CHAPTER 51 The Void Door and the Ancient Blood Mark
The door of Void Peak was not just stone. It was a decision. Huge. Black. Motionless, as if it had been holding its breath for centuries waiting for someone to come. The carvings on it were eye piercing. Curved lines making endless loops, as if some mad universe was drawing its map. The gaze of the viewer would get trapped in those lines, the mind would begin to spin.
The air there was dead. No breeze. No bird sound. Just an echo. An echo as if thousands of souls were sobbing far, very far away, their calls trapped in the walls, stuck in this tunnel.
This is the place, Agni said, his voice also drowning in that echo. He gripped Jwala hilt so tight that his knuckles turned white. Flames were dancing on the swords edge, but their redness was fading in the shadow of that black door, as if light died as soon as it reached there.
Varunya was looking at Agni. No, staring at him. Her blue eyes were trying to read every expression on Agni face, as if she was searching for an answer in him. Her lips were slightly open, breath held.
Step back, Akshansh scream tore through the silence. He raised Nakshatra with both hands. The sword blade filled with blue light, lightning sparks flashing in it, as if he had caught a piece of the sky in his hands. Nakshatra, show your full power. Destroy it.
He struck with all his strength. A column of blue lightning descended from the sky. The flash was so bright that everyones eyes went blind for a moment. Crackling. Roaring. The whole mountain shook, small pieces of rock falling from above. A cloud of dust rose, the smell of electric shocks spreading in the air.
When the dust settled, the same door stood there. Exactly the same. Not a scratch on it. No crack. No blackening. Just that motionless, unyielding stone.
Akshansh was stunned. His breaths became fast, chest rising and falling rapidly. How is this possible, he said, disbelief in his voice. My strike can shatter mountains, but this ordinary door did not break. How is this possible.
Anvay looked at Akshansh. Sweat drops were shining on his face, the same disappointment in his eyes that comes when your greatest power proves useless against something.
Anvay stepped forward. He took off his shoes. Bare feet on the ground. The ground was cold, but he felt a pulse beneath his soles, as if the mountain was beating. Soil and stone are under my control. If lightning does not work, then pressure will work.
He slammed both his hands on the ground. Palms straight, fingers spread. The ground responded. The rocks of the mountain began to move, cracks appearing. Dust particles danced in the air, and then two huge stone hammers formed. Each ten feet high, with lines of the earth carved on them.
The hammers rose in the air, then fell on the door with full force.
Boom.
The sound was so loud that Akshansh ears began to hurt. Clouds of dust rose, small pieces of stone scattering around. When the dust settled, the door stood there. Not moved at all. Exactly the same.
Anvay was also shocked by this. He looked at his hands. Yesterday they could move mountains, today they were useless in front of a door.
Acharya, Anvay said, helplessness in his voice, this door is just not opening.
Agni stepped forward. He swung Jwala in the air, the flames on the sword grew stronger, the air began to heat up. We three tried separately. Now together.
The three looked at each other. The same question in their eyes. Will this work.
Akshansh raised Nakshatra again, lightning sparks flashing in it. Anvay put his hands on the ground, rocks beginning to move again. Agni raised Jwala forward, flames drawing red lines in the air.
The three struck together.
A column of lightning, stone hammers, and a ball of fire. All three hit the door at once.
An explosion of orange, blue, and brown colors happened. The sound was so loud that ice fell from the mountain peak. Smoke and dust rose, covering everything.
When everything calmed down, the door stood there. A faint smoky layer had formed on it, but it was still closed. Exactly the same.
Sweat appeared on Agni forehead. He was panting, Jwala weight suddenly felt very heavy. This is impossible, he whispered, his voice breaking. Our combined power could not even move it. What magic is this.
Just then, Varunya who had been standing quietly until now, slowly moved forward. Her steps were so light that no sound was made on the ground.
Akshansh looked at her with suspicion. Now what will you do. When we failed, you
Varunya ignored him. She reached inside her black clothes and pulled out an ancient pendant.
Agni eyes widened.
That pendant was not made of metal. It was made of bone. Old, yellowed bone, with marks of time on it. A demon figure was carved on it. Eyes open. Mouth open, as if screaming. And in those eyes. A strange glow. A glow that does not belong in bone. It was alive. Smoldering.
Varunya moved that pendant toward a small pit carved in the right corner of the door. The pit was so small that no one had noticed it before. Just a subtle depression, like a natural flaw in the stone.
As soon as she fit that symbol there, a sound came from within the mountain.
This sound was not a roar, not a cry. It was a deep, trembling echo, as if some demon sleeping for centuries had woken up, and his first breath had shaken the stones.
The lines carved on the door suddenly lit up. First blue light. Cold, like the sea. Then black light. Deep, like the void. The two lights began to merge into each other, flowing along the lines, like rivers of blood and water.
Creeeak.
Heavy stones began to move. No sound, just a vibration spreading through the air. The door slowly began to open. Not outward. Inward. As if a giant mouth was opening.
This demon symbol, how did you get it, Agni asked, grabbing Varunya hand, a terror in his voice that he had not felt in years. This is the symbol of the ancient Asuras. Asuras who were extinct from this earth long ago. How do you know this? How do you have this?
Varunya freed her hand. She did not answer. Instead, she waved her hand in the air. And a letter appeared.
