Chapter 16 United Strength
The Shadow Simmer's deadly claw tore through the air aimed straight at Aarav's chest. Kiyan's reaction was faster than lightning. He grabbed Aarav's hand in his own and yanked him backward with an unimaginable force as if some invisible rope was pulling them both. Aarav flew through the air and landed at a safe distance. His chest was pounding.
The Shadow Simmer screamed in fury. All four of its green eyes blazed with fire. It focused on Kiyan and lunged toward him its claws now aimed directly at Kiyan's face. But Kiyan vanished like a phantom. One second he was there. The next he was standing ten feet away pressed against the far wall of the cave. His long black hair swayed in the air like a dark wave. His golden eyes were glowing now sharp and bright filled with the gleam of a predator.
Kiyan. Watch out. Aarav's warning echoed through the cave.
The Shadow Simmer opened its mouth. From deep within its throat a stream of venomous blue black liquid shot out heading straight for Kiyan. Kiyan twisted his body at an impossible angle ducking low to let the stream pass over him. The liquid struck the cave wall. A sharp hissing sound filled the air. The stone where it landed turned a deep rotting blue. Poisonous smoke rose from it thick and foul. The rock was decaying.
The creature turned its attention back to Aarav now. It crawled across the ground like a black python slithering toward him and then it lunged. Its jagged claws reached for the veins in Aarav's throat.
Aarav shut his eyes. Deep inside him his Devanshik (a divinely blessed one who wields divine power) power lit a cold silver flame. He thrust his hand forward. Without a sound a brilliant shield of pure silver white light materialized in the air in front of him glowing with an intricate beautiful geometric pattern. The Shadow Simmer's claw slammed directly into that shield.
Crrrraaaaack.
The sound of metal being torn apart showered with sparks thundered through the cave. The creature was hurled backward by the force spinning through the air before it crashed to the ground. The claws on the hand that had struck the shield were now shattered and smoking.
Kiyan appeared at Aarav's side in a blur of speed. He placed a hand on Aarav's shoulder. His gaze was fixed on Aarav's face. A rare flicker of worry shone in his own golden eyes. You okay.
Aarav nodded. His breathing was still fast but his eyes held nothing but resolve. Yes.
The Shadow Simmer rose to its feet. Its green eyes were now tinged with the red of pure madness. It charged again. Aarav and Kiyan ran their footsteps echoing through the dark cave. But the creature was faster than both of them. It leaped off a wall and landed directly in front of them blocking their path.
Aarav's eyes landed on a narrow deep section of the cave where the darkness was thickest. He glanced at Kiyan and gave a subtle nod toward it. There.
Then Aarav closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and focused every trace of that silver power inside him. He controlled it. When he opened his eyes again they were no longer human. They had turned completely silver. Two gleaming coins radiating soft beams of pure silver light. He stretched his hand toward the cave wall. From the tips of his fingers small star like silver flames flickered out and clung to the stone. They solidified there then rose into the air as floating spheres of silver fire. Each sphere cast a dim cold glow filling that part of the cave with an eerie heavenly light.
Now. Aarav shouted and they both ran down that illuminated path.
The Shadow Simmer charged after them but the moment its foot passed near one of the silver fire spheres the sphere exploded. Not a blast. Just a pure release of silver energy. The creature screamed and recoiled as if that energy had burned it. The violet skin around its leg smoked and turned black.
But it did not stop. Maddened with rage it revealed its true form. Its lower half which had still looked somewhat human tore apart. It morphed into a long powerful tail. Green and violet. Like a monstrous Girgit Raj (Chameleon King). At its tip was a deadly bone like stinger. The creature whipped its tail forward and it shot through the air like a bolt of black lightning wrapping tight around Aarav and Kiyan. It bound them both crushing their waists in its grip.
Finally. The Shadow Simmer's voice was thick with manic triumph. Both of you are caught in my trap. Now I will deliver you both to Aagya Sangathan (the Aagya organization). This is exactly why my boss sent me. To capture you. And they have had their eyes on you. Especially you Aarav. For a very long time.
Aarav struggled. His silver eyes flared. What do your bosses even want from us. Why do they want to capture us.
