CHAPTER 54 Donation of Elements and the Shadow of the Void
In the main chamber of Nabhgadh, the flow of air seemed to have stopped. The last rays of the sun were peeking through the windows, spreading redness on the walls, but that redness no longer looked golden. It looked like the color of blood. Varunya voice had deepened the silence of the chamber.
Parts of your powers.
Akshansh face turned red with anger in a moment. His pupils shrank, veins popped on his neck. He clenched his fist so tight that his nails dug into his palm, leaving small red marks.
There is a limit to betrayal, Varunya, his voice echoed, cutting through the air like a sword edge. First you served us to that demon. One by one, as if decorating a food platter. Then you left us to rot in that dungeon, our powers being absorbed by that void. And now. You want to take even our remaining powers. Did Nirag send you to completely cripple us. So that we cannot even stand before him.
Anvay also put his hand on the hilt of his sword Maruchi, but his hand tremor was clear. His fingers had turned white, leather sticking to the bones. What will you do with those parts, he asked. This is not an ordinary exchange of power. This is the essence of our elements, a part of our identity. Do you want to make yourself a demon even bigger than Nirag. Is your hunger that great.
Varunya did not answer their bitterness, their accusations. She tilted her head slightly, and then opened her palm.
In her palm was that black liquid energy she had taken from Nirag. In a bottle, but now that bottle seemed alive. The black liquid was squirming inside it, hitting the walls, as if thousands of screams, thousands of souls were trapped inside, struggling to get out. Black bubbles rose and burst on the surface of the bottle, and with every burst, a slow, harsh sound came.
Agni stepped forward. His steps were heavy, but firm. He stood in front of Varunya and began to look into her eyes.
In those blue eyes. What was there? Not anger. Not fear. Not greed. A strange emptiness, as if she was preparing herself for a very big sacrifice, and that sacrifice had burned away all her emotions.
Okay, Agni said in a heavy voice, his chest swelling with every word. If this is the only way to destroy Andhak Void. If this is the price we have to pay. Then I am ready to give a part of my Jwala. The essence of my fire that burns inside me. A part of it.
Acharya. No, Akshansh shouted, and began to move forward, but Agni immediately raised his hand to stop him. Agni hand was steady in the air, fingers straight, palm open. An unquestionable order.
Varunya waved her hand in the air. And an earthen pot appeared. Old, ordinary, but with ancient symbols carved on it. The pot floated in the air, a faint smoke rising from above it.
First, Agni placed his palm over the pot. He closed his eyes and gathered his inner energy. A red glow rose from his body. First faint, then bright. From the middle of his palm came a glowing red sphere. Pure, orange red, with thousands of small flames dancing in it. This was the essence of his divine fire. The core of his identity.
As that part fell into the pot, Agni face turned pale. His breaths became fast, sweat shining on his forehead. He opened his eyes. The redness in them had reduced, just a faint glow remained. As if a part of his life had been taken out.
Then Anvay stepped forward and placed his hand. He remembered his parents. Their smiles. Their last scream. He took a vow. In his mind, without words. And from his palm came a brown part. The essence of earth, trembling slightly, as if the heart of the earth was beating. That part fell into the pot, and the pot shook slightly.
Finally, when his turn came, Akshansh spat on the ground. With anger. With hatred. Tears were in his eyes, but they were tears of anger. He placed his palm, and from it came a blue, glowing part. The essence of Nakshatra lightning, with small rays flashing in it. He dropped it into the pot, as if pouring poison.
The three parts gathered in the pot. Red, brown, blue. And Varunya poured that black liquid energy into the pot.
And then. Something happened.
Such a fierce energy came from the pot that the walls of the whole Nabhgadh shook. Window glasses cracked, cracks appeared on the floor. The light was neither completely black, nor red, nor blue. It was a new color. A light that this creation had never seen before. This color kept changing. Sometimes purple, sometimes deep green, sometimes a color that had no name.
Varunya picked up that pot. Its weight now seemed so much that her hand shook, but she held it tight. She turned and walked toward the door.
At the door she stopped. Without turning, she wrote some words in the air with her finger. The words appeared like burning letters in the air, blue, but with a black shadow.
Now forty five steps remain. Remember, only ash can save fire, and only deep darkness can save water. Agni, keep Varshini (Neer sword) safe, because the final offering of the war will be that.
The words floated in the air for a few moments, then turned to smoke and dissolved.
And Varunya, without looking back, stepped into a blue smoke portal. The smoke thickened, and she disappeared into it.
The portal closed. Only the smell of ozone and burnt metal remained in the air.
