Chapter 33 Shadows at Dawn
Prakashgadh at the time of sunrise
The first rays in Neer chamber were gilding the marble walls but that light could not reach him He sat near the window and in his hands was Varshini A cold blue metal that felt heavier than usual today His fingers rested on the hilt of the sword but his gaze was searching for some invisible enemy far away He picked up a soft cloth and began wiping the blade of the sword Each stroke carried a ritualistic gravity as if he was sharpening not just metal but his own resolve
The cloth slid along the edge each time producing a sweet cold sound Shing Shing That echoed strangely in the silence of the chamber Neer breaths did not match that rhythm They were irregular sometimes long and heavy and sometimes so light that it seemed he had forgotten to breathe There were dark circles under his eyes and his blue pupils held an exhaustion that came not from sleep but from constant alertness As if someone had stayed awake all night listening for a sound in the dark
Just then a bird came and perched on the window sill and let out two sharp calls Neer raised his head and his gaze met the bird The bird chirped again and then suddenly fell silent Its neck tensed as if it had seen something that human eyes could not perceive In a moment it flew away and its fluttering wings carried a strange urgency
Neer placed his sword down His hands did not tremble but the veins were tense as if they were preparing themselves for a battle
Nirag lay on his bed but his sleep was not rest It was a torment
The dream began in a blurry field The same field where he had fought Andhak Void but now there was no grass there Only black sticky mud that seemed to suck at every step he took There was a stench in the air Of old blood and burnt flesh And then the scene appeared
Before him stood Anvay No not standing Hanging His hands and feet were bound by invisible chains that swung in the air Anvay eyes were open but they held no life Only a white empty fear Nirag looked In his own hands was Shitaakshi and the sword was moving on its own slowly towards Anvay neck
No Nirag lips moved but no sound came out Stop Do not do this
He tried to shake his body but he was shackled in iron grips At every joint cold black metal rings were pressed binding him to the bed He writhed and struggled Pain rose in his muscles but he could not move
The sword reached near Anvay neck Anvay closed his eyes A tear slipped from his lashes and crawled down his cheek drawing a gleaming pained line
Do not scream Stop Nirag voice finally came out A cracked sand like whisper I beg you I beg you Let him go Let Anvay go
Just then the figure appeared The one that looked like Nirag But its face did not hold Nirag softness Only a distorted crooked smile Its eyes were completely black No pupil No white Just two voids ready to swallow everything
That figure looked at Nirag and began laughing loudly The laughter was hollow like rising from an empty well Each sound bounced back from the walls of the chamber forming a terrifying chorus
Nirag The voice came in Nirag own tone but it held a poisonous sweetness This is you You are no different from me
Nirag began to cry Tears were not flowing down his cheeks but inside him as if his soul was breaking
That figure Andhak Void Extended his hand His fingers touched Anvay neck and then with a sharp grating sound the sword came down
Blood spread Hot deep red that gleamed as it spread over the black mud Anvay head separated from his torso and fell down with a heavy dull thud
Nirag screamed A long breaking scream that tore through his dream and reached into reality
Nirag jolted upright His breaths were so fast that pain began rising in his chest He looked at his hands They were clean Not soaked in blood Then he touched his face It was wet Soaked in sweat and tears
Anvay He whispered and his voice was so broken that it seemed he could not even convince himself I killed you
He looked around This was his chamber The morning light was coming through the window and golden stripes from the edges of the curtains fell on the floor Everything was normal The books on the table The sword hanging on the wall The water pitcher in the corner
But there was something in the air A scent The scent from the dream Of burnt flesh A burning sensation arose inside Nirag nose He rubbed his nose but the scent did not go away
The door opened
Agni entered His eyes were wide and the lines of worry on his face had deepened He looked at Nirag Sitting on the bed Breaths fast Body trembling
What happened Nirag Agni voice was soft but held a suppressed urgency I heard your scream
Nirag looked at Agni In his eyes was a fear that Agni had never seen before This was not fear This was recognition As if Nirag had seen something he wanted to forget but his eyes could not deny it
He Nirag lips trembled He killed Anvay Tauji He slit Anvay throat
Agni breath stopped He stepped back as if struck What did you say son
I Nirag voice broke I myself I myself slit Anvay throat
Silence fell over the chamber Agni looked at Nirag Sweat glistened on his face His eyes were red His lips dry and cracked This was not Nirag This was his hollow broken reflection
Agni slowly placed his sword Jwala down A faint metallic sound echoed on the floor He came to Nirag and sat on the edge of the bed The sound of his sitting The rustle of clothes and the light clink of armor Brought Nirag back to the present
No Nirag Agni said and his voice was like a warm steady flame You did not kill anyone You are in your chamber son Come to your senses
Nirag looked around again His gaze stopped on everything and then moved away as if he wanted to believe but could not He looked at his hands again There was no blood on them He looked at his sword It hung quietly on the wall
And then he hugged Agni So tightly that Agni breath caught for a moment Nirag body was trembling A deep internal shiver that seemed to rise from the bones
