The ancient temple beneath Delhi had finally fallen silent.
Only the sound of drifting ash and distant thunder remained.
The shattered remains of the Guardian Serpent lay scattered across the cracked dragon seal, black smoke rising in thin curls like the last breath of an old nightmare.
Aarya stood at the centre of the ruined chamber, breathing hard.
The violet flames had vanished from his hands.
The shadow wings were gone.
But the heat remained beneath his skin.
His dragon mark pulsed like a second heartbeat.
Alive.
Watching.
Beside one of the broken pillars, Arya Malhotra was helping Rudra sit upright.
Her usually sharp face had softened.
For the first time, she looked less like the daughter of the city's most dangerous man and more like a sister terrified of losing the only family she truly trusted.
Rudra winced and looked around at the wreckage.
Stone dust covered his coat.
His voice came out rough.
"I'm going to need an explanation."
Arya gave him a dry look.
"You almost died."
He blinked.
"That doesn't explain the giant skeleton snake."
Aarya let out a tired breath.
"It's a long story."
Rudra looked at him, then at the black ash where the serpent had died.
"Try the short version."
Before anyone could answer, Karan Veer Rathore stepped toward the broken dragon seal.
His silver eyes narrowed.
Something had caught his attention.
"Aarya."
The tone in his voice made everyone turn.
A section of the seal had cracked apart during the battle.
Beneath it, hidden under centuries of stone and dust, was another chamber.
A staircase descended into darkness.
Cold air rose from below.
Ancient.
Heavy.
Almost alive.
Karan crouched and brushed away the dust.
An engraving slowly came into view.
A dragon curled around a blood-red moon.
At its centre stood a warrior in black-gold armour.
Aaryaveer.
Aarya's breath caught.
The moment his eyes touched the ancient text beneath the carving—
He could read it.
As naturally as breathing.
His voice came low.
Almost as if someone else were speaking through him.
"When the moon bleeds red, the sealed war shall awaken."
Silence.
Arya's eyes narrowed.
"What does that mean?"
Aarya's gaze moved across the second line.
The symbols glowed faintly violet.
"The Dragon Heir must return to Kurukshetra before the third night, or darkness shall consume the age of steel."
Rudra frowned.
"Age of steel?"
Karan slowly stood.
"The modern world."
His voice turned grim.
"The Red Moon is an ancient celestial event."
Aarya looked up.
"The one Mahakaal mentioned."
Karan nodded.
"It appears once every thousand years."
A cold silence settled over the temple.
Arya's face hardened.
"And when it rises?"
Karan's expression darkened.
"Mahakaal can break the seal between ages."
Rudra blinked.
"You mean…"
Karan looked toward the shattered serpent remains.
"He can bring back the fallen armies of Dvapara."
Even Rudra went silent after that.
The temple suddenly felt colder.
Aarya's eyes dropped to the final line.
The ancient symbols glowed brighter.
"Only the Dragon's Heart can stop the red moon."
The dragon mark on his chest burned.
A pulse ran through his body.
Then—
The world blurred.
He stood on a battlefield.
The memory was clearer than ever.
Broken chariots.
Fallen banners.
Thousands of warriors.
The earth itself was stained dark with blood.
Above the battlefield hung a moon the colour of fresh blood.
The Red Moon.
Its light painted everything crimson.
At the centre of the battlefield stood Aaryaveer Dev.
The armour cracked.
Blood on his face.
A spear of violet fire in his hand.
Across from him—
Mahakaal.
Younger.
But with the same red eyes.
The same cruel smile.
A voice cried out.
"The moon strengthens him!"
Aaryaveer looked up.
The shadow dragon above him roared.
Then a woman stepped into view.
Silver hair.
Ancient armour.
Eyes filled with grief.
Princess Vanya.
Her gaze locked onto him.
Not Aaryaveer.
Aarya.
As if she could see beyond lifetimes.
Her lips moved.
"Find the Dragon's Heart."
The battlefield trembled.
Then the vision shattered.
Aarya staggered back into reality.
Arya caught his arm.
Her hand lingered a moment longer than necessary.
"What did you see?"
Aarya's breathing remained uneven.
"Princess Vanya."
Karan's face darkened.
"You saw her again?"
Aarya nodded.
"She told me to find the Dragon's Heart."
Silence.
Karan looked toward the staircase beneath the broken seal.
"That means it's real."
Rudra frowned.
"In this temple?"
Karan shook his head.
"No."
His gaze lifted northward.
"Kurukshetra."
The name settled like thunder.
Aarya's expression sharpened.
"The battlefield."
Karan nodded.
"The place where Aaryaveer fought Mahakaal for the last time."
Arya folded her arms.
"Then that's where we go."
Before anyone could answer—
The temple shook.
A deep tremor ran through the floor.
Dust rained from above.
Then a voice echoed through the chamber.
Ancient.
Massive.
Not human.
"HEIR OF SHADOWS."
Everyone froze.
The dragon mark on Aarya's chest flared violently.
The voice came again.
Louder.
Closer.
"COME TO ME."
Aarya's breath caught.
The voice wasn't Mahakaal's.
It was older.
Deeper.
The dragon.
The entire floor trembled.
A pillar of violet light erupted from beneath the staircase.
It shot upward through the ceiling.
Through stone.
Through the earth.
Piercing the storm clouds above Delhi.
Visible across the entire city.
A beacon.
A summons.
Karan's eyes widened.
"The Dragon's Heart."
Aarya slowly lifted his gaze.
Somewhere beyond the city.
Beyond time.
Destiny was calling him home.
And the Red Moon was rising.