Not parchment. Not paper. It was a thin, white bark, with black letters written on it. The letters were alive, moving slightly.
Agni took it with trembling hands. The letters blurred before his eyes, then cleared.
Strength does not always break doors, Agni. Sometimes the key made by the enemy works. Your strength is your limit, your weakness is not your strength. Remember, five steps have passed. Now only fifty remain. And every step will take you closer to what you are running from.
Agni crushed the letter in his fist. The paper began to burn in his palm, turning to ash. He blew the ash away.
Akshansh, Anvay, and Agni. The three looked at each other. The same question in their eyes, the same fear, the same resolve. Without a word, they moved forward. Inside the door, into that darkness that was now waiting for them.
Inside, the sight made everyones blood run cold.
This was not a cave. It was a huge chamber, its ceiling so high that only darkness was visible above. The same carvings were on the walls that were on the door, but here those lines were moving, sliding, as if living snakes.
In the center of the chamber was a huge altar. Black stone, with red marks on it. Old marks. Very old.
And in front of the altar, Nirag stood.
But he was not Nirag. At least not the Nirag they knew. His hair was disheveled, but now not black. They had turned the color of ash, as if someone had burned them. His skin was grey, without any glow, without any life. And his eyes. His eyes were the same that appeared in the mirror. Black. Completely black.
Welcome, father, the voice echoed. But it was not Nirag voice. It had a depth, an emptiness, an echo that reminded of Andhak Void. Nirag spun something in his hand. Neer blue pendant, now broken, cracks on it. See, Varunya brought you here. Exactly as I wanted. Right time. Right place.
Nirag, Agni roared. Leave those children. Your fight is with me, not with these innocents. Let them go.
Nirag laughed. A laugh that sounded like wind blowing through a hollow tree. He pointed toward the altar. There, on the altar, a child lay. The child was awake. Eyes open, but no fear in them. Just an empty, void expression, as if his soul had already left.
These are not innocents, Nirag said, a strange softness in his voice, which sounded even more frightening. They are fuel. Fuel of the void. And Varunya. He turned and looked at Varunya, who now stood near the door. Did you tell them what you did with those blue pearls. The pearls made from the tears of those children.
For the first time, fear showed in Varunya eyes. A sharp, clear fear that flashed like flames in her blue eyes. She immediately raised her hands and created a blue shield between Agni and Akshansh.
At that exact moment, Nirag released a black sphere from his finger.
This sphere was not fire, not lightning. It was void. A small void, floating through the air, and wherever it passed, the air disappeared, sound disappeared, light disappeared.
The sphere struck the shield. And the shield immediately turned black. The blue light died, the shield shattered into pieces, as if someone had popped a glass bubble.
Akshansh rushed toward Nirag with his sword. Andhak Void, today your end will come. I am telling you. No one can save you.
But Nirag just raised one hand.
Akshansh froze in mid air. His body leaned forward, sword raised, but he could not move. As if invisible chains had grabbed him. No. As if the air itself had frozen, and he was trapped in it.
Akshansh began to scream. Today no one can save you from my mouth, Nirag. I will end you. He tried to raise his sword Nakshatra higher, and a sharp ray of lightning came from the sword. Blue, bright, moving toward Nirag.
Nirag attention broke. His black eyes fixed on the lightning ray, and Akshansh felt the grip on his body loosen a little.
He immediately took advantage. Jumped down from the air, fell to the ground, and quickly got up.
Nirag created a black shield in front of himself. Transparent, but black, as if someone had mixed black ink in the air. The lightning ray hit it and scattered, like a drop of water on a stone.
Nirag laughed. You cannot end me. You do not know. I am not Nirag. I am Andhak Void.
Nirag body began to turn black. Dark energy began to come out from under his skin. Like smoke, but not smoke. It was void, spreading in the air, and wherever it spread, the light died. And on his head. That black eye emerged. Completely open, without eyelids, without shine. Just a black pit.
He began to laugh loudly. The laugh echoed in the chamber, bouncing off the walls, and each time it returned, it became more distorted.
Akshansh moved toward Nirag with his sword Nakshatra. There was a madness in his eyes. Hatred, pain, and the fire of revenge.
Just then, Varunya went near Nirag and knelt down.
Everyones attention turned to her. She was very close to Nirag. So close that if Nirag wanted, he could kill her with a flick of his hand.
Varunya raised her head. Her voice was low, but clear, every word heard in the air. I have done your work, Maharaj. Now give me what I asked for. On your command, I brought Agni, Akshansh, Anvay to you. Now give me my price.
Nirag looked at Varunya with joy. A smile appeared on his lips. The same smile that appeared in the mirror. Mysterious. Dangerous.
Given, given, he said, a deception in his voice, like someone giving candy to a child. Take this.
He stretched his hand forward. Palm open. And from his palm came a black energy. The same void energy, but this time it was liquid, like black water.
He poured that energy into Varunya hand.
Varunya smiled. She closed her hand, trapping the black energy in her fist. Then she got up and began to leave. Toward the door, without looking back.
Agni, Anvay, Akshansh. Everyone watched her. There was a question in their eyes, surprise, and a pain that was beyond words. Varunya back was toward them, and she was leaving. Into that darkness, from where she came, returning there.
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