The twelve reflections charged at once.
Each carried Saksham's face.
Each moved with Saksham's body.
Each radiated a different aura.
The child version came first, fast and reckless, wielding twin daggers.
The arrogant version followed with blazing golden mana.
The king version walked calmly with a crown of light and a spear.
The broken version dragged a cracked sword behind him.
The monster version smiled with too many shadows around its eyes.
Saksham tightened his grip on the giant iron blade.
Vaelthor stood with hands folded.
"Do not mistake them for illusions."
"They are possibilities."
Eltharos laughed from a nearby stone ledge.
"Then break the ugly ones first."
The child reflection leaped.
Daggers flashed toward Saksham's throat.
He blocked one with the iron blade and caught the second wrist with his free hand.
The child grinned wildly.
Exactly how Saksham used to grin years ago.
For one second, Saksham hesitated.
Bad choice.
The arrogant reflection slammed a kick into his ribs and launched him sideways.
Three others attacked before he landed.
Steel clashed.
Shockwaves burst.
Saksham rolled to his feet.
"They coordinate?"
Vaelthor answered calmly.
"They are all you."
"That includes intelligence."
The king reflection pointed his spear.
The other eleven shifted formation instantly.
Saksham cursed under his breath.
At the Royal Academy, morning drills had become chaos.
Aryan Singla was sprinting uphill with a boulder tied to his waist.
"THIS ISN'T NORMAL!"
Victor jogged beside him casually.
"It is for people who dislike weakness."
Aryan glared.
"You enjoy suffering too much."
Victor smiled.
"Correct."
At the hilltop, Elena waited with wooden swords.
Aryan stopped in horror.
"No."
"Yes," she replied.
"No."
"Yes."
Roderic and several first-years watched from below with pity.
Back in the Divine War Realm—
The broken reflection moved unexpectedly fast.
Its cracked sword scraped the ground, then burst upward in a hidden arc.
Saksham barely jumped back.
The blade sliced a lock of his hair.
The monster reflection appeared behind him.
Shadow claws tore across his back.
Blood splashed.
Saksham spun and punched with lightning-coated fist.
The monster blocked with one hand and smiled wider.
Eltharos whistled.
"That one has attitude."
Saksham slid backward breathing harder.
Every reflection represented a flaw or path.
If he fought emotionally, he would lose.
He closed his eyes for half a second.
Centered breath.
Opened them again.
"Fine."
He charged the king reflection first.
Unexpected.
The spear thrust three times.
Saksham parried two and shoulder-slammed through the third.
He grabbed the spear shaft and yanked the king forward.
Then swung the iron blade upward.
BOOOOM!
The king reflection shattered into light.
The formation broke instantly.
Vaelthor nodded once.
"Good."
"Leaders fall loudly."
The arrogant reflection roared and unleashed golden fire.
The battlefield flooded with heat.
Saksham ran through it.
Burned sleeves.
Burned skin.
No pause.
He entered close range and headbutted the reflection.
CRACK!
Then smashed it with the blade's pommel.
Light exploded.
Two down.
The child reflection attacked again.
Daggers dancing.
Laughing.
Fearless.
Saksham's expression softened.
"You were fun."
He dropped the giant blade.
The child blinked.
Too late.
Saksham stepped inside the daggers and tapped the forehead with two fingers.
The child reflection dissolved smiling.
At the academy, Aryan lay on the training ground spread like a fallen starfish.
"I think I died."
Elena poked his shoulder with a stick.
"No response. Confirmed."
Aryan groaned.
Victor tossed him water.
"You're improving."
"That sounded insulting."
"It was praise."
Aryan sat up slowly.
"When brother returns, I'll challenge him."
Elena and Victor exchanged one glance.
Then both laughed openly.
Aryan pointed angrily.
"Why are you like this?!"
Far away, Saksham faced the remaining nine reflections.
The broken version stepped forward alone now.
Cracked sword lowered.
No hostility.
Just sadness.
Vaelthor spoke quietly.
"Be careful."
"This one is dangerous."
Saksham frowned.
"It's barely standing."
"Exactly."
The broken reflection lifted its head.
Its eyes were hollow.
Its voice was Saksham's voice.
"What if you fail them?"
The battlefield changed.
Not illusion.
Memory.
Aryan bleeding in his arms.
Elena frozen in stone.
Victor buried under corpses.
Orion kneeling headless before darkness.
Saksham's chest tightened violently.
The broken reflection whispered:
"What if strength is never enough?"
Its cracked sword pierced forward.
Saksham froze for one fatal second.
CLANG!
Eltharos's spear intercepted the strike.
The God of War glared.
"Fight enemies."
"Not doubt."
Saksham inhaled sharply.
The memory-world cracked apart.
Reality returned.
He looked at the broken reflection again.
This time clearly.
Not weakness.
Fear.
His own hidden fear.
Saksham walked forward slowly.
The reflection trembled.
He placed one hand on its chest.
"I will fail sometimes."
The reflection stared.
"I'll still stand again."
Light spread through the cracked body.
Then it dissolved peacefully.
Vaelthor smiled faintly.
"Excellent."
"Acceptance kills shadows faster than rage."
Only eight remained.
The monster reflection roared and absorbed the others one by one.
Shadow bodies merged.
Child speed.
King discipline.
Arrogant fire.
Broken pain.
Everything poured into one towering dark Saksham.
Six black wings tore from its back.
Its eyes glowed red.
Eltharos stood.
"Now that one I respect."
Vaelthor's voice lowered.
"This is the path where power devours purpose."
The monster raised a giant shadow blade.
Saksham picked up the iron weapon again.
Both figures faced each other across shattered land.
Storms gathered overhead.
At the academy, Aryan suddenly stood from the ground.
His heart pounded.
Something was wrong.
He looked toward the horizon.
"Brother…"
Back in the realm, the monster Saksham vanished.
It reappeared directly in front of him.
Shadow blade descending.
Saksham swung upward.
Two giant weapons collided.
The War Realm split for miles.
END OF EPISODE 8