The three disciples stumbled through the jungle, finally slowing once the howls of the Monkey Tribe faded into the distance. Their breaths were ragged, clothes torn, and faces streaked with sweat.
Vijay rounded on Ansh instantly, his face dark with fury.
"Do you realize what you've done?!" he snapped. "If it weren't for that insane chase, we'd be halfway out of this cursed forest by now!"
Ansh threw his hands up defensively. "What?! That monkey was my sworn enemy! I couldn't just let it escape after mocking me last time!"
"You're a bigger fool than I thought." Ashwini's voice was icy, her glare cutting like a blade. "Because of you, we almost died. Again."
Ansh pointed at her. "Don't act so innocent! You were the one who scared the monkey half to death with your murder face. Of course it panicked and called its tribe!"
Ashwini's eyes flared dangerously. "You dare blame me?!"
Daav, perched on Ansh's shoulder, immediately took flight, circling away as though to say "I want no part of this fight."
"Coward," Ansh muttered under his breath, though he was trembling as Ashwini stepped closer, aura flaring like fire.
Vijay pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling loudly. "Both of you shut up before I push you off the next cliff myself."
The bickering simmered into grudging silence, and the group pressed forward.
The dense foliage opened slightly, and the air felt heavier, charged with unseen energy. Ansh glanced at Ashwini.
"Hey… why does this herb only grow in the middle of this creepy forest anyway?"
Ashwini's steps slowed. Her expression shifted, seriousness softening her usually sharp features. "Because this place is no ordinary forest. It was shaped by the meditation of Rishi Bharadwaj."
Ansh blinked. "The sage who was a wandering monk?"
Ashwini nodded. "Yes. Long ago, before these woods were called the Spirit Forest, it was just an ordinary stretch of land. Bharadwaj came here seeking silence. He sat beneath a tree and meditated… not for days or months, but for a full decade. Ten years of unbroken focus."
Her voice grew softer, almost reverent. "His body became one with the earth. His breath mingled with the air. The very life force around him resonated with his presence. Animals were drawn to him. Weak creatures grew stronger. Birds learned to fly higher, beasts grew fiercer, and the grass itself thickened, storing fragments of his spirit. Herbs that never existed before began to bloom, glowing with energy. Even after he left, his aura lingered, saturating every living thing. That is why this forest thrives unnaturally—and why the Soul Herb only grows in its center."
Ansh's mouth fell open slightly. "So you're telling me this forest is basically… a giant Rishi Bharadwaj afterimage?"
Ashwini gave him a flat look. "In the crudest sense, yes."
Vijay exhaled slowly. "Which means the beasts here aren't ordinary either. They've been evolving under that influence for centuries."
A chill slid down Ansh's spine. "Great. So, soul herb in the middle of monster paradise. What could possibly go wrong?"
The three finally reached a clearing where the sunlight spilled golden upon the ground. At the very center grew a cluster of luminous green grass, faintly shimmering as though lit from within.
"The Soul Herb," Ashwini whispered.
They stepped closer cautiously. But before Ansh could stretch a hand toward it, the earth shook beneath their feet.
A deep growl rolled through the clearing.
From the shadows of the trees, a colossal tiger emerged. Its fur shimmered faintly like mist, stripes glowing faintly as spirit energy bled from its form. Its eyes burned with primal fire.
"A… spirit beast," Vijay breathed.
The tiger's roar split the air. In an instant, it lunged.
"Defend!" Ashwini cried, thrusting her palms down. Roots and vines erupted from the ground, weaving into a shield. At the same time, Vijay slammed his hands into the soil, raising a wall of stone.
The beast crashed into their defenses, the collision shattering roots and cracking stone. The force hurled both Ashwini and Vijay sprawling backward.
The tiger swung its massive paw, aiming straight for Ashwini.
"NO!" Ansh shouted.
Before it could land, Daav streaked forward, a trail of sparks behind him. The tiny firebird unleashed a burst of flame at the beast's face. The tiger snarled and recoiled, giving Ashwini just enough time to roll aside.
"Good boy, Daav!" Ansh cheered.
But the tiger's eyes narrowed, fury igniting. It turned on Daav with terrifying speed, maw opening wide.
"Daav!" Ansh dove, tackling the bird out of the air just as fiery breath surged from the beast's throat.
The blast struck the ground, the explosion throwing Ansh across the clearing. He slammed against a tree, coughing blood.
The tiger roared again, charging at him.
Vijay gritted his teeth and slashed his arm through the air. "Wind Blade!"
A crescent of slicing air ripped toward the tiger, cutting its side. The beast staggered but retaliated instantly, its massive tail whipping around like a battering ram.
The tail smashed into Vijay, sending him flying through the air, crashing into the underbrush.
"Vijay!" Ashwini screamed.
Her fury ignited. She thrust her hands to the ground, summoning dozens of sharp roots that erupted like spears, stabbing upward toward the beast.
One root pierced its leg. The tiger howled in pain, staggering, but its fury only multiplied. It gathered fire into its jaws and unleashed a torrent straight at Ashwini.
She raised her arms, but the flames tore through her defenses. Daav flared his wings, spitting fire to counter, but the sheer force overwhelmed them.
The explosion hurled both Daav and Ashwini back. Ashwini cried out as fire seared across her arm. She collapsed, injured, clutching her shoulder.
Daav screeched weakly, tumbling beside her.
The tiger prowled closer, fire still crackling in its throat, eyes fixed on the fallen pair.
Ansh staggered to his feet, blood dripping down his temple. His fists clenched, eyes blazing with fury.
"Stay away from them…"
The spirit beast roared, fire building once more.