Chapter 13 The Armor and the Mist

The light of sunrise fell upon the roofs of Prakashgadh but it brought not its golden warmth but a blurry grey light The black rain had stopped but its memories seemed frozen into every stone of the palace Puddles of black water gleamed in the courtyards and gardens as if the earth had wept through the night and the tears had congealed like black wax

Agni descended from his chamber into the garden The sound of his steps fell muffled on the damp ground The air did not carry the freshness of a bath but a heavy suffocating stench Like old graves had been opened And then the sight came before his eyes

Neer chosen red golden Swarnkamal flowers which until yesterday spread their petals before the sun now lay draped in black shrouds They were not just wilted They were shriveled and blackened like coal as if some invisible fire had incinerated them Their stems had weakened and collapsed onto the ground Even a gentle gust of wind lifted a sharp sweet rotting stench from them

Agni brows furrowed A line of worry ran through his eyes He let out a deep sharp whistle The special call to summon his army Within moments a soldier came running and his breaths were ragged He immediately bowed his neck in greeting Command Maharaj

Tell me this Agni voice was harsh and his finger pointed towards the blackened flowers How did this happen What kind of insect infested them that stripped their color in a single night and rotted them

The soldier looked at the black flowers with a lowered gaze There was a strange fear on his face Maharaj Last night That black rain fell It is because of that black water that all this happened Wherever its drops fell the vegetation there was incinerated just like this

The memory of that moment became fresh in Agni mind Last night the burning sensation from that single drop that fell on his palm and the small red mark it left He picked up a black flower It crumbled between his fingers like a mound of ash He looked closely The stains of black water were clear on the petals as if someone had splattered ink

He turned back to the soldier and spoke and a new gravity had dissolved into his voice Has this rain fallen in the neighboring kingdoms as well Or only here

The soldier shook his head No Maharaj We checked immediately This rain of black water has only fallen over our kingdom Prakashgadh There is no such report from any neighboring kingdom The clouds were coiled only above our palace

Agni heart pounded a heavy beat His eyes widened This was no natural disaster This was a targeted attack Did you notice anything strange last night Did you see anything unusual Agni asked and his gaze was fixed on the soldier face

The soldier looked at Agni and then lowered his eyes to the ground His throat felt dry Maharaj That That Nirag

Agni breath stopped Speak clearly soldier

Maharaj Last night I heard a strange kind of laughing sound from Nirag chamber I have never heard such laughter before The soldier said and his voice trembled

And what else Agni pressed

And Maharaj The window of Nirag chamber suddenly closed with stone As if a wall had grown there

Agni immediately looked up towards the upper part of the palace And there it was The window of Nirag chamber which had a black patch of rough stone plastered onto the white marble The sight looked unnatural and terrifying Agni clenched his fist so tightly that his joints turned white Alright You may go

The soldier folded his hands and said As you command Maharaj And he quickly retreated from there

Agni looked once more at that closed window A tension ran through his arms He gripped the hilt of his sword Jwala tightly which even today lay quiet on his waist and walked inside the palace There was the pace of a decision in his steps

In the corridors of the palace he saw Anvay Anvay saw him and folded his hands Pranam Margdarshak

But Agni gave no reply He walked straight towards Nirag chamber His back was straight and his gaze fixed ahead Anvay was a little surprised to see this His brows furrowed slightly Then silently he began following Agni keeping his distance

Agni entered Nirag chamber Nirag was sitting at a table reading state documents Seeing Agni enter he immediately stood up and folded his hands Pranam Tauji You are here If there was any work you could have commanded me Why did you take the trouble of coming here

Agni came slowly towards Nirag His gaze was examining Nirag face trying to read every expression and every movement Nirag I need to know the truth

Nirag eyes widened for a moment and then returned to normal A faint fake smile floated on his lips The truth What truth Tauji

Agni pointed towards the wall where the window was sealed with stone That window How did it close Nirag

Nirag clenched his fist The muscle of his jaw twitched Exactly at that moment Anvay arrived there and began entering the chamber

But Agni raised his hand A sharp red light emerged from his fingers and formed a blazing heat shimmering barrier on the chamber door preventing Anvay from entering Anvay stepped back and there was worry and surprise on his face

Agni looked at Nirag again I asked you something Nirag

Nirag glanced once more at Anvay who stood helpless outside He began to tremble with fear His head began to soak with a cold sticky sweat Tauji That Last night the rain of black water was falling That is why Anvay used his earth element to create a stone armor over the window so that the black water could not come inside That is all

Agni took a long breath But the heat in his eyes did not lessen And that laughter The soldier told me that you were laughing in a strange way

Nirag said nothing He closed his eyes as if enduring some internal pain

Meanwhile Anvay turned and ran towards Neer chamber His steps echoed in the corridors He entered Neer chamber directly Neer was tending to Varshini which even today was dim Seeing Anvay running and panting like this Neer was startled Anvay What happened son Why are you running like this What happened

Anvay said in one breath That Margdarshak Margdarshak Agni has locked Nirag in the chamber

Varshini fell from Neer hand and clattered on the ground The color drained from his face He ran with the speed of lightning to Nirag chamber and began pounding on the door from outside Agni Open the door Open the door

Agni voice came from inside harsh and unyielding Neer Do not stop me today I need to ask Nirag something

Agni We will both ask him calmly together Open the door I will not say anything Neer voice carried a plea but there was also a suppressed tremor in his tone

Agni gave no reply He looked at Nirag and spoke and his voice had become sharp like a trained flame Tell me Nirag Are you responsible for that rain of black water Tell me

Neer fist tightened His blue eyes began to glow as if lightning had flashed within them A blue aura began emanating from his body cooling and stilling the air of the corridor Agni Final warning Open the door

Agni glanced back once at the door and then screamed at Nirag Tell me Nirag Are you responsible for this rain

Just then the door suddenly opened Agni looked at Neer The blue aura emanating from Neer body was now like a solid spinning water wheel and he began advancing slowly towards Agni Moisture began condensing in the corridor air and droplets of water appeared on the walls There was no softness in Neer eyes only a fierce unyielding determination

Inside the chamber Nirag saw all this Drops of sweat glistened like pearls on his face His breaths were running fast And just then from the mark of that black fissure on his forehead a faint blurry purple glow burst forth

Chapter 158 - Chapter 13 The Armor and the Mist