Akshansh sat down on the floor, panting. He looked at his hands. The lightning rays on them were now only faintly crawling, like dying fireflies. She. She has weakened us even more, he said, a tired helplessness in his voice. Our powers. We gave a part of them away. How will we fight now.
Agni looked at Varshini tied to his waist. That sword, which for weeks had been like an ordinary piece of iron. Lifeless. Cold. Inactive. Today a very faint blue ray was coming from its sheath. The ray was so thin that it was almost invisible, but it was there. A soft, blue glow, dancing lightly in the air.
No, Akshansh, Agni said, a new, strange calm in his voice. She is not weakening us. She is preparing us.
He took Varshini in his hands. The weight of the sword was the same, but now a faint vibration was felt in it, as if some sleeping creature was waking up.
She is making something, Agni continued, his eyes fixed on the blue glow of the sword. Something that can cut Nirag void. That can destroy his dark energy. And for that. She needs parts of our powers. The essence of our elements.
Just then, a fierce war horn was heard from outside.
It was not a victory call. It was a danger signal. A long, harsh sound, echoing like thorns in the air.
Anvay ran to the window. He looked outside. And his breathing stopped.
Acharya, look.
The sky above Nabhgadh was changing.
First it turned red like blood. A deep, bright red, as if a huge wound had opened. Then, the red began to turn black. Black so deep that stars were not visible in it, as if the sky had swallowed all its light.
And from that black sky. They were descending.
Thousands of shadow soldiers. They were coming down tearing through the clouds. Human shaped, but without faces, without eyes. Their bodies were of black smoke, waving in the air. Every soldier had a black sword in his hand, black drops dripping from its edge.
And at the front of them all, on a black chariot, sat Nirag.
Nirag body had turned completely black. His clothes were now just shadows, waving in the air. His hair was not black, but the color of void. Such black that swallowed light.
And on his forehead. That black third eye was now completely open.
An eye without eyelids, without shine. Black destructive rays were coming from it. Thin, but deadly, wherever they went in the air, the air disappeared, light died.
Nirag voice echoed through the whole Nabhgadh, bouncing off every wall, entering every chamber.
The time for gifts is over, father. Now the reign of void will begin. Tonight, every brick, every stone, every living being of Nabhgadh will turn into void. And you. You will just keep watching, because this is your punishment.
In Agni hand, Neer sword began to emit blue light. First faint, then bright. The light entered the bodies of Akshansh, Anvay, and Agni.
Anvay placed his hand on his chest. Acharya, I am feeling very good, he whispered, a new strength in his voice. This light. It is awakening something inside us.
Akshansh also looked at his hands. Lightning rays began to shine on them again. Brighter than before, purer than before. Acharya, our powers have returned, he said, with surprise. But how is this possible? Varunya took our parts.
Agni looked at Neer sword, which was now glowing, spreading a soft blue aura. Neer is not here, he said, deep pain in his voice, but with it, a hope. But still, he is with us. His sword. It is purifying our powers. The parts we gave are returning. But now they are more pure, and stronger.
Tears came to Anvay eyes. He covered his mouth with his hands, but the tears did not stop. This is not the time to cry, Anvay, Agni said, but there was softness in his voice. We have to get ready. For a battle whose victory seems impossible. But we must fight.
Akshansh and Anvay nodded. As you command, Acharya, they said together.
Agni tied Neer sword Varshini tightly on his waist, and gripped his own sword Jwala firmly in his hand. He went to the window and looked outside. Nirag black chariot, and behind him thousands of shadow soldiers.
I am coming, Andhak Void, he whispered. Now your end is certain.
Agni began to move forward.
Akshansh shouted, Order the soldiers to get ready. Depart for war.
The captain came running, his breath heavy. As you command, Maharaj.
Akshansh, Anvay, and Agni. The three came down from the palace and stood in front of it. Behind them, Vedika, Aksh, and Kalpit also came. Everyone looked at each other. The same resolve, the same determination in their eyes.
We are ready, Acharya, Vedika said, a new confidence in her voice.
Agni nodded. Nirag got down from his chariot. His body had turned black, dark energy was coming from his body, the third eye on his head was clearly visible, a black aura was coming from his body.
He came forward laughing. Look, look, today all my loved ones are present here. He laughed a hollow, echoing laugh. Oh, I mean, all the loved ones of my son Nirag are present.
And he began to laugh.
Just then, Varunya also jumped down from the sky and stood behind Nirag.
Agni said with a start, Varunya. Not this time.
But Varunya looked at him. And in her eyes was the same blue glow, but this time there was a message in it. A warning. A plan.
And Agni understood. The game was not over yet. And Varunya. She was still with them.
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