The moment he looked into the crocodile's eyes, Rudhran realized that it was no ordinary beast. Those crimson eyes radiated something far more terrifying. Fear gripped him instantly, and for a brief moment, he froze, unsure of what to do.
But Rudhran acted quickly.
Drawing his sword from its sheath in one swift motion, he locked his gaze onto the red-eyed crocodile. With a single powerful leap, he drove the blade deep into the creature's body. The instant the crocodile collapsed, all the other crocodiles vanished into thin air as though they had never existed.
Without wasting another second, the three of them swam toward the shore.
Standing before the enormous gate, the trio understood one thing clearly—only by crossing it could they enter the world known as Velmora Veil. As Paarivendhan stepped closer to open the gate, Rudhran suddenly stopped him.
"Wait," he said after a moment of thought. "Watch your steps carefully. Until we reach the gate, we must remain alert. There could be traps everywhere. One mistake could cost us our lives. Move patiently."
As Rudhran examined the narrow pathway leading toward the gate, suspicion filled his mind. The ground ahead was divided into countless square tiles, each engraved with strange symbols.
Picking up a stone, he threw it onto one of the tiles.
Nothing happened.
He picked up another stone and tossed it onto a different tile. This time, the tile instantly sank beneath the surface. But it was not ordinary ground beneath it.
It was molten lava.
Fear spread across their faces. Even a single wrong step would mean certain death. For a moment, none of them knew how to cross the deadly path.
Rudhran gathered several stones into his hands.
He threw one onto a tile. Nothing happened. Carefully, he stepped onto it. Then he tested the next tile with another stone. Safe again.
Step by step, he continued forward, using the stones to test every tile before placing his foot upon it. Behind him, Paarivendhan and Paarthiban followed cautiously, stepping only where Rudhran had stepped.
But suddenly, they came to a halt.
Rudhran could move no further.
The tiles ahead were far stranger than the previous ones. He tested them with stones, yet none reacted. Believing them safe, he placed his foot on one—
At once, the tile sank.
Reacting instantly, Rudhran grabbed onto another nearby tile and lunged forward, barely escaping death. With great effort, he finally reached the gate.
The others struggled behind him but eventually managed to join him near the massive doors.
At that moment, only one thought crossed their minds.
"This gate can only be opened by the one who stands between light and darkness."
Because of that, they asked Rudhran to open it.
Rudhran slowly placed his hand upon the gate.
The very next second, an invisible force hurled him backward.
As he crashed onto the ground, strange visions flooded his mind. He saw himself standing with a sword in hand before a gigantic demonic being. The vision felt terrifyingly real, as though he had entered another world entirely.
Then suddenly—
He snapped back to reality.
Breathing heavily, Rudhran finally understood something.
"I cannot open this gate."
The other two remained silent. Doubt filled their minds. Perhaps they had misunderstood the prophecy all along.
After a moment, Rudhran turned toward Paarivendhan.
"You try."
Though hesitant, Paarivendhan stepped forward and touched the gate.
To everyone's shock—
The gate opened.
Beyond it lay the pathway to Velmora Veil.
A blinding crimson light burst forth from the opening. The glow was so intense that the three of them could barely keep their eyes open. The radiance swallowed their vision entirely, leaving them surrounded by endless darkness.
Then suddenly—
A brilliant flash illuminated everything.
When they opened their eyes again, they found themselves standing beside a flowing river. Water rushed fiercely through its banks.
The moment Rudhran looked at the river, a strange dizziness overcame him.
His vision blurred.
He closed his eyes for a second.
And when he opened them again—
He was no longer in the same world.
Far away, he saw the silhouette of a woman standing alone.
Confused, Rudhran slowly walked toward her.
As he drew closer, his eyes widened in shock.
It was none other than Nadhini.