath as Dev's sneer deepened, waiting for Shiva's answer.
Shiva's jaw tightened as Dev's words clawed at his resolve.
For a heartbeat, the yellow flames beside him trembled, reflecting the battle inside.
Then his grip clenched, and his eyes burned—
Not with Dev's fire, but with his own will.
"Don't mistake me for a fool, Dev."
Shiva's voice cut sharp through the smoke.
"Even if I was born from you, that doesn't mean I'll follow you. Blood alone doesn't decide who I am."
He stepped forward, planting himself between Dev and his friends, his back straight, his gaze unflinching.
"You talk about halves and fathers—but what father betrays the world, hunts the innocent, and tries to tear apart his own kin?"
The flames around him swirled higher as he spoke, feeding not on a lighter now, but on the fierce conviction in his chest.
He glanced back—
just once—
Toward the direction of the light piller where Rudra is present, still sitting in his meditative trance.
A faint smile touched his lips, even in this storm.
"Rudra…"
He whispered under his breath, memory flooding him.
The nights they shared a room as a kid.
The endless pranks.
The laughter that echoed louder than scoldings.
The bond that grew stronger than steel.
Alongside Sandeep. Alongside Ravi.
Those memories weren't just fragments—
They were his foundation.
Shiva's voice rose again, thundering now.
"How can I betray my friends' trust? How can I abandon Rudra—when he needs me most?"
His fists clenched, flames answering his conviction.
"You want me to follow you? Then listen well, Dev—"
He pointed a burning finger at him, eyes blazing.
"I'd rather burn with my friends than bow to a lunatic who calls himself my father!"
Dev's brow twitched at the sound of Rudra's name.
"____"
For the first time, the fire in his eyes faltered—not in weakness,
But in sharp recognition.
'So… my other half has chosen to be a dog of the Brahmāstra wielder,'
He thought with bitter contempt.
His gaze shifted, narrowing at the golden pillar of light where Rudra sat deep in meditation.
At once, Amritha stepped forward, the fury in her voice crashing louder than thunder.
"Don't you dare look at him, Dev. Not this time."
She raised her hand, her Jel Astra(Water-Based Divine Astra) gleaming a deadly sapphire through her ring.
Instantly, the skies darkened.
Rain cascaded down in sheets, every droplet twisting mid-air into razor-sharp needles.
The atmosphere itself became a storm of blades aimed at Dev's heart.
Dev chuckled low, a dark rumble that mocked the storm.
Chuckle~
"So… You still dares to raise her fangs at the boyfriend."
His hand flicked lazily—
Yet the elders at his back understood the signal.
Without hesitation, they vaulted from the great eagle's back and struck the earth like falling meteors.
The ground trembled.
And in that instant—
"DIE!!! BOY!"
Surya Vardan roared, his massive frame already lunging forward.
Fire wrapped his fists, crimson and molten, blazing with the raw might of his bloodline Astra.
The air distorted around him as he drove his fist toward Shiva's chest, the blow meant to break bone and kill in one strike.
But before the strike could land—
"NOT SO FAST!"
A voice cut through the storm.
Meena crashed in from the side, her form already shifting.
Her upper body stretched and reshaped into the roaring visage of a lion, golden mane blazing with raw Astra energy.
Her claws tore into the earth as she barreled into Surya, halting his charge.
Sparks and fire exploded as claw met fist.
Surya snarled, shifting his stance, his other hand already igniting with searing flame.
He tried to pivot, aiming a brutal counterstrike straight for Meena's exposed side—
But a shimmer burst across the battlefield.
"I WON'T LET YOU!"
Tejas descended like lightning, his body cloaked in radiant silver from his Shima Astra.
With a burst of speed, he interposed himself between Surya and Meena, his glowing nails crashing against Surya's flaming fist.
The impact detonated in a shockwave, ripping dust and water through the air.
Meanwhile, Guru Arvind faced Maitreya, who had stepped down from the eagle with a cruel smirk.
With a hiss, Maitreya raised his weapon—
A dark green spear veined with pulsating veins, the head dripping venom.
"Vishadanta Astra…"(Poison-Based astra)
He whispered, and poisonous mists began to curl from the blade.
Every step he took wilted the grass beneath his feet.
His eyes glimmered with toxic malice as he thrust the spear straight toward Guru Arvind's heart.
But Arvind did not flinch.
"____"
With calm precision, he raised what looked like a humble fruit knife—
Its hilt plain, its edge sharp yet ordinary.
Then, as his gaze hardened and a white glow filled his irises, the weapon shimmered and elongated, blossoming into a radiant blade of pure light.
"Prabha Astra…"(Light-Based Astra)
Arvind murmured, the sword humming like a hymn.
Steel and poison collided with a violent shockwave.
The toxic spear should have overwhelmed the transformed sword which came to its original appearance,
Yet Arvind's steady stance and precise angle deflected the strike.
He spun on his heel, his glowing blade slicing toward Maitreya's temple, a strike of perfect timing.
Swish~
Maitreya ducked low, his lips curling into a smirk.
With a flourish, he spun his spear in a poisonous arc, the green mist trailing like a storm.
Sparks and fumes filled the battlefield as sword and spear clashed again and again.
Maitreya's strikes were heavier, sharper—
Each thrust carrying the overwhelming might of his Astra.
He pressed forward, spear vibrating with venomous power, driving Arvind back step by step.
But Arvind's swordsmanship was flawless.
Each motion economical, his blade of light cutting through toxic mists, turning Maitreya's overwhelming aggression into wasted energy.
Where Maitreya relied on sheer force and poison's corruption,
Arvind countered with precision, patience, and technique—
Always striking just enough to deflect, always moving just far enough to avoid death.
"You're weaker than me, old man,"
Maitreya sneered, his spear tip crackling with venom as it lunged for Arvind's throat.
Arvind's blade shifted in the blink of an eye, deflecting the spear just off its fatal path.
His eyes glowed brighter, and he whispered calmly.
"Power alone is meaningless without mastery."
Maitreya snarled, spinning his spear again, his poison saturating the air.
But for the first time, a flicker of irritation showed on his face—
Arvind was surviving against a superior Astra, his increased power and worse… he was forcing Maitreya to respect his blade.
**********************************************************************************************************************************************************
(Author's POV)
(A/N): Guys, don't forget to vote in the Poll.
Current Vote Ranking...
1--> Ravana.(23)
2--> Narashima.(19)
3-->Vali.(8)
4-->Frozene.(5)
5-->Green Lantern.(4)
6--> Quick Silver.(4)
Hope You guys could vote in the poll page.
Thanks for reading the chapter!
Please give a review!!! And power stone!!!
Which will motivate me more?