Payal dangled helplessly in the forest's thorny embrace, vines constricting like living nooses, squeezing ribs until breath came in ragged, desperate gasps—each inhale a battle against crushing pressure, her body giving up lungs burning for mercy. The pulsating tendrils—thick as wrists, veined green-black, thorns dripping in venom—dug mercilessly into her silver suit, nano-weave straining but holding it together, pinpricks of fire lancing skin where defenses faltered. Uncomfortable escalated to agony: coils cinched waist vise-tight, another looped throat shallowly, impeding air; legs pinned , body arched in suspended torment amid canopy gloom. She couldn't even feel her body Can't... breathe... Vision spotted black, heart hammering panic's rhythm, Deo's beauty now s become adistic trap for her .Survival instinct ignited fury; she twisted violently, summoning arcology-forged grit. Right hand—dagger-clutched—twitched feebly, runes dim against vine's relentless grip. Move... damn it! Her words dying in her throat . Muscles screamed protest, suit's enhancements amplifying strength faintly, but vines making it very difficult to live, tightening reprisal, thorns drawing beads of blood. She bucked wildly, head thrashing—slash free!—elbow jabbing tendril, she try everything but it's doesn't work . Fingers spasmed; dagger nicked surface, sizzling anti-venom spark flaring briefly, but coil only writhed angrier, injecting fresh burn.Struggling furiously, attempts failed one after another. left leg kicked futilely, dislodging pebbles below; shoulder-shrug wrenched arm fractionally, dagger grazing uselessly; guttural growl escaped throat—"Let... go!" Her cry mufeld her every body want to be free. The vines getting on her skin , she felt her skin torning apart how much she strugal but vines even mocked her harder, slithering tighter, dragging her higher into shadowed boughs where wraith-eyes glinted hungry. Sweat slicked skin under suit, breath whistling thin, consciousness fraying. The... promise... Desperation peaked—no more failed , she can't fail; i needs to do this i can't die here, the fases of her husbands kept coming into her mind lifeless body. She moved furiously but not working
one final surge her eyes closing her body giving out. I can't i can't hear last words stopped with her. fainted , Deo claims another soul.
.When she opened her eyes, disorientation crashed: no longer suspended in agony, but cradled on a bed of enormous flowers—petals vast as blankets, velvety crimson cushions pulsing faint bioluminescence, nectar-scent sweet and heady amid forest hush. Canopy parted above, slivers of moonlight dappling her silver suit—torn but intact, thorns' burns soothed to faint itches. How did I get here? Confusion swirled, heart lurching as vines' memory lingered phantom-tight. She bolted upright, scanning gloom—no dagger in hand, peril vanished like illusion.A presence prickled—subtle shift in air, shadows coalescing. Footsteps rustled moss: figure emerged from mist-shrouded trees, tall and cloaked in tattered black coat billowing like raven wings, face hidden deep in hood's abyss, only emerald-flecked eyes glinting like fractured gems. Staff thumped ground rhythmically—world-tree heartwood, runes aglow faint."Who are you?" Payal demanded, scrambling back on petals, hands empty but fists clenched—arcology steel masking tremor. Dagger gone—vulnerable again.The figure halted, voice resonant as ancient oaks, laced ethereal echo. "I am the one whom you seek—the Soul of this forest. Guardian of shattered runes, weaver of neural threads."Payal's breath hitched—Kael's hermit, legend incarnate. "So you already know why I come here , ... , . Tell me—how can I wake them up? My husbands —trapped in coma every single body is frozen.Physicians failed; you're the the only hope i have!"He tilted hooded head, staff tapping contemplative rhythm, coat's folds whispering secrets. "Before that, don't you want to know how they ended up in this situation? It's doesn't matter Backlash's root runs deeper than ritual mishap—secrets unravel, girl of fragile flesh."His face remained hidden—black coat shrouding form entirely, making scrutiny futile; only those piercing eyes betrayed ancient wisdom, body language fluid as wind through leaves. Payal hesitated, dread mingling hope—truth first, salvation second? Forest held breath, flowers undulating softly beneath her. I don't need to , please tell me how would they wake up.
The hermit—Soul of Deo Forest—crossed staff-clad arms, emerald eyes narrowing beneath hood's impenetrable shadow, black coat absorbing stray moonbeams like void itself. "If you don't want them to recover fully," he intoned, voice gravelly timbre echoing through petal-bed, "then it's okay. What do mean. Skip understanding why they lie in stasi. You know ignorance blinds deeper than vines."Payal surged forward on knees amid flower cushions, desperation cracking voice. "Stop! I will listen. I can do anything to do get them back. Tell me—show me everything!" Hands trembled empty without dagger, silver suit's tears stark reminder of peril survived, but resolve burned brighter than fear. Hermit nodded once, head movements fluid incantation—staff tip tracing air, runes igniting emerald cascade. Spell wove reality he moved his hand in rethem holographic vista bloomed fron of her eyes. immersive projection coiling mist into tapestry—mansion's chamber materialized, candles flickering crimson, rune-circle etched floor pulsing ominous violet. Payal saw familiar faces—Asra, Julian, William—circled amid arcane tomes, but atmosphere thickened slowly tense: air crackling static, they look tens, she knows that room, it's belong to Willams study. brothers' expressions hardening to unfamiliar menace.William walking back and forth central, greenish-blue eyes stormy voids, gesturing sharply. "Asra, you did what I told?" Voice brooked no dissent, authority laced venom .Asra nodded, blue hair disheveled, usual warmth eclipsed by calculating gleam. "Yes, brother—this day will change our destiny. It's for good." Hands flexed, bearing faint rune-glow, hidden machinations.Julian adjusted spectacles, scholarly poise twisted sly. "What about you, William?" Sat in grip hummed readiness.William's lips curled predatory smile. "I also did what we planned. Everything going according to plan, . Now we need only wait for Father to leave the mansion—then strike."Projection deepened immersion: holographic winds buffeted Payal, carrying whispers of conspiracy—what is happening, brothers plotting patricide? Faces morphed, revealing something she alredy known, a at very frist day they met on dinning table she knows the father and son's relationship is anything but normal. This sides she knew existed. Asra's tenderness masking ruthless ambition, Julian's wisdom veiling deceit, William's hauntings fueling dark dominion. From start she knows how powerful and blood thirsty they're. She alredy read novel so she knows how much dark they are. Payal recoiled on petals,choking gasp—"No..." What do you want to exactly show me—projection flickering their malice like knives to heart. "Can you pasten the speed for a bit?" she pleaded, eyes locked on screen, nausea roiling. My husbands...?Hermit obliged with staff-tap, vista freezing mid-scheme, the suspended atmosphere making hard to focus. Forest flowers wilted faintly in sync, awaiting her unraveling.
