As Ambu suddenly rose from his seat and stepped forward, a ripple of doubt passed through the entire hall.
For a moment—
Everyone thought the same thing.
Was he… backing out?
Was he choosing fear over war?
But then—
Ambu stopped right at the center of the सभा.
He lifted his head… eyes fixed on Queen Neerja Devi—
And what came next—
Hit like thunder.
"What are you saying, Your Majesty?"
His voice was loud. Proud. Unshaken.
"A few centuries ago… when our kind needed help…"
"You… and the entire army of the demi-gods answered our call without hesitation."
A pause.
"Truth is… our lives—our very existence—is because of you."
The hall fell silent.
"And protecting our people…"
"…is not a choice."
"It is our duty."
His chest rose as his voice deepened.
"But today… by asking us this question…"
"…you are putting us to shame."
A powerful silence followed.
Then—
Ambu placed his hand firmly over his heart.
"I—along with every being standing here—will fight in this war."
His voice turned fierce.
"Because running away from duty…"
"…does not suit a warrior."
"…or even a human."
For a second—
No one moved.
Then suddenly—
One by one—
Leaders rose from their seats.
Every single one of them.
Hands over their hearts.
Eyes burning with resolve.
"Your Majesty… we are with you!"
The very voice echoed through the massive hall like a war cry.
Loud.
United.
Unbreakable.
For the first time—
A faint softness appeared on Queen Neerja Devi's face.
She stood up in respect.
Folded her hands.
And bowed her head—
Not as a ruler…
But in honor of warriors.
After that—
The atmosphere shifted.
The fear that once filled the hall—
Turned into purpose.
Plans began to take shape.
Strategies were discussed.
Roles were assigned.
Each civilization… each army… each leader—
Now had a part to play in the coming war.
But amidst all this—
One man remained silent.
Watching.
Observing.
Reading faces.
Guru Dhoomketu.
His eyes moved from one leader to another.
Calm.
Sharp.
Suspicious.
Because deep inside—
One thought refused to leave him.
There is a traitor among us.
And finding that traitor—
Was just as important as preparing for war.
After a long while—
Without a word—
Dhoomketu stood up.
And quietly walked out of the palace.
The moment he stepped outside—
A voice called out from behind—
"Mahaguru… my respects."
Dhoomketu turned.
And what he saw—
Was enough to make anyone pause.
The Queen of the Lizard Tribe.
Walking gracefully toward him.
Dressed in elegant attire.
A soft, charming smile on her lips.
But her eyes—
Held something else.
Something unreadable.
Dhoomketu nodded slightly.
"Greetings… Lizard Queen."
As she approached, she spoke in a gentle tone—
"I would like to apologize for my behavior in the Council."
"I hope… you will forgive this foolish girl."
Dhoomketu smiled faintly.
"I forgive mistakes that happen unknowingly."
His voice was calm—but edged with meaning.
"But mistakes done knowingly…"
He looked straight into her eyes.
"…are neither acceptable… nor forgivable."
A pause.
"I hope you understand the difference."
The Lizard Queen's smile didn't fade.
If anything—
It deepened.
"Oh…"
"So it seems the great Mahaguru… doubts this innocent girl?"
She tilted her head slightly.
"Is it because I said something you didn't like?"
Dhoomketu's expression turned serious.
"No."
"Not because of your words."
A pause.
"But because of your nature."
The air grew heavy.
"You belong to a species known for having two faces."
"One to show the world…"
"…and one hidden beneath."
His gaze sharpened.
"To be honest…"
"I'm not even sure if the face you're showing me right now… is your real one."
A deadly silence followed.
"And let's not forget…"
"You are neighbors to the demon realm."
The words were direct.
Sharp.
Unfiltered.
For a moment—
Even the Lizard Queen was taken aback.
But only for a moment.
Then—
She bowed slightly.
"Well said, Gurudev."
A soft smile returned.
"I've heard a lot about your wisdom…"
"But it seems… you're even sharper than the stories."
She stepped closer.
"But I'll still say this…"
"You can trust us."
A pause.
"Though… the decision is yours."
Dhoomketu looked up at the sky.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Let's leave that to the future."
That smile—
Confused her.
"Why are you smiling, Gurudev?"
Without looking at her, he replied—
"You should watch the sunrise in Badallok."
"It's… beautiful."
Curious—
She looked up.
And the moment she did—
Her eyes widened slightly.
The sky was glowing.
Soft golden light spread across the clouds.
From the floating realm—
The sunrise over Earth looked…
Divine.
Magical.
Almost unreal.
"Beautiful…" she whispered.
For a few moments—
They both stood there.
Watching the same sky.
But thinking very different thoughts.
Then—
Dhoomketu turned.
And walked away.
The moment he disappeared—
The softness on her face vanished.
Her eyes sharpened.
Cold.
Calculating.
She quickly scanned her surroundings.
Making sure no one was watching.
Then—
From her hand—
A glass sphere appeared.
She held it close.
And spoke in a low voice—
"No information about the child yet…"
A pause.
"But we've found something useful."
Her lips curved slightly.
"They are preparing for war…"
"Plans are being made…"
"And their strongest pillar…"
"…is the human sage."
As soon as she finished—
The sphere began to glow.
Shifting colors—
From blue…
To dark black.
Then—
It vanished.
Just like that.
She looked up at the sky again.
But this time—
Her smile was different.
Cold.
Twisted.
Dangerous.
"Yes…"
"It really is a beautiful view…"
"…huh."
And with that—
She walked away.
Leaving behind—
A silent truth.
The war had begun…
And so had—
The betrayal.