Tauji Nirag began to cry and the tears now flowed freely Hot and moist spreading on Agni shoulder What is happening What am I becoming
Agni placed his hand on Nirag head His palm was warm with a steady reassuring heat He slowly ran his fingers through Nirag hair as if putting a child to sleep
Everything will be fine son Agni said but there was a crack in his voice A fear that he was hiding Everything will be fine
Nirag suddenly pushed Agni away His eyes were still wet but they held no tears Only a strange gleam He spoke in a dual voice One tone was Nirag and the other was deep and echoing
Nothing will be fine Agni You will not be able to save your son From me
Agni eyes widened He looked at Nirag face On his forehead just above his brows the skin was twitching faintly A streak of black light flashed and then disappeared
I will take everything from you Nirag voice came again but now it was completely Andhak Void Cold Hoarse Like ice
Agni acted immediately He took out a protective thread from his waist The same one that Margdarshak had given for Nirag It was no ordinary thread It had symbols of the sun and moon woven into it and its weave held a faint golden glow
Without a word Agni tied that protective thread on Nirag hand His fingers were fast and firm Each knot was accompanied by a Naad Sutra like murmur
The black streak disappeared from Nirag forehead As if an invisible hand had erased it His eyes returned to normal Red and blue once again His body went limp and he slumped forward
Agni caught him and hugged him This time Nirag did not resist He just kept crying Now the tears were of relief or perhaps of a new pain
Forgive me son Agni whispered and his voice held a pain that words could not carry Hearing the news of your dream I panicked so much that I forgot Margdarshak had given you this protective thread
Nirag nodded and his voice was now clear though tired Do not apologize Tauji There is no fault of yours in this
Agni looked at the protective thread tied on Nirag hand It was glowing faintly A golden warm light that was merging into Nirag skin
Son Agni said and firmness had returned to his voice Now Andhak Void will not be able to influence you Now you rest
Nirag nodded yes His eyes were growing heavy Agni laid him down on the bed and adjusted the pillow under his head
As soon as Nirag eyelids closed Agni stood up He picked up his sword Jwala again This time his grip was so strong that the veins on his hand stood out He looked at Nirag one more time and then walked out of the chamber
Below in the open field Neer was swinging his sword
Varshini spun in the air drawing a blue gleaming line With every strike small streams of water emerged from the sword Like shards of ice but sharp edged Those streams traveled a few feet in the air and then scattered falling down like light drops of ice
Around Neer lay large pieces of stone placed there for practice He swung the sword and sent a water stream And the stone shattered into pieces The fragments flew into the air and then fell down with a heavy rumbling sound
But this was not practice There was no peace on Neer face that comes with the art of combat His brows were furrowed and his jaw was clenched In his eyes was a rage that seemed not like water but like freezing
Andhak Void He whispered and swung the sword again Another stone broke This time into two halves with a clean straight line You have not done well with my son
He raised the sword upwards and then struck downwards A sharp whistle sounded in the air A deep crack appeared on the ground from which a faint water emerged
Just once Neer said and his voice was now loud echoing in the air Just once if I get an excuse To pull you out of his body And to secure my son
He paused and took a breath A deep shivering breath
After that His eyes gleamed Like blue ice I will do such a state to you That not a single fragment of you will remain
He swung the sword again This time a horizontal strike in the air The stone slab placed before him split in half The two pieces slid in opposite directions and fell with a heavy crash
Nirag was not sleeping He lay on the bed with his eyes open staring at the ceiling The protective thread was on his wrist A light warm pulsation could be felt
Just then something emerged from his body
It was not smoke It was denser and more alive A black blurry figure that emerged from his chest and began floating in the air That figure was human like but its shape was not stable It kept undulating sometimes expanding and sometimes shrinking
Nirag looked at it But he could not move His body felt heavy as if made of wood
The black figure rose into the air and reached near the ceiling of the chamber It paused there for a moment as if looking at someone Perhaps Nirag Perhaps the protective thread
Then it moved towards the window Passing straight through the solid wall as if it was not matter but only shadow
Outside the window was the light of morning The black figure dissolved into it Or perhaps the light swallowed it
Silence filled the chamber again Nirag closed his eyes This time no dream came Only a deep heavy darkness in which the faint glow of the protective thread flickered like a star
And far below Neer suddenly stopped his sword He looked up towards the windows His eyes narrowed
He felt as if someone was watching him
But when he looked there was nothing there Only empty windows And behind them the morning sun which had now fully risen
He placed his sword down His palms were wet Not from sweat but from the water that kept emerging from Varshini
Soon He whispered so softly that even the wind could not hear Soon Andhak Void Our reckoning will come
And on the palace roofs a crow was perched It let out a sharp call Caw Caw Then flew away Beneath its wings in the sunlight a strange shadow appeared for a moment Human like but crooked
Then that too disappeared
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