The rooftop battlefield burned under the glow of Devika's flames.
Broken tiles crackled beneath the heat while drifting dust and sparks hung in the night air. Around the ruined rooftop, the remaining Rakshak warriors stood tense and silent.
But no one moved.
Because every pair of eyes remained fixed on one man.
Captain Varun.
He knelt in the center of the battlefield, his spear still trembling in his hand.
His body shook violently.
But the tremors were no longer just resistance.
They were something else.
Across the rooftop, Arivaan watched with growing interest.
The floating panel flickered again.
Primary Servant: Devika Agnivarna – Stable
Secondary Bond: Captain Varun
Bond Progress: 65%
Arivaan tilted his head slightly.
"He's holding longer than expected."
Devika glanced toward Varun.
Her flames burned lower now, but the heat in her voice remained.
"He's trained to resist mental attacks."
Arivaan chuckled.
"This isn't exactly a normal mental attack."
Varun suddenly lifted his head.
His eyes burned with fury.
But beneath that fury—
Something else flickered.
A subtle emptiness.
His grip on the spear tightened.
Then loosened.
Then tightened again.
His fingers twitched.
Not entirely under his command.
Devika whispered through the link,
"The bond is interfering with his muscle control."
Arivaan nodded slowly.
"That's the idea."
Across the rooftop, Rudra Sen stepped forward again.
The hunter's sword still glowed faintly in the firelight.
His gaze remained locked on Varun.
"Captain."
Varun forced himself to look up.
"I… am… still… here…"
But the words sounded strained.
Each syllable cost him effort.
The invisible control pressed deeper into his mind.
The floating panel flickered again.
Bond Progress: 67%
Varun's arm suddenly jerked.
The spear lifted.
He hadn't moved it.
His eyes widened.
"No…!"
Arivaan smiled faintly.
"That's progress."
The captain tried to drop the weapon.
But his fingers refused.
Instead—
The spear rotated slowly.
Turning toward the other Rakshaks.
One of the warriors stepped backward instinctively.
"Captain—!"
Varun roared in frustration.
"Stay back!"
But his voice trembled now.
Because he could feel it.
The moment his body stopped responding completely.
Arivaan raised his hand slightly.
Devika noticed instantly.
"You're pushing him again."
Arivaan shrugged.
"Testing."
Varun's arm lifted higher.
The spear pointed forward.
The captain forced his other hand to grab the weapon.
Trying to hold it down.
His muscles strained violently.
For a moment—
He stopped it.
The floating panel flickered again.
Bond Progress: 69%
Varun collapsed to one knee again.
His breath came in ragged bursts.
But the control tightened further.
The invisible bond spread deeper into his nervous system.
Arivaan watched carefully.
"Almost halfway to full control."
Devika frowned.
"You're treating this like an experiment."
Arivaan smirked.
"It kind of is."
Varun suddenly stood again.
His body moved stiffly.
Unnaturally.
His spear raised slowly.
The surrounding Rakshaks stepped back again.
Because they could see it now.
The captain's movements were no longer entirely human.
Rudra Sen's voice cut through the tension.
"Captain."
Varun's head turned slowly toward him.
But the motion looked… wrong.
Delayed.
Jerky.
Like a puppet struggling against its strings.
"I… will… not…"
His voice cracked.
"…serve…"
Arivaan flexed his fingers slightly.
The invisible control surged.
Varun's body froze.
Then—
His spear swung sideways.
The blade struck the rooftop near one of the Rakshaks.
CRACK!
Stone shattered.
The warrior jumped backward.
Shock spread across the group.
Devika whispered,
"…You just made him attack them."
Arivaan shrugged.
"Technically he missed."
The floating panel flickered again.
Bond Progress: 71%
Varun's resistance weakened further.
His arms trembled violently.
But the spear lifted again.
This time—
Without his command.
Varun screamed in rage.
"No!"
But his body moved anyway.
The spear turned.
Now pointing directly toward the Rakshak formation.
The captain's voice came out broken.
"Run…"
Arivaan chuckled softly.
"That's dramatic."
Rudra Sen stepped forward slowly.
His expression remained calm.
But his eyes burned with determination.
"You're almost gone."
Varun's body shook.
"…Not… yet…"
Arivaan studied him for a moment.
Then raised his hand again.
"Devika."
"Yes."
"Stand down."
Her flames lowered instantly.
The battlefield grew quieter.
Now only Varun moved.
His body stiff.
His spear raised.
His will slowly collapsing under the invisible pressure.
The floating panel flickered once more.
Bond Progress: 73%
Arivaan smiled slowly.
"The puppet is waking up."
Devika glared at him.
"You're a monster."
Arivaan shrugged casually.
"Depends on perspective."
But across the rooftop—
The Rakshaks could already see the truth.
Captain Varun was no longer fully himself.
And every second—
He was becoming something else.