The children slept peacefully, huddled together beneath the remains of a collapsed roof.
Arhaan sat nearby, staring into the dying embers of a fire. His chest still glowed faintly where the golden chain-mark pulsed, a reminder of the vow he had made.
He exhaled. "This place is no longer safe for them… or me."
The Iron Serpent Sect would not forget their humiliation. They would send stronger forces. If he stayed, the children would pay the price.
At dawn, Arhaan gently shook Kian awake.
"You're the oldest. Take them north, into the mountain caves. Stay hidden. There are villages deeper in the hills where good people live."
Kian's eyes widened. "But… what about you?"
Arhaan's lips curved into a faint smile, though his eyes were firm.
"I'll draw their attention away. When I return, I want to see all of you alive. Promise me that."
The boy choked back tears but nodded. "We promise."
The Road
Arhaan walked alone. The land was quiet, the sky too still. For hours he followed the broken road that wound through the wilderness, until the forest gave way to a cliffside.
There, the world suddenly changed.
The sky darkened. Clouds churned into a spiraling vortex.
A suffocating pressure descended, crushing the air from his lungs. Lightning danced within the storm, each arc carrying the weight of judgment.
Arhaan froze. His eyes narrowed.
The heavens… already?
A voice thundered within the storm.
"Mortal who bears the chains… you were never meant to awaken. Return to dust."
Bolts of lightning crashed down, the ground erupting in explosions of fire and stone.
Arhaan's heart pounded, but instead of fear, his lips curved into a cold smile.
"So this is the price of defiance…" He clenched his fists, golden light rippling from the chain-mark across his chest. "Then come!"
The Battle Against Heaven
The first bolt struck, a spear of pure destruction. Arhaan braced, aura flaring — and his palm rose to meet it.
BOOM!
Pain seared through his arm, skin blistering, but he refused to fall.
The second bolt came faster, fiercer. He dodged, rolling across the ground, the air screaming with heat.
The third struck directly at his heart. Instinct roared — his chest mark blazed, and for an instant, the shattered chain expanded into a shield of golden energy.
The impact sent him flying, ribs cracking. He slammed against the cliffside, coughing blood.
But still, he stood.
Breathing ragged, eyes burning, he glared at the heavens.
"If even gods fear what I will become… then I will definitely walk this path."
Breakthrough
The storm shrieked, hurling its final judgment — a pillar of lightning so vast it split the sky in two.
Arhaan roared and charged forward. He raised both hands, not to block, but to seize it.
The lightning met him head-on. His body convulsed, blood pouring from his wounds, but he held firm. Inch by inch, the energy flowed into him, into the mark upon his chest.
The broken chain glowed brighter—then shattered completely.
A shockwave of divine power erupted outward, flattening the forest, silencing the storm.
When the light faded, Arhaan stood amidst scorched earth, smoke rising from his skin, his wounds already knitting closed. His aura was sharper, heavier. Alive.
The first seal was gone. His path had truly begun.
Arhaan lifted his gaze to the heavens, his voice steady.
"You tried to break me… but I will break you."
Far above, the storm dispersed.
And the heavens grew silent.