Sharin's brows furrowed as he turned toward Lioran.
"What do you mean, Lioran?"
Shourya stepped closer, his sharp, weathered eyes scanning the boy's tense expression.
"I didn't kill them," Lioran muttered, his voice trembling. "I… I can't kill them… I… I—"
Throb.
A sudden, piercing pain ripped through his skull.
"Kill? Whom?" Shourya asked, his tone steady but wary.
AAAHHH!
Lioran screamed, clutching his head. Images—distorted, bloody, chaotic—flashed in his mind. Faces twisted in agony. His own hands painted red. The sound of screams overlapping with his heartbeat.
"Lioran!! What happened?!" Sharin's voice cracked with panic.
"Something's wrong with him," Shourya muttered, his gaze sharpening.
Lioran's breathing quickened, his body trembling uncontrollably. His eyes—once a calm shade—flared with an unnatural glow, golden light swirling in his irises. His voice dissolved into guttural screams.
"I think the sudden awakening of his Prāṇa Core is… disrupting his subconscious mind," Shourya said grimly.
"What do we do? He's losing control!" Sharin cried.
"Wait… let me try something."
Shourya stepped forward and placed both hands firmly on either side of Lioran's head.
Hummmmm…
A deep vibration filled the air as Shourya's Prāṇa surged through his palms. Thin streams of light coursed down his fingers, threading into Lioran's temples.
Slowly… agonizingly… the boy's body began to relax. His breathing steadied. His glowing eyes dimmed.
"I can feel it…" Shourya said, his voice low and analytical. "Something's wrong with his memories. The shock from his Prāṇa awakening has altered them—warping what he believes to be real."
Sharin's eyes widened. "So… what now?"
"We dive into his memories and see for ourselves."
Without waiting for approval, Shourya closed his eyes, his Prāṇa intensifying.
Zhhmmmmm!
The room flickered as his consciousness linked with Lioran's mind. Darkness enveloped him at first, then—images began to form, hazy and broken, like a shattered mirror reassembling.
"Oh… so that's it," Shourya murmured.
"What?!" Sharin demanded.
"He's drowning in guilt over something he never did."
Sharin blinked in confusion.
Lioran groaned softly, regaining consciousness. "What… what's happening to me?"
"Your powers awakened suddenly," Shourya explained. "That rush of energy disrupted your memories. You're carrying guilt for a crime that was never yours."
Lioran frowned. "I… don't understand."
"Then I'll show you."
Shourya placed one palm over Lioran's head again. This time, golden threads of Prāṇa spiraled outward, coiling into his grasp like streams of stardust.
"I'm extracting the affected memory—manifesting it in Prāṇa form."
With a flick of his wrist, the golden particles floated upward, scattering in the air. Slowly, they shimmered and formed a translucent screen above them. The memory began to play.
[Inside the Memory]
The scene opened with Lioran, breathless, facing the gang leader.
BANG!
A gunshot tore through the air. The bullet slammed into Lioran's side. His knees buckled, vision darkening.
"Wait… I remember this. I lost consciousness here," Lioran murmured, watching.
The gang leader smirked, raising a rusted iron rod. "How dare you disrespect me?"
He lifted the rod high.
SWISH—THUD!
Blood sprayed—not from Lioran, but from the gang leader himself.
Everyone froze. The leader's eyes went wide in shock as blood gushed from his mouth. His rod clattered to the ground.
Behind him… a pitch-black hand protruded from his abdomen.
And behind that…
A creature.
A grotesque, shadow-draped figure with elongated limbs, jagged teeth glistening, and eyes glowing with malice.
"That's a Narvan," Shourya's voice echoed over the vision.
The gang leader choked, stumbling, "H-Help…!"
CRACK!
The Narvan crushed his skull in one fluid motion.
[Outside the Memory]
Lioran and Sharin, watching from outside the memory, felt their stomachs churn.
[Memory Continues]
The gang members scattered, screaming—but the Narvan moved faster than shadows themselves.
WHOOSH—SLASH!
In an instant, it was everywhere—tearing through bodies, severing limbs, painting the ground with blood.
[Outside the Memory]
Sharin shuddered. "This thing… it's worse than the Narvan that attacked the college."
[Memory Continues]
Inside the memory, the slaughter continued.
[Outside the Memory]
Lioran saw the faces of the dead—faces he thought he had killed. But now… it was clear. He had been lying unconscious the entire time.
Shourya's voice was firm. "Your mind replaced this monster with yourself in the memory. The awakening confused your perception, making you think you were the killer."
[Memory Continues]
One terrified gang member remained. He swung a rod desperately, but—CLANG!—it bent against the Narvan's body.
Before he could run, the creature jabbed a clawed finger into his eyes. SQUELCH!
The man collapsed, lifeless.
Only Tamrik remained. Pale. Trembling.His eyes darted desperately—landing on the gang leader's discarded pistol.
He lunged, snatched it, and aimed—hands shaking violently.
BANG!
The bullet struck the Narvan's forehead.
Tamrik gasped. "I… I got it…"
The Narvan vanished.
Tamrik's jaw fell open in disbelief—until WHOOSH!—it appeared behind him.
Tamrik spun, pointing the gun at its face.
The Narvan… smiled.
It bit down on the gun barrel.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Each shot disappeared into its maw. It chewed. Swallowed.
Tamrik's knees gave out. "P-Please… don't kill me!"
The Narvan's grin widened, mockery in its gaze. It stepped forward slowly, savoring his fear.
"No… nooo…!" Tamrik's scream echoed through the memory.
[Outside the Memory]
Lioran's fists clenched. "I understand now—I didn't kill them. But… who saved him? I remember seeing on TV that Tamrik survived."
Shourya smirked faintly. "You'll have your answer soon enough."
[Memory Continues]
Tamrik was seconds from death. The Narvan raised its claws.
Lioran—still bleeding, still barely conscious—saw it all.
I… I have to help him…
His limbs refused to move. His body was lead. His breath came in ragged bursts.
I promised her… I'd protect others… But I… can't…
Tears pooled in the corners of his eyes.
I'm sorry, Mom… I couldn't keep my promise… I'm sorry…
Silence.
Then—
Fwoooosh!
Golden particles burst in his mind, swirling like wildfire.
The Narvan's claw descended toward Tamrik—
BOOM!
An explosion of golden light erupted behind it. The shockwave sent dust and debris spiraling.
The Narvan whipped around.
Lioran stood tall, wounds closing, his eyes blazing molten gold.
A blazing Prāṇa aura roared around him, the air crackling under its pressure.
He was looking angry.
TO BE CONTINUED...