The cavern pulsed with firelight, the chanting of the Circle echoing like a living heartbeat through the Hollow. The stag-masked leader's blade hovered inches above Nayra's throat, gleaming as if hungry for blood.
Vihaan's world slowed to fragments. The roar of the storm above, the hiss of fire in the brackets, Nayra's ragged breathing—all crashed into one singular moment. He had no choice left.
"Now!" Vihaan hissed.
The boy hurled the stone across the cavern. It clattered against the far wall, echoing like thunder. For a split second, half the Circle turned their heads toward the sound.
Vihaan charged.
---
The Strike
He lunged from behind the boulder, his torch in hand. With a savage swing, he smashed it against the stag-mask's arm. The blade clattered to the ground. Sparks rained as the torch broke against stone, but Vihaan didn't care. He grabbed the weapon before the leader could recover.
The cavern exploded into chaos.
"An intruder!" one of the cloaked figures roared.
Torches flared as shadows writhed across the walls. Vihaan dropped to his knees, slashing the chains around Nayra's wrists. The blade was old but sharp—it bit into the metal links, sparks flying.
"Vihaan!" Nayra gasped, eyes wide with shock and disbelief. "You—"
"No time," he grunted, hacking again. "We're getting out."
---
The Circle Attacks
The first figure lunged. Vihaan spun, swinging the blade wildly. The edge sliced across the figure's cloak, drawing a scream as fabric tore. Another charged, but Nayra—despite her weakness—kicked upward, striking him in the knee. He crumpled with a howl.
The stag-mask recovered, voice booming over the chaos. "Seize them! No one leaves the Hollow alive!"
The Circle surged as one.
The boy leapt from hiding, seizing a burning torch from the wall. He hurled it at the chalk circle, flames spreading across the strange symbols. The chanting faltered, breaking into shouts of panic.
Vihaan hacked the last link of Nayra's chains. They shattered, clattering to the stone floor. He grabbed her arm, hauling her up.
"Run!"
---
Escape Through Shadows
The trio sprinted toward the side tunnel, dodging grasping hands. A figure lunged, but Vihaan slashed with the blade, forcing him back. Another tried to block the way, but the boy shoved his torch into the man's cloak, flames licking at the fabric.
They tore through the tunnel, the roar of pursuit close behind. Footsteps thundered, voices cursed, the Circle giving chase.
The tunnel narrowed, damp walls pressing in. Water dripped overhead. The storm raged directly above them now, the crack in the ceiling growing wider.
And then, without warning—lightning struck.
A deafening boom shattered the cavern, blinding white light flooding the Hollow. The ceiling cracked, rocks crashing down. Dust and flame engulfed the chamber.
Screams echoed as the Circle scattered.
Vihaan stumbled forward, dragging Nayra. "Move! Before this place buries us alive!"
---
The Chase
They climbed upward through twisting tunnels, their breaths ragged. Behind them, masked figures still pursued, their torches bobbing in the dark like eyes of demons.
Nayra clutched her side, staggering. "I… I can't—"
"Yes, you can," Vihaan urged, wrapping an arm around her. "One step at a time. We're almost there."
The boy darted ahead, guiding them through the maze of passages. "This way! There's a back exit—I've seen it!"
The tunnel bent sharply, and faint moonlight glimmered at the far end. Salvation.
But between them and freedom stood two members of the Circle, blocking the exit with knives drawn.
---
Stand or Fall
Vihaan tightened his grip on the blade. His arms shook with exhaustion, but his resolve burned. "Stay behind me."
The first cloaked figure lunged. Vihaan parried, steel clashing. The second circled, knife glinting. Vihaan ducked just as the blade swiped, sparks flying off the rock wall.
Nayra, weak but unbroken, seized a loose stone and hurled it at the second figure's head. He staggered, giving Vihaan the opening to slash his arm. The man screamed, dropping his weapon.
The boy rushed forward, shoving him aside with all his strength.