Payal sat frozen amid the wilted flower bed, that's all. rooting her like Deo's deepest vines— you showing me how painful death they given to their father? Questions avalanche. The man looked towards her calm face don't you feel loyalty's facade? Power eclipsing brotherhood and relationship? Your husbands—architects of your sanctuary, givers of arcology dreams—harboring patricidal shadows? No answers pierced confusion's fog, hermit's hooded gaze silent judgment; forest held breath, petals drooping heavier."Continue..." she whispered hoarsely, steeling fractured heart. Truth's blade cut deep, but ignorance doomed deeper she expected this but not this early—for their revival, endure.Hermit looked on tapped staff; projection reignited you are too calm, , ritual chamber pulsing anew. Tension crested. Meena ignored him looked ahead William stiffened mid-scheme, greenish-blue eyes glazing intuitive storm. "I sense something... Her expression turned from evil to vunrebal....got the signal. Something is not right."Asra pivoted sharply, blue hair catching candle-flicker, concern cracking ambition's mask. "What happened, brother?"William clutched temple, vanishing powers flaring erratic. "I think Payal's in pain—my senses screaming warning. Meena felt something her whole body got under spell listening her name with such care. It's been long....Arcology distress ping, faint but sharp."Asra clamped hand on William's shoulder, empathy surging. "Let me see it." Eyes shuttered, empathic link probing voids—then snapped wide, own wrist phantom-throbbing. "Ahaaa...!" He hissed, cradling arm as if slashed, Payal's vine-agony echoed.William surged toward exit. "She's in pain—you need to meet her. Asra spoke Authorities messaged me too; her faint, scans flagged."Asra gripped firmer, strategy recalibrating. "If I leave now, it's going to be hard for us—plan can't be failed. William, you go, look what happened. Use your , teleported powers ."William hesitated, glancing to Julian—hunched over tomes, runes glowing on skin. "What about Julian? Is he going to be okay with it?"Asra's smile turned steely reassurance. "Don't think too much—I'll tell him. Go now." Urgency brooked no delay; William nodded, form rippling haze, vanishing in ozone burst toward her arcology peril—unseen pivot sealing fates.Projection dimmed, chamber emptying to echoes, hermit's voice overlaying: "Distraction's seed—your pain pulled William, fracturing plan. delayed; backlash brewed unchecked." Payal's shock deepened... So he was really there in my room.? ...
What is happening i don't know anymore, okay i don't want to continue, i know what going to happen they going to kill their father with very painful death. I know how much they heat him . Let's not waste time her. Tell me what i need to do to make them out of coma.
Why are you so calm after knowing everything, don't you think if they can kill their father , they not going to think twice before killing you? Do you ?
Meena looked unconcern about the fact they can kill her. I don't care i live more hard life , i sow too many painful feelings, they are the one acted like i matterd, i can also share my thoughts, most important thing my study, if they want they can do much worse with me but they don't.
There is no thing to heat them.
Now tell me. What can I do to make them alive again.
He was taken aback by her response, i can't change your mind , can i ?
But it's not easy to broke that cruse. Because of there blood thirsty bound, they are in this state.
What do you mean, Meena looked confused. The fact is always happen between blood related person, their father aware of their power, he knows he can't defeat them . They will go out of control. That's why without their consent, he did formed that pact with them, without knowing them.
I can broke the pact but, for that someone needs to give sacrifice.
That's only option right Meena. Got up from bed, i can do it.
Think before doing it, you will lost your bond with them. Are you willing to loose them.
I am .. i can do anything to bring them back, you going to sacrifice me? Or what?
No.... No. He smiled ackwordly, it's just i will erase their memories about you.
That's it. I thought you going to kill me, Meena smiled.
Are you really okay with this. That man taken back by her response
Can you do me fevour, can you erese my memories also? She looked with hope.
No i can't , i am sorry you can ask me something else. Because that's the sacrifice you made.
Meena looked around, if they forgot her that's mean there is no place to stay. Why don't you help me to get a home it will be great.
I can do that, you can sleep her until morning, then i will take you there. He disappeared in forest.
Is it possible to live without them, i have to she slept just lying down on bed.