The Shadow Simmer laughed. A harsh broken cackle. Ha ha. I will tell you. I will tell you. After all this might be your last wish. Because after this Aagya Sangathan will finish you both anyway. He paused then muttered under his breath. My bosses are just like you. But I am not going to tell you who they are. But yes. Now I am going to kill you both. Because they want your bodies. Dead or alive. You have caused me far too much trouble.
As it spoke it tightened its tail. Their breathing started to choke.
Then a calm deadly expression settled over Kiyan's face. His eyes were no longer just golden. They were blazing now. Like the core of the sun. The nails on his hands grew long thin and razor sharp like honed diamonds. Without any warning he twisted his arm backward and drove those nails straight into the center of the Shadow Simmer's tail.
Arrrrggh.
A deathly scream shook the entire cave. The creature's grip loosened. It hurled Aarav and Kiyan away. They flew through the air but their hands were already locked together. Looking into each other's eyes a silent agreement passed between them. A unity. A single signal.
And then they stopped in midair.
Gravity lost its hold on them. Aarav floated there fully in his Devanshik form. A soft silver aura surrounded his body. His eyes were two spheres of pure silver. Kiyan floated beside him in his Chhayodhbhav (a nightborn entity who drains age) form. His black hair flowed like living darkness in the air. A deep golden ring of light pulsed around his body. His nails were now gleaming golden blades.
Together drifting slowly through the air they came to a halt in front of the Shadow Simmer who was still clutching its wounded tail.
Aarav raised one hand. From his palm a beam of pure silver light shot forward slicing through the air and piercing straight into the creature's chest. It was not fire. It was a cleansing energy.
At the same moment Kiyan opened his mouth. No scream came out. Just a deep pulling force from his lips. A murky green black light began to rise from the Shadow Simmer's body. It was being drawn directly into Kiyan's mouth doing umr choosna (age draining). Its age. Its power. Its life force.
This. How is this possible. The Shadow Simmer screamed. There was fear in its voice now. How did you both recover. Why are my powers not working.
Aarav smiled faintly. His voice echoed through the cave like a quiet resonance. Drawing you into this darkness was part of our plan from the start. And I noticed something. You are afraid of fire. So I used my Devanshik power to set a fire inside you. But it is the kind of fire that burns without you even realizing it is there. Look. Half your body has already been consumed.
The Shadow Simmer turned to look and a scream of pure terror tore from its throat. Starting from its tail the entire lower half of its body was black and charred. As if invisible flames had been eating away at it. It was crumbling into ash.
Nooooo. Its scream dissolved into a long fading echo as Kiyan pulled the last of its energy away. The creature's body shriveled. Its green eyes dimmed. It collapsed to the ground like a heap reduced to nothing but a pile of smoldering black ash.
Aarav and Kiyan descended slowly their feet touching solid ground once more. Their forms faded back to normal. Aarav's eyes returned to their natural brown. Kiyan's nails shrank back. They looked at each other and a tired but victorious smile bloomed on both their faces. They clasped hands again and moved forward.
Ahead of them the cave opened into a small natural pond surrounded by stalactites. The water was crystal clear. In the very center resting on a stone a flower bloomed. Its petals were a deep sapphire blue. From its core radiated a calm blue white light that bathed the entire pond in a heavenly glow. The real Neelmukhi flower.
Aarav smiled at Kiyan and stepped toward the pond. He reached the edge and bent down to step into the water.
Then a violent distorted scream erupted from the pond. The water rose into a massive black shape. It slammed into Aarav with brutal force hurling him into the air.
Aarav. Kiyan yelled and lunged forward catching Aarav in his arms as he fell. They hit the ground hard and scrambled up fast their eyes fixed on what was now in front of them.
There in the center of the pond directly above the Neelmukhi flower stood a twisted form made of water. Its body was transparent black liquid. Bone like structures jutted out from within it. Its eyes were two burning red embers. And its hands. Its hands were sharp blades of solid frozen ice.
The figure turned its head. It looked at Aarav first then at Kiyan. A disgusting sound like bubbles bursting in water came from it. It slowly raised one hand. The water of the pond began swirling around it forming a deadly spinning sphere.
Both warriors stared at each other in shock. One danger had not passed. A new one had just awakened. One even more ancient and terrifying.
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