A faint smoke was blended into the air. After the collapse of the Heart Zone, everything was wrapped in an eerie silence — the kind where even a breath feels like an old memory screaming.
Aarya, whose Granthnishaan now left a dim white glow, lay unconscious on the ground. His face was cold… deep lines under his eyes, and his fingers were trembling slowly.
Riya bent beside him, held his hand. "Aarya…?"
No answer came.
Feran growled, but this time, his telepathic voice wasn't angry — it carried pain. "He's trapped inside… the zone's collapse has shaken him internally."
Riya placed her hand on Aarya's chest — the heartbeat was there, but very weak. "We have to call him back… but how?"
Feran closed his eyes. "I have to go in… into him." His Granthnishaan sparked faintly, and then — through a psychic link, Feran projected himself inside Aarya's mindscape.
---
Inside…
Everything was black.
No sound. No light. Just an endless void.
Feran stood on a dark platform — but everything around was unstable, as if reality itself was cracking. Echoes rang from every direction:
"You failed… she died… you let her fall… you couldn't save her..."
Feran dug his claws into the ground. "Aarya! Can you hear me? You're not alone!"
No reply.
Then a faint flash of light appeared in a far corner — where a small version of Aarya, about 8 years old, was sitting with wide eyes staring down. His hands were covered in blood… and on the ground lay the body of a small girl.
Her face was blurred — but her eyes… those eyes seemed to speak directly to Aarya's soul.
"Aarya…" Feran stepped toward him slowly, "this memory is breaking you. But you can't run from it."
Little Aarya kept staring down. "I couldn't save her… Riya will leave me too someday… I'll be alone forever…"
Feran's voice grew heavy. "So you'll give up everything? Your mother, your promise, our bond — everything?"
For a moment, the darkness grew deeper.
Then Aarya's true form — grown-up Aarya — came crawling from another corner. His face was blank. Breathing labored. His whole body drained of energy. He was holding his head with both hands.
"I… I'm just tired," he said. "Fighting… guilt… pain all the time…"
Feran stared hard at him. "You're tired? Then should I give up too? When you were lost in darkness… I never left your side. And now you're leaving mine?"
Aarya looked up — there were tears in Feran's eyes. For the first time… the beast had cried.
"If you leave…" Feran's telepathic voice trembled, "then I'll go too. Because you're my anchor, Aarya."
---
A heavy silence spread.
Then a flash — the smile of that little girl. "Aarya… you came back…"
In that moment, for the first time, Aarya didn't see that memory as poison… but as a reason. That girl, whose death had become his guilt… maybe her spirit was now teaching him how to live.
Feran extended his hand.
"Come. Get up. We'll break this darkness."
Aarya placed his hand over his… and a white glow spread through the darkness.
The Granthnishaan reacted.
Aarya's feet began to stabilize. His breath started to normalize. A faint glow returned to his face.
---
"I… I'm still alive," Aarya said softly.
Feran smiled. "And I'm always with you. As long as you don't forget yourself."
A wave of light spread through the psychic realm of the zone. All the shattered pieces — guilt, fear, darkness — turned into a safe space.
---
Outside World…
Aarya's breathing suddenly grew strong. His Granthnishaan started glowing with a soft white flare.
Riya instantly held his hand. "Aarya!"
His eyes slowly opened. A little confused, but alive.
Feran growled telepathically, "Welcome back, my friend."
Aarya looked at Riya… then at Feran. And smiled gently.
"I… I've come back."
There was a light relief on Riya's face. She just said one line — "Good. Because now we have a new mission to begin."
Aarya nodded. "This time… without fear."
Feran growled, "And this time, the three of us won't let each other fall."
—
As the root of Bloodthorn collapsed, a final scream echoed inside the ridge. The red fog slowly began to dissolve into the air, and every thread — that was once alive in the ground and sky — now fell like dust. Aarya closed his eyes, his Granthnishaan glowing in a calm white light. His breath was now normal, but his heartbeat still echoed with what he had felt inside the zone.
Riya came close, held his hand. "You okay?"
Aarya nodded with a faint smile. "Yeah… but this was different. I thought I would lose control."
Feran said through a telepathic growl, "You didn't. You won. This time not just the zone… but your inner instinct too."
Aarya thanked him with his eyes.
Riya smiled lightly. "You heard that, right? You're not alone."
Aarya looked at her. "You two are here… that's why I could return."
For a moment, the three looked at each other in peaceful silence, as if an emotional breath passed between them.
---
The ridge's atmosphere was slowly calming down. Bloodthorn's residue had fallen from everywhere. Only some broken thorns and dried threads remained on the ground. Riya bent and picked up an old hunter badge.
"This belonged to one of them," she said softly.
Aarya traced a finger over the badge for a second. "We'll return it… someone should remember they were here."
Feran growled, "Let's go. This place is now just a zone of memories."
---
As they exited the ridge, a light ray of sunlight touched their faces. Aarya took a deep breath—this was normal air, without the stench of Bloodthorn. Riya looked towards the sun and gave a faint smile.
"Feels like we're feeling this light after ages," she said.
Feran looked directly toward the forest. "This path is clear… no more Bloodthorn presence."
Aarya stepped forward a bit. With every step, his body slowly relaxed, as if the fight from the zone was leaving him.
Riya walked beside him. "Aarya… in that moment… when you were almost lost… what did you feel?"
Aarya stayed silent for a few seconds, then said, "I thought I wouldn't make it back. That voice… those illusions… everything felt real. But then I heard your voice… and I realized… I could return."
Riya held his hand again. "You did. And I'll always remind you when you forget."
---
The jungle path now looked clear. The mist was lighter than before. Feran growled, "There's a trail ahead… looks like a natural path. Maybe this is where the jungle ends."
Riya looked ahead. "Yeah… there's more light there."
The three moved forward.
The forest trees were growing shorter, and between them, golden sunlight began to shine through. With every step, the air felt more normal, more peaceful.
Aarya looked back — the darkness of the Heart Zone now fading behind them like a shadow.
Feran said softly, "That was just a part of the trial. But you both… came out stronger."
Riya looked at Aarya. "And you… you overcame it. The fear inside you."
Aarya took a calm breath. "This time… someone held my hand. Maybe that's why I won."
Riya smiled a little, but said nothing. There was a soft light on her face — maybe of relief, or connection. Feran walked between the two, like a protective shield.
---
As they reached the jungle's edge, a natural trail opened up. Trees had become sparse now, and a small slope went downhill. Sunlight was shining fully there.
Aarya narrowed his eyes. "Those look like building structures…"
Riya confirmed, "Yeah… that's Crimson Village."
Feran growled, "Safe zone."
Riya took a deep breath. "This is my home… or something close to it."
Aarya looked at her. There was peace on her face, but something else in her eyes — perhaps memories.
Feran said softly, "Looks like our next arc is about to begin."
Aarya glanced one last time toward the Heart Zone. "And the first one ends here."
The three stepped onto the new trail together.
And the sunlight fell on their backs… like a blessing for the new journey ahead.
TO BE CONTINUED…