The dark, smelly sewer was completely silent except for the sound of dripping water and the heavy breathing of the four teenagers. They were covered in mud, exhausted, and officially the most wanted fugitives in the city.
Sambhab sighed, holding his glowing blue fireball up to illuminate the mossy brick walls. "We need to keep moving. If the Holy Guards figure out we used the old drainage system, they will send trackers down here."
He turned around to lead the way, but his boots slipped on a thick patch of wet, slimy green moss.
"Whoa!" Sambhab lost his balance and stumbled backward. He didn't fall, but his heavy tactical backpack slipped off his shoulder and crashed hard onto the stone floor.
The zipper burst open. A few books tumbled out, along with the strange, heavy metallic cube they had found in the Howling Valley treasure chest. It hit the ground with a loud CLANG, bouncing twice before stopping near Kanha's muddy shoes.
Kanha quickly bent down and picked up the glowing metal box, wiping a piece of sewer sludge off it.
"oye Sammy, Careful with this, man!" Kanha scolded, holding the cube up. "This is the only thing we got from that death trap cave besides my ruined gold! If you break it, I'll....."
While Kanha was waving the box around, his thick thumb accidentally pressed a small, hidden silver button on the side of the cube.
Whirrrrr... Beep!
Suddenly, the dark sewer was illuminated by a brilliant, flickering blue light. The light shot out from the cube's glass lens, projecting a life-sized, 3D hologram directly onto the dirty brick wall.
Karma's breath hitched. Daizy gasped softly.
Standing before them, projected in blue light, was Karma's father. The legendary Lightning Lord was leaning against a wall, casually eating an apple with his signature goofy, carefree smile.
"Yo! If you're watching this video, that means you found the second button!" the father's hologram cheered, pointing a finger gun at the camera. "And more importantly... congratulations! You actually survived the collapsing cave! I honestly wasn't sure if you'd make it out in time. Good job, kids!"
Kanha's eye twitched violently. He tightened his grip on his iron staff, desperately wanting to smash the hologram. "I am going to fight your dad's ghost, Karma. I swear to god, I am going to fight him."
Karma just stared at the projection, his heart aching but also incredibly relieved to see his father's face again, especially after the trauma on the temple stage.
The father took a bite of his apple and his expression suddenly turned completely serious. The goofy smile vanished.
"Now, listen to me very carefully, Karma," his father said, his voice dropping to a low, warning tone. "Since you have my sword, people are going to notice you. But whatever you do... never, ever go anywhere near the Indra-Sabha Temple."
The entire team froze. The silence in the sewer was deafening.
"I have a massive, very personal issue with them," the father explained, pointing a stern finger. "The High Priest is a two-faced snake. They act like saints, but they are dangerous. Do not trust them. And most importantly, strictly warn your mother, your sister Swati, and your friends to stay far away from those white-robed frauds."
Karma's legs felt weak. He took a step back, his back hitting the damp sewer wall.
The warning... was too late.
"He warned us..." Karma whispered, his voice cracking with sheer agony. "He actually left a warning to protect Mom and Swati... and I was too late to hear it."
Daizy covered her mouth, her eyes filling with tears as she looked at Karma's devastated face. Sambhab looked down at the dirty water, clenching his fists in frustration. Kanha let out a heavy, angry sigh. The tragic irony was absolutely brutal.
But the hologram wasn't finished.
The father scratched the back of his neck, letting out a loud, awkward sigh. "But... knowing our family's luck, you probably didn't find this button in time. In fact, I know you. You probably marched right into the temple, caused a scene, and got into massive trouble, didn't you?"
Kanha's jaw dropped. "Okay, is this guy a psychic?!"
"If you accidentally got caught in this mess," the father continued, looking deeply sympathetic. "Then congratulations again, son. You are now public enemy number one. You belong neither here nor there. The temple controls the media, the politicians, and the public. You are officially fugitives, and no normal person in the city will dare to help you."
Sambhab pushed his glasses up. "His tactical assessment of our current situation is flawlessly accurate."
"However," the father's hologram smirked, a dangerous, confident glint returning to his wild eyes. "If the world turns its back on you, you go underground. There is exactly one man in this city who can help you. He owes me his life, and he absolutely hates the temple as much as I do."
Karma quickly stepped closer to the projection, his teal eyes wide with hope. "Who? Who is it, Dad?"
"He is an old friend of mine," the father chuckled, almost nervously. "But I have to warn you... he is a little bit crazy. Actually, he's completely out of his mine. He's a totally unhinged guy . He runs an illegal, underground fighting club for dark Pranists and outcasts."
The father leaned close to the camera, whispering the details like a secret.
"His name is Bhairav Singh, but the streets call him 'The Iron Beast'. Go to Sector 9, the abandoned Old Mill District. Find a rusty red door in the back alley and tell the guards: 'The storm brings the lightning.' They will let you in. Bhairav will give you shelter, and he knows the temple's dark secrets."
The hologram smiled one last time, a warm, proud, fatherly smile. "Stay strong, Karma. The night is darkest before the lightning strikes. I believe in you."
Beep. The projection flickered and vanished. The sewer plunged back into the dim light of Sambhab's fireball.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then, Kanha slowly cracked a massive, wide, completely excited grin. His orange aura flared to life, evaporating the dirty water around his shoes.
"An illegal, underground fighting club?" Kanha laughed, punching his fists together. The loud CLANG echoed through the tunnel. "Crazy fighters? No rules? A psycho boss named the Iron Beast?! Bro, why didn't we come here first?! This sounds like my absolute dream vacation!"
Sambhab sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. "Kanha, we are going to a den of wanted criminals and murderers. This is not a vacation. Tactically, interacting with a man described as crazy by a man who booby-trapped his own treasure is a terrible idea."
"It's our only idea," Karma said.
Karma stood up straight. He wasn't slouching anymore. The despair from the temple was completely gone, replaced by the burning resolve he had learned from Lord Rudra. His father had left him a path. He wasn't going to let his mother and sister stay in the hands of that fake priest.
Karma reached behind his back and firmly gripped the hilt of the Lightning Sword.
"We are officially dead to the normal world," Karma said, looking at his three best friends. His teal eyes glowed with fierce determination. "So, let's go see how the underworld works. Next stop: The Rusty Red Door."