Chapter 11 Clash of Souls
The moment Agni drew his sword Jwala a wave of heat surged through the air The blade glowed a fierce red orange as it cut through the stillness like an ancient wrath awakened Neer held his Varshini before him like a shield but his eyes held no desire for battle Only a painful resolve Waves of water swirled around Varshini Cold Calm But firm
Stop Agni Neer said and his voice was steady This fight should not happen
You crossed the line Neer Agni voice thundered You came between me and Nirag
I was protecting him
From whom From me
The tension between them had reached an explosive point Agni stepped forward and delivered a vertical strike Not to wound Neer but to knock his sword aside The flames of Jwala descended drawing a red line through the air Neer blocked it with Varshini but the force of the blow made his hand tremble Waves of water clashed and steam rose The air became hot and cold at the same time
You cannot stop me Agni Neer said and this time there was a challenge in his voice
We shall see Agni said and his next strike was fast short and precise The strike of a warrior not an enraged beast The edge of Jwala moved towards Neer wrist
Neer blocked it but he had to step back There was surprise in his eyes Agni had never attacked him like this before
You would truly do this Neer asked and there was a crack in his voice
You said it yourself You stand with Nirag So I stand against him Agni said but his words held a hollowness as if he did not believe them himself
This was not a fight It was a dance A painful terrible dance where every strike came from the heart and landed on the heart Swords clashed and sparks scattered Steam rose And with every ring of metal the trust between them shattered a little more Waves of fire and water touched each other and turned to steam The scent of burning iron and salty ocean spread through the air
Just then Nirag and Anvay arrived there
Nirag saw the scene His Pitashree and Tauji standing against each other swinging their swords His breath stopped His eyes widened and his lips began to tremble
Pitashree Tauji Stop His scream echoed through the corridor
But they did not hear Or perhaps they heard and in that very moment both of them delivered the final strike at the same time Agni Jwala moved towards Neer throat and Neer Varshini moved towards Agni wrist
And then both of them stopped
The swords froze in the air barely a finger width apart Agni and Neer were looking into each other eyes And in that gaze there was no hatred Only a terrible painful recognition Old memories floated in their eyes That first meeting That war That promise
I know Neer whispered and his voice was now soft and broken You can never strike me
Agni closed his eyes His sword lowered This was the last time Neer
I know Neer said and Varshini came down as well This was only for a few moments between us But in the future We will have to fight again And that fight That will be real
Nirag stepped forward and tears filled his eyes Pitashree Tauji Why were you both fighting like that
Agni looked at him and then at Neer And without a word he walked away from there His back seemed heavy and his steps were slow
Neer kept watching him leave Nirag asked him Pitashree what did you mean That you will have to fight in the future What does that mean
Neer tried to smile but the smile did not stay on his face Nothing son Your Tauji gets angry too quickly That is why this fight happened between us
But Pitashree
Neer cut him off and walked away There was a pain in his back that words could not carry
Anvay placed his hand on Nirag shoulder Let them go Nirag It is not right for you to ask them anything right now
Nirag sat down on the bed and hid his face in his hands What should I do Anvay How do I save my breaking family I know this fight between Pitashree and Tauji happened because of me
Anvay tried to calm him Calm down Nirag Everything will be fine
But how Nirag raised his eyes and there was a childlike fear in them I have never seen Pitashree and Tauji fight each other And today they stood against each other All this All this is happening because of me Anvay I cannot watch my family break apart
Anvay held his hand Nothing like that will happen Nirag Margdarshak Agni and Neer can never become enemies They will never strike each other You know this too
Nirag stood up Then why did it happen today Why did they stand against each other And why did Pitashree say that in the future there will be a war between him and Tauji What is going to happen that they will have to stand against each other
Anvay grabbed his hand He must have said it casually Come you should rest now It will be night in a little while
Nirag looked at him and then walked towards his chamber Anvay saw him to the door and said Take care of yourself Nirag
But as soon as Anvay left Nirag was alone again And the loneliness began to overwhelm him
He sat on the bed and began to think All this is happening because of me I know it The war between Pitashree and Tauji happened because of me I am the reason for all of this I am
Just then the voice came from within him That same voice That same black echo
You spoke the truth Nirag All this has happened because of you There is only one way to fix it
Nirag looked up A way What way
The whisper echoed in his ears Surrender
Nirag breaths quickened What kind of surrender
Give yourself to me
On Nirag forehead the third eye began to emerge A crack of black light His eyes began to turn black He spread his arms and began to laugh A laughter that was not in his own voice
I enjoyed it I enjoyed it so much Making Neer and Agni fight each other gave me so much joy Now I just wait for them to stand against each other and destroy one another And then I will take full control over you Over your body I will have complete command And then the whole world will be under my sway You left my side at that time when I was about to conquer the whole world Now you will be the reason for that victory of mine You will be the reason for the end of your enemies and your Pitashree and Tauji
Nirag kept laughing and walked to the window and said This Prakashgadh will soon become a cremation ground My revenge will be complete I will end all of them And along with them Agni and Neer I will end you too I will end everyone
He began laughing loudly But just then Nirag slammed his head hard against the wall
Ahh No His scream escaped Not so easily I will not let you do all this
He grabbed his own throat as if he was stopping himself I will lose And I will end you too I will not spare you
He began coughing and tears streamed from his eyes He screamed and the third eye vanished from his head His black eyes returned to normal
Coughing Nirag sat down on the bed He started towards the water pitcher but his eyes closed and he collapsed right there on his bed unconscious
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