The first figure pressed hard, forcing Vihaan back step by step. His arm trembled under the weight of each strike. But then—Nayra grabbed the fallen knife and plunged it into the man's side.
The figure collapsed with a groan.
Breathless, Vihaan stared at her. "Remind me never to doubt you."
She gave a faint, fierce smile. "Don't you dare."
---
Out into the Storm
They burst from the tunnel into the open air. Rain lashed down, cold and violent. The cliffs stretched around them, jagged against the raging sea below.
Behind them, voices still echoed. The Circle hadn't given up.
"This way!" the boy shouted, leading them along a narrow path skirting the cliffside. Lightning lit their way in blinding flashes, the ocean roaring hungrily beneath.
Nayra stumbled, nearly slipping, but Vihaan caught her, pulling her close. "Stay with me. Almost there."
In the distance, faint lights flickered—the village, safety, however temporary.
But between them and those lights lay one final stretch of cliff… and the sound of pursuit grew louder.
---
The Pursuers
Three masked figures emerged from the tunnel, torches blazing even in the storm. Their cloaks whipped in the wind as they charged across the narrow path, voices rising in furious chants.
"Don't stop!" Vihaan urged. "Run!"
The group sprinted, feet pounding against the slick stone. Every step threatened to send them over the edge. The sea's roar mingled with thunder, the storm itself seeming to conspire against them.
One pursuer leapt, almost catching Nayra's arm. She screamed, pulling free as Vihaan swung the blade, forcing the figure back. The boy hurled another stone, striking the pursuer's mask with a crack.
They ran until their lungs burned, until the village lights loomed closer.
And then—a sudden figure blocked the path ahead.
The stag-mask.
---
The Stag's Wrath (Extended Scene)
The leader's cloak billowed in the storm, his eyes burning through the hollow mask. In one hand he held a curved blade, in the other a torch that refused to die in the rain.
"You dare defy the Circle," his voice thundered, carried by wind and waves alike. "You dare defile the Hollow."
He pointed his blade at Nayra. "She is ours. Her blood binds the pact."
Nayra froze, trembling, but there was steel in her eyes now. "You'll never have me."
Vihaan stepped forward, raising his blade though his arms ached. "You'll have to go through me first."
The stag-mask tilted his head, almost amused. "So be it."
Lightning split the sky, painting them in white fire. The cliffs shook with thunder, the sea roaring like a beast below. For an instant, it felt less like men facing each other, and more like gods preparing for war.
The stag-mask moved first. His blade lashed out, faster than Vihaan expected. Sparks flew as steel met steel. The shock numbed Vihaan's arm, but he gritted his teeth, forcing himself to push back.
Another strike. Another parry. The rain slicked their blades, water and blood mixing on the ground. The stag fought like a phantom—precise, relentless. Every move was meant to kill.
Vihaan's strength waned, but something deeper burned in him—anger, resolve, the memory of Nayra's torn notebook, her desperate words scrawled on its last page. He could not fail her.
The boy circled, searching for a chance to help, while Nayra clutched the small knife, eyes blazing.
The stag-mask pressed harder, driving Vihaan toward the cliff's edge. Stones crumbled under his boots, the sea yawning hungrily below.
"Your defiance ends here," the leader growled, raising his blade high.
Vihaan caught the strike with both hands on his sword, the force jarring through his body. For a breathless moment, they stood locked together, inches from death.
And then Nayra cried out, hurling her knife.
It spun through the storm, striking the stag's shoulder. He staggered, roar of fury echoing over the cliffs. Vihaan seized the chance, shoving him back with every ounce of strength left.
The stag stumbled but did not fall. His masked face turned, eyes burning brighter than ever.
"This is not over," he hissed, retreating into the storm as other Circle members closed in behind him.
Vihaan stood panting, soaked, shaking, but alive. Nayra clung to him, her heart pounding against his chest.
The boy pointed toward the village lights. "We need to move—now, before they regroup."
Vihaan nodded grimly, gripping his blade tighter.
Because he knew the stag-mask was right. This was far from over.