A few days ago...
The sound of swords clashing echoed through the jungle.
Viransh and Reevan trained together—push-ups, squats, pull-ups, sit-ups, and intense sword drills.
Both boys were armed—Reevan wielded a forged blade gifted by the villagers, while Viransh held the mysterious sword he once found in the ruins of his village.
Their training wasn't limited to physical strength.
Viransh honed his raw dark magic, while Reevan mastered the rising flames of his raw fire magic.
Their breaths heavy, bodies covered in sweat, the two warriors-in-making were pushing themselves to the limit.
As the sun began to rise, they turned back toward the village—tired, but satisfied.
But peace didn't last.
Suddenly, four shadowy demons leapt from the treetops, surrounding them.
Reevan froze in fear. "V-Viransh…"
Before he could react, Viransh gripped his sword tightly—and without even using his magic—slashed through all four demons in a flash of raw, deadly skill. Blood splattered across the leaves, staining the earth red.
It was over in seconds.
Reevan fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face.
Viransh turned, shocked. "Reevan? What happened? Why are you crying?"
"I… I got scared again," Reevan said, voice trembling. "You had to save me… again. I couldn't protect you…"
Then, with clenched fists, Reevan stood up and looked Viransh in the eyes.
"But I promise you, Viransh… next time, I'll fight beside you. I won't be afraid. We'll take revenge together—and free this world from the demons. That's my promise."
Viransh smiled. "Now that's the Reevan I know. We'll make that dream come true… together."
Covered in blood, they returned home.
Viransh's mother gasped when she saw them. "What happened to you two?! This blood—?!"
Viransh calmly replied, "We were ambushed by some low-class demons while coming back from training. But we defeated them."
His mother's expression turned stern. "You're not going to the jungle again! Do you understand?!"
Viransh tried to calm her. "We'll be fine, Ma. We're getting stronger. Don't worry."
She looked at both of them, her eyes filled with tears. "Just promise me you'll be careful… both of you."
Reevan nodded. "We'll protect each other, always."
Then, both boys spoke in unison:
"No one will get hurt anymore. We'll protect everyone, Ma."
Their mother smiled faintly, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Go wash up…"
After a warm bath, the three sat together for breakfast, sharing a rare moment of peace.
Later that day, as they wandered into a different part of the village, an old man noticed them.
"I've never seen you boys around here," he said.
Reevan replied, "This is our first time coming to this side of the village."
The old man's gaze shifted to their swords. "Why are you two carrying weapons?"
Viransh answered without hesitation. "They're for protection. Demons can strike anytime. We're training to fight back."
The old man smiled. "Good. I like your spirit. But… have you two lost something recently?"
Viransh looked down. "Our village was destroyed. My father was killed…"
Reevan added, "And my parents too… we lost everything."
"But my mother survived," Viransh said. "She's all we have now."
Reevan placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "We'll do anything to protect her. We'll free this world from demons."
The old man studied them silently… then smiled.
"Come to my house."
Inside his modest hut, something caught Viransh's eye—a blade resting on the wall. He turned to ask, but the old man spoke first.
"That sword you carry… where did you find it, Viransh?"
"In the jungle," he replied. "It was stuck in the ground… like it was waiting for someone."
"I see…" The old man's expression grew serious.
Viransh asked, "Do you know something about it?"
"First tell me—have you ever fought a demon using that sword?"
"Yes. Just today."
"And… did you feel anything unusual during the fight?"
Viransh nodded. "Yes… like something inside the blade was guiding me. It feels… alive."
The old man closed his eyes. "Then it's time I told you everything."
"A long time ago, a powerful devil came to our world. He brought destruction, and ruled over us with fear. But a group of warriors rose to fight back. Among them were four heroes—Nirvaan, who wielded dark magic… Vayraksh, a fire warrior who wielded a sword… and two others whose names are lost to time."
"The devil had five lieutenants—each powerful enough to destroy a nation. But the heroes fought bravely. Vayraksh defeated one of the devils and sealed his soul into his blade. Eventually, they defeated the other three devils."
"But then came the final battle… against the main devil. The warriors struggled. But Vayraksh stood tall. With the help of the devil spirit in his blade, he sealed the main devil using a powerful technique—he created ten Soul Beacons, each sealing a part of the devil's soul and power, hidden across the world."
"But then… Nirvaan and the other two betrayed Vayraksh. They killed him. No one knows where they went after that."
"But the devil spirit remained inside Vayraksh's blade… the very blade you now carry, Viransh."
Viransh's eyes widened. "This sword… belonged to Vayraksh?! A hero who sealed a devil…?"
"Yes. And that spirit… still slumbers inside. Your blade holds more power than you know."
Viransh looked at the sword in awe. "But why did it choose me?"
"I don't know," the old man said. "But maybe… you are the one who will save us now."
Reevan stepped forward. "Then we promise—we will protect everyone. We'll finish what Vayraksh started."
The old man nodded. "But listen—this sword still has a sealed devil spirit. You must awaken it."
Viransh took a deep breath. "How do I do that…?"
To be continued...