Agan listened intently… and before he knew it, sleep had taken him.
"Take him inside and let him rest," his grandfather said softly. "I will tell the rest of the story tomorrow night."
With that, the old man turned his gaze toward the palace.
Inside the palace, at that very moment—
The king walked silently through his chambers.
He moved toward a hidden room… one that led deep beneath the earth.
A secret passage.
Descending into the underground, darkness swallowed everything. The air grew heavy. At the end of the path stood two massive doors—carved like monstrous demons, towering and terrifying.
From within… came a dreadful sound.
The king opened a tiny slit in the door and released a faint beam of light inside.
And then—
In the pitch darkness, two enormous crimson eyes opened.
Watching.
Waiting.
The next day…
Agan woke up early, restless with curiosity. He waited eagerly for his grandfather to return.
When the old man finally arrived, Agan rushed to him, his eyes filled with excitement.
Smiling at his eagerness, the grandfather continued the tale.
Ariyan couldn't stop thinking about it.
Agomi…
The name echoed in his mind.
What was it? Why did it feel so unsettling?
That was when he remembered something.
There was an old man in the village… someone who had lived for many years. People said he knew secrets—ancient truths about the kingdom.
Without wasting time, Ariyan sought him out.
His name… was Mouli.
When Ariyan approached, the old man squinted.
"My eyes don't see clearly anymore… who is it?"
"I am Ariyan, commander of the royal guard. I seek answers."
"Ah… then sit. What do you wish to know?"
Ariyan's voice was steady.
"What is Agomi?"
For a moment—silence.
Then suddenly, Mouli burst into a chilling laughter.
"Agomi… you dare ask about Agomi?"
His voice turned grave.
"It is a creature of terror. A monstrous being—like a fusion of a lion and a fox, yet far more dreadful. It possesses immense magical power."
He continued slowly,
"Thousands of years ago, the king of Preta Desam brought a small creature from somewhere unknown… and raised it. But it grew into something uncontrollable. A beast that slaughtered countless people and shook the very foundation of the kingdom."
"To stop it, they used a powerful weapon… and sealed it within the depths of the Pushpavanam forest."
Mouli leaned closer.
"People believe it still exists. But no one knows the truth. Some say… every eight years, a strange light appears in the sky—that is Agomi awakening."
"And some believe… it is guarding something."
Ariyan's expression hardened.
"If you truly want to know the truth…" Mouli whispered,"you must enter that forest yourself."
Those words echoed endlessly in Ariyan's mind.
And so… he decided.
He would enter the forest.
Even during the day, the forest was shrouded in darkness.
As Ariyan stepped toward it—
"Ariyan!"
He turned.
Alli stood there, rushing toward him.
"Where are you going? Didn't you hear what I said yesterday? This forest is dangerous!"
But Ariyan wasn't listening.
He was looking into her eyes.
Silently.
"What happened to you?" she asked softly. "Why are you standing like this… without saying anything?"
Then suddenly—
"Do you love me, Alli?"
Time froze.
Her heart skipped.
"Answer me," he said. "You follow me… you saved me from your brother… you came to me by the river and said you would be there for me…"
"All of that… made me ask this."
His voice trembled slightly.
"I don't know if I'm right or wrong… but one thing is true. From the moment I first saw you… you entered my heart."
"I didn't have the courage to tell you."
He covered his face with cloth, revealing only his eyes.
At that moment—
Alli realized.
"You… you were the one who saved me from the elephant…"
Her voice shook with disbelief.
Everything felt like a dream.
Unable to process it, unable to respond—
She turned and ran.
Ariyan stood there, stunned.
Because of that moment… he couldn't enter the forest.
Instead, he returned to the river.
As always.
Sitting beneath the tree, he looked at his reflection in the water.
But suddenly—
Her face appeared in it.
Startled, he turned.
Alli stood behind him.
She walked toward him… and gently held his hand.
Placing a golden bracelet on his wrist, she said,
"I love you."
"This bracelet is proof of my love. Keep it safe."
Tears filled Ariyan's eyes.
"Why are you crying?" she asked softly. "A warrior should not cry… it doesn't suit you."
For the first time in his life—
The riverbank was no longer lonely.
Because now…
She was beside him.
The next day, the royal court gathered.
Janatharangan rose.
"It is time. We can no longer wait. After our father, who will rule this empire? I want the answer today."
"If not… we will follow the laws of the Gandharva code. Let the decision be made through war."
The decision was approved.
The king gave his consent.
And just like that—
War became inevitable.
Both factions began preparing.
Janatharangan summoned Ariyan.
"Prepare the army," he ordered. "And swear to me—you will not abandon this war under any circumstance."
Ariyan swore.
And he trained his army relentlessly.
Before the war…
Alli met him at the river.
"I know about your oath," she said. "I won't ask you not to go."
"But promise me… you will return alive."
Ariyan nodded.
"I will return… not just alive. But victorious."
The day of war arrived.
Sacrifices were offered to Goddess Kali, as tradition demanded.
Then—
The conches roared.
War began.
Armies clashed.
Weapons collided.
Blood soaked the battlefield.
Vajrasenan and Kichakan fought fiercely. Vajrasenan overpowered him, knocking him to the ground. Seeing him unarmed, he turned away—
But Kichakan, in cruelty, threw sand into his eyes and beheaded him.
Elsewhere, Janatharangan and Adhiran battled.
And amidst it all—
Ariyan moved like destruction itself, cutting down countless enemies with brilliant strategies.
Adhiran struck Janatharangan, wounding his leg.
As Janatharangan raised his sword to finish him—
Adhiran severed his arm.
The battlefield froze.
Seeing their leader fall, the army lost hope.
Adhiran pressed forward, crushing their morale.
But in the end—
Janatharangan, with his final strength…
Killed Adhiran.
And claimed victory.
The war had ended.
But the cost…
Was only beginning to unfold.